Phnom Penh, Cambodia: August 2006

In the first part of our two part feature, Po Scard followed Ray and Nikki as they spent the week exploring the vast ancient city of Angkor. If you have not read it yet, click here: Cambodia Uncovered (Part 1)

In Part Two, Po continues the journey with Ray and Nikki as they complete their visit to Siem Reap, and head for the capital city, Phnom Penh, via the coastal town of Sihanoukville. Some of our readers may find our report disturbing, as our two travellers reveal some of the horrors that the Cambodians have had to endure in their recent past, and some they still face today.

Having spent a very exhausting week exploring the temples in the ancient city of Angkor, Ray and Nikki were ready for a break for a few days to re-charge their batteries. "We had heard a little about Sihanoukville, apparently Cambodia's version of the "Costa del Sol" but without the huge development, so we decided we would take a chance and head south for the sea" said Ray. "But not before we had paid a visit to the Cambodia Land Mine Museum, in Siem Reap" he added.

Above: Map showing Siem Reap, north of Tonle Sap lake, Sihanoukville in the south and Phnom Penh, the capial in the lower centre

Before I tell you more about what Ray and Nikki discovered during their visit to the Land Mine Museum, it is very useful to understand what has been happening in Cambodia during the last few decades. "This is clearly a country that is really down on its luck" said Ray. "But I was truly shocked to discover just how awful the last forty years or so have been for the unfortunate people here" he told me.

During the Vietnam war, between 1965-75, American bombers dropped 2.75 million tons of munitions on 115,000 sites (of which 13,000 were villages), in 231,000 bombing sorties flown over Cambodia.

Above: The Land Mine Museum in Siem Reap is a "must see" for anyone travelling to Cambodia and is a heartbreaking experience

Unfortunately for the Cambodian people, their troubles were only just beginning. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge, an ultra-communist guerilla group led by Pol Pot, took advantage of the vacuum left by the Americans after their withdrawal from Vietnam and seized power in Phnom Penh, the capital. They forced all city dwellers into the countryside and into labour camps. During their rule, it is estimated that nearly two million Cambodians died by starvation, torture or execution. This represented approximately 30% of the population during that time. "I was only ten years old when this happened and vaguely remember hearing about it on the news, but it did not mean much to me at the time, living so far away" Nikki told me.

Above: Pol Pot addresses a closed meeting in Phnom Penh after the Khmer Rouge victory in 1975. Nikki and Ray, like many others, could not have possibly imagined or understood what was about to happen

The Khmer Rouge turned Cambodia to 'Year Zero'. They banned all institutions, including banks, stores, hospitals, schools, religion and the family. Everyone was forced to work 12-14 hours a day, every day. Children were separated from their parents to work in mobile groups, or as soldiers. People were fed one watery bowl of soup with a few grains of rice thrown in.

Babies, children, adults and the elderly were killed everywhere. The Khmer Rouge killed people if they didn't like them, if they didn't work hard enough, if they were educated, if they came from different ethnic groups, or if they showed sympathy when their family members were taken away to be killed. All were killed without reason. The idea was to create an ultra-communist society of peasants.

Above: Young Khmer soldiers in 1975. Many chose to serve the regime in order to stay alive

After the Vietnamese invaded and liberated the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge, 600,000 Cambodians fled to Thai border camps. Ten million landmines were left in the ground, one for every person in Cambodia. The United Nations installed the largest peacekeeping mission in the world in Cambodia in 1991 to ensure free and fair elections after the withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops. Cambodia was turned upside down during the Khmer Rouge years and the country has the daunting task of healing physically, mentally and economically.

Later in this issue, there is information about a project Ray and Nikki came across in Sihanoukville called Starfish Cambodia - a project dedicated to the idea that one person can really make a difference. If ever there was an outstanding example of someone who personifies this ideal, then it has to be Mr. Aki Ra, the founder of the Cambodian Land Mine Museum, which Ray and Nikki visted before they left Siem Reap (Land Mine Museum).

