[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6] [House] [Pages 7699-7701] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]DITH PRAN Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1109) honoring the memory of Dith Pran by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the globe, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 1109 Whereas Dith Pran was born on September 23, 1942, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, a provincial town near the ancient temples at Angkor Wat; Whereas Mr. Dith, a photojournalist and human rights advocate, became the face of the atrocities in Cambodia carried out by the Khmer Rouge; Whereas Mr. Dith learned French and English in school and became a translator of Khmer for the United States Armed Forces and visiting film crews while he worked as a receptionist at a hotel near Angkor Wat prior to the escalation of the Vietnam War; Whereas, during much of the early 1970s, Mr. Dith was a guide, interpreter, and friend of Sydney H. Schanberg of the New York Times; Whereas the friendship and partnership between Mr. Dith and Mr. Schanberg became the basis for the 1984 film, ``The Killing Fields'', which showed the brutality perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979 under Pol Pot; Whereas nearly 2,000,000 Cambodians died from 1975 to 1979 at the hands of the Khmer Rouge; Whereas Mr. Dith saved Mr. Schanberg and other Western journalists from being executed by persuading Khmer Rouge soldiers that they were journalists sympathetic to the Khmer Rouge cause; Whereas Mr. Dith's wife and children were able to leave Cambodia for the United States through Mr. Schanberg's connections, but Mr. Dith was unable to obtain a passport or visa to leave the country; Whereas, for four years, Mr. Dith disguised himself as a peasant, worked in rice fields, and endured regular beatings and harsh labor while living on a diet of a tablespoon of rice a day because the Khmer Rouge would often kill anyone who appeared educated or even wore glasses; Whereas, in November 1978, Mr. Dith returned to his home of Siem Reap, and discovered that 50 members of his family had been killed; Whereas Mr. Dith fled 60 miles to the border of Thailand and arrived, on October 3, 1979, where Mr. Schanberg flew to greet him; Whereas Mr. Dith had an emotional reunion with his wife, Ser Moeun Dith, and their four children when he arrived in San Francisco; [[Page 7700]] Whereas Mr. Dith moved to New York, New York, and was hired in 1980 as a photographer for The New York Times; Whereas Mr. Dith was a tireless activist speaking out about the Cambodian genocide and once stating, ``I'm a one person crusade''; Whereas soon after the release of the film ``The Killing Fields'', Mr. Dith became a United States citizen and a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Whereas, in 1994, Mr. Dith worked to help pass the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act of 1994, sponsored by former Senator Charles Robb of Virginia, which established an Office of Cambodian Genocide Investigations at the Department of State; Whereas, on March 30, 2008, Mr. Dith, a resident of Woodbridge, New Jersey, passed away at the age of 65; and Whereas the Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project was established to create awareness about the Cambodian genocide: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) honors the life and legacy of Mr. Dith for his commitment to raising awareness about the atrocities that took place under the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia; (2) recognizes his courage and his endless pursuit for justice for the victims of the Cambodian genocide and all peoples around the world who have been victims of genocide; and (3) honors the memory of Mr. Dith by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the world. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California. General Leave Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Sires, for offering this important legislation in memory of a great American, Dith Pran. Through the film ``The Killing Fields,'' Dith Pran is for many Americans the face of the Cambodian genocide. That movie documented Dith Pran's personal struggle, his friendship and cooperation with New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg, and the larger horror of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia. Much as ``The Killing Fields'' reminded Americans of the Cambodian genocide, Mr. Dith's life work as a photojournalist and U.N. goodwill ambassador raised awareness around the world of the atrocities that took place for those in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. This resolution commemorates the work of Dith Pran's life, including his work as a photojournalist for the New York Times, his bravery in surviving the Cambodian genocide and escaping to Thailand in 1979; his advocacy for the Cambodian refugees and victims of genocide around the world after he became a U.S. citizen and a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations in 1994; and his work with former Senator Charles Robb to help pass the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act establishing an Office of Cambodian Genocide Investigations at the State Department. Mr. Dith's work laid the foundation for ongoing justice and reconciliation tribunals within Cambodia that continue to this day. For all these reasons, I support this resolution and urge my colleagues to join me as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution which serves as yet another reminder of the haunting words inscribed in the Holocaust Museum: ``Never again.'' The Khmer Rouge-led slaughter of over 1 million innocent people took place more