Hochimonk Chhoeung Bunchhea will sneak in to visit Dhamagosnaram Buddhist Temple; Hochimonk Sao Chanthol delays his visit

Hochimonk Chhoeung Bunchhea photographed at Wat Ratana Mondul, Fresno, California

Monk Chea Chhom from Dhamagosnaram temple, Rhode Island

Hing Bunheang, Chief of Hun Sen's private bodyguards unit. He was involved in atrocities during Hun Sen's 1997 coup d'etat

Min Khin, the minister of Cults and Religion, and other Hochimonks involved in shenanigans in Cambodia

https://www.box.com/s/64f1bdf949a2f9364420

Unofficial English Translation

Chhoeung Bunchhea was seen leaving Ratanaram temple in Connecticut in the evening of Monday 02 July 2012. He plans to join the prayer ceremony for a new Buddha statue at Dhamagosnaram temple in Rhode Island on Wednesday 11 July 2012 and he could sneak into this temple on 11 July 2012. Report indicated that Chhoeung Bunchhea is to meet the abbot of Lynn temple in Massachusetts today (03 July 2012). Chhoeung Bunchhea was nominated as Samdach Oddam Chariya and chief of cabinet of Hochimonk Tep Vong. He is a member of the Cambodian Buddhist monk academy and the abbot of Srah Chork pagoda in Phnom Penh – a pagoda involved in sex scandal last year. He is known to be on his way to visit Ratana Mondul pagoda in Fresno, California next and he holds a valid entry visa to the US. The monk academy, which Chhoeung Bunchhea belongs to, was formed in 2006. Unlike what its name called for, this academy was formed to survey activities of monks who do not serve the ruling CPP party and it also serves as a CPP propaganda apparatus during the election period. 4-golden-star Hing Bun Heang, the chief of Hun Sen’s personal bodyguards unit and deputy chief of staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Force, was nominated as the supreme adviser of this monk academy, although he was never ordained as a monk in his entire life. It should be recalled that during the July 1997 coup d’etat led by Hun Sen, Hing Bun Heang was involved in atrocities against the general public and against members of other political party.

In general, in the US, Cambodian monks and public usually organize religious ceremonies during weekend so that the majority of people would be able to attend. However, the prayer ceremony of the new Buddha statue in Dhamagosnaram temple, Rhode Island, will be organized tomorrow – Wednesday 04 July 2012 – instead. The plan to distribute the decree by the Cambodian king, by Hochimonk Tep Vong and by the Cambodian ministry of Cults and Religion to nominate monk Chea Chhom from Dhamogosnaram as Supreme Patriarch (Monk-King) in the US at the end of last week (30 June and 01 July 2012) was cancelled after numerous protests were raised. This nomination would make Chea Chhom the equivalent of Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong in the US, i.e. Chea Chhom will reign supreme over all Cambodian monks in the entire United States of America.

In doing so, the Cambodian clergy in Cambodia and in the US will not function independently of one another anymore even though both countries are not connected to each others. It should be reminded that Cambodian temples founded in the US must abide by US laws, as well as by respective state and city laws.

Report indicates also that Sao Chanthol plans to join a religious ceremony at Lynn Pagoda in Massachusettes during this weekend (07-08 July 2012), but his planned attendance was met by intense protest from the public and he had to cancel this plan. Instead, he decides to travel to Singapore for now, but he will return back to Lynn Pagoda again in November 2012.

Wat Dhamagosnaram will organize the celebration WITHOUT the presence of Min Khin and Chhoeung Bunchhea

https://www.box.com/s/8a210f2896a3f6fdb5bb

Human Rights Violator Min Khin and Hochimonk Chhoeung Bunchhea will visit the US, so does Sao Chanthol

https://www.box.com/s/1b4b6a466241ccda0137

Min Khin (the minister of cult) and Chhoeung Bunchhea (Tep Vong's cabinet chief) to join the birthday celebration of Chea Chhom, the abbot of Dhamagosnaram pagoda, in Rhode Island on 30 June-01 July 2012

Hochimonk Sao Chanthol recently photographed in Lynn, Massachusetts. Sao Chanthol was responsible for the defrocking of Ven. Tim Sakhorn and for his deportation to Vietnam to be jailed there. Sao Chanthol claims to the world that he is the candidate to replace Hochimonk Tep Vong.

