I loved our community and the people of Boeung Kak more than I love my own family.
We looked out for each other, and shared our happiness and hardships together.
I think our community was good.
Here we were at Democracy Park.
We protested with Vanny for a week at Democracy Park.
Here we went to Vanny's place in Om Leng.
Sometimes I want to ask my friends to go back there.
Here I was with Vanny.
I don't regret what I have done.
If we have unity, compassion and trust, then we will be strong, and no one will break us.
But if we don't trust each other then how can we work together?
It will all come to an end. We won't succeed.
We are asking the Phnom Penh authorities,
please do something immediately to help the people whose homes are being flooded!
You know the law and yet you still break it!
Shukaku Inc, you are so cruel!
We want to ask what they think and what their solution for this will be.
And we would like the journalists to closely follow our situation.
OK, let's start the meeting.
Everyone will speak for five minutes.
I am Toul Srey Pov, a representative of the Boeung Kak Community.
Before the development, whether our homes were big or small, on the water or near the water...
we were living in the Boeung Kak area...
We have faced...
Go back over that bit.
- Don't be scared, just speak slowly. - Yes, yes.
Before the development of Boeung Kak, all of us who lived on the lake
had access to all kinds of public services.
On the fourth of April 2006,
our community was notified by the authorities
that our land would be measured to provide us with
land title certificates.
But then we didn't get our land title certificates. Instead we were notified
that the government would lease our land to the Shukaku Inc company.
The company has started to fill the lake with sand,
flooding our streets, and causing three people to die from electrocution.
That's all from me.
Thank you. You seem to be nervous.
I am nervous because I've never done this before.
My family is not very rich, we have three children to look after.
I have to look after my old mother and father as well.
The compensation the company is offering for our home is unacceptable.
Their offer is very small,
if I accept it and leave Boeung Kak, I won't be able to find a new place to live.
You can play by the water today, so have fun.
Enjoy throwing your stones now, soon you won't be able to.
When this is developed, you won't be able to throw stones here.
Don't you see them pumping sand?
There is the sand! They're pumping sand!
I think this company is here not to develop, but simply just to rob our land.
Mum, when the lake is filled up can I walk on it?
No, you won't be able to!
We're going to be evicted from here soon, silly girl!
- Do you want to lose your home? - No, I don't.
You don't have any more bruising?
Grandmother is this where they hit you?
- Has the bleeding stopped? - It's stopped now.
Can I look please?
It was bleeding when they hit me.
Beating an older person is an evil thing to do.
- Does it hurt? - It hurts!
The authorities tell the police to attack us.
If the authorities didn't approve, the company wouldn't be able to do this.
But what about the people who work for those authorities?
That is what really empowers these corrupt officials,
and the rich people who always break the law.
They can only do this because they have workers who will follow their orders.
This is a fake democracy.
A fake democracy and...
our voices are being silenced.
Our mouths are sealed with tape and stitched together with thread.
After you take our picture, you have to print it.
Keep it for our community.
- Can you bend your leg? - I can't.
There's more blood coming!
[Doctor] That's enough. Stop filming, Venerable.
It's okay, I'm filming from here.
I'm not getting in the way.
The UN will want to see this video as well.
My dog is barking?
A Romdule?
He misses me!
Romdule! Romdule! Romdule!
Come and eat!
Is this year worse than previous years?
Worse!
If the people are poor then the monks will be poor, too.
We depend on the people.
If they don't have enough food then neither will we.
I became a monk in 1993.
At that time, our country was in a civil war.
My father was unhappy because all of his children were fighting.
So he sent me to stay with the monks in this pagoda.
That's enough, let's go!
That way.
They said that a monk shouldn't care about the villagers' problems,
that I should stay in the pagoda,
and not be so nosy.
But I disagree.
The villagers' problems are also mine,
because the monks are dependent on the Buddhist population.
We try to farm, but our land has been taken away.
Your land was taken and your rice was taken, so you've been made poor,
and the poor inevitably stay poor forever.
We have farmed here for generations, but now we have nothing to do. We're finished.
I will try to find aid from international countries,
but I don't know if they will consider giving to us or not.
As the community representative, I will try to help our community.
On Sunday, the 22nd of March 2009,
our farmers were shot.
They sent some farmers to jail, and some were hospitalised.
I was the first person to arrive at the hospital.
While I was there, I shot some video on my phone.
I needed irrefutable evidence that they really had been shot.
Using both photographs and videos from the shooting,
and from the hospital, I edited together a documentary.
Then I copied over a hundred DVD's to hand out to our community,
so they could see these injustices.
Unless we stand up and try to scare them, our homes will be completely buried!
Hey! Stop what you're doing!
How much more do you want to destroy us?
