Asia Policy Events, Monday October 13, 2025

COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY IN U.S.

IMPACT OF THE TRUMP TARIFFS ON CAMBODIA, LAOS AND VIETNAM. 10/13, 9:00-10:30am (SGT), 10/12, 9:00-10:30pm (EDT), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Speakers: Dr. Milan Thomas, Country Economist, Cambodia Resident Mission, ADB; Soulinthone Leuangkhamsing, Principal Economics Officer, Lao PDR Resident Mission, ADB; Prof. Dao Ngoc Tien, Vice President, Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University (FTU).

THE NINE-FINGERED PARTY: THE STRANGE HISTORY OF THE YAKUZA IN JAPANESE POLITICS. 10/13, 5:15-7:00pm (EDT), HYBRID. Sponsor: Center for East Asian Studies, Univ. of Pennsylvania. Speaker: Jake Adelstein, Investigative Journalist, Author, The Devil Takes Bitcoin: Cryptocurrency Crimes and the Japanese Connection (Releases Oct 14). PURCHASE BOOK. ZOOM LINK UPON REGISTRATION.

Asia Policy Events, Monday September 29, 2025

UNDERSTANDING THE THAILAND-CAMBODIA CONFLICT: HOW BORDER DISPUTES DRIVE DOMESTIC POLITICAL CRISES AND VICE VERSA. 9/29, 10:00-11:30am (SGT), 9/28, 10:00-11:30pm (EDT), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS). Speakers: Dr. Puangthong R. Pawakapan, Professor, Department of International Relations, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University; Supalak Ganjanakhundee, Advisor, Military Affairs Committee, Thailand’s House of Representatives. 

WORLD WAR II AT 80: THE UNENDING QUEST FOR REDRESS. 9/29, 6:30pm (JST), 5:30am (EDT), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: Yokosuka Council on Asia Pacific Studies. Speaker: Timothy Webster, Lawyer, Professor, Translator. 5

BOOK TALK: THE NATIONAL INTEREST: POLITICS AFTER GLOBALIZATION. 9/29, 11:00am-Noon (EDT), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: Quincy Institute. Speakers: author Philip Cunliffe, Associate Professor of International Relations, Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London; Dr. Zachary Paikin, Deputy Director, Better Order Project, Research Fellow, Grand Strategy Program, Quincy Institute.  PURCHASE BOOK

WHAT ROBERT F. KENNEDY’S LIBERAL PATRIOTISM COULD TEACH POLITICAL LEADERS TODAY. 9/29, 11:00am-12:30pm (EDT), HYBRID. Sponsor: American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Progressive Policy Institute (PPI). Speakers: Robert Doar, President, AEI; Richard D. Kahlenberg, Director, American Identity Project, PPI; Will Marshall, President, PPI; Ritchie Torres, US House of Representatives (D-NY).

BREAKING TRADITION: PRESIDENT TRUMP’S APPROACH TO POLICY DECISIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION. 9/29, 12:30pm (EDT), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: Japan Society. Speaker: Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Former Board Chair, Japan Society. Members only.

SHIFTING DYNAMICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST: PYONGYANG'S OBSERVATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. 9/29, 2:00pm (EDT), VIRTUAL. Sponsor: National Committee on North Korea. Speakers: Yaakov Katz, Israeli-American author and journalist, co-founder of MEAD; Siegfried Hecker, former director, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University.

INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR WHOM? 9/29, 3:00-4:00pm (EDT), HYBRID. Sponsor: U.S.–Asia Law Institute. Speaker: Jean-Marc Coicaud, Distinguished Professor of Law and Global Affairs, Rutgers University, author The Law and Politics of International Legitimacy. PURCHASE BOOK

THE IDEAS THAT BUILT AMERICA—AND WHERE THEY STAND TODAY. 9/29, 5:00-6:30pm (EDT), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: R Street Institute. Speakers: Sabrina Schaeffer, Vice President, R Street Institute; Lindsay M. Chervinsky, PhD, Presidential Historian/Executive Director, George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. 

