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Published: September 30th 2009
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14 graves
The vanquishing army discovered 7 survivors and 14 decaying bodies. They burried them outside the builing in which they were found. Some of the cells display photographs of the bodies as they were found, very gruesome. Sunday arrived, my first full day in Phnom Penh to do with as I wished. The sense of freedom was incredible. After much humming and hawing I decided to make Tuol Sleng my first stop as it was a walkable distance from the hotel, not such a wise move as it happens but we all live and learn I suppose.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum comemorates the crimes committed within it's walls during Pol Pot's reign, were Toul Sleng was converted from an innocuous School into Security Prison 21. A place of interment, interrogation, torture and (eventually) death.
The classrooms were converted into cells of varying sizes, the information leaflet advises the smallest of these was 0.8 x 2 meters (each of which housed one prisoner, or two if mother and child). Clearly my spatial awareness has not improved as I have seen these cells first hand and would swear there was not room for me to lie down in (and I am certainly not over 2 meters tall). Suffice it to say, they were darned small indeed. The largest cells were single classrooms which housed upwards of 50 prisoners shackled to the floor in long neat rows. The rules
of S21 chalked on the blackboard at the head of the room (see photo for said rules).
Once a suitable confession had been elicited from the inmates they were shepherded to the killing fields where, to save bullets, they were often bludgeoned to death. Small babies were used as sport, flung into the air and shot as they descended, or swung by the ankles and their heads bashed off tree trunk. It’s really quite horrific cruelty one human can inflict upon another. That this happened within my lifetime (albeit only just!) simply beggars belief.
Most moving (for me) were the photographs. Row upon row within room upon room of faces doomed to death. Some showed anger, some despair, others yet a calm acceptance, but mostly there was fear. Very moving.
The records are inexact as they do not list the children killed by the Khmer Rouge but is estimated that 20,000 were killed at S21. Only 7 survivors made it.
To quote from the information leaflet "... Making the crimes of the inhuman regime ... public plays crucial role in preventing new Pol Pot from emerging in the lands of Angkor or anywhere else on earth."
Pictures of Tuol Sleng inmates
You can see through the doorway the following rooms also filled with pictures. The boys on the left in the hats were the guards, all aged between 9 and 18 years old. I only trust that this is so.
Anyhow, history lesson over. I had planned to next see the killing fields but my heart wasn't in it, also out was the Royal Palace as all that opulent extravagance would have sat ill upon the somber experience of Tuol Sleng. This left me with but one option, the museum. Ordinarily I detest museums, finding them staid and lifeless, but this was the perfect place to allow contemplation and reflection. Just what I needed. It also housed some rather splendid stone carvings rescued from the Angkor Wat temples; alas for me they were just great big stone carvings. Suspect I would have appreciated them more had I seen the temples first. Even better would be to see them in situ but I doubt that will ever happen.
The rest of that day was spent aimlessly wandering. I did stop for a rather interesting lunch of Nantaing (I think!) which was perfectly tasty, but jolly difficult to eat. Doubt I'll order that again.
Am now in Battambang having a great time although I would like to say one thing....
faded French splendour my eye!
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fionaswan
non-member comment
shit!!!!a bit sobering but must and should be remembered, nice one Jen