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.
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.
