I realise I've forgotten to write
anything about our time spent in Phnom Penh, the capital of
Cambodia. Firstly, it's allot bigger than Siem Reap, 2 million
vs. 120,000. And it's more of an actual town, not a hub of
shops/restaurants/hotels catering to the tourists. Instead of
writing a post I'll show it a few pictures what we did in P
S-21 - The prison camp at Tuol
Sleng. Previously, Toul Sleng was a high school. The
Khmer Rouge turned it into a prison and torture centre.
It's estimated that 14-20 thousand people were held here and then
subsequently executed.
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| A prisoner's bed at S21 |
The Rules of S-21
1 – You must answer accordingly to my
questions. Don't turn them away2 – Don't try to hide the facts by making pretexts this and that. You are strictly prohibited to contest me
3 – Don't be a fool for you are a
chap who dare to thwart the revolution
4 – You must immediately answer me
questions without wasting time to reflect
5 – Don't tell me either about you
immoralities of the essence of the revolution
6 – While getting lashed or
electrification you must not cry at all
7 – Do nothing, sit still and wait
for my orders. If there is no order, keep quiet. When I ask you to
do something, you must do it right away, without protesting
8 – Don't make pretext about
Kampuchea Krom {Cambodia} in order to hide your secret or trader
9 – If you don't follow all the above
rules, you shall get many lashes of electric wire
10 – If you disobey any point of me
regulations, you shall get either ten lashes or five shocks of
electric discharge
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| Brick cells in S21 |
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| Monks in a Tuk-Tuk!!! |
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| During the rainy season, bones and clothes are often brought to the surface |
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| The Killing Tree Babies were held by their legs and bashed against this tree and then flung into a nearby pit. The bodies of more than 100 women, children and babies were found in that pit |
In contrast to the chilling sites of S-21 and The Killing Fields, the Royal Palace was beautiful and serene.
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| The grounds of the Royal Palace |
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| Juvenile monks out on a field trip to the Royal Palace |
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| A miniature of Ankor Wat |
It must have been sobering to visit a place of such evil. When I was young, I visited Auschwitz. It lives with me still, as I'm sure this will live with you. I appreciate you taking the courage to face it.
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