The Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)’s Anlong Veng Peace Center hosted a classroom forum on the “History of Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979)” for 25 students of Sre Noi High School on September 10. 

The event, which focused on the topic “Daily Life in Democratic Kampuchea”, aimed to raise awareness among young people about Cambodia's darkest chapter and prevent future genocides by promoting tolerance and non-violence.

The classroom forum is part of the centre’s ongoing efforts to educate youth about the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime, which ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. 

The centre has been at the forefront of genocide education in Oddar Meanchey province’s Anlong Veng district for over a decade, encouraging the next generation to learn from the past and reject violence in all its forms.

Educating the next generation

The Khmer Rouge regime, which referred to the Kingdom with the wholly unjust title of Democratic Kampuchea, was responsible for the deaths of approximately 1.7 million Cambodians, through a combination of mass executions, starvation, forced labour and torture. 

Ly Sokheang, director of the peace centre, led the presentation at the forum, which focused on the daily lives of those who lived through this tumultuous era. 

“The Khmer Rouge’s approach to social restructuring, including the formation of cooperatives and the abolition of private ownership, plunged the population into misery,” he explained.

He highlighted how “Prawas Dai” groups – initially small farming units with 10 to 30 family members – evolved into vast cooperatives of up to 1,000 families, forcing people to live communally, often without adequate food or basic necessities.

The event shed light on the harsh realities of life under Khmer Rouge rule. 

“Survivors’ stories reveal a shocking and unexpected social context,” Sokheang added, recounting how the regime's obsession with creating a classless society ultimately led to the destruction of lives, families and communities.

Legacy of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal

The forum also linked past atrocities to the present, with a particular focus on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (ECCC) and its efforts to bring justice to the victims of the regime.

The tribunal, which operated from 2007 to 2022, convicted several senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. 

The legacy of these trials remains critical in understanding the scale of the atrocities.

“The tribunal exposed the Khmer Rouge’s use of forced labour, child labour, forced marriages and religious persecution,” Sokheang explained. 

The regime specifically targeted groups like the Cham Muslim minority, ethnic Vietnamese, Buddhists and former government officials. 

“People were not only enslaved and forced to work overtime, but also faced torture, malnutrition and systematic execution,” he said.

390 killing fields, 19,000 mass graves, 197 prisons, and monuments built after the Khmer Rouge regime were discovered and mapped by DC-Cam.

A woman in her 70s from Anlong Veng district expressed her deep emotions: “No one hates the Khmer Rouge more than I do ... I have never told this to anyone. My family suffered and died during the Khmer Rouge era, and even now I can barely speak about it.”

The infamous Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21, where approximately 18,000 prisoners were tortured before being executed at the Choeung Ek killing fields, was a focal point of Sokheang’s presentation. 

He referenced the 2020 sentencing of Kaing Guek Eav, known as “Duch”, who was the head of the prison and was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in these crimes. He died in a Phnom Penh hospital in 2020 at the age of 77 while receiving treatment.

Today, Khieu Samphan remains the only surviving senior leader of the Khmer Rouge to have been sentenced for crimes against humanity.

Remembering the courage of past generations

As part of the forum, students watched the documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll, which DC-Cam helped to produce.

The film, which took over a decade to complete, serves as an incredibly powerful testament to the resilience of the Kingdom’s culture and music.

It captures how Cambodian musicians, like the celebrated singers Sin Sisamouth and Ros Serey Sothea, managed to preserve their art during times of political upheaval. 

“The soul of Cambodian art never dies, even in the darkest times,” noted Sokheang.

Eighteen-year-old student Chrek Vanny reflected on what she learned during the event, expressing her bittersweet feelings about learning more about the Kingdom’s history.

“I never knew the full extent of the suffering under the Khmer Rouge. Living in cooperatives, working long hours, having no personal freedom – it’s unimaginable,” she says.

“The documentary was also fascinating. The music from the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era was beautiful, and hearing about the hardships faced by musicians made me appreciate their resilience even more.”

Vanny explained that she had come to understand that living under the Khmer Rouge regime meant enduring poverty and fear, with no individual rights. 

She added that if she had been in that situation, she liked to think that she would have fought back against the dictatorship. 

As a student, she recognised the importance of learning from history and working hard to contribute to the nation's development.

Preventing future atrocities

The forum concluded with a session on preventing future genocides. Students participated in a post-forum knowledge survey and were given special reports and fact-finding magazines related to the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge era.

The event’s focus on genocide prevention resonated deeply with many students. 

“By understanding the horrors of the past,” Vanny noted, “we can ensure that such atrocities never happen again. It is our duty as the younger generation to promote peace and non-violence.”

Sokheang explained that the Anlong Veng Peace Center remains committed to its mission of educating young Cambodians about the dangers of intolerance, violence and hatred, with the hope that these lessons will help create a more peaceful and harmonious future for Cambodia.