Killing Fields

 This morning, Friday, we have a difficult excursion, but one I think we must face. It is a trip to one of the prisons where people were held and tortured before being sent to the killing fields. Our Cambodian guide Dara is great. He speaks English very well. He provides us with the history of Cambodia and the political manipulations of various countries Tha led to Pol Pot’ ascendancy as Cambodian leader. Without going into detail, if the King was not a playboy, the US might have aided him when he sought their help, but he then turned to China who had already groomed Pol Pot and in exchange for China helping him he had to support Pol Pot who had studied Communism in China. Pol Pot then established the Khymer Rouge and overthrew the government of Cambodia. Pol Pot wanted to turn Cambodia into a farming community where there was only bartering and no class society. He eliminated all intellectuals, including doctors, teachers and any one who was not a farmer.

He established over three hundred prisons where people were tortured and starved before sending them to different killing fields. We visited one of the prisons and the conditions, torture and general deprivations these people went through was appalling. The prison was a converted school  There are photos of many of the prisoners including women, children and babies. Ann found it very difficult. I cannot imagine how people can do that to one another.  Seven people survived the imprisonment and we were able to meet one and buy his book.

We then drive 15 kms to one of the killing fields. As we walk around our guide points out bits of bone and teeth that are still coming to the surface. It is estimated that over 10000 victims are buried here and it is only one of many killing fields throughout Cambodia. The only reason it stopped was that Pol Pot wanted to take back Saigon and Hanoi which a long time ago was part of Cambodia, but the Vietnamese fought back and won the war and freed Cambodia from Pol Pot. It was very political with Russia supporting Vietnam and Cambodia being supported by China. Eventually Russia put enough pressure on China to back off from invading Vietnam.

Cambodia is now supposed to be a democratic republic, but still retains the monarchy. In reality though there is only one political party in Cambodia.

The worst of it all is hardly any one was prosecuted over the genocide. Pol Pot was not and he was allowed to live out his life in the countryside. Only a couple of his commanders were ever tried and jailed. 

I am at a loss trying to understand how this could be allowed to happen, but more recently we continue to experience such atrocities like Idi Amin, Rwanda and now Ukraine.