Cambodia - Land Evictions

What is happenintg to my people? Why is the Vietnamese installed goverment evicting these innocents from their homes. They are poor and barely survive, no money no education, no land to grow food...and now they are forced to live in the slump hell.
What have these innocents done? Their hearts are being ripped to the last blood. Can you see my people going insane. Can you see these people are crying? Is there any heart out there? What happen to my people? ....

Tum Teav

Khmer literature
...tales (stories of the former lives of the Buddha, found widely in Southeast Asian literature), while others draw on local folktales and legends. One of the best-known is Tum Teav, a tragic love story believed to be based on real events that occurred during the 17th century. The story was passed down orally and then eventually recorded in the 19th century by... http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-1082430/Tum-Teav

"Tum Teav is the tragic love story of a talented novice monk named Tum and a beautiful adolescent girl named Teav. Well known throughout Cambodia since at least the middle of the 19th century, the story has been told in oral, historical, literary, theatre, and film versions. This monograph contains the author’s translation of the Venerable Botumthera Som’s version. It also examines the controversy over the poem’s authorship and its interpretation by literary scholars and performers in terms of Buddhism and traditional codes of conduct, abuse of power, and notions of justice."
Tum Teav: A Translation and Analysis of a Cambodian Literary Classic.
Front book cover:

Visoth's painting

Beautiful painting done by my friend, Visoth Khmer. His art work are amazing, most of his paintings are displayed in Minnesota Art Museum.

Khmer Krom Prepares for Global Protest

Khmer Krom(lower land Cambodia) will be having demonstration around the globe to demand a return of abbot, Tim Sakhorn who was disappeared early this year 2007 from midland Cambodia. The Vietnamese secret agent in Cambodia deprived the Khmer Krom monk from contacting other monks and accused him of being an instigator which in fact the Vietnamese secret agent are the worst instigators and cause terrible crime against humanity. A monk returning to his homeland to see his family is not a criminal act nor an illegal immigrant. Khmer Krom(incorrectly changed to south vietnam) is an ancestrial land for all Khmer not a home for illegal aliens, Vietnamese.

"In response to the appeal by Mr. Thach Ngoc Thach, President of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation, Khmer Krom around the world are gathering in force to once again protest for the release of Venerable Tim Sakhorn after Vietnamese officials claim that he was entering Vietnam illegally.

Known for changing their stories at will, the Vietnamese government official is now accusing Venerable Tim Sakhorn for undermining the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

The protests will be held this week August 17,2007 in Cambodia, Canada, USA and Australia to name a few countries. Join us to make the Khmer Krom voices be heard!"

Source:www.KhmerKrom.net

Reviving Khmer Comics

I remembered a time when I was little girl, there was a Khmer cartoon story called "Jey Jul Monn," Jey and his rooster. That was the ONLY cartoon book which somehow got it's way to the refugees camp(books and any form of documents had to be burned). I was very fascinated with the story. The book was ripped and missing pages. I had to imagine the missing lines. We shared the torn apart book passing around from kids to kids. Now, I can't quite recall the story, I think it's about Jey being the number one cock fighter.

After years of devastation, Cambodian artists are gathering to revive the Khmer comics. Below are some cartoon and novels comics drawn by various artists.

Keng Mok Oun

Bought a new CD of Khmer Oldies. Lots of great songs. My favorite one is "Keng Mok Oun" meaning "Darling, please sleep" by Sinn Sisamuth.



<--- CLICK HERE to play the song. Close your eyes and let Mr.Sinn Sisamuth take you to pre-war Cambodia and his romantic world. Enjoy!

Cheayo Kampuchea

Cheayo Kampuchea is sung by PouKlaing. Like many Cambodian, puKlaing grew up seeing Cambodia suffers, abused, looted and invaded. Cambodian race have shed the worst endless blood in her history. The song is sung to wake all Khmer and help each other. Wake up Cambodian, time is crucial, do something before your country being swallowed by land and power mongers. Cheayo Kampuchea, Khmer jouy Khmer. Khmer srolanh Khmer!

Pou Klaing, you did a wonderful job. Good message. We love you. Please keep up!