The Genocide
In 1975, the Khmer Rouge marched into the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, and began a 24-year campaign of terror, torture and genocide that effectively ended in 1999. The Khmer Rouge was responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million people. In proportion to the population of the country it ruled and its time in power, it was probably the most lethal regime of the 20th century - more vicious than Hitler and Stalin.
Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security force and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It soon became the largest such centre of detention and torture in the country. Over 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek to be executed; detainees who died during torture were buried in mass graves on the prison grounds.
The Khmer Rouge kept meticulous records and took photographs of their prisoners before they were tortured and executed. Many of the victims were skilled labourers, intellectuals, and teachers. The Khmer Rouge used children to torture these prisoners. Those too frightened to do this were killed.
This crippled Cambodia as it wiped out a whole generation of their youngest and brightest.
Barbwires fenced up all the windows and corridors to prevent horrified torture victims from committing suicide by jumping out of the building. As I walked through the hallways of this genocidal museum, my skin crawled.
Today Cambodia is trying to get on its feet again. Severely afflicted by the landmines left over from the many wars, it is now desperately fighting the scourge of AIDS.
During this mission trip, I visited a few orphanages and churches that are involved in community work in Cambodia. They are doing great work by taking care of the many children orphaned by AIDS and wars. There is currently a project that aims to build schools all over Cambodia for thousands of poor rural kids. You can go to http://www.nho.org.kh for information on this and how you can help.
They are a legit organisation and money will go towards the schools and orphanages. I'm not part of the group but I feel that their work deserves to be highlighted here.
This is the first part of the story. Hopefully, over the next few days, I'll be able to post other pictures of the people of Cambodia.
Despite their situation, I found in its people a sense of hope...
And grace that will overcome.
Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security force and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It soon became the largest such centre of detention and torture in the country. Over 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek to be executed; detainees who died during torture were buried in mass graves on the prison grounds.
All the classrooms were turned into cramped prison cells and torture chambers like these.
The Khmer Rouge kept meticulous records and took photographs of their prisoners before they were tortured and executed. Many of the victims were skilled labourers, intellectuals, and teachers. The Khmer Rouge used children to torture these prisoners. Those too frightened to do this were killed.
This crippled Cambodia as it wiped out a whole generation of their youngest and brightest.
Barbwires fenced up all the windows and corridors to prevent horrified torture victims from committing suicide by jumping out of the building. As I walked through the hallways of this genocidal museum, my skin crawled.
Today Cambodia is trying to get on its feet again. Severely afflicted by the landmines left over from the many wars, it is now desperately fighting the scourge of AIDS.
During this mission trip, I visited a few orphanages and churches that are involved in community work in Cambodia. They are doing great work by taking care of the many children orphaned by AIDS and wars. There is currently a project that aims to build schools all over Cambodia for thousands of poor rural kids. You can go to http://www.nho.org.kh for information on this and how you can help.
They are a legit organisation and money will go towards the schools and orphanages. I'm not part of the group but I feel that their work deserves to be highlighted here.
This is the first part of the story. Hopefully, over the next few days, I'll be able to post other pictures of the people of Cambodia.
Despite their situation, I found in its people a sense of hope...
And grace that will overcome.
posted by rudy at 6:37 AM
2 comments
