New people (Kampuchea)
Encyclopedia
New People were civilian
Cambodia
ns 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
.
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."
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
ns who were controlled and exploited by the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
regime in Cambodia from 1975-1979. Generally, anyone who was from an urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
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
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
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."