Khmer Rouge Performance Script (Khmer Version)

So, after seven weeks of the Khmer Rouge exploration, our team came up with a short play that displays the picture of Khmer Rouge regime.  

 

FADE IN

 

EXT.AT THE FIELD.EVENING

 

Narrator: The music of sorrow plays in the middle of the performance, where we can see a 14-year-old girl with black fabric covering her eyes and fabric tied around her hands, with people forcing her to walk (a little bit of pushing). Behind her, there are two soldiers, wearing black clothes, screaming at her.

 

សូរសៀងសំនៀងថ្ងូចថ្ងូរទុក្ខសោករបស់ចំរៀងបានលិចលឺឡើងនៅក្នុងពាក់កណ្តាលការសំដែង យើងអាចឃើញក្មេងស្រីម្នាក់អាយុ ១៤ ឆ្នាំ មានក្រណាត់ខ្មៅរុំជុំជិតកែវភ្នែកទាំងគូរ និងដៃតូចទាំងពីរក្រពាត់ទៅខាងក្រោយខ្នង។ ម្យ៉ាងទៀតមាន ទាហានពីរនាក់នៅពីក្រោយនាង ដោយមានសំលៀកបំពាក់ខ្មៅហើយថែមទាំងស្រែកខ្លាំងៗដាក់នាងទៀតផង។

 

Soldier 1

“Keep walking!”

ដើរឲ្យលឿន!

 

Action: The girl is falling down.

នាងក៏ បានដួល

 

Narrator: The girl (feeling so anxious inside, but talking politely), says:

 

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do it again. Please let me go.”

ឲ្យខ្ញុំសូមទោសសមមិត្តបង សូមអង្វរដោះលែងខ្ញុំទៅ ខ្ញុំលែងហ៊ានហើយ

 

Action: Both soldiers kick her.

ទាហានទាំងពីររូបព្យាយាមទាត់ធាក់នាង

 

Soldier  2

“Get up! Don’t be so weak!”

ងើបឲ្យលឿន កុំមកធ្វើពើ!

 

Narrator: The girl tries to get up. She doesn’t know where the soldiers are taking her, but she knows that she’s going to die.

នាងព្យាយាមក្រោកឈរឡើង នាងមិនដឹងថាទាហានទាំងពីរនោះយកនាងទៅណានោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែអ្វីដែលនាងដឹងនោះគឺ ជីវិតនាងប្រហែលជាបានបញ្ចប់ឆាប់ៗនេះហើយ។

 

When they arrive at the killing field, she kneels down, closes her eyes with starvation and thinks about her beloved brother. She starts crying when she hears the sound of death ringing in her ears.

នៅពេលដែលពួកគេធ្វើដំណើរមកដល់ វាលពិឃាដ នាងបានលត់ជង្គង់ចុះ ទាំងឃ្លានយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ដោយនាងគ្មានសង្ឃឹមនឹងឃើញព្រះអាទិត្យ

ម្តងទៀតទេ តែគ្រានោះដែរនាងក៏បានគិតពីប្អូនប្រុសរបស់នាង។ ទឹកភ្នែករបស់នាងក៏បានស្រក់ចុះ ព្រមទាំងលឺនៅសាយសាប់របស់សំឡេង ទួញសោក ស្រែកយំ និង សំឡេងមរណះដ៏ត្រជាក់កំពុងលងបន្លាចនាង។

 

[inside shadow puppet]

 

Action: The soldier raises his weapon; the girl is still crying; he knocks her in the back of her neck.

ទាហានម្នាក់បានលើកដំបងឡើង ហើយនាងនៅតែយំ  នៅពេលនោះស្រាប់តែទាហានម្នាក់នោះវ៉ៃនាងពី

ក្រោយចំកញ្ជាំងក ហើយនាងក៏បានស្លាប់ភ្លាមៗ។

 

She falls into the hole.

នាងក៏ធ្លាក់ចូលក្នុងរណ្តៅ។

_________________________________________________________________________

INT.ROOM.MORNING.CONT’D

 

Narrator: An old man gasps, waking up from his nightmare. He wakes up with sadness and hears a sound coming from the kitchen.

 

Rathanak

“Grandpa! Breakfast is ready!”

លោកតា អាហារពេលព្រឹករៀបចំហើយៗ

 

Grandpa

“Errr! I will come now.”

