6 Comments

  1. when are people going to stop exploiting Cambodia and the Khmer people Others only want to exploit the ignorance of the local people and Angelina is one the these scammers ….who travels the world and ‘buys’ children Started with Maddox the Khmer boy
    Interestingly at the same time time as Angelinas abduction of Maddox …the richest lady in America …. Libby Johnson…did the same (covering up by using her Mexican boyfriend)

    1. Ah ok, if Angelina would not be rich, the adoption of Maddox would be no problem for you… However, what is your solution? Tell me the best way to support Cambodia, to help locals and further on. Just claiming is pretty easy, but finding solutions and doing something can be more hard. Also small things can be huge – it depends on the heart inside. I am happy for you if you can support people you love around you as best as possible. Angelina does in her way – and for sure, the way she does brings a huge attention to Cambodia. I am not sure, if that could be a bad thing.

      How about the author Loung Ung. How do you think does she feel? Much more people read her story now, than before. And it was Angelina who told her story with a movie. How could this be a bad thing? Seems you don’t grant to her. Why? Have you ever been there during the film production? Have you had any contact to the team? To the Cambodian who earned good money during this time, to the Cambodian who have big memories in their life just because of the production. I know some of them and believe me, they all are glad. Found new friends around the world – maybe some of them will meet again, whereever on this planet. So you do not grant this to all the people?

      About Maddox: If Angelina would just have bought a child, she would have never ever been interested in Cambodia and make this film. Maybe I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one, as John Lennon said… Maybe this movie is just the beginning of a real big thing to bring Cambodia into a better future. Good things will happen :-)

  2. First I must say I was pleased to see your reply to my comments
    But the issue was in the first line.. .””when are people going to stop exploiting Cambodia”….
    Angelinas money was only about allowing her to get around the rules
    she was breaking…. same for Ms Johnson….. adoptions were banned at that time …. and many Americans were angry because they had been trying to adopt a Cambodian child for years So then later she tries to make herself look good by trying to appear ” Çambodian” ;
    Next two children from Africa and later a boy from Vietnam….. Virtually child trafficking covered up wth her money
    There were also feuds around Siem Reap on how Angelina favoured some people (with payments) over others
    Footnote; Loung Ungs book was the first of many I read when I came to Cambodia
    Again all this talk about the Khmer Rouge effect on Cambodia is rubbish…. just an opportunity for foreigners to come and make a financial killing…EXAMPLE with a charade of a trial of K.R. leaders Of course a few Cambodians jumped on the bandwagon too
    BUT basically Cambodians do not care a fig about the Khmer Rouge era…. there are still too many alive and living among the people
    It seems to me you are the one who talks about money… the poverty issue …as in your story on children begging
    Quote; “do not give money to children”‘…. O.K.
    But support social org ?? I would seriously like somebody to take me and show me the honest decent work of a social organisation
    I applied for a position of house parent with Sunrise (Geraldine Cox).in Seim Reap…bad news ….I live in a house that was rented for years by GERES (FRENCH) who failed in their attempt to build better clay cooking stoves…. truly the list goes on and on !!
    .The two biggest problems in Cambodia I believe are..
    1… after the war foreigners poured in here with money …so the people (adults) soon learnt to beg (ask) for money and also to get cushy jobs like guides or translators … So now they (Cambodians) still expect foreigners to give….. we have all the money….or to get easy job with N.G.O.s
    2…. their primitive beliefs… which is not Buddhist but more a form of Hinduism
    These are the main problems because the Khmer have to fix them themselves but they do not have the incentive to do so In their ignorance they do not want to learn
    CONSIDER; I would like to give a boy a chance to earn some money (son of a friend) picking up and bagging some cow dung for the garden..Right ..so father watches as son races out and starts picking up manure with his bare hands … I said stop… I told them I would not condone a situation where the childs health is in danger
    I have tried teaching at the schools…. I have spent hours talking to friends over coffee…but they do not want to listen (they just come for the free coffee and food)
    They are lazy and filthy …
    Do not ask me for the solution… at least I live here ….but do not have the luxury of being able to come and go back to Aust every year…and I still try to help adults improve their lives with training in pottery skills
    Perhaps if people …serious people not hippies… want to see real Cambodia they could visit me in Kampong Chhnang ..(.means port for pottery)
    Perhaps there is no solution… for the exploitation of Cambodia…. because it is the same as most places in the world
    Cambodia is not a poor country (too much foreign money has poured in)
    ..it has the RICH and the poor And the rich only care about themselves so do not talk about an amazing country

  3. Dear Ian, I read your interesting experience and views of Cambodia. A country can be both enjoying and frustrating, depends of our own situation. I think after this long writings it would be nice to have a talk about all this and meet each other and have a coffee. Maybe I can pass by in November and visit you and your work.

  4. Myself and my wonderful (Vietnamese ) partner would welcome you …. or others ..to visit us and perhaps experience Cambodia and the world from a viewpoint that I have developed over many years of trials and tribulations
    I only ask for an honest and open mind
    Perhaps you might like to have a try at making a pottery souvenir … We (only)
    serve true cappuccino coffee
    When it is closer to your time of coming here ….email

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