See! He's the one who pulled down the coconut trees There... there he is.
Is your boss an animal or a human? What is he?
You can pump but you can't tear down my coconut trees or my house!
Just do your pumping but don't tear down our trees!
Did your mother grow them? Your parents didn't grow them!
Go get the gun!
Go get the gun! Go get the gun to kill him!
Kill him!
Fuck you! I'll fucking kill you!
You'll fucking die! Get down now!
Get down now!
Get down right now!
Our homes have been flooded up to the roofs! What are we supposed to do?
There's been no negotiation and yet they behave like this!
If your home was flooded, what would you do?
Development will always have some impact. If you are being affected, go to the company
to negotiate and understand their policy.
What can they say to Ta Chorn's wife?
He was a policeman in the Doun Penh district office,
and he was electrocuted in his home. What are they going to negotiate with him?
Every year, the government receives millions of dollars in aid.
But I have no idea where the money goes.
The poor remain poor, the hungry remain hungry.
And people are being made homeless all because of the aid.
All I have is this shelter.
I've been living here, in peace, for six or seven years,
and now they want to drive us out.
We used to struggle for the rent. We had a miserable life.
We had to save a lot of money to be able to afford this house.
When my first child was born,
I didn't even have 100 Riel (15 pence).
My neighbour gave me the money to get to the hospital.
We were really poor.
I don't want to go back
to a life like that.
It was only me and my husband when we had that miserable life,
but now with our children we can't let that happen again.
I couldn't stand to see my children miserable like we were.
We are the witnesses who
have to give testimony to the court.
We must tell the truth.
What happened was a chaotic event,
between the authorities and the farmers harvesting their rice.
And our party has been accused of causing serious injury -
using knives to attack the police and fighting with the police.
So who saw what happened during the incident?
I would like to ask you -
and this is just an example -
what was Khim Savoeun doing on the 22nd, when the incident occurred?
Khim Savoeun was harvesting rice.
He was harvesting rice. So did he commit any crime?
Did he hit or attack the police?
- No, he didn't. - No, he didn't.
- Did you see what happened with your own eyes? - Yes, I did.
- Can you swear by it? - Yes, I can.
You cannot laugh while you are answering questions in court.
Show by your serious face that you are honest people.
If we look careless, or don't take this seriously, then they will not trust us.
They won't believe us.
They won't trust anything we say.
I will take a break and we can talk again later.
Now all the villagers are walking together
along the road for about seven kilometres,
on our way to the court.
Because the police have tried to block our way,
preventing us from leaving the village.
Even still, we are going to try.
- What? What do you want? - Where are you going?
I am going to visit my relatives.
- Where? - My relatives.
I am going to the court, to the court!
- To listen to the trial. - Stop!
- What? - Stop, stop, wait there!
- What do you want? - Why are you taking pictures?
Ehhh!
- Why are you taking photos? - I have a right to if I want!
But I don't want you to take my photo!
- But why are you trying to stop me? - No, I just came to ask why.
They stopped us from driving, but we are happy to walk.
If we walk 10km,
we'll get to the national road. But I don't think any taxis will dare to take us.
None of you are willing to take us?
OK, thank you.
We have to walk. All the taxi drivers are scared to take us.
We are walking towards Siem Reap.
Can you send a car to come get us?
Okay.
- Hello? - Where are you now?
I am in Siem Reap, Venerable.
What is your purpose there?
I've come to visit my relatives.
Today the court will announce the verdict.
The army are following you, they will arrest you.
Yes, of course, I know too. I don't dare... I am just staying in the car.
None of the villagers are travelling with me.
- What? - No one's going.
Do you understand what I am saying?
Yes.
- Okay? - Yes, yes.
Goodbye, Venerable.
You can stay here, but you can't go over there.
I've come here to exercise my rights!
Victory to the Khmer people!
Why don't you let me get through?
Our group wants to deliver a letter to Mr Ban Ki-Moon,
the Secretary General of the UN.
We are not criminals. We are Khmer!
It's OK. I'll come with you!
Hey! Help me!
Arrest him!
Don't hit him! Don't hit him!
Oh no! I beg you! I beg you!
Get in the car!
This is what they call democracy in Cambodia!
They have no interest in negotiating with us!
If you have a problem you need to be properly organised.
I am Tep Vanny, a representative from Boeung Kak.
We are requesting that the World Bank,
support our government,
so that we can all achieve our goals.
I have created our own development plan,
in order to settle the conflict between Shukaku Inc and my community.
We don't disagree with the idea of development
but the government should talk to us,
and help us settle the challenges the Boeung Kak people are facing.
If we can get justice and transparency
it would be a win-win-win policy.
- Now say thank you. - Thank you.
I am also from the Boeung Kak community.
