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Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day Honors Millions Killed
Historians estimate the 1970s genocide nearly whipped out one fifth of the nation's population.
By City News Service
Published Apr 16, 2019 at 8:16 PM | Updated at 8:36 AM PDT on Apr 17, 2019
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared Wednesday Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day in memory of the 1.7 million or more people killed by the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge.

Supervisor Janice Hahn said Long Beach -- which is part of the Fourth District that she represents -- has the largest population of Cambodians outside of Southeast Asia.

"The Cambodian genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979 is a horrific period in our world history," she said. "Roughly 2 million Cambodians were executed or starved to death, and those who survived Pol Pot's regime were severely traumatized by their experiences."

The board established the remembrance in 2017, nearly 1 1/2 years before a United Nations-backed tribunal determined for the first time that the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot committed genocide against the Muslim Cham minority and Vietnamese.
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/loca ... 74421.html

Southern California with Lotus Flower as a Symbol of Hope
By Nina Müller
Buddhistdoor Global | 2019-04-24 |
On Wednesday 17 April, the Cambodian community of Long Beach, Southern California marked Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day. The event took place at the Long Beach Fire Union Hall in honor of the people who died during the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979. Part of the observation included writing the names of loved ones on paper cut-outs of lotus flowers.

Outside of Southeast Asia, Long Beach is home to the largest population of Cambodians in the world, many of whom moved there to escape the genocide. Remembrance Day was established on 17 April, 2017 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Shortly afterwards, the Long Beach City Council contributed $150,000 toward the building of a Killing Fields memorial in the city’s Cambodia Town.

Sayon Syrasoeuth, one of the event organizers, told Press Telegram: “[we want to] really bring the community together, and still be able to try to facilitate, and talk, and work out some components of the traumas in our community.” He explained that the lotus cut-outs will be framed into “one 8-by-8 wall of art” and is as much a therapeutic exercise for those participating in the artwork as well as a means to educate people. (Press Telegram)