Cambodia’s genocide is still hurting its people

Remember the past but look to the future. That was the message Cambodia’s leaders gave to the 20,000 people who gathered in Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, on January 7th to commemorate “victory over genocide” day. Around 2m people (nearly a quarter of the population) were killed between 1975 and 1979 during the Khmer Rouge’s attempt at a great leap forward. Since that communist regime’s fall, Cambodia’s recovery has been impressive. Over the past decade annual growth has averaged 5.5%. Still, the effects of genocide linger.