Latest news with #KhmerRouge
Arab News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: Under the Naga Tail
Author: Mae Bunseng Taing This book is a courageous and poignant memoir of a young man's daring escape from Cambodia's genocidal regime. Forced from his home by the Khmer Rouge, teenager Mae Taing struggles to endure years of backbreaking work, constant starvation, and ruthless cruelty from his captors — supposed freedom fighters who turned against their own people. Mae risks torture and death to escape into the dark tropical jungles, trekking across a relentless wilderness crawling with soldiers, according to a review on This gripping and inspiring memoir is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure and prevail in spite of great adversity.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
How a San Francisco record label is amplifying Cambodian voices
Before performing a ballad dedicated to his late mother, Cambodian rapper and singer Norith warned the sold-out crowd gathered at Asian Art Museum's Samsung Hall that his emotions might get the best of him. 'It's my first time performing this live,' he said. The audience on this recent weekend held its breath. Over a spare backbeat with sampled and live instrumentation, Norith elegantly peeled back layers of vulnerability in his native Khmer language, sharing the loneliness he and his father feel, and the love and belief his mom bestowed upon him. His song shares the same title and sentiment as 2Pac's 'Dear Mama,' though sung in a different language from across the ocean. Norith made it through without breaking. The heavily Cambodian American audience gathered in Samsung Hall on Saturday, July 19, for this one-of-a-kind performance, however, was visibly moved. Many dabbed the corners of their eyes while witnessing his mournful tribute. The emotional song was just one of the featured 'unplugged' performances by five Cambodian artists dominating the present and shaping the future of Khmer music. Along with Norith, there was pop singer and 'The Voice Cambodia' semifinalist Suzana; rapper Yuuhai; multi-instrumentalist and singer Vanthan; and rapper VannDa, who is the country's most visible symbol of contemporary Khmer music. The show was like an intimate 'Tiny Desk' concert set in Phnom Penh, except it was San Francisco, the city at the fulcrum of technology, eclectic music and thought. For more than an hour, the five artists traded rhymes and vocals in Khmer and English, with Vanthan providing beats and loops using modern and traditional instrumentation. Today, artists in Cambodia bear a heavy burden. From 1975-1979, the country was ruled by the Khmer Rouge, who carried out a genocide of the Cambodian people, while also destroying its art and 90% of its musical instruments. After the Khmer Rouge was overthrown in 1979, the country had to rebuild its cultural legacy from the ground up. Suzana was in awe that she was representing Cambodian culture in a San Francisco museum dedicated to Asian arts. It was her first time in America. 'I never thought I would be here,' Suzana told the crowd. 'This is like a dream.' The Bay Area — where roughly 6,000 of the 270,000 Cambodians in the U.S. live, according to the Pew Research Center — played a role in elevating these burgeoning Khmer voices. Empire, a San Francisco-based record label and music distributor, partnered with Cambodian entertainment company Baramey Production — whose founder Laura Mam is a San Jose native — for the event. The next day, they hosted an Oakland pop-up with all five artists where they sold merch and snapped selfies with fans. In late March 2025, Empire and Baramey signed a deal to help Cambodian artists like VannDa and Suzana find wider exposure and hopefully produce a hit single. 'America is still the place to make your voice heard on a global scale,' Mam told the Chronicle. 'And especially for this event, to come to the Bay — which celebrates diversity — I believe good things can happen. Southeast Asian music will be represented on a larger scale and I think we're part of the wave.' The Baramey artists were in the city to participate in a special songwriters camp that Empire facilitated at its South of Market studios. They joined other Asian artists — Litty and Zen Masuta from Japan, Basboi from Indonesia — for a week working alongside American songwriters and producers, including Grammy-winner!llmind, who made records with Drake, Beyoncé and J Cole. One afternoon, Empire CEO Ghazi chartered a bus where the artists spent the day visiting local landmarks. Ghazi designed the Empire Asia camp as a cross-cultural exchange, helping artists improve and expand their art in terms of scope and diasporic markets. It's part workshop, part strategy to embolden the talent pool and build bridges. Two years ago, an Empire Africa camp produced the 2023 hit single 'Lonely at the Top' for Asake, and more recently completed an electronic dance music camp. Ghazi is now planning future camps for Middle Eastern and Arabic-speaking North African artists. 'It's just really nice to bring everybody together in a creative space and allow them the freedom to do what they love to do most, which is make music,' Ghazi said. With Empire's influence and proven hit-making prowess exemplified by Shaboozey's 2024 hit 'A Bar Song (Tipsy),' Baramey artists like VannDa have a bright future. For those gathered at Samsung Hall, it was a rare chance to experience Cambodia's artists on the verge of a global breakthrough. Given the historical implications, it was an emotional moment for both artist and audience. 'Setrey Serey (Unbroken),' tears of pride and recognition flowed freely. 'I think the Cambodian community here felt seen,' said Mum. 'Our artists represent a beacon that we hope can be seen in the world and not be invisible anymore. They bring the sound of our despair, our joy, our love. These are the sounds of Cambodia.'