BEYOND TARIFFS: WHAT NEXT FOR THE GLOBAL TRADE REALIGNMENT? 9/29, 5:00-7:30pm (EDT), IN PERSON ONLY. Sponsor: Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT); George Washington University (GWU). Speakers: Christine McDaniel, Senior Economist, Macroeconomics, Trade & Investment Global Practice, World Bank Group; Daniel Ciarcia, Account Manager/Carbon Consultant, EcoEngineers; Bennett Caplan, President, Abridge; Jenny A. Kai, Senior Manager, Government and Public Affairs, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). 

APRIL - Genocide Awareness Month

PURCHASE BOOK

The month of April marks the start of some of the most horrific genocides – Rwanda, Cambodia, Armenia, Anfal campaign against Kurds – and it is also the end of others, like the liberation of Auschwitz. This is why the month has been deemed Genocide Awareness Month. And the year of 2025 further marks pivotal anniversaries – the 30th anniversary of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War, the 50th anniversary of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, and the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide.

The United States has also played a pivotal role in many of these unfortunate and deadly moments in history. But with all this atrocity, the history books can only cover so much. And each country has a different history to tell depending on their role in the genocide and who or where the story comes from, be it a survivor, a government, an organization, or a bystander. Films and books can tell these stories in a variety of ways, and by rounding out our experiences, only then can we begin to understand and not repeat the mistakes of the past.

The co-founders of the Mass Atrocity Research Initiative (MARI), American University (Washington, DC) professors Jeff Bachman and Claudine Kuradusenge-McLeod, recommend the following. Although this list is not exhaustive of all the tragedies that have taken place, it serves as one small step toward educating ourselves.

Professor Bachman is author with Esther Ruiz of A Modern History of Forgotten Genocides and Mass Atrocities. This book is a great resource for anyone interested in genocides and mass atrocities that are often overlooked or forgotten in mainstream discussions. Bachman and Ruiz cover a range of tragic events that don’t always get the attention they deserve, shining a light on underreported genocides and mass killings in modern history.

Films

Bosnia: Years Eaten by Lions [Godine koje su pojeli lavovi] (Boro Kontic, 2010). This film looks at the Bosnian War and the ethnic cleansing that occurred during the 1990s. It follows the personal stories of survivors and the deep trauma caused by the violence. The film provides a poignant reflection on how nationalism and ethnic division led to genocide in the region.

Cambodia: Facing Genocide: Khieu Samphan and Pol Pot (David Aronowitsch/Staffan Lindberg, 2010). This documentary looks at the Khmer Rouge regime and the devastating genocide in Cambodia. Through interviews with survivors and experts, the film examines the ideology and political motives behind the regime’s brutal actions, which led to the deaths of millions. It’s a sobering and thought-provoking exploration of political violence.

Congo: CONGO: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death (Peter Bate, 2003). This documentary exposes the horrific exploitation and genocide of the Congolese people under King Leopold II’s rule in the Congo Free State. Through archival footage and historical analysis, the film chronicles the brutal tactics used to extract rubber and other resources, including forced labor, mutilations, and mass killings. It serves as a stark reminder of the colonial legacy and its long-lasting effects on Congo’s development.

Holocaust: 75 Years After Auschwitz’s Liberation, Watch Four Documentaries That Keep the ‘Memory of the Camps’ Alive This PBS Frontline article contains full access to four documentaries: Memory of the Camps (1985); Shtetl (1996); Never Forget to Lie (2013); The Last Survivors (2019).

Indigenous genocide: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Yves Simoneau, 2007) This film adapts Brown's book into a dramatic portrayal of the events leading up to the Wounded Knee Massacre, focusing on the US government's betrayal of Native Americans. It provides a harrowing look at the destruction of Native American cultures and the brutality of the US Army in its quest to quell resistance. The film vividly portrays the human cost of colonialism and imperialism.

Indonesia: The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012).This documentary offers a view of some of the perpetrators of murder in Indonesia in 1965 and 1966. The general lack of remorse for and detachment from the impacts of this violence on families and communities is both startling but important to see.

