Cambodia

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10577369 An article in which Kaing Guek Eav, more commonly known as Duch, describes the inhumane manner in which the younger Cambodians were killed during the genocide. Duch is most famous for being the head of Pol Pot's primary prison and torture center. During the historic trial of Duch for crimes against humanity, Duch admits to being "criminally responsible for killing babies, young children and teenagers." The murder of these age groups centered mainly around the smashing of the victim's head. Whether it be against a tree trunk or using a steel axle shaft, Duch and his subordinates beat younglings and teens to death in this way so as to save bullets for adults and to prevent the children from seeking revenge when they grow up. -David Taborga

[] This article mentions a British professor named Malcolm Caldwell, who praised the "revolutionary efforts" of Pol Pot during the Khmer Rouge's rule. Ironically enough, during his time spent in Cambodia, Caldwell was murdered by three Pol Pot supporters, exemplifying the "madness of the regime he openly admired." -David Taborga

In this picture, several Buddhist monks are waiting in line to attend the trial of one of the Khmer Rouge's chief torturers, Kaing Guek Eav. The number of monks who attended the trial suggests that they where very interested to see what would become of the prison commander. Since Buddhism was a large target of the Cambodian genocide, it was most likely satisfying for some monks to see justice be carried out. -David Taborga

This picture is a prime example of how women were often targeted in the Cambodian killings. The photo suggests the high level of sexism that played a role in the murder of Cambodian civilians. -David Taborga

[] In this article, a Cambodian genocide survivor is interviewed and she details the multiple atrocities that occured during the time she spent there. The survivor recounts the separation between her and her husband as a result of the genocide and the issue of sexism that remained present during this time. In addition, the author of the article mentions things that she saw and heard of during her time in Cambodia, including the daily sexual abuse of children and the extreme poverty among survivors. -David Taborga

[] The perspective of a Cambodia genocide survivor is shown in this article. The gievs people interested in the genocide a different point of view, and shows how terrible the punishments were that the captives had to face. There is a discrepency over what exactly took place in Cambodia during the genocide and what type of harsh ruling techniques were used. An explanation of someone who actually was a part of this horrific event, proves what took place and exactly how it happened.-Simona Fava


 * In proportion to its population, Cambodia underwent a human catastrophe unparalleled in this century. Out of a 1970 population of probably near 7,100,0001 Cambodia probably lost slightly less than 4,000,000 people to war, rebellion, man-made famine, genocide, politicide, and mass murder. The vast majority, almost 3,300,000 men, women, and children (including 35,000 foreigners), were murdered within the years 1970 to 1980 by successive governments and guerrilla groups. Most of these, a likely near 2,400,000, were murdered by the communist Khmer Rouge.”** **** This data highlights just how tragic the Cambodian genocide was exactly. Although we are aware of the catastrophe that took place in Cambodia, having actual numbers and statistics show us exactly how much of an impact the genocide had on the Cambodian population.-Simona Fava

[] This photo shows one of the ways that the Khmer Rouge discriminated against certain social classes during the Cambodian genocide. Certain restrictions and characteristics were put on people residing in Cambodia during this time period. If people did not fit into the archetypal appearance they would be brutally punished and ridiculed. -Simona Fava

"The UN-backed court for war crimes in Cambodia has for the first time issued genocide charges against two leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, Nuon Chea and Ieng Sary, over the slaughter of Vietnamese people and ethnic Cham Muslims in the 1970s. Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court has for the first time issued genocide charges against two leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, a tribunal spokesman said Wednesday. Former Khmer Rouge number two Nuon Chea and foreign minister Ieng Sary were both charged over the hardline communist regime's slaughter of Vietnamese people and 'This week both Nuon Chea and Ieng Sary have been brought before the investigating judges and informed they are being charged with genocide against the Cham Muslims and the Vietnamese,' Olsen said." (france24 .com) This article was intriguing mainly because this shows how steps are being taken towards proving what took place in Cambodia was indeed a genocide. Although this was only the first stride towards convicting people for this genocide it shows how progress is occuring daily. This also proves how law and other regulations are imposing the name of genocide on what took place in Cambodia, by altering what a genoicide needs to consist of exactly.-Simona Fava

