Vietnamese village in Chrauy Changvar accross the river from the Royal Palace (Photo: Kim Pov Sottan, RFA)
Vietnamese boys standing in front of a sign that reads: "Where there's misery, there is Samdach Hun Sen" (Photo: Kim Pov Sottan, RFA)The problem of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia
13 September 2007
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata and Heng Soy
Most likely, you have heard the noisy sound of Vietnamese music, or conversations in Vietnamese in daily life held by Vietnamese people who do not need to use Cambodian to talk, even though they live right in the middle of Phnom Penh city, the capital of Cambodia.
According to an opposition MP, the expansion of the Vietnamese culture in Cambodia finds its roots in the illegal entry of Vietnamese people into Cambodia lately, and this number of Vietnamese immigrants is constantly growing.
SRP MP Son Chhay said: “Our population who lives along main border gates between Cambodia and Vietnam reported that the flow (of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia) is taking place daily. Their entry into Cambodia is even easier than before, because, as I told you earlier, they get the protection from the (Vietnamese) associations (in Cambodia).”
In Phnom Penh city alone, Vietnamese people are living everywhere, not just only in Chhbar Ampov, Chak Angre, Chrauy Changvar, Phsar Depot, Tuol Kok, or Svay Pak anymore.
Some of them are born here in Cambodia, others came recently to Cambodia through their relatives (living in Cambodia). These Vietnamese immigrants work mainly in construction, those living on boats are fishermen or small merchants, or they are involved in prostitutions.
In Chrauy Changvar village, located in front of the Royal Palace, thousands of people living there, the majority of them are Vietnamese people, some of them live on water, other live along the river bank.
Nguyen Thy is 50-year-old woman living in this village. She raises fish in cages in the river, she can understand some Cambodian only. She said that she just arrived in Cambodia in the last few years only, she came to Cambodia through her husband. “It’s nothing difficult, here our (Vietnamese) people love us, and we have relatives in Vietnam, my husband has a very easy life here, he saved a lot. Our parents are truly living in Vietnam, but they all died, and we don’t have farmlands, it’s very difficult (life in Vietnam).”
Meng Xang, a 30-year-old man, added that, here in Cambodia, he is working in construction. “We came … Business is very easy here, down there (in Vietnam), business is very difficult, life is easy in both places but business is very difficult (in Vietnam) … most of us live in Chrauy Changvar. But now, it’s more difficult, we are being kicked out, I don’t know what will happen next.”
A man who declined to tell his name said that he escaped Vietnam and came to Cambodia because there is a lot jobs here, the land is fertile, and everything is lax. He said that the Vietnamese people crossed to Cambodia through various border entry gates, such as Chrey Thom, Takeo, Ang Snuol, Svay Rieng, and Prey Veng. The reason they were able to escape Vietnam was because they have people who can bring them in here, or some have relatives living in Cambodia, some are just plain adventurous. “We came here … earlier it was difficult because whatever money we have, they (Cambodian border guards) took it all, but they never arrest us, they only take our money. To come here, we have to have relatives to come, if not we don’t dare, it’s too difficult.”
Nevertheless, the Vietnamese claim that they come to live in Cambodia mainly for improving their economic condition only, however, Son Chhay said the flow of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia seriously affects the political life and the culture in Cambodia.
Son Chhay said: “The flow (of Vietnamese people into Cambodia) is happening at a too fast pace. Cambodia with a population of 10 million, the flow of Vietnamese people during a short period of time brings their number to 20% of our population. This threatens most of all the number of jobs for our own people, and it puts pressure on our living condition. (For example,) along markets, there are (Vietnamese) coffee stalls, they would sit (to drink coffee), and they would put on deafening Vietnamese music, our people got fed up with the noise, they are forced to move out. The main point is to guarantee our independence and sovereignty because the influence of these foreigners affects the nation’s general elections, this creates difficulties for us in terms of economy, and in terms of security.”
RFA attempted to contact the Vietnamese associations in Cambodia for the past one month, but we never received any reply from any of them.
Thon Saray, President of the Adhoc human rights group, added that Adhoc did not investigate on the problem of immigration in Cambodia, however, he noted that the number of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia is very large.
