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Thursday, April 17, 2025, marked the fiftieth anniversary of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge taking control of Cambodia. April 17, 1975 marked the end of a five-year civil war between the Lon Nol regime and the communist rebel movement the Khmer Rouge, but the beginning of one of the worst genocides in history.
The Lon Nol regime overthrew the popular Prince Sihanouk in a coup d'état in 1970, creating political instability. The regime allied itself with the United States, which launched widespread bombing campaigns to combat the communists, resulting in the destruction of large parts of the countryside and the killing of thousands of civilians.
Great hopes were placed in the then-popular rebel movement, as it was believed that their seizure of power would stabilize the country after the civil war. However, it was not long before state and social institutions were shut down, while money and private property were abolished. Within days, the capital, Phnom Penh, had been almost emptied of its inhabitants, who were forced into the countryside in groups to live and work in agricultural collectives.
What followed was a systematic killing of dissidents, where even small children and perceived enemies of the new regime were tortured and executed. Customs and culture were to be eradicated, the cities emptied, and anyone who had served the previous regime, as well as intellectuals and academics, were tortured and killed. It was enough to speak a different language or wear glasses. Pol Pot's plan was to take Cambodia back to what he referred to as "year zero" by erasing the country's past.
Between April 17, 1975, and January 6, 1979, it is estimated that around 1.7 million people, almost a quarter of the population, died in executions, starvation, forced labor, disease, and lack of medical care as a result of the Khmer Rouge's ruthless rule.
The lack of educated people after the fall of the regime in 1979 has created a long-term shortage of qualified labor. The country still struggles today with a weak education system, making it difficult for young people to break out of poverty. Former members of the regime entered the government, which has contributed to corruption and a lack of democratic institutions.
Generations have grown up with psychological trauma passed on from older survivors. Mental health care is inadequate, while alcohol and drug problems are common.
Cambodia is still living with the long-term consequences of the actions of the Khmer Rouge.
Thursday, April 17, 2025, marked the fiftieth anniversary of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge taking control of Cambodia. April 17, 1975 marked the end of a five-year civil war between the Lon Nol regime and the communist rebel movement the Khmer Rouge, but the beginning of one of the worst genocides in history.
The Lon Nol regime overthrew the popular Prince Sihanouk in a coup d'état in 1970, creating political instability. The regime allied itself with the United States, which launched widespread bombing campaigns to combat the communists, resulting in the destruction of large parts of the countryside and the killing of thousands of civilians.
Great hopes were placed in the then-popular rebel movement, as it was believed that their seizure of power would stabilize the country after the civil war. However, it was not long before state and social institutions were shut down, while money and private property were abolished. Within days, the capital, Phnom Penh, had been almost emptied of its inhabitants, who were forced into the countryside in groups to live and work in agricultural collectives.
What followed was a systematic killing of dissidents, where even small children and perceived enemies of the new regime were tortured and executed. Customs and culture were to be eradicated, the cities emptied, and anyone who had served the previous regime, as well as intellectuals and academics, were tortured and killed. It was enough to speak a different language or wear glasses. Pol Pot's plan was to take Cambodia back to what he referred to as "year zero" by erasing the country's past.
Between April 17, 1975, and January 6, 1979, it is estimated that around 1.7 million people, almost a quarter of the population, died in executions, starvation, forced labor, disease, and lack of medical care as a result of the Khmer Rouge's ruthless rule.
The lack of educated people after the fall of the regime in 1979 has created a long-term shortage of qualified labor. The country still struggles today with a weak education system, making it difficult for young people to break out of poverty. Former members of the regime entered the government, which has contributed to corruption and a lack of democratic institutions.
Generations have grown up with psychological trauma passed on from older survivors. Mental health care is inadequate, while alcohol and drug problems are common.
Cambodia is still living with the long-term consequences of the actions of the Khmer Rouge.
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Image captions
07/01/25 Sre Ambel, Cambodia.
An elderly woman crosses a backstreet.
03/11/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Goods are loaded for transport outside Orrusey Market.
After the Khmer Rouge destroyed the country's economy in an attempt to take it back to "Year Zero," Cambodia has long struggled to recover. There is a shortage of engineers, technicians, and specialists as a result of the systematic purge of educated professionals. Today, Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economies but still lags far behind neighboring countries like Vietnam and Thailand.
28/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Two boys roll a moped through an alley.
