Phnom Penh, Cambodia Day 1

Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum

People have asked me if we enjoyed this day and it is difficult to respond. You don't exactly have fun on a day like this. It is more of just an solemn experience. Other travelers have said things like "overwhelmed," "taxing," and "mentally exhausting." We have had days like this last year with the Holocaust in Poland, and the House of Terror in Hungary, and this day was right up there with them. When you are visiting these places you don't exactly want to be there, but when you leave and know more about them, it changes you. It makes you really see what humans can be capable of at their very worst. In almost all situations, you see a rebound of humans at their very best.

The Tuk Tuk driver that took us there went by the name of Rambo. We found that a little odd, but went with it. He took us far out of town to the Killing Fields. There is not just one field, but over 300 of them scattered acros the country. Some are unreachable due to the land mines surrounding them. This area is very large and was used as a center to send people out of the capital of Phnom Penh.

I can not give you a quality history of what has happened here, as I am trying to learn and figure it out for myself. PLEASE! Read just a few minutes on the Khmer Rouge and you will get an idea of what type of social restructuring I am talking about. This has all happened in such recent times. From 1975-1979, everyone, and I mean everyone, in Cambodia was and still is affected by this regime's actions. It is a dark history. We are travelers here at an interesting time being able to witness a country on the rebound.

Just a little on the Killing Fields: Watch the movie if you have not. I found that walking around this area was incredibly moving. Scientists and forensic experts have dug up many of the graves in the 1980's in hopes of identifying members of families, but many are still there. There are too many graves and there is not enough money to support digging everything. We walked beside the holes in the ground and had a most interesting audio tour. The audio tour was first class. The are still bones in the ground that come to the surface when it rains and clothing pokes out as well. They are constantly gathering these items, but they can only do so much. As we were walking, I saw numerous bones, teeth, and even a whole jaw just under my feet. Everyone at the place was silent.

(lengthy pause)

After the Killing Fields we went to the Genocide Museum. As if the fields were not enough, we thought this would be a good idea. We had an English speaking guide for the one hour tour.

 

Not only is this a museum, but it an old high school that was turned into a prison called S-21. I would say that prison is a little nice for what this place was. How about more like a torture residence? It was terrible. In an old school the Khmer Rouge under command of Pol Pot interrogated and tormented people of their own country. We saw rooms of torture and cells of the worst solitary confinement imaginable. I thought I had seen the worst in humans until I saw this place.

 

The phrase, "This place takes the cake" came up too many times. When the county was rescued by the Vietmanese, there were 14 corpses left which are buried out in the courtyard. Every room and building looks like a high school room complete with yellow and white checkered tiles. That pattern will now leave an imprint in my mind which will last forever. Young Khmer Rouge members outfitted each classroom with prison cells walled in poor brickwork. Inside each room was an American .50 cal ammo can for feces and an oil jacket for urine. Many rooms we saw still had red blood stains and chains. This school, turned Hell, was used to interrogate people into stating their involvement with the wrong side. Most people were wrongfully accused and spent time here making up far fetched reasons for their arrests. When a prisoner ran out of confessions, he or she was killed. Unbelievable! But, you had better believe it. It could happen anywhere on Earth at any time. That is what scares me.

Lunch was at a Pho restaurant with Rambo and we got a quick bite for dinner at the hotel. Then, we headed to the FCC club with Adam and Emma. Those were friends from Halong Bay that we came across again at the Killing Fields.

Our hotel is a little old. I can only imagine it when the Khmer Rouge sent everyone out of town to work in the fields. It must have been vacant for years. When they came back it must have been a glorious sight, if they lived.

Rambo's family lived through the Rouge since they were on the Vietnamese border. His father insisted they not move and be part of the revolution.

 

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