However, this isn’t any orchard in Cambodia; it acted as the Khmer Rouge’s main killing field and horrific reminders can be found at every step, making a visit to Choeung Ek a sobering one. Comprised of 129 communal graves, 43 have been left untouched. The many bone fragments, teeth and scraps of bloodied cloth retrieved sit in glass containers for visitors to see.
An audio tour guides visitors around the site with compelling stories from survivors, guards and executioners. A visit to the Killing Fields is harrowing, emotional and draining, however, it offers a compelling insight into a fraction of the atrocities that took place across the country under the genocidal regime.
Choeung Ek was transformed into a memorial site and tourist attraction in a bid to educate Cambodians – and the world – about what happened, while serving as a way to commemorate those who died. On May 9 every year, a memorial ceremony is held at the Killing Fields.
Each year, Khmer Rouge survivors and their relatives, officials, students from across Phnom Penh and other Cambodians gather at the Buddhist Stupor to remember the dead.
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