Senate Resolution No. 21

Introduced by Senator Lara

April 6, 2015

Senate Resolution No. 21—Relative to Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week.

WHEREAS, The Cambodian people have a long and rich
cultural heritage symbolized by the temple city Angkor Wat,
considered one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, built between
the 9th and 12th centuries, stands as a living icon of the endurance
and genius of all Cambodians throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, Early connections between the United States and
Cambodia began in the 1950s, when Cambodia sent bright and
talented college students to universities, including California State
Universities in Long Beach and Los Angeles, to study technical
trades, engineering, and agriculture with the assistance of the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID);
and

WHEREAS, The relationship between the United States and
Cambodia had been forged through educational and professional
exchange, and therefore in 1975, with the impending overthrow
of the government by the totalitarian Khmer Rouge regime, the
United States accepted over 4,000 Cambodian evacuees to ensure
their safety; and

WHEREAS, April 17, 2015, will mark both the 40th anniversary
of the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, seizing control of Cambodia
and the beginning of the Cambodian Genocide; and

WHEREAS, Between April 17, 1975, and January 7, 1979, the
Khmer Rouge of Democratic Kampuchea, led by Pol Pot, Secretary
General of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, and other members
of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Kampuchea and their agents, committed acts
of genocide and other crimes against humanity; and

WHEREAS, The genocide and other crimes against humanity
committed against the people of Cambodia, including various
religious groups and ethnic minorities, during the Khmer Rouge
regime led to the deaths of over 1,700,000 Cambodians, which
was 21 percent of the nation’s population; and

WHEREAS, The Khmer Rouge regime also sought to eliminate
all aspects of Cambodian culture by systematically killing those
with education, separating families, and destroying institutions
such as Buddhist temples, schools, libraries, dance, and music;
and

WHEREAS, Countless victims have since come forward to tell
their stories of imprisonment, starvation, slavery, rape, and
systematic forced marriage; and

WHEREAS, After the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge regime
in 1979, over 140,000 Cambodians came to the United States as
refugees, a group of special humanitarian and foreign policy
concern to the United States because of the well-founded fear of
persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership
in a particular social group, or political opinion and thus in need
of protection in accordance with the United Nations’ 1951
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees; and

WHEREAS, The State of California has the largest population
of Cambodians and the City of Long Beach is known around the
world as home to the largest Cambodian community outside of
Southeast Asia; and

WHEREAS, The Cambodian people have drawn from their
cultural history to rebuild their lives and communities through
participation in American politics on the local and national levels,
by establishing local and international businesses, by developing
new art forms and community organizations, and by raising a new
generation of Americans who promise to contribute to the future
of the State of California and the nation; and

WHEREAS, The Cambodian genocide was a human tragedy
and must be remembered for the scale of violence and devastation
perpetrated against the people of Cambodia, so that it does not
happen again, there or in any other country; and

WHEREAS, In 1994 the United States Congress passed the
Cambodian Genocide Justice Act, committing the American
government to the pursuit of justice for the victims of the genocide
and affirming the policy of the United States to bring members of
the Khmer Rouge to justice for their crimes against humanity; and

WHEREAS, The genocide and other crimes against humanity
did not succeed in destroying the Cambodian people or their
culture, in fact the culture and heritage of the Cambodian people
continues to this day through the accomplishments of Cambodians
and their descendants; and

WHEREAS, The suffering and loss of the Cambodian people
and their accomplishments and perseverance in reestablishing
families, communities, and enhancing the cultural and historical
diversity of our state and nation should be recognized and honored;
and

WHEREAS, The Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week will
honor the survivors and their descendants for their courage and
contributions to our state and country. This week will serve as a
way to remember those who lost their lives in Cambodia and in
genocides around the world; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate
hereby recognizes the week of April 13 to April 17, 2009, inclusive,
as Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week, and calls upon all
Californians to observe the week by participating in appropriate
activities and programs; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.