Genocide Definition

Cambodian Genocide 1975-1979

Work Cited

Genocide Definition:

• Chalk, Frank. "Legal Definition Of Genocide." Prevent Genocide International. N.p., 26 Jan. 2004. Web. 9 May 2015.
• "GENOCIDE - CAMBODIA." GENOCIDE - CAMBODIA. Peace Pledge Union, n.d. Web. 11 May 2015.
• Hawkins, Allison, and Elizabeth Morgan. "Groups Involved." Cambodian Genocide. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2015.
• The History Place. "The History Place - Genocide in the 20th Century: Pol Pot in Cambodia 1975-1979." The History Place - Genocide in the 20th Century: Pol Pot in Cambodia 1975-1979. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2015.
• Krkljes, Sandro. "Cambodian Genocide." World without Genocide. N.p., Mar. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015.
• "United Nations Response - Anatomy of a Genocide: Cambodia." United Nations Response - Anatomy of a Genocide: Cambodia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2015.

History

"Article II: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

• In 1953 Cambodia had finally gained their independence from France.
• Power was then given to Cambodia’s Prince Sihanouk.
• Pol Pot escaped in the jungle form Sihanouk and formed his own communist army
• Prince Sihanouk joined Pol Pot due to the United States.
• In 1970, Lon Nol was made president of the new Khmer Republic. Many people did not like how the United States had bombarded their country and collaboration between Lon Nol and the US.
• Many people joined Khemer Rouge in hope to create a better Cambodia.

Was Justice Served?

Map of Cambodia

Justice had not been served in the case of the Cambodian Genocide. Once the United Nations and Cambodia made an agreement, the majority of the people that had taken part in the Khemer Rouge had died from either old age or the Vietnamese. Then once they started trialling people and only three were sentence to life in prison. One of the men, Ieng Thirith was dismissed for having a severe case of Alzheimer’s disease. The poor people that were murdered during the genocide had no justice. A total of three people have been put away for life. It takes more than three people to create a genocide.

Perpetrators, Bystanders, Upstanders, and Victims

We and the They

Justice

We: The we is the Khmer Rouge were the rulers. They were the people that were superior to the Cambodian citizens. They murdered and tortured these poor people because they could.

They: The they is the Cambodian Citizens. The Citizens were looked down upon. They did the dirty work in the labor camps. If they were not fitted to work they were killed. They were looked as the weaker and less superior.

Cambodia is located in southwest Asia continent. The latitude and longitude for Cambodia is 12.4317° N, 104.5291° E.

Perpetrators: The Khmer Rouge forced civilians to evacuate Phnom Penh to leave behind all their belongings and march towards the countryside. They forced the citizens to work in labor camps, farms or else they would be killed. If disabled, young, or old who could not make the journey were killed on the spot. Also, any who refused to leave or were against the new regime. Once they arrived many of them had gained injury, illness, and starvation and were killed.

Bystanders: The Untied States were still in Cambodia because of Vietnam.

•Lon Nol-U.S.-backed head of state who fled Cambodia

•Ambassador Dean of the United States

•Ung Sok Choeu-participated in student peace demonstrations

•Ngy Duch-Pailan

•China

•United States of America-entered, destroyed, and left Vietnam

Up standers: Vietnam because they stopped the killings with the invasion

Victims:Factories, schools and universities were shut down; so were hospitals. Lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, scientists and professional people in any field (including the army) were murdered, together with their extended families. Proximity 1.7 million people lost their lives (21% of the country's population

How it Ended

• It had been almost three decades since the ruling of Pol Pot and the Cambodian's asked the United Nations to help prosecute the leaders of the regime.
• The Cambodian government and the Untied Nations finally came to an agreement in 2003.This agreement resulted in the establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
• Due to the long process of the Extraordinary Chambers a good amount of the Khemer Rouge had died. The deceased included Pol Pot, Defense Minister, the Political Police, Minister, Minister, Ta Mok Chief of Military Command, and his deputy.
• A list of people who have been prosecuted so far are:
• Nuon Chea, second in command, arrested in 2007
• Kang Kew Iew, controlled security in prison nationwide, convicted in 2010
• Khieu Samphan was co-founder of Khemer Rouge, arrested in 2007
• Ieng Thirith, minister of Khemer Rouge, arrested in 2007
• Khieu Samphan, powerful politician

Groups with in Cambodia

Vietnam attacked Cambodia in 1978 to end Khemer Rouge border attacks. Vietnam won and ended the genocide.

Khmer Republic: This group was a government led by military and was Pro-US thoughts. The general was Lon Nol. Between 1970-1975 the Forces, with U.S. support and military aid, fought the Communist Khmer Rouge for control of Cambodia.

Khmer Rouge: Were a communist group led by Pol Pot who took over the Cambodian government in 1975. The group wanted to make Cambodia a rural, classless society where there would be no rich people, no poor people, and no exploitation. Due to the group hundreds of thousands of Cambodians were murdered or died from exhaustion, hunger, and disease.

Cambodian People: After the Khmer Rouge took over they forced the citizens to leave their home and walk to the country side. Many died from exhaustion, hunger, and disease. Once they arrived thy were forced into labor camps and were given little food.

Vietnam: Vietnam and Cambodia started their own war and Vietnam over throws Khmer Rouge.

What did the US and UN know?

• Israel was the first country to bring the matter to attention. In 1978 Britain's UN, pressured by the church's brought the mater to UN Human Rights (UNCHR), and to do an investigation
• American's that were over in Cambodia had reported some of the things they had saw but nothing was done.