BA CHUC - &; The Killing Fields of Vietnam &; - Pt 4: Da Nang to Mekong Delta

Rod Page

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There's a further site around 35 kms south of Chau Doc which merits its own place on this trip report. The small & isolated, indeed quite charming village of Ba Chuc bears witness to twelve days in April, 1978 when the Khmer Rouge crossed into Vietnam from Cambodia slaughtering, even torturing many to death, the population of the village. 3157 villages would die that die; only two villagers are known to have survived the massacre.

A memorial lies in the Chua Phi Lai complex, a common tomb housing the skulls & bones of over 1100 of the victims. Men, women & children irrespective of age were ruthlessly murdered. Babies were taken by one leg then hurled against a wall to smash their skulls, woman were tortured to death by the insertion of bamboo sticks up their vaginas.........

Sickingly, this story of total human degredation & barbery was captured on film & many of the photographs taken are on display near the memorial. Some are reproduced below; you'll need a strong stomach. I'll let the photos do the talking.

The Memorial - skulls & bones are arranged according to age & gender:

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T
he temple at which, cowering against the walls, nuns were slaughtered (photo 2) & where 40 believers sheltered beneath the altar via the access at the lower left believing their faith would save them (photo 3) - they were killed by hand-granade:

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A shot of part of the wall showing shocking photos of the crimes permitted in April, 1978:

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I am still deeply moved by what I saw.
 
Jul 25, 2010
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Looks reminiscent of Toul Sleng in Phnom Penh Rod. Its impossable to forget what you see in these places.
 

Rod Page

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I'm currently in Tahiti, on Bora Bora actually, but about to take myself & the Suzuki by boat to the neighbouring island of Tahaa........if the rain would stop maybe I could furnish a trip report![FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Communications will be minimal from Tahaa so a BUMP for anyone riding in the Mekong Delta in April. Pay a visit to BA CHUC; you will not regret or ever forget it![/FONT]
 

Rod Page

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With a report recently posted on a GTR visiting brilliant Chau Doc en route to Cambodia & with the totally justified interest in stunning Phu Quoc there may well be riders in that area who would be interested, well shocked, by what transpired at nearby Ba Chuc one April not so long ago.

Visiting Ba Chuc gives the opportunity for a ride through some beautiful rural settings, an insight into farming life in Vietnam outside the bigger cities & an opportunity to try to understand, to try to come to terms with the horrific past that many in Vietnam had forced upon them.

Not for the light-hearted or those with a weak stomach.
 

Rod Page

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A quick bump for anyone riding in the Chau Doc area or en route to Phu Quoc.........

The riding out & around Ba Chuc is packed with interest. April marks the massacre that took place at the now charming & peaceful township of Ba Chuc. Although the phrase is somewhat over-done these days I can assure you that a visit to Ba Chuc Chua Phi Lai Temple complex is something 'you will never forget'.