18 August 2011
Categories: Cambodia, From around the world | Topics: Choeung Ek, Khmer Rouge, genocide, museum, Phnom Penh, The Killing Fields, S-21, Tuol Sleng
The Red Khmerach and their leaders, Pol sweat, Much has been written. The Cambodian Communist organization governed by 4 years (1975-1979) and in that time managed to kill about one-quarter of the country's population. Their crimes are compared to the Holocaust, with the difference, roughly that the Nazis spared their citizens. In Cambodia (then called Democratic Kampuchea) people in the name of the idea of brutally killing his countrymen. About the rule of the Khmer Rouge is difficult, contemporary today torturers live side of his victims. Many crimes are not cleared, torturers put on trial and can not, that this will never happen. But they are in Phnom Penh two places, to be reminded of those days.
Located in the center of the capital of Cambodia Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (name means Trees poisoned Hill or Hill of strychnine) was once a regular high school. After taking power, in August 1975 r., Khmer Rouge in these buildings formed the Security Prison S-21. Classrooms turned into tiny goals, established a place of cruel torture, barred windows, and the whole surrounded with wire located under tension.
It is not known, exactly how many people were imprisoned at S-21, but it is estimated, that about 17 000. One time in prison could spend a thousand to fifteen hundred prisoners. About any one could forget hygiene. People beaten, brutally tortured, humiliated confessed to everything. Careful checks were carried out to prevent suicide. Only seven people, including one woman, stay alive in this prison.
Today, Tuol Sleng is a museum. To Puste out, in which only the iron bed stand, and plaques hanging on the wall. This meeting with the internal walls, showing how small targets were available to prisoners. This exhibition of torture equipment. These images show, as the tormented people. It's pictures of the victims (Each prisoner was photographed). It tourists walking the corridors in silence.
1975 r. Kampuchea was in year zero. At that time the Khmer Rouge closed the school, hospitals and banks, liquidated money and private property, outlawed religion, and chased people from the cities to the countryside to slave labor. Lots of people died of starvation and overwork, many simply killed. Victim could be anyone, who had any connection with the previous power. Or was the intellectual. Or wore glasses. Or someone disliked. Estimates, to the number of victims are different, but the average is calculated, that under the Khmer Rouge killed 1,5 million people out of 7 million living in Cambodia before 1975 r.r
After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, discovered the place of mass executions. One of them, Choeung Ek, is close to Phnom Penh and is known as The Killing Fields. Here the body was found almost 9 000 victims, many of which were previously held at Tuol Sleng.
Walk the Fields of Death realizes, how cruelly treated people in the Democratic Kampuchea. At the entrance stands a stupa dedicated to the victims. Inside there are over 5 000 human skulls, have shown signs of injury. Next are the mass graves, tree, of children who crushed the head and cabinet with bone. There are also evocative descriptions of the crime.
A visit to Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek is difficult. It's hard to believe, that people are capable of such atrocities. More, These crimes of recent history, and many of the Khmer Rouge regime activists still alive and can avoid the trial and punishment. But history will judge them.
Related entries:
-
In the capital of Cambodia Today we arrange with the boys about 8:00 at breakfast. Then they move to see the most important places in Phnom Penh, a my...
The victims of landmines in Cambodia Visiting Angkor come across several such groups of. Several people sitting in front of the entrance to the temple and plays some unknown ...
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh One of the places, to be seen in Phnom Penh is the local Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Relax, you can spend on ...
Women in their element To hare something interesting in Phnom Penh we decide to learn the basics of Khmer cuisine. The guide Agi is the proposal of the course ...
You like to comment? Like, add +1, comment, discuss! Thank you :)
I spent several weeks in Cambodia, but none of the places I have visited do not torture, I avoid such climates, I had enough of this in school history lessons. However, even avoiding Kiling Fields and other such places, no way to avoid the topic – it appears in the films of Angkor Wat, in daily newspapers, encountered in discussions with Khmerami. It's fresh wounds. Meanwhile, Thailand was discovered 169 bodies in a mass grave in the east of the country, possibly belonging to the red shirts – currently governing, Until recently, the opposition. Times are changing, Governments are changing and people just do not change…
I read about it. It seems, that there were also suspicions, that the body may be victims of the tsunami? But unfortunately you're right with that, that people do not change. We still have places in the world, where crimes are commonplace.
Scary …
I once read a little about it and reading it was a very shocking. Pictures above are also, a “tree, of children who crushed the head” I have completely powaliło.
Ps. Why “Potbelly” has the face of Eve? :)
I am in these places I was not able to take pictures. I have only these four. Scary experience.
A Maciek already has its own head. Technical error :)
About Pol Pot I read an article, which przyprawiał of chills. Or rather I avoid this type of “monuments” human cruelty, although I, we should remember them. It seems to me, know that some people, and some simply need to show.
When I was in Vietnam, deliberately avoided watching war memorabilia. I do not regret, that there is not no such toured the museum. Sometimes, however, there are places, which, although we do not want, we go…
And I do not I avoid such places specially, but also on the strength not ride on them (For example, in Auschwitz, I was never). But a visit to the memorials of the victims of this type gives much food for thought.
I think, that once we see this kind of place. And if anyone has children that they should be and show them (but the old course). Awareness of the atrocities man can do what a man can not die, to avoid such incidents in the future.
To S-21 and the Fields of Death are guided tours Cambodian school. That's what, children to show their recent history and at an early age to warn against repetition of such scenarios.
I think, with the more you should go to Auschwitz – on another continent, since this type of place you watched in your home country does not. I was there already 4 times and probably will come back often for family reasons.
Creepy feeling, I remember the first time with the late. a great-grandmother being there all the time crying.
Still, I urge you to visit – although a terrible experience, however, is our history.
For me there is no difference, whether or not my country – man is a man and as such should not be harmed. But I understand, that for the majority of Poles greater trauma may be a visit to Auschwitz than a walk in the Tuol Sleng…
Ewo, thank you very much, wrote that the.
If we will not remember – it is as if the victims do in the face (We do not celebrate). And if you do not remember, easy to repeat. Genocide is not really a story – it happens every few years.
All, who are in Cambodia, I encourage you to pojechania to Choeung Ek – it is worth reading about genocide – and not with each other cackać – understanding of the story is more important.