Khmer Krom Monks praying in the middle of a rice field under the scorching sun. (Photo: Huntington News Network)Authority prevents Khmer Krom monks from praying
16 March 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A mixed police force spread on the road leading to the Tronum Chroeung pagoda located in Boeng Thom commune, Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, since early Friday morning to prevent a group of about 60 Khmer Krom monks, human rights activists, and reporters from approaching the grave of a Khmer Krom monk who died under mysterious circumstance recently.
At least two Khmer Krom monks collapsed when the police was trying to prevent them to pray near the grave. The monks did not budge and they sat down and prayed in a empty rice field under the scorching sun of the dry season.
Monk Yoeung Sin, President of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, said that he and several Khmer Krom monks came to this location for only one reason: to pray for the deceased monk, however, the police prevented them from approaching the grave. The police officers claimed they received their order from their superiors.
Monk Yoeung Sin said: “The cops are standing there, they said that they have gathered people to prevent us from approaching [the grave] to pray. I don’t know what to do now because … they are preventing us from going nearby, it’s a shame.”
Yesterday, Mean Samnang, the deputy police chief of Ang Snuol district, did not explain why the police took this action. He only said that he does not know about the situation because he is busy attending a meeting in Takhmao. “I am in Takhmao right now, I am in a meeting,” he said.
Human rights activists attempted to approach the area also but they were prevented by the police which did not allow anyone the entrance to the Tronum Chroeung pagoda where the grave of the deceased Khmer Krom monk is located.
Dr Pung Chiv Kek, President of the Licadho human rights group, said that she attempted to enter the Tronum Chroeung pagoda in order to help mediate the disagreement between the Khmer Krom monks and the police force, but she was prevented by the police to enter the pagoda.
Dr Pung Chiv Kek said: “I arrived there, they stopped me right in front of the pagoda, they did not let me in. Licadho had sent our observers in the early morning, some of whom were already inside the pagoda. This situation is not right because several monks, about 50 to 60 of them, first they asked to remove the body out the grave for a cremation according to the custom, but they were not successful. Then, secondly, the monks said, if it is too difficult, they are only asking to pray there, and even that they were prevented to do so because the police is afraid of violence because of the presence of a group of people who do not allow the removal of the dead monk body. So much prevention, I just don’t understand. I saw people who committed very serious crimes, like Saddam Hussein, but when he was sentenced to be hanged, his body was returned back to his family.”
NGO human rights groups said that the confrontation between the villagers who are supporting the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda who prevented the Khmer Krom monks from entering the grave site, was quite worrisome.
Chan Saveth, an Adhoc human rights observer, said: “The mixed police forced did not allow human rights activists and reporters to follow or observe the situation. Furthermore, a large number of villagers in the Tronum Chroeung pagoda – about 300 of them – were standing ready to use violence against the Khmer Krom monks to prevent them to pray at the grave site. The representative of the Khmer Krom monks attempted to negotiate with the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda, but the abbot refused to come out to discuss and he also refused any demand. It seems like all these villagers are angry with the group of Khmer Krom monks. According to some of the villagers, they said that they are unhappy with the fact that radio and newspapers reported that the [deceased Khmer Krom] monk was killed in the Tronum Chroeung pagoda. This news report greatly affects their pagoda, the place of their worship.”
In a letter sent to the Khmer Krom monks on 15 March, Oum Nhean, the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda, absolutely refused the removal of the body of deceased Khmer Krom monk, Eang Sokthoeun, and giving him a proper religious final rite.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) which regroups 23 organizations, issued a statement today saying that the prevention by the authority is a serious violation on the freedom of cultural and religious gathering rights which are guaranteed by the constitution of the kingdom of Cambodia.
At least two Khmer Krom monks collapsed when the police was trying to prevent them to pray near the grave. The monks did not budge and they sat down and prayed in a empty rice field under the scorching sun of the dry season.
Monk Yoeung Sin, President of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, said that he and several Khmer Krom monks came to this location for only one reason: to pray for the deceased monk, however, the police prevented them from approaching the grave. The police officers claimed they received their order from their superiors.
Monk Yoeung Sin said: “The cops are standing there, they said that they have gathered people to prevent us from approaching [the grave] to pray. I don’t know what to do now because … they are preventing us from going nearby, it’s a shame.”
Yesterday, Mean Samnang, the deputy police chief of Ang Snuol district, did not explain why the police took this action. He only said that he does not know about the situation because he is busy attending a meeting in Takhmao. “I am in Takhmao right now, I am in a meeting,” he said.
Human rights activists attempted to approach the area also but they were prevented by the police which did not allow anyone the entrance to the Tronum Chroeung pagoda where the grave of the deceased Khmer Krom monk is located.
Dr Pung Chiv Kek, President of the Licadho human rights group, said that she attempted to enter the Tronum Chroeung pagoda in order to help mediate the disagreement between the Khmer Krom monks and the police force, but she was prevented by the police to enter the pagoda.
