Tuol Sleng

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In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot’s security forces and turned into a prison known as Security prison 21 (S-21). This secret prison soon became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country. Between 1975 and 1978, more than 14,000 people held at S 21 were killed. Only 7 detainees survived.

S-21 has been turned into the Tuol Sleng Museum, which serves as a testament to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge was meticulous in keeping records or its barbarism. Each prisoner who passed through S-21 was photographed, sometimes before and after torture. The museum displays include room after room of harrowing black and white photographs, virtually all of the men, women and children were later killed.

As the Khmer Rouge regime reached even greater heights of insanity, it began devouring its own. Generations of torturers and executioners who worked here were in turn killed by those who took their places. During early 1977, when the party purges of Eastern Zone cadres were getting under way, S-21 claimed an average of 100 victims a day.

When the Vietnamese army liberated Phnom Penh in early 1979, there were only seven prisoners alive at S-21, all of whom had used their skills such as painting, or photography to stay alive.

Prisoners who were most of the time regular citizens, not criminals, were numbered, photographed in the same way, then interrogated, tortured and sent to the killing fields. Each old classroom now contained miniscule cells with brick walls, hardly the size of a human being, a steel chain fixed to the soil, and a metal box. The violence that took place here can be felt rather than seen and you have to use your imagination when you see those fading traces of blood on the floor. Take time to let yourself inside one of the cells for a few minutes and gaze through the barbed wire to the surrounding buildings. You shall feel the atrocities the Cambodian people lived under this regime.

Other buildings contain torture tools and paintings of torture techniques on the walls. The building adjacent to the small cells has large interrogation and torture rooms. Downstairs is a haunting exposition of photos: mainly passport photos (Khmer rouge style) of all the victims with their numbers. There are lots of women and children. The collection of skulls and bones is towards the end. The whole place leaves a powerful feeling and a lump in one’s throat.

We need to change our mind and decide to head to Psar Tuol Tom Pong also known as the Russian market: A labyrinth of stalls selling everything from scarves and silk cloth to kitchen utensils. Certainly the best place in town for shopping. I wonder around while Jeremie is stuck at the DVD and CD section. I buy some scarves and look around for good material to make silk sheets. We come out after 3 hours with around 50 DVDs. Fruitful shopping indeed!

Tip of the Day:

Tuol Sleng museum is 2 usd to get in. There are some guides, but watch out, some ask for ridiculous prices.

In front of the genocide place, Bodhi Tree, great place to relax and have a drink or a meal. Nice setting.

Tuk Tuk can be rented for the day for 10 usd. Drivers usually expect the day to finish around 6pm. If you wish to rent for the evening also, just make sure this is agreed upon beforehand.

Russian market certainly is the best shopping option in town. DVDs can be found for 1,5 usd. (It can be bargained down to 1.3 usd if you take loads, like us…). Antiques, clothes, shoes, CDs, souvenirs, food, you name it. Bargain hard of course. Here are some prices after some skilled bargaining:

A silk or cotton scarf : 1 to 1.5$

Pashmina scarf: 3$

Cotton t-shirt: 1.5$

CD: 1.3$

Lunch at the Melting Pot, a snack place, just by the Russian Market, owned by a French-Khmer couple. Great paninis, salads and shakes on offer. A bit expensive for Cambodia but nice place to chill out after/during the shopping craze.

We had dinner at the Foreign Correspondant Club (FCC). Great setting, great views over the Mekong. Try the Tastings (3 for 10 usd).