As Cambodia prepares to commemorate Victory Over Genocide Day on January 7 – the date which marks the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979 – the Kingdom reflects on its journey of healing and reconciliation. 

For nearly half a century, the Cambodian people have carried the trauma of a genocide that devastated families, communities and institutions across the country. 

Even as the scars of the past begin to fade, the road to a peaceful and prosperous future remains intertwined with the nation’s reckoning with history.

One of the key organisations driving Cambodia’s healing process is the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). 

As the country moves forward, DC-Cam’s 2025 Action Plan aims to strengthen the national reconciliation process while positioning Cambodia as a leader in global atrocity crimes prevention. 

“DC-Cam identifies three sets of priorities for its work: Peace and Healing; Memory and Justice; and Transformation and Growth,” explained Youk Chhang director of the centre.

“Peace and healing go together for ensuring Cambodia’s future, and after nearly a half-century, The Kingdom is still healing from the effects of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, which impacted every Cambodian family, community and institution,” he added.

He noted that true peace and healing are unattainable without acknowledging and confronting the past, as ignorance or apathy towards it hinders progress.

The theme of memory plays a crucial role in DC-Cam’s work, and it is essential for the future of Cambodia. Memory and justice cannot exist in a vacuum; they must be interwoven to foster true healing. 

For the Kingdom, this means acknowledging the painful past while simultaneously working toward a justice that reflects the needs and dignity of its survivors.

“Justice for survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime can (and must) come in multiple ways,” said Chhang.

They encompass not only courts of law but also amplifying the voices of survivors and their families, as well as finding ways to support their recovery and ability to move forward from their tragic past, such as ensuring access to health and welfare services.

Former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan, 91, listens to his appeal verdict at the ECCC on September 22, 2022. Neth Pheaktra, via FB

This comprehensive approach includes public outreach and education, where DC-Cam strives to make Cambodia’s painful history accessible to its citizens, especially members of younger generations, who may not fully understand the magnitude of the crimes that occurred. 

Chhang said advocacy for transparency and acknowledgement plays a crucial role in the broader healing process, ensuring that the past is never forgotten.

This recovery is not only about addressing the needs of survivors but also about creating a society that fosters unity, reconciliation, and shared growth.

Through projects like The Sangkum Reastr Niyum, King Father-Queen Mother (Borei O’Svay-Sen Chey) Community Project, DC-Cam is working to revitalize local communities and promote peaceful coexistence. 

“Phase 2 of this project, beginning in 2025, will focus on scholarly research and the publication of materials to raise the historical profile of the community located along Cambodia’s border with Laos,”  Chhang explained. 

By supporting the region’s historical awareness, DC-Cam seeks to not only preserve the legacy of these areas but also ensure that peace becomes embedded in the fabric of these communities.

Perhaps most importantly, the action plan outlines a vision for transformation and growth. 

The organisation recognises that Cambodia must look beyond its violent past to ensure a future free of atrocity crimes and genocide. 

“Post-conflict nations must redefine themselves and actively commit to a future without violence, atrocity crimes and genocide,” said Chhang. 

DC-Cam is already advancing these efforts through its work with countries like Rwanda and Sudan –nations that have also faced their own struggles with mass atrocities. 

By fostering collaboration between survivors and educators in these countries, DC-Cam is helping to build an international network of voices advocating for the prevention of future atrocities. 

Another key aspect is the creation of a permanent museum-institute dedicated to the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. 

The Queen Mother Library, which will serve as both a museum and a research centre, will house invaluable archives of testimonies, documents and artefacts from the Khmer Rouge period. 

This library will also serve as a centre for atrocity crimes prevention education for Cambodia, Southeast Asia and the world.

As DC-Cam marks its thirtieth anniversary in 2025, the organisation looks forward to the completion of this ambitious project. 

The Queen Mother Library will ensure that the lessons of Cambodia’s past are not lost to time.