Saturday, June 09, 2007

Discrimination against monks in Koh Kong?

07 June 2007
By Uk Sav Bory
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

A monk living in Sovann Boripoath pagoda, located in Koh Kapik commune, Koh Kong district, Koh Kong province, suffered discrimination and lack of support from the pagoda committee because he is accused of leaning towards the Sam Rainsy Party.

Monk Bou Uy said that, recently, he was ill and a private doctor in the commune took care of him in the pagoda. The cost of the care amounted to 500 Thai Bath (~$14.50).

Because he did not have the money, he asked the pagoda committee to help him pay for the care cost. However, the pagoda committee, whom Monk Bou Uy declined to name, accused him and the deputy abbot of the pagoda of supporting the Sam Rainsy Party because he was seen going too often to recite prayers and give Buddhist sermons at the home of the second commune councilor who happens to be a SRP member.

Monk Bou Uy said: “Because the pagoda committee is party-centric also, they disapprove the monks, they said that I am pro-SRP and they refused to help pay (for the healthcare cost), and they also said that the abbot is also pro-SRP. Monks are neutral, we do not back any political party.”

The deputy-abbot of the Sovann Boripoath pagoda said that he is neutral, and that monks should not be discriminated against or subjected to such accusations.

As a monk, he usually receives alms, or is invited by people, and he said that monks never think about the hosts who invited them as belonging to this or that political party. “He is the chairman of the pagoda committee for several years already … and he pressures me and accuses me and another monk, but when he is in front of me, he never dares say anything.”

Regarding the problem faced by monks in the Sovann Boripoath pagoda, Yun Thorn, the Koh Kapik commune chief, denied that there was any political discrimination at the pagoda. “No one is party-centric, nor do they discriminate against any political party, there’s no such thing.”

Monk Yous Hut Khemacharo, President of the Cambodian Buddhist Foundation and an advisor to the Cambodian Dharma Diplomacy Association, said that the understanding of Buddhist Dharma [in some part of Cambodia] is still too low, this lack of understanding pushes monks and laymen alike to practice the 4 unfairness as stated in Buddhism: “This is related to the education and the practice of Buddhism, they must be pushed to a higher degree (of knowledge), when that happens, all the discrimination, division, bias, which are part of the 4 dharma of unfairness – bias because of love due to self-serving interest; bias because of hate due to anger; bias because of ignorance due to confusion and lack of intelligence; bias because of fear due to fright – will disappear.”

Dr Pung Chiv Kek, Licadho President, said that Monk Bou Uy was sick, therefore the pagoda committee should look at the humanitarian aspect, and it should not discriminate against monks as to whether they are neutral or not, simply because monks cannot refuse any invitation from laymen because monks do not know which political party a host belongs to. Those who accused monks of supporting any political party are wrong, and even if the monks go to vote, it is their individual rights, as stipulated by the constitution.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dam, you stupid monk, stay out of
politic, motherfucker!

Anonymous said...

WE ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU, PRINCE AND NRP (NORODOM RANARIDH PARTY)

WE DON'T SUPPORT AH HUN SEN CRIMINAL WE DON'T SUPPORT CPP (COMMUNIST PRO youn PARTY)

Anonymous said...

Monks are persons so monks have rights to vote and to support the right party they want

Anonymous said...

Sure, right after we defrok them
(idiot,) they can vote their heart
out.

Anonymous said...

PEE...PEE...ASK URSELF WHAT IS PEE
PEE SMELL...?
THIS QUESTION FOR THOSE PEE..PEE..'DOG..ASSHOL KISSING.