Tuol Sleng and Killing Kields

We visited the high school turned torture and interrogation centre known as S-21, or Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.  We also visited the execution and burial site known as the killing fields, or Choeung Ek Genocidal Center.  The audio guides were really helpful to provide the history and context of what we were seeing.  And what we were seeing was absolutely horrifying.  It is humbling and sobering to be in the same space where so much fear, pain, suffering, and death occurred.

Interestingly, neither my Aunt and Uncle, my Mom and Dad, nor Steve's parents have visited these places.  Why when you have lived through the war?

I am in awe of my family in Cambodia. My Aunt and Uncle and their six kids managed to survive the Pol Pot labour camps (and they even had another child afterwards!). Luckily, my Uncle had skills deemed "useful" by the labour camp leader - he was able to fix things and make pots. Because of this, their lives were spared, they were given extra food rations, and they were even allowed to bury my Grandmother.  My Aunt was very proud to let us know that she was able to take care of our Grandmother and that she died of natural causes at the age of 49 at the labour camp and NOT in the hands of Pol Pot*. Recently, my Dad and Aunt were able to buy the land (a random farmer's field) where Grandmother is buried. Unfortunately we didn't have time to visit pay our respects on this visit.

*My Grandmother's three brothers were killed by being hit in the back of the head by a hoe and thrown into a mass burial pit.