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.

ព្រះតេជព្រះគុណ លួន សុវ៉ាត លាតត្រដាង​កិច្ច​សន្យា​ដោយ​បង្ខំ

កម្លាំង​សមត្ថកិច្ច​ចាប់​ព្រះ​កាយ​ព្រះភិក្ខុ លួន សុវ៉ាត នៅ​មុខ​សាលាដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។  (RFA/Uon Chhin)

2012-05-26
ដោយ ផន រីណា
Radio Free Asia

ព្រះភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ លួន សុវ៉ាត ដែល​រង​ការ​បង្ខំ​ពី​អាជ្ញាធរ​ក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ ឲ្យ​ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា​លើ​កិច្ច​សន្យា​ដោយ​បង្ខំ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា កន្លង​មក​នេះ បាន​លាត​ត្រដាង​ឯកសារ​កិច្ច​សន្យា​ដែល​ផ្ទុយ​ពី​ឆន្ទៈ​របស់​ព្រះអង្គ។


ស្ថិត​ក្នុង​បន្ទប់​មួយ នៅ​វត្ត​បទុមវតី ហ៊ុមព័ទ្ធ​ទៅ​ដោយ​អាជ្ញាធរ​ចម្រុះ​ប្រមាណ​ជា ៥០​នាក់ ក្នុង​នោះ​មាន​ទាំង​គណៈ​សង្ឃ​ផង​នោះ ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ លួន សុវ៉ាត ត្រូវ​បាន​ចាប់​បង្ខំ​ឲ្យ​ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា​យល់​ព្រម​លើ​លិខិត​មួយ ដែល​មាន​សម្ដេច​សង្ឃ នន្ទ ង៉ែត ជា​សាក្សី។ ខ្លឹម​សារ​ក្នុង​លិខិត​កិច្ច​សន្យា ដែល​សរសេរ​ដោយ​ដៃ ទុក​អោយ​ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ លួន សុវ៉ាត ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា ដែល​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី​ទទួល​បាន​នោះ សរសេរ​ថា ១.ចាប់​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​នេះ​ត​ទៅ ខ្ញុំ​ព្រះ​ករុណា​អាត្មាភាព​ឈប់​ដឹក​នាំ​បាតុកម្ម កូដកម្ម កុប្បកម្ម ឬ​សកម្មភាព​តវ៉ា​ជំទាស់​គ្រប់​រូបភាព​ដែល​បង្ក​អោយ​មាន​ការ​ប៉ះពាល់​ដល់​សន្តិសុខ​សណ្ដាប់​ធ្នាប់​សាធារណៈ​សង្គម។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​យល់​ព្រម​រួម​រស់​ជា​មួយ​សហគមន៍​សង្ឃ​គង់​នៅ​ក្នុង​វត្ត។ ហើយ​ក្នុង​ករណី​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ខុស​នឹង​កិច្ច​សន្យា​នេះ ខ្ញុំ​ព្រះ​ករុណា​អាត្មាភាព លួន សាវ៉ាត សូម​ទទួល​ខុស​ត្រូវ​ចំពោះ​មុខ​ច្បាប់​ដោយ​គ្មាន​តវ៉ា។

ក្រោយ​ពី​ការ​ដោះ​លែង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ឧសភា ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ លួន សុវ៉ាត មាន​ថេរដីកា​ថា ព្រះអង្គ​គ្មាន​ជម្រើស​ទេ គឺ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ត្រូវ​បង្ខំ​ព្រះ​ទ័យ​ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា​លើ​កិច្ច​សន្យា​នោះ បើ​មិន​ដូច្នេះ​ទេ ព្រះ​អង្គ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ផ្សឹក​នា​ពេល​នោះ និង​បន្ទាប់​មក​តុលាការ​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ពី​បទ​ញុះញង់​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ឧក្រិដ្ឋ។

ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុ​សង្ឃ លួន សុវ៉ាត៖ «មាន​តែ​អាត្មា​តែ​មួយ​គត់ ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ចាក់​សោ​បិទ​ទ្វារ​សូម្បី​តែ​ដើរ​មួយ​ជំហាន​ក៏​មិន​បាន ហើយ​នៅ​លើ​ខ្លួន​ប្រាណ​យើង​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ដក​ហូត​យក​ទាំង​អស់ គិត​ថា​ជា​រឿង​មួយ​បំបិទ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព។ ជា​រឿង​បង្ខិតបង្ខំ ជា​រឿង​គំរាម​កំហែង​ទាំង​ស្រុង ហើយ​ករណី​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​នេះ... គឺ​ប្រសិន​បើ​អាត្មា​មិន​ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា​ផ្ដិត​មេ​ដៃ​នៅ​លើ​លិខិត​ទាំង​នោះ​ទេ អាត្មា​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ចាប់​ផ្សឹក​ដោយ​បង្ខំ ហើយ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​កាត់​ទោស​ដោយ​ប្រព័ន្ធ​តុលាការ​ពីរ​បី​សំណុំ​រឿង​ទៀត ដូច្នេះ​ការ​ដាក់​សម្ពាធ​ដ៏​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ​ពី​ស្ថាប័ន​ច្បាប់ ពី​តុលាការ​ផង ពី​ខាង​ទាំង​សង្ឃ​ប្រើ​អំណាច​កៀប​មក​លើ​អាត្មា​ហ្នឹង ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​អាត្មា​តែ​ម្នាក់​ឯង​ត​ទល់​គ្មាន​តម្លាភាព។ ហើយ​ការ​បិទ​បាំង​មិន​ឲ្យ​អង្គការ​សារព័ត៌មាន​ចូល​ទៀត​ក្នុង​វត្ត គឺ​ជា​រូប​ភាព​មួយ​ហាក់​ដូច​ជា​ចាប់​បង្ខំ​អាត្មា​ទាំង​ស្រុង​តែ​ម្ដង»។

បទ​សម្ភាសន៍​ជា​មួយ​ព្រះតេជគុណ​ លួន សុវ៉ាត​ បន្ទាប់​ពី​ត្រូវ​​អាជ្ញាធរ​​ដោះ​លែង​ - Interview of Ven. Loun Sovath following his release

ព្រះតេជគុណ ​លួន សុវ៉ាត ត្រូវ​អាជ្ញាធរ​ដោះ​លែង​វិញ​ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​មាន​ដីការ​ថា​​រស់​ក្នុង​​​ការ​ ដាក់​កម្រិត​​ពី​អាជ្ញាធរ។ (Credit: ABC)

ថ្ងៃ 25 May 2012
ABC Radio Australia Khmer

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កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ម្សិល​មិញ​នេះ (ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍​ ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២) ព្រះ​តេជ​គុណ​ លួន សុវ៉ាត ត្រូវ​បាន​អាជ្ញាធរ​ចម្រុះ​ចាប់​ព្រះ​កាយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​យក​ទៅ​វត្ដ​បទុម​នៅ​ក្នុង​ភ្នំពេញ​ដើម្បី​នាំ​ព្រះ​កាយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ឲ្យ​ទៅ​ចុះ​ហត្ថ​លេខា​កិច្ច​ព្រម​ព្រៀង​ឈប់​ធ្វើ​សកម្ម​ភាព​សង្គម​តទៅ​ទៀត។ តើ​រឿង​រ៉ាវ​នេះ​យ៉ាង​ណា? តើ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ធ្វើ​ខុស​ប្រាស​ចាក​នឹង​សីលធម៌ និង​គោល​ការណ៍​វិន័យ​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​សាសនា​ឬ បាន​ជា​មាន​ការ​ចាត់​វិធានការ​តឹង​រឹង​បែប​នេះ?

ឬ​មួយ​ក៏​អាជ្ញាធរ​ចង់​បំបិទ​មិន​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​តវ៉ា​អំពី​រឿង​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ និង​ជម្លោះ​ដី​ធ្លី​ក្នុង​សង្គម? តើ​ហេតុ​ផល​យ៉ាង​ណា? តើ​ឥឡូវ​ព្រះ អង្គ​កំពុង​គង់​នៅ​ទី​ណា? តើ​មាន​សុវត្ថិភាព​ទេ? សូម​ស្ដាប់​ការ​បក​ស្រាយ​បំភ្លឺ​ពី​ព្រះ​តេជ​គុណ​ លួន សុវ៉ាត សច្ចមុនី ក្រោយ​ពី​ត្រូវ​អាជ្ញាធរ​ដោះ​លែង​វិញ​កាល​ពី​យប់​ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍​ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ លោក យុទ្ធ ឈាង ពី​វិទ្យុ​អូស្រ្ដាលី​បាន​សម្ភាសន៍​ព្រះ អង្គ​​តាម​ទូរស័ព្ទ​ពី​ក្រុង​មែលប៊ិន​ទៅ​កន្លែង​សុវត្ថិភាព ដែល​មាន​ការ​ការ​ពារ​ពី​អង្គការ​អន្ដរ​ជាតិ។

Activist monk detained at Wat Botum

The Venerable Loun Savath (centre), a prominent rights activist, was detained by police, monks and unidentified plain-clothed men yesterday in Phnom Penh. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post

Friday, 25 May 2012
Chhay Channyda and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post

“Even though he is a monk, he still has the right to defend human rights, but in contrast he is arrested”

Senior members of the monastic community yesterday 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.