Above: Mr Aki Ra (left) who has single handedly cleared thousands of mines, saving the lives and limbs of many compatriots in the process. All of the de-activated mines are displayed in his museum (right) to help educate people about this huge issue

As a child soldier, Aki Ra lived through Cambodia's tumultuous past. Both his parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge when he was about five years old. He was then conscripted into their army where he was taught to lay mines, fire guns and rocket launchers, and make simple bombs. Today he is taking an active part in re-building the country he loves.

Above: Mr Aki Ra as a young man, clearing mines with the United Nations

In 1999, Aki Ra established the Cambodian Land Mine Museum in Siem Reap near Angkor Wat. His dedication and sincerity enables others to more fully understand Cambodian culture, and to see first hand the resolve the Cambodian people have to address the issue of land mines. His goal in life is to make his country safe and free of land mines.

Above: Mr Aki Ra carefully uncovers another 'live' land mine (left) and successfully de-activates it (right)

I talked to Ray and Nikki about Aki Ra and the museum after their visit. "His story is very moving and extremely compelling and is well worth reading. Whenever I think I am having a hard time, I will remember Aki Ra and what he has experienced, and I will not be able to complain about my situation any more" said Ray. "His story is one of incredible hope, and a constant reminder that despite ridiculous hardship and suffering, it is possible for the spirit to triumph. He is someone that everyone should know about" added Nikki.

You can read his story by clicking here: Mr Aki Ra's story

During their visit to the museum, Ray and Nikki discovered that there were about 60,000 land mine / UXO victims between 1979 and 2003, including just over 14,000 victims in Batdambang province alone (where they boarded the narrow boat to Siem Reap in Part One). More than half of those victims were civilians engaged in farming, herding, clearing new land, fishing and collecting wood.

Above: The vast collection of ordnance recovered and on display includes mines, mortars and shells

Since 1999, more than 28,000 prostheses were produced and fitted - the majority for mine survivors. Every month there are more than 90 new land mine / UXO victims. Disturbingly, it costs $5 to purchase a mine and about $500 to destroy one.

All over the world, 100 to 200 million mines are laid and activated today! Since 1999, there have been more than 45,000 new land mine / UXO victims from incidents in at least 75 countries. However, most go unreported. For an up to date report, you can visit the following web site: Land Mine Report.

Above: One of the boy's at Mr Aki Ra's museum (left), which helps victims from the money it raises from visitors. "Land mines have to be one of the most evil inventions mankind has ever made, designed to injure rather than kill, to tie up enemy resources looking after the wounded" said a very disturbed Ray

Many countries have come together to ban the production and use of mines worldwide. However, the Americans and the Chinese and a handful of other countries still refuse to sign up to the treaty. For a full list of these countries, click here: Countries not signed up to Treaty.

Above: Mines and ordnance like the ones here continue to be produced in huge numbers, despite the damage they cause

Below: Ray's legs may get tired after lots of trekking and cycling, but many Cambodians have and will continue to innocently lose their limbs for a long time to come

With these images firmly planted in their minds, Ray and Nikki left Siem Reap to head for the coastal town of Sihanoukville. "We wanted to find a place where we could quietly sit and reflect upon what we had experienced, and capture some of our thoughts for our next interview with The Daily Lama, who we felt certain would want to publish a story about it" said Ray.

Above: Nikki sits on the balcony of the guest house in Sihanoukville, and records her experiences from Siem Riep, in preparation for the next interview with Po Scard, of The Daily Lama

Another reason for going to Sihanoukville was to allow Ray and Nikki a little time to rest, after their gruelling physical schedule at Angkor. "We got up early every day and must have cycled well over 100 kilometres during the week we were there" said a very tired Ray.

Above: Ray relaxes on the beach in Sihanoukville and recovers from a physically challenging week in Siem Reap

Nikki had heard that Sihanoukville was the beach capital of Cambodia and had built up her hopes of finding a deserted, unspoilt beach retreat. The reality was a long way away from the fantasy.

