Monday, October 01, 2007

The Cambodian naturalization of Vietnamese immigrants

30 September 2007
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Cambodian naturalization for Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia is a difficult and complicated matter, but, it becomes very easy if these immigrants are willing to bribe.

Sien Sam Bun is the Cambodian name of a 62-year-old Vietnamese man living in Chrauy Changvar, Phnom Penh city. He said that he was born there, and he received the Cambodian nationality, however, for some Vietnamese who are not born here, the Cambodian naturalization is not a difficult problem. All they have to do is bribe the authority and the story will end there, however, they must change their names and adopt a Cambodian name, or they have to declare a fake birthplace in Cambodia.

Sien Sam Bun said: “We take (the Cambodian nationality) for one period of time only to ease the living condition, we are not immigrants, we have the citizenship, some are naturalized, there’s no problem. Only the old bald men who have dollars (in their pocket) can be naturalized. If we talk about it, the issue can be extended further and further, so I make it short, (otherwise) they will say that we are opposing them (the Cambodian authorities), (that we bring in) corruption because of that.”

Several thousands of Vietnamese families living on the Tonle Sap Lake, in Kampong Chhnang province, all have their Vietnamese immigrant identification cards issued by the Ministry of Interior.

Nguyen Thi Thu, a 37-year-old woman, living in Kandal village, Phsar Chhnang commune, Kampong Chhnang province, claimed that she came to live here 7-year now, but she did not obtain the Cambodian citizenship yet. The authority wouldn’t allow her to be naturalized, and even her daughter who was born here is not a citizen: “We live here a while, then move to another place, we have no place to go, they wouldn’t let us in…”

Nguyen Van Bu, a 53-year-old man who can speak Cambodian without accent, claimed that he was born in Kampong Os, Kampong Chhnang province, however, he does not have the Cambodian citizenship, and he still lives at the same place. He said that he fled to Vietnam during the KR era, and there, the Vietnamese authority considered him as an immigrant also.

Nguyen Van Bu said: “I want to be naturalized but I don’t know what happen with the Cambodian government when it comes to people like me who came here since 1983. I was born in Cambodia, but because of the war, I went to Vietnam, and when I returned back from Vietnam and arrived in Cambodia, I was considered a refugee, an immigrant, the same way it was, they don’t give me the citizenship for several years now. If I was actually from Vietnam and just arrive here, then when they don’t give me the citizenship, that’s fine by me. If I was born here, and since 1983 I came here, I went to Vietnam because of the war, if there was no war, I wouldn’t go back.”

Nguyen Van Bu said that his living condition is very difficult because in Cambodia, he is considered an immigrant, and when he lived in Vietnam, he was also considered an immigrant as well: “It’s difficult, in short, jobs for immigrants are not the same as for actual Cambodians, the jobs (finding) is difficult, the traveling for us, as immigrants, is like for refugees, we are being followed.”

Le Vung Khanh, a 25-year-old Vietnamese man living on a boat and who also speaks Cambodian clearly, added that there is no difficulties at all, currently, if someone wants to be naturalized, all they have to do is to bribe the authority, and the issue will be solved. However, he said that, for himself, he doesn’t want to bribe because he has no money, even though he knows that the Cambodian naturalization helps in the living condition.

Le Vung Khanh said: “In my family, it cost $200 each (in bribe for the naturalization), we are three at home, it will cost us $600, when you multiply $600 by 2 millions (Vietnamese immigrant families?) … and my father is already over 60, why should I be naturalized, it’s a waste of money. But, for Cambodians, business is very easy, first of all, it’s easy to travel, and secondly, wherever we go, nobody dares do anything to us.”

Among the Vietnamese living on the Tonle Sap, none of them have the Cambodian citizenship, they only have an Vietnamese immigrant identification card, even though some claim that they were born here, and that they want to become Cambodian citizens in order to ease their living condition.

Up to now, the Ministry of Interior did not yet provide the number of Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia who were naturalized, and those who didn’t.

