20 May 2007 By Mayarith – Radio Free Asia Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy Thach Ngoc Thach, KKF Executive Director: The accusations by the Cambodian government spokesman came out even before Hanoi has yet to bring up any such accusation against Khmer Krom monks. So far, the Khmer Krom monks have been accused by Hanoi of participation in demonstration which affects the order in society only (and not on separatism). Hanoi officials have requested the UN to prevent Khmer Krom people and Montagnard representatives from outside of Vietnam, from participating in the UN forum in New York city. The Sixth UN meeting which will focus on the issues of indigenous people, will last for 11 days, from 14 to 25 May, and will be participated by about 2,500 people from all over the world. Nguyen Tan Than, the deputy representative of the Vietnamese mission at the UN, accuses the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) and the Montagnard Foundation of involvement in separatism in Vietnam. The Vietnamese official made a declaration on 18 May, in front of the Sixth Session UN Permanent Forum II (UNPFII) on indigenous people, in which he accused the separatist action (allegedly taken by the KKF and the Montagnard Foundation) of publishing false information against the Vietnamese government. The KKF group and the Montagnard Foundaton have yet to officially provide their reactions at the UN forum which is participated by about 2,500 people. A KKF representative said that his turn to provide his declaration at the UN forum will take place on Monday 21 May. Thach Ngoc Thach, the KKF representative, told RFA from New York City that Vietnam has no right whatsoever to prevent any organization as it wants to do. Thach Ngoc Thach said: “The Vietnamese government has no authority and no right to request the UN and the conference committee to ban any representatives of indigenous people from the forum…” The Sixth Session of UNPFII (UN Permanent Forum II) is taking place shortly after the defrocking of several Khmer Krom monks, and the recent jailing of 5 Khmer Krom monks who demonstrated against Hanoi’s authority. Earlier this week, Khieu Kanharith, the Cambodian government spokesman, declared that there was pressure for the Cambodian government to help intervene in the Khmer Krom monks case, but he said that the Phnom Penh regime cannot help since the Khmer Krom monks are involved with a movement of Khmer Kampuchea Krom government in the US. Khieu Kanharith said: “… It cannot be like this, this is tantamount to secessionism, therefore, these accusations (made by Khmer Krom organizations) we received documents that are opposite to them, and we believe that the documents we received are true…” The KKF representative who plans to clarify the case at the UN forum declared that Khmer Krom monks are not involved in the accusation leveled against them (by the Phnom Penh regime). “We regret that he (Khieu Kanharith) did not conduct proper research, even though he is the Minister of Information himself…,” Thach Ngoc Thach said. Thach Ngoc Thach added that the accusations by the Cambodian government spokesman came out even before Hanoi has yet to bring up any such accusation against Khmer Krom monks. So far, the Khmer Krom monks have been accused by Hanoi of participation in demonstration which affects the order in society only (and not on separatism).