Tuol Sleng Prison Camp - Initial Thoughts

The approach to Tuol Sleng is understated. Unlike the approach to Auschwitz-Birkenau, which takes you down a long road surrounded by empty fields, Tuol Sleng is in the middle of a mixed residential/commercial neighbourhood. We weren't even quite sure we were there until our tuk-tuk driver stopped to announce our arrival. Once we were stopped we noticed that the walled compound we were beside did look a little different than other walled off properties we had seen so far in Pnom Penh.

Before it became Cambodia's most notorious torture centre, Tuol Sleng was a school. Accordingly, when you first walk into the courtyard a small part of you thinks "this isn't such a bad place". There is a large, open space surround by three buildings forming a large "U", with a little bit of greenery strewn about.

This impression does not last long though. Almost immediately upon entering the gates a man with a cruelly deformed face approached us, with his hat in hand outstretched, asking us for money. While he couldn't speak English (as far as I could tell), the implication is that he was tortured in Tuol Sleng, or somewhere similar. He only had one eye, and his face was covered with scars and burn marks. This was an appropriate taste of what was to come.

After walking into the courtyard, you notice that the windows all have bars over them, and that one of the buildings is even covered in barbed wire (except for openings where staircases lead into doorways). Then it hits you - even though this place once was a place of happiness and learning, it will forever be defined by the atrocities that took place during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

When walking along the outside of the second floor of one of the buildings, I noticed a large sign with the 10 rules of Tuol Sleng. It was in English, French, and Khmer, so I am guessing this was made for the museum, and not during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. However, the rules themselves were in place during those dark years. One can't help but wonder if Pol Pot and his cadre were avid readers of George Orwell. The similarities between the Khmer Rouge's approach to torture and those of Big Brother in 1984 are striking. Here they are (taken from WIKIPEDIA)

1. You must answer accordingly to my question. Don’t turn them away.

2. Don’t try to hide the facts by making pretexts this and that, you are strictly prohibited to contest me.

3. Don’t be a fool for you are a chap who dare to thwart the revolution.

4. You must immediately answer my questions without wasting time to reflect.

5. Don’t tell me either about your immoralities or the essence of the revolution.

6. While getting lashes or electrification you must not cry at all.

7. Do nothing, sit still and wait for my orders. If there is no order, keep quiet. When I ask you to do something, you must do it right away without protesting.

8. Don’t make pretext about Kampuchea Krom in order to hide your secret or traitor.

9. If you don’t follow all the above rules, you shall get many many lashes of electric wire.

10. If you disobey any point of my regulations you shall get either ten lashes or five shocks of electric discharge.

I have further thoughts on Tuol Sleng, but unfortunately they will have to wait until later. I've already been up for three hours and all I've had to eat is some Ritz crackers. My bus for Siem Riep leaves in about an hour, so I want to be able to grab lunch before I leave.