However, Sim Chi, the president of the Vietnamese associations in Cambodia, claimed that among the 100,000 Vietnamese living in Cambodia, half of them have been naturalized: “Those who obtained the paperwork from the authority (for their naturalization), they number about 50%.”

Sim Chi claimed that the naturalization of Vietnamese people was done after they fulfilled their legal duties, such as being born here, speak Cambodian, respect the culture, etc…

This claim was rejected by opposition MP Son Chhay. He indicated that the Cambodian naturalization was very strict starting from the colonial period. To the contrary, currently, the naturalization is conducted like a fanfare mainly because of corruption.

Son Chhay said: “Lately, we have not seen any request document by Vietnamese people to be naturalized as Cambodian, (and the reason for this is because) the national institution for nationality is too lax. We observe that there is a large number of Vietnamese do not have to make a legal request anymore, all they have to do is to bribe the police officers, then they can obtain all the paperwork and the naturalization very easily. Some don’t even know how to speak a single word of Cambodian and they have Cambodian citizenships also.”

The nationality law in Cambodia contains 19 articles stipulating that immigrants from all nations, who came to live in Cambodia legally, or if they were born in Cambodia, for 7 years, or if they are married with a Cambodian citizen, they have the right to be naturalized, but this can be done only after the king signs a legal decree to the effect.

Son Chhay said that a large number of Vietnamese people living in Cambodia, are illegal, and he never saw the king signing any decree allowing the naturalization of these Vietnamese people, but to the contrary, at each election, the opposition party always has to demand to the National Election Committee (NEC) to erase the names of Vietnamese immigrants who hold Cambodian identification cards.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

corruption is a fact of life in cambodia. don't try to blame this on dr. hun sen. dr. hun sen is a smart, khmer who knows how to adjust to make sure his country moves.

the pro-western democrats are the ignorant, uneducated ones who condone the rape and molestation of khmer children and women by white foreigners. they're traitors because their only goal in life is to get out of cambodia.

i wish dr. hun sen would stop putting up with their nonsense. they need to be arrested and re-educated so that they will no longer endanger our children and compromise our national sovereignty.

pedophilia and sexual exploitation of khmer women and children by white imperialist is a major problem in cambodia. the "pro-democracy" crowd does not see it as a problem. most bars and businesses along the "mot tonle" are owned by white europeans and americans. they take advantage of their khmer female employees at will and order them to stay away from khmer men. but if you're a traitor, such indignity within your own land, is just fine.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't have said it any better!

Anonymous said...

All true Khmer compatriots, ladies and gentlemen,


Why I said Monique is YUON ? The following writing is to prove my comments many times in this camdisc that Monique is really YUON she works for YUON's benefit, she never and ever works for Khmer, if she does is only the facade to hide her true identity . Her beauty had controlled her husband to cave in to YUON, Yiekcong-Yiekminh demand all the times, so YUONS can swallow Cambodia much more easier and now she did exactly the same things to her gay son Sihamoni the king without crown in Cambodia in trying to have a good relationship with communism as Sihanouk did in the past.

From this secret and subtle plan of YUON's Monique, now YUONS are controlling Khmer in every corner of Cambodia, even this year Khmer sent the Vietminh's son YUON's Hor Nam Hoang to the United Nation to represent Khmer country on Khmer behalf.

China Sihanouk best friend never care about Khmer land or Khmer people e.g.: garment industry and quota to USA, fraudulent in selling tons and tons of garlic to other part of the world by saying they are from Cambodia, drugs and prostitutions, land grabbing strategies etc.... China have 2.3 million of their arm forces and trillion of US dollars in US bonds and treasury notes also in their reserve’s bank now, still China can not and does not know how to help Cambodia in removing more than 100, 000.00 of YUONS, Vietcong, Vietminh arm forces who are disguise as Khmer including 4 to 5 illegal YUONS digging in Cambodia since many many decades ago.

My points to prove about YUON Monique is not and never a Khmer lover are:

1- YUON Monique claimed that John Izzy was her father, when YUON Monique went to France looking for John Izzy as her biological father, John Izzy said no, I am sorry you are not my real daughter I only adopt you from Vietnam for Madame Pom Peang to raise you up, that was all.

