Kreung Ethnicity - United Nations in Cambodia

that she becomes pregnant. At this time, if the possible pregnancy is not
discussed, future tatch will not be included in this issue. In some cases, the man
may pay a higher tatch up front that would include payment for any possible
pregnancy that occurs.
In the case where an unmarried man has sex with another man’s wife, he will
be responsible to pay tatch. With regard to the marriage, the husband has
prior right to divorce his wife. The unmarried man also has right to accept or
reject the woman to be his wife. The woman has only the right to refuse
marrying the unmarried man, but not to divorce her husband. However, both
the unmarried man and the woman are considered to have broken a customary
rule, so they have to join in the responsibility to provide tatch to the husband,
who is considered the victim. If the woman’s husband is willing to offer his wife
to the other man, both can live together, but they must pay tatch for the
expenditure in the previous wedding and other interests promised during the
wedding/engagement to the husband. Secondly if the unmarried man and the
husband both refuse to accept the woman to be his wife, then the unmarried
man must pay a separate tatch to the husband according to his claim, and
the woman must also pay tatch to her husband according to the wedding/
engagement promise. This tatch must be at least a cow, a pig, a chicken and a
jar of wine. A pig, chicken and wine are brought for sacrificing to the spirits as
well as healing of the dispute. The cow, however, is not sacrificed and is given
to the husband. However, as in other cases, the negotiation of tatch is
determined by the parties on a case by case basis.
As in previous examples, in cases where a married man has sex with an
unmarried woman, both are considered culturally guilty. With regard to the
marriage, the husband is under no obligation to divorce his wife and the
unmarried woman is under no obligation to marry the man. In either case, both
the man and woman have broken a customary rule, and therefore have the
joint responsibility of tatch to the wife, who is considered the victim. Firstly,
if the wife is willing to offer her husband to the unmarried woman and her
husband agrees, they can live with each other. However they must pay tatch
as noted above. If the husband does not agree to divorce her, the woman
Kreung Ethnicity: Documentation of Customary Rules
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