Monday, August 15, 2005

Lest we forget: Cambodia's Killing Fields 1975-1979

On the 17th April, 1975 the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot began a 4 year campaign of liberation from imperialism and capitalism that left somewhere between 1 and 2 million Cambodians dead, displaced thousands, and left survivors terrorised with this simple edict:
"To keep you is no gain.
To destroy you is no loss."
Phnom PenhThe legacy of that liberation movement, in addition to other conflicts, lingers today with the continued maimings of civilians by the estimated 6 million landmines which pockmark Cambodian soil.

The photo comes from What is Fascism? by Paulo and Alexandra N. Correa. The following excerpt is from the D.A.C.H.S.. It is a survivor's tale of the Tonle Sap Lake Massacre.
People from my group began to drop like flies in the muddy bottom of the canal. Very few even bother to take them to get a proper burial. The dead and near dead were scattered all over as far as my eyes could see. We were all too exhausted and too weak to move. Every now and then a group of people came by to collect the dead bodies. Very few morn for the dead. Even the relatives showed very little emotion because they knew that the dead would suffered no more. We were all like a bunch of living dead. I thought that it would be much easier if they just come and take us away. When are they going to end our misery? I waited and waited. It never came.


5 Ninjas, 1 Kitten and a Fifth of Vodka!