A new beginning for Piseth’s life has just begun with a purchase of a small farm in Piseth’s father home town, planting coconut and mango trees, soup mint plants, lime and building of a leisure farm house for Piseth’s family. It was a time of re-union and re-connection with many of Piseth’s relatives of whom he had never known existed only after he had arrived in Cambodia.
It was a happy and peaceful time in Piseth’s mind after many decades of war, oppression, killings, and confusion. Life now has new meaning for people living in the big cities as well as in the countryside. Nice Land Cruisers, Toyota Camry, Honda Motorcycles and French Peugeots were dominating the streets of Phnom Penh; replacing the old traditional Cyclos that began to fade the scene as a sign of modernization. Cellular phones and icom radios were the principal communication tools for most city dwellers. In a city better known as city of ghosts it was now filled with economic vibrancy, laughter, and many promises for the future.
Laid back, they enjoyed their weekends on un-exploited beaches in the coastal towns of Kampong Som and Kampot provided native Cambodians and foreigners a sense of heavenliness with its natural beauty, tranquility, and delicious tastes of the local cuisines—from curry crabs to steamed clams to barbeque lobsters.
Kien Svay resort, closest to the capital city, was the main destination for many of the expatriates and Cambodian returnees. Piseth and his family would sit and relax under the lamut trees (a close resemblance of kiwi fruit) which give delightful shade and the exotic experience in hammock. They were pampered by great services from nice young girls with broken English serving Cambodian native jack fruits, deep fried crickets, and nicely steamed river prawns. Better yet, taking a dip in the Mekong River and relaxing on the floating houses by the river front after a long day of work.
In such a short time span, one can observe and see with obvious curiosity; the rise of the nouveau riche, the young affluent entrepreneurs, and the rich and powerful politicians dominating the flamboyant scene of Phnom Penh.
Piseth’s wife was in her early pregnancy with their first child. In addition, he had just adopted Piseth’s aunt’s daughter to be a part of their family because she was an orphan since birth because her mother died of starvation during the Vietnamese invasion. It was their first taste of raising a child and also their attempt to make preparations for raising their own child.
Piseth had also just opened up a private school to provide opportunities and exposure to young students on literature, basic economics, computers, and of course English language to prepare his fellow Cambodians for job opportunities anticipated from direct foreign investments.
The flow of foreign investments was gradual and trickling in the areas of construction, manufacturing, and trade of fast moving consumable goods. An influx of foreign visitors was also the familiar scenes in the capital city of Phnom Penh with bustling moto-taxis, and public buses mainly from neighboring countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and China.
New buildings were sprouting in every part of the city. Bars, nightclubs, massage parlors, restaurants and other entertainment outlets were opening up like mushrooms and also fading away at the same rate. As a new comer to Cambodia, Piseth felt a sense of home, but was very cautious of his new surroundings.
The new taste of freedom began to dissipate into an era of lawlessness due to the political infighting. Day by day, Piseth began to see the escalation of military presence and anarchy. Pick up trucks loaded with soldiers carrying AK47, M16 and grenade launchers began to dominate the scenes of Phnom Penh and the surrounding suburbs. Noodle shops were crowded with military leaders and bodyguards, which gave airy feelings that something big was about to happen.
The year was 1997, three years after the first democratic election and a coalition government was formed. In the spirit of national reconciliation and nation building, politicians and military commanders agreed to lay down their arms and begin a process of renewed friendship and rebuilding. Ordinary people were enjoying their new taste of freedom. Farmers were busy planting their crops, and retailers were busy touting passing by consumers. For many returnees, catching up with old friends and families was important, but for the politicians and the military leaders a war of words between the different factions namely; Funcipec, Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), and the Cheeat Khmer Party, later known as the Sam Rainsy Party, was beginning to fuel something extraordinary.
In July 1997, political rivalries spilled into sporadic violence in the rural towns and the capital city of Phnom Penh. A build up of troops was apparent in strategic locations in and around Phnom Penh. Another civil war or as some chose to call it coup d’état was in the making. This time, Piseth understood the situation a little better, he was able to comprehend the situation and the environment that he was living in compared to virtually no experience that he had in 1975.
