The problem stems from the Khmer Rouge period, when all official documentation was destroyed and the population was displaced. Since then the land title system has not recovered. Only the very rich can afford to buy property and to pay the bribes necessary at each level to secure a title. As a result, most people have no proof that they own a property, even if it has been in their family for hundreds of years (most people started again after the Khmer Rouge though – so many families have lived on properties for about 20 years which is still quite a substantial amount of time). Basically, around Kampong Thom, wealthy farmers and companies, in cahoots with corrupt officials, are forcing families off their family plots, leaving them homeless and without a means of income. Most rural families are ill educated; they have now idea how to stop this from happening or what to do if someone tries to take their land. Even if they do know they can take it to court and defend their rights, then the wealthy farmers/companies will usually buy off the judiciary. So it is a pretty bad situation.
On the up side, organisations like the Legal Aid Cambodia are doing some good work and having moderate success in representing poor people. But, their resources are limited and there is a lot of dispossession happening around the country. It can be quite dangerous work; at worst some activists have ‘disappeared’, at best there have been more ‘inspections’ on organisations helping people defend their rights. Many NGOs are a little reluctant to deal with this issue, but my boss and I think it is worth while and my NGO has a good relationship with local officials, so I hope we go ahead with it (the staff are going to decide this week at a staff meeting). If it goes ahead we will be educating people on their rights, working with local officials, the judiciary and lining up legal support for victims.
So work has been going well and is really interesting. Although I am getting a little frustrated with the internet connection; it is very difficult to research programs and funding, when there is only one connection and it is slower than a train on the Bankstown Line. It seriously takes me an hour to reply to a couple of emails (I apologise to anyone who was hoping for replies and I haven’t – don’t think I don’t appreciate you and your thoughts). The other day I was over waiting, and decided to go to the internet café and work from there. The connection isn’t much faster, but at least I don’t have to wait for other people to finish. No one had a problem with it, so I might do that a bit more often.
As I have already mentioned, the last few days were public holidays. I had a date of sorts with Lainie, whom I have mentioned previously. Lainie is another Australian volunteer working in Poipet, on the border with
The next day Lainie and I headed off to Sisophon, on our way to Poipet. It is a three hour drive between Siem Reap and Sisophon. Even though it is a highway and the main road leading to the Thai border, the road is not sealed and quite rough. The rumour doing the rounds is that Thai Airways gives large amounts of money to the Cambodian Government so that they take their time sealing it, as the airline makes a lot of money flying tourists to and from Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat) from Bangkok.
Anyhow, we spent the night visiting our friend Laura (another AYAD) in Sisophon. We had a bit of a dinner party at Laura’s and cooked up a western feast, using supplies we bought in Siem Reap, of pasta and vanilla slice. Sisophon itself, is quite a nice spot, nestled under hill that has a
The next day Lainie and I headed to Poipet. We took a share taxi and they piled eight people in; driver, two in the passenger seat and five in the back seat (including me and Lainie). Sometimes they try to squeeze even more people in, but not that day. Because of the limited room, Lainie sat on my lap, which I didn’t mind at all. The road is at its worst between Sisophon and Poipet; it was really really bumpy, but it only took about an hour and a half.
Poipet would have to be one of, if not the, ugliest parts of
There are parts of town that sit in muddy bogs, houses made from plastic sheeting and rubbish just strewn in piles through the street. Old clothes sit like a carpet across the muddy banks of the back streets. There are few trees and heaps of mud. I felt there was a definite tension as we walked around the town. I realised just how laid back Kampong Thom is in comparison. While were walking about my new thongs got stuck in some mud and broke (cheap thongs) to the amusement of some nearby, orange be robed, monks. We jumped on a moto and went to the markets, where as usual, I had trouble finding something that would fit me and ended up with thongs that were a little too small.
