ELIZABETH BECKER Exhibition – A reporter’s dangerous guided tour through Democratic Kam puchea

All Photos: Elizabeth Becker

Thursday, February 09, 2012
By Celine Ngi
LePetitJournal.com
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

In 1978, Elizabeth Becker was one of the few Western journalists to be invited for a two-week “guided” tour of Democratic Kampuchea. From her stay under close surveillance, she brought back pictures and interviews which will be exhibited at the Bophana Center between February 9 and 29.

It has been almost one week to the day since the announcement of the life sentence against Kaing Guek Eav, aka Duch, that this exhibition opens this Thursday, February 9, at the Bophana Center. It is devoted to the work of Elizabeth Becker, a photographer and journalist who was a former correspondent of The Washington Post and The New York Times. She is also the author of the book “When the War Over” which traced back the history of the Khmer Rouge revolution in Cambodia.

In 1978, when the country was closed to the world, Elizabeth Becker was one of the few journalists to be invited for a two week stay in Democratic Kampuchea. From her dangerous tour under close surveillance, she brought out interviews and photos which will be shown for the first time in Cambodia at the Bophana Center from tonight until 29 February. She will be present at the inauguration to discuss about her work and about her documents – a work which she describes as “terrifying.”

“Everything was planned in advance”

“We were under house arrest during the stay. We only saw what they wanted us to see – everything was planned in advance,” she told the Phnom Penh Post yesterday. “But it is possible to talk about it now,” she added while citing “a turning point, an opening” contributed by the KR Tribunal. Asked about the controversies surrounding this Tribunal, Elizabeth Becker believes that the recognition of crimes committed alone is very significant by itself. She also attended the recent testimonials given by Youk Chang, the director of DC-Cam, and she will also be heard as a witness in the trial of Case 002.

”Anyone can come in, push a button and hear the voice of Pol Pot”

Organized in partnership with the US Embassy, the exhibition that opens tonight, titled “A Reporter’s Dangerous Guided Tour Through Democratic Kampuchea”, will present several photos taken during her 1978 stay (see photos above), as well as recordings of interviews with Pol Pot, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith. “Any Cambodian can come in, push a button and hear the voice of Pol Pol, ”Elizabeth Becker said. ”I do not want mysteries around these people. I want a complete and total transparency, and access by the public.”