Selected Comments Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet, the “visit to and inauguration of achievements at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)” [Unofficial and translation]
(1) More than 2.4 million pages of confidential and public genocide trial documents
Just now, on my way in, I looked at the archives where there are more than 2.4 million pages, which we need to divide into confidential and public documents. But more importantly, the end of this 16 year (trial) has ended a dark history of Cambodia. This page of history must not be closed and left to be covered with dust. We need to remind the Cambodians (of this history) […]
(2) Old people do not forget about but some young people do not believe what happened during the genocidal regime
Yesterday I saw a video clip from a movie during the Khmer Rouge era. In one of the episodes, the Khmer Rouge guerrillas summoned a sleeping old man to plow a field, where two others were working as oxen. The thing that interests me is in the comments part which tell us the difference views between the old and the young. The older people commented that they would never forget what happened then. But some young people said they did not believe that there were no cattle in those days and people had to plow instead. They said it was a performance. We have just come this far, where the survivors (from the Pol Pot regime still) remember (about the genocide but), we have younger people who could not believe what happened (because) history was not shared. This is not no different to younger generations in some countries where they do not believe the holocaust that occurred during World War II […]
(3) To establish and organize an institute for the preservation and sharing of documents on genocide trials
History is not just a reminder of evil or negativity, but a reality in a society, where, in this case, Cambodia and the world suffer. It is what humanity need not to see it happen. We need to conduct research and compile (these materials), but it must be (based on) actual documents and not on hearsay. If history were not based on actual documents, it would later become a fabrication. Therefore, it is required to keep the documents here and figure out how to set up the institute in the future for the sake of maintaining and sharing. As of present, even at the United Nations, they have set up days to commemorate the genocide of some countries in order for humanity to remember history […] we must remember the bitter history and especially avoid extremism and massacres of people […]
(4) Between 80 and 100 students come to research the trial documents per day
In whatever policy and for whatever reason, issuing such a policy of massacre of millions of people is unacceptable and must be remembered by all Cambodians. Efforts must be made to further develop research, compilation and documentation of these documents, whereas they should not be kept only in this place. At the moment, HE Kranh Tony said that there are between 80 and 100 students who come to research here every day. This is a good thing. I would encourage all citizens, both foreigners and Cambodians, who want to learn about the country’s real history and research on the original documents, (to come here) […] for instance, Nate Thayer interviewed Pol Pot before his death. That is the first-hand document for all. That he wrote comments on it has made further research losing the material originality. In this place, for instance, there are lots of first-hand materials […]
(5) Digitalized 2.4 million pages trial documents serve the needs for hundreds of years
At the moment, there is also a video. Any eyewitness interviews have included with videos. If one is not sure s/he has missed words, s/he may watch videos, because each word, each phrase confers the reality. Such documentation is important. Digitalization of hardcopy materials and backup files are required. I suggest not to backup only in the building […] we should have another room or building for the sake of safety. As we have digitalized the 2.4 million pages documents […] we can file a lot of these documents (which can be used as evidence) since no one would call for a 16-year retrial. This 16-year documents can serve the needs for hundreds of years to come […]
(6) To share history and experience of special hybrid courts to regional researches
What we have as the history of Cambodia is not only for the Cambodians but we must share it to other regions through open research, sharing experiences, especially special historical hybrid courts nature. This is what is needed for documentation efforts in this building. Today is a step forward and we will organize in the future an institution to expand the potential and preserve the value, including the painful episode, for the next generation of Cambodians. Difficult cultures and histories demonstrate the need for peace because they are interconnected. They connect what was the history from the time of the Moha Nokor (great country) down to zero, and to the restarting efforts with a promising prospect of hundreds of years to come […] as most of our witnesses are in their late 50s […] who will be here to tell (what the truth is)? This (clip that people commented it is beyond belief that human worked in the drought animals’ stead) is just one of the scenes that I saw and quoted […] regarding the (life) under the Pol Pot era. Hence, to preserve and archive millions of documents (regarding this regime) is an important work […]./.
