Day 23: Cultural Preparation – The Killing Fields and Their Effects

Cambodia’s recent history contains tragedy that has had profound, lasting effects on
its people and culture. It is important that you are aware of this as you prepare to set
foot in Cambodia, as it will help you to be sensitive and to better understand the
people.
Between the years1975-1979, Cambodia was controlled by a communist regime called
the Khmer Rouge, led by the extremely oppressive dictator, Pol Pot. During this time, Pol
Pot managed to inflict a massive-scale genocide which wiped out close to two million
Cambodians – more than twenty percent of its entire population.57
The Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975 and Pol Pot turned the entire
country upside down, starting by declaring it “Year Zero”. With the goal to transform the
country into a Maoist agrarian state that would be completely autonomous, he
immediately instituted a program designed to eradicate any trace of capitalism,
religion, or foreign influences (specifically Western) from Cambodia. It was a brutal,
systematic process: foreigners were extradited, embassies were shut down, and the
currency was abolished. Shops and markets became illegal. Private property was
absorbed by the regime. Schools, newspapers, and religious practices were forbidden.
Anyone who opposed the regime or could be suspected of opposition was murdered:
members of the Lon Nol government, public servants, police, military officers, teachers,
ethnic Vietnamese, Christian clergy, Muslim leaders, members of the Cham Muslim
minority, members of the middle-class and the educated. 58
Agricultural labor camps the size of soccer fields were set up, and the Khmer Rouge
proceeded to force the country's entire population to live and work in the camps.
These camps, which infamously became known as the “killing fields,” were surrounded
by farmland and contained mass graves for around 20,000 Cambodians.59 Conditions
for inmates were extremely primitive. Families were not allowed to stay together,
religious leaders were not allowed to practice their beliefs, large-scale political
indoctrination and brainwashing was aggressively instituted, and children were taught to spy on adults, including their parents.60
Within these camps, millions died from over-work, starvation, disease, and execution for
punishable crimes. Such “crimes” included not working hard enough, complaining,
grieving for deceased loved ones, any expression of religious connotation, engaging in
sexual contact, collecting food, and wearing jewelry.61
On January 7, 1979, after three years, eight months, and twenty days of the Khmer
Rouge’s terrorizing rule, the Vietnamese invaded and freed the Cambodian people.
Hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fled to refugee camps at the Thai border. Their
homeland had become a place of
nightmares, and many Cambodians chose
to immigrate to places like the United States,
France, or Australia instead of returning
home.62
This genocide and these “killing fields” have
left a lasting effect on the people of
Cambodia. Those that survived were
subjected to working conditions that kept
them at the brink of death daily, they saw family and friends die of starvation or horrific
violence, and they received no reprieve from the terror. Because of this, many struggle
with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or severe depression.63
All of this has led to the breakdown of the family structure, a survival mentality, and a
cheap view of the value of life. These three outcomes contribute to a false perception
that it is not that big of a deal for parents to sell and traffick their children to ensure that
they will never be hungry again.
When you are in Cambodia, do not be surprised by some families’ and communities’
calloused perceptions of the buying and selling of human life. Pray for the healing and
softening of their hearts, that they would not simply bury their pain but that they would
find healing and redemption in Christ.