"I did not join the resistance movement to kill people, to kill the nation. Look at me now. Am I a savage person? My conscience is clear."~Pol Pot I found this quote to be very interesting because this shows how the communist leaders did not believe they were doing anything wrong through all the killings. This is also shocking due to the fact that Pol Pot claims that he has a clear conscience. I am not sure if he really feels this way or if he is just trying to justify his previous actions through this statement."-Simona Fava

Pol Pot was the leader of the Communist Party in Camdodia but was forced to flee into the jungle because he was being persecuted by Prince Sihanouk. While in the jungle, Pol Pot organized a smal army that eventually grew in numbers. When the U.S ousted the Prince from his throne, the Prince and Pol Pot combined forces to fight the new milary government. When the U.S backed out of Cambodia, Pol Pot's army took control of Cambodia at Phnom Penh. There they reorganized Cambodia's society based on Maoist principles. The genocide had begun with the murder of educated officals and rebel forces. Then it targeted, in greter numbers, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Muslims. Overall, over 1.7 people were killed in the Cambodian genocide. -Victor Di Fede



This is a picture of a mass grave of the Cambodian genocide victims. It shows the extent to which Cambodians were treated and how many Cambodians were killed. To me this picture not only is devastating because of the skulls but because it is reflects similarities between the Cambodian genocide and the Holucaust. The Nazis used mass graves to bury victims just like the Khmer Rouge did. This picture proves to be an eye-opener in regards to the Cambodian genocide because if it was similar to the holocaust, it should be reconized as an infamous event and all those involved should be persecuted to the fullest extent of the law. -Victor Di Fede




 * This is a picture of the center of the Khmer Rouge secret police. This picture caught my eye because it use to be the former high school in Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh was given the code name Office S- 21. Over 20,000 people were killed and abused here from 1976-1979. I find it sick that they would transform a place of education into a place of killing and harm. I would consider this a ironic situation. Brooke Gamils**



This picture really moved me. 1975 marks the beginning of the worst years in Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge took over the government and started the genocide. The country would be destroyed and would remain in turmoil until the 1990s. –Brynn Hyland

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This map shows that Camodia is located in Southeast Asia. Cambonia has an area of 181,040 sq.km. Cambodia's main cities are Battambang, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Prey Veng, and Kompong Cham. Cambodia is a central plain drained by the Great Lakes, the Bassac rivers, and the Mekong river. The climate in Cambodia is tropical monsoon with rainy seasons and dry seasons. By: Brooke Gamils



This is a map of much of Asia. Cambodia is the medium sized pink area on the map. It is very close and even borders many communist countries which reflects the influence of communisnm on Cambodia. Cambodia borders Vietnam, which was communists in its northern section. Cambodia is also boarders Lao which was partly communist for a short time due to Chinese influence. Cambodia is far away from Russia, the mother of communism, but it is very close to China. Many historians argue that the communist Khmer Rouge bases its values and idealogies on those of the Chinese Maoist.

This is a photo of a starving child who was forced to work in harsh labor camps. Children were often taken away from their parents at a young age for this reason. This photo shows the devastating effects that the Cambodian genocide had on children. This photo reminds me of the genocide committed by the Nazis because of the little girls number tag. This represents how horrific the Cambodian genocide was. -Victor Di Fede




 * //The purpose of this page is for you to be able to post your research and/or questions with regard to the Cambodia portion of the videoconferencing unit. Please be sure to "save" after each posting. Also, keep in mind...only one person can be posting at a time...so...as soon as you are done log off of that page. We will use all of the information that you post in creating our web portal at the end of the conference. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. :) Ms. Caine//**



