Cambodia

The Khmer Rouge, more officially known as the Communist Party of Kampuchea, formed in 1951 within the Khmer People’s Revolutionary Party—a political party supported by politicians with French Marxist influence. This communist party gained great support throughout the 1960s leading to a communist revolt against Prince Sihanouk. The group's leader, Pol Pot, was made the secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea in February of 1963, and was the leader of this revolt and the later actions of the Khmer Rouge. Prince Sihanouk recognized Pol Pot and those revolting against him as the Khmer Rouge, a name which stuck to identify the communist group. The Khmer Rouge referred to Cambodia by the name Kampuchea. The group was supported by a large portion of the rural Cambodian population, because their values aligned. Cambodian citizens who lived in big cities, such as the capital, Phnom Penh, were viewed as enemies to the Khmer Rouge because of the positions many of them held and the extensive education they had.

This separation of support caused conflict within the country, including rebellions, bomb droppings, a coup d'état, and many fatalities. The Khmer Rouge gained their support by pretending to support the monarchy, though their opposition was eventually clear to the people when they began to request support through promoting their communist agenda throughout the 1970s. By 1972, the Khmer Rouge controlled 85% of Cambodian territory in an attempt to form Cambodia into a rural, classless, anti-Capitalist society. In an attempt to create this society, the Khmer Rouge continuously dropped bombs between the months of January and August in 1973. The Khmer Rouge finally gained control of Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, on April 17th, 1975—the date which marks the Khmer Rouge’s complete governmental control of Cambodia.

Life under the Khmer Rouge equated to a life of terror for many Cambodian citizens. Many, including a large majority of Cambodians who lived in the cities, were forced to flee foreseen bombings and Khmer Rouge invasions by leaving their homes, turning hundreds of thousands of citizens into displaced persons. Many of these displaced Cambodians retreated to Thailand and found safety from the Khmer Rouge in refugee camps along the border.

In 1979 Sister Olivia Marie, Mother Superior, was moved to action after witnessing television news reports of the thousands of Cambodians forced to flee their homeland seeking refuge from the terror inflicted on the country by the Khmer Rouge. The Congregation responded to the crisis by offering financial support, but Sister Olivia Marie decided more immediate assistance was necessary. She contacted the CRS to inquire about the need for in-person assistance in Cambodia, and she learned the need was great. She responded by calling upon the sisters to volunteer their time and talents to the Cambodian refugees in need and expressed extreme delight in the number of sisters eager to offer their assistance.

In the end six sisters were chosen due to their nursing backgrounds. Sisters Helen Marie Auth, Kathryn T. Callahan, Madeleine M. Clayton, Miriam Paul Clennon, Paula A. Goettelman, and Maureen Grady were assigned to a three-month commitment with the task of performing medical and nursing services to Cambodian refugees in the camps along the Cambodian-Thai border. Working closely with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the sisters made temporary homes in the Sa Kaeo and Khao-I-Dang refugee camps. They fostered deep relationships with many of the refugees they assisted, corresponding with them via letters, even after returning to the United States.