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It's been a busy few days with lots to take in, bouncing around like Tigger, often literally thanks to the bumpy roads. Much of this blog has been a bit rushedly (is that a word?) written, so it's not the best. Oh - and I should warn you now, this is not a completely happy blog.

The good, the bad and the ugly

Simon Wadsworth
2006-09-04 16:40:58

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coming to power, Pol
Pot forced the entire population of all major towns and cities to march to the countryside to undertake 12-15hours of slave labour a day. Currency was abolished, every link with the outside world severed (post, planes, media) and the clock was officially turned to 'Year Zero' - 2 words that sends shivers down my spine at the implications of its meaning.

By 1979 the Cambodians had no strength or powerful people left alive to overthrow the regime, but the Vietnamese invaded on December 25th, finally causing the Khmer Rouge to flee to the jungles. Famine then ensued. Food arrived from the West, much secretely given to the Khmer Rouge by the Thai military, along with guns from China, allowing it to fight and kill for another 20 years. Furthermore, the US allowed factions of the Khmer Rouge to retain its seat at the UN Assembly, while the British trained guerilla fighters in land-mine laying techniques. Those responsible for the genocide thus went on representing Cambodia internationally, while at the same time, with a blind eye from the west, continued killing school teachers and administrators, blowing up bridges, planting thousands of mines in rice fields and were allowed to control the very refugee camps that were the result of their atrocities in the first place, forcing 1000s more Cambodians into slave labour across heavily mined sections of land.

Since the 1st Democratic elections took place in 1994, Cambodia is on a slow move to recovery, but with over 95% of the educated murdered during the regime, things are slow, with only monks able to teach into the late 1990s. Now, even the smallest villages have a teacher, and when nearly 50% of the population is under 15, the future is very promising. There is peace at last, and Cambodians are enjoying life to the full, living as if there was no tomorrow, because once there wasn't. As a result (or not), Cambodians are wonderfully friendly, and a very vibrant people today.

Overall, this is one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century and must not be forgotten or ignored. I'm only beginning to understand that which I was never taught in school, or saw on TV. I'll finish here, having probably spoken too much as usual. I recommend and plea to you to find time to read more about the recent history
of Cambodia. It's a tragedy still little understood in the West and it really shouldn't be. One book I recommend is 'First They Killed My Father' by Loung Ung, which I'm currently reading, and is a harrowing account of one girl's ordeal.

Sorry to put you through this, but I'm grateful you have read this far. I promise to make the next blog happier as I start talking about what I've been up to again. Best wishes, Simon x