The Cambodian Genocide was among the largest human rights violations and losses of human life of the 20th century. Over an estimated 2 million people were killed and the regime had members at every level of society carrying out its deadly ideology. Many of the persecutors were victims themselves, under orders of kill or be killed, and many others were brainwashed young men, rural farmers who knew little else other than what they were told by those whom they believed were better equipped to make such important decisions. Overall there was a shared guilt between all sections of society, implicit or otherwise.
The evidence of the Khmer Rouge’s heinous crimes were found only days after the Vietnamese army invaded Cambodia, when the “Killing Fields” along with evidence of various other crimes, such the infamous S-21 prison, were discovered. The Vietnamese authorities quickly sought to bring the atrocities to international media attention (Fawthrop, Jarvis 9). However, there remained a problem with bringing the perpetrators of said crime to justice. The country of Cambodia was in total disarray. People were scattered as refugees across the region, millions were homeless and starving, the government lacked funds and supplies, and there loomed the threat of violence of rebels and guerillas all along the borders. The occupying Vietnamese as well as the fledgling Cambodian government were ill-equipped to deal with the massive humanitarian crisis, much less the logistics of locating and bringing to trial those responsible for the crimes committed during the period the Khmer Rouge was in power.
Eventually the Cambodian government, backed by the Vietnamese, decided on a policy of punishing the perpetrators of the genocide, stating that “all reactionary ringleaders” would be “sternly punished”. However, pressure from China at the Paris Peace Conference would prove to be a challenge for the war crimes tribunal, as they demanded that a coalition government must include a Khmer Rouge faction, including many of its genocidal leaders. The western powers would begrudgingly allow this, and the talks came to an end with the Khmer Rouge being a now legitimate group in the Cambodian government. By doing this, many of the Khmer Rouge leadership was able to escape any form of punishment.
In 1997, the Cambodian government would establish the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) which would be tasked with bringing to justice the worst offenders in the genocide. To date only 5 members of the Khmer Rouge have been convicted, and they were among the highest ranked and most responsible for the crimes committed. They are convicted on various crimes against humanity, acts of genocide, as well as war crimes. However, despite the Cambodia Tribunal’s progress in punishing those responsible, many of those escaped any form of punishment. In particular, the main agent of the genocide, Pol Pot himself, was able to escape arrest for many years, eventually passing away from a heart attack in 1998. To many domestically within Cambodia and internationally feel that the crimes are still largely unpunished and that justice has not been properly served.
The evidence of the Khmer Rouge’s heinous crimes were found only days after the Vietnamese army invaded Cambodia, when the “Killing Fields” along with evidence of various other crimes, such the infamous S-21 prison, were discovered. The Vietnamese authorities quickly sought to bring the atrocities to international media attention (Fawthrop, Jarvis 9). However, there remained a problem with bringing the perpetrators of said crime to justice. The country of Cambodia was in total disarray. People were scattered as refugees across the region, millions were homeless and starving, the government lacked funds and supplies, and there loomed the threat of violence of rebels and guerillas all along the borders. The occupying Vietnamese as well as the fledgling Cambodian government were ill-equipped to deal with the massive humanitarian crisis, much less the logistics of locating and bringing to trial those responsible for the crimes committed during the period the Khmer Rouge was in power.
Eventually the Cambodian government, backed by the Vietnamese, decided on a policy of punishing the perpetrators of the genocide, stating that “all reactionary ringleaders” would be “sternly punished”. However, pressure from China at the Paris Peace Conference would prove to be a challenge for the war crimes tribunal, as they demanded that a coalition government must include a Khmer Rouge faction, including many of its genocidal leaders. The western powers would begrudgingly allow this, and the talks came to an end with the Khmer Rouge being a now legitimate group in the Cambodian government. By doing this, many of the Khmer Rouge leadership was able to escape any form of punishment.
In 1997, the Cambodian government would establish the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) which would be tasked with bringing to justice the worst offenders in the genocide. To date only 5 members of the Khmer Rouge have been convicted, and they were among the highest ranked and most responsible for the crimes committed. They are convicted on various crimes against humanity, acts of genocide, as well as war crimes. However, despite the Cambodia Tribunal’s progress in punishing those responsible, many of those escaped any form of punishment. In particular, the main agent of the genocide, Pol Pot himself, was able to escape arrest for many years, eventually passing away from a heart attack in 1998. To many domestically within Cambodia and internationally feel that the crimes are still largely unpunished and that justice has not been properly served.