April 17, 1975: Khmer Rouge Enter Phnom Penh and Evacuation Begins

The "three days" promised turned into three years. Even though time has changed, my memories of the events that took place during that rice season in the 1970s decade have not changed with time.

Memories

In Cambodia, during the rice planting season and Khmer New Year celebrations, there is usually scorching heat. However, that year, during the rice season, the weather became very hot, then cooler, with heavy downpours.

Photo CETC

The rice season continues to vividly remind me of the events that unfolded on April 17, 1975, as they were the most horrible and darkest events. It was the birth of the Democratic Kampuchea regime—the day the Khmer Rouge reign began.

It was the day the Khmer Rouge began deceiving Phnom Penh residents, like my family, telling them to leave their homes and go to rural areas for three days "to avoid American bombings."

After defeating Lon Nol's republic on April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge announced via loudspeakers that city residents had to leave Phnom Penh within 24 hours. The announcement they made in the streets mixed with the sound of gunfire. That day, my family gathered our clothes, belongings, and many bags of rice so we could leave the house and head to Koh Thom district in Kandal province, my father's home district.

Evacuation

There were 13 members in my family. I was the youngest child. In the family, there were my grandparents, uncles and aunts, and my parents. We gathered and prepared all sorts of things to evacuate quickly.

My grandfather was not ready to leave the house. He said he was already too old and wanted to stay home because he was afraid of losing all his possessions in the house. We all sat down to explain and convince him to come with us.

At that moment, three young Khmer Rouge soldiers entered our house and asked why we hadn't left yet. We were all so terrified that our faces turned pale. The young soldiers seemed to have never entered the city before. Their skin was dark, and they had ammunition and rifles slung over their bodies. Due to the Khmer Rouge's continual threats, my grandfather finally agreed to leave the house.

There were about 60 kilometers from Phnom Penh to Koh Thom district, and it took us a long time to get there because the roads were crowded with people, young and old, men and women. During the journey, my family faced many difficulties because there were so many of us. It was also difficult because my grandparents were very old. But even more so, my parents had to take turns carrying me amid the crowd and scorching heat. My parents were so afraid that they decided to hasten the journey and asked others to help us reach Koh Thom district first, so they could find a way to care for me and get medicine.

Despair and Apprehension

While my parents waited for the arrival of their family, they were desperate and filled with worry. The separation of my family began at that moment. After that day, my grandparents, uncles, and aunts decided not to continue their journey to Koh Thom district because the trip was too exhausting.

They decided to settle in another village around Teuk Vil commune in Sa-ang district for a short time, to rest and facilitate their return to Phnom Penh. This temporary stay of my uncles and aunts and grandparents in Teuk Vil ultimately lasted more than three years.

During this period, family members were also separated from each other. This separation filled us with worry, and we continually wondered if our loved ones knew what was happening.

We constantly wondered what had happened to them. What kind of suffering did they have to endure? For three years, my mother and father lived in a state of despair and apprehension.

The long period of waiting and despair ended after the victory over Pol Pot's soldiers on January 7, 1979. This painful wait lasted more than three years. Two of my uncles died, but the rest of the family miraculously reunited.

By Meng-Try Ea

The author of the book Victims and Executioners? works at the Documentation Center of Cambodia.