A man of Generations. Dead bodies were seen-Part 4

Pol Pot soldiers did not let people stay longer in a place while on evacuation. And nobody dared to say or argue why and why. Just followed order. Whose order? I did not know. Just move further and further away from Phnom Penh City.

We left Chbar Ampov Market after lunch and a short relaxation. There so crowded anyway in the street. Moving like a tortoise. It was dark when we reached Boeung Snor region, around a Kilometer from Chbar Ampov Market. We were finding a place to sleep. At last, we found an empty home and went in to settle down. I was so exhausted pulling the cart for my wife and my brother-in-law who was sick.

That night, the bad smell was covered in our environment. However, it was night, we could not change our place to another. Furthermore, we were so tired in the day.

The next morning, we continued our walk without breakfast in the hope to stay in my niece’s big home at Chroy Ampil. At last, we were here in a large beautiful house. All my family members, my parents, my sisters, my brothers, my nephews, my nieces, my grand-children, my parents-in-laws, my wife, a 4-year old son and my newly born son were at this home. There were also evacuees staying under the home and under the trees behind it.

One day, a jeep with a loud speaker in the front running in the village road with 5 black uniform soldiers informing: “ Former high government officials and military are allowed to come back to Phnom Penh to restore the country.” We discussed among family whether to go back. A family member next to us intended to return. He is a military of high rank.

Living here for few days more in the hope to return to Phnom Penh as told by Angkar. However, no good news was heard. We kept living here day after day. We could live because they still used currency. We could buy food. They could sell everything, but in the pagoda and in the village dusty roads.

The people in the whole village seemed to decrease in number. Earlier, they were full here. We could not find food better to continue our lives. We, family members gathered to discuss how we could do. My wife asked me whether I followed her to her native village or followed my parents to go to my own native village. It was tough to decide. I loved my wife, I love my children, my new family; on the other hand, I love my parents, my siblings too. I cried in my heart.

My mother cried out when I decided to go with my wife. She was very fond of me. I am the youngest son of her and took more care than the other sisters and brothers. Forcibly, we were separated and did not know when we would meet again.