Appreciative Observations

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The more time I spend in Cambodia, the more I appreciate life in the United States. The ordinary American rarely ponders things such as governmental corruption, propaganda, biased education, impromptu evictions, and certainly does not consider these concepts as relevant to their everday lives. Cambodians are not so fortunate. Even more evident than this contrast is that the American privilege crosses oceans, where it is further exacerbated. The more time I spend in Cambodia, the more apparent my elevated status as a foreigner becomes.

Work provides a good example. I am frequently toted along on various rendezvous and interviews for no other purpose (as far as I can tell) than to sit and look, if not pretty, then white I have met renowned academics, CEOs, actors, and other famous faces. I was welcomed into the home of Vann Nath, celebrated painter, famous survivor of S-21, and witness in the recent Duch trials. During a visit to Khmer Mekong Films I was ushered into their studio, placed next to a famous Cambodian actor turned director, and given a headset to listen to the filming. When the Cambodian celebrity accidentally unplugged my headset, he apologized profusely, ashamed by his clumsiness. My Cambodian co-worker looked on from outside the door. I cannot fathom being considered inferior in one's own country while undeserving foreigners, aliens, are treated like near-royalty.

But if the middle classes are shuffled aside to make room for the privileged, the poor are shipped out of sight. The wealthy seem to perceive the poor as akin to cattle and proceed to herd them away at will. In the past year, thousands have been forced to vacate their homes around Tra Bek Lake in the south of the city to make room for developers. These companies have filled in the lake so that the land can host luxury shops and apartments. A few families on the outer fringes have resisted relocation. The remaining shacks form a sharp line of demarcation separating vast acres of empty sand from the echoes of the former neighborhood. Here cameras are forbidden. It is as if the government believes that suffering can only be validated through a photograph.

The government extends its tentacles everywhere, especially into education. I was astounded to hear that instruction about the Khmer Rouge is virtually non-existent in schools. Many in the younger generations think of this period as only a very difficult time of war and famine. And those that lived under the KR prefer to forget. I have been asked by several Cambodians if I know about the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot. I was a bit taken aback by this question. Little did I know that it is not only a legitimate question for foreigners, but for Cambodians as well! But while appalling, this fact should not be surprising. Almost all of the elite are former Khmer Rouge, and these people control nearly every aspect of Cambodian society. It is no wonder that many are pessimistic about Cambodia's future.

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Comments

[Ty]

great post Kym. When I read your second sentence I thought I would point out that bias education has recently been an issue in Texas, but then I got to the final paragraph. That's really jaw-droppingly astounding. wow.