Before I launch into a short, hopefully concise treatise on the history and culture of Cambodia, let me reiterate my gratitude and appreciation for all those who have supported this project. Despite reaching our 88 bikes goal, the donations continue to roll in. Let me issue a special thanks to: Vanessa Vanhille, Sarah Frenning, Frank Taft and Cynthia McSherry-- all friends of mine-- who have donated bonus bikes. Now, on to the nitty gritty.
Dan, Nick and I decided a few days ago that it would be nice to publish a post or two about the history of Cambodia and its role in the world. We figured that if you were anything like us prior to this project that you probably don't know a whole lot about this little country. I am sorry to say that before this project was conceived I wasn't even sure in which part of Asia Cambodia resided. I am happy to say that this has been rectified. In fact, since mid-October, I have read extensively on Cambodia, and watched several movies about Cambodia. My references, and recommended readings and viewings are:
The History of Cambodia By David Chandler, Khmer: the Lost Empire of Cambodia, A Concise history of South East Asia By Mary Heidhues, and the films The Killing Fields and S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine. Keep in mind that Chandler's book is the definitive text on the subject, and that the films are not for the faint of heart.
This post will be divided into 3 parts, due to length. I apologize if it is too dry or academic. All I can say in my defense is that there is a good reason that Dan writes books and makes movies while I diagnose and treat disease. And ne'er the twain shall meet. And with that, on to the introduction.
Introduction: Cambodia is a magical land with an ancient history rich in culture and sophistication and a recent history equally terrible in bloodshed and destruction. I find the genocide of 3 million Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge in the space of a little less than 4 years (1975-78) one of the greatest human tragedies in history. This is equally disturbing since this holocaust occurred in my lifetime, and under the auspices of the great peacekeeper and equalizer, the United Nations. But it goes to show you that one evil dictator, when given the right (or rather, wrong) set of political circumstances can wreak incredible havoc.
Apart from the horrible human rights tragedy, is the tragedy of the land. Cambodia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is flat in the middle like a pancake, and bordered by mountains and thick tropical rainforests. Elephants, tigers, rhinoceros are indigenous here. There are lush waterfalls, and spectacular vistas. There are even freshwater dolphins. But after years of war, carpet bombing by the US, land mining of sacred sites, and clearcutting, Cambodia has lost much of its natural splendor, though by no means all. There are still lush rainforests and spectacular waterfalls, and rhinoceros, elephants and tigers still roam some of the jungles. This is thanks in large part to the presence of several national parks that are scattered around the country. It is these natural wonders, along with the many ancient temples, like Angkor Wat, that have drawn visitors from around the world. It is likely that tourism must, and will, form the backbone of economic recovery for Cambodia for the next few years.
And so, in introduction let me say that I am really excited to visit this resilient country, and dump some of my American dollars into its economy. I am proud to have the opportunity to use my expertise and knowledge to serve a people who have suffered so much, but who have also come so far in so few years. And in some small way, I wish to make amends for the deception and harm that my country inflicted on Cambodia over the past 50 years.
The next part in this series will focus on the early history of Cambodia from 4000 BC to 13oo AD.
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Posted by: tatianahunt download | May 18, 2008 at 06:46 AM