On Saturday we went to see the war museum in Phnom Pehn, and the killing fields just outside.
I didn't really know what to expect from this, having not used a book on Cambodia or looking into it at all before my trip, and also as this recent history is not really broadcast to us in any great way.
I won't go into the history here, other than to say that this history is so recent that it was our generation that suffered here. The regime in the seventies saw to it that all educated people they could get their hands on were tortured and killed as traitors against Pol Pot, and that innocent people were likewise abused, plus they destroyed and removed peoples pleasures in all cities they could. The suffering that these people have seen is shocking. It amazes me that they are such a happy people. They have a long long way to go though, and corruption exists throughout still, which is stiffling the effort of those hard workers to rebuild this country. Check out the Wikipedia site for info on S-21 and the Killing Fields.
S-21 was an education facilty, used to house, torture and kill the Khmer people. The people employed to carry this out were mostly young boys, who were scared for their own lives and forced into this task. Eventually it seems that a certain amount of bravado followed once they were conditioned to mindlessly torture these poor people. Many of the young men that did this job are alive today and have left comments at the site. They have rebuilt their own lives.
Many people were randomly taken from villages all over the country and brought here to eventually die. Each person tortured had their 'life history' written up to the point at which they were 'captured', as if to prove they were traitors, or somehow justify their treatment. They were then subjected to horrendous and endless tortures until they would eventually 'confess' to their treachery, which was fully documented and catalogued. Each person had their photo taken as they arrived and once they were dead. Only seven people survived this place, and they were used as skilled workers to keep the place running.
The last 14 bodies were buried on the site once the regime was over turned and they abandoned the prison.
Throughout the buildings now are images of the people that were brought here, evidence of the torture devices and art depictions of what happened here.
I am lost for words really, other than to say that coming here will change me forever.
I have only posted a few photo's that I took, and did not photograph any of the pictures of those during torture or lying dead. I don't know what I'll do with my photos from today. I might keep them for a while and see how I feel about it later. It is only history, and recording of that is educational, but coupled with the stories I've learned it means so much more now...
The killing fields is a small site where dying and severley tortured prisoners were taken to be buried in mass graves. I assume this was once they had confesed and been processed at S-21.
They were blind folded and knelt infront of the graves, where more young soldiers of Pol Pot would bludgeon them on the back of the neck and they would fall into the pits. Some would not die, but the chemicals poured on to the graves to keep the smell from invading the workers' quarters on the site would kill any of those buried alive...
Since the regime was toppled the bodies were exhumed and the skulls of those dead here have been made into a monument in a beautiful building on the site. I offered some meditation before entering this building, as requested when entering the site. There must be a thousand skulls or more in there, layered as high as you can see up into the roof. Quite an image, and it really hits home just how many people were here.
After a day like this we needed to go enjoy ourselves a bit, so got back into town and found a nice place to eat good food and have some beer.
This will leave a permanent impression in my mind, and I will watch with added interest as this country battles to grow again.
Completely off topic, when I got back to my room, I caught the France Ireland game on TV, which was brilliant! Good effort Ireland on the comeback...
I also had some pretty fiesty dreams this night too, luckily nothing to do with what I'd whitnessed earlier in the day!
Breakfast tomorrow morning, and Joanie is off to go back to Vietnam and catch her flight home. Her stomach has been feeling worse today though, with some cramps... I think it might be a bit of dehydration setting in, after that super hot day in the sun on the boat the other day and her apparant distrust if the water here!! Hope she is going to be ok...
