Cambodia commemorates victims of Pol Pot genocide
The National Day of Remembrance has played an important role in promoting national reconciliation and unity within Cambodian society. It helps raise awareness about the atrocities committed under Democratic Kampuchea and contributes to efforts to prevent the recurrence of such brutal and inhumane acts.
Cambodia on May 20 observed the National Day of Remembrance to honor those who perished under the genocidal regime of Pol Pot from 1975 to 1979.
The commemoration was held at the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre in Dangkao district, Phnom Penh.
Presiding over the event, Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Khuong Sreng delivered a message from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, stating that the occasion serves to honour the dignity of the victims and to remind the people that such atrocities must never be repeated.
In 1983, the Cambodian National Assembly designated May 20—the date said to mark the beginning of the genocide—as the “National Day of Hatred”, allowing people to express their anger toward Pol Pot and his supporters. In 1984, it was renamed the “Day of Remembrance”, and later in 2018, it officially became the “National Day of Remembrance.”
According to the message, the National Day of Remembrance has played an important role in promoting national reconciliation and unity within Cambodian society. It helps raise awareness about the atrocities committed under Democratic Kampuchea and contributes to efforts to prevent the recurrence of such brutal and inhumane acts.
Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasised that to prevent the return of such a regime, the Cambodian people must unite in maintaining and safeguarding peace. Peace, he said, creates the conditions necessary for building prosperous families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
He also noted that, under a peaceful society, the victims of the genocidal regime have received justice through the special tribunal of the Cambodian court. The honour and dignity of the victims, both the deceased and the survivors, have been restored, and their psychological and social suffering acknowledged and compensated.
As part of the commemoration, 108 monks performed rituals and chanted prayers to pay respect to the deceased./.