Open letter to the public by EB

Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Originally posted at: http://luonsovath.blogspot.com/2011/12/open-letter-to-public-by-eb.html

Dear Supporters and Friends;

The recent news reported by many media outlets in Cambodia about the criminal court order towards an oversea Khmer dissent named Suon Serey Ratha who is known for his movement called "Khmer People Power Movement or KPPM", by the court of Cambodia, has linked it to other two Cambodian Buddhist monks. According to news reported by Voice of Democracy (VOD) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), Venerable Sieng Sovannara, the vice abbot of Watt Samakii Rangsy of Mean Chey District, Phnom Penh city, was interrogated on a suspicion of his association with Suon Serey Ratha and Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath.

By this order and linkage, it means two Cambodian monks mentioned above, especially Preah Krou Luon Sovath, have involved in criminal accuse or indirectly threatening?

Note that Suon Serey Ratha is known for his sharp critics towards the government and he has led an anti-movement to topple the government by traveling to different countries to persuade Cambodian dissents to join his movement including his many trips in-and-out Cambodia. He is a naturalized American and a layman.

Venerable Sieng Sovannara is a Khmer Kampuchea Krom monk whose homeland is locating in Mekong Delta River which is well-known for fertile soil, rich Buddhism and ethnic Khmer population, but this region was taken over by the Vietnamese imperialist and the communist authority has violated their basic rights irreversibly. Last few years, a Khmer Kampuchea Krom monk named Tim Sakhorn, the abbot of Phnom Den pagoda, was defrocked by the Cambodian authority and handed him to Vietnamese authority to incarcerate in Vietnam for several years before he was released and asylumed in the third country.

Buddhist monk supporting Boeung Kak residents face arrest

Ven. Luon Sovath, a land activist in Cambodia (Photo: BBC)

28 March 2011
By Phorn Ryna
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Venerable Luon Sovath, who appeared among the group of protesting Boeun Kak residents, is in hiding and he does not dare go to his pagoda because the authority is looking to arrest him.

Ven. Luon Sovath told RFA in the evening of Sunday 27 March that the authority was looking to arrest him since the morning of 25 March when he was watching and taping the protesters demanding a resolution to their rights to own the land in the Boeung Kak Lake area which took place in front of the Phnom Penh city hall. He was facing arrest because the authority accused him of violating the Buddhism rule because he was siding with the protesters.

In response to this accusation, Ven. Luon Sovath said that he did nothing to violate Buddhism. However, the authority attempted to chase him out from the location, but he refused: “I was not involved with the Boeung Kak residents, as a monk, I was only watching. Therefore, I did nothing to violate the law or any rule, then they sweet talk in an attempt to make me leave, but I refused. Then they said that if I don’t leave, I must bear the responsibility, they will not be responsible.”

Venerable Loun Sovath's Interview on Radio Australia - បទ​សម្ភាសន៍​ជាមួយ​ព្រះ​ភិក្ខុលួន សូវ៉ាត​នៅប្រទេស​អូស្រ្តាលី

Ven. Loun Sovath (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Originally posted at: http://luonsovath.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-post_27.html

Click on the control below to listen to the interview in Khmer:

Click here to listen or download the interview in MP3

Summary of the Interview in English

Interviewer: Venerable, what are your purposes in coming to Australia?
Ven. Luon Sovath: My purposes to come to Australia this time is to participate with Khmer Buddhists in Australia during this auspicious Bon Pchum Ben during this Rain Retreat Season as in Cambodia I am expelled from the pagoda by the Supreme Patriarchs and the Chief Monk of Siem Reap because of my activity in engaging with the evicted communities and the victims of land grabbing. Other purpose is to bring petition for the greater support of everyone in requesting the supreme patriarch as well as the chief monk of Siem Reap province to withdraw their orders.

Interviewer: Now, Venerable is arriving Australia, do you plan to travel to other cities as well or just stay in Melbourne?
Ven. Luon Sovath: Yes, I will travel in accordance with the invitation and friendly relationship of the Buddhist friends here.

Interviewer: so Venerable plans to stay in Australia only one month?
Ven.Luon Sovath: Yes

Interviewer: Recently, Venerable has faced many problems because of your engagement with the social activities, could Venerable discuss those issues in details for the audience here?
Ven. Luan Sovath: Truly, it is because my engagement and outreaching to the communities of land grab victims and forced eviction. In reality, it is not my problem, it is the government problem whose people have been suffered. Look at the Australian government, the suffering of the people has been justly dealt. In Cambodia, the suffering of the people have been deeply embedded by the lawless activities, physical violence and bullet shooting.

