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The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum spans an area of 600x400 meters and served as the grim incarceration site for approximately 17,000 to 20,000 individuals, with only about 14 surviving. This prison complex comprised four main buildings and several smaller structures, which once functioned as offices, interrogation rooms, and torture chambers under the Khmer Rouge regime.
Originally established as the Ponhea Yat High School in 1962, the institution underwent various transformations under different regimes. By 1970, it was renamed the Tuol Svay Prey High School. In May 1976, the Khmer Rouge regime repurposed it into the Security Prison 21 (S-21).
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Security Prison 21 - S21
According to records from the Cambodia Documentation Center, S-21 was specifically designed to detain perceived "traitors." Within its four years of operation, it held approximately 10,499 individuals (excluding around 2,000 murdered children), hailing from various nationalities including Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Britain, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, but predominantly Cambodians. The detainees included workers, farmers, engineers, mechanics, intellectuals, teachers, professors, students, and even clergy, diplomats, and their families, including newborns. Less than half of the prisoners survived their captivity.
The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a repository of the genocidal crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge (one of the most notorious terrorist and destructive organizations in world history) during their reign from 1975 to 1979. Prior to that, it was a high school before being converted into a concentration camp by the Khmer Rouge regime. In 1975, the school was transformed into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21).
In just 4 years of power, the Khmer Rouge reportedly detained up to 20,000 individuals. The majority of these were soldiers, officials, or individuals who served under the previous Lon Nol regime, and later were members of the Khmer Rouge convicted of betrayal or espionage for foreign powers. Senior members of the Khmer Rouge were also detained and tortured at S-21 before being executed.
According to the Khmer dictionary, Tuol Sleng translates to "Hill of Poisonous Trees," a name deeply intertwined with its history. Tuol Sleng was converted from a school, with the Khmer Rouge using barbed wire to enclose the area and converting classrooms into small cells for the torture of prisoners, ultimately becoming a concentration camp of the Khmer Rouge regime. The school underwent modifications such as adding electrified fences, fortifying rooms into prison cells, interrogation rooms, and torture chambers.
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Barbed wire fence added around the school
Thousands of people were detained and tortured here before being taken to execution fields, with only a few prisoners surviving after leaving the prison. It was indeed a nightmare for the people of Cambodia at that time. The images displayed in the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum expose the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, which may horrify viewers. The "killing fields" located in the suburbs could be an option for tourists after visiting the Tuol Sleng Museum.
Today, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum stands as a stark reminder of Cambodia's dark past, nestled within the quiet streets of Tuol Svey Prey in southern Phnom Penh. Its dilapidated appearance, surrounded by rusted barbed wire fences, serves as a haunting backdrop to the somber history it represents. Despite its grim surroundings, the museum remains a poignant symbol of remembrance and a testament to humanity's collective duty to confront and learn from the darkest chapters of our past.
The prison cells varied in size, from large chambers to small, cramped spaces, all witnessing the agonizing fate of those held within. Rows of cells, constructed from wood, bricks, tightly enclosed in darkness, housed prisoners who were shackled to the walls or cement floors. In smaller cells, prisoners had their ankles bound with thick chains embedded into the walls, while those in larger chambers had one or both legs shackled to short or long metal bars.
These metal bars, approximately 1 meter long, could chain around 4 individuals, while longer ones, about 6 meters, could restrain 20 to 30 people. All victims were forced to sleep on cold, bare floors. At around 4:30 every morning, prisoners were roused from sleep to undergo a roll call and engage in compulsory exercises such as standing up and sitting down, raising their arms despite being shackled.
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The metal bars
Life within S-21 was a nightmarish ordeal for its occupants. Prisoners were subjected to four daily roll calls, and any broken chains were promptly replaced. Violations of regulations incurred harsh punishments ranging from 20 to 60 lashes. Even changing sleeping positions required permission from the guards, and bathing privileges were granted only every few days, sometimes even months.
The haunting legacy of S-21 serves as a chilling reminder of the inhumanity perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge regime, etched into the memories of those who survived its horrors.
