Picture: KKF members welcome the former monks at the airportSource: Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation
Members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and the general Khmer community in Philadelphia, USA are today celebrating the arrival of Khmer Krom latest heroes and human rights activists, Tim Sakhorn, Danh Ton and Kim Mouen.
On 8th February 2007, two hundred Khmer Krom Buddhist monks from Khleang (renamed Soc Trang) conducted a peaceful demonstration demanding religious freedom. Five monks, amongst them Danh Tol and Kim Mouen were forced to disrobed by Vietnamese authorities and sent to prison for 2 to 5 years.
Nabbed as the “Khmer Krom hero that rose from the delta”, Tim Sakhorn was a Khmer ‐Krom Buddhist monk and also an Abbot of North Phnom‐Denh temple in Phnom‐Denh village, Karivong District, Takeo province, Cambodia. On June 2007, he was defrocked and then deported to Vietnam by the Cambodian government for an alleged crime of undermining the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia.
In 2009, Kim Moeun and Danh Ton fled Vietnam after being released from prison and made the perilous journey through Cambodia to Thailand seeking asylum. When Tim Sakhorn was allowed to visit Cambodia for his mother’s funeral in April, 2009, he too fled to Thailand on a motorbike. They were accepted by the Sweden government later the same year.
Today, they are celebrating their survival and sharing their stories to the world. The former monks are expected to attend the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this coming week, travel to Washington DC and visit Khmer and Khmer Krom community around the USA to testify against the Vietnam government and tell the world the reality in Kampuchea-Krom.
On 8th February 2007, two hundred Khmer Krom Buddhist monks from Khleang (renamed Soc Trang) conducted a peaceful demonstration demanding religious freedom. Five monks, amongst them Danh Tol and Kim Mouen were forced to disrobed by Vietnamese authorities and sent to prison for 2 to 5 years.
Nabbed as the “Khmer Krom hero that rose from the delta”, Tim Sakhorn was a Khmer ‐Krom Buddhist monk and also an Abbot of North Phnom‐Denh temple in Phnom‐Denh village, Karivong District, Takeo province, Cambodia. On June 2007, he was defrocked and then deported to Vietnam by the Cambodian government for an alleged crime of undermining the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia.
In 2009, Kim Moeun and Danh Ton fled Vietnam after being released from prison and made the perilous journey through Cambodia to Thailand seeking asylum. When Tim Sakhorn was allowed to visit Cambodia for his mother’s funeral in April, 2009, he too fled to Thailand on a motorbike. They were accepted by the Sweden government later the same year.
Today, they are celebrating their survival and sharing their stories to the world. The former monks are expected to attend the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this coming week, travel to Washington DC and visit Khmer and Khmer Krom community around the USA to testify against the Vietnam government and tell the world the reality in Kampuchea-Krom.
20 comments:
"Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds."Buddha
From khmer of the world
Great! Congratulations. Long Live Khmer Krom. Self Determination waiting for all Khmer Krom People.
"NICHHAING TATOR, ASONTA-YI VITA-NHOR AK-NAING KAKNOR, UTCHIN-TI PHAVAK SAN THA NI, ANTI MO-YAING SAMOU-SAMO-SAYA-YOR"
"HE WHO HAS REACHED THE GOAL,IS FEARLESS,HAS BROKEN THE SHAFTS OF EXISTENCE,-OF SUCH A ONE THIS IS THE FINAL FORM"
OUR LORD BUDDHA.
Hi! Kampuchea Krom fellow,
Today they succeed in reaching/arriving the USA, but how many they left in Kampuchea Krom. You have reached your goal, but you let million of Khmer Krom behind. Then you think that you are god?
I am sorry, I know very well KKF is just doing their personal income, they don't fucking care of other millions Khmer Krom have missed their family during the war.
I am trying to talk out, because I was so suffer by losing family during the war. One day, I dropped an email to KKF asking for a missing person/family, but no word at all from those fucking KKF. I knew that my relative is still alive, I asked for a favor from KKF to seek my family, they didn't even reply my email.
I am fully enough with this KKF, they just blow their own horn to gain a donation from the Khmer Krom Community in the world for just their few people purpose. They don't love Khmer Krom who is suffered by separating the 2 worlds.
Please note that KKF is doing nothing for their own people, beside blowing their whistle to get a fun from the Khmer Krom community.
One of Khmer Krom people
Please 4:23 do not blame Khmer Krom associations for not doing their jobs. As Khmer Krom under a YUON controlled you hardly have any access in Vietnam. Reply email KKF didn't reply to my email either. But as long as they stay together as KKF I am very happy for them. Khmer must help Khmer and express themself to the world.
