Comrade Tep Vong wish for closer ties with Vietcongs

VN, Cambodian Buddhists strengthen ties

July 13, 2012
VNA

The head of Cambodia’s Buddhists has expressed his wish for closer ties between Buddhist dignitaries from both countries, to contribute to national construction and development.

Tepvong, Cambodia’s Great Supreme Patriarch, stated this at a meeting with Vu Trong Kim, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee in Hanoi on July 13.

Tepvong thanked Vietnam for assisting the Cambodian people to escape from the genocidal regime and helping the country during its national construction and development.

Kim hailed Tepvong for visiting at a time when Vietnam and Cambodia are celebrating their Friendship Year and the 45 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between both countries.

តើ​ព្រះសង្ឃ​លេង ហ្វេសបុក (Facebook) គឺ​ខុស​ពី​វិន័យ​ធម៌​របស់​ព្រះពុទ្ធ​ដែរ ឬ​ទេ? - Monks on Facebook, is it aginst religious rule?

ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​លួន សាវ៉ាត ចូល​រួម​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​ការ​តវ៉ា​រឿង​ព្រៃ​ឡង់​កាល​ពី​ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​ទៅ​។ រូបថត ម៉េង គីមឡុង

ស្ដាចម៏សង្ឃកុម្មុយនិស្ត ទេពវង្ស

Monday, 06 February 2012
តុង សុប្រាជ្ញ
The Phnom Penh Post

គណៈ ​សង្ឃ​ធំៗ​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ​មើល​ទៅ​ដូច គិត​គូរ​រឿង​បក្ស​ បុណ្យ​ស័ក្តិ និង​អំណាច​ច្រើន​ជាង​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​ធម៌អាថ៌​ និង​អក្សរសាស្រ្ត ​ខុស​ពី​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ជំនាន់​ដើម​ខិត​ខំ​រាប់​ឆ្នាំ​បកប្រែ​ពី​ភាសា​បាលី​មក​ ឲ្យ​កូន​ខ្មែរ​ជំនាន់​ក្រោយ​ប្រើ ហើយ​មេ​ដឹក​នាំ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ជំនាន់​មុន​ហ៊ាន​ចេញ​មុខ​តស៊ូ​ប្រឆាំង​ជាមួយ​នឹង អាណា​និគម​និយម​បារាំង​ ដូច​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ក្រឡា​ហោម​គង់ ជាដើម​

ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​ឱវាទ​បាន​សម្តែង​ថា «ធ្វើ​ល្អ​បាន​ល្អ ធ្វើ​អាក្រក់​បាន​អាក្រក់» ឬ​ពាក្យ​សាមញ្ញ​និយាយ​ថា «ដាំ​ចេក​បាន​ផ្លែ​ចេក ដាំ​ស្វាយ​នឹង​បាន​ផ្លែ​ស្វាយ»។ ពុទ្ធឱវាទ​នេះ គួរ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ពុទ្ធសាសនិក ទាំង​អស់​ចងចាំ និង​គោរព​ប្រណិប័តន៍​តាម​យ៉ាង​ខ្ជាប់ខ្ជួន ពិសេស គឺ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ ពុទ្ធសាសនា។ ប៉ុន្តែ​មិន​ដូច្នោះ​ទេ ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ខុស​នឹង​ពុទ្ធ​ឱវាទ​ជាច្រើន​ប្រការ​ ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ការ​ប្រមាថ​ពី​មតិសាធារណៈ។

កម្មៗ​ប្រែ​មក​ថា​ «អំពើ​»​ អំពើ​ដែល​លោក​អ្នក​ធ្វើ ​លោក​អ្នក​តែង​ទទួល​ បើ​អាត្មា​ធ្វើ​ខុស​អាត្មា​ក៏​ទទួល​ដែរ​... មាន​តែ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​(ព្រះពុទ្ធ)​មួយ​ព្រះអង្គ​ទេ​គ្មាន​គ្រូ​បាអាចារ្យ​ណា​ ប្រដៅ​ព្រះអង្គ​បាន​ឡើយ...ហើយ​ឧបាសក​ឧបាសិកា​គួរ​តែ​កុំ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ទៅ​តាម​កាម​កិលេស​តណ្ហា កុំ​លួច​ប្រពន្ធ​គេ ​ត្រូវ​ចៀស​វាង​ឲ្យ​បាន​នូវ​ ស្រី ​ស្រា ល្បែង...។ នេះ​គឺជា​ធម៌​ដែល​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ទេសនា​ម្តងៗ​ដើម្បី​ប្រៀន​ប្រដៅ​ឧបាសក​ឧបាសិកា​ចំណុះ​ជើង​វត្ត កុំ​ឲ្យ​ប្រពឹត្ត​អំពើ​អបាយ​មុខ​ទាំង​នេះ​។ សាសនា គឺជា​ផ្នែក​មួយ​នៃ​បាវចនា​របស់​ព្រះ​រាជា​ណាចក្រ​កម្ពុជា ហើយ​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​ដែល​កាន់​ និង​គោរព​សាសនា​ព្រះពុទ្ធ​ដ៏​លើស​លប់​គឺ​៩៦,៩​ភាគរយ នៃ​សាសនា​សរុប​។ ​(ជំរឿន​ឆ្នាំ ២០០៨)​ ដែល​មាន​ព្រះសង្ឃ​ជា​អ្នក​ដើរ​តួ​ជា​អ្នក​ប្រតិបត្តិ​តាម​ព្រះពុទ្ធ​។​ តើ​ព្រះសង្ឃ​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​អ្វីខ្លះ​ នៅ​ក្នុ​ង​សង្គម​ និង​បណ្តាញ​សង្គម​ហេ្វស​បុក​(Facebook)​?

បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ​ បើ​មើល​ទៅ​ទី​វត្ត​អារាម​ណា​ដែល​មាន​ការ​សាង​សង់​រចនា​ប័ទ្ម​ទំនើប​ស្អាតៗ ប្រណីតៗ​ សូម្បី​កុដិ​ព្រះសង្ឃ​នោះ​ ខ្លះ​ក៏​សឹង​ធំ​ជាង​វិហារ​វត្ត​ល្មម​ផង​ ហើយ​តុប​តែង​ស្អាត​ណាស់​បំពាក់​សុទ្ធ​តែ​ឈើ​ប្រណីតៗ​ និង​បរិក្ខារ​ត្រជាក់​។ វត្ត​ណា​ដែល​ល្អៗ​ទាំង​នោះ ​គឺ​ភាគ​ច្រើន​សុទ្ធ​តែ​មាន​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ដែល​ពូកែៗ ខាង​ស្រោច​ទឹក ខាង​ទស្សន៍ទាយ​ដំឡើង​ជោគជតារាសី បញ្ចូល​មន្តអាគមន៍​គាថា ហើយ​អ្នក​ធំៗ ​បាន​ឡើង​បុណ្យ​ស័ក្ត​លឿន​ណាស់​ ខ្លះ​កាន់​តំណែង​មិន​ត្រឹម​តែ​រាប់​ឆ្នាំ​ទេ​គឺ​រាប់​ទសវត្សរ៍​ទៀត​ផង កាន់​បាន​យូរ​ណាស់​។​ នេះ​ជា​តួនាទី​របស់​ព្រះសង្ឃ​ដែល​តែង​តែ​ជួយ​ប្រោស​ព្រំគ្រហស្ថ ​អ៊ីចឹង​ហើយ ​បើ​ទោះ​បី​គ្រហស្ថ​ទាំង​នោះ​ប្រកប​របរ​ទុច្ចរិត ពុក​រលួយ​លក់​ជាតិ​ ឬ​ក៏​មាន​បាត​ដៃ​ប្រឡាក់​ឈាម​ក៏​ដោយ​? ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ដែល​ពូកែៗ​ទាំង​នោះ ក៏​ឡើង​បុណ្យ​ស័កិ្ត​លឿន​ដែរ​ប្រៀប​ដូច​ចៅហ្វាយ​ឡើង​បុណ្យ​ខុន​ឡើង​ ស័ក្តិ។​ ពេល​និមន្ត​ចេញ​ក្រៅ​ម្តងៗ​គឺ​សុទ្ធ​មាន​ត្រា​ព្រះ​សង្ហា​ថ្នាក់​ជាតិ​នៅ​ ពី​លើ​ចីវរ និង​មាន​អង្គរក្ស​ឆ្វេច​ឆ្វាច​ទៀត​ផង​ នៅ​តែ​ថ្ងៃ​ដាក់​រថយន្ត​សៀរ៉ែន​នៅ​ខាង​មុខ​ទេ​។​ ប្រសិន​បើ​មាន​ញោមៗ​ធម្មតា​ណា​មក​និមន្ត​ទៅ​ឆាន់​សង្ឃ​ទាន​នៅ​ឯ​ផ្ទះ វិញ​គឺ ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ធម្មតា​និមន្ត​ទៅ​បាន​ហើយ​អាត្មា​ជាប់​រវល់​ណាស់ ​តែ​បើ​ញោមៗ​ណា​ថ្នាក់​ធំៗ​ ឯក​ឧត្តម​ លោក​ជំទាវ​ ឬ​ក៏​ឧត្តម​សេនីយ៍​និមន្ត​ទៅ​ដំឡើង​រាសី​ ឬ​ក៏​ឆាន់​នៅ​វីឡា​វិញ​គឺ​និមន្ត​ឡើង​ឡង់​គ្រីស័រ ឬ​ឡិច​ស៊ីស​ទៅ​ភ្លាម​។ គិតៗ​ទៅ​សូម្បី​តែ​សង្ឃ​ក៏​មាន​អង្គ​ខ្លះ​កាលីប​ៗ​ដែរ​ កុំ​ថា​ឡើយ​តែ​ឧបាសក​នោះ។​

Sangh Makara Chho Oab Pong - By Anonymous Poet

Viet commie greeted by Hochimonk Tep Vong

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visits Most Venerable Monk Tep Vong yesterday at the Unalom pagoda. — VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

Party leader visits senior monks in Phnom Penh

December, 08 2011
VNS (Hanoi)

PHNOM PENH — Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday laid wreaths at the Independence Monument and the Viet Nam Friendship Monument in the Cambodian capital city.

Later, Trong paid courtesy visits to Tep Vong, the Supreme Patriarch of Buddhism in Cambodia.

He also visited Most Venerable Monk Tep Vong at Unalom pagoda and Most Venerable Monk Bukri at Botum pagoda.

During the meetings, Trong thanked Cambodian Buddhists for their fine feelings towards the Vietnamese people and spoke of the age-old friendship between the two nations.

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”.

Sinatoon: Tep Vong, the powerful monk

Cartoon by V. Sina

Monk on the run plans his return

The venerable monk Loun Savath sits with residents threatened with eviction from the Boeung Kak lake area during a demonstration outside City Hall last month in Phnom Penh. (Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun)

07 January Hochimonk Tep Vong, a Hanoi stooge

Tuesday, 19 April 2011
May Titthara and James O’Toole
The Phnom Penh Post

... 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 protests staged by the embattled residents of the Boeung Kak lakeside against their impending eviction, Loun Savath cuts a distinctive figure. The 31-year-old is a tall man with a round face and a wide smile, but more than anything else, it is his orange robes that stand out from the crowd.

The venerable monk has served primarily as an observer of the protests, yet this limited role has been enough to draw harassment from local authorities and religious officials. Police, he says, have threatened him with arrest on multiple occasions, and last month, after being followed back to his home at the capital’s Wat Ounalom by a police vehicle, he fled Phnom Penh for fear of arrest.

He will not be out of action for long, however. Speaking by phone yesterday from Siem Reap province, Loun Savath said he planned to return to Wat Ounalom next week, resuming a push for social justice from which many members of the monkhood have been conspicuously absent.

"Angry" rebuke by Supreme Patriarch Hochimonk Tep Vong againt the "lunatic, ignorant and bias" Sondhi Limthongkul

Samdach "peace loving-leader" Hun Xen's most favorite quote: "May lightning strike you at noon time"

Supreme Patriarch Hochimonk Tep Vong

Source: Cambodia Council of Ministers

KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
Nation Religion King

STATEMENT Samdech Preah Akka Moha Sangha Raja Tep Vong, Co-Chairman of the World Inter-Religions Decides

To make a statement responding to Mr. Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the PAD (Yellow Shirts) who is going astray in history and is behaving like a juvenile delinquent within the Thai society. The Great Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to inform the leaders of the Thai government that Samdech, the Co-Chairman of the World Inter-Religions in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations in Bangkok has celebrated the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha (Visaka Puja) among the 10 member states of ASEAN and decided to assign Preah Dhama Gosaca Payoeun Dhama Cito as Chairman of the Visaka Puja Association and Honorable Samdech Preah Putheacha Wat Sras Ket as the Great Supreme Patriarch of the Major Buddhist Sect (Moha Nikaya Sect) of the Kingdom of Thailand and also grant an offer to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to hold yearly Kathina Dhana offering alms to monks who, during the whole rainy season, are required to restrictedly stay in the Pagoda in the Kingdom of Cambodia. This proves the goodwill of Samdech Co-Chairman of the World Inter-Religions for the sake of peace between the two countries, Cambodia and Thailand.

