Khmer Krom at UNPFII 2011

Dear all,

I would like to share the activities at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2011. The link below is a broadcast of World Khmer Radio regarding our KKF and KKFYC at the UN in New York City, New York. I know some of you who listen to WRK daily already listen to the broadcast on 5/27/2011 but the youtube link shows interesting pictures before, during and after the UNPFII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOIeHhSm3t0&feature=youtu.be

Cheers,

Samon

We Testify: Khmer Krom Buddhist monks and people share their stories

Source: Khmer Krom Network

KKN is proud to offer for the first time a series of short documentaries on the people behind the Khmer Krom struggle.

The mini films aims to will show real accounts of what the Indigenous Khmer Krom people and Buddhist monks go through under the communist Vietnamese regime.

The emotion, the heartbreak and the courage that everyday Khmer Krom endure in order to survive a harsh reality under a government that cares little for its indigenous peoples.

These feature films will be posted on KKN weekly and will feature a range of subjects and will interview Khmer Krom from all walks of life. It is produced by the volunteers of the KKFYC organisation.

Stay tuned and we would love to hear your feedback!

The 8th World Convention of Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF)

Thu, 2008-06-26
Source: KKF

“The Long March to Kampuchea-Krom Motherland”

By Lenny Thach

The representatives of KKFYC attended the 8th World Convention, the three days session, of the KKF held at the city of Denver, Colorado, on June 6th – 8th, 2008. The theme of this convention is the “The Long March to Kampuchea-Krom Motherland”. The topics covering in this convention include: Report KKF’s activities in the past four years, Elect new KKF Board of Directors, Financial Report, Presentation about Human Rights and Religious Freedom.

June 6-8, 2008, Denver – The 8th World Convention of KKF was organized at the heart of the city of Denver, Colorado with full attendees, KKF’s Delegates and Members from across the United States (50 states), Cambodia, and Canada, on this exciting event which was opened to the public.

The KKF’s Chairman, To Kim Thong, opened the remark of the 8th World Convention of Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation, the first ever addressed to the KKF’s delegates and members:

"Good morning and welcome! It’s good to have you all here to help the KKF’s convention which launched with a vision and a noble purpose. The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation is just as we've been told, more than; it's a remarkable accomplishment for the past four years. It's such a worthwhile, important initiative for the year 2004 - 2008. It’s never happened before. After the 7th World Convention in New Jersey in 2004, the new teams and new leaders had been working hard, such as: Mr. Thach N. Thach, Mr. Tran Giap, Mr. Prak Sereivuth, Mr. Tran Mannrinh, Mrs Son Thi Nith, Respected Venerable Thach Berong, Ven. Dhammo Truong, KKFYC team, and especially Dr. Joshua Cooper - Director of the Human Rights Institute of Hawaii.

You all have my heartfelt thanks and warmest congratulations. And a special thank you to our elite leaders – Mr. Thach N. Thach, Prak Sereivuth, Giap Tran and Joshua Cooper, who has been dedicated and sacrificed in helping Khmer Krom people and carrying the messages for the past four years on missions here and there throughout the world."

KKF President, Mr. Thach N. Thach, spoke next and reported the important issues about the Khmer Krom peoples’ sufferings and struggles under the Vietnamese government for more than 50 years and the problems are still unresolved. KKF now has improved and established the right direction to the heart of Khmer Krom people.

"Speaking out and demanding human rights and religious freedom, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the peaceful reconciliation of differences is good and the right thing to do. But it is not good enough. We must work hard to bring peace, democracy and freedom that mean putting our resources -- organizations, heart and soul together, for long-term mission, called, “The Long March to Kampuchea-Krom Motherland.”

Khmer Kampuchea Krom is now a reality. We are no longer hidden in the shadows. We will stand proudly in the spotlight, and that is where we belong. We can and should be proud of ourselves and our messages about human rights and religious freedom. The Vietnamese government must respect human rights and give us religious freedom, and freedom of expression, freedom of press, assembly, political participation, and peaceful cooperation.

Government which serves their citizens encourages, spiritual and economic vitality. And we will not be shy in offering this message of hope to Khmer Krom. We are not trying to create imitations of the KKF’s system around the world. Because, there is no simple songs or music for political development that is right for all people, and there is no timetable. The principles and basic institutions of Human Rights and Religious Freedom are universal. Democratic development must take into account historic, cultural and social conditions."

During the convention, we had many key speakers from different states and countries, including KKF Board of Directors and representatives, President of KKF Colorado Chapter, Sereivuth Prak, Giap Tran, Mannrinh Tran, Xe Thach, Son Thi Nith, and Ven. Truong Dhammo, Ven. Berong Thach, Ven. Kan Saphanarith, Mrs. Kien Sakhan, Dr. Chang Thach, and Dr. Joshua Cooper, who spoke about the reports for the past four years and other important issues such as human rights, cultural, education, social and economic, and religious freedom.