បន្តិចទៀតតាទៅហើយចៅ

 

Action: The grandpa walks toward the dining table. He can see rice lying on the table. He sits down and starts eating.

 

Grandpa

“Today you are not going to school?”

ថ្ងៃនេះ ចៅអត់ទៅរៀនទេអី?

 

Rathanak

“There’s no school today because it’s Sunday.”

ថ្ងៃនេះ គេអត់រៀនទេតា ថ្ងៃនេះ ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យហ្នឹង

 

Grandpa

“Okay, good, then you can help me wash the cow today.”

អញ្ជឹងល្អហើយចៅ ចៅអាចជួយតា ទៅលាងគោ ថ្ងៃហ្នឹង

 

Narrator: They keep eating, until Rathanak gets up. There is rice left on the boy’s plate, so his grandpa says:

ពួកគេទាំងពីរបន្តបរិភោគអាហារ រតនះឆ្អែតហើយក៏បានដើរចេញពីតុអាហារ។ រនតះគាត់មិនបានញាំបាយអស់ទេ បន្ទាប់មកតារបស់គេក៏បាននិយាយ

 

Grandpa

“Rathanak, remember what I always tell you?”

រតនះ ចាំអ្វីដែលតាតែងតែប្រាប់អត់?

 

Rathanak

“No, Grandpa. What is it?”

អត់ចាំផងតា ប្រាប់អីគេ?

 

Grandpa

“Look at your plate! You need to eat all the rice. Do you know how hard people tried to grow and harvest it? You are very lucky to get to eat as much rice as you want, because during the Khmer Rouge regime, I didn’t get to eat like you.”

មើលចានចៅឯងទៅ ញាំុបាយឲ្យអស់ ចៅដឹងអត់ថាបាយមិនងាយរកបានទេណា។ ចៅពិតជាសំណាងណាស់ដែលមានបាយហូប

កាលតានៅក្នុងសម័យខ្មែរក្រហម គ្មានបាយទេចៅមានតែបបររាវ។

 

Rathanak

“Khmer Rouge? What do you mean?”

ខ្មែរក្រហមមានន័យថាម៉េចទៅ?

 

Grandpa

“The Khmer Rouge was a group of communists who took control of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, when I was your age; my sister was eventually killed by the CPK, which stands for the Communist Party of Kampuchea. Millions of people got killed because of starvation and torturing by the end of this regime.”

“ខ្មែរក្រហមហ្នឹងគឺជាអ្នកកាន់កុម្មនីសមួយក្រុមដែលបានចូលមកកាន់កាប់កម្ពុជានៅថ្ងៃទី១៧ មេសា ឆ្នាំ ១៩៧៥។ កាលនោះតាអាយុ ប្រហែលចៅឯងហ្នឹង ហើយបងស្រីរបស់តាត្រូវបានសម្លាប់ដោយ បក្សកុម្មនីសកម្ពុជា។ មានមនុស្សរាប់លាននាក់បានស្លាប់ដោកការស្រែកឃ្លាន និងធ្វើ ទារនកម្មដោយខ្មែរក្រហមនៅក្នុងសម័យនោះ។

 

Rathanak

“Why?”

ម៉េចបានគាត់ស្លាប់តា?

 

Grandpa

“It all started when…….”

វាចាប់ផ្តើមនៅពេលដែល…..

 

[shadow puppet – a girl and a boy walking tiredly]

[people come to act and continue walking tiredly]

 

Narrator: Rany and Vin finally were able to stop after working in the fields for hours and hours under the hot sun. They lay down on the dirt, sick with starvation. បន្ទាប់ពីបានធ្វើការក្នុងវាលស្រែជាច្រើនម៉ោង រ៉ានី និង វីន បានផ្ដេកខ្លួនដេកលើដី ជាមួយនឹង ការស្រែកឃ្លានយ៉ាងខ្លាំង។

 

Vin

“Bong, I’m so hungry, is there any food left?”

បង អា៎ ញមឃ្លានណាស់ យើងមាននៅសល់អីញាំអត់?

 

Action: Rany shakes her head sadly.

រ៉ានី ក្រវីក្បាលព្រមទាំងទឹកមុខមិនរីករាយ។

 

Vin

“I’m so hungry.”

បង អា ញមឃ្លានណាស់

 

Rany

“Just hold on for breakfast in the morning.”

