The Khmer Rouge

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santanaya

Before heading to Vietnam, we stayed in the Cambodia capital of Phnom Penh. It was difficult leaving the beach behind but it was important for us to learn about a disturbing event that rocked this nation not too long ago. In April 1975 soldiers marched into government buildings and dethroned General Lol Nol and his forces. Headed by a radical named Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge brought with them an extreme movement that claimed 2-3 million Cambodian people lives. They murdered intellectuals and with that rid the country of arts, literature, and religion. Pol manipulated the lower class and used their vulnerabilites to suppress intellectuals and other upper class citizens. His reign of terror ended in 1979 after a Vietnamese invasion. Pol died in the late 90s but KR leaders like Duch are still being tried as war criminals. A few days ago, he recently had his jail sentence increased to life.

We first visited the Tuol Sleng Museum, which was converted from a high school to a prisoner torture chamber. The prison also known as S-21 and was home to nearly 100 deaths per day. The four buildings were separated into torture rooms, prison cells, and isolation quarters. The atmosphere was very subdued. If the walls could talk, the grisly stories would chill you to the core. Today, the rooms are full of  portraits of prisoners, torture devices, pictures of the radical movement's leaders, and memoirs of soldiers. We left the museum feeling somber and that was before we headed to Choeung Ek Killing Fields.

Prisoner quarters- bed frame and ammunition bucket to use the toilet

Torture Rack

Photos of prisoners

Children prisoner photos

Confined Prisoner cells

This Choeung Ek Memorial was dedicated to all the lost ones during this period of genocide. The price of admission included an audio tour which was narrated by a prison survivor. It was truly moving recounting his and other victim's personal stories. The tour ended at the Memorial Stupa which contained the bone remains of victims.

Michelle listening to her audio tour

Grave of 300+ bodies

A tree used  for torture of women and children 

Skulls inside the Memorial Stupa

At the end of the day, we are thankful that we visited both sites. Genocide has plagued the Earth since the beginning of time and sadly Cambodia lay victim to it's devastation. It was a reminder that human life is precious...