The banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) on Tuesday vowed to back Khmer Kampuchea Krom in their quest for self-determination in Vietnam and recovery of territory ceded by France to Vietnam in 1949. The CNRP support came as at least 2,000 ethnic Khmer Krom and a representative of King Sihamoni participated in a Buddhist ceremony to commemorate the 70th […]
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom for Human Rights and Development Association has announced plans to hold a rally in Siem Reap province to celebrate Human Rights Day next month. A letter issued by the association over the weekend said the organisation wanted to raise awareness of the issues facing Khmer Krom people on December 10. The letter said Khmer Krom people […]
From May 20 to May 30, 2017, the KKF delegation from the United States, led by Mr. Moni Mau, KKF Vice-President, Venerable Ratana Yeong, Director of Information, Dr. Joshua Cooper, and KKF Senior Advisor went visit the KKF chapters in Australia to update the members about KKF’s activities and goals. Importantly, on May 26, the delegation from the US and […]
Three local NGOs are to request a meeting with the Interior Minister to discuss the granting of ID cards to Kampuchea Krom people living in Cambodia. Son Chum Chuon, senior programme director at the Khmer Kampuchea Krom for Human Rights and Development Association, said his organisation would send a letter next month to ask for a meeting with Minister Sar […]
Danh Tol is a Cambodian Buddhist monk from Vietnam living and practicing out of the Soryarangsky (“rising sun”) Buddhist temple in the Olney section of Philadelphia. He practices Theravada Buddhism, the most popular religion in Cambodia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, and has been a monk since 1996. Theravada Buddhism in its present state could not exist without the relationship between […]
In light of developments over the past year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has delivered a report regarding the current state of religious freedom in Vietnam, and it shows little amelioration. Under the guise of nationalism, Vietnam recently imposed severe restrictions on religious activity, evidencing a clear violation of international standards for religious freedom. While USCIRF […]
The decision to stop the resettlement of all refugees for 120 days, including those previously agreed upon with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), has hit hard a Khmer Krom family who thought it had reached the end of an arduous escape from religious and political persecution in Vietnam. In 2007, after participating in a protest for religious freedom in his […]
On September 12, Hudson Institute and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights hosted a conference on religious freedom in South East Asia and U.S. policy in the next administration. Speakers included Elliott Abrams, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights; Kristina Arriaga, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner; Nina Shea, Director of Hudson’s Center for Religious […]
Life in prison is hard. I fell into despair. I was in this situation because I was trying to be a good citizen, to help people according to the law…But I was arrested and put in prison. I felt like I was in a dark tunnel with no way out Pham Thi Loc, one of several former prisoners of conscience […]
Two minority rights organisations have asked the Ministry of Interior to ensure its officials issue national identity cards to Khmer Krom, who they say are facing discrimination from provincial officials. Indigenous Khmer from southern Vietnam, the Krom have long had issues getting identity cards given that authorities either identify them as Vietnamese or they lack permanent addresses in Cambodia. The […]