"The beaches were dirty and polluted, there was a power station right on the seafront and the town was run down and filthy. Our 'resort' was a collection of girlie bars and grubby food shacks and within minutes of arriving, we had been offerred an array of hard drugs and the opportunity to throw hand grenades as sport!" said a very shocked Nikki. "I felt really torn down the middle about this place - commenting as a traveller, there is not much to recommend to other potential visitors, but speaking as someone who has seen what has happened to the people of this country and the hardship it is still facing, I have great sympathy as they badly need people to come and spend their much needed dollars to improve things" she explained to me.

Above: Sihanoukville leaves a lot to be desired, and was the first place to get the 'thumbs down' from our two travellers, although there were some beautiful sunsets to compensate

Economically speaking, Sihanoukville is typical of many small towns in Cambodia, with Ray and Nikki witnessing working animals being used extensively. "The cow is still the preferred 'engine' for farmers and traders here - they are used instead of tractors and machinery in the fields and instead of trucks on the roads" said Ray.

Above: Two cows being used to pull a market stall - "Fancy going down to the beach after work?" says one cow to the other.....

Above: Even working animals need some time off for relaxation! Ray generously gives up his place on the beach to Daisy and her friends

Keen to do some relaxing yoga, Nikki decided to start her practise and caught the attention of Ben and Jamie, two great lads from Newcastle who turned out to be highly skilled footballers. "They both wanted to learn how to effectively stretch before and after exercise, and I was able to show them some yoga postures that were really helpful to them" said Nikki.

Above: Nikki talks with Ben (left) and Jamie (centre) about different yoga postures. "It was the first time I have seen someone 'light up' during yoga, and I don't mean spiritually!" quipped Nikki

News about Nikki's 'class' spread like wild fire. "I kept insisting that there was no class as such, and that the three of us were merely exercising together, but before I knew it, other people turned up and wanted to join in, and who was I to say no?" said a very generous Nikki. "It became a regular event, getting together each evening around sunset to practise and carrying on with socialising afterwards" she added.

Above: Nikki leads her 'class' for yoga - just behind her right shoulder is a lovely french chap called Johann, who became a regular attendee

Whilst in Sihanoukville, Ray and Nikki heard about another 'Dining for a Cause' project to help the local community and went along to lend their support and find out more. "It was a great place called Starfish Cambodia, and we were delighted to find it because they made an excellent breeakfast and served great coffee - it was definitely one of the highlights in town" said a very happy Ray.

Above: Nikki sits down for breakfast at Starfish Cambodia and reads about the history of the project

Ray was also intrigued to learn about the history of the project. "On my 40th birthday, I chose to read a passage to the guests at my party, which conveyed the essence of what I think is important in life, and it has stayed with me ever since. "I was gobsmacked to discover that the same story has provided the foundation of purpose to the Starfish project" said Ray.

Here is the story: A Buddhist monk was on the beach with his apprentice the day after a fierce storm. Thousands of starfish had been washed up and were stranded on the shore. Stooping down, the monk carefully lifted a single creature and returned it to the sea, and safety. His young disciple wondered aloud why his master bothered to do this when it made little difference to the mass of helpless creatures. As they walked along, the monk picked up another single starfish and gently replied "It makes a difference to this one" as he returned it to the sea.

With this motto, the Starfish project was born, to provide direct help to Cambodians who are stranded outside the bounds of assistance from the government or existing NGO's. You can find out more about the project and the people they are supporting at: The Starfish Cambodia project.

Above: The Starfish project is doing lots of great work in the local community

Having completed their visit to Sihanoukville, Ray and Nikki set off for Phnom Penh - a five hour bus ride. "We were apprehensive about going to visit the historical sights of Phnom Penh, as we realised that they were mired in stories of bloodshed and violence, but nonetheless, we wanted to experience the truth about the history of Cambodia for ourselves" said Nikki.

Using their well honed check-list, Ray and Nikki were settled within minutes of their arrival. "The transition into Phnom Penh was very easy" said Ray. "We had researched some of the monuments and attractions we wanted to visit and immediately went on walkabout to see if we could spot some of them" he added.