However, nowadays there still remains an unethical act which is against the moral conduct of common people, especially that of the lunatic, ignorant and bias of the sort of Sondhi Limthongkul, who is going astray in history, in the heart of a peaceful Bangkok. By violating the state law, he had behaved and spoken with the contempt and inflammatory words, which is not acceptable, against the Cambodian leaders, particularly Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, who is a leader with virtue and highly respected and loved by the Cambodian people nationwide. Samdech Hun Sen is a peace loving-leader and is of supreme virtue. Though having been insulted by some thoughtless juvenile delinquents, Samdech had not been filled with fury without reason. Samdech is of forgiving nature to everybody; he never bears malice towards others by adhering to the sacred Buddha’s teachings that: “Vera Ni Avera Ni” meaning: “avenges finish by not taking revenges”, and his response is done rationally with virtue and highest dignity. With direct contemptible words towards Samdech, Sondhi said: “it is not enough by taking his blood to wash the feet of Thai King but he should be decapitated and spiked the head on the stick.” These words and behavior are considered disrespectful to Buddha’s teachings, which always educate Buddhist followers that “do not neglect for negligence would lead to ruin.” It is stressed that such a lunatic initiative of Sondhi Limthongkul does not only affect Samdech Hun Sen, but also affects His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is a faithful Buddhist follower and revered by the Thai people. More than that, such irresponsible actions worsen Thailand’s reputation on the international stage.

In the name of the Co-Chairman of the World Inter-Religions, the Great Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Cambodia finds that Mr. Sondhi Limthongkul’s actions are of juvenile delinquent, ignorant and wrong understanding that Lord Buddha always advises his followers not to befriend with and even to get away from that sort of person to avoid disaster.

Thai authorities must immediately bring him to justice in order to educate him on Buddha’s doctrines as well as to rehabilitate him from a bias to a wise man.

Ounalom Pagoda, 04 September 2010

Signed: Tep Vong
Great Supreme Patriarch
Co-Chairman of the World Inter-Religions

Goodbye Triet ... good riddance: Vietcong Go Home!

KI-Media Note: King Sihamoni expressed his gratitude to the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers for their assistance in fighting the regime of genocide, but history recorded also that "one part of the Vietnamese invasion plan had apparently been to capture then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk who was essentially under house-arrest in the capital. Before they could do that however, the Khmer Rouge spirited him away to New York to speak out against the invasion and then on to China and North Korea for refuge." So knowing this fact, were the king and his senior officials thankful for the Vietnamese plan to capture his father? This is what happens when one cannot remember history and one dare not talk about their own people's plight! Bravo!?!?

State President wraps up visit to Cambodia

08/29/2010
VOV News

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has wrapped up his official visit to Cambodia to promote the traditional relationship between the two countries.

Over the past days, all of Cambodia was decorated with colourful banners and flowers to welcome Mr. Triet and his delegation.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Doan Viet Trung said the visit was motivation to develop the time-honoured Vietnam-Cambodia relationship.

The visit laid a foundation to bring the relationship to a new height, said Trung.

In a party for the President, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni said Cambodia people are very happy to have such good friends as the Vietnamese, who have helped them in their struggle against colonialism and imperialism.

In agreement with the king, Cambodian senior officials expressed their great gratitude to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers for their assistance in fighting the regime of genocide.

Great Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong and Great Supreme Patriarch Bou Kry said Vietnam not only helped Cambodia in its struggle but also in its re-construction and the development of Cambodian Buddhism. [KI-Media note: The oppressive communist Vietnamese regime helped rebuilt Buddhism? Lord Buddha, please forgive this blasphemy!]

Cambodia is now a developing country with industrial parks emerging from the “killing fields.”

In 2010, Cambodia’s economic growth could reach 5 percent and annual per capita income is expected to hit US$1,900. Economic co-operation between the two countries has also increased strongly in recent years. Vietnam has 63 projects in Cambodia with combined investment capital of more than US$900 million. Two-way trade turnover is estimated to be more than US$2 billion and high-quality Vietnamese products are securing a firm foothold in the Cambodian market.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen affirmed that his country’s economic development can be attributed to Vietnam’s contributions through investment and trade exchange. During the visit, President Nguyen Minh Triet and PM Hun Sen agreed to expand co-operation in mining, telecommunications, finance, banking, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transport, culture and information. The two sides also agreed to complete land border demarcation by 2012 to create borders with peace and stability.

Investment between the two countries has been blooming in recent years, said Mr. Trung. Vietnam is one of the leading investors in Cambodia. At its current pace, Vietnam’s investment in Cambodia will reach a minimum of US$6 billion in the next five years, mainly in energy, hydroelectricity, aviation, banking, finance, oil and gas.

Over the ups and downs of history, close ties of solidarity and friendship between the two countries have been forged and developed. Mr. Triet, the Cambodian King and other leaders reaffirmed that those traditional ties are an invaluable asset which should last forever.

Mr. Triet said the two nations have lived together for a long time and they always stand side by side in hard times. Cambodia expressed its deep gratitude for Vietnam’s support, particularly for saving it from genocide, while Vietnam thanks Cambodia for its support during the resistance struggles. History has seen fine relations between the two countries so the current generation has the responsibility to develop the relationship and sustain it in the future.

During his visit to Cambodia, Mr. Triet also cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) bureau in Phnom Penh.

The 07 Makara (07 January) Hochimonks

Cambodia: Decline of Monk Morality?

Keat Chan Thuch (L), the provincial chief monk who got drunk and beat a clergymen, he was allegedly the protégé of Cambodia's Supreme Patriarch, comrade Tep Vong (R), himself a former member of the communist politburo
Neth Khay, the peeping tom monk who videotaped naked women, showing the police the location of his hidden video camera

9 July 2010
Written by Sopheap Chak
Global Voices Online

Since Buddhism is a state religion guaranteed by the Constitution and the fact that nearly all Cambodians are Buddhists, the recent reported decline of monk morality in the country is a cause of concern.

