Living on Water

The Tonle Sap Lake near Siem Reap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It’s one of the richest inland fishing grounds in the world and home to over one million people. More than 90,000 people live directly on the water in houseboats which create pockets of floating villages throughout the lake. The population is a mix of ethnic groups: Cambodian, Vietnamese and some Chinese families all crowd onto the self-built boats and rafts. Floating stores, schools, an ice factory, a Buddhist pagoda and even a Catholic church have been built. The inhabitants make a living from fishing or bartering. Chinese vegetable and rice sellers supply the people with basic essentials by boat. In the eyes of the authorities, they are living there illegally. As «sans-papiers», they are neither registered, nor do they have access to state education, the health system, or any other rights. The population consists mainly of women and children. Most men have apparently abandoned their families completely or are trying to earn a living in the big cities, for example as tuk-tuk drivers. Much of the work is done by children. Girls barely older than eight fish to support their families. Child mortality rates are high. Today, the fragile niche ecosystems as well as the rural livelihoods of Tonle Sap are in danger. Dams, overfishing, illegal wood harvesting, further resource exploitation, and pollution all impact the stability of the socio-ecological system of Tonle Sap. The existence of the villages is additionally threatened, because the government intend to close them down in the foreseeable future and relocate the inhabitants.