By William E. Todd
Thank you again for your responses to my “Ask the Ambassador” column. I love reading what you send me, and I am so glad
that I reach such an intelligent and inquisitive audience. Please keep
asking me questions at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov.
At this time,
Muslims all over the world celebrate their holy month of Ramadan, and
many of you have asked me whether there are Muslims in the United
States. It might surprise Cambodians to know that Islam is actually a
major religion practiced in the United States. And because Islam plays a
part in both American and Cambodian society, the U.S. Embassy has
participated in Ramadan celebrations since 2003. We have also hosted
events to celebrate Ramadan for the past five years.
There are
sizable Muslim communities here in Cambodia as well. In fact, our
Embassy has been fortunate to form close relationships with the Muslims
in Cambodia and assist them when we can. Cambodian Muslims survived the
brutal history of the Khmer Rouge, and today, they practice Islam
openly and without fear of prosecution. Their communities are now
thriving and they are contributing to building a better Cambodia. Their
beliefs are certainly not those of the majority, but they enjoy a
tolerance that demonstrates Cambodia’s democratic development.
I
fully experienced Ramadan for the first time when I was Ambassador to
Brunei, and it was wonderful to see the season’s kindness and devotion
firsthand. Ramadan is an important time for Muslims because it is when
the Qu’ran was first revealed. It is a month when all Muslims,
including millions of American Muslims, pray for guidance and seek
forgiveness for past sins. Ramadan is known for the fast that lasts
from dawn until sunset, and I am always impressed by the dedication that
this requires. The fasting is difficult, but Muslims strongly believe
in its ultimate purpose: to teach self-discipline and self-restraint in
order to develop empathy for those less fortunate. And just like the
custom of millions of American Muslims, Cambodian Muslims will end the
fast with an Iftar, a special meal held at sunset. Normally, Muslims
celebrate these dinners with friends and family, but on special
occasions the whole community takes part. That is why the U.S. Embassy
hosted an Iftar dinner on August 2 for the Muslim community in Phnom
Penh. It was a wonderful occasion for us to learn about Islam in
Cambodia.
Another question that I’ve often been asked is: “What
do you think about human rights in Cambodia?” I think Cambodia is
making strides with human rights. Since 1992, Cambodia has established a
constitution recognizing a range of universally accepted human rights,
has held a series of elections, and has demonstrated leadership in
maintaining peace and security in the region. Still, I believe that
there is, as always, a lot of work to be done.
The U.S.
government is proud to support a number of local organizations working
for the political, economic, and social empowerment of Cambodian
citizens. In particular, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)
is striving to nurture an environment where all Cambodians enjoy their
fundamental human rights and freedoms. USAID support has helped CCHR to
create the online portal called sithi.org to collect and share human
rights information to better inform activists and the general public so
they are able to constructively contribute to the dialogue on issues
that affect their lives. USAID also supports CCHR’s Trial Monitoring
project to improve the procedures and practices of courts in Cambodia,
resulting in greater adherence to fair trial standards. As the U.S.
Ambassador, I am committed to promoting the value of human rights and
having a dialogue with civil society, the government, and the people
about striving to maintain these ideals in Cambodia.
Thanks again
for all your feedback and keep emailing me at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov
with any questions you may have. Also, keep checking my blog,
http://blogs.usembassy.gov/todd/, for our latest updates!
William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
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