In January 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown, and thereafter, the museum continued to preserve the remaining artifacts. The prison held a vast amount of documentation, including thousands of photographs of the victims, many of which are still displayed today. One former prisoner at Tuol Sleng, Vann Nath, produced vivid paintings depicting the torture scenes within the prison and exhibited them.
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Photographs of the victims displayed in the museum
Previously, the Tuol Sleng Museum had showcased a map of Cambodia made from human skulls. Due to the sensitivity of the material, the map sparked considerable controversy. Eventually, the museum decided to remove the map due to criticism that it was excessively cruel. However, the decision to cease displaying this gruesome map triggered an international debate. To gain deeper insights, visitors can combine their tour with a visit to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields.
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Human skull map of Cambodia
Choeung Ek Killing Fields
The artifacts displayed at the museum can be profoundly haunting for visitors. At the larger detention cells, vivid photographs and paintings from that era are exhibited. Iron chairs used for photographing victims, brutal beatings and torture endured by prisoners, fields littered with the bones of those massacred by the Khmer Rouge, drawings depicting the torture scenes—all are presented authentically at the museum.
Moreover, some of the detention rooms evoke further horror with captions stating, "These are the bones of those killed by the Khmer Rouge" beneath wooden cabinets filled with human skulls. The regime's brutal killings are vividly evident in the torture chambers. This row of rooms consists of 14 chambers, each containing only an iron bed and a torture apparatus. Victims called into these rooms were subjected to barbaric torture until death.
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Interrogation room
The atrocious forms of torture at S-21 included pulling out nails, fingers, or even more horrifyingly, pouring acid on faces, gouging chests for bayoneting, using hammers, axes, whips for beatings… The bloodstains of the victims still linger on the walls and ceilings.
Presently, on the walls of these 14 rooms, a photograph of each of the last 14 victims inside the prison is still hung. Their bodies were discovered when the Vietnamese volunteer army liberated the area. Vietnamese war correspondents captured images of these victims. These last 14 victims were buried in front of the prison.
With such horrendous crimes, it wasn't until July 2006, about three decades later, that the world first learned about the "killing fields in Cambodia" and the bloodthirsty hands of the Khmer Rouge. Only then did a United Nations-Cambodian tribunal swear in and begin the arduous task of bringing those responsible to justice.
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When visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, you embark on a harrowing yet meaningful journey through history. Guided by local guides or exploring on your own, you'll be led through the exhibition rooms, step by step unraveling the heartbreaking stories of those detained and tortured during the Khmer Rouge era.
The museum displays various artifacts, including documents, photographs, personal belongings of the victims, and even paintings by imprisoned artists like Vann Nath. These artifacts serve as clear evidence of the brutality and injustice of the Khmer Rouge regime.
During your visit, you'll witness the prison cells, cramped rooms where thousands endured unimaginable torture and injustice. You'll also learn about the history of this site, from its days as a prison to its transformation into a museum honoring the victims who perished.
Exploring the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum isn't just a cultural and historical experience; it's an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the tragedies humans can inflict upon each other. It's a journey of preserving memories and learning from the past to ensure that such atrocities are never forgotten.
If you're from Vietnam and want to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia, there are several ways you can arrange it or join organized tours. Here are some suggestions for you:
- Self-organize: You can arrange your trip by booking a flight from Vietnam to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. From there, you can use taxi services, Grab, or buses to reach the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
- Join tours from travel companies: Many travel companies in Vietnam organize tours to visit Cambodia, including the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. You can search and sign up for such tours to have an interesting and convenient experience.
- Find online tour packages: Many travel websites and apps offer tour packages to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum from Vietnam. You can search and book tours online from reputable travel organizers to ensure a complete and safe trip.
Whether you self-organize or join a tour, visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is an important and meaningful experience. It helps you understand more about Cambodia's dark history and remember the victims who suffered during the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror.
In summary, Toul Sleng is a sobering symbol of the darkest chapter in Cambodia's history, where countless lives were lost and irreparable damage was inflicted upon the nation. Visiting Toul Sleng serves as a powerful educational experience and a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
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