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(Kev)
Stepping into the Killing Fields made all the pain and horror of the place come back to life. I actually had mental flashes of what the misery may have been like for the thousands that faced it. Looking at trees were people hung, and holes in the ground were little kids were beaten and buried made me shudder at the depravity humankind is capable of sinking to.
There is always life amongst death though, as I was sitting, thinking, I was greeted by a group of Cambodian kids. They were friendly and although I knew they probably wanted my money, I decided to just walk with them. They told jokes and explained facts about the Killing Fields. Their presence made me more at ease with the place and we got along so well they gave me a bonus free picture (I of course had to pay for the first one, lol).
I think it is good to balance the old with the new...there is a time for reflection, to realize how things were, acknowledging what was and what could be. It is also important to be present, to be able to be interrupted from thought
by a smiling bunch of Cambodian Houligans...balancing the two completes awareness.
Tell next time
~K man
(Daryl)
Wow, what a change of vibe when we got here. The adventure of getting here was a task in itself, as we rode a really crowded minibus for hours, and had to cross four rivers on boats held together by two rusty bolts. Once we got there, it was time to walk back in history. Our first stop was the Killing Fields of Khmer Rouge. Man, was that air thick or what. 1.7 million people died by this genocide, and it happened only thirty years ago. It all hit me when I went inside the stupa (monument) filled with 20 shelves of skulls that had been dug up. It really shook me up to the point I didn't want to speak. For the most part, I'll let the pictures do the talking, as the words could get too graphic. I let a guide show me around and tell me about what went on. It was tough to swallow, but there was an air of peace surrounding the fields, in knowing that the Regime is over, and the people
Out of 14,000 prisoners, only 10 survived the torment of SR-21
The barbed wire prevented the desperate from committing suicide to end the torture early. of Cambodia need no longer worry.
The second stop was equally as poignant. It was the S-21 Prison where many were arrested, tortured, and killed. 14,000 came and less than a dozen left alive. The guards even covered the upper stories to prevent people from ending their lives early. When I saw the photos of the victims being tortured, I shed a tear, I thank God for my freedom, and I continued on. What was toughest for me to believe/accept, was how recently this all happened, and is continuing to happen elsewhere in the world. Here's my message to the victims:
Thinking of you,
I heard your cries so clear.
I got you in my heart
and hold you close and dear.
And I give to you, my love and light
so you know that I really care.
I'm sending you from my core,
a song, a hope, and a prayer.
God watches over your great spirit
He gives you new life, so do not fear it.
I pray within, I know you'll hear it.
I look at what you lost, with full regret.
Just know that I will never forget.
Daryl
"In the
end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
(Dustin)
The killing fields and the museum area are the types of places that you have the urge to just stay REALLY quiet. I mean with all the holes in the ground after passing the tiers of skulls just doesn't give the impression of a relaxed atmosphere. The place was pretty somber and the signs all over the site gave a good indication of what went on. I was just amazed at how many holes for mass graves there were. Apparently there is even some extra area that hasn't been checked out yet just outside the main area that you can walk in. The tours were pretty informative and even though I didn't take one I could over hear some of the facts passing by other tour groups.
Even on some of the signs they wouldn't say what was done to the people as forms of torture or execution. It was pretty rough because from the signs the people were so paranoid that they turned on lots of their own out of fear.
The
museum was quite a bit different, there was shackles and pictures of those killed all over the place and the cells and swings that were converted into a torture devices still intact. The biographies and letters from families of victims showing how they lost contact with their family member and how they think things occurred were especially powerful. Its just a little crazy how people could be so callous and care so little about people just because they can't stand to lose the power they gained.
Dustin
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Heidi
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Wow guys, I had never heard about that genocide, but now I want to learn more about it. It's crazy how something that big can happen so close to our lifetime and yet know nothing about it!