Cambodia...Phnom Penh and The Killing Fields

Phnom Penh

After sleeping a few hours in the Singapore airport in order to catch our early bird flight, we arrived in Phnom Penh a little bleary eyed.
"Want to go to the rifle range?" Was the first question we were asked after getting a tuk tuk driver.  Silly tuk tuk driver! Doesn't he know that we never shoot semi automatic weapons before breakfast?  Well, I have to admit that this was something I really wanted to do, but decided in the end to not take the chance with any faulty weapon or grenade. Your welcome, family.  Shooting ranges are popular in Cambodia as they have lots of surplus weaponry from their sorted history.  I have to say that these people are very resourceful.

On our walk around Phnom Penh we found the yellow brick road.  We followed it and fortunately it led us to the Golden Palace, not to the witch's castle.

Golden Palace

There is a beautiful stretch of park along the Tonle Sap River area. Lots of local families and tourists gather in the evening to play games, eat and even join the free aerobic dance class.  Maybe I'll get Jamie to join me tonight in the class....even though he's saying "maybe not".

We watched this lady buy a whole  cage of birds and set them free at the river park. According to tradition the birds will fly the persons wish to the open sky. She attracted quite a crowd, that's for sure.

We found the local night market, but this one had a little bit different layout than most others we've seen. Usually there are only little plastic seats and tables, but this one had a near picnic feel to it. Just order your food and have a seat. They'll find you to deliver the food when it's ready. It can get pretty crowded but they have very good memories - they haven't forgotten is yet.

Evening / Night market picnic area

                             

Our tuk tuk driver graciously gave us masks (and glasses for me) for the dusty ride out to to The Killing Fields. We had a film of dust on us by the time we arrived. Mixed with the humid heat, we knew it wasn't going to be a comfortable day.

The Killing Fields and Teoul Sleng:Genocidal Museum

These were a must do on our list, but we knew it wasn't going to   be an easy day. Around three million people here were tortured and slaughtered by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.  We've spent a lot of time reading and learned a lot in visiting these sites.  Pol Pot, a teacher, ordered the killing of all educated individuals including people with soft hands or those who wore glasses.  He wanted a nation of self sufficient farmers.  He also believed that babies and children were to be slaughtered as he did not want them to take revenge for the death of their parents.

One of the mass graves at The Killing Fields. There are over 300 Killing Field locations in Cambodia.

Bone and cloth fragments can be found everywhere.  Pol Pot told his soldiers to not waste bullets and encouraged them to kill using various farming tools and even tree trunks for babies.

Several plots of graves, some have not been disturbed.

The horrific story

Large commemorative shrine with several victim skulls and bones

Toul Sleng

This school was turned into a torture headquarters in Phnom Penh.  Of the 20, 000 students and intellectuals brought here only 7 survived.  The barbed wire in the picture below was put up so that prisoners did not commit suicide. They preferred to torture them in barbaric ways instead.

Tuol Sleung wing showing barbed wire

List of rules at Tuol Sleng

As some of you already know, Pol Pot continued to be internationally recognized as the leader of Cambodia for years after he ordered the slayings. In 1993 he lost a seat in the U.N.  Only in 2007 were 4 of his high ranking officials who committed and ordered brutal killings were arrested. Their case has not yet been heard.

All of this we knew beforehand, but visiting these places in person really brings it home.  It poses questions like, how could this happen again and again?  How could the Khmer Rouge remain internationally recognized even after the discovery of these horrors?!?  A nation in fear: some carrying out orders, others fleeing from sure death.  You really do notice the lack of an elderly population here, but the people here are resilient and have moved on....good for them!

We've merely glossed over the history, but if you're interested here are some links.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Fields

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_Pot

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum