More on Tim Sakhorn and Vietnamese Connections in the Cambodian Sangha

Well, this is weird. I think it has been widely understood at this point that the recent forcible defrocking, abduction, international kidnapping (do they call it an extraordinary rendition too?) of Khmer Krom Abbot Tim Sakhorn was demanded by the Vietnamese government in response to perceived or real activities at his temple in Takeo. These activities were presumed to be anti-Vietnamese in character, especially propagandist against the oppression suffered by Khmer Krom in Southern Vietnam (Kampuchea Krom).

But I don’t think that anyone expected we would find a letter, supposedly written by Buddhist second-in-command Ven. Nuon Nget, requesting that defrocking of Ven. Tep Vong, in Vietnamese. But that is exactly what appears to have happened:

It is hard to understand exactly what is going on here. Although I believe that Nuon Nget can speak and write in Vietnamese, I sincerely doubt that he wrote this letter himself. More likely it was presented to him by someone in the Ministry of Cults and Religions (or even higher up in the bureaucracy), who in turn received it from a Vietnamese official. A translation into Khmer was also found.

It is continuously amazing how carelessly these two governments advertise their mutual connivings, the more so since at least the bulk of the Cambodian population is so generally furious about it.