Khmer Rouge to Hun Sen: Legacy of Handling Battlefield Soldier Corpses as Used-Up Resources

The handling of Cambodian soldiers' corpses who became "missing" or were left on battlefields stems from deeply rooted military, political, and historical ideas in Cambodia, especially during the Khmer Rouge era, continuing through to the present era (Hun Sen / Hun Manet) as follows.

1. Khmer Rouge Era (1975–1979): "No corpse, no problem".

During this period, the corpses of soldiers or civilians held no spiritual value according to Buddhist principles, as the Khmer Rouge abolished all religion and rituals.

• Methods of corpse management: Mass Graves: When many died, bodies were buried together in "Killing Fields" for rapid disposal.
• Abandonment to decay: On distant battlefields, dead soldiers were often left in forests to decompose naturally or be eaten by animals to avoid transportation burdens.
• Conversion to fertilizer: Survivor testimonies and evidence indicate that in some areas, the Khmer Rouge ground or burned bones to use as fertilizer in agriculture under their economic leap policy.
• Why they became 'missing': Due to lack of systematic records and prohibition of funeral rites, relatives could not trace evidence of death. The disappearances relieved the state from caring for the families of the deceased.

2. Hun Sen Era (Conflict along the Thai-Cambodian border).

The refusal of Cambodia to accept its soldiers' bodies back (e.g., clashes near Preah Vihear or Ta Kwai/Ta Meun Thom) has strategic and beneficial reasons as follows.

• Strategy 'No corpse = No loss': Maintaining image: Hun Sen and the Cambodian government often declare to their people and the world that their army is strong and suffers minimal losses. Accepting many bodies back would be proof of defeat or heavy damage.
• Budget saving: When soldiers are classified as "missing" instead of "killed in action" (KIA), the government may avoid or delay paying compensation to families.

Use of corpses as psychological warfare weapons:

• Biological weapon/smell: Analyses suggest leaving decomposing corpses near Thai military bases creates pollution and psychological pressure on opposing soldiers who must endure the odors and pathogens.
• Misinformation: Occasionally, Hun Sen claims these decomposing corpses are "Thai soldiers" to accuse Thailand of hiding their casualty numbers.
• Khmer Rouge ideological legacy: Because many Cambodian leaders (including Hun Sen) were former Khmer Rouge, they absorbed the view that "soldiers' lives are used-up resources," and honoring corpses is less important than political victory.

Comparison table of corpse management.