Hey everyone!
I wanted to take a little time to talk about some of the hard things I’ve learned about on the race — the devastation of the Cambodian genocide. I didn’t really know much about the genocide until arriving in the country, and it’s not something any of my teachers ever went over in history classes growing up. It’s not a pleasant thing to hear about, but I think it’s necessary. My team got a chance to visit the S-21 prison and the Killing Fields, and here’s what I learned:
Quick overview
The Khmer Rouge regime, led by Pol Pot, took control over Cambodia in the 70’s. In their attempt to spread communism throughout the country, they decided to eliminate anyone that seemed to be a threat. Not even children were exempt from being labeled as “enemies.” This lead to about 2 million people being tortured and murdered. Let that sink in…a fourth of their population was killed in less than 5 years. Unlike the Holocaust that focused on killing those that were deemed unworthy, Pol Pot focused on killing those that were a threat. He killed those that were going to be the future leaders, inventors, and stars. The ones that would definitely change the country one day. This created a long term effect on Cambodia and their development. The very people that were knowledgeable and skilled enough to help their country rise up from the ashes had been killed. This means that the recovery for Cambodians has been a slow and painful process.
How was this even possible?
In the years leading up to the Khmer Rouge’s regime, the action from the neighboring Vietnam War had spilled over into Cambodia. The U.S. used Cambodia as a regrouping zone, and we even bombed parts of the country to destroy suspected Vietnamese targets thought to be hiding in the area. Not to mention, Cambodia was in the middle of a civil war itself, where the Khmer Rouge eventually reigned victorious as they overthrew the republican government. The people of Cambodia were in a desperate and vulnerable place. They needed a savior. Then enters Pol Pot, a man who was waiting for the opportunity to force his communist beliefs of starting the country at “year zero,” and he found exactly that. He used the common hatred from the actions of the U.S. to recruit followers that would support his brutal policies.
What actually happened during 1975-1979?
Pol Pot wanted to bring the nation back to its “mythic past,” an agrarian society. This meant that they had to rid the country of anyone and anything that was a corrupt influence in their eyes: foreigners, anyone with connections to past government, professionals, intellectuals, and so on. They transformed a local high school in Pnom Penh into a secret prison called S-21. They created extremely small prison cells and used old classrooms to torture, dehumanize, and interrogate those that were deemed as traitors. Many of the prisoners were then sent to the Killing Fields, just outside the main city. The Killing Fields were just as bad as they sound. The Khmer Rouge tortured and slaughtered people in the thousands without mercy and buried them in mass graves. There was even a certain tree that was used to kill children. Once people arrived at the Killing Fields they knew there was no hope of ever escaping. The Khmer Rouge would turn on floodlights at night so everyone could see the murders, and they blared music out of a sound system to cover up any noise evidence for what they were doing. People that were in surrounding areas had no idea what was taking place so close to them.
Where was the rest of the world during this time?
Pol Pot had cut off any communication and access from neighboring countries, and the whole thing was kept a secret. Even though the U.S. was hearing concerns about what was going on, we had just lost the Vietnam War and were reluctant to get involved in that region again. Eventually the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and overthrew the Khmer Rouge, causing them to flee and lead guerrilla attacks against the Vietnamese. The Khmer Rouge continued to retain Cambodia’s UN seat until 1982. They got away with this because many countries (including the U.S.) were still in opposition with Vietnam. Therefore, they voted to keep Cambodia’s seat in favor of the Khmer Rouge instead of voting for the Vietnamese-backed representative. There are even claims of material support from the west given to the Khmer Rouge after the Vietnamese invasion.
What happened to Pol Pot?
Pol Pot fled when the Vietnamese invaded, and he wasn’t seen by the public after 1980. Seventeen years later he was put on house arrest. With rumors of the remaining Khmer Rouge planning to turn him in, Pol Pot apparently died from natural causes in 1998. Many raised suspicions of suicide. The Khmer Rouge regime ceased to exist in 1999, and they started trials for their sentences in 2007 (twenty years after the genocide had ended).
Where was God in all of this?
My team spent a lot of time questioning and wondering about how our God could let this happen. How could he let so many of His children suffer and never have the chance to hear about the real Savior? Why did this happen?
God gave us free will, and we pretty much messed that one up right from the start. He didn’t want the genocide to happen, but the fall of man has lead to death and separation from Him. My teammate shared an encouragement from Proverbs 15:11 “Even death and destruction hold no secrets from the LORD. How much more does he know the human heart!” My heart broke for the victims in the genocide and I didn’t even know them, but can you imagine the pain our Father felt? The Father that deeply knows each and every child that was tortured and murdered? As the numbers and statistics of this terror were lost, He knows the exact number of children that He’s grieving. He was with them during the confusing panic of evacuating their homes. He spoke truth to them when they were being mocked and dehumanized. He groaned in agony with them as they were neglected and tortured. He reached out to the kids that were lost from their parents and shouted “I am your Father!” He wept as they were murdered in front of everyone. He loves all of them, each and every one. And you know what, He loved Pol Pot too. He also loved the members of the Khmer Rouge. Jesus died for all of their sins just as much as he died for ours. Now these men weren’t Christians, but if they would have accepted Jesus and declared him as their savior they would be in heaven. All of their past sins wiped away. This is hard for me to swallow, but ultimately I know that justice and judgement is God’s job. It’s not fair that after everything Pol Pot did his death was so quiet. He chose to die in his own home with his family by his side. But guess what. Pol Pot answered to God’s judgement just as we will one day.
Pictures from the Killing Fields:
Pictures from S-21 Prison:
Why am I posting this?
Even though this is in the past, it’s important. We should learn about how and why these things happen to prevent them from happening again. This isn’t the only genocide in history. I mean, there was even a genocide in our own country in the 1900s. Things like this show us just how faulted and broken humans are and that we are lost without our Father. Things like this are why I’m on the World Race. Things like this make it evident that spreading the Good News of our Savior Jesus Christ is so urgent.
I don’t want to leave this blog on a solemn note. Even though we do terrible things and cause pain to others, there’s better coming. This is what we have hope in. Heaven on earth.
“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’
He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’
He who was seated on the throne said, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’”
Revelation 21:1-7
