Thursday, March 25, 2010

Cambodians to march against rising hemlines on schoolgirls' skirts

Thu, 25 Mar 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - Teachers and students from schools in the capital plan to march this weekend in an effort to persuade the government to ban creeping hemlines on schoolgirls' skirts, local media reported Thursday.

The Khmer Teachers' Association said the protest, which will involve around 300 teachers and students, would help to protect local culture from foreign influences.

"I want to improve and retain the Khmer culture that we had many years ago - some Khmer women have changed their manner by copying other cultures and wearing short skirts or sexy clothes in schools and public places," the body's director Sean Bunheang said.

He told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper that such influences could destroy Cambodian culture, and wants the Ministry of Education to ban schoolgirls from wearing skirts that sit above the knee.

He said the ministry ought to take measures against students who continue to dress contrary to custom.

"I see that some female students don't wear the Khmer student uniform," he added. "It seems like a Western uniform."

Ouch Sophorn, a 23-year-old male English literature student, said he noticed many female students wearing short skirts.

"We always turn back to see them," he admitted. "I like to see them wearing short skirts, but I wouldn't want my sister or my girlfriends to do that. I think it is not our tradition."

An official at the Ministry of Education said existing rules decreed that female students should wear skirts that hang below the knee, adding that he approved of the march since it would remind students to dress appropriately.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

What Khmer culture? You Khmer don't have shit. Pol Pot and hun sen are the real Khmer culture

Anonymous said...

12:32 PM,

Really?

Anonymous said...

12:32 PM
You better come to Long Beach and say "You Khmer don't have shit"

Anonymous said...

I agree with the article. School and university students should not wear short skirts. This focuses only students, not all Khmer. You can do what you think is good, but you have to look into the eyes of Khmer people whether they like the way you dress or not. Even, it is modern day, you have to remember you live in Cambodia, not western countries.

Anonymous said...

12:32
Someone has insecurities about their own culture and self... that is why they have to attack other culture. I feel sorry for you. Was your mother a prostitute also? She probably couldn't tell you who your bastard father was ha?

Khmer has had 2000 years of culture! Whereas the Dai-Viet didn't even exist on the maps, until it freed itself from 1000 years of Bondage, under the bondage, Vietnam adopted all of it's culture from China.
Siams on the other hand, were refugees escaping Mongol invasion and resettled in the area next to the Khmer Empire and adopted Khmer culture and claimed it as its own.

Anonymous said...

Pol Pot and Hun Sen are what the Vietnamese gave to Cambodia, to destroy our people and our country! The Vietnamese have always been venomous snakes, they gain what they want by using Machiavellian tactics!

Anonymous said...

Damn you. We talk straightly about the article banning students. Do not try to raise a history of a thing.... You have bastard dad and pimp who used to be prostitute mother.

Anonymous said...

Hey idiot above at 2:03, those people are bringing up history and the truth to defend KHmer culture, because the troll at 12:32 p.m. is "stating KHmer has no culture".
If you are defending that bastard, then you are even more ignorant and a bigger idiot to defend him!

Anonymous said...

it is funny to hear this. Most of these people are men. They want to protest girls from wearing short skirt but at the same time they like to seey girl wearing short skirts.

Don't you think it is too much to tell people what to wear? Are you not violating someone's right?

Anonymous said...

It's not safe to treat this topic without being controversial either way.

'Khmer' women are sensual enough even without the mini skirts! In the sixties and the seventies, even the CIA took note of this detail.

There was something of a backlash against perceived sexual 'repression' of women during the Khmer Republic period through popular culture such as music and fashion. To some this backlash was a welcome break from traditional mores and constraints imposed on society in general, and on women in particular. To conservatives it meant depreciation and defacement of Khmer norms and values which placed distinct unspoken emphasis on propriety in most spheres of human conduct.

Such emphasis may be rooted in Buddhist strictures on thought, speech, livelihood, action etc. that conform to core ethics, and be conducive to the well-being, of society at large.

The tension between foreign and traditional Khmer culture can be seen in the rather precarious manner in which most Khmer women still posture or balance themselves on the front and rear seat of a moto bike or sitting down in any public location by subconsciously and neatly arranging the body to minimise sexual immodesty. To jaundiced foreign, western eyes, this behaviour may appear unnecessary and repressive of womankind - or just Khmer women - yet it may or may not constitute sufficient evidence of sexual repression as such. Unless, sexuality is also defined in non-private sphere. See Zhou Takoun's 12th century account on the predatory sexual appetite of Khmer women.

The early school years are thought to be vital for younger generations as they are the future of a country. While they are young and impressionable, educational institutions and parents alike must decide together on what is in their own and society's interest.

Stories are abound about school girls swapping their school uniforms for 'sexy' disco dress at night clubs not a great distance away from the college; many are lured to discreet places, sedated and raped by sexual predators.

At university level when most students are 18 or 19, the dress code should be relaxed and young adults allowed to decide for themselves with regard to social identity.

This issue is reflective of a post-genocidal degradation in morals and in a society's traditional values, and while not all of these values are conducive to development and progress and must therefore be jettisoned, we should tread the path of 'progress' carefully so that development invigorates and thus preserves rather than replaces our collective identity and heritage.


