Cambodian American Testimony at Khmer Rouge Tribunal
From the Center for Justice and Accountability
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, CJA Client Sophany Bay became the first Cambodian American to testify before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Mrs. Bay, who lives in San Jose, was a teacher in Phnom Penh until the Khmer Rouge invaded the city in 1975, forcing her to evacuate with her three small children. Two of her young children died due to the cruel conditions of the forced labor camps under the Khmer Rouge, and her baby was murdered by a Khmer Rouge soldier.
Mrs. Bay gave brave and moving testimony under the skillful questioning of CJA Attorney Nushin Sarkarati. She provided crucial evidence on the lasting harms suffered by the Cambodian population as a result of the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. She also highlighted the fact that even though the war ended over 30 years ago, Cambodian survivors still suffer from physical and psychological harm and that these harms are pervasive, even for Cambodians who fled the country. For a summary of her compelling testimony, please click here.
Since those horrific days almost 40 years ago, Mrs. Bay has devoted her life to seeking justice for her three children and to helping other survivors. In her own words, “If I don’t see justice done, I will not be able to close my eyes when I die. I try to be courageous about it, to talk about it, to let the world know the story of the Khmer Rouge.” Mrs. Bay continues to give back to her community and works as a mental health counselor at the Gardner Mental Health Center in San Jose – created to assist victims of the Khmer Rouge regime with mental health problems related to trauma.
Words cannot express how much inspiration we draw from the resilience of Sophany Bay and our other clients in their decades-long efforts to seek justice for the atrocities committed in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. For the press release please click here, for recent press coverage please click here, and for more information on the case please visit our website.
In solidarity,
Pamela Merchant
Executive Director
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