04 July 2007 By Kim Pov Sottan – Radio Free Asia Translated from Khmer by Socheata 
Supreme patriarch Tep Vong said on Wednesday that there will not be anymore defrocking of Khmer Krom monks, following the defrocking of one Khmer Krom monks in Phnom Den pagoda, Takeo province. Tep Vong claimed that the defrocking was done to this Khmer Krom monk because he created difficulties for him (Tep Vong), and that the Khmer Krom monk asked to be defrocked himself. Tep Vong said that there is no reason to defrock other Khmer Krom monks. Tep Vong said: “If it’s true, I would do it already, but if it’s not true … I won’t do it, that’s why I said that we should end this mayhem with this guy (Tep Vong used the derogatory calling of “Ah Niss” to designate another monk), because he persecuted me. His group beat up other monks until their heads and faces were gashed.” RFA: “So there will not be any more defrocking?” Tep Vong: “No more … I don’t know, I did not defrock him, I was asked to give the permission for the defrocking, so I authorized the defrocking.” Tep Vong made this remark after he received numerous criticisms for the defrocking of a Khmer Krom monk in Phnom Den. Tep Vong’s critics accused him of discouraging Khmer Krom monks from demanding the respect of Buddhism in Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam). Monk Yoeung Sin, the abbot of the Samaky Raingsey pagoda, said that Khmer Krom monks, in particular the 20 monks who just fled from Kampuchea Krom recently, are very concerned after they learned that Tep Vong had ordered the defrocking of another 11 Khmer Krom monks. Monk Yoeung Sin added that up to now, some of the monks fled from their pagodas, while others no longer dare go out to beg for their alms as they usually do. “Now, there are other monks who fled, they are quite numerous, they are no longer staying in one place. They are now concerned, furthermore, some no longer dare going out to beg for their alms because they are afraid that they will be arrested, therefore, even to go beg for their alms, they don’t even dare do it. They are concerned that the Viet group arrest them and prevent them from going to beg for their alms … now they are scared, when they get into the water they face the crocodiles, but when they get back up on lands they face the tigers, they don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do,” Monk Yoeung Sin said. Monk Tim Sakhorn, the abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda was defrocked by the Cambodian authority last Saturday. He was accused of violating the Buddhist rule by undermining the national and international unity, in particular, he is accused of undermining the relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam by using the pagoda as a propaganda headquarters. Adhoc investigators confirmed that Monk Tim Sakhorn was issued warnings in the past because he allowed Khmer Krom people to become monks without asking the authorization from the patriarch. Following his defrocking, Monk Tim Sakhorn’s whereabouts is unknown, even though the Cambodian authority claimed that he volunteered to return back to Vietnam. Currently, numerous civil society organizations are holding meetings to find refuge and safety shelters for concerned monks who are native from Kampuchea Krom. Listen to RFA Report in Khmer