Traffic accidents are common in Cambodia and one of the leading causes of death. It is the law that both drivers and passengers on a motorcycle must wear an approved helmet. Helmet use is relatively high in cities like Phnom Penh but generally very low in the countryside. It is also common to see children and youth driving without helmets as there is no statutory minimum age to drive a motorcycle with an engine size under 125cc.
02/03/25 Anlong Veng, Cambodia.
Water has run along a backstreet. It is common to hose down the street outside one's home to avoid dust but also to keep down the heat in the house during hot days.
Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia's most vulnerable countries to climate change. This is reinforced by the country's dependence on agriculture, lack of infrastructure, and limited resources. Rising temperatures, extreme downpours, and sea-level rise threaten the population's health as well as access to food and water.
24/10/24 Phnom Penh.
Khoung Cheng, 72, fled to Vietnam during Pol Pot’s rule. His wife was 16 when her parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Today, they repair and sell bicycles together from their home in the capital.
The Khmer Rouge systematically killed dissidents and intellectuals. It was enough to speak another language or wear glasses to be targeted. Even small children and perceived enemies of the new regime were tortured and executed.
19/02/25 Kratie, Cambodia.
A boy cycles in the neighborhood.
Cambodia has been called “the land of orphans” as the country's dark history led to many children becoming parentless. Today, the vast majority of children placed in orphanages have at least one living parent, and the problem is instead that the number of orphanages has increased dramatically for profit-driven purposes. Parents living in poverty are tricked into placing their children in orphanages in the belief that they will have a better life, but instead, they are exploited for donations from tourists and volunteers.
18/02/25 Kratie, Cambodia.
Two young men eat dinner at sunset by the Mekong River.
Cambodia today consists of an unusually young population, with a majority under the age of 30. The genocide under the Khmer Rouge regime hollowed out an entire generation and left deep scars on the nation's soul.
19/02/25 Kratie, Cambodia.
A young homeless man eats food on the street next to a street food stall after having slept by the walkway next to the river.
Homelessness in Cambodia is relatively low compared to other countries. This is because the traditional family structure and strong community ties still function as a social safety net, where relatives often take in those who have nowhere else to go.
07/01/25 Sre Ambel, Cambodia.
An elderly man and woman at a small local café.
Generations have grown up with psychological trauma passed down from older survivors. Many suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, but mental health care is deficient, and alcohol and drug problems are common.
31/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A young couple eats dinner outside Orrusey Market in central Phnom Penh.
In Cambodia, the development gap between cities and the countryside has caused many young people to choose to move away from their families to the cities. In cities like Phnom Penh, it is very expensive for a young couple to buy or rent their own home, and many are forced into informal housing arrangements when they no longer have their family as a safety net.
23/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A drunk man dances next to his friends in an alley.
Cambodia still has no national law on a minimum age for alcohol consumption and is the only country in the region lacking an age limit. Many teenagers are in the habit of drinking to intoxication, and alcohol is often used for self-medication to dampen anxiety—something that creates a destructive spiral of abuse within families.
02/03/25 Anlong Veng, Cambodia.
A man who lives right next to Pol Pot’s grave carries trash to burn next to the burial site.
Anlong Veng, located near the Thai border in northern Cambodia, was the Khmer Rouge's last stronghold after being toppled in 1979. The area was controlled as an autonomous state for nearly two decades until Pol Pot’s death in 1998. Many inhabitants today are former soldiers with families, integrated into modern Cambodia but with an identity deeply rooted in the past. The town has become an important site for reconciliation work.
18/10/24 Battambang, Cambodia.
Kong Reth, 77, was a soldier under the Lon Nol regime that was overthrown by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. He was beaten and questioned about his background several times by the Khmer Rouge. They pulled a plastic bag over his head and hit him in the face with a hammer. On his knees in front of a grave with a pistol to his head, he continued to deny his past and survived. The events took place at Battambang’s Killing Fields, just a few hundred meters from his current home. Later, he was sent to another region for forestry work.
01/03/25 Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Controlled fire next to a power line in the countryside on the way to Anlong Veng.
Cambodian agriculture is still characterized today by infrastructural flaws as a direct consequence of the regime replacing scientific expertise with ideologically driven forced labor. The country's infrastructure is undergoing modernization driven by Chinese investors. New highways between cities have been built, but the countryside still has inadequate road networks. Simple dirt roads are common, and accessibility during the rainy season is difficult.
20/02/25 Kratie Province, Cambodia.
Children in school uniforms in the countryside.
The loss of educated individuals following the fall of the regime in 1979 has created a long-term shortage of skilled labor. There is still a significant lack of teachers, and the country continues to struggle with a weak education system, making it difficult for young people to break out of poverty.
