Stateless Khmer-Kroms from the Mekong Delta

May 25, 2007
by KKM Staff

Is there a place on the planet Earth for Khmer-Krom? Currently, the answer is no! Khmer-Krom's homeland (the Mekong Delta) is currently being colonized by the state of Vietnam. The repressive Vietnamese colonizers have so far destroyed the social fabric and way-of-life that were deep-rooted in Khmer-Krom society. Khmer-Krom's traditional farmlands have mostly owned by the Vietnamese. Traditional ceremonies which have been practised by Khmer-Krom for centuries slowly abandoned due to State's strict policies and due to lack of younger generation to carry it forward. Many Khmer-Krom young have now left their traditional villages and towns for the odd jobs in the Vietnamese urban cities.

Khmer-Krom's origin is the Funan's people. The state of Funan was then amalgamated with Chenla state to establish Kampuchea (today Cambodia). Since the southern expansion of the Vietnamese north from southern China, Khmer-Krom's homeland have slowly fallen under the domination of the Vietnamese newcomers.

Today, very few Khmer-Kroms own lands and properties and become slaves in their homeland. Most of them are equipped with very little education. Most don't even speak/write their own Khmer language, due to lack of access. Even if they go to school they can only learn in Vietnamese.

Khmer-Krom are truly stateless. In their homeland--the Mekong delta(south Vietnam), the Vietnamese refer to them as "nguoi Mien" meaning Khmer people in Vietnamese language. While in Cambodia, Khmer-Kroms are called Khmer, but not legally binding as Khmer citizen. They do not receive proper legal status. Even if they do they must agree to give up their place of origin. They must declare that they were born in Cambodia instead.

Because Khmer-Krom are called Khmer loosely by Cambodia, the world do not consider them as refugee even though they fled their homeland, mostly due to political reasons.