[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 67 (Thursday, April 17, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LORI TRAHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 2025

  Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn remembrance of one 
of the darkest chapters in modern history--the Cambodian genocide. On 
this day, April 17th, we mark the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge's 
rise to power, a tragic turning point that ushered in a period of 
unimaginable suffering for the Cambodian people from 1975 to 1979. We 
remember this anniversary not only to mourn the innocent lives lost, 
but to honor the strength of those who survived, and to reaffirm our 
collective commitment to ensuring that such atrocities are never 
repeated.
  Under the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, Cambodia 
was transformed into a nation-sized prison camp. The regime waged war 
on its own people, targeting those deemed enemies of the state--
intellectuals, religious leaders, ethnic minorities, and anyone who 
dared to dissent. Families were torn apart. The vulnerable--the young, 
the elderly, the sick--were left to perish in what came to be known as 
the Killing Fields, whose soil still bears witness to the horrors 
inflicted there.
  In just four years, more than 1.7 million lives, nearly a quarter of 
Cambodia's population, perished through mass executions, forced labor, 
starvation, and disease. The Khmer Rouge didn't just seek to kill 
individuals. They sought to erase a culture, a history, a sense of 
self. What was left behind was a shattered society struggling to pick 
up the pieces.
  Yet, amid such overwhelming grief and loss, there is a story of 
extraordinary resilience. The survivors of the genocide embody a 
strength and resolve that defy comprehension. Despite enduring horrors 
beyond words, they rebuilt their lives and committed themselves to 
preserving the memory of those who were lost. Many have bravely shared 
their stories--passing them down to future generations so that the full 
weight of this tragedy is never forgotten, and its lessons are never 
ignored.
  Today, on Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day, we not only mourn the 
millions of lives taken, but we stand in solidarity with the families 
who were shattered and the culture that was nearly destroyed. We 
recognize the unwavering courage of the survivors, whose voices compel 
us to remember that remembrance is not merely an act of reflection--it 
is a solemn pledge to ensure that such atrocities never happen again.
  May we never forget the lessons of this dark history. And may we 
stand united in our commitment to peace, to justice, and to the 
protection of human rights everywhere. It is on all of us to ensure 
that the pain of the Cambodian people is never erased, and that the 
memory of the victims continues to guide us toward a world where such 
horror is never repeated.
  We mourn not only for what was taken, but for the indomitable spirit 
of the Cambodian people--who faced unspeakable cruelty with 
unimaginable resilience. And we stand in awe of the courage of those 
who survived to bear witness--because remembrance is not just a tribute 
to the past, but a vow to safeguard the future.

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