ចាំបន្តិចទៅអូន មេឃជិតភ្លឺហើយ

 

Vin (crying)

“No, I can’t.”

បង អា ញមទ្រាំអត់បានទេ

 

Action: Rany starts to think and walks away from her brother.

នាងគិតហើយក៏បានដើរចេញពីប្អូនប្រុសរបស់នាង។

 

[close the curtain, brother and sister actors move away]

[open the curtain, the sister comes in]

 

Narrator: Rany slowly walks through the dark, trying to see if anyone is there. In front of her, she sees some small, shriveled and green bananas. As she is about to pick the bananas…

រ៉ានីដើរយឺតៗ នាពេលព្រឹកព្រលឹម នាងមើលលិចមើលកើត ព្រោះខ្លាចមានអ្នកឃើញនាង។ នាងក៏បានក្រលេកឃើញ ចេកខ្ចីនៅពីមុខរបស់នាង។ នាងបម្រុងនឹងបេះចេកហើយ ស្រាប់តែ…

 

Soldier 1

“Hey! What are you doing, comrade? How dare you use your hands to steal the food from Angkar!

នែ មិត្តអែង កំពុងធ្វើអី?មិត្តអែង អស្ចារ្យពិនណាហ៊ានមកលួចផ្លែឈើរបស់អង្កា

 

Soldier 2

“We need to teach you some lessons.”

តោះ យកវាទៅកសាងទៅ។

 

Action: Both of the soldiers take her away.

[close the curtain]

[open shadow puppet] – show soldier killing the sister [the sound (boom)]

[close shadow puppet]

[rooster sound – shows that it is morning ]

 

[sound of the bell] [Pol Pot calls everyone to sit and tells them that they need to increase the rice production]

[open the people curtain where the audience already saw Pol Pot and the victims]

 

Pol Pot

“Hello, my friends. This is a new experience, and an important one for the whole world, because we Cambodians don’t perform like others. We leap, and swiftly build. We don’t need a long period of time for transformation. I want you all to increase your rice yield to three metric tons per hectare. If we do this, everyone will be happy.”

សួស្តីមិត្តទាំងអស់គ្នា។ នេះគឺជាបទពិសោធន៍ថ្មីមួយ ហើយសំខាន់ណាស់សម្រាប់ពិភពលោកទាំងមូល

ពីព្រោះ ប្រទេសយើងមិនធ្វើត្រាប់តាមប្រទេសណាឡើយ។ យើងលោត ហើយកសាងយ៉ាងលឿន។ យើងមិន ត្រូវការចំណាយពេលច្រើនក្នុងការផ្លាស់ប្ដូរឡើយ។ ខ្ញុំចង់ឲអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាបង្កើនស្រូវបីតោន

ក្នុងមួយហិកតា។ បើសិនជាយើងធ្វើបែបនេះ អ្នកទាំងគ្នានឺងមានសេចក្ដីរីករាយ។

 

“Now, would any friend like to say anything?

ឥឡូវមានមិត្តណាចង់ ផ្តល់មតិ អីអត់?

 

Everyone is quiet.

Action: Victim 1 raises his hand.

Victim 1

“I saw this comrade (pointing to victim 2) dig up some potatoes at the farm last night.”

ខ្ញុំបានឃើញសមមិត្ត មួយនេះជីកដំឡូងយប់មិញ។

 

Action: Victim 2 raises his hand.

 

Victim 2

“No, I didn’t. This guy is lying! He was the one who stole those potatoes.”

ទេខ្ញុំមិនបានធ្វើទេ។ សមមិត្តមួយនេះគ្រាន់តែកុហកទេ អ្នកដែលលួចដំឡូងយប់មិញ

គឺជាគាត់។

 

Victim 3 (pointing toward Victim 2)

“No, I also saw that guy steal food.”

ត្រូវហើយខ្ញុំក៏បាន ឃើញសមមិត្តនេះលួចដែរ។

 

Victim 4 (pointing toward Victim 2)

“Yes. He did.”

ត្រូវ ហើយគាត់នេះអែង។

 

Action: Pol Pot looks at his soldiers, and nods his head.

Pol Pot ក៏បានសម្លឹងមើល ទាហានហើយក៏បានងក់ក្បាល

 

Pol Pot

“Comrade, you didn’t show respect to Angkar. Now you must learn.”

