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Kosovo Declaration of Independence
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Digg this 17 February 2008 The Kosovo assembly adopted the Declaration of Independence on February 17. Below we publish the full text of the document.
Convened in an extraordinary meeting on February 17, 2008, in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo,
Answering the call of the people to build a society that honours human dignity and affirms the pride and purpose of its citizens,
Committed to confront the painful legacy of the recent past in a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness,
Dedicated to protecting, promoting and honoring the diversity of our people,
Reaffirming our wish to become fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of democracies,
Observing that Kosovo is a special case arising from Yugoslavia's non-consensual breakup and is not a precedent for any other situation,
Recalling the years of strife and violence in Kosovo, that disturbed the conscience of all civilised people,
Grateful that in 1999 the world intervened, thereby removing Belgrade's governance over Kosovo and placing Kosovo under United Nations interim administration,
Proud that Kosovo has since developed functional, multi-ethnic institutions of democracy that express freely the will of our citizens,
Recalling the years of internationally-sponsored negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina over the question of our future political status,
Regretting that no mutually-acceptable status outcome was possible, in spite of the good-faith engagement of our leaders,
Confirming that the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari provide Kosovo with a comprehensive framework for its future development and are in line with the highest European standards of human rights and good governance,
Determined to see our status resolved in order to give our people clarity about their future, move beyond the conflicts of the past and realise the full democratic potential of our society,
Honouring all the men and women who made great sacrifices to build a better future for Kosovo,
1. We, the democratically-elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people and it is in full accordance with the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement.
2. We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multi-ethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law. We shall protect and promote the rights of all communities in Kosovo and create the conditions necessary for their effective participation in political and decision-making processes.
3. We accept fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari Plan, and welcome the framework it proposes to guide Kosovo in the years ahead. We shall implement in full those obligations including through priority adoption of the legislation included in its Annex XII, particularly those that protect and promote the rights of communities and their members.
4. We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens, particularly as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights. The Constitution shall incorporate all relevant principles of the Ahtisaari Plan and be adopted through a democratic and deliberative process.
5. We welcome the international community's continued support of our democratic development through international presences established in Kosovo on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). We invite and welcome an international civilian presence to supervise our implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and a European Union-led rule of law mission. We also invite and welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to retain the leadership role of the international military presence in Kosovo and to implement responsibilities assigned to it under UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Ahtisaari Plan, until such time as Kosovo institutions are capable of assuming these responsibilities. We shall cooperate fully with these presences to ensure Kosovo's future peace, prosperity and stability.
6. For reasons of culture, geography and history, we believe our future lies with the European family. We therefore declare our intention to take all steps necessary to facilitate full membership in the European Union as soon as feasible and implement the reforms required for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
7. We express our deep gratitude to the United Nations for the work it has done to help us recover and rebuild from war and build institutions of democracy. We are committed to working constructively with the United Nations as it continues its work in the period ahead.
8. With independence comes the duty of responsible membership in the international community. We accept fully this duty and shall abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, other acts of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the international legal obligations and principles of international comity that mark the relations among states. Kosovo shall have its international borders as set forth in Annex VIII of the Ahtisaari Plan, and shall fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all our neighbors. Kosovo shall also refrain from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
9. We hereby undertake the international obligations of Kosovo, including those concluded on our behalf by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and treaty and other obligations of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to which we are bound as a former constituent part, including the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations. We shall cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We intend to seek membership in international organisations, in which Kosovo shall seek to contribute to the pursuit of international peace and stability.
10. Kosovo declares its commitment to peace and stability in our region of southeast Europe. Our independence brings to an end the process of Yugoslavia's violent dissolution. While this process has been a painful one, we shall work tirelessly to contribute to a reconciliation that would allow southeast Europe to move beyond the conflicts of our past and forge new links of regional cooperation. We shall therefore work together with our neighbours to advance a common European future.
11. We express, in particular, our desire to establish good relations with all our neighbours, including the Republic of Serbia with whom we have deep historical, commercial and social ties that we seek to develop further in the near future. We shall continue our efforts to contribute to relations of friendship and cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, while promoting reconciliation among our people.
12. We hereby affirm, clearly, specifically, and irrevocably, that Kosovo shall be legally bound to comply with the provisions contained in this Declaration, including, especially, the obligations for it under the Ahtisaari Plan. In all of these matters, we shall act consistent with principles of international law and resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations, including resolution 1244 (1999). We declare publicly that all states are entitled to rely upon this declaration, and appeal to them to extend to us their support and friendship.
Independence Is Proclaimed By Kosovo
Serbia Condemns Break; U.S. Recognition Expected
Gallery
Emotions Run High as Kosovo Declares Independence
Tiny Kosovo, poor and mostly Muslim but feverishly pro-Western, declared independence from Serbia on Sunday, ending a long chapter in the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia, a war that killed 10,000 people and years of limbo under U.N. rule. Many celebrated, but others protested.
