The Cambodian Genocide
Recently, we wrote Op-Eds on a genocide of our choice and then drew a cartoon about the same genocide. I chose the Cambodian Genocide, and wrote about how the dehumanization of Cambodians contributed to the amplitude of the genocide.
Project Reflection-
For this project, I wrote an Op-Ed about the effect of dehumanization in Cambodia prior to the genocide and accompanied it with a cartoon. The thesis for my paper was: “During the Cambodian Genocide, the Khmer Rouge turned innocent Cambodians into nothing more than animals: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.””. I chose this quote because to the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians were worthless.
My final cartoon is much more refined and clear than my first draft. A specific technique that I focused on was the usage of analogy. I have many labels and captions that make my cartoon much clearer. One specific label that is crucial to the comprehension of my cartoon is the label “Agricultural Utopia” because it shows the onlooker exactly what is happening in Cambodia in 1975. This label is essential and without it, the cartoon would lack the meaning I am attempting to portray. Unlike the first draft of my cartoon, the format of my final utilized all of the space on the paper. The message of my final draft is much clearer than the message of my first because of my utilization of labels.
An Op-Ed is a form of newspaper or magazine article showcasing the opinion of the writer. Unlike writing I’ve done in the past, Op-Eds have a word minimum and maximum and are required to be between 750-1000 words. Op-Eds are focused around a thesis to which each paragraph must connect to. Previously, for school, I’ve been trained to write paragraphs in the form of topic, and evidence, followed by analysis. In Op-Ed writing, each paragraph (excluding the intro and conclusion) is focused around one piece of evidence supporting the thesis. A skill that I will take from learning this writing style is to write with limits and get to the point much more quickly. I will take away the ability to quickly express my opinion with many pieces of evidence.
For this project, I wrote an Op-Ed about the effect of dehumanization in Cambodia prior to the genocide and accompanied it with a cartoon. The thesis for my paper was: “During the Cambodian Genocide, the Khmer Rouge turned innocent Cambodians into nothing more than animals: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.””. I chose this quote because to the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians were worthless.
My final cartoon is much more refined and clear than my first draft. A specific technique that I focused on was the usage of analogy. I have many labels and captions that make my cartoon much clearer. One specific label that is crucial to the comprehension of my cartoon is the label “Agricultural Utopia” because it shows the onlooker exactly what is happening in Cambodia in 1975. This label is essential and without it, the cartoon would lack the meaning I am attempting to portray. Unlike the first draft of my cartoon, the format of my final utilized all of the space on the paper. The message of my final draft is much clearer than the message of my first because of my utilization of labels.
An Op-Ed is a form of newspaper or magazine article showcasing the opinion of the writer. Unlike writing I’ve done in the past, Op-Eds have a word minimum and maximum and are required to be between 750-1000 words. Op-Eds are focused around a thesis to which each paragraph must connect to. Previously, for school, I’ve been trained to write paragraphs in the form of topic, and evidence, followed by analysis. In Op-Ed writing, each paragraph (excluding the intro and conclusion) is focused around one piece of evidence supporting the thesis. A skill that I will take from learning this writing style is to write with limits and get to the point much more quickly. I will take away the ability to quickly express my opinion with many pieces of evidence.
Op-Ed:
To Be Replaceable
Teeda Butt Mam was only a teenager in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge initiated the genocide: “It was devastating to witness the destruction of my homeland that had occurred in only four years. Buddhist temples were turned into prisons. Schools were turned into Khmer Rouge headquarters where people were interrogated, tortured, killed, and buried. School yards were turned into killing fields.” (Mam)
During the Cambodian Genocide, the Khmer Rouge turned innocent Cambodians into nothing more than animals: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss[J1] .” Just has cattle are herded into slaughterhouses, without worth or rights, Cambodians were forced into the fields to work for the Khmer Rouge.
The Khmer Rouge constantly kept the Cambodians under those words. Cambodian lives were worthless to the Khmer Rouge, and Cambodians were constantly reminded of it.
