First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY

A DAUGHTER OF CAMBODIA REMEMBERS

Under the pretext

that there is a war necessity,

they come into Cambodia.

The Nixon Doctrine

for Southeast Asia appears to have failed.

The war that began in Vietnam

has now engulfed Cambodia.

There is anger and frustration

at the US bombings.

Thousands of lives lost.

Farms and livelihoods destroyed.

Many are now turning to the Khmer Rouge,

who promise to reclaim Cambodia

from the government of General Lon Nol,

which is backed by Washington.

But little is known

of the Khmer Rouge's leaders

or their true intentions.

The communist insurgents

now surround the capital, Phnom Penh.

President Ford's speech yesterday,

in which he asked for

no more military aid for Cambodia,

apparently has had an effect,

prompting the embassy to pull out.

APRIL 1975

Word that the US was pulling out

of Cambodia came early Saturday morning.

Journalists and foreign residents

have been told to assemble

at the US embassy before 9:00 a.m.

A school several blocks from the embassy

is serving as the makeshift landing zone.

The helicopter evacuation is

being carried out by American marines.

Loung.

Loung. Get down!

Be careful. You'll fall.

You are so dirty...

You've finished it!

Let's go and wash your hands.

Have you had fun with your brothers?

I can't dance like Khouy.

It's too hard for me.

That's no problem. I'll teach you.

Yes.

I'm worried, Captain.

The Americans have abandoned us.

They've evacuated their embassy

down to the last man.

It was a mistake for us

to have trusted them.

The Khmer Rouge could reach the city

at any moment.

Who knows what will happen to Lon Nol

if they get this far?

We are all Cambodians.

So much damage has been done.

If there is a chance to rebuild,

we have to take it.

Help each other to some rice.

Loung.

Just a spoonful?

So you won't get chubby!

Give some to Chou.

An egg for you?

Stop that and eat up.

Let me give you some sauce.

Loung!

Loung! Chou!

Come inside!

Loung!

Unity! Unity!

The Americans are gone!

Cambodians must unite!

Chou, come on!

We must welcome our brothers!

Cambodians unite!

Hurry!

Chou, Loung, go and get some lunch.

What's happening outside?

Brothers, you are welcome.

We don't want any bloodshed.

We are all Cambodians.

Our country is in our hands.

Angkar has prevailed

throughout the country.

Surrender your weapons.

You now answer to Angkar!

Meng, Khouy, come inside.

Loung.

Go and eat something.

Pa said we have to pack.

Loung, what's happening?

I don't know.

Khouy! You can't take this.

Just take what's important.

Loung! Time to pack.

Only take what we really need.

Ma, please can we take

our New Year's dresses?

Please.

I'll take them.

Go and help Geak get changed.

Loung.

Don't stand there.

Go and change, quickly.

You have to leave the city for three days!

Loung, come on!

Pa, let's take the car.

No, we're taking the truck. Come on!

The Americans are going to bomb the city!

You can return in three days!

Come on, children. Climb up.

Sit down.

Stop that!

Take off your shirts!

And your shoes!

Why are you doing this?

Get them onto the trucks!

Keep moving!

The Americans are going to bomb our city.

You all have to leave!

You'll be safe in the countryside.

You can return in three days.

Do not question Angkar.

Leave! Hurry up!

It's Pa's friend.

Get down, Loung.

Loung, come on, sweetie!

Darling, what are we doing?

It's okay.

We'll have to stay here tonight.

We can't go any further today.

Let's get ourselves organized.

Leave! Now!

Hey!

Get moving!

Come, children.

Time to get going.

Get up.

Hey!

Pack your things!

Comrade, Angkar needs your truck!

You no longer need it.

Pass me the luggage.

Let's take our things off the truck.

Loung, put this on.

Only take what we need.

Pa, pass me the bags.

Hey! Comrade!

Your watch.

Angkar needs it.

Hand it over.

Give it to Angkar.

Oh! This is a very nice watch.

Who are you to have such a good watch?

It was a gift from my boss.

Come on. Let's hurry up.

You work for the government?

I don't understand.

I don't speak a foreign language.

Of course you understand.

You work for the government,

don't you?

- Hurry up!

- I don't understand what you are saying.

I think you do.

Please speak normally. I don't understand.

Let's pack our things.

Let's go.

Hurry up!

Faster, faster! Go, go!

Keep on walking! Faster!

What's wrong, sweetheart?

The soldiers said we could go back home

after three days.

I'm not so sure.

But it's the third day.

I'm sorry. We have to keep moving.

Pa, I miss home.

We can't go home.

Let's go.

Let's keep walking.

Be brave, my child.

We will try to rest soon.

People!

Nobody passes this point

without permission!

Come forward!

Any government officials,

police officers, soldiers, teachers...

must step up to the table

and identify themselves.

All families have to register their names.

Soldiers from the Lon Nol army,

or anyone unable to work,

must step aside.

Remember, we are workers.

Do whatever they say and don't argue.

Step forward!

You don't need money anymore.

In the new Cambodia,

there will be no banking,

no trading, and no private property.

No rich, no poor. No class.

We are all the same now.

What is your work?

Is this a Lon Nol army uniform?

That's not mine.

Take him away!

What is your work?

I am a packer at the shipping port.

Remove her shoes.

All right, you are clear. You can go.

Next!

Loung, let's go to the lake.

Wake up!

Loung, wake up.

Gather your things quickly.

We have to go.

What do you monks contribute? Nothing!

You monks are parasites! Work harder!

Now you can be the cows!

Pull the plow!

Work hard! Work for Angkar!

Look, that looks like your uncle!

Brother Leang!

I've been looking for you

since I heard Phnom Penh was evacuated.

Hello, Uncle.

There is some food in the cart.

They are so poor.

We are poor now, too.

From today,

we no longer speak of rich or poor.

Is it true everyone was made

to leave Phnom Penh?

Did they bomb the city?

Angkar said they were about to,

but I didn't hear any bombing.

The Americans have been bombing us here

for years.

Sometimes days in a row.

They destroyed my house

and killed our cattle.

That's why I support

the Khmer Rouge revolution.

We want a new Cambodia.

This is our land.

The earth and the water are ours.

If you want to stay,

you'll need permission

from the village chief.

You need to be careful

because you're from the city.

Angkar has many eyes.

They can't stay with us.

If they find out he was a Lon Nol captain,

it will get us killed.

But this is my sister!

You already know...

family ties don't count anymore.

I know. I know perfectly well.

They will kill all of us.

Do you want us to die?

Comrade!

Come and sit on my lap, sweetheart.

They said to wait here and we would

be brought to food and shelter.

I heard on the American radio

that Saigon has fallen.

The Americans have pulled out of Vietnam.

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