Cambodians struggle with displaced lives amid tense ceasefire with Thailand | Border Disputes News
Displaced Cambodian Families Struggle for Stability Amid Ongoing Tensions with Thailand
Preah Vihear/Siem Reap provinces – Eleven-year-old Sokna has traded school days for chores since her family relocated to a displacement camp at a Buddhist pagoda in northwestern Cambodia. Her daily tasks include fetching water, washing dishes, and tidying the area around their makeshift home, covered by a blue tarpaulin.
Sokna and her sister have ceased their education, according to their mother, Puth Reen, who spoke with Al Jazeera about the dire realities facing her family since fleeing back to Cambodia from Thailand due to recent hostilities. They are among over 34,440 individuals currently in displacement camps, including 11,355 children, as reported by Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior.
“I tried to tell them to go to school, but they don’t go,” Puth Reen said, reflecting on her family’s precarious living conditions after years of working in Thailand.
The future remains uncertain for many Cambodians, particularly children, as they continue to navigate life in displacement camps months after the most recent clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. Families have been forced to evacuate from high-alert regions where troops have stationed, surviving primarily on aid. Some individuals are beginning to transition from emergency tents to wooden stilted houses provided by the Cambodian government.
Despite a tenuous ceasefire, relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh remain strained. Areas bordering Thailand have become hotspots for nationalist sentiments, with social media reflecting grievances over Thai military practices, including the erection of barriers that restrict access to Cambodian villages.
Cambodian military actions have also impeded return for residents like Sun Reth, a 67-year-old farmer, who has been denied access to her home near the frontline. “Now the Cambodian military base is just next to [my house],” she noted, expressing frustration over being unable to collect food from her own land.
The border dispute escalated into two significant conflicts last year, resulting in casualties on both sides and displacing hundreds of thousands. Although a ceasefire was established on December 27, tensions persist.
In displacement camps, while children can still access education, the quality remains inconsistent. Mothers from the Wat Bak Kam camp reported that primary school students attend local classes, whereas high school students must travel approximately 15 kilometers to the provincial capital, a journey made increasingly difficult by rising fuel prices attributed to geopolitical conflicts.
Kinmai Phum, the technical lead for WorldVision’s education program, indicated that school dropout rates have surged as families face irregular shelter arrangements and mental health issues. “Local authorities are concerned that many children may not return to school at all if displacement and economic hardship persist,” he stated.
Yuon Phally, a mother of two, observed the effects of the conflict on her children’s focus and mental state. Her husband serves as a soldier, adding to their anxiety over impending conflict. “They hear rumors about fighting and it distracts them from their studies,” she said.
Soeum Sokhem, a deputy village chief, continues to return to his home in a militarized zone, despite risks. “I can’t just stay here,” he explained regarding life in the camp.
Having experienced a lifetime of conflict, including wars and political turmoil, Sokhem expressed a yearning for peace that resonates throughout the region. The Cambodian government emphasizes stability, yet gunfire can still be heard in proximity to his home, underscoring the ongoing uncertainty.
The situation remains precarious as families seek stability while grappling with the consequences of conflict.
