Phnom Voar (Khmer: ភ្នំវល្លិ) is a small range of mountains in southern Cambodia. The mountain range is located in Damnak Chang'eaur District of Kep Province, near the border with Kampot Province. This relatively isolated range became notorious as a battleground during the Cambodian Civil War, when it was a base for communist insurgent forces and the target of significant bombing by B-52s and other air strikes.[1]
The main north south railway line between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville runs along the base of the mountain. National road 33 between Kampong Trach and Kampot also runs nearby. However, there are few roads or paths within the mountains and only two permanent communities: Chamkar Bei and Rones villages.
Between 1975 and 1979, the area around Phnom Voar was the site of several killing fields and two prisons run by the Santebal – the secret police of the Democratic Kampuchea regime.[2]
After the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, Phnom Voar became one of the southern rebel bases for the remaining Democratic Kampuchea forces and on July 26, 1994, Phnom Voar rose to international attention as the site of a Khmer Rouge attack on a Cambodian train that resulted in the deaths of at least 8 people (three government soldiers, at least four Khmer Rouge and one civilian passenger)[3] and led to the mass-kidnapping of more than 100 hostages (including at least two Cambodians, three Vietnamese, and three westerners, all of whom were later killed).[4]
The exact circumstances of the deaths of the hostages remains unclear with some reports indicating that they died perhaps as early as September, 1994 or possibly after 15 October 1994. Regardless, their bodies were found on November 2, 1994.[5][6]
Chhouk Rin, a Khmer Rouge officer at the time, was later convicted of the murders of the three western hostages and as of April, 2013 was serving out a life sentence in Prey Sar Prison.[7]
After the waredit
Since 1994, and the capture or surrender of the last rebel forces in the mountains, Phnom Voar has attracted significant attention from international NGOs, particularly from Unesco in 1998. These agencies have been attempting to improve health, education and livelihoods for villagers who had missed the rapid development and reconstruction of the rest of the country due to years of isolation and war.[8]
Referencesedit
^"Potential UXO contamination in Krong Kaeb" (PDF). Cambodian Mine Action Centre (bombing data by the US Army). 2003. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
^Bowers, Charles (9 November 1995). . Documentation Center of Cambodia. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
^"Deaths of Khmer Rouge victims cry out for justice". The Australian. February 3, 2007. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
^Ibrahim, Fauziah (July 19, 2008). "Aid as impediment to development". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
External linksedit
1994 Photo montage of backpackers taken hostage by the Khmer Rouge during a train ambush
Chronology of events from the Senate enquiry into the kidnapping of David John Wilson
The Case of David Wilson: Summary of Events from the Senate enquiry
April 09, 2024
phnom, voar, khmer, វល, small, range, mountains, southern, cambodia, mountain, range, located, damnak, chang, eaur, district, province, near, border, with, kampot, province, this, relatively, isolated, range, became, notorious, battleground, during, cambodian,. Phnom Voar Khmer ភ ន វល ល is a small range of mountains in southern Cambodia The mountain range is located in Damnak Chang eaur District of Kep Province near the border with Kampot Province This relatively isolated range became notorious as a battleground during the Cambodian Civil War when it was a base for communist insurgent forces and the target of significant bombing by B 52s and other air strikes 1 Phnom VoarHighest pointElevation284 m 932 ft Coordinates10 29 00 N 104 18 00 E 10 48333 N 104 30000 E 10 48333 104 30000GeographyPhnom VoarLocation of Phnom Voar in CambodiaLocationCambodiaThis article contains Khmer text Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols instead of Khmer script The main north south railway line between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville runs along the base of the mountain National road 33 between Kampong Trach and Kampot also runs nearby However there are few roads or paths within the mountains and only two permanent communities Chamkar Bei and Rones villages Contents 1 History 2 After the war 3 References 4 External linksHistory editBetween 1975 and 1979 the area around Phnom Voar was the site of several killing fields and two prisons run by the Santebal the secret police of the Democratic Kampuchea regime 2 After the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 Phnom Voar became one of the southern rebel bases for the remaining Democratic Kampuchea forces and on July 26 1994 Phnom Voar rose to international attention as the site of a Khmer Rouge attack on a Cambodian train that resulted in the deaths of at least 8 people three government soldiers at least four Khmer Rouge and one civilian passenger 3 and led to the mass kidnapping of more than 100 hostages including at least two Cambodians three Vietnamese and three westerners all of whom were later killed 4 The exact circumstances of the deaths of the hostages remains unclear with some reports indicating that they died perhaps as early as September 1994 or possibly after 15 October 1994 Regardless their bodies were found on November 2 1994 5 6 Chhouk Rin a Khmer Rouge officer at the time was later convicted of the murders of the three western hostages and as of April 2013 was serving out a life sentence in Prey Sar Prison 7 After the war editSince 1994 and the capture or surrender of the last rebel forces in the mountains Phnom Voar has attracted significant attention from international NGOs particularly from Unesco in 1998 These agencies have been attempting to improve health education and livelihoods for villagers who had missed the rapid development and reconstruction of the rest of the country due to years of isolation and war 8 References edit Potential UXO contamination in Krong Kaeb PDF Cambodian Mine Action Centre bombing data by the US Army 2003 Retrieved 2009 01 16 Bowers Charles 9 November 1995 Report of CGP Mapping Team Visit to Kampot Province Documentation Center of Cambodia Archived from the original on 8 September 2008 Retrieved 2009 01 16 Reuters 1994 08 01 Amnesty International Amnesty International Report 1995 https www amnesty org en documents pol10 001 1995 en Deaths of Khmer Rouge victims cry out for justice The Australian February 3 2007 Archived from the original on September 17 2012 Retrieved 2009 01 16 Chhouk Rin exonerated Fri 24 February 1995 Post Staff Phnom Penh Post http www phnompenhpost com national chhouk rin exonerated After Significant Initial Resistance Former Khmer Rouge Commander and Convicted Murderer Chhouk Rin Testifies April 22 2013 By Doreen Chen Senior Consultant Destination Justice and LLM Columbia Law School http www cambodiatribunal org blog 2013 04 after significant initial resistance former khmer rouge commander and convicted Ibrahim Fauziah July 19 2008 Aid as impediment to development Al Jazeera Retrieved 2009 01 16 External links edit1994 Photo montage of backpackers taken hostage by the Khmer Rouge during a train ambush Chronology of events from the Senate enquiry into the kidnapping of David John Wilson The Case of David Wilson Summary of Events from the Senate enquiry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Phnom Voar amp oldid 1162017971, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
