Luke Duggleby

CAMBODIA: Returned to Sender

Bong Bun, 25, or B to his mates, became a monk two months ago under pressure from his mother. His gang name was Turtle and was part of the Red Scorpion gang in Philadelphia. Life as a monk is extremely difficult for him but he continues to try. His friend Hawaii comes round to visit him at his temple. After escaping the Khmer Rouge regime to the US as refugees; many young American Cambodians are being sent back to Cambodia never to return to the US again. A new policy in 2002 meant that any US-Cambodian who still had not applied for US citizenship and had been convicted of a felony would be deported back to Cambodia after living in the US all their life. Over 1400 convicted felons are proposed to be sent back in the next few years and naturally the re-adjustment to a life they don't know or understand is a difficult one.
Bong Bun, 25, or B to his mates, became a monk two months ago under pressure from his mother. His gang name was Turtle and was part of the Red Scorpion gang in Philadelphia. Life as a monk is extremely difficult for him but he continues to try. His friend Hawaii comes round to visit him at his temple.

After escaping the Khmer Rouge regime to the US as refugees; many young American Cambodians are being sent back to Cambodia never to return to the US again. A new policy in 2002 meant that any US-Cambodian who still had not applied for US citizenship and had been convicted of a felony would be deported back to Cambodia after living in the US all their life.

Over 1400 convicted felons are proposed to be sent back in the next few years and naturally the re-adjustment to a life they don't know or understand is a difficult one.