As Cambodia marks the May 20 National Day of Remembrance, Som Bunthorn, senior researcher and editor-in-chief of Searching for the Truth magazine at the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam), emphasised the critical role of education in preserving the history of the Khmer Rouge regime and fostering national reconciliation.

In a recent interview, Bunthorn outlined the evolution of Cambodia’s efforts to integrate genocide education into schools, its impact on younger generations and the future of remembrance in a post-ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) era.

“Integrating Khmer Rouge history into non-history subjects was once a challenge,” Bunthorn explained.

“But since Prime Minister Hun Manet’s address at the international conference on ‘A Future for Cambodia Without Genocide’ in 2024, there has been a stronger national commitment to teaching this history across all sectors,” he added.

Since 2007, DC-Cam has published over 700,000 textbooks on the Democratic Kampuchea period (1975–1979), and distributed them to more than 1,000 high schools nationwide.

Students from Bun Rany Hun Sen High School visit a photographic exhibition at the Koh Thma Documentation Center. DC-Cam

The organisation has also trained approximately 5,000 teachers — including those in Khmer literature, ethics and civics — hosted thousands of school forums and organised public outreach programmes to enhance public understanding of the genocide.

Bunthorn noted that while Cambodia’s younger population did not live through the Khmer Rouge regime, they are increasingly engaged with the history through formal education and family stories.

“Young Cambodians today have access to documents, classes and firsthand accounts from their elders,” he said. 

“This helps them interpret the past with fresh insight while maintaining the integrity of historical facts,” he continued.

Reflecting on the transformation of the national holiday from the “Day of Hatred” to the “National Day of Remembrance,” Bunthorn emphasised the importance of the change in promoting reconciliation.

“The renaming was not just symbolic — it provided psychological healing to survivors,” he explained. 

“It ensures the estimated 1.4 to 2.2 million victims are remembered and affirms to the 5 million surviving Cambodians that their stories remain part of the national consciousness,” he added.

With the conclusion of the ECCC, Bunthorn said the focus must now shift to supporting the health and dignity of the remaining survivors.

It is estimated that 1.4 to 2.2 million people became victims of the Khmer Rouge during the short-lived rule of Cambodia. DC-Cam

“Within the next two or three decades, there will be few, if any, survivors left,” he noted.

“Now is the time to prioritise their well-being and document their testimonies for future generations,” he added.

Through its health initiative, launched in 2020, DC-Cam and its network of 3,464 volunteers have reached over 61,000 Khmer Rouge survivors across remote regions of Cambodia. 

In addition to health consultations, the programme collects survivor narratives to preserve their experiences in the national archive.

Looking ahead, DC-Cam plans to digitize all its archives and expand its reach as a regional center for genocide education and research. 

The organisation aims to transform into a multifaceted institution encompassing a research facility, museum and educational hub, in collaboration with international partners.

“Our goal is to make genocide education accessible, inclusive and impactful,” Bunthorn told The Post. 

“Only through education, documentation and remembrance can we ensure that such atrocities never happen again,” he added.