Vietnamese / Its Colonization On the Khmerkroms and Other Indigenous Peoples

Continue from previous edition.
By Sothy Kien

Khmer Krom: When Will Vietnam Say Sorry?

Indigenous Khmer Krom Buddhists in Kampuchea-Krom (1909)

What else is happening behind closed doors? Who is bringing justice to these people, if the only justice served is one ruled by the violator?

Perhaps the Vietnamese government never introduced or initiated the Stolen Generation but the discriminatory actions against the Khmer Krom are no less degrading or inhumane.

For over two hundred years the majority of world knew nothing about the existence of Khmer Krom people. France knew and Cambodia knew but they were abandoned to the hands of the Vietnam, a race bent on colonising all of the current Vietnam regardless of the human price tag.

How many of our ancestors died trying to defend their religion, culture and nation? How many were buried deep to their neck and used as a stand for hot tea, a well known quote by Khmers, “do not spill the master’s tea?” How many Khmer Krom women became widow or were raped, used and abused by the Vietnamese officials?
How many were forced to abandon their ancestral home and land, uprooted and dump to a small aliquot of land with no means to make their traditional living?

Today, hundred of thousands remain homeless and jobless. Children as little as five are without education and hunt the rubbish rubble for scrapes of leftover food. Thousands more are dying because they cannot afford to take their sick mother, father or siblings to a medical centre in Prey Nokor (renamed Ho Chi Minh) city.
Vietnamese people and officials, often refer to the Khmer people as “backward” or “uncivilized” a description which shows their contempt towards the indigenous peoples.

How would you feel if you were called “backwards” as if you were dump and stupid? Treated worse than a dog and told to do everything according to the ideals of the Vietnamese communist government?

If the very roots you and your ancestors have created and practiced for centuries were forced to one side and you to speak, dress and act Vietnamese? If you were a peaceful Buddhist monk who stood up for your religious beliefs only to be hammered on the bench of a prison table like a nail standing out of place?
In the eyes of the Khmer Krom people, Vietnam has much to be sorry for.
Much to be sorry about.

The pain and the suffering that the Khmer Krom people endured since Vietnam started its southward (Nam Tien) ambition to occupy the Mekong Delta in the early 1600s is something Vietnam cannot deny.

When will the cycle of hate stop? In 10 or twenty years or will it run its course of another century before our children of today learn to love and respect one another?
If one travels through Kampuchea-Krom, one can see the statue and pictures of Ho chi Minh everywhere. No one can doubt that Vietnamese communist government is proud of the father of liberation, one that freed Vietnamese people from the French colonisation. When will the day come when Vietnam stops being so proud of its nationality that it works to destroy the nation of another because they think they are far more superior than us?

Vietnam did not like having the French colonising them but we like it even less being doubly colonised by first the Vietnamese then the French. Now it is Vietnam that continues to colonise us and change our way of life to suit that of its nation without fear of justice or consequence.

“It was our ignorance and our prejudice. And our failure to imagine these things being done to us. With some noble exceptions, we failed to make the most basic human response and enter into their hearts and minds. We failed to ask - how would I feel if this were done to me?” - Paul Keating, former Prime Minister of Australia 1991

For the western countries such as Australia, USA and Canada, the gross actions were perpetrated by their forefathers in the past, but in Vietnam these inhumane and atrocious acts are still being committed.

When will Vietnam stop being defensive and learn the importance of saying sorry as the first step of reconciliation for the sake of not only Khmer Krom but deeper still for all of human kind?

Using Australia’s prime example of Sorry Day we ask that Vietnam stop committing atrocious acts against the indigenous peoples of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam today.
We ask that Vietnam stand forth and be a positive role model for other Asian countries by apologising to those they have hurt in order to conquer their lands as the first step to reconciliation.

We ask that you start NOW.

End

Vietnamese / Its Colonization On the Khmerkrom and Other Indigenous Peoples

By Sothy Kien

Indigenous Khmer krom Buddhists in Kampucheakrom in 1909


Khmer Krom: When Will Vietnam Say Sorry?

On February 13th 2008, Australia’s newly elected Prime Minister; Kevin Rudd will make a historic apology to its indigenous peoples, the Aboriginal Peoples.

Since Britain invaded Australia 220 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal people have been killed, displaced or forced to assimilate into the British culture and ideals.

As early as mid 1800s, thousands of Aboriginal children were brutally taken from their parents and given to the white Australians, judged by them as unfit to be parents. They were sent to children’s homes, starved and told that they a shameful bunch to society.

Known as the Stolen Generation, one cannot begin to comprehend the heartache and grief that they went and continue to go through.
Today, it seems that life is getting a bit better for the Indigenous Australians.
The long awaited apology by Australia’s current Prime Minister to the Stolen Generation will be one that stops the nation and perhaps the world as Australia takes a brave step in righting past wrongs.

While the majority of Australians and perhaps the world are celebrating such an event, others are not, asking why should they be the ones apologising for something that their forefathers did.

If we do not bear the sins of our forefather, when will the hate stop and forgiveness start?

