Press conference held by various organizations regarding Monk Tim Sakhorn (Photo: Chamnab, Koh Santepheap newspaper)Friday, July 20, 2007
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Human rights organizations and Khmer Krom associations repeated one more time that they will send a complaint the International Court if the Cambodian government continue to ignore the disappearance of Monk Tim Sakhorn, the former abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda located in Takeo province.
This new declaration was done during a press conference held on Friday 20 July which was participated by the Licadho and Adhoc human rights defense organizations, the Association of Khmer Krom Monks, the Association for the defense of the Khmer Krom rights, the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation in the world, and the observer of the UN human rights organization.
Ny Chariya, an Adhoc official, declared that today’s press conference is a first step in the demand made to the government to show former Monk Tim Sakhorn, and the next step the group will take would be to push this issue forward in cooperation with international partners.
Ny Chariya said: “We cannot throw away this case. Now, we have several means to push the government to show Monk Tim Sakhorn, whether he is dead or alive, the government must show him to us.”
Monk Yoeung Sin, President of the Khmer Krom Monks Association, revealed that Monk Tim Sakhorn did commit any fault to earn a defrocking. He only provided a lot of humanitarian help to Khmer Krom people: “They are mad against him (Tim Sakhorn), because he protected them (Khmer Krom people fleeing persecution in Vietnam), allowed them to sleep in the pagoda, that’s why these people cannot be persecuted, and nobody cannot do anything to them. His actions led to rancor and some issued false reports on him (Tim Sakhorn) to remove him from his position. This is purely invented false stories.”
Sam At, a Licadho official, qualified the defrocking as a serious violation of human rights based on the nationality law because Monk Tim Sakhorn is a Cambodian citizen who must be protected by the government, he should not be deported.
Monk Tim Sakhorn, the abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda, was defrocked by the authority on 30 June and he was accused of various contradicting charges: some accused him of breaking the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam, later on, the accusation was changed to his involvement with a woman, and then that he was involved with crimes etc… Since his defrocking, Monk Tim Sakhorn disappeared and the Ministry of interior claimed that Monk Tim Sakhorn wanted to go back to live in South Vietnam.
Until now, General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, keeps on repeating the same thing, that the government is helping in the search, but there is no sign of Monk Tim Sakhorn yet.
On the same day, over 40 faithful of the Phnom Den pagoda traveled to Phnom Penh city to hand over a petition to the National Assembly and the office of prime minister Hun Sen, demanding that Hun Sen resolves this issue.
This new declaration was done during a press conference held on Friday 20 July which was participated by the Licadho and Adhoc human rights defense organizations, the Association of Khmer Krom Monks, the Association for the defense of the Khmer Krom rights, the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation in the world, and the observer of the UN human rights organization.
Ny Chariya, an Adhoc official, declared that today’s press conference is a first step in the demand made to the government to show former Monk Tim Sakhorn, and the next step the group will take would be to push this issue forward in cooperation with international partners.
Ny Chariya said: “We cannot throw away this case. Now, we have several means to push the government to show Monk Tim Sakhorn, whether he is dead or alive, the government must show him to us.”
Monk Yoeung Sin, President of the Khmer Krom Monks Association, revealed that Monk Tim Sakhorn did commit any fault to earn a defrocking. He only provided a lot of humanitarian help to Khmer Krom people: “They are mad against him (Tim Sakhorn), because he protected them (Khmer Krom people fleeing persecution in Vietnam), allowed them to sleep in the pagoda, that’s why these people cannot be persecuted, and nobody cannot do anything to them. His actions led to rancor and some issued false reports on him (Tim Sakhorn) to remove him from his position. This is purely invented false stories.”
Sam At, a Licadho official, qualified the defrocking as a serious violation of human rights based on the nationality law because Monk Tim Sakhorn is a Cambodian citizen who must be protected by the government, he should not be deported.
Monk Tim Sakhorn, the abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda, was defrocked by the authority on 30 June and he was accused of various contradicting charges: some accused him of breaking the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam, later on, the accusation was changed to his involvement with a woman, and then that he was involved with crimes etc… Since his defrocking, Monk Tim Sakhorn disappeared and the Ministry of interior claimed that Monk Tim Sakhorn wanted to go back to live in South Vietnam.
Until now, General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, keeps on repeating the same thing, that the government is helping in the search, but there is no sign of Monk Tim Sakhorn yet.
On the same day, over 40 faithful of the Phnom Den pagoda traveled to Phnom Penh city to hand over a petition to the National Assembly and the office of prime minister Hun Sen, demanding that Hun Sen resolves this issue.
1 comment:
Overall, I think the HRP might have hurt more than help to get more vote from the evil CPP working for Youn. It may get the HRP to be on the 2008 election, but the timing is helping the CPP. We will watch the HRP more of their intention. Everyone should not be quick to judgement.
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