National Day of Remembrance (Cambodia)
National Day of Remembrance | |
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20 May | |
Frequency | annual |
The National Day of Remembrance (
The English name 'Day of Hatred' is somewhat of a mistranslation. The Khmer name, when instituted in 1983, was ទិវាចងកំហឹង – Ti Veer Jrong Komhuoeng ('Day of Tying Anger'). The name could also be translated as 'Day of Maintaining Rage'.[2][3]
History
A National Day of Hatred after the fall of the Khmers Rouges
The 'National Day of Hatred' was first launched in the
In the PRK, the full title of the event was 'Day of Hatred against the genocidal
In the PRK, the policies of the
During the 1980s and 1990s, the National Day of Hatred was marked by fiery speeches and the burning of paper effigies of Pol Pot. During the PRK years, the National Day of Hatred represented one of very few spaces for victims of the Khmer Rouge to publicly discuss their experiences from the Democratic Kampuchea period. Also, the event provided an increased space for religious institutions (such as Buddhist temples) to hold functions.[6]
A commemoration put on hold by the United Nations
During the
Return of a National Day of Remembrance
The National Day of Hatred is still marked in Cambodia, although the commemorations are of smaller scale today. Since the massive defections from the remaining Khmer Rouge guerrillas, the National Day of Hatred lost much of its prominence. Still commemorations are held, such as public theatre plays about the Khmer Rouge period. The Cambodian People's Party (the modern incarnation of the KPRP, the ruling party in the PRK) still conduct commemorations of the National Day of Hatred, often to remind Cambodians of the Khmer Rouge links from the 1980s of the contemporary opposition parties.[6] The Phnom Penh municipality has instituted a tradition of arranging visits to the Choeung Ek fields, where Buddhist ceremonies are held.[2]
Hymn
Oh! Phnom Penh, a popular lament composed by Mam Bunnarai as he returned to Phnom Penh after three long years, was broadcast on loudspeakers in the 1980s, and has become an unofficial hymn for the National Day of Remembrance.[7]
References
- ^ "'Day of Anger' becomes Kingdom's latest national holiday". The Phnom Penh Post. 20 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Fawthrop, Tom, and Helen Jarvis. Getting Away with Genocide?: Cambodia's Long Struggle against the Khmer Rouge. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2005. pp. 73–74
- ^ "Khmer Dictionary: ចងកំហឹង". khmer-dictionary.appspot.com.
- ^ a b c The New York Times. Cambodian Day of Hate Marks Pol Pot's Victims
- ^ The KUFNCD
- ^ a b Saltsman, Adam. Hate to Remember…and Remember to Hate
- Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 2022-05-22.