Monday, February 29, 2016

Expand your day in Cambodia: Visit a Cham village -- O-Trav (2)


The oral history of O-Trav village is known for two reasons. First, in English, ‘O’ means ‘stream’ and ‘trav’ means ‘taro.’ Combined, O-Trav is the stream where taro plants grow. This village is known for fertile land where people can grow crops profitably. The village name has passed down from one generation to another. Evidence shows that this village has a rich history and is rather old. The village was established in the 19th century. The first settlers were the Chvea (Jvea – Javanese) ethnic group, who migrated from Kampot province in order to spread Islam and Qur’anic teachings to the area. Later, the Cham people populated the village through marriage and trade. Currently, the majority group (Chvea or Jvea) is called “Khmer Islam.” Their main occupation is fishing and farming. People from the village are known for migrating to find work and education, especially to Malaysia. Village children study at the O-Chrov Islamic school, located about eight kilometers from the village. A few who are able to pass a test go on to study in Malaysia.

The village has a special history. In 1963, villagers took the initiative to build a mosque. It is now one of the oldest mosques in Cambodia, having survived the Khmer Rouge (KR) campaign of destruction and modernity. During fighting between Lon Nol forces and KR soldiers in 1973, the mosque suffered partial damage. After the evacuation of the villagers in 1975, it was profaned, just like most mosques in Cambodia. The mosque was used for storage and later became a KR hospital. As collectivization was the main element of KR policy, a communal dining hall was built next to the mosque. Evacuees from Kampong Chhnang province (not the native villagers) dined in the facility during the KR era.

The suppression of religion and way of life caused both the Chvea and the Khmer living in the area to rebel in 1976. The rebel leaders were from Tuol To-teung commune but mobilized forces from several villages, including O-Trav. There were about 40 rebels, divided into two groups. Most of the rebels formed the first group, hiding themselves in the mountains along National Road 4, opposite the mosque. Some of them were former KR spies and cadres. At first they wanted to send their families to Viet Nam. When they could not, they decided to leave the women at home. They hid rice and weapons in the mountains, where they fought against the KR. Sometimes they came down to bomb the KR in Chong Ksach and other villages nearby. In retaliation, the KR searched for the wives and relatives of the rebels and killed them.

The second group of rebels was led by Sokry’s father, who lives in Banteay Prey village next to O-Trav. That group took a boat to Thailand, hoping to then travel to Malaysia to seek military and financial support from the governments of Thailand and Malaysia. Before reaching Thailand, their boat was destroyed in a storm and two people died; the remaining people continued the journey. This second group never returned, however, because they were unable to obtain support. Consequently, while some men hiding in the mountains survived, women and children died because the KR sought to kill the wives and relatives of rebels.


After the KR regime in 1979, the villagers returned home to find that the mosque and village had been partially destroyed. They began to reconstruct their community and in the process, the community’s and their own identity. The KR regime left serious wounds, especially for widows whose husbands were killed by the KR, some for being former Lon Nol soldiers. Their stories and other villagers’ stories have become part of village history.

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