Cambodian History (Siem Reap War Museum)

The journey into the history of Cambodia continued for Amethyst and Sapphire with a visit to the Siem Reap War Museum. The website states “The War Museum in Siem Reap is the only War Museum in Cambodia. It offers visitors a unique and insightful view of the perils that Cambodia faced during the last 3 decades of the 20th century. It also gives visitors an excellent opportunity to learn more about what actually occurred during Cambodia’s ‘war years’.

Three decades of war!  Endured by a people living life in the Buddhist principles of peace and harmony. . . . . . .

While getting ready for the Tuk Tuk driver collecting them at 9am which involved the usual chaotic scurrying about, there was a slight feeling of trepidation following their experience the previous day at the Landmine Museum. The sadness still lingered.

Walking into the mostly outdoor War Museum was a marked contrast to the Landmine Museum visit. With the tended lawns and walkways and grassy avenues lined with trees there was an airy green and living feel. It seemed almost too beautiful a place to be glorifying war. And, after moving past the entrance way exhibition, Amethyst and Sapphire realized that this museum was doing anything but glorifying war.

The exhibits closest to the entrance seemed to be better maintained. Anti-aircraft weapons and mortars in staged emplacements are quite impressive to a first-time visitor.

Sapphire (who had childhood dreams of either being a pilot or astronaut) was immediately drawn to the only two airborne exhibits. A Russian built Mil Mi-8 troop transport helicopter and a Russian built Mig-19 single-seater fighter jet.

It was quite evident that there had been little attempt to maintain or restore these exhibits. The poor condition of these aircraft is understandable considering that they are standing in the open and exposed to the elements.  This trend was really brought home to Amethyst and Sapphire as they wandered through the green leafy avenues lined with rusted hulks of tanks, artillery pieces and armored personnel carriers. Is this the sum of all the technology, research, development and manufacturing which probably cost millions of dollars? Row upon row of rusting scrap metal. Built for one purpose only. To kill, maim and destroy.

The photographs below clearly show the neglect to maintain these war relics making one feel that you are visiting not a War Museum but rather a military scrap yard!  Could this be a conscious decision as the Cambodians are not wanting to glorify the past but would rather forget and leave the past in the past?  And by doing so to finally also forget the pain and suffering and to heal as a nation.

On either side there are also semi-enclosed exhibits of firearms used by the various armies during the war years along with information boards explaining their place in the war history of Cambodia. The somewhat faded and weathered posters largely exposed to the elements.  Amethyst and Sapphire noticed that the primary focus was on the civil war and the Khmer Rouge and the Pol Pot regime.

Amethyst and Sapphire are of the opinion that Pol Pot must have been a very disturbed man with serious psychological and mental disorders as his methods to achieve his vision for the Cambodian society were incomprehensible.  His vision for an independent Cambodia involved the elimination of the disparities that existed in wealth and living standards between Cambodia’s cities and the rural peasantry.

Money was worthless, personal possessions were prohibited, religion was abolished, media and news sources were not allowed, all business were closed, education stopped and health care disappeared.  Children were seen as “children of the state” and taken from their parents. Approximately 2 million middle class and educated civilians were forced to evacuate Phnom Penh in forced marches at gunpoint. The same for all other major towns and cities in Cambodia. They were forced into manual slave work in rural areas where food rations were reportedly a tin of rice (180 grams) every two days. Artists, degree holders, professionals, doctors were included in this purge. It was estimated that 20,000 people died during the forced marches and over a million people perished in the labour camps.

His methods not only included the slave labour camps but also the recruitment of children as soldiers. Many were taught techniques of torture and execution before they were taught to read and write. Then there were the notorious detention and torture camps such as the infamous Tuol Sleng S-21 torture, interrogation and execution center. Of the 14 000 people known to have entered, only 7 survived. “Confessions” were tortured from suspected “enemies of the state” and they were subsequently executed, often by being beaten with spades or clubs to save bullets. Family members and children of these suspects were usually also executed. S-21 is also known for the huge mass graves discovered after the war. The movie, The Killing Fields, relates the tragedy of this time and the website of the Killing Fields Museum provides horrific details about S-21.

It was estimated that over two million Cambodians lost their lives during the four years that the Khmer Rouge was in power.

As they walked through the green trees and rusty iron orchard sharing their thoughts they felt that maybe it was right that these pieces of metal are displayed this way. Maybe the Cambodian people do not wish to place any commemorative value on the tools of war. If this is the only War Museum in Cambodia that poses some questions.

Why are there no other war museums in Cambodia? What is the purpose of this badly-maintained war museum anyway? At best it is a reminder of how terrible war is. And it does not matter who won or lost or who was liberated. War is war and in the end there are no real victors. Everyone has lost someone and something. Maybe Cambodia is just Cambodia. A nation of people who just want to move on.

If one looks at the brief history below one can only feel for the Cambodian people. Sapphire wishes for him and Amethyst, and for the Cambodian people, that the painful years are over for Cambodia. That the future is one of hope, a future of healing, promise, growth and especially, one of peace.

In the words of John Lennon “Imagine”

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today… Aha-ah…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

A brief Cambodian Timeline (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13006828)

1969 – The US begins a secret bombing campaign against North Vietnamese forces on Cambodian soil.

1970 – Prime Minister Lon Nol overthrows Sihanouk in coup. He proclaims the Khmer Republic and sends the army to fight the North Vietnamese in Cambodia. Sihanouk – in exile in China – forms a guerrilla movement. Over next few years the Cambodian army loses territory against the North Vietnamese and communist Khmer Rouge guerrillas

1975 – Lon Nol is overthrown as the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot occupy Phnom Penh. Sihanouk briefly becomes head of state, the country is re-named Kampuchea.

All city dwellers are forcibly moved to the countryside to become agricultural workers. Money becomes worthless, basic freedoms are curtailed and religion is banned. The Khmer Rouge coin the phrase “Year Zero”.

Hundreds of thousands of the educated middle-classes are tortured and executed in special centres. Others starve, or die from disease or exhaustion. The total death toll during the next three years is estimated to be at least 1.7 million.

1976 – The country is re-named Democratic Kampuchea. Pol Pot is prime minister.

1977 – Fighting breaks out with Vietnam.

1978 – Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault.

1979 January – The Vietnamese take Phnom Penh. Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge forces flee to the border region with Thailand.

The People’s Republic of Kampuchea is established. Many elements of life before the Khmer Rouge take-over are re-established.

1985 – Cambodia is plagued by guerrilla warfare. Hundreds of thousands become refugees.

1989 – Vietnamese troops withdraw. The country is re-named the State of Cambodia. Buddhism is re-established as the state religion.

1993 – The monarchy is restored, Sihanouk becomes king again. The country is re-named the Kingdom of Cambodia.

1994 – Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty.

1997 – The Khmer Rouge put Pol Pot on trial and sentence him to life imprisonment.

1998 April – Pol Pot dies in his jungle hideout.

2001 – A law setting up a tribunal to bring genocide charges against Khmer Rouge leaders is passed.

2005 April – Tribunal to try Khmer Rouge leaders gets green light from UN after years of debate about funding.