Over the past three decades Cambodia has been devastated by civil war. Everything was destroyed, including infrastructure, buildings and the morality of the people. The wars were declared by old people but the victims were children, youth and people who are living in our society. Even though the war finished, people are still living in fear. Poverty is often a side effect of conflicts and violence. We can observe that many conflicts are still going on in the Cambodian society: Political conflicts, land disputes, family conflicts, violence, neighborhood conflicts and inter-generational conflicts. In many cases, the people have no idea how to solve these conflicts in a non-violent manner.
Young people find their parents overloaded and helpless to manage their family and to deal with problems. They learned that people with money and rank don't depend on the rule of law and that there is no youth policy in Cambodia. Young people are worrying about their individual and their country's perspective: How to reach peace inside them, to receive answers how to create trustful relationships and to perform their own contribution to the national development.
The peace building project implemented the pilot project in the
year 2003 under funding support of DED (German Development Service)
in Cambodia . In 2004 the project was funded by the Foreign Office
of Germany and in 2005-2006-2007-2008 it was supported by Institute
for Foreign Culture Relations (IFA), Germany . Cambodian people
are still questions with the Democratic Kampuchea time; who were
responsible and who ordered to kill people and which countries'
were politically behind the Khmer Rouge leaders. We are living within
not clear water. Most responsible persons for the regime's crimes
would face justice.
Young Cambodians are still not believe that cruel leaders were
active in Cambodia in the period of time from 1975-1979.
Some young people in the modern life are laughing
when the old people talking about the hard works, exhaustion and
starvation in the past. They think human beings should not kill
each other and Khmer Rouge Leaders mass killings in their own nation
seem unbelievable.
KYA's Peace Building project
showed the importance of bringing people together, giving them the
opportunity to share their sorrows and getting qualified information
about conflict resolution. We learned that people are very open
hearted and open minded if we trust in them and support an atmosphere
of friendship. They start to feel more responsible and especially
young people are eager to do something useful for the nation.
If young people know and understand that there was a cruel past
which has an influence into the present, then they are demanding
for justice. They are confused about the way the government is interpreting
the irrelevances of a trial but recognize during discussion its
importance. They see that there is a connection between cut off
the past and slow development of stable peace. If people are carrying
the high load of the past, like observing slaughter of people, they
feel not very free and open for the future.
Our goal
The goal of the peace building project is to achieve
sustainable peace for Cambodians and make the idea of solidarity
in the community accessible for everybody, especially the youth.
What we want
to improve the understanding of conflicts
to reduce violence in communities
to inform about non-violent conflict resolutions and practice
to search for the causality of different conflict-fields
to strengthen and set up more active peace networks in communities
to inform people in communities on how to live in solidarity
in their communities
to access historical facts and dissemination information
to support justice for victims, reconciliation and building
peace for Cambodian society.
to understand mass killing on mental health.
to aware Cambodian young people living without any fair of
wars and genocide.
Where we work
The Peace Building Project of KYA is implementing
in 8 provinces. The provinces are Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang,
Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, and Takeo.
Posters
If you want to have a closer look on our posters,
please click on the small images.
