S-21 at Phnom Pehn

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We saw the best of Cambodia at Angkor, now came time to learn about and see the worst.

Phnom Penh is a quickly modernizing capital city where markets overflow the streets and at night many people head to the river to play badminton, have dinner, and socialize with other families. Cambodia has surprised us in how different it is from Laos; much more modern.

From 1975-1979 the Khmer Rouge was the regime in power in Cambodia. Oppressive would be too soft a word in describing them. It is estimated that near 2 million people died as a result of the Khmer Rouge regime and genocide. Although the Cambodian people did not know when they first came into power, the Khmer Rouge's mission was to render all Cambodians the same. Exterminate personalities, send everyone to work in the rice fields in order to tripple rice production, and eliminate any higherarchy in society. Everyone was made lower class. Many young people joined the army and were in charge of ensuring work was competed on time in the rice fields. Conditions were often brutal and many, many people died from exhaustion, abuse, and hunger. It is hard to believe that people would join such a regime and abuse thier own people. It seems the army provided a safe-haven, meals and the hope that some of that would trickle down to the soldiers families. They did not know, at first, of the horrendous nature of the Khmer Rouge.

People from all walks of life were sent to Tuol Sleng school. Referred to as S-21 (Security 21), this school was used as a prison and a torture camp. The classrooms were divided into rooms for torture and some were divided into cells where prisoners were shackeld and rarely fed. Injuries were common and children prisonners acted as the medical staff, bandaging and doing the best they could with the few supplies they were given. Each prisoner was numbered and photographed. They were measured and each one sat down and recorded his or her biography. The Khmer Rouge wanted to know their history so they could find a legally valid reason to kill them. In the end it didn't matter. Most people at the school dies brutal deaths.

From Tuol Sleng, 20 000 people were sent to Choeug Ek, or "the killing fields" as they are now known. The killing fields were exactly that. Prisoners were beaten to death in order to save bullets, although some were shot as part of the torture. Men, women, and children, people of all ages were brought here and none were spared. They were piled high in mass graves and left without identification or word to their families of their deaths. Today a 4 story glass memorial stands. Inside are the skulls of nearly 9000 of the victims of the killing fields categorized by sex and age. The sight of the killing feilds is quiet and nothing grows around it. It is brown and empty except for the eerie feeling in the air.

The Khmer people of Cambodia are still recovering from these attrocities. Every family has lost someone to the Khmer Rouge. Since many of the teachers and public officals were among the first killed during the reign, a new generation of trained people has not come in to take their place. The result is many untrained people working in the public sector as teachers, police, and government jobs. This means that things often do not run as smoothly here and perhaps they once did. A new generation is taking charge and their is hope for the Khmer people. The government in power now is not all they would like it to be either. Technically it is a democracy but many people that we have talked to here feel it is run more like a communist country. The same party has been in power since the Khmer Rouge were overthrown and even though elections take place every 4 years they are corrupt.

The Khmer people are strong though. They know they have had it worse and are happy to be moving towards better lives, however slow it may be. Everyone we meet here loves to joke around and have positive attitudes about where their lives are headed. Many people know english, especially the children- quite impressive. We love it here because there is such hope and such passion for a better way. They know it is possible; it is visible in the wonder that is Angkor. They have such potential and they are eager to attain and to succeed. It is a fun time to be in Cambodia and to interact with the laughing Khmer.

Link for more info: http://www.bigpond.com.kh/users/dccam.genocide and www.cekillingfield.com.kh

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Comments

[andre]

the irony!
becks, unbelievably well spoken and written, as you captured the detail remarkably accurately. I can remember being there like it was yesterday - and I am affraid I always will. For example, I'll never ever forget the one living thing left at the killing fields.. a lonesome, aged, though powerful and sturdy shadey oak tree. To think of the attrocities she has beared witness to over the years, yet she lives on representing a glimmer of life where there was once hell.