The Killing Fields

The memorial building contains thousands of skulls.

Today has been a disturbing but educational day. Our first stop was at one of the 388 killing fields in Cambodia, this one called Choeung Elk is near Phenom Penh. It held 129 mass graves but only 86 have been uncovered. They estimate that 126,000 people died here but only 9000 have been uncovered. Enough evidence to stop looking for more. In all of Cambodia over 2 million people were murdered. The graves were 15-20 feet deep and would hold 150-450 bodies. One grave held only children and women's bodies, another had bodies but no heads. The Khmer Rouge would come to the huts in the middle of the night, blindfold the victims, line them up along the edge of the grave and quietly kill them with clubs or knives.

Just a little history (I'm pulling this from an hour long lecture). Khmer is the name used for all Cambodians, Rouge is French for Red and red is the color of communism. Pol Pot developed his ideas on communism from the time he lived in Europe and China then he quietly came back to Cambodia and recruited men to his organization from the poor and farmers in small villages. In 1975 he began his genocide to eliminate the politicians and the educated peoples. Anyone who wore glasses, were old or infirm, white skin, artists, engineers, teachers - anyone who thought for themselves were a threat to him and his party and, even towards the end, his own officers. This lasted 3 years 8 months and 20 days! Eventually the king returned, regained control and the UN peacekeepers set things right. Cambodia today is growing and thriving as a country.

S21 prison previously a school.

Another aspect of the killing was the 'security prisons' where political prisoners and dissidents were tortured and killed. Our visit to S21 (only one of 196 such prisons) was very sobering, especially when one of 7 survivors of S21 spoke to us about his experience.

On to more pleasant touring - in the afternoon we visited the Royal Palace complex with its Coronation Hall, museums, dance pavilion and temples. One pagoda held was called the Silver Pagoda because it had silver floors, and Emerald Buddha and a gold Buddha encrusted with gems. No photos allowed inside. One courtyard was surrounded by a wall covered with murals telling the history of Cambodia.

We risked our lives trying to walk back to the boat from the center of town. Scooters and cars lined all the sidewalks and crossing the streets meant we had to stop traffic ourselves because no one would do so voluntarily!