Made me think

I would have said "NO" to this question straight out, which is why I was a bit perplexed when I came across an article by David Scheffer*, who seems to be a pretty clued up guy, and is an expert on human rights.

The article itself doesn't really have anything to do with Cambodia at all; it discusses religious persecution and the US position on the ICC, but bear with me, back to Cambodia - the article was illustrated by this photo below and the caption below it.

I've underlined the sentence that made me pause for thought. Cham Muslims live on the waters of the Mekong River in wooden narrow boats to escape continued onshore Khmer persecution and isolation on December 7, 2017.

However, AFAIK, Cham people, (who are Muslim, not Buddhist), living in Cambodia were not suffering from religious or any specific persecution by the state in 2017 or anytime recently.
So, my question is this, is the author of this caption confusing Cambodian Cham people with ethnic Vietnamese migrants (who are often hounded by the state), or have I got my rose coloured spectacles on ? AFAIK, in general, Cambodian Cham people co-exist without special problems with Khmer, and the women from Cham fishing communities sell their fish themselves at the markets without needing "middlemen".

I know that the Cham were persecuted by the Khmer Rouge, and don't dispute that, but is this still a problem ? My answer is no, judging by my personal experiences in Kratie and Kampot, but I could be wrong.
So is this caption mistaken, are they stirring up problems that don't exist (anymore), or am I missing something ? Are the Cham still persecuted today ? Thoughts ?

The caption in question.

IMAGE: Cham Muslims live on the waters of the Mekong River in wooden narrow boats to escape continued onshore Khmer persecution and isolation on December 7, 2017. They live mostly from fishing, using nets, then sell their fish through ‘middle-men’ on the banks of the river. During the brutal Pol Pot Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970’s, over 100,000 Cambodian Muslims – or half their population- was killed during the ethnic genocide. The Mekong is the world’s 12th longest river and runs some 2,700 miles from the Tibet plateau in the north through China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia spilling through the delta of South Vietnam into the South China Sea. (Photo by Giles Clarke/Getty Images)
(This article is part of a series on a proposed Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, due to be considered in discussions now scheduled to resume on Oct. 13 in the Sixth Committee, the U.N. General Assembly’s primary forum for discussion of legal questions.)

*About the Author(s)
Ambassador David Scheffer
David Scheffer is the former Mayer Brown/Robert A. Helman Professor of Law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law (2006-2020). He was the U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997-2001) and led the U.S. delegation to U.N. talks to establish the International Criminal Court.
https://www.justsecurity.org/78453/why- ... -humanity/

As far as Cambodia goes, David Scheffer is wrong on a number of counts.
Namely:

Citizenship - Cambodian Cham are full citizens of Cambodia and have the right to claim and exercise the same full rights as other Cambodians including birth registration, certificates, Cambodian passport, etc. etc.

Religious Freedom - The two forms of Cham both have full freedom of religious expression and association. In fact, there are about three thousand or more Cham temples throughout Cambodia, some very large and conspicuous and others rather small to suit that area's Cham population. Quite often these are in very close proximity to the more traditional and noticeable Khmer Temple so, in fact, Khmer and Cham live in harmony with each other.

Land Ownership - Exactly the same as for all other Cambodians. Can and do live on land in many locations throughout Cambodia although many do live on floating "contraptions" but this is often either by choice or lack of funds with which to purchase land and build a house on that land.

Government Employment - Exactly the same rights and opportunities as all other Cambodians and anyone passing through Phnom Penh Airport or having contact with other Cambodian government offices and services would need to be visually impaired or insensitive to dress differences not to have noticed, especially female, Chams on duty.

I could go on but the above makes the point. However, as Cham of both types make up a fraction less than circa 4% of Cambodia's total population it is hardly surprising that they are not more conspicuous and blend in well.

OML

I don't know all that much - but i do have a few impressions from being quite immersed with my brother-in-law's Muslim family who live deep within "Islam" (my wife's term for the Cham quarter of Koh Kong town).

