Cambodian GenocideCambodian GenocideThe Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge

RegimeRegimeChia-Yi LinTam Tran

Alec TarantulaEmily G.

1. Political leader: 1. Political leader: Pol PotPol Pot He and his army, called the Khmer He and his army, called the Khmer

Rouge, came to power in Rouge, came to power in Cambodia in 1975.Cambodia in 1975.

He was named prime minister of He was named prime minister of the new communist government in the new communist government in 1976 and began a program of 1976 and began a program of violet reform. violet reform.

In hope of creating a society free In hope of creating a society free of western influence, he abolished of western influence, he abolished religion, institute, private property religion, institute, private property and evacuated cities.and evacuated cities.

Under his regime, forced labor, Under his regime, forced labor, execution and famine killed ~2 execution and famine killed ~2 million Cambodians. million Cambodians.

2. Headlines from newspaper2. Headlines from newspaper

“ “Never Again the Khmer Never Again the Khmer Rouge” Rouge”

New York Times, Oct 8 1988New York Times, Oct 8 1988

“ “Difficult to prove genocide Difficult to prove genocide in Cambodia’s killing fields”in Cambodia’s killing fields”

The Associated Press, The Associated Press, September 5 2000September 5 2000

3. Speech and quotes 3. Speech and quotes “ “ I watched many I watched many

Cambodians friends being Cambodians friends being herded out of Phnom Penh. herded out of Phnom Penh. Most of them I never saw Most of them I never saw again. All of us felt like again. All of us felt like betrayers, like people who betrayers, like people who were protected and didn’t do were protected and didn’t do enough to Phnom Penh when enough to Phnom Penh when the Khmer Rouger marched the Khmer Rouger marched in victorious in April save our in victorious in April save our friends. We felt shame. We friends. We felt shame. We still do.”still do.”

a foreign journalist in 17th 1975

“ a number of people, many of them survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides risk oversimplification, and may lessen or even absolute guilt - a concern that is accentuated when perpetrators assert that they were ‘only obeying orders.’ “

Alexander Laban Hinton , author of Why did they kill?

4. Map 4. Map OfOf

CambodiaCambodia

5. Cambodian food5. Cambodian food

Crispy rice Crispy rice and duckand duck

Khmer sor soupKhmer sor soup

Num pra pey Num pra pey nyny

Vegetable spring Vegetable spring rollsrolls

Saich moan Saich moan char tropchar trop

amokamok Saiong jayk Saiong jayk mian snoulmian snoul

6. Language6. Language

Language : Khmer (official) 95%Language : Khmer (official) 95%

: French, English: French, English

7. Reporters and photojournalists 7. Reporters and photojournalists

Robert Bingham, Michael Robert Bingham, Michael Perkins, Jeff Apostolou, Perkins, Jeff Apostolou, Mark Norris, Don Riley, Mark Norris, Don Riley, David Chandler, Sara David Chandler, Sara Colm, Peter Maguire.Colm, Peter Maguire.

“The Photo Archive Group's work in

Cambodia benefited from the generous help of numerous

organizations and individuals, including Robert Bingham, Michael Perkins, Jeff Apostolou, Mark Norris,

Don Riley, David Chandler, Sara Colm, Peter Maguire, The Indochina Media Memorial Fund, Calumet Holdings Inc., The Saunders Group, Light Impressions, The Lucius and Eva

Eastman Fund”

8. Role of the UN8. Role of the UN ““United Nations administrative tribunal United Nations administrative tribunal

helps those people who lived under helps those people who lived under Cambodian genocide to seek for their Cambodian genocide to seek for their justice.” justice.”

““The United Nations Peace building The United Nations Peace building Commission helps to ensure predictable Commission helps to ensure predictable financing for early recovery activities and financing for early recovery activities and sustained financial investment over the sustained financial investment over the medium- to longer-term.”medium- to longer-term.”

9. Members of the UN9. Members of the UN ““Responding to the invitation of the Secretary-Responding to the invitation of the Secretary-

General, His Excellency Kofi Annan, a Cambodian General, His Excellency Kofi Annan, a Cambodian delegation led by His Excellency Sok An Senior delegation led by His Excellency Sok An Senior Minister in Charge of the Council of Ministers has Minister in Charge of the Council of Ministers has come to New York and has engaged in seven come to New York and has engaged in seven meetings - one with the Secretary-General himself, meetings - one with the Secretary-General himself, and six with representatives of the United Nations and six with representatives of the United Nations Secretariat, led by His Excellency Hans Corell, Legal Secretariat, led by His Excellency Hans Corell, Legal Counsel, preparing for a resumption of negotiations Counsel, preparing for a resumption of negotiations for Khmer Rouge Trials for these crimes, in for Khmer Rouge Trials for these crimes, in accordance with the General Assembly Resolution accordance with the General Assembly Resolution 57/288 of 18 December 2002.”57/288 of 18 December 2002.”