My name is Toul Srey Pov and I would like to add, that we will continue with our demands,
because we have a legal right to occupy our land.
We urge the government to give us the land without reservation.
Give us the land, so we can implement our own on-site development plan.
You are allowed to act like ordinary people
as long as it does not affect our religion.
But if you want to lead others, then you should take off your robes before you get involved.
You damage religion when you are with those people, claiming to seek justice.
The status of the monk is different from that of ordinary people.
Go and live with those people. Go!
Nothing in our religion would prohibit it.
But by abusing a monk's status, you are breaking the law -
and so are your supporters.
In the past, I was just an ordinary monk.
I delivered sermons and gave advice to people who followed Buddha.
But now the Supreme Patriarch has cursed me.
He said I'm a crocodile and a snake-like monk.
He has accused me of being a fake monk.
This is a very serious threat from the highest level of our religious officials.
It means they do not want monks to get involved in social affairs
They want the monks to stay quiet in their temples and do nothing.
I'll go to the Buddha statue and pray together with them.
I think no problem.
I think they'll prohibit me from praying in front of the court.
But now we will pray at the pagoda.
Those crazy religious officials are really serious this time.
They weren't kidding with me.
It's only the religious officials who have the power to arrest me.
If the police dared to try and arrest me, there would be a problem.
It's only the monks who have the right to defrock me.
If they defrock me, then everything is finished and I will have no more rights.
When I am not wearing this orange rob,
the police can arrest me.
You should go and film over there now.
I have decided to follow our people's suggestion.
Just now, I thought that I would go,
but now that they are telling me about the situation over there,
I don't want to cause a bigger problem.
This is when I become a little scared,
because now I've started to change my behaviour.
I'm afraid that it won't stop them from threatening me in the future.
I am not that scared.
But if they can threaten me today then they can threaten me tomorrow as well.
If we confront our fears,
then we can be brave.
But if we try to run away from our problems,
then our problems will follow us.
This is the first time I've run away from a problem.
I never do this.
It's my first time.
Everybody! Your homes are important.
So you must stand up!
You should wake up!
Or do you want to accept the pathetic compensation
of $8,000 dollars and two million Riel ($500 USD)
Is that why you won't stand up?
What are you waiting for?
Are you going to wait for your homes to be bulldozed into the ground?
Or have you accepted their compensation already?
Sooner or later, all the poor people will be gone and there will only be rich people left.
They don't want people like us living in their beautiful city.
Today there are a lot of monk police cars around.
We saw a lot on our way here. There were five cars.
So it won't be us protesting today, it will be the monk police!
You have to hold it still. The photos you took before were very good. Don't let it shake too much, keep it still.
If you see anything good, you have to shoot.
The verdict has not been announced yet because the court is still in procession.
That means that they haven't announced it yet.
We only want to talk to the monk because his actions can affect all the other monks.
There are around 40,000 monks in the country.
This monk alone can destroy the reputation of them all.
And religion belongs to the government now.
I have come to meet you here
because you should not be with the villagers.
I want you to meet the head of the monastery.
I am his representative and I want you to come with us to discuss these matters.
When you incite the villagers to protest like this, it looks very bad for us.
What is your purpose? Can you tell us?
I want to ask the monk to come away from here
so we can negotiate a solution.
No, sir. You can talk to him here if you want.
Take off your hat. Take it off.
I have the law here and it states that it is prohibited for a monk
to join a protest, a demonstration, a strike...
or any gathering that causes social unrest or disorder.
Do you think this is the proper way for a monk to behave?
If you think I can destroy the reputation of all the monks in the country...
I would have to be a very powerful person
to have more influence than the Buddha.
But if you look at the current situation in Cambodia,
who is responsible for Buddhism's faltering reputation?
The monk's duties to society are enormous.
I have a duty to ask, “What is wrong with my villagers?"
"Why were they shot?” I only ask the question, I am not the judge.
The law does not allow you to gather people to protest.
You can visit the villagers but you cannot lead them to protest.
I want to ask the villagers. Did I lead you to this protest?
No, he did not!
Did I lead you to protest?
No, he did not!
So you can see that I did not lead them here to protest.
The monk's actions are not against Buddhist law. He is here to help the villagers.
I have to go now, I think our meeting is finished.
Everyone listen. We must not let the monk get out of our hands. We must protect him.
Three prisoners have been given three-year suspended sentences.
But if they are convicted of any of the other charges against them then they'll have to serve more time.
What about the other nine detainees?
The other nine detainees were given 17 months.
Starting from the day they were arrested?
Yes, and they are also suspended sentences.
Please drive slowly.
They are not happy, they are following him.
- Take care, Venerable. - Yes, I will.
There are about four to ten policemen following our car.
