Cambodia's brutal past forms a museum's foundation of peaceーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS

Key Concepts

• Khmer Rouge Regime: The radical communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, responsible for the deaths of approximately 1.7 million people.
• Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC): The organization leading the effort to clear landmines and educate the public on the dangers of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
• Peace Museum: A new facility near Angkor Wat, funded by Japanese grant aid, dedicated to preserving the history of the Cambodian conflict and promoting peace.
• Okinawa Model: A methodology for war museums that prioritizes the personal testimonies and perspectives of civilian victims over purely military or historical artifacts.
• Peace Education: The process of using historical trauma and survivor testimonies to teach younger generations about the necessity of dialogue in conflict resolution.

The Legacy of the Khmer Rouge and the Need for Remembrance

The 1970s in Cambodia were marked by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, which resulted in the deaths of over 1.7 million people. Beyond the immediate loss of life, the country continues to grapple with a "lethal legacy": millions of landmines and unexploded ordnances left behind by years of civil war and conflict. To address this, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) is establishing a new Peace Museum near the historic site of Angkor Wat.

The "Okinawa Approach" to Museum Curation

While CMAC previously displayed landmines and weaponry in a traditional format, the new museum seeks a more profound impact. By collaborating with experts from Okinawa, Japan—a region with extensive experience in memorializing war—the museum is shifting its focus.

• Methodology: Instead of focusing solely on the mechanics of war, the museum adopts the "Okinawa approach," which emphasizes the perspective of residents and victims.
• Objective: The goal is to convey the visceral reality of war to ensure that visitors understand why peace is not merely an ideal, but an essential requirement for human survival.

Survivor Testimonies as a Core Exhibit

Oun Raksmey, a CMAC staff member whose own uncle died from exhaustion and malnutrition under the Pol Pot regime, is leading the effort to collect oral histories.

• Data Collection: To date, Raksmey has gathered testimonies from approximately 80 landmine survivors.
• Purpose: These personal accounts serve as the emotional and educational core of the museum, transforming abstract historical statistics into relatable human experiences.

Peace Education and Global Conflict Resolution

The museum’s mission extends beyond its walls through active peace education programs. Raksmey visits classrooms to facilitate direct interaction between students and landmine survivors.

• The Argument for Dialogue: Raksmey posits that in an era of ongoing global conflicts—citing tensions involving Israel, the U.S., Iran, Russia, and Ukraine—dialogue remains the only viable mechanism for resolution.
• Shifting Focus: The project aims to bridge the gap between the past and the future. As Raksmey notes, "I originally planned to speak about the civil war, but conflict is not just a thing of the past." The museum serves as a platform to argue that peace is a universal necessity, regardless of national borders.

Conclusion

The Peace Museum, supported by Japanese grant aid and scheduled to open later this year, represents a strategic shift in how Cambodia processes its traumatic history. By moving away from the mere display of weaponry and toward the preservation of survivor narratives, the project seeks to turn the "lethal legacy" of the Khmer Rouge into a proactive tool for global peace education. The ultimate takeaway is that by centering the human cost of war, the museum hopes to foster a culture of dialogue that prevents future conflicts.