Ugly History: The Khmer Rouge murders - Timothy Williams

Prevodilac: Jovana Babic Lektor: Milenka Okuka

From 1975 to 1979, the Communist Party of Kampuchea

Od 1975. do 1979, Komunistička partija Kampućije

ruled Cambodia with an iron fist,

je vladala Kambodžom gvozdenom pesnicom

perpetrating genocide that killed one fourth of the country’s population.

i izvršila je genocid koji je doveo do smrti četvrtine populacije Kambodže.

Roughly 1 million Cambodians were executed

Oko milion Kambodžanaca je pogubljeno

as suspected political enemies or due to their ethnicities.

zbog sumnje da su politički neprijatelji ili zbog nacionalne pripadnosti.

The regime targeted Muslim Cham, Vietnamese, Chinese,

Režim je najviše napadao muslimanske Čame, Vijetnamce, Kineze,

Thai, and Laotian individuals.

Tajlanđane i Laošane.

Outside these executions,

Pored svega ovoga,

one million more Cambodians died of starvation, disease,

još dodatnih milion Kambodžanaca je umrlo zbog gladi, bolesti

or exhaustion from overwork.

ili iscrpljenosti izazvane preteranim radom.

This genocidal regime rose to power amidst decades of political turmoil.

Ovaj genocidni režim je došao na vlast tokom decenija političkog nemira.

Following World War II, Cambodia’s monarch, Prince Norodom Sihanouk,

Nakon Drugog svetskog rata, vladar Kambodže, princ Norodom Sihanuk,

successfully negotiated the country’s independence after roughly 90 years

uspeo je pregovorima da postigne državnu nezavisnost nakon oko 90 godina

of French colonial rule.

francuske kolonijalne vlasti.

But Sihanouk’s strict policies provoked friction with many citizens.

Međutim, Sihanukova stroga politika je naišla na otpor mnogih građana,

Especially militant communist rebels, who had long opposed the French

pogotovo komunističkih vojnih pobunjenika, koji su se dugo borili protiv Francuske,

and now turned their attention to overthrowing the prince.

da bi na kraju preusmerili pažnju na svrgnjavanje princa sa vlasti.

This unstable situation was further complicated

Ova nestabilna situacija se dodatno zakomplikovala

by a war raging outside Cambodia’s borders.

zbog rata koji se vodio duž granica Kambodže.

In Vietnam, millions of American troops were supporting

U Vijetnamu, milioni američkih trupa su podržavali

the non-communist south against the communist north.

antikomunistički jug u borbi protiv komunističkog severa.

While the US petitioned for Cambodia’s support,

Dok je SAD zahtevala podršku Kambodže,

Prince Sihanouk tried to stay neutral.

princ Sihanuk je pokušao da ostane neutralan,

But in 1970, he was overthrown by his prime minister

ali 1970, njegov premijer ga je zbacio sa vlasti

who allowed American troops to bomb regions of Cambodia

i dozvolio američkim trupama da bombarduju teritorije Kambodže

in their efforts to target North Vietnamese fighters.

u nadi da će pogoditi borce Severnog Vijetnama.

These attacks killed thousands of Cambodian civilians.

Ovi napadi su ubili hiljade kambodžanskih civila.

To regain power after being overthrown,

Da bi povratio vlast nakon što je zbačen,

the prince allied with his political enemies.

princ se udružio sa svojim političkim neprijateljima.

The Communist Party of Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge,

Komunističku partiju Kampućije, poznatiju kao Crveni Kmeri,

was led by Cambodians who dreamed of making their nation

vodili su Kambodžani koji su želeli da naprave

a classless society of rice farmers.

besklasno društvo uzgajivača pirinča.

They opposed capitalist Western imperialism

Oni su se protivili zapadnom kapitalističkom imperijalizmu

and sought to lead the country to self-sufficiency.

i sanjali su o samoodrživoj državi.

But to the public, they mostly represented a force

Ipak, u javnosti su predstavljali silu

fighting the pro-American government.

koja se bori protiv pro-američke vlade.

Angered by destructive American bombing

Besni zbog američkog bombardovanja

and encouraged by the prince’s call to arms,

i podstrekivani od strane princa na rat,

many Cambodians joined the Khmer Rouge.

mnogi Kambodžani su se pridružili Crvenim Kmerima.

Eventually, a full blown civil war erupted.

Na kraju, izbio je sveopšti građanski rat.

Over five years of fighting,

Tokom pet godina borbe,

more than half a million Cambodians died in this brutal conflict.

poginulo je više od pola miliona Kambodžana.

But the violence didn’t end

Ali nasilje se nije okončalo

when the rebels conquered Phnom Penh in April 1975.

kada su pobunjenici zaposeli Pnom Pen u aprilu 1975.

Upon taking the capital,

Nakon osvajanja glavnog grada,

the Khmer Rouge executed anyone associated with the previous government.

Crveni Kmeri su pogubili sve koji su bili povezani sa prethodnom vladom.

Prince Sihanouk remained stripped of power and was put under house arrest,

Princ Sihanuk je izgubio vlast i stavljen je u kućni pritvor,

and the Khmer Rouge began evacuating city residents to the countryside.

a Crveni Kmeri su evakuisali stanovnike grada u sela.

Those who couldn't make the trip by foot were abandoned,

Oni koji nisu izdržali put peške su napuštani,

separating countless families.

što je dovelo do razdvajanja mnogih porodica.

In this new regime, every citizen was stripped of their belongings

U ovom novom režimu, svakom stanovniku je oduzeta imovina

and given the same clothes and haircut.

i data ista odeća i frizura.

Private property, money, and religion were outlawed.

Privatna svojina, novac i religija su postali nezakoniti.

The new agricultural workforce was expected to produce

Od nove zemljoradničke snage je očekivano da proizvede

impossible amounts of rice,

enormne količine pirinča,

and local leaders would be killed if they couldn’t fulfill quotas.

a lokalne vođe su ubijane ukoliko ne bi ispunili kvote.

Many prioritized their orders to the capital above feeding workers.

Mnogi su više vodili računa o naredbama nego o prehranjivanju sopstvenih radnika.

Underfed, overworked, and suffering from malaria and malnutrition,

Zbog gladi, iscrpljenosti, malarije i neuhranjenosti

thousands perished.

na hiljade ljudi je umrlo.

The Khmer Rouge members enforcing the system were no safer.

Ni članovi Crvenih Kmera koji su sprovodili naredbe nisu bili pošteđeni.

When their plan failed to produce rice at the expected rates,

Kada je propao njihov plan da proizvedu odgovarajuću količinu pirinča,

Khmer Rouge leadership became paranoid.

vođstvo Crvenih Kmera je postalo paranoično.

They believed that internal enemies were trying to sabotage the revolution,

Verovali su da skriveni neprijatelji iznutra sabotiraju njihovu revoluciju

and they began arresting and executing anyone perceived as a threat.

i počeli su da hapse i ubijaju sve koje su smatrali pretnjom.

This brutality continued for almost four years.

Ova brutalnost je trajala skoro četiri godine.

Finally, in 1979, Vietnamese troops

Konačno, 1979, vijetnamske trupe

working alongside defected Khmer Rouge members took control of the country.

su zajedno sa odbeglim članovima Crvenih Kmera preuzeli vlast nad državom.

This political upheaval triggered yet another civil war

Ovaj politički preokret je započeo još jedan građanski rat

that wouldn’t end until the 1990s.

koji je trajao do 1990-ih.

In the years that followed,

U godinama koje su sledile,

there was no easy path to justice for victims and their families.

nije postojao lak put do pravde za žrtve i njihove porodice.

A hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal was established in 2003,

Zajednički tribunal UN-a i Kambodže je osnovan 2003,

but it only tried Khmer Rouge in the topmost leadership positions.

ali on je sudio samo ljudima sa najviših pozicija Crvenih Kmera.

Lower level Khmer Rouge members appeared in court as well,

Niži članovi Crvenih Kmera su se takođe pojavljivali na sudu,

but they weren't placed on trial.

ali nisu optuživani.

Instead, they gave testimony and offered insight

Umesto toga, oni su davali izjave i nudili uvid u funkcionisanje

into the cruel system that had enabled their superiors’ crimes.

okrutnog sistema koji je podržavao kriminalne radnje njihovih nadređenih.

Some of these perpetrators were even legally acknowledged as victims,

Neki od počinilaca su čak legalno dobili status žrtve

because they constantly feared for their lives

jer su živeli u konstantnom strahu za svoje živote

and committed violence as a means of self-preservation.

i vršili su nasilje radi sopstvenog opstanka.

This perception of low level Khmer Rouge members

Ovaj pogled na niže članove Crvenih Kmera

as victims rather than perpetrators extended beyond the courtroom.

kao na žrtve, a ne nasilnike, proširio se i izvan suda.

Like other Cambodians, most Khmer Rouge members lost family,

Kao i ostali stanovnici, većina članova je izgubila porodicu

suffered hunger, were stripped of their homes and belongings,

trpela glad, izgubila kuće i drugu imovinu

and were overworked to exhaustion.

i bila iscrpljena od prekomernog rada.

And the paranoia amongst Khmer Rouge leadership

Paranoja vođstva Crvenih Kmera

had led to a higher rate of execution for Khmer Rouge members

je rezultirala većom stopom pogubljenja sopstvenih članova

than the ethnic majority population.

nego bilo koje etničke grupe u državi.

As a result, many Cambodians today don't just see the genocide

Zbog toga, većina Kambodžana danas ne posmatra to kao genocid

as one committed against ethnic minority groups,

protiv etničkih manjina,

but also as a broad campaign of violence impacting the entire population.

već kao sveopštu kampanju nasilja koja je pogodila čitavu populaciju.

As of 2021, only three people have received prison sentences.

Do 2021, samo je troje ljudi zatvorski kažnjeno.

Many victims would like the tribunal

Mnoge žrtve bi volele da tribunal

to pursue further trials of Khmer Rouge leaders.

nastavi sa suđenjima protiv vođstva Crvenih Kmera.

However, a 2018 national survey revealed

Međutim, nacionalno istraživanje iz 2018. je otkrilo

that most victims feel the tribunal has contributed to justice.

da većina žrtava smatra da je tribunal doprineo izvršenju pravde.

In the wake of such tragedy,

Kada se suočimo sa ovakvom tragedijom,

it’s tempting to paint conflicts in simplistic terms—

bilo bi primamljivo prikazati konflikte kao crno-bele -

casting one group as oppressor and the other as oppressed.

obeležavajući jednu grupu kao nasilnike, a drugu kao žrtve.

But many Cambodians live with a more complex reality.

Uprkos tome, mnogi Kambodžani prepoznaju složeniju realnost situacije.

Everyone suffered, even those who contributed to the suffering of others.

Svi su patili, čak i oni koji su doprinosili patnji drugih.

This perception doesn’t excuse any acts of violence.

Ova perspektiva ne opravdava ni jednu vrtsu nasilja,

But how a society remembers traumatic events

ali način na koji društvo pamti traumatične događaje

plays a part in who is seen as victim, who is seen as perpetrator,

igra ulogu u tome koga vidimo kao žrtvu, a koga kao počinioca,

and how a shattered society can build a path into the future.

kao i kako razbijeno društvo može da izgradi put ka boljoj budućnosti.