In 1953 King Norodom Sihanouk gained independence for Cambodia from France. The country was ruled by a monarchy until 1970 when a coup by General Lon Nol, who was backed by the US overthrew Prince Sihanouk and created a democratic nation in Cambodia. His siezure of power plunged the nation into Civil War as he tried to suppress the communist rebels, (the Khmer Rouge), and forces loyal to Prince Sihanouk. He suspended the Cambodian constitution in 1972 in reponse to the war and fled the country in 1975 as the Khmer Rouge neared the capital. The fact that Cambodia was subjected to an intense bombing campaign without its consent by the US to kill Viet Kong forces hiding in Cambodia. The bombs killed over 700,000 innocent Cambodians even though Cambodia was officially neutral in the conflict. The conflict in Vietnam often spilled over into Cambodia leading to chaos in the regions it affected, which led Cambodia to order all Viet Kong and North Vietnamese troops to leave the country, though with the Civil War shortly before the prince was deposed. Cambodia provided an effective means of attacking South Vietnam from the West where US soldiers weren't stationed due to Cambodia's neutrality. The US also launched a 2 month ground offensive in Cambodia in 1970 and Lon Nol, after taking power welcomed US intervention in Cambodia to fight the North Vietnamese. On April 17, 1995 the Khmer Republic surrendered to the Khmer Rouge. This led to the reign of party leader Pol Pot whose reforms included creating a communist society with no property, no currency, state-made marriages, communal dining halls, the creation of specialized work schedules, the separation of families, persecution including mass murder of religious groups, minority groups, enemies of the state within the Khmer Rouge party, and educated ethnic Cambodians and plolitical leaders, and the harsh treatment and murder of Cambodian citizens under the work routine, state caused starvation and disease. The Khmer Rouge renamed the state Democratic Kampuchea and created anti-Vietnamese propaganda. While both communist countries disliked each other, they both had relatively good relationships with communist China. In the winter of 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia officially, though it had occupied regions of the nation before that, and after only 13 days on January 7, 1979 overthrew the Khmer Rouge and replaced it with a pro-Vietnamese communist government run by the Cambodian People's Party or CPP. Most of the major Khmer Rouge leaders escaped capture and lived into old age including Pol Pot. The Khmer Rouge retreated to hideouts in the border regions of Cambodia and despite fears of it retaking power, gradually dwindled in strength and influence as internal conflicts betwen leaders plagued the group. Ironically the Soviet Union, with a horrible human rights record, vetoed a UN resolution to remove Vietnamese soldiers from Cambodia that might have allowed the Khmer Rouge to retake power. Most democratic nation including the US refused to recognize the new government and continued to recognize the government of Pol Pot, probably because of lingering anti-Vietnamese sentiment from the Vietnam War. Abouth 1-3 million Cambodians died during the reign of Pol Pot from 1975 to 1979. As pressure mounted from common citizens to recognize the atrocities committed in Cambodia due to increased awareness from documentaries and the media, the UN finally recognized the new governmetn in Cambodia in the early 1990s. The new government under the CPP was much less harsh than the Khmer Rouge and treated the citizens of Cambodia fairly. In 1993 democratic elections were held in Cambodia and the communist party was removed from power leading to capitalistic reforms. The death of Pol Pot in 1998 as well as the surrendering of many Khmer Rouge leaders in exchange for amnesty severely weakened the organization and in December of 1998 the last Khmer Rouge fighting force surrendered effectively ending it. Cambodia's government today is a democracy which governs in conjunction with a constitutional monarchy. -Grant Cohen
 * Cambodia Timeline**

After the overthrow of the Cambodian democracy, the Khmer Rougue assumed power over Cambodia and worked to reconstruct Cambodia's political and economic sytems toward communism. Cambodia's communism regime recontructed the nation based on the values of the communist party in China under Mao Zedong. Children were taken from there home and put in forced labor camps while professional adults, such as doctors and lawyers were murdered by the government. The Khmer Rogue's regime racism caused the deaths of thousands of Muslims and Christains. The people that survive this murdeous rampage became unpaid workers who got little food and worked extremely long hours. Over two million opeople died of execution, warfare, and starvation during the Cambodian genocide. -Victor Di Fede

Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia that can be comparable to a size twice the area of Scotland. In 1953, Cambodia got independence from France after about 100 years of ruling over them. In 1970 Prince Sihanouk was deposed, and the new leader and president became leutenant general Lon Nol. The Khmer Rouge soon formed after this, founded by Prince Sihanauk and his followers. After gaining some power, the Khmer Rouge sparked a civil war within Cambodia by attacking Lon Nol's army. While this was occuring, the Cambodian were also caught into a bloody war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The Vietcong, North Vietnam, and China fought South Vietnam alone, until the U.S. came into the picture, which made the war even more bloodier. - Arthur Porto