Above: Ray and Nikki visited the Victory Monument, which was opened in 1958, to celebrate Cambodia's independence from foreign rule. Today, it also serves as a reminder of the country's war dead and mass celebrations are centred here annually on Independence Day

I followed them for a couple of days on their walking tour of the city and asked them to point out the places that most caught their interest. First was the riverside area, home to various bars and restaurants and a popular meeting point for people living in the city. "Phnom Penh is situated on the banks of the Mekong river, which we seem to keep coming back to on our travels through Asia" said Ray. "The promenade along the waterfront is one of the nicest parts of the city and we really enjoyed mixing with the locals, who gather with their families to dine picnic-style on snails, tiny eggs and other local delicacies" he added.

Above: The picturesque promenade - it would be easy to mistake this picture for Brighton, in the UK, except for the very obvious clue - the four men on one motorbike without crash helmets! (Editors Note: The Daily Lama has heard that Brighton boasts a flourishing Buddhist community - Namaste to them!)

Continuing on their walking tour, our two ex-patriots happened to pass the residence of the UK Ambassador in Cambodia, when Nikki suddenly came up with an idea. "I thought it would be great if I could meet him and offer him one of my Ferrero Rocher chocolates, like they do in the TV commercial" said Nikki. But she was unable to make it further than the rather unfriendly security guard outside the heavily fortified building.

Above: "What do you mean, he doesn't like chocolate?" asks Nikki as she tries to persuade the unswerving security guard to allow her in to meet the Ambassador

Phnom Penh is in many ways still recovering form the harsh Khmer years and lacks the beauty and grace of many of its counterparts in other Asian countries. "The city seems to reflect the country as a whole" said Nikki. "For example, even the Royal Palace - which in Bangkok was absolutely stunning, is bereft of any precious objects, having all been destroyed by the Khmer, making the place feel like it has been stripped of its dignity. To me, this reflects the persona of the people in general and it makes me feel for them" she revealed.

Above: The streets of Phnom Penh are dirty and there is a sense of poverty both economically and culturally - this street is at the rear of the Royal Palace

Despite the sometimes gloomy feel, there were some lighter moments. "We visited the National Museum to get a better understanding of Cambodian culture, but came away just as unclear as when we entered" said Ray. "There was one interesting exhibit outside which made us chuckle - a statue of an eight-armed figure" he told me. "We were trying to guess what the symbolism of the statue was" added Ray. "The best theory we came up with was that the old Cambodian palaces were so huge, they needed lots of maintenance to be kept in good shape - perhaps this figure represented the ideal God - ie.one who could do several D.I.Y tasks at once!" said a very tongue in cheek Ray.

Above: The ancient Cambodian God of D.I.Y (sponsored by B&Q!)?

Most capital cities have several markets, but the one that attracts most visitors in Phnom Penh is the Old Market in the centre, mainly due to its stunning, but sadly dilapidated art-deco style architecture. "Although we have seen hundreds of markets on our travels, there was something strangely appealing about this one and we felt we had to make the effort to see it" said Ray. "I am glad we did as I was able to find a couple of DVD's that Nikki and I wanted to watch" added top bargain hunter Ray.

Above: Stunning but rather dilapidated - the art deco style Old Market, not Ray!

Getting caught in a huge downpour one afternoon, our duo dived for cover in the nearest shop they could find, which turned out to be a local hairdressing and beauty salon. "As we watched the customers being looked after, we noticed that as well as hair and nails, they were doing facials and something strange to their ears" recalled Nikki.

Nikki has had regular treatment in England for her ears, which get quite blocked. "It is very sophisticated there, with complex equipment and highly trained medical staff" she explained. "I thought I would let Ray go first and watched closely as the girl delicately picked at his ears with thin metal prongs, with great skill and supurb results!" said a very surprised Nikki. "I decided to have a go myself and it worked perfectly well - perhaps the NHS should take a leaf out of their book as I am sure it does not need to be as complicated (or expensive) as it is in the UK" she added.

Above: (no caption) The Daily Lama invites readers to submit their own caption for this picture. The winning caption will be announced in our next issue and the winner will receive a voucher for a free ear picking treatment from Nikki when she returns!

