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| Members of a fishing family in Cambodia’s “Vietnam Village” mend their nets. Fishing is their main livelihood. | ||
Residents, even the village leader Sau Huan, cannot remember when the village was formed.
Years ago, Vietnamese fishing boats traveled along the Mekong River’s branches from Vietnam’s southern region into Cambodia, forming a “floating village” in the neighboring country.
“Where there are rivers and fish, we go,” said Tam Thao, who has spent all her life fishing on the branches of the Mekong River.
Asked if she missed her hometown, Thao said she didn’t even know it.
“When I was young, my parents took me to many places to catch fish and avoid bombing raids,” she said.
“We floated to this place.”
Tran Van Lac, a local of the village, said when the number of “floating houses” reached nearly 100 in the early 1990s, Prey Veng Province’s Overseas Vietnamese Society bought some land for “floating” residents.
The area is now “Vietnam Village.”
The village, on low-lying land, often has to move to an area near Rong Dom Ray Pagoda in the July-October rainy season.
Each family has to pay between 30,000 and 50,000 riels (US$7.50-$12.40) for a place for their temporary homes during this period.
In the village, there are two modified vehicles used for lifting homes and moving them to the makeshift “relocation” area.
La Van Duong, who earns a living as a construction laborer, said he had been unemployed for several months as the soaring prices of construction materials forced some projects to be halted.
But he said he was not as miserable as most of the village’s residents, who only caught fish for their daily meals.
From February to May, when the river level drops, it is hard to find fish or shrimp, he said.
During that time, residents can earn about 6,000-12,000 riels ($1.50-$3) per day, enough to buy rice for that day only.
When someone falls ill, their family has to borrow money to pay for treatment, usually at high interest rates, he said.
Duong cannot enroll his six-year-old daughter, Linh, into schools as the family does not have the necessary papers.
Linh’s situation is common in the village, where most of the children do not have the chance to go to school.
The rainy season is coming, and water hyacinth is flourishing on rivers here.
The village residents, who are preparing for their move, live like the water hyacinth.
“Vietnam Village” may welcome some people from other areas and say goodbye to some of its residents after this season.
Source: Tuoi Tre
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