Culture of Violence

(Note: My purpose in posting this is not to pick a fight but to start an intellectual conversation about an issue which may affect the development of Cambodia as a whole.)

I first came here in March 2005. I stayed in Banteay Meanchey volunteering as an ESL Teacher and immersed myself in Cambodian way of life. I tried to observe and grasp everything thing that I can see as I spent my time with Cambodian youth.

One thing that I noticed with my Cambodian friends is that they hit each other as a means of greeting one another. I think I observed this phenomenon not once, not twice but too often. I asked them why they do it with one another and what they told me is that it was just a joke. I can''t help but ponder if it is a subtle way of releasing the innate culture of violence that maybe embedded in Cambodian psyche.

Let me share to you another experience. There was an incident in 2006 in our in school in Banteay Meanchey that really made me mad. Some students brought and drunk liquor inside the campus. What is more saddening is that I only learned of the incident 3 months after it happened. I asked one of my trusted students why he did not tell me about the said incident. Here is a verbatim of our conversation:

ME: Why did you not tell me that your classmates brought and drunk liquor inside the school campus?

MY TRUSTED STUDENT: I am afraid, Teacher. You know the culture of Cambodian, Teacher? If I will do that they will kill me.

You see, I asked some more students why nobody told me about the incident and they answered the same thing. They are afraid that their classmates will harm them.

The other day, I was talking to a friend of mine and he told me that there was a vehicular accident near our place. It involved a motorbike and a car. Sadly, the motorbike driver died on the spot while the driver of the car sped away. It was a hit-and-run.

My friend mentioned that it is customary in Cambodia for the suspect to run and hide. And if he decides to surrender he will surrender to police officers in another province.

The reason is that the relatives of the victim will definitely seek revenge by killing the culprit. It is a clear case of vendetta. A clear case of an-eye-for-an-eye, a-tooth-for-a-tooth. They will no longer wait for the duly constituted criminal justice system but they will take justice in their own hands.

What do you think? Is the culture of violence embedded in Cambodian psyche? Mmmm. I wish I can have a sociological study about this issue.