In loving memory of Fr Vincent - video

Part 1/2: From Site 2 camp to Cambodia passing by France

2 corrections in the clip:
- Fr. Vincent's birthdate: 13/01/1921 --> 4/8/2008
- Scences of lives in site 2 camp: 1985-1993




Part 2/2: From his return to Belgium until 4/8/2008

Videoclips from Les Arcs -- 19-22 dec. 2008

Pauline and David are skiing at les Arcs (19-22 dec. 2008)




Sakun, Saren, Patricia and families at ski in les Arcs 19-22 dec. 2008.
In this video, you can appreciate Saren's talents at ski.... He slips easily on the slopes...

Some pictures from the ski resort Les Arcs

Some pictures and clips of my week-end with the family at Les Arcs (Savoie - France).

Sakun & Patricia at the arrival of the cable car of Aiguille Rouge (3226 m altitude)

View from Aiguille Rouge 3226m
Here you feel dominate the world in the cold :-)

Happily, it was not windy

Skiers descending the black piste from Aiguille Rouge 3226m

View from Les Arcs 1800

Saren cried: I am the world :-)
Pictured from Col de la Chal 2600m

Sakun and Saren at the cable car arrival of Aiguille Rouge 3226

View from the ski resort Les Arcs 1800

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas
Happy New Year 2009
To Everyone

Wish 2009 will bring peace and prosperity

-- hope to have time to drop some articles before the end of the year.

Father Vincent's Pictures

The pictures I received are available in the clip below.

Enjoy!




Clip's song by the Hawaiian popular singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - What a Wonderful World

Pictures from Father Vincent's album

Below are some pictures I received some days ago from Father Vincent's niece.
It is nice to have his pictures and it is a good memory of him. Thank you Colette!

I will upload the complete pictures soon in a videoclip...

Enjoy!

Trip from Rithy Sen to Ampil in July-August 1984

In 1984, I was 13 years old.

Rithy Sen is a very big camp compared to Ampil. There are a lot of markets in the camp while there is none in Ampil. People go to buy merchandises from Thai border in the morning and sell them in the camp. The camp receives a lot of civilians who fled Cambodia because of starvation, oppression of the Vietnamese army, ... Some come to the camp to seek for freedom, some to do business, some to find way to go to live in a 3rd country (USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, ...). Ampil Camp is mainly military. It is the headquarter of KPNLF resistance movement led by Mr. Son Sann.

After a week or two in Rithy Sen, my life get again bored. I can't play football nor study. I decided to go to buy ice-creams from the Thai border and sell them in the camp. After two days, I know that this work is not for me.

After about a month with my family in Rithy Sen camp, I learn that all people in Site 1 camp will be moved back to Ampil camp. Schools will be reopened as well. I was happy to get these news. At the same time, I was afraid to loose the school starts.

I contacted friends who came from Ampil and we decided to go back to Ampil as soon as possible. My family was concerned of the security on the road back to Ampil but it was no question for me to stay in Rithy Sen. I have to go back to Ampil to study and find my "previous" life.

Knowing that the trip back to Ampil will take a long day walk, I leave Rithy Sen very early in the morning (4 or 5 o'clock -- I don't remember the exact date) with Hok, Vansak and Sophea (Ko-lot). I bring all my precious belongings: 1-2 t-shirts, 1-2 pants, 1 boxer shorts, 1 kramar (Khmer towel), toothbrush, toothpaste and some notebooks. All these things are packed in the backpack made of the rice bag.

Two videos of the Khmer Non-Communist Resistance (KPNLF and FUNCINPEC) at the border: the path we took is the similiar to the ones took by the soldiers.






After about 1 hour walk from Rithy Sen, we arrive at the edge of the Khmer Rouge camp Phnom Chatt. We are happy to see KPNLF soldiers who go back to Ampil camp also. They are negociating the right to cross the Khmer Rouge camp with their arms. Our happiness was short as those soldiers don't want us to join them. We sit far behind them along the small path and wait for the result of the negociation. After a while, a Khmer Rouge soldier shoot his deactivated RPG B-40 rocket. It makes a frighening noise and a lot of smoke in the forest around. We think that the fightings between Khmer Rouge soldiers and KPNLF soldiers take place. People lay down on the soil. After one or two minutes, we learn that the Khmer Rouge soldiers "tell" (they talk with their weapons) the KPNLF soldiers to move back far from them. Only one or two top KPNLF soldiers are allowed to come and discuss with them.

A video of RPG B-40 (it becomes a tourist attraction now apparently)




We sit down far from KPNLF troops and wait for about one hour. We don't know what to do as we know that if the negociation get successed, we will not allow to follow KPNLF soliders. We just sit and observe what happen...

A miracle happens.... after some times more waiting, a Khmer Rouge soldier arrives I don't know from where... He crosses us 4 far from the others and ask something like : "Young brothers where do you go?". We are happy that someone talks to us and reply: we go to Ampil camp. He said: come with me. We look at each other and follow him (at the same time we are frigthened because we don't know really his intention... Will he kill us in the forest?). It was about 10 /11 o'clock in the morning.