In the videoconference, the main focus was education. The DK and Khmer Rouge felt that education would be gained from hard labor and listening in on political meetings. This isn’t our idea of education but these harsh people believed that this would help to bring change to society. Many children didn’t go to school and learned informally through their parents, grandparents etc. The Khmer Rouge actually targeted intellectuals such as engineers, students, teachers, and lawyers etc. to be killed. Perhaps they wanted to fill the land with all new beliefs and try and “erase” the old beliefs. This plan did backfire at times though. For example, when canals and dams were being built to help increase rice production, no engineers were available to design them and so most of them failed. This had a large impact on the economy. This goes to show how education really is the basis of every society.- Alyssa Raguso Overall there wasn’t really attempts at rebellions. The Khmer Rouge had all of the power and took away rights from the Cambodians. Eveyone was split apart from family friends in order to work so it was hard to gather together and rebel. Although there was some resistance (it was isolated). But all of the attempts to rebel were crush and they didn’t get very far. Some people would try and flee but a lot were caught and killed. Sometimes people went into forests and started raids, but that was the extent of the rebellions. We are always looking for heroes but unfortunately in this case there were no big heroes. Perhaps if miraculously someone or a group of people was able to stop this genocide earlier they would be considered the heroes.- Alyssa Raguso
 * Education playing a major role in genocide:**
 * Attempt for Rebellions:**

As the Khmer Rouge was waging a war of genocide upon its people, Gregory Stanton tells us, there were isolated incidences of resistance. Some of these miniature rebellions were initiated by officials within the government who disagreed with its current policies, and others took place in the countryside and involved discontented laborers. Unfortunately, the apparatus of power which the Khmer Rouge held allowed them to swiftly crush rebellion of any form. Workers, and Cambodian people in general, were not allowed to congregate in large groups. Travel was more or less prohibited; communications among people situated in different locations was largely impossible. The few attempts at resistance which occurred thus found expansion exceedingly difficult, and ultimately impossible. In addition to pools of resistance which fully identified themselves as rebels, there existed bands of people who did not seek to bring down the Khmer Rouge regime but which nevertheless served to weaken the government as they pursued their own agendas. Among these groups were bandits and other outlaws who lived in forested areas outside of the government's reach and frequently conducted raids upon more populated regions. -Charles Watson
 * Rebellions within Cambodia**

Classification: "In Cambodia it was the capitalists (considered tainted by foreign influences) vs. farming peasants (considered pure). "

Dehumanization: "In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge dehumanized capitalists and ethnic groups like the Vietnamese, Cham and Chinese. The US justified bombing Cambodia because we believed communists were evil."

Organization: "Special army units or militias are often trained and armed, as were the Khmer Rouge. Plans are made for genocidal killings. Sometimes a charismatic leader with a solution for improving a nation in crisis rises up, like Hitler or Pol Pot. Cambodia had just been through war and the country was in chaos."

Denial: "The Khmer Rouge continued to massacre ethnic-Vietnamese for 20 years following the genocide. Only two Khmer Rouge leaders have been captured and charged with crimes against humanity. The rest live freely. "

-Charles Watson

**Hear Me Now: A poem by Sophal Leng Stagg**

Peacful times have gone away

Long gone, so far, so far away Let me live as I will you

Peaceful times as we once knew The young, the old, so sad these days

So sad, so scared, are we I have closed my eyes to run away

Run away to peaceful days Mother please stay with me

Don't go, please stay close to me I need you now to help me see

To see the days of peace for me Help me find those peaceful times

The times we laughed when we were free No more pain, be at peace"

This poem reflectsa the torture that Cambodian genocide victims went through, in the eyes of an actuall victim. She remembers the times before the genocide that were full of happiness and laughter. Once the Khmer Rouge took over he was no longer free nor happier. She is begging to go back to the happier times and to just escape form the Khmer Rouge. -Victor Di Fede

**__Pol Pot:__** Pol Pot’s original name was Saloth Sar and was born on May 19, 1928 in Kampong Thom Province French Indochina. His family were Khmer peasants, but still had relative wealth. Pol Pot was raised strictly but was always behind in his studies and consecutively failed tests. Fortunately for him his family had small royal connections and joined his brother in the career of palace protocol. Later Pol pot learned about politics and started to notice the rebelling groups in Cambodia. Pol Pot also started to achieve power by owning a guerilla war force called the Khmer Rouge which was put into power officially by the government. Leading the Khmer Rouge Pol Pot carried out his ideas of an agricultural world using slavery and killing millions which resulted to the Cambodian Genocide. On May 13, 1976 Pol Pot succeeded Khier Samphan and became Prime Minister. In 1979 Pol Pot had finally lost power when Vietnam overthrew him and took over Cambodia. After his defeat Pol Pot had run away, but was soon he came out to announce that the Khmer Rouge was declining and was arrested and put under house arrest. He died in the year 1998.aylal Chan -By Raylla Chan

Sophie Tahiraj www.flickr.com/photos/awahoo/455137994/ This picture shows the severity of the Cambodian genocide. As Saloth Sar (aka Pol Pot) led the Khmer Rouge, he planned on ridding the country Vietnamese, Chinese nationalists and Buddhist monks. Working towards agrarian collectivization, Pol Pot instituted many unjust indentured servitude that hurt many people and led to malnutrition and the deaths of over one-fifth of the current Cambodian population. Rebellion against the Pol Pot led to infliction of extreme pain and the victims of rebellion went through alot of pain, as shown in this picture.

