War

War has come to Cambodia again.

On Friday, Cambodian soldiers opened fire on Thai forces illegally occupying land in the far western part of the country.  Go here for more details: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=133505696. 

I guess I have been trying not to think too hard about it.  It is a tragedy that people have died, but with a little luck it still seems possible that it will remain an isolated incident.  The thing to remember, though, is that an isolated incident is still a major event for the people living it.

I have noticed the girls' Buddhist upbringing coming out in a lot more ways I expected.  They hate killing bugs (even roaches!).  When the Director was complaining about the noise being made next door, someone was quick to jump in, saying when she got upset she tried to remember how it must have been for them when our dorm was being built.  This conflict is yet another way I think their compassion has boiled over.  Some are pretty upset about the fighting, especially coming after the Water Festival tragedy at the end of last year that killed over 300 people.  Conflict is never easy.  Conflict in a country so recently torn apart by it is terrifying. 

(Note: While searching for a good link to the story, I went to the Phnom Penh Post website, which doesn't seem to be working.  Overloaded?  I found an article on the New York Times site, but this was only a paragraph and from two days ago.  As always, NPR came through with the best international coverage.  They even beat out the BBC!)