Thon Saray said: “In daily life, we see that (there is a lot of Vietnamese people in Cambodia), but we did not study, nor perform research on the Vietnamese associations, we do not pay attention to them. But, the problem of jobs competition exists, as well as a number of other problems caused by these (Vietnamese) people who entered (Cambodia) illegally and they are violating and putting pressure (on our system)…”
Even though no source is willing to venture the exact number of illegal Vietnamese people living in Cambodia, Son Chhay indicated that about 2 million of Vietnamese are living in Cambodia, out of a total Cambodian population of 13 million based on the recent census.
Son Chhay’s claim was rejected by General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior. Khieu Sopheak claimed that the number of Vietnamese people in Cambodia is not that large, even though, himself does not even what this number is.
The general recognized that there is a flow of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia, however he said that this issue cannot be avoided, but he said that the Cambodian government is strengthening the immigration law, and is enforcing the checking.
Khieu Sopheak said: “In what we are doing, we want all the immigrants to be under our law. The immigration law is ours, you are immigrants, what are your duties? We are undertaking this task, if we don’t want immigrants (now), we must do what Comrade Pol Pot did. If H.E. Son Chhay wants to do like Pol Pot, I don’t know what to do, maybe he should drag Cambodian lands out to the middle of the ocean by himself.”
The number of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia is the largest population of immigrants living in Cambodia. Most of these Vietnamese immigrants are illegal, but nobody ever saw the Cambodian authority arrest or deport these illegal immigrants back to their country.
According to an opposition MP, the expansion of the Vietnamese culture in Cambodia finds its roots in the illegal entry of Vietnamese people into Cambodia lately, and this number of Vietnamese immigrants is constantly growing.
SRP MP Son Chhay said: “Our population who lives along main border gates between Cambodia and Vietnam reported that the flow (of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia) is taking place daily. Their entry into Cambodia is even easier than before, because, as I told you earlier, they get the protection from the (Vietnamese) associations (in Cambodia).”
In Phnom Penh city alone, Vietnamese people are living everywhere, not just only in Chhbar Ampov, Chak Angre, Chrauy Changvar, Phsar Depot, Tuol Kok, or Svay Pak anymore.
Some of them are born here in Cambodia, others came recently to Cambodia through their relatives (living in Cambodia). These Vietnamese immigrants work mainly in construction, those living on boats are fishermen or small merchants, or they are involved in prostitutions.
In Chrauy Changvar village, located in front of the Royal Palace, thousands of people living there, the majority of them are Vietnamese people, some of them live on water, other live along the river bank.
Nguyen Thy is 50-year-old woman living in this village. She raises fish in cages in the river, she can understand some Cambodian only. She said that she just arrived in Cambodia in the last few years only, she came to Cambodia through her husband. “It’s nothing difficult, here our (Vietnamese) people love us, and we have relatives in Vietnam, my husband has a very easy life here, he saved a lot. Our parents are truly living in Vietnam, but they all died, and we don’t have farmlands, it’s very difficult (life in Vietnam).”
Meng Xang, a 30-year-old man, added that, here in Cambodia, he is working in construction. “We came … Business is very easy here, down there (in Vietnam), business is very difficult, life is easy in both places but business is very difficult (in Vietnam) … most of us live in Chrauy Changvar. But now, it’s more difficult, we are being kicked out, I don’t know what will happen next.”
A man who declined to tell his name said that he escaped Vietnam and came to Cambodia because there is a lot jobs here, the land is fertile, and everything is lax. He said that the Vietnamese people crossed to Cambodia through various border entry gates, such as Chrey Thom, Takeo, Ang Snuol, Svay Rieng, and Prey Veng. The reason they were able to escape Vietnam was because they have people who can bring them in here, or some have relatives living in Cambodia, some are just plain adventurous. “We came here … earlier it was difficult because whatever money we have, they (Cambodian border guards) took it all, but they never arrest us, they only take our money. To come here, we have to have relatives to come, if not we don’t dare, it’s too difficult.”
Nevertheless, the Vietnamese claim that they come to live in Cambodia mainly for improving their economic condition only, however, Son Chhay said the flow of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia seriously affects the political life and the culture in Cambodia.