We walk cross the FLNPK soldiers and the Khmer Rouge check-point. KPNLF soldiers look at us and wonder why we can go and they cannot. I think they feel humiliated while we feel happy....
We follow the Khmer rouge soldier without saying anything. We talk to him only when he asks as we are afraid of him. We don't want to make him unhappy with us. He walks very very fast (as soldier he used to walk everyday since his young life). Sometimes, we have to run to join him. He sees us running behind him and smiles. He said sorry, you have to tell me when I walk too fast. We continue walking... tired but we have to continue. We want to make a break but we can't... Sophea starts to have some difficulties to walk; his thighs start to burn because of friction. Hok helps to keep him walking...

During the walk, the soldier asks us what we go to do in Ampil? Knowing that they don't like students and intellectuals, we lie him that we study to become nurses because we want to help Khmer people and serve the nation. He said that is great and encourage us to study. He said that he regrets that he can't study since he was small due to the bad situations in Cambodia. He looks really sincere and wants to help us.

We meet from time to time others Khmer Rouge soldiers on patrol or sleep in their hammock along the road in the forest. The soldier with us just tell them that he goes back to his base and they allow us to continue our road. These soldiers seem to respect him. This mean that the soldier is a high ranking man but it is strange that he walks alone in such a long trip. The soldier is about 35 years old I think.

Sophea get really difficulties to walk. I think we made just a short stop to drink.

We continue our walk. We arrive at the Khmer Rouge soldier's base late in the evening ( around 5 o'clock). It starts to be dark. The soldier wanted us to stay with him the night as he said you can't continue your road because of mines. He meets some other Khmer Rouge soldiers and talk about us. He have a hard discussion with one soldier. They go to discuss a bit far from us. He come back and tell us that we can't stay with him otherwise we will get killed in the night.

Mines field....

He explains us how to go to Ampil camp. There is only one path to go there and in the evening soldiers put mines to prevent Vietnamese soldiers from crossing to the camp. He said you have to stay in the path because mines are everywhere else....

He brings us to the beginning of the path and say good luck. We thank him very much for his kindness. We tell him that we hope he will not get troubled with other soldiers because of us. He said don't worry my young brothers. Go and good luck!

It was about 6 o'clock in the evening. It was very very dark. We can't see each other more than a few meters. We look at each others and discuss what to do.... The conclusion is that we can't stay where we are as we will get killed anyway. So we have no choice; if we walk we have a small chance to stay in live and a big chance to walk on a mine or to meet KR, FLNPK or Vietnamese soldiers who will certainly shoot us.

Hok courageously proposes that he walks the first and the other follows. He moves slowly his feets. We follow strictly his traces. Some minutes later, we see nothing because of the darkness and decide to walk normally... We cross the mines field without accident and we don't cross any soldiers. Thanks god!

We arrive at around 8 or 9 o'clock in the night in Ampil camp, precisely in the Battillion 212 zone. We meet no soldier. We keep walking.... Suddenly we heard some gunshots over our head. We continue walking. We heard the shouts approaching us and then a gunshot again. A soldier approaching us and asks why we don't stop walking. We say sorry to him and tell that we don't hear. We explain him who we are and what we are doing. He allows us to continue our road.


We arrive at the level of our school late in the night but it is closed. It is very dark. There is no one in the street. We walk knowing nowhere to go for the night. Suddenly we see a shadow of a man approaching us. He asks us where we come from and where we go. We explain him and he tells us that it is prohibited to walk in the night. He tells us that he is EOA (élève officier actif -- military students). He brings us to a hut to stay for the night. He asks whether we have eaten. We tell him no. He find us something to eat.

After a nice sleep, we leave for Site 1 camp....

Khmer border camps

Khmer Boder Camps Map by UNHCR.

Below are two maps of the Khmer resistance camps at the Thai-Khmer border bewteen 1979 and 1990.

During one of my visit to Cambodia, I met Saroeun, a friend from Ampil camp, who was a logistician soldier. He brought foods for the Khmer soldiers stationned at the nothern border of Cambodia, from Poipet to Anlong Veng. I told him that I am interested in visiting the old camps especially Rithy Sen (Ban Sagnae on the map) and Nong Chan. Surprisingly he told me that these two camps are occupied by the Thai military and are now part of Thailand. It is strange to me as I used to know that these two camps are on the Khmer territory and remember that just behind the camps, it was the border where Thai soldiers stationned behind the dyke-barrier.

I would also be interested in re-doing the same trip between Rithy Sen and Ampil as in 1984. During that year on April 17, the camps were under fierce fire of the Vietnamese army and schools were closed. Under the bombs and bullets, we moved to Site 1 camp, north of Ampil Camp, at the feets of Dangrek Mountain. As everything was closed, we got bore to stay in that crowded Site 1 camp. With some friends, we decided to go to visit relatives in Rithy Sen camp (I think it was in July or August 1984). To go to Rithy Sen (illegally of course), we had to cross:

- Ampil Camp where there were only soldiers on high alert
- Two or theree dangerous Khmer Rouge Camps
- Mine fields between each camp where Vietnamese soldiers can show up any time and gunned us down.