Monks, police and unidentified men in plain clothes violently forced Loun Savath into a Land Cruiser outside the courthouse and whisked him away from the scene as more than 60 protesters, flanked by about 100 police armed with guns, batons and shields, called for the release of 13 Boeung Kak women who were being questioned inside.

Venerable Loun Savath was driven to Wat Botum to meet Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget.

Police and officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Cults and Religion barricaded him inside, sealing off entries to the complex, barring entrance to all journalists and preventing even pagoda boys from entering without showing their ID cards.

The corrupt mendacity of the leaders of the Buddhist Sangha in Cambodia

A Busy Week

Excerpt from Post on September 15, 2011 by chris
Originally posted at: http://blog.thecauseofprogress.com/

On Sunday, the Venerable Loun Sovath was evicted from his pagoda at Wat Onaloum. He removed the last of his materials from his room and walked away from the pagoda that has been his home for more than twenty years. A letter issued in April from the head monk in Phnom Penh, the Supreme Patriarch Non Nget, Tep Vong’s right hand man, had banned him from staying in any pagoda in Phnom Penh. A second letter released shortly afterwards, banned him from staying in any pagodas in his home province of Siem Reap, effectively forcing him into exile.

The decision to evict him is a politically motivated one, which is ironic and contradictory in itself given that one of the reasons for his eviction was that he is engaged in political activities that can harm the image of Buddhism in Cambodia. (A claim that the Venerable Loun Sovath has repeatedly denied.) So then what harm can this politically motivated eviction order do to the image of Buddhism?

He is being forcibly evicted because he helps communities that face forced evictions, and in particular his own Chi Kreng community (whom he has advocated on behalf of for more than two years) and the Boeung Kak lake community, whom he has offered spiritual guidance and support on several occasions. His outspoken activities have angered the senior monk ministers, who want no dissension amoung their ranks, and who seem to want only to be seen to reflect the rhetoric of the CPP.

However, while the Venerable Loun Sovath’s activities may not be appreciated by his superiors, he does have support from his fellow students and other monks that know of him. And it may even be this support that motivated Non Nget to have Sovath leave his pagoda for good. He has threatened to not only evict any monks that associate with Sovath, but also to evict all of the monks staying in the same house as him if he did not remove all of his belongings by Sunday.

It is depressing to see a monk evicted in this way, and it simply reflects the corrupt mendacity of the leaders of the Buddhist Sangha in Cambodia, but it is encouraging to know that his peers support his advocacy, and while few other monks will speak out publicly and support him, for fear of the retributions they would face, it is clear that the threats from the senior monks and monk ministers come from fear, a fear that they cannot maintain control forever. Why such a desire for control in the first place?

In a touching show of compassion, many of the women from Boeung Kak lake came to help Sovath remove his belongings.

Venerable Loun Sovath is Evicted from Wat Onaloum from Little Ease Films on Vimeo.

The next day, he flew to Ireland to attend a Human Rights Defender conference held by Frontline Defenders.

The Venerable Loun Sovath prepares to fly to ireland to attend a human rights defender conference. © Chris Kelly 2011.

Cambodian monk defies his superiors to document and oppose land grabs

Ven Sovath Luon: leading struggle of poor farmers

Friday, September 16, 2011
CÍAN NIHILL
The Irish Times

According to Luon, the Buddhist hierarchy in Cambodia has been corrupted by close ties to power and no longer works for the good of ordinary people.

FRONT LINE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS: GOING AGAINST centuries of tradition, Buddhist monks across Cambodia have been ordered by their superiors not to give food or shelter to the Venerable Sovath Luon, whose only crime has been to stand up against brutal land seizures.

Known in some quarters as “The Multimedia Monk” for his use of video to catch human rights violations, Luon has risked defrocking and police brutality by documenting and often leading the struggle of poor farmers in his community.

