Our next step in Cambodia was Phnom Penh. We spent one full day visiting Phnom Penh’s two major sites about the Cambodia Genocide. Security Office 21 (S-21) was a detention center set up under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge where several thousand people were detained, interrogated, tortured, and killed. S-21 is now the site of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and houses records and exhibits on the atrocities that were committed under the Khmer Rouge. Just outside of Phnom Penh are the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Choueng Ek was a site where many of the prisoners from S-21 were brought to be executed and contains mass graves of several thousands of people. The visit to Choeung Ek included a very good audio tour that included chilling details about the horrors that occurred there.
It was a very sobering day visiting both sites. We were saddened to learn the details about the genocide of 1.5-3 million people when the Khmer Rouge were in power between 1975-1979. It was even more disturbing to learn that Pol Pot was never brought to justice for his crimes and that many of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge are still under trial.
S-21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Victims were forced to sign confessions before being sent to be executed.
Memorial Stupa at Choeung Ek
