Rekontruksi dan Re-Islamisasi Muslim Cham Pasca Genosida Khmer Merah

Reconstruction and Re-Islamization of Cham Muslims After the Khmer Rouge Genocide

Abstract

The process of social reconstruction and re-Islamization of the Cham Muslim community following the end of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979, a period that left profound damage to their social structure, religious institutions, and Islamic education system. The genocide not only wiped out most religious scholars and community leaders but also severed the continuity of the scholarly tradition that served as the foundation of Cham identity. This article aims to analyze the process of reconstruction and re-Islamization undertaken by the Cham Muslim community after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime. The focus is on how religious institutions, community leaders, and social networks were rebuilt in the context of a country recovering from genocide. Using a qualitative approach with a case study design, this research explores how the Cham community rebuilt their social life, created new prayer spaces, and revived lost religious practices. The findings indicate that recovery proceeded through two main forces: internal resilience and external support. Internally, communal solidarity, kinship networks, and community initiatives formed the initial foundation for the reconstruction of religious institutions and the regeneration of new leaders. Externally, support from international institutions, humanitarian aid, and Cambodia's post-1979 political policies have provided space for the revitalization of an Islamic identity. This article emphasizes that the Cham Muslim revival is not simply a process of survival, but rather an identity reconstruction that integrates tradition, modernity, and post-conflict social dynamics.