Pchum Ben: The final tally from traffic accidents

06 October 2008
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French

During three days, for the celebration of the Festival for the dead, car and motorcycle drivers took on the roads in the kingdom, the net result of which is a major traffic increase, as well as the increase in the number of traffic accidents.

131 accidents were registered by the services of the Ministry of Public Works and Transports between 28 and 30 September. The sad outcome of these led to a number of 28 persons dead, 117 seriously injured, and 145 light injuries. 195 motorcycles, 34 cars and 2 heavy trucks were involved in all these accidents. The provinces of Kandal and Battambang were hit hardest, whereas Rattanakiri, Mondulkiri and Pailin did not see any accident.

According to Keo Savin, the director of the Transportation Department and also secretary of the National Committee for traffic safety, the number of accidents is lower than that of 2007 for the same period, where 213 accidents took place, yielding 36 dead and 151 seriously injured.

Nevertheless, according to Keo Savin, overall, traffic safety has not improved. Based on the report tallied by his department, covering the fist 8 months of 2008, 4,327 accidents took place on all the kingdom’s roads, out of which 1,079 were killed, 3,480 were seriously injured, and 4,201 were slightly injured. In comparison to 2007, this represents an increase of 26.85% for the number of accidents, and 29.53% for the number of people killed. The increase in the number of people injured is also impressive: 17.49% increase in the number of people seriously injured and 35.95% of additional people who were slightly injured.

“This year, the number of fatalities from traffic accidents exceeds the number of those who died from AIDS and landmines. Every day, there are 18 accidents on our roads, and 4.5 people died in average,” Keo Savin concluded.

Water buffalo races end Cambodia festival

VIHEAR SUOR, Cambodia (AFP) — Thousands of Cambodians converged on a village northeast of the capital Monday for annual water buffalo races which bring the country's festival for the dead to a close.

The races mark the last day of Pchum Ben, a three-day festival in which Cambodians believe their dead ancestors emerge to walk the earth. Prayers at Buddhist pagodas and offerings are made to ease the suffering of the spirits.

"I've been joining this race since I was 15 years old. I enjoy the thrill of riding the buffalo in front of so many people like this," said Chorn Khein, a 30-year-old farmer.

The 35 contestants took part to commemorate the Neakta Preah Srok pagoda spirit, said San Sem, 55, a farmer and one of three race judges.

"We want Neakta to look after our village and take care of our cattle so they don't get ill," San Sem said.

"Another reason for the celebration is that the villagers want to show off their own buffaloes," he said.

Vihear Sour village about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Phnom Penh began holding the race more than 70 years ago. It is followed by a traditional wrestling match.

Pchum Ben 2008: Prayers for the last 14 victims of the KR regime

Cambodian Buddhist monks pray in front of the graves of the last 14 victims of the Khmer Rouge regime during an annual ceremony known as "pchumben", or "festival of the dead", at Tuol Sleng genocide museum (S-21) in Phnom Penh, September 23, 2008. The festival culminates on the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the Khmer calendar with millions of Camobdians visiting temples throughout the country to offer prayer and food to the spirits of loved ones. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A Cambodian woman places incense on the graves of the last 14 victims of the Khmer Rouge regime as Buddhist monks pray during an annual ceremony known as "pchumben", or "festival of the dead", at Tuol Sleng genocide museum (S-21) in Phnom Penh, September 23, 2008. The festival culminates on the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the Khmer calendar with millions of Camobdians visiting temples throughout the country to offer prayer and food to the spirits of loved ones. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Pchum Ben ceremony in Wat Triratanaram, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts

The Final Days of 2008 Ancestors Memorial Ceremony
Remembering All The Deads

Saturday - Sunday September 27 -28, 2008

Organized by the Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks Center

We, Buddhist monks and temple committee, would like to inform you, community members, and Buddhist devotees from all directions that wish to offer merits (dana), observe the precepts, and meditate in order to honor your ancestors, mothers, fathers in the tradition that has passed down to us since the ancient and uphold your own national identity and religion, are cordially invited to make contribution of the four merits to the Buddhist monks.

Due to this year, the actual final day of the Ancestors Memorial Ceremony occurs on a weekday, Monday September 29th, where many of our Buddhist devotees commit their times to their daily livelihood by attending to their employments, the final days would be move back two days to Saturday and Sunday September 27 and 28, 2008.

Location:

The Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks Center of United States
Wat Triratanaram
21 – 25 Quigley Avenue
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
Phone: 978-251-2587, 978-251-2709, or 978-251-1198

THE 2-DAY CONCLUSION OF ANCESTORS MEMORIAL CEREMONY

Saturday September 27, 2008

9:00AM Arrival of lay people, pay homage to the Triple Gems, chant Paritta, alms offerings to the Buddhist clergies, ancestors, deceased parents, families, relatives, compatriots, and other beings.

