19 July 2007
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Khmer Krom people from Motr Chrouk province (Chau Doc in Vietnamese) said that the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, the abbot of the Phnom Den North pagoda, was executed based on an order issued by the Vietnamese authority to Cambodian monk officials. This action was taken to discourage and break the spirit of those who dare protest in Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam).
Ly Ra, a Khmer Krom people from Svay Tong district, Motr Chrouk province, said that, on 20 June, Vietnamese officials from the Prek Russei city ordered Khmer Krom to end all land protests. The Viet officials threatened that they will order the defrocking of 6 Khmer Krom monks living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, whom the Viets considered as demonstration leaders. He said that the defrocking was undertaken after a direct order issued by Xin Xong Xin.
Ly Ra said: “The provincial official which went to the meeting for resolution of land problems, Vo Tam Linh, said that soon they (the Vietnamese authority) will go and arrest some of the (Khmer Krom) people in Phnom Penh, he said this when he was meeting with people to resolve land problems. Xin Xong Xin did not say this directly to the people, we heard it from Vo Tam Linh from An Giang province who said they (the Viets) will hit those (Khmer Krom) living in Phnom Penh. He said that those who came over from Phnom Penh have already been killed. That’s what Vo Tam Linh said…”
A Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) source claimed that Monk Tim Sakhorn, the former abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda in Takeo province, usually provided shelters to Khmer Krom people fleeing from Motr Chrouk province to Cambodia, especially lately, because Khmer Krom people held numerous demonstrations to protest land problems against the Vietnamese authority.
The same source indicated that on 05 June 2007, Xin Xong Xin, the deputy chairman of the Vietnamese ethnic minority committee came to meet with supreme patriarch Tep Vong and patriarch Non Nget. Thereafter, an order letter in Vietnamese was distributed to all pagodas in Kampuchea Krom indicating the impending defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn.
Xin Xong Xin, the high-ranking official of the Vietnamese ethnic minority committee, did not refuse to provide a clarification on his meeting with Tep Vong which led to the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, however, he suggested that an RFA reporter visits him personally in Vietnam. “… If you, brother, want to know this issue, you come to Vietnam to meet the authority to resolve this issue …,” Xin Xong Xin said.
When Tep Vong was asked about the alleged order he received from Vietnam and the ensuing defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, Tep Vong declined to provide any comment.
An official letter in Cambodian and Vietnamese stamped by Tep Vong and Non Nget, and received by RFA after the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, confirmed that Monk Tim Sakhorn caused the breaking of the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam. Later on, Cambodian TV stations broadcasted the picture of a woman allegedly sleeping on the bed of Monk Tim Sakhorn, the broadcast was accompanied by Tep Vong’s public declaration that Monk Tim Sakhorn was trespassing the Buddhist rule and was involved with women.
Thach Setha, President of the Khmer Krom Community (KKC) rejected Tep Vong’s claim, saying that the defrocking was undertaken to break down the spirit of Khmer Krom people. “This is not about Buddhist rule that the supreme patriarch claimed he wanted to strengthen. Therefore, what I can mainly see is a political affair because right after the arrest, all the documents were translated to Vietnamese and distributed all over Kampuchea Krom also.”
Ny Chariya, an Adhoc investigator, claimed that based on his research, there is no issue indicating that Monk Tim Sakhorn violated the Buddhist rules. “Therefore, we said that this defrocking is not based of the monk violating Buddhist rules at all, it could be related to the actions he undertook on behalf of Khmer Krom people who usually come to ask for shelters at his pagoda, and the monk even provided them with foods. Furthermore, we based our conclusion on the religious declaration issued by the supreme patriarch (Tep Vong) who said at the end of it that (Monk Tim Sakhorn) affected the 07 January-brand of Buddhism, this wording caused us to suspect that the political aspect weighs heavier than the violation of any Buddhist rule.”
3 weeks after the defrocking on Monk Tim Sakhorn, there is still no news about his disappearance. To date, no government spokesmen have issued any comment on this case yet.
KKF and KKC warned again that they will hold a demonstration to demand that the government return back Monk Tim Sakhorn within 20 days, should they still not hear from him until then.
Ly Ra, a Khmer Krom people from Svay Tong district, Motr Chrouk province, said that, on 20 June, Vietnamese officials from the Prek Russei city ordered Khmer Krom to end all land protests. The Viet officials threatened that they will order the defrocking of 6 Khmer Krom monks living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, whom the Viets considered as demonstration leaders. He said that the defrocking was undertaken after a direct order issued by Xin Xong Xin.
Ly Ra said: “The provincial official which went to the meeting for resolution of land problems, Vo Tam Linh, said that soon they (the Vietnamese authority) will go and arrest some of the (Khmer Krom) people in Phnom Penh, he said this when he was meeting with people to resolve land problems. Xin Xong Xin did not say this directly to the people, we heard it from Vo Tam Linh from An Giang province who said they (the Viets) will hit those (Khmer Krom) living in Phnom Penh. He said that those who came over from Phnom Penh have already been killed. That’s what Vo Tam Linh said…”
A Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) source claimed that Monk Tim Sakhorn, the former abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda in Takeo province, usually provided shelters to Khmer Krom people fleeing from Motr Chrouk province to Cambodia, especially lately, because Khmer Krom people held numerous demonstrations to protest land problems against the Vietnamese authority.
