POV
Community
Engagement & Education
Discussion GuiDe
Enemies of the People
A Film by Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath
www.pbs.org/pov
PoV
Letters from the fiLmmakers
My father, a middle-class farmer, was killed by the Khmer Rouge in 1974, when
he refused to give them his buffalo. My mother, forced to marry a Khmer
Rouge militiaman after my father’s death, died in childbirth in 1976. My eldest
brother disappeared in 1977. i later found out that he’d been killed in a party
purge in our area.
When the Khmer Rouge fell in 1979, i — 10 years old at the time — escaped to
a refugee camp on the Thai border. i learned english from American missionaries and eventually started working as a location scout and translator
for media organizations in Phnom Penh in the 1990s.
Throughout that time, i never really understood what had happened under
the Khmer Rouge. i read history books — almost all by Westerners — but it
still didn’t make sense to me: Why were so many people killed? it could not
be just because the Khmer Rouge were “bad people.”
in 1998, through my work as a journalist, i got to know the children of some
senior Khmer Rouge cadres. For the next four years, and much to my wife’s
annoyance, i spent most weekends visiting the home of the most senior surviving leader, nuon chea, aka Brother number Two.
But he never said anything other than what he had told Western journalists:
I was low-ranking. I knew nothing. I am not a killer.
Then one day he said to me, “sambath, i trust you. You are the person i would
like to tell my story to. Ask me what you want to know.” For the next five
years, he told me the truth, as he saw it, including all the details of the killings.
Throughout this time, i also took pains to find Khmer Rouge killers who would
talk to me. There are thousands of such people in cambodia, but none had
ever confessed, and finding them is like looking for a needle in the sea.
My last group of sources was the plotters, the people who were trying to
Director/Producer Thet sambath
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
overthrow Pol Pot and nuon chea. Without them, you cannot understand the
killing fields. But in this group, too, none of the survivors had ever talked.
My sources are country people. The Khmer Rouge were all country people. They don’t talk to people from the city, let alone
foreigners. i am a country person. i think that’s why, in the end, they talked to me. i am one of them.
in 2005, i started to plan a book. But i worried no one would believe me, so i began tape-recording all my interviews. Then i
worried that people still might not believe it. so, in 2006, i began videotaping my interviews and meetings.
That same year, i met Rob Lemkin and we decided to make this documentary film about my work and the secrets of the
Khmer Rouge.
some may say no good can come from talking to killers and dwelling on past horror, but i say these people have sacrificed
a lot to tell the truth. in daring to confess, they have done good, perhaps the only good thing left that they can do. They and
all killers like them must be part of the process of reconciliation if my country is to move forward.
Thet Sambath, , co-director/co-producer
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Letters from the fiLmmakers
Ten years ago i made a BBc documentary called The Undeclared War, about
a mysterious Malaysian revolutionary named chin Peng. chin Peng came to
London for the premiere, and in a taxi back to the airport afterward, he told
me that in 1975 chairman Mao had sent him to stay with Pol Pot. He told me
the real Pol Pot was very different from the popular image of him. He said Pol
Pot was like a deer in the headlights and admitted to him that he was out of
his depth after seizing power. chin Peng thought that was why the “killing
fields” had happened.
This image of a genocide caused by chaos and inexperience stayed with me.
in 2006, i visited Phnom Penh and met Thet sambath. i discovered we shared
the investigative journalist’s inherent suspicion of common wisdom. i also discovered we were on the same path to the heart of the killing fields, only he
was much further along than i was, and for him, finding out what had happened was a deeply personal matter.
My own personal connection to cambodia is non-existent. But my connection
to genocide is not: Many members of my father’s family died at the hands of
the nazis, and a rather remote relative of mine, Raphael Lemkin, even coined
the term “genocide.”
i see sambath as a man trying to make sense of the nightmare of his childhood. When he finally understands the genocide, as he says he does, he
achieves inner peace and coherence because he is able to situate his personal
loss in the wider sweep of history.
i also see him as a representative of cambodia’s second generation after the
genocide, working to ferret out the truth from the first generation in order to
convey the meaning of history to the third generation. in this sense, this story
could be from Germany, south Africa, northern ireland, Yugoslavia, Rwanda,
iraq or sudan.
Director/Producer Rob Lemkin
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
Rob Lemkin, , co-director/co-producer
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baCkGround
information
tabLe
of Contents
Credits
5
Introduction
Writer
6
Potential Partners
Faith Rogow, PhD
6
Key Issues
Insighters Educational Consulting
6
Using This Guide
background Writers and editors
7
Background Information
Kristine Wilton
7
Cambodia
9
Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge
Guide Producers, PoV
11
Extraordinary Chambers in the
eliza Licht
Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)
Director,
Community Engagement & Education, POV
13
Selected People Featured
in Enemies of the People
Jamie Dobie
15
General Discussion Questions
Coordinator,
Community Engagement & Education, POV
16
Discussion Prompts
Design: Rafael Jiménez
18
Taking Action
Copy editor: Natalie Danford
19
Resources
23
How to Buy the Film
thanks to those who reviewed this guide:
Sara Cohan
Education director, The Genocide Education Project
ellen Kennedy, Ph.D.