Ven. Loun Sovath was forced the sign the following agreement during his arrest on 24 May 2012. One of the person involved in this arrest was no other than Min Khin himself:

Invitation to the birthday of the abbot of Chea Chhom's birthday party. The invitation clearly states the participation of Min Khin and Chhoeung Bunchhea to the party:

KI-Media Note: The anonymous letter above also states that Hochimonk Sao Chanthol, one of Tep Vong's henchman who was involved in the defrocking of Ven. Tim Sakhorn and his deportation to Vietnam to be jailed there, is also present in the US. A photo of Sao Chanthol in Lynn, Massachusetts is shown above.

ឃាត់​ព្រះកាយ សង្ឃ​សកម្ម​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស លួន សាវ៉ាត

ព្រះតេជគុណ លួន សាវ៉ាត ត្រូវ​បាន​ចាប់​ក្រៀក​​ដោយ​ប៉ូលិស​ស្លៀក​ពាក់​ស៊ីវិល​មាឌធំៗ​ អូ​ស​ចូល​ឡាន​​ ​។ រូបថត ​ហុង មិនា​

ព្រះតេជគុណ​ លួន​ សាវ៉ាត ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ញាត់​បញ្ចូល​ក្នុង​រថយន្ត។ រូប​ ហុង មិនា

Friday, 25 May 2012
ឆាយ ច័ន្ទនីដា
The Phnom Penh Post

ក្រុម​អង្គការ​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​ទាំង​ជាតិ និង​អន្តរជាតិ បាន​ថ្លែង​ប្រាប់​ក្រុម​អ្នក​កាសែត នៅ​ខាង​មុខ​តុលាការ​រាជធានី​ថា អំពើ ​រំលោភ​បំពាន​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​ ដែល​បង្ក​ដោយ​សមត្ថកិច្ច​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​និង​មន្ត្រី​សង្ឃ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​នេះ​ កាន់​តែ​មាន​សភាព​អាក្រក់​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ​ទៅៗ ហើយ។

ភ្នំពេញៈ ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​សកម្មជន​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​មួយ​អង្គ​ដែល​តែង​តែ​និមន្ត​ចូលរួម​គ្រប់ ការ​តវ៉ា​របស់​អ្នក​បាត់បង់​ដីធ្លី ផ្ទះ​សម្បែង និង​បាន​ទទួល​ពាន​រង្វាន់​អន្តរជាតិ​ផ្នែក​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ ត្រូវ​បាន​ឃាត់​ព្រះ​កាយ​ដោយ​គណៈសង្ឃ​និង​សមត្ថកិច្ច​រាជធានី​ជាច្រើន​កាល​ពី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍ ក្នុង​ពេល​ព្រះអង្គ​ព្យាយាម​ថតរូប​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​នៅ​តំបន់​បឹងកក់ ធ្វើ​ការ​តវ៉ា​នៅ​មុខ​តុលាការ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ។

មន្ត្រី​សង្ឃ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​ជិត​១០​អង្គ នគរបាលនិង​អាជ្ញាធរ​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ ប្រមាណ​១០០​នាក់ បាន​ចាប់​ឃាត់​ព្រះកាយ​ព្រះតេជ​គុណ​ លួន សាវ៉ាត យ៉ាង​ប្រតាយ​ប្រតប់​នៅ​មុខ​តុលាការ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​វេលា​ម៉ោង​ប្រមាណ​ជាង​១០​ព្រឹក​ម្សិលមិញ​ ខណៈ​ដែល​មាន​អ្នក​តវ៉ា​រឿង​ដីធ្លី​នៅ​តំបន់​បឹងកក់ ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​មក​សុំ​បិណ្ឌ​បាត​ឲ្យ​តុលាការ​ដោះលែង​ស្ត្រី​ ១៣ នាក់​ ដែល​អាជ្ញាធរ​ឃុំ​ខ្លួន​ កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​កន្លង​ទៅ។

