I would like to appeal to UNPO to take any action to help Khmer Krom in Cambodia and Khmer Krom land.
On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 7:00 AM, Ông-thu N <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The Subcommittee on Human Rights learned of the latest human rights > abuses going unpunished in Cambodia and Vietnam directly from UNPO > Members. > > > *Below is an article written by UNPO:* > > In the first meeting of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human > Rights following the summer recess, representatives from the Khmer > Kumpuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) and the Montagnard Foundation Inc. (MFI) > have provided the committee with an up-to-date assessment of the human > rights situations of minorities in Cambodia and Vietnam. > > UNPO joined other observers in a packed committee room to hear KKF and MFI > representatives give their evidence alongside counterparts from > organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights in China, and > Human Rights Watch. > > On the subcommittee's agenda were an exchange of views following the close > of the Olympic Games in China, the current human rights situations in > Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and lastly the state of human rights in > Moldova. > > Initial discussions dwelt on the impact the Olympic Games had had on > China's policy towards its citizens. Mrs. Hom, representing Human Rights in > China, stated her organization's belief that political change in China would > have to be driven by civil society within the country. This was reiterated > by representatives from the European Commission who referred attendees to > the case of bloggers driving criticism of the authorities. > > Despite these comments, the European Commission stated only its > "disappointment" that any improvements in China's human rights record had > not been commensurate with the promises made in the run-up to the Games. In > fact, it was felt that the Olympic Games may have put the promotion of > Chinese human rights on hold – but that the conclusion of the Games may > allow China to put its human rights record "back on track". > > This generous assessment was not shared by Mr. McMillan-Scott, > vice-president of the European Parliament. He declared China the "most > brutal regime" in the international community and urged the European > Parliament to continue to amass evidence on China's human rights and the > international community to maintain its pressure on China. > > Attentions then shifted to the respective human rights situations in > Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Mr. Vien Thach, of the KKF read an appeal > (which is contained below) detailing a litany of religious, land right, > education, and media curtailments that affected the daily lives of Khmer > Krom in Vietnam. > > Responses were heard from the ambassadors for Cambodia and Vietnam who > respectively expressed their commitment to building political stability > within their countries but who, in the opinion of many of those gathered, > still had much to do to safeguard the rights of all those living within > their states' borders. > > Mr. Kok Ksor, of the MFI, rebuffed claims by the Vietnamese government that > it targeted only those who had committed criminal acts, and instead cited a > long list of instances where the government had conducted surveillance and > confiscations against the Montagnard minority. Using the opportunity to > address the subcommittee, Mr. Ksor urged the European Parliament and the > institutions of the European Union to take the lead in ensuring Vietnam's > observance of the international human rights instruments to which it is a > signatory. > > The Subcommittee on Human Rights will next meet in the European Parliament > in Brussels at 15h00 on Wednesday 10 September 2008. > * > * *Note:* > > *UNPO Members are reminded of the following deadlines for the United > Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review:* > > *Vietnam: Monday 3 November 2008* > *Cambodia: Monday13 April 2009* > > ----------- o 0 o ---------- > > Below is the appeal presented by the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation to > the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament on 25 August > 2008: > > On behalf of the Khmer-Krom refugees in Cambodia, we would like to bring > to your attention regarding the human rights violations that have been > committed by the Cambodian government toward the Khmer-Krom refugees in > Cambodia. > > On February 27, 2007, some Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks organized a peaceful > demonstration in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnem Penh to demand the > Vietnamese release their fellow Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks who were > imprisoned in Vietnam after participating [in] a peaceful demonstration to > demand freely practice their Theravada Buddhism. After [they] came back > from the demonstration, Venerable Eang Sok