than three decades after the Holocaust ended. Yet the world was again largely silent and indifferent to this tragedy. There was no one person who more embodied the tragic and horrific story of this genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia than Dith Pran. His harrowing personal story of courage, abandonment, struggle, escape and ultimate survival was recorded for all time in the gripping Academy Award-winning film ``The Killing Fields.'' After escaping from the Khmer Rouge and making his way across a treacherous border laden with mines, Dith Pran reached a refugee camp in Thailand and ultimately came to the United States. Here while continuing his career as a photojournalist, Dith Pran was a firm and clear voice appealing to the world's conscience to remember the genocide which occurred in his homeland. He worked tirelessly to achieve the establishment of an Office of Cambodian Genocide. It was officially called the Office of Cambodian Genocide Investigation in the Department of State. It is a note of some consolation that Dith Pran lived to see the start of the genocide trial last November of surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sadly, it took almost 30 years to bring these architects of the killing fields to justice. There is thankfully no statute of limitations for those who carry out world genocide. Without Dith Pran's steadfast determination, however, this aging Khmer Rouge cadre may have escaped their final hour of judgment. This trial now taking place in the Cambodian capital should give solace to Dith Pran's family and his friends at his passing. It also represents his greatest legacy as an advocate on human rights. The current trial should also remind us to redouble our efforts to ensure that the words ``Never Again'' are finally realized. The best final tribute for Dith Pran would be for the world community to work together for a swift end to the current genocide in Darfur and the killing fields in North Korea. I urge my colleagues to give their whole-hearted support to this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1515 Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Rush Holt. Mr. HOLT. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in countries all over the world, journalists are assisted, in fact, often dependent on local assistance, such as Dith Pran was to Sydney Schanberg, who was working for The New York Times. Such assistance often goes unrecognized. But Dith Pran did not go unrecognized. His life would be noteworthy if only because of his survival. After the foreign military forces left southeast Asia, and horrific genocide and slaughter enveloped Cambodia, Dith Pran faced a situation that is hard to believe. He would be noteworthy also because of his excellent work as a photographer and photojournalist, but he is most noteworthy and truly admirable because of his work to bring the horrors of the genocide of Cambodia and of genocide anywhere in the world to the attention of the public. It was my honor and good fortune to know Dith Pran. He covered stories and events in the New Jersey and New York area, and I saw him fairly often. He even accomplished the challenging achievement of sometimes making me look good on film. He was hardly a movie star, but he was always cheerful. In his daily contacts, looking through those smiling eyes, it would be hard to imagine the horrors that were back in his mind. For months each year, after hours, on weekends, before students, before policymakers, before any audience that would listen, he used his experiences effectively to teach the horrors that humans can do to humans and to work for justice, truth and reconciliation in Cambodia and other countries around the world. After each mass murder and genocide in history, some have said ``Never [[Page 7701]] again.'' After the Nazi death camps, after Rwanda, after each genocide, we say never again. Let us all hope, that the example of Dith Pran and his story will help us take action so that truly never again we will see the kind of horror that Dith Pran saw. Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 1109, honoring the memory of Mr. Dith Pran, a constituent of mine from Woodbridge, New Jersey, who passed away on March 30, 2008, at the age of 65. Mr. Dith was a photojournalist for the New York Times and a renowned human rights advocate, who became the face of the atrocities in Cambodia carried out by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot. After fleeing Cambodia in 1979, Mr. Dith devoted his life to advocating against genocide and finding justice for victims of genocide through his advocacy. After working as a translator and receptionist in Cambodia, he was hired in the early 1970s by Sydney H. Schanberg of the New York Times to be a guide and interpreter. The incredible friendship and partnership that developed between the two men became the basis for the 1984 film, ``The Killing Fields,'' which helped bring to light the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime. In 1985, Mr. Dith became a U.S. citizen and a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 1994, he worked with former Senator Charles Robb to help pass the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act. Mr. Dith was a tireless advocate constantly speaking out about the Cambodian genocide, so that the world would know and never forget. This resolution is to honor Mr. Dith's commitment to raising awareness about the atrocities that took place in Cambodia, as well as to recognize the strength and courage of an ordinary man who lived an extraordinary life. Mr. Speaker, I would urge all my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1109, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________