The word “Angkar” means “organization” in the Khmer language and was a name used by the Communist Party of Cambodia during the Pol Pot Regime. The Angkar governed according to its own unwritten and often brutal rules.

What did angkar mean?

The word “Angkar” means “organization” in the Khmer language and was a name used by the Communist Party of Cambodia during the Pol Pot Regime. The Angkar governed according to its own unwritten and often brutal rules.

Why is it called Khmer Rouge?

The Khmer Rouge had its origins in the 1960s, as the armed wing of the Communist Party of Kampuchea – the name the Communists used for Cambodia. Based in remote jungle and mountain areas in the north-east of the country, the group initially made little headway.