Description of
Prejudice and
the country
holding the
prejudice
 As interpreted by
the country
holding the
prejudice
 "The Truth"
 Positive
Qualities of
Prejudice
 Negative
Qualities of
Prejudice
 Things to do (to
redice the impact of
the prejudice)
 Things not to do (to
reduce the impact of
the prejudice)
Cambodians
being
emotional -
easily feeling
angered

[Vietnam
noticing
Cambodians
are emotional]
 Being angry would
impact the continued
goodwill and
friendship between
the two countries.
 Cambodians do not wish to
say anything that would hurt
the other country or another
person, particularly as they do
not feel safe saying such
things.  This leads Cambodians
to hold their feelings and
thoughts within themselves.  
This carries on for a very long
time.  One day this "explodes".
 Appearing as
harmonious and
friendly on the
surface.
 Not being able
to clarify and
test assumptions
and continuing
to make one's
thoughts more
clear for another
party or person.
    
Vietnamese
tending to
speaking loudly

[Cambodians
noticing
Vietnamese are
not respecting
emotions of
others]
 Appearing as rude
and intruding in one's
personal space.  
Concerned it might
lead to someone
becoming hurt
(physically or
emotionally).
 There is a Vietnamese saying
that says "To be heard clearly,
one should speak loudly".  
There are four types of
'stresses' in the Vietnamese
language.  This requires one
to be clear in the way one
speaks.  Often this leads to
one speaking loudly.  Speaking
loudly is a sign of honesty,
strength and virility.

At some level, the more one
feels 'less strong', the more
one tends to speak loudly
(sign of lowered self-esteem)
 Sign of
honesty,strength
and virility.
 Appearing as not
respecting
another person's
personal space
(that includes
sense of hearing)
    
Vietnamese
carry out illegal
trades (such as
selling drugs
and
prostitution)
and eating
dog's meat

[Cambodians
noticing
Vietnam not
respecting the
emotions of
Cambodians]
 Perceived as not
respecting the
sovereignty and
spiritual image of
Cambodia
 Eating dog's meat (extreme
food) is a sign of manhood.

The less strong the
Vietnamese is, the less he is
able to 'survive' in Vietnam.  
Choosing to do business and
often needing to make money
quickly, causes Vietnamese
choosing to do business in
Cambodia as it is easier to do
so.

At some level, since the laws
in Cambodia does not control
('mother'), they feel a greater
sense of freedom and
therefore enjoy a more
comfortable way of living in
Cambodia.
 Sense of forging
ahead despite
challenges.  
Signs of
masculinity.
 Needing to be
'controlled' or
else chooses to
enjoy the
freedom.  Not
learning to
respect the laws
and sovereignty
of another
country.
    
Cambodians
not appearing
as wanting to
be progressive
economically

[Vietnam
noticing
Cambodians
are not
appearing to
be interested
in the physical
aspects of
economic
development]
 Perceived as not
willing to pull oneself
out of hardship by
sheer hard work and
staying focussed.
 Has been torn apart by
ravages of wars spanning from
the French colonization, to
infighting (the tendency to
swing from democracy to
communism), the mass killings
of Khmer Rogue years, the
invasion of Vietnamese troops
and not learning to find the
stability (politically and socially)
before building economic
progress).

At some level, not being able
to find the political stability it
needs has led Cambodians to
rely on third party NGOs.  This
triggers fear in Vietnamese
that should either US or China
entrench themselves in
Cambodia, it could lead to
another period of political and
economic stability in Vietnam.  
This is leading Vietnamese to
find ways to stay and assume
key positions in Vietnam that
would create government
policies that are friendlier to
Vietnam.
 Not encouraging
competition and
instead wanting
to seek more
collaborative
ways with each
other as a way
to work with
each other.  The
building of
Angkor Wat is
symbolic of what
collaboration can
do - the beauty
and majesty of
such work is
unmistakable and
the potential of
the country.

Seeming as
flexible and
wishing to place
harmony with
each other
above all else.

Learning to lead
without
suppressing and
overcoming
others who are
weaker.  
Learning to lead
by facilitation.
 Not appearing as
being able to
stand up on
one's own feet.