Australia is not the only guilty party with its treatments of its indigenous peoples. Canada and United States of America have had their share of bad history. In the southeast countries, Cambodia, Philippines and Vietnam are on top of the list of human rights violators.

For the Indigenous Khmer Krom Peoples of current day Vietnam, an apology as such from the Vietnamese communist government seems like a speck in the horizon. Far and a long time in coming if at all.

Especially if the first step of recognising that Khmer Krom people are the indigenous peoples of the Mekong Delta is not yet achieved.

Two years ago, during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Vietnam government representatives claimed that it was up to the minority people to determine who are indigenous. However, no legislation or initiative is in place to promote such an act only empty words to further falsify and deny the existence of indigenous peoples such as the Khmer Krom people of the Mekong Delta and the Montagnards of the central Highlands.

“It begins, I think, with the act of recognition. Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing. We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the disasters. The alcohol. We committed the murders.….. We practised discrimination and exclusion.” - Paul Keating, former Prime Minister of Australia 1991

If the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation did not enlighten the issue of the Khmer Krom to international community, would Vietnam place its indigenous peoples as a priority?
How much longer will the Vietnamese communist government continue to deny that it was never their lands in the first place?

Their basic fundamental freedoms and rights continue to be severely restricted. The Khmer’s unique culture is changed at will by Vietnamese officials. Some Khmer Buddhist temples are no longer a place of peace and meditation but a working office for communist officials. Buddhist monks are disrobed and imprisoned for organising peaceful demonstrations to demand their religious rights.

More disturbing still, Vietnamese officials are resorting to the use of violence in public to silence land activists. These are just a small portion of crimes coming to international light.

....To Be Continued

A Matter of Hate or Justice? A twist by the Vietnamese and the Vietnamese Colonialist Government and Those Who Support Them

A Matter of Hate or Justice?

Khmer Krom and other human rights organisation often portray its peoples as the ones suffering or are victims of human rights abuse by the dominant government. More recently, however, observers within Vietnam and aboard are saying that such organisations are only projecting hate rather than love.

Interestingly, it seems like the Vietnamese communist government have the same ideology. They believe that they are the victims of much hate from organisations such as the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and the Montagnard Foundation.

But the question is really whether it is about hate? Isn’t reporting human rights abuse a sign of love? That one cannot stand to see people abused and used, a sign of caring?

If the Vietnam government had any control over the UN, one of the first organisations they would probably boot out is KKF. Is that a sign of love?

The fact that KKF is still participating in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is not for the lack of trying on Vietnam’s part to stop it.

In 2007, they successful closed down the viewing of documentaries about the Khmer Krom people and the Hmong at the United Nations.

Why does Vietnam want to shut Khmer Krom organisation or indigenous organisation and keep them away from the international eye?

Is it because KKF was hitting too close to the real situation in Vietnam in regards to its people?

Most Vietnamese people would be proud of the amazing economic achievements of Vietnam today.

But on whose lands and natural resources are they cultivating such success?

First come first serve? Not anymore, Khmer Krom people were in the Mekong Delta centuries ago but today Vietnam government is pocketing all the riches and the indigenous peoples are ranked the poorest.

Why is constructive feedback from KKF so ill receive by Vietnam? Constructive criticism is clearly not a matter of hate? Rather a good way to improve things that are not working?

Think honestly for a moment.

If the Khmer Krom issues were not raised at the UN or during a peaceful protest, would Vietnam really care?

Honest? I think not.

Jacobsen Trudy and Her Lie, She Lies Because She Hates

Dr. Jacobsen Trudy's Falsification Because of Her Hatred Toward the Cambodian

Jacobsen history challenged

Trudy Jacobsen's article (PPPost, March 10, 2006) generally distorts the historical facts.

I disagree with her assertion that "explanations of Cambodian ill-will toward the Vietnamese are vague and unsatisfactory." The "ill-will" is, in fact, well documented even back in the 17th century.

First of all, according to a Khmer chronicle, the Collection of the Council of Kingdom (1951) and Vietnamese sources, King Suryapeur (1603-1618) did not marry his son (King Jaya Cheastha II 1613-1628) to a Vietnamese lady Chov, or Ngoc Van, a daughter of Lord/Viceroy Nguyen Phuc (or Vuong Sai, 1613-1635) before he died, as Jacobsen claims. King Suryapeur died in 1619 and Cheastha II married Chov in 1620 for the reasons of mutual defense and trade interests (Vuong Sai needed him because of Champa's threat in the south and Emperor Le's threat to the North. Cheastha II needed Vuong Sai because of the constant threat from Siam).

Contrary to the general misunderstanding being also compounded by Jacobsen, Cheastha II was not "young and inexperienced." Like his successor son, he was a nationalist, a scholar and was 42 years of age by the time he married Chov. He already had had four wives, having been married since the age of 26. Chov was his last wife, after a Laotian wife, Bous.