Spectator
6 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
The origin of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict
A border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia which goes back more than a century has once again erupted in fatal clashes, leading to diplomatic alarm and appeals for international help. There has long been a schism between the two countries over an arbitrarily-drawn, 817-kilometre border conceived by the French in 1907. The present confrontation began in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during an exchange of fire between Thai and Cambodian troops in a border region known as the Emerald Triangle because it also shares a frontier with Laos. Despite attempts to prevent escalation, tensions continued to rise. Troop deployments on both sides were reinforced, border crossings were restricted and Thailand threatened to cut electricity and internet links to border towns in Cambodia. There were further deaths and injuries caused by legacy landmine explosions. The mines had been left buried along the border with Thailand after years of conflict from the 1970s to 1990s, including the Vietnam war and the Cambodian-Vietnamese war which involved the brutal, communist Khmer Rouge rulers of the renamed Kampuchea. A Thai soldier lost a leg from a mine detonation on 16 July and then five more soldiers were injured from blasts. The deaths and injuries led to a huge escalation between the two countries. Thailand launched six F-16 fighter jets to the border, one of which bombed a 'military' target in Cambodia; and in a second raid, four F-16s were sent to bomb more military sites. Cambodian troops fired rockets and artillery shells, striking homes and public buildings. At least one Thai civilian was killed in Surin province, and three others, including a five-year-old boy, were injured, according to Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a Thai government spokesman. According to the health ministry in Bangkok, at least 11 civilians and one soldier have been killed in Thailand from artillery fire in the recent clashes. Twenty-four civilians and seven military personnel have been injured, the ministry said. Casualties in Cambodia are unknown. In one incident, the Thai army claims, six people were killed at a petrol station in Thailand from Cambodian rocket fire. Hundreds of people have fled their homes near the border. Thailand eventually closed its entire border with Cambodia. Each country condemned the other's aggression and refused to take responsibility for starting the new round of border clashes. In the midst of the border confrontations, Thailand's prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was caught making a highly controversial telephone call to Hun Sen, the powerful former leader of Cambodia in which she denigrated the Thai army's actions on the border. She addressed Hun Sen as 'uncle'. The conversation was leaked, and the Thai prime minister was suspended. She now faces dismissal. In terms of firepower and military capability, Thailand is streets ahead of Cambodia. With more than 360,000 active military personnel, Thailand has triple the manpower. Thailand's air force is 'one of the best-equipped and trained in Southeast Asia,' according to Military Balance 2025, published by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. At the heart of the current border dispute is the Ta Muen Thom temple in Cambodia. The Cambodian defence ministry accused Thai soldiers of installing barbed wire around the base of the temple and flew drones across the border. Bangkok said Cambodia made the first aggressive move.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
UNESCO's 2025 heritage picks: 26 sites added, Africa leads, histories honoured (full list inside)
UNESCO's 47th World Heritage Committee session wrapped up in Paris this month with 26 new inscriptions to its iconic World Heritage List. From prehistoric petroglyphs in Korea to cultural landscapes in Australia, the new additions reflect a growing focus on community-led conservation, memory sites, and African heritage. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With these additions, the total number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally now stands at 1,248, spread across 170 countries. Africa in the spotlight Four African sites made it to the list this year, and at the same time, three African sites—located in Madagascar, Egypt, and Libya—were removed from the World Heritage in Danger List, citing successful conservation efforts. UNESCO has pumped over $34 million since 2020 into strengthening African nominations, funding everything from expert training to on-ground community projects. 'Making Africa a priority is not symbolic. It's a concrete, day-to-day and long-term commitment, driven by the idea that the continent must be recognized for its historical, cultural and natural importance.' said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. Read more: Marathas and memory sites: India and Cambodia join in India's entry this year celebrates its military heritage: the Maratha Military Landscapes, which include forts like Rajgad and Shivneri, showcasing the strategic acumen of the Maratha Empire. Cambodia's Memorial Sites, marking the dark legacy of the Khmer Rouge regime, were added to recognize places of reflection and learning. The move echoes a rising trend of UNESCO acknowledging modern historical tragedies along with ancient wonders. Prehistory gets its due One-third of the new sites are linked to prehistoric human activity — emphasizing UNESCO's push to safeguard what it calls our 'shared prehistory.' These sites span cave paintings, megalithic tombs, and ancient routes still followed by Indigenous communities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Read more: Here's the full list of New World Heritage Sites in 2025: 1. Cambodia – Memorial Sites from centres of repression to places of peace and reflection 2. Tajikistan – Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal 3. Cameroon – Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains 4. UAE – Faya Palaeolandscape 5. Malaysia – Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park, Selangor 6. Italy – Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia 7. India – Maratha Military Landscapes 8. Greece – Minoan Palatial Centres 9. Malawi – Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape 10. Australia – Murujuga Cultural Landscape 11. South Korea – Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream 12. Iran – Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley 13. Russia – Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave 14. Türkiye – Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe 15. Jamaica – Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal 16. Panama – The Colonial Transisthmian Route 17. Mexico – Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta 18. China – Xixia Imperial Tombs 19. Guinea-Bissau – Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago 20. Denmark – Møns Klint 21. Brazil – Peruaçu River Canyon 22. South Korea – Mount Kumgang 23. Sierra Leone – Gola-Tiwai Complex 24. Vietnam – Yen Tu, Vinh Nghiem, Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments 25. France – Megaliths of Carnac and shores of the Morbihan 26. Germany – Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria Additionally, the Committee approved the extension of an existing South African site into Mozambique, creating a transboundary natural park spanning nearly 4,000 sq km.
New Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Anxiety and pride among Cambodia's future conscripts
THE generation of Cambodians who may find themselves in the firing line when the country introduces military conscription is split between quiet pangs of anxiety and proud proclamations of patriotism. "My family is poor. If I am called in for the service, I am worried that my family might face financial issues," 25-year-old tuk-tuk driver Voeun Dara told AFP in Phnom Penh. "It is worrisome for me." Citing rising tensions with Thailand, Prime Minister Hun Manet says Cambodia will next year activate a long-dormant law requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to enlist in the military. Hun Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country's 200,000 personnel after a territorial dispute boiled over into a border clash, killing one Cambodian soldier in late May. Graphic design student Ray Kimhak's brother-in-law, a volunteer soldier, has already been deployed to the countries' 800-kilometre-long (500-mile) border. But the 21-year-old says he would gladly join him if compelled by conscription. "He said it was a bit difficult to sleep in the jungle, and it rains a lot. But these difficulties don't discourage me at all," Ray Kimhak told AFP at his university in the capital. "We are ready to protect our territory because when it is gone, we would never get it back." Cambodia's conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been enforced. Hun Manet has said it will be used to replace retiring troops, though it is unclear how many citizens are set to be called up. The country of 17 million has a long and dark history of forced enlistment. Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge communist regime, which ruled from 1975 to 1979, conscripted fighting-aged men, and sometimes children, into its ranks as it perpetrated a genocide that killed two million. One 64-year-old who was conscripted by the Khmer Rouge at 17 told AFP he supported the government's decision, despite standing on a landmine during his time as a soldier. "I was forced to be a soldier by Pol Pot," he told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity from the Thai border town of Sampov Lun. "Being a soldier is not easy, but I support the government's plan of military conscription in the face of a border dispute with Thailand. We need to protect our land." Under the newly activated conscription legislation, those who refuse to serve in wartime would face three years in prison, while peacetime refuseniks would face one year behind bars. Sipping green tea at a cafe, 18-year-old IT student Oeng Sirayuth says he fully supports Hun Manet's call to arms. "We should be ready, because tension with our neighbouring country is growing," he said. But personally he hopes for a deferral as he finishes his studies. "I am a bit reluctant because I have never thought that I will have to join the military service," he said. "I think 60 per cent of young people are ready to join the military, so these people can go first, and those who are not yet ready can enter the service later." Under the modern-day conscription legislation, women will be allowed to opt for volunteer work rather than military service. But 23-year-old internet provider saleswoman Leakhena said she stands ready to serve on the frontlines. Last month her family delivered donations to Cambodian soldiers patrolling the border, where tensions have spiked with Thailand over a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle. "We have to do something to protect our nation," said Leakhena, speaking on the condition that only her first name was revealed. "I feel proud for our soldiers. They are so brave," she added. Cambodia allocated approximately US$739 million for defence in 2025, the largest share of the country's US$9.32 billion national budget, according to official figures. Hun Manet has pledged to "look at increasing" the defence budget as part of reforms to beef up the military. But one young would-be conscript urged the government to defer its plans as the country recovers its finances from the Covid-19 pandemic. "Our economy is still struggling," said the 20-year-old fine art student, who asked not to be named. "We are in the state of developing our country, so if we enforce the law soon we might face some problems for our economy." Political analyst Ou Virak also said Cambodia's military faces challenges from within as it seeks to win buy-in from a new generation of conscripts. "Military training, chain of command, and military discipline are all issues that need to be addressed," he told AFP. "For conscription to work and be generally supported and accepted by the people, trust needs to be earned."
