In a reflecting study: Khmer Hero Bhikkhu Hiem Chiev and Venerable Luon Sovath at the present

Biography of Achar Hem Chiev, a National Hero - ព្រះបាឡាត់ឃោសនាគ ហែមចៀវ វីរបុរសជាតិ

ឆ្នាំងបាយលោកសង្ឃ គឺនៅនឹងប្រជាជន បើប្រជាជនវេទនា អត់បាយ ប្រជាជនគ្មានសិទ្ធិសេរីភាព បើប្រជាជននៅក្នុងឋានៈ ជាខ្ញុំកញ្ជះគេ លោកសង្ឃក៏ទទួល អំណោយផលអាក្រក់ដែរ។ ដូច្នេះ លោកសង្ឃមានភារៈ ប្រោសសត្វលោក គឺត្រូវស្តីប្រដៅ ធ្វើឲ្យមនុស្សមានស៊ី មានស្លៀក មានសេរីភាព ក្នុងប្រទេសឯករាជ្យ និងសន្តិភាព ដ៏បរិបូណ៌។

ទឹកភ្នែកប្រជារាស្ត្រ គឺទឹកភ្នែកព្រះសង្ឃ

- ទឹកចិត្ត ព្រះអាចារ្យ ហែមចៀវ -
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The monks’ rice pot remains with the people, if the people are miserable, have nothing to eat, if they have no freedom, if they live as slave, monks will also feel the hardship pinch. Therefore, monks whose duty is to save the humans, must teach and encourage people to find food to eat, to find clothes to wear, to find freedom for their country, to find independence and total peace.

Tears of the people are those of monks.

- View by Preah Achar Hem Chiev -

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Biography of Achar Hem Chiev

 Posted originally by M. P.

Hem Chiev was born in 1898 to a modest farmer family in Oudong. At the age of 12, his father took him to study at Wat Ounalom under the guidance of Monk Chuon Nath who is one of his father’s friends. Young Hem Chiev studied well while serving monk Chuon Nath until the age of 16. Under his parents request, the young Hem Chiev decided to take the vow and became a monk at Wat Ounalom where he further expanded his knowledge of Buddhism under the guidance of monk Chuon Nath still.

At the age of 20, monk Hem Chiev was ordained as Bikkhu at Watt Langka. He then went on to pass the exam to enter the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh.

According to Martin Stuart-Fox (2006), “[t]he Buddhist Institute did encourage Buddhist studies, but it also stimulated wider studies into culture and history, folklore and language, which rekindled cultural pride that fed into the rising tide of nationalism. The failure of France to protect either Laos or Cambodia from losing territory to Thailand in 1940-41 had a similar effect. Monks took the lead in opposing clumsy French attempts to introduce romanised forms of Cambodian and Lao scripts. In Cambodia, the monk Hem Chieu, a leader in this opposition movement …”

Achar Hem Chiev encouraged his students to study hard to liberate themselves from the yoke of the French colonial rule. He also started the movement to preach Buddhism in Khmer rather than in Pali.

As a member of the French opposition, Achar Hem Chiev kep contact with other Khmer nationalists at the time, among them: Pach Chhoeun, Son Ngoc Thanh, Chum Moung, Nuon Duong, and Sim Var. They all worked to find ways to free Cambodia from the French rule.

Meanwhile, Achar Hem Chiev kept on his Buddhist preaching, among the most notable principles he preached are:

• Do not be a man of burden to the world (i.e. be useful in life).
• We must bring well-being to the present first because if we now have well-being, there will be well-being in the future as well.
• You must work, do not wait for fate.
• You can cross hardship only if you are determined.
• You can only depend on yourself (i.e. self-reliance).
• You must not frequent bad friends, you should not frequent friends with low life, you should frequent good friends, you should frequent people with high ideals.
• Unintelligent people will bring you actions that should not be brought up, they always bring you chores that are not of concern, they are people who are difficult to teach and bring back to the right path, when they are told about good behaviors, they become angry, they do not know about rules, if you do not meet them, or see them, it is best that way.
• You should not depend on someone else to feed you in life.

