Khmer Rouge

In the late 1970's Pol Pot took over Cambodia with a group of communists known as the Khmer Rouge. What resulted was widespread famine, and one of the worst genocides in history.

This episode of The Moth tells the story of a woman who survived this horrible time by fleeing to the jungle and living off whatever she could. As she would say though, "it was not such a bad time." When the Khmer Rouge lost power she would return to civilization to help other survivors through their crippling depression.

This is more than just a great story, it provides a short history of the Khmer Rouge, and an insight into a human's capacity to suffer, and to heal.

Listen now. This episode is no longer available on itunes.