3rd District Congresswoman Lori Trahan with Lowell City Councilor Sokhary Chau
LOWELL – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Chair of the Congressional Cambodia Caucus, and Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) reintroduced legislation yesterday to designate April 17th as Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day to recognize the anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge, which went on to murder nearly 2 million Cambodians. Yesterday, April 17, 2025 marked 50 years since the start of the Cambodian Genocide.
“Today, we commemorate the painful anniversary of the Cambodian genocide, when over a four year period the Khmer Rouge regime murdered nearly two million innocent people. Families were separated, culture and identity were nearly erased, and the pain of that loss continues to echo through generations,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “By dedicating April 17th as Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day, we commit to preserving the memory of those we lost, to educating future generations about the atrocities that occurred, and to standing firm against the rising tide of genocide, authoritarianism, and erosion of human rights.”
From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge and its leader Pol Pot engaged in a brutal, systematic genocide of innocent Cambodian citizens. By the time the Khmer Rouge was toppled, nearly 2 million Cambodians were killed, totaling almost 25 percent of the nation’s population. Thousands fled the killing fields for refugee camps in Thailand before being admitted to several nations, including the United States. Today, multiple cities and towns are home to strong, vibrant Cambodian-American communities, including Lowell, Massachusetts and Long Beach, California.
In 2019, Lowell, Long Beach, and Los Angeles passed resolutions proclaiming April 17th as Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day. In 2023, the Massachusetts legislature passed legislation authored by State Representative Vanna Howard, the first Cambodian American woman elected to a state legislature in the nation, to do the same.
“Today, April 17th marks the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide, when the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia and murdered close to 2 million Cambodians over the next four years, including many of my most precious family members,” said State Representative Vanna Howard. “The remembrance is certainly an important acknowledgement of all the survivors in our community. While we recommit ourselves to never forget the lives lost, we must also remain dedicated to ensuring that such an event never happens again, and that Cambodia will return to a free and fair democratic society, sooner than later. As a genocide survivor, I’m very proud the Massachusetts Legislature, for the first time in the history of Massachusetts, passed a House Resolution proclaiming April 17th as Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day.”
“The Cambodian Genocide is a part of our history that we must never forget. The work to uphold democracy in Cambodia is far from over—we must continue striving to keep our people safe and free from fear. On this day of remembrance, we honor the past and commit to moving forward, so we never return to such darkness,” added State Representative Tara Hong.
In 2023, Trahan and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) reintroduced the Cambodia Democracy and Human Rights Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation to hold the Cambodian government accountable for abuses and corruption that undermine democracy and human rights.
Lowell is home to the second largest Cambodian community and the largest Cambodian population per capita of any city or town in the nation. The strong Cambodian-American community in the region has strengthened the local economy and contributed mightily to Lowell’s cultural resurgence. It has also been essential in the election of the first Cambodian American mayor, Sokhary Chau, and Cambodian American members of the City Council, Vesna Nuon and Paul Ratha Yem.
“Congresswoman Lori Trahan has proven to be a true ally and advocate for the Cambodian community. She understands the struggles of immigrants and takes meaningful action to stand with us,” said Councilor Chau. “Like many Cambodian families, mine survived the unimaginable horrors of the Khmer Rouge — the starvation, the forced labor, the fear, and the loss. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian Genocide, this is more than a moment of remembrance. It’s a call to honor our resilience, preserve our history, and empower future generations to carry our legacy forward with pride and strength.”
“As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide, it is important that those of us who survived and found safety and opportunity in the United States never forget the inhumanity of that era. And it is important that we, Cambodians and Cambodian-Americans alike, tell our stories and continue to call for an end to one-party rule and for free and just elections in Cambodia.” added Councilor Nuon.
“Fifty years ago, Cambodia fell into darkness, and over two million lives were lost to the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, we remember the victims, honor the survivors, and reaffirm our commitment to justice, truth, and the enduring strength of the Cambodian people. May their memory guide us toward peace, resilience, and a future where such horrors never happen again,” said Councilor Yem.
