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Cambodia's "Killing Fields"

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Cambodia's Cambodia's "Killing Fields" Interview with Ms. Loung Ung February 4*^, 2002 Whitman y \. -tm ff^^gW" P^-'^^^^'^'^^-'f^^ OH Sarah Comeau COM 2002 Comeau, Sarnb Comeau 1 Table of Contents I. Contract Page 2 II. Statement of Purpose Page 3 IIL Biography of Ms. Loung Ung Page 5 IV. Historical Contextualization "Cambodia's 'Killing Fields'" Page 6 V. Interview of Ms. Loung Ung Page 21 VI. Interview Analysis Page 29 VII. Appendices Page 35 VIIL Works Consulted Page 37 ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL INTERVIEWEE RELEASE FORM: Tapes and Transcripts I. ^^-ouAfc-Kv V\Av\g—.A ^ do hereby give to the Saint Andre\\^s Episcopal name oFSlerviCTTCe School all right, title or interest in the tape-recorded interviews'conducted by ">y^ O^YOG^AVJ on \^-''\'b'G\ . I understand that these name of interviewer date(s) interviews will be protected by cop)Tight and deposited.in Saint Andrew's Library'and Archives for the use of future students, educators and scholars. I also understand that the tapes and transcripts may be used in public presenlations including, but not limited to, audio or video documentaries, slide-tape presentations, exhibits, articles or the world wide web at the projects web site www.doingoralhistorj'.org. This gift does not preclude any use tliat I myself want to make ofthe information in these transcripts or recordings. The interviewee acknowledges that he/she \vill receive no remuneration or compensation for either his/her participation in the interview or for the rights assigned hereunder. CHECK ONE: Tapes and transcripts may be used without restriction y . Tapes and transcripts are subject to the attached restrictions (Typed) . INTER INTERVIEWER: Signature. of\Interviewee Signature ^ Typed Name Typed Name Address Address Dale Date 8804 Postoak Road • Potomac, Maryland 20854 • (301) 983-5200 • Fax: (301) 983-4710 • http:/Avww.saes.org Comeau 3 Statement of Purpose The purpose of this oral history project is to expose the Cmnbodimi genocide (1975- 1979) through the words and emotions of someone who escaped the "Killing Fields". This was a time of turmoil, mass genocide, stm^vation, mid depression in the third world nation of Cambodia. Ms. Loung Ung tells her story of loss and survival. This interview is the personal account of Ms. Ung's struggles and accomplishments, mid provides new insight that is not always available in traditional historical sources. Comeau Ms. Loung Ung vvww.btintemet.com/-'andy.brouwer/ung.htm Comeau 5 Biography of Loung Ung Loung Ung was bom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 1970 to Sem Im Ung mid Ay Choung Ung. There were seven children in Loung's family, she had three brothers and three sisters. Her father was a militmy police captain under the Eon Nol govemment. Her family and her was evacuated from Phnom Penh on April 17 , 1975. Loung lived in a commune, where her family and her worked constantly, on meager portions. Her sister Keav was taken away in August of 1976; she later died in mi infirmary. Her father was taken away from by Khmer Rouge when she was six, in December of 1976. Her mother then proceeded to kick her and her remaining siblings out ofthe house so they would have a better chance of survival. Loung and her sister ended up going to the same work camp for children, they begged for food mid shelter, mid claimed they were orphans. Her mother and youngest sister were killed in November of 1978. Loung escaped to Vietnam in 1979, after the fall ofthe Khmer Rouge with her brother Meng. Her oldest brother Meng still lives in the United States with his wife mid two daughters. The rest of her surviving family, her two other brothers mid one sister still live in Cambodia. Loung leamed English, attended American grade school through high school, and eventually earned her BA in political science. She moved to Washington DC after working for three years in Maine at a domestic violence shelter. Since 1997 Loung has been working at Campaign for a Land-Mine Free World (CEMEW), she now is its spokesperson. Loung currently travels globally speaking about her experiences in Cambodia and spreading the message about landmines. Loung is residing in Washington, DC. Comeau 6 Cambodia^ "Killing Fields" Historimi Eric Hobsbawn refers to the 20 century as the "Age of Massacres". During this period Hitler, Stalin and Cambodia's Pol Pot were responsible for the deaths of approximately 34 million people . The slaughter ofthe Jews and other minorities under Hitler, the extermination of Stalin's opposition, and the execution of millions of "upper class" Cambodians by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime are why these men are leading figures in the 20 century. The 1970's were a decade of massacre, war, corruption and tragedy in Southeast Asia. The United States was engaged in a "war" with Vietnmn between 1954- 1975 as part of the Cold War. The Vietnamese {Youns) were attacking Cambodia with the intention of overthrowing the government. The