Only Prince Sisowath Thomico mother was my biological daughter with Mme Pom Peang. By the way have any body true Khmer patriont seen the picture of John Izzy with YUON Monique if it was father and daughter ???

2- Her late Majesty the Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearirath never approved for Sihanouk to stick with YUON Monique when she was alive, that is why there was no legal wedding what so ever between these two traitors.

Her late Majesty Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearirath can smell some bad things will happen to Cambodia through YUON Monique, and the facts are proving everyday now, that Her late Majesty Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearirath was right all along about traitor YUON’s Monique.

Now YUON is swallowing Cambodia every day bit by bit if all true patriot Khmers who living around the world are not standing up and unite truthfully to take our beloved Cambodia from YUON’s occupation and China bad influences back as soon as possible. TRUE KHMER PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION IS THE BEST SOLUTION TO RESCUE CAMBODIA FROM YUON OCCUPATION.

3- After brief meeting with the runaway King Sihanouk and YUON Monique in France. On the 18th of January 1970, late President Lon Nol return back to Cambodia. On his return YUON Vietcong were getting out of control they go every where when they wanted to go, they did every things what ever they want to do.

Lon Nol and the senior government officials new that Sihanouk and YUON Monique are YUON Vietcong, Vietminh best friends, so he dispatch Prince Norodom Kantol and HE Yem Sambo to invite Sihanouk and YUON Monique back to Cambodia so these two culprits can negotiate and control their best friend YUON Vietcong-Vietmimh not to roam Cambodia’s territorial and Cambodia’s integrity freely.

YUON Monique forced Sihanouk not to return they continue their way to seek support from China and YUONS to kill Khmer innocent people in millions instead, especially the true Khmer nationalist Lon Nol-Sisowath Sirikmatak Khmer Republic people.

4- LON NOL was never and ever made any coup d'Etat against Sihanouk(sic). On the 18th of March 1970 it was Sihanouk own parliament and Sihanouk royal council who gave a vote of no confident towards Sihanouk because Sihanouk and YUON Monique follow their secret strategies by running away from Cambodia when the country was in turmoil.

5- I do not believe that Sihanouk and YUON Monique no nothing about the genocide, I suspect that YUON Monique force Sihanouk to remain silence while the Ultra Maoist Khmer Rouge and YUONS' Chan Chakrey movement, the movement which YUON create itself within Khmer Rouge cadres to commit atrocities on innocent Khmers, this was a smart YUON's strategies to eliminate all Khmer citizen so YUON can swallow Cambodia exactly like YUON doing now.

6-If Sihanouk and YUON Monique were not betrayed the innocent Khmer people and if they couldn't escape to Cambodian-Thai border, then they could easily walk to seek help from some of Eastern block embassy or some Eastern block representative near by Royal Palais in Phnom Penh and tell them to rescued them from the namely call “the house arrest ???”

On 17th of April 1975 I myself was in Phom Penh and I could managed to get to the Cambodian-Thai border with difficulty but not impossible.

7- On 7th of January 1979, YUON invade Cambodia, YUON Monique and Sihanouk stay silence. Imagine if American return back to Vietnam, YUON Monique and Sihanouk may jump the roof to help YUON again to fight with American.

Funcinpec-Sihanoukist army was form at Cambodian-Thai border Sihanouk reluctant to join until China-USA-ASEAN put pressure on him to form a Cambodia Government of Democratic Kampuchea at the later date in 1982 in Kula Lumpur Malaysia.

8- With sweat and blood of thousands of Khmer innocent freedom fighters spilled, then we kick YUON's invader out of Cambodia in 1987-1988.

As soon as YUON realized their ambition of swallow Cambodia failed that time, YUONS order another YUON Vietminh name Hor Nam Hoang start to have secret negotiation with Sihanouk and YUON Monique to be on YUON-PRK side by promise Sihanouk that he will be king again, before and during UNTAC operation inside Cambodia. Finally YUON secret and dirty strategies through Vietminh Hor Nam Hoang was succeeded.

