Channy Chhi Laux - Short Hair Detention: Memoir of a Thirteen-Year-Old Girl Surviving the Cambodian Genocide

Short Hair
Detention

Memoir of a Thirteen-Year-Old Girl Surviving the Cambodian Genocide

CHANNY CHHI LAUX

Copyright 2017 Channy Chhi Laux.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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The cover photo of me was taken in Phnom Penh, February 1975. I was visiting Phnom Penh as a reward from my parents for passing the seventh-grade entry exam.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5293-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5294-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5295-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017915338

Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/20/2017

Dedication

To my mother, Chheng Ly: I have written this story in memory of your everlasting love and strength. To my daughter, Natasha Laux, and my son, Richard Laux: I hope this story gives you strength to never give up on your dreams and to always have faith.

Contents

I was a happy thirteen-year-old girl when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia and killed at least two million people over a period of four years. During this time, I was forced to work in labor camps, some of which were far away from civilization and my family. Living through this difficult time, I endured never-ending challenges of starvation, harsh working conditions, and sickness.

This story recounts the intimate details of my journey through those devastating years (197579). It progresses from the first six months of starvation to the agonizing moments when the Khmer Rouge separated me from my parents and how I learned to survive year-round unforgiving conditions and constant threats to my life. Throughout the journey, I experienced constant reminders to keep faith in God and to not lose hope that my family would somehow be able to survive.

My feelings and emotions were constantly challenged by the freedom that was lost and the hope that things would get better. Throughout the story, promises were made, and we sacrificed many things for each other. I made special friendships along the way, and there were undeniable moments of giggling that I had with my starving teenage girlfriends, even under the direst circumstances. Those friendships, along with numerous kind-hearted people on the journey, helped me to keep sane with small strands of hope to cling to.

My story also reveals the animal instinct within me that took over my conscience, the self-inflicted emotional pain that weakened me, and the love that I had for my mother (Em) that saved me. It was this love that helped me to look past my own misery and to strive for survival, for I could not bear to imagine Ems suffering if she had lost me.

While enduring horrendous crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge, I thought many times that if I were lucky enough to survive, I would share the experience with my future children. This book is the result of that promise.

After reading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, I began collecting notes for my story. In the summer of 1992, while I was in the hospital bed nursing and admiring my firstborn (Natasha), I began chapter 1. Soon afterward, I organized the chapters and spent the following years recounting the horrific and tender memories as if they happened yesterday.

After shedding many tears while reliving painful memories, I have come to greatly appreciate the catharsis I experienced from writing the story. It took me twenty-five years and many more life-changing events: the birth of my son Richard, Natasha turning thirteen years old (my age when the Khmer Rouge took over), my mother passing away in 2010, and finally my current unemployment to complete this book.

My original goal of sharing my experience evolved naturally from a tale of nightmares to a true love story between me and my mother. Through this book, my mothers love will never be forgotten.

I wish to thank my friends who read and commented on the manuscript: Catherine McIntyre, Curtis Roelle, Jane Gray and Nancy Flowers.

I would like to thank my nephew Joseph Smead, who bravely accepted the task of editing the very first draft of the manuscript, and Jimmy Kong for his creativity and skills in preparing the cover photograph.

Thank you to my brothers Mark Chhi and Ken Chhi, and my sister Chenda Chhi for bravely reliving and sharing private and sensitive memories in support of this story, as well as their thoughtful feedback on the manuscript. For my brother Ken Chhi for his creativity in drawing the French Village hut, and for his unwavering support and encouragement.

I especially wish to express my utmost appreciation to my husband, Kent Laux, for his tireless effort in reviewing this story from cover to cover multiple times. I am genuinely grateful for his patience, his constant encouragement, and for unselfishly supporting me in completing this writing.

Last but not least, I would like to thank each and everyone who helped spread the word of my book through social media. I am blessed to have your support! I would also like to acknowledge the following supporters who gave me their trust in completing the book and sharing to the world by backing me though crowd funding: Mark Mercer, Steph Parker, Jason Uechi, Syla Ly, JoAnne Jennings, Nancy Gausman, Jess Turner, Michael Owen, Curtis and Cheryl Roelle, Richard Laux, Wayne and Verla Roelle, Mark and Sherry Hammer, Michael C. Kovalich, Neal Herman, Lynda Larsen, Jackie Laux, Oliver Crespo, Michael Burns, Sue and Paul Whitted, Mellany Travers, Fran and Al Keif, Christian Tse, Michelle Maasz Brouwer, Kristen Kraupie, Kirk Laux, Vivan Brown, Natasha Laux, Jason and Katie Slabach, Surmeet Gill, Chenda Chhi, Ken and Kandi Chhi, Andy Chhi, Rachel Chhi, Alan Chhi, Mark and Cathy Chhi, Reenie Thummel, Joseph Smead, Ron Fifer, Haing Hoc and Sovany Lam, Dorr H. Clark, Jan Smith, Linda Zhu, Ta Tran, Sandy Joe, Bret and Lisa Gengenbach, Dale and Arlene Gengenbach, Jun Deng, Kristen Kraupie, Charlie Gorwood, Ray Martin, Jane Kendall, Douglas Petry, Janelle Shook, Janell Adams, Soosan Rejai, Millie Howe, Chantell Kuhlmann, Thavary Krouch, Susan J. Mills, Stefani Chikos Murrell, Pat Collins, Joanne Roa, Catherine Doyle-Segura, Beverly Lu, Kandy Fabreo-Montelongo, Paul Owens, Jas Duggal, Sharyl Iwata, Cristina Carter, Kevin B. Murphy, Neha Pathak, Albert Lui, Marcia Gates, Bill Tynes, Sam and Vera Tous, Christopher Chiu, Maybelline Alejandro, Brenda and Jesse Liu, Steven Conston, Ryan and Jolyne Chhi, Rita Chhi, Jessica Chhi, Damian Neighbors, Jonathan S. C Tan, Carolyn Buan Talosig, and many more supporters who choose to be anonymous.

Overview Map My family moved from Battambang City to Poipet for a quick exit to Thailand should the Khmer Rouge take over Cambodia. After the Khmer Rouge seized control of the country, we were detained in French Village and the surrounding area. (Adapted from National Geographic MapMaker Interactive by K. W. Laux, 2017.)