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of Phnom Penh .
The many displays tell the history of the Khmer Rouge , the power plays of the early 1970s and the results in the latter half of the decade . It ’ s a harrowing experience that often leaves the visitor in tears , for here , of the almost 17,000 prisoners only 12 survived .
Kissinger always denied any involvement in the Khmer Rouge rising to power , and while his policies and actions can ’ t be attributed directly , the bombing certainly did set in motion the uprising .
“ It started with the Americans ,” suggested Kong ( Jonson ) Sophal , a 54-year-old Tuk Tuk driver of Phnom Penh . “ I was a child , I remember the bombs , I remember !”
The father of two recounted his stories of family members being dragged away , “ their village was gone , they were living in the city and then the men came .
“ I never saw them again ,” a tear rolled down his cheek . Jonson later explained that he feels all Cambodians and travellers must visit S-21 as well as the nearby Killing
Fields .
Astonishingly , Kissinger received a Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in ‘ ending ’ the conflict in Vietnam , quietly forgetting the atrocities going on next door . He was also presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
“ It ’ s something that I will never understand ,” explained Soth Sokha . The vibrant student is one of the few younger Cambodians who have an interest in the past , believing that everyone needs to know and understand to prevent it from ever happening again . “ How can a man responsible for such evil be hailed a hero .
“ I have family members killed by the bombs and then others disappeared into the jungles . We ’ ll never know where they were taken .”
Sokha went on to explain that she wasn ’ t born at the time and so can ’ t fully comprehend the devastation but knows that the legacy still remains .
“ We have fields where body parts still come to the surface ,” as she holds back tears . “ Every single Cambodian has family members who were killed by Pol
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