Luon spoke passionately while at the Front Line Dublin Platform about what he sees as rampant corruption around him.

His activism started after he witnessed a land grab in his village in 2009, when police fired at unarmed villagers protesting against the confiscation of their fields. Land seizures are common in Cambodia, where large tracts are being sold, often to foreign investors, for logging, agriculture, mining, tourism and fisheries, displacing thousands of people.

“Big companies co-operate with the authorities, with the powerful men and grab the land from the farmer,” said Luon. Some 475 hectares were taken in his community when more than 100 military police violently forced 175 families off their land, “while farmers were harvesting rice”.

Monk evicted from pagoda - ព្រះ​តេជ​គុណ​លួន​ សុវ៉ាត​បង្ខំ​ចិត្ត​រើ​អី​វ៉ាន់​ចេញ​ពី​វត្ត

Venerable Luon Sovath speaks to reporters at Ounalom pagoda in Phnom Penh before removing his personal belongings from his room. The activist monk has been banned from pagodas. Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Venerable Luon Sovath speaks to reporters while cleaning out his room at Phnom Penh’s Wat Ounalom pagoda yesterday. Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Monday, 12 September 2011May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

A group of residents facing eviction from the Boeung Kak area yesterday turned out to support the monk who has shaken Cambodia’s Buddhist hierarchy by his peaceful advocacy on their behalf.

About 20 residents of the area helped Venerable Loun Sovath remove his personal belongings from Ounalom pagoda yesterday morning, following an order from Supreme Patriarch Non Nget that he do so.

The latest order followed one in April that banned the 32-year-old rural monk from all pagodas in the capital.

Boeung Kak representative Kong Chantha, 44, said it was an injustice that Loun Savath had been banned.

“Only in Pol Pot’s regime did they force monks from pagodas. Now it seems the Pol Pot regime has come back,” Kong Chantha said.

“Not only are villagers forcibly evicted, they forcibly evicting a monk from the pagoda. Where is the justice in Cambodia?”

Crackdown at pagoda [... by the Hochimonks against Ven. Loun Savath]

Loun Sovath blesses Prey Lang villagers last month. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Hochimonk Non Nget

Thursday, 01 September 2011
May Titthara and Vincent MacIsaac
The Phnom Penh Post

“The monks and students have done no wrong,” he said, adding that he would remove his belongings from his room at the residence.

Ten university students and five monks at Phnom Penh’s Ounalom pagoda, the former residence of campaigning monk Venerable Loun Sovath, had been threatened with eviction if they had any contact with him, monks said yesterday.

The ultimatum was reportedly delivered by Supreme Patriarch Non Nget to senior monks on Sunday, during the monthly prayer session that coincides with the full moon, the group of monks said on condition they were not identified individually.

Earlier that day, Loun Sovath had visited the pagoda to greet other monks and students who had shared his accommodation, they said.

Those living in part of the complex in which he lived include monks from Siem Reap, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Battambang and Kampuchea Krom, including some of the Kingdom’s most educated monks.

Monks at the pagoda said the Supreme Patriarch was under political pressure to rein in Loun Sovath, but that both he and they support Loun Sovath’s efforts to pursue peaceful advocacy on behalf of communities facing the loss of land to well-connected companies and individuals.

“We feel great pity for the people who are losing their land,” one senior monk at the pagoda explained.

Any attempt to defrock Loun Sovath would fan growing anger among monks at alleged political interference in Buddhism, the senior monk said.

Hochimonk clergy chases Ven. Loun Savath out of pagodas [-Persecution of Ven. Loun Savath by Hochimonks]

Ven. Loun Savath receiving the Hellman Hammett prize in the US in July 2011.

Hochimonk Non Nget buttering up Hun Xen's father

23 August 2011
By Tin Zakariya
Radio Free Asia
Translated form Khmer by Soch

activities led by Ven. Loun Savath do not violate any Buddhist rule or state law. Quite to the contrary, this clergy order is instead a human rights oppression.

Ven. Loun Savath who usually participated in various community protests, such as the forest protection communities, and who also joined protests organized by residents who were unjustly evicted from their lands and houses, has been accused by a Phnom Penh Hochimonk of committing acts violating Buddhist rule and religion.

On 22 August, Ven. Loun Savath reacted to the clergy order issued by the Siem Reap head monk preventing him from receiving shelters from any pagodas in Siem Reap province and accusing him of violating Buddhist rule, by saying that he did not do anything wrong and that his action was only to help seek justice and to share the pain of the people who face human rights violations – such as losing their houses, their lands from violations committed by private companies.