ព្រះតេជគុណ លួន សាវ៉ាត បាន​ប្រើប្រាស់​ទូរស័ព្ទ​ដៃ ថត​រូប​ស្ត្រី​ដែល​យំ​ស្រែក​រក​អន្តរាគមន៍​ឲ្យ​បាន​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ឃុំ ដែល​សុទ្ធ​ជា​តំណាង​អ្នក​បឹងកក់​ដែល​កំពុង​ត្រូវ​បាន​សាក​សួរ​ដោយ តុលាការ​ភ្នំពេញ តែ​មួយ​សន្ទុះ​ក្រោយ​មក​ក្រុម​មន្ត្រី​សង្ឃ​ប្រមាណ​១០អង្គ ជិះ​រថយន្ត​ទំនើប​មួយ​គ្រឿង បាន​ចុះ​ពី​លើ​ឡាន រួម​ទាំង​ប៉ូលិស ស្លៀក​ពាក់​ស៊ីវិល​ផង​ បាន​ចាប់​ក្រៀក​និង​ទាញ​អូស​ព្រះអង្គ​ទាំង​បង្ខំ បញ្ចូល​ទៅ​ក្នុង​រថយន្ត​។

Activist monk Loun Savath detained [-Will the Hochimonks prevail in this travesty of justice???]

Luon Savath speaks to reporters during a demonstration at Boeung Kak lake earlier this week. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Hochimonk Non Nget - a monk who serves a communist regime!!!

Hochimonks clergy: Tep Vong (L) and Non Nget (R)

Thursday, 24 May 2012
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post

Senior members of the monastic community this morning detained Buddhist monk Loun Savath, an award-winning human rights activist, after he took photos of protesting Boeung Kak lake villagers outside Phnom Penh municipal court.

Senior monks forced him into a Land Cruiser and ushered him away from the scene as more than 60 protesters, flanked by about 100 police, called for the release of 13 Boeung Kak women who where being questioned inside.

The monks would not comment on why they had detained Venerable Loun Savath, who was banned from all pagodas in Phnom Penh last year by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget.

Venerable Loun Savath was driven to Wat Botum, where police and officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Cults and Religion barricaded him inside, sealing off entries so even pagoda boys could not enter.

A Ministry of Cults and Religion official said it was unclear whether the supreme patriarch has grounds to defrock the monk.

“[Venerable Loun Savath] is being held here, and after [the supreme patriarch] has finished lunch, he will decide what to do.”

The 13 Boeung Kak women arrested on Tuesday are yet to be charged.

In Scambodia, Hun Xen's order is the law, not the one in the book: Cambodian leader orders ban on spit-roasting cows in front of restaurants

This is CRUEL?

And this is NOT,  F#@!ing Priminister?

Beating of Buddhist Monks is Buddha's teaching according to the F#$%@ing commie CPP?

Monday, February 27, 2012
Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia’s prime minister has banned spit-roasting cows in front of restaurants, calling it too cruel a sight.

Hun Sen said Monday he is ordering the ban after Buddhist monks told him the activity runs contrary to Buddha’s teachings on the sanctity of life and encourages violence.

