So, after three years I find myself returning to Cambodia -
the country that I had wanted to visit for years and fell in love with. The capital, Phnom Penh has a population of around
a million people and in many respects is so like many other Asian cities in developing nations. Hot,dusty,windswept,chaotic,smelly and
yet beautiful in its own special way, PP has a real 'buzz', energy and vitality so typical of this part of the world.
I wondered if much had changed in this country since my last visit. Talking to some of the locals - it seems
not a great deal in many respects.
Many talk of their disregard for the present government under the leadership of PM, Hun Sen. Previously
an active member within the feared Khmer Rouge, he's bright man who has always seemed to wield power whichever
side he's on and is generally regarded as corrupt, powerful and untouchable. Until recently the Cambodian parliament
had not met for almost a year, refusing to ratify legislation that would make it illegal to vote against him. A compromise
was reached but recently one opposition leader was 'escorted' from the country, whilst another was recently accused
of planning subversive activities in an effort to sieze control. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch stated
their concerns in a recent report but Hun Sen plans on dividing up their seats between his party and other coalition
members. Surprise surprise - that will give him the two thirds majority that he needs to enact any policies he likes!
(Don't mention this to George Bush or Tony Blair - they might like the idea).
To put that in perspective - when compared with the last thirty years of Cambodian history, its relatively
calm here. For a small nation that experienced a five year civil war, US bombing for several years in the late sixties
- early seventies, genocide on a horrific scale that lead to the deaths of millions, a country that remains littered
with mine fields - the current situation is calm, if frustrating and predictable for locals and those with a sense of justice
and concern for human rights.
You don't have to scratch below the surface at all to find dissenting voices. Cambodia's young are not happy
with their lot but feel powerless, as one young man commented to me " we just hope he (Hun Sen) will go and that then
everything will be ok...there will not be another war but we are not happy...but what can we do?"
The young man in question explained that corruption is the norm here - to get a good job for example,
you have to provide what we would call bribes, of perhaps $50 - $100. For the majority of the population who survive
on just a few dollars a week, that is out of the question - so they are trapped.
There is wealth here - plenty of Cambodians driving around in huge Japanese four wheel drives with tinted
windows, honking their horns to move others out of their path. Some of them may have worked genuinely hard for it but the
perception amongst many here is that they are almost certainly 'on the make' with links to local and central government. Its
the way things are done here. Sinister perhaps but also very real.
The huge gap between rich and poor seems as great as ever with many Cambodians surviving on less than the
average $30 monthly income. In PP itself there are always young children walking the streets - begging, selling trinkets,
newspapers, shoe shine services, flowers, books. I'd also forgotten how many people have lost, and continue to lose their
limbs or sight after setting off one of the estimated 10,000,000 unexploded mines in the country. Its a heartbreaking reality
that belittles our comfortable lives and occasional obsessions with all that is so relatively trivial. Plenty of perspective
here, right in your face.
There are also a great deal of homeless families surviving on their wits, wandering the streets at
all hours with their children following obediently. Constant reminders of the dangers that lurk here as many adults and children,
disabled by mines, hobble around the streets. There isn't a welfare state here, so much of the work is carried out by
local voulntary groups with support from international and national NGO's.
Perhaps my initial words seem despondent...but that is the reality for many here. Having said that, Phnom
Penh is a vibrant, colourful, exciting place to hang out. The banks of the Mekong, like so many ancient cities, house a range
of colonial buildings which tend to be hotels and cafes and some of the Cambodian architecture is also very impressive - The
Royal Palace and National Museum to name two.
Streets are lined with shops selling everything you could ever need, markets buzz with life, exotic and
tempting smells competing with those that make you feel ill. Hawkers selling their wares - roast spiders, insects, sticky
rice wrapped in banana leaves, noodle soup, barbecued quail or duck eggs - its all here.
Strangely enough, the city also has an Olympic
Stadium, built one assumes in more optimistic times. Spurred on by events in Athens 2004, I made the short trip across town,
determined to explore this mysterious 'white elephant' and gather some of my own Olympic spirit. Sure enough - classic sixties
design features with neglected running track, overgrown long jump pits and strangely silent and forboding terraces. Unable
to resist my boyish tendency to explore I wandered underneath the main stands to find dusty changing rooms and neglected basketball
courts, frozen in time. One of the strangest experiences of my life - if you ever visit here, I urge you to pay a visit, very
spooky indeed.
The roads are generally hectic with little regard for the highway code (whats that?), crossing points are
a waste of white paint quite frankly as moto's, cars, rickshaws and pedestrians snake along to the sound of dozens of horns
being sounded. Having been in Asia before, you tend to just grit your teeth at near misses, close your eyes as your driver
swerves, slows and speeds up with an air of calmness belying your circumstances. It is great fun though! A little like a trip
to the fairground but far more dangerous - fantastic!
By now, some of you may be wondering why i'm here - but I love it!
I have made serious enquiries about work here - there are plenty of teaching jobs and other opportunities
in numerous social welfare programes (both paid and voluntary), so at present, Cambodia looks the favourite for me to return
in the new year.
The people here are some of the most friendly and generous I've ever met, which was reinforced when
the owner of our guesthouse arranged a surprise party for his daughters birthday. As well as various family members from all
over Cambodia, all those staying at the guesthouse were invited and sampled delicious Khmer food and breathtaking local punch.
After eating, the festivities continued with all the children in the family singing songs, followed by the French guests,
Australian/New Zealanders/English singing Waltzing Matilda of all things and then numerous Khmer songs - good old fashioned
fun, Cambodia style - warm and reassuring - wonderful!
