The Khmer Rouge was a totalitarian communist government that gained power after rising victorious in a civil war. This later allowed the Khmer Rouge to gradually expand and gain power and to eventually rise and establish themselves as a national government in Cambodia after a successful invasion of Phnom Phen. Although the Cambodian Genocide initially significantly damaged the health of the country, the lasting effects were more catastrophic, leading to decades of unforgotten memories and trauma. During the Cambodian Genocide, Cambodian citizen’s rights were severely strained, as they were stripped of religious beliefs and were unable to develop a sympathetic relationship with their families. The Cambodian ““People were not allowed to go outside their cooperative. The regime would not allow anyone to gather and hold discussions. If three people gathered and talked, they could be accused of being enemies and arrested or executed”(Khmer Rouge History). This idea allows us to further understand the extent of the Cambodian citizens’ abilities during the genocide, as it expresses the overwhelming control the Khmer Rouge …show more content…
The Cambodian Genocide scarred countless families, as “Tens of thousands were made widows and orphans, and those who lived through the regime were severely traumatized by their experiences. Several hundred thousand Cambodians fled their country and became refugees” (Khmer Rouge History). This devastating event left permanent scars on members of the Cambodian community, as due to the effects, poverty rates and mental illness in Cambodia has seen a major spike in the past century. Due to this, Cambodia's economic and political health will take decades to recover. However, in Cambodia today, various monuments were made in the city of Phnom Phen as remembrance to the civilians that lost their lives in the