Almost, overshadowing Poipet are several Casinos’ that sit in the ‘no mans land’ between the Cambodian and Thai borders. It is quite surreal, the stark contrast of the casino’s wealth and modernity against the town, but we went there for dinner anyhow. We had dinner in a proper Chinese restaurant and I tried my hand a little roulette. Ever the shrewd gambler, I doubled my small bet and we left. On the way out we found a night club (wonder of wonders) with a live band, so we had a few drinks and a bit of a boogie there. They played a few English pop songs (most likely for our benefit) which we found highly entertaining as the emphasised the wrong parts of the words. We were the only people dancing (well, except for the Thai girls that were being paid to dance) on the dance floor. Lainie claims she won the dance off, but I know better. It has been a while since I have been anywhere where western dancing was deemed acceptable and so it was quite fun.
The next day I had an 8 hour journey to look forward too, but I should have stayed in bed. For some reason the taxi drivers were being reluctant to take me back to Siem Reap or Sisophon. Lainie and I spent a good few hours trying to find me a ride. In Poipet, the police take a cut from the taxi drivers and if they see a foreigner get in the taxi they will expect a bigger cut, so sometimes they don’t want to take them. Eventually, after going from taxi rank to taxi rank I split a taxi with an American, who had just come over the border, and said goodbye to Lainie. After not being able to get in a share taxi, the private taxi companies literally had a fight over us. It was more expensive, but the driver took us all the way to Siem Reap and we had space to stretch out, so it was probably worth it. It had rained over night, so the road was really slippery and slow going, in parts we fish tailed through the mud.
By the time I got to Siem Reap I had missed the last bus to Kampong Thom and had to organise another taxi. Fortunately they know a thing or two about customer service in Siem Reap and I was bundled into a share taxi with 8 others in no time. Funny thing, while I was waiting in the front seat for the other passengers to arrive, one of the drivers friends kept jumping in the car, giving me a cheeky grin and moving it in front of the policemen (presumably so they could see he was carrying a westerner and would have to pay a higher bribe). The other drivers found this hilarious and were in stiches.
Despite the fact that things were quite cramped, the road was soooo smooth (being sealed) that I fell asleep for a good hour. I woke when our taxi swerved to miss a dog, then some buffalo and finally some cows.
I got home about 7pm, after having left Lainie’s hotel at about 9.30am. It was a long trip in a short amount of time, but worth it. Lainie and I had a lot of fun. It was good to get back to the peace and quiet of Kampong Thom though. I think I might be turning into a country boy – horror of horrors!
Today the staffs of MODE are having a workshop that is all in Khmer, so I was excused. But I have been watching them playing games, brain storm on butchers’ paper and singing songs. Everyone seems to be in good spirits.
My house is becoming a popular hang out for the boys from work since I got the volley ball net and the boys keep asking if they can come over and play. If they could, they would play ever day. Thankfully I have other things to do, like Khmer classes, otherwise I know they would be around every day.
My clothes were caked in mud from Sisophon and Poipet, so I was much relieved to see the cleaner this morning. I could get very use to having a cleaner. She bought us a whole bag of fried crickets the other day and left them in a bowl surrounded by water in the wok, so the ants wouldn’t get to them. Shin and I just looked at them. It was a nice gesture, but there was no way either of us were going to eat a whole bag. In the end, Shin took them to work to give to his colleagues.
The crickets are very popular though and I have tried them. One of the guys from work came in with some fried goods wrapped in newspaper. I thought – great they do fish and chips here! Yum! But then they unravelled the paper and it was full of glistening freshly fried black crickets. I have seen moments like this at the movies – but usually they are the nightmare scenes. So I had a go. They weren’t too bad – a bit like a crunchy chicken/dried fish taste. I ate about 5 so they guys from work didn’t think I was lame. But they still had a laugh at me because I ate the little legs. They don’t. Apparently it is gross to eat the feet (it is considered the dirtiest part on the human body – after the weekend I can see why). I was like, so you eat the bum and the brains, but the feet are too much?! I have also seen people putting them on steamed rice and mixing them into their lunch at the restaurant. Gross.
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