សមមិត្ត សមមិត្តអែងអត់គោរពអង្គការទេ មិត្តយកសមមិត្តនេះទៅកសាង។

 

Action: Pol Pot looks at his soldiers again.

Pol Pot ក៏បានសម្លឹងទៅទាហានសារជាថ្មី

 

Pol Pot

“Friends (looking at soldiers), please take this comrade with you.”

មិត្តសូមយកសមមិត្តនេះទៅជាមួយផង។

 

When the soldiers come to pull Victim 2 away, he yells:

ពេលដែលទាហានមកហើយក៏ទាញសមមិត្តនោះ គាត់ក៏បានស្រែក

 

Victim 2

“No no, please, no. I didn’t do it. They are just trying to accuse me!”

ទេ ទេ សូមអង្វរខ្ញុំមិនបានធ្វើទេ។ ពួកគេមួលបង្កាច់ ខ្ញុំទេ។

 

[close people curtain]

[open shadow puppet]

The soldiers are standing, the victim is on his knees. The soldiers hit Victim 2 with the shovel. [music sound]

[close the shadow puppet]

[open the people curtain]

 

Governor

“It’s time to declare the anniversary of the founding of CPK. Our party began in 1951.”

វាជាពេលវេលាដើម្បីប្រកាសការបង្កើតនៃបក្សកុម្មុយនីស្តកម្ពុជារំលឹកខួបអនុស្សាវរីយ៍។ បក្សយើងបានបង្កើតនៅឆ្នាំ១៩៥១។

 

Pol Pot

“Comrade, I do not agree with this idea. I’m sure that is not the date; CPK began in 1960 when I, and Ieng Sary came to the assembly in Phnom Penh and made our famous speech.”

មិត្តខ្ញុំមិនគាំទ្រអ្វីដែលមិត្តបាននិយាយទេ មិត្តខ្ញុំច្បាស់ណាស់ថាមិនមែនថៃ្ងនេះទេ យើងបានរកឃើញ បក្សកុម្មុយនីស្តកម្ពុជានៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៦០ ពេលដែល ខ្ញុំបាទនិង មិត្ត អៀងសារី បានមក ចូលរួមប្រជុំ នៅភ្នំពេញ។

 

Governor

But I believe the founding of CPK actually began back in 51, around the time when the Vietnamese came to Cambodia to support the overthrow of Lon Nol.

បក្សកុម្មុយនីស្តកម្ពុជា បានចាប់ផ្តើមតាំងពីឆ្នាំហាមួយនៅពេលដែលវៀតណាម បានចូលកម្ពុជាវាយលុកលុនណុល។

 

Pol Pot

“Any friends who disagree with me, you’ll stay. I want to have a private conversation with you. Those of you who see the validity of the 1960 date may go.”

មិត្តណាមិនយល់ស្របជាមួយនឹងខ្ញុំ សូមនៅទីនេះ។ ខ្ងុំចង់មានការសន្ទនា (private) ហើយ មិត្តណាដែលយល់ព្រមអាចចេញទៅបាន។

 

Friends who agree with Pol Pot leave the room, looking back over their shoulders like they are scared for their friends.

 

[close the curtain, horror sounds, shadow puppet opens] to soldiers killing people one by one, plus the music]

 

Narrator: Pol Pot started to get suspicious of everyone around him, including people who used to be from middle-class backgrounds, soldiers who had fought for Lon Nol, those who had joined the Communist movement when Vietnam was still very involved, and anyone who had exposure to foreign countries. To be suspected of disloyalty, a person only had to be mentioned in the confessions of three other people. Pol Pot got suspicious of all these people because he was afraid that they would rebel against him, so he killed many people who he thought didn’t stand on his side.

 

ប៉ុល ពត ចាប់ផ្ដើមមានការសង្ស័យទៅលើអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នា រួមទាំងមនុស្សដែលធ្លាប់មានវណ្ណៈកណ្តាល ទាហានរបស់លន់ ណុល អ្នកដែលធ្លាប់ចូលរូមកាន់បក្សគុម្មនីសនៅពេលវៀតណាមចូលប្រទេស និង អ្នកណា ដែលមានទំនាក់ទំនជាមួយប្រទេសដទៃ ហើយបើសិនជាមានមនុស្្សបីនាក់ចោទប្រកាន់សមមិត្តម្នាក់

ប៉ុល ពត នឹងមានការសង្ស័យទៅលើម្នាក់នោះ។ ប៉ុល ពត មានការសង្ស័យទៅលើអ្នកទាំងអស់នេះដោយសារតែគាត់ខ្លាច គេតស៊ូប្រឆាំងតទល់នឺងគាត់។

 

January 1979

Soldier 1 talking to Soldier 2:

“We need to get out of of this country because I’ve heard the Vietnamese are attacking Cambodia and they got the victory.”

