Friday, November 23, 2007

Fleeing Khmer Krom monks have arrived in Phnom Penh

21 November 2007
By Keo Nimol
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Four Khmer Krom monks who were victims of accusation leveled by the Wat O’Andoung pagoda committee, located in Banteay Meanchey province, which claimed that the monks have affairs with women, and were undertaking activities to serve the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation in the world (KKF), have arrived in Phnom Penh on 20 November.

Venerable Thach Kong Phuong indicated that the four victimized monks have arrived in Phnom Penh, and they are currently asking human rights organizations to help them fight against these untrue accusations.

Ven. Thach Kong Phuon said: “I had left the place already, and I arrived in Phnom Penh … I left on 18 [November], I left because they wanted to defrock me, and now I followed their orders: they gave me an ultimatum saying that if within 3 days, I do not get out from there (Mongkul Borey district where the pagoda is located), they would defrock me. In fact, they were supposed to defrock me since the 17th, but they told us (4 monks) to leave Mongkul Borey district within the next 3 days.”

Ang Chanrith, the chairman of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Huma Rights Defense Organziation (KKHRO) said that his organization is currently doing research and trying to find a mean to legally help the four monks.

Ang Chanrith said: “Right now, the venerable is at my office, and I am interviewing him, and asking him everything about the accusations and the charges leveled against him by the pagoda committee and the local authority which chased the venerable out. We need to know these details first, then we will take the appropriate measures to ask the intervention from the institution or ministry involved, so that they help resolve this issue and so that the four venerable can continue to stay in their pagoda, or to find a safe place at another pagoda for the monks to stay.”

The Wat O’Andoung pagoda committee could not be contacted to ask questions about the accusations they leveled against the monks.

Suon Bun Thoeun, an official of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), indicated that human rights organizations in the Banteay Meanchey province, including Licadho, Adhoc and CCHR have cooperated to pursue a detailed research on this issue.

Suon Bun Thoeun said: “Right now, we are doing research, there are 3-4 organizations, including Khmer Krom organizations, Adhoc, Licadho. They will make another visit in order to meet them one more time.”

Recently, former Monk Tim Sakhorn, a native of Kampuchea Krom who stayed in Takeo province, and was a pagoda abbot, was deported to Vietnam to be sentenced there. This action led to safety concerns among other Khmer Krom monks because they are afraid that accusations would be leveled them, charging them of undertaking activities that are against Buddhism rules.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL, these idiots (KKF agent monks) think our monks like to pick on them for the fun of it, hahaha, LOL, hahaha.

Anonymous said...

Happy Bonn Om Tuok (Water Festival)!

Gen. Ke Kimyan: After the holiday, the new transitional government and the transitional prime minister will be installed.

Anonymous said...

Thursday, November 22, 2007
Appealing to all Khmer compatriots

Translation: All Cambodian Compatriots,

Now, national and international people are paying attention to the progressive former Khmer Rouge leaders trial, but the hottest issue is likely forgotten.

The defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn and sent him to be tried in Vietnam is the current national hottest issue of Cambodia that it is more important than the trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders because the trial expects to build a rule of laws, eliminate the culture of impunity, and remedy the Cambodian PTSDs.

But in case of Tim Sakhorn has created the doubt that current Cambodian people based on what law and regulation to ensure that they have Khmer citizenship especially according to the national constitution. As they didn't explain clearly the Khmer citizenship of Tim Sakhorn, and neglecting him until he is being tried by that Vietnamese court freely, intensifies the doubt that Cambodia has no their own status and identity especially the national law and citizenship.

The case of Khmer Kampuchea Krom is very important, government has to deal with this case only inside Cambodia, government should not neglect in case of Tim Sakhorn because this is the sign of losing Cambodian national sovereignty.

Please, rethink again the different between the Khmer Rouge trial and Khmer citizenship regulation, which one is more important than? Or the current progressive former Khmer Rouge leaders trial just to manipulate Khmer people not to pay attention their national citizenship law and identity?

KY

Anonymous said...

LOL, there is no such thing as Ah Khmer-Yuon important case in Cambodia.

Let's get all KKF agent monks back to where they came from.

Anonymous said...

Ah Yuon agents in Cambodia MUST GO HOME NOW! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!YUONS MUST LEAVE KHMERS ALONE. KHMERS HAVE SUFFERED AND DIED ENOUGH.

AH YUONS MUST LEAVE KHMERLAND NOW--INCLUDING CAMBODIA AND KAMPUCHEA-KROM.

AH YUONS MUST GO BACK YOUR ANNAM.

Anonymous said...

Wrong, Ah Khmer-Yuon criminals must go back to India. They don't belong here.

Anonymous said...

Khmer Youn = Hun Sen, right?

Anonymous said...

No, AH Khmer-Yuon = Ah KKF criminals.