While funerals can be a bit socially taboo to discuss, Erik’s extensive religious studies background enables him to profile unique and fascinating glimpses into how ritual practice informs and reflects on everyday reality in Cambodia.

You can find the book on sale at the event, or at Monument Books in Cambodia.

Some background and context:
http://sea-globe.com/erik-w-davis-buddhist-monks-cambodia-southeast-asia-globe/
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/deathpower
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/how-serious-are-cambodias-land-rights-protesters-about-their-curses
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/meeting-white-witch-kampot
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/his-hometown-mysteries-abound-about-fake-%E2%80%98buddha%E2%80%99

I missed the CCHR event but at Meta-House, I was intrigued to find some very clear and solid documentation of the peril frequently facing local Khmer journalists.

Why a gallery exhibition? One could say there is art in a good story. And secondly, as the political sphere has become increasingly unstable over the last two weeks, this is a relatively safe way to express concern for those who uphold democratic institutions.

Freedom Park and the concomitant issues surrounding it could be reserved for an exhibition on just that brief and dramatic period.

CCIM’s 2014 report: http://www.ccimcambodia.org/reports/116-challenges-for-independent-media-2014

Two exhibitions, six days left. Well worth your time. And do take a moment to sign the ‘Justice For Journalists’ online petition: http://www.change.org/p/justice-for-journalists-kh

(Logo (above) provided by International Free Expression Exchange ([IFEX]) for International Day to End Impunity.)

A tidbit courtesy Silong Chhun.

In the 1980s and 1990s, there were weren’t so many books and films about contemporary Southeast Asia in the West.

To be considered a scholar of Cambodian history, the first step was to simply read everything on the topic. And there wasn’t that much explicitly about the country or the area. It was simply “read everything, watch everything”.

Today I’m pleased to observe that’s not entirely possible. There are many more books, publications, films, comics and music. And many more in the voices of Cambodians themselves.

This is a cheesy Disney TV movie. Those who can speak Khmer won’t hear much of it. But as people have pointed out, it was an attempt to show real-world situations, and one of the very first opportunities for Khmers to recognize themselves in the media.

Additional background:
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/30/us/mexican-food-trips-asian-refugee-in-spelling-bee.html
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093030,00.html
http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1986/Teen-Ager-From-Cambodia-Says-Freedom-Spells-Something-Else-For-Her/id-3cd3445b0182fbe07a94f156357b3f30
http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Girl_Who_Spelled_Freedom
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091115/
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/news/local_news/refugee-tells-students-of-childhood-survival-in-asian-jungles/article_ec8e9615-dbb9-5fc7-b2e9-52b4690fe526.html
http://www.thedepauw.com/news/view.php/13388/DePauw-alumna-Linn-Yann-featured-in-made
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2013/jul/14/whatever-happened-to-catching-up-with-girl/113266/

In the (ancient) days before Facebook dominated Cambodia, our small but tiny community of bloggers (AKA ‘Cloggers’) was full of enthusiasm.

Many of them became ‘trainers of trainers’ via the ‘Personal Information Technology Workshop‘, holding weekend workshops for university students and getting them started on email & basic blogging.

These included Hou Virak, Bun Tharum, ‘Big Kalyan’, ‘Little Kalyan‘, Be Chantra, Chak Sopheap, Nearirath Sreng, Lux Mean. A new face at the time was Kounila Keo.

Many of these ‘blog evangelists’ have found a niche for themselves as writers, pundits, organizers and advocates, and used their online presence as a combination of CV / writing sample / profile. Many have gotten overseas scholarships and jobs based on their heightened profile and reputation. (Virak’s now in Kenya!) Why are they in demand? There’s a need for representative Southeast Asian / Cambodian voices in global conversations.

In a nutshell, that was my encouragement to a younger crowd at this year’s BarCamp Phnom Penh: share your thoughts — and you’ll meet other people who want to engage with your views.  Simply share and people will want to share with you too.  News, opinions, and opportunities.

Case in point: ‘Clogher‘ Chak Sopheap regularly blogged about human rights, contributed to the Global Voices blogging aggregation platform, and landed a postgraduate scholarship in Peace Studies in Japan. She regularly chronicled her work and opinions working in the field of human rights, and received accolades as a pundit and commentator, moving from personal blog opinions to public editorials.

My oped on Australia-Cambodia refugee deal, "an affront to human rights" #cchrcambodia pic.twitter.com/CYkCRTaSb8

— Sopheap Chak (@sopheapfocus) October 1, 2014

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/analysis-and-op-ed/affront-human-rights

Her efforts to engage the global community in contemporary human rights concerns took her to many regional and international meetings. She also ‘gave back’ to the local community by joining the team that brought ‘BlogFest Asia’ to Cambodia.

This week she was  lauded by President Obama and profiled on Voice Of America in her role as the head of Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR).  It’s very gratifying to see one of the ‘home team’ getting international praise.

Does the USA government ‘stand with’ civil society? Well… this can certainly be seen as a chance to hold the States to this public commitment. And if anyone can leverage this, Sopheap and CCHR are up to the task. Bravo!

Above: Chak Sopheap & VOA team (photo credit: CCHR)

Linkage:
“Obama Praises Two Civil Society Activists” (Voice Of Democracy (In Khmer) http://vodhotnews.com/24472
“Obama Honors Slain Activist, Praises Rights Worker” (Cambodia Daily)
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/obama-honors-slain-activist-praises-rights-worker-68364/
“Human Rights Deteroriating in Cambodia, Says Activist”
http://youtu.be/rEidqq4h7SM (Video link)
“Obama Honors Two Cambodian Rights Workers” (Voice of America)
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/obama-honors-two-cambodian-rights-workers/2460908.html
Obama praised Cambodian human rights activists and forestry (Radio Free Asia (In Khmer))
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/human-rights/Obama-admire-Cambodian-rights-and-forest-activists-09242014081814.html
“President Obama addresses the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting”
http://youtu.be/eEZrZcIYAPA (Video Link)
“Remarks by the President at Clinton Global Initiative” (Transcript)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/23/remarks-president-clinton-global-initiative
Cambodian Center For Human Rights Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cambodian-Center-for-Human-Rights-CCHR/206984670430
US Embassy In Cambodia Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/us.embassy.phnom.penh/photos/a.390395653223.168690.79770243223/10152478435913224/?type=1