News

By Lenny Thach, HR Advocacy

“The Three Khmer-Krom Buddhist Monks want to see Vietnamese government respect the human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist Education in Kampuchea-Krom (Southern Vietnam today)”. - Former Defrocked Monks

Picture (left to right): Ven. Tim Sakhorn, Ven. Danh Tol, Ven. Kim Muol

Today, members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and three KK Buddhist Monks had a busy schedule at the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC. The first meeting was with Scott Busby, the National Security Council official in charge of human rights and refugee issues held in the Wilson Room of the White House Conference Center. Next stop was to the U.S State Department where they met with Peter J. Kovach, Director Office of International Religious Freedom and Sara Colm from Human Rights Watch. A meeting with UNHCR Officers and U.S Congressman Staff gave the KKF Delegations the opportunity to raise the issues of the Khmer Krom refugees, human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist education in Vietnam. The meeting with the US Congress was a collective effort by KKF to try to improve human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist education in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Pi-i Debby Lin an Indigenous Taiwanese - Amis speaks on behalf of the Indigenous Youth Caucus

Nagi’ho, ci Lapic Kalay ko ngangan no mako.

Good Morning, Mister Chairperson.

Thank you for making Youth Caucus part of the planning for the future work of the Permanent Forum, we would like to hereby stress on couple emerging issues pertinent to indigenous youths.

Economic sovereignty is the key for the overall sovereignty of our peoples. However, as the result of industrialization, the transition to a cash economy and urbanization, we are becoming more susceptible to the fluctuation of global economy. The recent global economic crisis had worsened the poverty condition and livelihoods of indigenous families. With financial difficulties, indigenous youth workers are forced to work longer hours to sustain income. This had threatened our right to education and equal opportunities.

Members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and the general Khmer community in Philadelphia, USA are today celebrating the arrival of Khmer Krom latest heroes and human rights activists, Tim Sakhorn, Danh Ton and Kim Mouen.

Members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation Youth Committee and KKF are attending the Ninth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this week in New York City, USA.

Posted by UNPO Tuesday, 16 March 2010

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has considered the eighth to thirteenth periodic report of Cambodia on its implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. In connection with the review, a hearing was held with the Khmer Krom.

At the year-end meeting of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) from 12-13 December 2009 in San Jose, California, Mr. To Kim Thong, KKF Chairman, had an interview with the Preynokor News regarding to the roadmap that the KKF has been advocating to seek for the right to self-determination for the indigenous Khmer-Krom people as follows:

On October 29, 2009, KKF delegation jointed the Religions for Peace conference in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference focused on “The Role of Religious Leaders in Conflict Transformation and Peace Building" An Encounter of Religions for Peace Inter-religious Councils of Thailand and Sri Lanka.

Participants from KKF Europe include: THHAI Makarar, KIM Valentin, KIM Céline, BIV Bora, KHOUN Toma, KHOUN Sarah and Joshua Cooper.

Khmer Krom youths have attended training on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, Switzerland with KKF Advisor Joshua Cooper.