Trip to rally leads to beating
Three monks at the Sansam Kosal pagoda were beaten by the deputy chief monk as they left to participate in Saturday’s opposition rally, though the deputy maintained yesterday that the incident had more to do with truancy than politics. The incident came just days after the religion’s highest leaders urged monks to avoid joining the demonstration. According to monks Hem Pheaktra, Sam Chorn, and Nget Visa, first deputy chief monk Yim Chamroeun confronted them as they were leaving the pagoda grounds at about 7:15 on Saturday morning – a time reserved for studies, Chamroeun said – and beat them on the head with his phone upon hearing they were headed to the demonstration. “The reason I joined the mass demonstration is that I wanted to demand my vote [be counted], and for justice, because as a citizen I have the right to demand my vote [be counted] if I know my vote is lost,” Chorn said. …
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/trip-rally-leads-beating