On several occasions, monks have been found of engaging in violent behavior or misconduct including having sex or watching pornography. There was a case where a provincial chief monk reportedly got drunk and beat a clergymen who didn't file a complaint for security reason since the bully monk is recognized as the king monk in the province. Recently, a monk was caught making a video of naked ladies who went to his monastery for religious watering, a belief that the water provided by the monk will release all bad incidents or bring luck to people. The investigation which led to an arrest was followed by an enormous sharing of that nude video via bluetooth from phone to phone. This apparently raised a question over the emerging development of technology infrastructure in Cambodia where people can widely access porn materials more easily. However, as suggested by Chan Nim, the issue is left to the conscience of the people on the proper use of technologies.

On the other hand, there are many well-behaved monks who understand the role of technology in promoting religious teachings. While it is now common to see many blogs initiated by young people who discuss social, technological or personal issues, there are now Buddhism-themed blogs such as Bodhikaram, Saloeurm, Khmerbuddhism. An extensive teaching of Buddhist philosophy is now accessible online in the form of short commentaries, dictionaries, podcasts, or textbooks in both English and Khmer. Moreover, there are a number of monks who are effectively maximizing the internet in order to reach a wider audience. Venerable Saloeurm Savath, for example, has been rigorously sharing many Buddhist teachings via face-book which acts as a natural linkage with his laypeople who can easily reach him for more explanation on certain Buddhist Principle or issues.

Pagodas and monks are part of Cambodia's cultural and educational heritage. They continue to contribute a lot in society. It is hoped that monk morality can be strengthened to encourage the people to affirm their trust and faith in Buddhism which has hugely contributed to national reconciliation and psychological peace, such as the case of survivors of the Khmer Rouge Regime that kept applying Buddhist teachings to transform their revenge and anger to hope and peace of mind.

Hun Xen is truly a puppet and lackey of Yuon Hanoi: Ven. Tim Sakhorn

Hun Sen and his master

Click here to listen to Ven. Tim Sakhorn's interview
on World Khmer Radio (MP3)


For additional news on World Khmer Radio, click here

Cambodians in San Jose reject the stay of Hochimonk Long Kim Leang at Wat San Jose Pagoda

Click on the letters in Khmer to zoom in

Hochimonks celebrating communist Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia

First row: Hochimonk Tep Vong (L) and Hochimonk Non Nget (R)
Cambodian Buddhist patriarchs sit during a ceremony, marking the downfall of Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010. A Cambodian official warned a U.N.-backed genocide tribunal on Thursday not to interfere in the country's internal affairs as the Southeast Asian nation marked the overthrow of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime 31 years ago. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Hochimonk Tep Vong meets a communist religious oppressor?

Party leader meets with Cambodia’s top religious clerics

12/18/2009
VOV News (Hanoi)

Party leader Nong Duc Manh on December 18 visited Great Supreme Patriarch Samdec Tep Vong and Supreme Patriarch Samdec Bukri – leaders of the two Buddhist sects in Cambodia.
He said he is happy to see with his own eyes the dramatic changes Cambodia and its Buddhists have made during the past four years since his visit in March 2005.

He expressed his belief that the two sects will make greater contributions to Cambodia’s prosperity under the reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the clear-sighted leadership of the Senate, the National Assembly and the government, as well as promoting the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Vietnam will do its utmost to maintain and develop their traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, said Mr Manh.

The two supreme patriarchs welcomed Mr Manh’s re-visit to Cambodia and expressed the belief that their bilateral relationship will develop further for the sake of peace, happiness and prosperity in each country.

They thanked the Vietnamese Party, government, people and volunteer soldiers for helping the Cambodian people escape the genocidal Pol Pot regime and for revitalizing Cambodia and its Buddhism in particular.

The same day, Mr Manh met with Vietnamese Embassy staff and Vietnamese nationals in Cambodia. He called on them to carry out practical activities to cement the time-honoured friendship and solidarity between the two nations, as well as to increase exchanges and cooperation in economics, trade, culture, education-training, and science-technology.

He encouraged Vietnamese nationals to turn their hearts and minds to their home country, preserve their traditional cultural identity and teach Vietnamese to the younger generation.

In the afternoon, he visited Preah Sihanouk province in southwest of Cambodia.

Earlier on December 17, King Norodom Sihamoni gave a royal banquet in honour of Party leader Manh and his entourage.

The King highlighted the importance of Mr Manh’s visit and expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue to share its experiences and provide development aid to Cambodia.

Mr Manh reaffirmed Vietnam’s determination to strengthen its traditional friendship with Cambodia, considering it an invaluable asset and an important factor behind the strength of the two nations.

Mr Manh began a three-day visit to Cambodia on December 17 at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni.

Tim Sakhorn: From a Khmer Krom rights activist to a historical hero

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

The Prey Nokor News
On the web at http://preynokornews.blogspot.com
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn before he was defrocked

Tim Sakhorn is a native of Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam) from Motr Choukr province, located next to Takeo province in Cambodia.

During his childhood, he lived under constant clashes between the Khmer Rouge soldiers and the Vietnamese (Yuon) army when Cambodia was then known as Democratic Kampuchea (DK) and Kampuchea Krom was and is under the colonialist boot of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Tim Sakhorn’s life was filled with threats, evacuations, housing and land confiscations from both the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese armies along the border. He was also a victim of the Khmer Rouge who evacuated him from Motr Chrouk and brought over to Phnom Den village, Takeo province. Later on, while living in Phnom Den, he took the vow and became a Buddhist monk. He always helped and provided refuge to Khmer Krom people who fled their arrest in Kampuchea Krom to come to live in Cambodia. Later on, then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn was defrocked by a group of monk and government officials, and he was sent to be jailed in Kampuchea Krom after he was charged with undermining the friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Tim Sakhorn talking with a RFA reporter after he was released from the Yuon jail

Following his one year jail term, and one year of house arrest, the Yuon authority allowed him to come and visit his family who lives in Phnom Den village, Takeo province, Cambodia. In his village in Cambodia, the Cambodian authority refused to provide him with a Cambodian identity card, and he de-facto lost all his rights as a Cambodian citizen. He subsequently fled to Thailand where he requested asylum from the UNHCR. Following a two-month residence in Thailand, a third country accepted to provide him asylum and he is now living there.

Biography

Mr. Tim Sakhorn (aka TimKhorn, Chau Khorn and Nom Sokhoeun) was born in 1968 in Andong Tor village (An Binh in Vietnamese), Po commune (Ba Truc in Vietnamese), Svay Tong district, Motr Chrouk province.

Evacuation from Motr Chrouk to Takeo province

In 1978, Khmer Rouge soldiers of the DK regime attacked Svay Tong district, Motr Choruk province with the aim of liberating Kampuchea Krom lands.

