KHMER ROUGE TRIALS
In June 2003, the Cambodian Government and the UN signed
an agreement paving the way for joint cooperation on
prosecuting former Khmer Rouge leaders. Four years later,
not a single former Khmer Rouge leader has yet been
put on trial for atrocities committed by the Democratic
Kampuchea regime between 1975 and 1979. Given the corrupt
conditions of Cambodia today and the structure of the
trials conceded to by the UN, a
show trial of the Khmer Rouge may not necessarily be
the correct course of action in Cambodia.
FEATURE LINK
khmerenaissance.info
Khmerenaissance is an online resource for research on
Khmer culture. In an effort to encourage Khmer scholarship,
articles found on Khmerenaissance are by Khmer researchers
and are presented in the Khmer language.
CULTURE
Sounding the Spirit of Cambodia: The Living Tradition of Khmer Music and Dance-drama
in a Washington, DC Community. Joanna Theresa Pecore, Phd Dissertation 2004.
This dissertation takes readers on a visit to a community that lives and breathes Khmer music and dance-drama today in
the Washington, DC area. It explores the experience of more than forty individuals who participate in the activities of
Cambodian American Heritage in Virginia and the Cambodian Buddhist Society in Maryland.
This collective story illustrates the fundamental role that music plays in
linking contemporary residents of the Washington, DC area to the spirit of an ancient,
distant Cambodia. It demonstrates how Khmer music: 1) unifies sound, movement, story, and social interaction,
2) embodies cultural ideals that resonate across Buddhism, transmission processes, and performance,
3) retains lessons about the continuity of life and exceptional conduct, and 4) balances personal with group needs.
Full Abstract.
ARTICLE
In his article published in 1973 entitled "Proloeng Khmer" or The
Khmer Mentality, Dr. Sar Sarun, a faculty member at the
University of Phnom Penh, attempted to describe and explain the basic nature of
Cambodians by focusing on 10 fundamental characteristics of Khmer society and
attitudes. The English translation of the article was originally published in
1997 by the Khmer Aphiwath Group of Australia. Through the recent efforts of
Vannareth Lamm and William Snyder to further edit the English translation, we
are able to offer it here at the Khmer Institute. As with all the articles
posted on the KI website, the viewpoints expressed in the article do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of the Khmer Institute. We neither officially
endorse nor reject Dr. Sar's viewpoints and publish his article merely to
promote thought and discussion.
MUSING
The issue of ethnic and national identity is not simply
one of personal choice; it is also influence by how
one is viewed and treated by others. Conceptualizations
of a people's identity impacts national cohesion and
strength. This is true in Cambodia where the issue of
who is and who is not Khmer has implications far beyond
the personal. Visna Sann, in his musing Who
is Khmer?, ponders the issues and consequences
of Cambodia practicing what he considers a policy of
exclusion concerning the Khmer identity.
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