Son Chhay said: “The flow (of Vietnamese people into Cambodia) is happening at a too fast pace. Cambodia with a population of 10 million, the flow of Vietnamese people during a short period of time brings their number to 20% of our population. This threatens most of all the number of jobs for our own people, and it puts pressure on our living condition. (For example,) along markets, there are (Vietnamese) coffee stalls, they would sit (to drink coffee), and they would put on deafening Vietnamese music, our people got fed up with the noise, they are forced to move out. The main point is to guarantee our independence and sovereignty because the influence of these foreigners affects the nation’s general elections, this creates difficulties for us in terms of economy, and in terms of security.”
RFA attempted to contact the Vietnamese associations in Cambodia for the past one month, but we never received any reply from any of them.
Thon Saray, President of the Adhoc human rights group, added that Adhoc did not investigate on the problem of immigration in Cambodia, however, he noted that the number of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia is very large.
Thon Saray said: “In daily life, we see that (there is a lot of Vietnamese people in Cambodia), but we did not study, nor perform research on the Vietnamese associations, we do not pay attention to them. But, the problem of jobs competition exists, as well as a number of other problems caused by these (Vietnamese) people who entered (Cambodia) illegally and they are violating and putting pressure (on our system)…”
Even though no source is willing to venture the exact number of illegal Vietnamese people living in Cambodia, Son Chhay indicated that about 2 million of Vietnamese are living in Cambodia, out of a total Cambodian population of 13 million based on the recent census.
Son Chhay’s claim was rejected by General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior. Khieu Sopheak claimed that the number of Vietnamese people in Cambodia is not that large, even though, himself does not even what this number is.
The general recognized that there is a flow of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia, however he said that this issue cannot be avoided, but he said that the Cambodian government is strengthening the immigration law, and is enforcing the checking.
Khieu Sopheak said: “In what we are doing, we want all the immigrants to be under our law. The immigration law is ours, you are immigrants, what are your duties? We are undertaking this task, if we don’t want immigrants (now), we must do what Comrade Pol Pot did. If H.E. Son Chhay wants to do like Pol Pot, I don’t know what to do, maybe he should drag Cambodian lands out to the middle of the ocean by himself.”
The number of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia is the largest population of immigrants living in Cambodia. Most of these Vietnamese immigrants are illegal, but nobody ever saw the Cambodian authority arrest or deport these illegal immigrants back to their country.
27 comments:
Comrade Khieu Sopheak,
1-Between Viet Namese and Bo Doi which is real immigrant?
2-How many Siamese or Thai immigrants are recently moved in Cambodia?
3-How many Cham ethnics from former Champa had Cambodian Government arrested and returned to the oppressors,Co Chin children,Hue mandarins,Hanoi Nong rebels?
I am so happy to hear Cambodia has laws above immigrants,no surprise they walked right through under the laws nose with US Dollar bills.
How efffective the MoI such General Khieu Sopheak up hold the laws for immigrants conveniences.
Are the three Khieu Samphan,Khieu Kannharith and Khieu Sopheak are related?
Khieu Sopheak,
You should resing from your position and let someone that have the ability to do this kind of job. LOL, He said even himself don't know how many vietnamese in the country.sic.
Well at least we can express freely here. Look at Ranariddh, he wants to create the ministry of immigration, He got usted by the command of Hun Sen.
I like the sign those 2 boys stood by. It's so true. I'm speechless.
I absolutely agree with sign also. It's literally referring the fact if there is Misery, there is Hun Sen, by logics, Misery=Hun Sen. I agree with the sign. Cambodia will be without Misery if Hun Sen is not around. Let's take him out.
Phou Thang
The sign should add"TI NA MEAN SAMDACH SADDAM HUN SEN TI NOUS MEAN KADOUY YOUN".Prohok Khmer Of Boston Mass.
To enforce immigration law in Cambodia, we need to deport those people working for CPP like Kheiu Sopheak back to Vietnam, not Kampuchea Krom. These Hanoi agents are working in high ranking positions in Hun Sen government. Whenever SRP wins the 2008 election, these Viet people will be gone by themselves. At that time don't wait for our new government enforces the law, our people will enforce the immigration law by using long knife and sling shot.