Not being able
to find a
direction that
the country can
agree on and
move forward
with.

Not being
perceived as a
leader.
    
Systems Thinking Case Study #23:
Inter-nation Conflict:  Cambodia-Vietnam Relations
HOW COME CAMBODIA-VIETNAM WORSENING RELATIONS HAVE BEEN
RESISTANT TO CHANGES?
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE LEARN TO APPLY THESE STRATEGIES?

WHAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT OR GET IN THE WAY OF MAKING THESE HAPPEN?

WHAT KEEPS OUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE THESE AND IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THESE STRUCTURES?

Click here to share your thoughts, comments and reactions
Cambodia's History
Link 1:  http://www.evietnamtours.com/indochina/cambodia/11/en/
Link 2:  http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/cambodia/pro-history.htm
Link 3:  http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/
Link 4:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Cambodia
Link 5:  http://www.geocities.com/khmerchronology/
Link 6:  http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0857137.html

Vietnam's History
Link 1:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Vietnam
Link 2:  http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0861793.html
Link 3:  http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/history/index.html
Link 4:  http://www.asian-nation.org/vietnam-history.shtml
Link 5:  http://www.viettouch.com/hist/
Link 6:  http://www.ichiban1.org/html/history/history_map.htm

INHERENT SYSTEMIC STRUCTURE:  ESCALATION
LIST OF PREJUDICES BY BOTH COUNTRIES - KNOWING WE ARE DIFFERENT
Group Action Plan
 Who
 When
 Where
 How
 Remarks
Setting up electronic contacts
 Chandria
(Cam)
Jino (VN)
     Via e-mails, chats and blogs
  
Creating opportunities for
meeting and sharing
 Dina (Cam)
xx (VN)
        
Creating opportunities for
people outside of CVD3 to
learn and understand the
prejudices
 Tra Mi (VN)
Giang (VN)
Tai (VN)
     Short Term (0-6 months):  Share what we have
learned (see list of prejudices above) with our
family and friends at the work-places and schools.

Learning to understand the tools that help us
make sense of prejudices e.g. Ladder of Inference.

Medium Term (0-1 year):  Organize dialogue
sessions (students, young adults) that help more
Cambodians and Vietnamese see themselves the
deeper implications of the prejudices.

Write articles in magazines and publications to
highlight the meanings of our prejudices

Long Term (0-2 years):  Produce dramas and
movies that help the masses to learn about the
prejudices

Produce live talk-shows on the radio and TV for
people to discuss and understand the prejudices.
  
Building the research of
Cam-VN relations
 Chivak (Cam)
Tuan Anh (VN)
     Short Term (0-6 months):
Collecting and reading different history books on
each side.

Making questionnaires on any issues and doing
interviews for both sides.

Medium Term (0-1 years):
Doing research and analyzing collected data.

Comparing the collected date with the
assumptions interpreted in those documents of
both sides.

Long Term (1-2 years):
Sharing the results/ researches.

Areas of research:
[ ]
 PURPOSE:  To bring one
version of the history (as
close to the truth as
possible) to CVD -
whenever that happens
Learning to understand what
caused the prejudices(this
allows us to prepare that more
prejudices do not happen in
the future.  Refer to notes in
red-coloured notes above.)

NEW - Offered to both teams
since Mar 17, 2007 (Sat)
 Suggestion by Sheila
(I would be happy to assist in clarifying and
understanding the distinctions)
 Distinctions in personality dynamics.
Learning the distinctions between emotional and
physical centerings in the ways thinking and processing
information, experiences, our communication
preferences and characteristics, learning, effective
working relationships, function, capacity, potential and
development.

Preparing the group on this over chats and emails

Eventually members taking this and sharing with
the communities around them.
 PURPOSE:  As part of
the team's learning in
the next six months -
Mar -Aug 07
Planning for the next CVD
 Ngan (VN)
xx (Cam)
        
LIST OF JOINT ACTION PLANS FOR CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM WITH THE
INTENTION TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE TWO COUNTRIES OVER TIME
To download the picture to print, click here
To download the dialogue process, click here:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/LOPN/files/Learning%20Organization%20Projects/Inter-Nation%20Conflicts/