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.

Background

Mr. Thach Sophon was ordained as a Khmer-Krom Buddhist monk in 1990 and was promoted to the Abbot of the Kampong Kasann temple (or Chua Moi in Vietnamese) in Khom 8, Phuong 6, Preah Trapeang province (renamed Tra Vinh) since 2000.

On July 22, 2010, Vietnamese authorities coerced Mr. Thach Sophon to defrock.
A week later, on July 29, 2010 at 11:00 am, the Tra Vinh provincial police came to the Kampong Kasann monastery and kidnapped Mr. Thach Sophon.

On behalf of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation, we would like to sadly announce the passing of another KKF member, Lok Ta Thach Sang. Please see below for his funeral arrangements.

On behalf of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation, we would like to sadly announce the passing of Mr. Henry Ly , aged 52 on Wednesday 11th August 2010 at 8:31am.

Please visit Wat Dhammikaram Khmer Krom on 2725 Zuni Rd, Saint Cloud FL 34771 to pay your respect to Mr. Ly for more information. Khmer ceremony will be held throughout this weekend until this Tuesday 17th August, 2010.

By Lenny Thach, HR Advocacy

“The Three Khmer-Krom Buddhist Monks want to see Vietnamese government respect the human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist Education in Kampuchea-Krom (Southern Vietnam today)”. - Former Defrocked Monks

Picture (left to right): Ven. Tim Sakhorn, Ven. Danh Tol, Ven. Kim Muol

Today, members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and three KK Buddhist Monks had a busy schedule at the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC. The first meeting was with Scott Busby, the National Security Council official in charge of human rights and refugee issues held in the Wilson Room of the White House Conference Center. Next stop was to the U.S State Department where they met with Peter J. Kovach, Director Office of International Religious Freedom and Sara Colm from Human Rights Watch. A meeting with UNHCR Officers and U.S Congressman Staff gave the KKF Delegations the opportunity to raise the issues of the Khmer Krom refugees, human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist education in Vietnam. The meeting with the US Congress was a collective effort by KKF to try to improve human rights, religious freedom and Buddhist education in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Intervention to the Ninth Session of the
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2010
Youth Caucus Statement - April 26, 2010
Agenda Item 7: Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues

Pi-i Debby Lin an Indigenous Taiwanese - Amis speaks on behalf of the Indigenous Youth Caucus

Nagi’ho, ci Lapic Kalay ko ngangan no mako.

Good Morning, Mister Chairperson.

Thank you for making Youth Caucus part of the planning for the future work of the Permanent Forum, we would like to hereby stress on couple emerging issues pertinent to indigenous youths.

Economic sovereignty is the key for the overall sovereignty of our peoples. However, as the result of industrialization, the transition to a cash economy and urbanization, we are becoming more susceptible to the fluctuation of global economy. The recent global economic crisis had worsened the poverty condition and livelihoods of indigenous families. With financial difficulties, indigenous youth workers are forced to work longer hours to sustain income. This had threatened our right to education and equal opportunities.

Picture: KKF members welcome the former monks at the airport

Members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation and the general Khmer community in Philadelphia, USA are today celebrating the arrival of Khmer Krom latest heroes and human rights activists, Tim Sakhorn, Danh Ton and Kim Mouen.

Picture: KKF President Thach Ngoc Thach stands with KKFYC youth in front of the General Assembly Hall, United Nations Headquarters, NYC

Members of the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation Youth Committee and KKF are attending the Ninth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this week in New York City, USA.