The following a transcript from Radio Free Asia broadcast on 24 May 2006. Ladies and gentlemen listeners, it has been a long time ago but Khmer Krom never forgot the land of Kampuchea-Krom which Vietnam has been colonising and now Khmer Krom intellectuals, especially those who support the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) are determined that they will gain independence through the use of peaceful measures and international law. What are some the reasons why KKF believe that this will be possible? Mr Manarith reports from KKF meeting last week. “Khmer Krom will never give up, will never surrender to Vietnam. We fight to drive out Vietnamese to eternity” that is the voice Venerable Liv Pov, the president of the Khmer Krom Buddhist Association, who inspires and awaken hundreds of participants at the Khmer Krom Buddhist Conference, who came from countries including Canada, Australia, France, Cambodia, and all around the United States to increase the awareness of the true history of Kampuchea-Krom. This place is currently known as Ho Chi Minh City. Participants include former politicians during the Royalist era, the Khmer Republics and new generation who will lead Khmer Krom into the future. According to history, Kampuchea Krom was illegally handed over by the French government to Vietnam on the 4th July 1949. Venerable Liv Pov reminds participants of the brief history of Kampuchea-Krom that Vietnamese ambition to take over Kampuchea-Krom started in 1630. “In the beginning, Vietnamese came to ask for a place for refuge through the connection of Ko Sang Sin, who’s the wife of King Jay Chetha II. Since 1630, they have used every brutal mean to rob our lands.” Since then up until France handed over the land to the control of the Vietnamese, a vast number of Kampuchea Krom has fled from their homeland due to the brutal oppression of the Vietnamese authority including massacre of Khmer Krom who are the rightful owner of the land, destroying Khmer Krom culture and traditions, in it’s motivation to wipe Khmer Krom off the world map. All these reasons that inflicted pain and suffering toward Khmer Krom forcing them struggle for justice against Vietnam today. Among those who struggle for justice is the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF), who has brought attention to the international community, especially in its role apart of an international organization known as the Unrepresented People Organization (UNPO), which represent 54 member countries and people that has no representation at the United Nations. East Timor who has gained independence from Indonesia on 20 May 2002 was a member of the UNPO. The president of UNPO, Mr Guerin Hanson told RFA that he believes KKF who work very hard to seek international recognition through the UNPO will receive the same success as East Timor. Mr Guerin Hanson said in order for Kampuchea Krom to step toward success like East Timor, facts need to be established to the world about Kampuchea Krom’s true history. “Well, the UNPO is doing as much as the UNPO can do and the most important thing that the UNPO has done is to tell the people of the world about what is happening to Khmer Krom.” Mr Ger Hanson also said he learned about the pain and suffering of the Khmer Krom people through a video documentary that was shown to him last week. “I was not truly aware really of the situation of Khmer Krom until yesterday when I was shown the video which is of great interest because it shows the true story of Khmer Krom. I want to say that after seeing what’s in the video, nobody can sit down and be silent” Mr Thach Sami from Australia who participate in the Buddhist conference and will also join the KKF meeting said that he believe KKF’s activities supported by the UNPO, will regain independence for Kampuchea Krom. Thach Sami: “We join the United Nations, we sit down and we use international laws to demand for our rights, we do not need to be violent in our struggle, we don’t need to use guns; we can use pens as weapons and paper as our shields to protect us. We have the capability to fight Vietnamese oppression. One day the Vietnamese will have to give us back our land”. The president of KKF, Mr Thach Ngoc Thach believes that the Federation’s hard work will receive inevitable success. He said that on the 26, 27, 28 August, the KKF will open an International legal conference in the Netherlands. According to the documents distributed to the media, KKF have invited the former King of Cambodia to attend but have yet have to receive confirmation whether former King Norodom Shihanouk will accept the invitation. Thach Ngoc Thach: “He [Sihanouk] knows a lot. Khmer Krom as well as Khmer people in Cambodia already knew that he on a few occasions has repeatedly denied and proclaimed that he has never given up any of piece of Khmer land to people of any other country. KKF also announces that there will be an International conference in 2007 to show to the world that we are seeking self determination for people of Kampuchea-Krom. Last week during the Fifth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the UN representative of the Vietnamese Government Mr Pham Hai Anh attacked KKF in his speech to the forum and claimed that ethnic minority’s human rights are respected in Vietnam. Listen to this story from RFA in Khmer language Story start the 23rd minute. Transcript translated by Khmer Krom Network
