While in Phnom Penh I went to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. It was a wild experience. I walked around the grounds and listened to an audio guide that was included in the tour price. I learned so much about the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian genocide.
You had to be careful not to step on bones as you walked around. Bones, teeth and jaws surface every rainy season.
The entire experience visiting the Killing Fields was pretty intense. However, the “killing tree” was really challenging for me to learn about. The remains of many women, children and babies were found under the tree. Brains, blood, skulls and teeth were also found. The soldiers in the Khmer Rouge would smash babies against the tree to kill them. Women and children were also found naked under the tree and many rapes occurred.
I cried at this tree.
Prayers for victims placed on the “killing tree”
There was a memorial created for many at the victims of Choeung Ek Killing Fields. The memorial houses the skulls, bones, teeth, and other body parts of the victims. The skulls were identified with colored dots. Each dot represented the average age of the victim and how the victim was murdered.
Each skull was identified and labeled.
I also went to The Killing Fields Museum or the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The now museum, used to be a high school in which the Khmer Rouge regime took over. The Khmer Rouge transformed the high school into Security Prison s21 (or in actuality an execution and torture center).
Tuol Sleng translates into “Hill of the Poisonous Tress. Tuol Sleng was only one of at least 150 execution centers in Cambodia. As many as 20,000 prisoners were killed at these centers.
Many prisoners were crammed into one cell. They were not allowed to speak or even make eye contact with one another.
After arriving to the prison, victims were taken in for interrogation. They were tortured in every imaginable way possible until they “confessed to their crimes”. These victims were forced to make up fake crimes in order to survive. They were also forced to provide names of other friends and relatives who were also “guilty” of said crimes. None of these crimes ever actually existed as the people were innocent.
Visiting the Killing Fields and the museum were not “fun experiences” but I think it was very important to go. Prior to the trips I didn’t really know anything about the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian genocide. It was eye opening and helped me to understand Cambodia, the history and people.
Thanks for sharing your experience Melanie. This must have been hard to see and hard to write about. And yes, very important. Thank you.
Thanks for reading Jess! Yes, it was pretty intense.
Dear Melanie, very intense. what years was that happening? I remember hearing the words ‘Khmer Rouge’ in the news a lot, but didn’t follow.
There’s always so much terror and horribleness going on in the world it seems,
not only in Hitler’s time and places. But every little good, even a smile, that we do,
helps, even if we can’t see the immediate result. Love you, dear. xoxoxox Love, Mommom xoxox
The regime was from 1975-1979 (I think) but the after effects continue on still.
Thank You Mel. This was very interesting to read. Cambodia has always fascinated me and that period in its history is difficult to comprehend. You are such a gentle soul, I imagine this was difficult. Love to you.
Hi Norma, It was pretty hard but so important. So many people have no idea what happened, I was one of them. Thanks for reading!
:(( super horrible stuff. I didn’t know anything about it.
I know! So sad!