It means they've got monk police waiting somewhere down the road.
What's the problem, brother?
I would like to ask you to please get out of the car and meet with the head of the monks.
Who are you calling?
I have a right to use my phone.
- She can keep it for you. - I will keep it for you.
She can keep it for you.
And you are not allowed to contact or communicate with anyone.
Who will I call?
Where are the other monks?
The villagers are on their way.
Yes, Venerable, I know.
You had better get out of the car!
Please calm down, Venerable.
It's not true, this is unjust!
They shot my relatives and now they want to arrest the monk.
I will not allow the monk to be arrested.
Everybody, wake up! I am so angry!
He is here to help the villagers!
They want to kill the villagers!
This time, the monk police will surely defrock you.
And they'll order the authorities to arrest our people, too.
Brother if you go and talk with them they will not defrock you.
Just come to meet the head monk and then it'll be over.
And they will let you go home safely.
You can ask the people what they think. But they might not agree.
I will ask them now, but Venerable do you agree to go?
And the people can go with you to the pagoda.
I'm trying to help everyone here.
So let me see what I can do.
Venerable can you tell me why they have tried to arrest you?
I have heard that they want to defrock me
because the monk police
have accused me of going to the court illegally.
But it is the duty of the monks to save people's lives, just as Buddha's duty was to save lives.
So all I am doing is following pure Buddhist teaching.
God bless you Venerable.
Venerable don't get out of the car!
We will defend you to the death!
Listen everyone don't let anyone take the monk!
Prepare yourself Venerable!
Everybody please stand
to welcome the city governor, Mr Kep Chutema.
Please welcome him.
We are gathered here today
to celebrate the inauguration
of a new sub city
located in the heart of Phnom Penh.
I want to stress here and now
that we've done nothing wrong.
However, we do admit that
there are problems
which we are solving.
We will continue to develop Phnom Penh
to be more beautiful,
to be better,
and to be a well-organised city.
Under the leadership of Lord Prime Minister and Supreme Military Commander Hun Sen.
Cambodia will become a beautiful country.
With a city that is attractive to the whole world.
Has everyone looked at the company's plans?
Our homes do not exist in their plan.
They are celebrating with the tears of the people.
What is the point of this development?
The people of Boeung Kak have suffered so much
and no government body will accept any responsibility.
They should stop exploiting the people
and work to find an acceptable solution.
Stop! Stop!
You'd better go, Venerable,
they'll send people to arrest you.
I worry about your safety.
I've come here to see your living conditions,
particularly because of the problem you're all involved in.
Don't worry about me.
As a human rights defender,
I love everyone equally.
So I want to live with respect, in a country where we respect each other.
And these people here, like Tep Vanny,
and all of these people from Boeung Kak, like Srey Pov,
they all have the heart and the will of a defender.
What they do is for everyone's benefit,
and everyone's human rights.
So personally, I think that
we have the same heart,
the same will.
Venerable, please sit down.
During the Pol Pot regime,
many people were killed unlawfully.
They killed people without anyone knowing.
We didn't know how many people had died,
but later, when it was investigated in the courts,
we found out how many died in Tuol Sleng prison,
and all the other places.
Now people are suffering -
why don't they want people to know about it?
People all around the world know about Boeung Kak,
but apparently our own government doesn't know anything.
I don't believe that they don't know.
I think they pretend not to know,
that's what we all believe.
It's easy to wake a sleeping person up,
but you can't wake up someone who only pretends to be asleep.
You can wake them up by shouting if they are truly asleep,
but we've been shouting for more than four years already.
I have to say goodbye to everyone.
I wish you success and prosperity.
Virtue will prevail!
Virtue will prevail and wherever there is difficulty...
God will help us.
Good luck, everyone.
In my community, we farmed our land for many years.
But in 2005, more than one hundred families
were forcibly evicted.
During one protest, my brother and my nephew were shot.
Communities are now using cameras
in their struggle.
We have been threatened but we won't stop
because these images tell the truth.
This is the result of a fight for justice.
The people of the community are very happy,
as justice has been served for
their husbands and fathers,
and they can be reunited with their families.
Congratulations! Please clap your hands!
May all the good spirits return!
Long live freedom and justice!
I stayed away for a while and everybody got old!
Everybody's old!
We have won!
Victory! Victory for the Chi Kreng people!
I keep telling you guys from Boeung Kak...
I used to sit by the lakeside, it was the most beautiful place in Phnom Penh.
In those days it was surrounded by grass.
I took my daughter to picnic there, we had grilled beef and duck embryo egg.
Wow, it was amazing.
Now that has all come to an end.
The government has approved
the division of the land into two parts:
144 hectares will be given to Shukaku Inc for development.