In 1623, Cheastha II gave permission for five years only to let the Vietnamese build commercial centers in "Prey Nokor" and Kampong Krabey and to collect tax from Vietnamese-Chinese traders in addition to building military training camps to prepare for wars with Champa and Emperor Le of then Dai Viet (now Vietnam).

He did not give permission to allow Vietnamese to settle in Cambodia. Additionally, the 1623 permission might not have been as a result of an invasion, but it was smart coercion by the Vietnamese at a time when the King/Cambodia was engaging in wars defending against Siamese aggressions on two fronts: Siamese naval attacks in the south by the sea on Banteay Meas (Ha Tien) and on land from the west. A Vietnamese envoy showed up at the Royal Palace at Udong presenting a letter from Lord Vuong Sai seeking the above permission. Fearing what might come if he rejected it, the King agreed.

Five years later, the year he was supposed to get the land back, the King died. In 1638, his successor, King Angtong Rajathirajthipadey (1635-1639), asked for the return of the territories, but he was asked to delay for a while.

When King Ramathipadey (Ang Chant) in 1641 demanded the return of the land, the former Queen of Cheastha II intervened again seeking a delay. Perhaps to divert the King's attention, in 1658 the Queen openly supported the pretenders (young princes Angton and Utey) to the throne. To the Queen's disbelief, after their victory, Angton and Utey attacked the Vietnamese and demanded the return of the land.

Wars and rebellion broke out again in 1699, 1731, 1739 and up until the French arrived in 19th century. Sensing the French were about to invade Vietnam, King Ang Duong dispatched a letter dated November 25, 1856, to Napoleon III warning him that the territories from Dong Nai down to the islands of Koh Tralach (Con Dao) and Koh Trol (Phu Quoc) belong to Cambodia. "If by chance", the King stated, "Anam [Vietnam] would offer any of these lands to Your Majesty, I beg Him not to accept them for they belong to Cambodia." In 1859, the King sent troops to retake the lands. The King died in 1860 and his mission failed.

Prey Nokor's proper name was Preah Reach Nokor which, according to a Khmer Chronicle means a "Royal City"; later became locally "Preykor" meaning "kapok forest" (from which "Saigon" was derived). It was not a "Wild City" or sparsely populated as Jacobsen claims. Jacobsen ignores the fact that there were two other Khmer provinces, Kampong Srakartrei (Dong Nai) and Baria, to the north bordering Champa state. A part of the pre-Angkor capital Vyadhpura, it was a main Khmer seaport city, a center of trade for many years.

The Vinh Te canal event occurred during the reign of King Angt Chan (1797-1835), and was one of the most horrific examples of the Vietnamese treatment of the Khmer. I am appalled that Jacobsen trivializes the magnitude of the suffering. It was not just "two Vietnamese overseers" who picked out three Khmer "from the Cambodian contingents" and used their heads to cook the Yuon masters' tea. In fact, it was a national humiliation.

The K5 Plan (1979-1990) is not a valid comparison. The Vinh Te Canal Plan (which lasted four years) saw 10,000 people perish in awful circumstances, according to a British Envoy John Crawfurd's report (1830).

In 1820, the King, being an absolute hostage of the Vietnamese army, managed to engineer a rebellion led by the Venerable Kae Kong and two of the King's top officials. The rebellion failed. To avoid death, Ang Chant was forced to cede three districts of Chau Doc province to Vietnam. While in Kampuchea Krom Father Le Fevre noted the suppression: about 3 million were "subjected Cambodians" (1847).

Like the appellation of "Kling" for the Indians and "Seam" for the Thai, "Yuon" has been traditionally used by Khmer to mean "Vietnamese" for the past 2000 years. During this time "Vietnam" changed its name constantly. The term "Yuon" appears in Khmer traditional songs, poems, laws, historical texts etc.

Before its invasion, in 1978, in its campaign to demonize the KR, Vietnam politicized the terms "Yuon" and "Anam" as being pejorative. Pre-war Vietnamese settlers in Cambodia knew the term was not pejorative, but the new Vietnamese settlers who came to Cambodia in 1979 got caught up in this political nonsense. With Vietnam's foreign cronies' assistance, the Khmer are now trashed for using a traditional term that was made negative by the Vietnamese themselves. Further, "Yuon," which appears in Khmer ancient inscriptions (inscription K105 of King Suryavarman I) refers to what is recently known as "Vietnamese" and certainly not "Javanese" as Jacobsen claims: (Post 10/2/06). The term "Javanese" is Anglicized. The Khmer have always used the term, "Chvea," or Java. "Chvea" appears in three Angkorian inscriptions mentioning Jayavarman II from Java.

Jacobsen is also wrong to say past Khmer kings supported by Vietnamese "are loathed," but kings placed on the throne by Thais are "lauded". The truth is Cheastha II's father King Suryapeur was forced to abdicate because people thought he was too influenced by the Siamese (for instance, wearing Siamese royal costumes). King Suryapeur's predecessor was ousted because his mother was Laotian.

Bora Touch - Sydney
Truong Mealy - former Cambodian Ambassador to Japan

Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 08, April 21 - May 4, 2006
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