ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sophal Ear - Development economist
Sophal Ear leads research on post-conflict countries -- looking at the effectiveness of foreign aid and the challenge of development in places like his native land, Cambodia.

Why you should listen

Elected to the Crescenta Valley Town Council in November 2015 for a 3-year term, encompassing more than 20,000 residents in unincorporated La Crescenta and Montrose, California, Sophal Ear, Ph.D., is a tenured Associate Professor of Diplomacy & World Affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles where he lectures on political economy, security, development and Asia.

Previously, he taught how to rebuild countries after wars at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and international development at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. He consulted for the World Bank, was Assistant Resident Representative for the United Nations in East Timor and Advisor to Cambodia's 1st private equity fund Leopard Capital. A TED Fellow, Fulbright Specialist, Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, he sits on the board of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Refugees International, Partners for Development, the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, the Southeast Asia Development Program, Diagnostic Microbiology Development Program, the Journal of International Relations and Development (Palgrave), the International Public Management Journal (Taylor & Francis), Journal of South-East Asian American Education & Advancement (Purdue), and Politics and the Life Sciences (Cambridge University Press).

He is the author of Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy (Columbia University Press, 2013) and co-author of The Hungry Dragon: How China’s Resources Quest is Reshaping the World (Routledge, 2013). He wrote and narrated the award-winning documentary film "The End/Beginning: Cambodia" (47 minutes, 2011) based on his 2009 TED Talk and has appeared in four other documentaries.

A graduate of Princeton and Berkeley, he moved to the United States from France as a Cambodian refugee at the age of 10.

More profile about the speaker
Sophal Ear | Speaker | TED.com
TED2009

Sophal Ear: Escaping the Khmer Rouge

索帕尔.伊尔:逃离红色高棉

Filmed:
685,840 views

TED研究员索帕尔.伊尔与大家分享了他的家庭逃离柬埔寨红色高棉统治的故事。他讲述了他母亲的智慧以及拯救她孩子的决心。
- Development economist
Sophal Ear leads research on post-conflict countries -- looking at the effectiveness of foreign aid and the challenge of development in places like his native land, Cambodia. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I normally一般 teach courses培训班 on
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平时我讲述关于
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how to rebuild重建 states状态 after war战争.
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如何进行战后重建的课程
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But today今天 I've got a personal个人 story故事 to share分享 with you.
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但是今天我有一个亲身经历的故事与您们分享
00:21
This is a picture图片 of my family家庭,
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这是我全家的照片
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my four siblings兄弟姐妹 -- my mom妈妈 and I -- taken采取 in 1977.
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我的兄弟姐妹,母亲和我在1977年的照片
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And we're actually其实 Cambodians柬埔寨.
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实际上我们是柬埔寨人
00:30
And this picture图片 is taken采取 in Vietnam越南.
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但这是一张在越南拍摄的照片
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So how did a Cambodian柬埔寨 family家庭 end结束 up in Vietnam越南 in 1977?
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为什么1977年时一个柬埔寨家庭会在越南呢
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Well to explain说明 that, I've got a short video视频 clip
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为了更好地说明,我带来了一个短片
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to explain说明 the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 regime政权
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来解释1975年到1979年之间的
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during 1975 and 1979.
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红色高棉统治政权
00:44
Video视频: April四月 17th, 1975.
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视频:1975年4月17日
00:48
The communist共产 Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂
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共产主义者红色高棉
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enters进入 Phnom金边 Penh金边 to liberate解放 their people
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进入金边市解放他们的人民
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from the encroaching攻城掠地 conflict冲突 in Vietnam越南,
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从而摆脱越南的侵犯冲突
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and American美国 bombing轰炸 campaigns活动.
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以及美国的轰炸
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Led by peasant-born农民出生 Pol波尔 Pot,
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在农民出生的波尔布特的带领下
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the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 evacuates排空 people to the countryside农村
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红色高棉将人民撤退到农村地区
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in order订购 to create创建 a rural乡村 communist共产 utopia乌托邦,
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这是为了创造共产主义的乌托邦
01:09
much like Mao Tse-tung's泽东的 Cultural文化 Revolution革命 in China中国.
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与毛泽东在中国进行的文化大革命类似
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The Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 closes关闭 the doors to the outside world世界.
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红色高棉关闭了通往外部世界的大门
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But after four years年份 the grim严峻 truth真相 seeps渗漏 out.
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但是四年之后残酷的现实摆在人们眼前
01:23
In a country国家 of only seven million百万 people,
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在仅有700万人口的国度里
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one and a half million百万 were murdered谋杀 by their own拥有 leaders领导者,
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150万的人民被他们的领导所杀害
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their bodies身体 piled in the mass graves坟墓 of the killing谋杀 fields领域.
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他们的尸体被横放在杀戮场的万人坑中
01:33
SophalSophal Ear: So, notwithstanding虽然 the 1970s narration记叙文,
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索帕尔.伊尔:所以,尽管这是70年代的现实
01:36
on April四月 17th 1975
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在1975年4月17日时
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we lived生活 in Phnom金边 Penh金边.
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我们住在金边
01:40
And my parents父母 were told by the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂
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红色高棉通知我的父母
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to evacuate撤离 the city because of impending即将到来的 American美国 bombing轰炸 for three days.
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立即撤出此城市因为美国即将进行三天的轰炸
01:47
And here is a picture图片 of the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂.
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这是一张红色高棉的照片
01:49
They were young年轻 soldiers士兵, typically一般 child儿童 soldiers士兵.
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他们都是很年轻的士兵,主要是孩子兵
01:52
And this is very normal正常 now, of modern现代 day conflict冲突,
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这在现代的冲突中很常见
01:55
because they're easy简单 to bring带来 into wars战争.
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因为很容易就能将他们卷入战争
01:58
The reason原因 that they gave about American美国 bombing轰炸 wasn't all that far off.
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他们所给的关于美国轰炸的理由并不那么充分
02:02
I mean, from 1965 to 1973 there were
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我的意思是在1965年到1973年间
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more munitions弹药 that fell下跌 on Cambodia柬埔寨
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大量的炸弹落在了柬埔寨的上空
02:08
than in all of World世界 War战争 IIII Japan日本,
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甚至比二战时的日本还要多
02:10
including包含 the two nuclear bombs炸弹
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这里还包括了1945年8月
02:12
of August八月 1945.
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两枚原子弹的轰炸量
02:15
The Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 didn't believe in money.
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红色高棉并不相信金钱
02:18
So the equivalent当量 of the Federal联邦 Reserve保留 Bank银行
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所以他们炸毁了在柬埔寨
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in Cambodia柬埔寨 was bombed轰炸.
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相当于联邦储备银行的机构
02:22
But not just that, they actually其实 banned取缔 money.
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并不仅仅如此,他们实际上还禁止金钱流通
02:25
I think it's the only precedent先例 in which哪一个
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我认为这是历史上唯一一次
02:27
money has ever been stopped停止 from being存在 used.
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金钱流通被禁止的案例
02:29
And we know money is the root of all evil邪恶,
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我们知道金钱是罪恶的来源
02:31
but it didn't actually其实 stop evil邪恶 from happening事件 in Cambodia柬埔寨, in fact事实.
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但是事实上这并没有阻止罪恶在柬埔寨的发生
02:35
My family家庭 was moved移动 from Phnom金边 Penh金边 to Pursat菩萨 province.
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我的家庭从金边搬到了普萨省
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This is a picture图片 of what Pursat菩萨 looks容貌 like.
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这是当时的普萨的照片
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It's actually其实 a very pretty漂亮 area of Cambodia柬埔寨,
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实际上这是柬埔寨很漂亮的地方
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where rice白饭 growing生长 takes place地点.
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也是有名的稻米产地
02:46
And in fact事实 they were forced被迫 to work the fields领域.
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事实上他们被强制进行田间劳动
02:48
So my father父亲 and mother母亲 ended结束 up in
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我的父母被安排在了
