Monday, April 23, 2007

Khmer Krom: Monks Face Continuous Threat

2007-04-23

UNPO Presidency Member Thach Ngoc Thach has issued an appeal seeking immediate attention and support for ending the persecution of Khmer Krom Buddhist monks by Vietnamese authorities.

Below is a statement issued by UNPO Presidency Member Thach Ngoc Thach on 19 April 2007:

To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) representing the indigenous Khmer-Krom people of the Mekong Delta (South Vietnam) and the Khmer Krom diasporas around the world, I would like to seek your immediate attention and support in ending the unjust prosecution of Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks, in Soc Trang province in South Vietnam, for the alleged crime of organizing and participating in a peaceful demonstration partaking with 200 Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks on 8th February 2007 to request for religious freedom.

On 22nd February 2007, nine Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks were forced to disrobe:

1. Thach Do, aged 27 from Wat Ta Sek, Vinh Hoa commune, Vinh Chau district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
2. Ly Hoang, aged 22 from Wat Sam Rong, Phuong 5, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
3. Ly Tang Thong aged 23 from Wat Sam Rong, Phuong 5, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
4. Ly Thanh Suoi, aged 28 from Wat Teok Praiy, Long Phu district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
5. Thach Xuan Hien, aged 21 from Wat Ta Meon, Vinh Binh commune, My Xuyen district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
6. Tang Phien, aged 22 from Wat Ta Meon, Vinh Binh commune, My Xuyen district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
7. Ly Suong, aged 21 from Wat Teok Praiy, Long Phu district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
8. Kim Muon, from Wat Ta Sek, Vinh Hoa commune, Vinh Chau district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
9. Thach Thuong, aged 28 from Wat Teok Praiy, Long Phu district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.

Currently, three disrobed monks (Kim Muon, Ly Suong, and Thach Thuong) are still imprisoned in the unknown location. The other six disrobed monks have been released. Some of them already escaped to Cambodia because they felt their lives were being threatened.

Unfortunately, on April 19, 2007, another two Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks were forced to disrobe and now being held in their temples:

1. Ly Nau, aged 32, the Abbot of Wat Peam Buon, Long Phu district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.
2. Son Thanh Phia, aged 29, the Abbot of Wat Dom Po, Long Phu district, Kleang (Soc Trang) province.

Furthermore, three Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks residing in separate Khmer temples in Tra Vinh province are currently facing forced disrobement and imprisonment for the alleged crime of being caught in possession of published human rights materials and documentation. They have been held under temple arrest since January 2007 and incoming reports have highlighted the increasing pressure by Vietnamese authorities to force the Head Monk of each temple to defrock their own monks.

The three Buddhist monks are:

1. Venerable Son Lum An, aged 21, Kanchoung Kampong Leiv temple, Tra Vinh province.
2. Venerable Son Cheng Cheon, aged 24, Trok Kurt temple, Tra Vinh province.
3. Venerable Thach Phun, aged 26, Pho Sathireach temple, Tra Vinh province.

Since Vietnam was removed from the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list by the United States and officially became a member of WTO, Vietnamese Communist government has been increasing the Human Rights and religious violations against the Khmer-Krom people. In this regards, I would like to urgently appeal for your assistance to:
  • Demand the Vietnamese Communist government to immediately release three disrobed Khmer-Krom who are still imprisoned without any condition.
  • Demand the Vietnamese Communist government to stop disrobing our Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks.
  • Pressure the Vietnamese Communist government to oblige in accordance to their constitution and United Nations treaties, in particular to the International Freedom of Religion Act.
If Vietnam continues to deny such acts of human right abuses despite the overwhelming evidences and testimonies by the monks themselves just prior to their arrest and disrobement, I would like to call for your assistance in reinstating Vietnam onto the CPC list.

Respectfully Yours,

Thach Ngoc Thach
President of Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation

Source: Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Khmer Krom monks is the last defense against the Vietcong whose culture is to promote the dog eating culture!!!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Who dare to attack Khmer Buddhist monk, either they are from mainland Kampuchea or from Kampuchea Krom? Not real khmer people even among the police forces. You must know that Vietnamese agents have infiltrated our police and armed forces since the time of vietnamese occupation. You can see in Phnom Penh that most of the police officers wearing normal or anti riot uniform and gun speak vietnamese when they got their daily pho breakfast in restaurant...you must know that vietnamese agents have infiltrated the pagodas and monks in Cambodia as imaged by the 6 monks who came to provok the pacific demonstartion.
Cambodia has around 14 000 000. Among this number how many millions of vietnamese? Some estimate minimum of 5 000 000. I would rather say 8 000 000. This is the only way to new colonization and it will work at long term if we don't move our ass.
To those who doubt: this is not paranioa, this is the real truth. All the patriots warriors and leader were assinated during the battle of Pailin and finished at the July 97 coup. All the only capable real khmers leaders from the Son San army assassinated. Now who stay to protect the khmer people from vietnamisation? Before we had the khmer rouge and Son San's Army to prevent that. Now no more...What is the hope? Do we have any choice? Slow vietnamisation would be better than khmer fighting each other , so that peace will finally arrive to Cambodia once absorbed by another country? What Khmer overseas can do for that execpt cry on their own misery or just bla bla without action? We can not count on the Monarchy, vietnamised since the fall of Angkor Wat. We can not count on our actual government who is selling the remaining land of Kampuchea to foreign country and who are themselves khmer rouge vietnamized. Who will be our nation savior? our new Jayavarman to save the khmer nation? What is the better choice? A new fight to preserve the independance of our country or the slow vietnamisation which means a stability at middle term?

3:59 PM

Anonymous said...

Defrock all spies!
Defrock all spies!
Defrock all spies!
Defrock all spies!
...