L’intrépide bonze cambodgien primé à Genève

Source: InfoSud (Suisse)

2 octobre 12 - Bravant les tabous de sa société, Luon Sovath quadrille le Cambodge, des caméras incorporées à ses lunettes, pour témoigner en direct. Il a reçu mardi à Genève le prestigieux prix Martin Ennals destiné aux défenseurs des droits de l’homme.

Carole Vann/Infosud - « Avec des armes, ils ont sorti les familles, femmes et enfants, en les rouant de coups, les traînant par les cheveux, il y avait des cris, des pleurs, du sang. Les policiers tiraient dans la foule, les maisons étaient incendiées. C’était en 2009 à Chikreang, mon pays natal, dans la province de Siem Reap (ndlr : où se trouvent les temples d’Angkor). Les grandes compagnies voulaient s’emparer de nos terres. Mes parents étaient parmi les victimes, on leur a tout pris. » Le vénérable Luon Sovath – c’est ainsi qu’on nomme les bonzes au Cambodge – n’a pas attendu ce triste épisode pour s’échapper de sa pagode et partir soutenir les populations victimes du fléau qui gangrène le pays : les expulsions forcées. Maintes fois menacé d’emprisonnement ou de mort, il filme, à l’aide de son téléphone portable ou de caméras incorporées dans les montures de ses lunette, les violences à travers tout le pays.

Luon Sovat recevait hier à Genève le prix Martin Ennals 2012. Cette prestigieuse distinction, fruit d’une collaboration entre dix des plus importantes organisations internationales des droits de l’homme, vise à encourager les défenseurs en danger et qui ont besoin d’une protection immédiate. Un choix particulièrement pertinent alors que ce lundi, un journaliste, propriétaire d’une des seules radios indépendantes du Cambodge, Mam Sonando, vient d’être condamné à 20 ans de prison.

Latest update of Ven. Preah Krou Luon Sovath

Op-Ed: http://luonsovath.blogspot.com

Dear Dhamma Friends;

The journey of Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath for the defending of human rights in Cambodia has not been smooth and easy, but thing has kept his socially engaged Buddhist value moving and alive is from his internal strength and the supportive mindset of everyone. So please, continue to give him support as much as you can. 

Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath has been in Cambodia after his long journey for the international campaign for the respect of human rights in Cambodia. Buddha and human rights is the same. Nonetheless, Buddha also valued and respected the rights of animal and nature as well.

However, his arriving in Cambodia saddened after he realized that his pet (dog) he has ever fed him food in the Watt Unaloum temple has been lost after he went to feed him food on the 21th of this October.

Pressure from the authority towards Venerable Preah Krou Luon Sovath has blatantly happened by threatening all his students, friends and supporters to isolate him; but now it has been happening with his dog pet who is considering his last friend living in Watt Unaloum.

Multimedia Cambodian Monk Wins International Human Rights Defenders Award

Venerable Luon Sovath and Kyung-wha Kang UN Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights;

NEWS RELEASE
October 2, 2012
Media Contact:
Jenny Coco Chang
718.783.2000 ext. 316
jcoco@witness.org

GENEVA–October 2, 2012–Buddhist monk Venerable Luon Sovath has been presented the prestigious Martin Ennals Award (MEA) for human rights by 10 internationally-recognized human rights organizations in Geneva today.

Venerable Sovath, who was one of three nominees for the award, was given the MEA for his work in support of Cambodian communities facing forced evictions. His win also brings attention to the importance of addressing global forced evictions often faced by marginalized communities all around the world.

[ award photos ]

“I am so happy to see that Cambodia does have the support of the international community, who can truly help us achieve more rights and freedom, especially for poor communities that are having their homes forcibly taken by the government,” said Venerable Luon Sovath.

The MEA, which is known as the Nobel Prize for Human Rights Defenders, is usually given to individuals who have worked at great risk for human rights. Venerable Sovath has been recognized for his innovative tactics – including the use of video, songs and art – to provide persistent, non-violent leadership for communities facing forced evictions. Because of his dedicated work, he is continually threatened with violence, arrest and defrocking. His peaceful approach as a human rights defender is crucial in mobilizing grassroots communities to demand their rights.

Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath visiting Providence

ព្រះភិក្ខុ សច្ចមុនី លួន សាវ៉ាត

To All CNRP-RI Friends,

Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath ព្រះភិក្ខុ សច្ចមុនី លួន សាវ៉ាត is now in Providence, Rhode Island for a few days, Oct. 29 – Nov 2, B.E.2557 A.D.2013. He was welcomed and now stays at Wat Buddhist Center of New England (temple #2). On Friday 11/01/13 @ 530p.m., our CNRP-RI team will go to the temple to pay our respect to Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath and to thank him for his compassionate concern and taking action to address the suffering of Cambodian people in Cambodia.

Please join us at the temple on Friday to pay our respect to Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath.

Ken Oung
President of CNRP-RI

Listen to the whole Public Forum hosted by Khmer-Canadians in Montreal in Welcoming Ven. Luon Sovath

Op-Ed: Venerable Luon Sovath

On March 3, 2012, Watt Buddha Sodharam of Montreal organized a forum gathering to welcome Venerable Luon Sovath. At the event, Venerable Luon Sovath answered to all questions and doubts of the Khmer-Canadians living in Montreal.


Please, listen the whole session of the forum below: Your Kind Interest and Support Are Very Welcome!



See all photos at: http://www.flickr.com//photos/dankuy/sets/72157629504360607/show/

Following the track of Ven. Luon Sovath's visiting to Canada

Op-Ed: Venerable Luon Sovath

Venerable Luon Sovath is a Buddhist monk activist who has sympathized the Cambodian farmers and urban residents whose lands and homes were grabbed and forced eviction by the authority. Now, he is on a trip in Canada and many Cambodian-Canadians are welcoming and attending all his speech session. This video clip is about radio interviewing by different media outlets.

In every speech, Venerable Luon Sovath makes it clear that Buddhism, society and Cambodian people are inalienable and they must be unanimously integrated.

Engaged Buddhism in Cambodia: Challenges and Controversy by CAN Lecture Series

Courtesy of www.hoksavann.org

Op-Ed: Can Cambodia

Lecture Series of CAN CAMBODIA

- Saturday, 15 October 2011 on "Engaged Buddhism: Challenges and Controversy" by Ven. Dr. Hok Savann, www.hoksavann.org:

According to the lecture by Ven. Dr. Hok Savann, Cambodian Buddhism and Cambodian Society is inseparable. Thus, Buddhacakra (Buddhist dimension) and Anaacakra (secular dimension) must be lifted up equally. Buddhist laws and the universal human rights law is the same. Buddhist belief and Buddhist thought is considered a tort law or traditional law which is required the enforcement of secular law (national constitution and sub-decrees) to duly serve society.

Cambodian Buddhism is very substantial for legality, unity and social engagement. Without durable legality, unity, and social engagement, Cambodian society is hardly advancing. However, the respect of the rule of law must not happen only among lower citizens, the upper administrators must be duly obeying it as well. For instance, the lower thieves who stole chickens and ducks have immediately been punished but the thieves who are sitting on office chairs are immune of punishment.

Interesting Summery of Lecture Series organized by CAN Cambodia on 5 November 2011

Op-Ed: Can Cambodia
==>Saturday, 5 November 2011 on Engaged Buddhism: The Roles of Buddhism in Human Resource Development in Cambodia: Past, Present and Future by Ven. Luon Sovath, www.luonsovath.blogspot.com

In short, Buddhism is the religion of Sekha or education. Three Sekha has been exponentially repeated by the Buddha: Sila Sekha or the education of morals, Samadhi Sekha or the education of meditation, and the Panna Sekha or the education of wisdom. These 3 Sekhas is illustrated quite interesting in the Eightfold Path such as Sila Sekha is inclusive in right speech, right action and right livelihood; Samadhi Sekha is inclusive in right effort, right concentration and right meditation; Panna Sekha is inclusive in right thought and right view.

Dhamma delivery approaches of Lord Buddha stresses on three levels: Athi Kalyani or preliminary discourse (Sila), Machhe Kalyani or secondary discourse (Samadhi), and Pariyosana Kalyani or highest discourse (Panna). These three levels of discourse is comprehensive in the Viniya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka. Or at the Sutta level, these 3 approaches are Morals/Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom.

For Cambodia, human resource development is one of the factors among natural capital, financial capital and social capital.

In the past, French tried to pressure on Khmer Buddhist Sangha to serve the protectorate's missions. But when there were perpetual struggles from the Buddhist Sangha, French protectorates agreed to open a Buddhist Institute (BI) to provide space for Cambodian Buddhist monks to learn and create an education at a systemic structure. Suzan Karpeles was the first director of the BI. Scholars have noted that BI is the substantial place for developing nationalism and movement in late decades in liberating and protecting Cambodian nation.

Somdech Chuon Nath is the key leader in reforming Cambodian Buddhism and building productive national central nationalism. His work in translating Tipitaka into simple Khmer language is a great move in modernizing Cambodia.

At the moment, the 60,000 Buddhist monks residing in over 4000 monasteries are the important agents for human resource development in Cambodia. But the lack of giving enough aids to those agents in approaching human resource missionary. If those Buddhist monks are not properly equipped with talent and knowledge, Cambodian Buddhism would be just symbol or a tool for politicians to utilize it, and the future of human resource development in Cambodia will be irrelevant.

According to the lecture organized on November 5, 2011 (10am of Cambodia Time Zone), Ven. Luon Sovath outlined important facts of Buddhism in developing human resource in Cambodia following:

Monk evicted from pagoda - ព្រះ​តេជ​គុណ​លួន​ សុវ៉ាត​បង្ខំ​ចិត្ត​រើ​អី​វ៉ាន់​ចេញ​ពី​វត្ត

Venerable Luon Sovath speaks to reporters at Ounalom pagoda in Phnom Penh before removing his personal belongings from his room. The activist monk has been banned from pagodas. Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Venerable Luon Sovath speaks to reporters while cleaning out his room at Phnom Penh’s Wat Ounalom pagoda yesterday. Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Monday, 12 September 2011May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

A group of residents facing eviction from the Boeung Kak area yesterday turned out to support the monk who has shaken Cambodia’s Buddhist hierarchy by his peaceful advocacy on their behalf.

About 20 residents of the area helped Venerable Loun Sovath remove his personal belongings from Ounalom pagoda yesterday morning, following an order from Supreme Patriarch Non Nget that he do so.

The latest order followed one in April that banned the 32-year-old rural monk from all pagodas in the capital.

Boeung Kak representative Kong Chantha, 44, said it was an injustice that Loun Savath had been banned.

“Only in Pol Pot’s regime did they force monks from pagodas. Now it seems the Pol Pot regime has come back,” Kong Chantha said.

“Not only are villagers forcibly evicted, they forcibly evicting a monk from the pagoda. Where is the justice in Cambodia?”

Latest report by RFA on trip of Ven. Luon Sovath in Montreal, Canada

Op-Ed: Ven. Luon Sovath

Please, listen latest interviewing and activities of Ven. Luon Sovath while he is on his trip in Montreal, Canada by Radio Free Asia. Stay tune...

==>Interview with Venerable Loun Sovath by Phorn Ryna of RFA on 26 February 2012

Cambodian activist first Southeast Asian to receive prestigious rights award [-More of the reason for Hun Xen to be angry?]

The Venerable Luon Sovath (C) is detained by police, monks and unidentified plain-clothed men in Phnom Penh in May 2012. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 04 October 2012
Justine Drennan
The Phnom Penh Post

Activist monk Luon Sovath has been named the recipient of this year’s Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders for his work promoting villagers’ land claims and publicising rights abuses.

A familiar figure at protests in Cambodia, including the widely decried May trial of the Boeung Kak 13, Sovath is the first Southeast Asian to receive the award, which was established in 1993 and is judged by 10 rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

“The intention of the award is to provide recognition and protection,” said Martin Ennals Foundation director Michael Khambatta, adding that Sovath “has an innovative approach to human rights defence” and is a “forceful advocate” against forced evictions, which deserve more international attention.

Ven. Loun Sovath nominated to the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders

(Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

PRESS RELEASE

Geneva, 24 April 2012

Micheline Calmy-Rey Announces Nominees for 2012 Martin Ennals Award 

for Human Rights Defenders

GENEVA - Former Swiss President and newly-appointed Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, today announced the nominees for the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) at a press conference at the Palais Eynard, Geneva, Switzerland. The MEA is the main award of the international human rights movement. 

