Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
between 1975 and 1979, when a large part of their community was targeted. Many Cham
mosques that were destroyed under the Khmer Rouge have since been rebuilt.
Ethno-Linguistic Minorities
Cambodia's diverse Khmer Leu (Upper Khmer) or
chunchiet
(ethnic minorities), who live
in the country's mountainous regions, probably number around 100,000.
The majority of these groups live in northeast Cambodia, in the provinces of Ratanakiri,
Mondulkiri, Stung Treng and Kratie. The largest group is the Tompuon (many other
spellings are also used), who number nearly 20,000. Other groups include the Bunong,
Kreung, Kavet, Brau and Jarai.
The hill tribes of Cambodia have long been isolated from mainstream Khmer society,
and there is little in the way of mutual understanding. They practise shifting cultivation,
rarely staying in one place for long. Finding a new location for a village requires a village
elder to mediate with the spirit world. Very few of the minorities retain the sort of colour-
ful traditional costumes found in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
