Countdown to April 17

As suggested last month, it will be interesting to keep tabs on the world’s media to see what level of coverage is provided for the 30th anniversary of Khmer Rouge entry to Phnom Penh.

The first item I’ve spotted is Alex Hinton’s piece in the The Christian Science Monitor entitled: "Lessons from killing fields of Cambodia - 30 years on". He writes:

I offer four suggestions in the spirit of George Santayana's oft-cited words "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I’ve often hear that quote, but until today never realized it could be sourced to any single person.

The four points he lists makes for interesting reading. Particularly:

In our age of terrorist fear, as suspect Arabs and Muslims vanish, are tortured, or held without trial, the Khmer Rouge period cautions us about the dangers of political paranoia. The enemy within, too often, turns out to be ourselves as - driven by fear - we violate the rights of others.

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