4:23 PM
I am part of the KKF, but I never get some kind like your question. Other way, KKF is a group of people that they sacrifies their times, money, job to help, to struggle for the fundamental freedom for all khmer krom. Do not look down to your own people like that if you are a realy khmer krom. You are khmer krom, you can participate in our KKF team as well and after that you can do the research for your family. All khmer krom sould be part of KKF and support them. An other thing, KKF is not yet a gouvernment, we have not the departement for the research of the lost families but we realy would like try to help you. Please, try to contact us again and again, do not be disappointed alone and angry with every bodies.
Thank in advence for your comprehension,
This is the same message that was posted by the same person. KKF has done a great job in protecting these defrocked and imprison monks. Without the safety-net of KKF, these former monks would been killed, tortured, and no one would know anything about it.
This person is trying to give KKF a bad name and hope that people will not support KKF in the future. Nice try once again.
4:23PM
ASK YOURSELF FIRST IF YOU ARE KHMER
CALM AND PATIENT
calm, patient and collective
People have religious freedom - if they stick with religion. But if they use their religion as a cover to preach divisive politics, or if they break civil laws, they might be punished. This is normal in many countries.
Don't be fooled into thinking that the USA is genuine in supporting "freedom and democracy" - the USA itself has neither of these things, (it is in fact an undemocratic plutocracy), but it does have a very long history of using them for cynical political reasons only when it serves USA interests.
The USA also has a very long and sordid history of denying freedom and democracy....to its own native Indian people (stole their land in the first place!), the black slaves (stole their free labour), it now supports the super-rich with criminal theft and bail-outs against its own citizens, and what about "freedom and democracy" for the numerous countries it has illegally invaded, occupied, bombed, assassinated and overthrown elected and popular governments, and is also the only country to have used nuclear bombs against civilian cities, etc., etc., ad nauseum.
If you want to achieve a better life, you have to be very clever and engage in sensible politics, and seek mutual understanding, co-operation and peace.
4:23 PM
There is a big difference between individual interest and national interest. KKF has so many tasks and missions that needed to be accomplish but very little time, man power and budget. However, despite the fact that of all these obstacles, their sacrify, hard work, dedication and relentless will power, they had accomplished and outstanding job. These are the kind of jobs that could bring freedom to all Khmer Krom as a whole and pave the way for you to directly go to Kampuchea Krom yourself without have to worry of an harassment from the viet police. In addition, you should look at the non-reply as a shortage of man power instead. Maybe you could do some sacrifying and volunteer your time to KKF?
Last but not least, from the botom of my heart, I like to express my sincere thanks to the three heroes, all the KKF staffs and members for their sacrify and hard work to move a step closer to the goal of freedom and self determination.
Khmer K
10:19PM You Viet Congs are still holding your BALLS against the USA are you?
"If you want to achieve a better life, you have to be very clever and engage in sensible politics, and seek mutual understanding, co-operation and peace."
I like this statement very much. But I see a hole in this. How can Khmer engage in sensible politics when their political aspirations are suppressed?
Is it possible for Khmer to seek mutual understanding when Khmer cannot have association in this relatively "civilized" society for platform to discuss their goals and development?
Can Vietnam give peace and co-operation a chance if it denies no problem exist? That neither the suffering nor the stories of the Khmer are true?
Can you cooperate with people who refuse to hear you out?
Can you cooperate will people who force monitor your every religious and cultural life?
I invite your government to peace and co-operation by doing these things.
1. Recognizing the Khmer Krom problems and their indigenous rights to develop the resources exist equally in society
2. Allow Khmer Krom associations, like Vietnamese associations that exist in Cambodia, to give Khmer Krom a platform for their concerns in the local and national level
3. Break the link between colonialist attitude against Khmer Krom Buddhist Sanga community by allowing them to operate independently and not under the Vietnamese temple/church - they are not the same branch of Buddhism and can take better leadership over their own matters.
3a. Stop trying to whitewash Khmer religion through the Vietnam Sanga control.
4. Compensate for Khmer land that were confiscated for the dirt-poor Viet Cong peasants who came down prior and after the Communist Victory.
The dirt poor northern Viets came to our towns without pots and pans and then given plots of our farmlands while we were left to hunger and depend on ourselves without any help or distribution of wealth. Tell me this is not a racist policy, especially against the very people whose land your father or mother or maybe yourself have depended on and made your profit off until today.
5. Offer scholarships to Khmer Krom children and retain them in higher education through universities and college and international exchange students like you do with Kinh ethnic.
As long as Khmer remain uneducated, and unable to obtain high education and degree of success in our Vietnam society, we remain in poverty, unable to seek or understand "sensible political participations" cooperate or have "mutual understanding".
Right now, the only "mutual understanding" I have is, whenever Viet people need something, they can take it from me. Whenever international donors give project, we Khmer get the scraps and left over.
