5 Dec 2000

Position Statement Re: "First They Killed My Father"

Why should the Khmer Institute get involved in this matter?

One of the objectives of the Khmer Institute is to disseminate truthful and accurate information about the Khmer people. As such, we feel it is our duty to also expose and object to the publication of dishonest or inaccurate information concerning Khmer history and culture.

Since Ung is raising consciousness about the plight of the Khmer people, despite the inaccuracies in her story, shouldn't she be encouraged and supported?

We believe in this case that the adverse impact of misinformation outweighs any positive attention her book is attracting. 1) The inaccuracies and fabrications in her story unfairly cast a shadow of doubt on the credibility of testimonies given by other victims of the Khmer Rouge. 2) We believe when you gain the sympathy of others through lies, you improperly invoke their compassion and betray their trust; this ultimately harms not the individual who tells the lies, but the greater cause for which she is suppose to be working.

Is Ung's book really that inaccurate?

The discrepancies and factual mistakes in Ung's book are too numerous for it to be considered a credible account of Cambodia between 1975-1979. It is regrettable that Ung did not adequately research Khmer history and society to properly fill her many memory lapses and give her readers a more accurate, if not truthful, representation of the time, place and events that transpired. (For a detailed examination of these inaccuracies, see our Analysis.)

The Khmer Institute encourages the accurate dissemination of information about the Khmer people, and condemns the publication of false or inaccurate information. In the case of the Killing Fields period, providing a truthful account of the tragedies is of special importance since there has yet to be an internationally-recognized trial of its perpetrators. For now, these personal narratives are the only "evidence" by which the world can judge the Khmer Rouge. The fabrication of such testimony disrespects the experience of others who have survived the horrible ordeal and dishonors those who did not.