the killing fields

We have all heard about the Holocaust; however, in my naivete, I didn't realize that The Killing Fields was anything other than a fictional movie in the 1980s. After the Vietnam War ended, the Khmer Rouge Regime under Pol Pot executed almost 3 million (based on estimates) out of 7-8 million people in Cambodia during a 3-4 year period. While I still don't understand the motivation behind it all, the objective of Pol Pot was to create an urban classless society, including a form of ethnic cleansing that included elimination of educated individuals.

Phnom Penh was cleared out in three days, as people were moved to rice farms, etc. to work the land. Some died of starvation and diseases. Many, primarily women and children, were executed by bashing their heads against trees that were saturated with blood. Others were killed with blunt objects like spades, leaving evidences of such atrocities in the skulls that were discovered. Buddhists believe that bodies should be located in positive environments so a stupa was built in Choeng Ek, one of the larger killing fields where it is estimated that almost 20,000 were executed, to house the almost 9,000 skulls that were discovered.

The bones and clothes have been carefully cleaned, preserved and documented for cause of death to the extent that it can be determined. Walking along the fields, there is a distinct smell that I could not determine the origins. It was not quite like what I noted in carpe diem after 9/11, but the memory came to mind. While the graves were shallow, the burials were very compact. It is common to this day that heavy rainfall may result in unearthing bones and clothing.

Visual signs of bones embedded in the earth

While she may be too young to remember much, a staff person that works with me recounted how her family would move relatives from village to village in order to erase history and any remnants of education, claiming to be peasants and taxi drivers. She also noted that in many cases, the regime would use peasant boys that were 10 to 13-years old to perform the executions of the emaciated humans. Even though she has relatives that were executed, she noted that her family has one relative that is still unaccounted for today, which they have assumed perished.

History is meant to be learned. Yet, it is baffling that it took almost thirty years for the United Nations to establish a genocide tribunal. The Khmer Rouge was also recognized as a legitimate government and had a seat at the UN up to 15 years after the genocide. The first prosecution occurred in 2010.

It was a bit ironic to drive back into town and see a huge banner above a major street that read something to the effect of 'education - a must for all children'.