10/01/25 Kampot, Cambodia.
Residents of a small fishing village eat breakfast and socialize along the coast, about 20 km west of Kampot.
Fishing is of crucial importance to the country’s food security, as it accounts for the majority of the population's protein intake and provides employment for a large segment of the people.
12/01/25 Kep, Cambodia.
A group of children swim in the sea.
With its proximity to Phnom Penh, the quiet coastal town of Kep is a popular destination for domestic tourism, while foreign tourists often head to the islands or Sihanoukville. It is only during the last 25 years that a new middle class has emerged in Cambodia, and a significant portion of the domestic population has gained disposable income.
26/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A drunk martial artist shows off his tattoo of a seven-headed Naga, a symbol of strength and spiritual protection linked to ancient beliefs in Cambodia.
05/11/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A street in central Phnom Penh has been blocked by a large tent for a ceremony in memory of a deceased relative. Families often hold ceremonies on the specific anniversary of a family member's passing. Economic resources dictate how large a ceremony becomes and how often it can be held.
30/12/24 Kampot, Cambodia.
An elderly woman rests in a hammock in her home.
Many from the older generation in Cambodia turn to Buddhist monks and traditional healers to process trauma. There is a shortage of psychiatrists, and mental illness remains stigmatized.
31/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Housing in a cart along a street in central Phnom Penh.
Although homelessness in Cambodia is statistically low, many live in informal housing of simple construction that lacks running water, sanitation, and security. Because this group technically has a roof over their heads, they are rarely counted as homeless in official statistics.
02/03/25 Anlong Veng, Cambodia.
A farmer walks in the neighborhood during the hottest hours of the day.
Large amounts of unexploded ordnance still lie hidden in the soil of the Cambodian countryside. The goal of a mine-free country has been forced to be pushed forward to 2030 despite intensive clearance efforts since the 90s. Mines have long limited agriculture, as the fear of accidents makes fertile land unusable and locks families in poverty.
07/01/25 Sre Ambel, Cambodia.
A man sits alone in the garden after a ceremony for a deceased family member.
A culture of silence among elders has meant that younger generations are often not told the full truth about what happened. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, former members of the regime entered the government, contributing to corruption and a lack of democratic institutions. Distrust toward authoritarian institutions, such as the judiciary, police, and local authorities, remains widespread.
21/02/25 Stung Treng, Cambodia.
Three men work with what is known as "fogging." Using a fine mist of pesticide, they combat the spread of dengue mosquitoes. Dengue fever is endemic and widespread throughout Cambodia. Authorities registered approximately 8,803 cases during the first half of 2025—a sharp increase of nearly 30 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
06/01/25 Sre Ambel, Cambodia.
Three boys fly a homemade kite.
Although child labor in Cambodia has decreased sharply and legislation has improved significantly, many children are still forced to help with the family's livelihood due to poverty and debt.
31/10/24 Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A young man scrolls on his phone in an alley in central Phnom Penh.
Because the younger generation lacks personal memories of the trauma, they are more likely to embrace digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and a modern cultural identity that blends global influences with tradition.
19/10/24 Battambang, Cambodia.
Bunleang Sreng, 31, has worked as a mechanic in the family home since he was 16. His father is 71 and has told him about how difficult it was to try to survive under Pol Pot’s rule. He also talks about Buddhism and how they live by doing what feels right. "You can do anything that doesn't give you guilt," he says, explaining that you don't need much to feel good. He enjoys making things work and making them look nice.
31/12/24 Kampot, Cambodia.
A family eats dinner on New Year's Eve.
Cambodia’s poverty is heavily concentrated in rural areas, where many live below the official poverty line. Many also live in multidimensional poverty, meaning they lack access to at least one-third of essential basic needs, such as sanitation, clean drinking water, education, and healthcare.
17/02/25 Kratie, Cambodia.
Two boys seek shelter from the intense sun in the high vegetation along the riverbank. During the dry season, it is generally sunny and arid, but in the middle of the month, peak temperatures several degrees above normal were recorded.
23/02/25 Stung Treng, Cambodia.
It is 07:00, and Cambodia’s national anthem, Nokor Reach, plays loudly over speakers throughout the city. Everyone stops and stands still until the music ends. The national anthem has existed since 1941, with some interruptions during the country’s turbulent history. It is directly linked to national identity, the monarchy, and the history of the Khmer people.
© Copyright - Robin Bäckman