The Killing Fields: Surviving The Cambodian Genocide
from Fascinating People Fascinating Places Hosted by Daniel Mainwaring
In 1975, 9-year-old Sarah Pol-Lim saw her family's life descend into horror when the Communist Party of Kampuchea -- better known as the Khmer Rouge ( ខ្មែរក្រហម) seized power in Cambodia. Initially backed by the North Vietnamese government, the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot sought to reset the country to year zero. Replacing all elements of colonialism, capitalism, culture, and the class divided by society with an agrarian utopia. The wealthy, the middle class, the educated, the religious, and ethnic minorities were among the segments of society they resolved to erase. The end result was a genocide that killed as many as 25 percent of the population. Even as a young child Sarah Pol-Lim was in the firing line because she and her parents were educated. In this episode, I speak with Sarah about her harrowing experiences during four years spent in work camps under the Khmer Rouge. The fate of her family, her eventual escape to America, and her views on lessons to be learned from this horrific event in modern history.
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