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phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

There have been a lot of coverage lately about the problem of child prostitution in our homeland. It have stir quite an emotions here abroad. There are many contributing factors that may cause child prostitution, I have pick one big and general contributing factor that seems to be the underlying factor to this sickening act.

First, please forgive me while I vent my emotions a bit. Around the world, Cambodians people are viewed as a peaceful, conservative, tradtional people. Now, as these stories being bombarded in the press, Cambodia and its people are being mentioned with such countries such as Vietnam and Thailand...where child prostitution have been known to occur as frequent as the ticking of the clock.

URBAN SPRAWL is defined as a movement of residences of "good" and "richer" people from the big cities to the outskirt of towns and cities. While at the same time, the less fortunate families such as the farmers and the ranchers are moving into the cities.
The farmers are moving into the cities in hope of finding a better paying jobs (like the textile factories) or they have lost their land due to corruptions. Now since there a continuous mass migration of the farmers into the cities and all are looking to find that "better" paying jobs and when there are not enough jobs for everybody, what are these people going to do to put to feed their families? Most cannot return to their farms because they have lost it or sold it.
Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, and strangers are selling kids to the brothels.

Khmers was once a proud race. Our ancestors have left us with a historical monuments (Ankors) as to how they use to ruled this region in the world. Where are we now?

phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Great article by a great writer. Cut and paste this article to your web browser

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1543174,00.html

phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14483961/

dodgerob79 · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

People who jump to conclusions on any basis do not deserve any time of day. Such a shame that it has come to this.
Rob
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phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Would you elaborate on that statement a bit, Rob? Is it my writing or the writers'?
Since the writers have videos and pictures to prove there an existence of child prostitution in Cambodia, I assume you incinuate my connections between "urban sprawl" and "Child prostitution".
Add this to that equation too, Rob. "Land Grabbing", "Corruptions", etc..
Land Grabbing should be an addendum to the idea of "urban sprawl".
I hope that clear it up a bit.

Feeling Lost · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

It's easy to criticize but it's harder to get invloved and help. Yes, Cambodia is plagued by corruption. Yes, its economic growth is slow. Yes, there are a lot of social issues. Yes, land grabbing is an issue. But what can we help? Gandhi says [b]"Be the change that you want to see in this world." [/b]Corruption can be dealth with starting from each and everyone of us. Stay clean. Don't corrupt even if it is a little bit. Child prostitution, don't go to brothel even if the prostitutes are grown up. Work hard and keep a positive attitude. Imagine if every Cambodian works hard and is honest in their work, the economic will be booming. Land grabbing? Who are the people going around looking to speculate land? Why do the poor sell their land and hope to get it back through protest? What Cambodia needs is human resource. Not all of those who can go abroad and study are from rich family. Many of them are those who work hard and live a dream - to go and study abroad to come back and serve the country. I believe every Cambodian loves their country. Cambodians here I refer to all who are living in Cambodia, not just the Khmer.

[b]"I am only one person. I cannot do everything. But I can do something. And I will not refuse to do the little thing that I can."[/b]

phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Very well written. Thank you. What you have said are mostly correct and I have met a gentleman in a coffee shop who went to Japan to study and come back home to serve. A very nice addition to Cambodia. But, "he is one of the few" and that is his own words.

About the land grabbing, I have heard of some poors who have sold their land and have finally garner enough people to assembled a protest. But did you ever heard of the tactics that they have used to make these poors sell? I have recently heard of the expansion planned for Chroy Changva and I have also heard of the tactics that was used to vacate the lands. It is true that the stories I have heard may have been fabricated, but when you hear it from multiple sources and they all seems to be following the same line of stories and tactics of acquisition, I tend to believe it. But dont believe me but go and do the research yourself.

I am in absolute agreement with you regarding the need for human resource. Many of us love our mother land but does it make sense for us to be there now? If you are not connected to anyone big, you wont be able to accomplish much...isnt that true? How is the general feelings amongst the common people when they or someone that they are with speak out against or disagree with with government? Many of us want to return ....

phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

One other addendum:

My feeling toward PM Hun Sen himself is not entirely negative. He has done some wonderful things for Cambodia. Would those things have gotten done without the PM in charge, I dont know? The rest of the nations in this world are very dynamic, Cambodia changes too but at a very slow pace. And believe me, that is not an entirely bad thing. Changes can bring prosperity to a country but at what cost? Cambodia is a nation of merchants. At the moment, we are selling everything that we can. The lands, the water rights, the trees, and even Angkor Wat are all up for a grab.

Immigration: NOT ALL the people who are living in Cambodia love Cambodia, the influx of Vietnamese and Chinese into Cambodia is absolutely changes Cambodia in a very dramatic rate. The doors to our house is swung wide open...

phnompenhson · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Land grabbing does not exist?

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/TXT/current/stories/1603/boeung.htm