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Gateless: A Story of Child Sex Abuse in Cambodia’s Temples
Gateless: A Story of Child Sex Abuse in Cambodia’s Temples
Op-Ed: Aljazeera
មានករណីចាប់រំលោភក្មេងប្រុសអាយុរវាង១២-១៣ឆ្នាំដល់ទៅជាង២០០ករណី ហើយករណីនេះជនល្មើសបំពានផ្លូវភេទទៅលើអនីតិជនដល់ទៅ១៧នាក់ តែអ្វីដែលគួរអោយខ្លាចបំផុតគឺទំលាប់លែងអវៈយវៈភេទក្មេងប្រុសត្រូវបានបកប្រែថាជាការស្រឡាញ់ទៅវិញ ហើយច្បាប់ការពារអនីតិជននិងចំណេះដឹងទូទៅចំពោះបញ្ហានេះមិនមានប្រសិទ្ធិភាពសោះឡើយ។ អាជ្ញាធរ ឳពុកម្តាយ ព្រះសង្ឃ និងគ្រូបង្រៀន មិនមានចំណេះដឹងសោះឡើយចំពោះបញ្ហានេះ នេះមិននិយាយដល់វិធានការណ៌ការពារនិងដាក់ទោសទណ្ឌដល់ជនល្មើស។ លោកនេនដែលអង្គុយជក់បារីក្បែរសិស្សតូចៗបង្ហុយផ្សែងបារីធ្វើព្រងើយ និងនៅមានមនោសញ្ចេតនាស្រឡាញ់ឳពុកធម៍ដែលចាប់រំលោភខ្លួន ក៏ដូចជាមានសង្ឃដីការថាទង្វើនេះមិនមានអ្វីខុសនឹងច្បាប់ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានោះ គឺជាកម្មវត្ថុជាក់ស្តែងដែលព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនាខ្មែរកំពុងប្រឈមនាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។
កម្ពុជាធ្វើដំណើរ៣០ឆ្នាំនេះគ្រាន់តែដើម្បីអោយអ្នកនយោបាយដឹកនាំបែបប្រជាភិថុតិបន្តភូតភរនិងឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំងពីអំពើសាហាវយង់ឃ្នងរបស់ខ្មែរក្រហមតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដូចដែលម្តាយរបស់ជនរងគ្រោះនិយាយថាសម័យខ្មែរក្រហមគឺបង្អត់បាយនិងកាប់សម្លាប់(killing) សម័យសព្វថ្ងៃគឺអោយយើងបិទមាត់ស្ងៀមស្ងាត់សន្សំសុខ(silence)។
A young man seeks justice after being abused in a Buddhist temple in Cambodia.
15 Apr 2019 06:20 GMT Child rights, Cambodia, Abuse, Buddhism, Human Rights
Two young men sit under the shade of trees in Takeo, Cambodia; Se Bros wears a button-up shirt and jeans and Monk Ry wears his deep orange garb.
“Did he ever touch you?” Bros asks over the steady drone of insects, but Ry remains silent.
“I believe he has done something like this to a lot of other children. It’s you, me, and other children,” Bros says.
In Cambodia, Buddhist temples are regarded as places of refuge and rehabilitation for the community, but for Bros it was the site of his sexual abuse as a child.
The perpetrator was Saravuth Tan, a Cambodian-American who investigators would later find had abused at least 17 young boys sometime during his 14 years’ living at the temple.
Soon Bros will be testifying against Tan, who he says raped him dozens of times.
“I used to feel ashamed, lost all confidence, I lost focus in my studies, and lost time,” says Bros. “Sometimes I felt physically sick because he used to do something bad to me.”
But for Monk Ry, Tan was his beloved godfather, someone who cared for him after he escaped his abusive family and became homeless. Tan provided him with food, a home and anything else he needed.
“He loved me as if I am his own child,” Ry says. “I don’t know where I’d be right now if he hadn’t adopted me, maybe not where I am right now.”
More than 200 cases of sexual abuse in Buddhist temples have been reported worldwide in the last decade. An increasing number of temple abuse incidents have been reported in Southeast Asia but experts believe most cases remain hidden.
According to Socheat Nong, a child social worker, the problem of sexual abuse in Cambodia is a silent one.
“In general, people in Cambodia don’t believe or accept the fact that sexual abuse happens to boys,” he says. “Even those who work with children, including counsellors and social workers, know very little about how to help boys who have been abused.”
Young monks perform their daily prayers and chants in the temple [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]
As the Tan investigation unfolds, a more unsettling truth comes out: a chief monk says that the monks at the temple knew about the problem all along.
Gateless follows two young survivors reckoning with their pasts, and what happens when child abuse is treated with a blind eye.
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FILMMAKER’S VIEW
By Lorraine Ma
I first went to Cambodia in 2013 with a filmmaker and personal mentor to shoot a documentary on child sex trafficking. After the trip, the filmmaker discovered she had cancer, and her health deteriorated rapidly over the next three years. In 2016, before she passed away, she reached out to ask if I would pick up her unfinished project. I agreed to do so, but I did not have a plan as to how it would happen.
