Saturday, September 19, 2009

What is Khme Rouge?

Definition of Khmer Rouge:
Khmer Rouge derives from the French word, Khmer + Rouge = Red Khmer

Flag of Democratic KampucheaKhmer Rouge seized power in 1975, and in 1976 Khmer Rougeestablished a new constitution with the new flag under offical name, Democratic Kampuchea Khmer Rouge means Red Khmer translated from French and it was named by former King and Prime Minister Norodom Sihanouk. As one of the most violent regimes of the 20th century, the Khmer Rouge regime was responsible for the deaths of approximately 1.7 million people by execution, starvation and forced labor.

Known Name of Khmer Rouge:
Khmer Rouge
Democratic Kampuchea
Pol Pot Regime
• Genocide Regime
Killing Fields
• Cambodian Communists
• Red Khmer
• Communist Party of Cambodia
• Cambodian Genocide
• Khmer Krah-Ham (in Khmer, means Red Khmer)
• Angkar (in Khmer, means Government)

Brief Background of Khmer Rouge:

The Khmer Rouge, organized by Pol Pot in the Cambodian jungle in the 1960s, advocated a radical Communist revolution that would wipe out Western influences in Cambodia and set up a solely agrarian society. In 1970, aided by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, Khmer Rouge guerrillas began a large-scale insurgency against Cambodian government forces, soon gaining control of nearly a third of the country.

By 1973, secret U.S. bombings of Cambodian territory controlled by the Vietnamese Communists forced the Vietnamese out of the country, creating a power vacuum that was soon filled by Pol Pot's rapidly growing Khmer Rouge movement. In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, overthrew the pro-U.S. regime, and established a new government, the Kampuchean People's Republic.

As the new ruler of Cambodia, Pol Pot set about transforming the country into his vision of an agrarian utopia. The cities were evacuated, factories and schools were closed, and currency and private property was abolished. Anyone believed to be an intellectual, such as someone who spoke a foreign language, was immediately killed. Skilled workers were also killed, in addition to anyone caught in possession of eyeglasses, a wristwatch, or any other modern technology. In forced marches punctuated with atrocities from the Khmer Rouge, the millions who failed to escape Cambodia were herded onto rural collective farms.

Between 1975 and 1978, an estimated two million Cambodians died by execution, forced labor, and famine. In 1978, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, capturing Phnom Penh in early 1979. A moderate Communist government was established, and Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreated back into the jungle.

In 1985, Pol Pot officially retired but remained the effective head of the Khmer Rouge, which continued its guerrilla actions against the government in Phnom Penh. In 1997, however, he was put on trial by the organization after an internal power struggle ousted him from his leadership position. Sentenced to life imprisonment by a "people's tribunal," which critics derided as a show trial, Pol Pot later declared in an interview, "My conscience is clear." Much of the international community hoped that his captors would extradite him to stand trial for his crimes against humanity, but he died of apparently natural causes while under house arrest in 1998.

Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n130929

Movie and Document Film:

S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2004)
Out of the Poison Tree
Killing Fields


Anthem of Democratic Kampuchea
Anthem of Democratic Kampuchea: Dap Prampi Mesa Chokchey (English: Glorious Seventeenth of April)

The bright red blood was spilled over the towns
And over the plain of Kampuchea, our motherland,
The blood of our good workers and farmers and of
Our revolutionary combatants, of both men and women.

Their blood produced a great anger and the courage
To contend with heroism.
On the 17th of April, under the revolutionary banner,
Their blood freed us from the state of slavery.

Hurrah for the glorious 17th of April!
That wonderful victory had greater significance
Than the Angkor period!

We are uniting
To construct a Kampuchea with a new and better society,
Democratic, egalitarian and just.
We follow the road to a firmly-based Independence.

We absolutely guarantee to defend our motherland,
Our fine territory, our Magnificent revolution!

Hurrah for the new Kampuchea,
A splendid, democratic land of plenty!
We guarantee to raise aloft and wave the red banner of the revolution.
We shall make our motherland prosperous beyond all others,
Magnificent, wonderful!

MOST WELL-KNOWN LEADERS of KHMER ROUGE:
POL POT | IENG SARY | KHIEU SAMPHAN
(Some of them are not yet listed here, more to come such as Nuon Chea, Ta Mok)

Faces Who Face Tribunals

Ieng Sary
The Vietnamese-born foreign minister from 1976-78 later commanded a vast western stronghold rich in gems and timber. After Sary's defection in 1996, King Norodom Sihanouk pardoned him from a death sentence. Still influential.

Nuon Chea
Also known as Brother Number Two. Pol Pot's chief lieutenant, but retired with his wife to a cottage. A surrender pact with Prime Minister Hun Sen in 1998 spared him from prosecution.