The war that broke up between the KR soldiers and the communist Vietnamese army along the border in Motr Chrouk and Takeo provinces led to many deaths among Khmer Krom people. During that war, a number of Khmer Krom families which the KR considered as being Cambodians were evacuated to live in Kirivong district, Takeo province. Tim Sakhorn’s family was among those Khmer Krom victim families who were evacuated by the KR.

Following the end of the war, the Vietnamese government displayed the heads of Khmer Krom people who were killed in Svay Tong district(1) in a museum, and they told the Vietnamese people and the international community that these were in fact heads of Vietnamese killed by the KR soldiers.

Religious vow in Motr Chrouk province

In 1990, he returned back to Kampuchea Krom and he took the Buddhist religion vow to become a monk in Wat Phnom Pi Pagoda, Svay Tong district, Motr Choruk province. By the end of 1990, he took residence at Wat Phnom Den North Pagoda, Kiriving district, Takeo province, Cambodia.

Abbot of the Wat Phnom Den North Pagoda

In 1993, after a 3-year of residence in Wat Phnom Den North Pagoda, then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn was nominated by the pagoda members and Tep Vong, the Cambodian Buddhis patriarch, as the abbot of that pagoda. He occupied this position until the day he was forced to defrock.

Force-defrocked for undermining the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam

On 30 June 2007, the Cambodian Buddhist clergy led by Tep Vong, Long Kim Leang, Noy Chreuk, Am Lim Heng and Sao Chanthol, in cooperation with Chies Om, the abbot of Wat Seihak Ratanaram and Buddhist monk chief for the province of Takeo province, forced then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn to defrock and they sent him over to Vietnam to be jailed in Motr Chrouk province after accusing him of undermining the friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Hochimonks (from left to right): Tep Vong, Long Kim Leang and Sao Chanthol

Prior to his defrocking, Buddhist patriarch Non Nget of Cambodia issued a letter both in Vietnamese and in Khmer dated 16 June 2007, asking Tep Vong to arrest then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn and force-defrock him. In this letter, Non Nget accused then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn of “not abiding Buddhist rules, of undermining the national-international solidarity – in particular that between Cambodia and Vietnam – of using the pagoda to serve as a headquarter for propaganda movement, and these actions affected the rule and the decency of Buddhism(2).” After reviewing this letter, Tep Vong of Cambodia agreed to these statements and signed it on 17 June 2007.

After the letter was stamped by the two Cambodian patriarchs above, the Vietnamese government took this letter to announce in public to the Khmer Krom people living in Motr Chrouk province, letting them know in advance about the upcoming event and also to threaten and discourage Khmer Krom people, as well as then-Venerable Tim Sakhorn about their plan to defrock the latter.

3-month-8-day disappearance; Reappearance in the Vietnamese court dock

On 08 November 2007, the Vietnamese people’s court sentenced Tim Sakhorn to 12-month of jail term. He was charged with undermining the Yuon-Khmer friendship, following his force-defrocking in Wat Seihak Ratanaram Pagoda, located in Takeo province, by Cambodian authorities and monk officials. He was subsequently sent to be jailed in the Yuon prison, and he disappeared for 3-month-8-day. During his absence, nobody knew if he was dead or alive.

Former monk Tim Sakhorn during his court hearing in Motr Chrouk province

On 30 June 2008, the Yuon authority in Motr Chrouk province issued Tim Sakhorn a Vietnamese identification card, and they provided him with a Vietnamese-sounding name of Tim Sà Khon, born in 1968 in An Bình village, Ba Chùc commune, Svay Tong (Tri Tôn) district, Motr Chrouk province, a follower of Buddhism of Khmer origin.

On 31 June 2008, he was released from the Vietnamese jail but he was placed under house arrest.

On 31 March 2009, the Yuon authority issued Tim Sakhorn a border crossing pass.

On 04 April 2009, the Cambodian border gate in Takeo province granted Tim Sakhorn a 15-day visa to cross over to Cambodia – between 04 and 17 April – so that he can participate in the religious funeral ceremony for his mother who died in 2001.

On 14 April 2009, Tim Sakhorn fled to Thailand where he requested political asylum from the UNHCR in Bangkok. He was forced to flee Cambodia also because the Cambodian government refused to provide him a Cambodian identification card.

Travel to a third country

After receiving the refugee status from the UNHCR in Bangkok, Thailand, on 04 July 2009, Tim Sakhorn was safely sent by the UNHCR to live in Sweden.

“I now live in safety in Sweden because of the help and interventions provided national and international organizations all over the world, in particular, the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) allowed me to have a second life. I was subjected to hardship, I was arrested and there was no hope for me to stay alive back then. I believe that my fate would not be different from that of Venerable Eang Sok Thoeun. I would be killed in extreme atrocity [like Eang Sok Thoeun],” Tim Sakhorn said form Sweden.
-------
Notes:

(1) Svay Tong in Motr Chrouk province is a district where numerous Khmer Krom people live. That was why during the clashes between the KR and Yuon army, the majority of the people killed were Khmer Krom people.
(2) Tim Sakhorn’s defrocking request letter by patriarch Non Nget.

Monks' morality important to Cambodia

Kiet Chan Thouch, the ‘biting, drunk and now lying monk’ from Wat Leu in Preah Sihanouk province and also an advisor of Hochimonk Tep Vong (Photo by: Deum Ampil)

Hochimonk Tep Vong

September 30, 2009
By Chak Sopheap
Guest Commentary
UPI Asia

Niigata, Japan — In Cambodia Buddhism is the state religion, guaranteed by the Constitution, and about 95 percent of the people are Buddhists. However, in recent times, a gradual decline in moral standards among Buddhist monks and the political affiliations of some of their leaders have raised serious concerns.

The current Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia Tep Vong has been accused of favoritism toward the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. Some of his controversial orders include the February 2005 ban on the use of pagodas for public forums hosted by non-governmental organizations, particularly the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.

Instead of believing that public forums on human rights create chaos, Tep Vong should view them as a platform for people to voice their concerns and appeal to the government to look after their needs. Buddhism supports such a peaceful approach and nonviolent means to highlight problems and seek solutions.

Tep Vong usually makes speeches on political holidays – such as Liberation Day on Jan. 7, the day the former Khmer Rouge regime was toppled – to reaffirm his support to the ruling party. He rarely touches on issues such as moral standards or the role of monks in Cambodian society.

