From warm into a butterfly (Somaly Mam)

By: HIM Sokunthea & NGOEUM Phally

DMC

It is a shinny morning. Full of great respect and love, children younger than 16 years are enthusiastic to see the arrival of a lady whom they keep calling mother at Kampong Cham center, a long-term rehabilitation place offering a peaceful environment for girls that is reminiscent of their home provinces.

The energetic voice of calling from children is turning louder and louder like using mass speakers when they see a black luxurious car arriving near the front gate of the center. The smiling children accelerate to greet a lady by giving her a warm hug and kiss.

This lady is known as a founder of AFESIP, a Cambodian non-governmental organization dedicated to rescuing, housing and rehabilitating women and children in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam who have been sexually exploited, and Samaly Mam Foundation, a non- profit organization supports anti-trafficking groups and helps women who had been in the sex trafficking business. Somaly Mam is a Cambodian human right activist who is believed to have saved hundred of women from sexual slavery.

“I establish the Foundation to change society not to discriminate the female slavery’s victims. Everyone hurts when we are neglected and discriminated. ” she claims.

Somaly is recognized globally. From 1998 to the present time, she received many awards including Prince of Asturias award, Glamour Woman of the year, CNN hero, Honorary Doctor of Public Service from Regis University, and the World’s Children’s Prize for the Right of Children. She was also listed as 100 most influential people in Time Magazine, Heroes of Anti-trafficking award from U.S department and so on.

Somaly Mam’s early life

Born as an ethnic in Mondulkiri province, the northwest of Cambodia, Somaly Mam came from a poor family that struggle for life. When she was five years old was the period that Khmer Rouge regime took over the countries. With the structure of Khmer Rouge administration, thousand of Cambodian people were moved to country side. Parents and children like Somaly were forced to work separately and that was how she lost her parents.

After the regime, she was living as an orphan in the forest until she was ten when she met a man who promised to find her parents. She called the man “Grandfather” in a respect to the elder. Staying with grandfather, Somaly received neither formal education nor fulfill the expectation to see her parents; instead, it was the beginning of her nightmare journey. She was raped and treated as slave. Until she was fourteen, grandfather sold and turned her into sexual slave. She later was forced to marry a Khmer Rouge soldier. During that time, Somaly was always injured by her husband through beating and violent sex.

In the late 1980s, her husband sold her to a Phnom Penh brothel. "I was one of the eldest at that place. There were a lot of very young girls. We were treated worse than dogs,” adding that she was forced to live with snakes and scorpion,”said Somaly as quoted in the Nation. There she had to have five to six clients per day. Torturing and raping came to her immediately if she couldn’t sleep with clients.

According to the Road of lose innocence, Somaly might look very unattractive because of her black skin and ethnic originality, but she appears in a great outlook to Westerners. In 1993, she met a French man named Pierre Legros, a French man working in a Humanitarian organization in Phnom Penh. He was the first person who refused to sleep with her. Instead of non-violence and rape, Pierre helped her to build her capacity through education and got her escaped from the brothel to live in Paris. "He told me I was beautiful and paid for a school for my organization. We became brother and sister,” said Somaly in the Nation.

Having a strong optimism that she can help other sex victims, Somaly came back to Cambodia in 1996 and worked as a women to hand out the condom and medicine to brothels. In the same year, she found AFESIP and in 2007, Somaly Mam Foundation was created through the supported from the U.S department.

Way to get Success

As an ethnic girl, it was quite hard for her to struggle with her life.

“My life was so worst; I didn’t have parents to take care, I was raped and sold as sex slavery. For Cambodian people, I was looked down and seriously discriminated as a minority girl”, she stated.

However, she has struggled in her life and become succeed now based on some factors.

“Accepting the past experience and struggling in life allow me to succeed now”, she said.

She explains that first she needed to accept the fact and her past experience. Bad experience allows her to find good way to be successful. Second, she received help from the surrounding people who are so kind, helpful and reliable.

“Without help, support and love from Spain princess, I won’t become who I am now. I don’t want her whom regards me as her daughter to be upset and hurt. Therefore, I have tried my best and make her dream become true.” She added.

Finally, children help and give her energy to go through failure. She recalled her painful experience when she did not have a mother to hug and to comfort while upset and lonely. Thus, she established the Foundation to help the victims who were left neglected and ignored by other people.

“Whenever I look into the children’s eye, I know their pain because I used to experience that feeling. Psychological pain is much worse than physical one. Only love, care, kindness and encouragement could cure their feeling,” she continues.

The Somaly Mam Foundation was set up to change society by reducing discrimination on the victims. It has three mains goals. The initial one is to fulfill victims’ needs such as love and motherhood. Secondly, it provides chance for them to be educated through formal and non-formal education like sewing, weaving and etc. Finally, it works to eliminate victims’ discrimination and hatred, she claims.