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By Peter Finn
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, February 18, 2008; Page A01
PRISTINA, Kosovo, Feb. 17 -- A new state emerged from the long and bloody unraveling of Yugoslavia when the Serbian province of Kosovo declared independence on Sunday. Its ethnic Albanian leaders promised to embrace Kosovo's embittered Serb minority and forge a multiethnic, democratic nation.
"From today onwards, Kosovo is proud, independent and free," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said in an address to parliament.
The move was immediately condemned by Serbia and its ally Russia. But the United States is expected to quickly recognize the new state, as is most of the European Union, in return for an agreement by Kosovo's leaders to submit to European Union supervision.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said his country, which regards Kosovo as the cradle of its civilization and home to some of its most treasured Orthodox churches and monasteries, would never recognize the unilateral declaration.
"For as long as the Serbian nation exists, Kosovo will remain Serbia," Kostunica said in a nationally televised address from Belgrade, Serbia's capital. "We do not recognize the forced creation of a state within our territory."
Russia appears determined to prevent Kosovo from obtaining U.N. membership and took part in a closed-door emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Sunday. "We expect the U.N. Mission in Kosovo and NATO-led Kosovo Force to take immediate action to fulfill their mandates . . . including voiding the decisions of the Pristina local government and adopting severe administrative measures against them," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russia also says that recognition of the province's independence could spark violent separatism elsewhere in the world, including in the Caucasus, where several conflicts simmer. Some European Union countries, including Spain, have expressed similar concerns.
Russian-backed separatist leaders of two enclaves in Georgia -- Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- released statements Sunday saying that they would soon seek recognition of their independence, citing Kosovo as a precedent.
The United Nations has administered Kosovo since 1999, when the NATO military alliance bombed Yugoslavia to force then-President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his forces from the province of 2 million. Milosevic's government was accused of waging a vicious campaign, including ethnic cleansing, to suppress an insurgency led by Thaci.
But the NATO troops that moved into Kosovo after 78 days of airstrikes have since become guards around sealed Serb enclaves, home to 120,000 people. At a Serb monastery in Pec, called Peja by ethnic Albanians, Italian troops protect the holy site, which is surrounded by a massive new wall to shield elderly nuns from stone-throwing and other abuse by passing ethnic Albanians.
"We don't have eye contact with them anymore, so things are better," said one Serb woman at the church, who declined to give her name.
Thaci, other leaders and the local media have urged their compatriots to celebrate independence "with dignity" and to avoid inflaming the Serb population.
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Before was EAST TIMORE. Now is Kosovo. Next will be KHMER KAMPUCHEA KROM. To all Khmer Krom please stand up hands-in-hands working toward our independence.
Recognition for new Kosovo grows
Kosovo Serbs rally on their side of the main bridge in Mitrovica
Enlarge Image
Recognition of Kosovo's independence has gained momentum with the US, France, the UK, Germany and Italy all pledging their support.
EU states meeting in Brussels agreed that Kosovo should not set a precedent for other states, with Spain and others concerned about separatism.
Serbia has recalled its ambassador to the US in protest at recognition and threatened to withdraw other envoys.
Its president is to ask the UN to condemn the independence declaration.
Boris Tadic will ask the Security Council to annul the independence declaration and Belgrade is counting on Russia to veto Kosovo joining the UN as a new nation.
See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown
In Belgrade, about 10,000 students marched in protest, and Serb enclaves inside Kosovo also saw anti-independence rallies.
Serbian security forces were driven out of Kosovo in 1999 after a Nato bombing campaign aimed at halting the violent repression of ethnic Albanian separatists.
The province has been under UN administration and Nato protection since then.
Pledges of support
Monday saw Washington formally recognise Kosovo as a "sovereign and independent state".
STANCE ON RECOGNITION
For: Germany, Italy, France, UK, Austria, US, Turkey, Albania, Afghanistan
Against: Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus
In Brussels, pledges of recognition came after Monday's meeting of foreign ministers of EU states.
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said a desire to establish a unified position after "the disunity of the 1990s" had dominated the meeting in Brussels.
As for the UK's formal recognition, he added:
"The plan is to do it this evening and diplomatic relations will then be established... and in the course of the next days and weeks all the items of full diplomatic representation will be put into place."
KOSOVO PROFILE
Population about two million
Majority ethnic Albanian; 10% Serb
Under UN control since Nato drove out Serb forces in 1999
2,000-strong EU staff to take over from UN after independence
Nato to stay to provide security
Full text: Kosovo declaration
In pictures: Celebrations
After a lot of soul-searching, the EU forged a semblance of unity, BBC European Affairs correspondent Oana Lungescu writes.
It adopted a compromise proposal from Spain, one of several countries which argue that Kosovo's independence is a breach of international law and will boost separatists everywhere.
To ease those concerns, the EU's statement says that Kosovo does not set a precedent and leaves it up to each member state to decide on their future relations.
Most EU countries led by the biggest among them will take this as a green light for recognition, our correspondent notes.
Some of the EU states which did not recognise independence have experienced separatist unrest of their own, such as Spain with its Basque region and Cyprus with its Greek-Turkish division.