Read More …Chinese tourists win, poor Cambodians lose with US$4 billion Hong Kong-backed casino in Phnom Penh
Chinese tourists win, poor Cambodians lose with US$4 billion Hong Kong-backed casino in Phnom Penh
- Tenants turfed out of Phnom Penh’s iconic low-income housing block, the White Building, were told it would be redeveloped to house Cambodians
- Instead, NagaCorp is planning a development the size of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore that it hopes will attract high-rolling Chinese gamblers
Andrew Nachemson Kong Meta , Published: 9:00am, 10 Apr, 2019
Op-Ed: This Week in Asia of SCM
Phnom Penh’s White Building, designed by Cambodian architect Vann Volyvann, before its destruction. File photoAn iconic Phnom Penh housing site known as the White Building is being turned into a multibillion-dollar casino development, as Cambodia woos Chinese tourists by catering to their penchant for gambling.Hong Kong-listed developer NagaCorp, controlled by Malaysian billionaire Chen Lip Keong, estimates it will spend US$3.8-US$4 billion on the Naga3 project, its third casino in the country, which will have hotels, condominium facilities and a 12-floor entertainment centre and outlet mall.NagaCorp’s deputy chairman Philip Lee told local media on Tuesday: “Naga3 is the single biggest private sector investment so far in the country and may be for years to come. It is about the same size as Marina Bay Sands in Singapore … which is the most expensive entertainment complex in the world.”
A Cambodian worker (R) looks through a window during demolition work at the White Building residential complex in Phnom Penh. Photo: AFPS
But the news has surprised and upset former residents of the low-income housing block and conservation activists, who had been under the impression the site was being redeveloped to house Cambodians.
Is Cambodia’s Koh Kong project for Chinese tourists – or China’s military?
Among them is Nhek Chantha, 67, who was turfed out of the White Building in 2017 and moved in with her children as she could not afford a new place.
“[The government] told such a big lie to us. It’s a very central place, they should renovate it and allow us to keep living there so it becomes a cultural site for people to see, but they think only about profit,” she said.
A Cambodian man prays to Buddhist monks at the residential complex known as the White Building before its demolition in Phnom Penh. Photo: AFPS
A Japanese company, Arakawa Co Ltd, was supposed to rebuild the landmark site and turn it into a 21-storey condominium block. Five of the floors were to be reserved for low-income housing that would go to the previous residents of the White Building and 12 floors would be used for private flats. Land Management Minister Chea Sophara in 2016 had asked Cambodians to “be patient while waiting for the new White Building to be finished in four years”.
‘They only go to Chinese shops’: why Cambodia’s influx of mainland tourists is causing tensions
Arakawa did not respond to requests for comment on Monday and Land Ministry spokesman Seng Lot said he did not know how or why the land was transferred to NagaCorp.
Constructed in 1963 as part of the Bassac River Front cultural complex and overseen by legendary architect Vann Molyvann, the White Building was, along with the rest of the city, evacuated in 1975 by the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge occupation which targeted artists and intellectuals.
A Cambodian boy walks past spirit houses at the residential complex known as the White Building in Phnom Penh before its demolition. Photo: AFPS
After the regime fell in 1979, a mixed crowd including artists and musicians moved in, turning it into a colourful and close-knit, if sometimes seedy, community until the government demolished it two years ago, saying it was not structurally sound.
Read More …Democratic Hopes in ASEAN Hinge on Thailand, Analysts Say
Democratic Hopes in ASEAN Hinge on Thailand, Analysts Say
25 March 2019
- Luke Hunt
- VOA News
BANGKOK —
Thai voters head to the polls Sunday for the first time in nearly five years, and analysts say the results could have an impact on democracy throughout Southeast Asia.
Thailand’s military junta took power in May 2014, when then-army chief Prayut Chan-ocha led a coup that toppled the government. Observers see the coming elections as a struggle between democracy and military rule.
ការបោះឆ្នោតក្នុងប្រទេសថៃនៅថ្ងៃអាទិត្យខាងមុខ ត្រូវគេរំពឹងថានឹងមានចំនួនមនុស្សចេញទៅបោះឆ្នោតច្រើននៅភាគខាងត្បូងប្រទេស ដែលទីនោះគឺជាកន្លែងប្រឆាំងនឹងយោធានៅក្នុងតំបន់។ ប៉ុន្តែក្រុមអ្នកបោះឆ្នោតនិងក្រុមប្រឆាំងព្រួយបារម្ភថា ការបង្រ្កាបដោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលទៅលើសំឡេងប្រឆាំងនឹងធ្វើឲ្យពួកយោធាគ្រប់គ្រង ប្រទេសមួយអាណត្តិទៀត។Prayut, now seeking the premiership, has said that if he wins, voters would be returning his junta-led country to a “democracy.”
Thailand is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and pro-democracy advocates within the trading bloc are paying close attention to the vote, despite its policy of noninterference in members’ internal affairs.
The ASEAN Post, an independent regional digital media company in Kuala Lumpur, recently noted that freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and press freedom had deteriorated since the junta seized power, initiating the longest period of army rule in modern Thai history.
