Remembrance in Cambodia
- Eang Ueon @ Sina Emde
Here you find an excerpt of the book Eyes on Darkness edited by the NGO Youth For Peace. It tries to illustrate the memories of Cambodian citizens and their experiences during the regime of the Khmer Rouge trough the juxtaposition of written reports and pictures drawn by the narrators themselves. Our project's research member in Cambodia, Sina Emde, is advising the editorial team of the book's final English edition.
My brother Khai
I had 11 siblings and we lived happily together with our parents before the Khmer Rouge regime. We were rice farmers. When the Khmer Rouge regime took over in 1975, we were separated from each other. I was sent to build dikes and dig a canal near the provincial capital of Kampong Chhnang. Khai, one of my brothers, was sent to work as a Khmer Rouge militiaman, but he worked in the rice field planting rice. He was 20 years old at the time. My parents were not sent anywhere. They were allowed to stay home in the village but had to work in the rice field with other people. My picture is about the story of my brother Khai.
One day in the dry season, I think it was in 1976, I asked for permission from my unit leaders, Comrade Oem and Comrade Rin, to go home. They allowed me to go and stay home for two days. In the morning of the second day of my home visit, Khai, also came to visit my parents. We met and talked about our lives, of the difficulties we encountered and not having enough food to eat. We talked among ourselves within the family and no one else heard our conversation. At around five in the afternoon, shortly before I left home for my workplace, three Khmer Rouge came to our house. They all had an AK-47 each. I drew only one of them. The figure of a person wearing a cap and carrying a rifle on his shoulder is the Khmer Rouge. There was another soldier. They came and arrested my brother. They used the hammock string to tie my brothers’ hands.
- "Bau des Tang Krasaing Kanals" / "Building Tang Krasaing canal" von / by Eang Ueon © Sina Emde
The figure on the left side in my picture is my brother. The Khmer Rouge beat and kicked him in front of us. However, we could not help him. The Khmer Rouge accused my brother of stealing sweet potato (Damlong Mi) at his workplace. Actually he did not steal the potato. Someone else put the sweet potato at his sleeping place so that he became a fall guy. This is what he told the Khmer Rouge. However, he could not insist his innocence to the Khmer Rouge soldiers. The Khmer Rouge did not listen to him. They continued hitting my brother.
My brother at the end could only say his last words to me and my mother: “Mum, sister I have to go now, bye.” Then the Khmer Rouge took him away.
My mother and I were so frightened and shocked. We thought Khai would be killed. The big figure near the palm tree in my picture is my mother. I was also there standing near my mother, but I did not drew the picture of myself. After my brother was taken away, I also had to leave my mother for my workplace.
As I returned to my work place, for several days and nights, I felt scared of being accused and killed like my brother. Two days later, I heard from the people in my unit that my brother was taken at Sre Kach in Anchanh Roung Commune, around seven kilometers away from my village in order to be killed. They heard the information from the village militiamen. I felt so sorry for my brother.
Later, in 1978 I was forced to get married with a man I had never met before. We had a daughter in 1979. Then my husband left me when my daughter was just 9 months old. He had another wife. I have lived my life as a widow with my daughter for thirty years.
After the Khmer Rouge regime ended, I lost a total of five brothers and sisters. I also lost my father. My mother was still alive and I had to look after her and my daughter alone. My mother just passed away a few years ago. Until today, I still miss them all so much, especially I miss my brother Khai.
I have suffered so much during the Khmer Rouge regime. When the Khmer Rouge regime was over, I had to fend for myself and take care of my aging mother and my baby daughter. I drew this picture because I want the other people to see how miserable I lived my life since at the very start of the Pol Pot time and even until today. I want them to understand about my life. The difficulties I suffered during the Khmer Rouge regime is much more that I can speak out and describe.
Painter: Eang Ueon
Age: 59
Title of the painting: Building Tang Krasaing canal
Province: Kampong Chhnang
Writer: Chheng Niem