Why Did the Cambodian Genocide Happen?
The Cambodian genocide was one of the darkest times in the history of Cambodia. It occurred when the Khmer Rouge was in power of the country. However, it’s important that individuals understand the history behind it to ensure that it never is repeated.
The Cambodian genocide happened because of the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge formed and rose to power in Cambodia in 1975, and stayed in power until 1979. The party was led by Pol Pot, Leng Sary, Son Sen, and Khieu Samphan.
While in power, the Khmer Rouge systematically executed over seven million citizens for reasons that ranged from breaking minor rules to wearing glasses.
Khmer Rouge and the Agrarian Focus
The party was also referred to as the Democratic Kampuchea. The main objective of the regime was to create an agrarian-based Communist society in Cambodia.
To accomplish this goal, the government shipped individuals that lived in the city to the countryside. They were then forced to labor in the fields. The entire population of Cambodia was forced to work in collective farms or forced labor plots.
It was a radical form of agrarian communism, and it is estimated that about seven million individuals died in Cambodia during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge was suspicious of individuals who might support democracies or western governments, and thus the government killed and tortured any individual who was suspected of participating in any free market activities.
Some of the individuals that the government deemed as a suspected capitalist included, but was not limited to, the following:
- professionals in leading industries
- anyone with a higher education
- individuals who lived in a city
- individuals who had connections to other governments
The motto of the party was that, “To keep you is no benefit, and to destroy you is no loss.”
Khmer Rouge and Children
One of the characteristic beliefs of the Khmer Rouge was that parents were tainted or ruined by the idea of capitalism. Thus, the government separated children from their parents. The government would then attempt to brainwash the children about the benefits of socialism and communism.
Additionally, the government taught the children how to torture animals, and encouraged them to participate in this practice. The children were thought to be a “dictatorial instrument of the party.” Children were frequently given positions of power and leadership in situations of the torture and murder of adults in the country.
Isolation and Government Rule
When this government was in power, it systematically attempted to isolate the country from any foreign influence. Furthermore, the Khmer Rouge systematically closed schools, hospitals, factories, and banks. The government outlawed any type of finance or currency in the country, and outlawed any religion.
The government would not allow any type of private property and confiscated all types of private property from the citizens of the government. The purpose of relocating individuals to collective farms for forced labor was to turn individuals into “Old People.”
Millions of Cambodians died due to starvation, exhaustion, and illness from working on the farms. Frequently the government would lie to the citizens that it was relocating, and told them that they would return to their homes in a few days, or that they had to be relocated because the Americans were going to bomb the city.
Citizen Executions and Treatment
The government expected the citizens to produce three tons of rice per hectare, which was triple what individuals could produce before the Khmer Rouge took power of the country.
This meant that citizens had to work for twelve hours without stopping for rest or food. The government also disallowed any types of Western medicine, which meant that many individuals died due to improper treatments for illness or sickness. Any type of family relationships were banned in the country and family members could die for merely speaking with each other.