Executive director, World Without Genocide
at William Mitchell College of Law
Rob Lemkin
Co-director, Enemies of the People
Thet Sambath
Co-director, Enemies of the People
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introduCtion
in the wake of the Vietnam War, the Khmer Rouge oversaw
nuon-chea aka Brother-number-Two
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
the deaths of nearly 2 million people. At the time, the brutality of the cambodian genocide, often referred to as the
“killing fields,” was nearly incomprehensible. Decades later,
those who were traumatized and those who have tried to
heal and rebuild still yearn for explanations and justice.
enter Thet sambath, an unassuming, yet cunning, investigative journalist who lost his family in the genocide. sambath
spent a decade gaining the trust of the men and women who
perpetrated the massacres. enemies of the People (93:00
enemies of the People helps viewers gain a deeper understanding of genocide by providing insight into the experiences and motivations of the executioners. As an outreach
tool, it is a thought-provoking examination of the human capacity for atrocity, survival and healing.
min.) documents the fruits of his labor. Through astounding
interviews with foot soldiers who slit throats, and even with
Pol Pot’s right-hand man, the notorious Brother number
Two, hidden aspects of genocide are slowly revealed. Artful
cinematography amplifies the shocking testimony as viewers
see peaceful present-day landscapes that belie the terrors
buried beneath their surfaces.
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key issues
baCkGround
information
PotentiaL
Partners
enemies of the People is well suited for use in a variety of
enemies of the People is an excellent tool for outreach
settings and is especially recommended for use with:
and will be of special interest to people looking to
explore the following topics:
•
your local Pbs station
•
Groups that have discussed previous Pbs and PoV
•
Cambodia
films relating to human rights, Cambodia or
•
Genocide
genocide, including The Flute Player, Lost Boys of
•
human rights
•
Journalism
•
Justice
key issues section
•
khmer rouge
•
high school students
•
military history
•
faith-based organizations and institutions
•
oral history
•
Cultural, art and historical organizations,
•
Peace studies
institutions and museums
•
Perpetrators of violence
•
Civic, fraternal and community groups
•
Political science
•
academic departments or student groups at
•
Psychology
•
sociology
•
tribunals/international law
•
truth and reconciliation
•
Vietnam War
Sudan, Inheritance, The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) and
Discovering Dominga
•
Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the
colleges, universities and high schools
•
Community organizations with a mission to
promote education and learning, such as your
local library
•
organizations that work with immigration issues
usinG this Guide
This guide is an invitation to dialogue. it is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who
want to use enemies of the People to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. in contrast to initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions conversations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking
by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.
The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues
in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And
be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and
optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.
For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit www.pov.org/outreach
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baCkGround information
Thet sambath at his farm
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
Cambodia
With a population of approximately 15 million, present-day
cambodia struggles to overcome a history of political instability. Most cambodians trace their roots to the Khmer empire, which ruled a significant part of southeast Asia until the
year insurgency, Pol Pot and communist Khmer Rouge
13th century. invaders, whose descendants now constitute
forces captured cambodia’s capital city of Phnom Penh and,
majority populations in Thailand and Vietnam, staged a
in celebration of ethnic nationalism, named their new state
seven-month siege on Angkor, the capital of the empire,
Democratic Kampuchea. A Vietnamese invasion that lasted
leading to a period often referred to by historians as the
from 1978 to 1979 eventually drove out the Khmer Rouge,
“dark ages”.
When French explorers arrived in cambodia in the early
but not before almost 2 million cambodians had died in what
came to be known as cambodia’s “killing fields.”
1860s to expand their commercial interests, cambodians
Rather than stabilizing the country, the ongoing Vietnamese
welcomed protection from continued civil wars and rebel-
occupation sparked a 13-year civil war. Many cambodians
lions. However, protection soon turned into extensive polit-
fled and escaped to refugee camps in neighboring Thailand.
ical and economic control, and cambodia declared its
More than 100,000 refugees later resettled in the united
independence in 1953, creating a constitutional monarchy.
states, where over 250,000 people of cambodian descent
The cambodian communist movement emerged from the
live today.
country's struggle against French colonization. instability
The 1991 Paris Peace Agreement officially ended the war,
surfaced as the region found itself in a clash between
though skirmishes continued. Two years later, the united na-
communist china and the cold War containment
tions aided cambodia in conducting national elections that
policies of the united states. in 1975, after a five-
established a multiparty democracy led by King sihanouk
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baCkGround information
Thet sambath on the road in cambodia
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
and Prime Minister Hun sen, a former Khmer Rouge military
commander. in 1999, after continued factional fighting and
more disputed elections, the last of the Khmer Rouge were
captured and the movement collapsed. in 2004, King si-
ciA World Factbook. “cambodia.”
hanouk abdicated and his son Prince norodom sihamoni
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-
succeeded him. subsequent years have seen minimal vio-
factbook/geos/cb.html
lence during elections and some degree of stability, though
Frontline. “cambodia — Pol Pot’s shadow.”
the nation still struggles economically and is heavily de-
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/didyouknow.html
pendent on foreign aid.