In spite of the dangers and the interdiction from the teachers/administration to do such trip to Rithy Sen, we decided to go anyway. On the way Site 1 - Rithy Sen, I was with Hok, Vansak, Vuthy and some others which I didn't remember clearly. A soldier brought us to the edge of Ampil Camp and showed us the direction to follow. He just told us to be careful of the mines and the Vietnamese soldiers (if there were Vietnamese soldiers presence, Khmer rouges soilders will fire and we will end up in a sandwich between the bullets and mines). The soldier wished us good luck (Sok Sabay Tham Plov).

We arrived at the no-man's land zone where there are only mines and a small path to follow to arrive at a Khmer Rouge camp (which I forget the name). Going out of that small path, our death would be guaranteed. Arriving at the Khmer Rouge camp, we were frighten to see them again but they looked kind toward us. They just asked us where we go. We followed our way in the forests near the border with fear in the stomach. From time to time, when we were too tired of the long walk, we got a break. We admired the old abondonned Khmer Angkorian temples. I remember Vansak said that in the near future Thailand will take over all these temples along the border... We continued our walk, crossing from time to time Khmer Rouge Soldiers on patrol. It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in a Khmer Rouge base called Phnom Chatt. We saw some Khmer Rouge soldiers cooking near the check-point (we would like they inviisted us to join them eating :-) -- I don't remember whether we ate sometihng during that day walking). They asked us where we go and then allowed us to follow our trip, across their camp. After that camp, I knew that Rithy Sen was not so far. We arrived in Rithy Sen camp late in the evening. I was happy to see the family after more than two years.

To be continue... On the way back from Rithy Sen to Ampil where we were almost sure that at least one of us was going to walk on mines....

Songs which recall me the old time

Below are two of my favorite songs I used to listen to...

The first one is Battambang's Rose. When I hear the music it makes me think to the camp and Cambdia especially Battambang.

The second the song is Mother by Pink Floyd. I used to listen to it when I was student and espcially when I was at my enginerring school in Marseilles, South of France.

Enjoy,
Sakun

Kolap Battambang / Rose de Battambang by Sin Samuth



Mother by Pink Floyd


Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother, do you think they'll like this song?
Mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Ooooowaa Mother, should I build a wall?

Mother, should I run for President?
Mother, should I trust the government?
Mother, will they put me in the firing line?
Ooooowaa Is it just a waste of time?

Hush, my baby. Baby, don't you cry.
Momma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true.
Momma's gonna put all of her fears into you.
Momma's gonna keep you right here under her wing.
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing.
Momma's gonna keep Baby cozy and warm.
Oooo Babe.
Oooo Babe.
Ooo Babe, of course Momma's gonna help build a wall.

Mother, do you think she's good enough,
For me?
Mother, do you think she's dangerous,
To me?
Mother will she tear your little boy apart?
Ooooowaa Mother, will she break my heart?

Hush, my baby. Baby, don't you cry.
Momma's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you.
Momma won't let anyone dirty get through.
Momma's gonna wait up until you get in.
Momma will always find out where you've been.
Momma's gonna keep Baby healthy and clean.
Oooo Babe.
Oooo Babe.
Ooo Babe, you'll always be Baby to me.

Mother, did it need to be so high?

The useless Thai-Cambodia WAR has been erupted

Friends,

I am sad to learn this morning that war between Cambodia and Thai has been erupted.
I am sad to learn that Khmer people will suffer of this unnecessary fighting because of the ignorant of theirs leaders to solve the border disputed area by going directly to the UN or the international court.

I am sad that many Cambodian families and kids will be displaced from their homes with little belongings on the back. Remember that we had aready suffered of this kind of hell WAR because of the Vietnameses and now because of the Thais.

Two of our compatriot soldiers have been killed. Our soldiers have captured 10 Thais soldiers. And you know what? Our fucked-head ministers propose to release those soldiers if Thailand demanded. The ministers asked that those Thais to be well treated while Khmer people are mistreated by these ministers. Khmer leaders are always very kind to the foreigners and very savage toward Khmers.

I have nothing against the fact that we have to release those Thais but at least they have to pay the costs of the dead of Khmer soldiers as I know the families of these two brave soldiers will live in extreme poverty with no help from the government. What will be their future? The images of the funerals of the Khmer soldiers died in the battle fields which I and other students attended in Ampil Camp to support the suffering of the families come to my mind. The widows cried of the dead hero husbands, the small children, standing in front of the burned dead body fathers, didn't know what was happening.... What a terrible souvenir!

The images of the handicapped Khmer soldiers who are obliged to beg in the streets throughout the country to survive are profoundly shocking each time I visit Cambodia. Who care about them and their families once the country is not in war? No one and it is surely not the current Khmer leaders (some are more interested in eliminating Khmer intellectuals than to protect the nation's interests). Some days back I read a very interesting analyze about the behavior of the Khmer leaders (see the link below). Are they really Khmers?

http://khemara-jati.blogspot.com/2008/03/cambodge-preah-vihear-thailande.html


I am really touched about this useless war that during the whole day conference I had here in San Diego, I was not able to concentrate....

God bless Cambodia!

From your friend, in San Diego.

Souvenir exchange emails with Fr. Vincent

I am currently in San Diego for some days and still have jet-lag, I couldn't sleep (by the way, hello from San Diego). I connected to my mailbox and saw that I saved some emails I exchanged with Fr. Vincent. I share with you guys in his memory. The emails from Fr. Vincent are in bold .

These emails, in French, are the last ones I got from him as he had more and more difficulties to write.

Cheers,
Sakun

__________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:00:54 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: Visit du 4-6 aout
To: vincentdierckx@tiscali.be

Bonjour mon pere,

nous aimerons vous rendre visite avec les enfants du 4 au 6 aout. Serez vous
disponible à ces dates?

Nous esperons que vous allez bien.

Merci,
Sakun

________________________________________________________________
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 08:40:40 +0200
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: RE: Visit du 4-6 aout
To: yim@free.fr


Cher Sakun

Je suis tres heureux de vous recevoir 4-6 aout. Venez-vous en auto ou en train. Dans ce dernier cas, quelle est l'heure de votre arrivee a Leuven.
Je pourrais vous recevoir a la gare.

Vincent

_______________________________________________________________

Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 14:07:27 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: Re: Votre visite
To: Dierckx Vincent


Bonjour mon pere,

Nous allons arriver le 5/8 à 8h10 en avion à Bruxelles.
Ensuite nous comptons prendre le train de Bruxelles qui arrive à Leuven à 9h23.

Est ce qu'il faut qu'on reserve un hotel sachant qu'on arrive avec les 3 enfants.

Je vous appellerai la semaine prochaine. Nous partons demain matin pour un marriage à Metz.

Je vous embrasse bien fort.
Sakun
___________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:34:35 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: Merci!

Bonjour mon père,

Nous avons été très content de vous revoir dans votre paisible maison. Les
enfants etaient echantés du voyage et d'etre aussi bien accueillis par vous
et le père Alois. Ils ont tous dormi dans l'avion de retour. Nous sommes
bien arrivés chez nous à 23h15.

Voici l'adresse du site internet parlant du site 2:

http://www.websitesrcg.com/border/camps/Site-2.html

Encore merci de votre accueil. Nous reviendrons vous voir dès que possible,
peut-etre avant notre voyage au Cambodge en décembre.

Je vous embrasse bien fort.

Sakun

__________________________________________________________________
Van: yim@free.fr [mailto:yim@free.fr]
Verzonden: maandag 11 december 2006 10:17
Aan: vincentdierckx@scarlet.be
Onderwerp: Bonjour mon pere

Bonjour mon pere,

comment allez vous?
Nous allons bien. les enfants aussi. Je pars au Cambodge dans 3 jours pour 3
semaines. Comme à ma chaque visite au Cambodge, j'ai une pensé tres fort
à vous. Je ne pourais donc pas passer vous voir avant la fin d'année. J'espere
passer vous voir apres mon retour du pays.

Je vous embrasse bien fort
Sakun
_________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:57:24 +0100
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: Bon voyage!
To: yim@free.fr

Cher Sakun


Je te souhaite Bon Voyage! Mes meilleurs voeux vous accompagnent a Battambang!!

Vincent


___________________________________________________________________

Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:13:45 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: Visite
To: vincentdierckx@scarlet.be

Bonjour mon père,

J'aimerais savoir si vous etes disponible le 18 ou 19 août car nous aimerions passer vous voir. Le temps passe tellement vite que nous n'avons meme pas eu l'occasion de vous contacter pour prendre de vos nouvelles.

Les enfants ont grandi. David passe l'année prochaine en 5eme (College), Pauline en CP (1ere année primaire) et Maelle a beaucoup grandi. Elle a eu 2 ans en mai dernier.

Nous allons également démenager dans une nouvelle maison à la fin du mois. C'est bien dommage que vous ne pouvez pas venir nous rendre visite à notre maison.

Je vous embrasse,
Sakun

__________________________________________________________________
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:54:59 +0200
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: RE: Visite
To: yim@free.fr

Cher Sakun,

C'est tres aimable de venir me voir. Oui je serai a votre disposition ces jours la. Desirez vous des chambers pour la nuit?
Amities a toute la famille,

Vincent Dierckx.
_________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:27:54 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: RE: Visite
To: Dierckx Vincent

Bonjour mon pere,

Finalement je ne pourrais aller que le week end 25-26 aout. Serait vous
disponible?

Je vais essayer de vous appeller lundi matin.

Merci
Sakun
________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:32:49 +0200
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: RE: Visite
To: yim@free.fr

Cher Sakun

Bien Sur je serai disponible pour le weekend 25-28 aout.
A bientot,

Vincent Dierckx

____________________________________________________________________
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 10:38:44 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: RE: Visite
To: Dierckx Vincent

Bonjour mon père,

J'ai reservé les vols pour bruxelles:

- ALLER: LYON-BRUXELLES depart 25/08/07 10:50 - arrivée 12:15
- RETOUR: BRUXELLES-LYON depart 26/08/07 14:45 - arrivée 16:15

Je serai avec Saren. Si possible, nous aimerions une chambre pour la nuit du 25
aoùt.

Merci et à très bientot,

Sakun

___________________________________________________________________
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:28:43 +0200
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: welcome
To: yim@free.fr

Cher Sakun,

Je vous vattends le 25 et 26 aout et les chambres sont reservees.

A bientot

Vincent

_________________________________________________________________
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:59:57 +0200
From: Dierckx Vincent
Reply-To: Dierckx Vincent
Subject: A bientot
To: yim@free.fr

Cher Sakun,

Une dame Cambodienne, du nom de PHALEK, viendra vous recevoir a
Bruxelles-areoport, et vous conduira a Leuven. Je vous attends pour le
diner.

Vincent

___________________________________________________________________
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:09:35 +0200
From: yim@free.fr
Reply-To: yim@free.fr
Subject: Merci!
To: Dierckx Vincent


Bonjour mon père,

Nous sommes bien arrivés à Grenoble.
Nous sommes très content de pouvoir passer un excellent week-end avec vous.
J'espère vous revoir bientot.

Merci de votre chaleureux accueil.

Je vous embrasse,
Sakun

Khmer Resistance was proud of you

I received the page below from KPNLF (Khmer People National Liberation Front) when some of you left for France in July/August 1990. Good souvenir!

Sothon, Chandara, Sophat, Phala, Vanak, Vily and Saren

Souvenirs from the boarding school

Two souvenir pictures from the boarding school in Dangrek Camp, Site 2

Below is the place where we slept in the camp (we moved 2 times). Each of us has approximatively 1 m longer space to sleep. All our belongings (nearly nothing except some books and some dresses) were put on the shelves over our head.

Sovantha, Sakun, AChap (Nickname -- sorry forget him real name), Phala, Mey

The place where we slept served also as a place for meals :-) And we ate directly in the cooking pots :-)

Phala, Mey, Sakun and Hok enjoyed the excellent lunch
Dangrek Camp, Site2. 4 July 1988

Souvenirs of Fr. Vincent

I took a look in my numerous albums and found some excllent souvenirs with Fr. Vincent. I share some below with you guys.

It is still hard for me to know that he is not anymore with us... For some unknown reasons, I always feel he is still alive and see his smiling face. For me I always think he is immortal -- during one of my visits to Cambodia, I was surprised to tell him that I try to come to visit my old biological father as much as can. He simled and told me that he is more older than my father... Of course he is older than him but I always see him young.

Phnom Penh, October 2002

The two pictures above are the same.
My Cambodian family, Father Vincent and my French parents, Site 2, April(?) 1990

Father Vincent's handwriting (the address is not valid anymore)

Visit to Cambodia in 10/2002

It was the first time that I went to Cambodia at the same time as Boney who came down from Dallas, USA. It was also the first time that Fr. Vincent met him since he left for the USA in 1990.

During that visit we had spent good time with friends in Phnom Penh. We went also to visit deep-Cambodia in Borvel, Battambang with Vansak, Khan Vuthy and Sovannara. It was strange to me to go to visit my birthplace which I didn't recognize. The roads to go there were very very bad and dusty with a lot of potholes. At the end of day, my ass were on fire! The very strange thing to me was that there were plenty of Chinese graves in the rice fields; I didn't think that there were a lot of chinese-cambodians in that area.

We visited also Bangkok where we were greatly received by our friend Sunnary who lived overthere at the time. Thank you Sunnary for your hospitaly!

In a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Friday 25/10/2002

In a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Friday 25/10/2002

In a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Friday 25/10/2002

In a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Friday 25/10/2002

Below are some pictures in Sang Raing, near Borvel. As you can see, the cooks were with us to make our lives easier :-) Thank you guys!






After lunch Sovanara took a bath in the river in front of the house.



In Bangkok with Sunary and her cute kids.




More pictures are available here.

Tourists go to ski

Here are some pictures took when we go skiing in the resorts near Grenoble: Chamrousse and les 7-Laux. If you guys come down here one day, we will bring you up there.

On the road to Chamrousse.


Oh my god, car starts to slip a lot... It was time to put on winter equipment on the car wheels.



Picture below is the top of les 7-Laux ski resort. The black sign behind means that the ski level is difficult. There are 5 ski levels:
- Green : easy, for beginners
- Blue: a little bit difficult, for beginners with some experiences
- Red: difficult, for good practice skiers
- Black: very difficult, for good skiers
- "Out of road ski": very very difficult, do whatever you want in the mountain at your own risk.

Saren, Sakun, Phala, David

Khmers Surin

Khmers Surin are Khmers who live in the Thai provinces of Surin, Sisaket, Buriram, Trat and Roi Et since Cambodia lost these provinces to Thailand after the decline of the Khmer Empire. Some of these Khmers have tried hard to keep Khmer language and culture alive.

Below are some articles related to Khmer Surin:

- Khmer Surin literacy project: click here

- Khmer Surin hero needs your help

- Un combat solitaire pour préserver l'héritage des "Khmers Surin" (in French)
>>>> In Khmer

- Khmers du Cambodge et Khmers de Surin : des frères qui se méconnaissent (in French)
>>>>In Khmer

A Video on Khmer Surin


Another Video on Khmer Surin


A Khmer Surin's song



Below article was originally posted on http://ka-set.info here

Khmers du Cambodge et Khmers de Surin : des frères qui se méconnaissent

Par Sarah Oliveira
06-06-2008
Surin (Thaïlande), le 15 avril 2008. Baray (réservoir d'eau) de Sneng, à une dizaine de kilomètres de la ville de Surin © Vandy Rattana On les appelle les "Khmers Surin", du nom de la province où ils sont notamment établis, mais, pour nombre de Cambodgiens, ils sont en tout point semblables à leurs compatriotes thaïlandais dont ils partagent le nord-est du territoire. Pourtant, les Khmers vivant au nord de la chaîne des Dangrêk sont bel et bien issus de la culture khmère. Ils ont été séparés de la mère-patrie à la suite du recul du territoire khmer au profit du Siam voisin, et possèdent aujourd'hui la nationalité thaïlandaise. Entre eux et les Cambodgiens, la frontière n'est pas qu'un tracé sur les cartes. Elle est aussi dans les têtes. "Ce sont des kramas siamois !", s'exclame une couturière de Phnom Penh devant des tissus de Surin. Quand on l'informe qu'ils ont été tissés par des "Khmers Surin", elle persiste à faire l'amalgame : "Les Khmers Surin, ce sont des Siamois", marmonne-t-elle. Difficile de concevoir que de l'autre côté de la frontière thaïlandaise, ceux que l'on appelle "Khmers Surin", sont un même peuple, parlent la même langue… Pourtant, selon l'historien et ethnologue cambodgien Michel Tranet, cela ne fait aucun doute. Une isolation d'abord géographique Afin de comprendre l'histoire des peuples de la région, il préconise de faire abstraction de toute notion de frontière. Selon lui, la présence des Khmers dans les provinces de Surin, Buriram, Sa Keo, Ubon, Si Sa Ket, Trat et d'autres provinces [sur le territoire actuel de la Thaïlande] est attestée depuis la période du Funan et du Chenla, et même avant. "Ils ont préservé un certain archaïsme de la langue et de la culture khmères car, vivant sur les hauts-plateaux, ils étaient géographiquement isolés", explique Michel Tranet. Une culture préservée bien que le Cambodge ait perdu la souveraineté sur ces territoires depuis les XVIe et XVIIe siècles (1). Aujourd'hui, les "Khmers Surin" basculent peu à peu vers la culture thaïe, en particulier les jeunes. D'autres Khmers de Thaïlande, notamment dans la province de Nakhon Ratchasima (Nokor Reach Seima en khmer), prise par les Siamois en 1374, se sont déjà fondus dans le peuple thaï. Actuellement, il ne reste plus comme vestiges de l'ère khmère que les temples, dont le plus célèbre est sans doute celui de Phimaï. La culture immatérielle khmère a quant à elle disparu, les Khmers de cette région ne parlant pratiquement plus leur langue d'origine. Un phénomène qui n'est pas unique à la Thaïlande : "En fin de compte, on peut considérer que cela se passe de la même manière pour les Phnongs du Cambodge", souligne Michel Tranet. Une fissure d'ordre politique Aujourd'hui, les contacts entre "Khmers Surin" et Cambodgiens demeurent limités. Les ouvriers cambodgiens passent surtout par la porte frontalière de Poïpet, bien plus au Sud, pour chercher du travail en Thaïlande. Quant aux touristes cambodgiens, ils sont bien rares à Surin. Or il y aurait de quoi les impressionner dans la région : des dizaines de temples khmers pré-angkoriens et angkoriens, ainsi que plusieurs Baray (réservoirs d'eau) à la superficie imposante. "Un jour, quelques Cambodgiens des camps de réfugiés de la frontière ont obtenu l'autorisation de se rendre à une conférence à Surin. Lorsqu'ils ont réalisé que nous parlions aussi khmer ici, ils étaient si émus qu'ils nous ont pris dans leurs bras", se souvient Thong Luang, un ancien du village de Phum Ponn, sis dans la province de Surin. On aurait pourtant pu facilement concevoir que les "Khmers Surin" et les Cambodgiens aient maintenu des liens forts. Une frontière divise mais n'est pas forcément hermétique. Selon Thong Luang, la principale raison de la fissure est d'ordre politique. Il a beau répéter que "les paysans ne s'intéressent pas à la politique", à l'écouter, force est de constater que celle-ci a laissé des traces, notamment l'hostilité de Norodom Sihanouk envers la Thaïlande, précise-t-il. A cela s'ajoutent de petits incidents et des idées reçues qui ont la vie dure, et ne favorisent pas un réchauffement des relations entre les deux camps. "Dès que je franchis la frontière, ne serait-ce que pour acheter du poisson, je me fais arnaquer alors que je parle khmer avec les vendeurs", se plaint Thong Luang. Quant à la jeune "Khmer Surin" Tim, elle ne sait peut-être pas très bien de quoi elle parle quand elle avoue ne pas vouloir se rendre au Cambodge "à cause des bombes". Chaimongkol, un fervent défenseur de la langue khmère à Surin, s'inquiète, lui, de l'état de corruption généralisée qui règne au Cambodge, tout en reconnaissant que la Thaïlande souffre également, "mais dans une moindre mesure", de ce fléau. "Pas besoin de mettre fin à la corruption à 100 % ! Une baisse de 20 % suffirait pour le moment. Et pourquoi ne pas créer dans l'année une Journée sans corruption, durant laquelle tout le monde s'engagerait à ne pas recevoir de pots-de-vin ?", suggère-t-il non sans ironie. Puis, sur un ton plus sérieux, il confie : "Si la corruption ne recule pas au Cambodge, je crois que l'on court à la catastrophe". Preab Sovath à Surin ? Peu de relations, méconnaissance réciproque, préjugés… Si le Cambodge ne fait guère envie à la jeune Tim, c'est le regard empli d'émotion qu'elle prononce le mot "Angkor". Thong Luang a, lui, déjà eu l'occasion de se rendre au Cambodge, chez les "Khmers d'en bas" comme il dit. Des photos immortalisent son couple posant religieusement ici devant le Palais royal de Phnom Penh, là devant Angkor Vat. En tournant les pages de son album photos, il murmure : "Vous savez, ce n'est pas comme faire un voyage à l'étranger. C'est un peu comme aller dans son propre pays car là-bas tout le monde parle khmer…" "Miser sur les échanges culturels se révélerait une politique efficace de rapprochement avec les Khmers d'en bas", estime Thong Luang. Chaimongkol ne manque pas d'idées à ce sujet : "Pourquoi ne pas inviter un joueur de chapey du Cambodge ou même Preab Sovath [star de la chanson populaire cambodgienne] à se produire dans notre village de Phum Ponn au prochain Nouvel an khmer ?" Le chef de la commune, Lum Leut - d'origine sino-laotienne mais parlant un peu khmer - confie qu'il n'y verrait pas d'inconvénient. "Seulement, la commune ne pourrait pas financer l'événement seule", précise-t-il. Cette année, lors de la soirée du Nouvel an organisée par la commune, plusieurs chansons khmères de Surin se sont mêlées aux chansons thaïes. L'artiste Preab Sovath, dont le répertoire comprend quelques chansons de style "kantreum", sait-il que cette musique des "Khmers Surin" est à l'origine une musique de possession ? "Il vaut mieux que les Cambodgiens ne le sachent pas, ils risqueraient de prendre peur et de ne plus écouter de kantreum !" lance Chaimongkol dans un grand rire. Les recherches s'arrêtent souvent à la frontière Parmi les historiens cambodgiens, Michel Tranet fait figure d'exception. Il est le seul à s'intéresser de près aux "Khmers Surin". "De nombreux Thaïlandais effectuent des recherches portant sur les Khmers du nord-est de la Thaïlande. Mais leur point de vue est biaisé car ils n'ont pas le choix. Les Thaïlandais étant un peuple de formation récente, leur discours est politisé et emprunt de nationalisme", estime-t-il. Cependant, Michel Tranet ne croit pas que ses recherches ne fâchent les Thaïlandais. Il ne s'agit pas de revendiquer un territoire mais de les aider à mieux comprendre la formation de leur peuple. Michel Tranet regrette le manque d'intérêt des Cambodgiens pour la recherche. Et quant à ceux, peu nombreux, qui s'y consacrent, il déplore que leur intérêt s'arrête souvent aux frontières ou se limite à la période angkorienne. Il préconise une approche apolitique, non cloisonnée, plus proche de la réalité historique, en étudiant au sens large la culture mon-khmère. Mener des recherches sur la culture des "Khmers Surin" permet notamment de mieux connaître l'histoire du Chenla et l'évolution de la langue khmère, insiste-t-il. "Ne pas étudier l'histoire d'un peuple sur toute son étendue territoriale et se limiter à une seule époque, c'est l'estropier. La période angkorienne c'est seulement un arbre alors que la culture mon-khmère, c'est la forêt. Mes recherches ont pour objectif de préserver la mémoire collective d'un peuple ancien. C'est en sachant d'où l'on vient que l'on peut retrouver son identité, sa fierté, son âme." En tant qu'historien, il faut se placer au-dessus de la mêlée, des querelles politiques, pour contribuer à bâtir une culture de paix, conclut Michel Tranet. (1) Histoire du Royaume du Cambodge, Alliance entre les populations khmère et thaïe à partir du XIIIe siècle, Michel Tranet, 2005 (en khmer) Retour au 3e paragraphe Vendredi prochain, deuxième volet de ce reportage effectué dans la province thaïlandaise de Surin avec le portrait de Chaimongkol, qui veut remettre au khmer ses pairs, devenus aujourd'hui davantage des locuteurs thaïs que khmérophones.

JRS tribute to Fr. Vincent

The below article is originally posted on JRS website here.

Cambodia: former JRS staff member passes away

On 4 August, former JRS Cambodia staff member, Fr Vincent Dierckx SJ, died at the age of 87. He had returned to his native Belgium in 2005 after being made bedridden from a fall.

Fr Vincent began working for JRS in the 1980s in camps set up for Cambodian refugees on the Thai border. He worked for JRS until 2001 where he was responsible for a variety of tasks relating to administration and hospitality.

The sad news of his demise was received in Cambodia on 5 August when two Jesuit communities, from Phnom Penh and Banteay Prieb, a JRS technical school for persons with disabilities 25km from the capital, came together for a weekly meeting. Appropriately, the mass was celebrated in the chapel which was Fr Vincent’s former room.

On 19 August, JRS Cambodia staff and friends gathered in Phnom Penh for a memorial service in his honour.

Monsignor Kike Figerado, a close JRS partner, presided at the mass, with the readings in both English and Khmer.

In his homily, Monsignor Kike, who had known Fr Vincent for some 20 years, spoke of how the highly qualified university professor treated everyone with gentleness and made all feel welcomed and loved.

Fr Vincent was a person of great ability and kindness, and he will be sorely missed by those who knew him.

Story dated: 16/09/08

Young Vincent

Fr. Vincent was born on 13/1/1921 in a big family of 5 boys and 4 girls.
He died on 4/8/2008 at age of 87.

Below are two pictures of him when he was young:

From Left to Right: Marcel, Vincent, Charles and Albert (Colette's Father).
The oldest brother is not on the picture.

Fr. Vincent in 1939 (he was 18).

Pchum Ben / Ancestors' day / La Toussaint buddhique

Cambodia enters a 14-day celebration in memory of the deaths from September 15 to September 30. The last day of this period , i.e September 30, is Pchum Ben (Ancestors' day or La "Toussaint buddhique").

For Pchum Ben day, people cook meals for monks, bring offerings to the temple and pray for their deceased relatives and friends. They put the food near the temple early in the morning as they believe that their ancestors will receive it.

This is an occasion that we can pay our respects to Fr. Vincent...

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Read the follwoing article in French (exerpted from CambodgeSoir):

Pchum Ben, les autorités appellent au respect bouddhique

Les Cambodgiens célèbrent la fête des morts du 15 au 30 septembre. A cette occasion, Mob Sarin, vice gouverneur de la municipalité de Phnom Penh, appelle les responsables à coopérer pour éviter les débordements. © Pring Samrang Le comité national de l’organisation des fêtes aimerait que les célébrations se passent pour le mieux. En effet, à l’occasion de la fête des morts, des troubles entachent régulièrement le bon déroulement des cérémonies. Cette année, Mob Sarin souhaite une meilleure coopération entre les responsables des cultes et les autorités locales, afin que ces événements peu compatibles avec la sagesse bouddhiste ne se reproduisent pas. Ces recommandations concernent avant tout le dernier jour, nommé Pchum Ben (rassemblement des grains de paddy). Après les 14 jours de la période de Kan Ben, le Pchum Ben débute dès quatre heures du matin. Les bouddhistes se rendent à la pagode la plus proche pour asperger les stupas de grains de paddy par l’entremise des moines. Pour les mendiants, c’est l’occasion de tester la générosité des hommes. Mais d’autres en profitent également pour semer le désordre, une pratique malheureusement courante ces dernières années. En plus d’appeler à la vigilance, Mob Sarin a suggéré que l’on profite de l’événement pour rendre hommage aux victimes du régime de Pol Pot.

Pictures in 1989, 2000

Below are some pictures I took in 1989 in Bangkok before I left for France and in 2000 when I visited Cambodia.

Sorry for the qualitfy of the images.

On Choa Praya river in Bangkok. August 1989

In a restaurant in Bangkok. August 1989
Fr. Vincent, Sakun, Olivier, Worak

Phnom Penh airport, 2000

Phnom Penh airport, 2000

Phnom Penh airport, 2000

Waiting for friends in Hok's office

Fr. Vincent & Vanak's family, 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In a restaurant with friends. Phnom Penh 2000

In front of a restaurant after dinner. Phnom Penh 2000

The pictures below are the souvenir of my trip from Phnom Penh to Battambang in 2000. As you can see the national road was really bad at that time.