An election poster is displayed on the door of Wat Vipassanaram, a temple in Long Beach. Community members responded to complaints by gathering to vote for new candidates for the board. (Stephen Carr/Staff Photographer )
Members of Wat Vipassanaram wait to vote for a new board of directors during an election held at the Long Beach Buddhist temple Sunday. The action, which may not result in the seating of a new board, is in response to a debate between a group of temple members and leadership over what dissidents say is mistreatment of monks. (Stephen Carr/Staff Photographer)RELIGION: Following complaints by monks, members of the Cambodian community vote in a new board.
01/27/2008
By Greg Mellen
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)
LONG BEACH - About 400-500 members of the local Cambodian community braved the wind and rain Sunday to participate in an election that may not even count.
Templegoers at Wat Vipassanaram in Central Long Beach, showed up en masse after a group opposed to the existing nine-member board of directors of the Khmer Buddhist Association announced it would stage the election for new leadership at the temple.
The association's bylaws call for elections on the fourth Sunday of January annually. But members of the existing board, noting that no elections had been staged in more than a decade, asked for the election to be postponed until March to allow the bylaws to be updated and to provide a fair and legitimate election.
The existing board members, who were not listed as candidates in Sunday's elections, said they would not recognize the results of Sunday's vote.
Initially, the board of directors had hoped to clear the grounds of the wat at 1239 E. 20th St. 30 minutes before the scheduled 1 p.m. election.
But with more than 100 congregants already in the temple and an adjoining patio area, officials worried forcing people off the property would cause strife.
"Hopefully everything will go smoothly, I pray for that," said Siphann Tith, the executive president of the board.
Although Long Beach police were on hand, they said the dispute was a civil matter and maintained a hands-off approach.
Opponents of the existing board said they pushed for the election due to charges of mistreatment of the monks at the wat. Through a translator, the monks said they had been threatened with expulsion, mail had been illegally opened, that they are denied access to electronic devices and that the board limits their ability to leave the premises.
Board members say the charges are false, and that their opponents are trying to wrest control over the wat, which has net assets of more than $1.5 million and clout in the Cambodian community.
Eventually, with attorneys Evan Braude, representing the board, and Bill Shibley, for the dissidents, on hand, it was decided to let the templegoers decide whether they wanted to proceed with the vote.
The roar of approval when the question was put to membership was nearly unanimous.
Speaking in Khmer to the temple crowd, Sithan "Larry" Sar, a candidate for the new board, said "this is the will of the monks and the people, that's why it has to happen today." An interpreter translated his remarks to the Press-Telegram.
Paline Soth, another opponent of the existing board, said the vote had to go forward.
"We interpret the monks as the ultimate authority and we have their blessing," Soth said.
Tith said the monks did not have the authority to call for a vote, but he did not attempt to stop the vote.
Braude tried to convince the crowd to be patient and allow the two sides to convene and come up with a mutually agreeable election procedure.
"I think the board understands how you feel," Braude told the crowd. "But today would be premature to have an election that would be fair, legitimate or even (lawful)."
Shibley urged only that the community be collaborative rather than divisive in its search for answers.
"It's important to solve problems as friends," Shibley said.
A total of 294 votes were cast for 13 candidates for the nine board positions.
Chha Kry Un was the leading vote getter with 266. Him Kea, one of two women elected, was second, followed by Darin Sun, Sar, Sophan Oum, Praseur Ban, Kosal Chum, Serey Keo and Alex Lim.
Opponents of the board of directors took to the streets to sign up temple members in large numbers, picking up 525 members. The board of directors estimated the wat only had about 300 regulars.
Shibley said he hopes representatives from the new and existing boards can meet in the next couple of weeks and hash out an agreement.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
01/27/2008
By Greg Mellen
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)
LONG BEACH - About 400-500 members of the local Cambodian community braved the wind and rain Sunday to participate in an election that may not even count.
Templegoers at Wat Vipassanaram in Central Long Beach, showed up en masse after a group opposed to the existing nine-member board of directors of the Khmer Buddhist Association announced it would stage the election for new leadership at the temple.
The association's bylaws call for elections on the fourth Sunday of January annually. But members of the existing board, noting that no elections had been staged in more than a decade, asked for the election to be postponed until March to allow the bylaws to be updated and to provide a fair and legitimate election.
