Gov’t Cancels Event National Memorial Day May 20 Due to COVID-19 as Holiday Removed

The National Day of Remembrance May 20 as part of a collective civil remedy provided by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal has been suspended because of COVID-19 as the government announces holiday removed. In February 2018, the government issued a sub-decree on the National Day of Remembrance, set for May 20 every year is a national holiday and a public holiday is held to commemorate the victims from the crimes committed during the Democratic Kampuchea period April 17, 1975 - January 6, 1979. Since the founding of this National Day of Remembrance, there has been an annual celebration at Choeung Ek crime center and the Tuol Sleng genocide museum with a traditional prayer ceremony for victims who died under the Khmer Rouge regime and whose performances showing the torture and killing of the Khmer Rouge, who dressed in black. But on this May 20, 2020, the National Day of Remembrance is suspended due to the incidence of the disease of Covid-19 in Cambodia and the world. Hang Nisay, Project and Planning Section Chief Tuol Sleng Museum, told VOA on Tuesday that due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 this year, the Tuol Sleng Museum does not have any celebration of National Day of Remembrance. He added the museum would be held again in the coming years. "This year, we cannot celebrate because we are in a COVID-19 situation and we follow the government's policy, we avoid gathering. So we have some information and photos to post on the museum's social media." Ros Sophearavy, the deputy director of Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre said that the museum, which has always been a place to celebrate the national day of remembrance every year, is also suspended because of the Covid-19. On Tuesday, Say Chhum, vice chairman of the Cambodian People Party, issued a letter to the party's chairman of provincial about to postpone the commemoration of the memorial, which is held on May 20 due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. The postponement of the National Day of Remembrance comes after the government on August 2, 2019, decided to cut six holiday for civil servants, employees and workers with the goal of increasing the attraction of external investment, including National Day of Remembrance. Youk Chhang, executive director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, said that National Day of Remembrance is a meaningful day and important to acknowledge the great loss of Democratic Kampuchea. He added the government should set this day as a holiday to allow people to celebrate. "If we can, we should do it on a national level because it's a national memory for all the people, especially the five million people living today, and who built this nation.” The National Day of Remembrance is part of the collective reparations offered by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Victims and Civil Parties. Khmer Rouge Tribunal spokesman Neth Pheaktra said the decision to cancel the National Day of Remembrance does not affect civil reparations for victims and plaintiffs. "This celebration is the right of the general public, which they can celebrate normally, the authorities are able to celebrate normally but not on holidays as before." According to Neth Pheaktra, besides the National Day of Remembrance, the Khmer Rouge Tribunal also offered more collective reparation for victims and civil parties included victim recognition as a civil party, rehabilitation memorial, integration, educational programs related to Kampuchea Democratic., etc.  One of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime and a witness at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, Yun Bin, said the celebration of this National Day of Remembrance is very important to him and other Cambodians. However, the 65-year-old added that because of the Covid-19, he had to follow the government's decision. “I cannot forget that day because it was the day of Cambodian history for the people who lost their lives nearly three million.”

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