Cambodians were used as tools to reach the agricultural, powerful, ideal structure that Pol Pot dreamt of, anyone who was a threat to his utopia was killed. “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.” (Chandler)
As the Khmer Rouge saw fit, “threats” were extinguished. People against the regime were killed. The educated were slaughtered. Skilled workers were executed. As the Khmer Rouge saw nessesary, people were interrogated and tortured, their bodies thrown into mass graves like trash.
Cambodians were thrown into mass graves like it was nothing: “They clubbed the back of our necks and pushed us down to smother us and let us die in a deep hole with hundreds of other bodies.” (Mam) Teeda Mam witnessed people being clubbed and then pushed down to be smothered and then dying surrounded by hundreds of other bodies in a deep hole. Mass graves were very common during the genocide, some hold thousands of bodies.
Under the control of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians had no rights. They were forced to follow instruction or be killed. Cambodians were dehumanized. They were used like animals. They were pushed from the cities and sent to fields to tend the crops. They became replaceable. They not only had their possessions taken from them, but their opinions as well: “Against its trunk the heads of babies were smashed by young men brainwashed into believing their actions would free Cambodia from colonial imperialism.” (Heart) People began to know nothing more than what the Khmer Rouge told them. It was their only option; follow the Khmer Rouge, or be tortured and executed.
On the pursuit of a class-less society, Cambodians were robbed of their positions and their humanity, creating two classes, on two extremes. Some Cambodians went years without wearing shoes. They had nothing while the powerful members of the Khmer Rouge were living ravished lifestyles. Controlling the now money-less Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge was free to claim whatever possessions they desired. Cambodians were forced to live with nothing.
“In forced marches punctuated with atrocities from the Khmer Rouge, the millions who failed to escape Cambodia were herded onto rural collective farms.” They were herded in to farms like animals. Many Cambodians lived in the fields on the country-sides. They had everything taken from them and were forced to work for the Khmer Rouge for very little in return. Essentially, Cambodians were slaves under the Khmer Rouge.
All concepts of remorse were abolished. If killers showed any signs of regret or hesitation, they were also killed. They were deemed a traitor and considered dead. Hesitate before clubbing a child to death? Consider yourself history.
Teeda Butt Mam considered suicide; however, like many other Cambodians, if she had committed suicide, she and her family would have been declared as “the enemy” and her family would have been slaughtered. This difficult conundrum left some with the choice of constant, pointless suffering, or the death of their family. How could one go through with leaving their family with a death sentence? Cambodians even lost their right to choose death over life.
Pol Pot’s main objective was to create an agricultural based paradise. By removing individual possessions, his idea of equality was created. He wiped Cambodia’s slate clean in order to rebirth Cambodia with a more powerful configuration. In an attempt to create equality, he took away every right Cambodians had.
Cambodian lives were worthless. They had nothing to live for, and nothing to live against. They had their livelihood striped of them. Their lives seemed worthless and they struggled in finding the point of living. When you have nothing to live for, when you know you can easily be replaced, how do you find the strength to continue living? Dehumanization is a gateway to genocide.
Bibliography-
1. Mam, Teeda Butt. ""Worms from Our Skin" Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields- Memoirs by Survivors." Cambodian Genocide | World Without Genocide. Ed. Dith Pran. New York Times, 1997. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://worldwithoutgenocide.org/genocides-and-conflicts/cambodian-genocide>.
2. Chandler, David, and BBC. "Khmer Rouge Page." - Killing Fields. N.p., 23 Aug. 1999. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.
3. "Heart of Darkness: Cambodia's Killing Fields." CNN.com. Cable News Network LP, LLLP., 08 Aug. 2001. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.
To Be Replaceable
Teeda Butt Mam was only a teenager in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge initiated the genocide: “It was devastating to witness the destruction of my homeland that had occurred in only four years. Buddhist temples were turned into prisons. Schools were turned into Khmer Rouge headquarters where people were interrogated, tortured, killed, and buried. School yards were turned into killing fields.” (Mam)
During the Cambodian Genocide, the Khmer Rouge turned innocent Cambodians into nothing more than animals: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss[J1] .” Just has cattle are herded into slaughterhouses, without worth or rights, Cambodians were forced into the fields to work for the Khmer Rouge.