With what ever benefit to YUON-Vietcong-Vietminh, Monique will force Sihanouk to do it, if they don't why now Sihanouk and YUON Monique SIDE WITH HUN SEN THE YUON SLAVE GOVERNMENT FOR ???

They never severely protested or mentioned about 4-5 million illegal YUONS inside Cambodia including 100,000.00 YUON's arm forces who disguised as Khmer arm forces whom they return back to Cambodia after 1993 UNTAC unfair election, which is absolutely against the 23rd October 1991 Paris peace agreement.

9- THIS IS WHY I SAID MONIQUE IS AND WAS NOT KHMER, IF SHE IS KHMER SHE MUST DEFEND KHMER INTERESTS !!!

May almighty God and the free world countries help to rescue Cambodia from YUON's occupation and China influences soon.


KHMER LAND IS OURS

Kerulen Monorom
(the rice farmer's son)


Some of our beloved Khmers here do not agree with my ideas and some are, that is OK, because I am only the rice farmer's son, but I would like every true patriot's Khmer who lives around the world to carve my words onto their hearts and remember them for ever. At the end of the day you all will see whether the rice farmer's son (have never been a Khmer Rouge or Khmer Rouge supporter, and never have been a YUON's slave)words are full of meaning or just useless hated sentences.

May almighty God and America , Canada , Finland , Australia , EU, UN, NATO help to rescue our beloved country Cambodia from YUON'S( Vietnam , Vietcong, Vietminh)occupation and China 's communist influences.

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.

KHMER LAND IS OURS.

KULEN MONOROM
(the rice farmer's son)

Anonymous said...

4:55. no one listens your nonsense. you mention that you are a rice farmer's son. do what you do best, which is rice farming.

khmer people have begun to figure the white imperialists' true evil nature. countries around the world, including china and vietnam have expelled them from their lands and are becoming very successful. we khmer need to do the same.

i am extremely of our venerable leader dr. hun sen for courting china and maintaining a solid friendship with our neighbor, vietnam.

do you it is illegal to call vietnamese people "yuon"? do us all a favor by getting out of khmer land. go to america or australia to pick trash for your white masters.

Anonymous said...

"Now YUON is swallowing Cambodia every day bit by bit"

4:55, how long have Yuon been swallowing Cambodia bit by bit? And how big is a "bit"?

Anonymous said...

Bit is more like the entire South Vietnam which is really Kampuchea Krom

Anonymous said...

To 2:41 AM!

Your stupid logic doesn't cut it! First why would you blame the so called "pro-western democrats"? Please tell me who is in power right now in Cambodia to allow "the rape and molestation of Khmer children and women by white foreigners" Who is on Earth would create such environment and allowed such bad things to flourish in Cambodia?

Listen! If the fucken soil is bad and nothing will grow!

It is a fact that AH HUN SEN economic policy continue to hold Cambodian people as hostage to live below poverty line by the world standard with no real economic opportunity and many Cambodian people are forced to risk their life to take odd jobs working in neighboring countries such Thailane, Malaysia, South Korea,...and many other Cambodian people are forced to sell their body to put food on the table for their family and children!

I have to wonder why AH HUN SEN couldn't pass ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW which requires all Cambodian leaders to declare their ownership and salary before taking office and after leaving office! AH HUN SEN couldn't pass the fucken 'ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW" because with his modest income and he own a private jet, helicopters, limousines, and a mansions, and thousand of bodyguards and hundred of million of dollars in foreign banks!

Now I like to think that the reason Cambodian people chose a leader because the leader has the vision of a better future and have the ability to solve all kinds of problem to make Cambodian people life just a little easier!

Since AH HUN SEN dictator has been in power for over 30 years and he can't even solve and even reduce corruption problems in Cambodia even with his so called "IRON FIST"! What does this tell you about AH HUN SEN as Cambodian leader? AH HUN SEN is one incompetent self-educated fool! He has no vision, no decision making, and no responsibility!

