Cambodia

Cambodia is turquoise coloured

The map of Southeast Asia shows Cambodia. Cambodia is the “buffer country” between Thailand and Laos in the West and Vietnam in the East.

The Mekong river, among the biggest in the world, flows through the tropical zone. In the North of the country, we find the rims of the Himalayas. In the West and East high forested mountain ranges build a natural boundary.

Cambodia is one of the smallest countries of lower India and is comparable in size to Switzerland. The Cambodian population is of austro-indonesian decent with Melanesian influence. It belongs to the MON-KHMER peoples, one of the eldest peoples of lower India. It almost entirely (95%) exists of followers of the Theravada Buddhism, the original form of Buddhism.

As a kingdom, thirty years ago, the country was populated by some 7 million citizens. During the time of the “Khmer Rouge” (1975-1980) the population suffered an extinct of 3 million of its citizens. Since the beginning of the 1990ies the country has been witnessing a rise in births, resulting in a stable population size of about 11 million today.

The situation of Cambodia as it is today has been shaped to a large extent by its history of the past 50 years.

During the time of the first Indo-China War (ca. 1946-1954) Cambodia, then the French colony “Cochinchina” and one of the wealthiest states, rested in undisturbed peace. Through rice cropping and a variety of other agricultural products a gross national product was earned that helped large parts of society to live as middle class. The gap between middle and working classes remained high, but most were in work and had sufficient income.

Cambodia

Since both, the Vietcong and Vietminh, run through the Ho-Chi-Minh-Trek – which runs through the thick and impassible Cambodian bordering forests – and thus cross the borders, the government was forced to give privilege of passage to the US army during the time of the Vietnam War. Following this, more bombs were dropped on this former neutral ground than were dropped on Japan in Second World War. 800,000 people died as a result of this. Rubber plantations in the provinces of Krek, Mimot and Kompong Cham (in central Cambodia!) were contaminated and destroyed by toxins. Politically, nothing was achieved with this damage done.

In 1973, contrary ideologies of USSR, Vietnam and China and their problems carried upheaval and rioting into the underground of the country. Young Cambodians, having been educated at French universities, formed in their home country to become the communist oriented ideology KHMER ROUGE, which grew quickly in the underground.

During a period of weak government in April 1975 danger of upheaval loomed. The USA pulled all western diplomats out of Phnom Penh. On April 12th the last plane had left the country. From then, no power was left to oppose the communists in Phnom Penh.

Indipendance monument

On April 17th 1975 the KHMER ROUGE took over and occupied the airport and from there went as the “deliverers” into Phnom Penh, where they were being welcomed enthusiastically as such.

One day later, they forced the total evacuation of the city to be carried out within 48 hours! Everyone, the old, children, the sick, the disabled, etc. had to leave the city under threat of death. A massive trek moved out of the city, having on them as much as they could carry, a leap into the dark.

This was the beginning of a way full of suffering for the Khmer people. Hungry and weakened from malnutrition, epidemic plagues arose soon to cause death and decay. The scientific, religious, economic intelligence and the military were murdered in most horrific ways or died as consequence of torture. Countless families of the intelligence were killed and eliminated – down to their newborn – and buried in mass grave pits.

Over 2 million of the then 7 million citizens were killed. A further million at least lost their lives as a consequence of disease, hunger and malnutrition. No family is left that has not experienced loss from death or murder of kin. The KHMER ROUGE lost every measure – and the world closed their eyes to this massacre. A seat with vote was kept for the KHMER ROUGE in the UN.

Tonle Sap with Royal palace

In 1993, after 30 years of the heaviest civil war, the country was finally able to hold its first free elections under UN-supervision.

It will take many more years until, e.g. the medical help of the population can be guaranteed. In the cities there are doctors but few utilisable hospitals, but the majority of the population cannot afford this “luxury” at a daily wage of about $1. Preventative medicine is totally unheard of.

Western help, without with the country cannot possibly develop, comes only sparingly.