ABOUT THE ADVENTURE
A Lasting Memory
The S21 (Security Prison 21) Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum stands in Phnom Penh to preserve and recognize the Cambodian Genocide which occurred between 1975 and 1979. A recent part of history, the Cambodian Genocide resulted in the loss of 21% of the country's population through deaths by torture and poor living conditions. Security Prison 21, or Tuol Sleng, was a secret facility used to detain many high ranking officials and intellectuals under speculation during the genocide. The genocide operated under a speculative and chaotic form where citizens were made suspects and sent to prison camps simply based upon unproven suspicion. In prison camps such as S21, prisoners were tortured daily.
Recanting the Story
The following is my recollection of the Cambodian Genocide which I learned through my visit and research. The Genocide occurred in the late 1970s following Cambodia's independence from France in 1949, the Vietnam War (1955 to 1975), and the Cambodian Civil War (1967 to 1975). The country was in shambles, had been bombed by US forces during both the Vietnam and Cambodian Civil War, and a broken economy. Eager to start a new era, Cambodia turned to Pol Pot, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who had a plan to turn Cambodia into an agricultural grass-roots utopia. To do so, however, Pol Pot aimed his sights to destroy foreigners and intellectual, killing Chinese Cambodian, Vietnamese Cambodian, Christian Cambodian, Muslim Cambodian, Buddhist Cambodian, and intellectuals under his party, the Khmer Rouge. This democide plagued Cambodia for nearly four years and killed nearly a quarter of the country's population. The democide ended in 1978 when the Vietnamese military broke the Khmer Rouge's regime.
Reflections of the Past
S21 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for good reason. It serves as a reminder of destruction that took place and a cautionary tale towards acts of genocide, war, and dehumanization. Although extremely somber, I am glad that I visited. In addition to the $5 USD admission, I also paid for the $5 USD audio tour. The tour was well constructed with testimonial accounts and a step by step guide to the facility. Some parts of the tour can be very emotional, so be cautious if you are sensitive to these types of things. I did not take many pictures of the facility in an attempt to be respectful of the museums legacy. However, I recommend you go see it for yourself if you are ever in Phnom Penh.
