Here to tell his story
Genocide survior visits OU
By Corey Ryan, Sports Editor
May 16, 2007 | 12:17 p.m.
Two million people were murdered and Dith Pran was almost one of them.
In 1975, the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia and sent the millions of native people to labor camps. Pran was one of them. Tuesday night, Pran was at Ohio University lecturing those in the Baker Center Ballroom on the tragedy he lived through.
“When you don’t have food what do you do?” said Pran talking about surviving the Khmer labor camps known as the killing fields. “You take everything that you can find and you have to be smart.
“Rat or grasshopper or snake, anything that we can eat. At that time you eat anything. I want you to know that the Khmer want to kill everyone. “
Pran was the keynote speaker for the 31st annual Ohio University International Week which began last Sunday and continues through Saturday.
With a charisma used only by storyteller who lived the tale, Pran spoke of the Cambodian holocaust with passion and vibrancy.
“They supposed to have equal,” said Pran of the Khmer, who would not provide the people in the killing fields with medical supplies or food. “That’s what communism is about. You supposed to be one person alike, but it’s not.”
Pran said the reason for the oppression was because the Khmer hid in the jungles while the Cambodians remained neutral during the conflict in Vietnam. It was the Khmer idea that it was their turn at prosperity while the Cambodians should live in oppression.
Im Sothearith, a member of the Cambodian Student Group at Ohio University, introduced Pran. Sothearith said Pran had been working as a photojournalist in Cambodia with The New York Times correspondent Sydney Schanberg.
“The two were covering the civil war in Cambodia from 1972 to 1975,” Sothearith said. “Schanberg, Pran and two other journalists were arrested by the Khmer Rouge and held for execution.”
According to Cambodia.com, Pran eventually convinced the Khmer Rouge the three Western journalists were neutral. Those three eventually returned to their homes while the native Pran was forced to the labor camps known as the killing fields.
In 1976, while Pran was in the killing fields, Schanberg received a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage in Cambodia. He accepted the award on behalf of himself and Pran.
“Pick up, go to the killing fields,” said Pran of the Khmer governance. “They believe strongly that agriculture is the best way to live in a country, that’s why everyone must go to the country side.”
After taking his first step of freedom on Oct. 19, 1979 in San Francisco, Pran has made it his life’s mission to tell his story to the world. He has been a photojournalist for The New York Times since 1980. He is also a member of the Asian American Journalist Association and a board member to many non-governmental organizations.
“You being here shows me caring,” said Pran as his voice grew louder. “That tells me a lot. That shows that I suffered tremendously, but I had some people who cared who come and listen and try to prevent this from happening again. Together, we can prevent this from happening again.”
On Jan. 20, 1980, “The Life and Death of Dith Pran” took up the entire issue of “The New York Times Sunday Magazine.” Writer Bruce Robinson wrote a screenplay, “The Killing Fields,” based on that article and it was made into a movie in 1984.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. It won three with one being Best Actor in a Supporting Role by Haing S. Ngor for his portrayal of Pran. “The Killing Fields” was shown in the Front Room Tuesday night at 9 and will be shown tonight at 7 and 9 in second floor theater in Baker.
Prior to his speech, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Director Thomas Hodson awarded Pran with the Carr Van Anda Award.
“The Carr Van Anda Award is the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism’s highest award,” Hodson said. “It’s given to journalists have distinguished themselves, throughout their careers, by outstanding work.”
Carr Van Anda was the editor of The New York Times in the early 20th century. He was an Ohio University alumnus. Hodson said Van Anda was on the cutting edge of journalism as he is credited with building The New York Times into the one of the nation’s best newspapers.
Prior recipients of the award include Walter Cronkite (1968), Ted Turner (1982) and Don Hewitt (2001).