Phnom Penh Blues

Went to the Killing Fields and the S-21 torture facility musuem yesterday. Pretty horrible places, compounded by the fact that the actual museums themselves were just as bad this time around as they were last time. Given their unique claim of being the sole practicers of so-called ''auto-genocide'' (Khmer vs. Khmer as opposed to German vs. Jew, Tutsi vs. Huutu, etc...), you'd think Cambodians would be able to come up with an interesting and incisive look at the Khmer Rouge, but to be perfectly honest it doesn't seem like a whole lot of thought or introspection went in to either of the aforementioned exhibits.

Both museums point to things like blood on the floor and mass graves and say ''This is unspeakably evil,'' but they just stop there. At the Killing Fields there's a short essay posted on the wall which in part says "The Khmer Rouge looked like regular people but they had the hearts of the most evil demons." Of course, they weren't evil demons. They were uneducated peasants who got caught up in a movement that went too far. It could happen, and has happened again and again all over the world. Too blame it on their being ''evil'' is nothing more than a cop-out.

Phnom Penh itself is the same as it was three years ago. Filthy and poor, the city chokes you as soon as you step out of your room. Not only is the air thick with pollution, the beggars and desperate motorbike drivers practically assault you the moment you leave the guesthouse.

It's a depressing place to be, and we're leaving tomorrow morning. We're heading to a province in the Northeast called Mondulkiri, and we hope to get a better and more accurate impression of the "real Cambodia" when we get there. Fiona is not optimistic, but we'll see how it is.

Posted by flow Frazao on June 13, 2005 at 04:36 AM in Southeast Asia | Permalink