AH HUN SEN is Cambodian leader and it is he who will take responsibility for all the illness that is happening in Cambodia because it is he who has the power to make a change and pass the fucken law to protect Cambodian people! So for all the illness that existed in Cambodia it is because AH HUN SEN allowed it to happen and it will be his down fall and it will be his legacy as the Vietcong puppet whose goal is to serve the Vietcong master to destroy Cambodia!

Anonymous said...

Dear Monorom,thank you for your clear history for our true Cambodian compatriots.I agree 100% with your long comment,I thank for that so much .We all have to stand up for our nation by talk to international communities and to let them know that Cambodia is under attacked by vietcongs's puppet government.

Anonymous said...

2:41AM your name is Cambodian name but perhaps you took too much bribes from honamhong (vietcong secret agent)that why you sound that PM HUN SEN is stupid.he still still know what is black what is white.

Anonymous said...

Hey, bribing is illegal in Cambodia. Only lobbying is allowed.

Anonymous said...

I'm v8,man...i'd think a vietcong people have a politicle war game of their own.but who mention a vietcong can swallow khmer bit by bit?well they can't, because it will get stuck!!because we got a BIG DICKS!!ha!!ha!!so good luck in your wet dream.and those kids they were vietcong kids.they were born to suck dick!just like thier ancestor.we khmer love westerner.

Anonymous said...

"we khmer love westerner."

True, but we hate their stupid PhDs.

Anonymous said...

11:56 am. your points and concerns are noble and valid, so why not devote your understanding and good intentions to help our country move forward? i am not affiliated with hun sen government or benefit from corruption in any way. far from it.

i think the key is unity and cooperation among khmer people, not between khmer puppets of westerners, vietnamese, or whatever. so, i urge you to stop cursing me and our leader and lend your expertise and understanding to the advancement of our country.

the problems that our country faces are all the result of foreign in cambodian affairs. so these are challenges that cambodians must solve TOGETHER.

Anonymous said...

I'm v8,lets talk worikng together? sure,but fist you guys have to open your eye ane ear,because we have more eye and ear then you guys are!when we cream and shout, we're know when the danger is coming,and the danger right now it not the westerner.it's the VC,don't make the same misstake twices,during french,colonal we lost "khmer kampuchea krom to the @#$%^!!we cambodian people love westerner.

Anonymous said...

No, the danger right now is the westerner. Look at Iraq, who the hell would want to live in that environment?

Anonymous said...

I'm v8,Irag,that in the middle east,and vietrat,that in the southeast,and we got noting to do with ether once of them.the vietrat,know how it feel to GET Bomb by the US,oh...!that's to bad...!we should have never interfere with the us,in the first place,we should let the us, bomb the hell out of vietrat.now i regret to see a vietrat all over the place.we Cambodia love westerner.

Anonymous said...

I would like us to treat each other with respect. I pick up lots of strong emotions of desperation, anger, sadness, unfairness and lashing out. I think love and peace begin in our hearts and all beings( including all humans) are our brothers and sisters-----their DNA are the same as ours---we are all children of the Universe). We are all related.

I am sorry the Khmer people suffered so much and are continuing to suffer.

With Global Climate Change happening...within the next 200 years most land near the water in Cambodia or Kapuchea Khrom will be claimed by the sea.....

The people who live easily in cities and lead priviledged lives may not know how to survive the chaos that are to come.

Thus, the Khmer Krom people who suffered so much and learned to survive many difficult conditions may become some of the people in the world who may succeed to survive the disaster to come from the destructions of the earth environment( Global Climate Change) created from us humans.

It is the poor, the sufferers who will inherit the earth because they are experts at surviving on nothing.

Please, remember that appearances are deceptive...........................................................

Loving your enemy is mostly the best weapon...not hating him.......because he is really you.....We have one common father in the solar system.....The sun..........the sun provides life to us all equally.

May you be blessed and loved.

May the people who suffered and continue to suffer unjustly be blessed and loved.

May the Earth have pity on us and not destroy all of us within the next thousand years.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your prayers and wishes for us, but let me make it clear: We do not hate anyone. We just don't want people who destroyed us in the past to come back to destroyed us again and again. What is wrong with that?