The EU earlier agreed to send about 2,000 police, justice and civil administration officials to oversee Kosovo and help develop the province's institutions.
'False state'
Speaking to Serbian TV from New York, the Serbian president, Mr Tadic said he intended to "demand from [UN Secretary General] Ban Ki-moon the immediate annulment of the independence proclamation by the non-existent state in Kosovo".
HAVE YOUR SAY
This is an ugly victory for demographic warfare
SEQ, London
Send us your commentsThe recall of the Serbian ambassador to Washington was announced to parliament in Belgrade by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica.
"America violated international law for its own interests," he said.
It was, he added, the "first urgent measure of the government which will be implemented in all countries that recognise unilateral independence".
Serbia's interior ministry filed criminal charges on Monday against Kosovo Albanian leaders instrumental in proclaiming independence.
It accused Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and two others of proclaiming a "false state" on Serbian territory.
Chanting and playing music, students marched in Belgrade under a huge banner reading "Kosovo is a part of Serbia and Serbia is a part of the world".
The scenes were in stark contrast to riots that took place in the capital a few hours earlier when a few hundred people, mainly football hooligans, went on the rampage clashing with police and stoning embassies, the BBC's Nick Hawton reports.
vietnam and thailand are the same asian people like cambodia, why is cambodia lack behind them is no excuses! wake up, cambodia, help develop our country, cambodia. can't stay behind too long already! help our countrymen to help themselves, too.
UNPO support the statehood of KOSOVO. UN must support the statehood for Khmer Krom too. The countries recently just got independence are a good example for us. Before was East Timore, now is Kosovo, the next will be KHMER KROM, Karen in Burma and Aceh in Indonesia. Khmer Krom is really working hard to get the statehood too. We don't want to live under any colonization. Look back when the YOUN live under China for 1000 years. How did they feel? We Khmer Krom feels the same way. We demand our independence. Our beloved KHMER KROM we need to stand up fight for it. Cheer!
VIVA KK!!!
1991-08-06
Geography
Kosova is situated in the southern territory of former Yugoslavia and borders with Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The capital is Pristina. Area: 10,887 km?
People
Population
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates the population at 2.0 to 2.2 million people, by analyzing voter registration data in 2000.
?88% Albanians (1,733,600)
?7% Serbs (137,900)
?3% Muslim Slavs (59,100)
?2% Roma (39,400)
?1% Turks (19,700)
Language
The official language in Kosova is Albanian. The Albanian language has two main dialects, Tosk and Gheg. The latter is spoken in Kosova.
Culture and religion
The Albanians in Kosova are the direct descendents of the Illyrians who held vast territories covering all of the western Balkans in 2000 B.C. The name "Albania" is derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe called the
Albanoi who inhabited the provinces of Durres and Dibra in today's Albania in 200 AD. The Albanian population in Kosova share the ethnic background of the population of neighbouring Albania. They speak the Albanian language and are largely Muslim.
Economy
The economy is primarily agricultural: wheat, maize, potatoes, grapes. Livestock; cattle, sheep, pigs. Kosova has always been one of the least developed regions within former Yugoslavia. The country is rich in natural resources, especially in lead, pyrite, gold, nickel and brown coal. Kosova is one of Europe's poorest regions, with more than half of its people living in poverty.
Environmental problems
As a result of the war in Kosova the following long-term effects occurred or may occur in the future:
High levels of pollution around main military targets, in particular the chemical industry.
Ecosystems are threatened, in particular river ecosystems.
Contamination of drinking water now priority of the environment in the reconstruction process. Especially under time pressures this can lead to decisions where the environmental impact of an activity is not taken into consideration. One of the main sources of pollution in Kosova is the industrial sector. It is characterized by air, water and soil contamination and dirty production techniques.
History
The earliest inhabitants of Kosova were called Illyrians by both the Greek and the Romans. Alexander the Great conquered Kosova three centuries before Christ and the region became part of the Roman province of Dardania in the 4th century A. D. Slavic people crossed the Danube and moved into the Balkans by the 6th century. These migrations weakened the Byzantium Empire. The result was that Illyrian-speaking people, known to their neighbors as Albanians, moved eastward from the Adriatic into the Kosova region of the Balkans.
Their language became known as Albanian and their culture became allied with Byzantium after the breakup of the Catholic Church into Eastern and western branches in 1054. By 1190 Kosova had become the administrative and cultural center of the medieval Serbian state ruled by the powerful Nemanjic dynasty, that lasted two centuries. In 1389, in the famous Battle of Kosova Polje, the Serbs and their allies were defeated by the Ottoman Turks and for a short period of time Kosova became part of the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottomans took sovereignty over the region in 1489. During this time the great majority of Albanians were still Christians, and Serbs and Albanians lived together in reasonable harmony. Gradually, Albanians and to a lesser extent Serbs, were converted to Islam. In the late 17th century a great number of Serbs left Kosova as a result of military victories of the Ottoman Turks. As a result, the Serbian "center of gravity" moved to the region of Belgrade. This displacement of the Serb population is known in history as "the great migration".
