Name: _________________________________________________________ Pd: ________

Cambodian Genocide MBQ (Media Based Questions): Primary Source

Testimony from Survivors of the Khmer Rouge
Survivor Testimony- Genocide in Cambodia: A Survivor's Story
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SEvEvGIuKUuqDYnnYR4alLckUViWQw0R/view?usp=sharing
1. Arun was a small child when the Khmer Rouge came to power and during their reign, his entire family was
killed. Bullet point the key events that Arun discusses in his testimony:

-he had to say goodbye to his father as they took him and killed him
-Arun fled Phnom Penh with his mother and his sister
-His grandparents, his uncle, and his aunt were killed.
-He started living alone in a temple.
-They separated the kids and the elders.
-Every 3 hours they’d interrogate and kill kids.

2. How has Arun’s experiences influenced his life as an adult?

-Today he is the last surviving member of his family. Arun dedicates his life to taking care of orphans. He wants
them to live lives

Survivor testimony- Remembering the Khmer Rouge

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1boU_mYxRBr4-xskW5UZ1hZ0sWuNR9bjP/view?usp=sharing
3. What key experiences did the woman Van Teous Ngen have under the Khmer Rouge years?

-She was moved to Pray Kouy Camp.

-They lived with barely anything to eat, not even rice.
-They secretly harvested potatoes to feed themselves.
-They had no medicine and easily got sick and skinny
-They planted vegetables and grew them from their own waste.
-They had no money nor education
-They had no clothes

4. What key experience does the man, Bun Kren discuss in his testimony?
-He was tortured
-He was tied up and hit
-His siblings were taken away
-He was forced to plant bombs
-All their property was taken

5. What dangers did he face as being a group leader? How was being a part of the Khmer Rouge especially
dangerous?

-Anyone working slow would be accused of being loyal to the old government and be beat. If the army was
there they would kill you.

Testimony Sophal Leng Stagg

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-oVjZawqyKIXV-ucO_5ou9WZE0RoAd37/view?usp=sharing
6. What key points made in the video do you think are particularly important or interesting? Bullet point at
least FIVE key or interesting points discussed in the video:
- Singled out intellectuals like teachers and doctors
- Put them in places similar to Nazi Camps. They would be killed soon after.
- 8,000 mass graves have been uncovered
- Schools were nonexistent
- There were no doctors so people got sick and died
CNN Scream Bloody Murder Cambodia
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Edw3Ygz7R3ObCWglC8aj_nV0yxw3Mnuf/view?usp=sharing
7. What key information about the Cambodian genocide does the narrator and Father François Ponchaud
corroborate about what you have already learned?

- Shows the trauma the victims had faced

- The villages were burnt with its people killed
- It was due to US backed government in region
- Emptied cities
- Eradicated all traces of previous and western culture
- Targeted anyone of different race or religion
- Many were forced into slave labor

8. What did Father Ponchaud do to help the victims of the Cambodian genocide?
- He compiled their stories and attempted to bring publicity to it.
- Took his accounts to the UN
- Tends to Cambodian children to this day

9. What was America’s position on Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge?

They backed the government against the Khmer Rouge in an attempt to stop communism from spreading in Asia.
Despite this, and their brutality, the Americans shared North Vietnam as an enemy. Thus, America left them alone.
Directions: Read any TWO of the primary source testimonies linked below to complete the following:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NkD5jB7casDX7ycP6UbYlBGT0B6sUXbG/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sRYQDbSg6vSciuqkGcoWbc3yf2TAeqny/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fJHFAal1WP4cX4GHe4_P8ikyxQ4L2Anx/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YEBEq44GvljzAnXjI7hroLXHcLM9mI4w/view?usp=sharing

Survivor: Survivor:
What was their personal background before April 17, What was their personal background before April 17,
1975? 1975?

Family were involved in filmmaking Lived in city

Father was professor

What was their first impressions, experiences, What was their first impressions, experiences,
interactions with the Khmer Rouge? interactions with the Khmer Rouge?

They were moved from their homes and told all their Witnessed the Khmer forces beat people to death with
belongings were now public property. They were hoes. Starved as all food were now property of Angka.
constantly spied on, threatened, and interrogated as the Witnessed people being beaten and then buried alive.
Khmer wanted to squash any potential rebellion. Uncles were killed.
What were the experiences of the survivor AND their What were the experiences of the survivor AND their
families during the Cambodian genocide- provide families during the Cambodian genocide- provide
some specific details. What kinds of genocidal some specific details. What kinds of genocidal
atrocities did they experience and/or witness? atrocities did they experience and/or witness?

Had to lie about their family’s origins to be protected Forced to starve

from being killed
Had all property taken away
Father was accused of being anti-Khmer and was
killed Family was separated
How did the nightmare end for them- what happened How did the nightmare end for them- what happened
to them and their families after the fall of the Khmer to them and their families after the fall of the Khmer
Rouge? Rouge?

TWO key similarities in their personal testimonies TWO key differences in their personal testimonies.

- Families were separated - Ouk Villa was liberated by Vietnamese.

- Forced to move to Rural areas Sopheap Hang had to live through it to the end.
- Ouk’s father was sent to a men only labor
camp. Sopheap’s was killed after being accused
of being anti Khmer and a professor.