Khmer Rouge Atrocity Sites Added to UNESCO List

UNESCO has inscribed three former Khmer Rouge sites in Cambodia—the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 prison), M-13 prison, and Choeung Ek killing field—on its World Heritage List, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the regime's rise to power. Between 1975 and 1979, approximately 1.7 to 2 million Cambodians died from starvation, forced labor, torture, and executions at these and other locations. The Tuol Sleng Museum in Phnom Penh now houses archives and victim portraits, while Choeung Ek, featured in 'The Killing Fields,' serves as a memorial to mass graves. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet marked the occasion by emphasizing the need for national remembrance and the defense of peace. The inscription aims to ensure these atrocities are not forgotten and aligns with UNESCO's practice of recognizing sites of major historical significance. These sites now stand as memorials transforming places of repression into spaces for peace and reflection.