Several reports of monks having sex, watching pornographic materials and other social misconduct have largely gone unnoticed by the supreme patriarch. Recently a chief monk reportedly got drunk and beat some of his followers, who did not file a complaint out of fear for their safety.

Unlike the case of Tim Sakhorn – a monk who was charged with misconduct and defrocked in 2007 for allegedly destabilizing relations between Cambodia and Vietnam – the supreme patriarch has not reacted to the recent issue involving the drunken monk. This shows that the decision to defrock Sakhorn was politically motivated, and that the Buddhist leader is unconcerned about the decline of morality among the monks under his charge.

If such abuses continue, Buddhism will be less respected in the Cambodian community. This will affect other monks who devotedly follow and respect Buddhist principles. Besides, it would create a dangerous society if citizens were to lose faith in their religion, which contributes to people’s behavior and social conduct.

Buddhism has also played a significant role in national reconciliation and peace for survivors of the former dreaded Khmer Rouge regime. Cambodian people are likely to advise their children to apply Buddhist teachings as a way to solve conflicts in a peaceful manner and also to attain inner peace.

Therefore, the supreme patriarch and other monks need to maintain their gracious role and morality so that the religion is respected and valued. Monks should look back on their past roles in developing the community and the country.

Throughout history, pagodas and monks have contributed immensely to Cambodia’s cultural and educational sustainability, despite civil conflicts. However, their roles and contributions are diminishing in present times.

There are many issues like poverty reduction, corruption, social injustice, land disputes and social conflicts that confront Cambodia’s government as well as civil society. Monks should play a greater leadership role by introducing peaceful mechanisms to solve problems. This would go a long way toward helping Cambodians build a better society and future.
--
(Chak Sopheap is a graduate student of peace studies at the International University of Japan. She runs a blog, www.sopheapfocus.com, in which she shares her impressions of both Japan and her homeland, Cambodia. She was previously advocacy officer of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.)

The Destiny of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom People

The Destiny of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom People

By Preynokor News Team
On the web at http://www.preynokornews.blogspot.com

The Khmer-Krom people living abroad, especially in the United States, have their own reason to celebrate both the Fourth of July 2009—the American National Independence Day—and the Freedom Day of Tim Sakhorn. By the way, who is he?

Venerable Tim Sakhorn, prior to his capture by the Vietnamese Government in June 2007, was “Nobody”—an ordinary local Buddhist monk, not well known at all, at his temple in North Phnom Denh Village, Kirivong District, Takeo Province, Cambodia. During the past two years of his survival through extremely severe hardship in the Vietnamese prison, including physical and mental tortures, as well as his dangerous journey to escape from Vietnam to Cambodia and Thailand before being accepted for a special resettlement in Sweden under the political asylum program, Tim Sakhorn has become “Somebody”—the kind of “Khmer-Krom’s Dalai Lama” who is symbolizing as one of our Khmer-Krom’s national heroes in this modern time.

His name has been recognized in the international spotlights, from the Internet search engine websites, such as the Google.com and Yahoo.com, to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Congress, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the European Parliament, and the Transnational Radical Party (TRP) in Italy.

The international press/news media, and other major radio broadcasting programs have been constantly keeping the world informed about the current situation of Tim Sakhorn during his hardship, among them the Radio Free Asia/Khmer Services (RFA), Voice of America/Khmer Program (VOA), the Voice of Khmer-Krom (VOKK), the Radio France International (RFI), the radio broadcasting service in Australia, the Beehive Radio Program of Mr. Mam Sonando, and the Asia Times Magazine. The documentary film produced by Ms. Rebecca Sommer, entitled “Eliminated Without Bleeding”, was clearly illustrated about the atrocity committed by the Vietnamese Communist Government against the Khmer-Krom people.

The Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which advocate for the respects for human rights and religious freedom have also been very helpful to the Khmer-Krom’s causes, among them the Human Rights Watch (HRW)--a well-admired Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)—which recently published a book about Khmer-Kroms entitled “Vietnam on the Margins: Rights Abuses of Ethnic Khmer in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta”.

Two other important individuals who are in charge of the Cambodian NGOs in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, who have been working tirelessly to advocate the human rights for the Khmer-Kroms are greatly appreciated. They are Dr. Kek Galabru who is the president of the Cambodia League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and Mr. Ang Chanrith, presently serving as the executive director of the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Human Rights Defense Association. Why Venerable Tim Sakhorn has gained a lot of sympathy from the world community?

It was the Vietnamese government’s secret services agents with a full collaboration from a small group of top ranking Cambodian Buddhist monks under an order from the Hanoi-backed Great Patriarch Tep Vong to arrest Venerable Tim Sakhorn, defrocked him, and deported him to imprison in Vietnam.

One of Tep Vong’s top monk cadres, who engineered this arrest, was Venerable Long Kim Leang. According to Tim Sakhorn who already arrived at Sweden on July 4th 2009, Long Kim Leang was the one who directly stripped off his frock when he refused to be defrocked injustice. Tep Vong and his band accused Venerable Tim Sakhorn of undermining to the Cambodia-Vietnam’s relations. The Vietnamese judge, on the other hand, sentenced Tim Sakhorn for one year of imprisonment. Both of Tep Vong and the Vietnamese Communist government were lying to their teeth regarding Venerable Tim Sakhorn’s matter.

As a matter of fact, Abbot Tim Sakhorn was just a Good Samaritan with a true compassion to help the poor and needy Khmer-Krom refugees who escaped from the Communist repressions in Vietnam. As an Abbot of his temple, Venerable Tim Sakhorn provided his pagoda as a sanctuary place for these refugees to stay temporarily and gave them foods as well as other necessary assistance before these people could find other means to live on their own.

His monastery is located just less than a few miles from the border of Vietnam at the province of An Giang and this monk had never crossed the boundary into that country at all. Tim Sakhorn is a former Khmer-Krom refugee who fled to Takeo Province, Cambodia in 1978 from the Vietnamese government’s oppression in his hometown in Svay Tong District (Huyen Tri Ton), Mot Chrouk Province (used to be Chau Doc and is presently changed to An Giang Province in Vietnamese). Who are these Khmer-Krom people?

Khmer-Krom people are the Indigenous Peoples who have been living on their ancestral lands in Kampuchea-Krom which is now known as southern Vietnam for thousands of years. Presently, this most fertile region is the major rice basket of Vietnam, making this country to become the second biggest rice exporter in the world, next to Thailand.

