01/26/2025
Phnom Penh- a sombre start to the day with a visit to the Toul Sleng(translation “Hill of Poison”) Genecide Museum, the site of Prison S-21, formerly a local high school, one of approximately 192 around Cambodia. Pol Pot (translation “Political Potential”) ruled from 1975- 1979 or according to our local guide, 3 years, 8 months and 20 days- he knows because he lived through it. His parents were school teachers, prime targets for Pol Pot’s retribution, a failed academic himself. His parents were forced to work at separate farming camps and our guide and his 8 siblings worked at a children’s’ camp- when questioned what their parents did for a living, they said they orphans in order to stay alive. The population of Cambodia at the time was approximately 7 million, 1.7 million were killed under the regime and another 1 million died of disease or starvation- he lost his father and 5 siblings to the latter. We had the chance to meet 2 survivors of the prison(pictured in the group photo then) and today- one was an artist and one was a mechanic. Incredibly even after the fall of Pol Pot’s regime by the Vietnamese and the Cambodian independence Army, the UN continued to recognize his leadership until the early 1980s. Then it was on to the Choseung Ek Killing Field, one of 129 around Cambodia. 83 have been excavated, the decision was made not to excavate the remaining 43 “to let the spirits rest”. Despite the horrific history of the place it is peaceful with the respectful murmers of tourists, birds singing and butterflies everywhere. When asked if our guide could forgive what happened during those years, his response was understandably no, but he could accept it- a sentiment shared by most Cambodians in an effort to move forward, otherwise conflict will never end.
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