The 61st Kampuchea Krom Loss Memorial Buddhist Service to honor past heroic Khmer Buddhist leaders, clergies, heroes and fallen armed forces personnel and Commemorate June 4, 1949 France gives Khmer land, Kampuchea Krom, to authorities of a new imperialist Vietnam until today.
The Phnom Penh-based Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community, KKC, is a registered non-governmental or non-profit organization in Kampuchea (Cambodia).
KKC and Khmer Kampuchea Krom people in Kampuchea organize a Buddhist ceremony annually to commemorate and grieve the loss of Khmer land called Kampuchea Krom, which France colonizes and transfers to Vietnam on June 4, 1949 despite repeated oppositions by the government of Kampuchea throughout history before France leaves the Indochinese peninsula.
Kampuchea Krom is formerly part of Kampuchea (Khmer Empire, Nokor Phnom, Upper Chenla, Lower Chenla). The Khmer people in Kampuchea Krom share the same race, religion, language, writing system, civilization, culture, custom, and tradition as their Khmer compatriots in Kampuchea today.
Only regional tongues slightly differ when speaking. Similarly to the Americans in the East, West, and South speak slightly in some words.
Today's Vietnam is composed of 3 former countries, Annamite (Vietnam), Champa (Central Vietnam), and Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam).
The original Vietnam is composed of just the region of Annamite bordered southern China.
KKC and Khmer Kampuchea Krom people had and have been mourning the loss of our ancestral land, 68,965 square kilometers, since the illegal transfer of our homeland by France to Vietnam on June 4, 1949 in Kampuchea Krom. Kampuchea Krom has 13 millions Khmers.
France renamed Kampuchea Krom to Cochin China.
South Vietnam renamed it to South Vietnam. Renamed Prey Nokor in Khmer to Saigon. Then to Ho Chi Minh City until today.
Kampuchea Krom has been called by different names, the Mekong Delta or South Vietnam.
Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam fall into the block of communism and socialism of the U.S.S.R. and Red China in 1975.
In 1979 Vietnam invades Kampuchea.
In 1993 the United Nations assisted the universal election in the history of Kampuchea.
Some Khmers in Kampuchea, who fled communist Vietnam, commence observing the loss of Kampuchea Krom in 2000, the new Millennium to tell the world, Khmers still exist in Kampuchea Krom into the new century.
Every year KKC and Khmer Krom people request the Phnom Penh Municipality one month in advance to organize the June 4th Buddhist ceremony by inviting 1,949 Buddhist monks to preside over this historic event.
Phnom Penh City Hall would give permission to the request one or one and half day in advance to organize the ceremony.
In 2000, KKC and Khmer Krom people organize at the Chaktomuk National and International Conference Hall.
In 2001-2003, KKC and Khmer Krom people organize at the Meru Field (or Veal Men), property of the Royal Palace, located in front of the National Museum in Phnom Penh.
In 2004-2007 Phnom Penh City Hall permits KKC and Khmer Krom people to organize the ceremony at the Public Garden in front of Wat Botumvatei.
In 2008, Phnom Penh City Hall permits to organize at the same place, Public Garden in front of Wat Botumvatei, but had to cancel because one of Khmer Krom civic organizations join membership with the ruling government and party. So KKC and Khmer Krom people have to organize the Buddhist ceremony within the compound of its rented headquarters. Although it is small in size, it is unable to provide seats to many Buddhist monks and people. Many monks and people, who dare to attend have to stand or sit on street walks.
In 2009, KKC and Khmer Krom people request the same venue as in 2004-2007. Phnom Penh City Hall recommends venue to the Chaktomuk National and International Conference Hall (own and operated by the Ministry of Fine Arts) to the Ministry of Interior. Both authoritative entities concur.
The evening before the actual event, June 4, the organizers move in to work on setting up the place. The doors to the Chaktomuk National and International Conference Hall all locked.
After many exhausted hours on telephone conversation by KKC and all pertaining authorities in to the late night, they agree to allow KKC to set up venue at the Public Garden in front of Wat Botumvatie as shown in this year, 2009, video.
KKC, Buddhist monks and volunteers have little time to set up the venue.
All power stops at the Ministry of Interior.
KKC invites all Buddhist monks, NGOs, political parties, politicians, government head and officials, Phnom Penh City Hall head and officials, leaders and members of Congress, people to participate.
All mentioned participate, except government, city hall, leaders and members of Congress from the ruling parties.
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The 62nd Kampuchea Krom Commemoration: Part 1 of 2by KhmerHeroes1,270 views
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