Out of the Poison Tree study guide

Educator’s Guide
for the film
OUT OF THE POISON TREE:
The Antidote is Truth
written, directed and produced by
Beth Pielert
copyright © 2007 by Beth Pielert
published by the Center for Asian American Media
September 2007
CENTER
FOR
ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA
145 Ninth Street, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA 94103
t: 415.863.0814 f: 415.863.7428
www.asianamericanmedia.org
Educator’s Guide
for the film
Out of the Poison Tree:
The Antidote is Truth
written, directed and produced by Beth Pielert
GRADE LEVELS: 9-12th
SUBJECT AREAS: Social Studies, U.S. History, World History
ESTIMATED DURATION: Each individual lesson plan, approximately 1 hour
FILM OVERVIEW
On the eve of the long-awaited Khmer Rouge trial, an American survivor of the genocide
returns to Cambodia hoping to unlock the mystery of her Father’s disappearance in
1975. Thida Buth Mam’s quest intersects with many silent voices: widows, survivors
from remote villages, monks and even former perpetrators. Her search for the truth stirs
up the fractured pieces of one family’s nightmare, unearths an unimaginable heartbreak
and ultimately shines light on a people’s broken silence.
Story behind making Out of the Poison Tree
In 1977, I was sitting in a Hebrew school class, reading about
Anne Frank1 who perished in the Holocaust2. We were told never
to let the Holocaust happen again. I was seven-years-old and
13,000 miles away, the Holocaust was happening again; but
instead of Eastern Europe, it was in Cambodia.
Years later I met a former Nuremberg prosecutor3 who sparked a
theme for a film – people who were creators of justice after a great
injustice had occurred. After being introduced to one of the
founders of the Yale Cambodian Genocide Studies Program at Yale
University, I began researching films that had been made about
ANNE FRANK
Cambodia and discovered many detailed accounts of the genocide
but none that explored the forgiveness and reconciliation process – this was 1998. Since
then many amazing films have been made such as Refugee, The Flute Player and
Monkey Dance. (Please see web site for these films: http://catalog.asianamericanmedia.org)
The characters in Out Of The Poison Tree take us on a journey toward understanding
what happened in Cambodia and how people have come to forgive after The Killing
Fields4.
1. Anne Frank was the young author of The Diary of Anne Frank, an autobiographical account of being a Jewish girl in hiding during the Nazi
occupation of Amsterdam. Anne Frank perished at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp just a few months before the war ended in 1945.
2. The Holocaust refers to the systematic execution of 6 million European Jews by the Nazi party during World War II.
3. Nuremberg prosecutor refers to The Nuremberg Trials that prosecuted the Nazis in Nuremberg, Germany between 1945-1949.
4. The Killing Fields is a phrase used to describe a number of sites in Cambodia where millions of people were killed and buried by the Khmer
Rouge communist regime during the 1970s.
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 2
MATERIALS
1. A copy of the film, Out of the Poison Tree, by Beth Pielert. To purchase a copy of the
film please contact the Center of Asian American Media (CAAM) at
distribution@asianamericanmedia.org. You can also visit the web site at
http://catalog.asianamericanmedia.org
2. Websites: Access needed to internet for student research.
See resources on page 9 for list of web sites.
Activity 1: Pre-Viewing Activity – Discussion and Writing on Genocidal Factors
Teachers can discuss in detail the “Historical Timeline Sheet” on page 6 and then screen
the historical timeline section of Out of the Poison Tree to facilitate a classroom discussion on the question: What are the factors that enabled the Killing Fields5 to occur?
Define the Following Words:
• Genocide
• Propaganda
• Cultural Genocide
• Autogenocide
• Forgiveness
• Refugee
• Reconciliation
• Buddhism
• Coup d’état
• Scapegoat
• Justice
• Classicism
Activity 2: Post-Viewing Activity – Discussion Topics
• How have the characters in Out of the Poison
Tree come to a place of forgiveness?
• What is the difference between personal and
formal justice?
• What is the metaphor behind the film?
• How did the lack of education play a part in
the genocide?