Independent Lens. “War and cambodia.”
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/refugee/war_cambodia.html
sources:
BBc news. “cambodia country Profile.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1243892.stm
cambodia Tribunal Monitor. "Historical overview of the Khmer Rouge.
Keller, Lucy. “unTAc in cambodia – from occupation, civil War and
Genocide to Peace.” Inquiry 9 (2005): 127-178.
Kiernan, Ben. The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power and Genocide in
Cambodia Under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79. new Haven: Yale
university Press, 2008
http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/history/khmer-rouge-history.html"
The center for Justice and Accountability. “Background on cambodia.”
http://cja.org/article.php?list=type&type=447
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baCkGround information
Throat-slitting Demo
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
Pol Pot and the khmer rouge
in the aftermath of World War ii, many former european
colonies declared independence, seeking to express more
authentic national identities than was possible under colonial rule. Disputes quickly arose between those who believed
As Pol Pot rose to power, the united states became mired
their future would be best served by aligning with the West
in the conflict in neighboring Vietnam, picking up where the
and communists, who rejected any ties to the West.
Pol Pot (saloth sar) came of age in the 1950s, as his country, along with many others, struggled to define itself. He
studied in Paris, where he came to believe that a strongly
nationalistic approach to communism offered cambodia its
best chance at a classless society. When he returned to
cambodia, he secretly joined the communist movement,
French left off trying to destroy Ho chi Minh’s communist
forces. The war began to spill over into neutral cambodia,
where Ho chi Minh’s Vietcong army had set up bases. The
united states launched secret bombing campaigns on these
bases beginning in 1969; 540,000 tons of bombs were
dropped, killing somewhere from 150,000 to 500,000 people.
which until then had been heavily influenced by Ho chi
Many people attribute the ascendancy of Pol Pot and the
Minh’s communist party in neighboring Vietnam. Pol Pot and
Khmer Rouge (and, ultimately, the cambodian genocide) to
the man who would become his chief ideologist, nuon chea,
the civilian casualties and devastation that resulted from the
commonly known as “Brother number Two,” were deter-
u.s. bombing campaigns. Former New York Times corre-
mined to steer their own communist revolution in cambo-
spondent sydney schanberg said the Khmer Rouge “…would
dia. King sihanouk referred to them and their comrades as
point… at the bombs falling from B-52s as something they
“Red Khmer,” or, in French, “Khmer Rouge.” This be-
had to oppose if they were going to have freedom. And it
came the name by which the cambodian commu-
became a recruiting tool until they grew to a fierce, inde-
nists, led by Pol Pot, were known.
fatigable guerilla army.” Former u.s. secretary of state Henry
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baCkGround information
Kissinger saw things differently. in his memoir he argued, “it
suon
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
was Hanoi — animated by an insatiable drive to dominate indochina — that organized the Khmer Rouge long before any
To achieve this, city inhabitants were forcibly moved to the
American bombs fell on cambodian soil.”
countryside and used as labor on collective farms. The
During this time, the united states also backed the over-
regime considered urban classes “traitors” and “capitalists”
throw of cambodia’s ruler, King sihanouk, by his own prime
who supported free-market activities; ethnic and religious
minister, General Lon nol. The Khmer Rouge waged guerrilla
minorities were also targeted. This agrarian reform, which
warfare against Lon nol, and the 1970 u.s. invasion and
Pol Pot claimed would raise the standard of living for all, led
bombing campaign against cambodia only served to in-
to a famine and starvation of thousands. A fifth of the
crease sympathy for the Khmer Rouge. The civil war ended
country’s entire population perished.
in April 1975, when Khmer Rouge forces took control of
in the first admission of its kind for a Khmer Rouge leader,
Phnom Penh.
nuon chea admits in enemies of the People that he and Pol
When Pol Pot and his party came to power, they embraced
Pot ordered a purge of the party to rid it of a “Vietnamese
an ideology that was defined by an amalgamation of com-
faction,” people they believed were conspiring with their
munism and a fiercely nationalistic distrust of Vietnam. The
erstwhile allies to re-establish Vietnam’s historical domi-
regime wanted all remnants of the “old society” erased and
nance of cambodia. nuon chea clings to the notion that
aimed to create a pure, agrarian utopia in which there would
killings were targeted and justified by the external threat
be no private ownership or anything foreign or modern. The
posed by the more powerful Vietnamese. He and Pol Pot be-
Khmer Rouge called its first year in power “year zero”; they
lieved the killings were justified, he says, because of their be-
wanted to return to a peasant economy with no educa-
lief that the “Vietnamese conspiracy” had infiltrated not only
tional hierarchies or class divisions. everyone would
the party, but the entire country. eventually, nuon chea ac-
be equal and everyone would be tied to the land.
knowledges how extensive the killings became.
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baCkGround information
sources:
cambodian Genocide Group (cGG). “The Genocide.”
extraordinary Chambers in the Courts
of Cambodia (eCCC)
http://www.cambodiangenocide.org/genocide.htm
in 2006, after 10 years of international negotiations, the
Frontline. “cambodia — Pol Pot’s shadow.”
united nations and the cambodian government set up a
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/didyouknow.html
unique hybrid tribunal to try the senior leaders of the Khmer
Independent Lens. “War and cambodia.”