-They live together for support and protection.
- They are very much aware of their "different" or "outsider" status.
- They are also very much aware that for minority groups, things can go very bad, very quick. Khmer nationalism is a very powerful force.
- Partly because of this - they hold themselves proud and strong.
- No obvious tension, but Chams and Khmers do not mix a great deal.
- My guess is that they hold a lot of the rest of society in some contempt for personal and social failings (no doubt the Islam Quarter is a much safer and more functional part of town - along with the former KR quarter)- but possibly some religious prejudice on their side too.
- Yes, they do have some biznesses and stalls at the market - but are very much underrepresented in the commercial field except in the Islam part of town where they prove they are excellent biz people in all fields. So i suspect they do not step outside their own community for biz because the Khmer may not patronise them so much (??)
- Because of their high values around responsibility, respect, work rate, ethics, etc the younger ones (men and women) are highly sought after for the new factories in our growing SEZ's.
- Possibly because they have solidarity as a "block", they are courted and respected by the local politicians and bureaucrats.

So, we have an "outsider" community, who have been here for nearly 500 years, who have previously been heavily discriminated against and "separate" (both by choice and by force), who have found their niche and are strong and proud.
BUT who are still seperate to a large degree. And very aware that things could go very bad for them once again.

I respect the hell out of them.
They have proved they can look after themselves exceptionally well, as outsiders - except maybe when a black tide as powerful as the KR comes along and sweeps EVERYthing away.

(sorry AM, that does not really answer your Q, but may provide some pointers to their general situation.

I just read OML post and agree with all that too - with one small exception - i would describe them not so much as "blending in so well", more like "quietly keeping under the radar")

Dunno but I’ve a Cham mate who gets a little irritated when barang say, for example, “Are you Khmer”, “The Khmer of Cambodia” etc.
He said why can’t they just say “Are you Cambodian?”

He doesn’t get any persecution or even negativity from any locals.

My partners farther was Cham Cambodian, her mother Cambodian, religion Buddhist. My partner being the oldest child was raised of a strict Muslim girl, also learning Arabic as a spoken language. She had no other official schooling apart from the family and the Mosque, she does not read or write. Her two younger sisters and brother were raised with the Buddhist religion and went to normal school.
What I have noticed, the Cham are like any minority, such would be in our home countries, they normally stick together with their own. It probably would not be has noticeable in my partners home province of Kampong Cham. But has SternAAlbifrons had mentioned Koh Kong, also has you know in Phnom Penh. Both of those areas have communities of Cham.

Quote - I know that the Cham were persecuted by the Khmer Rouge, and don't dispute that, but is this still a problem?
I would have thought that if you were not of the largest of the ethnic group being that of Khmer who are Theravada Buddhists.
Cham follow the religion of Islam. But keeping it simplified, there too are the indigenous ethnic minorities, Chinese Cambodians, Vietnamese Cham. In the days of the Khmer Rouge if the people other than Khmer, any other of minority groups were persecuted like you say, worked starved and killed. Racial Epithet played a large part with Khmers at the time, being that they were superior, also wanting rid of these people. But, all at the time were at risk, has we know "educated Khmer could also find their own fate.
With the Covid19 pandemic, it did not take long for the authorities to shut down the Mosques, neither did it take long to refuse westerners hotel accommodations, also at the time they, being the big boss, were televising the fact, and giving a phone number for a special police force to deal with awkward westerners that they may have. Time then was looking for someone to blame.
Ironically my partners farther was a immigration officer, and my partner that of a armed officer in the military police.

Those chicks must be hot as fuck wearing full length black clothing.

I’m often wondering if they are actually naked underneath. Or at least that’s what my brain thinks. No safety shorts!

mannanman wrote: ↑Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:40 am Those chicks must be hot as fuck wearing full length black clothing.

I’m often wondering if they are actually naked underneath. Or at least that’s what my brain thinks. No safety shorts!

Full length black clothing? Most just wear ordinary clothes and a head scarf.