Home > Memorials > Killing Fields

Welcome to the Killing Fields Memorial, a virtual memorial dedicated to all those who had been past away from disease, famine, starvation, and those who were senselessly tortured and slaughtered during the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. The content and visuals are very graphic and sensitive viewers are cautionned. The truth needs to be told and to make light of the truth is injustice to the victims.

Brief History - Cambodia was besieged by the Khmer Rouge in April 17, 1975. Over night, the Cambodia was transformed from a relatively developing country to an agrarian society. Aside from the few educated atop of the Khmer Rouge command structure, uneducated loyal subordinates were installed as provincial and local leaders. Civil and religious leaders, free thinkers, educators and students, officials from the former government both civil and military, or anyone wearing glasses for that matter were singled out, tortured and killed to prevent any challenge to their authority. Their slogan was "To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss". Familial unity was purposely broken up where husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, parents and children were forced to live apart to break up unity. Children were subjected to daily brainwashing indoctrinations, taught to be loyal, obey, and to even kill for Anka. Everyone was ordered to obey without question and those who could not obey or resisted would be reprimanded which meant torture and even death. Often times, victims were summoned at dusk to work in the fields in the name of Anka and they would never to be seen again. Even entire families including small children were summoned in the name of Anka.

This type of barbaric governance culminated to the greatest travesty to the Khmer civilization, the genocide of an estimated 2-3 million people between April 17, 1975 to and January 9, 1979. An estimated 20-30% of the population died during the Khmer Rouge's reign terror. Among the victims were social and religious leaders, free thinkers, doctors, scholars, educators, students, etc....an estimated 95% of Cambodia's educated. The victims, including women and children were murdered cold blooded and their remains were dumped in mass graves without proper passage rights or a proper burial. Decades later, Cambodia still struggles to rebuid herself.

May all the wondering souls find peace.