The same source indicated that on 05 June 2007, Xin Xong Xin, the deputy chairman of the Vietnamese ethnic minority committee came to meet with supreme patriarch Tep Vong and patriarch Non Nget. Thereafter, an order letter in Vietnamese was distributed to all pagodas in Kampuchea Krom indicating the impending defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn.
Xin Xong Xin, the high-ranking official of the Vietnamese ethnic minority committee, did not refuse to provide a clarification on his meeting with Tep Vong which led to the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, however, he suggested that an RFA reporter visits him personally in Vietnam. “… If you, brother, want to know this issue, you come to Vietnam to meet the authority to resolve this issue …,” Xin Xong Xin said.
When Tep Vong was asked about the alleged order he received from Vietnam and the ensuing defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, Tep Vong declined to provide any comment.
An official letter in Cambodian and Vietnamese stamped by Tep Vong and Non Nget, and received by RFA after the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn, confirmed that Monk Tim Sakhorn caused the breaking of the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam. Later on, Cambodian TV stations broadcasted the picture of a woman allegedly sleeping on the bed of Monk Tim Sakhorn, the broadcast was accompanied by Tep Vong’s public declaration that Monk Tim Sakhorn was trespassing the Buddhist rule and was involved with women.
Thach Setha, President of the Khmer Krom Community (KKC) rejected Tep Vong’s claim, saying that the defrocking was undertaken to break down the spirit of Khmer Krom people. “This is not about Buddhist rule that the supreme patriarch claimed he wanted to strengthen. Therefore, what I can mainly see is a political affair because right after the arrest, all the documents were translated to Vietnamese and distributed all over Kampuchea Krom also.”
Ny Chariya, an Adhoc investigator, claimed that based on his research, there is no issue indicating that Monk Tim Sakhorn violated the Buddhist rules. “Therefore, we said that this defrocking is not based of the monk violating Buddhist rules at all, it could be related to the actions he undertook on behalf of Khmer Krom people who usually come to ask for shelters at his pagoda, and the monk even provided them with foods. Furthermore, we based our conclusion on the religious declaration issued by the supreme patriarch (Tep Vong) who said at the end of it that (Monk Tim Sakhorn) affected the 07 January-brand of Buddhism, this wording caused us to suspect that the political aspect weighs heavier than the violation of any Buddhist rule.”
3 weeks after the defrocking on Monk Tim Sakhorn, there is still no news about his disappearance. To date, no government spokesmen have issued any comment on this case yet.
KKF and KKC warned again that they will hold a demonstration to demand that the government return back Monk Tim Sakhorn within 20 days, should they still not hear from him until then.
7 comments:
Significant case of Venerable Tim Sakorn
Cambodian government is igniting the fire now. Playing game with Buddhism in Cambodia is very sensitive.
The case of Venerable Tim Sokhorn is a test by Vietnam and Hun Sen government to measure how influential of Buddhist institution in Cambodia. I think the test is continuously proving now. The newspapers and radios are endlessly reporting. The sensitivity of Cambodian people are endlessly, perceived, enlarged and ignited.
But Hun Sen government and Vietnam have been aware about this and their test aiming to intimidate and ban all Buddhist monk and KKK people movements in Cambodia, not only in Kampuchea Krom.
It is indisputable that Hun Sen government is actually incorporated with Vietnam to dismantle all Khmer Krom movements that are carrying out to protect their basic human rights. However, Hun Sen government will loss their credibility through this conspiracy with their lasting friend, Vietnam. Vietnam doesn't want international community named their country as high alert in religious freedom abuses, but now Vietnam can persuade Hun Sen government to be named through this forcibly defrocking, detention and kidnapping a Buddhist monk.
It is really illegal to deport Cambodian citizen to any foreign country even though it has some reasons to say. This deportation act is loud and aware by the international community. Vietnam and Cambodia is two separate countries, not one country. So what reason that Hun Sen authority forcibly deported Venerable Tim Sokhorn to Vietnam?
Hun Sen authority has accuracy in its claim that Venerable Tim Sokhorn agreed to go back the former land once threatened him to flee. Furthermore, it would be a lie to claim his consent to go back because the letter and signature don't reflect the reality of the defrocking and the situation.
If we say about international refugee act, though Venerable Tim Sokhorn agreed to go, Hun Sen government must prohibit him not to go because it is against the national and international law.
Soon or later, Hun Sen government might be named as an alert land for its religious freedom and human rights abuses.
