A man of generations-A drastic event of citizens’ Evacuation in​1975 - Part 3

A man of Generation Part 3

After spending a terrible night at a left-over empty house, near to Wat Sansamkossal, Sangkat Boeung Tompon, on the street heading to Kbal Thnal, my family and I had to leave in the morning for an unclear destination. My wife with a one-day old baby boy in her hands, wearing a thick jacket, a towel in her head, took a 4-wheeled cart, full of small bags of belongings.

A thick crowded people in the street ! They walked very slowly like a tortoise. Even though we did not want to leave, but it was a forced order of Angkar (highest level). Sometimes, a jeep ran across the street with soldiers. People scattered, they freed the street very quickly. People shouted: “Out the street or you are killed!!!”.

We approached closer to Monivong Bridge, Kbal Thnal roundabouts. A strong smell, smell of dead bodies scattered here and there! The bodies covered with mats and plastic sheets. Pale hands and feet were seen with flies flying over. Earlier here was a fighting between the two Khmer enemies, very close to Phnom Penh and also the last fight.

Anyway, I told my wife not to look around. It is my second day year old son. My wife sat in cross-legs placing her baby in her laps on the cart pulled by me. I was so hot in April. My wife and her baby in the sun ! We did not have any umbrella ready for that unplanned trip. It was 11 or 12 in the morning after we crossed Monivong Bridge. It lasted one morning walking from the gate of Wat Sansamkossal to Chbar Ampov Market, only around 3 kilometers.​

It was said by Angkar that only 3 days’ evacuation, then all citizens could come back home. “Do not bring along too many of your belongings.”

We entered Chbar Ampov Market, where crowded people were there. It was like a refugees’ camp. No sellers, no buyers. The market was shut down. It became a camp. People talked. Children played. Babies cries. So much noise.

We still used money to buy and sell. But food was expensive, such as porch, beef or fish and vegetables. We prepared and took our lunch ….. and relaxed a bit. Pol Pot soldiers approached us and shouted: “Out! Out!” Then all packed up and moved without delay. No tolerance against this order…