On Bravery

“Sometimes they accuse and threaten and defrock [monks], and those monks were stopped. Some monks go outside and escape from Cambodia as refugees. Until now, there has been no monk like me because they are afraid. They are afraid because they know it is very dangerous.

“Still, my heart, my activity, I’m still strong. Because I’ll do anything to help the people that are suffering.”

The last thing Sovath said to me was this:

“My safety right now … I’m not sure. Today it’s okay, but tomorrow I don’t know. I may be stopped from doing anything, but right now I try to help, continue and continue. I won’t stop. So my safety in the future … I’m not sure.”

That’s pretty brave.

Op-Ed: Healther Stilwell

Since I moved to Cambodia last year, I’ve had more than a few people tell me that they think I’m pretty brave for living here. I’ll let the secret out – I’m not.

The truth is that for a traveler, the so-called Kingdom of Wonder truly lives up to its name. Whatever you’re looking for, Cambodia’s probably got it. You can fly through the capital high as a kite on cheap drugs, cigarettes and booze; be spiritually awakened at the ancient temples of Angkor Wat; or relax among mountains and rivers in a sleepy provincial town that was once the playing-ground of the French colonial elite. Assuming you don’t go looking for trouble, you don’t have to be all that brave. And if trouble finds you, as a traveler, you almost always have the luxury of getting the hell out.

But that doesn’t mean there’s not an ugly side – the massive gap between the rich and poor, the rapid and brutal destruction of homes, forests, rivers, and oceans, and the blatant absence of basic rights for so many – this is the other side to the country; a side that casual travelers may be oblivious to, but of which Cambodians are painfully aware. Most abysmal is the violent retribution of those who try to speak out and fight for their rights in the country they call home.

In the nine months I’ve been here, this violence has escalated. To be honest, it’s getting scary. But I’m not the one who has to be brave. Cambodians are.

The first story I wrote here was about a local man who was beaten unconscious by police forces for trying to save a few families’ homes from demolition. The beating was wild and brutal, but the craziest part was that the whole thing was broadcast on YouTube, the video coming to a close as the man laid limp and bloody on the ground. I spoke to him after he had some time to recover. This is what he said:

“I love the Khmer people, I live for Khmer and I can die for Khmer … they said they wanted to kill me, but I said I won’t stop unless you stop harming people and you start to respect the law. I will sacrifice my life to protect the villagers.”

That’s brave.

CAMBODIAN MONK BRINGS HIS ACTIVISM TO MONTREAL'S KHMER COMMUNITY

“The more they stop me, the more I am strong and stand up. Again and again, more and more,” he said.

On Saturday, Sovath called on Canadians to support land activists and victims, not just with donations, but also through advocacy and petitions to the Canadian government. Sovath’s message of peaceful action resounded through the audience.

“Before, when I was small, I wanted to do something, but I was too scared and I felt alone, so I was discouraged and I lost hope,” said Sarom Om, a Khmer Canadian living in Montreal for 29 years. “If we see someone who stands up, who has confidence, that will help people who want to stand up and help and it will continue like that.”

REPORTED BY

HEATHER STILWELL

Cambodian monk and human rights activist Venerable Loun Sovath speaks to the Khmer Canadian community at Wat Buddha Sodhara in Montreal. Photo by Heather Stilwell.

REPORTED ON

February 25, 2012

Long ago in the foothills of the Himalayas, a young Prince Siddhartha left the safety of his palace and set off on a journey to overcome suffering. Upon realizing that the root of all suffering was greed, the newly enlightened Buddha dedicated his life to teaching compassion and sympathy to others.

More than 2,500 years later, a Cambodian monk is adding a modern twist to a journey of his own.

Venerable Loun Sovath maintains that Buddhism, human rights, and democracy are intertwined philosophies. He is an outspoken activist, documentary filmmaker, and poet – and earlier this month he boarded a plane to deliver his message of peace to Canada.

“It is very difficult working for human rights and democracy in Cambodia,” said Sovath in Montreal. “I came here because I want Khmer people in solidarity to help each other.”

Sovath is well known among Khmer Canadians, many of whom left Cambodia as early as 1975 to escape the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Last Saturday at Wat Buddha Sodhara in Saint Laurent, Sovath spoke to Montrealers about Buddhism, human rights issues in Cambodia, and a monk’s role in fighting injustice.

“I’ve never ever seen such an inspirational speech like this,” said event organizer Samnang Chuop. “People can listen to him talk for hours and hours.”