Cambodia

‘Negotiate a river by following its bends, enter a country by following its customs.’Cambodian Proverb

Population: 13,329,000
Capital: Phnom Penh; pop. 1,157,000
Area: 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 square miles)
Languages: Khmer, French, English
Religion: Theravada Buddhist
Currency: Riel
Life Expectancy at birth: 56
GDP per Capita: U.S. $1,600
Literacy: 70%

*Figures from CIA World Factbook.

Lonely Planet has a good summary and list of articles that participants will find useful.

Always check SmartTraveller before traveling to see any travel warnings and pertinent information for your trip.

Articles, podcasts and videos:

These articles and other media sources provide a good insight into the specific issues associated with international development, reconciliation and human rights in Cambodia.

• Bockers, E., Stammel, N. & Knaevelsrud, C. (2011). Reconciliation in Cambodia: thirty years after the terror of the Khmer Rouge regime.
• Pearson, J. (2005). The Multi-Cultural Iceberg: Exploring International Relationships in Cambodian Development Organisations. Praxis Note No.8. INTRAC.
• Human Rights Watch (2015). ‘Work faster or get out: labor rights abuses in Cambodia’s garment industry’. Published 18 March.
• Kiernan, B. (2002). Conflict in Cambodia, 1945-2002. Critical Asian Studies Vol.34.4.
• UNICEF (NO DATE). ‘Fact_sheet – residential_care_Cambodia‘. UNICEF.
• Bryson, G. (2011) ‘What Can I Say in Cambodia?’. ABC Radio National. Published 19 February.
• Voices across 2 ages – A 6-part documentary series in which three Cambodian students meet three victims of the Khmer Rouge atrocities. Their discussions range over the topics of forgiveness, the purpose of the Khmer Rouge trials and the future of Cambodia.
• Multi-cultural Iceberg (Praxisnote No.8/ 2005) – This article by Jenny Pearson provides context to working in cross-cultural environments in Cambodia. It critically reflects on development practice in light of the history of Western Intervention in Cambodia.

“Running under the surface of everything in Cambodia is the trauma of the past; a psychiatrist who refuses to be named tells of the human cost of Cambodia’s culture of silence.”

• Guru-Murthy, K. (2015). ‘Khemer Rouge Reality TV’. SBS. Published 26 May.

Separated by genocide, reunited by reality TV, Dateline meets the determined young TV producer finding answers the Cambodian Government struggles to about family separations.

• Cambodia Children’s Trust. ‘Working Together: How CCT Collaborates‘.

This article is an example of how a community action approach can work to in the effort to combat institutional orphanages, common in Cambodia. 

Student Materials

• Sciancalepore, J. (2015) Cambodia Through My Eyes. WordPress.

Johanna Sciancalepore developed this website during her experience in Cambodia.  In it she reveals how reflection allowed her to turn her ‘Huhhh?’ moments into ‘Ahhh’ moments.