New People (Cambodia)

Civilian Cambodians exploited by the Khmer Rouge

New People (Khmer: អ្នកផ្ញើ neak phnoe or អ្នកថ្មី neak thmei or អ្នក១៧មេសា, neak dap pram pii mesa, lit. 'April 17th people') were civilian Cambodians who were controlled and exploited by Angkar and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, then known as Democratic Kampuchea, after taking power on 17 April 1975.

On 5 January 1976, the Maoist dictator Pol Pot (Saloth Sâr or Brother Number One) turned Cambodia into a secretive society isolated from the rest of the world, aspiring for Cambodia to become akin to the Khmer Empire, with its final ruler Borom Reachea II as king.

## Classification

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The Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) ordered the evacuation of all urban centers, sending the entire urban population into the countryside to work as farmers, as the CPK tried to reshape society into a model that Angkar had conceived. The Cambodian population was divided into several classes, such as Feudalists, Capitalists, petite bourgeoisie, Peasants, Workers and Special classes, similarly to how political groups led by Maximilien Robespierre of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror divided and categorized people in France into five groups, such as the Montagnards, Girondins, sans-culottes, Royalists, and the Jacobins. The soldiers, civilians, and leaders had to wear a red and white gingham krama scarves, and plain black clothing as a national uniform for all Cambodians.

Generally, everyone who was from urban areas were classified as New People, "new", because they were new to the rural countryside. People from rural areas were classified as Base People (អ្នកចាស់ neak chas or អ្នកមូលដ្ឋាន neak moultanh). One of the Khmer Rouge mottos, in reference to the New People, was "To keep you is no profit. To destroy you is no loss."[1][2]

New People were not allowed to own any property, and they were forced to work at least from 16 to 18 hours a day, often more. Their food rations were so small that many starved to death. Disease was rampant. In 1976, it was estimated that 80% of the Cambodian population had malaria.[2]

## See also

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* Year Zero (political notion)
* Dehumanization
* Untermensch

## References

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1. ^ Crochet, Soizick (1997), Le Cambodge (in French), Paris: Karthala, p. 115, ISBN 2-86537-722-9, "à vous garder nul profit, à vous éliminer nulle perte".
2. ^ a b Staub, Ervin (1989), The Roots of Evil, Cambridge University Press, p. 192, ISBN 9780521422147.

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Communist Party of Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge)

People|

* Pol Pot
* Nuon Chea
* Ieng Sary
* Ta Mok
* Khieu Samphan
* Son Sen
* Hu Nim
* Hou Yuon
* Kang Kek Iew
* Ieng Thirith
* Ke Pauk

History|

* Indochinese Communist Party
* Indochina Wars
* Khmer Issarak
* United Issarak Front
* Khmer National Liberation Committee
* Cambodian Civil War
* Fall of Phnom Penh
* Democratic Kampuchea
* Mayaguez incident
* Cambodian genocide
* Vietnamese invasions of Cambodia
* Cambodian–Vietnamese War
* Cambodian Conflict (1979–1998)
* Battle of Pailin
* GCDK
* PGNUNSC
* Khmer Rouge Tribunal

Party offices|

* Communist Youth League of Kampuchea
* Santebal

Publications|

* Tung Padevat
* Tong Kraham
* Somlenh Polokor

Ideologies|

* Marxism–Leninism
* Maoism
* Pol Potism
* National communism
* Khmer nationalism
* Agrarian socialism
* Totalitarianism

Concepts|

* Autarky
* Angkar
* Year Zero
* New People

Derivatives|

* Party of Democratic Kampuchea
* Cambodian National Unity Party
* Khmer National Solidarity Party
* Democratic National Union Movement

Related articles|

* MONATIO
* Killing Fields
* Victorious Seventeenth of April
* Holiday in Cambodia
* Anti-intellectualism
* Communist terrorism

Communism

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Cambodian genocide

Ideologies|

* Ultranationalism
* Ethnonationalism
* New People
* Year Zero
* Khmer nationalism
* Totalitarianism
* Chinese-style socialism
* Marxism-Leninism (elements)

Crimes|

* Killing caves of Phnom Sampeau
* Killing Fields
* Ba Chúc massacre
* Thổ Chu Island massacre
* S-21
* Eastern Zone massacres
* Choeung Ek
* Dangrek genocide

Perpetrators|

* "Angkar"
* Pol Pot
* Nuon Chea
* Ieng Sary
* Khieu Samphan
* Son Sen
* Ta Mok
* Khmer Rouge
* Communist Party of Kampuchea
* Liberation Army of Kampuchea
* Santebal
* Kang Kek Iew
* Mam Nai
* Tang Sin Hean

Victims|

* Bun Chanmol
* Chau Seng
* Chou Chet
* Hu Nim
* John Dawson Dewhirst
* Joseph Chhmar Salas
* Keo Meas
* Kerry Hamill
* Koy Thuon
* Ly Theam Teng
* Michael S. Deeds
* Ney Sarann
* Non Suon
* Phouk Chhay
* Tauch Phoeun
* Trinh Hoanh
* Paul Tep Im Sotha
* So Phim
* Tiv Ol
* Vorn Vet

Survivors|

* Bou Meng
* Chum Mey
* Dith Pran
* Haing S. Ngor
* Kim Sathavy
* Mengly Jandy Quach
* Prum Manh
* Vann Nath

Investigations|

* People's Revolutionary Tribunal
* Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
* Documentation Center of Cambodia
* Bophana Center

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