Sophie Tahiraj "Dith Pran's wartime life was portrayed in the award-winning movie, //The Killing Fields//. Pran and Sydney Schanberg, then a New York Times correspondent, covered the encroaching civil war in Cambodia from 1972 to 1975. While Americans and Cambodian dependents were evacuated from Phnom Penh on April 12, 1975, Pran and Sydney stayed to cover the fall of the capital to the communist Khmer Rouge." (from []) .....Dith Pran was a man whose life situations inspired this movie that showed the horrors of the Cambodian genocide. Victims of the genocide were exiled to the killing fields and endured inhumane methods of forced labor and cruelty under the control of Pol Pot and the Khmer Ruge. Dith Pran, as a survivor of the genocide, gave alot of information to researches and to that specific movie.

Sophie Tahiraj [] This image shows soldiers in Cambodia at the time of the genocide. It shows the chaos and the severity that the genocide brought to all different people in Cambodia.

Sophie Tahiraj "The United Nations legal chief today called for donors to provide funds to support the UN-backed tribunal in Cambodia trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes during the country’s genocide in the late 1970s." (from []) .......This quote shows that the UN is in favor of providing aid to the results of the Cambodian genocide. The tribunal was backed by the UN, who provided aid for reformation and for trying leaders of the Khmer Ruge (who promoted agrarian society) as being guilty of genocide. This article was written in April of this year which shows that effects of the genocide still exist today in Cambodia from the harsh intensity of the mass killings.

Sophie Tahiraj "Under Pol Pot's leadership, and within days of overthrowing the government, the Khmer Rouge embarked on an organised mission: they ruthlessly imposed an extremist programme to reconstruct Cambodia (now under its Khmer name Kampuchea) on the communist model of Mao's China. "http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_cambodia1.html ....This quote is a quintessential summary of the Cambodian genocide. It is extremely interesting as it relates to other aspects of world history. It's a connection to China. Genocidal efforts in Cambodia was based off of the communist model of China under Mao. Aside from its appeal, this quote is an example of global diffusion and shows how even under tough circumstances and times of suffrage, ideas spread from one people to another. Pol Pot obviously was influenced by global information, specifically from China.

If there is any doubt that the genocide in Cambodia was genocide, let us look at how the different ethnic groups within Cambodia were treated. Cambodia’s population before the genocide consisted of twenty different ethnic groups that made up fifteen percent of the population. The biggest ethnic groups that were targeted were the Vietnamese, Chinese, and the Muslim Chams. The Buddhists were also completely destroyed.

Buddhists in Cambodia “Monks have disappeared from 90 to 95 per cent….. Monasteries ….. are largely abandoned. The foundation pillars of Buddhism…..have disintegrated. In the future they will dissolve further. The political base, the economic base, the cultural base must be uprooted.”(Boua, 1991, p.235)
 * During Pol Pot’s rule, the Buddhists were targets for eradication
 * Cambodia had three thousand Buddhists monasteries and about seventy thousand monks. By 1979, less than two thousand survived
 * From a CPK Center here is clear evidence for the intent of genocide:

Vietnamese in Cambodia Chinese in Cambodia Muslim Chams in Cambodia But as horrific as these facts are, the question that we need to ask is WHY? Why did the Khmer Rouge want to kill off foreigners? What made them believe and convince others that what they were doing was right?
 * The Vietnamese were also completely murdered off. One hundred thousand were driven out of Cambodia in 1975, and many more were murdered after that. The fact that the Vietnamese were practically annihilated is reason why we currently do not have eyewitnesses from the Vietnamese about their experience under genocide.
 * Before 1975, the Chinese population in Cambodia was about 425,000. After the genocide, only about 200,000 remained. The reason why so many Chinese were killed may have to do with the fact that many Chinese were urban dwellers. The Khmer Rouge also liked to think of the Chinese as war prisoners. The Chinese were therefore worked harder on communist farms; they were put under conditions harsher than Cambodian rural farmers.
 * Many Chinese died to diseases like malaria. Many were also starved to death.
 * Chinese language was banned
 * In 1975, the population of Muslim Chams in Cambodia was 250,000
 * The Khmer Rouge felt threatened by the authentic religion, customs, and culture of the Chams. They feared that the Chams would prevent the building of their communist society.
 * Cham women were forced to cut their hair short, peasants had to wear black pajamas
 * A hundred and thirteen villages of the Chams were destroyed, 100,000 Chams were massacred. Islamic language and religion were banned. Any surviving families in the massacres were dispersed.

With any genocide, I find myself constantly relating back to Hitler. Hitler convinced the Germans that the Jews needed to be annihilated. He convinced them that the Jews were traitors and that they were the reason why Germany was defeated in WW1. Hitler spoke during a time when the Germans were virtually in poverty, he knew that the Germans were in a state where they would easily blame anyone for their suffering. Hitler was right and that is why he was given power to commit his crime against humanity.

So instead of WW1 let us twist the story so that the setting is 1970 and the Vietnam War is going on. Cambodia is in a state of civil war and there is terror in every step that one may take. Lol Nol is the head of the government in Cambodia. He is backed by the United States. U.S. troops fly their planes overhead, dropping bomb after bomb, destroying rice paddies and the countryside. The U.S. claims that they are in Cambodia to get rid of the Vietcong that may have secret bases within. At any moment, your life could end, at any moment, your home destroyed.

But then a communist group arrives. They call themselves the Khmer Rouge and they say that they will “liberate” you from all this bombing. They say they are fighting against the foreigners that are bombing your country. They say they will get rid of Lol Nol and the United States. They will get rid of the enemy. All you have to do is join in their cause.

So you do, because it is your friends and family that you want to save. You don’t want to see your country destroyed, and here is the Khmer Rouge who promises to prevent your worse nightmares from coming true. You become one with Pol Pot, and you’re willing to do anything to get rid of the enemy, the United States.

Your efforts were not in vain, and neither were the efforts of your fellow companions who fought along with you. By 1975, Lol Nol was officially out of power, the U.S. was no longer bombing your country, and the Khmer Rouge was in power. So what is next? What should the Khmer Rouge do now that they are in power?

No more foreigners! A new society! A Super Great Leap Forward! Those are the proclamations that the Khmer Rouge shout. They promise a better, stronger economy. They promise that Cambodia will never be bombed and destructed again with the Khmer Rouge in power. They believe that Cambodia will prosper if all foreigners, urban dwellers, and religious leaders are gone from Cambodia. They believe that the only way Cambodia will become a great nation, like Mao China, is by sending all peasants to work on communist farms. That is what the Khmer Rouge believes and after all, they were the ones that liberated Cambodia from the enemy.

So the Khmer Rouge carry out their genocide, with no one truly opposing them just as Hitler carried out his genocide with no one to oppose him. History repeated itself.

- Linda Zhang "I see ... a pile of skulls and bones. For the first time since my arrival, what I see before me is too painful, and I break down completely. These are my relatives, friends and neighbors, I keep thinking ... It is a long time before I am calm again. And then I am able, with my bare hands, to rearrange the skulls and bones so that they are not scattered about."

The people that survived the Cambodian genocide were scarred for life.They witnessed an event so terrible and inhuman that most of the people will never be fully recovered.It is terrible and the country of Cambodia will never forget it. -Brynn Hyland

This picture shows the horrible conditions that the Khmer Rouge put the Vietnamese, Chinese, Tai, Muslims and Christian people through.The conditions were so horrible and the people were starved by the constant increasing and decreasing food rations. -Brynn Hyland

"In one mass execution, [|he gave his men a ‘kill them all' order], the indictment said. In another incident involving 29 prisoners he told his henchmen to ‘interrogate four persons, kill the rest,' it said." This is horrible and very unfair.I do not understand why they interrogated four people as a form of torture.Their way of torture is just another reason why it should be considered genocide.The Cambodians performing the killings were murdering innocent people who did nothing to affect their government. -Brynn Hyland “I remember the first time I saw the killing fields at Choeung Ek: pits with rainwater in them, scraps of cloth and concretions of bone in the exposed earth. In one mass grave swam fat, unwholesome frogs. A child was catching them; his family was going to eat them. When I try to conceptualize Cambodia's suffering, that sight -- repulsive to me, presumably ordinary to the boy -- reminds me equally of the presence of the murdered and the sad expedients of the living.” This quote really made me picture how horrible the conditions were in Cambodia during the genocide. The child catching frogs is so sad to think about because it shows how the citizens’ food rations were being decreased. The conditions were unreal and inhumane. -Brynn Hyland

