Radio Free Asia

KKC asks Royal Government Head to reconsider His Ven. Tim Sakhorn’s case

10/09/07

Unofficial translation from original RFA Khmer broadcast by KI staff Socheata and Heng

The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community (KKC) in Cambodia writes a letter asking the prime minister to review and reconsider the forcibly defrocking [case] of His Venerable Tim Sakhorn, former abbot of Phnom Den North Buddhist Temple, located in Kirivong district, Takeo province. KKC alleges that the defrocking of Monk Tim Sakhorn is illegal.

Thach Setha, KKC president, told RFA on Tuesday that: “We ask the prime minister to reconsider this case because the investigative report he received from government agents is completely opposite to the facts obtained by NGOs investigations, in particular (the government report is) opposite to the investigation conducted by Khmer Kampuchea Krom organizations and associations. Therefore, we will send in an attachment, all the documents based on our own investigations, and the various evidences for the premier to review and reconsider, in order to render justice for His Venerable Tim Sakhorn.”

Thach Setha’s reaction above was made after the head of the government reported to the King on the information report (he received) about the forcibly defrocking of His Venerable Tim Sakhorn, former abbot of Phnom Den North Buddhist Temple.

According to Mr. Thach Setha's dated October 8 letter sent to the prime minister, [he] indicated that former Buddhist monk Tim Sakhorn is a legal Cambodian citizen, who is recognized by the local authority.

Thach Setha’s letter added that the accusation that Hi Venerable Tim Sakhorn participated in 2 demonstrations against the Cambodia-Vietnam friendship, is simply not true. The former abbot has never committed anything that contravenes religious rules.

Khieu Kanharith, minister of information and government spokesman, reacted by saying that Hun Sen cannot reconsider the request.

Khieu Kanhartih added: “First of all, it’s (his) problem of ordaining (Buddhist monks) without asking the opinion from the cult committee at all. There are a lot of cases (like that), it’s not just the issue of political propaganda, in reality it’s about the religious rule (violation) which is severe. It’s not the problem about him participating in this movement or that movement, the movement is sometimes part of his right also, but the main problem was that he didn’t listen to anybody, and he ordained (anybody) as he wanted, this is not right. In the past, he has been warned several times, he didn’t listen.”

Former Abbot Tim Sakhorn was ordered to defrock by Tep Vong, the great supreme patriarch, and accused of violating the Buddhist rule by undermining the solidarity between Cambodia and Vietnam, and by using the pagoda to serve as a political propaganda center, thereby affecting the Buddhist rule. These charges came out of Tep Vong’s letter dated 16 June.

Currently His Venerable Tim Sakhorn is being jailed in Vietnam’s An Giang province (Khmer's Mort Chrouk province, Kampuchea Krom), after he was arrested by the Cambodian authority and deported to Vietnam on June 30. End of broadcast

Rebuttal letter of KKC to the Cambodian prime minister