At a preaching session where he spoke about independence, one man told him: “We want independence from France also, but we don’t know what to do.” Monk Hem Chiev told him back: “It is easy, as Lord Buddha told us: ‘The union will bring well-being in everything’”.

On July 17, 1942, under the instigation of French spies, Achar Hem Chiev was arrested and unceremoniously defrocked. He was then thrown in jail by the French colonial regime working under the occupation of Japan.

On July 20, 1942, a demonstration asking for the release of Achar Hem Chiev was organized by Pach Chhoeun. He was joined by about 1,000 demonstrators including several monks. In the melee which ensued, Pach Chhoeun was pushed inside the perimeter of the French Resident compound. French agents took this opportunity to close the door behind Pach Chhoeun and arrested him on the spot. Seeing this arrest, the monks started to fight against French police agents and their Vietnamese agents using their umbrellas. Meanwhile, the civilians who were present at the demonstration started to throw rocks against the French. The demonstration idea originated from Son Ngoc Thanh who wanted to show the Japanese (who then occupied Cambodia) the displeasure of Cambodian people against the arrest of Achar Hem Chiev by the French agents of the fascist Vichy regime, he would then ask the Japanese troops for intervention and obtain the release of Achar Hem Chiev. However, the fight and the arrest of Pach Chhoeun changed all Son Ngoc Thanh’s plan. Following the demonstration, several important Cambodian nationalists were arrested by the French after the demonstration.

Accused of sedition (KI-Media Note: Villagers in Kratie who resisted forced evictions are currently charged of secession), Achar Hem Chiev and several other Khmer nationalists were sentenced to life in prison by the French colonial court, and sent to jail in Poulo Condor (Con Son Island) also known in Khmer as Koh Trolach jail. It was there that Achar Hem Chiev died. Rumors had it also that the French forced Achar Hem Chiev to sleep in lime which seriously affected his health (one of my uncle who then belonged to the nationalist movement told me about this rumor).

Before passing away, Achar Hem Chiev said: “The construction of the nation by one individual will never be successful. We must unite altogether, in great number, and we must keep on pursuing it! You must all continue the struggle for me. I cannot carry the country by myself… The country belongs to us all… I am not afraid of death but the only thing I regret, is not being able to see our Cambodia becoming independent. May you live in peace … If our country finds peace again, we must organize a republic, do not forget! I am leaving you…”

On July 4, 1972, the Khmer Republic regime repatriated the remains of Achar Hem Chiev from Poulo Condor back to Cambodia where he received his final proper religious rite. His remain was then kept at Wat Ounalom.

References

Preah Pothiveang So Hay, prepared by Kong Samphea. “Preah Balat Khosaneak Hem Chiev, a National Hero.” Historical document in Khmer. (see below in Khmer)

Acknowledgment

The following PDF edition of the biography of Ven. Hem Chiev was made available by Lok Ly Diep of Angkor Borei News.

“Buddhism and politics in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand” by Martin Stuart-Fox (2006)

គុកនយោបាយ ដោយ ប៊ុណ្ណចន្ទ ម៉ុល - Political Prisoner by Bun Chan Mol

Dear Readers,

Please find below a copy of Lok Bun Chanmol's book "គុកនយោបាយ - Political Prisoner" which provides an account of his life during Cambodia's struggle for independence from France. In this memoir, Lok Bun Chanmol also provided a glimpse at the Poulo Condor (គុក កោះត្រឡាច) jail set up by colonial France to imprison those who demand for independence in French Indochina. Another famous prisoner in this jail is Ven. Hem Chiev, a Cambodian monk who was defrocked by the French for leading peaceful protest against French occupation. Ven. Hem Chiev died of forced labor at the Poulo Condor jail and his remain was only brought back to Phnom Penh in the 70s.