Khieu Samphan
Khmer head of state from 1976-79, then led a rebel government. Succeeded
Pol Pot as leader of the Khmer Rouge in 1985. Surrendered to the Cambodian
government in 1998. The Paris-trained economist was a brother in-law of Pol
Pot and Leng Sary.

Chhit Choeun
Also known as Ta Mok, the one-legged former army chief was called "The
Butcher" after the massacre of 30,000 in Angkor Chey. Until his arrest in
1999, "Uncle Mok" made lucrative deals with Thai businessmen. Has been
awaiting trial since 1999.

Kang Khek Ieu
Better known as Duch, the former maths teacher ran an interrogation centre
in Phnom Penh. Converted a school into a torture chamber. One execution
order sent 17 children to their deaths for not turning their parents in to
authorities. Awaiting trial since 1999.

NOTE:
a - "Justice catches up with the Khmer Rouge", The Independent London, Friday 5 May 2006



Official List of National and International Judges and Prosecutors for the
Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
as selected by the Supreme Council of the Magistracy on 4 May 2006 and
appointed by Preah Reach Kret (Royal Decree) NS/RKT/0506/214 of
His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia
on 7 May 2006

Source: http://www.eccc.gov.kh/
1Judges in the Trial Chamber
Mr. Nil Nonn 50 (Cambodia): Head since 1993 of the provincial court in Battambang, where he has dealt with fallout from the rehabilitation of Pol Pot's guerrillas after their final surrender in the area in 1998. Has Vietnamese law degree. Speaks English

Mr. Thou Mony 43 (CAMBODIA): - Has served on Phnom Penh's Appeal Court since 1991, earning a reputation for judicial probity. His most high-profile case involved sentencing three Khmer Rouge commanders to 20 years in jail for the 1994 murder of three tourists from Australia, Britain and France. Has Vietnamese law degree. Speaks English.

Mr. Ya Sokhan 51 (CAMBODIA): - Phnom Penh Court judge. Attracted diplomatic and media attention in 2004 when he convicted Hambali, a suspected regional al Qaeda associate, in absentia for a plot to bomb the U.S. and British embassies. Has law degree from Metchnikov in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union.

Ms. Silvia Cartwright (NEW ZEALAND): - Appointed Governor-General of New Zealand in 2001 after a distinguished career as lawyer and jurist. The first woman appointed to New Zealand's High Court, she is well known as an advocate of women's rights.

Mr. Jean-Marc Lavergne 45 (FRANCE): - Vice-President of the Criminal Court in the French town of Le Mans. Previously served as Appeal Court adviser in Rennes.

(Reserve)
Mr. You Ottara
Ms. Claudia Fenz (Austria)

2Judges in the Supreme Court Chamber
H.E. Kong Srim
Mr. Som Sereyvuth
Mr. Sin Rith
Mr. Ya Narin
Mr. Motoo Noguchi (Japan)
Ms. Agnieszka Klonowiecka-Milart (Poland)
Mr. Chandra Nihal Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka)

(Reserve)
Mr. Mong Monichariya
Mr. Martin Karopkin (USA)

3Co-Investigating Judges
Mr. You Bun Leng
Mr. Marcel Lemonde (France)

(Reserve)
Mr. Thong Ol
International (To be announced)

4Co-Prosecutors
Ms. Chea Leang
Mr. Robert Petit (Canada)

(Reserve)
H.E. Chuon Sun Leng
Mr. Paul Coffey (USA)

5Pre-Trial Chamber
H.E. Prak Kimsan
H.E. Ney Thol
Mr. Hout Vuthy
Mr. Rowan Downing (Australia)
Ms. Katinka Lahuis (Netherlands)

(Reserve)
Mr. Pen Pichsaly
International – none

Pol Pot [ Click for more about POL POT ]
[ Click picture to see more pictures of POL POT ]