12.44 hectares will be offered to the residents of Boeung Kak,
tax free.
This is what we call democracy.
We do not fight in the streets.
As Prime Minister Hun Sen has said, again and again,
it is no longer fashionable to solve our problems with violence.
But let me be clear. Don't think that the World Bank will help you.
They will not!
And now, please welcome Ms Ly Mom,
the representative of Boeung Kak's residents,
to read a letter of appreciation to the Prime Minister.
No, no! Let's stand up! Ly Mom is not our representative anymore!
Ly Mom is not our representative! Ly Mom cannot be our representative!
So she is no longer the representative for all of you?
Not her! Absolutely not!
I would like Ms Ly Mom to just read the letter.
She is not our representative anymore!
She is not my representative. She shouldn't be on the stage.
Dear H.E. Kep Chuktema, personal advisor to the Prime Minister of Cambodia:
Under the wise leadership of our Prime Minister Hun Sen,
who is always, along with his esteemed wife,
giving his full attention to the difficulties of the Cambodian people,
His excellency should make us happy, she is not our representative!
Okay, listen everyone! Do you agree that Tep Vanny is your representative?
Yes, definitely!
So can we put an end to this conflict now, Vanny?
Yes.
Your excellency, I, myself, and the entire community are very happy
with what you have said about the development of Boeung Kak.
Okay. But let me talk about the housing dispute.
Our people have been protesting for a long time, so we have no money.
So if I could ask your excellency for the government to work with the developer to build our new homes.
Thank you, your excellency.
Thank you for your contribution.
As I told you all before, if you were united we would know who we were dealing with.
But if you are not united, then who are we supposed to talk to?
How can I acknowledge one and reject another?
Today you say this and tomorrow you say that.
Let me clarify this today.
You have been given your land titles. So go and mind your own business.
We are not sure what Ly Mom is doing, but we know that she has a good relationship with City Hall now.
If we were being nasty, we'd say that she has sold out and now serves those people.
Don't use violence.
Come here and block the road, don't listen to the monk.
Move forward!
Stop!
Do not use violence!
This generation is no different from that of Pol Pot.
He evicted millions of people.
They were ignorant during the Pol Pot regime, they knew no better.
That's why they made their own people suffer.
Your generation was sent to school to be men of insight.
Don't destroy their homes!
You motherfuckers!
You're so cruel!
Why are you destroying their house?
We're all Khmer, why aren't you showing us any mercy?
They're so brutal... the rich are violating the poor!
Sister Mom's house is completely destroyed.
Can't you see people crying?
We were given this land! Why are you demolishing these people's homes as well?
Uncle Khea! It looks like they will try and destroy your house now too!
This is unjust!
Hey!
No throwing stones or I'll arrest you.
Please help get all their belongings out!
Help him!
They're trying to destroy everything!
Everyone, please come look at the thieves stealing people's land!
Please help!
Come out, come out now!
Now I've lost everything.
You see that I am not reacting to my house being destroyed.
I dedicate it to you, because you really need my house.
You could have at least spoken to me before you did this.
You could have asked me how much I wanted for it. But you didn't.
And now my house is being completely destroyed.
Please God, help me!
Especially Samdech Hun Sen, who is my God,
and Bun Rany...
Please help me!
We have to stop them! Do we have any volunteers?
Yes, we do!
- Do you want to stop them? - Yes, we do!
- Will we stop them or not? - Let's stop them!
- Will we stop them or not? - Stop them now!
So come on!
We need them to stop now,
otherwise you will lose your homes!
You motherfuckers!
Please everybody, come here!
You have to stand up!
Stop them!
Hit him! Hit him!
Who else is throwing stones? Do you want to end up like this guy?
Where is his family?
It's because our community are too kind.
They take our homes and we barely move...
then they arrest our friends and, again, we barely move...
Look at the residents of Kompong Speu - they fought to the death when their farms were stolen.
But look at us! When they take our homes,
not one of us will do anything!
Tell everybody to bring a machete, if they have one.
If they have sticks bring those too.
The Boeung Kak community is staging a new protest.
The army is here, armed with guns,
and they've hired other people to come armed with axes and knifes
in order to threaten and defeat the people.
How do you do Venerable?
Are you thieves?
You are thieves!
They have electric batons!
I won't go!
Can you count them? There were probably six people already.
They're coming back again.
Vanny, they're coming back!
It's okay, she agrees to go with you!
Now they're putting me in the police car!
And I can't get in!
You are crazy for money and you hurt your own people!
Hey! How miserable is Cambodia!
I'm going to see the protest.
- You won't be allowed in. - It's alright, I was already given permission.
Let me ask my boss!
No need. I'm just going to look.
Release my mum!
Now the monk officials are going to try to arrest me at the demonstration,
even though I have done nothing wrong.
