A Group of 20 Vietnamese Men Attacked Khmer Krom Monks

On February 10,2013, a group of 20 Vietnamese men and women attacked three Khmer Krom monks and two Khmer Krom laypeople on public road in Vietnamese-concentrated area Cau Quan, Tieu Can district, Tra Vinh province, the Mekong Delta (South Vietnam).

Three Khmer Krom monks and the two Khmer Krom laypeople were riding motorcycles while on their way to conduct their religious services, the group of  20 Vietnamese first heckled some racial slurs at the Khmer Krom individuals prior to physically attacked them.

The most serious injured Khmer Krom monk, Venerable Thach Tam, was accepted to a hospital but later denied any treatments by the Vietnamese doctor on fear of the authorities.  Venerable Thach Tam is being forced by the Vietnamese authorities not to speak  to anyone of his health conditions, however we have learned that his whole body and especially his head are still in serious pain and with many bruises.

On this incident, the Vietnamese authorities cowardly and unjustly put on a public trial of the group 20 Vietnamese attackers and declared them innocent on ground of under-age.  This is another case of travesty of justice when the Khmer Krom are the victims.

Map shows location of attack in the Mekong Delta (South Vietnam).