During nearly a century of occupation in Indochina from 1863 to 1954, the French colonial power ceded Kampuchea-Krom to Vietnam on the 4th of June 1949 without any prior consultation with the Cambodian government or a permission from the Khmer-Krom populations at all. There were countless atrocities committed by the Vietnamese governments of all regimes through their secret ethnic cleansing policies against the Khmer-Krom.

Map of Kampuchea-Krom

During the American involvement in the Vietnam War, so many Khmer-Krom people were severely suffered by the atrocity and ethnic cleansing policy committed against them by the Vietnamese Communist insurgency and the Ngo Dinh Diem regime as well as other subsequent Saigon Governments. Being caught between the rocks and the hard places, so many Khmer-Krom people voluntarily served in the U.S. Army Special Forces to fight against the Communist Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Armies (VC/NVA).

Like the Montagnard Hill Tribes in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and the Hmong Hill Tribes in Laos, significant numbers of Khmer-Krom people were specially selected to operate in top secret missions behind the enemy’s lines along the infamous Ho-Chi-Minh Trails in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. These Khmer-Krom people fought bravely, courageously, daringly, and loyally side by side with their American commanding officers of the elite U.S. Green Berets against the out-numbered, out-gunned, and well-trained VC/NVA in the most inhospitable environment in the triple canopy jungles of those Ho-Chi-Minh Trails.

After the complete withdrawal of the American troops from South Vietnam and the subsequent fall of that country into the Communist occupation in April 1975, the situation regarding the Khmer-Krom holocaust became worst. The Hanoi regime began to intensify their oppression to eliminate the Khmer-Krom race, especially to seek revenges against these poor indigenous populations for their collaborations and loyalties with the U.S. Special Forces during the war.

At the present time, even after nearly two decades of U.S.-Vietnam normalized relationship, Hanoi still continues to oppress the Khmer-Krom through their tremendous human rights violations, religious persecutions, confiscations of their ancestral lands, and other socio-economic deprivations. The Khmer-Krom indigenous peoples are not allowed to learn their own language and history in public schools or to freely practice their Theravada Buddhism without the interference and strict control of the Vietnamese government.

When Khmer-Krom people stood up for their rights, the Vietnamese Communist authorities arrested these poor people, imprisoned, tortured, and executed them. Many tactics and strategies employed by the Hanoi government through their ethnic cleansing policies against the Khmer-Krom.

The UNHCR should do more to protect the Khmer-Krom refugees in Bangkok from being arrested and deported back to Cambodia by the Thai government. What was the major reason of the Khmer-Krom’s recent escape to Thailand?

On 8 February 2007, approximately two hundred Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks in Soc Trang province of Vietnam organized a peaceful demonstration to demand religious freedom. Instead of solving this problem non-violently, the Vietnamese government cracked down on these Khmer-Krom protesters. The police arrested, defrocked, and imprisoned some of the monks whom they considered of leading this peaceful demonstration. Other Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks who were fearful for their safety regarding this repression escaped to Cambodia.

Unfortunately, there is a double discrepancy in Cambodia by the Ministry of Interior regarding their handling of the Khmer-Krom refugee situation. First, the UNHCR refused to grant the refugee status for these Khmer-Krom people, claiming that according to the Cambodian constitution, any Khmer-Krom who escaped from Vietnam to Cambodia will be automatically given the full Cambodian citizenship. So, the UNHCR could not accept the Khmer refugees in their Cambodian homeland.

But the Cambodian Ministry of Interior which oversees many important aspects of the Cambodian domestic affairs including the immigration, local administration, and internal securities has never issued the official document recognizing the legitimacy of these Khmer-Krom people as the Cambodian citizenship, such as the birth certificate, national identification card, the rights to attend public school, to work and to vote. As a result these Khmer-Krom people became illegal aliens in Cambodia resulting in their inability to find employment, enrolling in schools, have the rights to vote, or to obtain the Cambodian passport. In contrast, the same Cambodian Ministry of Interior secretly granted the full Cambodian citizenship to almost all of the Vietnamese who are able to migrate freely into Cambodia by issuing them the above mentioned government document to legitimize their status.

Subsequently, to express their support and sympathy for the Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks who were arrested and imprisoned in Vietnam, the Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks in Cambodia organized a peaceful protest in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh to demand the release their fellow Buddhist monks. Unfortunately, the Cambodian Ministry of Interior ordered the Police and even the Cambodian Buddhist monks to violently attack these peaceful protesters. Again, Venerable Long Kim Leang, was among the Cambodian high ranking Buddhist monks receiving order from the Hanoi puppet monk—the Great Patriarch Tep Vong-- who ordered other monks under his command to crack down on these Khmer-Krom monks, making this violent chaos look like the fighting between the monks and the monks.

Left image: Cambodia police chased Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks
Right image: Long Kim Leang was leading his “pro-Communist Vietnamese” monks to oppress the Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks

On May 30, 2009, Mr. Huynh Ba who is a Khmer-Krom activist for the land rights was also arrested by the Vietnamese authority. Since then, the Vietnamese government has rejected the request of Mr. Huynh Ba’s family to visit him inside a prison as well as not to give him a fair trial. His family, from the day of his arrest until the present time, has been kept in the dark by the Vietnamese Communist authority from learning about the health condition and the well being of Mr. Huynh Ba.

By stealing the ancestral lands of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom Peoples in Kampuchea-Krom, which is Vietnam’s main rice basket, making this country to become the world’s second biggest rice exporter, millions of our populations are starving and are living in poverty. Besides that, while Vietnam is receiving billions of dollars from digging crude oils on the Khmer-Krom’s ancestral sea near O-Cap (Vung Tau) province, the Indigenous Khmer-Krom Peoples are getting nothing from that benefit.


Since the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF), which represents the voice of our Khmer-Krom people in the international arena, became an official member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) in 2001, this KKF organization has organized our people to actively participate in the global diplomatic mainstream through the peaceful human rights movement based on the international laws. When the Indigenous Khmer-Krom Peoples know their rights, they would stand up for these rights, especially the rights for self-determination so that they could live freely on their ancestral land. By realizing this dream, they would not need to flee their beloved homeland any more in order to seek refuge in another country. “When There is a Will, There will be a Way”.

7th January Monks, Tep Vong, Long Kim Leang, and Sao Chanthol Defrocked Venerable Tim Sakhorn

7th January Hochimonks, from left to right: Comrade Tep Vong, Comrade Long Kim Leang and Comrade Sao Chanthol

13 July 2009
By PrenokorNews Team

"At this time, Long Kim Leang, a 7th January monk, is currently staying at a Khmer temple in San Jose, California because he was sponsored to live in the US at that temple. Tim Sakhorn is already invited to come to San Jose for the year end meeting of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation in December 2009. Let’s see if Long Kim Leang still has power to arrest Tim Sakhorn and deport him again to Vietnam."

