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| The venerable monk and activist Loun Savath speaks to Boeung Kak lake residents in March. (Photo by: Sovan Philong) |
Monday, 06 June 2011
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post
Buddish Supreme Patriarch Non Nget has banned pagodas in the capital from hosting Loun Savath, the activist monk who frequently joins land dispute protests and advocates on behalf of displaced villagers.
Loun Savath hails from Siem Reap province’s Chi Kraeng district and has been active in supporting villagers in a long-running land dispute there that has seen multiple community representatives arrested. He later relocated to Wat Ounalom in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district, and has joined protests in the capital by residents of the Boeung Kak lakeside and of the Prey Lang forest area.
In a letter dated April 26 and received by Loun Savath last week, Non Nget said pagodas in Phnom Penh are no longer permitted to house the 31-year-old monk because his actions have “caused villagers to think badly about Buddhism”.
“What he did is not related to the monks’ point of view and has broken the Buddha’s rules,” Non Nget wrote.
Loun Savath fled Phnom Penh in March for fear of arrest in relation to his activism before resurfacing at a rally held in the capital by the Prey Lang villagers two weeks ago. There, he was forced to flee the scene with the assistance of rights groups when it appeared that local authorities were planning his arrest.
Loun Savath said yesterday that he was undeterred by Non Nget’s directive and would continue with his activism.
“The Buddha says that monks must help people who have problems and educate people to do good deeds,” he said. “When villagers have a problem, I cannot ignore them.”
Loun Savath’s land activism has made him unique among Cambodian monks, and he has received little backing for his efforts from religious officials here. Following protests against the Boeung Kak evictions in April, Phon Davy, director of the municipal cults and religions department, said Loun Savath had in fact drawn the ire of Tep Vong, Cambodia’s highest-ranking monk.
“[Loun Savath] has violated the rules to such an extent that the Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia, Tep Vong, issued a warning letter to ban all monks from joining protests,” Phon Davy said at the time.
Loun Savath has so far taken little heed, however.
“What the authorities have done to me is a serious violation of human rights and Buddhist law,” he said yesterday.
“I have done nothing wrong, so why are they evicting me from my pagoda?”
Ouch Leng, head of the land programme at local rights group Adhoc, said Non Nget’s directive was unjustified.
“The authorities should be encouraging him, because what he does is not for himself, but to find justice for people who are victims of land disputes,” Ouch Leng said.
41 comments:
Khmer monk is our leader,not Hochimonk.
Letter from our Lord Buddha.
"ATTA-HA VéCHHI-TAING.SéYAU-YEAR JYATA-YAING.IK-TARA PACHHEAR AKTAK TOAN SAYAK BO SAYAK SANIK CHAVAING SAGNATH CHARI NOR"
"CONQUEST OF SELF IS INDEED BETTER THAN THE CONQUEST OF OTHER PERSONS;OF ONE WHO HAS DISCIPLINED HIMSELF,WHO ALWAYS PRACTICES SELF-CONTROL."
MAY BUDDHA BLESS ALL KHMER VICTIM AND OUR MONK LOUN SAVATH.
Non Nget is a communist Monk who likes to kiss CPP'a ass . I bet a Mokn like that will eat and drink beer at night too .
The mental retarded CPP officials want all the Cambodian monks to respect the laws in which the CPP itself never respect.
Come on you retarded bastard!
Non Nget is not fit to be head of the other monks. You can't expect monks live in an imprison like all days and nights for all years round.
Monks need outdoors, the sun and some interactions with people too to freshening up the life.
What rules ?? the monk suppose to ease people from suffering and not just get food and from the people and do nothing to help the suffering?
What rules is this Non Nget is talking about??
RISE UP KHMER!
YUON RULES IN KHMER BUDDHISM ARE FOR HELL NOT FOR RELIGION AND PEOPLE.