What a horrible mistakes that Hun sen created in Cambodia
hun sun = misery
misery = hun sun
If it's true, it's really terrible.
In math, these matrix equations mean impossible to change... lol..
Sad day for Cambodia again. The Nation without the border.
Don't we think we should change the Religion from Buddhism to Islam?
You guys and gals blast Khieu Sopheak.
He already has suffered from his unfaithfull liaisons with others women.
Indeed, his first wife did commited suicide by not eating at all.
Poor him, He's still lost in another world.
Maybe He have too many liaisons with viet girls.
Change the regime!
blah blah blah...... asimulate into the culture to make one. One state, one nation, one culture. The process of erasing Khmer culture is into phase II. Soon khmer become a nomad culture.
All true Khmer compatriots, ladies and gentlemen,
Cambodia has cancers that were embedded into her by China+YUONS+Vietminh-CPP-Hun Sen+all royal crooks through traitor Sihanouk's flesh and blood, also through his YUON wife Monique and Sihanouk’s clique.
To have true and lasting peace for Cambodia these cancers have to be removed once and for all, either by the law of ECCC-KRT or by any means, as long as the majority of true Khmers agree with it.
If these cancers remain inside Cambodia, without proper treatment, YUONS will continue to swallow us bit by bit every day and China will gobble the whole region without mercy toward Cambodian land and all Khmer people. They will achieve this with the continued assistance of NORODOM SIHANOUK and HUN SEN.
KULEN MONOROM
(the rice farmer's son)
Well, Khieu Sopheak is nothing to deal with but Hun Sen.
We all have to try helping the SRP (is better than others -- I think)for the upcoming election by explaining our poor/illiterate citizens to know the bad effect of these issues, illegal Vietnamese immegrants, on our current society.
With the Hun Sen leading, our country would be CHAMPA II, I bet.
All in all, Khieu Sopheak is only a piece of shit in Ah Hun government.
Mo
903pm said Whenever SRP wins the 2008 election, these Viet people will be gone by themselves.
SRP has not won yet but this crazy 903pm tells the enemy to be prepared to kill SRP already.
This psycho will always be a looser. Why do you have to tell people what you will do idiot?
ah jumkourt kulen is not taking his medecine is it?
ah tmat kulen, you need a sling shot to your head.
Do to Vietnamese immigrants like what they do to KumpuChea Krom people, Then Veit-Funcken-Nam will stop fleeing to Cambodia.
This is AH HUN SEN legacy for Cambodia!
prime minister Hun Sen should find out who are the vietcongs=vietmins=viets secret agents in the Pol Pot regime and current regime if he want to build Cambodia and send back all civilians clothes armies that they have claim themselves as civilians.The spies are always have good ideas but bad reasons for Cambodia and its people.
Sad place to live I 've never seen any where else like Cambodia killed and jail it own citizen and let the foreigners live free and have more right than it own citizen.
right and the government are helping the aggressor Youn to beat up their own people. how foolish can it be...only the dumb-heads believe this is the right thing to do.
right and the government are helping the aggressor Youn to beat up their own people. how foolish can it be...only the dumb-heads believe this is the right thing to do.
When he was poor Hun Sen was a nationalist, now that Yuon made him rich an dpowerful in his own small land, he is no longer nationalist. May be he is but power and money made him forget?
Or may be he cannot caught afraid of Yuon death squad may tie him up to drink his own urine.
PM Hun Sen knows who are Viet Cong and Viet agents, because he is protected by them. Get it mate?
You guys are lucky that Hun Sen has only one eye. Imagine if He has 2 eyes. My god, everything he does is 2 times.
2 miseries = Hun Sen
1/2 Hun Sen = misery
See no more reciprocity
Good luck for all cambodians to eliminate
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin.
Why don't Sam Rainsy is agree to make
a strong democracy politic's party like as proposed by Mr Ok Socheat???
Mr Ok Socheat is vietnamese too?
We have gotten another group of idiots running the country, and our Khmers are not united in getting rid off them. It is something very easy to do. Just register to vote and then vote for SRP, and let us see if he can turn thing around.
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