“Somaly does not only refer to me but Somaly also stands for every slave victim in Cambodia,” she stated.

So far, Somaly has tried to empower all victims, so that they can live in a better condition. She has established one group of women who are sex slavery called “Voices for Change”. Eleven girls from Voices for Change go to different places to educate the poor families not to sell their children and share experience about their past time. This initiative also cooperates with 6 ministries including Ministry of Women Affairs. All the 11 girls, moreover, travel to many countries to educate and share experience with other countries.

“I intend to promote Cambodia victims to be a reader, to educate and share experiences to other countries that encounter sex slavery,” she proclaims.

The organization has worked on agriculture sector to help the poor family to be able to earn extra money to support the family. In the future, she plans to create a business center to sell the handicraft products abroad.

Somaly suggests that in order to be a good model for other people, a woman should reveal the truth, know what she wants, know about herself, respect and love herself first, struggle in life and scarify in limited condition. Also, she should use bad experience as a lesson and try to avoid same mistakes. Finally, she should not try to run away from the bad experience, or it is like a shadow to haunt her everywhere.

THE END

Kratie

What I have expected was different from what I have seen. Of course, I wish I could pay a visit to Kratie since I was in high school. Apparently, during Khmer New Year or Phhcum Ben Day, there are many people and it is so crowded. So, it inspires me to visit at least once.

Surprisingly, when I visited Kraties, it was completely wrong. There were few people and there was not so many interesting places to drop. At Psout resort, there was only my team who went there. Also, while we were traveling on board, there was less and less Psout swimming around. We had to wait a bit longer to see that animal come out.

In short, I felt a bit disappointed when I visit Kratis, esp in Psout resort cos what I have dreamed and imagined was totally different.
By: Him SokuntheDMC student

Preah Vihear Temple

Preah Vihear Temple was listed as World Heritage on July 7 2008. It is considered as the most prominent temple in Cambodia in term of its sculptures, duration and mountainous location.

The first time I have seen this temple I was so excited and impressive It was built on the top of the mountain. I spent around half an hour to reach to the top. I was wondering how could Cambodian ancestors build such a wonderful temple on the high mountain. How could they life the hug rock and did the scuplture. In addition there are many temples to have a look at this mountain; it is various from one to another. We needed one or two hours to see everthing over because there are many interesting places to visit. Furthermore, the climate was so good. It was a bit cold and warm in the morning. While I was standing on the top of the mountain, I felt like I was standing on the sky because the fogs were everywhere around me. Finally, I was so enjoyable with the view from the top. It looked very nice.

Preah Vihear Temple was the most enjoyable place for everyone to visit, particularly Cambodian. I would suggest everyone to visit Preah Vihear Temple at least one time.

BY: HIM Sokunthea

DMC student

Public Screening

We have produced a ten mini-documents about "Recapture" for our final project. Actually "Recapture" is a short story about Khmer Rouge. It deals with people's memory about Khmer Rouge Regime. After we finished shotting and editing the video, we started our trip to do the public screening. Doing the public screening for our video production was unforgettable time for me and other classmates.

To disclose our production to the public, all the team producers as well as our lecturer have been to 4 provinces, such as Battambang, Odor Meanchey, Siem Reap and Kratie. Through out our screening, we have encounter a few problems. The initial difficulty was the location to do the screening. We had to decide which places that can attract more audience. Second, it was about the technical problem. In Battambang, when we started to screen the video, there was no sound come out. Finally, it was about the weather. Because it was a raining season, we were afraid there were no audience. What we were concerned come out to be truth. Before we lauched the screening at the Pagodat (Wat) at Odor Meanchey, there was a rain like cats and dogs. There were alot of thunder and lightening. There were only few monks and elder people for the beginning. Surprisingly, when the rain stopped, there were more and more people come to see our screening.

Even though there were a few problems occured in our screening, we were so happy and excited because there were many people interested in our document.

By HIM Sokunthea

DMC student

The advantages of learning Applied Linguistics

“Applied Linguistic (AL) is typically concerned with achieving an end, with improving existing language related-operations, and with solving language related-problem”. (Grade & Kaphan, 1992, p.17). It is one of the most necessary courses for students who wish to be an effective Second Language Teacher because the course aims both to identify issues in linguistics and to solve its problem. In semester two, there are a lot of significant courses in the book such as meanings of language, pragmatics in discourse analysis and describing individual and society bilingualism. Among them, there are a few useful lessons, the meanings of language and pragmatics discourse analysis which I would like to share to all the next generation.

