Monday, February 09, 2009
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Sunday called for television shows related to Buddhism to be approved by clergy after the country's first rock opera was deemed insulting to the religion.
"Where Elephants Weep," a modern take on a traditional Cambodian love story, was banned from airing in January when the Supreme Sangha Council of Buddhist Monks objected to some of its scenes implying monks engaged in sexual activity.
"I completely agree with the monks council about banning the insulting scenes," Hun Sen said in a speech at a Buddhist pagoda inauguration ceremony broadcast on the radio.
"(Broadcasters) should have let the Ministry of Cults and Religion check it first. We do not want such a story to happen again," he added.
Local human rights groups expressed concern that the cancelled television broadcast threatened freedom of expression, after rave reviews of the show that merges pop and rock music with more traditional and historical Cambodian tunes.
But Hun Sen applauded a compromise in which the rock opera's creators agreed to make three specific edits after meeting with clergy and government officials.
"It's good that they (the authors) found a solution by making an apology and a promise of change," Hun Sen said during his speech.
The show tells the story of a Cambodian-American man who returns after the demise of the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime to reconnect with his roots. While he is a monk, he falls into a doomed love affair with a pop singer.
After a successful run in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh last November and December, organisers are in discussions to resume its broadcast and remount the production in tourist hub Siem Reap next year.
There are also plans for the opera to tour South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.
"Where Elephants Weep," a modern take on a traditional Cambodian love story, was banned from airing in January when the Supreme Sangha Council of Buddhist Monks objected to some of its scenes implying monks engaged in sexual activity.
"I completely agree with the monks council about banning the insulting scenes," Hun Sen said in a speech at a Buddhist pagoda inauguration ceremony broadcast on the radio.
"(Broadcasters) should have let the Ministry of Cults and Religion check it first. We do not want such a story to happen again," he added.
Local human rights groups expressed concern that the cancelled television broadcast threatened freedom of expression, after rave reviews of the show that merges pop and rock music with more traditional and historical Cambodian tunes.
But Hun Sen applauded a compromise in which the rock opera's creators agreed to make three specific edits after meeting with clergy and government officials.
"It's good that they (the authors) found a solution by making an apology and a promise of change," Hun Sen said during his speech.
The show tells the story of a Cambodian-American man who returns after the demise of the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime to reconnect with his roots. While he is a monk, he falls into a doomed love affair with a pop singer.
After a successful run in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh last November and December, organisers are in discussions to resume its broadcast and remount the production in tourist hub Siem Reap next year.
There are also plans for the opera to tour South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.
15 comments:
When the monk involves in the politic, monk shall be treated like everyone else.
Did this monk order the Khmer Krom monk to be defroked and sent to vietnam? This monk and CPP companion are not khmer, they are youn.
One day Cambodian monk will be the same like fanatic muslim for ignoring religious value and entertainment industries. It take a long times may be under CPP one more century for them to learn the different between culture, art and religion. China is one of the biggest Buddhism country at present with biggest temples and biggest Buddhist statues. But China has taken one step in advance. From Last Friday until last night, a group of Chinese devotees in Auckland has distributed thousands of Buddhist books printed both in Chinese and in English to promote Buddhism. Where is our buddhism in term of promoting? I heard only banning and banning and arrested our own monk ( Rev Tim Sakhoan) for vietnam authority. It was the most cruel activity committed by Cambodian Monk Nong Ngeth. Areak Prey
Ah Hun Sen even created Fake monks to rape women including british woman last month....in order to destroy Buddhism! Ah sen will Burn in Hell and joined Ah Lundi...DOO MER KANG CHAR!
I am agree with the monk also if Hun Sen was raping the movie star name Piset Peaklika already that is sinful to kill her,she has families like the others.
old bastard KIM vien, born in 1931, former funcipec's political adviser, is getting married in 15-february-2009, to his Vietnamese young slut.
Thank You Vietnam for helping us to select true blue Buddhist monk. We don't know what we'll do without you. Most of the monk these days has been snatched by Pouk Ah Evil Scam Rainxy and Potato Diggers. Just looks at those monks in the slum (Long Beach). They are fifthly rich, wearing rolex watch and driving around in luxury cars, ....
FUCK A TEPVONG! A FUCKING YOUN PUPPET WORKING FOR THE FUCKING AH FUCKIG HUN SEN. FUCKING A TEPVONG FUCKING (THOCTEP)LOW LIFE SON OF BITCH!!!
KAN 7 MAKARA PHNOMPHENH
NOI SAREP
1:01 PM
Kan 7 Makara, Long Beach? lol Faggot lying shit
Puk ah one dollar politic,there it will no way to win any
invader around,if we Cambodian chopping the backbone of ah Hun Sen out we will see what the ignorant people like ah dog Hun Sen can do ? Ah sut leech sucking Cambodian blood .Do not blind march with ah Hun Sen no more khmer in the near future.
Puk ah one dollar politic,there it will no way to win any
invader around,if we Cambodian chopping the backbone of ah Hun Sen out we will see what the ignorant people like ah dog Hun Sen can do ? Ah sut leech sucking Cambodian blood .Do not blind march with ah Hun Sen no more khmer in the near future.
KI has gone to another level of being a fucking manipulator. Cambodia is a better country than what it was after Pol Pot. Fuck all of you who are cynical and put your dickless politics in front of Cambodia. I was in Cambodia in January and I saw a lot of progress. Only political tool that let other people manipulate your head would say such alike things as this mud slinging site.
A true gentleman talk like one. As far as I see, this site is full of none, judging from just the words and news manipulation tactics deployed.
-Khmer overseas who doesn't lick Sam Rainsy's balls like the majority of they cynical political tools here.
eat shit and die you leech CPP 1:27 PM!
នៅពេលដែលមានស្តេចសង្ឃឈ្មោះទេពវង្ស
នៅស្រុកខ្មែរ ខ្ញុំឈប់ទៅធ្វើបុណ្យនៅវត្តទៀតហើយ។
Ah George Washington Potato diggers' monks are all pimps. Please, don't follow them.
eat shit and die you leech CPP 3:37AM!
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