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Book Review, © Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
The original "killing fields" were in Cambodia, where the Khmer Rouge killed millions of their fellow Cambodians, often for no apparent reason. This book is about large scale massacres which have happened since then. It more or less begins with a chapter on Cambodia, because many of the people responsible for the massacres there are still around, and some are still in power. We learn from Cambodia that the international community is largely powerless to stop massacres, or even discourage many countries and political parties from committing them. People can commit mass murder with impunity, without any fear of punishment. In fact, they can often expect great rewards.
The book then goes on to describe massacres in the former Yugoslavia (where Serbia committed attrocities), in Rwanda (where Hutus committed attrocities agains Tutsis), and in East Timor (where Indonesia committed attrocities). Then the book sums up what doesn't work in the attempted prevention of these mass killings, and what is more likely to work. This is an upsetting book, but an important and very interesting book.
To order this book, click Amazon.com (goes directly to this book).