Learning the meanings of language is very useful for me as a future-second language lecturer. The book in-depth explains how morpheme, word, phrase and sentence produce meanings in the language. It enables me to get the correct meanings in a sentence based on its morphemes, words and structure. In addition, it helps me not to confuse or misunderstand the meanings of the words regarding to “–nyms” words relation. To illustrate, tale and tail are different words but it is pronounced identically and if I didn’t learn it in advanced I would infer the meaning in wrong way.

Knowing the pragmatics, how the linguistic knowledge and situational context influent the interpretation of the meaning in discourse, is really helpful for me. Because the interpretation of the meaning of the words differs from one situation to another, it is a good chance for me to know how to interpret the meaning base on the context provided. In addition, the study of maxims of conversation is really beneficial. It gives me an ideal thought of how to produce good or smooth conversation depending on four maxims of the conversation, the maxim of quantity, the maxim of relevant, the maxim of manner and the maxim of quality. All of these maxims are helpful for the speakers to make the conversation go smoothly.

However, I have encounters a few challenges in learning AL. The initial difficulty is about the concept of the course. Most of the concepts in AL require readers to have broad knowledge or comprehension skill to understand it. Thematic roles, for instance, is quite
tough for me to get the actual meaning. I can’t simplify its definition in an easy way to understand even though I have read the books for several times. I still blur how it applies in real world. Furthermore, there are so many difficult terms in this book which requires me to check in advanced otherwise I will not able to understand the lesson or I will not be able to follow the lecturer’s explanation. Finally, it is about the presentation assigned by the lecturer. We are asked to read the journal or research papers for our presentation. It is quite hard for us because we are not familiar with research paper or journal. Also, the length of the paper is quite long (consists of 40 to 60 pages). How can we find the main point to present in class if we are not thoroughly understood that research papers.

In order to deal with those problems occurring in learning AL, I have a few suggestions to deal with the problems. I would like to suggest to editors of AL 401 and 402 AL to produce the book which is not so beyond their understanding or knowledge otherwise they will not be able to follow or learn from the teachers. Besides, I would recommend the next generation students to read book before class and if possible they should manage time to read other materials related to Applied Linguistic in advanced in order that they will have some ideas to share, discuss and ask the doubtful parts to the lecturer. Finally, it is a good idea if they can possess AL dictionary, since it will help them a lot to easily understand the lesson.

Learning AL provides inexpensive knowledge for us as the second language teachers for better-teaching career in the future. The course enables them to find out the problem in linguistics as well as the solution to deal with it. As a result, we will be able to find an ideal methods and techniques to teach the students in more effective and efficient means if we can absorb the knowledge from AL course.

By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate

The Future of ECCC

By: HIM Sokunthea
DMC
Should it become a museum, historical place or else? If it is destroyed what are the materials and documents should be kept?

There is a question mark (?) in many Cambodian people toward future of Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). People are doubtful what ECCC will be in the near future after all the cases have been completed. Until now, there is no clear respond regarding this issue whether it will be a museum, historical place and many other things. Yet, it totally depends on Cambodian government to decide on this matter.

Mr. Reach Sambath, a Chief Administration of ECCC, said the future of ECCC building and land is still unclear. We can not assume about the future of ECCC now because everything depends on Cambodian Government’s decision.

The ECCC should become a….?
Many Cambodian people have various opinions toward the future of ECCC. Mr. Kaing Chansopheak, a teacher of English said that ECCC should be keep as a court room as today. The court at Phnom Penh should move to ECCC after all the cases have been completed by adding that the Phnom Penh’s court is quite small. However, Miss. Ip Makara, an assistance at Khmer Dev Company say that ECCC should become a museum because it helps our next Cambodian people aware of this special court as well as to let them know about the Khmer Rouge Regime. Similary, Mrs. Sok Tida, a staff at Canadiana Bank said that if ECCC became a museum in order to attract foreigners to visitor. Thus, it could be another new historical place for both international and national visitors.

Documentary and useful file/information
At ECCC, there are plenty of useful documents related to the Khmer Rouge Regime. The court takes so long times to gather all those files for each case. It is beneficial to younger Cambodia people when they wish to learn or understand more about the Khmer Rogue Regime. Where the documents or files should will be after the ECCC have completed all the cases?

According to Mr. Reach Sambath, he said that all those legal documents will be formally stored at a new museum, which will soon be constructed outside Phnom Penh city. We have already got two million dollars fund from Japanese Government to build museum to store all the file and documents at ECCC in order to maintain all useful documents for Cambodian people to see.

Where all the staffs at ECCC go?
ECCC is a multicultural and international staffs working environment. As it is stated in a Court Report for 2009, at the moment, there are various nationalities represented among the staffs of ECCC, the largest share of the international staffs come from Australia while the rest are from United States, France and other countries. With the new arrival of new employees in next few months, the number will rise. In total, there are 350 staffs with 40 interns both national and international working at ECCC.