The situation in Cambodia during that period is very reminiscent of today's Cambodia where only one monk, Ven. Loun Sovath, dares to stand with those who were unfairly evicted from their homes. Furthermore, those who dare protest against the current CPP regime are summarily sent to jail in a tribunal charade. Almost 60 years after achieving independence, Cambodia is returning back to a tyrannical regime just like our ancestors suffered under the French colonial regime. This time around, the tyrants are the CPP and their leaders.

Enjoy, read, learn and remember!

KI-Media team

The Poulo Condor jail:

សហគមន៍​អន្តរជាតិ​ថ្កោលទោស​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អំពី​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស

ដោយ តាំង សារ៉ាដា
http://www.rfa.org/khmer/indepth/cam_govt_condemned-05302012041803.html

2012-05-30

ភ្នាក់ងារ​អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អន្តរជាតិ បាន​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ បញ្ឈប់​ជា​បន្ទាន់​នូវ​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ​ដែល​កំពុង​កើត​ មាន​ទៅ​លើ​ជន​ស៊ីវិល និង​ព្រះសង្ឃ។

RFA/Uon Chhin

កម្លាំង​សមត្ថកិច្ច​ចាប់​ព្រះ​កាយ​ព្រះភិក្ខុ លួន សុវ៉ាត នៅ​មុខ​សាលាដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។

ការ​ជំរុញ​របស់​ក្រុម​នេះ ធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​បន្ទាប់​ពី​សមត្ថកិច្ច​កម្ពុជា បាន​បង្ក្រាប​យ៉ាង​ហិង្សា​ទៅ​លើ​ក្រុម​បាតុករ​ក្នុង​បញ្ហា​ដីធ្លី រួម​នឹង​ការ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​ពលរដ្ឋ​ចំនួន ១៣​នាក់ ព្រម​ទាំង​ការ​គំរាម​ខាង​ផ្នែក​តុលាការ​ទៅ​លើ​ព្រះសង្ឃ​ពី​បទ​ញុះញង់​ជាដើម។


សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​ជាតិ និង​អន្តរជាតិ បាន​ថ្កោល​ទោស​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង​ចំពោះ​សមត្ថកិច្ច​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ ដែល​បាន​ប្រើ​ហិង្សា និង​ដាក់​លក្ខខណ្ឌ​ទាំង​បង្ខំ​ដល់​ភិក្ខុ លួន សុវ៉ាត ឲ្យ​បញ្ឈប់​ការ​ឈឺ​ឆ្អាល​របស់​ព្រះអង្គ​ទៅ​លើ​ទុក្ខ​វេទនា​របស់​ពលរដ្ឋ ដូច​កើត​មាន​ចំពោះ​អ្នក​ភូមិ​នៅ​តំបន់​បឹងកក់ និង​ពលរដ្ឋ​សហគមន៍​បុរី​កីឡា​ជាដើម។


