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| Spoken word artist Kosal Khiev performs during a fundraiser at Pontoon on Friday. He was detained by UK immigration authorities on Saturday. Photograph: Nick Sells/Phnom Penh Post |
Cambodian artist detained ahead of Olympic poetry fest
Monday, 25 June 2012
Diana Montano and Sean Gleeson
The Phnom Penh Post
“I’m being treated as a criminal, when I’ve done nothing wrong, by a country that invited me. I broke down last night, and I was so at a loss for everything”
Kosal Khiev had envisioned a very different kind of welcome to the UK.
The Phnom Penh-based spoken word artist, chosen to represent Cambodia in Poetry Parnassus, a cultural offshoot of the London Olympics, was detained by immigration officials moments after landing at Heathrow Airport.
After spending nearly 24 uncertain hours at an immigration holding site on the outskirts of London, Kosal was due to be released late last night, his London-based road manager Linda Kwon told the Post.
She added that he will still be able to perform as planned, though she was uncertain if any conditions were attached to his release.
According to a website affiliated with the artist, immigration officials are holding onto his passport for the time being.
Kosal, whose family fled to California as refugees when he was a child, was deported to Cambodia from the US last year after completing a jail sentence for an attempted murder conviction in his adolescence.
Speaking earlier in the day from the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, Kosal told the Post that he was detained for “failing to give satisfactory answers to an immigration officer”.
“I never lied on my visa application,” Kosal said. “I told the truth, even when I came here I told the truth. I have a certificate of sponsorship – why I was here, what I’m doing here, all the contact numbers of the festivals, the organisers, who they can call. If anyone wanted more background, all they had to do was go to my website or the Poetry Parnassus website.”
Kosal’s road manager Kwon arrived at Heathrow on Saturday evening to collect Kosal and accompanying filmmaker Masahiro Sugano, only to learn that the poet had been detained.
“When Masahiro finally came through, nearly two hours after the flight came in, he told me Kosal was being detained for further questioning,” Kwon said. “They had taken his passport and all the documents he had provided, but he wasn’t being told anything either.”
Since his arrival in Cambodia, Kosal has gained acclaim as the Kingdom’s first spoken word poet and was invited in April to represent Cambodia at the London festival, lauded as the world’s largest gathering of international poets and set to take place from June 26 to July 1.
According to Anida Yoeu Ali, co-founder of Studio Revolt, the multimedia collaborative where Kosal is an artist-in-residence, UK immigration authorities claim the visa he was issued by the British Embassy in Phnom Penh may have been issued incorrectly, and that he would likely be detained for at least 36 hours.
Kosal is scheduled to perform at Colnbrook later this week as part of a poetry workshop organised by the English chapter of PEN International, a writing fellowship promoting freedom of expression. After being transferred from Heathrow, Kosal was processed at Colnbrook at 4 in the morning.
He had not slept and was in a state of emotional distress when contacted by the Post at 11am London time.
“I’m being treated as a criminal, when I’ve done nothing wrong, by a country that invited me. I broke down last night, and I was so at a loss for everything,” he said.
“In a lot of ways, I wish I was there now. If I knew this would happen, I would’ve never come. It’s just a process of having to pay for my past and it’s okay, I get that,” said Kosal.
“I just thought me coming here was something that was going to look beyond my past and give me a chance to tell people that at least whatever life throws at you, you can still overcome that. And now, I don’t know if that’s even possible anymore. I feel so helpless right now.”
Attempts to reach Kosal following news of his expected release were unsuccessful.
A spokesman for the British Embassy in Phnom Penh said he could not comment on the status of Kosal’s visa as a matter of policy.
A spokesman from English PEN declined to comment. The UK Border Agency could not be reached.
24 comments:
This guy is going to the UK and representing Cambodia? Look at him? You have Hun Sen and then you have this guy. Kingdom of Wonders..
Mr. artist Kosal Khiev (former bad gangster) who make Cambodian communities look bad.
Do I need to teach you dumbo about lives. Look your tattoes and who is not scard of you. Now you are saying, British Customs harrassed you. I can tell you not everyone or most of British people want to see you or invited you to come over there, Area you kidding with me that you was and wanted by most to be seen?
Look at your self. Whenever soemeone made a decision to wear the skin tattoes, that skin will change them forever. Don't be regret of your former gangster life.
I was born In Cambodia. I escaped from many persecutions and hardships.
I glad I came to America.