 

យើងត្រូវតែចេញពីកន្លែងនេះឆាប់ៗនេះ ខ្ញុំបានលើគេនិយាយថា កងទ័ពរបស់ វៀតណាម បាន

វៃទម្លាក់ Pol Pot បានសម្រេចហើយ

 

Action: Soldiers 1 and 2 behind to sneakily walk away from their post. They hear shots fired and get down low and hide. As they are hiding, three Vietnamese soldiers in uniform march past them. They look at each other with fear and shock in their eyes.

 

កងទ័ពទី១ និងទី២បានដើរលបៗចេញពីរកន្លែងនោះ។ ភ្លាមនោះពួកគេបានឮសម្លេងកាំភ្លើង ហើយក៏បានក្រាបចុះ។ កំឡុងពេលដែលពួកគេកំពុងពួន មានកងទ័ពរៀតណាមបីនាក់

ជាមួយនឹងសម្លៀកបំពាក់របស់គេ។ កងទ័ពទាំងពីរនោះបានសម្លឹងមើលមុខគ្នា ទៅដោយភាពភ័យខ្លាច និងយ៉ាងភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល។

 

Narrator: After more than 100,000 soldiers from Vietnam crossed the border and took over major sections of Cambodia, many Khmer Rouge leaders took cars, trains or walked to get out of the country. There was very little information about Pol Pot after the overthrow. Cambodians, who had spent four years working day in and day out were shocked at the sudden departure of their zone leaders, but slowly started to move back towards their hometowns to pick up the pieces of their lives. People tried to find their families and started to rebuild Cambodia as best they could.

 

បន្ទាប់ពីកងទ័ពរបស់វៀតណាម ចូលមកប្រទេសកម្ពុជា មេខ្លោងរបស់ខ្មែរក្រហមជាច្រើននាក់ បានរត់ ដោយប្រើ ឡាន រថភ្លើង និង ដើរជាដើម។ លើសពីនេះទៅទៀត ពលពតបានបាត់ស្រមោល សូម្បីតែដាមជើងក៏រកមិនឃើញផង។ បន្ទាប់មកប្រជាជន

ដែលនៅរស់រៀនមានជីវិត បានទៅ រកទីជម្រក់របស់ពួកគេវិញ។ ប្រជាជនខ្លះ បាន ធ្វើផ្ទះថ្មី ខ្លះ

ទៀតបាន កែរច្នៃ ផ្ទះរបស់ពួកគេសារឡើងវិញ។   

 

Back to grandpa and grandson

Grandpa

“This genocide left sorrow inside all the victims who had been tortured by the Khmer Rouge soldiers or had lost their family, friends, property, dignity or identity.”

 

អំពើប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍មួយនេះបានបន្សល់នូវវិប្បដិសារីជាច្រើនចំពោះអ្នករងគ្រោះដែលបាន ធ្វើទារនកម្មដោយកងទ័ពខ្មែរក្រហម ឬអ្នកដែលបានបាត់បង់គ្រួសារ មិត្តភក្ដិ ទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិ សាសនា និងអត្តសញ្ញាណខ្លួន។

 

Rathanak

“This is so scary and emotional.”

នេះពិតជាគួរឲ្យខ្លាច និងឈឺចាប់មែនទែន។

 

Grandpa

“Yes it is.”

ចៅនិយាយនេះត្រូវហើយ។

 

Rathanak

“Grandpa, is there any place where they killed the people during the Khmer Rouge that I could go to visit?”

តា តើមានកន្លែងណាដែលពួកខ្មែរក្រហមសម្លាប់មនុស្ស ដែលខ្ញុំអាចទៅមើលបានអត់?

 

Grandpa

“Yes, there is. One is Jeung Ek, known as the Killing Fields, and another one is S-21, which was a school that got turned into a prison. But it’s in Phnom Penh, and we can’t afford the money to go there now. Maybe when you grow older and have enough money, you can go to visit there.”

