“A society cannot know itself if it does not have an accurate memory of its own history.”

Because the number of Cambodians reading news on the internet increases every day as technology becomes more convenient and widespread, the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) has launched its website, www.cambodiatribunal.org, for university students across the county. The website contains sources of news and information and expert commentaries on the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, or ECCC. Jointly established by DC-Cam and Northwestern University in the United States, the website focuses on what happened and is happening at the ECCC and is a leading source to study about the Cambodian genocide and its aftermath.

Cambodians who were born after the Khmer Rouge regime collapsed read much more news on the internet than those born before that period. Although a small number of the young generation born after the Khmer Rouge could access news on the internet, the number is increasing every day.

DC-Cam’s introduction of the website is to allow university students to make use of technology to observe what is happening at the ECCC. Starting in January this year, DC-Cam is reaching out to all universities across the country to raise awareness among students about the progress of the ECCC.

Information on www.cambodiatribunal.org is in English and Khmer and some is in French. During the launch of the website, DC-Cam organised a Q&A forum between students and Dara P Vanthan, DC-Cam’s deputy director, where university students could ask various questions relating to the Khmer Rouge history and the tribunal.

Last week at a meeting at the Prek Leap National School of Agriculture, year-one student Son Vanna, said “the website contains all the information about the legal proceedings and information relating to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal”. Vanna added: “It is not time-consuming and I can learn to make use of technology.”

Nineteen-year-old Pang Srey Neng said that although she studies agriculture, she wants to learn more about developments at the Khmer Rouge tribunal. “Learning the Khmer Rouge history and thedevelopment of the tribunal is imperative for me. I hope to share the information with my relatives and people in my community about the trials of the Khmer Rouge leaders,” said Srey Neng.