The Khmer Rouge constantly kept the Cambodians under those words. Cambodian lives were worthless to the Khmer Rouge, and Cambodians were constantly reminded of it.
Cambodians were used as tools to reach the agricultural, powerful, ideal structure that Pol Pot dreamt of, anyone who was a threat to his utopia was killed. “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.” (Chandler)
As the Khmer Rouge saw fit, “threats” were extinguished. People against the regime were killed. The educated were slaughtered. Skilled workers were executed. As the Khmer Rouge saw nessesary, people were interrogated and tortured, their bodies thrown into mass graves like trash.
Cambodians were thrown into mass graves like it was nothing: “They clubbed the back of our necks and pushed us down to smother us and let us die in a deep hole with hundreds of other bodies.” (Mam) Teeda Mam witnessed people being clubbed and then pushed down to be smothered and then dying surrounded by hundreds of other bodies in a deep hole. Mass graves were very common during the genocide, some hold thousands of bodies.
Under the control of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians had no rights. They were forced to follow instruction or be killed. Cambodians were dehumanized. They were used like animals. They were pushed from the cities and sent to fields to tend the crops. They became replaceable. They not only had their possessions taken from them, but their opinions as well: “Against its trunk the heads of babies were smashed by young men brainwashed into believing their actions would free Cambodia from colonial imperialism.” (Heart) People began to know nothing more than what the Khmer Rouge told them. It was their only option; follow the Khmer Rouge, or be tortured and executed.
On the pursuit of a class-less society, Cambodians were robbed of their positions and their humanity, creating two classes, on two extremes. Some Cambodians went years without wearing shoes. They had nothing while the powerful members of the Khmer Rouge were living ravished lifestyles. Controlling the now money-less Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge was free to claim whatever possessions they desired. Cambodians were forced to live with nothing.
“In forced marches punctuated with atrocities from the Khmer Rouge, the millions who failed to escape Cambodia were herded onto rural collective farms.” They were herded in to farms like animals. Many Cambodians lived in the fields on the country-sides. They had everything taken from them and were forced to work for the Khmer Rouge for very little in return. Essentially, Cambodians were slaves under the Khmer Rouge.
All concepts of remorse were abolished. If killers showed any signs of regret or hesitation, they were also killed. They were deemed a traitor and considered dead. Hesitate before clubbing a child to death? Consider yourself history.
Teeda Butt Mam considered suicide; however, like many other Cambodians, if she had committed suicide, she and her family would have been declared as “the enemy” and her family would have been slaughtered. This difficult conundrum left some with the choice of constant, pointless suffering, or the death of their family. How could one go through with leaving their family with a death sentence? Cambodians even lost their right to choose death over life.
Pol Pot’s main objective was to create an agricultural based paradise. By removing individual possessions, his idea of equality was created. He wiped Cambodia’s slate clean in order to rebirth Cambodia with a more powerful configuration. In an attempt to create equality, he took away every right Cambodians had.
Cambodian lives were worthless. They had nothing to live for, and nothing to live against. They had their livelihood striped of them. Their lives seemed worthless and they struggled in finding the point of living. When you have nothing to live for, when you know you can easily be replaced, how do you find the strength to continue living? Dehumanization is a gateway to genocide.
Bibliography-
1. Mam, Teeda Butt. ""Worms from Our Skin" Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields- Memoirs by Survivors." Cambodian Genocide | World Without Genocide. Ed. Dith Pran. New York Times, 1997. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://worldwithoutgenocide.org/genocides-and-conflicts/cambodian-genocide>.
2. Chandler, David, and BBC. "Khmer Rouge Page." - Killing Fields. N.p., 23 Aug. 1999. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.
3. "Heart of Darkness: Cambodia's Killing Fields." CNN.com. Cable News Network LP, LLLP., 08 Aug. 2001. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.