MP

Anonymous said...

good to enforce this regulation because for high school and under, students should conform to rules and regulation just like everywhere in the world. however, after higher and higher education institution like universities and colleges, etc..., it is their freedom to wear anything as long as it is appropriate, though. i think it has nothing to do with preservation of culture or what have you, i think it has more to do with following rules and regulations at the high school level, grade school, etc... it common sense, too not to wear tank top, mini skirt etc to high school or grade school. hey, it's not a dating place and too distractive to other students rights to studying, etc... think about it, ok!

Anonymous said...

Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime

Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...

Committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention


Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime

Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...

Committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.

"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
  
Executions
Executed over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union 
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son 
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Embezzlement
Treason
Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.  
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation

Illegally use of remote detonation bomb on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.

Lightning strike many airplanes, but did not fall from the sky.  Lightning strike out side of airplane and discharge electricity to ground. 
Source:  Lightning, Discovery Channel

Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters. 
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.

Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.

Anonymous said...

cambodia, like earth and nature, is resilient in many ways. yes, as long as there is the sun and the moon and the earth keeps rotating, there is hope in cambodia, trust me. it's the law of nature, just keep making new law to educate our society to be civilized, educated and sophisticated, etc... god bless cambodia. isolation and ignorance are the real enemies of cambodia and khmer people, ok! wake up already!

Anonymous said...

to,mr:SEANG BUNHEANG!,listen carefully,right now we are living in a democratic country whose rule by prime minister HUN SEN!,we are not living in the year zero! like POL POT`s regime!ok.So then let the students wear mini skirt but not too short,has to be in limited make sure do not show up their asses that all!,we want to see the country catch up with the whole world.IF you think for your own goodness,you might be abuse the KHMER`s student girls or the whole women in the KHMER KINGDOM.Like i said again and again,everything has to be release but in the limited,reconsideration before you open your stinky mouth to be as proud as a peacock!.DON`T BE A COCKSUCKER.

Anonymous said...

in cambodian society, khmer people like to dress nice, especially during holiday, festivals, etc. doesn't mean we want to have sex with you, ok. we also like to smell nice too, so, that has nothing to do with dating you or sale our body for sex, ok! know the difference. however, i agree that school, especially high school and below are not a place for dating game! you should've seen khmer people in the 1960s and before the stupid KR regime took over, we dressed so nice and very civilized, and of course, we want to be like that again. so, it has nothing to do with dating you or sex or whatever you pervert may think, ok! it's one of those khmer things that you have to be educated about khmer to understand, you know! god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with the article. Now a day, Cambodian girls want to copy the European style. They think, it's cool to be liked "white trash"/ divas. What happens to Cambodian culture/tradition/custom? Please try to preserve Khmer tradition! Why want to be liked "white trash, or divas,? It's not our culture at all. These "white trash/divas make money out of these.

Cambodian government should step in and ban all the non khmer tradition, example, Valentine's Day. Just ban that freakin holiday. Also, punish school girls who wear skirts above their knees and no tank tops, please. A hell wrong with these! Wearing short sexy skirts and tank tops. Why want to exposed yourself at early age? Do you want to be a call girl when out of school? I hope, there will be more people marching this weekend. I'll join them!

Born and proud to be Khmer!

Anonymous said...

Mr,SEANG BUNHEANG are you ex-Khmer rouge or what?.Go to hell you scump!motherfucker,shit head!.Why don`t you go living with your uncle POL POT,ta MOK and HO CHI MING!FUCKING shit!.Probably,you`ll be happy to see KHMER students girls dressing in black pejama with krama around the fucking neck or what????.If you prefer like that you have to wait until you become the first prime minister in CAMBODIA ok!mother@$#!%#&ker!!!!.I`m being sick!,right now of your stupidity fucking idear! asshole!.I bet you,you should come to visit in the third country,you`ll see how their people dressed look like and how their country has been developing.Wake up you froggy short dick! flat ass with a tiny brain.Listen to 2:24am ok!,watch out you rotten pupil.

Anonymous said...

If I were elected Khmerican president of the USA today I'll change my regulation tomorrow. I will be more very stricted all American citizens for all grade school K-5, 6-8, 9-12 all uniforms should be worn with ID, otherwise we will suspended you for the whole following week such as cell and food in class. One more thing boys nor girls should not wear inappropriate jewelrys allow in school neither. I'm just sick and tired of these adolescent.

Anonymous said...

Stop the repression of women, we live in a society where freedom of choice should be made available to everyone. We have bigger issues to worry about, These people should be marching for against land-grabbing, the corruption of the ruling party, the oppression of the poor, Vietnamization of Cambodia, and the poverty that has gripped our nation and has made life a living hell for the average Khmer in Cambodia!

Anonymous said...

11:06 am

Freedom of choice have limite and the parameter to abit by. Event in the US...Q - if you don't have money to buy what you want - do you have the right to take it from the store? I don't think so. Anyway, awearness to better Khmer culture...is always appreciate. I am sure this protest is not against all Khmer women, except those that are attending school. As one know, good education is costly. Any distruction attention such as short skirt in the school paremeter should be enforce (this only better for the students themselves in the long-run). There mind should be concentrate with the education at hand. So they don't need the girls to degrad themselves by showing off their secret part...young men could not concentrate on their study....I support this action 100%, this action does not show that Khmer are backward in their fashion, it only show that the teachers and others students have a better understand of how students should behave...

As one of the Khmer teachers, I really support this action!! Thanks from this side of the ocean for your afford, dedicaiton, and commitment toward Khmer students