Thomas Hammarberg is the representative for Thomas Hammarberg is the representative for Cambodia and was the one able to get the Cambodia and was the one able to get the Cambodian government to ask for help from the Cambodian government to ask for help from the United NationsUnited Nations

10. International communities’ 10. International communities’ response response

The process of justice for the genocide in The process of justice for the genocide in Cambodia started on June 21, 1997, when the Cambodia started on June 21, 1997, when the Cambodian co-prime ministers asked Cambodian co-prime ministers asked the United the United Nations to step in and help organize the Nations to step in and help organize the trials for those involved in the Khmer Rouge. trials for those involved in the Khmer Rouge.

In 1998 a group of experts was formed to examine In 1998 a group of experts was formed to examine the evidence, the law and different options of how the evidence, the law and different options of how to proceed with the trials of the Khmer Rouge. to proceed with the trials of the Khmer Rouge. This group worked from July 1998 until February This group worked from July 1998 until February 1999 looking at three different things: evaluating 1999 looking at three different things: evaluating the evidences and the crime, apprehending the evidences and the crime, apprehending people responsible, the different option for people responsible, the different option for bringing people to justice.bringing people to justice.

Symbolic emblemSymbolic emblem SR-21, a former school SR-21, a former school

was turned into a was turned into a torture factory during torture factory during the Cambodia genocide. the Cambodia genocide. Thousands of people Thousands of people who were sent here who were sent here would be given a would be given a number tag, as a number tag, as a symbol of recognition. symbol of recognition. Those people would Those people would later be tortured or later be tortured or executed. executed.

A total of 14,000 A total of 14,000 Cambodians were jailed Cambodians were jailed here and only 10 of here and only 10 of them survived.them survived.

Photos of prisoners with number tags on.

SummarySummary By 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime had killed around 2 million By 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime had killed around 2 million

people, which is about 30% of the population. The Khmer people, which is about 30% of the population. The Khmer Rouge was head by Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot. On Rouge was head by Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot. On April 17April 17thth 1975 the Khmer Rouge , a communist group led by 1975 the Khmer Rouge , a communist group led by Pol Pot, took power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.Pol Pot, took power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

The Khmer Rouge turned back the clock on Cambodia to The Khmer Rouge turned back the clock on Cambodia to more uncivilized times. Institutions such as stores, banks, more uncivilized times. Institutions such as stores, banks, hospitals, schools, religion and family were all banned. City hospitals, schools, religion and family were all banned. City dwellers were all forced to the countryside and to work in dwellers were all forced to the countryside and to work in labor camps. The citizens worked 12 to 14 hour days inside labor camps. The citizens worked 12 to 14 hour days inside the labor camps. the labor camps.

The Khmer Rouge targeted Buddhist monks, Western –The Khmer Rouge targeted Buddhist monks, Western –educated intellectuals, educated people in general, people educated intellectuals, educated people in general, people who had contact with Western countries, people who who had contact with Western countries, people who appeared to be intelligent (for example, individuals with appeared to be intelligent (for example, individuals with glasses), the cripple, the lame and ethnic minorities like glasses), the cripple, the lame and ethnic minorities like ethnic Laotians and Vietnams. ethnic Laotians and Vietnams.

BibliographyBibliographyBibliographyBibliography

Burie, Vongko. “ Then UN should be held Burie, Vongko. “ Then UN should be held accountable in a major part of the accountable in a major part of the genocide in Cambodia”. Cambodian genocide in Cambodia”. Cambodian Information Center, on the web 28 Oct. Information Center, on the web 28 Oct. 2005. Oct. 29 2006. www.cambodia.org 2005. Oct. 29 2006. www.cambodia.org

Thul Chan,Park. “commune Chiefs: Where Thul Chan,Park. “commune Chiefs: Where Was the UN from 1975-1979?. The Was the UN from 1975-1979?. The Cambodia Daily. On the web 28 Jun. Oct. Cambodia Daily. On the web 28 Jun. Oct. 29 2006. www.genocidewatch.org 29 2006. www.genocidewatch.org

Maguire, Peter. Facing Death in Cambodia, Maguire, Peter. Facing Death in Cambodia, Colombia University Press, New York, 2005Colombia University Press, New York, 2005

Etcheson, Craig. After the Killing Fields, Etcheson, Craig. After the Killing Fields, Praeger Publishing, Westport CT, 2005Praeger Publishing, Westport CT, 2005