ការ​បង្ខំ​ឲ្យ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​លាចាក​សិក្ខា​បទ​ក្នុង​រយៈ​ពេល​ថ្មីៗ​នេះ - Monks forced to leave the order

ព្រះតេជព្រះគុណ ទឹម សាខន អតីត​ព្រះចៅ​អធិការ​វត្ត​ភ្នំដិន ស្រុក​គីរីវង់ ខេត្ត​តាកែវ ត្រូវ​បាន​អាជ្ញាធរ​កម្ពុជា​ចាប់​ផ្សឹក រួច​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​ឲ្យ​វៀតណាម​ដាក់​គុក កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៧
Ven. Tim Sakhorn, the former abbot of Phnom Den pagoda in Takeo's Kirivong district was defrocked by force and sent to jail in Vietnam by the CPP Hochimonks in 2007.

ជារឿយៗ គេ​តែង​តែ​ឮ​ថា មាន​ការ​ចាប់​បង្ខំ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ផ្សឹក ឬ​គំរាម​កំហែង​ឲ្យ​លោក​លា​ចាក​សិក្ខាបទ។

2012-02-12
ដោយ កែវ​ពេជ្រ មេត្តា
Radio Free Asia

ចំពោះ​ការ​បង្ខិត​បង្ខំ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ​ឲ្យ​លា​ចាក​សិក្ខា​បទ​ដោយ​លោក​មិន​ប្រាថ្នា​ចង់​សឹក និង​ពុំ​មាន​ទោស​កំហុស ឬ​ត្រូវ​អាបត្តិ​ធ្ងន់​ដូច​ជា​បារាជិក​ជា​ដើម​ទេ​នោះ ពេល​នោះ​បើ​ទោះ​បី​ជា​មាន​គេ​បង្ខិត​បង្ខំ​ឲ្យ​ដោះ​ស្បង់​ចីពរ​ចេញ​ពី​រាង​កាយ​លោក ហើយ​បង្ខំ​ឲ្យ​ស្លៀក​ពាក់​ជា​គ្រហស្ថ និង​ឬ​មួយ​ក៏​បង្គាប់​ឲ្យ​ពោល​ពាក្យ​លាចាក​សិក្ខា​បទ​បែប​ណា​ក៏​ដោយ គឺ​ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ​អង្គ​នោះ​មិន​អាច​ដាច់​សិក្ខា​បទ ឬ​អាច​លា​ចេញ​ពី​ភេទ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ​បាន​ទេ។

ដោយ​ហេតុ​ថា ការ​ផ្សឹក​នោះ​ជា​ការ​បង្ខិត​បង្ខំ ប៉ុន្តែ​កាយ​វាចា​ចិត្ត​របស់​លោក​មិន​មាន​ចេតនា ត្រេកអរ​នឹង​ការ​សឹក​នោះ​ទេ៕

ប្រជា​ពល​រដ្ឋ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ជាង ៩០% ក្នុង​ចំណោម​ប្រជា​ជន​សរុប​ជាង ១៤​លាន​នាក់ បាន​គោរព និង​លើក​តម្កើង​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​សាសនា​ជា​ធំ។ ប្រការ​នេះ​ហើយ នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​នេះ គេ​ឃើញ​មាន​កុលបុត្រ​ចាស់​ក្មេង​មួយ​ចំនួន បាន​ទៅ​បួស​ជា​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​នេះ​មាន​ចំនួន​ជាង ៥០.០០០​អង្គ ហើយ​និង​មាន​វត្ត​អារាម​ដែល​ជា​ទី​ស្នាក់​អាស្រ័យ​នៅ​របស់​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​មាន​ជាង ៤.០០០​វត្ត។

ចំពោះ​ការ​បំបួស​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ក្នុង​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​សាសនា​នេះ មាន​ចែក​ចេញ​ជា​ពីរ​យ៉ាង​គឺ ទី​១ បួស​ជា​សាមណេរ ឬ​ភាសា​បាលី​ហៅ​ថា បព្វជ្ជា។ ទី​២ បួស​ជា​ភិក្ខុ ឬ​ភាសា​បាលី​ថា ឧប​សម្បទា។

