Former U.N. Ambassador Speaks at CSULB

According to the Daily 49er, former US Ambassador for United Nations spoke to CSULB students and faculty on his escape from Cambodia during the time Khmer Rouge, the communist rebel group. Sichan Siv also promoted his book, "Golden Bones," which describes his experience in fuller detail.

Siv, the only survivor out of his 15 other family members, served as deputy assistant to George Bush from 1989 to 1992 and as the UN Ambassador from 2001 to 2006. By the time he arrived to United States, Siv had $2 in his pocket.

"I was exhausted, but I was full of hope," Siv said.

"By the early '70s I began to see so much death and destruction," Siv said. "I saw a lot of markets where civilian lives were lost."

(from U.S. Department of State)

Bringing Siv to Long Beach was important for the Cambodian Student Society because of the Cambodian New Year. Karen Quintiliani, assistant professor for the department of anthropology, stated that Siv helped the Cambodian society in southern California by "putting Long Beach on the map in a whole new way." His name helped establish Cambodia Town in Long Beach, which is home to the largest Cambodian community outside Southeast Asia.

"Golden Bones" will be released July 1.

Click here for more information on the history of Cambodia and the occupation by the Khmer Rouge.