នាយក​ប្រតិបត្តិ​នៃ​គណៈកម្មការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាស៊ី លោក វ៉ង កៃស៊ីង (Wong Kaishing) មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា កម្ពុជា​គួរ​រក្សា​សេចក្ដី​ថ្លៃថ្នូរ​របស់​ខ្លួន​តាម​រយៈ​ការ​គោរព​សិទ្ធិ​ មនុស្ស​ឲ្យ​បាន​ត្រឹមត្រូវ និង​បញ្ឈប់​ជា​បន្ទាន់​នូវ​ការ​បង្ក្រាប​ហ្វូង​បាតុករ ឬ​ការ​ចាប់​ក្រុម​អ្នក​តវ៉ា​យ៉ាង​ហិង្សា ដើម្បី​ផ្ដន្ទាទោស​ដោយ​គ្មាន​ហេតុផល និង​មូលដ្ឋាន​ច្បាប់។
លោក កៃស៊ីង មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា សម្ពាធ​ដ៏​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ​របស់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា មក​លើ​ពលរដ្ឋ​របស់​ខ្លួន​អាច​នាំ​ឲ្យ​កម្ពុជា​បរាជ័យ​ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​ជា​ ប្រធាន​អាស៊ាន និង​ខូច​កេរ្តិ៍​ឈ្មោះ​ក្នុង​ឆាក​អន្តរជាតិ ក្នុង​បរិបទ​នៃ​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស៖ «នេះ​គឺ​គំនាប​ដ៏​អាក្រក់​របស់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​មក​លើ​ពលរដ្ឋ​ស្លូត​ត្រង់។ យើង​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ដោះ​លែង​ពលរដ្ឋ​ដែល​កំពុង​ជាប់​ឃុំឃាំង​ដោយសារ​ បញ្ហា​ដីធ្លី​ទាំង​នោះ កាន់​តែ​ឆាប់​តាម​ដែល​អាច​ធ្វើ​ទៅ​បាន។ ម៉្យាង​ទៀត​អាជ្ញាធរ​មាន​សមត្ថកិច្ច​មិន​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​អ្នក​ដែល​ គ្រាន់តែ​បញ្ចេញ​តាម​ឆន្ទៈ​របស់​គេ​ដាក់​ពន្ធនាគារ​នោះ​ឡើយ»។


ការ​ថ្លែង​របស់​មន្ត្រី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​នៃ​គណៈកម្មការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាស៊ី រូប​នេះ ធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​បន្ទាប់​ពី​មាន​ការ​ធ្វើ​ទុក្ខបុកម្នេញ​ផ្នែក​តុលាការ​មក​លើ​ ព្រះតេជព្រះគុណ លួន សុវ៉ាត និង​ការ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​ពលរដ្ឋ​តំបន់​បឹង​កក់ ១៥​នាក់ កាល​ពី​ពេល​ថ្មីៗ​នេះ។


ក្រុម​អ្នក​ឃ្លាំមើល​អំពី​ការ​គោរព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ព្រមាន​ថា ប្រសិន​បើ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​មិន​ផ្តល់​លទ្ធភាព​គ្រប់​បែប​យ៉ាង​ឲ្យ​ពលរដ្ឋ​មាន​ សិទ្ធិ​ក្នុង​ការ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ​ដោយ​សេរី និង​មាន​ដំណោះស្រាយ​សមរម្យ​នូវ​រាល់​វិបត្តិ​ទាំង​ឡាយ ដែល​កើត​មាន​ក្នុង​សង្គម​ទេ នោះ​ទស្សនវិស័យ​នៃ​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍ​ប្រទេស នឹង​មិន​អាច​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​យូរ​អង្វែង​បាន​ឡើយ។


មន្ត្រី​ផ្នែក​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​របស់​អង្គការ​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​លីកាដូ (Licadho) លោក អំ សំអាត បាន​ថ្កោល​ទោស​ចំពោះ​សកម្មភាព​របស់​អាជ្ញាធរ​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ គ្រប់​លំដាប់​ថ្នាក់ ដែល​បាន​ប្រើ​សកម្មភាព​ហិង្សា​យ៉ាង​កំរោល និង​អាក្រក់​មើល​ជា​ទីបំផុត ក្នុង​ការ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​ព្រះតេជព្រះគុណ លួន សុវ៉ាត នៅ​កណ្ដាល​ថ្ងៃ​ត្រង់ ក្នុង​ចំណោម​មនុស្ស​ជា​សាក្សី​រាប់​រយ​នាក់​នៅ​ទី​សាធារណៈ។

May 25, 2012, 7:27 PM

New YouTube Channel Aims to Add Context to Activist Videos

By JENNIFER PRESTON

A new YouTube channel devoted to human rights was introduced this week to help raise awareness and provide context for the growing number of videos created by citizen journalists and activists all over the world, YouTube announced in a blog post.