Hun Sen government might hope to marginalize Khmer Kampuchea Krom people from Cambodian community, but it is a wrong calculation because how can they marginalize them when KKK people have been recognized by Cambodian constitution and they have shared same blood, identity, belief, language, diet and culture.
It is Buddhist sensitivity, Somdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk's plea, public news's concern, people's anger, illegality and human rights abuse that case of Venerable Tim Sakhorn can offer to Hun Sen government.
Finally, Venerable Tim Sokhorn will become another hero of KKK people though he is lost, alive, died or re-ordained. Previous heroes of KKK people are Son Kuy, Son Nguc Tanh...and Venerable Tim Sakhorn will become their modern-contemporary hero.
We have to keep call Venerable Tim Sokhorn or Dejkun Tim Sokhorn or other respectful words using for Buddhist monks because Venerable Tim Sokhorn's heart and spirit are likely still a monk. He wasn't consent to be disrobed, so that he is still be legally venerated. It is not different from Cambodian Buddhist monk during Khmer Rouge regime, they were disrobed but still practiced the way of Buddhism by heart and spirit and people still recognized them as the monk. After the collapse of Pol Pot regime, many of them became the full monks again automatically.
KY
THANKS FOR SHARING MY BROTHER. ACCORDINGLY, FROM YOUR MESSAGE KHMER, KHMER KROM ARE STILL BLOODED. AND THEY CAN'T SEPARATE US EVEN WITH THE STUPID BORDER.
I HEARD STORY ABOUT THE NAZI REGIME. THAT TIL THIS DAY, THOSE FORMER NAZI ARE BEING SNIPER OUT BY MERCINARY.
WHO KNOW, THE SAME CAN HAPPEN TO DICTATOR OF VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA.
OUR PEOPLE, HERE AND THERE, WHEREVER, LET START RISING UP WITH KNOWLEDGE, AND LET OUR VOICE BE HEARD BECAUSE STUPID PEOPLE IN THIS 21TH CENTURY STILL ACTING """ BARBARIC ""
Tep Vong and Long Nget are fake monks and must must directlty involed in politics with rheir masters CPP officials to "stremgthen good relation with Vietnam".
Khmer people would have saved rice for the poor instead of feeding them everyday.
Go away bastaards Monks Skin-Head Tragnol Tep Vong and long Nget..Go away with your Yomreach adviser Phkay Chor killer Hing Bun Heang1
Ah chhke bomreu YUON,Tep Vong, go to hell.
PARACHEY Ah CPP khanhom kanh chas YUON.
AH TEP VONG hardcore Vietcong slave communist monk will disappear six feet under!
As cambodian people we have to understand clearly that veitnamese goverment never give up or forgoted the plan was set up by Uncle HO to swallow cambodia homeland into part of vietman,but they did sofare according to international,reginal and internal sitiation,In 1953 france give independence to cambodia Vietnam lead by Tham van dong evry hard to lobby international to recognize cmmunist party lead by song gnok migh.he also asked to kept Vietcong socall (ESARAK)resistance in cambodia territories temporary untill national election completly done,it was rejected.
Vietnam took alot of cambodian who work for them to Hanoi and just waitting for time to camming back,
In 1975 Vietnam asked POL POT to stop all advanced khmer rouge's army that tried to capture (PP )by promissing after vietnames army capture (saigong),We will bring all our army to help you!But was rejected by POL POT,
After the ware in 1975 only people from cyties was getting killed alot,but sitiation was changed the end of 1976,1977,1978,POL POT was turn around on thier own camrad who POL POT suspected have associated Vietnam,not long after they arrested sao phim and rous ngim,They clean up all factories's worker in PP how from East regin and North west regin to work hard in salt filedv or rail road etc. including sao phim dauther and they selected all eleted people from southwest who used to worked in rail road salt field to est and northwest,POL POT tried realy hard to clean up thier own army and commender this was the cause to killed each other so badly so for we studend working in rail road getting confuse,we don't know who is friend and who is enemy,as I saw pictuer (SATH LOY)in doccument center magazine walking on rail road with his associated,I still remember what he said in the meeting with our studen,We will build our stronger army in new generation with biger rail road from PP to kom pong som accros pich nil mountain,new military air port kom pong chhang,neval base kom pong som,if we finish all of this structures,We will have strength enouth to defence oursefl with vietmanes army,I was arested and killed a hole family with a new baby just was born only couple month,I was arested before vietnam invade about four month only, I had finish writting call (tail morming star)I was studen at takmao and 1974 was solder at prek ho 1th devision, was rail road worker in POL POT regime,I was understand enough to what going on with cambodia politic and what will hapend again if we are comdia not digging up the past and learnig try to prevent not to hapend again because viet never giving up what they whant and if we are still each other khmer krom,khmer landal,we will be suffer again in the furture,
Thank you!!!
The Vietcong are using AH TEP VONG AND AH NON NGET hardcore Vietcong slave communist monks to change Cambodian history!
AH TEP VONG AND AH NON NGET will die in hell for using Buddhism to serve the Vietcong!
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