ព្រះ​តេជ​ព្រះ​គុណ ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​មហា រស់ ប៊ុនថន ឋិតធម្មោ ព្រះចៅ​អធិការ​ស្ដី​ទី​វត្ត​ធម្ម​រង្សី ប្រទេស​បារាំង។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​មាន​ព្រះ​ថេរដីកា​ថា សម្រាប់​កុលបុត្រ​ដែល​បួស​ជា​សាមណេរ​នោះ គឺ​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​បី​យ៉ាង ដែល​ត្រូវ​បំពេញ ដូច​ជា​កោរ​សក់ កោរ​ពុក​មាត់ ស្លៀក​កាសាវពស្ត្រ ឬ​គ្រង​ស្បង់​ចីពរ និង​ទទួល​នូវ​ត្រៃ​សរណគមន៍ គឺ​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ ព្រះ​ធម៌ និង​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ ៖ "ហ្នឹង​ឡើង​ជា​សាមណេរ​ហើយ ប៉ុន្តែ​កុលបុត្រ​ដែល​បួស​ឡើង​ជា​សាមណេរ​មិន​ទាក់​ទង​ហ្នឹង​ព្រះ​ឧបជ្ឈា​ប៉ុន្មាន​ទេ។ សំខាន់​គឺ​លោក​បាន​បំពេញ​កាតព្វកិច្ច​បី​យ៉ាង​ខាង​ដើម​ហ្នឹង អាច​ឡើង​ជា​សាមណេរ​ពេញ​លក្ខណៈ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​សាសនា​យើង​ពរ"។

Phnom Penh bans rotisseries for inciting violence

This glorifies violence? (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

How about this, Hochimonk Tep Vong?

Feb 9, 2012
DPA

Phnom Penh - Spit-roasting whole cattle on the streets of Phnom Penh has been banned after claims it glorifies violence in the Buddhist country, local media reported Thursday.

The familiar sight of restaurateurs across the Cambodian capital cooking bovines outside their eateries to entice patrons could soon be a thing of the past.

The government has issued a directive telling businesses to keep their roasts out of the public eye, The Cambodia Daily said.

The decision followed a meeting of the supreme council of the Mohanikaya Buddhist order late last year during which it was decided that roasting carcasses in public glorified the killing of animals.

Ven. Koeun Ravy ordered to leave the clergy after he was falsely accused of theft

Monks are protesting the order for Ven. Koeun Ravy to leave the clergy (Photo: http://srpchandeth.wordpress.com)

Villagers and monks are protesting in support of Ven, Koeun Ravy (Photo: http://srpchandeth.wordpress.com)

Ven. Koeun Ravy from Banan district, Battambang province, was ordered to leave the clergy after he was falsely accused of theft. However, local villagers claim that he was forced to leave the clergy because he was perceived as not supporting the ruling CPP party. The Sam Rainsy Party and the Norodom Ranariddh Party are defending the right of Ven. Koeun Ravy to remain as monk.

Click the control below to listen to the RFA's audio report:

Click here to listen or download the audio program in MP3

Pressure mounts on monk

Venerable Loun Sovath (right) welcomes parliamentarian Seang Nam at a pagoda in Siem Reap province’s Chi Kraeng district to celebrate the release of 12 men from prison, some of whom were detained for more than two years, in connection with a land dispute. (Photo by: John Anthony)

Tuesday, 23 August 2011
John Anthony
The Phnom Penh Post

A community that gathered yesterday to celebrate the release of farmers who had been jailed for more than two years following a land dispute were told that the monk who led their campaign to free the men had been banned from every pagoda in Siem Reap province.

The written notice from the province’s senior most monk, Venerable Pich San, was distributed ahead of the two-day event, which started on Saturday.

Pich San also banned Venerable Loun Sovath from leading the celebration and said that the monk, who has become famous for blessing communities involved in land disputes, had disobeyed Buddhist values.

Loun Sovath was undeterred by the ban.

“What I’m doing is right,” he said. “My activities are Buddhist and they do not break the law.”