Dr Pung Chiv Kek said: “I arrived there, they stopped me right in front of the pagoda, they did not let me in. Licadho had sent our observers in the early morning, some of whom were already inside the pagoda. This situation is not right because several monks, about 50 to 60 of them, first they asked to remove the body out the grave for a cremation according to the custom, but they were not successful. Then, secondly, the monks said, if it is too difficult, they are only asking to pray there, and even that they were prevented to do so because the police is afraid of violence because of the presence of a group of people who do not allow the removal of the dead monk body. So much prevention, I just don’t understand. I saw people who committed very serious crimes, like Saddam Hussein, but when he was sentenced to be hanged, his body was returned back to his family.”
NGO human rights groups said that the confrontation between the villagers who are supporting the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda who prevented the Khmer Krom monks from entering the grave site, was quite worrisome.
Chan Saveth, an Adhoc human rights observer, said: “The mixed police forced did not allow human rights activists and reporters to follow or observe the situation. Furthermore, a large number of villagers in the Tronum Chroeung pagoda – about 300 of them – were standing ready to use violence against the Khmer Krom monks to prevent them to pray at the grave site. The representative of the Khmer Krom monks attempted to negotiate with the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda, but the abbot refused to come out to discuss and he also refused any demand. It seems like all these villagers are angry with the group of Khmer Krom monks. According to some of the villagers, they said that they are unhappy with the fact that radio and newspapers reported that the [deceased Khmer Krom] monk was killed in the Tronum Chroeung pagoda. This news report greatly affects their pagoda, the place of their worship.”
In a letter sent to the Khmer Krom monks on 15 March, Oum Nhean, the abbot of the Tronum Chroeung pagoda, absolutely refused the removal of the body of deceased Khmer Krom monk, Eang Sokthoeun, and giving him a proper religious final rite.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) which regroups 23 organizations, issued a statement today saying that the prevention by the authority is a serious violation on the freedom of cultural and religious gathering rights which are guaranteed by the constitution of the kingdom of Cambodia.
8 comments:
What do Khmers think when the Yuan bastard divide Khmer people apart?
These animal Yuan divided Khmers and made Khmers to fight against Khmers. Yuan Conspiracy has continued. In KR regime Yuan made KR killed KR while Yuan's espionages were all over with the kR. Now here again, Khmers in Cambodia rejected their own Khmer bro/sis in KKK. The history repeats itself.
It is hurtful for us as Khmer people that Yuan has been using us (Khmer) to destroy ourselves through small group of Khmer ignorant...and Yuan collect only benefit from this stretegy...
Hun Sen and his group should wake up by understanding that you and your group are only a tool of Yuan....you are not Khmer hero or leader at all.
Wake Up!
Asking Hun Sen to wake up? No way. Hun Sen had been endoctrinated, brainwashed and is now Yuon to the backbones [in Khmer: ah Hun Sen khlai jear Yuon pi sa'baik doll ja'ung]. Khmer must get rid of ah Yuon/Viet Hun Sen and his cronies if Khmer were to continue to exist or Khmer race is gone and done with otherwise!
All it takes is just one martyr to start off with just one luck! It's that simple.
In the west, this is simple. What these villagers and monks are doing is called obstruction of justice.
and what the police should be doing is look at the death as a suspicion upon the the resident monk of the temple, and exhume the body with court order, to do autopsy and investigate reason of death, homicide or suicide.
The family of the deceased have a right to burial of the victim and file charges against irresponsible handling of their deceased. Right now, they should take an active role and sue the police and temple for these obstructions.
Why is one dead body, create such a tense atmosphere for the police and the temple abbot? If they wish to clear their name and bring back good reputation to their temple, hindering an investigation of justice and call of the family for proper rites for the monk only makes them look more suspicious.
Either these guys are backward, or they are working under a hidden agenda.
What is it? Prove your innocent, because right now you are guilty in obstruction of justice, in the eyes of every one.
Re: 2:23AM,
No, not to the eyes of everyone like you stated. Maybe it's to your eyes only, and note the word MAYBE and ONLY. Your assumption will make an ASS out of you but not ME!
ah, hahha. okay, its the Assume makes an an ass of me argument. Okay. Great, tell me then, what else can I assume from these injustice? When they don't give us an opportunity clarify, that only leaves assumption.
You can be the only clean ASS one on this, but i will be the ASS that will question and want to see truth the truth.
Later,
ASS, if you got nothing else to say, try finding something else besides the cheap ass defense.
Bigh laugh Dear Vietnamese government! Your Servant Cambodian government did a good thing for you by killing a Khmer krom monk and perventing Cambodian to hold an religious funeral for him.
I feel so sad that you kill human being especially MONKS. Don't you feel bad when killing people or you are used to it?. If one of your family members is killed how do you feel? I beg you stop killing human being anymore-please save your good deeds for your next life as human being can not live over 100.
Goodwill from government officials.
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