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On April I was in Cambodia, and for my last hours in the Capital Phnom Penh, I decided to visit the famous prison S-21.
Seriously, people had told me that the visit would be difficult because of what happened in this prison .... But I did not expect it to be so difficult ...
But before telling you about this prison, let's do a little history reminder ....
April 17, 1975: THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS :
On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge Communist Party entered the capital Phnom Penh after overthrowing the current regime. It was for the Cambodians a hope that things get better in the country. They welcomed the Khmer Rouge with open arms. But their hope turned into fear when 3 hours later, the Khmer Rouge forced the population to leave the city and move in the countryside. Those who resisted were killed. The party headed by Prime Minister Pol Pot had the ideology of returning to year 0. He wanted a complete equality. So for them, evacuating the population to the countryside was a kind of purification of bourgeois morals. The Khmer Rouge controlled all Cambodia at this time. The population had become slaves for the Khmer Rouge. The living and working conditions become very complicated for the population. Many died of hunger, disease or were killed.
THE S-21 Prison : The place you go but never go out...
The purification ideology of the Khmer Rouge has grown so much that they have all become paranoid. Pol Pot and Duch (director of the prison), became so paranoid that for them all those who were rich, intellectuals, painters, artists, authors, teachers etc. were people having a few more things than the others so were necessarily corrupt people. It is for this reason that the prison was created for these people ... The horror has started for millions of Cambodians.
The prison was created in a former high school in the capital. At first only people with a few more than others (according to the Khmer Rouge) were transferred to the prison. Either we stop them or we promise them work. They were blindfolded because the prsion was a secret place. But once they entered the prison they did not come out again.
The prision is composed of 3 buildings. 2 buildings for torture and a third for cells. The tour is pretty hard and terrifying. To tell you I did not visit the cells because it terrified me. An atmosphere of death reign again ..... The buildings of torture have 3 levels. the first floor for the classic tortures, the second for the stronger tortures and the third floor for the dead. The guards were torturing the prisoners for answers. Once answers were obtained, the guards reported them to Duch. Once Duch validated them, the prsionniers were killed. The prisoners were tortured 2 to 3 times a day. If a guard killed a prisoner under the blows of torture without obtaining an answer, he was in turn seized and interrogated. This decision was for the Khmer Rouge a pretext for killing people. Duch killed people as he could eat a donut. It had become a routine for him.
When you visit the prison you can still see some traces of prisoners' blood. I will not tell you everything about the visit because you have to visit it is much more interesting. But you must know that this place was a place of terror for millions of Cambodians and sequels are still very present. To tell you how much the Khmer Rouge regime was the protagonist of a genocide, 1.7 million Cambodians died under this regime or 21% of the Cambodian popupaltion of the time. In the prison 12 anonymous graves are presented so that everyone pays tributes through them to the victims of this regime.
The message I want to pass is that we are and all live in the same house that is THE EARTH !!! If understanding respect and love between us is not present, look where we can arrive. Even today in some countries torture and genocide are still present. Is this a good way of living?
One last message: Love yourself, respect yourself because there is nothing more important in this life. Every human being deserves that
With these words, I leave you gentlemen and ladies Steemit. Thank you :)
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