Dr. Joshua Cooper, Director of the Human Rights Institute of Hawaii, addressed to the KKF’s leaders and members on how to understand and use the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Universal Declaration of Human Rights as tools to challenge for the hopes of Khmer Krom people in Kampuchea-Krom.

He also recommended that KKF use the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People to raise the prestige of the Khmer Krom education, economic, culture, language, religious freedom and human rights by supporting the efforts toward standardization. Urge all agencies or parties to ensure the protection and development of Indigenous Peoples, especially the Indigenous Khmer Krom Peoples living in Kampuchea Krom which is now known as South Vietnam. He has trained the Khmer Krom youths on how to defend indigenous rights at the international bodies, such as the U.N. and the E.U bodies, in order to protect their human rights and to become the activists for promoting and protecting the rights of the Indigenous Peoples.

On the Second Day, the KKF members elected the new KKF Board of Directors based on the KKF’s election law. The former KKF Board of Directors had been re-elected for the 2008 – 2012 Term as follows:

ELECTED KKF BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY VOTE:

1. To Kim Thong
2. Thach N. Thach
3. Prak Sereivuth
4. Tran Giap
5. Thach Xe
6. Chau Reap
7. Tran Mannrinh

ELECTED KKF BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY NOMINATION:

8. Ven. Thach Truong Dhammo
9. Ven. Thach Berong
10. Son Thi Nith (Represent for Women)
11. Chau Serey (Represent for Youths )

The new KKF Board of Directors is the future and contains greater number of representatives for the next generation.

On the Third Day, Prak Sereivuth addressed to KKF on International Affairs, lobbying strategies, U.S. Congressional briefing, and the Khmer Krom savior under Vietnamese government since 1949. After the French colonial power in the Indochina without the plebiscite of the Khmer Krom people. As a result, millions of Khmer Krom people, who remain deeply attached to their culture, religion, customs, traditions, and ancestral lands, have been severely suffered by the human rights violations and religious persecutions under the tight control of the Vietnamese government.

The Vietnamese government has violated Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

During the Congressional Briefing on Religious Freedom in Vietnam on December 6, 2008, he had recommended that the U.S. Congress request the U.S. State Department to place Vietnam back onto the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list.

The 8th World Convention of KKF was successfully and marked accomplishments for the past four years. The new KKF’s leaders were elected for the hopes and dreams of Khmer Krom in the future. Each movement will find its own route and the values for Khmer Krom who will reach out to those who can make a big difference now and who will guide the Khmer Krom to their destiny of their people in the future.

The elected new leaders proposed the next four years development plan, strategies for development and seek support from Khmer Krom people. The support of KKFYC team to KKF will make tremendous progress for the movement of KKF in the future. The convention ended smoothly, peacefully and blessed with a Blessing Dance performed by the Khmer students of Colorado State. Special thanks to Denver Convention organizers and the members throughout the region and Khmer Samaki Temple with deepest gratitude.

Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Youth Committee Quarterly Vol. 4 now available

Click here to read this English-language Quarterly (PDF)
(Right-click to save the file to your computer)

Click here to read articles at the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation Youth Committee

Vietnam: Cambodian Monk’s Arrest a Mockery of Justice

By Serey Chau
President of KKFYC (http://www.kkfyc.org)

In September, 2003, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry told reporters that a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Venerable Thich Tri Luc, was arrested on July, 2002 at the Cambodia-Vietnam border. The Human Rights organizations around the world, especially the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, were shocked by that news because Ven. Thich Tri Luc, who was granted a refugee status by UNHCR to live in Cambodia in June, 2002 disappeared after being escorted by an unidentified man from his house on July 25, 2002. The Vietnamese officials had previously denied any knowledge of Ven. Thich Tri Luc’s whereabouts after his disappearance from Cambodia.

On August 1, 2007, the Voice of Vietnam (VOV News) posted an article on its Website announced that the Vietnamese authority just arrested a person who is a “disappeared monk”, Ven. Tim Sakhorn, for attempting to enter Vietnam illegally. The disappeared monk, Ven. Tim Sakhorn was arrested, defrocked, and deported to Vietnam by the Cambodian authorities on June 30, 2007. Just like Ven. Thich Tri Luc’s case, the Vietnamese officials at the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia denied any knowledge of Ven. Tim Sakhorn’s whereabouts after he was deported to Vietnam. The spokesman of the Vietnamese Embassy, Trinh Ba Cam, said that Vietnam did not interfere with Cambodia’s internal affairs, so he did not know the whereabouts of Ven. Tim Sakhorn.

Instead of charging Ven. Tim Sakhorn with the initial alleged crime of entering Vietnam illegally, he is being detained and will be tried for the crime of “sabotaging the unification policy” under Article 87 of Vietnam’s Penal Code. Interestingly, Ven. Tim Sakhorn’s case is very similar to Ven. Thich Tri Luc because Ven. Thich Tri Luc was tried under Article 91 of Vietnam’s Penal Code on charges of fleeing abroad in order to oppose the Vietnamese Communist government. It is ironic to see a government who is a member of the United Nations be afraid of Buddhist monks like Ven. Thich Tri Luc, who live on peaceful principles. Now, the Vietnamese Communist government uses the same trick to accused Ven. Tim Sakhorn so they can imprison Ven. Tim Sakhorn.

