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Everyday Experiences of Genocide Survivors in Landscapes of Violence in Cambodia

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Everyday Experiences of Genocide Survivors in Landscapes of Violence in Cambodia EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES OF GENOCIDE SURVIVORS IN LANDSCAPES OF VIOLENCE IN CAMBODIA A thesis submitted to Kent StAte University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MAster of Arts by Savina Sirik December, 2015 © Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published mAteriAls Thesis written by Savina Sirik B.A., The RoyAl University of Fine Arts, 2004 M.A., Coventry University, 2007 M.A., Kent StAte University, 2015 Approved by James Tyner, Professor, Ph.D., Advisor Scott Sheridan, Professor, Ph.D., Chair, DepArtment of GeogrAphy James L. Blank, Ph.D., DeAn, College of Arts And Sciences Table of Contents List of Figures ...................................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................................ v Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 HistoricAl BAckground of the DemocrAtic KampucheA Regime (1975-1979) ............................................ 5 Zone and Regional Variations .......................................................................................................................................... 7 MemoriAlizing LAndscApes of Violence during the PRK Period ........................................................................ 9 OrgAnizAtion of the Thesis ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Chapter Two: Production of Violent Landscapes, Landscapes of Memory and Everyday Life 16 Production of Violent LAndscApes .............................................................................................................................. 16 Landscapes of Memory and Memorialization of Violence ............................................................................... 19 TrAumA And LAndscApes of EverydAy Life .............................................................................................................. 23 Chapter Three: Scope of Study, Narratives, Positionality .................................................................... 27 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................ 29 Archival research ........................................................................................................................................................... 29 Interviews and participant observations .............................................................................................................. 29 Selection and recruitment of participants ........................................................................................................... 32 DatA AnAlysis ........................................................................................................................................................................ 33 A Note RegArding the Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 35 Struggling with Positionality ........................................................................................................................................ 37 Setting, Study Area, Background ................................................................................................................................. 40 Selection and overview of the study site ................................................................................................................ 40 Local history of Prek Ta Meak Commune ............................................................................................................. 44 Chapter Four: Sites of Violence, Narratives, and Memorialization ................................................... 48 Sites of Violence and Narratives .................................................................................................................................. 48 Former Khmer Rouge prison: Chamkar Siv ......................................................................................................... 52 Mass graves ...................................................................................................................................................................... 57 Former Khmer Rouge offices and hospital ........................................................................................................... 61 Local Memorialization of Violence and Neglect of Memorials ....................................................................... 66 AlternAtives to the MemoriAl ........................................................................................................................................ 77 Chapter Five: Narratives of Individual Survivors in Landscapes of Violence ............................... 86 EvAcuation ............................................................................................................................................................................. 89 Social Organization and Labor Force ........................................................................................................................ 95 Returning Home ............................................................................................................................................................... 100 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................................................... 101 Chapter Six: Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 109 Findings ................................................................................................................................................................................ 110 Local landscapes of violence and memorialization ........................................................................................ 111 Alternatives to memorials ........................................................................................................................................ 115 Individual and national narratives ....................................................................................................................... 117 Limitations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 121 Future Research ............................................................................................................................................................... 122 References ........................................................................................................................................................ 124 iii List of Figures Figure 1: An overview map of Prek Ta Meak commune (Source: Author) ........................................................................ 42 Figure 2: An overview map of the research location (Source: Author) ............................................................................... 43 Figure 3: The land in which the Chamkar Siv prison was situated. The detention house was dismantled after 1979 (Source: Author) ........................................................................................................................................................... 54 Figure 4: The mass graves in which the Khmer Rouge buried victims. Today, the field is covered with bean crops And grAss (Source: Author) ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Figure 5: The house converted into the Khmer Rouge's commune office (Source: Author) ...................................... 62 Figure 6: The old stupa stores victim remains removed from the old memorial (Source: Author) ....................... 71 iv Acknowledgments This thesis would not hAve been completed without the generous support and guidance of many individuAls And institutions. Firstly, I Am deeply indebted to the director of DC-Cam, Youk Chhang, who continuously And tirelessly supports, encourAges, And motivAtes me to pursue higher educAtion And chAse my dreams. He provides me with every opportunity to chAllenge the sociAl And culturAl norms which restrict women from growing intellectuAlly And professionAlly. I would like to express my sincere grAtitude to my thesis committee chAir, Advisor, And mentor, Dr. JAmes Tyner, who guided me through my coursework, instructed me regArding reseArch methodology and writing, and provided constructive feedbAck to my thesis. I would Also like to Acknowledge support from my committee members, Dr. Chris Post And Dr. Judy Ledgerwood, who provided very insightful And useful comments. My thAnks Also go to the faculty and staff members of the DepArtment of GeogrAphy, who have been very supportive to me throughout my Master’s studies at Kent State. Since English is not my native language, I acknowledge the supports and assistance from Ms. Elaine McKinnon for editing
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