DONALD JAMESON- Bumpy Development Road: Implications for US Interests

I am so honor that Don Jameson gave me the permission to publish his article that he wrote for the Asia Pacific Bulletin on Cambodia. This article was published March 15, 2011.

When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Cambodia in late 2010, she told senior Cambodian government officials "this does not look like the country I have been reading about in the press." Most first-time visitors to Phnom Penh would likely react similarly. The city hosts a vibrant society, with traffic-clogged streets, a proliferation of stylish restaurants and boutiques, and buildings under construction everywhere, many of them high-rise apartments and office blocks. If the visitor were to venture outside the capital, large-scale investment in infrastructure, especially roads and bridges, with construction underway on additional projects are what greet the eye. In addition, there are extensive land clearing projects underway for new plantations to grow rubber, palm oil, cashews and other tropical products, as well as new industrial sites springing up along main transportation arteries. In short, Cambodia is clearly a country on the move economically.

Having prepared for the visit by reading recent media coverage of Cambodia, much of it carrying headlines such as "The Beleaguered Cambodians," "Cambodia's Curse," and "Country for Sale," the majority of people would probably find themselves, like Mrs. Clinton, a bit confused. Many media reports revolve around how Cambodia is plagued by rampant corruption benefiting a wealthy ruling oligarchy and their crony capitalist friends, while much of the population lives in abject poverty. There is also much coverage about widespread human rights abuses, including the confiscation of land from small landholders for investment projects, often without adequate compensation. As a result, visitors are led to anticipate a culture of impunity that protects the rich and powerful while victimizing the poor and powerless. In addition, they would expect to hear about strict limits on freedom of expression and assembly, as well as frequent intimidation of politicians, journalists, labor leaders, human rights advocates and other critics of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).

The truth is both of these contrasting visions are accurate and represent important aspects of the complex reality that is Cambodia today. In recent years, Hun Sen has consolidated power at the expense of a weak and fractured opposition and, since the 2008 election, enjoys a CPP supermajority in the National Assembly. This has allowed him to pass any legislation he desires as well as to take punitive actions, including withdrawal of parliamentary immunity from legislators who oppose him. As a consequence, Hun Sen now has virtually absolute power. He makes almost daily off-the-cuff speeches using colorful, and often demeaning, language to castigate his critics, both domestic and foreign. Additionally, he has cultivated close relations with China, Vietnam, and South Korea, which bankroll many of his development projects and provide political cover. These connections enable him to defiantly reject criticism of his authoritarian behavior by Western countries and the United Nations.

However, there is a positive side to Hun Sen's political dominance. He has imposed stability on a country that has experienced more than thirty years of turmoil and civil war. This has attracted the interest of international investors who see Cambodia as a potential new "Asian Tiger." Along with the ongoing activities of foreign aid donors and more than 2,000 non-governmental organizations, this has led to outside involvement in Cambodia on a scale unprecedented in its history. In the process, a once insular, heavily rural, and very conservative society is being transformed into an extension of the modern globalized world. It is difficult to predict where these deep social changes will eventually lead, but the old Cambodia characterized by its apparently gentle smiling people and languorous pastoral charm seems destined over time to resemble other fast-growing Asian countries. As Cambodia moves toward greater integration with the outside world, the personalized patrimonial political culture, which underlies current abusive governance practices, may gradually evolve toward a more responsive modern polity.

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Narin Jameson on Cooking and Culture in Cambodia

After arriving in the US in 1972, Narin Seng Jameson became homesick and yearned for the food of her childhood as a way to stay connected to home. After much research and persistence, she is now releasing the cookbook, “Cooking the Cambodian Way: The Intertwined Story of Cooking and Culture in Cambodia” as a way to preserve the traditional Cambodian recipes from the 1950's and 60's, the era of relative calm and peace, prior to the Khmer Rouge regime take over. She hopes the cookbook will reach young Cambodians/Americans who do not know how to cook the traditional recipes of their heritage. All proceeds of the book will go to the U.S. NGO, “Caring for Cambodia” To furthering the development of Cambodia especially in education.

