After having visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, I headed 15 kilometers south-west of Phnom Penh to the equally disturbing site of Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, also known as “The Killing Fields”. This is the site to which the prisoners from Tuol Sleng were taken to be executed by the Khmer Rouge regime. Walking into Choeung Ek, you are immediately struck by a sense of foreboding that you are about to witness a part of history that is not only terrible and sad but cruel and inhumane at the same time.
Heading first onto the site of The Killing Fields I came across a sign that reads “The Executioners’ Working Office: Here was the place where executioners stationed permanently at Choeung Ek worked. The office as well as the Killing Fields were equipped with electric power which enabled them to conduct executions and to read and sign the rosters that accompanied the victims to the site at night time”. Take some time at the sign to read and fully absorb the nature of the crimes committed at the site.
Walking around the site you will come to a sign that reads “The Chemical Substance Storage Room: Here was the place where chemical substances such as D.D.T. was kept. Executioners scattered these substances over dead bodies of the victims at once after execution. This action had two purposes: firstly to eliminate the stench from the dead bodies which could potentially raise suspicion among people working near by The Killing Fields and secondly was to kill off victims who were buried alive”. One can just imagine the anguish that people taken to Choeung Ek must have suffered in their final moments alive.
Another sign that you will come across reads “The Killing Tools Storage Room: Here was the place where the killing told such as shackles, leg irons, a hatchet, knives, hoes, digging hoes, shovels, iron ox cart axles were stored. This instrument was lost in 1979. The storage room was constructed from wood with a galvanized steel roof”. Take the chance to reflect on how one person could do such cruel things to another person, especially when the second person is innocent of the crimes of which he has been accused.
Follow the path and head over to the marked off area where they found the bodies of more than 100 women and children buried in a mass grave. The nearby sign that reads “Please don’t walk through the mass graves” is a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed at the site.
Look for a magnificent large tree on which a sign hangs that reads “Magic Tree: The tree was used as a tool to hang a loudspeaker which makes sound louder to avoid the moan of victims while they were being executed”. Give some thought as to whether the speaker was really effective in drowning out the desperate cries of people as they realized that their time on earth was drawing to a close in the most horrific manner.
Perhaps the most disturbing image from the site, which haunts my memory to this day, is a sign that reads “Killing Tree Against Which Executioners Beat Children”. One can only despair at the depravity of these executioners who could so heartlessly beat children to death against a tree. Take the chance to reflect on the lives of innocent children lost at the site as you observe the many colorful bracelets attached to the tree in honor of the children who lost their lives.
After paying your respects to the children lost to the cruelty of the executioners, head over to the Conservation Dyke. This dyke, built in 2000, is alongside a river and was built to prevent water access to the site and the destruction of The Killing Fields. Enjoy, if you can, the serenity of this spot with beautiful views over the river, being ever mindful of the incredibly sad history of the site.
Finally, head over to the Buddhist stupa, surrounded by acrylic glass and filled with the skulls of 5,000 people whose lives were stolen at The Killing Fields. Look towards the roof of the stupa and see layer upon layer of human skulls, stacked as a constant reminder of the atrocities that took place at Choeung Ek. Perhaps take the time to say a little prayer that such atrocities never occur again and all those who visit the site will be inspired to spread the story of the what took place at The Killing Fields.
Having experienced a very full yet disturbing day, I left Choeung Ek and headed back to my hotel in Phnom Penh, along the way contemplating the horrific cruelty that I had just experienced both at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, found on Google Maps here.
When I visited Phnom Penh I stayed at the very lovely White Mansion Phnom Penh. If you would like to do the same then please consider making your reservation by clicking here. Otherwise consider one of the accommodation options in Phnom Penh by clicking in the box below with booking.com or with Agoda here.
Booking.comOur other posts on Cambodia may be found here.
(Visited in May 2015)