By Sébastian SEIBT
France 24
Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge submitted Cambodia to a totalitarian regime that killed more than a million people.
How did the Khmer Rouge come to power?
In the 1960s, ‘Khmer Rouge’ was the name given to followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the name given by the communists of Cambodia to the country). Following the military coup of 1970, they formed an alliance of convenience with the ousted prince. They then threw themselves into an insurgency, and, after five years of civil war, succeeded in capturing Phnom Penh and ousting the military.
What was their ideology?
Most of the movement’s leaders, including Pol Pot, studied for a time in France, where they were very influenced by the French Communist Party. But the Asian context – and the Vietnamese and Chinese examples – also contributed to the forging of their own ideological framework. As in Maoism, the Khmer Rouge made farmers their proletariat. They were also opposed to their Vietnamese neighbours, whom they considered arrogant intellectuals.
What kinds of policies were implemented during the Pol Pot regime?
When he came to power, Pol Pot declared it “Year Zero” for the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge completely isolated the country. Anyone suspected of being an “intellectual” was tortured and most often executed. Even wearing glasses was considered enough to warrant such treatment. This purging of Cambodian society gradually turned into a hunt for anyone suspected of opposition. In terms of economic policies, the Khmer Rouge abolished its currency and private property and went so far as to empty the cities and force the population into labour camps.
How many people were killed under this totalitarian regime?
According to estimates, between one and 2.5 million Cambodians -- out of 8 million -- died under the Khmer Rouge regime. The University of Hawaii performed a statistical calculation of the number of victims of Pol Pot’s regime. According to the study, 2,400,000 people died between 1970 and 1980. This estimate included deaths caused by famine.
How did the reign of the Khmer Rouge end?
In 1978, tensions between Vietnam and Cambodia turned into all-out war. On January 7, 1979 the Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh. The Khmer Rouge was forced to retreat west, where they continued an insurgency against the government until Pol Pot’s death in 1988. “Democratic Kampuchea” held on to its seat at the United Nations General Assembly until 1993.
How did the Khmer Rouge come to power?
In the 1960s, ‘Khmer Rouge’ was the name given to followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the name given by the communists of Cambodia to the country). Following the military coup of 1970, they formed an alliance of convenience with the ousted prince. They then threw themselves into an insurgency, and, after five years of civil war, succeeded in capturing Phnom Penh and ousting the military.
What was their ideology?
Most of the movement’s leaders, including Pol Pot, studied for a time in France, where they were very influenced by the French Communist Party. But the Asian context – and the Vietnamese and Chinese examples – also contributed to the forging of their own ideological framework. As in Maoism, the Khmer Rouge made farmers their proletariat. They were also opposed to their Vietnamese neighbours, whom they considered arrogant intellectuals.
What kinds of policies were implemented during the Pol Pot regime?
When he came to power, Pol Pot declared it “Year Zero” for the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea. The Khmer Rouge completely isolated the country. Anyone suspected of being an “intellectual” was tortured and most often executed. Even wearing glasses was considered enough to warrant such treatment. This purging of Cambodian society gradually turned into a hunt for anyone suspected of opposition. In terms of economic policies, the Khmer Rouge abolished its currency and private property and went so far as to empty the cities and force the population into labour camps.
How many people were killed under this totalitarian regime?
According to estimates, between one and 2.5 million Cambodians -- out of 8 million -- died under the Khmer Rouge regime. The University of Hawaii performed a statistical calculation of the number of victims of Pol Pot’s regime. According to the study, 2,400,000 people died between 1970 and 1980. This estimate included deaths caused by famine.
How did the reign of the Khmer Rouge end?
In 1978, tensions between Vietnam and Cambodia turned into all-out war. On January 7, 1979 the Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh. The Khmer Rouge was forced to retreat west, where they continued an insurgency against the government until Pol Pot’s death in 1988. “Democratic Kampuchea” held on to its seat at the United Nations General Assembly until 1993.
6 comments:
This trial is not only deadly partial, like a small piece of an immerging iceberg, but also conspiring between different partners of crimes. These murderous show only what they want to show and tell what they want people to hear and understand. It is a second genocide against those who are victims of such an appalling crime and conspiracy.
Does the victims should believe pieces of the conspiring and arbitral history often wrote by Vietcong and khmer rouge sympathizers. Beside some exact history facts in their writing, these Vietcong sympathizers only want to show what they want to show or want people to understand this genocide. These Vietcong sympathizers often point the arm against the victims while trying to hide and clean the crimes of the murderous.
Does the victims should believe pieces of the conspiring and arbitral history often wrote by Vietcong and khmer rouge sympathizers. Beside some exact history facts in their writing, these Vietcong sympathizers only want to show what they want to show or want people to understand this genocide. These Vietcong sympathizers often point the arm against the victims while trying to hide and clean the crimes of the murderous.
The KR still blaming their failed regime to the Vietnamese. Khiev Samphan said he did not know that the KR kill people, until the late 80'.
click to go to: CambodianForum.org Website and Forum
Dear Sirs,
Please correct the mistakes: DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA, Pol Pot died in April 1998.
The genocidal Khmer Rouge Pol Pot Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary... regime has killed more than 3.5 millions innocent Cambodians. Though there were:
* about 600 000 peoples died in the war (1970-75)
* about 2 million peoples killed instantly by the KR henchmen
* about 1.5 million peoples died of exhaustion, hard labour, starvation, disease due to lacking of proper treatment and of medicine.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Ly
What is the point in writing this imprecise summary?
Democratic Republic of Kampuchea???
Mr. Ly has rectified this "small but heavy" imprecision.
1) "Khmer Rouge" was a term first used by Norodom Sihanu to designate the political left in the National Assembly. Only later did it designate the sympathizers, soldiers, cadre and leaders of the CPK.
2) Where did you get your demographic estimates concerning the total population in 1970 and the number of people killed between 1970 and 1980?
You seem to ignore that the way one plays around with these numbers has far reaching political and judicial implications.
Apparently as time passes estimates keep climbing. Twenty years ago the estimate of the total number of deaths between 1970 and 1979 was between 700 000 to 1.5 Ten years ago it was between 1 and 2 million. Now its between 2 and 3.5 million. At this rate in twenty years the estimate should reach between 4 and 5 million.
In conclusion, do us and yourself a favor: instead of treating such grave matters with such offhandedness it would be advisable to do your homework before.
You owe it to yourself if you're Cambodian and more generally you owe it to yourself as a conscious and responsible person.
History is too grave a matter to be treated in such a fashion.
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