Steeling themselves for perhaps the most distressing 'attractions' of them all, Ray and Nikki made arrangements to visit the site of the notorious Killing Fields, just outside Phnom Penh, and the equally infamous Tuol Sleng Prison (known as S-21), in the centre of the city. "We had both seen the film made about The Killing Fields a long time ago, and we knew that a lot of people were tortured and executed, but we did not really know why. We both wanted to know what really happened" Ray told me.

Above: A poster advertising the 1984 film, The Killing Fields

Below: Tuol Sleng prison as it was during the Khmer regime. In 1975, it was the nerve centre of the Khmer Rouge secret police. Today, it is the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide

Nikki and Ray soon found out that the 'Killing Fields' was the name applied to a number of sites in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Khmer Rouge, who ruled the country from 1975-79. Estimates of the number of dead range from 1.5 - 3 million, out of a population of nearly 8 million people.

Above: The Killing Fields - this mass grave discovered at Choueng Ek in 1980 was one of the first proofs to the outside world of what had occurred during Pol Pot's ultra-communist, genocidal regime

The Khmer Rouge judicial process, for minor or political crimes, began with a warning from the 'Angkar', the government of Cambodia under the regime. More than two warnings resulted in being sent for "re-education", which meant near certain death. People were often encouraged to confess to Angkar their "pre-revolutionary lifestyles and crimes" (which usually included some kind of free market activity, or having had contact with some foreign source, such as a US missionary, or International relief or government agency, or contact with any foreigner, or with the outside world at all). They were told that Angkar would forgive them and "wipe the slate clean". This meant being taken away to places such as Tuol Sleng for torture.

Above: Tuol Sleng, as it is today. These are the rooms that were used to torture prisoners who were singled out by the Khmer Rouge

Formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High Scool, the five buildings of the complex were converted in 1975 into a prison and interrogation centre. The Khmer Rouge renamed it "Security Prison 21" (S-21) and construction began to adapt the prison to the inmates. The buildings were enclosed in electrified barbed wire, the classrooms converted into tiny prison and torture cells and all the windows were covered with iron bars to prevent prisoner escapes and suicides.

Above: The windows of the school were covered with iron bars to prevent prisoners escape or suicide

During a four year period, more than 17,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng. The prisoners were selected from all around the country and usually were former Khmer Rouge members and soldiers accused of treason. Prisoners families were often brought en masse to be interrogated and later exterminated at the Choung Ek site just outside Phnom Penh.

In 1979, the Khmer Rouge was defeated by the invading Vietnamese army, and the prison's horrors were finally uncovered. In 1980, the prison was re-opened as an historical museum, memorialising the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge regime.

Above: The museum provides a very sobering memorial to the thousands of Cambodians who were tortured here and later executed

The conditions at Tuol Sleng strongly resembled those of a concentration camp. The prison had very strict regulations and severe beatings were inflicted on any prisoner who tried to disobey. Sanitation and health conditions were awful, causing skin disease, lice and other ailments. Few of the inmates ever received any kind of medical treatment.

Above: The conditions at S-21 were absolutely appalling, and hard to believe that it was happening in the 1970's

The torture system at S-21 was designed to make prisoners confess to whatever crimes their captors charged them with. Electric shocks, searing hot metal instruments and hanging were some of the methods used. Although many prisoners died from this kind of abuse, killing them outright was discouraged since the Khmer Rouge needed their confessions. The vast majority of prisoners were innocent of the charges against them.

Above: This tiny space was a cell for one prisoner and is barely one metre wide

The Khmer Rouge required the prison staff to make a detailed dossier of all prisoners. Included in the documentation was a photograph. Since the original negtives and pictures were separated from the dossiers in 1979-80, most of the photographs remain anonymous today.

Above: Photographs taken by the Khmer Rouge of their victims at S-21 line the walls of the museum - many remain anonymous

Out of the thousands of prisoners held and tortured, there were only seven known survivors. Three of them are thought to be still alive today. Vann Nath, Chum Mey and Bou Meng. All three of these men were kept alive because they had skills judged to be useful. Vann Nath had trained as an artist and was put to work paininting pictures of Pol Pot. Bou Meng whose wife was killed in the prison, is also an artist. Chum Mey was kept alive because of his skills in repairing machinery.

