About Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day
On April 17, 1975, the capital of the Khmer Republic, Phnom Penh, was taken over by the Khmer Rouge, ending the Cambodian Civil War. Residents of Phnom Penh originally welcomed the arrival of the Khmer Rouge, believing the end of the civil war would bring peace. Instead, all citizens of Phnom Penh were ordered to evacuate to the countryside.
“Thousands of people died in the chaos along jammed roads leading from the capital. Friends and relatives were made to leave behind the bodies and trudge on, carrying what few possessions they could.” – Day One: April 17, 1975, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Those who survived the journey out of the city into the countryside were assigned to forced labor.
“We arrive in the countryside, and are assigned to heavy labor digging an irrigation canal. Others plant rice. Children fertilize the fields. Those that disobey disappear. This is the new world order: Pol Pot’s Year Zero. Affection is forbidden. Laughter is rare. Punishment is swift and ruthless. Death is everywhere.” – Remembering the Killing Fields, National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial.
April 17 marked the beginning of the Cambodian Genocides and the Killing Fields. Over the next four years (April 17, 1975 to January 7, 1979), an estimated two million Cambodians would die due to execution, starvation, torture, hard labor, illness and untreated injuries.
You can learn more about the Cambodian Genocide on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website and the National Cambodian Heritage Museum website. In addition, Chanda Wolf, who works as Special Assistant to the President and General Counsel for the UMass System Office, shared her family’s story at a DEIA event in September 2022. President’s Office employees can access the event recording on the event page, Unspeakable Truths: One Family’s Survival from Cambodia’s Killing Fields.
Lowell to recognize 50th anniversary with events and a vigil
Many who escaped the Killing Fields found refuge in America. In fact, Cambodian Americans make up a fifth of Lowell’s population and Lowell has the second-largest concentration of Cambodian Americans in the country.
Proleung Khmer (Khmer Soul) in Lowell is a community-driven initiative dedicated to commemorating the Khmer genocide. This year, the community will celebrate “A 50-Year Journey of Remembrance and Resilience.” Several upcoming events will be held as part of the 50th anniversary, including cultural events, performances, and educational programs.
In addition, a Genocide Remembrance Vigil will be held at the Lowell JFK Plaza on Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free and Proleung Khmer invites all to join in the vigil to remember those who perished during the genocide. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP through the Remembrance Vigil Registration Form by April 11.