In this period Kosova was resettled by Muslim and Christian Albanians. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Turks in the Russo-Ottoman War in 1878 the terms of the "Peace Accord" extended Bulgaria westward and gave the Serbs control of Mitrovica and Pristina in Kosova, while the remainder stayed in Ottoman hands.
In the first Balkan War of 1912 Albania was attacked by Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece. Serbs joined the army in large numbers to avenge the Serbian defeat by the Turks at the Battle of Kosova Polje. The population of Kosova at this time mostly consisted of Albanians. Serbs entered Pristina as Albanians fled to the mountains. The Albanians fought fiercely but lost the war and Kosova came under Serbian authority.
In 1913, as a result of the London Conference, one-half of Albanian territories, including Kosova, were taken away from Albania and granted to the Serb, Croat, Slovene Kingdom and Greece.
The entire period between 1913 and 1941 was marked by a policy of massive repression towards the Albanians in Kosova with the aim of either assimilating them or expelling them.
In 1943, the Conference of Bujan recognized the Kosova-Albanian right to self- determination.
After World War II Yugoslavia consisted of the republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. In 1940, the Communist Party of Yugoslavia had committed in writing to an autonomous "Peasant Republic of Kosova", but the promise wasn't kept. After the end of the war, the Assembly of Kosova was forced to vote for an entry into Yugoslavia at its Convention in Prizren in 1945.
After Tito had consolidated his power and the rule of the communist party over all of Yugoslavia, he favored a Kosova within Serbia for political reasons since he needed support from the Serbs and to win them over to communism. The 1946 Yugoslav constitution did not grant territorial autonomy to Kosova, nor did it grant Albanian status as a recognized nationality. The 1953 constitution reduced autonomy for Kosova even more with much repression of Albanians taking place. Not surprisingly, by 1956 there was a resurgence of Albanian nationalism.
In 1974, by reconfirming the Bujan Resolution, the federal status of Kosova was recognized in the Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosova was represented as one of the eight constitutive units of the federation of Yugoslavia in all elected bodies, including the presidency of the state, and had the right to veto. Kosova passed its own constitution, maintained a genuine constitutional government and had a territorial defense force.
The process to abolish Kosova autonomy began in March 1989 via amendments to the Serbian constitution that gave Serbia direct control over Kosova. The Kosova Parliament, after it had been purged of opponents to centralization, also accepted these modifications.
In 1990 civil disturbances in Kosova broke out, which was violently suppressed by the security forces. In March 1990, the Serbian Parliament adopted the "Program for Achieving Peace, Freedom and Equality in Kosova". The aim of this program was the peaceful co-existence of all ethnic groups in Kosova, but it also identified Albanian separatists as the main menace to this objective.
Consequently, Albanians did not recognize this program. In July 1990, the Serbian government prevented the Kosova Parliament from meeting. In response, Albanian parliamentarians assembled on the steps of the Parliament building and proclaimed the Sovereign Republic of Kosova within the Yugoslav federation. Serbia then officially dissolved Kosova's government and took executive control.
The complete removal of Kosova's autonomy was completed in September 1990 when a change in the Serbian constitution redefined Kosova as a region in Serbia, with administrative and executive control now in the hands of the Serbian National Assembly.
In September 1991 the Parliament of the un-recognized Republic of Kosova approved a resolution supporting the "Independence and Sovereignty of Kosova". In the summer of 1992 Albanians and Serbs in Kosova were living in a virtual state of apartheid, basically entirely separated from each other.
In December 1992, there were Yugoslav elections, in which the Albanian leadership in Kosova advised Albanians not to vote. The Albanian population decided to follow this recommendation and did not vote. Milosevic's Socialist Party won the election with 47 seats but the strongly nationalist Radical party won 33 seats.
This result put additional pressure on Milosevic to preserve Serbian interests in Kosova and Serbian nationalism in general. By 1993, 400,000 Albanians had left Kosova as a result of the deteriorating socio-economic conditions. The Albanian Kosovars were disappointed by the 1995 Dayton agreement to end the conflict in former Yugoslavia, which did not recognize their demand for independence. Meanwhile Serbs felt isolated and abandoned by Belgrade and increasingly felt they were being sold out to the Albanians.
Serbs and Albanians in Kosova were mobilizing themselves with arms. Passive Albanian resistance gradually gave way to a more violent atmosphere, first by the underground "National Movement for the Liberation of Kosova" and then by the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA).
In March 1997, civil government in Albania totally collapsed and anarchy resulted. This caused some Albanians to realize that a "Greater Albania" may not be such a great idea.
The KLA and Serbian authorities meanwhile became engaged in a civil war for independence. The United States advised the League for a Democratic Kosova, under the leadership of Ibrahim Rugova, who sought a non-violent solution to the crisis that parallel parliamentary elections should not be held and also that Kosova should remain part of Serbia.
