Wednesday, January 21, 2009

On the Margins: Rights Abuses of Ethnic Khmer in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta


January 21, 2009

Human Rights Watch

This report documents ongoing violations of the rights of the Khmer Krom in southern Vietnam and also abuses in Cambodia against Khmer Krom who have fled there for refuge. Wary about possible Khmer Krom nationalist aspirations, Vietnam has suppressed peaceful expressions of dissent and banned Khmer Krom human rights publications. It also tightly controls the Theravada Buddhism practiced by the Khmer Krom, who see this form of Buddhism as the foundation of their distinct culture and ethnic identity.

Get the Report:
Read the report online by click each section in the following table of contents:

Table of Contents

On the Margins


Map of Mekong Delta Region Provinces, Vietnam

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Crackdown on Protests in the Mekong Delta


IV. Other Rights Problems Faced by Ethnic Khmer in Vietnam

V. Cambodia Cracks Down on Khmer Krom Activists


VI. Recommendations


Acknowledgments


Appendix A: Indictment of the Five Monks[266]

Appendix B: Handwritten Appeals from Khmer Krom in Vietnam

Appendix C: Vietnamese State Press Coverage, Tim Sakhorn

Appendix D: Letter from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to Norodom Sihanouk Regarding Tim Sakhorn

Appendix E: Human Rights Watch Letter to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Appendix F: Vietnamese Embassy's Response to Human Rights Watch

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel so sorry for Khmer Krom people, but not for Khmers in Cambodia. Khmers in Cambodia and oversea many are very mean and racist toward the minority Khmers.
My grand mother was born in Saigon because of her parents worked there during French ruled everybody could travel. My great grand mother was Khmer and my great grand Father was Chinese from China. So where did they want my grand mother born if her parents assigned to work there. Then my great grand parents moved back to Cambodia, and our Khmers in Cambodia always called my grand mother Srey Youn. I hate them so much.

Anonymous said...

Lettre ouverte à Samdach Ta vous qui aime et aime tant la justice vous n'arretez pas d'écrire sur votre étoiles sur les trates à commencer par LON NOL et ses cliques . Avez vous suivi la situations de ces malheureux KKROM , etes vous sourd muet et indifférence , ou etes vous complices de ses dirigeants vietnamiens , Samdach Ta IL FAUT OSER DE DIRE A VOTRE AMIS VIETNAMIENS POUR PROVER QUE VOUS ETES VRAIEMENT UN VRAI KHMER ET NON UN ROI KBAT CHEAT Merci

Anonymous said...

I don't see the word Srey Youn is any being racist but unless you are paranoid about racism. Does the word Srey Khmer a racist word to you?

Anonymous said...

They just said Vietnames people are bad,but they always marrieged with Vietnames girl all the time.Your sound like opposition party.And always make trouble with khmer phnom penh.

Anonymous said...

My beloved brother or sister 2:09PM – As long as you have Khmer conscious and promote Khmer interests, the Khmer nation always welcome and respect you and your family, and consider you and your family as part of our Khmer nation regardless of where your grand mother, your parents and you were born. Rest assured that you and you family are part of our Grand Khmer family, and don’t let a few idiots tell you otherwise.

Anonymous said...

3:05PM.
Vous avez la connaissance nulle au sujet de la guerre froide.
Trop de personnes stupides vous aiment autour, aucune merveille Cambodge restent souffrantes.
Viva le Roi Sihanouk.

Anonymous said...

5:33PM.
You cannot see or feel because you weren't there to witness what had happened. Perhaps, you are one of the group who hate the minority Khmers.
Calling your own people srey Youn is racist, calling srey Youn as srey Youn is nothing wrong.
Get it blockhead?
What is I called your mother srey Youn, how would you feel?

Anonymous said...

8:40PM. Do you know I was born in Phillippines camp, but I was told if I break the law I will be deported to Cambodia?

The same thing like my grand mother who happened to be born in Saigon while my great grand parents were assigned to work there.
At that time Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were one nation under France.
Million Khmer Krom born in Vietnam in their very own land and why don't you call them Youn instead of Khmer Krom? Don't shit with me, I know exactly these Khmers are racist. Now you can understand why they killed own Khmers because Youn knew their crazy mind, so Youn used them to kill each others.