I am willing to pay alot of money "not" to see the gangster life style. Why would any decent people pay to see him?
I can't imagine any decent Great Bristish people wanted to waist their money and times to see him perform.
I hope Great Bristish Customs kick him out of their country. They have enough bad people over there and you don't need anymore. Remember the riot.
By kicking him out of the country,it will send the message to young people not to be a gangster life style like him any more.
This due is not cool. In the past I bat he did righten a lot of young people or older people in the USA. Now he can't take his own medicine for some one pick back on him. Mr. Cambodian loser.
I wonder if you family feel ashame of you, for not teaching you the right from wrong. Are may be you did not listen to them ?
people like him make the Cambodian look bad.
Can you also deport his family also? May be they can perform together in Cambodia and Great British.
Loser never stop crying and he can not take it like a man.
This dude did not know why he was being detained.
Would any normalized society people let a tiger with multi skin colors (gangster tattoes) run lose in their city.
Think about it.
Sham on his family.
មិនចូលចិត្តបុគ្កលនេះឬមួយមានការច្រណែន។
To all of the perfect men, you blame this person, but you did not know the background of the story.
This person did not take this place from someone. He like most of us only used the opportunaty to be in London, because was selected to represent our country. He has no choice to change his behaior to be like you, but he still try to do his best to represent our country.
I live most of my life in Europe and feel very sorryabout the situation, what they have done to him after his arrival in London. He did not do something wrong, or a crime acted again the law of the UK. Thefore the immigration authority at London airport has no right to prevent him to visit the UK. They have no right to treat him like a criminal, because he had a valide visa from the UK Embassy in Phnom Penh.
But the law in some European countries still acted the jungle law, like our country.
Don't judge a book by it's cover?
Baay Kdaing
If you want to see what the devils in hell looks like just look at this stupid Funk!
What a sham.
Fuck all the motherfuckers here. I am cool, ok? got it, ok?
Kosal Khiev
Rplied to 2:27 AM
Don't judge a book by it's cover?
If I don't judge a book by its cover, how would I judge?
I can't see inside of him. I can't read his brain?
You mean to tell me all those tattoes are innocent and represent Walt Disney cartoons?
You also mean to tell me that you don't mind live next door to all the KKK in America. Go on U tube and watch their tattoes. Grow up.
2nd replied to the above the comment talking " To all of the perfect men, you blame this person, but you did not know the background of the story."
Our society did "not" looking for perfect people and people should behave the same way as every one.
What we are talking about that this dude he chose his life style as a tough person and now he could not handle it just being detained a little bit. I am glad British Customs defense their country and try to kick out all scum. that the country I want to live in. there should be an island for all the tattoes and bad people that can coexit with each other.
How many gangsters that did not sell drugs and did "not" do a drive by shooting that contribute to millions of killing and overdose results of injuries and / or deaths through out the world. That is not to mention the billion of dollars cost to the states and the nations.
You expect me to be silent?
I have lost so many families in the wars in Cambodia. I don't want this loser guy to represent my country and my people. You got that.
Talking about perfect? I hope you let your daughter marry with him because to you he is such a nice guy.
Wonder why the Cambodia is the poorest country Asia because people like you did not have a clue.
Its very sad and troublesome of how you so called perfect and educated men and women in here chooses how to express your educated opinion about a person with tattoo on their skin. I guess it is ok for you folks to sit in your couch watching Black guys with tattoo playing basketball or football, huh?
You folks should move back to Cambodia if you don't like people with tattoo because here in America we called it freedom of expression. Here in america we have an individual right to do anything with our bodies and if you don't like it just stfu. But I guess you folks should already knows this if you are living here in USA.
Replie to 3:23 AM
"Fuck all the motherfuckers here. I am cool, ok? got it, ok?
Kosal Khiev"
Look like you, dumbo being deported to your never born country and was a pest to the society, who wrote this statement from Cambodia.
You and your "Hommie Kosal Khiev" paid for then and paid for now. You still have not learn.
God Bless George Bush for that deportation laws to protect Cambodian people who living in America and their American people.
I love George Bush.
Why? because I don't have to deal with these losers any more. thank Mr. George Bush. I am a lot safe in America now.
What are you? A tough guy fashion police? Your judgement has many flaws and it is troublesome. So what would you say to Obama who used to smoke pot in his younger day and now is the president of the country that you and your families are living in. Are you going to sent a petition to congress to impeach him now? Go on tough guy do it. Obama is no good because he past was full of drug uses.
