Looking for gold, destitute peasants of Sre Leav, Cambodia have dug up about two hundred graves of victims of the Khmer Rouge from the 1970s.  The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, and is blamed for the death of 1.7 million people through starvation, illness, overwork, torture, and execution.  The killing fields, which are scattered throughout Cambodia, are mass graves where the Khmer Rouge unloaded victims. 

Of the thousands of killing fields researchers have documented, this is the first reported looting and raid.  Even as Cambodia prepares a trial of Khmer Rouge leaders, some experts find the pillaging to be an indication that past traumas are beginning to fade.  Digging has stopped, however, as villagers pray for forgiveness, fearing  ghosts of the victims will take revenge.

For more information, please see:

Time Magazine – Looting Cambodia’s ‘Killing Fields

The New York Times – Ghosts Wail as Cambodians Plunder Killing Field Graves – 20 May 2007

IHT – Villagers find and loot Cambodian killing field – 15 May 2007