Chomney Khuor (Brain Food): Sasna Noeung Prates Cheat (Religion and Nation)

Sacrava's Political Carton: Two Hochimonks

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Venerable Por Vinh from Angkor Chum pagoda, it's fine for you to thank the Viets, but don't preach us to ignore their occupation

Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Opinion from Khmers who were saved from death

By Venerable Por Vinh
Abbot of Angkor Chum Pagoda, Texas, USA

All human beings must accept the truth,
Those who know the truth are the ones who experienced it.

For the majority of Cambodians who knew life under the Khmer Rouge regime, they clearly know how miserable it was. Can you all remember that at the end of 1978, Cambodians were almost all dead? Furthermore, in some areas, the Khmer Rouge were planning to kill Cambodians, they ordered the digging of ditches, ponds, then they call in people for a meeting in large forums where they closed all doors, then they exploded mines to kill them. All those who suffered, they all raise their hands to pray so that they would survive during that period.

Those who were killed, nobody saved them from death, those who saved us, be they savage people, ogres, tigers, snakes, ghosts or anything else, those are the ones whom we owe our gratitude.

Therefore, all Cambodians should not misconstrue the celebration of 07 January, at least we celebrate it to commemorate the day we escape death. For any other problems, we should not criticize them, they are not useful for the development of our country, they only bring in dispute, upheaval, worries to the people so that they are concerned and cannot sleep because of the politicians…

0 O 0

KI-Media Note: Lest Venerable Por Vinh forgets, may we remind him the following quote from Lord Buddha's Teaching:

“Three things cannot be long hidden:
the sun, the moon, and the truth.”

May the venerable be able to forever sleep in peace every night and not be concerned about the worries of Khmers who are currently suffering from injustice, forced evictions, land-grabbing, lawlessness, impunity in the name of the same "development" that the venerable is preaching!

Our sincere thanks for the Reader who forwarded this article!

He was drunk, violent ... now Monk Kiet Chan Thouch lies also?

Kiet Chan Thouch, the ‘biting monk’ from Wat Leu in Preah Sihanouk province. (Photo by: Deum Ampil)

‘Biting monk’ finally speaks

Wednesday, 30 September 2009
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

IN his first interview with the media since being accused of attacking and biting his fellow monks and nuns, the chief monk of Preah Sihanouk province’s Wat Leu and adviser to Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong told the Post on Tuesday that the allegations against him were totally baseless.

“I am a monk. I have been ordained for 20 years already. How could I drink wine? If I drank wine, I would have defrocked myself, but I haven’t done this,” Kiet Chan Thouch said, accusing his colleagues of acting on personal agendas. “There are some monks and nuns who are accusing me of things for their own profit, getting local newspapers to write bad things about me. All I asked them to do was to clean the pagoda on Phchum Ben day. I’m the leader. It’s up to me to order them to work, but they said I mistreated them. I am a monk, so how can I have a gun?

“If I was supposedly fighting with them, why didn’t they stay at the pagoda and talk with me instead of running to talk with the newspapers? This is a part of Buddhist Lenten practice, that a monk cannot stay away from the pagoda. I’m a monk, but I still know about penal law. If I fight with people, the police will come to arrest me. They wouldn’t allow me to stay in the pagoda, as they are today.”

Despite his protestations of innocence, one of the monk’s colleagues insisted the original claims were true. The Venerable Koa Suon told reporters Kiet Chan Thouch bit him in the incident, which took place earlier this month. “This wasn’t the first time he’d drunk wine or threatened to fight other monks,” the 76-year-old said. “He would always threaten violence against all the monks and nuns in the pagoda, but nobody dared to say anything because they were scared of his power.”

A resolution seems unlikely, with various authorities reluctant to intervene. Kang Dinath, Preah Sihanouk province chief for the Department of Cults and Religions, said: “This case lies outside of my jurisdiction because it’s a matter among the monks,” he said. “I’ve reported my findings to the provincial chief monk already, so what happens now is up to them.”