• Original Name: Salot Sar, born in May 1925. He grew up in a well off farming family in Kompong Thong province (about 140 kilometers north of Phnom Penh).
1931, moved to live with his brother in Phnom Penh. His brother was an official of Palace
1946, joined Indochinese Communist Party to help oust French
1949, received a scholarship to study radio-electricity in France
1952, joined the French Communist Party, and later failed examination
1953, returned to Cambodia and joined Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP)
1954, taught history and geography in a private school inPhnom Penh while joined and worked for communist movement
1956, married to Khieu Ponnary
1960, helped with Paris's Student group to restructure KPRP and raname it, Workers' Party of Kampuchea (WPK)
1963, become command of WPK
1965, went to Hanoi and was approached to ousted the U.S. out of Indochinese
1966, visited to China, and renamed his party to, Kampuchean Communist Party (KCP)
1967, refuged to live in the northeast of Cambodia
1968, his party established revolutionary army of Kampuchea
1975, turned Cambodia to the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea
1976, became Prime Minister and the official Cambodian head of state
1977, visited to China to seek military assistance against Vietnam
1979, fled by helicopter to Thailand after his regime was ousted by Vietnamese invasion
1985, resigned from the Khmer Rouge military forces
1997, was convinced that his minister for defence, Song Sen, was collaborating with the Hun Sen Government. Then, he was arrested by Ta Mok, commander of Khme Rouge 'Brother Number Five'. During his trail, he agreed to an interview with Nate Thayer, a journalist with the 'Far Eastern Economic Review'. He told Thayer, "First, I want to let you know that I came to join the revolution, not to kill the Cambodian people,... Look at me now. Do you think ... am I a violent person? No. So, as far as my conscience and my mission were concerned, there was no problem. This needs to be clarified... Whoever wishes to blame or attack me is entitled to do so. I regret I didn't have enough experience to totally control the movement. On the other hand, with our constant struggle, this had to be done together with others in the communist world to stop Kampuchea becoming Vietnamese... For the love of the nation and the people it was the right thing to do but in the course of our actions wemade mistakes."
1998, died in the evening of 15 April, reportedly from heart failure

References:
TIME 100: Pol Pot, AUGUST 23-30, 1999 VOL. 154 NO. 7/8 (Originated by By DAVID CHANDLER )
Moreorless : heroes & killers of the 20th century (24 September 2001. Reviewed 4 June 2003. Updated 16 August 2005)
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Timeline: Cambodia BBC: News

Ieng Sary [ Click here for more about INEG SARY ]
[ Click picture to see more pictures of IENG SARY ]

• Original name: Kim Trang
• Revolutionary names: Sou Hav and Comrade Vann
• Khmer Krom name: Penh
• Born in 1930 in Tra Ninh province, Vietnam
• His wife: Ieng Thirith
• has three daughters and a son
1960, taught history and geography at Kampuch Botr School 1
1963, fled to join the force at a northeastern jungle in Kampong Cham 1
1970, went to Vietnam to seek help from Vietnam 1
1972, became the commander in chief of northeastern zone's military 1
1973, worked in a secret office of the party in suburb of Hanoi, Vietname 1
1975, became a member of the People’s Revolutionary Party and later in September, was a member of the central committee 1
9 October 1975, in charge of foreign affairs of the party and the state 1
30 March 1976, was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, in charge of Foreign Affairs 1
1996, surrendered to the government and was granted amnesty

References:
(1) . IENG SARY’S 1996 DECLARATION Special English Edition, April 2003, Documentation Center of Cambodia
Ieng Sary's Regime

Khieu Samphan [ Click here for more about KHIEU SAMPHAN ]
[ Click picture to see more pictures of KHIEU SAMPHAN ]


• born July 27, Kompong Cham Province (?)
• 1959, finished his study of Economy in France
• 1950 - 1960, an official for Sihanouk
• 1962 - 1966; was elected to the National Assembly
• 1967 - fled to join Communist Movement
• 1976 - 1979, chairman of the state presidium of Cambodia
• 1979, led a rebel government
• 1981, held talk with Sahnouk in Pyongyang, North Korea
• 1982, met Sihanouk in Beijing and maintained some international recognition
• 1985, succeeded Pol Pot as leader of Democratic Kampuchean faction
• 1987 - 1991, representatives of the Khmer Rouge for the1991 Paris Peace Accords
• 1998, surrendered to the Cambodian government

References:
MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base
COALITION GOVERNMENT OF DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA
Mr. Khieu Samphan (khmerkampongspeu.org)

Nuon Chea [ Click here for more about NUON CHEA ]


• Born in 1925, Battambang province
• His Wife: Ly Kim Seng
• Real name: Long Bunruot, also known as "Brother Number Two"
• 1951: Joined the Indochinese Communist Party
• Elected to Deputy General Secretary of the Communist Party
• Become Pol Pot's most trusted lieutenant
• December 1998: surrendered as last remnants of Khmer Rouge

References:
seasite.niu.edu/
camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily

Ta Mok [ Click here for more about Ta Mok ]


• Real name: Chhit Choeun
• Born in 1926 – 21 July 2006
• Born with Chinese-Khmer descent in Takeo province
• Known as Brother Number 5
• 1930: educated a buddhist monk at Pali
• At age of 16: left from monkhood
• 1940: joined resistants against French colonial rule and Japanese
• 1960: Become general and the group's chief-of-staff
• 1964: Joined anti-French Khmer Issarak
• Late 1960: Member of the Standing Committee of the Khmer Rouge's Central Committee
• Powerful man in south-west zone
• Pol Pot named him as leader of the national army of Democratic Kampuchea
• Lost the lower part of one leg

References:
wikipedia



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