Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, where one of the worst genocides in modern history occurred, It was not only the loss of approximately 2 million innocents that made it horrific. The barbaric, inhumane way in which victims were tortured and killed makes this so appalling. Seeing the killing fields and camps where these atrocities occurred makes this part of my Cambodian story the hardest to write. So, be aware, some of the following content may be disturbing.
On the way to Phnom Peng at a rest-stop we saw the following options and wondered what they were.
It turns out that various insects were eaten by the Cambodians, something they learned to do in order to survive the famine that occurred during the reign of terror, under Pot Pot during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. The locals will now occasionally do this as a part of a holiday or remembrance rite, but this particular stop was just something for tourists.
In the mid 1970’s, the cities were emptied under the false pretense that they were being attacked and the people were ushered to the countryside where they would be “safe”. In actuality, that is where a good number of them would die. At first, all the intellectuals were rounded up, tortured and killed. Then the educated who did escape or went into deep hiding were found and killed, often in front of their families. Pregnant women had fetuses violently ripped from their wombs. Mothers saw their children beaten and killed. Husbands saw their wives raped, beaten and killed. Men were tortured and, to save money on bullets, beaten until death or close to it and buried in mass graves, sometimes while still alive.
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In Cambodia, blue and white checked scarves were used to classify the people who were soon to be murdered. which symbolized that the wearers were “new” people, people from the cities.
Vietnamese, Muslim Chams, Chinese, and Christians were discriminated against.
Dehumanization occurred when the new people were called parasitic worms that needed to be weeded out and the organization of the genocide followed when schools became prisons and torture chambers What was once an orchard became a killing field.
Cambodia was divided into two cultural classes, the “intellectuals” or peoples’ enemies and the peasants, the people of the future. There was an extreme dislike of those who favored the old ways. The two groups became extremely polarized. The rebel faction, called the “big brothers” while hiding in the jungle because of their opposition to Sihanouk, planned a barbarous upheaval. They eliminated what was linked to the capitalist way of life and tried to purify their society of the bourgeois .
Not long after, millions were exterminated. Between 20-30% of the entire population was wiped out in four years. Reports of these atrocities were viewed as propaganda and those found spreading the news were executed.
Visiting the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the notorious Killing Fields, one is confronted with the grim reality of the Cambodian genocide.The gravity of this period is hauntingly evident with every step..
Detention room with a photograph of the torture that took places within its walls on the metal bed.
Hair ties from the children whose heads were bashed against this tree until all signs of life were gone are on this tree. You can see what looks like a boardwalk on the right side of the photo. There are a number of these throughout the site traversing mass graves.
To this day, following heavy rains, bone fragments continue to bubble up to the surface and new graves uncovered.
The remains are then collected, cleaned and boxed to be incorporated into the memorial.
This is not art, these are not sculptures in the windows, these are skulls from some of the millions of people killed under the Pol Pot regime.
My words can not express the horror of the Khmer Rouge’s despicable crimes against humanity. Here is a first person account that will give insight into this tragic period of time. https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/mardi-seng/
The desire for an egalitarian agricultural society by The Khmer Rouge in Cambodia with everyone having an equal share of resources was a tragedy of epic proportions. Four years of a monstrous reign of terror at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.
Today, Life has returned to the city, buildings are being erected yet the country grapples with severe poverty. It is a country on a slow mend.
Preah Barom Reacheaveang Chaktomuk Serey Mongkol or The Royal Palace of Cambodia is an impressive complex of buildings serving as the official royal residence of the King of Cambodia. Quite a departure from egalitarianism. It was this disparity of riches that fomented the rage of the rebels.
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, sometimes it does not tell the entire story. The photograph below is of a beautiful temple but what you can not see in this photo are the silver floor tiles and a series of lavish Buddahs made of gold and silver. It is a wonder of nature how much precious metal makes it way into the coffers of austere religious organizations throughout the world. Does being around beautiful objects enhance our spirituality?
One way to see Phnom Pehn is via a river boat cruise. If you take one in the evening you can get to enjoy the sunset. It’s ta great opportunity to view the modern skyline.
When I travel I often frequent the local markets. I enjoy seeing where the locals shop and Phnom Penh markets offer an interesting glimpse into the culture.
Beautiful Street Art can be seen in Phnom Penh
Tuk Tuks and pedicabs were abundant in South Asia. We were not adventurous enough to try it thinking their feet couldn’t match the traffic and walked instead.
The capital is seeing much more investment in recent years. Luxury goods and services are no longer uncommon to successful contractors and entrepreneurs.
This was a bittersweet experience. Cambodia is a beautiful country offering good food and many unique sites marking an ancient history that is full of archeological wonders. It is also a country slowly recovering from a devastating era. The resilience of the people is extraordinarily remarkable. They talk matter-of-factly about the suffering in the not so distant past, and express exuberant optimism of the future.Yet if one listens closely, there remains an underlying sadness of what need not have been. It makes one more mindful of the dangers inherent to polarizing rhetoric.
We hope your virtual visit to Phnom Penh gave you an understanding of the tragedy and the hope that is a part of Cambodia. Please join us in our next blog segment when we travel to Saigon| Hi Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
If you missed my previous blog segment: Cambodia| Kingdom of Wonder| Siem Riep
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