Saturday, February 14, 2009
Radio Free Asia
By Or Phearith
12th Feb, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization
Cambodian Buddhist monks residing in a temple near the Khmer-Vietnamese borders in Memot district were forbidden by the Vietnamese authority from constructing a fence around their temple.
Ven. Chhay Vith, who resides at Wat Kiri Meanchey pagoda at Boeng Chrong village, Choam commune of Memot district (Kampong Cham province) said that Khmer overseas have donated money through the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) president, Mr. Sam Rainsy, to build the temple fence for Wat Kiri Meanchey pagoda located at Boeng Chrong village. The Cambodian authority had already signed a document approving the construction but the Vietnamese authority prohibits the monks from building the fence.
Ven. Chhay Vith said: "The permission letters (to build the fence) were signed by the district governor, the Ministry of Cult and Religion and signed by the District Chief Monk. It has been stamped by the district governor, but when we want to build the fence on the south side of the pagoda, the Vietnamese prohibited us from building."
Ven. Chhay Vith blamed the Cambodian government for neglecting the developments of the borders which led the Vietnamese authority to prohibit the development of religious temples.
He said: "If the government wants to develop, it must develop the border areas. To let the Vietnamese authority chip away a lot of our lands is not very good at all."
No comments:
Post a Comment