anger is a good thing.
I attended a seminar this past weekend in VA on “How to Save Cambodia.” I do not want to mention the names of anyone, because it is not my intention to put down anyone. However, an idea mentioned referenced Cambodians with PTSD without fully explaining the origin of this disorder. It derived from the Khmer Rouge (KR) genocide, and has continued to plague generations and generations leading to conflict and turmoil.
One of the issues I had with the speaker is that his advice to people angry about the KR was to simply move on. He believes it better for them to focus on other things, which I believe is far from the truth. I believe the PTSD Cambodians acquired has been left untreated for far too long. The lack of therapy for KR victims plays a role in the people living today, and leads to them continually passing it onto their children.
The Cambodian culture is rich and genuine. However, in the past few decades a lot has changed due to a lack of human rights. The people live in fear, have grown to be terrified of the government, and law enforcement. They turn their heads when something is wrong, and become bystanders. Example, one of my aunts has lived here in America for approximately 30 years. Over the years I have brought up the conversation of the KR so I can learn about her experience. But every time I do she panics, and whispers as if she is scared it is going to happen again. Then, blanks out for about 5 seconds and says “It is so bad. It was so bad. Don’t talk about it and bring it to reality.” She never wants to talk about burying her young daughter, her husband’s death, eating bones from dead bodies to stay alive, etc. Every time the police drive by she panics. This, among other things, have effected her children who were born and raised here in America.
So I think the people should speak up and talk about their experiences if they want to. Usually Cambodian people never talk about it, because they are too scared or it is too painful. But this grandma at the seminar voiced her anger very openly, and asked what she should do to appease it. I think it GREAT that she was willing to speak about it, but instead of telling her to rid the emotion she should channel her anger into something positive.
