This photo posted on Khmer Krom Network shows Khmer Krom monks peaceful attempt to deliver their petition to the Vietnamese embassy. The monks were confronted by numerous electric baton-wielding and armed police officers (Photo: Khmer Krom Network)
The police did not use violence, they only used their electric baton to beat up the monks (Photo: Reuters)By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
17 December 2007
Buddhist monks who hoped to carry a petition to the Vietnamese Embassy clashed with armed police Monday, leaving several seriously injured, rights groups said.
Less than 50 monks met with 200 police, who were armed with rifles, shields and electric batons, witnesses said.
The monks were carrying a petition demanding the release of jailed Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks in Vietnam, including defrocked monk Tim Sakhorn.
Tim Sakhorn has been in jail since his disappearance from a Takeo province pagoda in July.
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Organization and the rights group Adhoc said in a statement police stopped the monks from entering the Vietnamese Embassy.
Chan Saveth, a rights worker for Adhoc, called the clashes "very brutal."
Police chased monks and beat them, he said, while monks hurled water bottles at the police.
The groups said six monks were seriously hurt and 10 received minor injuries.
Buddhist monk Thach Mony called the clash an act of godlessness.
"The use of violence on the monks, I think it is wrong, it does not look good, and it is illegal," he said. "They are monks, and they should not do that.
[The monks] have nothing, they do not have weapons, yes, and [the police] used violence on them, using batons to assault them." The monks were not demonstrating, he said, but trying to deliver the petition.
Phnom Penh Police Chief Touch Naroth told VOA Khmer that several monks initially assaulted police, by kicking them in the throat, swinging satchels and throwing water bottles.
"The monks assaulted the police and wounded six policemen," he said. "The police did not use violence; it was the monks who used violence against the police, and the police only protected themselves."
Less than 50 monks met with 200 police, who were armed with rifles, shields and electric batons, witnesses said.
The monks were carrying a petition demanding the release of jailed Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks in Vietnam, including defrocked monk Tim Sakhorn.
Tim Sakhorn has been in jail since his disappearance from a Takeo province pagoda in July.
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Organization and the rights group Adhoc said in a statement police stopped the monks from entering the Vietnamese Embassy.
Chan Saveth, a rights worker for Adhoc, called the clashes "very brutal."
Police chased monks and beat them, he said, while monks hurled water bottles at the police.
The groups said six monks were seriously hurt and 10 received minor injuries.
Buddhist monk Thach Mony called the clash an act of godlessness.
"The use of violence on the monks, I think it is wrong, it does not look good, and it is illegal," he said. "They are monks, and they should not do that.
[The monks] have nothing, they do not have weapons, yes, and [the police] used violence on them, using batons to assault them." The monks were not demonstrating, he said, but trying to deliver the petition.
Phnom Penh Police Chief Touch Naroth told VOA Khmer that several monks initially assaulted police, by kicking them in the throat, swinging satchels and throwing water bottles.
"The monks assaulted the police and wounded six policemen," he said. "The police did not use violence; it was the monks who used violence against the police, and the police only protected themselves."
11 comments:
It's ashamed that our Cambodian government using force against non-violent protesters. This shows that our government is not after the interest of its own people but foreigner.
Pictures do not lie. If you do not think that this brutal, you can keep going. Your boss will support you because that the only work you know how.
It looks like the Cambodian peoples must rise and clean all from the bottom up.
We cannot wait until election 2008. I do not why Cambodians have so much patient with this type of government.
Election is just a show created by Hun Sen to mislead the donor countries so he and his cronies continue to receive aid to benefit himself and associates. Election result is fixed in advance by Hun Sen at the advice of his boss (Vietname). Therefore, I don't hold my breath on kicking Hun Sen out via Election.
Hun Sen leadership is more brutal than Khmer Rouge and Burma.
But Hun Sen always brag himself and his government as is better than Khmer Rouge.
In reality: Khmer Rouge is considered as a hell on earth, but Hun Sen regime is considered as ANIMAL on earth.
CPP's members have always liked to compare the different between HELL KINGDOM AND ANIMAL KINGDOM.
For you, KI-ests, which one is better than between these two kingdoms?
Do you prefer to escape from these two kingdoms and live in HUMAN kingdom or not?
KY
Non-violent demonstration by Khmer Krom Buddhist monks should be allowed to proceed without any violent crackdown. The monks just exercise their freedom of expression that is explicitly declared in the constitution; if only this form of expression is met by brutal use of force by the police, where is the principle of democracy? This is the dictatorial kingdom; its rule is not different from the Khmer Rouge regime. If they dare to persecute and kill our venerable monks, no one else can escape from this brutal regime.
Beating up Monks!!! Ah Norok police!!!Ah Tmil!!!
This is very frustrating for me to understand such a simple act of delivering a protest letter to the Vietcong embassy in Cambodia and the AH HUN SEN Vietcong thugs dare to intervene and to use brute force on the Cambodian monks?
I never thought that the Vietcong embassy in Cambodia is more than a place of worship or the Angkor Wat and no Cambodian people or monks can approach it?
What has become of Cambodia under AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave leadership? It seems the Vietcong embassy in Cambodia has more sovereignty than the whole Cambodia!
AH HUN SEN needs to rethink his action!
Among the Buddhist world, only Cambodia and Myanma use the violent crackdown to the non-violent demontration by Buddhist monks. this act of inhumanity shows that Cambodia and Myanma is no differenct. the leaders of the two countries will soon go to hell.
God ahead, Guys! to please your Hanoi Boss!
Who the hell dares to support the Thai Princess? You guys have to watch out everywhere she goes in Cambodia. There is no reason for them to do any humanitarian projects in Cambodia, but to steal our culures, history and the wealths of the nations. You idiots governments officials have to wake up!!!
Througout the history, Thai never never ever did anything good to Cambodia, but slowly invaded the country. Watch out idiots!!!
3:35 PM,
Wrong room.
Thai princess is not in this post.
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