To date, there is no estimate of the number of Vietnamese refugees who stayed at the Cathedral awaiting their departure to South Vietnam. International Committee for the Red Cross delegates mention that, despite the bad conditions, the Vietnamese civilians preferred to stay in smaller and more crowded camps (like Saint Joseph and La Providence) because they were closer to the Mekong River and thus deemed safer than camps located inside the city. A substantial percentage of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia was Catholic, which explains the early involvement of the Catholic authorities in the protection of the refugees. The archives of the International Committee for the Red Cros report that as early as 14 April 1970 Phnom Penh Bishop Monsignor Yves Ramousse and the Apostolic Delegate to Saigon, Monsignor Henri Lemaître, who stopped in Phnom Penh on his way back to Saigon, asked the Red Cross if they could organise or at least supervise the repatriation of the Vietnamese to South Vietnam (note no. 541, 16 April 1970, ICRC archives, BAG_232_042_001_02). They broached the subject again on 21 April 1970, and Monsignor Ramousse informed the delegates that the bishopric has started giving rice to some refugee camps (note no. 559, 4 May 1970, ICRC archives, BAG_232_042_001_02).

Refugee camp run by Catholic authorities in Phnom Penh The Roman Catholic Cathedral Notre-Dame was built in 1952-1962. It was entirely destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

Phnom Penh, Kandal Province, Cambodia

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