Khmer Rouge

On April 17 1975 the five years civil war that had engulfed Cambodia ended with much jubilation on the streets of Phnom Penn as advancing soldiers were greeted as heroes

Three days later the entire city was emptied of everybody and so began one of the most radical, barbaric, brutal and incredibly tragic episodes of modern times. The advent of the rule of the Khmer Rouge had begun and would last for almost 4 years resulting in death of up to 3 million men, women and children, one in five of the population.

With Brother No1, Pol Pot in control the country cut itself of from the outside world, no postal system, all currency, schools, law courts abolished and the proclamation of Year Zero. What followed is barely believable, torture, execution, beatings resulting in a massive death toll. Malnutrition and disease accounting for just as many as the despot implemented his revolution.

Fear ruled and in no place more so than the Security Prison 21 commonly referred to as S-21 and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek.

S-21

To call it a prison would be wrong as no one left alive. Over fourteen thousand “enemies” including children were questioned, tortured and eventually executed for counterrevolutionary crimes. Torture would take the form of electrocution, beatings, suffocation, drowning the removal of fingernails by pliers and much more. This would only end once a confession had been received. In the silence of a city devoid of most of its population it was said the screams of the tortured could be heard outside the prison gates. Execution was just as brutal often people beaten to death.

Pictures taken by the liberating army of the Vietnamese of recently tortured victims

As an indication of the spiraling mayhem eventually even some of the torturers and executioners befell the same fate as others replaced them.

A visit to S-21 now a museum is a very sobering experience. The Khmer Rouge were very diligent in documenting their atrocities and hundreds of haunting black and white photos of all the victims stare back at you from displays around the now empty cells. Descriptions of torture and peoples stories further add to the tragic feeling of the place.

Pictures of prisoners. All executed.

Incredibly as the Khmer Rouge were ousted by the Vietnamese only seven prisoners survived to tell their tales.

Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

As the need to eradicate the enemies gained pace places to execute and dispose of the bodies became even more necessary. One of these laying just a few km outside Phnom Penn was the Killing Fields of Choenung Ek.

A monument to remember and honour the dead is filled with over 8000 skulls of the many who met their death here. Prisoners bound, blindfolded and shackled were then bludgeoned to death into an awaiting pit. Music would be played to cover the cries.

About the site many excavated pits remain and even now some 30 years later parts of bones and teeth still rise to the surface in wet weather. Somehow the very bland nature of the place makes it all that much more poignant.

30 years on body parts still rise to surface. Notice tooth in centre of picture

Two of only three men still alive to tell their tale of the seven who survived

Neil

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Poverty

How do you measure poverty? There is no one single definition much will depend on the context in which it is given, much by the organization giving it. Definitions include Absolute poverty, Relative poverty and then there is a poverty line of living under $1.25 a day.

Whatever we all have our own preconceptions. The reality is people do not live by statistics and definitions but by putting food on the table and a roof over their heads. Having completed a one-day trek in the Cambodian tropical rainforest I overnighted in the local minority village of the Bunong and got an understanding of what poverty could potentially mean.

My guide for the day had been Hong and I was fortunate enough to stay with him and his family before heading off on an elephant trek the following day.

Unbelievably Hong lives and sleeps here with his wife, five children, mother-in-law, five dogs, two cats and a pig. Akin to medieval England there is no electricity, no running water and no sanitation, cooking is done on an open fire in the middle of the floor. Every meal is rice and vegetable and occasionally when he has spare money meat. Kids run about in bare feet and dirty clothes and have no toys.

Dinner being prepared

I would consider this family to be living in poverty but by some definitions they may fall outside this description. What is surprising is the appearance of general contentedness and happiness of the family and privacy is non existent but that does not seem to bother anyone.

Some of Hong’s family

The days trek was a tough one. At least 15k crossing rivers in full flow, up and down muddy inclines and occasionally some wildlife such as a cobra. Unfortunately did not manage to get a picture. However another regular inhabitant that seemed to find me appetising was the leeches. Had a great day and being completely knackered at the end of the day I was happy to hit the sack at 8pm in complete darkness. Perhaps one of the benefits of no electricity.

One of the easier river crossings

Hong cutting bamboo to cook the veg in

Neil

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