Holiday in Cambodia *duhduhduh*

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Cambodia is already a much more intriguing and inspiring place than vietnam. There is the never ending calls by passing drivers, "tuktuk?" and "motobike?", but otherwise people are much more easy going. Cambodian history is one hell of a boondogle we both have been reading about the place since we were teenagers. The history is one of dominance and the constant struggle to oppose dominance. Trapped between two larger powers, Thailand and Vietnam, there was raraely a period without conflict on borders or political meddling. Both powers had hteir vision for how to change and modernize the Khmer without consideration of their sovereignty. Cambodia finally has its self-determination but it is a shaky calm at best. Conditions here socially much resemble India but there is no caste system. India was the most important foreign influnence in Khmer History. The royal advisors and top officers in the kings court were self appointed Bhramins from India whose control and powers were enviable. The first "Devaraja" (god-king) was Jayavarman II, whom is beleived to originate from Java. The most prevelent religion is Buddhism but it once was hinduism and even with the rise of buddhism Vishnu and Shiva are still commonly worshipped. Over time a hybrid diety, unique to Cambodia emegred. Harihara is the confluence of Vishnu and Shiva and still commonly worshiped alongside the buddha. There are further examples, all concerned with foreign dominance and it seems inescapable histoically.

This morning while breakfasting we were approached by a woman with two children asking for charity. I offered them my freshly arrived fruit plate to which they refused and asked for money. This kind of begging was uncommon in vietnam but were we in Saigon there would have 5 or 6 interlopes during our meal. I suppose it's quality over quantity, which we appreciate. I choose to not support people just with money at it tends to do more harm than good but am happy to offer food. Two mornings ago i gave a slice of cheese to a begging youngster and he fed it to his puppy instead of eating it himself. I hope it was because he isn't starving and loves his dog. There is less of a front between you and the general public and it manifests further than sales and begging. People are quick to engage but don't trap you (except sales people).

Today we rode over to the requisit stop for anyone visting Phnom Pehn, S-21 prison and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. The jail is nearby in the centre of town and the fields are 14km away. The fields are where almost anyone the Khmer Rouge wanted to go missing went and they went in the tens of thousands. When you were rounded up to go "pick fruit in the fields", as the guards would say, you knew it was near the end. There are hundreds of mass graves in rows, sized about 4x4 meters, all laid out in a grid. 166 of the sites have been excavated and exmained for clues as to what happened to the victims and that is around half of graves at the site. There were hundreds of killing fields all around Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge (aka Democratic Kampuchea) rule. In total 3million are believed to have died under their extremist reign. The information centre at the fields displays very soberly the details of events past. There is not much of an emotional appeal of chastizing of the perpetraytors, just straight fact and personal accounts. In the middle of the fields there is now a national monument 39 m tall and housing a massive glass case filled with remains from over 8000 deceased. Skulls are on the first 7 shelves and 8-14 houses bones and fragments. The cement monlith is simple and elagent, a much nicer rest than a mass grave. The site serves to always preserve the memory of the events that transpired so another genocide is not repeated.

The S-21 prison remains as it was when abandoned by the Khmer Rouge in the last moments before the front for liberating Cambodia took Phnom Pehn. The fleeing guards last act was to murder by blugeoning the remaining prisoners but thankfully didn't have time. The prison had 4 main barracks with differing purposes from torture and interrogation to isolation. There were large rooms for politicians and 0.8m x 2m cells. Most barracks were draped in barbed wire at exit points and balconies to prevent suicide attmpts. Photographs line the walls of former detention areas and nearly all of the 20 000 detainees are pictured here now. Elements of torture are strewn about the rooms and grounds. Torture methods started with blunt tools and progressed up to whips and drowning. The prisoners were diverse in age and charge. Anyone suspected of working against the Khmer Rouge could be jailed and killed without any trouble and many of the prisoners were members of the Rouge but seen are treasonous. It is a somber sobering stroll through the halls of the former high school turned prison but in the same vein as the killing fields, the message was straight and lacked the propaganda common to vietnam.

We are feeling more positive about the future since leaving vietnam but haven't been anywhere remotely low key or relaxing for 3 weeks now so we are heading ot a party town in the south coast to try and find a Hallowe'en party. I don't have a clue where to get a costume here so we will have to improvise... luckily we tend to do that well.... mostly... hopefully. .. ... PARTY!

Good luck with the new mayor and please send my condolences to Mr. Jelly. If you see Larry Diianni please spit on him for me because he is a dirty rotten liar and a theif and i am glad he was refused by most of hamilton again!

Sincerely
Brian and Jenna
Gruesome photos to come!

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Photos

Phnom Pehn2
Royal prayer hall

Phnom Pehn4
Silver Pagoda

Phnom Pehn1
Royal palace

Phnom Pehn5
Mini angkor wat

Killing Fields
clothes and teeth coming out of the graves beneath

Killing Fields
Skulls in monument

Comments

[Dean]

Cambodia
Killing fields? Torture cells? Some people know how to holiday. Enjoying cool, windy weather and quiet.