the ubiquitous digital camera records our images of holiday escapades for posterity. or, till our hard disks crash. in the meanwhile, i, the unsuspecting guest, am obliged to absorb these pixelated souvenirs when visiting friends, relatives or acquaintances.
i love traveling and photography but am careful to temper my enthusiasm to share, lest i too become the object of scorn and derision.
cambodia is slowly emerging from the shadows as an exhilarating destination to explore. it is a country rich in history, but ravaged by the residual scars of conflict and struggling to emerge from dislocation and poverty. tourists are coming and their hard dollars provide a desperately needed injection of liquidity.
but, there is a more sinister injection of fluids. cambodia is a destination of choice and a haven for pedophiles. crimes against the weakest and the most defenseless are never relative. but, sexual and physical atrocities against children are the most repugnant of all crimes. if there is any way we can contribute to eradicating this abomination, we have no choice but to act.
from his book, sacred vows, the cambodian poet u sam oeur writes:
may the boddhi tree be free to grow.
may the sugar palm be free from blame.
may the supernatural devils be banished from cambodia.
may peace be restored
to the people of this land.
photographs: cambodia, august 2005
1 comment:
what lovely pictures
Post a Comment