អស់លោកដែលចេះតែរិះគន់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាសូមអស់លោកដែលជាខ្មែរដែរនោះក្រឡេកមើលទៅឆ្នាំ១៩៧៩ថាតើពួកពលពតបានបន្សល់ទុកអ្នកចេះដឹងមានប៉ុន្មាននាក់?មានវីឡានៅសល់ប៉ុន្មានខ្នង?សល់គោក្របីប៉ុន្មានក្បាល?សល់មន្ទីពេទ្យវត្តអារាមនឹងផ្សារផ្សោរចានក្បាននៅសេះសល់បុន្មាន?គឺគ្មានទាល់តែសោះមានតែប្រជាពលរដ្ធខ្មែរនាំមកនៅរោគាគ្រប់ៗគ្នានៅគ្រានោះ។ចំណែកឯប្រជាជនមួយផ្នែកដែលលោករកអ្វីមកចិញ្ចឹមគ្រួសារពុំបានលោកចេះតែដើររហូតដល់ព្រំដែនសៀមខ្មែរ។ហើយពួកគាត់ទាំងនោះដោយម្នាក់ៗចង់មកប្រទេសទីបីពេកក៏ដាច់ចិត្តនិយាយបំភ្លើសថាពួកគាត់មិនអាចរស់នៅស្រុកខ្មែរបានទេដោយនៅសល់របបកុម្មុយនិស្តធ្វើបាបពេកតាមការពិតគ្មាននរណាធ្វើបាបប្រជាជននៅក្នុងឆ្នាំនោះទេតែដោយពួកគាត់ចង់មករស់នៅស្រុកគេពេកក៏បំភ្លៃពាក្យសំដីរបស់ពួកគាត់ទៅ។តាមការពិតអ្នកដែលធ្វើបាបប្រជាពលរដ្ធខ្មែរគឺពួកទាហ៊ានប៉ារ៉ានៅតាមជាយដែននឹងពួកសៀមនោះទេដែលធ្វើបាបពលរដ្ធខ្មែរជារាងរាល់ថ្ងៃក្នុងឆ្នាំ១៩៧៩ដល់ឆ្នាំ១៩៨៥។យូអិនអេចស៊ីអរ(UNHCR)ជឿពលរដ្ធខ្មែរដែលមករស់នៅតាមជុំរំហើយមិនដែលគិតគូរដល់ពលរដ្ធខ្មែរដែលនៅក្នុងស្រុកម្តងណាទាល់តែសោះពួកគាត់ដាច់បាយស្លាប់រាបរយក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃទល់មួយថ្ងៃចំណែកឯអង្ការសហប្រជាជាតិគ្មានយកភ្នែកមើលពលរដ្ធខ្មែរនៅក្នុងទាល់តែសោះ។
Ven. Loun Savath helped the people when they have a proplem, he did a good thing for the people; he followed the Buddha's path. Buddha told us to help each other when we have problem.
Tep Vong and Non Nget are Ho Chiminh's monks; they are not the monks of the Buddha, so they work for their boss and their own benefits. They are dogs of the communists Ho Chiminh.
to 8:03 PM--
I used to live under the Pol Pot regime and then became a refugee in Thailand until I immigrated to the United States.
I respect your opinion.
I also like to express my opinion as well. Perhaps, I'm one of the people you are talking about. I escaped to the United States to survive and seek freedom. I never think that I hate Cambodia. However, I believe that the current government in Cambodia has done so many evil things. Therefore, I don't like the government, not the people. Remember recuing people is one thing, and treating people is another.
Some Khmer people worship the current government unconditionally because it liberated them form Pol Pot. Other Cambodians are thankful for the chance to live, but never satisfy with the leadership of government.
For me, I feel fortunately to be able to survive the Khmer Rouge, and I never again support such regime or any regime that is dictatorial such as as the one in Cambodia now. In 1979, I would say yes, but now I have to say no, I don't like the way the government has been treating our Khmer people and its land.
What the government did in 1979 is different from what it has been doing now. Liberating then, if you will, and leading with violence now is unacceptable.
Listen to his interview on KPR radio. I have never heard any monk like him. His the future supreme monk for Cambodia. Tep Vong and Noun Ngeth cannot be compare to Lourn Savath.
Please keep doing what you have been doing right now. Buddha never prohitbit from helping the poor.
?????Why they not defrog him like others and sent to imprison in Vietname?????
Buddha has concernt with all the well being of all human races, and what monk Savath has done is fully compaptible with Buddha's law. Tep Vong and Noun Nget are not true Buddhist leaders, but the destroyers of Buddhism in Cambodia.
