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The Killing Fields
The Kingdom of Cambodia. Kampuchea. Indochina. The Khmer civilization.
The ruins of the Khmer Empire have no equal. Angkor Wat (the largest religious monument in history) speaks of probably the greatest ancient culture of SE Asia (only the temples of Bagan come close in architectural and artistic granduer I hear...mental note...put that on the list). The Cambodians are a handsome people, looking quite Indian and a bit Malaysian. It is amazing how many times since BCE the Thais, Chams, Vietnamese and Khmers sacked each other (until even 15 years ago). Every time Angkor was the grand prize. I have been hiking Angkor for days now, Angkor Wat, Phomh Bakheng, Angkor Thom. Preah Kahn, Ta Phrom, Banteay Srei many other smaller and stunning temples. Have you seen Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie? (yes, she adopted a little Combodian girl)... Many of the scenes were filmed at Ta Promh, a temple known for its beatiful struggle with nature (huge trees growing in, on top of, and around massive stone structures. Angkor Wat is the best known, and well preserved (was always used by monks) but is just the beginning. The scale of these temples and how their architecture follows their Hindu significance is awesome. One temple (Bantea Srei) houses what many claim are among the best sculpture in the world (surpassing even their Indian masters), and it is quite amazing.
The splendor of Cambodia is matched only by the horror of recent history here. This is all set about a very deep dark contrast.
In 1985, My sister Lisa and I watched "the Killing Fields" at the West Chester University weekend movie night. It seemed long...mostly because the horror and suffering was worlds away. Funny how some things change. It is hard to believe that Cambodia just got out of civil war and Pol Pot (the Khmer rouge leader) died only a few years ago. As we watched the movie, Cambodia had nearly 15 more years of civil war to suffer. When we were learning to disco to Saturday Night Fever, marveling at the home VHS player and learning to surf the net, Cambodians watched 1 in 5 of they friends and family die, many tortured to death, and other left to live maimed and with their eyes cut out. Some refer to Cambodia as the 4th world, a country so ravaged by war, you have to be flown to Thailand for medical treatment if you should be so unlucky. It is not uncommon to see people missing limbs from the saturation of land mines left, and it is more heartbreaking than it even sounds. A country where the poor go to work 14 hours a day combing fields for the mines for 10 cents a day. The travel guides are explicit: no deviating from marked trails...period. I donated to a band of amputees today in the jungle who played pretty good Khmer music (shot a video of them) only to find them moonlighting at the hotel next door when I got home! Next time I have a hard day at work...well you know. It makes me think how powerful a nation can be and still fall so hard and so fast over a poor political agenda. Right or wrong, nations fall and legends replace people. hmmm... Tomorrow its S21 prison tour in Pnohm Penh, along with the actual killing fields. S21 is a school that Pol Pot fashioned into a prison camp. There they "processed" 100 people per day (nothing like the Nazi's in numbers but horrifying none the less). Less than 20 of the prisoners survived out of almost 20,000...the rest were tortured to death. Most were bludgeoned to death to save the cost of bullets in a war that set Cambodia back several generations while the rest of SE Asia moved ahead one.. A few of the victims were American. Like the Nazi's, The Khmer Rouge kept meticulous records of every prisoner... "The definition of evil is...the absence of empathy. The inability to feel for your fellow man." (Nuremburg). The scars of such evil is worn on the faces of the people and must weigh heavily in their hearts. They smile, absolutely delighted at the smallest gestures of kindness.
Cambodia is a great place to see how wonderful life is and how much of a horror it could be. Greatness...tragedy...thankfullness. You have to have a heart of stone to not be touched by these people. Life takes on new meaning here. Cheers and hope to get back home next week through Bangkok or I may have to hop out of Ho Chi Minh.
Hope all is well with you.
Joe
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A Postcard from Hell
I just got back from the "Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum" in Pnomh Penh. I have to take a break for a bit and sort out my head. I think writing will help. A ticket gets you admission to the introductory film. An hour of the history of the Cambodian civil war, The rise of the Khmer Rouge, the abomination of a person named Saloth Sar who came to command the KR under the name Pol Pot, the forced complete evacution of the capital city (Pnomh Penh), the imprisonment and torture of mostly all teachers, scholars, goverment officials, religious leaders... and the systematic murder of nearly 3 million Cambodians. Yes, three million. During the film people were sort of nervous, young girls writing messages on their cell phones and most tourists (accustomed to hollywood) soaked in the cinematic experience. Judging by what was to follow, nothing could have prepared us. After all, this was formerly a school with children playing in the courtyard...right?
The first few rooms began with displays of the 17 survivors. People read intensely.
The next rooms began to display of pictures of the 17-20,000 some prisoners, taken as they were admitted. People were pacing back and forth nervously.
The next rooms began the exibitions of the devices used to torture the people into writing false confessions of their supposed involvement in subversion to the "Cambodian people". Their statements were displayed. People began to choke up and a few cried. I could tell already this was far beyond the scope of the prisons in Chongqing, and kept thinking " three million...three million "... It make me think of where those piles of people on that boat in China were going, with their bones sticking out and flesh rotting off. (didn't mention that from China either did I?).
The following 3 buildings were the "Detainment and Interrogation" rooms full of clothes, iron clasps, instruments of torture, racks, and prison cells. Graphic pictures lined the walls of more victims at check in, during torture , after death, and - for those who outlasted the torture and were beat to death with ox cart handles - mass graves. All pictures taken by the Khmer Rouge. The pictures were so graphic, people openly broke down weeping. Some pictures had flowers wedged into them (from the families who visit there...since most of the bodies have not been identified). One family was there wailing in front of a daughter's picture. Nobody made it out of that room without losing it entirely. None of the Khmer Rouge have been tried yet, despite the pleadings of survivors. After seeing the family mourn, suddenly you weren't looking at the faces on the walls... the every face of the thousands were staring directly at you. It was more than anyone could bear. Some were getting sick. I had to leave.
The pain still runs quite deep here and it looks like healing is far from over. The motorcycle driver who rode me home spoke of the frustrations and pain of the people. The King Abdicated his throne this month. There is an uneasiness in the air. I leave for Vietnam early in the morning and will miss the people I have met here. There is nothing like a personal introduction to hell to make you believe in the cleasing power of good.
Take Care and thanks for listening,
Joe
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