Provincial chief monk Muo Rorn, however, also denied responsibility. “This case is outside of my duties,” he said. “I have no right to make a decision on this case, so I have reported it to the provincial governor, and now I have sent it to Phnom Penh. I dare not say what will happen. It’s up to the chief monk in Phnom Penh.” Non Nget, chief monk of Cambodia, could not be reached for comment.

Hochimonk Non Nget: No march for peace for monks because Cambodia is already at peace

Monks not allowed to participate in demonstration

Monday, June 25, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Patriarch Non Nget said that the Ministry of Cults and Religion issued a ban for all monks from participating in any form of demonstration. Non Nget said that the June 8 directive issued by the Ministry of Cults and Religion (and also signed by him), called on all monks in the entire country not to participate in non-violent demonstrations because they could create disorder. The Cambodia Daily quoted Non Nget as saying: “We do not allow monks to march for peace because Cambodia is already at peace.” Dr Pung Chiv Kek, Licadho President, said that, according to the Constitution, monks have the same rights to protest as any other laymen. Thach Setha, President of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom community, said that this directive is most likely issued to prevent Khmer Krom monks from participating in demonstrations to demand for human rights respect for Khmer Krom people currently living in Vietnam. Heng Samrin said that this ban is proper because the government want to avoid disorder in the society. He added that his statement is directed towards all monks, and not just towards Khmer Krom monks only.

Hochimonk Non Nget and the Minister of Cult and Religion issued a declaration restricting all monks from participating in Khmer Krom Dhammayietra

Khmer Krom Dhammayietra March for Peace faces new obstable

23 June 2007
By Pov Ponlok
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A representative of the Khmer Krom community said that Khmer Krom people plan to apply for an authorization from the authorities one more time to organize a Dhammayietra, March for Peace, but that their plan is facing a new obstacle because a patriarch monk issued a declaration preventing all monks in Cambodia from participating in this Dhammayietra.

The Khmer Krom community sent in a petition to organize the Dhammayietra from Phnom Penh to Oudong mountain on 07 July, following a prevention from the Cambodian authority to conduct such March in June.

The organizers of the Dhammayietra plan to pray for peace for Khmer Krom people and Khmer Krom monks who are currently living in the former land of Khmer Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam), following the recent events in Vietnam where Khmer Krom monks were defrocked by force and sentenced to jail when they were demonstrating against the communist Hanoi regime.

Thach Setha, President of the Khmer Krom community, said: “Khmer Krom associations, and, in particular, the Khmer Krom monks association, had applied (earlier) for an authorization to organize a Dhammayietra from Phnom Penh to Oudong to pray for the release of Khmer Krom monks jailed by the Vietnamese, but the (Cambodian) authority did not authorize it. Now, we are planning to apply (for the authorization) one more time to organize (the Dhammayietra) on 07 July 2007, but the (Cambodian Buddhist) patriarch (Non Nget) issued a declaration restricting all monks from participating in religious demonstration or Dhammayietra. This restriction of monk’s participation is a serious violation in Cambodia.”

RFA could not reach the Ministry of Cult and Religion yet to obtain further information, however, Monk Yoeung Sin, the representative of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, said that he received the declaration dated 08 June, restricting all monks from participating in the Dhammayietra, and it was signed by Buddhist patriarch Non Nget, and by Khun Haing, the Minister of Cult and Religion.

Monk Yoeung Sin said that this directive cannot deter the will of Khmer Krom monks: “Khmer Krom monks have no intention of opposing the Royal Government of Cambodia, but they have no choice but to organize (this Dhammayietra), it’s our last choice, we must organize it. Why do we organize it? It’s for our Nation, for our birth land, we have no other choice, so we organize it … we are not organizing this (Dhammayietra) for any other purposes.”

A government official said today that the authority did not know yet that the Khmer Kampuchea Krom community plans to organize the Dhammayietra again.