As the civil war intensified in Kosova, Western Europe and the United State became involved in early 1998. In March 1998, US Secretary of State Madeline Albright outlined terms, which Milosevic and his government had to accept including the presence of international observers in Kosova, "enhanced" status for Kosova within Serbia and an end to the killing. These terms and others were not met and the war intensified.
In October 1998, NATO authorized the NATO Commander to launch air strikes if Milosevic continued to fail to comply with "the repeated political and humanitarian demands of the UN Security Council in regards to Kosova". On October 27, Albright announced at a news conference in Washington that Milosevic had complied sufficiently with NATO demands that air strikes were not warranted "at this time".
The KLA, sensing that NATO was on its side intensified its military efforts and the Serbs intensified their military campaign to defeat the KLA on the field. Hence the October agreement fell apart. On January 28, 1999 NATO warned that it was ready to use military force immediately. A conference was held at Rambouillet in France in mid-February to negotiate an end to the war.
Present were the Western allies, Yugoslavia and representatives of the major Albanian Kosovar groups demanding independence. The Western Allies led by the United States issued a two-week deadline, backed by the threat of air strikes, during which time both parties must agree to the proposed settlement.
This settlement, dictated by the West, required Yugoslavia to withdraw its forces from Kosova, the KLA to lay down their arms, NATO peace-keeping troops on the ground to enforce the agreement and a three year period to settle the political future of Kosova. Neither side would agree and the bombing deadline was extended two weeks.
The conference re-convened in Paris two weeks later and enough pressure was put on the Albanians that they finally agreed to sign the Rambouillet agreement. Milosevic would not. The bombing started March 24.
The expectation of NATO was that Yugoslavia would capitulate to the West and sign the Rambouillet agreement. Instead Yugoslavia intensified its war with the KLA and approximately a million Kosovars were driven out of Kosova. An agreement was signed later in which both sides made compromises.
This agreement was formalized by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 adopted June 10, 1999.
Key elements of this resolution were the right of all refugees to return home, commitment of all member states to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia and, most importantly, a framework for a political solution to the Kosova crisis based on the following general principles:
Khmer Krom
2001-07-15
Geography
Kampuchea-Krom means "Cambodia Below" or "South Cambodia". Kampuchea-Krom was the southernmost territory of the Khmer Empire, and it was once known as (French) Cochin China. It is the southwestern part of Vietnam. It covers an area of some 89,000 km2 with Cambodia to the north, the Gulf of Thailand to the west, the South China Sea to the southeast and the Champa territory to the northeast. Prey Nokor was one of the most important commercial cities of all in Kampuchea-Krom, but the name was first changed to Saigon and then to Ho Chi Minh City by the Vietnamese Communist in 1975.
People
Population:
It is estimated that there are about 8 million Khmers living in Kampuchea-Krom. Approximately 80 percent of them live in the Mekong delta, and a small number is in other provinces throughout the southern part of Vietnam. Besides the Vietnamese, there are other people living in Kampuchea-Krom, including the Chinese, the Chams, the Montagnards, and many other small ethnic groups.
The Khmers-Krom is outnumbered by these population groups. About 70 percent of the Vietnamese and 95 percent of the Chinese live in the cities and fill most of important jobs in government and business. The Khmers-Krom live throughout the country, especially in the Mekong delta.
Culture and language:
Approximately 95 percent of the Khmers-Krom are Buddhists. They practice Hinayanna Buddhism, whereas most Vietnamese practice Mahayanna Buddhism, or Chistianity. The Chams are Muslims, and the Chinese are mostly Buddhists, and some Christians. There are more than 580 temples and more than 10,000 monks throughout Kampuchea-Krom. Some temples were built many centuries ago and are still standing today, but
many others were destroyed during the wars
(The Khmer pagodas, 450 in the delta of Mekong, play a fundamental role as guardians of the Khmer culture and notably in the field of education).
For centuries, Theravada Buddhism has been part of the Khmer identity and culture. Practiced by virtually all Khmers Krom, Theravada Buddhism influences all aspects of life to a much greater extend than do religions in the West.
The Khmer Krom sees Theravada Buddhism as a rational religion, possessing a coherent philosophy, which neither incites violence nor excites passion. Theravada Buddhism shaped the Khmer Krom way of life, guiding the standards of conformity for men, women and children. Religious institutions are responsible for the education and personality formation of the children. (Theravada Buddhism is probably the same as Hinayanna Buddhism).
After 1975 (land reform acts), in the name of the proletariat revolution, no one was allowed to own land. The only means to make a living for Khmer Krom was stolen. Ironically, when the communist government ensured that no Khmer farm land was left for private ownership it started to sell or distribute to farmers. The loser of this deceitful scheme was the Khmer. Khmer Krom had to buy back their own land.
Those who could not afford became tenants on their own land. Furthermore, the government official or their family kept all fertile lands. As a result, most Khmer were left starving. During the 70s virtually all traditional religious activities ceased. They could not even afford to buy a robe for their children to be ordained. Today, the current authority somewhat allowed the Khmer to resume their religious practice and renovate their
temples.
