During our last trip in this region in 1999 we had missed Cambodia. At the time we were backpacking and for one reason or another we decided to give the country a miss. Now, 10 years later, we were both keen on finally visiting Cambodia. On our list of things to see was the temple complex of Angkor Wat, considered by many as the most stunning in the world. But Cambodia is much more than its temples, it is also a contemporary example of the madness that can occur in this supposedly “modern” age. I am referring of course to the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge which cost the lives of an estimated 2 million people. In order to better understand just what occurred during this time we went to the capital, Phnom Penh, to visit S-21 (a prison) and the Killing Fields.

But first the Ankgor temple complex. Spread out over several square kilometers, the complex cannot be visited on foot. Nor can you visit it with your own vehicle. We tried desperately to get the security guard to let us through but he would have none of it. So instead we hired a moto taxi to take us around for a couple of days. Nice to be driven around for a change! Here is a picture of Marie-France and our driver…

And of course some pics of the temples…

We really enjoyed the temples but it was now time to go to the capital in order to learn about the other thing that defines Cambodia, the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge. We started by visiting S-21, a former school that was transformed into a prison. Rather than simply detaining people, it was used for the torture of those deemed by the Khmer Rouge to be a threat. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, architects, people who spoke a foreign language, those who wore glasses were all considered a danger to the new society envisioned by Saloth Sar (better known as Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge). Many thousands of people were brought to S-21 but only 7 are known to have lived through it. Here are some photos…

A few kilometers from S-21 are the Killing Fields. It is here that the prisoners of S-21 were brought to be executed…





Brian