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a sort分类 of concentration浓度 camp, labor劳动 camp.
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类似于集中营的劳工营中
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And it was at that time that my mother母亲 got word
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当时我母亲从乡长
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from the commune公社 chief首席
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那里得到了一点信息
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that the Vietnamese越南 were actually其实 asking
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当时越南人正在准备
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for their citizens公民 to go back to Vietnam越南.
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将他们的人民撤回到越南
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And she spoke some Vietnamese越南,
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而她因为从小与越南朋友长大
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as a child儿童 having grown长大的 up with Vietnamese越南 friends朋友.
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能够说一点越南语
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And she decided决定, despite尽管 the advice忠告 of her neighbors邻居,
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因此她决定,尽管她的邻居有异议
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that she would take the chance机会
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她决定利用这个机会
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and claim要求 to be Vietnamese越南
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承认自己是越南人
03:17
so that we could have a chance机会 to survive生存,
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从而我们将会有机会生存下来
03:19
because at this point they're forcing迫使 everybody每个人 to work.
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因为在这个时候他们正在强迫所有人劳动
03:21
And they're giving about --
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而他们所提供的
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in a modern-day现代, caloric-restriction热量,限制 diet饮食, I guess猜测 --
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我想仅仅相当于现在的低热量食品
03:26
they're giving porridge稀饭, with a few少数 grains谷物 of rice白饭.
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以及含少量大米的粥
03:30
And at about this time actually其实
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在那个时候
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my father父亲 got very sick生病.
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我的父亲得了重病
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And he didn't speak说话 Vietnamese越南.
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并且他不会说越南语
03:36
So he died死亡 actually其实, in January一月 1976.
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因此他在1976年去世了
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And it made制作 it possible可能, in fact事实,
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所以事实上这让我们
03:42
for us to take on this plan计划.
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有可能采用这项计划
03:44
So the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 took us
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所以红色高棉将我们
03:46
from a place地点 called Pursat菩萨 to Kaoh花王 TievTiev,
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从普萨省带到岛盖蒂埃夫
03:48
which哪一个 is across横过 from the border边境 from Vietnam越南.
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这是横跨越南边境的地区
03:51
And there they had a detention拘留 camp
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并且他们在此设立了拘留营
03:53
where alleged所谓的 Vietnamese越南 would be tested测试, language语言 tested测试.
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来对自称的越南人进行越南语测试
03:57
And my mother's母亲 Vietnamese越南 was so bad
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但是我母亲的越南语很差
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that to make our story故事 more credible可信的,
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为了让我们的故事更加可信
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she'd given特定 all the boys男孩 and girls女孩 new Vietnamese越南 names.
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他给我们所有的兄弟姐妹取了越南名
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But she'd given特定 the boys男孩 girls'女孩 names,
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但是她给男孩取了女孩名
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and the girls女孩 boys'男孩 names.
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给女孩取了男孩名
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And it wasn't until直到 she met会见 a Vietnamese越南 lady淑女
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这直到她后来遇到一位越南女士
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who told her this, and then tutored辅导 her for two days intensively集中,
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告诉她这些,并对她进行了两天的突击学习
04:18
that she was able能够 to go into her exam考试
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才成功通过了测试
04:21
and -- you know, this was a moment时刻 of truth真相.
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你知道,这是残酷的测试
04:24
If she fails失败, we're all headed当家 to the gallows绞架;
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如果她失败了,我们都得上绞刑架
04:27
if she passes通行证, we can leave离开 to Vietnam越南.
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如果她成功了,我们将会去越南
04:29
And she actually其实, of course课程 -- I'm here, she passes通行证.
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因为我现在在这里出现,所以她成功了
04:33
And we end结束 up in Hong香港 Ngu非淋菌性尿道炎 on the Vietnamese越南 side.
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我们来到了属于越南的闳嗯蛊
04:36
And then onwards向前 to Chau Doc文件.
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之后向朱笃前进
04:38
And this is a picture图片 of Hong香港 Ngu非淋菌性尿道炎, Vietnam越南 today今天.
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这是一张今日越南闳嗯蛊的照片
04:40
A pretty漂亮 idyllic田园 place地点 on the Mekong湄公河 Delta三角洲.
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位于湄公河三角洲,田园诗般美丽的地方。
04:42
But for us it meant意味着 freedom自由.
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但是对我们来说它意味着自由
04:44
And freedom自由 from persecution迫害 from the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂.
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这是逃离了红色高棉统治的自由
04:49
Last year, the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 Tribunal法庭,
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去年,由联合国协助柬埔寨成立的
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which哪一个 the U.N. is helping帮助 Cambodia柬埔寨 take on,
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红色高棉法庭开庭了
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started开始, and I decided决定 that as a matter of record记录
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我决定作为事实的纪录
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I should file文件 a Civil国内 Complaint抱怨
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将陈述一系列关于我父亲过世的资料
04:59
with the Tribunal法庭 about my father's父亲的 passing通过 away.
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并将资料递交给法庭
05:02
And I got word last month
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上个月我得到了消息
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that the complaint抱怨 was officially正式 accepted公认 by the Khmer高棉 Rouge胭脂 Tribunal法庭.
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我的申请得到了红色高棉法庭的官方认可
05:08
And it's for me a matter of justice正义 for history历史, and accountability问责 for the future未来,
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这将会为我赢得历史的公正以及未来的问责
05:13
because Cambodia柬埔寨 remains遗迹 a pretty漂亮 lawless不法 place地点, at times.
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因为柬埔寨现在仍然是法制淡薄的国家
05:18
Five years年份 ago my mother母亲 and I went back to Chau Doc文件.
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五年以前我母亲和我回到了朱笃
05:22
And she was able能够 to return返回 to a place地点
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并且她也回到了那个曾经
05:24
that for her meant意味着 freedom自由, but also fear恐惧,
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对她意味着自由以及恐惧的地方
05:27
because we had just come out of Cambodia柬埔寨.
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因为那时我们刚刚逃离了柬埔寨
05:30
I'm happy快乐, actually其实, today今天, to present当下 her.
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今天我非常高兴能够向大家介绍她
05:34
She's here today今天 with us in the audience听众.
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她也来到了现场
05:36
Thank you mother母亲.
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感谢我的母亲
05:38
(Applause掌声)
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(鼓掌)
Translated by Zheng Zeng
Reviewed by Zachary Lin Zhao

