Fear reigns in Cambodia after the disappearance of Monk Tim Sakhorn

Buddhist monks and laypersons are worried about expressing their opinions

24 July 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

"[P]eople keeps saying that the Cambodian people have peace, but in reality, they don’t have peace because if they were to have peace, people don’t disappear like this" - Seller in Phnom Penh on the disappearance of Monk Tim Sakhorn

A number of Cambodian monks and laypersons in Phnom Penh have complained about their fear to express their opinions.

The Cambodia Daily reported on Tuesday that a number of people and monks claimed that they are concerned about their personal safety if they talk to reporters about the disappearance of Monk Tim Sakhorn.

This fear took place when news broke out about the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn and he was subsequently taken away in a car by a group of armed men. Monk Tim Sakhorn was the former abbot of the Phnom Den North pagoda located in Takeo province, he disappeared since his defrocking on 30 June 2007.

Chhim Sithan, a citizen, compared the disappearance of Monk Tim Sakhorn to a scare tactics perpetrated against all those who criticize the government.

Chhim Sithan indicated that not only monks are scared, but the entire population is also scared to express their opinions on this issue also. A 35-year-old monk from Moha Montrey pagoda said that monks are afraid of retaliations if they expressed their opinions.

Patriarch Non Nget said that Monk Tim Sakhorn created a lot of troubles and that was why the Cambodian authority defrocked him, he said that this was done according to the law. However, Prak Saran, a facilitator of the Adhoc organization in Takeo province, indicated that Monk Tim Sakhorn provided shelters to Khmer Krom monks who fled from Vietnamese oppressions.

Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said in the past that the Cambodian authority sent Monk Tim Sakhorn to Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam) because he volunteered to do so, nevertheless, recently, Khieu Sopheak said that he has no idea where Monk Tim Sakhorn is.

A Cambodian woman who is a seller in Phnom Penh said that people keeps saying that the Cambodian people have peace, but in reality, they don’t have peace because if they were to have peace, people don’t disappear like this.

Sam Rainsy: Hun Sen’s warning of land price tumbling is an election scare tactics

Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Monday, Prime Minister Hun Sen told a crowd in Takeo province that if there were to be a new leader who will replace him, the price of lands will tumble from $2 million per hectare to $500 per hectare, this means that if there will not be Hun Sen to lead Cambodia, instability will happen and the price of real estate will tumble. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy called Hun Sen’s declaration as an election scare tactics. Sam Rainsy said economic improvement in Cambodia has more to do with regional development and not from Hun Sen’s leadership. Sam Rainsy told The Cambodia Daily that even if there is a new prime minister, the Cambodian economy will still be good. Mar Sophal, Comfrel monitoring chief, also said that Hun Sen wants to pressure voters by threatening instability. He said that Cambodia has many able figures who can lead the country. However, a foreign business expert said that Hun Sen’s leadership is an important factor in raising the confidence of the business sector.