According to the KKF, this gesture is only a trap to attract much needed foreign currency from the Khmer Krom abroad who generously send the money back home.
On the political front, the Vietnamese attacked more directly to dissolve Khmer Krom religion. John Crowley, an officer of the U.S. Embassy to Bangkok wrote about religious repression toward Khmer Krom as follows: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam Government seeks to destroy Khmer culture in Vietnam through other, more subtle means: Repairing or making addittion to temples is forbidden New temples cannot be constructed Ordination of those under 55 years of age is forbidden Temples cannot be used as meeting area All temple donations must be given through government representative, etc.
All of this, and much more, can be seen as a sophisticated campaign to decentralize, fractionalize and reduce the influence of Buddhism on the Khmer Krom in Vietnam. The Khmer language is spoken in all Khmer families and communities.
For official business, however, the Vietnamese language is strictly enforced. About 10 percent of the Khmers-Krom is able to speak and write Vietnamese correctly. The Khmer language is taught at home and in the temples, but it is not permitted in any official business.
The struggle against the Vietnamese government to allow the use of Khmer in school or public place has been advocated for years, but no satisfactory result has ever been achieved. In many of instances, thousands of Khmers-Krom were accused, jailed, tortured, deported, or persecuted for speaking, learning or teaching the Khmer language. The Vietnamese do not allow books or documents to be written or published in Khmer unless they are to be used as propaganda.
The Khmer language is spoken almost exclusively in rural zones, only the children going to school understand Vietnamese. However, once they re-enter on their premises they exclusively speak Khmer with their parents. Conversely, in the urban zones, where the mixed marriages are very numerous and the exchanges with the Vietnamese and the Chinese are very many, the Khmer language is not any more spoken but by the old ones; the young people speak Vietnamese almost exclusively.
Environmental problems:
There are 2 problems in some of the zones which have strong Cambodian settlement. The salt deposit to the grounds make the coastal areas more and more sterile. In the district of Duyen Hai the rice yield has decreased by 50 to 90% in 30 years. This salt deposit worsens with the increase in the use of water of the Mekong in agriculture.The irrigation canals multiply in the regions of An Giang, Long Xuyen, Can Tho. Worsening factors: destruction of the mangrove, the floods which kill people and destroy the harvests. They are due to the rains of July to October and the resulting swelling of the water of the Mekong, the weak slope of the river, the low dams, the weak drainage and the problem of the deforestation.
Economy:
Agriculture is very important in Vietnam. The industry and services sectors are not very well developed. Agriculture is even more important in the Mekong delta, the area where the Khmer Krom people live. After 1975 (land reform acts), in the name of the proletariat revolution, no one was allowed to own land. The only means to make a living for Khmer Krom was stolen.
Ironically, when the communist government ensured that no Khmer farm land was left for private ownership it started to sell or distribute to farmers. The loser of this deceitful scheme was the Khmer. Khmer Krom had to buy back their own land.
Those who could not effort became tenants on their own land.
Furthermore, the government official or their family kept all fertile lands. As a result, most Khmer were left starving. The economic status of the Khmer Krom is reducing from land-owners to barely physical laborers for less than 1.0 U.S. dollar per working day. They are living ten folds below poverty level but the government of Vietnam constantly prevents any international organisations to observe the facts to help these people.
History:
The Khmer-Krom people have been in existence in this part of the peninsula since the beginning of the first century. The territory was immense compared to the Khmer popularion at that time, creating opportunities for expansionist neighbours to invade.
Therefore, Vietnam moved their people to Kampuchea-Krom using all kinds of tactics. The epoch of the Khmer Empire has been from the start of the 9th century until early 15th century. During this period, the Empire was a major power in South East Asia.
The famous architecture and construction of the ancient Angkor Wat, and many other monuments in the Empire had brought the Khmer artistic to a very high level. The ruined port of Oc-Eo (O-Keo in Khmer) in the province of Rach Gia in today southern Vietnam, was the busiest port in the region, where the Khmers, Chams, Chinese, Indians, and Europeans did their trading.
The township of Prey Nokor was a commercial center for the Khmer Empire, and it was once the most important military garrison against the Vietnamese southward movement. After over one thousand years under Chinese domination, the Vietnamese ambition on territory expansion gained strength in the 11th century. Vietnam moved its southern border further and further to the south and as a result the Khmer Empire declined from the 14th to the 19th century.
The Vietnamese leaders used inter-marriage as another means of manipulation to capture the territory of Kampuchea-Krom. The territory therefore became smaller and smaller as time went by and in 1954, as the French left the territory, Kampuchea-Krom was incorporated into Vietnam, rather than Cambodia. The Khmer-Krom people have been legally separated from the motherland Cambodia since then.
They are now considered as Khmers in Vietnam and, and as Vietnamese in Cambodia. During the presidency of the Republic of South Vietnam (1955-1963), Ngo Dinh Diem ordered that all Khmer names be changed to Vietnamese, and the Khmer-Krom identity was altered by a new and easily identifiable as the Vietnamese of Khmer Origin.
