Vong Voeun

Mr. Vong Voeun, an 80-year-old individual, currently pursues a livelihood as a farmer. In his formative years, he was fortunate to receive teachings from a revered monk, an experience that instilled valuable knowledge and wisdom within him. Subsequently, upon the completion of his education, he made the life-altering decision to become a monk himself, relinquishing his ties to the secular world. However, following his disrobing from monastic life, Mr. Voeun found himself thrust into the turbulent realm of the military, compelled to assume the role of a soldier. During the dark period of the Khmer Rouge regime, the intellectual and talented individuals were systematically targeted for elimination, their lives tragically cut short. Fortunately, Mr. Voeun managed to evade this grim fate by concealing his true education and abilities, masquerading as an uneducated individual to ensure his survival. Throughout the regime’s oppressive reign, Mr. Voeun bore witness to the heart-wrenching spectacle of people being ruthlessly herded to their deaths, their lives extinguished while shackled to one another. In order to endure these unimaginable horrors, he steadfastly continued with his assigned tasks, recognizing that his survival hinged upon the pretense of compliance.Regrettably, the relentless grip of the Khmer Rouge regime resulted in Mr. Voeun’s separation from his cherished family and loved ones, leaving him utterly alone, devoid of the comforting presence of his closest relatives.