Rouge for international crimes. They called the tribunal the
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/refugee/war_cambodia.html
extraordinary chambers in the courts of cambodia, or
Jackson, Karl D., ed. cambodia, 1975-1978: Rendezvous with Death.
Princeton, n.J.: Princeton university Press, 1989.
Kiernan, Ben. The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power and Genocide in
Cambodia Under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79. new Haven: Yale
university Press, 2008
eccc for short. According to David scheffer, former u.s.
ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, the creation of
the eccc took longer than the creation of any other international or hybrid criminal tribunal in the post-cold War era.
in september 2007, the eccc ordered the arrest of nuon
Loy, irwin. “30 Years After Khmer Rouge, Killing Fields, cambodia
chea. He was charged with crimes against humanity and war
Grows new Generation of Art conservators.” The Christian Science
crimes. in 2009, the charge of genocide was added to his in-
Monitor, June 12, 2010
dictment, as well as to the indictments of three other former
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-news/2010/0612/30-years-
senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Later in 2009, 30 years
after-Khmer-Rouge-killing-fields-cambodia-grows-new-generation-of-a
after the end of the Khmer Rouge regime, the eccc
rt-conservators
processed its first case: the trial of Kaing Guek eav (more
POV. “Discussion Guide: The Flute Player.”
commonly known as Duch), the prison chief at Tuol sleng
http://www.pbs.org/pov/film-
detention center, who was charged with the deaths of over
files/resources_guide_action_discussion_file_0_2.pdf
10,000 prisoners in Phnom Penh. in July 2010, Duch was sen-
POV. “Press Release: enemies of the People.”
tenced to 35 years in prison.
http://www.amdoc.org/pressmaterials/2011/pov_enemiesoft-
Meanwhile, preparations continue for the second eccc trial,
hepeople_release.pdf
which will involve nuon chea and three former senior lead-
short, Philip. Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare. new York: Holt, 2005.
ers. As of this guide’s publication, the trial is set for June 27,
u.s. Department of state. “cambodia.”
2011. The film enemies of the People is expected to play a
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:o98Xk5ooTu
part in the proceedings. in the years since the Khmer
gJ:www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2732.htm+cambodia+%2B+independen
Rouge’s reign of terror there have been many books and
ce+%2B+trained+by+Vietnam&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=ww
films on the subject, most of them told from the point of
w.google.com
view of the victims, but the true motives and experiences of
Yale university. “Bombs over cambodia.”
the perpetrators have remained largely unexplained.
http://www.yale.edu/cgp/Walrus_cambodiaBombing_ocT06.pdf
some observers think the trials may hide more than they will
reveal, and they doubt members of the current government,
themselves former Khmer Rouge, will allow the whole truth
to come out. Many concerns have been voiced over the inclusion of cambodian judges in the tribunal, with the chief
concern being that they may have an allegiance to the cambodian government’s political agenda. cambodian prime
minister Hun sen has articulated a common sentiment, saying, “We should dig a hole and bury the past.” Hun sen has
also said that he will not allow any additional prosecutions
beyond those already under indictment. He has been accused of concealing evidence to protect senior figures in his
party from being held accountable. The open society Jus-
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baCkGround information
tice initiative, an international legal watchdog group, says
the court ultimately may decide to strike a deal with the gov-
sources:
“cambodians ‘Know Little About Khmer Rouge Trial.’” Agence France-
ernment, agreeing to end later cases in exchange for full co-
Presse, January 1, 2000.
operation from the government and witnesses in the
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hMicey5JeJz
upcoming trials of nuon chea and the three surviving Khmer
n4YQjcbyy29vZ0ZFA?docid=cnG.f25da1025c94c576d7e84ff5e360651
Rouge leaders.
a.8f1
The trials are taking place in former military headquarters a
cambodia Tribunal Monitor. “civil Party Participation at eccc:
half-hour’s drive outside the city, and, according to Agence
overview.”
France-Presse, nine out of 10 cambodians are unable to
http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/blog/2009/11/civil-party-partici-
name the Khmer Rouge suspects going to trial. According
pation-at-eccc.html
to researchers from the university of california, Berkeley, a
Dilger, Patrick. “Back to the Killing Fields.” Yale Alumni Magazine, April
quarter of respondents in a survey of 1,000 cambodians re-
1996.
ported knowing nothing about the tribunal. While this figure
http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/96_04/cambodia.html
is down from 39 percent in 2008, one of the university of
eckel, Mike. “Groups Fear Khmer Rouge Tribunal May Halt Trials.”
california researchers said that educating cambodians
Associated Press, May 4, 2011.
about the upcoming trials would be “a key challenge” for the
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/04/groups-fear-
court. As the only war crimes court in the world to try its
khmer-rouge-tribunal-may-halt-trials/
suspects in the country where the crimes took place, one of
enemies of the People. “Press Kit.”
the court’s main goals is to get cambodians involved and in-
http://enemiesofthepeoplemovie.com/index.php/contact/press/
terested in the trials.
