Little Cambodia, Growing Still Littler

Matthew Heyes/ 01/17/2008/ 9PM/ Population

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/nyregion/thecity/20camb.html

This article tells the story of Cambodian immigrants who came to America and settled in New York, most of which in the Bronx neighbourhood. The majority of immigrants arrived in the 1980s, after fleeing the repressive Khmer Rouge regime, which fell in 1979 and claimed nearly two million lives. Violence, lack of job opportunities and poor living conditions in the Bronx has led to many Cambodians moving out of this slightly segregated environment to other areas of the country. A vast cultural difference to other nationalities was blamed for this segregation. Immigrants from nations such as Vietnam fared better due to the cultural similarities shared with the Chinese. The majority of those left are the older generation or those in poor health. Second generation youth are looking elsewhere for education, employment and a higher standard of living.

I think that for the Cambodians to succeed and prosper in America they need to move out of an enclosed and segregated community. This is not only true for the residents of Little Cambodia, but also for any immigrant population. This movement should lessen the alienation caused by vast cultural differences. A higher standard of living will be achieved through better education and subsequent employment.

However this movement will do little for the elder generation, unwilling or unable to move. No doubt the living conditions in the neighbourhood will remain the same and either another batch of immigrants or more poor people will be forced into the area and suffer the same conditions.