No you are not, you DUMMIES!!
Replied to
3:47 AM
"You folks should move back to Cambodia if you don't like people with tattoo because here in America we called it freedom of expression."
Freedom of expression? Than don't compained of being harrassed or detained.
I have comfortible life in America and was very successful because of my hard working and why would I want to hangout with a morron in Cambodia. I don't want these gangster to rob me and no law over there to protect me.
2nd I don't watch sports and those bad tattoes on them and were still not respect by me. You got that.
please educate yourself first before you educate me.
You work hard and you have a very successful life. That is good of you. Now be happy and go enjoy your successful life. Stop your negative and flaw judgment on those who want to change and become successful too, ok?
Obama and GWB and Bill Clinton used to smoke a lot pot, snort a lot of cocain, and drink a lot of alcohol and they are your president of the country you are living now. What do you think of them? Are they making you look stupid for being your president?
Replied to Dumbo 4:23 Am in Cambodia.
Don't worry about them because they are the US citizens. You are not a citizen. Worry about yourself and your family.
I am a US Citizen by naturalization. I still watch my pee and que. Because every day is an "oral interview". Which mean, People are judging you and me. But why are you bring many self expression on your body and then complained about it. I know even White people, they make judgement on themselves too.
I know also we all have some difficulty in lives. I am one of them. When I goes to work, I am acting a certain way and behave as my role required of me. Therefore, Iam still surviving and have a job.
As an Immigrant, it was difficult enough but you brought upon youself then stating that people are biasing and fashion police on you. Think Think Think.
To Dumb Ass 4:56 am
We here in America don't judge people by the way they look. We here in America like to judge people by their characters and their actions. And if you got talents (athletes) like those NBA or NFL or MLB kids, we don't give a fuck if you have tattoo from your heads to your toes. We can extract your talents and your skills and make a profit out of you, win win solution. Don't you wonder why America is the richest and strongest country in the world?
Back to the above story about this this Khmer kids with tattoo and poetic talent. I think the Brit detained him over visa issue, not his skin filled with tattoo issue like all you DUMMIES in here are bashing him about.
Now with so many DUMMIES like yourself running around in Cambodia, don't you wonder why Cambodia is not progressing? You DuMMIES are no different than the people that is ruling cambodia right now. Just as soon as you DUMMIES make a little bit of money, you DUMMIES started to act all goodies and professional. So next time if you can't help your fellow Khmer people who is trying to change for the better, don't even offer your DUMB ASS shallow little opinion. It is people like you that gangsters and thug loves to rob and kill.
America is the richest and strongest country in the world?
How rich is 15 trillion dollars in the Red?
They can probably pay off the $15 tril in debt today if they wanted too. But the world is probably better if the USA don't print anymore dollars
Why are most of you here bashing this guy with tattoos?
Given his past history, he's making every effort to redeem his life and show society that one can easily fall off the track. He's here to show everyone that he's not giving up on life. Most of you don't understand that. To overcome an obsticle like he did is....amazing. If you never been to Cambodia, you will never understand what my opinion is all about. As a matter of fact, I don't even know if I ever make it given a situation like his.
He came from a country of unrestricted freedom and wealth to a country of just the opposite. This is survival folks!
He's trying to make a different and you shouldn't judge him by ways of his tattoos.
We all are Gods children. We all make mistake.
We all should applaud him for his corrective action.
WELCOME TO ÑÂM̀B́ƠĐĨĂ!!!
To all you Khmer out there please except our apology because speak broken Khmêr nor English soon will be be fluent once we adapted to your culture. Uncle Ho had taught from Đâỉ Việt to wiped out Prey Nokor which is Việtñâm today. As you all know our citizens had grew tremendously and it so overcrowded 100M peoples, ÑÂṂLÂƠ been swallon because of our great EXPANSISM team effort.
The Lost Ñg̀ụ́ỷêṇ
Ah kosal khiev....... ah deportee..... your mom at seattle,wa is laughing at you. she said you copied HUN SEN'S STYLE.
I don't blame UK! No country on Earth wants to welcome any fool with criminal background. I do have some sympathy for Kosal Khiev but this is how society views people with criminal background!
In my line of work and I am judged all the time but it is up to me to prove that I am better than those who judged me!
Some of you here pretend to be better person or well educated as Mr. Kosal Khiev.
Contrary your language or your humanity value are very low & terrible like the people from the ghetho.
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