This past weekend, I was able to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. I visited with a few friends of mine from the U.S. Embassy, and I was glad that they were there to share the experience with me. Tuol Sleng is a stark reminder of Cambodia’s recent history, and visiting is not a happy experience. However, George Santayana’s oft quoted line, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” describes why I think it is necessary to have a memorial like Tuol Sleng – both as a way to remember the victims and to serve as a lesson to future generations.
I learned about Tuol Sleng long before I came to Cambodia as the U.S. Ambassador. One of my Khmer-language teachers back in the U.S. told me that she actually attended Chao Ponhea Yat High School before it was taken over and turned into the S-21 Prison. Looking at her, hearing her speak about her life during the Khmer Rouge, made me anxious to visit Tuol Sleng to try to understand why the Khmer Rouge leaders would want to “smash” their own people. On my visit to the former prison, I met with one of the survivors. We spoke about why the museum is important to him and for those who come to visit.
While I was at the museum, I also learned about programs that different groups in Cambodia are working on to help educate the younger generations born after 1979. A government approved history textbook has been published, and groups of Cambodians from the provinces are sponsored to come and visit the museum in order to learn about their past. There are even lectures for visitors put on by staff from the Documentation Center of Cambodia.
The museum offers visitors a place to learn, reflect, and heal. People heal in many different ways. One way is to be open about past tragedies and give people a forum to share their stories. I think this is an important aspect of Tuol Sleng, that it provides a location for people to gather to help reconcile the past with the present and gives them a way to begin to look forward to the future.
For this reason, I am proud that the United States government has provided nearly $12 million of assistance to date to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. The conviction of ex-Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav (alias “Duch”) was a milestone not only for Cambodia, but for justice worldwide. It is a small comfort to know that one of the men primarily responsible for the horrors I witnessed at Tuol Sleng has been held accountable for his crimes.
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Dear Ambassador,
The Khmer Rouge chose to smash his own people because of political suspicion. Our own people were made by foreign influence suspicious of one another and thereby one had to eliminate the other for politically own survival.
Dear Ambassador,
Thanks for sharing your sentiment about Toul Sleng museum. After reading this article, i want to ask you a few questions as following:
1. Do you really know why the Khmer Rouge would want to smash and wipe out their own people? Do you believe that without your nation invaded Cambodia & Vietnam during the Vietnam War, such atrocity would not and never have occurred? Your nation hegemony policy at that time gave opportunity to the Vietminhs & Vietcongs to use our unfortunate country as a stepping stone for killing the Khmer people through their conspiracy and plot using the Khmer Rouge as a tool so as to realize their Indochina Federal State, do you know that? Definitely, no nation on earth killed their own race; it is nonsense. Thus it is not hard to understand why we the Khmer have come across such nightmare. So please don’t forget also to mention about your nation role in this atrocity if you are rational and want to be considered as a reasonable person. You should be brave enough to call on your government to apologize the Khmer people or face the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.
2. You mentioned that you are proud of your government for the fact that it has provided nearly $12 million of assistance to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. Thus it also means that you also proud for your nation hegemony policy that have killed many of the Khmer people through your government’s secret bombing plots on Cambodia’s territory at that time? I think that now you, as an American, feel so proud of your nation. But don’t forget that you and your people are just enjoying the happiness on the blood of many people around the globe, and that also included the Khmer blood. Please remember that as well before you make any judgment.
Lastly, I would be more than grateful if you don’t delete my comment here and return me with any feedback on those questions.
Please, Ambassador, accept my highest consideration.
Truly yours,
Keo
” I am proud that the United States government has provided nearly $12 million of assistance to date to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. “
As a Cambodian, I am very, very sad to have a history like this. It’s so hard to swallow the truth. Anyway, we have to look forward to the future and try not to repeat the old path. I think our leaders are aware of this. I thank to Cambodian’s friend, American, who have been a helping hand in building a new Cambodia. I am very happy to see the US ambassador roaming around the country to touch the real feel. I wish the AMB well and continue his great mission here and love our country. Thankz