Aloha,
As aWhat does his personal matter have anything to do with what we
d resident of Hawaii, which Sophan Seng claims he represents, I
wanted to
share my observations, thoughts, and also questions about his
motives.
Unfortunately, I didn't like what I saw of him, and I only foresee
further
disruption.
Sophan Seng came to Hawaii to further his education back in 2006.
The first
time he set foot in Hawaii, I introduced him to some Cambodian
community
members since he was a Khmer new to the island. Some knew his
background
from the past and had their opinions (good but mostly bad), but I
tried not
to take people's word for it. As months progressed, however, I
came to see
that the warnings I had heard were true. First, he used the Buddhist
religion to advance himself rather than becoming a monk selflessly in
dedication to Buddha. How do I know this? While attending the
University
of Hawaii, he lived in a co-educational dormitory. One may think
this is
not a big deal nowadays, but should a monk put himself in the
company and
living quarters of females? Is this appropriate? He often
flirted with
young female members of our community and made inappropriate
comments -
causing some of our youth and their parents to become very upset!
He was
affiliated with a so-called ‘temple’ in Hawaii, and performed
Buddhist
ceremonies. That was reasonable because he was a monk, right? But
in 2009,
he visited Cambodia from Hawaii, ostensibly still a monk, but came
back to
the United States only a couple of months later with a wife! Prior
to his
trip back to Cambodia, he told members of the community in Hawaii
that he
was going there to represent and gain support for the temple and the
Buddhist religion. The ‘temple committee’ gave him $400, and s
ome
individual people also gave him money, since he was a monk and/or
student.
Poor him, right? When he came back with a wife, people were
shocked. Did
he care? Apparently not. He did not attempt to explain himself nor
apologize for using the monies to go back to Cambodia to get
married. No,
he used religion for personal gain. Sad but true.
To people that do not know him, Sophan Seng represents himself as a
‘community facilitator.’ To be a facilitator, ideally one has to
be
neutral, or at least try to maintain neutrality. Instead, he openly
expresses his opinion about Cambodian politics. In fact, even as a
monk,
whose studies are supposed to focus on learning and internalizing
Buddhist
principles and the path to peace, he chose to pursue a degree in
*political
science*. Most if not all of the articles he has written to the
Phnom Penh
Post (PPP) discuss politics. At the close of each of his articles,
he
signed "Sophan Seng, University Hawaii at Manoa, United States," or
"Cambodian Students of Aloha" (the University's student
organization).
This might indicate that his opinions echo those of other Khmer
at the
University of Hawaii. They do not. Again, he is not representing
the
university, Khmer in Hawaii, or the United States of America. He
used these
closures to make himself look good with outside parties. Not all
Khmer in
Hawaii (or elsewhere in the United States) agree with him.
In his previous correspondence, Sophan stated, “If you want to kno
w me more,
go to these links.” The links he provided,http://www2.hawaii.edu/~csaloha/officers.htmlandhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~sopha
n/, are links that were self-created -- using
the university- related resources (originally created for the use
of the
student group as a whole) for personal gain, again. Was the
information he
put on the site approved by the majority of the students in the
organization? Has anyone else affiliated with the CSAloha used
this site
for personal boasting? No. Not even the founders, myself or Mr.
Chanthoeun
To, ever considered using this site to toot our own horns. The
purpose of
CSAloha, ‘…does not represent any political or religious
ideologies both
on/off campus.’ Yet he used the university-based name/group to s
end
articles about politics to PPP and other media. Like Mr. Heng Sombat
mentioned in his email, ‘He just wanted his name to be read in Phn
om Penh
Post.’
Most of the articles he wrote to the PPP from Hawaii attacked the
current
Cambodian government and sided with opposition political parties.
Hmmm . .
. Sophan, when you were in Cambodia, did you write any articles to
the PPP?
Or did you simply enjoy yourself there and then come back to the
safety of
the U.S. to criticize Cambodia? Why attack the government of your
own
country? Do you just use your country for personal gain as well?