CHILDREN ENJOYING PARK IN FRONT OF
NATIONAL MUSEUM, PHNOM PENH
• How do you think Buddhism contributed to the reconciliation
process?
• How do you think Buddhism contributed to a lack of justice?
• Do you think former perpetrators such as the former Khmer
Rouge are victims too? If so, how?
MONKS WAITING FOR THE TRIAL
5. The Killing Fields is a phrase used to describe a number of sites in Cambodia where millions of people were killed and buried by the Khmer
Rouge communist regime during the 1970s.
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 3
Activity 3: Post-Viewing Activity – The Importance of Accurate Reporting and Education
Youk makes the point that not being taught about the
Holocaust in school created ignorance to genocidal factors
that contributed to Khmer Rouge successfully taking over
the country.
In contrast, how has the recent genocide in Darfur maintained a presence in today’s media?
Youk Chhang holding up photograph
of young victims of Toul Sleng prison
Activity 4: Post-Viewing Activity – Genocide Is News vs. Priorities for Major Networks
Despite the fact that there are worldwide monitoring systems for the ongoing Darfur
conflict, also referred to, as ‘Genocide’ there is pitifully little coverage of Darfur in the
media as compared to pop-star coverage.
• Teachers can ask students what is “hot” in the news today?
Example: O.J. Simpson, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise
• Teachers can then show the Statistics on Network News Coverage of the Genocide
in Sudan chart from at the bottom of: http://www.beawitness.org/
• Finally, teachers can discuss the web resources that exist to help gather information
about the conflict in Darfur.
– SAVEDARFUR.ORG web presence
Amnesty International –eyesondarfur.org
– GoogleEarth Monitoring
– Web videos distributed via BeaWitness.org
– United States Holocaust Museum and Google Earth Map Crisis in Darfur
http://www.ushmm.org/googleearth/
– Witness – See It, Film It, Change It http://www.witness.org/
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 4
Activity 5: Post-Viewing Activity –
Walking in Their Shoes
• Why do you think Thida’s mother Ean Boun won’t return to
Cambodia?
• If you were in Thida’s position, would you
continue to search for the details of your father’s
disappearance?
THIDA’S SISTER RASMEI HOLDS UP A
PHOTO OF THEIR MISSING FATHER BUTH
CHOEN.
• How does Choen’s status as a Congressman
ultimately affect his fate?
• How is Aki Ra righting the wrongs of his past?
• If you knew everything there was to know about landmines would you do what Aki
Ra does – removing landmines by hand?
Activity 6: Post-Viewing Activity – Personal Injustice
The seed for genocide begins with name-calling,
bullying and creating a separation between oneself
and others.
Ask students to write on a piece of paper a personal example of this and how they dealt with the
injustice. Discuss some basic conflict resolution and
how to halt intolerance in its tracks.
AKI RA AND SEEKA, LANDMINE MUSEUM,
SIEM REAP
Resources
http://www.peacegames.org/
http://www.kidpower.org/School-age.html
http://www.antibullying.net/
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 5
Activity 7: Research and Report on Current Status of Khmer Rouge Tribunal
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) is the arena for the
formal trial to prosecute the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Because so many of the
leaders have passed away the ECCC is now a court where serious crimes committed
during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) are tried. While this is a United Nations
funded tribunal, Japan contributed approximately one-half the budget.
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal has taken three decades to manifest and as of 2007, the prosecution has been operating behind closed doors. A recent accomplishment includes the
charging of Kang Kek Ieu, aka Douch who was the director of Toul Sleng between 19751979. Douch named Noun Chea as his direct superior during the Khmer Rouge Regime
which resulted in Noun Chea’s arrest in September 2007. Soon after his arrest, an indictment was released by the tribunal’s investigating judges. It stated that Mr. Noun Chea
“planned, instigated, ordered, directed or otherwise aided and abetted” the commission
of crimes including “extermination.” It also said that he exercised effective control over
the group’s detention centers. The wheels of justice are finally turning.