“In the case of human rights, video plays a particularly important role in illuminating what occurs when governments and individuals in power abuse their positions,” the blog post says.

“Nonprofits and activism” is one of the fastest-growing categories on YouTube, according to Olivia Ma, YouTube’s news manager. At the height of the Arab Spring last year, she said, 100,000 videos were uploaded from Egypt, representing a 72 percent increase in uploads from the previous three months, even after the government shut down the Internet for five days.

In Syria, where foreign journalists have been barred from covering the violent clashes, activists have uploaded tens of thousands of videos on YouTube in the past year, allowing the world to see the horrific violence unfolding inside their country. Among them is a graphic video uploaded on Friday showing a young boy lying in a pool of blood after he was shot dead in the street by soldiers.

In this video, millions watched the activist Syriapioneer’s channel appealing for medical attention for the wounded journalist Edith Bouvier.

The Human Rights Channel will be overseen by Witness, an international nonprofit organization that has been using video to help activists document human rights abuses for almost 20 years. They are working with Storyful, a news gathering and curation operation that will help provide verification of videos uploaded onto the platform.

Cambodian government: Stop Violent Response but Peaceful Resolution on ongoing land conflicts

Sign this petition online at: Cambodian government: Stop Violent Response but Peaceful Resolution on ongoing land conflicts

Evictions and forcible confiscations of land continue to rank as one of Cambodia's most pervasive human rights problems, and are in fact growing ever worse. Such actions, coupled with total impunity and a lack of the rule of law, are leading to violence fuelled by deep dissatisfaction over existing resettlement schemes, which in turn lead to violent responses by companies, the authorities and the law enforcement agencies.


Without going back through the decades of land conflict history, the year 2012 alone marks a very worrying trend of human rights violations associated with land conflicts, of which the following are some prominent examples:


On 3 January 2012, many families still residing in Borei Keila were forcibly evicted from their homes by a combined force of over 100 police officials, military police, company employees and security guards. More than200 homes were demolished. The combined force also clashed violently with members of the community. Some police and community members were reportedly injured, while some residents were later arrested and detained by the police. Sadly, On 14 May 2012, a nine-month-old baby died in Kuntha Bopha hospital, where he had been taken after suffering from diarrhoea and fever since his family was forcibly evicted from Borei Keila. The boy, Chan Samnang, fell ill as a direct result of wretched living conditions – including a lack of appropriate shelter, food and services in the Srah Po resettlement site.


On 16 May 2012, a 14-year-old girl, Heng Chantha, was shot dead at around 9am in Broma village, Kampong Domrei commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province, and at least two other villagers arrested, during a violent forced land eviction. Witnesses report that hundreds of armed police and military police used rounds of live ammunition against 1,000 or so villagers to forcibly evict them from their property. The villagers were demonstrating against the loss of their farmland as a result of an economic land concession granted to a subsidiary of Russian-owned Kastin LLC.

On 24 May 2012, 13 women affected by the land conflict at Phnom Penh’s BoeungKak Lake who have led protests against the eviction were convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on charges of inciting others to take land illegally under Article 504 of the Penal Code and obtaining land illegally under Articles 34 and 259 of the Land Law 2001after being detained without charge for a period of 48 hours. The 13 women are Kong Chantha, TolSreypov, TepVanny, PovSophea, Suong Samai, Pan Chhunret, Heng Nom, Chan Navy, Po Davy, Nguon Kimleang, Song Sreyleap, Chheng Leap and Nget Kun. Seven women were sentenced to two and a half years in prison, five to two years (with six months’ suspended sentence), and 72-year-old Nget Khun to a year (with a year and six months’ suspended sentence).

On the same day, the Venerable Loun Savath, a prominent human rights activist and monk joined some one hundred protestors outside the court. As shown in this video clip, at around 10am, Ven. Loun Savath was manhandled and forced into an unmarked Land Cruiser by policemen, army officers and unidentified men before being driven to WatBotum Pagoda, where police and officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Cults and Religion barricaded him inside. As of 4pm, Wat Botum remained completely sealed off, with even fellow monks unable to gain access to the site. It was widely rumoured that Loun Sovathwas going to be defrocked, although he appears to have been spared this punishment at least for the time being, though he has vowed to continue his activism – and has already been seen doing so. Last year, LounSavath was banned from entering all pagodas in Phnom Penh as a result of his human rights and community activism.

On the same day – 24 May 2012 –170 houses in KohNhek district, Mondulkiri province, were burned down by the local authorities, who claimed that the residents were living on land granted by way of an economicland concession to a Vietnamese company for a rubber plantation.


The continuing problem of land evictions and the violent response by local authorities against protesters and communities who are only advocating for their rights to be respected shall no be longer tolerated. These issues would have better results if the authorities focused on peaceful settlements and adhered to human rights principles in the interests of their citizens and in the interests of establishing a country that observes the rule of law.


We, the undersigned group and ordinary citizens; therefore, call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to:

1. Take immediate and peaceful action to resolve all land conflicts arising across the country, to halt all forced evictions of people, and to consult extensively with affected communities to secure long-lasting resolutions.

2. Immediately release villagers and community representatives who have been charged for their advocacy, in particular the women representatives of Boeung Kak Lake jailed on 24 May 2012.

3. Stop harassing and intimidating human rights defenders, such as the Venerable Loun Savath, who was temporarily detained on 24 May 2012 and explain the ground of his detention.

4. Immediately find suitable and appropriate re-settlement sites with all necessary facilities and living conditions for those residents already evicted, such as those from BoreiKeila, BoeungKak, Mondulkiri, Kratie, and so on. A proper living condition in resettlement sites will cost only a minimal budget by investors and developers.

5. Immediately begin full and proper investigations into the death of the 14-year-old girl from Kratie province.

6. Take pride in putting Cambodian’s livelihood ahead of the development at the expense of people and children’s rights and lives.

Photos shot during the forcible arrest of Venerable Luon Sovath

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.

Abuse of Power Draws Criticism From All Corners

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Abuse of Power Draws Criticism From All Corners

Loun Savath said Thursday he is following the teachings of Buddha by defending human rights and he vowed to continue his activism. (Photo: by Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer)

Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Reporters,VOA Khmer | Washington, D.C 

“If the country still allows such anarchy, one day we will all die together. Meaning that all the leaders will die too.”

A group of 23 human rights NGOs issued a statement Tuesday condemning ongoing violence by state security forces against civilians.

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee accused members of the soldiers and police of serving private companies over the interests of Cambodian citizens, adding its voice to widespread criticism of the government’s handling of land issues, extrajudicial killings and other abuses of power.

The Action Committee noted 24 separate incidents of violence since the beginning of the year, with some ending in the killing of civilians, and none having had proper investigations afterwards. More than 400 people are facing court action in land disputes, the rights group Adhoc said. “They are living under threat,” Ny Chakrya, Adhoc’s chief investigator, said.

The statement comes following the shooting death of environmental activist Chut Wutty in Koh Kong province, the accidental killing of a 14-year-old girl in a crackdown in Kratie province, and the arrest of 15 representatives of families in a land dispute in Phnom Penh, all in recent weeks.

It adds to mounting criticism of the government as Cambodia’s head to the polls on Sunday to elect local commune council leaders.

Tit Sothea, a spokesman for the government, said the administration recognized that “accidents” and “unintentional killings” had taken place, but he said the arrest of the Boeung Kak protesters last week was in accordance with the law.

Nevertheless opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua said she has appealed to the US government to halt aid to Cambodia until its human rights efforts improve, especially given the quick trial and guilty verdicts for the 13 Boeung Kak protestes, who were all women.