Narin Seng Jameson came to the U.S. in 1972 with the hope to further her education and return to the homeland when Cambodia regains Peace, before the Khmer Rouge regime took power. She embarked on a study abroad program in Washington D.C. from the University of Phnom Penh and was able to be closer to her older sister, who was a Counselor at the Embassy of Cambodia. When Cambodia was taken over by the Maoist Khmer Rouge in 1975, it became impossible for Jameson to return home for the fifteen years under the dictator, Pol Pot.

Similar to most first year college students who study far away from home, Jameson had to learn to be independent, while simultaneously experiencing strong feelings of homesickness. She yearned for the traditional dishes that her family had made for her when growing up in Phnom Penh, because they brought back fond memories that she cherished. Jameson had memory of her childhood spent in the family kitchen and watched how the cook prepared the food and the comments made from her mother on what to add and what to reduce but no idea on how to find the ingredients as they are not available in the early 70s in the Washington metropolitan area. She decided to experiment Cambodian recipes from the 50s and 60s with the ingredients that friends and family provided to her, it was at that time she learned the substitutes of Khmer ingredients. The 50s and 60s represented Peace and Happiness in her childhood, she called it the Golden Era of Cambodia, before the war and violence in Cambodia began.

After many years of experimenting cooking while living with her sister and while living abroad as a spouse of a U.S. Foreign Service officer in different countries and entertained host dignitaries and fellow diplomats, Jameson’s interest in cooking continued and started to contribute recipes to many cookbooks that were created by different organizations she was a member of, including: the women’s association at The National War College in Washington D.C., The New Zealand Poultry Association in Wellington, and The International Cookery Group in Yangon, Myanmar. In May 1995, the Washington Post published some of her Cambodian recipes in their Food Section. She participated at the 7th Annual Asians in America Conference in NYU in 2001, Jameson has been an active board member at the Cambodian Buddhist Temple in Silver Spring, Maryland where she helps organize the education program, substitutes as a Khmer language teacher, and assists in the teaching of the Cambodian dance and Dhamma. After retiring from the World Bank Jameson becomes a consultant in the same organization.

Red Spicy Paste Recipe:


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Job Mentor; help refugees obtain their first employment in America

I have been volunteering as a Job Mentor at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) since last December (2010). As a job mentor, by far, I help new immigrants who were refugees from Thailand to find jobs in the United States, especially in the San Diego area. Within the first few weeks and months, I work closely with mentees on important tasks to get a job in America. Some of the skills I have taught are how to search for jobs online and/or in person, fill out applications online and/or print, do a follow up, and prepare for an interview. The last three months, I have been helping and providing assistance to four refugees from Burma (Myanmar). The first two Burmese, were a mother and a son. Although I was able to help the mother and son to achieve an employment, I am determined to find jobs for the newly arrived married couple who are eager to work hard for employment opportunities.

A few weeks ago, I met with Nee and Sem (made up names). They are in their mid 20s and have lived in America for about a month. Although I was surprised how thin they both are, I understand the malnourishment of refugee camps. Like my parents, Nee and Sem met in a refugee camp in Thailand. Similar to many Cambodian refugees I had interviewed, the couple has lived in Thai refugee camps for 14 years of their lives before they resettled in America. Nee arrived to the camp at age six and Sem at seven years old. The last camp they lived in is call Mae la oo in Thailand. In the camp, they received their high school diplomas. They shared with me that they learned Karen (native tongue), Burmese and Basic English along with math and science. (I am so pleased to have discovered that they had opportunities to learn while they were growing up in a refugee camp. Refugee camps today have changed and improved since I was in the camp.)