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sophal Ear - Development economist
Sophal Ear leads research on post-conflict countries -- looking at the effectiveness of foreign aid and the challenge of development in places like his native land, Cambodia.

Why you should listen

Elected to the Crescenta Valley Town Council in November 2015 for a 3-year term, encompassing more than 20,000 residents in unincorporated La Crescenta and Montrose, California, Sophal Ear, Ph.D., is a tenured Associate Professor of Diplomacy & World Affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles where he lectures on political economy, security, development and Asia.

Previously, he taught how to rebuild countries after wars at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and international development at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. He consulted for the World Bank, was Assistant Resident Representative for the United Nations in East Timor and Advisor to Cambodia's 1st private equity fund Leopard Capital. A TED Fellow, Fulbright Specialist, Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, he sits on the board of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Refugees International, Partners for Development, the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, the Southeast Asia Development Program, Diagnostic Microbiology Development Program, the Journal of International Relations and Development (Palgrave), the International Public Management Journal (Taylor & Francis), Journal of South-East Asian American Education & Advancement (Purdue), and Politics and the Life Sciences (Cambridge University Press).

He is the author of Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy (Columbia University Press, 2013) and co-author of The Hungry Dragon: How China’s Resources Quest is Reshaping the World (Routledge, 2013). He wrote and narrated the award-winning documentary film "The End/Beginning: Cambodia" (47 minutes, 2011) based on his 2009 TED Talk and has appeared in four other documentaries.

A graduate of Princeton and Berkeley, he moved to the United States from France as a Cambodian refugee at the age of 10.

More profile about the speaker
Sophal Ear | Speaker | TED.com