Press Releases

October 24, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20520

Subject: Vietnam’s Human Rights Violations and Religious Persecutions Against Khmer-Krom People

Dear Secretary Clinton:

During your upcoming meetings with the governments in Hanoi and in Phnom Penh, I would like to bring these two following issues to your attention: (1) The Human Rights Violations and Religious Persecutions Against the Indigenous Khmer-Krom Peoples in the Mekong Delta of Southern Vietnam and (2) the Khmer-Krom Refugees Status in Cambodia and Thailand.

To: International Labour Organization (ILO),
International Human Rights Organizations,
UN Human Rights Council,
Democratic Governments,
International Media

Background
A Khmer Krom youth, named Mr. Son Van Thanh, was stabbed numerous times by a Vietnamese assailant with the tailoring knives and scissors. The attack took place in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) city, south Vietnam. From the vicious attack, Mr. Son Van Thanh’s body was having the major internal and external bleeding and the attacked scissors were still stuck in the wounds. Some of his friends rushed Mr. Son to a hospital in the HCM city, but he was refused emergency treatments due to his lack of money.

To: International Human Rights Organizations,
UN Human Rights Council,
Democratic Governments,
International Media

Precarious Situation of Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach:
- Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach is under constant threat of arrest by the Cambodian authorities in Cambodia.

Reason for Threat of Arrest:
- Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach is currently a columnist/writer of the Prey Nokor newspaper in Cambodia.

Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach was born on January 20, 1981 in Giong Dau hamlet, Hoa An commune, Cau Ke district, Tra Vinh province, Kampuchea-Krom (South Vietnam). Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach is currently a Cambodian citizen and resides in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach has actively participated in many International conferences on Human Rights and International Religious Freedom in the Region.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pennsauken, NJ, USA, 2 April 2010

On April 1, 2010, a Khmer-Krom Buddhist monk, Venerable Thach Vesna flying from Bangkok to Prey Nokor (renamed Ho Chi Minh) city was denied entry into the country. A student monk studying in Thailand and the holder of a Cambodian passport, Venerable Thach Vesna was planning to celebrate the Cambodian New Year with his family in Preah Trapeang (renamed Tra Vinh) province.

At 9a.m, Venerable Thach Vesna arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and handed his Cambodian passport to a Vietnamese immigration officer. The Vietnamese immigration officer denied his entry stating that it was of “National Security Concern”.

Office of the President No: 313 /KKF/S/2010
08 March 2010
Pennsauken, NJ, USA

To Whom It May Concern:
On behalf of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation, we would like to bring to your immediate attention Vietnam’s injustice against a Khmer-Krom couple for harvesting rice on their ancestral lands.

Background
In 1979, many Khmer-Krom people in Moth Chrouk (renamed An Giang) province were forced to leave their homes, lands and relocated to Khleang (renamed Soc Trang) and Pol Leav (renamed Bac Lieu) province. When they were allowed to return back, most of their lands were inhabited by Vietnamese people. Mr. Chau Ra Quon, like many thousands of Khmer-Krom people tried to file for the return of their confiscated farmlands but received no response from the Vietnamese government. Taking matters into their own hands, Mr. Chau Ra Quon and his wife, Mrs. Neang Chanh Thon decided to plant rice crops last season on their ancestral farmlands.

Contact:
Sereivuth Prak
P.O.Box 193
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Phone: 562-209-1790
http://kkjsd.blogspot.com
kkbook@khmerkrom.org

Pennsauken, NJ - January 19, 2010 - Prior to April 1975, people around the world knew about the Vietnam War. Today, people know about the fertile land of the Mekong Delta that helps Vietnam to be ranked as the second leading exporter of rice in the world. However, there are very few people who know the true history of the Mekong Delta and its surrounding regions. Therefore, people don’t know about the indigenous Khmer-Krom peoples.