__The Khmer Rouge and Cambodia: A Chronology__ //Courtesy of the Associated Press [// [|//http://www.ap.org//]// ] // Saloth Sar, later known as Pol Pot, goes to Paris on government scholarship and becomes absorbed with communist ideology. Pol Pot sets up communist party after Cambodia's independence from France. Pol Pot becomes party's general-secretary. Flees to jungle to escape repression by Cambodia's ruler, Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Khmer Rouge takes up arms in support of peasant against a government rice tax. Army suppresses insurrection. Civil war begins after right-wing coup topples Sihanouk. Khmer Rouge seizes power, begins doomed experiment in agrarian communism. Up to 2 million people die over four years from starvation, overwork and execution. Vietnam invades Cambodia to stop Khmer Rouge border attacks. Phnom Penh falls to Vietnamese two weeks later. Last time Pol Pot seen by outsiders. All Cambodian factions sign peace agreement. Khmer Rouge boycotts U.N.-supervised general election. Unconfirmed rumors that Pol Pot has died. Government announces Khmer Rouge breakup. Pol Pot's brother-in-law, Ieng Sary, leads 10,000 guerrillas to defect. Pol Pot reportedly orders top general Son Sen and family killed; hard-liners split into factions. Officials offer a series of conflicting accounts on Pol Pot's fate. Former comrades capture Pol Pot, both rival co-prime ministers say. A "people's tribunal" held at the guerrillas' last stronghold in northern Cambodia condemns Pol Pot for crimes that included the killing of the group's longtime guerrilla defense minister, Son Sen, and his family. United States offers assistance to any effort to bring Pol Pot before an international tribunal. Pol Pot dies in his sleep, at 73, Khmer Rouge officials say.
 * 1949-52**
 * 1953**
 * 1960-63**
 * 1967-68**
 * 1970**
 * 1975**
 * 1978**
 * 1979**
 * 1991**
 * 1993**
 * April 1996**
 * August 1996**
 * June 13, 1997**
 * June 20**
 * July 1997**
 * April 9**
 * April 15**

This genocide lasted from 1975 to 1979 in Kampuchea, Cambodia. In this genocide alone 1.7 million people were killed out of a population of 8 million. In essence this dreadful act was around for 30 years. The US had thirty years to step in and help Cambodia but instead they waited till the last year possible to offer help. 1. 7 million people died and they just let watched it happen. We had enough signs from Cambodia that showed they needed help, such as, when Khmer Rouge seized power. Once Khmer Rouge took power the nation’s cities were evacuate, schools were closed, hospitals were emptied, wages were abolished, monasteries were emptied, and factories were closed. If I could go back in time I would ask the US government why they waited so long to offer Cambodia help, when if they were Cambodia in this situation wouldn’t they want help. - Brooke Gamils



This is a picture of teenager Khmer Rouge recruits. This picture is very sad because it shows that even children at the age of 16 could be considered murderers. I believe that these teenagers wanted to grow up to fast so they thought by joining an army that would help them, but they never thought about the consequences of this action. These boys would live with the guilt of being part of genocide and killing many innocent people. Not only would these boys have caused many victims psychological trauma but they have caused themselves it as well. I know if I was one of these boys, I would probably have to die myself because the pain and guilt I would have would be too much to handle. - Brooke Gamils



The worst killing took place the within the last six months od the regime, in the aread of the Eastern Zone bordering Vietnam. In 11 villages Khmer Rouge carried out 1663 killings in 1978. In a community of 350 people there were 95 executions in 1978. Ten thousands of other villages were deported to the the northwest of the country where they were brought to Phnom Penh, where they were wore a blue scarf so show they were easterners. In total in 1978, aproximently 100,000 people were murdered. On a chart I onced looked at the aproximate death tolls under Pol Pot between 1975-1979 was highest in Cambodia at 1,671,000. - Brooke Gamils