The Killing Fields, Cambodia
A shrine, full of skulls, at the Killing Fields in Cambodia.
I made this photo at the infamous Killing Fields soon after the Khmer Rouge murdered Aussie Tourist David Wilson.
The photo was made back in 1994. I had to delve deep into the archives to find it, but it was worth the effort for the memories it brought back.
The Killing Fields - Beauty And Horror
I'm very much interested in duality and the horror depicted in the shrine, containing actual skulls from folks brutally murdered at this very site, is juxtaposed by what is, I hope, a beautiful black and white image.
I’m reminded of classic black and white photos from the Vietnam War (called the America War in Vietnam).
The photos I have in mind show shell shocked GI’s, village life and overtly political scenes.
Some of the pictures deal with concepts of horror and death, but they do so via beautifully crafted photographs.
It’s that duality that I find particularly evocative.
The Killing Fields is quite a surreal place, but it’s only part of the experience that awaits you in Phnom Penh.
A Visit To Tuol Sleng Museum Of Genocide
Earlier that day I had visited Tuol Sleng Museum Of Genocide, a former school used as a torture facility for many of those who were taken to the Killing Fields to meet their final demise.
It’s a very morbid place that provides an important insight into the insane philosophy that underpinned the Khmer Rouge.
To be murdered just because the glasses you were wearing marked you as educated is not what you expect in a deeply Buddhist country.
Such madness defies logic and is profoundly disturbing.
I have to say it took me quite some time to get past what I’d seen in my time at the Tuol Sleng Museum Of Genocide and the Killing Fields.
Frankly, it’s hard to wrap your head around the highly detailed process the Khmer Rouge went through to document and photograph their victims prior to sending them on to their end at the Killing Fields.
Dear Old Mum And The Biggest Lie Of My Life
I had been planning to visit Cambodia, as well as other countries in the region, for some time.
But after all the publicity surrounding David Wilson, I promised my mother that I wouldn't go.
After arriving in Bangkok, near the end of the trip, I rang my mum and confessed my lie.
I hold the telling of lies to be very ordinary behavior indeed and I only did it to save my mum a great deal of anxiety. Or so I thought.
The fact was that the dreaded Khmer Rouge were very much on the run.
However, David Wilson had been captured when the train he was traveling on had been ambushed by Khmer Rouge forces.
If I remember right the train, and that area of the country, were known to be dangerous for travelers at that time.
Travel | The Things That You Do
On the other hand I felt confident as I was flying to the nations capital, Phnom Penh, and from there directly onto the World Heritage listed Angkor Wat.
It seemed safe enough. But then I was young.
I was somewhat surprised to discover that, not only did I set eyes on just a handful of fellow tourists during my three days visiting Angkor Wat, but that the Cambodian army were still fighting Khmer Rouge troops in the mountains nearby.
I approached a senior army official, a general I think, and arranged for three cars and a small complement of troops to accompany me to Banteay Srei, a small temple on the outskirts of the huge Angkor Wat complex.
Banteay Srei | The Day Guns Broke The Silence
My car was positioned in the middle of the convoy. The idea being that, if the road had been mined, the front car would likely cop the blast.
I was told that the troops were there not so much to protect me from the Khmer Rouge, but from former regular army troops who had defected and turned to banditry after not being paid.
It was suggested to me that the money reached the General, and that was where it stayed.
Banteay Srei itself was a lovely site, though I have never known such humidity. The sweat was pouring off my face and into my eyes, where it stung like there was no tomorrow.
I swear I could even see humidity, swirling around and passing right before my eyes.
At one stage, just as I was about to release my camera's shutter, a huge boom pierced the silence.
I turned to my guide and asked what was going on.
"It's the army firing on the Khmer Rouge" he explained.
Concerned, I asked, "How far away are they".
He replied, "Maybe twenty kilometers".
Apparently there was no need to worry.
I took a moment to look into the impenetrable jungle that surrounded us and, somewhat perplexed, went back to making photos.
Why Is It That You Travel The World?
“We travel for ourselves, and for others.”
Travel is probably the best thing we can do for ourselves. I doubt there’s a better education, outside of directly serving the poor or the terminally ill.
Travel is a great way to explore and experience the Human Condition and really makes you grateful for the life you live and the opportunities made available to you.
Ultimately, travel helps you to focus on improving yourself so that you can help others. I'd say that's money well spent. Wouldn't you?
