The Cambodian Genocide was a horrendous event that occurred during the years of 1975-1979 in Cambodia, resulting from a civil war in Cambodia that was fought between the Khmer Republic, the democratic side of Cambodia, and the Khmer Rouge, the communist side of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge were victorious. Cambodia plunged into a dark era where the Khmer Rouge reformed Cambodia into one that would be influenced by Mao Zedong's communist China and Josef Stalin's communist Soviet Union. A classless society that was dictated by the results that the people provided through hard labor. The Democratic Kampuchea was formed. Pol Pot and the "Angkar Padevat" or the higher ranks of the Khmer Rouge led Cambodia with an iron fist. With communist Vietnam adjacent to Cambodia, it was clear that communism had successfully spread to prominent parts of Southeast Asia.
The Khmer Rouge take over Phnom Penh, Cambodia in April 17, 1975
Pol Pot, Leader of the Khmer Rouge
Misadventures
Khmer Rouge Security Regulations
It was Year Zero all around Cambodia. Throughout Cambodia, people were working in the fields that they were assigned in order to produce what was ordered on the "Four-Year Plan." The plan stated... "People must produce three tons of rice per hectare around the country." Everyone was required to work everyday over a course of 12 months, with inefficient food and living conditions. All families were separated, and all services were demolished. Everyone must follow a jurisdiction assigned by the Khmer Rouge in order to perform as a communist society. Some include:
To not show affection to anyone, no matter their relation
Prohibit the use of services such as hospitals, schools, police stations, etc. (Buildings were demolished)
Certain religious and ethnicity groups, including Christians, Cham Muslims, people of Vietnamese ancestry, and people of Thai ancestry, were to be killed
All traditional Cambodian traditions were to be kept
To consider the "Angkar Padevat" (higher ranks of Khmer Rouge) as the "mother and father"
Chance of survival was little to none, and only the strongest will survive.
A Closer Look at the "Killing Fields"
Choeung Ek, a Mass Grave of Victims of the Khmer Rouge
You haven't seen a true cemetery if you were to visit the "Killing Fields" situated all around Cambodia.
Labor was the only way out in order to survive in a dangerous country such as Cambodia. People must fulfill their designated jobs in order to impress the Angkar Padevat and the rest of the Khmer Rouge and to pledge their own nationalism to the country of Cambodia. Many fell to illnesses that could not be cured, as the Khmer Rouge did not allow for people to care for each other. In other words, if someone were to fall to an illness, it was almost guaranteed death for them. The Khmer Rouge wanted to extol their system of government around the world, in an effort to spread communism as well.
These are the horrors of what a communist government such as the Khmer Rouge could succumb to.
Capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Connecting to the Eight Stages of Genocide
Classification
Promptly after the Khmer Rouge had taken power, certain religions and people of different ancestries were targeted, notably the Christians, the Cham Muslims, and many of Vietnamese or Thai descent.
Symbolization
People were classified to their own group or farmland based on their own information that the Khmer Rouge had. Documentation and papers were in the hands of the government, and it was your demise if they found out that you were a part of the group of people who were to be killed.
Dehumanization
In order to make the citizens of Cambodia bow down to the Khmer Rouge and create a laborious environment, they were forced to be sent to fields and maintain their job of harvesting rice over terrible living conditions. A mentality of labor and work was implemented in these people's minds, and their own humanity was one of the topics to be least caring about. This is the process of taking away someone's humanity.
Organization
Throughout the genocide, the process of transforming Cambodia completely was well organized and carried out thoroughly. All camps were set up and the process of demolishing other services went without question.
Polarization
The process of separating families and loved ones from each other drove Cambodia citizens to be situated around many different parts in the world, with not even a single family member with them.
Preparation
Certain groups were targeted and killed in death prisons, notably in the Tuol Sleng prison. People of Vietnamese and Thai ancestry were killed, along with Cham Muslims and many Christians.
Extermination
The process of holding death prisons for the ones who were destined to die and killing fields for the Cambodian citizens who were to go through hard labor summarizes the fact that extermination took place all around Cambodia. Approximately 2 million people were killed in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979.
Denial
Even in the posthumous years, many Khmer Rouge supporters were alive and held their traditions. There were trials that held them accountable for the actions in Cambodia during the genocide, however, many did not want to accept that what they did was wrong. They've denied many accusations of the tragedy they caused.
Global Response and Future Years
The Extraordinary Chambers of Courts in Cambodia
How did the world see the Cambodian Genocide?
Ironically, half of the world probably didn't even see the Cambodian Genocide in any media at the time. In fact, essentially, America was more focused on the Cold War with the Soviet Union and newly composed communist nation, Vietnam. Vietnam was located right next to Cambodia however, meaning that the United Nations had paid a lot of attention towards that area of geographical location. Despite this, regarding the genocide itself, the United Nations did not send many troops in order to prevent the genocide from occurring, as they feared another total war that the last two world wars had displayed earlier in the century. Even before, the Vietnam War had already taken a big hit on Americans as they lost to the Viet Cong, therefore, they deemed it unnecessary to prevent the Cambodian Genocide. Their objective was to maintain peace, rather than creating peace on its own through extreme negotiations and measures.
On January 7, 1979, the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, was captured by Vietnamese invaders, and was turned into their own Vietnamese communist government, named the People's Republic of Kampuchea. At this time, the United Nations finally decided to act accordingly and send more troops to Cambodia in order to push back the Vietnamese. Many weapons of war were used, notably land mines. Democratic Kampuchea, the government of the Khmer Rouge, was recognized as the official government of Cambodia and seat in the United Nations assemblies until 1993. Containment of communism was absolutely imperative for the United Nations, and they fulfilled it by using the weaker communist group to thwart the larger communist group.
After the terrible years in the late 20th Century, the beginning of the 21st Century brought upon tribunals for the Khmer Rouge members who were still alive that committed war crimes during the genocide. The Extraordinary Chambers of Courts in Cambodia was a tribunal that was composed in order to expose the perpetrators of the genocide. Some include Kang Kek Iew, a key member of the Khmer Rouge who was charged with murder and torture allegations, especially in the infamous Tuol Sleng prison, holding 16,000 prisoners with only 7 known to be alive. Another key member, Ieng Sary, denied all charges of murder and torture and was sentenced to life after November 2007.
Today, Cambodia stands to see the Cambodian Genocide as one of the worst years in Cambodian history. Many victims are still suffering from the trauma of what had happened in front of their eyes during the tragedy. Living in Cambodia meant living in a cemetery filled with loose skeletal remains, as there were corpses that were unburied everywhere in the killing fields. It serves as a memoir of what the Cambodian Genocide had brought upon Cambodian citizens. Significantly, the Cambodian government had made it illegal for Cambodians to claim the denial of the genocide itself. But, in essence, they don't want to remember what had happened in Cambodia.
Yet, the Cambodian Genocide remains to be one of the deadliest genocides in history.
Cambodian monk looks at photos of victims of Tuol Sleng prison
Works Cited
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