The killing fields - Cambodia - Thames Television

Respected Thames TV journalist Julian Manyon returns to Cambodia with survivor Var Hong Ashe. In this emotional programme Var seeks out her mother, now living in the counties capital of Phnom Penh. In this documentary Julian Manyon also discovers that the Khmer Rouge are trying to make a return to power
First shown: 18/01/1990
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quote: VT50536
please note some scenes in this documentary some viewers may find distressing.

[@hoppinggnomethe4154]

This was filmed in 1990. The Vietnamese force was still doing peacekeeping missions in Cambodia. My grandpa was a military expert, or "military advisor" in Western definition, in Cambodia. It was one of the most chaotic and violent period of Cambodia as bandits were everywhere in the country after the Pol Pot's remnant had withdrawn into the jungle. Most Cambodians at the time were afraid to buy something new, like a bike, because they might get killed and robbed. In the late 80s, there was an incident of Soviet advisors got murdered by some Khmer Rouge members hidden in the jungle. It was wild. Despite this, my grandfather brought my father with him. He was still in 6th grade, and was handed a K54 pistol for self-defense (Vietnamese designation for the Chinese Type 54 pistol - the Chinese version of the Soviet Tokarev TT-33). My father recalled seeing lots of guns laying on the floor at home after my grandpa's several trips to Cambodia and somewhere else. My grandpa already passed away in 2021 after years of battle with lung cancer (don't smoke and deal with asbestos, guys), but I can still remember my last conversation with him before death. I remember him telling me about why he fought - a promise. They promised him things. In his final days, he was just disappointed in everything. It wasn't like what they promised him. I don't really know what promise it was, but I got a similar conversation when I talked to my grandpa on my mother's side. He fought for the liberation front, loved by the people. Now, he said that nobody loves the military anymore because the state has lost people's trust for their rampant corruption and exploitation.

[@gwn.94mp]

a very touching story, thank you for sharing

[@pitubg]

I was there when I was 8 years older. Still remember always 80 % of what happened.

[@gamalsankara1388]

Why weren’t the khmer rouge brought to justice? I know they retired to some village.

[@stupidgoober5139]

@@gamalsankara1388 because the leader is a former Khmer Rouge member and he thinks the trials are a waste of time; in fact many people believe that. its totally wrong and they should be, but unfortunately trials are most likely not going to move very far down the chain of command

[@canuck21]

@@stupidgoober5139 It's so frustrating to me that the Cambodian people are often more mad at the Vietnamese than at the very people who committed these atrocities. Yes I know the Vietnamese were part of the cause of the rise of the Khmer Rouge, but at the end of the day the main guilt lies on their own people.

[@stupidgoober5139]

@@canuck21 yes, it is they who committed the genocide, the Vietnamese did not intend for the genocide they only wanted to spread communism to the area to attempt to gain allies. it was the Khmer Rouge who were genocidal

[@st.michaelthearchangel7774]

Sorry to hear that. :(

[@bishopscore]

This is one strong woman. What a story.

[@jepkosgeikangogo9954]

I have read her book severally. Inspiring

[@Kianquenseda]

History needs to be heard

[@ChalrieD]

She is such a strong intelligent person, the lady who turned her in also just looks like a wormy little snake. It’s fascinating that she managed to survive this. Remarkable. Amazing woman. Can’t believe there’s people in Cambodia who miss the Khmer Rouge government.

[@mickypoole9226]

S 21 was the place of horrible crimes and those that committed them went back into society when the Khmer Rouge lost power. No one was ever convicted of crimes there to my knowledge

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

Brother Duch and one other were tried and sentenced to prison for their crimes. Saloth Sar died under house arrest in April of 1998. Biographics channel covers Sloth Sar in depth. Simple History channel covered the Khmer Rouge in a video last year

[@godhere6459]

Hard to even understand y this even happen...one of the worse things that ever happen....killing for nothing...

[@missanna208802]

Communism is not about equality and fairness. It's about power and has been responsible for killing 100 million people in countries like russia/soviet union, china, Cambodia, Cuba, east Germany, North Korea, Vietnam...

[@catherinehobbs4961]

missanna208802 it’s quite a bit more complicated than simply saying it was communism, like with most situations. Over generalising results in a failure for society to fully appreciate what happened and how to avoid it again. And we desperately need to avoid doing things like this again, but unfortunately atrocities continue unabated.

[@inesflores4948]

Second to Holocaust.

[@mosheridan7016]

A warning how communism ends up take heed.

[@Riversong2024]

Thank you for sharing... What is the name of the village at 7:45?

[@Vino3437]

What is so surreal to me is how Pol pot could have so much support in a open, modern and relatively rich country at all. Usually revolutions occur because people are suffering and being oppressed. Maybe the Cambodians had just bad luck resulting out of an unfortunate chain of events.

[@nerevarinenwah3690]

Pol Pot was financed by the chinese. They definetively must have had a desinformation campaign going on to whitewash the Khmer Rougue

[@ACDCdotMONEY]

Were all those people's got to Thailand rather than most of them got dumped at phnom Dorng Rarch and got killed by landmines?

[@Vino3437]

Nothing personal really but it is very hard to understand your English.

[@gamalsankara1388]

The khmer rouge was extremely brutal to say the least. Damnit pol pot and his cadres! And America too!

[@stupidgoober5139]

What does America have to do with the Khmer Rouge.

[@thanhnguyenduy3553]

@@stupidgoober5139 They gave them settler, food, weapon and political support.

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

Considering the America government backed the Khmer Rouge. And the bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia drove more young people into the Khmer Rouge ranks. Saloth Sar was ruthless and killed many countrymen.

[@sophyroeun46]

I think pol pot is a demon I don’t think he is human at all. All of his followers are also demon. Love and kindness is from god . If anyone know god they know how to be kind and they know how to love .

[@stupidgoober5139]

you don't have to be evil to commit genocide. It's normal people who carried out the acts. I've read numerous stories in different genocides of who carries out and who kills and the majority are just everyday citizens. Genocide can happen everywhere and anyone is capable of murder. and do you think that people who committed genocide weren't religious. Nazi Germany pushed Christian views constantly that's one of the means of propaganda they used against the Jews. and the crusades those were all about war and wiping out the "infidels" religion has been one of the largest causes of war. Yes Pol Pot was evil but the people who carried it out may not have been many of them were good people who were manipulated and caused untold amounts of death and they still are responsible they didn't have to kill. but they were not born evil they were not destined to kill innocents almost no one is born evil. also you don't need god to know how to love and be kind.

[@theodorsebastian4272]

Jesus said 28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. He said this to the God rejecting Kingdom of Judaea,I do believe that God allow these atrocities to happen to those who despise and reject him.Plus the Cambodian themselves just like the Russian and Chinese before them was the one who believe the lies of Communism and by somewhat unjustified hatred of the old elite allow these vile men to come to power.

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

@@theodorsebastian4272 The people of Cambodia had no choice in who was running the country...this is a world away from 'believing the lies of Communism'. Over 97% of the country were Buddhist at this time. Does that justify the murder of millions? Is that your God? You say God allowed these atrocities because the Cambodians 'despised him'. No, that simply isn't true, it's called a difference in belief. Theravada Buddhism isn't anti your God or any other God. Are we not all God's children, if God created everything, even Buddhists? Also, many Christians died as a result of the Khmer Rouge. Where was their God in the killing fields? What an imbecilic thing to say...God allowed these atrocities.