El Infierno de Los Jemeres Rojos

This gripping book is one of the few published accounts of the terrifying regime that held power in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979--and one of the most heartbreaking stories of political oppression to come to light in recent years. Denise Affonco worked at the French embassy in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, when the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975. Affonco and her family were deported to the countryside, as were most of the inhabitants of Cambodian cities. The regime decided to establish an agricultural state, and all citizens were forced to work the land. During this four-year dictatorship, the population had to endure famines, disease, and systematic executions. This moving chronicle recounts her experiences during those years and is based on the notebooks she wrote in 1979, just months after being released, while preparing her testimony in the trial of Pol Pot, the main leader of the Khmer Rouge. "Este libro apasionante es uno de los pocos informes publicados sobre el terrorifico regimen que se mantuvo en el poder en Camboya entre 1975 y 1979--y uno de los mas desgarradores relatos sobre la opresion politica que ha salido a la luz en los ultimos anos. Denise Affonco trabajaba en la embajada francesa en Phnom Penh, la capital de Camboya, cuando los jemeres rojos tomaron el poder en abril de 1975. Affonco y su familia fueron deportados al campo, como la mayoria de los habitantes de las ciudades camboyanas. El regimen decidio instaurar un estado agricola, y todos los ciudadanos fueron obligados a trabajar la tierra. Durante esta dictadura de cuatro anos, la poblacion tuvo que soportar hambrunas, enfermedades y ejecuciones sistematicas. Esta cronica conmovedora relata sus experiencias durante aquellos anos y se basa en los cuadernos que escribio en 1979, pocos meses despues de ser liberada, mientras preparaba su testimonio en el proceso contra Pol Pot, principal lider de los jemeres rojos."