This blog is more on the gruesome side, but I can’t not write about the stuff I’m learning and seeing.
Before coming to Cambodia, I knew little about their history. I was completely ignorant. I knew in the back of my mind that something bad happened and I had heard of Pol Pot, but really didn’t know. As I began to ask around, I found that I wasn’t alone in my ignorance, especially with my generation. I don’t believe it’s because we didn’t learn about it in school – I’m sure it was mentioned – but, more likely, because it didn’t affect me and was quickly forgotten. This makes me sad.
So I started to research… I’m in the country after all. And am sickened by what I have learned. Here is the short, Melanie version (reader, feel free to add or correct, I don’t claim to be an expert, just a student!): in 1975, the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia and forced everyone out of the cities and into the countryside. They desired to take the country back to how it was before the Thai invaded during the 1400’s when they claim the culture was corrupted by Western thinking. The Khmer Rouge then began to systematically kill minorities, religious people (90% of Christians were murdered), and any one who was educated, ie teachers, doctors, professors, etc. The people who weren’t killed because of these things, were sent to work in the rice fields or on construction projects. Many times, they were separated by age and gender (another goal of the Khmer Rouge was to destroy the family structure). The conditions were so bad (only one cup of watery rice per day, crazy tropical snakes, sickness, heat and dehydration, etc.) that many died working in the fields. The Khmer Rouge was in power for four years and it is estimated that two million people died – a third of the population at the time. 2 Million people.
During our short stay in Phnom Penh, we went to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – also called S.21. Before, April 17, 1975, the compound was used as a school; however, the Khmer Rouge changed it into center for detaining, interrogating, torturing and killing prisoners. I walked the halls of the four buildings in silence – my stomach was sick from shock and disgust. “How could any human think this was right?” was one of the few thoughts I had. It’s crazy to think that the only thing separating me from these soldiers is the grace of God…by nature, we all have that capacity for evil.
Here are few pictures:
After we saw S.21, we were taken to Choeung Ek Genocidal Center… an area informally known as “the killing fields.” The center is about 30 minutes outside of the city and is the site of 129 mass graves -some with up to 450 bodies. Many prisoners from S.21 were taken here to be executed, as well as other rebels, educated people, etc. It is estimated that 20,000 people died here, though the bodies of 8,000 were exhumed. In the center there is a large memorial Charnel (looks like a temple) that houses the bones of the victims. And surrounding the structure there are many large holes/mounds – the exhumed mass graves. It is eerie.
I hope to never forget what I saw:
A little follow-up: In 1979, the Vietnamese invaded and controlled the government until 1989 and then the UN came…it gets boring here. So I will just say the crazy part – the Khmer Rouge remained a political force and fought along the Thai border until 1998 (I was in jr. high!)! Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge and mastermind behind the “re-education” of society, died in 1997 and was never tried or punished for his crimes against humanity. Only recently has there been any sort of work done to bring justice to the other leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Currently, Cambodia is still recovering from the years of violence. 80% of the population is under the age of 30 – the institutional knowledge (teachers, doctors, lawyers, businessmen) needed to help the country develop at the same rate of surrounding nations is nonexistent. They just don’t have the brainpower yet. I haven’t looked at the numbers, but from observation it appears that Cambodia is further behind the Philippines and Thailand.
I am walking away frustrated. I just can’t believe that this kind of genocide happened so soon after the Holocaust and, worse yet, this kind of evil is happening now in North Korea and the Sudan! History repeating itself. I won’t pretend to be an expert – I don’t know the details and am at a loss about what can be done. But, I am sure that it breaks my heart, makes me want to learn more, and makes me want to pray a lot more. Also, it prompts me to pray and work harder now to bring healing and restoration to Cambodia – speak life over a place that has seen so much death.
It is also hard to walk away from this information and still say God is good. I don’t understand why Satan gets to reign on the earth right now – causing such evil and hate. But I do know that when Jesus comes again, he will have the final victory. He will triumph over all evil. And until then, it is our job as Christians to carry His light and love to these dark places and to do the best we can.
