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Q:
"How were they killed?"
A:
"Sorne were beaten to death,
others died of starvation because
food was withheld from them. Each
day they gave us one pint of
uncooked rice for 20 persons. Not
enough for anyone."
Q:
" How many of your children
survived?"
A:
"All my sons are dead, but four
daughters are alive."
Q:
"Before Poi Pot carne to power
in Cambodia, what did you do? "
A:
"Farmer, gardener, laborer, a
weaver of baskets."
Q:
"What about the food here
at the Khao-1-Dang camp, is it
enough?"
A:
"They give enough rice, and
they have salt fisb. They give us oil
and eggs, but no curry. Once .in a
wbile we have a shortage of food."
Q:
" How about your shelter. Is
there enough space?"
A:
"It
is very convenient here, no
problem, much better than in Cam–
bodia. But there is a shortage of
water, not enough for a bath, just
enough for drinking and cooking."
Q:
"When the Vietnamese carne
into Cambodia, did they allow you to
cultivate the rice paddies?"
A:
"Yes, they allowed us to culti–
vate, but when the time for harvest
carne, they did not allow harvesting.
They either buried mines in the pad–
dy or the soldiers killed those caught
harvesting. No one has been harvest–
ing."
Q:
" Do you have Buddhist monks
in Cambodia now?"
A:
"No, and if there are, they are
not real monks. The senior monks
have a ll been killed, and whatever
other monk refused to disrobe was
beaten to death with bamboo
sticks."
Q:
" How long did it take you to
escape into Thailand?"
A:
"For those who live far away, it
takes more than one month. Those
who live ncarer to the border take
less time. Sometimes three weeks,
sometimes one week. T he people
must walk. There is no time to stop.
We were always hiding.
If
they had
discovered us they would have killed
us. Many died along the way."
Q:
" How did they die?"
A:
"They died because they were
May 1980
shot by Khmer Rouge soldiers, others
died of starvation along the way.
During the escape many were shot by
Vietnamese soldiers. Sorne soldiers
would rob all the goods from escap–
ing refugees."
Q:
"In this refugee camp, are
there many people sick?"
A:
"There are sorne, but there are
doctors and the International Red
Cross helps give treatment. So we
don't have much of a problem now.
We are very happy to be here."
" It was after dark before Vinai ,
Pravena and
l
met again on the dusty
main road leading into Khao-1-Dang.
Each of us had much to tell the other
about what we had seen and heard
during our brief visi t to the camp.
"We had only talked toa few of the
thousands of Cambodian refugees who
made their homes here. We had only
been slightly exposed to wha t it was like
justa few kilometers away in the dying
countryofKampuchea.
"1 knew that 1 didn ' t really know
what it was like to be a Cambodian
refugee, to really know what it was
like to see friends starve to death, to
see my country destroyed and my
family killed. As we started on our
long journey back to Bangkok and
Wat Pho, the West seemed very, very
far away.
"The Thai government now faces
many difficulties. Thailand is ill pre–
pared to support the estimated one
million Cambodian refugees who will
eventually cross the border. Poverty
and drought, especially in Thailand's
northeastern provinces, is a lready a
major problem.
"What is Thailand to do with
these homeless people? Resettlement
of the refugees within Thailand's
borders is presently out of the ques–
tion. The area where the refugees are
now located is in the drier region of
Thailand where the present popula–
tion of Thai rice farmers already are
plagued by a lack of water resources.
Turning over vast sections of land,
already owned and farmed by Thais,
for the resettlement of Cambodians
would pose far too many legal and
economic problems.
"Presently the Thai government will
be able to offer aid and protection to
these homeless people as long as the
United Nationsand international relief
organizations continue to help support
them by sending food , clothing, medica!
teamsand supplies.
"However, it remains the under–
standing of the Thai government
authorities that this can only be a
temporary arrangement.
If
the refu–
gees are not accepted by third coun–
tries, they must eventually return to
Cambodia.
" But can they return?
"The Vietnamese, possessing the
strongest and most formidable rnili–
tary machine in Southeast Asia have
not been able to di slodge the Khmer
Rouge from their mountain strong–
holds. The Vietnamese control the
cities, the rice fields and the day. Poi
Pot controls the mountains and the
night.
"Neither side in this ethnic strug–
gle among Communists has shown
any inclination towards negotiating a
peaceful settlement. The struggle
will be a long and bitter one.
"There is no end to death and
destruction in Cambodia, not in the
forseeable future as long as this
world's governments stand. Cambo–
día, once known as a serene Jand
filled with contented smiling people
has become a land of desolation
where death is a way of life.
"There is no more Cambodia. But
there is hope for the younger genera–
tion if we concentrate on
education
for survival."
Slncer
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