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Review
. 2017 Sep;7(3):415-433.
doi: 10.23907/2017.035. Epub 2017 Sep 1.

Forensic Legacy of the Khmer Rouge: The Cambodian Genocide

Katherine Gruspier  1 , Michael S Pollanen  2
Affiliations
Review

Forensic Legacy of the Khmer Rouge: The Cambodian Genocide

Katherine Gruspier et al. Acad Forensic Pathol. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

The people of Cambodia were subjected to widespread forced migration and labor, disease, starvation, torture, murder, and indeed, genocide over a period of four years during the control of the country by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. While the country awaits some form of justice from the hybrid tribunal hearing cases against a few of the perpetrators of these crimes, it has undertaken to memorialize the dead in visible monuments in order that the people remember and never allow it to happen again. This paper outlines the few forensic investigations which have been undertaken on the remains of the deceased from this period in Cambodia's history. The current status of the legal proceedings and the current death investigation system in Cambodia are also presented. There is a wealth of objective forensic information that can be gathered from analyzing the remains that have been disturbed and placed in monuments (stupas), and also in the undisturbed graves across the country. This information cannot only assist in any legal proceedings, but can aide in training medicolegal experts in Cambodia for the future good of the country and its rule of law.

Keywords: Cambodia; Forensic anthropology; Forensic pathology; Genocide; Medicolegal death investigation.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURES & DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors, reviewers, editors, and publication staff do not report any relevant conflicts of interest

Figures

Image 1
Image 1
Gunshot wound of the head. Skull from Tuol Sleng formerly from the skull map.
Image 2
Image 2
Sharp force trauma to the head. Skull from Tuol Sleng formerly from the skull map.
Image 3
Image 3
Multiple blunt impact trauma to the head. Skull from Tuol Sleng formerly from the skull map.
Image 4
Image 4
The stupa at Ampe Phnom.
Image 5
Image 5
Surface scatter of remains and clothing from a disturbed mass grave.
Image 6
Image 6
Sharp force hacking trauma to a midshaft femur from Ampe Phnom.
Image 7
Image 7
Remains in the stupa at Wat Sauphy (Wat Ka Koh).
Image 8
Image 8
Remains from Wat Sauphy (Wat Ka Koh) laid out for analysis.
Image 9
Image 9
Remains in the stupa at Phnom Udong showing the red clay soil and postmortem damage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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