The Cambodian Genocide: Can Justice be Achieved?

Abstract

Thirty years after the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia and committed many horrific atrocities, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was formed to prosecute the leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Many problems have prevented the ECCC from doing its intended job, and Cambodians and the international community alike have criticized it for its inefficiency and incompetence. In this lesson, students will grapple with the idea of justice-- what is it, and how can it be achieved. Do we rely on the justice system to prosecute those most responsible for the Cambodian genocide? Should all people who committed these crimes in Cambodia be tried? How can the victims and their families find peace and justice?