Khmer Krom People Statistics

The following data and information was broadcasted on Voice of America December 3, 1999

I. Estimated Data on the Khmer Krom’s population and religion

1. Khmer Krom’s Population in the following countries: Vietnam: 7,000,000 (seven millions) Cambodia: 1,200,000 (1.2 million) Other countries: 40,000 Grand Total: 8,240,000 Other Countries

Australia	1000
Austria	200
Canada	500
Denmark	40
France	3000
Germany	120
Italy	200
Japan	80
Netherlands	80
New Zealand	383
Switzerland	40
United Kingdom	240
USA	30,000
Others	4000

2. Khmer Krom’s Hinayana Buddhism in the following countries:

Country	Number of pagoda	Number of Buddhist Monks
Vietnam	560	20,000
Cambodia	30	500*
USA	7	38
Australia	2	10
Canada	1	1
France	–	3
Others	10	50
Total	600	20,550

(*) Number of Khmer Krom Buddhist monks in Cambodia could be significant higher, therefore Khmer Krom Associations in Cambodia could be only reliable sources to update above information.

II. Introduction

The subject of the Khmer Krom population referencing by the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) at the VOA broadcasting on December 3, 1999 are based on a historical document authored by Somdech Son Sann (1) on February 27, 1994 for the government of Cambodia. The above data on population have been extrapolated at a simple growth rate of 2.3% per annum. And the KKF has incorporated three major adjustments to this unfortunate population. Reference Data in 1994: (This data have not taken into consideration the massacres to the Khmer Krom people by Vietminh in WWII ended 1945, by the Vietnam War ended 1975, by the Vietnamese communists in Vietnam and in Cambodia ended 1993): Population : 8,000,000 (eight millions) Simple Interpolation of the Khmer Krom Population:

Year	Growth rate per year	Population	Growth per annum
1994	2.3%	8,000,000	184,000
1995		8,184,000	188,000
1996	2.3%	8,372,000	192,000
1997	2.3%	8,565,000	196,000
1998	2.3%	8,760,000	200,000
1999	2.3%	8,960,000	206,000

III. Major Adjustments to the Khmer Krom Population

There are historical and political reasons for the Vietnamese communists to abuse the Khmer Krom people in Vietnam. The southern part of Vietnam or former Cochin-China during the French colonialism was part of Cambodia. In 1949, the French ceded that portion of the land to the last emperor of Vietnam, his majesty Bao Dai, in an obscure agreement. Vietnam wants to erase the Khmer Krom People’s population, social, cultural and historical traces by implementing cultural terrorism, ethnic reengineering and ethnic cleansing policies against these unfortunate people. 1. Massacred by the Vietminh during the WWII – ended 1945 During the World War II in parallel with the sufferings of the Jews in Europe inflicted upon them by the Nazi, the Khmer Krom People in southern part of Vietnam have suffered of untold massacres by the Vietminh toward their general population. The Khmer Krom: men, women, children, and Buddhist monks have been wholesale murdered. Many of their Buddhist temples have been destroyed. The extrapolated data of the damages to their population cumulated to an estimation of about 200,000 people have been murdered by the Vietminh. 2. Massacred and killed in the Vietnam War – ended 1975 During the Vietnam War, the Khmer Krom people have suffered even more. Both sides of the war have employed more sophisticated tactics to exploit the aspiration of the Khmer Krom people. Specifically, the modern war machinery and ammunitions as well as political trickery which the Vietcong, the North Vietnamese and the government of then Republic of Vietnam in the South Vietnam, have devastated even greater to the Khmer Krom. Their Khmer Krom: men, women, children, and Buddhist monks have been wholesale slaughtered. Many of their Buddhist temples have been destroyed. The extrapolated data on the damages to the Khmer Krom’s population has been cumulated to an estimation of about 300,000 people, have been murdered by all Vietnamese factions of the war. 3. Massacred and killed in the Killing Field and by the Vietnamese communists – ended 1993 In the proxy war of Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge in the Killing Fields, the Khmer Krom’s population in Cambodia has suffered untold damages. The United Nations inquiry into the crime against humanities in Cambodia has not taken into consideration of the sufferings of Khmer Krom People in Cambodia. A conservative estimation to be about 150,000 Khmer Krom lives has been lost in the Killing Fields 1975 – 1979. Vietnam has cooperated with Khmer Rouge to kill Khmer Krom members in Cambodia as well in 1975 and 1976. During the brutality rule of Vietnamese communists after 1975, the Khmer Krom People in southern part of Vietnam have continued to suffer. In many fabricated pretexts, Vietnam have exploited the Khmer Krom People aspiration and incited violence in many provinces of southern Vietnam. The Khmer Krom population heavy casualties have been inflicted by Vietnam government machinery in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and continued on long after the Vietnam’s Doi Moi program has been initiated in 1986. A conservative estimation to be about 50,000 Khmer Krom lives have been lost in mass murders, labor camps, education camps, etc. After Vietnam invaded Cambodia 1979 and dominated Cambodia until 1993, there have been estimated about additional 20,000 Khmer Krom members have been massacred in Cambodia under the leadership of Vietnam.

IV. Summary the estimated figure of Khmer Krom world wide in 1999

Total Population: 8,960,000 (extrapolated) – 200,000 (lost of Khmer Krom’s lives in WWII- ended 1945) – 300,000 (lost of Khmer Krom’s lives in Vietnam War – ended 1975) – 150,000 (lost of Khmer Krom’s lives in the killing field in Cambodia- ended 1979) – 50,000 (lost of Khmer Krom’s lives under Vietnam communists after 1975) – 20,000 (lost of Khmer Krom’s lives under Vietnam in Cambodia after 1979) Net Khmer Krom Population after heavy loses : 8,240,000 To the Western Countries : 40,000 Escaped to Cambodia : 1,200,000