Samdech
Hun Sen has been a Prime Minister for years. He lives in Cambodia
most of
his life, unlike Mr. Sam Rainsy. When problems arise in the country,
Samdech Hun Sen is still there. How about Mr. Sam Rainsy? He
leaves the
country when problems come up. Then, his students and his
followers pay
the price since they can’t leave the country like him. Now, I am
not
affiliated with any political party in Cambodia. I am simply
noting that
you only support a given official or bureaucrat when it suits you.
Perhaps
it is easier to get an American scholarship if you are attacking a
socialist
country leader rather than supporting him? Sophan, why try to
divide the
country instead of uniting it? Are you using your Canadian and US
bases to
get asylum to live abroad permanently??
Your articles to the PPP do not help the current issues in Cambodia;
instead, you are dividing the government and her people. Before
you decide
to sound off your opinion again, you should take a look at yourself
in the
mirror again and think about whether you are helping Cambodia with
your
words and actions, or, by pretending to be some sort of expert from
the
safety of your current North American address, making things worse
for the
people of our motherland.
Savouth Chea
Honolulu, Hawaii
-----Message d'origine-----
De : [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] De
la part
de Heng Sombat
Envoyé : samedi 9 janvier 2010 21:08
À : [email protected]
Objet : RE: My Letter to the Phnom Penh Post
Sophan,
The CSALOHA website is very outdated
(http://www2.hawaii.edu/~csaloha/officers.html). I do not think
any of
the
information on the site are correct. You need to update it or take
the site
down. False information via internet or posted on the internet is
also a
crime.
Per my information with the East West Center, you are no longer a
student
there. Plus you have sent many articles about Cambodian-Canadian's
activities which only proof that you are currently residing in
Canada.
There is not much to read into your article. Your intention is
not to help
Cambodia or her people. Question: Have you even hold a job that
produced
normal income and paid income-tax since you live here, US or
Canada? If
not, you have no idea what is democracy is. So please do not preach
democracy to others. From your resume, you have been a professional
student
and monk most of your adult life.
Per my conversation with my friend Sok in Hawaii, your short term
in Hawaii
during your monk hood was fulfill with sins. Let me relate (one
issue) to
you and to our audience that wish to know more about you, since
you wanted
others to know about you as well. Correct me if my information is
incorrect, but I have no doubt about what I am about to share.
During your study at University of Hawaii you were living in a co-ed
University housing that was provided by East West Center (funded by
American
tax payers). This mean that you were sharing your domicile with
young
college girls. This alone violated Buddhism practice already.
Most of the
young girls in these days covered their body with less and less
garments,
especially when they are in their domiciles. I will stop here on
this issue
and let you and the audience of CAMDIS takes it from here.
I have more to share, if you want me to go on! Trust me.
Here is my suggestion. Stop attacking and putting down Cambodian
people
and
her government via Phnom Penh Post. Posting article via Phnom Post
will be
read by mostly foreigners, in Phnom Penh and aboard, your article
will only
stack more mud on the Cambodian people. This government is not
perfect.
If
you care, let's help Cambodian people by helping the government to
improve
their mean and way of doing government businesses. Let's start with
solidarity first. Solidarity is the most effective way to
consolidate
power
and fight the enemy of all kinds; foreign and domestic. Keep in
mind
that
democracy does not happen overnight. It took US and Canada over
200 years
for their democracies and still not 100% perfect. Do not forget
that your
well being here in US or Canada is the result of the current
government
policy.
Here I go again......You must learn how to give back, not just
take. Or
giving back is not what you believe in? Stop taking from an
little old
lady
like the one you did in Hawaii. She gave you so much of what she
had; she
had to collect cans and saved portion of her SS incomes to
contribute to
your Buddhism preach, because she trusted you as a true monk.
I am going to stop here and hoping that you are able to start
giving back
with your heart.
Heng Sombat
Irvine, Ca
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf
Of sophan
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 4:59
To: Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) -www.cambodia.org
Subject: Re: My Letter to the Phnom Penh Post
Hi Heng Sombat and Kangkaroo;
Some info you claimed is correct, but major of them is wrong about
me.
If you want to know me more, go to these links.
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~csaloha/officers.html
or
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~sophan/
I am not affiliated with any political parties inside or outside of
Cambodia. I am currently a student of UH, and
...
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