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Article by the Khmer Times on the US Religious Freedom Report for Cambodia compiled by the US Department of State: The report has obviously ruffled a few feathers in Cambodia.

Among other things, according to the report, US Embassy officials have been touring Cambodia with "youth-oriented Peace Concerts" to promote freedom of religion and religious tolerance.

Embassy officials toured the country on several occasions to meet members of the community, promoting religious tolerance by example, by showing respect for Cham culture, lessening the isolation of the Cham, and supporting Cham integration into mainstream Khmer culture.

A little patronizing perhaps ?

Khmer Times article:
Chams Not Integrated into Society: US Report
Cham Muslims are not fully integrated into Cambodian society and many Cambodian people continue to think Chams are practitioners of “black magic,” according to a report on religious freedom released last week by the US State Department.

“The Cham Muslim community continued to face barriers to full integration into society,” said the Cambodia 2015 International Religious Freedom Report.

“In addition to poverty, isolation, language and inadequate access to education and health services, some members of the majority Buddhist community and other minority ethnic groups reportedly continued to view the Cham with suspicion and superstition as purported practitioners of ‘black magic’,” it said.

In response to the report, Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told Khmer Times that US reports were not based on facts but were rather a kind of personal opinion about what happens in Cambodia.

“It’s a kind of incitement to religious discrimination among Cambodians. The report was not based on actual facts. It is an opinion. In contrast, Cham Muslims and Cambodian people are living in almost absolute harmony in Cambodia as well as in the region,” he said...
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/28645/ ... us-report/

The Cambodia 2015 International Freedom Report here. (Gives a wider perspective than the KT article. Only 5 pages.)
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/256307.pdf

Most Cambodians are happy to "believe" a mix of Buddhism and ghost / spirit nonsense without getting overly excited
about it.

To them, the idea of a holy book dictated by Allah (the ONE AND ONLY DEITY) to an illiterate in a cave, the traditions associated
with Mohammed, the almost impossibly unaffordable desirability of scraping together enough money to go off to Makkah and Madinah and perform the Hajj - plus the various dietary prohibitions and injunctions about circumcision and women covering their hair and
so on ... well, to most Cambodians (even literate and educated ones) all of this is well off the edge of the map.

In any case, observant Muslims are unambiguously enjoined NOT to mix with unbelievers, except when this is unavoidable.

I gather you don't actually know any Chams here then Mammoth boy?

mammothboy's randomly placed carriage returns strengthen the giberishness of his gibberish quite nicely.

I believe him to be correct, for the most part.

Islam is not a religion of "integration," and that's based on their own book of beliefs, not from an outsider trying to paint a bad picture of them.

Strange how the discussion often seems to miss the point.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote:In response to the report, Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told Khmer Times that US reports were not based on facts but were rather a kind of personal opinion about what happens in Cambodia.

“It’s a kind of incitement to religious discrimination among Cambodians. The report was not based on actual facts. It is an opinion. In contrast, Cham Muslims and Cambodian people are living in almost absolute harmony in Cambodia as well as in the region,” he said...

I'm inclined to agree with Phay Siphan.

I see Khmer and Chams living peacefully.

At my place of employ, there are several Chams working there, and many others over recent years. And, believe it or not, they are educated; can read, write and speak English and Khmer; can use computers and stuff too! Not only that, but they interact with non-Chams without issue. They even go out to lunch together without issue.


Perhaps the (US) Religious Freedom Report researchers might do well to go back to the US and resolve issues in their own backyard.

John Bingham wrote:I gather you don't actually know any Chams here then Mammoth boy?

Out of genuine curiosity, do you any Cham?

If they call themselves Muslim, is it more of just a cultural thing they identity with (like Westerners who celebrate Christmas but don't give 2 fucks about the religious aspect or meaning of it all)?

I personally don't consider anyone a "Muslim" unless they are serious about praying 5 times a day, don't drink, and actually follow the religion, etc.

Otherwise they're normal people who just vaguely identify with Islam culturally but have about as much interest in God or religion as most others.

Username Taken wrote:Perhaps the (US) Religious Freedom Report researchers might do well to go back to the US and resolve issues in their own backyard.

Agree with UT. Does no one else find it strange that while one Spanish woman is deported for interfering in politics, teams of US Embassy representatives have been touring the country telling people that they are being religiously repressed ? (This is according to the US Dept of State report : http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/256307.pdf)
Never leave a peaceful situation alone when you can stir up problems : "Rise up from your shackles Cham brothers." FFS. Next thing you know the same US will be complaining about Muslim activism in Cambodia. etc. Thanks for your help Team Religious Freedom.

General Mackevili wrote:

John Bingham wrote:I gather you don't actually know any Chams here then Mammoth boy?

Out of genuine curiosity, do you any Cham?

I presume you mean "Do you know any Chams?" The answer is yes, I have had Cham friends here for pretty much all the time I've been here. I don't see what the fuss is about, they are just like anyone else to most extents. Nearly all I know have all studied abroad (Australia/ Malaysia ).

General Mackevili wrote:I personally don't consider anyone a "Muslim" unless they are serious about praying 5 times a day, don't drink, and actually follow the religion, etc.

If that is the benchmark, then, the Khmer Chams would pass your test.

I know several Pakistanis and Middle Eastern muslims that wouldn't pass your test.