6:30PM Arrival of lay people, pay homage to the Triple Gems, chant Paritta, ...more.

Sunday September 28, 2008

9:00AM Arrival of lay people, pay homage to the Triple Gems, chant Paritta, alms offerings to the Buddhist clergies, ancestors, deceased parents, families, relatives, compatriots, and other beings.

6:30PM Arrival of lay people, pay homage to the Triple Gems, chant Paritta, ...more.

Therefore, we would like to extend our cordial invitations to you, your families, colleagues, friends, community members, and compatriots to join with us in honoring our ancestors, deceased parents, relatives and beings, who experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, in the three dharmas: Truthfulness, Forbearance, and Gratitude.

For more information: http://www.templenews.info/index.htm

Bay Ben

Cambodian Buddhist followers hold cooked rice in preparation for throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodian Buddhist followers carry cooked rice and candles before throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Khmer Krom in Vietnam celebrates Pchum Ben under the watchful eyes of the communist Vietnamese apparatchiks

Meeting celebrates Khmer people’s Sene Dolta Don Ta Festival

20/09/2008
VNA (Hanoi)

VietNamNet Bridge – The Khmer people’s Sene Dolta Don Ta Festival was attended by more than 500 officials of central agencies, committees for religion from Mekong Delta provinces and Ho Chi Minh City, dignitaries, monks and nuns in Can Tho City on Sept. 19.

Lieut. Gen. Luu Phuoc Luong, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region, delivered a greeting letter from Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung to the southern Khmer people during the festival.

The letter stated: “This year, the government, ministries, branches and Mekong Delta localities continue implementing the Party and State policies aiming to promote socio-economic development in the region, especially areas inhabited by the Khmer people. All members, including monks and nuns, of the Khmer ethnic minority group have upheld the sense of solidarity and emulation in production and learning, and active participation in revolutionary movements.”

The Deputy PM said he believed that the officials, people and Buddhist monks and nuns of the Khmer group in the southern region will overcome all difficulties, actively strive for a happy life, bring into play the tradition of unity among nationalities and religions, and heighten revolutionary vigilance to contribute towards national construction and defence.

At the meeting, several religious dignitaries and Khmer people expressed thanks for the sentiments expressed by the Party and State towards ethnic minority people in the southern region, including the Khmer people.

The Sene Dolta Don Ta Festival is the 2nd largest annual festival after the Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) of the Khmer people in the Mekong Delta.

During the Sene Dolta Don Ta Festival the Khmer people gather at pagodas to pray for bumper crops and pay tributes to their ancestors, and enjoy a range of light-hearted activities, including traditional song and dance performances at the end of a hard working year.

Well-fed when dead ... but hungry when still alive and kicking?

Well-fed dead

Thursday, 18 September 2008
Written by Heng Chivoan
The Phnom Penh Post

Monks pray on behalf of the dead and bless the food relatives will later offer their deceased ancestors, at a predawn ceremony at Kandal province's Wat Srey Ompil on Tuesday to mark P'Chum Ben, or festival of the dead, celebrations. (Heng Chivoan)

Beggars waiting to ask for some money on the first day of Pchum Ben festival at Langka Pagoda, Phnom Penh. According to Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, there are more beggars now than ever in the city. Many of them come from Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Province. The authorities have plans to move them out of sight soon. Source: Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, October 3-4, 2004

Pchum Ben, the authorities are calling for respect for Buddhism

(Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

16-09-2008
Cambodge Soir Hebdo in English
Click here to read the article in French

The Cambodians are celebrating the festival of the death from the 15th until the 30th of September. On this occasion, Mob Sarin, Deputy Governor of Phnom Penh, is asking the officials to cooperate in order to avoid tumult.

The National Festival Committee wants peaceful celebrations. On the occasion of the festival of the death, many problems indeed regularly affect the peaceful development of the ceremonies. This year, Mob Sarin hopes to see a better cooperation between the officials from the Ministry of Cults and the local authorities in order to avoid those events which are contrary to the Buddhist wisdom.

These recommendations concern the last day in particular, called Pchum Ben (the gathering of rice grains). After the 14 days of the Kan Ben period, Pchum Ben starts at four in the morning. The Buddhists go to the nearest pagoda in order to sprinkle the stupas with rice grains, with the collaboration of monks. For the beggars, this is the occasion to test the generosity of the people. But others take advantage of this celebration to cause trouble, alas a common practise these last years.

Besides calling for vigilance, Mob Sarin recommends that people take advantage of the event to pay tribute to the victims of the Pol Pot regime.

First day of Pchum Ben Festival in Cambodia

A woman lights incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Buddhists monks look on as people offer rice during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A woman prays during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea