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Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, Cambodia
2008.09.19
Warning: Some contents may not be suitable for you.
I arrived Phnom Penh yesterday and was glad that the 6-hour ride by bus was smooth. The road was concrete—so I slept 4 hours of the trip hibernating covering my eyes with an eye mask.
Today, is, I guess, the SADDEST part of my trip to Southeast Asia. Visiting the gory school-turned-prison-turned-museum to seeing the excavations in Killing Fields are too much for me to handle in a day.
Every country has its own story of war, atrocities, rebellion and rise to democracy. Hitler and his men, as we know, committed mass murders and killings and perhaps, you’ll agree that he’s the WORST human ever.
The difference between Hitler and Pol Pot, Cambodia’s fierce, heartless, communist leader before is that, the former killed thousands in a sophisticated way. Pol Pot, on the other hand, murdered millions of Cambodians in a brutal manner unimaginable to man. What’s worse than physical torture?
You don’t need to read history to tell you how brutal it was---just read on these words and see, hear for yourself the sufferings of the dead Cambodians.
Click here to add text
Warning: Some contents may not be suitable for you.
I arrived Phnom Penh yesterday and was glad that the 6-hour ride by bus was smooth. The road was concrete—so I slept 4 hours of the trip hibernating covering my eyes with an eye mask.
Today, is, I guess, the SADDEST part of my trip to Southeast Asia. Visiting the gory school-turned-prison-turned-museum to seeing the excavations in Killing Fields are too much for me to handle in a day.
Every country has its own story of war, atrocities, rebellion and rise to democracy. Hitler and his men, as we know, committed mass murders and killings and perhaps, you’ll agree that he’s the WORST human ever.
The difference between Hitler and Pol Pot, Cambodia’s fierce, heartless, communist leader before is that, the former killed thousands in a sophisticated way. Pol Pot, on the other hand, murdered millions of Cambodians in a brutal manner unimaginable to man. What’s worse than physical torture?
You don’t need to read history to tell you how brutal it was---just read on these words and see, hear for yourself the sufferings of the dead Cambodians.
1
Today, it is a museum---not the fancy kind of museum.
It’s simple but horrifying once you get inside the classrooms that served as prison cells in the past. This school-turned-prison-turned-museum is also called as S-21 which stands for Security Office 21.
S-21 was Angkar’s (Cambodia) premier security institution designed to interrogate and exterminate of anti-government elements. There are other branches of S-21 located elsewhere the country.
Click here to add text
Today, it is a museum---not the fancy kind of museum.
It’s simple but horrifying once you get inside the classrooms that served as prison cells in the past. This school-turned-prison-turned-museum is also called as S-21 which stands for Security Office 21.
S-21 was Angkar’s (Cambodia) premier security institution designed to interrogate and exterminate of anti-government elements. There are other branches of S-21 located elsewhere the country.
2
These are the tools used to chain the prisoners. They were cleaned from the blood-stain.
The prisoners were kept in their respective cells and shackled with chains fixed to the walls of the concrete floors. Prisoners held in the large mass cells had one or both legs shackled to short or long pieces of iron bar.
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These are the tools used to chain the prisoners. They were cleaned from the blood-stain.
The prisoners were kept in their respective cells and shackled with chains fixed to the walls of the concrete floors. Prisoners held in the large mass cells had one or both legs shackled to short or long pieces of iron bar.
3
Building B (20 classrooms, 3 floors) were used as the prison cells.
There were women, men and children. Now, a lot of photographs are displayed in each room.
Before the prisoners were placed in the cells, they were photographed and detailed biographies of their childhood up to the dates of their arrest were recorded. Then, they were stripped off to their underwear. Everything was taken away from them. The prisoners slept directly on the floors without any mats, mosquito nets or blankets.
Click here to add text
Building B (20 classrooms, 3 floors) were used as the prison cells.
There were women, men and children. Now, a lot of photographs are displayed in each room.
Before the prisoners were placed in the cells, they were photographed and detailed biographies of their childhood up to the dates of their arrest were recorded. Then, they were stripped off to their underwear. Everything was taken away from them. The prisoners slept directly on the floors without any mats, mosquito nets or blankets.
4
The victims in the prison were taken from all parts of the country and from all walks of life. They were of different nationalities which included Vietnamese, Laotians, Thais, Indians, Pakistanis, British, Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians. But, of course, the vast majority were Cambodians.
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The victims in the prison were taken from all parts of the country and from all walks of life. They were of different nationalities which included Vietnamese, Laotians, Thais, Indians, Pakistanis, British, Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians. But, of course, the vast majority were Cambodians.
5
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6
This is Building B.
It contains 3 storeys divided into 20 cells.
This building is used for jailing, interrogating and torturing prisoners who had been high officials of the regime.
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This is Building B.