The announcement and press conference will be streamed 11:00 -11:30hrs Geneva time on http://www.martinennalsaward.org/

The three nominees for the 2012 award are:

Venerable Luon Sovath, Cambodia. In March 2009, Luon Sovath, a Buddhist monk from Siem Reap, Cambodia witnessed his family and fellow villagers being forcibly evicted from their homes. Forced evictions remove families from their homes, often with no compensation. Despite threats of violence, arrest and disrobing, the venerable Sovath, a non-violent Buddhist monk, uses videos, poems and songs to defend the right to housing, but his advocacy touches powerful economic interests. The threats against the venerable Sovath are very real.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a woman lawyer from Iran, is currently serving an 11-year sentence on charges of ‘spreading propaganda against the State’, ‘collusion and gathering with the aim of acting against national security’ and ‘membership in an illegal organization’. She is the former lawyer and member of the organization of the now-exiled Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, who declares Sotoudeh is ‘one of the last remaining courageous human rights lawyers who has accepted all risks for defending the victims of human rights violations in Iran’.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) is internationally recognized for its work on documenting human rights abuses in Bahrain. Despite harassment by the government, who warn of legal action against the Center’s members if they continue their activities, the BCHR provides information to international NGOs and the diplomatic community in Bahrain and advocates locally and internationally in support of demands for democratic change in the Gulf Kingdom.

The nominees were carefully selected by ten human rights organizations which make up the Martin Ennals Award Jury: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, the International Federation for Human Rights, the World Organisation Against Torture, Frontline, the International Commission of Jurists, German Diakonie, the International Service for Human Rights and HURIDOCS.

On 2 October 2012, the Laureate will be announced during the annual ceremony at Victoria Hall, organized in cooperation with the Ville de Genève.

For more information, photos and videos regarding this year's nominees please visit  http://www.martinennalsaward.org  or contact  info@martinennalsaward.org

+41 22 809 49 25.

--------

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE

Genève, le 24 avril 2012

Micheline Calmy-Rey annonce les nominés au Prix Martin Ennals 

pour les Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme 2012

GENÈVE - Micheline Calmy-Rey, ancienne présidente de la Confédération suisse et nouvellement nommée à la présidence de la Fondation Martin Ennals, a annoncé, aujourd’hui, les nominés au Prix Martin Ennals pour les Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme (MEA) 2012, lors d’une conférence de presse qui s’est déroulée au Palais Eynard de Genève (Suisse). Le MEA est le principal prix du mouvement mondial des droits de l’homme. 

L’annonce et la conférence de presse seront diffusées entre 11h00 et 11h30 (heure de Genève) sur le site : http://www.martinennalsaward.org/

Les trois nominés pour le prix 2012 sont :

Le vénérable Loun Sovath (Cambodge). En mars 2009, Loun Sovath, un moine bouddhiste de Siem Reap, au Cambodge, a été témoin des expropriations subies par sa famille et les habitants de son village. Les familles ont été expulsées de leurs habitations, par la force, le plus souvent sans aucun dédommagement. Malgré les menaces de représailles physiques, d’arrestation et d’anathème, dont il fait l’objet, le vénérable Sovath, ce moine bouddhiste qui prône la non violence, utilise des vidéos, des poèmes et des chansons pour défendre le droit au logement, mais son plaidoyer se heurte à de puissants intérêts économiques. Les menaces à son encontre sont donc bien réelles.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, avocate iranienne, qui purge actuellement une peine de 11 ans de prison pour « propagande contre l’État », « collusion et rassemblement visant à agir contre la sécurité nationale » et « appartenance à une organisation illégale ». Elle est membre et ancienne avocate de l’organisation fondée par Shirin Ebadi, prix Nobel de la Paix iranienne, aujourd’hui exilée, qui affirme que Sotoudeh est : « l’une des dernières avocates courageuses à se consacrer à la défense des droits de l’homme et à prendre tous les risques pour défendre les victimes de violations des droits humains en Iran ».    

Le Centre bahreïni pour les droits de l’homme (BCHR) est mondialement reconnu pour son travail de diffusion d’informations relatives aux violations des droits humains au Bahreïn. Malgré le harcèlement du gouvernement, qui menace les membres du Centre de poursuites judiciaires s'ils continuent leurs activités, le BCHR fournit des informations aux ONG internationales et à la communauté diplomatique au Bahreïn, tout en soutenant, localement et à l’échelle mondiale, les demandes de changement démocratique dans le royaume du Golfe.

Les nominés ont été soigneusement sélectionnés par les dix organisations de défense des droits de l’homme qui composent le Jury du Prix Martin Ennals : Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, la Fédération internationale des droits de l’homme, l’Organisation mondiale contre la torture, Frontline, la Commission internationale des juristes, Diakonie Allemagne, le Service international pour les droits de l’homme et HURIDOCS.          

Le nom du lauréat sera annoncé, le 2 octobre 2012, lors de la cérémonie annuelle, organisée en collaboration avec la Ville de Genève, qui se tiendra au Victoria Hall.

