Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This past weekend, we had another 3 day weekend to celebrate the Queen of Thailand's birthday, so I took advantage of it and traveled to Cambodia for the weekend.
Friday night I flew into the capital city of Phnom Penh. This city has has a rich history that is also incredibly dark. In 1975, Pol Pot and his army of Khmer Rouge members overtook the city and pushed all 2.5 million residents into camps in the countryside. Pol Pot was determined to create a completely Communist society, devoid of banks, religious institutions, money, and education. He called this start of a "new society" Year Zero, as the start of a whole new societal make up.
To really start anew, Pol Pot began to arrest intellectual, businessmen, monks, foreigners, and many other public servants. These people were rounded up, tortured for days on end, and forced to sign fake confessions of treason. This all happened at secret prisons across the country, including Tuol Sleng or S21, the site I visited. These fake and coerced confessions gave the Khmer Rouge the "evidence" to sentence these people to death.
People were carted by the hundreds to nearby "killing fields." These areas looked like unassuming military bases, but they were in reality a place that no one escaped. Prisoners were brought in at night and told they were being located to new homes. These prisoners had already endured torture, malnutrition, and being separated from all of their families and homes. They were then killed in very violent manners while Nationalist music rang through the air.
Before I took my trip to Cambodia, I decided to make it a priority to visit these sites. Although they are sites of horror, I believe it's important to learn about.
Tuol Sleng.
This site particularly shook me to my core. This prison used to be a high school and was overrun by the Kmer Rouge. This school has an almost identical layout and classroom setup as my school in Thailand. Thinking of my young students facing these kinds of horrors really stuck with me.
Killing Fields.
These fields were surrounded by a beautifully peaceful river. I can't imagine how these poor people felt when they realized this peaceful place would be the end of their lives. The bracelets in the first two pictures were hung as a symbol of peace and prayer for the victim's families.
Friday night I flew into the capital city of Phnom Penh. This city has has a rich history that is also incredibly dark. In 1975, Pol Pot and his army of Khmer Rouge members overtook the city and pushed all 2.5 million residents into camps in the countryside. Pol Pot was determined to create a completely Communist society, devoid of banks, religious institutions, money, and education. He called this start of a "new society" Year Zero, as the start of a whole new societal make up.
To really start anew, Pol Pot began to arrest intellectual, businessmen, monks, foreigners, and many other public servants. These people were rounded up, tortured for days on end, and forced to sign fake confessions of treason. This all happened at secret prisons across the country, including Tuol Sleng or S21, the site I visited. These fake and coerced confessions gave the Khmer Rouge the "evidence" to sentence these people to death.
People were carted by the hundreds to nearby "killing fields." These areas looked like unassuming military bases, but they were in reality a place that no one escaped. Prisoners were brought in at night and told they were being located to new homes. These prisoners had already endured torture, malnutrition, and being separated from all of their families and homes. They were then killed in very violent manners while Nationalist music rang through the air.
Before I took my trip to Cambodia, I decided to make it a priority to visit these sites. Although they are sites of horror, I believe it's important to learn about.
Tuol Sleng.
This site particularly shook me to my core. This prison used to be a high school and was overrun by the Kmer Rouge. This school has an almost identical layout and classroom setup as my school in Thailand. Thinking of my young students facing these kinds of horrors really stuck with me.
Killing Fields.
These fields were surrounded by a beautifully peaceful river. I can't imagine how these poor people felt when they realized this peaceful place would be the end of their lives. The bracelets in the first two pictures were hung as a symbol of peace and prayer for the victim's families.
This post does not include as many pictures as my posts typically do because I felt very emotionally overwhelmed and sick at these places. Thinking about the 3 million Cambodians that lost their lives where I was standing barely 40 years ago really rocked me to my core.
Largest take away:
The people of Cambodia have experienced so many horrors in very recent history. There are still teeth and bones surfacing all over Cambodia from the genocide. This nation is also one of the poorest in the entire world. However, despite all of this most people I met were genuinely and unapologetic ally happy. Little naked babies running in the street laughed as they chased the street dogs, the woman who sold me my coffee on the side of the road served it to me with a hug, the man who poured me my 25 cent beer was so grateful that I chose to come to his restaurant. Simple reminder to us all that money, circumstances, or things don't bring happiness. Happiness is created.
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