The Plight of the Cambodians - History and Background

The Khmer Rouge was the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975-1979. Some of the policies that were instituted under them include:

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• Abolished money, free markets, normal schooling, private property, foreign clothing styles, religious practices, and traditional Khmer culture
• Public schools, pagodas, mosques, churches, universities, shops and government buildings were shut or turned into prisons, stables, reeducation camps and granaries
• Family relationships were heavily criticized. People were forbidden to show even the slightest affection, humor or pity. Children were separated from 'capitalist' influencing parents and indoctrinated with communist values, and then trained to torture and execute.
• The arrest and killing of thousands of soldiers, military officers and civil servants from the Khmer Republic regime led by Marshal Lon Nol, whom they did not regard as “pure".
• the execution of hundreds of thousands of intellectuals; city residents; minority people such as the Cham, Vietnamese and Chinese - where many were detained, interrogated, tortured and executed. The most important prison in Cambodia, known as S-21, held approximately 14,000 prisoners while in operation. Only about 12 survived.
• Under the terms of the CPK’s 1976 “Four-Year Plan,” Cambodians were expected to produce three tons of rice per hectare throughout the country. This meant that people had to grow and harvest rice all 12 months of the year. In most regions, the Khmer Rouge forced people to work more than 12 hours a day without rest or adequate food.
• Sewing of land mines, in which there is still 4-6 million mines left in the ground today, leading to thousands of deaths and disabilities - and they are still claiming lives to this day!

During their regimen, they have estimated to cause the death of 2 million people.  20,000 mass graves were uncovered, and an estimate of of execution alone is said to be 1.5 million. Starvation and exhaustion due to long labours hours, as well as the abolishment of western medicine were common causes of death.

So why did I choose Cambodia?

• Education - due to the execution of many intellectuals, where 90% of teachers were killed under the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia's education system is in strife. And we all know that opportunity for an education is the key to break the chain of poverty.
• Human trafficking - traffickers deceive children by offering them seemingly legitimate jobs, only to coerce and threaten them info forced labour. This includes begging, street vending, and sexual exploitation.
• Child labour - children are forced to work on average 20 hours a week as they have to assist their family as wage earners, stripping off their opportunity to attend school.
• Health and sanitation - everyday at Cambodia, 50-110 children die due to easily preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, and respiratory infections.

So there you have it. The plight of the Cambodians. What are you waiting for! Join me now in my venture, be part of this amazing movement, and make a meaningful contribution - 'Change for Cambodia' !