Iraq, Kurdistan region: Good Kurds, Bad Kurds (Kevin McKiernan, 2000). This documentary explores the long history of the Kurdish people and the genocide they’ve suffered at the hands of various Middle Eastern governments, especially Iraq under Saddam Hussein. It focuses on the 1988 Anfal campaign, where tens of thousands of Kurds were killed or displaced. It’s a great resource for understanding the complex political dynamics in the Middle East.

Rwanda: Sometimes in April (Raoul Peck, 2005). A powerful dramatization of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, focusing on the lives of ordinary people caught up in the violence. The film depicts the horrors of the genocide from multiple perspectives, illustrating both the overwhelming cruelty of the Hutu extremists and the resilience of survivors. It is an emotional and haunting portrayal of one of the most tragic events of the 20th century.

Rwanda: Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire (Peter Raymont, 2004). This documentary follows Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian peacekeeper who led the UN mission during the Rwandan genocide. It focuses on his personal journey, the moral dilemmas he faced, and the emotional scars he carries after witnessing the failure of the international community to stop the killings.

Books

Armenia: The United States and the Armenian Genocide: History, Memory, Politics by Julien Zarifian. The most comprehensive and detailed account of the domestic and international politics associated with the significant amount of time it took for the U.S. Congress and a US President to formally recognize the Armenian genocide as such.

Cambodia: The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79 by Ben Kiernan. Examines the rise of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge by studying the violence through which they emerged and received popular support in some circles, even as they were murdering and starving millions. Kiernan also addresses the role of the U.S. war on Vietnam in their rise.

Canada: Suffer the Little Children: Genocide, Indigenous Nations and the Canadian State by Tamara Starblanket. It is just over 150 years since Canada opened its first residential boarding school (1874). Recommended for anyone interested in learning more about what the Canadian government has even referred to as “cultural genocide.

Congo: King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild. A must-read! Dives into the horrors of King Leopold II’s rule over the Congo Free State. Hochschild reveals the brutal exploitation, forced labor, and the millions of deaths caused by Leopold's greed. It’s a powerful critique of imperialism and a real eye-opener about colonial violence.

East Timor: A Not-So-Distant Horror: Mass Violence in East Timor by Joseph Nevins. Reviews and explains the politics associated with the death and suffering In East Timor and, as with the massacres in Indonesia, the role of members of the international community, including Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and especially the United States. Nevins writes that much, if not all, of the killings and other preventable deaths could have been avoided had these countries not provided Indonesia with political, diplomatic, economic, and military assistance.

Holocaust: The Liberation of the Camps: The End of the Holocaust and Its Aftermath by Dan Stone. Historian Dan Stone focuses on the survivors—their feelings of guilt, exhaustion, fear, shame for having survived, and devastating grief for lost family members; their immense medical problems; and their later demands to be released from Displaced Persons camps and resettled in countries of their own choosing. Stone also tracks the efforts of British, American, Canadian, and Russian liberators as they contended with survivors’ immediate needs, then grappled with longer-term issues that shaped the postwar world and ushered in the first chill of the Cold War years ahead.

Indigenous Genocides: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Alexander Brown. A heartbreaking account of the U.S. government’s treatment of Native Americans, particularly focusing on the systematic destruction of indigenous tribes in the American West. The book highlights broken treaties, massacres, and the tragic massacre at Wounded Knee. It’s an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the brutality of American colonialism.

Indonesia: The Killing Season: A History of the Indonesian Massacres, 1965-66 by Geoffrey B. Robinson. Researches one of the most underexplored cases of mass violence, including by scholars in the field of genocide studies. Robinson also details the critical role played by the United States, Britain, and other major powers in facilitating mass murder.

Namibia: The Herero Genocide: War, Emotion, and Extreme Violence in Colonial Namibia by Matthias Häussler. Explores the genocide of the Herero and Nama people by German colonial forces in Namibia in the early 1900s. He examines the extreme violence and forced labor, alongside the emotional and psychological toll of this genocide. It’s a compelling look at a lesser known, but significant, atrocity in colonial history.