As a result of this decree, some of those who worked for the government, including military officers, lost their Khmer identity.
Organizations
The Khmer Krom are represented in UNPO by the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation. The three branches of the federation have been elected from the representatives of Khmer Krom constituencies around the world. The officers of the federation from different regions of the world are the legitimate representatives of the Khmer Krom people.The Executive Committee of the Federation is placed under a Steering Committee, after consultation with member organisations of the Federation in each region.
Khmer Krom will be the next becoming independenc in Southeast Asia! To all united we stand!
Vietnam: Human Rights Discussion in Hanoi
2008-02-16
Leading US diplomat recognizes the severe human rights problems in Vietnam, but also emphasizes the speed of, and potential for, change within the country.
Below is an article written by Beth Hearn and published by Leadership Council For Human Rights:
Viet Nam could be on a trajectory to multi-party democracy in the next fifteen or twenty years, according to Jon Aloisi, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.
Speaking at a briefing held by the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on Tuesday [12 February 2008], Aloisi recognized the severe human rights problems in Viet Nam, but also emphasized the speed of, and potential for, change within the country. There exists a strong desire for economic growth and a positive image both domestically and internationally, which is spurring some development, he said.
Regarding recent demonstrations over church land seized by the Vietnamese government several decades ago, Aloisi remarked: “I’m delighted that the Catholics feel they can organize protests to get their land back. It’s a positive sign of the evolution of leadership that has only been possible due to activism.”
One element of the change taking place in Viet Nam entails the improved technology available to dissenters - namely, the Internet. There have been attempts to control and monitor this forum for expression, including requirements that people register to use Internet cafes, but these restrictions are “overwhelmed by the tsunami of information flowing into this very young and literate country,” Aloisi said.
Yet this is still a country that “reserves the right to drag away any of its citizens, put them in jail and throw away the key,” he added.
The red line, or point at which individuals will start to get in trouble with the government, is when these opinions become attempts to organize people for regime change. “You could blog ‘the party sucks,’” Aloisi said. “But if you get a thousand people together and set up ‘thepartysucks.com,’ you’ll get in trouble.”
In addition to the Internet activists, Vietnamese dissidents of all types continue to be arrested for political reasons. CHRC Director Hans Hogrefe, said that even when political prisoners are released, sometimes following international pressure, they still face severe restrictions on their movement and activities.
Aloisi also discussed the corruption pervading the Vietnamese government. “The entire leadership is involved in this systematic corruption,” he said. “There are some people who want to deal with it, but they don’t know how because they’re all complicit.”
In relation to the position of the hill tribes in Viet Nam’s Central Highlands region, Aloisi pointed to some positive changes over the last four years. There has been a reduction in allegations of incidents of human rights abuses, and an improvement in the ability of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and diplomats to access the area when incidents do occur. However, he emphasized that this issue is still a matter of real concern.
Viet Nam still has a considerable distance to travel along the road to reform, but Aloisi remained optimistic about the potential for progress to be made, emphasizing the importance of ongoing international pressure. “The U.N. Security Council membership is a big step,” he said. “We can use their membership to educate and push for change.”
Khmer Surin or Khmer in Thai should form their organization like Khmer Krom. I am so happy to see Khmer Krom forming their government outside to prepare for readiness. I am applauding them.
this is called khmer people helping khmer people, no matter where they are living! and trust me, we are not alone in this.
I heard Khmer in Thai will form something similar like Khmer Krom. I really encourage them to do so. If they don't want to join us Cambodia. they can be independence just them. Look at Kosovo, they were part of Albania. Now they indpendence because they don't want to put Albania in trouble. Just like Khmer Krom, if they want to be indpendence I would love to support that. If they want to join us Cambodia, we don't want to be cought in between. Go Khmer Krom go!
it's funny how khmers in cambodia think catholic is vietnamese. i hope everyone helps to rectify this stereotyping. in fact, catholic is a european religion that some vietnamese (youn) people adopted, and even some khmers are catholic. did you know that, actually, the philipines is the largest asian catholic country in the entire asia. my point is that, khmer, please stop thinking that the vietnamese is the only people that practice catholic. there are catholic, christian, morman, islam, and even some muslin minority religions in cambodia as well.
Khmer Krom has been pushing so hard for the UN and got UNPO to push them for independecne too. They reality will happen soon. Khmer Krom has been living under oppression for so long it is about time this burden got to go.
Exactly like the meaning of this cartoon the Khmer Krom must live any other human beings on the planet. Their stolen God given freedom must be returned "at any cost" for the sake of peaceful living and live to the fullest potential as humans. The inhumane Vietnamese must be defeated once and for all to prevent further and additional human suffering. Best yet, the Viet race should be eliminated to silence all unnecessary human sorrow in this tiny region of southeast asia.
I don't care what the YOUN will be in the future. If they want to live side by side with us Khmer, they need recognize Khmer krom. Nothing will last to eternity. Look at Soviet, every countries in the world wouldn't never think they colapse. But they did. What goes around must comes around. Whats goes up must comes down.