Research the following:
What is the status of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal as of today? In what ways does
the judicial process at the Extraordinary Chambers in Cambodia differ from our
Western one?
Sources:
• Open Society Justice Initiative
http://www.justiceinitiative.org/db/resource2?res_id=103814
• Khmer Rouge Trials
http://www.parish-without-borders.net/cditt/cambodia/politics/kr-trials1.htm
• An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge Trials
http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/krt/english/introduction_eng/index.htm
• Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal
http://www.genocidewatch.org/news/CAMBODIA.htm
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 6
The Perfect Storm: A Historical Timeline for Cambodia
1659 – First Vietnamese invasion of Cambodian territories.
1851 – Cambodia successfully overthrows Vietnamese invasion.
1863 – King Norodom is forced to accept French protection to avoid domestic rebellion.
1887 – Cambodia is included in the Indochinese Union.
1953 – Cambodia officially gains independence from France.
1964-1974 – Vietnam /American War.
1969 – Operation Menu – secret bombing of Cambodia.
1970 – Coup led by general Lon Nol – abolishes the monarchy and ends Prince
Sihanouk’s reign.
1975-1979 – Pol Pot led Khmer Rouge Regime.
1975-1979 – Toul Svay Prey High School now known as Toul Sleng
Genocide Museum was converted into a torture and execution
center processing an estimated 17,000 people with only 7 survivors.
Toul Sleng was directed by Douch.
1979 – Vietnam invasion and “liberation” created civil war.
1980 – Toul Sleng opens as a Genocide Museum.
1979-1988 – Civil war within Cambodia.
1982 – Campaign to Oppose the Return of the Khmer Rouge (CORKR)
is founded by Gregory Stanton, Craig Etcheson, Ben Kiernan.
1998 – Pol Pot dies in the jungles of Anglong Veng.
2001 – Tamok and Douch are arrested.
2001 – Resolution is passed to create a Khmer Rouge Tribunal.
2005 – Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia are created.
2006 – Tamok dies in a military hospital.
2007 – Douch is first former Khmer Rouge leader to be put on trial.
2007 – During pre-trial, Douch identifies Noun Chea (Brother # 2) as
his direct superior during the Khmer Rouge Regime. Noun Chea
is arrested.
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 7
Where Does Cambodian Fall on the Timeline of Genocide?
Armenian Genocide 1915-1917
Perpetrators: Young Turks; Victims: Armenians
1.5 million
The Holocaust 1938 – 1945
Perpetrators: Hitler Led Nazi Army; Victims: Jews, Gypsies, Gays, Protestants,
Mentally & Physically Disabled People
9-11 million
The Cambodian Genocide (Autogenocide) 1975 – 1979
Perpetrators: Khmer Rouge (Cambodian); Victims: Intellectuals, Royalty, Traitors
(Cambodians)
2-3 million
East Timor 1975 – 1999
Perpetrators: Indonesian Army; Victims: East Timor
60,000-100,000
Bosnian Genocide 1992-1995
Perpetrators: Serbian Forces; Victims: Croatians and Muslims
2 million displaced and 200,000 + killed
Rwandan Genocide 1994
Perpetrators: Hutus; Victims: Tutsis and Hutu & political moderates
800,000-1 million
Darfur 2003 – present
Conflict between the Sudanese and the Janjaweed Arab Militias vs. the SLM
and the JEM; Victims: Nomads, women and children caught in the cross fire
200,000-400,000 dead with 2.5 million displaced
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 8
Resources
• Good Film Works
http://www.goodfilmworks.com
• The Center for Asian American Media
For related films such as REFUGEE, THE FLUTE PLAYER and MONKEY DANCE
http://catalog.asianamericanmedia.org/
• YALE University Genocide Studies Program
http://www.yale.edu/gsp/
• Facing History and Ourselves
http://www.facing.org
• Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
http://www.eccc.gov.kh/english/
• Asian Educational Media Service
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu
• The United States Holocaust Museum
http://www.ushmm.org/
• Cambodian News Source
http://www.cambodia.org/news/
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR THE FILM OUT OF THE POISON TREE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA, page 9