A group of AUPP students were able to attend a preview screening of a new Khmer Rouge Documentary at the residence of UK Ambassador Bill Longhurst. The new six part mini series documentary focuses on forced marriage under the Khmer Rouge and its proceedings at the Khmer Rouge court tribunal. The new film series is titled “Time to Speak Out” and is produced by Olivier Van Bockstael who also attended the preview screening along with AUPP’s Professor and senior expert on women’s human rights in conflict and post-conflict settings, Dr. Theresa de Langis. The televised series was produced for the Khmer audience primarily in hopes to bring more awareness and a clearer understanding of the issues, the history and what is at stake in the court trials.
After watching the first part of the documentary a brief QA discussion session followed where attendees were able to ask the experts and the film’s producer additional questions. Phnom Penh Post quoted that another of Van Bockstael’s main objectives is to “explore links between sexual violence during the Khmer Rouge and the situation in Cambodia today”. Dr. de Langis observed that “one of the most unique things about this crime here in Cambodia, as opposed to other countries, is that it involved both men and women…having the court and this outreach allows [victims] to understand why [forced marriage] was a crime and how it was different from traditional Khmer arranged marriages,”

During an interview with Khmer Times, Len Sievlan, a student of Theresa de Langis said “It was hard to hear sometimes…but I feel very different after hearing them say those words themselves. Life must have been very difficult trying to cope with these [crimes]…and I really admire [these women]. It made me question if my relatives or my parents had ever experienced that,”

The televised series will be airing on MyTV and CTN after Case 002/02 which is continuing at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.