Purposes
The purposes of the United Nations are set forth in Article 1 of the Charter.They are:1.To maintain international peace and security. 2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. 3. To cooperate in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. 4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
A Reference Library: Nations of the World: The United Nations
Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the name “United Nations,” which was first used in the “Declaration by United Nations” of Jan. 1, 1942, during World War II, when representatives of 26 countries pledged their governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers. From August to October 1944, representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States met at Dumbarton Oaks, a mansion in Washington,D.C., to discuss creating an international peacekeeping organization. Out of these meetings came a general outline for the United Nations. At the United Nations Conference on International Organization,which met at San Francisco from Apr.25 to June 26, 1945, representatives from 50 countries drew up the United Nations Charter and signed it on June 26,1945. The United Nations officially came into existence on Oct. 24, 1945, when the charter was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States and by a majority of the other signatories.
Purposes
The purposes of the United Nations are set forth in Article 1 of the Charter.They are:1.To maintain international peace and security. 2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. 3. To cooperate in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. 4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
Official languages
Originally, there were five official languages of the United Nations: Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Arabic was added to the General Assembly in 1973, to the Security Council in 1982 and to the Economic and Social Council in 1983.
United Nations headquarters
United Nations, New York, NY 10017 U.S. U.N. headquarters covers a 16-acre site in New York City along the East River from 42nd to 48th Streets. It consists of the interconnected General Assembly,Secretariat and Dag Hammarskjöld Library buildings.
General Assembly
The Assembly consists of all 191 member states, each having one vote. On important issues a twothirds majority of those present and voting is required; other questions require a simple majority vote. The Assembly also considers and approves U.N. budget and assesses member states according to their ability to pay.
Security Council
The Council may investigate any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction,and may recommend terms for their settlement. The Security Council alone has the power to take decisions that member states are obligated under the Charter to carry out. The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members,and the General Assembly elects 10 other members for two-year terms. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Decisions on matters of procedure require the approval of at least nine of the 15 members. A negative vote by any permanent member on a non-procedural matter is often referred to as the “veto,” which results in the rejection of the proposal.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The Council is the principal organ to co-ordinate the economic and social work of the U.N. and its specialized agencies. It makes recommendations and initiates activities relating to world trade, industrialization, natural resources, human rights, the status of women,population, social welfare, education, health and related matters, science and technology and many other economic and social questions.ECOSOC has 54 members elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly.
International Court of Justice (World Court)
The Court is the judicial organ of the U.N. and sits in The Hague, Netherlands. All U.N. member states are automatically members of the Court. It issues judgments on all questions that states refer to it and all matters provided for in the U.N. Charter or in treaties or conventions.The Court has dealt with a wide variety of subjects, including territorial rights, fishing jurisdiction, territorial sovereignty, and the right of passage through foreign territory. The ICJ has 15 independent judges,of different nationalities,elected by both the General Assembly and the Security Council. Judges hold 9-year terms and may be re-elected.
Secretariat
The Secretariat services the other organs of the U.N. and administers the programs and policies they develop. Headed by the Secretary-General, it consists of an international staff of more than 25,000 men and women from over 150 countries.
Secretaries-General: The General Assembly elects the Secretary-General to terms of office of five years (they may be re-elected). The Secretary-General, by tradition, does not come from one of the permanent member states of the Security Council. Those who have served in this post are: Trygve Lie, Norway, Feb. 1, 1946, to Nov. 10, 1952; Dag Hammarskjöld, Sweden, Apr. 11, 1953, to Sept. 17, 1961;U Thant, Burma, Nov. 3, 1961, to Dec. 31, 1971; Kurt Waldheim, Austria, Jan. 1, 1972, to Dec. 31, 1981; Javier Perez de Cuellar,Peru Jan. 1, 1982 to Dec. 31, 1991; Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egypt, Jan 1, 1992, to Dec. 31, 1996;Kofi Annan,Ghana,Jan.1,1997 to present.
I am one of Khmer citizen. I would like to see Khmer Krom get independece in my life time.
Cheyo! Khmer Krom!
Cheyo! Khmer Krom Serei!
Bavo to all Khmer(s)!!
I went to Cambodia hoping the people around my age knows more about the history of Cambodia than me, but they are not. I am 36 Years old. I knew all Cambodian history when I was in Thailand camp. The reason I'm saying is from 79 to now HUN SEN and his Hanoi never allow history to be taught in Cambodia. Imagine all those people around my age forgot the history of Khmer Krom, this is the trick of Vietnam. They want us to forget the past. But we are not.
guys, there are millions and more khmer history books(or books on khmer in general) overseas in the US alone, france, japan, australia, etc. please know khmer history and language, and i encourage everyone to speak khmer; please don't be ashame to speak khmer; it's a beautiful language, especially when sing in songs. it has beautiful character and real easy to learn, actually. please learn khmer in reading, writing, and speaking on top of english, french, etc.
Bravo! KHMER-COWBOY!!!!!!
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