Above: The graves of the last 14 prisoners who died at Tuol Sleng - their tortured bodies were found abandoned by the Khmer Rouge when the Vietnamese invaded. Unlike many, they got a dignified burial

After interrogation, the prisoner and his/her family were taken to the Choung Ek extermination centre, 15 kilometres outside Phnom Penh. There, they were killed by being battered with iron bars, pick axes, machetes and any other makeshift murder weapons, such as sharpened bamboo sticks. Victims of the Khmer Rouge were seldom shot as bullets were viewed as too precious for this purpose.

Above: Ray and Nikki re-traced the 15 kilometre journey that prisoners would have taken from S-21 to the Choung Ek extermination centre by truck

Below: Ray with one of the guides at Choung Ek, more commonly known as The Killing Fields

The executed were buried in mass graves. The soldiers who committed the executions were mostly young men or women from peasant families, who feared for their own lives. "I was very disturbed walking around the craters where the mass graves were found, as there are still many shards of bones and remnants of tatterred clothing everywhere" said Ray. "Many of the pits are signposted, for example - Mass Grave of 166 victims without heads" he told me.

Above: A sign indicating one of the many mass graves that were found

Below: "Our guide explained that the dark red stain running down the trunk of this tree is the result of where babies and small children were held by their feet and had their heads smashed against the trunk, before being flung into an open pit" said a very distressed Nikki

In addition to the 8,985 victims already exhumed, another 43 pits have been left undisturbed and the final shocking total is believed to be well in excess of 10,000. Incredibly, Choung Ek is just one of thousands of recorded mass grave sites dotted throughout Cambodia and is by no means the largest.

Above: "What's it all about?" Ray digests the grizzly experience at The Killing Fields, which were discovered by local people who became increasingly aware of the stench of rotting corpses and decided to investigate further

A new memorial was built at Choung Ek in June 1988. Its 62 metre tall concrete Stupa contains a sealed glass display housing the skulls of most of the 8,985 people known to have died there.

Above: Vietnamese General Mai Lam, the archivist of Tuol Sleng Museum, charactersied the preservation of human remains as "very important to the Cambodian people - it's the proof"

The skulls in the Stupa are arranged by sex and age, for example - Juvenile Female Kampuchean form 15 to 20 years old. On the bottom level is a heap of soiled clothing, unearthed along with the other remains. Each year, on May 9th, the Memorial Stupa is the focal point of a gathering to commemorate Genocide Day, when the 1.7 million victims of the three year, eight month and twenty day genocidal reign of the Khmer Rouge are remembered.

Above: The Memorial Stupa at Choung Ek. For more information about this and other genocide memorials, you can visit the following web site: Genocide Memorials in Cambodia

When Pol Pot's regime collapsed, he retreated into Thailand with the remnants of his Khmer Rouge army and began a guerilla war against a succession of Cambodian governments lasting over the next 17 years. After a series of internal power struggles in the 1990's, he finally lost control of the Khmer Rouge.

Above: in April 1998, 73 year old Pol Pot died of an apparent heart attack following his arrest, before he could be brought to trial by an International tribunal. He was so feared by Cambodians that many refused to acknowledge or believe his death

For more information about Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge and genocide in Cambodia, you can visit the following web sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge and http://www.edwebproject.org/sideshow/

Above: Today, the Killing Fields have been transformed from their torrid, violent past, as nature heals and helps to restore peace and serenity to Cambodia

Editors Note: We would like to thank Ray and Nikki for sharing their experiences in Cambodia with us and realise that this issue may be quite disturbing and uncomfortable for some of our readers. However, we wanted you to have a better understanding of the attrocities that have happened here, in the hope that it might inspire curiosity and interest about acts of violence that are happening elsewhere in the world today.

We look forward to receiving your captions for Nikki's photograph (above) and bringing you more news about Ray and Nikki's travels in our next issue.                     

AMBER SOLAIRE & MOZZIE BYTE

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