Hy Nav, aged 45, presently works as a farmer. Throughout the Khmer Rouge regime, she was assigned tasks such as carrying dirt, collecting cow dung for fertilizer, and participating in the construction of the Mlech dam. She was part of the children’s unit, which prevented her from pursuing formal education during that time. While she did not experience the loss of any relatives, she witnessed individuals being taken away for educational purposes, never to be seen again. Hy Nav noted that the Khmer Rouge regime trusted uneducated and impoverished individuals, as they were deemed less likely to pose a threat to the regime. She also endured the separation from her family and friends.
English text by Lim Iphing
Interview by Ing Sochea
March 05, 2023
