Cambodian Students Educated Over Khmer Rouge Regime

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/

via Khmer NZ News Media

Schools in Cambodia are to hang anti genocide banners in order to teach the history of the Khmer Rouge.

The giant anti genocide banners to be displayed starting next year, is to be part of an on going quest to educate the young about the country’s horrendous history of the time when the Communists marched into Cambodia and gained power in April 1975 where they swiftly evacuated all cities and towns forcing over two million people to live rough in the countryside and take up rural work.

The new regime demolished money markets, newspapers, property and schools. People walked for months, some hundreds of thousands dying on their journey to nowhere. There was no more family life or freedom and people were made to wear the black cotton pyjama like clothing. Hours of worked doubled the already twelve hours a day with little or no food. Religious practices were no longer allowed and so the oppression began.

The request to hang two banners at all 1,700 High Schools nationwide which was proposed by the country’s leading independent Khmer Rouge research group was met with the Education Ministry’s approval by letter. The banners will be part of an on going effort to educate the young and make them aware of the history of their country’s rule under the Khmer Rouge’s brutality from 1975-79 when 1.7 million people died through hunger, disease, tortures and executions. One of the banners will read, ‘Learning about the history of Democratic Kampuchea is to prevent genocide.’ The second one will read, ‘Talking about experiences during the Khmer Rouge regime is to promote reconciliation and to educate children about forgiveness and tolerance.’

Khmer Rouge textbooks which are still in the process of being distributed to high schools by ‘The Documentation Center of Cambodia’ are full of documentations about the regime’s 1975-79 reign of terror to the ongoing UN backed tribunal. The purpose of the banners is to help the students remember the history of their country and commemorate those who died, especially the ones held in S21, known only to those who entered, but never came out. The largest of the two banners will be approximately 6 foot by 13 foot (2 meters by 4 meters) with the second being half the size.

The first verdict from the UN backed Khmer Rouge tribunal is expected on the 26th of July, which will is against prison chief Laing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who is accused of crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture.Later this year or perhaps early next year, the trials of four other aging Khmer Rouge leaders are expected to begin.