1975年，由渡帕所讀導的極端激進派赤棉共黨使東埔案陷入人間煉獄。在他們三年八個月又二十天 (從197多年四月十七日至1979年一月七日) 種族毀滅式的恐怖血腥統治之下，估計有超過一百萬人喪生。他們有系統地迫使全國人民從事艱苦的勞動，並且屠殺教師、學生、醫生、工程師，甚至藝術家。他們幾乎將高棉文化完全剷除並且連根拔起，將柬埔察帶回紀元零年。 在赤棉共黨於1979年下臺之後，政府開始努力恢復國家政治、經濟和生活等各方面。在目前「和平文化」的世界潮流影響下，東埔棄政府的主要目標是促進政治穩定和經濟復甦，消除貧窮，並藉由文化遺產、計畫及活動來促成非暴力的實現。文藝部擬定了下列的文化目標，反映出柬埔案的目的、方向、計畫和文化活動： 1. 阻擋外來文化如洪水般無節制地流入東埔案。 2. 保存文化遺產和國家文化，並提昇其價值。 3. 加強國家認同和標準。 4. 推動及鼓勵文藝作品的復原和創造。 5. 加強國際文化交流。 在本文中，筆者將參照東埔賽的社會、政治、經濟實況來檢視東埔秦國家文化政策中特定的目標、方向、計畫及活動。另外也將審視高棉藝術家和文化機構在此次復興、保存、發展及提昇高棉文化運動中的適切角色。

In 1975, Cambodia was plunged into a “Hell on Earth” by the communist Khmer Rouge, an extremist and radical group led by Pol Pot Under their genocidal control of three years, eight months, and twenty days, from April 17, 1975 to January 7, 1979, it is estimated that over a million lives were lost in their reign of terror and bloody hands. They systematically forced the entire country's population into harsh labor and killed off teachers, students, medical doctors, engineers, and even artists. They demolished and uprooted Khmer culture almost complete1y and brought Cambodia back to Year Zero. After the Khmer Rouge were deposed in 1979, efforts have been made and placed upon the country’s restoration, rehabilitation, and recovery. Adopting the current worldview of Culture of Peace, the major aim of the state government of Cambodia is to move forward toward political stability, economic recovery, elimination of people’s poverty, and the practice of non-violence through cultural heritage, programs, and activities. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has adopted the following cul­tural objectives, which reflect the goals, directions, plans, and cultural activities for Cambodia: 1. To block the anarchic influx of foreign cultures into Cambodia 2. To preserve and raise the value of cultural heritage and national civilization. 3. To strengthen the national identity and standard. 4. To push forward and encourage renovation and creation of works. 5. To strengthen international cultural relation. In this article, I shall address the government cultural policies of Cambodia by looking at specific goals, objectives, directions, plans, and activities in light of the country’s socio-political and economic reality. I shall also examine the appropriate and relevant roles of Khmer artists and cultural institutions in this venture to revive, preserve, deve1op, and pro­mote Khmer culture.