Some background on the Khmer Krom, courtesy of Rebecca Sommer:
Please click on the link or copy the address below into your address box to get to the weblink and watch the video.
www.rebeccasommer.org/documentaries/Khmer-Krom/index.php
“The Khmer Krom, who originated as the "first peoples" in the Mekong River Delta, usually live in villages surrounded by rice fields. The majority of the deeply religious Khmer Krom population sustain themselves with farming, fishing and hunting.”
Letter from Rebecca Sommer:
Dear Mr. Kinchen.
First of all I would like to thank you for writing articles which one usually doesn't find in the mainstream media. You ensure that the voices of many desperate peoples are heard, loud and clear, in the public -- around the globe. The very same peoples, which are silenced by force, intimidation, and misinformation propaganda by powerful entities.
The information which I provided to you and which was included in your recent article on the Khmer Krom in southern Vietnam, is just one example of many - on how indigenous people are oppressed and silenced. I am not astonished that the Ambassador to Vietnam Michael W. Marine did not find any "heavy" security presence while visiting the scene of the most recent atrocities against the Khmer Krom Buddhist monks.
It’s certain that the military and police presence was ordered to step back into the background while the Ambassador made his prominent visit. Wouldn't you do the same, if you know that someone important is coming to investigate something which you do not want to be visible to the outside world? I am also not astonished that the Ambassador was told in "private" by a senior monk, that there was no government crackdown against Khmer Krom Buddhists.
Let me explain that I visited numerous temples while traveling through the traditional land of the first peoples of southern Vietnam, the Khmer Krom. What struck me during my many conversations, (also in private), with monks, villagers, and refugees outside Vietnam -- was their collective voice explaining that the Buddhist temples, and Buddhist schools, are severely infiltrated and controlled by the Vietnamese authorities.,
I may not have made that clear to you -- the Buddhist temples chief monks are in most cases put in their positions by the governmental authorities. This --- I have been told in so many cases, that I would say -- the claims were countless. In some very few cases, Chief monks are able to hold their positions, by juggling a balance of acting as traitors -- but secretly protecting their very own peoples.
This, Mr. Kinchen, I have been told by the very same chief monks, or senior monks, on filmed tapes -- and heard this with my own ears. It is left to our imagination, who this senior monk was serving. With my eyes I saw the fear of Chief monks -- any monks for that matter -- who informed to be targeted for any whatsoever small issues, and explained to be under constant intimidation by local authorities which do not halt to enter and day and night into the temples for investigations, and placing into the temples their spies.
Yes, "spies", because that is how the Khmer Krom described them, not in one temple, in all temples I visited and in every village I heard this claim, over and over again. Many voices, but one collective voice with the same story. Usually, every monk, and every villager said that they know who the "spies" are, but what can they do? Report them to the governmental authorities? The sad part is that this forced infiltration and surveillance has caused many disappearances and imprisonment of Khmer Krom people -- or simply such intimidation that they are too afraid and silenced.
I met many of them who were released and told me their story. Not one or two stories. Especially those are targeted, which are loved by their Khmer Krom communities --- those who truly engage in social and cultural activities for the betterment of their communities --- the way the communities wants and needs them..
Beautiful, peaceful and kind people- who have committed no crime, but were targeted for their leadership roles and good examples they set within their communities. The Khmer Krom, a deeply religious people, say that they are not to be allowed to truly have their religion. That they are supposed to have another religion, which means, praying and following the communist doctrines of the country in which they live.
That they are not allowed to study certain ancient text of Buddha's teachings, or the pure Sanskrit language in the Pali schools. Everything is controlled, changed, and communist propaganda included, other parts are excluded and if taught in the temples, once again, is arrested.
They are not allowed to transmit their full knowledge of their peoples’ history which goes back to the Funan culture, because it would mean that the future generations of Khmer Krom would remain with their pride and feeling of belonging as an informed people, with their distinct identity as the Khmer Krom.
It appears to me, that the Khmer Krom are to be Vietnamized until they vanish as a people, and are simply “Vietnamese.” Therefore, I thank you for reporting on the latest incident, where the Khmer Krom temples and the monks stood up on behalf of their communities and their religious belief system, and peacefully protested against this ongoing oppression. That needed a lot of courage of the monks, and a lot of devotion, as for sure, they have to pay now a heavy price. many are hiding, others fled to Cambodia, some were arrested, some are under surveillance, they all pay a heavy toll. They knew it, but they did it, regardless. Because they want to have the right to their own religion, and traditional way of life.
Sadly, Ambassador to Vietnam Michael W. Marine was pulled aside by one of those senior monks, who decided for his individual gain and security to play the rules of the game established by Hanoi, by misinforming the Ambassador that there was no government crackdown against Khmer Buddhists.
For sure, this senior monk will walk free, while the others don't. But the good part is, that the outside world can have its own informed opinions, and luckily the Khmer Krom, the poorest of the poor in southern Vietnam, the most marginalized and disadvantaged and oppressed, use these days modern tools, even so they endure raids in their offices, temples, computers are checked on a monthly bases by the authorities, are arrested and imprisoned for having listened to foreign radio such as Radio Free Asia, or Voice of America, or checking in the internet information on human rights laws from the UN -- Some few Khmer Krom have cameras today, they will continue using them, and the internet or phone, messengers and letters, to inform the outside world.
This information flow cannot be stopped, only denied - if at all. Wouldn't the world be a better place, if human rights and the truth would not any longer be pushed aside --- for the sake of diplomacy and globalization interests?
Rebecca Sommer, Representative of the NGO Society for Threatened Peoples International, in consultative status to the United Nations ECOSOC and in participatory status with the Council of Europe. Indigenous Peoples Department, USA website: http://www.gfbv.de e-mail: rebeccasommer@earthlink.net
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