PhnomPenhPost-Jan 6, 2025
As Cambodia commemorates Victory Over Genocide Day on January 7 – the date which marks the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979 – the Kingdom reflects on its journey of healing and reconciliation. For nearly half a century, the Cambodian people have carried the trauma of a genocide that devastated families, communities and institutions across the country. Even as the scars of the past begin to fade, the road to a peaceful and prosperous future remains intertwined with the nation’s reckoning with history. One of the key organizations driving Cambodia’s healing process is the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). As the country moves forward, DC-Cam’s 2025 Action Plan aims to strengthen the national reconciliation process while positioning Cambodia as a leader in global atrocity crimes prevention. “DC-Cam identifies three sets of priorities for its work: Peace and Healing; Memory and Justice; and Transformation and Growth,” explained Youk Chhang director of the center.
“Peace and healing go together for ensuring Cambodia’s future, and after nearly a half-century, The Kingdom is still healing from the effects of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, which impacted every Cambodian family, community and institution,” he added. He noted that true peace and healing are unattainable without acknowledging and confronting the past, as ignorance or apathy towards it hinders progress. Read more at:
