Bou Meng, one of a handful of survivors in the former prison centre S-21 just launched his book today. From Kampong Cham province, Bou Meng joined the Khmer Rouge movement in the early 1970s until 1977 when his wife and he himself were arrested for allegedly being part of CIA agents in Cambodia.

I remember he said, “I’m delighted that my story can let everyone inside and outside Cambodia know the darkest year, so that this history chapter will not be repeated.” For Bou Meng, the book is a healing pill or a cure for his trauma that’s been with him ever since he’s released from S-21.

Mr. Huy Vannak who used to work for the DC-Cam, a documentary centre that works on and stores many documents about the Khmer Rouge regime and now works as an anchor for CTN, authors the story of Bou Meng. Something remarkable happened. He said that it’s his very first time to hear Bou Meng said that he’s now “free from the past.” As an audience, I was happy to hear that writing a book can somehow release all negative feelings within Bou Meng, whom I know had carried along many painful memories of the loss of his wife and children.

The book, as Huy Vannak said, is a combination of Bou Meng’s personal life in the regime that’s told in a plain language, a dramatic love story and first encounter with his wife and their honeymoon, historical facts, and cultural background of Cambodia (why did Cambodians who had this great smile kill?). On page 41 in the book, a common phrase mentioned by the Khmer Rouge soldiers goes: “Don’t hide your secrets, and your eyes will be removed.” The Khmer Rouge leaders brainwashed these young soldiers to hate their enemies or treat other people like less than animals, and it’s very easy to kill or harm when hatred happens.

Bou Meng is a man who has lived through four regimes in Cambodia: French colonial time (1863-1953), Sangkum Reastre Niyum (1953-1970s), Lon Nol (1970s-1975) and today’s regime (1979-present). He, like other countryside boy, was mobilized and later purged for his alleged relation with secret police like CIA or KGB.

I can’t wait to read this book! .

Photos by Yourn Sarath

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