Whenever their are scholarship available, bribery and racial preferences is chosen.
If I managed to graduate, I'll either have to bribe really high or have Vietcong family tie.
Tell me if that is the acceptable mutual understanding Vietnam boasts to the world.
Thank you,
Nguoi Khmer Vietnam
Thank you to those who supported KKF! I am a member and I am proud to one. Only if you are actively involved in KKF will you realise the true sacrifice that the leaders and members do for Kampuchea-Krom. Not many can do the same and does who do not are open the one that provides destructive criticism to their own people!
Keep up the good work KKF!
KI would you edit and post my message above and titled it "Invitation to Open Co-operation and Mutual Understanding to Vietnam from a Khmer Ethnic" at 11:03PM
Thanks,
Nguoi Khmer Vietnam
Thanks for all our Khmer Krom to help Dejkun Tim Sakhorn from danger. Cambodian government do nothing but get along with vietnamese government to oppress Khmer Krom and the Cambodian people inside Cambodia. SHAME ! on Hun Sen's regime. If I am running the government I'll cleaning up the illegal alien from Vietnam or do something for the benefits of Cambodia. Hun Sen is a puppet of Hanoi and never change mentality from the Communist regime. That's why I call it Communist People Party ( CPP ) NOT Cambodian People Party.
HI! 10:33
I am 4:23, now I found that the KKF is only think to make interest from the famous people, but not for the poor people. Also the KKF does not have a clear vision and mission for it community.
I am telling you cannot succeed by just only a few famous people in order to earn the interest from the donors. This is a bad behavior all Khmer and K Krom used to have since 100 years ago and still implement in the same way.
I understand that you have less manpower and less fun, but what are those K Krom in the USA doing? hum. They are living in the developed country and they are trying to discriminate their own relative???? sic.
You can lie to the poor uneducated K Krom, but you cannot lie youself (KKF) you should think yourself that there are many K Krom in the States and other developed countries in the world.
I know that ok not 100%, but at least 90% (10% exception to the old generation) of K Krom who are living the US can access to internet and email also the internet connection is cheap if compare to other countries in the world.
KKF tell me how many K Krom are living in the States and in other countries in the world (except in Vietnam territory)? it very simple if you don't know how to do 10:33or KKF. I can coach you how to manage it dude.
List all K Krom in the States on the database, then you just simply insert the name of the missing person, then you will receive a result within 2 seconds, if you use the States internet connection or other developed countries in the world.
On the other hand, you said that the KKF and K Krom over there suckrificed (sacrificed)and contribute their fund as well as their time to support the community, but the community does not have a willingness to do their job. I am telling you a true. This kind of fucking task just give it to a K Krom boy living in the States, he can manage it. I am sure.
Please all K Krom work as a team, KKF is not willing to help. You can go the Phnom Penh Post Newspaper was published today 28 April 2010, you can see how many poor K Krom in front of the UNHCR office in Cambodia. They were (include children) standing outside the UNHCR building waiting for the solution, they don't have things to eat man.
Please KKF, don't think too much about the donor's fund and try just only to help the famous people in order to gain fun from donation and leave the poor people behind. Think of yourself, when you were in Vietnamese territory, how did you feel.
The information I asked for a favor is not a hard job to do. KKF cannot do it, delegate to the K Krom boy to help.
conclusion, please look back when you were in Vietnamese control, how did you felt, when you meet your relative while they were missing for so long, how happy you are.
Xin nho lai ngay xua, khi con kho, xa nha, xa ba con gong ho. douc gap lai mung nhu the nao.
KKF look only donation fund, I am telling a truth Mr. 10:33. They don't care who is suffered in Vietnamese territory. They have tried to forget us (who still living in K Krom). shit
KKF Please think again, this message is sent to world wide K Krom community.
K Krom indigenous.
12:49AM, there are hundreds of Khmer Krom organization all over the world that claim to help the Khmer Krom people. Why are you only focusing on KKF? Go the next Khmer Krom groups and ask them also. Don't just limit yourself to just one group to help you. That's not the way to survive in this world.
If you are hungry and you went and ask for food to eat from one place and it said no then you need to go and ask at a different place.
KKF would like to help to find your hair under your arm-pit but it has bigger responsibility at this moment.
4:23 pm You sound like a Youn spy. You try to make KKF look bad and discredited them. Khmer Krom will claim for their independent soon cus Khmer kondal will help them to achieve that in the near future. Once pork ah CPP leaders traitor dies, we will help and support KKF.
CHey Yo khmerkrom bothers ! Down To hell Pouk Ah Choy Marai Ah hun sen's dick suckers making my khmerkrom brothers &sisters suffering.
i'm contonese khmer takeo will always support khmerkrom brothers ,sisters .
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