After arriving at the third country, a Former Buddhist monk and also an Abbot of the northern Phnom Den pagoda, Kiri Vong district, Takeo province, Tim Sakhorn confirmed that the 7the January Buddhist clergies Tep Vong ordered Long Kim Leang, and Sao Chanthol to strip of his monk’s robe, placed in a car and sent him to imprison in Vietnam.

Tim Sakhorn is a well-known Khmer Krom human rights activist. After being granted a political asylum safely in the third country, he told a PreynokorNew’s Journalist about how he was defrocked and arrested in Takeo province. He confirmed that Long Kim Leang and Sao Chanthol directly defrocked him at Seyha Rattana Ram pagoda in Takeo provincial on 30th June 2007, pushed him into a car, deported to Vietnam to be imprisoned in An Giang province.

The following were the interview between Preynokor News’ Journalist and Tim Sakhorn on Wednesday 8th July 2009:

Preynokor News: When you were in Kampuchea, did you decide to leave from monk hood or you were defrocked?
Tim Sakhorn: When I was in Kampuchea, (the top Buddhist clergies Tep Vong, including Long Kim Leang, Sao Chanthol, and Chea Om…) After I had lunch, Cheas Om phoned me.

Preynokor News: Who was Cheas Om?
Tim Sakhorn: Cheas Om was a high-ranking Buddhist monk in Takeo province in Seyha Rattana Ram pagoda.

Preynorkor News: Why did he call you? What did he say?
Tim Sakhorn: He called me in order to cheat me by saying that just asking me to visit him. In contrast, they planned to meet me, then the Buddhist clergies including Sao Chanthol took the defrocking order letter which already distributed to every pagodas in Kampuchea Krom saying that I undermined the relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam which were signed and stamped by top Buddhist clergy Non Nget and Tep Vong. They defrocked me and forced me to get into a car and sent to the Vietnamese authorities in An Giang province.

7th January Monk, Sao Chanthol was answering the interview while he was conducting his 7th January monks to oppress Khmer Krom Buddhist monks who were protesting to demand releasing Khmer Krom Buddhist monks in Vietnam.

Preynorkor News: They accused you of self-repatriation, in this case, they had a letter and signed by you too, is it true?
Tim Sakhorn: In this case, they forced me to do like that. I’ve never wanted to leave far away from my family, parent, and siblings that all live in Phnom Den district because I used to live there since 1979.

Preynorkor News: What kind of police that sent you to prison in An Giang province?
Tim Sakhorn: This based on high-ranking police cooperated with top Buddhist clergies could send me. Just their car entered Cheas Om’s doorway at Seyha Rattana Ram pagoda, waited for me to leave the building, they pushed me into the car. The four police officers in civilian uniform drove me across the Phnom Den border checkpoint to An Giang province.

Tim Sakhorn – a former defrocked Khmer-Krom Buddhist by 7th January monks in Cambodia

Preynorkor News: Did you remember one of the police that arrest you?
Tim Sakhorn: No, they cooperated with the Khmer Buddhist monks.

Preynorkor News: What was the name of Buddhist clergies who defrocked you?
Tim Sakhorn: At that time I saw Cheas Om, Sao Chanthol and other monks from Tep Vong’s group consisted of six monks led by Long Kim Leang at Unnalom pagoda representative Tep Vong and nearly twenty pagoda boys along with them.

Long Kim Leang, 7th January Monk

Preynorkor News: When they sent you to the border in An Giang province, did anyone come to take you?
Tim Sakhorn: They sent me to Vietnam directly until reaching to Tinh Bien district. After Arriving at police office, they gave me to Vietnam authorities, then the Khmer polices drove back to Cambodia left me to Vietnamese polices.

Before defrocking Tim Sakhorn, Khmer Krom Buddhist monks protested in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia to demand for respecting Khmer Krom Human Rights in Kampuchea Krom because Vietnam authorities defrocked many Khmer Krom Buddhist monks after the demonstration on 8 February 2007 at Pali school in Khleang province.

Long Kim Leang and Sao Chanthol sent his 7th January monks to attack Khmer Krom monks

The non-violence demonstration of Khmer Krom Buddhist monks in Cambodia to demand Vietnamese government to respect Khmer Krom Rights was crack downed by the Cambodian official monks who served Vietnamese political agenda, such as Long Kim Leang the chief of monks that had Khmer body but Vietnamese head. The public opinion called him as the 7th January Buddhist monk. His monks and Hoc Lundy’s polices hit a Khmer Krom monk in his head and caused bleeding seriously and many others wounded.

Long Kim Leang was leading his 7th January monks to oppress Khmer Krom monks

To confirm that Long Kim Leang in Cambodia stayed at Unnalom pagoda along with the top Buddhist monk, “7th January” Tep Vong, has position as deputy high-ranking monk in Don Penh district and Sao Chanthol the abbot of Lankar pagoda. After arrested venerable Tim Sakhorn and defrocked him and also accomplished their tasks from cracked-down on Khmer Krom monks who protested in front of Vietnamese embassy for many times, Long Kim Leang was appointed by Hun Sen government as Preah Putha Khosachar and Sao Chanthol as Preah Arya Vong.

Cambodian polices attacked Khmer Krom Buddhist monks

In 2007, Long Kim Leang went to USA in an attempt to join seima festival at Munisota Ram pagoda located in Minnesota state. There were many Khmers and Khmer Krom living there planed to demonstrate against Long Kim Leang at that time. He heard that so he dared to participate in this festival and hided himself silently in California.

7th January monks

In 2008, Long Kim Leang went to USA for the second time. He stayed at Angkor Borey pagoda, Modesto, California for a short time because lay people did not support him and they knew that he was a monk from the top of Buddhist clergies, Tep Vong, so they did not believe and went back to Cambodia.

Long Kim Leang was answering questions for reporters regarding his 7th January monks cracked down the peaceful protest of Khmer Krom Buddhist monks

At this time, a 7th January monk, Long Kim Leang, is currently staying at a Khmer temple in San Jose, California because he was sponsored to live in the US at that temple. Tim Sakhorn is already invited to come to San Jose for the year end meeting of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation in December 2009. Let’s see if Long Kim Leang still has power to arrest Tim Sakhorn and deport him again to Vietnam.

To read this news in Khmer, please visit: http://preynokornews.blogspot.com