On Friday, UNESCO added three Cambodian sites to its World Heritage List. These locations were used by the Khmer Rouge as centres of torture and execution 50 years ago. The announcement took place during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. This event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge taking power. Between 1975 and 1979, their regime caused the deaths of around 1.7 million Cambodians through starvation, torture and mass killings.
Details of the sites and their historical significance
UNESCO’s World Heritage List honours places with major cultural or historical importance. For example, it includes the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal, and Cambodia’s Angkor complex. The three new sites consist of two prisons and an execution ground. Notably, they are known for their dark history and have even been portrayed in a Hollywood film.
Firstly, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was once a high school. However, the Khmer Rouge converted it into the infamous S-21 prison. Approximately 15,000 people were held and tortured there. Secondly, M-13 prison, located in Kampong Chhnang province, served as another major detention centre in the early Khmer Rouge years. Lastly, Choeung Ek lies about 15 kilometres south of Phnom Penh. It was used as an execution site and mass grave. The 1984 film The Killing Fields tells the story of this place. It is based on the experiences of photojournalist Dith Pran and reporter Sydney Schanberg.
Legacy and national reflection
The Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh on 17 April 1975. Immediately, they forced most residents to leave the city and work in the countryside under harsh conditions. Eventually, the regime fell in 1979 after a Vietnamese invasion. Later, in September 2022, the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal completed its work. The tribunal investigated senior leaders responsible for the crimes. Although it cost $337 million and lasted 16 years, it convicted only three people.
To mark the UNESCO listing, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called on citizens to beat drums together on Sunday morning. “May this remind us all that peace must be defended,” he said. “From dark history, we can find strength to build a better future.”
Meanwhile, Youk Chhang, head of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, observed that the country still confronts the painful legacy of genocide and torture. Nevertheless, he expressed hope that the UNESCO listing will help educate younger generations in Cambodia and beyond. “Though these sites were places of violence, they can now help heal wounds,” he added.
According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, this nomination is the country’s first modern site linked to recent conflict. Furthermore, it is among the first in the world. Cambodia already has four archaeological sites on the UNESCO list: Angkor, Preah Vihear, Sambo Prei Kuk and Koh Ker.
