In this episode of Beyond Year Zero I explore the impact of the Khmer Rouge regime on the arts in Cambodia - asking how did the arts survive, what efforts are being made to revive them, and what role do the arts play in contemporary Cambodia today?

The podcast includes interviews with Cambodian kickboxing champion Chan Rothana, community gallery owners Lolli and Ajin from Nowhere Art Gallery, and Arn Chorn-Pond, the founder and head of the Cambodian Living Arts foundation. Through their stories, I attempt to examine the role that the arts play in helping a country to rebuild after mass violence, it's capacity to resist that violence in the first place, and what this can tell us about the nature of the human spirit and society in general.

I hope you enjoy the inaugural episode of Beyond Year Zero: Cambodia Then and Now! You can find links to all of the organisations mentioned in the show, as well as view relevant content and join the discussion at www.facebook.com/beyondyearzero

Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe either here or on iTunes!

BYZ

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BYZ001 - The Arts

In this episode of Beyond Year Zero, I explore the widespread practice of forced marriage under the Khmer Rouge, and ask what impact that has on women and gender rights in today's Cambodia?

Drawing on interviews with notable practitioners from civil society, politics, academia, and the arts, this podcast was produced before, during, and after the recent general election, which saw the Cambodian People's Party take every seat in the country's parliament. I attempt to explore what impact the country's dark past and contested present will have on the opportunities and prospects for women in the country, and where we are at in Cambodia in terms of gender eqaulity today.

BYZ002 - Gender and Women's Rights

On the 9th January, 1979 Vietnamese troops overthrew Pol Pot, bringing an end to the violence and genocide that defined his rule. 

The effort to rebuild the country after decades of war was long and arduous, and made even more difficult by Cold War politics and ongoing guerilla warfare conducted by the Khmer Rouge well into the 1990's. It was a tumultuous and difficult period, one which has had a deep influence on Cambodian politics and society today - and which continues to be bitterly contested in the way that it is remembered and memorialised. 

How do Cambodians make sense of their tragic and bloody past? And what difference does the memorialisation of genocide have on the way people live their lives today? 

I spoke to four experts on reconciliation and peacebuilding to begin to answer these questions. We shared fascinating discussions on a wide range of topics, including on the rise of Hun Sen and the CCP, the role of "fake news" and whether or not the Vietnamese faked the Toul Sleng prison, as well as why some people in Cambodia still support the Khmer Rouge leadership even to this day...

I was honoured to speak with Prok Vanny, formerly of the Human Rights Defence League Party; Chhay Visoth, Director of the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum; Kheang Ly, Director of the Anlong Veng Peace Center; and Chum Mey, survivor of the Toul Sleng torture prison. Thank you for your time and generosity in sharing your insights and experiences for this podcast. 

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BYZ003 - Memory and Memorialisation

Welcome to Beyond Year Zero: A podcast about Cambodia then and now!

This podcast explores the dark and difficult history of the Khmer Rouge regime, and asks what effects and impact did the Pol Pot period have on the dynamic and vibrant society of Cambodia today?

Taking a thematic approach, Beyond Year Zero draws on interviews with practitioners and notaries from leading communities of practice in contemporary Cambodia to explore the relationship between history, society, violence, and – ultimately – human nature. Themes explored include the arts, gender, land, and many more besides.

So please join me on my journey into the dark heart of this troubled nation's past, it's captivating present, and it's bright and contested future. Join me on my journey to go beyond year zero.

Beyond Year Zero

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