Monks leading prayers at Phnom Penh North Pagoda

Members of civil society, in the middle of a prayer session clashed with district authorities when their microphones were seized and electricity cut off during a peaceful Bon Phka (flower fundraising) festival held at the Phnom Den North pagoda. The Kirivong district authorities of Takeo province broke up the gathering claiming that it was politically motivated.

The gathering on the morning of November 9 (Cambodia's National Independence Day) was organized by local NGOs and aimed to raise money to renovate the Phnom Den North pagoda and pay respects to Monk Tim Sakhorn a former abbot of the pagoda who was deported to Vietnam earlier this year. Approximately 50 people attended the gathering which was organized by LICADHO, Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), the Beehive radio station, Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Association (KKKHRA), Cambodian Center for Independent Media, and Free Union Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

During the morning prayer session, a district authority representative in plain clothes interrupted the crowd by shouting at them to stop their prayers and accusing them of organizing a political rally. He warned the crowd not to talk about Monk Tim Sakhorn's case and soon afterwards, microphones were confiscated and electricity cut off by other individuals in plain clothes. There was no warning or official reason given for the crackdown and the peaceful gathering turned into chaos as men in plain clothes believed to be Kirivong authorities, attempted to disburse the crowd by verbally abusing participants and journalists at the event.

"We strongly regret that the authorities disrupted the event. We believe in Buddhism. We come here to organize a peaceful festival and pray for the release of Tim Sakhorn. We do not violate public order or security and we do not serve political means." said LICADHO President Kek Galabru. "All Cambodian citizens have rights to freedom of expression and assembly." she continued.

Cambodian Monk Tim Sakhorn was arrested, defrocked, and deported to Vietnam in June 2007 by Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong and the Cambodian government. On November 8, the An Giang province court in Vietnam convicted Tim Sakhorn of "sabotaging the [Cambodia-Vietnam] unification policy". He was to receive the legally stipulated sentence of 15 years however because he confessed to his crime and the court believed that he did not understand Vietnamese Law, he was given a sentence of one year in prison.

LICADHO strongly condemns the action of the Kirivong district authority to disrupt the peaceful religious festivities. The authorities restricted the freedom of expression and assembly which are guaranteed by the Constitution of Cambodia.