Group Warns Monks Off Politics

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 August 2007

A local research organization has written King Norodom Sihamoni warning him that monks and politics don't mix.

The Cambodian National Research Organization said allowing monks to vote would encourage laymen to choose their temples along party lines, countering the spirit of Buddhism.

If monks have the right to vote, they have the right to hold office, said Heang Rithy, head of the research organization, which cold lead to the politicization of the faith.

"In general, monks cannot participate in the elections," he said. "If you allow monks to vote, that means you allow them to run for office as well. This is against the principles of Buddhism. This amounts to making fun of the religion."

Kuol Panha, executive director of the independent Committee for Free and Fair Elections, disagrees. Monks do have the right to vote but they don't have the legal right to run for office, he said.

"Monks can elect political candidates whom they think will serve Buddhism, but they themselves can't run for office," he said.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said monks are capable of objective voting, but they should not participate in political campaigns.

"I personally think that monks have rights like everyone else, to exercise their rights at the polling stations," he said.

Monks have been voting since 1993, and no law forbids it, said Cheam Yeap, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

"Monks should be considered as independent voters," Cheam Yeap said. "They can vote. It would be against the Cambodian constitution if you forbid monks from voting."

The constitution allows all men and women of legal age to vote.

CCHR: The Cambodian government’s action [to deport Monk Tim Sakhorn to Vietnam] is a violation of human rights [- Tep Vong is a CPP instrument]

02 August 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

CCHR Ou Virak said that: “We see that the initiation of Tim Sakhorn’s problem is similar to those occurring under the communist regime (PRK regime installed by Vietnam), people were arrested and they disappeared because they were deported to Vietnam to be jailed there. They were prevented from having relative visitation rights. This action is a human rights violation in Cambodia, because Monk Tim Sakhorn is a citizen with his rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Therefore, the Cambodian government’s action reminds us of the period when Vietnam ruled over Cambodia.”

Ou Virak added: “… this is a problem that we should avoid because we consider our country as a democratic currently, and we are currently strengthening the rule of law. This problem shows that our country did not move forward, but we are going backward in the strengthening of the judicial system and in the application of the law. The fact that the Cambodian government can arrest a Cambodian citizen and deport him to another country in secret without court appearance, and without following the letter of the law, is a case of human rights violation.”

CCHR observes that the link between religion and the current Cambodian regime is such that the government is allowed to nominate to the religious hierarchy, monk officials who help spread out the regime’s propaganda. The Cambodian Monk-King Tep Vong is one of such monk officials because the role played by this Monk-King clearly reveals the travesty in the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn who used to be also the vice-president of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (installed by Vietnam) Assembly in 1981, and the Monk-King also maintains a close relationship with the CPP party.

CCHR calls for a change in such method used for the nomination of monk officials, and it calls for a national level discussion on the link between the government and the religion in Cambodia, so that Buddhism structure in Cambodia can fulfill its role independently.

Discrimination against monks in Koh Kong?

07 June 2007
By Uk Sav Bory
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

A monk living in Sovann Boripoath pagoda, located in Koh Kapik commune, Koh Kong district, Koh Kong province, suffered discrimination and lack of support from the pagoda committee because he is accused of leaning towards the Sam Rainsy Party.

Monk Bou Uy said that, recently, he was ill and a private doctor in the commune took care of him in the pagoda. The cost of the care amounted to 500 Thai Bath (~$14.50).

Because he did not have the money, he asked the pagoda committee to help him pay for the care cost. However, the pagoda committee, whom Monk Bou Uy declined to name, accused him and the deputy abbot of the pagoda of supporting the Sam Rainsy Party because he was seen going too often to recite prayers and give Buddhist sermons at the home of the second commune councilor who happens to be a SRP member.

Monk Bou Uy said: “Because the pagoda committee is party-centric also, they disapprove the monks, they said that I am pro-SRP and they refused to help pay (for the healthcare cost), and they also said that the abbot is also pro-SRP. Monks are neutral, we do not back any political party.”

The deputy-abbot of the Sovann Boripoath pagoda said that he is neutral, and that monks should not be discriminated against or subjected to such accusations.

As a monk, he usually receives alms, or is invited by people, and he said that monks never think about the hosts who invited them as belonging to this or that political party. “He is the chairman of the pagoda committee for several years already … and he pressures me and accuses me and another monk, but when he is in front of me, he never dares say anything.”

Regarding the problem faced by monks in the Sovann Boripoath pagoda, Yun Thorn, the Koh Kapik commune chief, denied that there was any political discrimination at the pagoda. “No one is party-centric, nor do they discriminate against any political party, there’s no such thing.”

Monk Yous Hut Khemacharo, President of the Cambodian Buddhist Foundation and an advisor to the Cambodian Dharma Diplomacy Association, said that the understanding of Buddhist Dharma [in some part of Cambodia] is still too low, this lack of understanding pushes monks and laymen alike to practice the 4 unfairness as stated in Buddhism: “This is related to the education and the practice of Buddhism, they must be pushed to a higher degree (of knowledge), when that happens, all the discrimination, division, bias, which are part of the 4 dharma of unfairness – bias because of love due to self-serving interest; bias because of hate due to anger; bias because of ignorance due to confusion and lack of intelligence; bias because of fear due to fright – will disappear.”

Dr Pung Chiv Kek, Licadho President, said that Monk Bou Uy was sick, therefore the pagoda committee should look at the humanitarian aspect, and it should not discriminate against monks as to whether they are neutral or not, simply because monks cannot refuse any invitation from laymen because monks do not know which political party a host belongs to. Those who accused monks of supporting any political party are wrong, and even if the monks go to vote, it is their individual rights, as stipulated by the constitution.