Indigenous group - Khmer Krom

People and Culture

For the inhabitants, it is estimated that there are about 8,240,000 Khmer Kampuchea Krom, worldwide. Khmer Krom meaning the Khmer people who live in the Southern part of Cambodia (Kambuja). Approximately 80% of them live in the Mekong delta, and a small number is in other provinces out the Southern part of Vietnam.

The Khmer Krom people have been in existence in this part of the peninsula since the beginning of the first century. They have sacrificed their lives to hold on to the territory since then. The territory was immense compared to the Khmer population at that time, creating opportunities for expansionist neighbors to invade. For this reason, after the Vietnamese exterminated the Kingdom of Champa; they used all kinds of pretexts and tactics to move their people to Kampuchea Krom. Since the French colonial departed Indochina in 1954, after nearly one hundred years (1867-1954) of domination on this land, Kampuchea Krom has been placed under Vietnamese control. The Khmer authority had filed complaints against this criminal act, but the French National Assembly chose to ignore them.

Besides the Vietnamese, there are Cham and Chinese living in Kampuchea Krom. The Khmer Krom are outnumbered by their "invaders" and "rulers", who once asked the Khmer Krom for asylum or migration only. About seventy percent of the Vietnamese and ninety-five percent of the Chinese live in the cities and fill most of important jobs in government and business. The Khmer Krom, live throughout the country, especially, in the Mekong delta.

Khmer Krom's Population in the following countries:

Vietnam: 7,000,000 (seven millions)

Cambodia: 1,200,000 (1.2 million)

Other countries: 40,000

Their language

The Khmer language is spoken in all Khmer families and communities. For official business, however, the Vietnamese language is strictly enforced. About 10% of the Khmer Krom are able to speak and write Vietnamese correctly. The Khmer language is taught at home and in the temples, but it is not permitted in any official business.

The struggle for the Vietnamese government to allow the use of Khmer in school or public place has been advocated for years, but no satisfactory result has ever been achieved. In many instances, thousands of Khmer Krom were accused, jailed, tortured, deported, or persecuted for speaking, learning, or teaching the Khmer language. The Vietnamese do not allow books or documents to be written or published in Khmer unless they are to be used as propaganda.

Their religion

Approximately 95% of the Khmer Krom are Buddhists. They practice Hinayana Buddhism, (Theravada or Southern School) whereas most Vietnamese practice Mahayana Buddhism (Northern School) or Christianity. The Chams are Muslims, and the Chinese are mostly Buddhists, and some Christians. There are more than 500 Buddhist temples and more than 10,000 monks throughout Kampuchea Krom. Some temples were erected many centuries ago are still standing today, but many others were destroyed during the wars.