It contains 3 storeys divided into 20 cells.
This building is used for jailing, interrogating and torturing prisoners who had been high officials of the regime.
7
In each room, there's a bed used to torture the prisoners. The stuff on the bed are the tools used to torture and eventually kill them.
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In each room, there's a bed used to torture the prisoners. The stuff on the bed are the tools used to torture and eventually kill them.
8
On top of each bed in each classroom is a sole photo of what happened in this bed and room.
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On top of each bed in each classroom is a sole photo of what happened in this bed and room.
9
When you were interrogated, these were the rules then.
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When you were interrogated, these were the rules then.
10
On the third floor of Building B, you can find the list of people properly identified and buried. They were ONLY 389 listed on these lists. So far.
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On the third floor of Building B, you can find the list of people properly identified and buried. They were ONLY 389 listed on these lists. So far.
11
From Tuoul Sleng Genocidal Museum, I went to the Killing Fields in Choeung Ek, 15 kms. south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.
The ones imprisoned at S-21 are the same people who were brought here to killed.
To add salt to injury, as they say, here’s a note from the Lonely Planet book which I confirmed from the Cambodian gay acquaintances I talked to last night.
In 2005, the government privatized the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and was paid an undisclosed amount by a Japanese company who’ll manage the site and charge admission fees ($2). This enraged relatives of victims, who feel the government is trading their murdered loved ones for the profit.
This is very unbelievable, isn’t it? As if the gruesome physical tortures and eventually death was NOT enough!
Once you buy your ticket at a shabby ticket office, you'll read this:
Click here to add text
From Tuoul Sleng Genocidal Museum, I went to the Killing Fields in Choeung Ek, 15 kms. south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.
The ones imprisoned at S-21 are the same people who were brought here to killed.
To add salt to injury, as they say, here’s a note from the Lonely Planet book which I confirmed from the Cambodian gay acquaintances I talked to last night.
In 2005, the government privatized the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and was paid an undisclosed amount by a Japanese company who’ll manage the site and charge admission fees ($2). This enraged relatives of victims, who feel the government is trading their murdered loved ones for the profit.
This is very unbelievable, isn’t it? As if the gruesome physical tortures and eventually death was NOT enough!
Once you buy your ticket at a shabby ticket office, you'll read this:
12
This is the Monument for the countless of people tortured and killed.
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This is the Monument for the countless of people tortured and killed.
13
Plastered in one of the Monument's column, you'll read this---which means, no talking and take off your shoes and hats.
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Plastered in one of the Monument's column, you'll read this---which means, no talking and take off your shoes and hats.
14
While I was reading these graphic descriptions (below) at the threshold Killing Field, tears welled up around my eyes but didn’t manage to fall. I held them back alright. I’m such a cry baby. I cry to everything that touches me---that’s why I USUALLY watch drama movies, documentary, true-to-life stories ALONE. Other kinds of movies, too, make me cry. ï
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While I was reading these graphic descriptions (below) at the threshold Killing Field, tears welled up around my eyes but didn’t manage to fall. I held them back alright. I’m such a cry baby. I cry to everything that touches me---that’s why I USUALLY watch drama movies, documentary, true-to-life stories ALONE. Other kinds of movies, too, make me cry.
15
What's inside the Monument?
The photo shows. Layers of skulls inside--in four corners---from top to bottom.
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What's inside the Monument?
The photo shows. Layers of skulls inside--in four corners---from top to bottom.
16
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Then, on the very first layer, you can find the clothes they wore when they were killed. The clothes were washed and disinfected in 1988.
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Then, on the very first layer, you can find the clothes they wore when they were killed. The clothes were washed and disinfected in 1988.
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21
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22
Mass graves of 460 victims.
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Mass graves of 460 victims.
23
Mass graves of more than 100 victims---women and children who were clothless.
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Mass graves of more than 100 victims---women and children who were clothless.
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Mass graves of 260 victims, headless.
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Mass graves of 260 victims, headless.
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Enlarge photo to read description.
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Enlarge photo to read description.
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Enlarge photo to read description.
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Enlarge photo to read description.
28
An old picture after the excavations were finished. There are still other pictures but can't show everything to you.
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An old picture after the excavations were finished. There are still other pictures but can't show everything to you.
29
Just like any other photobloggers who read this, I support what this sticker say which I found at the bottom of the plate number of the vehicle parked outside the Killing Field.
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Just like any other photobloggers who read this, I support what this sticker say which I found at the bottom of the plate number of the vehicle parked outside the Killing Field.
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Comments
i would call it as selfholocaust of the cambodians
Alain, you are an amazing soul. To take a 6-hour bus trip to see this, and then to relive it while sharing the story with us. I spent a day at the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, where no photos were allowed. Seeing your post will allow many people to understand what evil human beings are capable of. Many thanks.