“Several hundred activists and dissidents have since been called national security threats and faced serious criminal charges such as sedition, computer-related crimes and lese majeste [insulting the monarchy] for peaceful expression of their views,” it noted in a recent opinion piece.
The coup — Thailand’s 13th since 1932 — ousted then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and caused international outrage. The pending elections, the military hopes, will fix that.
Myanmar’s experience
The election framework echoes the 2015 ballot in neighboring Myanmar, where hopes of democratic freedom were dashed by a military that has maintained an overarching influence on a civilian administration, through its allotted seats in parliament.
A more drastic story has unfolded along Thailand’s eastern border.
Cambodia was returned to a one-party state last year after the main opposition party was banned from competing at elections, media outlets were closed and political dissidents were jailed, raising the prospect of U.S.- and European-imposed sanctions.
Elections will also be held in Indonesia in April, and midterm polls are to be held a month later in the Philippines, where the separation of powers — a cornerstone in any democracy — has foundered amid the government’s war on drugs.
Singapore has been ruled by the same party since independence in 1965. Of the remaining non-democratic countries, communist Vietnam and Laos have initiated crackdowns on dissent, while Islamic Brunei has instituted sharia.
David Welsh, country director in Southeast Asia for the Solidarity Center, a nonprofit that seeks to help build a global labor movement, said human rights were a major concern ahead of looming elections, and that the strong-arm from governments favoring big business were affecting workers and trade union issues.
“The prospects for business and trade are probably pretty good. The prospects for labor laws and worker protection aren’t, although I’ve been pleasantly surprised by what’s happened in Malaysia, so let’s see,” Welsh said.
Bright spot
Malaysia emerged as one the few democratic bright spots among the 10 members of ASEAN after the electorate, which tired of allegations of gross corruption, stunned pollsters and ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is now facing trial.
Read More …Cambodia: Investigate Land Activist’s ‘Disappearance’
Cambodia: Investigate Land Activist’s ‘Disappearance’
Op-Ed: HRW
កម្ពុជាមានធ្វើសត្យាប័ន្នអនុសញ្ញារួមអន្តរជាតិស្តីពីកិច្ចការពារមនុស្សគ្រប់រូបពីការបាត់ខ្លួនដោយបង្ខំ(The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance = ICPPED)កាលពីខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០១៣ ប៉ុន្តែការបាត់ខ្លួននិងទិទណ្ឌភាពនៃការគ្មានទោសភ័យចំពោះអ្នកបាត់ខ្លួននិងអ្នកស្លាប់ទាំងនោះនៅមានដេរដាសក្នុងសង្គមមួយនេះ។ ជាក់ស្តែងការបាត់ខ្លួននិងបាញ់សម្លាប់ទៅលើកម្មករ-កម្មការិនីនៅផ្លូវវេងស្រេង ការស្លាប់រាប់រយនាក់នៅកោះពេជ្រ ការបាត់ខ្លួនព្រះតេជគុណមាស-វិចិត រ និងលោកស៊ុម-មឿននេះជាដើម។
Preah Vihear Authorities Should Urgently Produce Sum Moeun
(New York) – Cambodian authorities should immediately reveal the whereabouts of a land activist forcibly disappeared in Preah Vihear province, Human Rights Watch said today.
On January 20, 2019, at about 5:30 p.m., soldiers from Battalion 261 of Army Command Intervention Division 2 of the Cambodian armed forces arrested Sum Moeun, 54, a community leader in a local land dispute, and his son, Moeun Mean, 26, in Yeang commune, Chaom Ksan district. Soldiers transferred them to Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary Headquarters, where they were detained overnight. On January 21, only Moeun Mean was taken before the provincial court prosecutor. The wildlife sanctuary headquarters said that Sum Moeun had escaped at around 8 a.m. that morning.
“The Cambodian government needs to produce Sum Moeun in court and lawfully charge him or return him home to his family,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “There should be an immediate, independent investigation of this case with full cooperation from the army, which is commanded by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son, Gen. Hun Manet.”
Relatives of Sum Moeun said they received information that soldiers allegedly hit and beat him with gun butts and slapped him when they arrested him. A photo taken while he was in custody appears to show bruises on Sum Moeun’s face.
In June 2013, Cambodia ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), which defines an enforced disappearance as the arrest or detention of a person by state officials or their agents followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty, or to reveal the person’s fate or whereabouts. Because they are outside of the protection of the law, a person who has been forcibly disappeared is at heightened risk of torture and extrajudicial execution.
The convention against enforced disappearances obligates the government to investigate allegations that a person was forcibly disappeared, even in the absence of a formal complaint. The authorities are also required to take appropriate measures to protect relatives from any ill-treatment, intimidation, or sanction as a result of the search for information about a “disappeared” person.
“Sum Moeun’s wife has not heard from him since his arrest and has made repeated public calls to the authorities to help find her missing husband,” Adams said. “His family has good reason to fear for his safety.”
Between January 16 and 27, security guards and soldiers arrested 15 villagers as part of a crackdown on villagers in Yeang commune accused of illegal clearing of state forest land. Fourteen villagers remain in pre-trial detention, including Moeun Mean, and face 5 to 10 years in prison.
Read More …