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Ven. Loun
Sovath can be seen dragged by cops in civilian clothes.
He was shoved into a waiting car (Photo: FPM) |
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Phnom Penh police force blocked all
streets surrounding the Phnom Penh municipal court next to the new City
Mall which houses the Lucky market, the ACLEDA bank, as well as a
number of other store fronts. All businesses were closed in order to
prevent the public from seeing the protest and the crying of Boeung Kak
Lake residents who were demanding for the release of 13 of their
representatives. At that time, Ven. Loun Sovath, a human rights
activist, was seen arrested by force by pro-government monk officials
and government forces.
Ven. Loun Sovath was using his
cell phone to take pictures of a woman who was protesting against the
questioning of their representatives inside the Phnom Penh city
courtroom. Less than an hour later, a group of about 10 pro-government
monk officials arrived in a new car, they got off the car and they were
accompanied by cops dressed in civilian clothes. They then proceeded to
grab and pull Ven. Loun Sovath and shoved him inside a car. Meanwhile,
protesting Boeung Kak Lake residents attempted to prevent the arrest
and in the melee, Ven. Loun Sovath was beaten on his head by the cops
who forced him into a car which sped off from the incident location. According to report, Ven. Loun Sovath would be taken to Wat Botumvotey pagoda [where he could be defrocked].
National and international
civil society representatives told reporters in front of the court that
action by the police and the pro-government monks is a blatant human
rights violation and that actions taken by the Phnom Penh city hall are
getting worst and more serious.
As of noon time on Thursday,
the 13 BKL representatives who were arrested on Tuesday have not been
released yet. Children of the arrested BKL representatives can be seen
crying and calling for their mothers among a group of 60 BKL residents.
The small group of children and women are now surrounded by hundreds of
government cops.
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| Luon Savath speaks to reporters during a demonstration at Boeung Kak lake earlier this week. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post |
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| Hochimonk Non Nget - a monk who serves a communist regime!!! |
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| Hochimonks clergy: Tep Vong (L) and Non Nget (R) |
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post
Senior members of the monastic
community this morning detained Buddhist monk Loun Savath, an
award-winning human rights activist, after he took photos of protesting
Boeung Kak lake villagers outside Phnom Penh municipal court.
Senior monks forced him into a Land Cruiser and ushered him away
from the scene as more than 60 protesters, flanked by about 100 police,
called for the release of 13 Boeung Kak women who where being
questioned inside.
The monks would not comment on why they had detained Venerable Loun Savath, who was banned from all pagodas in Phnom Penh last year by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget.
Venerable Loun Savath was driven to Wat Botum, where police
and officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Cults
and Religion barricaded him inside, sealing off entries so even pagoda
boys could not enter.
A Ministry of Cults and Religion official said it was unclear whether the supreme patriarch has grounds to defrock the monk.
“[Venerable Loun Savath] is being held here, and after [the supreme patriarch] has finished lunch, he will decide what to do.”
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