For international staffs, they will move back to their home countries whereas Cambodian staffs will find other jobs after ECCC will have been finished. These staffs could gain plenty of experience and knowledge as they have been working at ECCC, Mr. Reach Sambath said.

The establishment of ECCC
The ECCC, established in 2003 under an agreement between the UN and Cambodia, is tasked with trying senior leaders and those most responsible for serious violations of Cambodian and international law committed during the Khmer Rouge rule.

In 1997 the government requested the United Nations (UN) to assist in establishing a trial to prosecute the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

In 2001 the Cambodian National Assembly passed a law to create a court to try serious crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime 1975-1979. This court is called the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed during the Period of Democratic Kampuchea (Extraordinary Chambers or ECCC).

The government of Cambodia insisted that, for the sake of the Cambodian people, the trial must be held in Cambodia using Cambodian staff and judges together with foreign personnel. Cambodia invited international participation due to the weakness of the Cambodian legal system and the international nature of the crimes, and to help in meeting international standards of justice. An agreement with the UN was ultimately reached in June 2003 detailing how the international community will assist and participate in the Extraordinary Chambers.

According to ECCC website, it is stated that ECCC was established to find justice for Cambodian people who have been suffered from traumatized time during Khmer Rouge Regime.

It is a unique court Cambodia
This special new court was created by the government and the UN but it will be independent of them. It is a Cambodian court with international participation that will apply international standards.

According to Mr. Reach Sambath, he said that ECCC is a new role model court operation in Cambodia because 1. It adopts both national and international law to use, 2. It exists with cooperation between Cambodian government and foreign aids, 3. It appeals in real place where the genocide occurred. With all these points that make ECCC become a unique court in Cambodia.

My Practicum

To apply theories into real practice is very significant for learners. Through the practice, they will be able to know their strengths and weaknesses and the solutions to deal with the problem. Going to the same way, learning to be an English Language Teacher, it is important for learners to have chance to apply what they have learned from classroom into the real world teaching. By doing so, it gives a great opportunity for them to experience and adapt themselves in real teaching practice. As a good example, at the Institute of Foreign Language (IFL), all the year four students are obliged to do the practicum before their graduation. It helps the learners as well as me a lot to do this practicum for the future career as an English Language Teacher.

It allowed me to know my weaknesses. Throughout my teaching experience, I have faced a few problems occurring in my class. First, I couldn’t find good data and interesting techniques for my students. Because it was my first time teaching, I decided to use the data from the textbook. However, the data was not fit with the students’ ability because the level of the course-book was lower than their’ abilities. According to my supervisor, he said that my technique was not interesting, thus the students seemed not to be involved and learned a lot from my class. His comment was correct but it was very tough for me to find the interesting techniques in teaching writing class. Second, I got the problem with my English proficiency. I was told by both of my supervisor and associate lecturer that my speaking ability was a bit low. I produced several mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. More than that, my supervisor says “You give unclear instruction and it makes students confused and don’t know actually what they are supposed to do”. I confess that my voice projection was soft and low, that was why the students found it hard to follow up my explanation and instruction. Yet, how can I change my natural voice? It was quite hard for me. Finally, I didn’t have good rapport with my students. My associate lecturer commented on the evaluation sheet saying that I didn’t have good rapport with the students. Honestly speaking, I neither remembered most of my students ‘names nor their faces. It is because I did only two sessions observing before started my real teaching.

On the other hand, it helped me to know my strength during my teaching. Personally, I think I was confident in teaching. “You look confident in your teaching”, my supervisor said. Actually, I was a bit nervous for my first time teaching, but I tried to hide it. If the students had known that I was nervous and shaky, the students would have thought that I couldn’t teach them well. Second, my time management was good. Every session I could manage my time and finish it on time. To illustrate, when I assigned students to exercise, I set the time for the students and I always reminded them how much time they left so that they could increase their speed to complete the exercise on time. Finally, I was approachable. Whenever the students asked questions or got problems with their learning, I was always there and willing to help them, for instance.

In conclusion, doing the practicum was very valuable experience for me. It allowed me to judge my ability in real teaching, helped me to be aware of my weakness and the way to improve my teaching in the near future. I would recommend the future teacher trainees to be aware of a few important things before their practicum. First, if they can find time working as part time teacher, it is really helpful for them because through my observation many trainee teachers looked nervous and shaky while they were teaching. Second, it is good for teacher trainees to do a lot of observations before starting their real teaching because they can take out good techniques from their classmates to apply in their teaching. Finally, they should talk to their supervisor and associate lecturer before their teaching. Either the supervisor or associate lecturer is really helpful for them because they will give them good advices and suggestions to improve their teaching. More importantly, the teacher trainees should do what they are told because they will get good score if the supervisor and associate lecturer like and satisfy with their teaching.

By HIM Sokunthea
IFL graduate