| ID | 145851 |
| Title Proper | Should ethnic Lao people be considered indigenous to Cambodia? ethnicity, classification and the politics of indigeneity |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Baird, Ian G |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The ethnic Lao are not well-known in Cambodia, despite constituting a substantial but unrecorded population there. Even though the Lao have lived in Cambodia for many generations, they were excluded from being considered ‘indigenous peoples’ when the category was legally introduced to Cambodia through the 2001 land law. Instead, they are not classified as ‘ethnic Lao’, except for the very few who were actually born in Laos. Here, I consider how the politics of identity in Cambodia has separated some highland ethnic minorities from the Lao. Many ethnic Lao in Cambodia quietly disagree with not being classified as indigenous. This contestation represents a similar dynamic to the differences of opinion between the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and the peasant organization, La Via Campesina, regarding advocating for indigenous and peasant rights, respectively. My objective is to demonstrate that the politics of indigenous categorization in Cambodia is complicated and fraught. |
| `In' analytical Note | Asian Ethnicity Vol. 17, No.4; Sep 2016: p.506-526 |
| Journal Source | Asian Ethinicity Vol: 17 No 4 |
| Key Words | Cambodia ; Indigenous Peoples ; Ethnic Classification ; Indigeneity ; Lao ; Peasant |