Friday, May 11, 2007

Khmer Krom Monks and religious freedom in Vietnam

10 May 2007
By Hassan
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

In March of 2007, the US Department of State issued a yearly report on religious freedom in Vietnam. The report indicated that the Viet government tightened religious freedom in an alarming manner, in spite of the fact that the Viet constitution recognizes religious freedom.

All Cambodian regimes, from the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era (under then-Prince Sihanouk’s government), and up to the Democratic Kampuchea regime or Khmer Rouge regime, have considered Khmer Krom people as full right Cambodian citizens who have the same rights and freedoms as other Cambodian citizens living in the current Cambodia.

Chapter III, Article 32 of the constitution of the current Kingdom of Cambodia, stipulates that “Every Khmer citizen shall have the right to life, personal freedom and security,” and Article 33 states that “Khmer citizens shall not be deprived of their nationality.”

Nevertheless, a large number of Khmer Krom monks are suffering from not being recognized, nor receiving any attention from the current Cambodian regime, especially when they flee Vietnam to come to Cambodia. These monks are jailed like any laymen [when they arrive in Cambodia], Monk Lam Yean is one of the monks who suffered such indignity.

Monk Yoeung Sin, the abbot of the Samaki Raingsey pagoda, informed with sadness for all Cambodians to know that: “This is what we mean by ‘the inside ghost (collaborators, i.e. the Phnom Penh regime) lending a hand to the outside ghost (foreign oppressors),’ they (Vietnamese) have no fear, we can see this problem very clearly. I am calling and begging to the consciousness of all Cambodians to wake up [to support Khmer Krom plight], whether we want it or not, we are all born as Cambodians, we have the same ancestry.”

Monk Ly Ron, the abbot of the Teak Prey pagoda, told RFA by phone that the Vietnamese have free rein in creating problems for Khmer Krom monks: “We have lived under hardship and we demonstrated for several decades already. For [example,] in the celebration of the Kathen festival, under the thousands years old Buddhist custom, it is celebrated for one full season, that is between 29 and 30 days, following the 3-month monk retreat season. But at the end, this convention was ordered scrubbed by the Vietnamese who ordered that the celebration be held on one day only. All Buddhist followers, be they monks or laymen, we suffer [from this oppression]. Our Khmer Krom monks have been fighting [these oppressions] for a long time already.”

Abbot Yoeung Sin who was jailed in Takeo for almost 10 years by the Vietnamese experts [during the occupation of Cambodia] in the 80s, told The Phnom Penh Post newspaper that if the current Cambodian government is truly an independent regime, it would not take such [barbaric] actions against Khmer Krom monks.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is just another example of Hun Sen leadership who always brag himself of loving Khmer race, development and territory.

CPP government is less essential than Somgkum, Lon Nol and KR in serving Khmer interests. All the time, CPP government will turn to blame Khmers or Khmer Krom of provoking chaostic...and importantly help to deprive the same Khmer race, but neglect to have measurement on illegal Vietnamese immigrants.

Many Hun Sen's parasites love only money and positions, they are blind to see the real situation. They are trying to manipulate the evil situations in Cambodia as good...

But it is just "the peace of the grave, and the freedom of the slave".

Anonymous said...

When a Nation is being ruled by a very weak leader ( weak in his role to find justice for his people and weak in building social harmony ), all his fellow citizen will be suffered. A strongman is ideed a rudeman. Areak Prey

Anonymous said...

No ... most khmer citizens are
doing fine under our wings. Ah
Khmer-Yuons, on the other hand,
are not our responsibility, but
Hanoi's, just as Ah Khmer-
Americans are American's
responsibility.

Anonymous said...

Good lead and government can express empathy, legality and compassion to all those who are under oppressed regardless of race, religion or status on behalf of independent state...

In case of Khmer Krom, government has to pay close attention, not to loss dignity and independence to serve foreigner like VN.

Anonymous said...

Yep, and Hanoi is kept a close
eyes on all their citizens that
included Ah Khmer-Yuons. Thus,
there is no symphaty or compassion
is needed here.

Anonymous said...

To Vietcong bitch!!!

The Vietcong like to compare orange and apple!!!The Chinese government oppressed their own people for everything like the one in Tienamen Square which the Chinese people demanded democracy!!On the other hand, the fucken Vietcong are oppressing on a group of people who are none Viet!!!The Vietcong institution is a racist institution which aimed to oppress all non-Viet including the Khmer Krom people!!!This is a Vietcong racial isolation system that the Khmer Krom people are dealing with here! Now you know why the fucken Vietcong are playing double standard here! The Vietcong better not touch the Khmer Krom! The Vietcong better not touch the Khmer Krom!!!The Khmer Krom have to right to live just like any Viet on this planet!!

The Vietcong will go the way of the communist in Poland!!!As far as I am concerned Vietname is just a fucken shrimp among whale and they better behave!!!

This is not the issue of religion contaminated with politics or spies because Khmer Krom people had been demanding their right to freedom of religion since the fucken Vietcong took over before 1949!!!Now the fucken Vietcong act this whole shit of demanding for religeous freedom just happend right now!!!!This is bullshit talk!

The Vietcong will never have a peace and stability!!!!The Vietcong know that they can no longer opppressed and intimidated the 14 million Khmer Krom because it is against God's will!!!The Vietcong racist isolation system will be dismantled soon or later!!!

Anonymous said...

Yep, and China is kept a close
eyes on all their citizens that
included Ah Youns Communists. Thus,
there is no symphaty or compassion
is needed here.

Anonymous said...

Get real, 10:41, there is no 14
millions who is oppressed in
Vietnam, only a few criminals who
dressed in monk's outfit.

And the same for China, there is
no 1.3 billions who demanded stupid
democracy. Most of them don't even
know what democracy is, you liar.

Anonymous said...

To 8:58AM! Vietcong sympathizer!

NO it is you who is a fucken liar!!This is an ongoing process until the will of God taking over the Vietcong domination and free the Khmer Krom people!!!!

The day will come when God prevails against the Vietcong satan!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey, God is a commie, you moron.
As such, he will never condemn
the Vietcong. You got that, stupid?