ECCC Exhibition Pays Tribute to Journalists Killed in War

A moving new photo exhibition has opened in Phnom Penh, honouring the courage and sacrifice of journalists who lost their lives reporting during Cambodia’s wartime turmoil.

Titled “REQUIEM: Honouring the Journalists Who Lost Their Lives During the War in Cambodia”, the exhibition was launched on 31 July at the Resource Centre of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).

The launch drew more than 100 guests, including former Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, current Minister Neth Pheaktra, and diplomats from Japan and Germany. The 25 featured images, drawn from the acclaimed book Requiem by late photojournalists Horst Faas and Tim Page, capture the haunting reality of Cambodia’s conflict era—particularly under the Khmer Rouge.

“These photographs honour the memory of brave journalists who gave their lives to show the truth,” said Kranh Tony, Acting Director of Administration at the ECCC. “They are not only documents of the past but powerful tools to educate and inspire, especially among Cambodian youth.”

Minister Pheaktra echoed the sentiment, emphasising the role such images play in preserving the hard-won peace Cambodia enjoys today. “These photographs help the next generation understand what peace truly means, and what it cost,” he said.

Veteran journalist Kong Vorn, who worked during the Lon Nol era, spoke emotionally of former colleagues who died covering the conflict.

“These images remind me of friends—Cambodian and foreign—who were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Seeing them here brings deep sorrow and respect.”

The exhibition, co-hosted with Meta House Phnom Penh, places special emphasis on Cambodian photojournalists who documented their own nation’s suffering. The photographs were made available by Australian journalist Marianne Harris, widow of Tim Page.

Set against the backdrop of the ECCC’s mission to pursue justice for Khmer Rouge atrocities, the exhibition stands as a tribute to truth-telling in times of darkness—and the enduring legacy of those who risked everything to tell Cambodia’s story.

-2025-08-02