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  • Essay / A Study of Chomsky's Writings on the Cambodian Genocide

    The quest for justice in Cambodia in response to the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979 has been the subject of ongoing debate and political maneuvering. With the opening of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in 2003, it clearly illustrated the challenges and complexities of prosecuting perpetrators due to changing interpretations and perceptions of the Khmer Rouge from 1970 to 2018. The Slow Journey towards justice reflects the frequently opposing agendas of different states and individuals, as the scale of war crimes has been questioned and contested. It also encompassed the changing definition and scope of genocide over time, resulting in an interdisciplinary study of the historiography of the Khmer Rouge. More than 35 years later, the seriousness of the crimes committed continues to have an impact on Cambodian society, marked by the immense suffering that occurred between 1975 and 1979. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay As part of the international response, foreign journalists reported on the harrowing experiences of civilians in the atrocities they had witnessed and Reports detailed incidents of execution, disease and starvation. In the United States, officials in Washington have publicly denounced these wrongdoings, but the government remains reluctant to take action. The rest of the international community remained largely silent throughout the Khmer Rouge period, despite the fact that a strong public stance developed against the atrocities. In a 1977 issue of “The Nation,” the oldest weekly and popular magazine in the United States, featured Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman in their article “Distortions at Fourth Hand.” Known as the "father of modern linguistics", Chomsky's writings on the Cambodian genocide received immense attention due to his denial of the credibility of the information that emerged regarding the number of deaths and suffering. Chomsky was careful to avoid outright denying genocide, but suggested that the belief that genocide occurred was based on fabricated evidence, as he asserts that "it is in this context that we must consider the recent spate of newspaper articles, editorials and books on Cambodia, a part of the world that generally does not give much press attention.” This context that Chomsky is referring to is the United States' eagerness to promote a reconstruction of history that presents its nation in a positive light after its losses to Vietnam. Although the story is based on evidence, the evidence "is grossly distorted" and Chomsky sets out to prove this concept. Influenced by the rewriting of history that condemned communist atrocities rather than emphasizing their success and American failure, the Washington Post quickly began to focus on conditions in rural Cambodia. Chomsky scrutinizes their content by revealing that a large part of the photographs allegedly taken after their clandestine exit had already appeared a year earlier in France, Germany, Australia and in the Bangkok Post. This pattern has been repeated among analyzes by experts who cite statistics from different media outlets without a reliable source. On April 17, the Boston Globe published an article saying: "Most foreign experts on Cambodia and its refugees estimate that at least 1.2 million people have been killed or died at the hands of communist rule since April 17 1975.” No source is indicated. The questioning of the stability of a “historical fact” is obvious and.