មានចៅ។ មួយគឺនៅ សារមន្ទីរជើងអែក ហើយ មួយទៀតនោះ គឺសារមន្ទីរ

ឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្ម ប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍ ទួលស្លែង។ កន្លែងទាំងពីរនោះគឺសុទ្ធតែនៅ ភ្នំពេញណាចៅ។ ហើយយើងមិនមានប្រាក់គ្រប់គ្រាន់ដើម្បី ទៅទីនោះទេ។ ប្រហែលជាចៅធំឡើងចៅមានលុយ

ចៅអាចទៅមើលបាន។

 

Rathanak

Yes. Grandpa.

បាទលោកតា

 

After performance

  • Samady Video

 

Khmer Rouge Performance Script

So, after seven weeks of the Khmer Rouge exploration, our team came up with a short play that displays the picture of Khmer Rouge regime.  

 

Narrator: The music of sorrow plays in the middle of the performance, where we can see a 14-year-old girl with black fabric covering her eyes and fabric tied around her hands, with people forcing her to walk. Behind her, there are two soldiers, wearing black clothes, screaming at her.

 

Soldier 1: “Keep walking!”

 

Action: The girl falls down.

 

Narrator: The girl, feeling so anxious inside, but talking politely, says:

 

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do it again. Please let me go.”

 

Action: Both soldiers kick her.

 

Soldier  2: “Get up! Don’t be so weak!”

 

Narrator: The girl tries to get up. She doesn’t know where the soldiers are taking her, but she knows that she’s gonna die. When they arrive at the killing field, she kneels down, closes her eyes with starvation and thinks about her beloved brother. She starts crying when she hears the sound of death ringing in her ears.

 

[inside shadow puppet]

The soldier raises his weapon; he knocks her in the back of her neck. She falls into the hole.

_________________________________________________________________________

Narrator: An old man gasps, waking up from his nightmare. He wakes up with sadness and hears a sound coming from the kitchen.

 

Rathanak: “Grandpa! Breakfast is ready!”

 

Grandpa: “Errr! I’ll come now.”

 

Action: The grandpa walks toward the dining table. He can see rice lying on the table. He sits down and starts eating.

 

Grandpa: “Today you are not going to school?”

 

Rathanak: “There’s no school today because it’s Sunday.”

 

Grandpa: “Okay, good, then you can help me wash the cow today.”

 

Narrator: They keep eating, until Rathanak gets up. There is rice left on the boy’s plate, so his grandpa says:

 

Grandpa: “Rathanak, remember what I always tell you?”

 

Rathanak: “No, Grandpa. What is it?”

 

Grandpa

“Look at your plate! You need to eat all the rice. Do you know how hard people tried to grow and harvest it? You are very lucky to get to eat as much rice as you want, because during the Khmer Rouge regime, I didn’t get to eat like you.”

 

Rathanak: “Khmer Rouge? What’s that?”

 

Grandpa

“The Khmer Rouge was a group of communists who took control of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, when I was your age; my sister was eventually killed. In fact, millions of people got killed because of starvation and torturing by the end of this regime.”

 

Rathanak: “How did she die?”

 

Grandpa: “It all started when…….”

 

[shadow puppet – a girl and a boy walking tiredly]

[human actors come from behind the shadow puppet curtain and continue walking tiredly]

 

Narrator: Rany and Vin finally are able to stop after working in the fields for hours and hours under the hot sun. They lay down on the dirt, sick with starvation. (Dalin was done)

 

Vin: “Bong, I’m so hungry, is there any food left?”

 

Action: Rany shakes her head sadly.

 

Vin: “I’m so hungry.”

 

Rany: “Just hold on for breakfast in the morning.”

 

Vin (crying): “No, I can’t.”

 

Action: Rany starts to think and walks away from her brother.

 

[brother actor lays down as sister walks away; then brother exits the stage]

[sister walks around the room as if looking for something]

 

Narrator: Rany slowly walks through the dark, trying to see if anyone is there. In front of her, she sees some small, shriveled and green bananas. As she is about to pick the bananas…

 

Soldier 1: “Hey! What are you doing, comrade? How dare you use your hands to steal the food from Angkar!

 

Soldier 2: “We need to teach you some lessons.”

