Dear Family,

 

We are deeply sorry for the loss of our dear brother, Dith Pran.  Our hearts all sank when we read the news about his battle with pancreatic cancer and then his untimely death.  Our mother was also diagnosed with the hideous cancer disease as well, so we understand the battle.  However, please be assured that his soul is now at peace and can finally rest in a much happier place.  We are confident that wherever he is, his spirit must be satisfied for a job well done on earth. 

 

Dith Pran was a man of many wonders – a remarkably talented, intelligent, and passionate individual whom God had richly blessed.  He was not only a Cambodian hero, but he was also an outspoken American and a courageous humanitarian.  He made it his life-long duty to keep the torch of the Killing Fields lit so that the world may never forget the millions whose lives were abruptly stolen by the Khmer Rouge.  There has never been another Cambodian person who was able to spread the worldwide awareness of the Cambodian genocide as well as Mr. Pran did.  He was our people’s voice when we were silent, still wounded by the sufferings of our holocaust.  He became our voice as we were trying to heal.  In his own words, he was “a one-person crusade who must speak for those who did not survive and for those who still suffer." 

 

Although we have never had the honor of meeting him, we feel a deeply rooted connection with him.  We are undoubtedly sure that he has touched millions of Cambodian lives as well.  We also remember his words:  "Part of my life is saving life. I don't consider myself a politician or a hero. I'm a messenger.  If Cambodia is to survive, she needs many voices”.  Through these words, we were inspired to write our own novel as well, detailing our parents’ experiences and survival during that time of infamy.  We believe that it is only through the sharing of these types of personal accounts can we help to further Dith Pran’s mission and cause.

 

Now, his voice and our voices combined will transcend generations and will never be forgotten throughout history.  His work will continue to inspire people like myself and my family and millions of other people worldwide.  Together, we will continue to carry his torch of awareness and hope.   

 

We will always remember Dith Pran.  May he rest in peace for everything that he has shown us about the human spirit and all that he has done for mankind.  We will continue to keep him in our prayers, and we pray for his family and loved ones as well.  May God bless you all!

 

Sincerely,

Henry Raz Pha

Elizabeth Chandara Pha  

 

On March 30, 2008, we lost our brother Dith Pran, one of the Cambodian community's strongest advocates and one of our true heroes. We humbly dedicate today's New Year celebration to him. Lok Pu Pran, mahalo for all you have done to bring Cambodia and her people into the minds and hearts of others around the globe. We are truly humbled by your work on behalf of Cambodians, and your legacy will continue to inspire us, our children, and our grandchildren, for generations to come.

Dith Pran was born in Siem Reap, near the beautiful temples of Angkor Wat, in 1942. In the 1940s, Cambodia was a French protectorate, and Pran grew up in a middle-class family with his two sisters and three brothers. In school, he learned French, and taught himself English. With his multi-language background, Pran became an interpreter for the U.S. Military Assistance Command in Cambodia. When Cambodia severed ties with the United States in 1965, he worked with a British film crew and in several positions in the tourist industry. In 1970, to escape increasing violence in Siem Reap, he and his family moved to Phnom Penh, where he worked for several newspapers. Within a few years, he landed a position as a guide and interpreter for New York Times reporters in the area, including Sydney Schanberg, who had come to Phnom Penh in 1972. Dith Pran and Schanberg reported together for over three years, and Pran honed his skills as a photojournalist.

By 1975, war in Cambodia had escalated to the point that on April 12, all Americans were evacuated from Phnom Penh. Schanberg was able to help Pran's wife and children to escape as well, but failed to get Pran himself out of the country. The Khmer Rouge took over the country, and Pran lived under the Khmer Rouge regime for four years.

In 1979, Pran fled to a refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodia border, and eventually reunited with his wife and children in the United States. His stories about life in Cambodia were almost incredible-thousands upon thousands died of starvation, overwork, disease, execution. Pran lost more than 50 relatives during the Khmer Rouge era, including his father, three brothers, and one sister, and their families. His mother died later of malnutrition. He and one of his sisters were the only survivors. It is Pran's story that is chronicled in The Killing Fields (1980), with Pran's role played by Dr. Haing
Ngor.

It was not until the 1980s, partly as a result of The Killing Fields, that Americans truly began to understand the situation in Cambodia, including the effects the Vietnam War had on (neutral) Cambodia. Dith Pran was an integral part of the campaign to provide awareness about what had happened there. Pran became a photojournalist for the New York Times, and founded an organization (dithpran.org) to fight against genocide throughout the world. He testified before Congress, and gave numerous interviews with magazines, newspapers, and television and radio stations.

Through his efforts, Pran became a voice for thousands of Cambodians both in Cambodia and in diaspora, many of whom were too frightened or too traumatized to put their suffering into words. On his Web site, Pran stated: "I'm a oneperson crusade. I must speak for those who did not survive and for those who still suffer." Importantly, however, Pran urged others to tell their stories, and related some of them in Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields: Memoirs by Survivors (1997).

"Part of my life is saving life," said Pran. "I don't consider myself a politician or a hero. I'm a messenger. If Cambodia is to survive, she needs many voices." Lok Pu Pran, you were the voice for so many. Please accept our collective gratitude, and know that we will continue to convey your messages, communicate your hope for Khmer people, and remember all of those who gave their lives to save ours. We will miss you.

 

Cambodian Community of Hawaii

 

Dith Pran Bio   New York Times Dith Pran Memorial   Pancreatic Cancer Information   Randy Pausch Blog

 

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