Thoeun, 32 years old, was found > with his throat slit at Tronom Chroeng pagoda, Boeng Thom commune, Ang Snoul > district, Kandal Province, under mysterious circumstances. His body was > buried in haste in the middle of the night by the Cambodian police. The > police also forbade bringing his corpse for organizing a Cambodian > traditional funeral ceremony. > > On April 20, 2007, the Cambodia authority used a violent group of Cambodian > monks who served for the Cambodian authority to beat up Khmer Krom monks > conducting > a peaceful demonstration in front of the Vietnamese Embassy. Venerable Lim > Yuth, 23 years old, was injured when a rock was thrown by the opposing monk > and hit his left eyebrow. > > On 30 June 2007, Venerable Tim Sakhorn, Abbot of North Phnom-Denh temple in > Phnom-Denh village, Karivong District, Takeo province, Cambodia, was > summoned to meet the Head Monk of the Takeo province at Takeo City. After > the meeting, the Cambodia authority ad the Head Monk accused Venerable Tim > Sakhorn of using his temple as a place "to propagate activities that divide > their relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam" as stated in the letter > used to defrock Ven. Tim Sakhorn by Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong. > > After being defrocked, Venerable Tim Sakhorn disappeared. The spokesmen of > the Cambodian authorities were flip-flopping with the whereabouts of > Venerable Tim Sakhorn. The spokesman of the Vietnamese Embassy in > Phnom-Penh, Trinh Ba Cam, had previously denied any knowledge of Venerable > Tim Sakhorn's whereabouts after his disappearance from Cambodia. > > What is more disturbing is the fact that the letter to defrock Venerable > Tim Sakhorn was secretly approved on Frebruary 17, 2007 by Venerable Tep > Vong who is the "King" of Cambodian Buddhist monks in Cambodia, but the > people in Cambodia did not know about it until today. That approved letter > was translated from Khmer to Vietnamese and the VC government distributed > and posted the letter across all Khmer-Krom Buddhist temples in South > Vietnam. It is a clear act of intimidation to suppress further human rights > activities and movement by Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks who want to stand up > for their religious rights. > > Today, Tim Sakhorn remains in house detention in An Giang under heavy > surveillance, a condition which was not previously mentioned during the > court hearing. > > On 17 December 2007, approximately 50 Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks in Phnom > Penh, Cambodia marched peacefully to Vietnamese Embassy to hand up a > petition. The petition called on the VC government to release Venerable Tim > Sakhorn and five other Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks currently imprisoned in > Khleang province. The Vietnam Embassy refused to take the petition and > ordered the Cambodian police to disperse the monks. > > A fight broke out and electric batons were used by the Cambodian police > against the defenceless monks. The monks tried to head back to their pagoda > as fast as they could run. The police chased the monks for more than four > blocks, some kicking the monks with their boots while others or shocking > them with electric batons. Three monks were unconscious, namely, Venerable > Ly Vanny, Venerable Meng Savan Dararithy and Venerable Lam Keo Samnang and > fifteen others were wounded. > > On behalf of the Khmer Krom refugees in Cambodia, I would like to appeal > for your assistance to: > > > 1. Urge the Cambodian government to recognize Khmer Krom as refugeeswhen > they arrived at Cambodia because they flee from Vietnamese seeking fro > refugee status. If Cambodia tactically considers Khmer Krom refugeesas > Cambodian citizens, then the world will not know that Khmer Krom escaped > Vietnam because of the human rights violations committed by the Vietnamese > government. > 2. Urge the Cambodian government to negotiate with Vietnam for the > release and return of Venerable Tim Sakhorn, who is a Cambodian citizen. > 3. Ask the Cambodian government to implement initiatives, program to > help refugees fleeing the border rather than just status recognition to > ensure that these refugees are given immediate aid and protection rather > than left to fend for themselves. > 4. Urge the Cambodian government to conduct a thorough and independent > investigation into the murder case of the Venerable Eang Sok Thoeun and > bring the killer to court. > 5. Urge the Cambodian to respect the basic right to conduct a peaceful > demonstration of the Khmer Krom Buddhist monks who just demand to > release their fellow Buddhist monks from prison in Vietnam. > 6. Urge the member countries of the European Parliament to provide > support to Khmer Krom refugees who are living in difficult situation in > Thailand. If possible, please help to grant refugee status to live in your > country. > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. 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