Sometimes we have to force ourselves to separate among religion, politics, and compassion to avert further religious or political consequences.
When one mixes religion and politics without completely understand the severity of consequences, the unintended consequences are ineluctable.
Pi Anh
monks shouldn't be involved in politics; again, if you understand buddhism teaching, it goes against its religious principle, etc, you know! just like the monarch was prohibit to entering into politics by the constitution. for a good reason, know! it's called conflict of interest and not professional, to say the least, you know! it's also called ethical conduct, really, every professional have to abide by the ethical code of conduct or you'll have undisciplined people do whatever they want to do and create conflict of interest, i think! get educated already, please! people that don't understand the principle always defy the law, not right, really! think about it, ok!
even monks need disciple, too, you know. it's call the rule of law, ok! can't be a monk and an activist at the same time, it's now how it works, ok! definitely conflict of interest in a peaceful time in cambodia, really! pick one or the other, but not both,ok!
10:09! YOU STUPID LEACH!
what do you know about religion! if not to free people out of evil?
why the fucking politicien use religion to serve his whim?
May lightning strike the motherfucker who used religion to serve evil!!!!
religion is not for people like this monk to abuse it, ok, period, end of story! no buts or ifs about it, ok! get educated! just like you don't go around wearing a military uniform and abuse people with its privilege, etc, etc! same concept with religion, ok! it all boils down to ethical code of conduct, i believe, so the head monk has the responsibility to reprimand those under his leadership, ok! don't get confuse, again, religion is not for people to abuse it, ok. i think they want this monk to disrobed first first using the name of religion to get involve in rant, verbal abuse or what have you. that's all! stop exploit the good name of a religion, it is unacceptable with any religion if you are abusing its purpose and good name, you know! get educated, ok!
there's a difference between holding a buddhist prayer or ceremony and an actively involving monk in monk robe in politics; that is unacceptable, to say the least! picture above shows a thousand words, ok! this monk broke religious law, here, really! blessing the followers is one thing, but actively ranting with rhetorics, etc will see he gets reprimanded be head monk for sure, you know! it goes against buddhism law in cambodia, really!
NO ONE HAS THE COMPASSION FOR THOSE POOR KHMER PEOPLE, BUT THIS MONK HAS THE COMPASSION AND UNIVERSAL LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE, AT LEAST HE CARES FOR THERE SUFFERINGS. BUDDHA'S TAUGHT UNIVERSAL LOVE AND COMPASSIONS FOR ALL LIVING BEINGS, BUT WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND OR HAVE PUT HIS LAW INTO PRACTICE BECAUSE IT WAS TAUGHT IN THE PALI LANGUAGE AND MOST PEOPLE IN SROK DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. METHA, UPPEKA, KANNA, MOUKTHOKTHA, ETC., ETC,. NO ONE UNDERSTAND IT COMPLETELY. SOKHA=PEACE!
it's all the law and even khmer society runs on rule of law, too, you know; you broke it, you face the law, too, really! head monk is only doing his job as a head monk, ok!
Venerable Loun Savath is our true Khmer Buddhist monk who helps the poor and the sick and to have compassion...this is the pure teaching of Buddha--to Free humanity from sufferings is the core teaching of Buddha.
Ah fake Ngon Nget and Ah fake Tep Vong are the real criminals planted by ah ghost Ho Chi Minh to destroy Khmer core religion. These communists ghost Ho Chi Minh, ah Ngon Nget, Ah Tep Vong hate the existence of religion, hence they do not foster religion but destroy it.
Ah fake Ngon Nget Ah fake Tep Vong go to hell. Ah Hun Sen, Ah Tep Vong, Ah Ngon Nget are the terrorists and criminals who terrorize innocent Khmer to no end.
KHMER Angkor.
compassion or not, that's not the point why head monk reprimanded this "activist monk", ok! you don't use a respected buddhist monk robe to become a political activist, ok! it's against buddhist law, really! i'm sure the head monk knows the buddha law and took action against this undisciplined activist monk, ok! just like you at work, if you did something against company's policy, etc, of course, your boss will either fire you or reprimand you. it's the same concept here, ok! take ethics 101 and you will understand the work place better, ok!
if you blame Pol Pot, you must blame Yuon, without Yuon how could Pol Pot come to power.
stupid brain like that is easy for Yuon to sabotage and blame khmer and Khmer continue to hate and kill each other, wake up Khmer.