As a Job Mentor, I have to dig deep about their employment history. Although I am aware that most refugees do not work or have a job in a refugee camp, there are a few who do. I found out that both Nee and Sem worked in the camp. They were a caregiver and a youth mentor, respectively. Believe me when I say it was very hard working on their resume. I had to be creative when filling in the blanks on their resumes because their English is very limited and I do not speak Karen or Burmese. This was a challenge on both ends. It is not a surprise that there are limited IRC staff who speak the uncommon languages. I am sure within the next few years, they will have more Karen and Burmese translators. Just like any new immigrants, it is hard at first to adjust to the new country’s language and cultural barriers.

I was curious about the last camp they have lived. So I Googled “Mae la oo.” Just like that, the camp showed up. When I showed Nee and Sem the blog/website with pictures of the camp, their eyes lit up. They smiled and pointed to the screen and looked at me to make sure that I knew it was their home before America. The name of the blog is "In Burma." The blog is a great resource for me to better understand their life before arriving to San Diego, CA. I hope through learning about the camp and their background, I can better assist them in their new home in America and hopefully they both land a job soon before their terms end.

I was interested about what happens when refugees can’t find a job after their term has ended. I interviewed one of the IRC staff, Genevieve. She was happy to provide some answers. She mentioned that if they are not eligible for welfare (i.e. without children) and have not found a job at the end of their eight-month period, they would have no income. In other words, the cash aids that they received from the IRC to help them settle in America will expire. However, the IRC would continue to help them find jobs. Often what happens is those who did not find a job before their term is over, they end up depending on their family for support. In the worst case a few ended up on the street and were forced to be homeless. This is why it is very important for new immigrants to apply to as many jobs as quickly within their eight months term, so they have a better chance of obtaining a job at the end of their term.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer and helping refugees search for jobs, and follow up on job leads, you can check the IRC website: www.rescue.org/sandiego for more detailed information.

Muay Thai Kickboxing: Yenly's Workout

A French Cambodian Singer for the Poland National Folk Ballet

I wanted to share with you my latest article for CAA interviewed with Christophe Lan. This article was published 3/10/11.


Christophe Lan is a product of globalization. Born in Paris, France- and now based in Warsaw, Poland. Lan is the first Cambodian French person to be singing for the Mirabilia Musica, Poland's National Folk Ballet. Lan has been singing in their vocalist ensemble for seven years. Mirabilia Musica is best known for their classical, religious, musical performances. Lan's father is from Cambodia and his mother is a native of France. Lan has traveled and lived in various countries and knows over four languages. Since his first singing lesson at age 17, Christophe discovered he had a natural talent and a passion for singing. Due to his language abilities, Christophe is an intentional singer: "Yes, I love to sing and have sang in various languages including Polish, French and German. I studied musicology (studies of music and culture), which helped prepare me for my current professional singing career. I am proud to say that I am the first Cambodian French who sang for the Mazowsze Zespol Ludowy, which is the Polish National Ballet.”


Christophe believes that music has a powerful ability to stir emotion and create a sense of connectedness:

“Music is so peaceful and you can make somebody happy, even crying with joy. For anniversaries of funerals, I was singing here in Poland and people were so happy to hear me sing ave maria caccini. When I sing for an audience, I feel that I am connected with them, here and there and further, it is like an experimental sensation of being everywhere and in communion with people and nature. My whole body is shivering and sounding.”-- Christophe

Khmer American Female Soccer Player

I would like to share with you an article, which is about me as a Khmer American Female Soccer Player by the Cambodian American Soccer Association. This was published March 3, 2011.


Growing up in a household with immigrant Khmer parents was difficult for Yenly and her pursuit to play soccer. It was tough for her mother to accept her daughter playing soccer which can be seen as dangerous. But soon enough, both her parents supported her dreams to play soccer. They realized their new home was America where girls can do anything like boys.

Yenly firmly believes that a sport such as soccer offers many life lessons. It has the ability to teach team work, communication, and building confidence. She learned many of these lessons while playing the sport and used it to help her cope with growing up in the ghetto. These lessons gave her strength and allowed her to be independent.

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