The Killing Fields At Cheoung Ek

Today I visited The Cheoung Ek Genocidal Center, also known as the Killing Fields, one of the many but home to the memorial and museum. I wasn't sure what to expect today and was surprised to find a place of such incredible violence to be so peaceful just over thirty years later, filled with songbirds and butterflies. The site had originally been a Chinese Cemetary before it was used for "liquidations" and mass burial.

The audio guide provided was often information and stories told by the victims, witnesses and even a guard.

Here is the killing tree. The Khmer Rouge never used bullets when there were other ways, too expensive. The infants heads were "smashed" against the trees often while the mothers watched. There was a mass grave a few feet away where over 100 women and babies are buried.

I overheard a tour guide saying the bracelets were a new thing, last three years or so, since the babies had no toys some visitor left a bracelet, I guess the most colorful or fun thing they had to offer.

The portrait is of Duch the Chairman of S-21 the compound where prisoners were held before execution.

The Killing Fields Memorial holding many of the exhumed bones.