10:46p.m. is a CPP and Land Grab supporter, you are a criminal! you don't care about poor khmer people. shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHERE IS THE HELL AND HEAVEN ?
MONK LOUN SAVITH DOES THE RIGHT THING ,THOSE VILLAGERS IN THE HELL NOW .HE SHOULD HELP .WHEN THOSE KHMER VILLAGER PƠOR AND DIE MONK GET NO FƠOD
ONLY NON NGET AND TEP VONG EAT ROCK WHAT WHY THEY DO NOT CARE.
I KNOW FOR SURE YUON DO NOT GIVE THEM FƠOD
I can't understand why an politician official of the CPP is given the job as head monk in Cambodia.
This corrupted CPP official by wearing yellow robes to fool other monks as a leader is disgusting.
I can't understand why a politician official of the CPP is given the job as head monk in Cambodia.
This corrupted CPP official by wearing yellow robes to fool other monks as a leader is disgusting.
To: 10:46 PM
You need to go back to school, who said religion has no place in social activism. Religion even has a place in politics: Namely Dalai Lama of Tibet, Representative of Buddhist voice at Sri Lankan parliament today, Burgandy Revolution in Burma, Pope John II of Poland brought down Communist Poland, etc.
Vietnam and Cambodia have placed religion under their political control, and you are telling us religion has no place in politics and social activism?!!!
KHMER Angkor.
Ven. Loun Savath is our new generation of Patriach. Please support him and protect him. He is doing the right things for the people. It is rare to find a monk with good heart and brave like him.
I watched many Chinese movies and the monks ALWAYS involve in fighting, politic and helping people to fight the the bad people and the oppressors.
Who is that mother fucker said monk aren't allow to invovle?
If you are monk and your family is being tortured by the CPP, you aren't going to do nothing, are you?
to all the monk
who give you birth ?
who take care when you were a baby ?
you can not sit inside the temple read THO all the time.
when you moms house get burn down,your father be put in jail,your mom get bit up by cpp
also your people be torture
well, china is china, cambodia is cambodia, know the difference, ok! stereotyping asian is sign of pure ignorant, really! in cambodia case, it is very specific, cambodian buddhism law prohibits its monks from participating in active politics like demonstrations, protests, etc, etc,especially in monk robe, making monks look bad in the public eyes, ok! don't be so stupid, ok! get an education on ethical code of conduct ok! because good, orderly discipline applies to everyting in life and in public services, etc, etc, ok! don't be so ignorant, ok!
Ok?, Really, realy, Ok? O.K? Really?
Anyone doing anything good for people should be allowed. Shut up Supreme monk, Patriarch Non Nget, you are NOT helping people.
To: 11:57 PM;
Is it really Cambodia Law or the Vietcongs' Jungle Law that is being imposed on own Khmer citizens? The whole CPP machinery in Cambodia today is being dictated and mastermind by the Vietcongs in Hanoi. Dictator Hun Sen, Fake Monk Tep Vong, Fake Monk Nguon Nget, etc. are the Vietcongs agents in Cambodia to Vietnamize Khmer and make Cambodia a "Kampuchea Krom #2" once and for all!!!
KHMER Angkor.
Ah Youn Monk you are doing against the Buddha's theory. You are the real Ho Chi Minh Monk because you work with CPP sellimg Khmer land to Viet.
OK, Really, don't be ignorance...
Be educated, ok.....
Well, Mr. OK, really; I say that monk has gotten an education and he is using his education to defend the oppress. Mr. Ok, stresses about learning from other people's country and to incorporated into Srok Khmer. Well, Mr. OK, Really; That monk is stepping out of his comfort monastery taking the Devil by the hones and kicking ass?
The priests in Israel they fought when it was necessary for them to do so. Learn what it truly mean to be a priest of the Most High God, OK, really, I mean it.
non Nget and TepVong, what Buddha rules are you following? What a clown!
Ah pe neak nis prer thor prett ter...pler maen.
To keep Cambodia as a country,All
Cambodian monks must rise up against
Hun Sen govt and Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia.
All monks should protest peacefully,
but not kill anyone.
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