Mydans, seth. “Trial Begins for Khmer Rouge Leader.” The New York
According to the u.s. Department of state, donor countries
Times, February 16, 2009.
have provided over $100 million to date in support of the
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/world/asia/17cambodia.html?pa
united nations-backed tribunal, including $6.8 million from
gewanted=2
the united states.
The New York Times. “Khmer Rouge.”
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/k/
khmer_rouge/index.html
scheffer, David. “The extraordinary chambers in the courts of
cambodia.” in International Criminal Law, cherif Bassiouni, Boston:
Martinus nijhoff, 2008
u.s. Department of state. “cambodia.”
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:o98Xk5ooTu
gJ:www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2732.htm+cambodia+%2B+independen
ce+%2B+trained+by+Vietnam&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=ww
w.google.com
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baCkGround information
Selected People Featured in Enemies of the People
thet sambath is a senior
reporter for the Phnom Penh
Post, cambodia’s premier
english-language newspaper.
He is widely regarded as one of
cambodia’s best investigative
reporters and his stories have
been syndicated all over the
world.
sambath has worked for the
American Refugee committee
as a paramedic on the Thaicambodia border, as police
interpreter for the united
nations Transitional Authority in
cambodia (unTAc) and as a
human rights investigator for
LicADHo, a cambodian human
rights non-governmental
organization. since 1994 he has worked as producer, translator and camera operator for many world broadcasting organizations,
including BBc, WGBH, nHK and nBc. in 2002 he traveled to the united states on a Jefferson scholarship.
nuon Chea
(brother number two) was
born in 1925 in Battambang,
cambodia and studied law at
Thammasat university in
Bangkok. chea joined the
Khmer resistance in 1949,
leading the urban underground
in Phnom Penh in the 1950s. He
was appointed deputy secretary
of the communist Party of
Kampuchea (cPK) in 1960, and
he was the deciding vote in the
appointment of Pol Pot as
secretary of the cPK in 1962. He
left the Khmer Rouge as it
collapsed in 1998.
Arrested in september 2007,
chea was charged with international crimes, crimes against humanity and, eventually, genocide by the united nations-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal. chea is in
prison in Phnom Penh, where he is awaiting trial. The trial is expected to begin on June 27, 2011.
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baCkGround information
Selected People Featured in Enemies of the People
suon joined the Khmer Rouge military
wing in 1970 and in 1975 became militia
commander in a cooperative in northwest
cambodia. He admits to killing more than
200 cambodians designated enemies of
the people between 1976 and 1978. since
1979 he has lived as a peasant farmer in
northwest cambodia.
khoun joined the Khmer Rouge military
wing in 1970. He admits to overseeing the
killing of nearly 3,500 people during
Khmer Rouge rule. Briefly arrested in 1979
for mass murder, he was released for lack
of evidence. He has lived as a peasant
farmer in northwest cambodia since 1979.
sister em joined the Khmer Rouge
political wing in 1973. she worked as a
district chief in northwest cambodia from
1975 to 1979 and, in that role, was
responsible for ordering many thousands
of deaths of suspected enemies of the
party. she now lives and works under
another name elsewhere in cambodia,
where she is a senior politician in local
government.
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GeneraL disCussion Questions
suon
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a
few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen. If
the mood seems tense, you can pose a general question
and give people some time to themselves to jot down or
think about their answers before opening the discussion.
•
describe a moment or scene in the film that you
found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it
Please encourage people to stay in the room between the
about that scene that was especially compelling for
film and the discussion. If you save your break for an ap-
you?
propriate moment during the discussion, you won’t lose
the feeling of the film as you begin your dialogue.
One way to get a discussion going is to pose a general
Note: If you can provide an update regarding the
question such as:
trials, it might be helpful for the audience to hear
•
if you could ask anyone in the film a single question,
who would you ask and what would you ask him or
her?
•
What did you learn from this film? What insights did
about the efforts to bring about justice at this point
in time. For the latest news on the trials, visit the
Cambodia Tribunal Monitor (cambodiatribunal.org)
and the official site of the Extraordinary Chambers in
the Courts of Cambodia (www.eccc.gov.kh/en)
it provide?
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|15
PoV
disCussion PromPts
Thet sambath
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
investigation
•
sambath says, “My project is to find out why so many
people died in the killing fields.” Was his project a success?
What answers did he find? What questions remain?
•
What was your reaction to the investigative methods
understanding the killing fields
sambath used to gain information? What ethical standards
•
should apply to a journalist in sambath’s situation?
People? Who are/were the enemies of the cambodian peo-
•
can you imagine yourself in sambath’s shoes, develop-
ing a relationship with the man responsible for the murder of
What is the relevance of the film’s title, enemies of the
ple? How might sambath, suon or Brother number Two
(nuon chea) answer that question?
your family and the genocide of your people? How do you
•
think that effort would affect your life?
tions for genocide? What types of circumstances trigger the
•
While sambath’s efforts make an invaluable contribu-
tion to the preservation of cambodian history, they also take
a significant toll on his family. Who in your community is
asked to sacrifice family, safety or financial security in order
to pursue justice or community well-being? What support
could you offer those people?