Who would have dreamed that one day Piseth would be back home to experience the horrific event of war once again? In Piseth’s mind, he had always thought of peace and prosperity and a new spring of renewed friendship that was seeding for a new Cambodia. Piseth’s thoughts were much of peace, love, development and respect for one another. He had completely forgotten the brutal years of starvation, killing, and long days in the field.
Piseth’s wife, his adopted daughter and he were shopping at Central Market (Psar Thmei) after Piseth’s tireless morning at the office of trying to catch up with Piseth’s monthly report. All of a sudden, the market stalls begin to fold and close its doors. He was struck and confused. Piseth asked one of the stall owners and found out that a big explosion was heard near the police’s chief home in central Phnom Penh. As they hurried home, they could feel tension rising in the air with people hurrying home and ignoring traffic police and apparent uniformed soldiers stationed at the different street intersections and key government compounds.
Piseth arrived home and shortly afterward, He heard a loud explosion about 200 meters away from his home. Ironically, the war had just begun. Six people were blown to pieces from the first wave of shelling. The first six casualties of war included a professor of technology of whom he had known for a couple of years. The professor was sitting in a barbershop where the shell hit and exploded. A gentle man, he was getting his hair cut in preparations for the next day’s departure to France for his one year internship. A father of five, he had so much to offer because of his knowledge and experience in soil and mine engineering.
Piseth’s heart throbbed after having heard the news of the first casualties so close to home. Half an hour later, sound of gun fights and bombing began to again echo in the city. Piseth’s family took cover under the first floor of their house and they could feel the rumbling noise streaming through as the bombing drew near their home. A couple of coconut branches fell in their front yard as they were hit by streaming bullets. For a moment, they had thought that their house had been hit. Piseth screamed and yelled and instructed people in Piseth’s family and neighbors to stay inside and take cover.
A couple of houses about 100 meters away were under raging fire from the explosion. They tried to remain calm but soon they found themselves in panic and getting ready to flee their own home. They have heard that the military had just stationed their artillery gun at the roundabout about 100 meters away from their home. Piseth thought that when there is an artillery gun; incoming fire will directly be aimed at this target; thus they had to move out. Piseth was not about to take the risk in speculating that the gunner will hit his target. Who knows?
A back pack filled with instant noodles, sugar, salt, rice, and fermented fish was already on Piseth’s shoulder. Piseth’s wife was so frightened that she started to pack a whole suitcase of dirty clothes. Obviously, it was not a time for us to fight about packing for a long trip; but a time of comfort and survival. Piseth told her that they will be walking, and the most important things in time of war were foods and water. Piseth got a bike and put his daughter on it and began to walk. They could not go very fast because Piseth’s wife was pregnant.
Scenes of chaos and people fleeing their homes reminded him of the 1975 mass exodus when the Khmer Rouge took over the country. He will never forget a young boy pulling his wounded mother on his small makeshift wagon, and crying profusely for help….unheard by others, he continued to pull his mother forward in the same direction that Piseth and family were going. Fortunately, Piseth’s uncle was empty handed and was able to assist him in pulling the cart.
About 600 meters away was a Buddhist temple, and Piseth felt that because of the sturdy structure they would be able to take cover there from the intense bombing.
All of a sudden, a loud explosion and pieces of yellow garment flew in the air; and they knew that a couple of monks took a direct hit from the shelling. Piseth’s wife got a hold of a hand full of black dirt and began spreading it on their head and chanting Buddhist verses…may the soil protect us from bomb….Again, a scene of chaos….screaming….yelling and faces streaming with blood….one could only compare this scene of human desperation to a scene from the movie “Platoon.” Piseth broke down and cried while lying down on the ground. Piseth’s wife and daughter started running, but they immediately stopped because another bomb exploded about fifty feet from them. A scene of helplessness and desperation with voices screaming for help……but he was unable to do very much. Piseth tended to his frightened wife and his daughter who was lightly wounded by shrapnel to her left leg.
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