Bill Text: CA SR21 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Enrolled

California Senate Resolution 21 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relative to Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-04-16 - Read. Adopted. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 634.) [SR21 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SR21-Enrolled.html

BILL NUMBER: SR 21	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  APRIL 16, 2015
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 9, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 9, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lara

                        APRIL 6, 2015

   Relative to Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
             HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST



   WHEREAS, The Cambodian people have a long and rich cultural
heritage symbolized by the temple city Angkor Wat, considered one of
the Wonders of the Ancient World, built between the 9th and 12th
centuries, stands as a living icon of the endurance and genius of all
Cambodians throughout the world; and
   WHEREAS, Early connections between the United States and Cambodia
began in the 1950s, when Cambodia sent bright and talented college
students to universities, including California State Universities in
Long Beach and Los Angeles, to study technical trades, engineering,
and agriculture with the assistance of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID); and
   WHEREAS, The relationship between the United States and Cambodia
had been forged through educational and professional exchange, and
therefore in 1975, with the impending overthrow of the government by
the totalitarian Khmer Rouge regime, the United States accepted over
4,000 Cambodian evacuees to ensure their safety; and
   WHEREAS, April 17, 2015, will mark both the 40th anniversary of
the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, seizing control of Cambodia and the
beginning of the Cambodian Genocide; and
   WHEREAS, Between April 17, 1975, and January 7, 1979, the Khmer
Rouge of Democratic Kampuchea, led by Pol Pot, Secretary General of
the Communist Party of Kampuchea, and other members of the Standing
Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
Kampuchea and their agents, committed acts of genocide and other
crimes against humanity; and
   WHEREAS, The genocide and other crimes against humanity committed
against the people of Cambodia, including various religious groups
and ethnic minorities, during the Khmer Rouge regime led to the
deaths of over 1,700,000 Cambodians, which was 21 percent of the
nation's population; and
   WHEREAS, The Khmer Rouge regime also sought to eliminate all
aspects of Cambodian culture by systematically killing those with
education, separating families, and destroying institutions such as
Buddhist temples, schools, libraries, dance, and music; and
   WHEREAS, Countless victims have since come forward to tell their
stories of imprisonment, starvation, slavery, rape, and systematic
forced marriage; and
   WHEREAS, After the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979,
over 140,000 Cambodians came to the United States as refugees, a
group of special humanitarian and foreign policy concern to the
United States because of the well-founded fear of persecution for
reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular
social group, or political opinion and thus in need of protection in
accordance with the United Nations' 1951 Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees; and
   WHEREAS, The State of California has the largest population of
Cambodians and the City of Long Beach is known around the world as
home to the largest Cambodian community outside of Southeast Asia;
and
   WHEREAS, The Cambodian people have drawn from their cultural
history to rebuild their lives and communities through participation
in American politics on the local and national levels, by
establishing local and international businesses, by developing new
art forms and community organizations, and by raising a new
generation of Americans who promise to contribute to the future of
the State of California and the nation; and
   WHEREAS, The Cambodian genocide was a human tragedy and must be
remembered for the scale of violence and devastation perpetrated
against the people of Cambodia, so that it does not happen again,
there or in any other country; and
   WHEREAS, In 1994 the United States Congress passed the Cambodian
Genocide Justice Act, committing the American government to the
pursuit of justice for the victims of the genocide and affirming the
policy of the United States to bring members of the Khmer Rouge to
justice for their crimes against humanity; and
   WHEREAS, The genocide and other crimes against humanity did not
succeed in destroying the Cambodian people or their culture, in fact
the culture and heritage of the Cambodian people continues to this
day through the accomplishments of Cambodians and their descendants;
and
   WHEREAS, The suffering and loss of the Cambodian people and their
accomplishments and perseverance in reestablishing families,
communities, and enhancing the cultural and historical diversity of
our state and nation should be recognized and honored; and
   WHEREAS, The Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week will honor the
survivors and their descendants for their courage and contributions
to our state and country. This week will serve as a way to remember
those who lost their lives in Cambodia and in genocides around the
world; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate
hereby recognizes the week of April 13 to April 17, 2015, inclusive,
as Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week, and calls upon all Californians
to observe the week by participating in appropriate activities and
programs; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.