THE VIETNAMESE SEARCH FOR THEIR RELATIVES LOST DURING DK

Sorya Sim

A total of 148 Vietnamese family members were claimed to have lost in Cambodia according the 1976 petitions from 30 relatives. The petitions, dated between June-October 1976, were in hand-written and typewritten Vietnamese language. The petitions mentions the addresses of the petitioners in Vietnam and their lost relatives in Cambodia. Of the 30 petitioners, 11 lived in Ho Chi Minh city, 10 in Dong Tap province, 2 in An Giang, 1 in Hau Giang, 1 in Quang Minh and the rest gave unclear addresses. Of the 148 lost relatives, 51 lived in Phnom Penh city, 33 in Kampong Chhnang Province, 11 in Kandal, 10 Siem Reap, 7 in Takeo, 6 in Kampong Cham, 4 in Battambang, 3 in Battambang, 1 in Kampong Speu, and the rest gave unclear addresses.

Of the 30 petitions, two petitioners have attached photos of the lost relatives. On August 8, 1976, Ngo Thi Tien wrote a letter requesting information regarding her husband and daughters who disappeared in Cambodia. The then 43 years old Ngo Thi Tien along with three sons had returned to Vietnam and lived at no.539, street 20, Tran Hung Dao Road, Ho Chi Minh city. Her husband Chok Pak and her two daughters Ngo Thi Srey and Ngo Thi pau lived in Daun Tuot village, Nhien Nhan commune, Tram Kak district, Takeo province. In the letter, she wanted them to also return to live with her in Vietnam.