Yesterday we had the rare opportunity to visit and speak with both a survivor and perpetrator of the Khmer Rouge Regime. Spending a semester reading and learning about Cambodia and its history does not compare to exchanging words with people who experienced these horrors firsthand. I will admit, I was most apprehensive about meeting with the perpetrator. Before going in I prepared a few questions for myself and tried to envision what exactly a former Khmer Rouge soldier would be like. Would he be regretful of his actions? Would he be open to speaking about his experiences? Does his family know about his past? All of these questions and more stormed throughout my mind; however, when he stepped into the room, we were seen face-to-face with a local elderly man, which without prior knowledge, I would more than likely be oblivious to his past. While speaking to him I learned that before the Khmer Rouge Regime, he was a farmer, and when the Khmer Rouge took over was forced to join to avoid execution. He was a prison guard at S-21in Phnom Penh and did what he was told to protect his family. Now, he is open about sharing his experiences as a soldier with his family - including his next door neighbor! Next we sat down and spoke with a survivor and former prisoner of the S-21prison. He shared the cruelty endured during his time at S-21and how he unfortunately lost his entire family to the Khmer Rouge Genocide. Despite everything, he even wrote a book describing his life before and after the horrors of the Khmer Rogue and dedicates his time to sharing his story at the S-21Museum. Although reliving his time at S-21is difficult, he feels it is his duty and obligation to find a light amongst the darkness and come forth with his story. He hopes that his resilience and experiences can bring awareness to the Khmer Rogue Genocide and be a voice to the millions of silent survivors living around the world today. Andrea Flores RTGAmbassador
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