Mao Doeun

The road to the the village was unexpectedly bumpy as it is deep inside the forests. We enjoyed the view of the enormous mountains and how peaceful it is to see the creek flow. The volunteers were mesmerized by the view, until the van suddenly stopped signaling their arrival at a villager’s house. As soon as we stepped out, an old man came to happily greet us and he invited us in. His house was made out of scraps covered with a thatched roof and it was surrounded by just a few trees. We asked for his permission to be interviewed and one of our volunteers, Phorn Vanny, began the interview. His name is Mao Doeun, age 68, and he is currently a farmer. He went to school during the 1960s in Prey Veng province, but he stopped in the process of becoming a monk one year later. He went on to be a soldier with the Lon Nol’s Army, guarding the border of Phnom Penh and Kandal in 1971. When the Khmer Rouge gained control over the country, he was transferred to Lo Nesat village to guard and do some farm work. He mentioned how he was a victim of an arranged marriage by the Khmer Rouge in 1978 along with 23 other couples. He lost a lot of his relatives during the regime including his grandparents and aunts. After the liberation in 1979, Mao Doeun continued being a civil servant and he lives with his wife up until today.