S-21 and the killing fields

I knew today would be tough but nothing can prepare you for the horrific crimes that were committed in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge in1975-79, so recent in history.  

'S-21' stands for 'Security Office 21' and is a former school but was turned into a prison where 17,000 innocent Cambodians and some foreigners were imprisoned and tortured before being sent to the killing fields where they were executed.  Out of 17,000 victims, no one escaped and only 7 people were found alive when the prison was freed by the Vietnamese army.

I was fortunate to meet 2 of these survivors but had to walk away from the group as it all became too much to comprehend what they, and 3 million other Cambodians, suffered.  Half the population were killed under the Khmer Rouge.

Block A, B, C and D respectively:

Block C had barbed wire across the front of all levels.  We learned how men were given a hose-down every 2 weeks for their shower but the women (on the upper levels) we given a bath only after being raped.  The barbed wire was to prevent them throwing themselves out of the windows to commit suicide.

Some of the victims:

Some of the soldiers (who were also executed after a year because 'they knew too much'):

Photograph of the seven survivors:

Chum Mey, kept alive in S-21 as a mechanic (far left on above picture):

Bou Meng, kept alive as a artist to document the Khmer Rogue (3 from the right on the above picture):

 

They both come back to S-21 for 2 reasons - first, to make money from tourists; second, to spread the word amongst the people and to educate Cambodian children who visit as this is NOT taught in schools (many high ranking members of the Khmer Rouge are now high ranking officials in the Cambodian government).

The killing fields just outside Phnom Penh:

Each divot is a mass grave which has been excavated.  There are still an estimated 11,000 bodies still burried at this killing field, but the Cambodian people have said that no more will be excavated.  Enough is enough and they want to move on with their lives and think of a better future for the next generation: 

Victim's clothing:

Soldiers would force mother's to watch their babies being hit against this tree to kill them before being executed themselves:

The mother's mass grave - most of these women were found without clothes, presumably raped before execution.  Few people were executed using a bullet, most with blunt instruments over the head, neck, etc., or an axe / machete to the head and body:

Speakers were hung from this tree and loud music played to drown out the screams from the victims so local people wouldn't know what was happening:

A monument has now been built to remember those who were lost: