Cambodia KRISTA AND KIMIKO

Before the Genocide  Cambodia was caught up in the war between America and Vietnam. They were one of the many battlefields used between the two. With all the methods that the U.S. and Vietnam took during the Vietnam war, thousands of Cambodians died along with others.  Towards the end of the war, the Khmer Rouge started up and gained more recruits with the devastation of the war. After the war, Pol Pot and his group Khmer Rouge over threw the Cambodian government. Them as the new leaders, they started their mission to reconstruct Cambodia

Genocide  Pol Pot wanted to make a huge federation of collective farms, so they forced everyone out of their homes and the sick out of the hospitals.  Children were taken from their parents and forced into labor camps  People of professional jobs such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers were killed  People were even shot for the simplest of things such as knowing different languages, wearing glasses, laughing/crying  Every business was completely shut down  They were stripped of their identity and forced to become part of Pol Pots plan of a new world

Killing Fields  The killing fields were places that the Cambodians were sent to be killed and/or were buried. Those who were sent there to be killed were clubbed over the head to save bullets. Other People who were buried here died from starvation, overworking, lack of medicine, and diseases(malaria).  It is estimated that over 2 million people died from the executions, diseases, exhaustion, and starvation.  Each field held dozens, or hundreds of skeletal remains

Timeline

Post Genocide  The Khmer Rouge was finally overthrown in 1979 by invading Vietnamese troops. After the fall of Khmer rouge, the people of Cambodia still continued to suffer. Thousands of people fled to Thailand and many died on the way. Many died of starvation or were blown up by land mines put down by the Khmer Rouge during their rule.  When arriving to Thailand, they brought diseases such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, and many others. It was estimated that about 650,000 died after the fall of Khmer rouge.

Post Genocide continued  Most of the survivors suffered from post dramatic stress disorder, but back then in Cambodia it wasn’t recognized as an illness and treatment was not given. Without the treatment, the illness continued to fester and worsen.  For those who suffered from PTSD, anything could and would set them off. This caused them to go into panic and for the older people with heart problems, it triggered heart attacks.

Opening up  Years after the Khmer rouge was overthrown, Cambodia began to open up about the traumatic experience. Survivors told their stories and in the 1980s there was a Hollywood movie made, name The Killing Fields. The movie and the stories brought to light the horrible event that happened in Cambodia. In July 1997 Pol Pot was denounced by his comrades in trial and was put in house arrest. Less than a year later he died, denying millions of people justice

Pledge  We, Kimiko and Krista, Pledge to prevent further genocides by spreading awareness, support, and never forgetting those who were victims of genocide.

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