Ven. Tim Sakhorn was defrocked by the Cambodian authority because they accused him of undermining the relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam. According to Buddhism, a Buddhist monk could only be defrocked if he violates the Buddhist rules. After defrocked Ven. Tim Sakhorn, Cambodian authority realized that they made a mistake because Buddhism is a national religion in Cambodia. Thus, Cambodian authority set up a case that where they searched Ven. Tim Sakhorn’s room, they found pornography pictures and even claim to have seen a lady sleeping on Ven. Tim Sakhorn’s bed. They broadcasted that news on the national Television. That news made the Cambodian public even angrier because everyone realized that it was a setup by the Cambodian government and it is ashamed for Cambodian government to use that dirty trick to against a Buddhist monk like Ven. Tim Sakhorn.

The spokesman of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia now proudly says that Ven. Tim Sakhorn is a Vietnamese citizen, so he must be tried in Vietnam. In reality, Ven. Tim Sakhorn left his hometown in Kampuchea Krom (currently known as South Vietnam) to live in Cambodia with his whole family in 1979. He has no current relatives living in Vietnam. He became a Buddhist monk in 1991 and was promoted to Abbot of North Phnom Denh Temple in 2000. If Ven. Tim Sakhorn is not a Cambodian citizen, he would not be granted a Cambodian Buddhist Monk Identification (called Chay-Ya in Khmer). He would not be nominated to be an Abbot of a temple in Cambodia. If Vietnam still considers Ven. Tim Sakhorn as a Vietnamese citizen even he came to live in Cambodia since 1979, what happens to millions of the Vietnamese people who illegal came to live in Cambodia now. Do they still carry Vietnamese citizen? If they do, should they be returned to Vietnam too? How about the Vietnamese people who came to live in the United States or other countries? Does Vietnam still have a right to arrest them or they just can arrest the people who have Vietnamese citizen in Cambodia?

Vietnamese Communist (VC) government accused Ven. Tim Sakhorn as a member of Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) who tries to propagate anti-Vietnamese activities. The VC government knows that KKF is a Khmer-Krom Indigenous Peoples Organization that is why KKF can attend the United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York every year because Vietnam also sends it own delegation to attend the forum too. If KKF is an organization that wants to overthrow the Vietnamese government or an organization that is trying to “sabotaging the unification policy” between Vietnamese and Khmer-Krom as the Vietnamese always accuses, then KKF will never be allowed to attend UNPFII. KKF has made many positive recommendations to the VC government to respect the rights of the indigenous peoples in Vietnam. KKF offers to have a dialog with the VC government at the UNPFII, but the VC government always refuses and stubbornly accuses KKF of being a separatist group. Many indigenous peoples and organizations attending the Permanent Forum are greatly disturbed with the VC government’s attitude towards the Khmer Krom people.

Vietnam accused Ven. Tim Sakhorn helped sending KKF’s DVD and documents to Khmer-Krom in Vietnam for the anti-Vietnamese activities. In reality, the KKF’s DVD is just a DVD detailing the activities of KKF at the UNPFII which has Vietnam’s delegation attended too. If Vietnam attended UNPFII every year, why is Vietnam scared to let the Khmer Krom in Kampuchea Krom watch KKF’s DVD so they can know about the activities of KKF members who represented for the voiceless of millions of Khmer Krom in Kampuchea Krom at the UNPFII?

Vietnam is a member of United Nations. The documents that the members of KKF bring to Kampuchea Krom are just documents to promote human rights, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If Vietnam respects human rights of the Khmer Krom people, why is Vietnam afraid of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that everyone on this earth inspires to achieve?

It doesn’t matter what tactics that the VC government uses to accuse Ven. Tim Sakhorn, no one in this world will believe them. The case of Ven. Tim Sakhorn is pretty similar with the “kidnapped” case of Ven. Thich Tri Luc. Unfortunately, the case of Ven. Tim Sakhorn makes the Cambodian people feel really ashamed of their own government because the Cambodian authority actually helped Vietnam to “legally” arrest Ven. Tim Sakhorn at Vietnam-Cambodia border so Vietnam did not need to go to Cambodia to kidnap Ven. Tim Sakhorn as they did to Ven. Thich Tri Luc.

The VC government stubbornly accused Ven. Thich Tri Luc of committing the injustice crime that he did not commit, but they did not succeed because of the pressures of the Human Rights organizations and the countries who respect human rights. They released Ven. Thich Tri Luc to live in Holland now. Unfortunately, the VC government is using the same trick to accuse Ven. Tim Sakhorn of committing the same crime again.

If Vietnam wants to have peace in its country, the VC government must respect human rights of the people in Vietnam, included all its indigenous peoples. If the VC government released Ven. Thich Tri Luc in the past, then the VC government has no rights to imprison Ven. Tim Sakhorn who is a Cambodian Buddhist monk and also a Cambodian citizen.