Nek Nouch, aged 70, currently works as a farmer in Bak Nim village. Grandpa Nek Nouch is one of the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. In 1975, when the war broke out with Lon Nol soldiers, he joined the conflict alongside the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese soldiers. Although he narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, he was separated from his family. In 1979, following the country’s liberation, he returned to his hometown. Life after the regime was arduous, but he managed to survive by farming vegetables for sustenance. His education extended only until grade 7, before King Sihanouk was overthrown, plunging the country into chaos.
English text by Lim Iphing
Interview by Non Chhialen
May 06, 2023