border between Thailand and Cambodia was becoming heavily guarded because ofthe thousands of Cambodians trying to seek refuge in Thailmid (appendix one). Cambodia was about to enter the most tragic period in its history under the rule ofthe Khmer Rouge. As a result ofthe Khmer Rouge rule, 2.5 million Cambodians would be killed with millions trying to flee the brutal regime led by Pol Pot. The word Cambodia is the English trmislation ofthe Cmnbodimi word Kampuchea. The former Prince of Cambodia, Sihanouk, explains the meaning ofthe two terms; "[These] designate the same country, the Imid ofthe Cambodians or Khmers" (155). Sihanouk goes onto declare that the word "Khmer" designates the racial majority in Cambodia {Kampuchea) (155). Many historimis compare the Cmnbodimi revolution and genocide to that of others: "The Kampuchean revolution bears comparison with the While there is an ongoing debate about the accuracy of numbers. Hitler is credited with about 12 million deaths, Stalin with about 20 million deaths, and Pol Pot with about 2.5 million deaths. Comeau 7 Russian [1917] and Chinese [1949] revolution in terms ofthe percent ofthe total population lost, [the Kampuchean Revolution] is undoubtedly the bloodiest" (Etcheson 149). The Khmer Rouge regime was a group of Communists that tried to reach the "ideological goal". Historian Kimmo Kilijunen describes this "ideological goal" as "the creation of a classless society" (15). The classless society would consist of no leamed peoples. The Khmer Rouge intended to "cleanse" the population of those who were educated, those who worked under Lon Nol, or who lived in the cities. The Khmer Rouge needed these people dead because they believed that the people were threats to the govemment, Pol Pot knew that the educated were wise enough to eventually perform a coup d'etat and might one day overthrow the govemment. In order to perform these mass killings the Khmer Rouge established large sites, which are now referred to as the "Killing Fields," where they would dispose of and or kill the people who were deemed a "threat" to the govemment. In response to the genocide the victims rushed to the borders of Thailand and Vietnam. In addition to dealing with the executions of millions, the United Nations and the Western world had to deal with the amount of refugees that were at the borders of Cambodia's surrounding countries. Democratic Kampuchea wrote its constitution in 1976 which stated that the people: Desire an independent, unified, peaceful, neutral, nonaligned, sovereign Kampuchea enjoying territorial integrity, a national society informed by genuine happiness, equality, justice, and democracy, without rich or poor and without exploiters or exploited, a society in which all live harmoniously in great nation solidarity and join forces to do manual work together and increase population for the construction and defense ofthe country. (Ponchaud 199-200) Comeau 8 The desire to create this "Utopia" required the deaths of over 1/3 ofthe Cambodia population between the years 1975- 1979 . The people that died during this time were either executed or died of disease. This "Utopia" needed those who were literate, mid educated dead, because they posed threats to the govemment. Cambodia's struggles mid hatred towmds the western system of govemment and thus the embrace of communism began with Cambodia under French control. Cambodia had not been free from foreign rule until 1953 when Prince Sihanouk decided to negotiate with France for eventual freedom through his "royal crusade for independence." During this time France was preoccupied with the current situation in Communist Vietnam so independence was grmited in 1953. In 1954 Cambodia would not abandon neutrality and join an anti- Communist alliance, despite the pressure from the United States. In 1958 Sihanouk recognized the Communists in Cambodia by calling them "Khmer Rouge," the Red Cmnbodimis. The Khmer Rouge fled to the countryside where they officially began their underground resistance against the Cambodian govemment. In 1963, Sihanouk cut off American aid, fearful that the Americmi involvement with Vietnmn and Laos would engulf Cambodia. In 1965, the Prince ended diplomatic relations with the United States. During this time Sihanouk allowed the North Vietnamese forces to establish "sanctumies" in Cambodia. The United States and the South Vietnamese invaded Cambodia, infringing on Cambodia's "neutrality." American diplomatic relations with Cambodia were restored in 1969, and secret America bombings occurred in Cambodia to destroy the North Vietnmnese sanctuaries. On Mmch 18 , 1970 Cambodia becmne involved in the Indochinese war; North Vietnamese troops marched deeper into Cmnbodia, the United States and South Vietnam pursued them into the As of this writings there are no statistics on the different types of peoples that were executed. Comeau 9 neutral territory. No more thmi a week later Sihanouk was meeting with Laos mid Vietnamese Communists to discuss the struggles with the United States in their countries.
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