• Pol Pot is no longer in power (or alive), so why would
it be dangerous for sambath to try to uncover the history of the Killing Fields?
What do you learn from the film about the precondi-
capacity of human beings to kill one another? Were there
any particular factors present in cambodia that you think
precipitated the commission of the atrocities? Do you see
those factors present in any other places in the world today?
if so, what should/could be done to ensure that genocide
does not occur?
•
A rice field worker says, “Frankly, without the wine we
wouldn’t dare to kill people.” What role does alcohol play in
enabling people to commit atrocities?
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|16
PoV
disCussion PromPts
•
When nuon chea begins to talk about why people
were killed, he says that people who couldn’t be “re-educated” or “corrected” had to be “solved.” What is the impact
of these word choices? Why does language matter?
•
healing
•
Former executioners point to places where bodies have
been buried as the camera shows roads and placid rice fields
— an ordinary cambodian landscape. How do scattered
sambath says that Pol Pot and nuon chea wanted to
mass burial sites complicate land use policies? in its efforts
be “more communist than china.” How did they link policies
to heal the country, what options might cambodia consider
like the nationalization of all private property, forced reloca-
in terms of land use and honoring burial sites?
tions and marriages and the arrest of dissenters (and their
families and associates) with their goal of empowering the
poor? How did such policies create “criminals” and “enemies
of the people” who then needed to be — in nuon chea’s
words — “killed and destroyed”?
•
The methods of execution, including killing parents and
children in front of one another, seem particularly cruel. in
terms of helping a regime accomplish its goals, does the
method of killing matter? Why or why not?
•
nuon chea considers himself a patriot. He says, “if i
have to choose between the nation and the individual, i
choose the nation.” under what circumstances, if any, is it
appropriate to demand or impose individual sacrifice in service of the greater good? can you think of other examples of
governments that were willing to sacrifice the lives of some
in order to preserve protection of the nation for others?
•
sister em says, “if we didn’t obey the order, we would
have been killed.… We felt pity for the victims, but what
could we do? We had no choice.… so should we go to
prison?” How would you answer her questions? How should
people of low rank who were passed orders to kill be held
accountable?
•
suon says, “our victims’ families have a right to be
angry.” He is afraid that if people knew what he did they
would take revenge. How might a formal justice process for
those who committed atrocities help assuage aggrieved
families or alleviate suon’s fear?
•
officially, the cambodian constitution prohibits the
death penalty. in your view, should the constitution be
amended to allow the execution of Khmer Rouge leaders?
Why or why not?
What differences are there between what those nations did
•
and what the Khmer Rouge did?
next life,” but he is fairly certain it won’t be something good.
suon says, “i don’t know what i’ll be reborn as in the
How might widespread belief in reincarnation influence how
a nation or culture comes to terms with a history of atrocities?
•
What happens to those who believed they were killing
in the name of a just cause when their top leaders deny ordering — or even knowing about — the executions?
•
sambath’s wife is concerned about his involvement in
this project. What does sambath gain by completing it? At
what cost?
additional media literacy questions are available at:
www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|17
PoV
takinG aCtion
•
Thet sambath (left) and Rob Lemkin,
co - Directors/ Producers
Photo courtesy of 'enemies of the People'
identify local organizations or local chapters of national
organizations working to preserve human rights (and/or facilitate reconciliation efforts) and find out how you can help.
see a list of human rights and international justice organizations in the Resources section of this guide.
•
initiate an oral history project in your own community
that focuses on identifying people who lived through injustices or atrocities and create safe spaces (either virtual or
•
convene a study group on cambodian history and cul-
ture. use what you learn to examine u.s. foreign policy towards cambodia and share your insights with your elected
representatives, as well as with people in your community.
physical) in which they can tell and preserve their stories.
consider arranging for the stories to be presented in class-
•
rooms, religious organizations, libraries, youth programs
crimes against humanity, genocide and other human rights
and/or online.
atrocities.
•
stay informed about ongoing tribunals regarding past
invite a panel of journalists to talk about the role of reporters in a democracy, the risks they take and what they
think of sambath’s work to uncover cambodian history.
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|18
PoV
resourCes
FILM-RELATED WEB SITES
What’s Your POV?
ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
Share your thoughts about Enemies of the People
http://enemiesofthepeoplemovie.com
by posting a comment on the POV Blog
Visit the filmmakers’ website to learn more about the film,
www.pbs.org/pov/blog or send an email to [email protected].
the filmmakers, cast and crew and upcoming screening
events.
Original Online Content on
POV Interactive (www.pbs.org/pov)
khmer rouge tribunals
CAMBODIA TRIBUNAL MONITOR
cambodiatribunal.org
PoV’s Enemies of the People companion website
www.pbs.org/pov/enemies
Run by the northwestern university school of Law and the
Documentation center of cambodia, this site includes tran-
The companion website to enemies of the People offers
scripts, footage, commentary, interviews and more from the
exclusive streaming video clips from the film and a wealth
trials of top Khmer Rouge leaders, including nuon chea.
of additional resources, including a Q-and-A with filmmaker
Rob Lemkin (also available via podcast), ample opportuni-
ExTRAORDINARY CHAMBERS IN THE COURTS
ties for viewers to "talk back" and talk to each other about
OF CAMBODIA (ECCC)
the film and the following special features:
eccc.gov.kh/en
Photos from Enemies of the People
check out our slideshow of still images from the film.