I am not guilty.
I want to invite you to come with us.
It's okay. If I can't stay here, I can go somewhere else.
Hey, what's wrong?
Why do I have to leave? I haven't done anything wrong.
No, they're just inviting you.
- Okay, don't worry - Just go away!
There's a big problem here that needs to be solved.
Why don't you try resolving that?
Why do you think that I am the problem?
This problem is none of your business.
If I have no business here, then I can go somewhere else.
I've done nothing wrong.
Please get into the car, Venerable.
I am not going anywhere.
Why are you pushing me?
Push him into the car!
Pull his legs! His legs! Pull them!
Move him to the middle.
Sit on the side.
Why are you grabbing my robe?
Move, move!
Excellency, he is in the car.
Yes, we're bringing him to the head office.
We're passing the Sompov Meas pagoda.
Oh, Venerable...
you're giving me heart problems.
Why am I troubling you?
I've done nothing to cause you trouble.
Oh, my country...
I would like to ask all of the media here to step into the house for a minute.
We want to start the ceremony.
We are their children. We want our mothers to be released.
We cannot survive without our mothers.
Everybody needs their mother!
So the government needs to release our mothers and the fifteen prisoners immediately.
Free my villagers, immediately!
Release! Release! Release!
We need development, but it has to be fair and transparent.
Release! Release! Release!
Struggle! Struggle!
Keep struggling to bring us victory! Struggle, everybody!
Mum, is that you?
Huh?
What are you doing now, mum, it sounds pretty noisy.
Mum is outside.
- Are you outside? - Yes, I am.
Are you alright, mum?
- What did you say, dear? - Are you alright in there?
I can't hear you.
My throat is really sore.
Try not to shout too much, darling,
you have a polyp in your throat.
They won't hear me if I don't shout, mum.
I know that, but you should let the adults do the shouting.
You're just a little girl. Try not to shout too hard.
You could damage your throat because of that polyp.
Don't worry about it, mum.
The only way to make them hear better is to shout into their ears.
I don't know if I will be released,
so please take good care of your younger siblings.
We need to have hope, because this time we have the right witnesses.
If they don't free you, I will cut off the judge's head.
So, that's it - are you okay, dear?
Okay then mum that's enough.
Take care, mum.
Goodbye.
Venerable, you are not allowed in.
Why can't I brother?
You are not allowed to. It's an order from the top.
Why is that?
I don't know.
Who is the one who said that I cannot go inside?
I have told you enough already, Venerable.
So nobody is allowed to go and attend this court hearing?
That monk from the other day is here again.
Keep him out!
Struggle! Struggle!
Release them! Release them!
We demand their freedom!
Long live democracy in Cambodia!
Release! Release!
Why don't you let me in to see my mother?
This is unjust!
We want to go and hear the verdict!
We only want to see our mothers. Why are the authorities blocking us?
Let us in to listen!
It's unjust! Allow us in!
It's unfair! Let us go in!
I've just been informed
that they will be released in two hours.
I will be able to see my children.
Mummy will see you this evening, darling. Please tell my kids.
Please tell my kids, brothers and sisters that I will see them all this evening.
Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory!
Did you miss me, Mum?
Mummy missed you very much.
Bravo!
It's victory for Boeung Kak!
Long live Boeung Kak!
Vattanac "Progress" Capital Tower
Long live the power of solidarity!
I feel so happy, I hardly know what to say because so many of you are here to support us.
I was only physically imprisoned. My spirit was always here in the community.
Hello, my name is Tep Vanny. Maybe none of you know me,
because I've been away for over a month.
I was just... on an official visit.
Don't say I was arrested and put in prison!
Say I was invited to visit and see the prison conditions...
for all your benefit!
We are back home, thanks to all our brothers and sisters.
And also because of these little kids!
If the mother is a tiger, the kids are also tigers.
But these are tigers with heart.
Not yet a tiger... maybe...
if a mother is a tiger, the kid is just a kitty.
I would like to greet all the journalists.
The Supreme Patriarch Noun Nget has issued a letter
evicting me from here, and banning me from all other pagodas.
The Supreme Patriarch is not pleased
that I share in the misery of the people,
who are victims of land grabbing and forced evictions,
and when they have been injured, disabled or thrown in jail.
If a pagoda doesn't adhere to Buddhist principles,
then its Supreme Patriarch and religious officials don't abide by Buddhist principles either.
Then it is not a real pagoda,
and they are not leaders who will guide our religion to prosperity.
Where are the other monks who live here?
They are here, but they are scared.
Normally when I come here, they run away to their rooms.
The monks are afraid they will be accused of something if they get involved,
because the police have us surrounded.
They've been outside since early morning.