The clergy order issued on 19 August stipulated that Ven. Loun Savath is prohibited from officiating a freedom celebration for 12 released prisoners in Wat Thmei pagoda, Chikreng district, Siem Reap province.

Sinatoon: Nget (Ngort) that's me (Atmat)

Cartoon by V. Sina

Sacrava's Political Carton: Two Hochimonks

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

Hochimonk Raps Activist With Pagoda Ban

Click the control below to listen to the audio program in Khmer:

Click here to listen to the audio program in MP3

Chief Monk Raps Activist With Pagoda Ban

Loun Savath, who comes from Siem Reap’s Chikreng district, had been supporting villagers there in a long-running land dispute. (Photo: AP)

Non Nget (L) caters to Hun Xen's father Hun Neng (R)

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 06 June 2011

“He joined protests with villagers and has gone everywhere with human rights activists, which is an abuse of Buddha’s rules.” - Hochimonkey Non Nget

Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said Non Ngeth’s letter was its own political abuse of Buddhism, which does not prohibit social activism.

One of Cambodia’s senior-most monks has ordered pagodas across the country to deny customary hospitality to a low-level monk who has participated in land protests in Siem Reap province and Phnom Penh.

In an April 26 directive, Non Ngeth, the supreme patriarch of the Maha Nikaya branch of Cambodian Buddhism, said pagodas are no longer permitted to host 30-year-old monk Loun Savath.

In justifying the ban, Non Ngeth said the younger monk’s active participation in land protests are counter to the teachings of Buddha and could lead villagers to think ill of the religion in general.

Pagoda ban for activist monk

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.

Ven. Loun Savath banned from Phnom Penh's pagiodas by Hochimonk Non Nget

Ven. Loun Savath, an activist who helps victims of land-grabbing (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Hochimonk Non Nget

Cambodia's land activist monk banned from Phnom Penh's pagodas

Jun 6, 2011
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's religious hierarchy has barred a prominent Buddhist monk who works with victims of land-grabbing from staying at pagodas in the capital, national media reported Monday.

The Phnom Penh Post newspaper said Supreme Patriarch Non Nget had written to monk Loun Savath to inform him of the ban, saying his actions had '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.

However, Loun Savath, who has become a prominent advocate for the dispossessed and who is the sole monk to join publicly with villagers, said the ruling would not affect his work.

Cambodian monks told to behave during festival

Wed, Nov 10, 2010
AFP

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's monks have been warned not to mingle with the crowds at a major water festival this year, with any caught looking at girls in short skirts facing a reprimand.

More than two million visitors are expected to flock to the capital for the three-day festival from November 20-22 to enjoy boat races on the Tonle Sap lake, fireworks and parades.

But for the city's monks, this year's event will be a muted affair in light of the new restrictions.

"As we are monks, it is not good to walk among the crowd because we could touch other people," Phnom Penh's chief monk Non Ngeth told AFP.

Buddhist monks are highly revered in Cambodia, and they are not supposed to touch, or even look at, women.

It would "not be suitable" for monks to be seen mingling with festival goers along the riverfront, Non Ngeth added, especially with high-ranking officials looking on.

And if any of the monks dared to sneak a peek at girls wearing short skirts or shorts, "they will be corrected", he said.

But the monks won't have to miss out on the festivities altogether.

They will still be allowed to perform ceremonies blessing the wooden boats taking part in the races, Non Ngeth said.

The annual festival, one of Cambodia's largest, marks the reversal of the flow between the Tonle Sap and the Mekong river.

Cambodia: Buddhist monks barred from water festival to prevent undignified behaviour

Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Buddhist monks in Cambodia will be banned from taking part in a water festival this month to prevent undignified behaviour such as mingling with scantily clad women and seeing couples kissing, the country's chief monk said Wednesday.

During the Nov. 20-22 Boat Racing Festival monks will be required to stay in their pagodas and watch the event on TV, said 85-year-old chief patriarch Non Gneth.

"For a monk to walk freely with crowds of ordinary people during the water festival violates the rules of the Lord Buddha," the patriarch said.

"If the monks walk freely, they will see women wearing sexy clothes or see people kissing. This violates their discipline," he said. He added some younger monks carried mobile phones equipped with cameras at last year's festival and took pictures of people dancing, drinking alcohol and kissing — all of which are not allowed, including the possession of cellphones.

