31 years after the end of the Khmer Rouge, justice is finally being served. Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch was sentenced to 35 years in prison (though he will serve less) for being the head of the notorious Tuol Sleng Prison (S-21) and overseeing the deaths of approximately 16,000 whose were sent there. Duch is one of five former Khmer Rouge being tried for their roles in the deaths of 1.7 million people from 1975-1979.
I’ve decided to share a few photos from my many trips to Tuol Sleng. It’s a haunting place, a former high school turned death machine. 7 people survived. That’s it. The site of so many tortures is now a museum and a stop for every tourist who passes through Phnom Penh. Each prisoner was meticulously photographed and cataloged, most knowing their fate. The photos are now on display.
A chain keeps a door closed at Tuol Sleng (S-21), Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Once a modern high school, it became the center of horrors.
Walls of condemned.
From my years of traveling in Cambodia and talking to people about their experiences, thoughts, and fears, I personally am glad that some modicum of punishment has been enacted. There are, of course other views. I’ve heard people say they think the trials, started back in the 90’s, are a waste of time and money; that the people responsible for setting back their country decades would receive their penance in the next life; and more than a few saying they would love to get their hands on those in charge.
Chains are still present as tourists view photos at Tuol Sleng.
Written in a guest book at Tuol Sleng.
As with any group that has suffered something so horrible it’s hard to comprehend, there are those who don’t believe a quarter of the population was killed or died of starvation in a four year period. (not to mention the many thousands that died in the following 14 years of civil war) The mental scars go as deep as the missing limbs. Even though Cambodia has grasped towards the future and gotten hold, their brutal past has a vast impact on what goes on today. With half the population under 22, and a period of time where the government refused to teach about the Khmer Rouge in schools, there is a disconnect between the nightmare of yesterday and the cell phones and motorcycles of today.
Through a window into a torture room.
Sign at Tuol Sleng shows the rules.
As many holocaust survivors are reluctant to talk openly about what they experienced, many older Khmers are happy they have food to feed their families and a roof over their head and would rather look forward than rehash the past.
I understand this. However, with an event this horrible, there needs to be a discussion on a national level, and the trials are a good start to taking a solid step forward and starting the process of healing. While many Khmers I’ve met are reluctant to attach too much retribution to their feelings and experiences of the Khmer Rouge, this verdict, while not as strict as I would have hoped, is a way for them get some justice.
Tops of skulls fill a shelf in the main tower at the Killing Fields, where most of the prisoners from Tuol Sleng were taken to be killed or disposed of.
An old photo from the excavation of the Killing Fields.
A skull with a clearly visible strike point at the Killing Fields.
Cambodia has it’s problems, that’s for sure, in some cases they’ve had to start from square one in their rebuilding process. Most of their problems have been influenced in one way or another by the recent past. As they mature as a peaceful nation I hope they can solve their problems and lift the whole country towards the future. In the end, Cambodia’s hope and only choice is to go full bore into the future. They want to get as far away from the 1970-1990’s as they can, but without something like the trials, even with their limited scope, they don’t have those solid steps from which to go forward.
Skulls at the Killing Fields.
Mass graves and the tower of skulls at the Killing Fields.
Mass grave at the Killing Fields.
A sign warning people not to walk through the mass grave, Killing Fields, Phnom Penh.
Cambodia has a big heart, a beautiful landscape, and a fascinating ancient history. I hope these trials help them deal with how to move forward.
Check out my 8,000 plus images of Cambodia online.
If you’re interested in learning more about Cambodia, here are a couple of great movies:
New Year Baby (the background post shot is mine)
