Definitely Missed this in High School History...

So I feel a little strange still posting now that I've been back for over a week; but I had wanted to write about this since the first week and for whatever reason, never did. Also, I was showing my family pictures last night and was horrified by how much I am already forgetting about Cambodia!! So even if no one else ever reads this, I'm writing for my own sake...

What do you know about the Khmer Rouge? Are you aware that this reign of terror occurred in the late SEVENTIES and that over 1.7 MILLION people (1/5 of the country's population) were murdered in the genocide that ensued? Prior to going to Cambodia, I had definitely heard at least the term "Khmer Rouge" and knew there had been Cambodian refugees as a result, but that was the extent of my limited knowledge and I surely do not remember learning about it in school.

There is SO much that could be said, but to state it as simply as possible, a violent communist regime came to power in 1975 under the leadership of Pol Pot with the desire of creating a Maoist, classless, anti-intellectual, and solely agrarian society. In attempts to bring this about, anyone who threatened this ideal---hence the educated and middle class---were exiled or executed in the most gruesome ways. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, government officials, those who spoke a foreign language and thus were suspected to be enemies of the state, even those who wore glasses as they were assumed to be educated and therefore a threat---all were tortured and murdered. Families were divided as they somehow were believe represented capitalism and children were often pulled in to join the regime.

Those in the capital of Phnom Penh were literally marched out into the countryside to work the fields. All industry was brought to a halt. One of the main places that those who were believed to be deviants of the regime were brought was called TUOL SLENG.

This was formerly a high school, but since the goal was to do away with all forms of education, it was transformed to a prison and place of torture. Over 20,000 people were interrogated in order to try to get them to name friends and family who would then in turn also be tortured and ultimately killed.

The "most important" prisoners were assigned to their own room like above while the others were chained together in small rooms on the second and third floor.

Look at the floor in the picture above. What's horrific is that you can still see dried blood along the walls or puddled on the floor in these rooms where the torture took place. Yet another reminder that this is recent history...

While visiting, we met this man, Chum Mey, who was one of 7 survivors of Tuol Sleng. (he's on the far left of the other 6 in this picture he is standing beside) He described the horror of seeing his wife and son murdered and the torture of having his head pounded, toenails twisted and ripped off, sticks jammed in his ears, fingers broken, and the other gruesome things that were done to him. He was kept alive because of his high mechanical skills and now frequently visits the genocide museum to share his story.

We also had the opportunity to go to Choeung Ek. While most of the country could have been considered "the killing fields," this area was notorious for the deaths which occurred here and has now been made into a memorial museum. After torturing the people at Tuol Sleng, they were sent here to be executed.

This monument was constructed for remembrance and is filled with 17 tiers of skulls, bones, and clothing from the victims.

In an attempt to save on costly bullets, people were murdered in whatever way was most convenient-- beaten against a tree, a blow from a shovel or ax, etc. Then chemicals were poured over the bodies to reduce the stench and to be sure that no one was left alive. 126 mass graves have been uncovered here...

This happened just 30 years ago. The survivors are alive to tell their stories. The country is still recovering from the aftermath--both physically and in its government and education systems. Refugees are still relocated. And yet we are seldom taught about the Khmer Rouge in schools or hear about it on the news even though there is still so much happening with regard to it.

In fact the trials are still going on. Just Monday BBC released THIS article on "Duch," the leader of the interrogations at Tuol Sleng. He was finally tried in July (though we heard very little about it while it was happening) and sentenced to not life, but 35 years in prison-- since then, it has been shortened to 19 years. What shocks me is that trials did not actually begin get under way and become fully operational until 2007 and that Duch is the first to receive any sentence.

Sorry for being so wordy and full of gruesome detail, but this is history and reality and something I think we should, at the very least, be aware of