Complete transcript from RFA news report. Read and Listen in Khmer. Please also note the correction at the end of the article. A group of Khmer-Krom monks in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Preah Tra Peng (Tra Vinh) province in Kampuchea-Krom (South Vietnam) report that at the end of October, Vietnamese district authority put a Khmer-Krom monk under house arrest. Venerable Thach Kong Huong, about 30 years old is under arrest for associating with the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF), the organization seeking independent1 from Vietnam. According sources, the Venerable have been living in Cambodia for the past 3 to 4 years returned home to visit his parents and to celebrate Bun Ka-Tin festival. The Vietnamese authorities put him under house arrest upon arrival while an investigation on the monk is under way. The monk has the proper travel paper as a Cambodian citizen, but he was born in Kampuchea Krom. Ven. Thach Van Dinh, 47 years old from Samaki Ransi Temple in Phnom Penh, and a member of the KKF said “on the 30th October, the monk arrived with proper travel document as a Cambodian citizen. The Preah Tra Peng district authority prohibits him from leaving his room since he arrived at the temple.” Another monk, name Young Sin, a member of the Khmer-Krom association in Cambodia said “what they are doing is barbaric and vicious; they seek every opportunity to destroy our identity and culture”. A monk in Preah Tra Peng, Kampuchea Krom which is currently under Vietnamese occupation, told RFA by telephone that the Vietnamese authority accused the monk for associating with KKF “he is constantly under surveillance, he is afraid to speak to or make any kind of contact with temple patrons or other monks”. RFA is unable to contact the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh for comment. A spokesperson from the ministry of interior said if Vietnam arrested a Cambodian citizen, they have to inform the Cambodian authority. He said that if the monk only made contact with KKF, then it is not a crime. Please note, KKF is headed by Mr. Thach Ngoc Thach, who lobbied intensively to the international community to seek recognition for the Khmer-Kroms people and culture. As the rightful owner of the land of Kampuchea Krom, they seek independent1 from Vietnam. Note & Correction 1. KKF seek self-determination for the Khmer-Krom people. Whether it is independent or otherwise, it is for the people to decide through a democratic process. Translated by KKN
