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| Khmer-American exile Kosal Khiev is Cambodia's first spoken word artist. Photograph: supplied |
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Sean Gleeson
The Phnom Penh Post
After being released from immigration detention on Sunday, Phnom Penh-based spoken-word poet Kosal Khiev faces an uncertain few weeks in the United Kingdom ahead of a raft of scheduled appearances across the country.
Khiev, who spent nearly 24 hours locked up after being detained on arrival at Heathrow Airport, will fulfil his performance obligations for Poetry Parnassus, a festival coinciding with the London Olympics.
Immigration authorities, however, remain in possession of Khiev’s passport, and it is not known whether he will be permitted to complete a regional tour of the UK scheduled for the coming weeks.
Masahiro Sugano, a film-maker accompanying Khiev, posted a YouTube video on Sunday night in which the poet thanked supporters for their well-wishes.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone out there for your love and support,” Khiev said. “It really gave me a boost of courage to continue on this road, continue on this journey, and not to stop and not to give up. Thank you.”
The Southbank Centre, the arts establishment that will host Poetry Parnassus, issued a statement on Sunday regarding Khiev’s detention.
“Southbank Centre has liaised closely with the Home Office, and Kosal Khiev has been released this afternoon on a temporary basis to carry out his part in Southbank Centre’s Poetry Parnassus. We are working with the authorities to understand the reason for his detainment,” it said.
12 comments:
Just love all the Khmer people without reading their background or washing their faces.
Thank Mr. Khiev Kosal for your endeavous and courage to represent our real Khmer people.
This guy was kicked out of the USA for a reason..How can anyone not consider his background.
The UK did their job.
If you want to change people perception, you must also change from the outside, not just the inside.
9:11 PM
How about yourself, are you 100% clean or a perfect person ?
Am sure the British authority will let Mr. Khiev Kosal do his job.
@9:15
We're not talking about "being Perfect" The world is not perfect, nobody is perfect. Perfect is free from humanity mistake, therefor perfect can only be God, or what ever higher religion you worship or believe.
Therefor this guy or myself or you cannot be perfect, and if we live in a perfect world, there wouldn't hunger or crime or discrimination.
But you are an idiot for asking if I am perfect, for expressing smart minded intellectual comments are received and digest.
This guy should realize why people look at him differently. As a whole society has not accepted people with "body art" because historically, "body Art" is not the social norm. He want to display himself that he is a Gangster, and I don't ever recalling seeing any Gangster caught in a productive citizen act. Unless you count washing cars on the street corners trying to raise funeral money for their dead friends.
So Mr. Kieve Kosal maybe trying to change is belief, but he must also change how people view of him at first impression.
He was kicked out of USA. Therefor he will always be marked anywhere he goes,even in Cambodia. You must ask yourself, if you have a daughter if this is the guy you want your daughter to spend the rest of your life with? A guy with an unknown and known history of "Gangster" life style. A guy who was deported out of the USA.
Replied to 10:08 PM
very well done. I admired what you had said and it was very articulated. thanks.
I have living in America almost 40 years. I came with nothing from Cambodia. I know my younger day I have been picked on just like any other children. That does not mean we should join the gangs. The gangs live styles is very short because they will be killed by their ouwn gangs or from other gangs group, or may be by the police.
This dude should feel that he is a lucky person that is still survive.
He had chosen to have tattooes and acting like a gangster. I can see him is getting a lot older and he still has not changed.
He is "still" did not know why he is being detained. If I were the UK customs, I would have detained him too because I don't want people in Great Bristish to get rob or assault later.
Once again perception is the reality. Do you blame them for detaining him and so many illegal enter their country? There were many riots in the UK.
When people see this dude in the alley at knight, they would have run away that is included me. Are waiting to find out. Some of the people in the grave did not have a second chance because they were too friendly.
I know some nice old lady doctor invited a lot of young gangsters whom have many tattoes on their neck to be fed and watched tv in her living room.
The next thing I heard they robbed and killed her. I can go on with many stories like that.
Now you tell me not to scare the dude like that.
Man...kosal khiev took picture at kingdom of wonder rat's houses. kingdom of HUN SEN IS SO BEU..TA.FOOL!
@12:57
I too have left cambodia as long as you have. But I chose a lifestyle of a productive citizen in my new home. yes we all had our temptation, yes we all had our "bad" influences, but its a matter of choice, responsibility to others and just simple common sense.
I do realize that he is trying to change, but its not going to come over night, Therefor he must know and understand that he will always be "red" flag anywhere he travel, inside or outside the country. Because the US deported him.
If he didn't know why the UK detained him, (so close to the Olympics), then he has not mature, nor has he the intelligent to understand,
"Oh! I was deported out of the US, I should be ready for red flag".
He should know why...
and I thank you for this conversation, I, in no way disrespect your point of view.
Where is the other shoe?
ស្បែកជើងម្ខាងទៀតនៅឯណា?
Bug Eater
12:57 AM,
You lived in the US for 40 years? If anything, you should be deported! Your English is terrible!
Judging from your writing, you didn't stick around long enough for your education.
So, before you judge someone, I suggest you look yourself in the mirror.
Most of you here are what I called a "typical" cambodian.
So easy to kick a person while he/she is down. But to reward a person for his/her accomplishment is nowhere to be found.
Kosal is trying to prove to the world his resentful past. He's trying to make a different. Give the man a chance to do his work before you kick him...... please!!!!
For reason I find your respond a little arrogant.
This posting was intended to reflect conversation English, not written English. I write at the level intend for general audience,not something to be published an accredited source.
For you to criticize my style,is like an oxymoron. Google it if you don't know,
Replied to 12:57 AM,
Once again you made fun of my English and you said I should be deported. But I have not robbed any body or involved wtih member of any gangs in City Santa Ana (of California), How can ICE deport me?
I respect their laws and their way of lives. I don't put people down like you said. I believe in Karma. You need to stop generalize about people yourself. All I want to do is to bring my point across to him. I played their game and joined their society. I felt overall I am being accepted. God bless America.
You said, " my English is terrible!" I know alot of people speak better Enlish than me but make less money than me and still sleep on the street. Also I own properties more than my coworkers. So you implied that I am dumb.
I have helped many Cambodian in the past to be successful like me or better than me. Only a small percentage of people was succeeded because it based on their dermination and desire to be improving. It has nothing to do with speach better English.
Life is not fair. Remember that.
If I wear the hood and mask walking into the shopping mall, how do you think people will treat me?
Now your "Hommie Kosal" with tattoes all over his skin and shaven head, How do you think people should react?
You said your "hommie" try to improve his life. Then wear a long sleeves shirt and stopped that shaven head for start. Stop shaking like a gangster please.
Most people have money don't want to see your hommie, and I am one of them.
Remember a doctor tried to save a bunch of losers and brought them to her living room. They robbed her and killed her also.
So you want me to have "an open door" and let him in. Just may be his "hommies" also come along and kill me too.
I hope in the near future you think before your write about other people. If I am tired as usual because I am working I can't write well. Ok?
Even your statement is missing prepositons and not very educated too.
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