It was one of the worst acts of genocide in history. 200,000 people executed – up to two-million others dying from starvation or disease.
The Khmer Rouge regime was toppled after four years of rule in Cambodia in 1979, but the remaining leaders are still being tried on charges of crimes against humanity.
University of Cumbria’s Professor of Buddhist Studies Ian Harris has a special interest in Cambodia and has written the only detailed work of research on the fate of Buddhism during the Khmer Rouge Regime – Buddhism Under Pol Pot Phnom Penh: Documentary Centre for Cambodia, 2007. Following a recent lecture in Thailand, he travelled on to Phnom Penh to discuss a future role as historical consultant at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia – better known as the Khmer Rouge War Crimes Tribunal.
Ian said: “I first went to Thailand in 1970 and have been back many times since. My field of expertise is the history of Buddhism in South East Asia. I’m principally interested in Cambodia but since Thailand is a neighbouring state I also try to keep up with what is going on there too.”
In 1997, Cambodia established a Khmer Rouge Trial Task Force to create a legal and judicial structure to try the remaining leaders for war crimes and other crimes against humanity, but progress was slow.
The government said that due to the poor economy and other financial commitments, it could only afford limited funding for the tribunal. Several countries, including Canada, India and Japan came forward with extra funds. But by January 2006, the full balance of funding was not yet in place.
Nonetheless, the Task Force began its work and took possession of two buildings on the grounds of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces High Command headquarters in Kandal province, just on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
In March 2006, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan nominated seven judges for a trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders. Trials which are still taking place.
Prior to travelling to Cambodia, Ian chose his vowels and consonants carefully while delivering a lecture in Bangkok, as a guest speaker at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University.
The lecture was well received by the majority of those attending – but not everyone was happy about being reminded of an uncomfortable truth.
Ian’s topic: “Is Buddhism a Religion of Peace? Reflections on Conflict and the Buddhist Politicial Imagination.”
Ian said: “The audience was mainly Buddhist monks – including the Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia and his entourage.
“I tried to argue that, although Buddhism possesses various meditative practices designed to calm or pacify the mind, the history of Buddhist states in South East Asia has not been especially peaceful. Buddhist monks don’t like to be reminded of this so some of the audience were a little irritated.”
Up to 3,000 delegates attended the event – including HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana; The Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva; and His Holiness Somdet Phra Buddhacharya – Supreme Buddhist Patriarch of Thailand.
The 6th International Buddhist conference was held in conjunction with the United Nations Day of Vesak – a festival celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.