Group
A Muslim minority of Cambodia and Vietnam, mostly Shafi’i Sunnis, who suffered greatly under the Khmer Rouge.
What it means
The Cham are descendants of the people of the old kingdom of Champa, and became Muslim over several centuries. Before 1975 there were roughly 150,000 to 200,000 in Cambodia, and under the Khmer Rouge, who banned their religion and language, a large share were killed or died. Some live in Vietnam, and others have settled in Malaysia.