This official site of the extraordinary chambers in the courts
of cambodia (the Khmer Rouge Tribunal) is available in english, French and Khmer. it includes summaries of the people
Timeline: The Khmer Rouge & Thet Sambath’s
Cambodia
who have been indicted, the accusations against them and
related legal decisions.
Refresh your knowledge of cambodian history with this
interactive timeline that also features information on
FroNtliNE. “POL POT’S SHADOW”
characters from the film.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia
Film Update: The Khmer Rouge Tribunals
cludes links to general information about cambodia, the
David scheffer, former u.s. Ambassador at Large for
Khmer Rouge, genocide and human rights.
The website for a 2002 Frontline episode about Pol Pot in-
War crimes issues, provides an update on the Khmer
Rouge Tribunals.
YALE UNIVERSITY CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE PROGRAM
yale.edu/cgp
Live chat with filmmakers on Wednesday,
July 13 at 10 AM ET
Filmmakers Thet sambath and Rob Lemkin talk with
viewers online on PoV website.
This website provides a variety of documents related to the
history of cambodia and the Khmer Rouge, including maps
and links to tribunal documents in both english and Khmer.
Enemies of the People Video Streaming
on the POV Website
Watch the entire film online or browse by chapter
FoR FRee, from July 13 through Aug. 12, 2011.
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|19
PoV
resourCes
Cambodia today
human rights organizations
CAMBODIAN INFORMATION CENTER
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Cambodia.org
http://www.amnesty.org
cambodians who favor democracy maintain this site to pro-
Amnesty international is a worldwide movement of people
vide current information about cambodia and help those in-
who campaign for internationally recognized human rights
terested in cambodia to network.
to be respected and protected for everyone. The organization’s website provides updated news and country profiles
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
regarding its campaigns, as well as ways to get involved as
“WORLD REPORT 2011: CAMBODIA”
activists in the fight for justice.
hrw.org/en/world-report-2011/Cambodia
The annual report of this international watchdog and advocacy organization provides an overview of the current status
THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
(CJA)
of human rights protections in cambodia.
http://cja.org/article.php?list=type&type=86
KHMER INSTITUTE
national human rights organization dedicated to deterring
The center for Justice and Accountability (cJA) is an interKhmerInstitute.org
torture and other severe human rights abuses around the
This resource provides information from a Khmer perspec-
world and advancing the rights of survivors to seek truth,
tive on cambodia-related events, issues and culture.
justice and redress. cJA uses litigation to hold perpetrators
individually accountable for human rights abuses, develop
PHNOM PENH POST
human rights law and advance the rule of law in countries
phnompenhpost.com
transitioning from periods of abuse.
in addition to news articles (including articles by Thet sambath), this newspaper’s website includes a blog on the
Khmer Rouge tribunal. it is available in english and Khmer.
THE CENTER FOR MEDIA, CULTURE AND HISTORY
http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/media/
The center for Media, culture and History is a collaborative
ROYAL EMBASSY OF CAMBODIA
project at new York university, drawing on faculty from the
embassyofcambodia.org
Africana studies program and the departments of anthro-
The website of the royal embassy of cambodia includes links
pology, cinema studies, comparative literature, history and
to the country’s constitution, as well as links to the websites
religious studies. it addresses issues of representation, so-
of the parliamentarian institutions and royal government.
cial change and identity construction embedded in the development of film, television, video and new media worldwide.
TRAVEL DOCUMENT SYSTEMS. “CAMBODIA”
in addition, it focuses on the role that these media play in
traveldocs.com/kh/index.htm
shaping perceptions of history and culture; in forging indi-
This website offers a general overview of cambodia, including culture and history from a u.s. government perspective.
vidual, collective, national and transnational identities; and
in mediating the direction and character of social change.
THE ENOUGH PROJECT
http://www.enoughproject.org
The enough Project aims to build a permanent constituency
to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. The
group’s official website hosts a blog that features information on upcoming events, information on nations experiencing genocides and ways for people to take action against
injustice and join the project.
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|20
PoV
resourCes
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES
of law and justice. its website provides a link to all of the
http://www.facinghistory.org
group’s publications and other electronic resources from its
Founded in 1976, Facing History and ourselves is an international educational and professional development nonprofit organization with a mission to engage students of
diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice
and anti-semitism in order to promote the development of
a more humane and informed citizenry.
library.
COMMITTEE ON CONSCIENCE AT THE UNITED STATES
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM
www.ushmm.org/genocide/about
The committee on conscience provides information on current genocides and on possible genocidal activities today. it
THE GENOCIDE EDUCATION PROJECT
collects resources on the history and definition of genocide.
www.GenocideEducation.org
The website has resources specifically designed for educa-
The Genocide education Project is a nonprofit organization
tors and students.
that assists educators in teaching about human rights and
genocide, particularly the Armenian genocide, by developing
and distributing instructional materials, providing access to
teaching resources and organizing educational workshops.
CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS (CCR)
http://ccrjustice.org
Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights
movements in the American south, the center for constitu-
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
tional Rights (ccR) is a nonprofit legal and educational or-
http://www.hrw.org
ganization committed to the creative use of law as a positive
Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch is a human rights or-
force for social change. ccR uses litigation proactively to
ganization composed of researchers who conduct fact-find-
advance the law in a positive direction, to empower poor
ing investigations into human rights abuses around the
communities and communities of color, to guarantee the
world. Find the latest reports on progress and setbacks in
rights of those with the fewest protections and least access
human rights, as well as yearly reports, by searching through
to legal resources, to train the next generation of constitu-
the different geographical regions and nations featured on
tional and human rights attorneys and to strengthen the
the organization’s website.
broader movement for constitutional and human rights.
WITNESS
GENOCIDE WATCH
http://www.witness.org
www.genocidewatch.org
WiTness uses video and online technologies to open the
Genocide Watch “exists to predict, prevent, stop, and pun-
eyes of the world to human rights violations. The organiza-
ish genocide and other forms of mass murder.” it is led by
tion empowers people to transform personal stories of
the most noted scholars in the field of genocide studies. The
abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public en-
website has resources that can easily be modified for edu-
gagement and policy change. This website features a media
cational use, including a pledge and a description of the
archive containing many films related to international justice
eight stages of genocide.
and social issues.
GLOBAL KIDS
http://www.globalkids.org
international Justice
Global Kids is committed to educating and inspiring urban
youth to become successful students, as well as global and
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
community leaders. using interactive and experiential meth-
http://www.asil.org
ods to educate youth about critical international and foreign
The American society of international Law looks to foster
policy issues, Global Kids provides students with opportuni-
the study of international law and to promote the establish-
ties for civic and global engagement.
ment and maintenance of international relations on the basis
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|21
PoV
resourCes
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF GENOCIDE
CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC. (CCDI)
www.instituteforthestudyofgenocide.org
http://www.ccdinc.org
What kinds of actions and institutions could prevent geno-
Built with funds raised by concerned community members,
cide? The institute for the study of Genocide advances and
cambodian community Development inc. (ccDi) became
reviews such research. its officers and members advise
the first cambodian volunteer-based organization in oak-
media, governments and intergovernmental organizations
land, providing assistance in overcoming social, cultural and
concerned with early warning and prevention. The group’s
economic barriers and building capacity for self-sufficiency.
website includes archived newsletters, a list of conferences
and papers and a list of available books on the subject.
THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY HISTORY AND ARCHIVE
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
http://www.camchap.org
PROJECT (CAMCHAP)
(ICTJ)
The cambodian community History and Archive Project
http://www.ictj.org
(camcHAP) documents the history of the cambodian com-
The international center for Transitional Justice (icTJ) as-
munity of Long Beach, california.
sists countries in pursuing accountability for past mass
atrocity or human rights abuses. icTJ works in societies
KHMER HEALTH ADVOCATES
emerging from repressive rule or armed conflict, as well as in
http://www.cambodianhealth.org
established democracies where historical injustices or sys-
Khmer Health Advocates is a cambodian-American organi-
temic abuse remain unresolved.
zation with a mission to care for the survivors of the cambodian holocaust and their families through programs for
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE
direct service, education, research and advocacy.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/the_archive.html
An independent non-governmental research institute and li-
PACIFIC ASIAN COUNSELING SERVICES (PACS)
brary located at George Washington university, the national
http://www.pacsla.org
security Archive collects and publishes declassified docu-
Pacific Asian counseling services (PAcs) provides caring,
ments obtained through the Freedom of information Act.
compassionate counseling services to low-income children,
The national security Archive also serves as a repository for
adults and families with severe and/or chronic mental illness.
government records on a wide range of topics pertaining to
The agency has expertise in working with immigrant and
the national security, foreign intelligence and economic poli-
refugee Asian and Pacific islander populations.
cies of the united states.
SEATTLE-SIHANOUKVILLE SISTER CITY (SEA-SIH)
http://www.seasih.org
Community organizations
The mission of seattle-sihanoukville sister city (sea-sih), a
APPLIED SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF CAMBODIA
nonprofit charitable organization, is to develop cultural
(ASRIC)
awareness and other ties between the people of the cities
http://www.apa.nyu.edu/ASRIC
of seattle, Wash., and sihanoukville, cambodia.
Applied social Research institute of cambodia (AsRic) is a
UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY (UCC)
nonprofit organization devoted to advancing cambodian
http://www.ucclb.org
cultural identity and to restoring, distributing and implementing procedural justice for victims and survivors of the
Khmer Rouge.
united cambodian community (ucc) was founded in 1977
to help transition refugees who settled into the Long Beach
area during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
DISCUSSION GUIDe
Enemies of the People
|22
hoW to buy the fiLm
PoV
To order enemies of the People for home or educational use,
go to enemiesofthepeoplemovie.com
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Front cover: Thet sambath (right) with nuon-chea
aka Brother-number-Two
Photo courtesy of stillPhotographer
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