In stark contrast to the joy of the water festivities going on along the river today with the King in attendance and throngs of people swarming around the river, eating and enjoying the holiday, we drive the 16 KM to Choeung Ek, the killing fields where millions of Cambodians were killed by the Khmer Rouge Regime of Pol Pot.
It is shocking to see the almost 9,000 human skulls that were exhumed from mass graves on the site in a Buddhist stupa that commemorates their deaths. Not all the graves have been opened. Prisoners were marched out to the site and many of the stronger people were forced to dig their own graves before they were brutally killed.
More important prisoners were kept in a secret prison, Tuol Sleng, or S21, a former school converted into a torture prison. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge photographed and documented many of their victims. Tuol Sleng is now a grim memory of the human potential for genocide, cruelty and brutality.
2 comments:
Your description of the Killing Fields is chilling. Thanks so much for doing this blog. It' is so great to follow along on your trip. Love the writing.
Love Kate
I have not had access to the web since last Wed. at work, so was thrilled to get on today and vicariously enjoy your trip! I am glad you are doing the blog. The photos are great, and commentary enlightening.
Thanks so much!
It sounds like you are taking a little time to relax....
Nance
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