Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Casey and I recently went to the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh.  It was an intense and amazing experience.  During 1975-1979 when the Khmer Rouge were in power, different estimates say anywhere from 1.4 to 2 million people were murdered and buried in some 20,000 mass graves.  The Khmer Rouge saved ammunition by carrying out the executions using knifes or stabbing weapons and poison. When I was in Colorado a friend of mine showed me a documentary on the Khmer Rouge and one man's goal of trying to find out why this happened, why so many people died in the killing fields.  In the documentary the director interviews multiple farmers who were forced by the Khmer Rouge to kill many innocent people.  One farmer explains and demonstrates how he would slice, or if his hand got tired, would just stab victims throats while they were laying on their stomach with their hands bound behind their back.  I think it was an amazing documentary that shows you the reality of what happened, which many people are completely unaware of.  After seeing this documentary and then actually going to were it happened was truly surreal.  It is difficult to describe what it was like being right there where so many innocent people were murdered.   I just know it was an extreme experience, and one that I will never forget.  


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