 

Action: Both of the soldiers take her away, behind the shadow puppet curtain

 

[open shadow puppet] – show soldier killing the sister

[close shadow puppet]

[rooster sound – shows that it is morning ]

 

PAUSE

 

[sound of the bell]

Pol Pot

“Hello!, my friends. This is a new experience, and it’s an important one for the whole world because we Cambodians don’t perform like others. We leap, and swiftly build. We don’t need a long time for transformation. So from now on, I want you all to increase your rice yield to three metric tons per hectare. If you do this, everyone will be happy.”

 

So, “Now, would any friends like to say anything?

 

Everyone is quiet.

Action: Victim 1 raises his hand.

 

Victim 1: “I saw this comrade (pointing to victim 2) dig up some potatoes at the farm last night.”

 

Action: Victim 2 raises his hand.

 

Victim 2: “No, I didn’t. This comrade is lying! She was the one who stole the potatoes.”

 

Victim 3 (pointing toward Victim 2): “No, I also saw that comrade steal food.”

 

Soldier 2 (pointing toward Victim 2): “Yes. This all makes sense. We always knew she had a problem.”

 

Action: Pol Pot looks at his soldiers, and nods his head.

 

Pol Pot

“Comrade, you didn’t show respect to Angkar. Now you must learn.”

 

Action: Pol Pot looks at his soldiers again.

 

Pol Pot: “Please take this comrade away.”

 

When the soldiers come to pull Victim 2 away, she yells:

 

Victim 2: “No no, please, no. I didn’t do it. They are just trying to accuse me!”

 

[open shadow puppet]

The soldiers are standing, the victim is on her knees. The soldiers hit Victim 2 with a shovel. [scary music sound]

 

Governor

“It’s time to declare the anniversary of the founding of CPK. Our party began in 1951.”

 

Pol Pot

“Comrade, I do not agree with this idea. I’m sure that is not the date; CPK began in 1960 when I and Ieng Sary came to the assembly in Phnom Penh.”

 

Governor

“But I believe the founding of CPK actually began back in 51, around the time when the Vietnamese came to Cambodia to support the overthrow of Lon Nol.”

 

Pol Pot

“Any friends who disagree with me, you’ll stay. I want to have some private conversation with you. Those of you who see the truth of the 1960 date may go.”

 

Friends who agree with Pol Pot leave the room, looking back over their shoulders like they are scared for their friends.

 

[close the curtain, scary music, shadow puppet opens; soldiers killing people one by one]

 

Narrator: Pol Pot started to get suspicious of everyone around him, including people who used to be from middle-class backgrounds, soldiers who had fought for Lon Nol, those who had joined the Communist movement when Vietnam was still very involved, and anyone who had exposure to foreign countries. To be suspected of disloyalty, a person only had to be mentioned in the confessions of three other people. Pol Pot got suspicious of all these people because he was afraid that they would rebel against him, so he killed many people who he thought didn’t stand on his side.

 

PAUSE

 

Narrator: January 1979

Soldier 1 talking to Soldier 2:

“We need to get out off this country because I’ve heard the Vietnamese are attacking Cambodia and they got the victory.”

 

Action: They hear one gunshot. Soldiers 1 and 2 run off stage. Two more gunshots are fired. Three Vietnamese soldiers in uniform march onto the stage.

 

Narrator: After more than 100,000 soldiers from Vietnam crossed the border and took over large sections of Cambodia, many Khmer Rouge leaders took cars, trains or walked to get out of the country. There was very little information about Pol Pot after the overthrow. Cambodians, who had spent four years working day in and day out were shocked at the sudden departure of their zone leaders, but slowly started to move back towards their hometowns to pick up the pieces of their lives. People tried to find their families and started to rebuild Cambodia as best they could.

 

Grandpa

“This genocide left sorrow inside all the victims who had been tortured by the Khmer Rouge soldiers or had lost their family, friends, property, dignity or identity.”

 

Rathanak: “This is so scary and emotional.”

 

Grandpa: “Yes it is.”

 

Rathanak

“Grandpa, is there any place where they killed the people during the Khmer Rouge that I could go to visit?”

 

Grandpa

“Yes, there is. One is Cheung Ek, known as the Killing Fields, and another one is S-21, which was a school that got turned into a prison. But it’s in Phnom Penh, and we can’t afford to go there now. Maybe when you grow older and have enough money, you can go there.”

 

Rathanak: “I will, Grandpa.”

 

music