New People

New People were civilian Cambodians who were controlled and exploited by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia from 1975-1979. Generally, anyone who was from an urban area was made a New Person and people from rural areas were made Old People.

New People were not allowed any property and they were forced to work at least 10 hours a day and often added hours. Their limited food rations led to starvation. Disease was rampant and in 1976 it was estimated that 80% of the Cambodian population suffered from malaria.[1]

One of the Khmer Rouge mottos, in reference to the New People, was "To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss."[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ The Roots of Evil By Ervin Staub
  2. ^ Soizick Crochet, Le Cambodge, Karthala, Paris 1997, ISBN 2-86537-722-9