Vice removes altered photos of Khmer Rouge victims as Cambodia protests

[geovalin]

Hong Kong (CNN Business)US media group Vice has removed altered photographs of Khmer Rouge genocide victims from its website after a furious backlash in Cambodia and on social media.

 

The New York-based company on Friday published an interview with Matt Loughrey, an Ireland-based artist, who had colorized images of photos from the notorious Tuol Sleng S-21 torture prison in Phnom Penh, where at least 14,000 people lost their lives under the tyrannical rule of communist leader Pol Pot.

 

The article came under heavy criticism from readers, who said the artist had added smiles to some of the shots. On Monday, Vice said that it had removed the story and photos from its website.

 

read more https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/12/media/cambodia-khmer-rouge-photos-vice-intl-hnk/index.html

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, geovalin said:

The article came under heavy criticism

 

There is now another new insult to Cambodia and I quote from today's khmer media:-

 

"Cambodia today faced a new insult to the nation and the memory of 2 million victims of the Cambodian Genocide.

An American “Death Metal” band has named themselves “Tuol Sleng” after the infamous prison where 20,000 people died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. To compound the hurt to Cambodia, they have used the artwork of revered Cambodian painter and peace activist Vann Nath – himself one of the handful of people who emerged alive from the S-21 prison – for their promotional material"

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50837977/new-insult-to-cambodia-as-band-uses-s-21-prison-as-name-and-khmer-rouge-atrocity-artwork-for-promotion/

[Caldera]

While I'd agree that this kind of "art" is in very bad taste, the real insult to the victims is that Cambodia has failed to hold those responsible for the Khmer Rouge atrocities accountable.

[Tapster]

I've visited Tuol Sleng twice. It is a dark place which leaves you haunted by the deaths of the 17,ooo people who were murdered there.

 

Photos were taken of the inmates on arrival, and there are many of these photos on display at the museum. I can assure anyone reading that there are no smiles on those photos. The only expressions are of fear and worry.

 

I cannot understand what Matt Loughrey was thinking, by adding smiles to some of these photos. It's almost as if he didn't know what Tuol Sleng was all about. It's no surprose that his actions have been universally and rightly condemned.

[JohnOFphon]

Ok, so putting smiles on the faces is, or was, in bad taste.

But have you seen some of the S**t they pass off there as ok.

A map of Cambodia made out of the bones of the dead.

A glass tower filled with skulls of the dead.

A tree with a bull eyes on it where they claimed the KR slammed the head of kids to save on bullets.

I visited Pol Pots grave,...there were offerings all over the place.

Bad Taste???

 

 

[Tapster]

@JohnOFphon

 

I hear you, but there's a difference. 

 

The bad taste in Matt Loughrey's case is that shown by a Western 'artist' towards an issue outside his culture. Of course, I've seen the exhibits you speak of and they are particular to their culture. I argue that the Cambodians know full well how they feel about Tuol Sleng, the Khmer Rouge, genocide and Pol Pot. If their expression of those feelings is to exhibit skulls and bloody trees, then I'm going to respect that, in my own, Western way.

 

It's not the same as painting smiles on the faces of the dead.

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

A map of Cambodia made out of the bones of the dead

Thank you for your comments but with respect, and for reference (New York Times March 2002):-

 

"Skull by human skull, Cambodian officials today dismantled a memorial to the atrocities committed by the former Khmer Rouge government....... The remains were part of a map of Cambodia made of skulls and displayed publicly since 1979 as a testament to the Khmer Rouge's brutality..........

The map, held together by wire, was taken apart after the Buddhist ceremony, and the human remains were placed in a wooden case enclosed by glass."

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/11/world/victims-shrine-made-of-skulls-is-dismantled-by-cambodia.htm

 

2 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

visited Pol Pots grave,...there were offerings all over the place

 

What you will see today in the mountains of Northern Cambodia:-

Prepare to be underwhelmed! A tin roof and a sign urging visitors to keep the area clean are all the tribute given to Brother Number One 

The grave is a simple affair, though take a close look and you'll see the metal wire that would have been part of the tires (on which he was cremated). There is also a small shrine here recently added by a Thai businessman (to pay homage after winning on the Thai lottery!!). Note the small statues of Pol Pot and his wife inside the shrine. Towards the rear of the enclosure there is a pile of smashed porcelain - Pol Pot's toilet apparently.

 

 

https://www.cambodiasite.nl/gravepolpot.htm

 

2 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

A glass tower filled with skulls of the dead.

A tree with a bull eyes on it where they claimed the KR slammed the head of kids to save on bullets.

 

These are located at "The Killing Fields" Memorial Museum outside Phnom Penh, which is regarded as a Buddhist religious site where many Buddhists come to pay homage to the victims (it is part of their culture). The glass tower is in fact a Buddhist stupa which contains the skulls - the very purpose for which it was constructed - to house the "saintly' remains of the unfortunate victims. The "child" killing tree is also regarded as a shrine. Personally, I never saw a "bullseye". Yes, some people of non-Buddhist belief may find these repulsive, but they are worshipped as shrines by believers in respect for the dead.  (Stock photos)

 

 

   

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Burma Bill

[JohnOFphon]

Thanks for that Mr. Bill. You educated me. I was there a long time ago...didn't stop to learn why.

Good to see they took down that map of bones.