A man of Generation- Citizens' Evacuation 1975 - Part 2

How was the evacuation of citizens made after Pol Pot usurped power in 1975?

The sound of bombs exploded in the south, in the east of Phnom Penh, then seemed a bit silence. People stood, crowded on both sides of the street, waving white banners, shouting with joy “ Peace, peace !!!”, while muddy black uniform soldiers walked through them. I was among people, happy when there was no more sound of bombs, no more sound of attacking, enjoying peace, tired of hearing that sound, hatred of seeing wounded and dead people. I wished no more war among Khmers. My family lived south of Phsar Toul Tompoung, in front of Sin Sisamuth villa.

The next morning, I saw crowded people walked along the same street to the south, in the direction to Phsar Deum Thkov. They said we had to move out of the house for a few days to avoid US bombing. My 9-month pregnant wife, my in-laws and I decided to leave the house on 19 April 1975. We directed to my parents’home at Boeung Tompon, located north of Wat SansamKossal. We met them and relatives all there. Luckily, in the morning of 20 April, my wife delivered a child, a baby boy.

In the evening, around 5pm, 3 black uniform soldiers entered our house and forced us to leave home with gun-points, even if I told them that my wife just gave birth of a child. They did not say anything, just shout at us: “OUT!”. We were afraid of them, decided to move out.  

A cart made of 2 bicycles tied to a bed. I let my wife, my newly-born baby and my sick brother-in-law sat on it along with some belongings. I pulled the cart out. It was almost dark when we were near the entrance of Wat Sansamkossal gate. Large crowd of people were seen walking in the street heading to Kbal Thnal. However it was dark. We were looking for an empty house for a night’ sleep. At last our diner and our sleep. I still kept in mind that only 3 days out, then we could come back home again.