When it comes to Cambodia, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is the tourist resort of Angkor Wat.
Stone carving art of Angkor Wat
In fact, in addition to the famous Angkor Wat, Cambodia also has the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap Lake.
Tonle Sap Lake
Tonle Sap Lake is located in the heart of Cambodia, the lake is equivalent to the size of 4 Singapores, rich in aquatic resources, known by the Cambodian people as the "Lake of Life".
However, in such a beautiful lake, there is "hidden" a group of people who cannot return home and cannot return to a country.
On the vast tonle sap lake, about 700,000 people "float" on the water, and all food, clothing, shelter and transportation are solved on the water.
They have no state, no identity, and have lived on the water for generations, living in isolation.
Where did they come from? Why choose to live like this?
All this must start from the origins of Cambodia and Vietnam.
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Cambodia and Vietnam, as neighbors, have long been deeply entrenched in hatred.
In 1978, Vietnam launched a war to invade Cambodia in order to achieve its ambition to dominate Southeast Asia and revive the Federation of Indochina.
200,000 elite troops swept through Cambodia, causing Heavy Casualties, Corpses And Losses of Land.
Until now, demonstrations against Vietnam are still everywhere in Cambodia. It can be said that Cambodians really hate Vietnam to the bone.
And these people who live on the water, their ancestors fled from Vietnam in the era of war.
Although the suffering of the war was spared, after the war, the Vietnamese government refused to extradite them to China on the grounds of "treasons".
The Cambodian side has labeled them "spies" and is equally reluctant to take them in.
Because of this, they have been able to survive on the water for generations. Although the lakes are within Cambodia, they do not enjoy the rights of Cambodian citizens.
They can't go ashore to work, they don't have their own land, they can only thrive on the water.
All of this means that their path to survival is difficult.
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As the saying goes, relying on mountains to eat mountains, relying on water to draft water.
When productivity does not meet daily needs, the gift of Heaven is particularly important.
People floating on the Tonle Sap Lake, they huddle together for warmth. Relying on his own strength to build his own village on the water - "floating village".
Aerial view of the floating village
The residents of the floating village derive their main income from fishing. They would sell fish and shrimp and other creatures to Cambodians in exchange for some money.
But because they were stateless and not accepted, Cambodian officials often came to the Tonle Sap Lake to confront them and told them that they would pay bribes in exchange for the right to fish in the Tonle Sap Lake.
Residents live in an environment without electricity and fresh water, and eating and drinking Lhasa is only done in their own boats.
Floating village residents wash their clothes
From the moment of birth, the children of Tonle Sap Lake have been deprived of the right to run on land.
Because you were born on the water and live on the water, swimming has become an essential skill for every child.
For their peers living on land, swimming may be a hobby, while for children in floating villages, swimming is a survival skill.
Even so, the child mortality rate in the floating villages is still very high.
Tens of thousands of garbage floats on the surface of Tonle Sap Lake, and because the residents of the floating village excrete and drink water in the same water, the water quality of Tonle Sap Lake is very seriously polluted.
Sick from the mouth, many children because of the consumption of unclean food led to physical problems, floating villages do not have good medical resources, and are not allowed to go ashore to see a doctor, children sick can not get the corresponding treatment, they can not seek help from the outside world, can only "die".
There are also many residents of floating villages who have been disabled for life because they have not received good treatment for illness. And these families who have lost their labor force can only continue to have children, hoping that the next generation will be strong and strong enough to support a family.
The cycle repeats, forming a dead cycle of "the poorer the more you are born, the poorer you are born".
Surviving children must learn to fish very early, after all, this is the only skill they rely on to survive, and their whole life is destined to revolve around water.
But living in the gutter, there is still the right to look up at the stars.
In the small boats, the residents of the floating villages are carrying the vision of life.
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Among the tens of thousands of small boats, there are places of life like land, such as grocery stores, barbershops, and even churches and football fields.
Grocery store in the floating village
Churches in floating villages
In a difficult life, they learned to make fun in the midst of suffering and "enjoy life" on the water.
Using limited potted soil, they plant potted peppers and papayas in floating gardens, and raise chickens and crocodiles in bamboo cages.
Water chicken coop
With the development of tourism in Cambodia, more and more people know about the floating village.
As a result, the local residents gradually began to develop a new way of life.
To supplement the family, the women and children of the family will row boats to pick up tourists who come to visit.
Some smart-minded people have opened "mobile shops" on the water, selling some snacks and fruits to tourists, and peddling some small foods and souvenirs.
Many children will hang a snake longer than their own and let tourists take pictures, thus charging a fee.
After more and more media reports and attention, international charitable organizations have paid attention to the education of children in floating villages.
In order to allow children to receive a normal education, volunteers have set up a five-year water primary school here, teaching only Vietnamese and mathematics for the time being.
Water Elementary School
Even if the teaching content is relatively simple, this is already the best gift for the children of the floating village who have never received education.
They get up early to row to school, discuss the joy of learning with their peers, and eagerly absorb the gift of knowledge.
The kids rowed the boat together to school
Just when everyone thought that the residents of the floating village were getting better little by little, a piece of news completely shattered people's illusions.
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In June, the local government ordered the demolition of the "floating water village" in Tonle Sap Lake, citing environmental concerns.
The demolition operation, which was carried out on a "whim", did not inform the residents of the floating village in advance.
Looking at this stinking garbage and sewage, the environmental problems of Tonle Sap Lake are indeed worrying.
The person in charge of the operation said that the demolition of the floating village is not a whim, but to prepare for the Southeast Asian Games to be held here in 2 years, the new stadium is only a few kilometers away from the floating village, can not let the residents of the floating village fold the face of the country, right?
Residents of the floating village said they would have time to find their next "foothold" if they could give a month's notice. But the demolition was so swift that, according to the Khmer Daily, 95 percent of the villagers had been forced to relocate as of August 8 this year.
In the face of the villagers' voices, the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments have not given a reasonable solution.
They can only carry heavy bags, row small boats, and go where they go.
Although they live a life of floating, they still give a big smile when they face the camera.
As everyone knows, behind the smile is the soul that clenches its teeth.
The inhabitants of these floating villages are undoubtedly victims of war and history, who pays for their lives?