Topics

Background: The Cambodian Genocide

Khyl attack as one of 9 Cultural Concepts of
Distress in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5
(DSM-5) (2013)
The ethnophysiology of a khyl attack (triggers,
symptoms, and a spectrum of severity)
Treating a khyl attack: coining
Preventing a khyl attack: Doing the vessels

Cambodia

Pol Pot Period (19751979)

Death TollUnder the Khmer Rouge Rule (Pol
Pot Period), about 1/4 of the population died,
approximately 1.7 million people out of a
population of 7.9 million
Cause of DeathExecution, untreated illness,
starvation, and excessive labor (up to 20 hours a
day) while starving (often fed a few grains of rice
a day)

Pol Pot Period (19751979) (cont)

Khmer Rouge IdeologyThe goal was to create
an agriculture state on the model of Angkor Wat,
the famous kingdom that ruled Cambodia in the
distant past
Massive canal and dam building were
undertaken to achieve this goal

Agricultural Labor during Democratic Kampuchea (197579), undated

Those Targeted for Systematic Killing

Soldiers, politicians, police, or other officials
of the prior regime
Any person with education sufficient to read
and write Khmer, particularly teachers or
others with a high level of education
In many cases, the spouse and children of
the above two categories of persons

Those Targeted for Systematic Killing (cont)

Chinese, Vietnamese, or anyone with

Minority Status
Anyone perceived to be lazy in their
work habits
Anyone stealing food (meaning even
picking a wild fruit)

Depiction of the Khmer Rouge Killing by Bludgeoning the

Back of the Head: Elementary School Book

Mass Grave, Democratic Kampuchea, site unknown