Rwanda: Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing by James Waller. Explores a really important question: how do ordinary people become perpetrators of mass violence? Using case studies from events like the Holocaust and Rwanda, Waller examines the psychological and social factors that allow people to commit horrific acts. It’s a deep dive into the human psyche and the conditions that enable genocide.

Rwanda: Eyewitness to a Genocide: The U.N. and Rwanda by Michael N. Barnett. A critical look at the role the United Nations played during the Rwandan genocide. Barnett interviews survivors and UN personnel to show how the international community failed to intervene when mass slaughter was unfolding. It’s a sobering reflection on bureaucratic inertia and the limits of international peacekeeping.

United States: On Genocide: And a Summary of the Evidence and the Judgments of the International War Crimes Tribunal by Jean-Paul Sartre. On Genocide was written at the end of the 1967 International War Crimes Tribunal (also known as the Russell Tribunal after British philosopher Bertrand Russell) and was adopted by the tribunal as part of its findings. I recommend it because, even if one disagrees about use of the term genocide, On Genocide is meticulous in its summary of violence carried out by the United States. For example, Sartre writes that the intent to commit genocide is “implicit in the facts,” including “villages burned, the population subjected to massive bombing, livestock shot, vegetation destroyed by defoliants, crops ruined by toxic aerosols, and everywhere indiscriminate shooting, murder, rape and looting.”

United States: We Charge Genocide: The Crime of Government Against the Negro People by William Patterson. Argues that the US government’s treatment of African Americans during the 20th century meets the definition of genocide. Written by civil rights leaders, it documents racial violence and systemic oppression as an intentional strategy to eliminate Black communities. It’s an important read to understand the broader scope of genocide in a U.S. context.

United States: Narratives of Victimhood and Perpetration: The Struggle of Bosnian and Rwandan Diaspora Communities in the United States by Claudine Kuradusenge-McLeod: Explores the experiences of Bosnian and Rwandan diaspora communities in the U.S., particularly in how they navigate their identities as both victims and perpetrators of genocide. The author delves into how these communities grapple with their pasts and the trauma of genocide while trying to integrate into American society. The book is an essential read for understanding the complexities of post-genocide identity and the lasting effects of trauma on displaced populations.

Asia Pacific WWII:  Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II by Bryan Mark Rigg, Ph.D. Unreviewed.

Khmer Legacy Museum Opens June 25 in Minnesota

The Khmer Legacy® Museum will hold a series of opening events June 23-25 at its new space in St Paul, Minnesota. The Museum hopes to express 2500 years of Cambodian history and culture through video, art, and text.

The idea for the museum originated in April 2012 after the Khmer people and Khmer veterans received recognition via resolutions MN Senate File 2314 and MN House File 2629 “memorializing Congress and the President of the United States, and legislatures from others states to formally recognize the Khmer Freedom Fighters of Cambodia for supporting and defending the United States military forces during the conflict in Southeast Asian and their continued support and defense of the United States of America and all other free nations of the world.” The Resolution urged all state legislatures to also recognize the Khmer Freedom Fighters and Cambodians “for their support and defense of the United States military forces, freedom, and democracy in Southeast Asia.” The passage of these bills inspired the same group to advocate in 2014 for S. Res 462 in the U.S. Senate, which included the Hmong, Lao, and Mongtaignard people. Florida Senator Marco Rubio was the resolution's sponsor.

The International Khmer Assembly ( IKARE ) felt that the unique journey of heroes of the Khmer peoples needed to be told and preserved. It is important for the younger generation to know that there is more to Cambodia than the genocide of the killing fields so that they will understand their true cultural roots.

"Up 'til now the world only knows Cambodia as home of the Killing Fields. We want the world to know that while Cambodia had lost 41 years of leaping development, the Khmer people had 2500 years of greatness," said Kosol Sek, Chairman of the International Khmer Assembly. "We created the Khmer Legacy Museum to tell stories of the Khmer people's greatness."

The museum is a first step to enhance public understanding of the full story of the Cambodian people.

The International Khmer Assembly (IKARE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to protect, preserve, and promote stories and contributions of the Khmer people to the world. Khmer Legacy® is a registered mark of the International Khmer Assembly.