2011-08-22
Buddhist institutions in western Cambodia are ordered to close their doors to a monk who protested forest development.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/monk-08222011181332.html
A prominent Cambodian environmental activist monk has been barred from entering pagodas in his home province after he participated in protests against rainforest destruction in the country.
In an April 26 directive, Non Ngeth, the supreme patriarch of the Maha Nikaya branch of Cambodian Buddhism, said Loun Sovath's participation in land protests ran "counter to the teachings of the Buddha" and was "damaging to the religion's reputation."
Ou Virak, the director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said at the time that Non Ngeth's letter also represented a political abuse of Buddhism, which he said does not prohibit social activism.
In June, the New York-based Human Rights Watch awarded Loun Sovath with the Hellman/Hammett grant for his work supporting communities facing forced evictions and land-grabbing in Cambodia.