The existing board members, who were not listed as candidates in Sunday's elections, said they would not recognize the results of Sunday's vote.
Initially, the board of directors had hoped to clear the grounds of the wat at 1239 E. 20th St. 30 minutes before the scheduled 1 p.m. election.
But with more than 100 congregants already in the temple and an adjoining patio area, officials worried forcing people off the property would cause strife.
"Hopefully everything will go smoothly, I pray for that," said Siphann Tith, the executive president of the board.
Although Long Beach police were on hand, they said the dispute was a civil matter and maintained a hands-off approach.
Opponents of the existing board said they pushed for the election due to charges of mistreatment of the monks at the wat. Through a translator, the monks said they had been threatened with expulsion, mail had been illegally opened, that they are denied access to electronic devices and that the board limits their ability to leave the premises.
Board members say the charges are false, and that their opponents are trying to wrest control over the wat, which has net assets of more than $1.5 million and clout in the Cambodian community.
Eventually, with attorneys Evan Braude, representing the board, and Bill Shibley, for the dissidents, on hand, it was decided to let the templegoers decide whether they wanted to proceed with the vote.
The roar of approval when the question was put to membership was nearly unanimous.
Speaking in Khmer to the temple crowd, Sithan "Larry" Sar, a candidate for the new board, said "this is the will of the monks and the people, that's why it has to happen today." An interpreter translated his remarks to the Press-Telegram.
Paline Soth, another opponent of the existing board, said the vote had to go forward.
"We interpret the monks as the ultimate authority and we have their blessing," Soth said.
Tith said the monks did not have the authority to call for a vote, but he did not attempt to stop the vote.
Braude tried to convince the crowd to be patient and allow the two sides to convene and come up with a mutually agreeable election procedure.
"I think the board understands how you feel," Braude told the crowd. "But today would be premature to have an election that would be fair, legitimate or even (lawful)."
Shibley urged only that the community be collaborative rather than divisive in its search for answers.
"It's important to solve problems as friends," Shibley said.
A total of 294 votes were cast for 13 candidates for the nine board positions.
Chha Kry Un was the leading vote getter with 266. Him Kea, one of two women elected, was second, followed by Darin Sun, Sar, Sophan Oum, Praseur Ban, Kosal Chum, Serey Keo and Alex Lim.
Opponents of the board of directors took to the streets to sign up temple members in large numbers, picking up 525 members. The board of directors estimated the wat only had about 300 regulars.
Shibley said he hopes representatives from the new and existing boards can meet in the next couple of weeks and hash out an agreement.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
15 comments:
The new elected board is illegal by the standard, these group of people, some are the newspaper writer, and others are recognized as failure in the community, such as Brian Ben, and Sar Sithan. These people have never been attending in Wat's ceremony or danating money to help the temple. They are there for a purpose to use temple to do something else...Be careful everyone if all of us let these people in the temple, the temple will be in huge problem, and the monk will be get kicked out of the temple, because the monk has no control of the temple, according to by Law. Please come together to block them from coming in.
Kon Khmer
Kon Khmer, I agree with you that these group is looking for funds and place to build a Cambodian Holycaust for a long time. They are short of everything, including supports from the community. This Holycaust has happend during protesting against Prak Serievut proposed for a Cambodian Parade. While they did not join Parade, they went to Wat IRAP for ceremony. Actually, they were at temple doing Holycaust just to against Parade, so please do not be fooled by these people. If they are elected to be Boards of Wat IRAP, they will use temple and fund to link to their Hollycaust project. Also, be careful that many buddisht will tend to leave temple because these people are bad, they did bad every day on newspaper, insulting every group every day, not only that they are part of the politics. Please stand up to support old Boards to protect the temple and the monks..., The monks and other buddhist in the area do not know what thier trick is....Please helps.....them..before thing turn ugly...Save the temple. Thank you Kon Khmer
THESE FUKCERS ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEM
please read this to be clear:
http://whoisdeaply.wordpress.com
I heard some monks in this Long Beach temple associated with Hun Sen and CPP. We need to get rid of these CPP monks. I heard the head monk prohibits the opposition party members from raising fund or do ceremony in the temple. If it's true, Is this temple belonging to the head monk or the public?