Monks are supposed to adhere to a code of Buddhist precepts that include celibacy and not touching or being alone with women, not drinking alcohol and leading a contemplative lifestyle without material possessions.

A committee has been created to curb bad behaviour among monks and if any are seen mingling at the festival they will be reprimanded and sent for a re-education class before being returned to their temples, Non Gneth said.

Authorities estimate upward of 2 million people could descend on the capital, Phnom Penh, for the annual boat festival, also known as the water festival, which takes place at the end of the rainy season along the Tonle Sap River.

Some 400 wooden boats will compete in rowing contests that are part of a carnival-like atmosphere that also includes evening concerts, fireworks and late-night partying.

About 85 per cent of Cambodia's 14 million people are Buddhist. The country has 4,000 Buddhist temples and more than 50,000 monks.

Monks prohibited from going to the Water Festival by order of Monk-dictator Non Nget

Hochimonk Non Nget

10 Nov. 2010
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Soch

During the Water Festival which will take place between 20-22 November 2010, all monks inside Cambodia are prohibited from wandering, from getting mixed up with the crowd or from going to any festival places. The personal secretary of Hochimonk and patriarch Non Nget indicated on 08 November that, in order to preserve order among the monks during the national water festival, Buddhist monks from all over the country are prohibited from wandering, from getting mixed up with the crowd, or from going to festival places because such participation can bring disorder and devalue monks and Buddhism, and it also affect all Buddhists all over the Buddhist world.

Khmer Krom are protesting against the nomination of the new abbot for Wat Samaky Raingsey Pagoda

Order issued by CPP-stalwart and Buddhist patriarch Non Nget for the nomination of Ven. Khin Veasna, an outsider to the Khmer Krom community, as the new abbot of the Wat Samaky Raingsey pagoda

Click here to listen to VOKK report in Khmer (WMA)

21 Oct 2010
Source: VOKK.net
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

KI-Media note: Cambodia Express News reported that, during his illness, Ven. Yoeung Sin, the former abbot of Wat Samaky Raingsey Pagoda, left a will in which he expressed his wish to see a Khmer Krom monk taking the helm of Wat Samaky Raingsey. Knowing the plight of Khmer Krom brothers and sisters who have suffered oppression both in Vietnam and in Cambodia, it is quite understandable that they would like to see Ven. Yoeung Sin's will fulfilled. We sincerely hope that Phnom Penh respects the wish of our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters. It should be noted that Patriarch Non Nget is no stanger to Khmer Krom suffering, he was also the one who issued an order to defrock Ven. Tim Sakhorn, a Khmer Krom monk, and the deportation of the latter to Vietnam to be unjustly jailed there. By ordering his order against Ven. Tim Sakhorn, Hochimonk Non Nget was in fact fulfilling an order issued by Hanoi.

On Thursday morning, about 200 laymen, monks and members of Khmer Kampuchea Krom associations led a protest inside the Wat Samaky Raingsey Pagoda to protest against the decision to nominate the new pagoda abbot. The decision [issued by the CPP-stalwart Buddhist patriarch Non Nget] nominates Ven. Khin Veasna as the pagoda president to replace Ven. Yoeung Sin, the former abbot of the pagoda, who passed away on 28 September 2010. The protesters indicated that they cannot accept this nomination and they demanded that the replacement for Ven. Yoeung Sin be someone of Khmer Krom origin.

Thach Sang, President of the Friend of Khmer Kampuchea Krom Association, indicated that this nomination is unacceptable because the pagoda is the blood and sweat contribution by Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhists, as such, the pagoda’s president must be someone of Khmer Krom origin.

VOKK reported that Ven. Khin Veasna is believed to be an agent provocateur sent by the ruling CPP party to spy on Khmer Krom activities when Ven. Yoeung Sin was managing the pagoda. This is the reason why he is now nominated by the CPP-controlled ministry of Cult to take over the helm of the pagoda.

Khmer Krom laymen and monks are waiting to hear the nomination of the new abbot (All photos: Sok Serey, RFA)

A group of monks praying in front of Ven. Yeoung Sin's remain

A monk sent over by the minister of Cult was reading the order for the nomination of the new abbot

Monks and laymen leaving the meeting after hearing the nomination

Monks protesting the nomination of the new abbot

Both laymen and monks are protesting the new nomination

Khin Veasna, the newly appointed abbot

The 07 Makara (07 January) Hochimonks