Pour plus d’informations, de photos et de vidéos concernant les nominés de cette année, rendez-vous sur le site  http://www.martinennalsaward.org  ou contactez-nous par e-mail à info@martinennalsaward.org ou par téléphone au +41 22 809 49 25.

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”.

Message from Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath

How much Khmers hate Hun Xen and CPP Gangsters...

Venerable Saccamuni Luon Sovath at the United Nations
Headquarters on Friday October 25, 2013.

Khmer woman hates Hun Xen that much!


Note: I will be with Ven. Luon Sovath for the Kathina Dana Ceremony in Connecticut, 
11 hours from now. If you need to get a hold of me, please drop me an email here jendhamuni@gmail.com.

CAMBODIA: THEATRE OF VIOLENCE Series

Or

CPP CRIMES 

AGAINST THE PEOPLE

Series

CPP VIOLENCE AGAINST MONKS

Remember the BLOODY VIOLENCE OF 1997?

Or the BLOODY ELECTION VIOLENCE OF 1998?

or the BLOODY VIOLENCE against Venerable Tim Sakhorn?

What crime against Venerable Luon Sovath?

Venerable Luon Sovath evicted from pagoda

Venerable Luon Sovath

How about the violence against the people of Boeung Lak?

STATE-SPONSORED Theft in Boeung Kak Lake

 etc.

THE CPP

=

ENEMY OF THE KHMER PEOPLE

Raw Clip: An Interview with Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath on Nov 4, BE2556 AD2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yELEhW36lT4

An Interview Ven. Saccamuni Luon Sovath on occasion of the 2556 Kathina Dana Ceremony, held at Wat Ratanaram on Sunday the 5th Waning Moon of Assayuga BE2556, November 4, AD2012 Year of the Dragon in Bristol, Connectictut United States of America

Une entrevue avec le Vénérable Sachamuni Luon Sovath à l’occasion de la cérémonie du Kathina Dana de l'ère bouddhique 2556 qui s’est tenue au Wat Ratanaram le dimanche de la Lune descendante de la cinquième Assayuga 2556, soit le 4 Novembre 2012 de l'Année du Dragon à Bristol, Connectictut, États-Unis d’Amérique.

 

What do we wish each other on Human Rights Day 2010?

By Ryan Schlief |
The Witness Blog
December 9th, 2010

“Happy Human Rights Day?” Is that what we say?

“Merry Human Rights Day?” That doesn’t sound quite right either.

“All the best for Human Rights Day?” “Remember on Human Rights Day?”

I don’t think there is a universal greeting for the 10th of December when we recognize human rights and human rights defenders around the world. I want one – well at least for this year.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights is profiling over a dozen human rights defenders, including the Venerable Luon Sovath, on Human Rights Day this year. It’s great to have a human rights defender working on forced evictions recognized in this way. As I type, the UN’s video featuring the Venerable is having technical problems – but hopefully these will be fixed soon.

Specifically for Human Rights Day this year, our partner LICADHO produced a video where the Venerable speaks personally about how he uses video to fight for the rights of his community in Chi Kreng District and other communities across Cambodia. It’s a great interview!

It has been a busy week for the Venerable.

Dr. Pung Chhiv Kek, founder and president of LICADHO, and the Venerable were special guests at our Focus for Change Gala this year. Both Kek and the Venerable spoke at the event. I was backstage, so I did not see the standing ovation when it started- I heard it first. Cheers came from the 400+ audience immediately after their personal stories about how LICADHO and communities at risk of forced evictions are using video to document and to advocate for their rights. Here are excerpts from their speeches:

Dr. Pung Chhiv Kek speaks at the WITNESS' Focus for Change Benefit Dinner & Concert 2010

“When you see with your own eyes a community that has been robbed of its land, that has been violently attacked, and that has nowhere to go – you cannot argue with this injustice. We believe that through video, minds can be changed and justice can be won.”
- Dr. Pung Chhiv Kek
________________

The Venerable Luon Sovath at WITNESS' 6th Annual Focus for Change Gala

“Communities facing forced eviction are now using cameras in their struggle. We have been threatened, but we won’t stop – because these images tell the truth.”

- The Venerable Luon Sovath

Everyone went home that night wearing a krama, a traditional Cambodian scarf, as a sign of solidarity with communities resisting the take over of their land, homes and livelihood through forced evictions.

We won’t forget the Venerable reminding us that “See it. Film it. Change it.” is more than a catch phrase – but a call to action. That’s a good message for all of us on this Human Rights Day – it will be mine!