Any way if a small bunch of you guys can't get along with just the simple thing, how can you bit Hun Sen out from power? Do as Maryland temple did in the past. If the existing board members don't want to step down or the new members are crook, take them to court. Maryland temple had that happen years ago. The old members wanted to stay on, even they vote them out. So the new members took them to court and the US court asked the old ones to leave or facing jail time.
Let's get rid of bad elements in LB temple even the monks. I don't care the new members or the old. if they don't do a good job get rid of them.
Khmer DC
Khmer never learned to cooperate with each other.
Dear fellow Buddhists !
As a Buddhist who have been in and out of Wat IRAP or "VIPASSANA" since the creation of this pagoda in 1981, I just want you all to take a little times to understand the word" VIPASSANA" which the pagoda bears the name:
"VIPASSANA" is totally different from "PASSANA". In the language of India in the time of Buddha, PASSANNA meant seeing things in the ordinary way, with one's opened eyes; but VIPASSANA is observing things as they actually are, not just they appear to be.Apparent truth has to be penetrated until we reach the ultimate truth of the entire psycho-physical structure. When we experience tis truth then we learn to stop reacting blindly, to stop creating negativities-as naturally the old ones are gradually eradicated. We become liberated from misery and experience true happiness. And from that wisdom will take place of ignorance. Because out of ignorance we keep reacting in ways which harm ourselves and others. But when wisdom arises-the wisdom of observing reality as it is, the habit of reacting falls away. We cease to react blindly, then we are capable of real action-action preceding from a balanced mind, a mind which sees and understand the truth. Such action can only be positive, creative, helpful to ourselves and others...
Dear fellow Buddhists !
Only the Buddha's teaching can solve the Buddhist's problems. Please practice compassion all the way and settle the problem peacefully!
Neung Sin
Khmer DC, I agree with you but now power resting with old Boards who can arrange election in temple. These Boards have to screen good people who are active member to become a new board candidate. And if there are defected in old boards, boards can arrange meeting to vote them out. However, by law is important for 501-3C.
Kon Khmer
LET'S ELECT EVANGELICAL AND PASTORS
Pastors will sell temple just like JD refinanced and sold UCC's properties.
Evangelist will get prostitude in temple.
Bong, Ly Deap Shit, is your name really Ly ngoc Dinh, Why these people said that you are Youn's agent? I felt bad for you and if they shoot, I will put you in front of me..
Yes, let’s support the legal Boards (old boards) and help them get the new temple build. The legal boards have been working very hard for over 3 years on the planning of the new temple on Wat IRAP site, but the new group is trying to stop it from happening. The site has been approved by the city council. They need our support, good and honest people. If the legal board members did such a bad job, they wouldn’t have $4 millions of assets. The new groups are opportunist, they see $$$ sign!! If they get a hold of the temple’s assets, we know that the planning of the new temple will not be built and Wat IRAP will eventually disappear.
We definitely need to get rid of defect monk/monks. Monks should be in the middle, not taking side and creating chaos….if monk becoming opportunist, you are not monk anymore…
Please help save our temple!!
What sad about this whole situation is the dramatic being portrayed by the new group toward the old and innocent people. Some of the monks don't know better, but following the crowd.
Another sad thing is the wrong translation. Majority of the old people don't speak English, so the words were twisted and these people translated as the way they wanted to hear. They are wicked people. If we check these people backgrounds, nothing will qualify them for anything.
Addressing to the new group-it's not too late to do good!!
Hello All,
I have posted many videos in youtube under "Wat Irap" for all to see how destructive these people have become to the temple of worship. 3 out of the 4 monks are also involved in this fraudulent scheme to oust the current board members. All accusations are lies and the election was a fraud paid for by buying votes. Paline Soth, a court interpreter employee for LA county, and Bryant Ben, employed in Long Beach Community Development, both saw the public documents that was put forth with the City of Long Beach to demolish the existing structure to build a new Cambodian -style temple at the same site. They both saw a new opportunity to make money. They somehow got together with their press and public officials to try to pressure the current board to give up all financial holdings to their control. Please take a look on youtube under Wat Irap. All I want is justice for all that have worked so hard and donated so much so that we as Cambodians can have a symbol that we all can be proud of. Justice4watirap.
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