Youk Chhang: Preserving Cambodia’s History and Pursuing Justice
Youk Chhang, born on January 22, 1961, in Tuol Kouk District, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is a distinguished human rights activist and executive director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). As a survivor of the Khmer Rouge’s brutal regime, Chhang has dedicated his life to documenting the atrocities committed during that period and advocating for justice.
In 1975, at the age of 14, Chhang was separated from his family during the forced evacuation of Phnom Penh by the Khmer Rouge. He endured severe hardships, including imprisonment and torture, before fleeing to Thailand and eventually resettling in the United States in 1986. His experiences under the regime profoundly influenced his commitment to human rights and justice.
Chhang assumed leadership of DC-Cam in 1995, when it was established as a field office of Yale University’s Cambodian Genocide Program. Under his guidance, DC-Cam became an independent Cambodian non-governmental organization in 1997, focusing on research, documentation, and education related to the Khmer Rouge era. Chhang is also spearheading the development of the Sleuk Rith Institute in Phnom Penh, envisioned as a permanent center for genocide studies in Asia.
Throughout his career, Chhang has received numerous accolades for his unwavering dedication to justice and human rights. In 2000, he was honored with the Truman-Reagan Freedom Award by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Time magazine recognized him as one of the “60 Asian heroes” in 2006 and included him among the “Time 100″ most influential people in the world in 2007. In 2018, Chhang was a recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, often regarded as Asia’s Nobel Prize, acknowledging his significant contributions to preserving the memory of the Cambodian genocide and promoting justice.