Richelle Dante Photography

Our last day in Phnom Penh we decided we wanted to learn a little more about the recent history of Cambodia. There is an extensive history to lead to the events that happened just a little over 30 years ago. To give the short version, on April 17, 1975, Khmer Rouge soldiers came into the city of Phnom Penh evacuating over 2 million people at gun point. Within 3 days, Phnom Penh was a ghost town.

Pol Pot was a very disturbed man. From April 1975 until January 7, 1979 he killed an estimated 3 million people. Almost two million were tortured and killed and the others died of starvation. This was 20% of the Cambodian population! Anyone Pol Pot felt threatened by, he killed. This included members of the middle class and educated people such as teachers, police, military or people who wore glasses. He also killed their children because he was paranoid they would come back for revenge when they grew up. As time went on, he got even more paranoid, having some of his own soldiers and family beheaded and killed.

Pol Pot declared ‘Year Zero’ in 1975 and directs a ruthless program to “purify” Cambodian society of capitalism, Western culture, religion and all foreign influences in favor of an isolated and totally self-sufficient Maoist agrarian state. No opposition is tolerated.

Foreigners are expelled, embassies closed, and the currency abolished. Markets, schools, newspapers, religious practices and private property are outlawed.

This is really just touching on the history and I highly recommend googling it to learn more. I didn’t even know this happened until I visited Cambodia two years ago. You would never know it happened because the Cambodian people are so kind and welcoming. Such and amazing place with a very sad history. Most people have relatives they lost and still remember these horrible days.

The prison we visited was a school that was overtaken by Khmer Rouge when Phnom Penh was evacuated. Here they tortured and killed many. If they did not die during torture they were taken to the killing fields (this will be my next post).

The photo on the left is a skull with a bullet hole in the top of the head. Many times they would not just shoot people because bullets were expensive and they didn’t want to waste them. The photo on the right are some of the victims. They would take photos when they entered and photos when they were killed.

These are a few forms of torture and the devices they used. They would also rip off finger nails, beat, and electrocute them. There were only about 7 survivors from this torture prison and it was because they had skills that could be used.

More victims.

The buildings were covered with barbed wire so prisoners couldn’t jump off and commit suicide. They did this after one prisoner jumped from the third floor.

The cells where prisoners were shackled and kept.

Standing in the cell was surreal. Thinking of the people who were in here and died is almost incomprehensible. Blood stains can still be seen on the floor. The containers on the left were used as the bathroom.

This room still had the chalk board and what looks like nails for kids to hang their bags on.

Can’t even imagine what this was like when it was a prison…

Each room was numbered.

Shackles for multiple people.

One of the survivors from S21 sculpted these busts of Pol Pot.

This photo broke my heart. That baby would be 33 now.

One of the larger rooms where politicians or those higher up were held and tortured.