None of us monks want you to leave.
He didn't do anything wrong,
He always helps our community.
Buddhist monks have a duty to defend the people.
They bless us.
And I think he did nothing wrong.
I would like to see the Venerable monk.
It really hurts me that the monks are divided,
and that they look away as a fellow monk drowns,
when he has done nothing wrong.
The authorities are colluding to punish him
in order to please big business.
Please, sister, this is a pagoda, and the Supreme Patriarch isn't here.
It doesn't help if you act like this.
If I were you,
and I saw a fellow monk being unjustly evicted,
I would leave along with him.
But please appreciate that the pagoda is not a place for protest.
I implore you to leave.
If Buddhist leaders carry on like this, no one will have any faith in this religion.
How can the people of Boeung Kak help you, Venerable?
You're being evicted because of us.
All the religious officials, especially the Supreme Patriarch,
and even Buddhism, are under the control of the ruling party and powerful individuals.
The political parties and authorities control everything.
Now, it is not me who has destroyed Buddhism, but those powerful individuals and the government.
After they made threats to me on the telephone
that they want to kill me if I don't stop doing...
They will kill me or arrest me and send me to prison.
So now there's no choice.
I will go to the USA.
Before, when I was protesting,
I could see my family was unhappy.
There was no warmth at home
and my children's faces were sad.
I did not follow my duty as a mother to look after my children.
I couldn't sleep well. When I closed my eyes,
I saw my hard work, my struggle, and my love for them.
But what I got in return was something I didn't want.
After I gave up protesting, I had time to look after my children.
I feel that we are a full family again now.
How do you do, my beloved people?
I always said I would be back in Cambodia before the election date.
And now that we're going to have an election, here I am!
We demand change in this country...
the change from corruption to fairness and justice!
Change! Change! Change!
Two award-winning Human Rights Defenders,
Mrs Tep Vanny and the Venerable Luon Sovath,
have come to meet with
several human rights organisations here in Washington DC,
as well as the US Foreign Minister.
Good evening, everybody.
Our government is like
the Khmer Rouge regime.
But they don't kill with weapons.
They kill with corruption.
This award is for all the women in Cambodia.
Thank you.
That Japanese man is the President of the World Bank.
- The President? - Yes.
I would like to pay my respects to the World Bank Inspection Panel
and... I also wonder why the World Bank
continues to give donations and loans
to the government of Cambodia?
Because the World Bank publicly announced
in 2011
that it would halt all new donations and loans to the government
until the issues with the Boeung Kak community had been resolved.
The Boeung Kak issues have not been resolved.
We have lost our land, our homes, our jobs and our futures.
That's all I have to say. Thank you.
The first of CPP's candidates
at the Kandal centre is Hun Sen.
He has also come to vote this morning.
But the party leader and candidate
for the upcoming fifth mandate had nothing to share with the press.
Do you expect to win?
I'm sorry, I won't comment.
Please show me the seal.
Now put it in the box, with the seal facing me.
How do you feel about voting?
I think the election is the only option
for a democratic country that respects human rights.
The people want justice.
But if the election and the voting process
are not transparent and fair, no one will be happy.
I've just arrived at Stung Menchey pagoda, where I can see cars on fire.
Are there any injured people?
No Venerable, but one monk was arrested.
They arrested a monk?
- Yes. - Why did they arrest a monk?
Because some Vietnamese people were allowed to vote,
but the monk wasn't, so he asked "Why can't I vote?".
His name was on the list but he wasn't allowed to vote,
and the Vietnamese people were allowed.
Then they attacked the monk.
- Ah! They hit the monk? - Yes. They hit the monk.
Then the people started to rebel.
Ah...
My colleague Kem Sokha and I are here to proclaim that our party won this election.
Everybody should prepare for an enormous demonstration!
Change! Change! Change!
In our country...
Whoever dares to speak out about political problems will always face trouble.
They will be threatened, accused of something, jailed or shot dead.
This is what is really going on in Cambodian society.
This isn't about politics, it's about life.
We've had some problems
caused by demonstrations
and protests about the result of the election.
This activity threatens lives
and threatens political and social stability and public order.
Step down! Step down! Step down! Step down!
We are hungry for justice.
My vote is my right!
Our votes are our lives.
Help him! Help him!
I would like to make a request of the authorities and the armed forces -
you who wear a uniform and carry weapons
in order to protect the country and its people -
do not use these weapons to shoot your own people!
Vanny was like a crocodile egg that was hatched, raised and fed by me.
I did not want to leave the community,
but I felt hopeless.
Working for the community is like working for my family.
If we don't trust each other, then we cannot work together.
When we were in prison, Vanny said to me;
"When you're released, you'll become famous."
