Choeung Ek Killing Field

This is the best known of the more than 300 "killing fields" in Cambodia. People from the Tuol Sleng prison were brought here to be killed. Many thousands of people were killed here between 1975 and 1979.
Research has shown that a total of 1,386,734 people were probably killed by the Khmer Rouge. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands to millions who perished because of the consequences of their policies.

In the memorial are the skulls of 8985 people who were buried here in mass graves. There is also a museum (Choeung Ek Genocidal Center) about the Khmer Rouge and the victims.

Of the 129 mass graves at Choeung Ek, 49 are left untouched. When it rains, teeth, bones or parts of clothes still rise to the surface. If these are found, visitors are asked to notify a memorial park officer or guide.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries
• Photos: Martin Damen (1, 2, 3), Louise Vos (4, 5)