Not surprisingly, both state-sponsored violence and migration have been significant in the cases’ lives. Besides the direct cost for those who experienced the Khmer Rouge period or the civil unrest that followed, a heavy toll was also paid by families. One case specifically noted how the Khmer Rouge regime separated families and, with them, the possibility of consistent role models.
“I don't know much about my parents' marriage because of the war.”
Another experienced familial separation due to her father’s employment with the armed forces.
“My father was a soldier and assigned to take his duty far away from home.”
Another case reported their family of origin being impacted by the parents living apart in separate regions of the country for work (economic migration) and only meeting infrequently. In the case’s experience, this was associated with strained familial relationships and favoritism.
"As I can remember, my father worked in the city and my mother came to do business far away. They had an argument frequently for my sister and me. I could see my mother seemed to love her younger daughter more than me. For an example, after coming back from the market she never went to my sisters with an empty hand. But in contrast she rarely bought me something. Sometimes, I wondered if I were really one of her daughters."
A focus group member also shared the story of a former soldier (stationed at the border during the civil war) and how those experiences influenced him in his family. He indicated that he was previously very aggressive and that his own use of power had been previously influenced by carrying a gun (as a soldier). He described this as the “
power of the gun.”
“I will win, because I have the gun.”
Another story from the focus group concerned how patterns of alcohol use and family conflict was influenced by the common experience of Cambodians in Thai refugee camps.
“This family used to live in the Thai refugee camp; there the people cannot go anywhere and alcohol was part of their lives; when they were integrated into Cambodia, they did not have a good job, work to do; they were put into the slum/squatter camp, this led to depression; could think only of meeting their friend, drinking alcohol, and never getting anywhere.”
Finally, it should be noted that the four cases did not raise issues or demonstrate symptoms related to post-traumatic stress, though a significant portion of Cambodia’s population have suffered from these symptoms over the last decades of civil unrest and restoration. It is not known what impact CCMT KASH has on those recovering from trauma.