I said, "I don't want to be famous, Vanny, you can if you want to."
She said that if my daughter continued to protest
she would become more famous than her.
So, she started telling people that I was a spy,
and that I had sold out to the government.
Today our Boeung Kak Community has the great honour
of standing on this stage.
I know you all and, from this moment, you will all know us.
We believe all the victims of land disputes and forced evictions
will find a solution.
Hooray for the new Prime Minister of the fifth election!
If we don't die for our country, we will still die one day.
So we must be prepared to die for the sake of our country!
Hooray for Cambodia!
Justice! Justice!
Where is Tep Vanny?
Tep Vanny! Tep Vanny!
Here she is.
I support the demands of the Boeung Kak community.
But now we need justice not just for Boeung Kak, but for everyone.
Today a hundred thousand garment workers have decided to strike.
A hundred thousand garment workers are on the front line
because the government is afraid of them, not you.
You can block the road for days and the government won't care.
Now please don't give them an excuse to crackdown on us.
Yes..but we are exercising our rights. Why are you saying it's because of Boeung Kak?
We've been protesting for seven years, not just today.
We care for our country but we must take care of our own problems, too.
We can't stop now.
When we are free, we will join in with you as usual.
Tomorrow I will help you, but we must stay well organised with so many tens of thousands of workers.
Thank you, we appreciate your help.
So tomorrow we will be united together.
Justice actually exists!
Hun Sen is marching with your bosses.
He marches with the Vietnamese bosses.
But Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha march with the Cambodian workers.
So let's go! Let's go together!
Hun Sen, step down now! Hun Sen, step down now! Hun Sen, step down now Hun Sen, step down now!
$160! $160! $160!
All of you who voted for the CPP,
be ready to oppose
all those who act irresponsibly
and show all the signs of wanting to stage a coup.
They killed him!
Thank you very much. Yesterday I was very worried
when I saw H. E. Sam Rainsy's report.
But according to H. E. Sam Rainsy, they will collaborate.
We have reached an agreement to end the political crisis.
The public should once again have hope. Thank you.
What we are protesting for and demanding every day -
we are not against the government.
We only ask for justice.
I want to tell you that what he [Hun Sen] says does not really illustrate the truth.
He doesn't represent the people of Cambodia, or our nation.
For the people - including me - who were evicted, we face a lot of problems at home.
I have lost the ability to be a good mother and take care of my children.
And we have lost our jobs, especially my husband, who used to be a soldier.
He was suspended from his job and was charged by the military court.
Please help Cambodia. We need all of you.
Thank you.
I want to inform everybody who sees this press conference today
that we are here to reveal the true face of Mrs Tep Vanny.
Her reputation abroad
is that she is an angel for good, trying to help the Boeung Kak people.
But she is a fake angel.
When I left her, she told people
that I had sold out to the government.
But I have a family,
I need to take care of my children.
She is a bad person.
She is not a good housewife or mother
and if she doesn't stop her protests immediately,
we will take action against her.
They're making trouble with the monks now, too.
- Yes, they are insulting me... - They insult me, too.
They're insulting the monks!
We want the government
to find a solution for these 40 remaining families
so they can be included in the 12.44 land concession,
as promised to everyone by the government.
They should mark the borders of the concession!
That is all the people want.
It's been years since our land was stolen.
Idiot!
Why you are so stupid?
I have a suggestion for Luon Sovath.
You were arrested before. Do you want to be arrested again?
If you don't stop filming us, I'll throw your camera away.
I follow Buddhism.
But you should stay in your pagoda.
You should not work with Vanny.
You should help and protect us.
Don't you know why the authorities want you here?
They want us to fight with each other,
which is the opposite of what we are supposed to be doing.
We all need to help each other!
Go back if you don't want any trouble.
Get away!
Don't push me!
Go away!
Srey Pov, that's enough!
Let me take a look!
There's so much blood!
They threw a rock!
Grandma Nget Khun is bleeding!
Do you see? Why don't you help us?
The people are fighting with each other!
Don't you see?
We have to arrest the person who did this.
Arrest the person who did this!
Stand up! Stand up!
Just stand up!
Take her over there
and let them see!
You all look!
Look!
Are you happy now?
We were at Democracy Park.
We protested for a week at Democracy Park with Vanny.
When I'm bored, I get them out to look at. Then I put them back.
Tomorrow I'll look at them again. I don't get tired of them.
Here I was with Vanny.
I miss her.
That's why I come back to these photos.
I won't throw them out, even though people tell me to.
I'll always keep them.
If I threw them out, it would mean I hated them,
and I do not hate them.
It's not unusual for people to do wrong.
Only God does no wrong, and he probably did something wrong, too.
I'm not going to throw them out.
I can't throw away all those years of memories so easily.