Buddhist Monks Put The Fist In Pacifist As They Brawl In Street

Taken from The Times, UK, April 21, 2007
By Associated Press

Rival groups of Buddhist monks brawled in the streets of the Cambodian capital yesterday during a protest march.

The clashes came as about 50 monks demonstrated in Phnom Penh against religious restrictions on colleagues across the border in southern Vietnam.









The marchers, who said that they were from southern Vietnam, were confronted by another band of six monks outside a Buddhist temple. The groups clashed in a fist fight and some of the protesters tossed water bottles at their opponents. One monk was injured in the brawl.

It was not clear if the monks opposing the march were acting independently or under someone’s orders. The protesters marched with banners demanding that the Hanoi Government stop limiting the religious freedom of ethnic Cambodians in southern Vietnam.

“The Vietnamese authorities have forced many Cambodian monks there to defrock,” said Lim Yuth, who took part in the march.

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And I thought that they were the peaceful ones!, What next - bullet proof monks? (I think someone has already made a film) Oh well, nothing surprises me in this wacky world! Lets hope they don't move to using any kind of heavy arsenal, we don't want to start an arms race between the two fractions - do we?. I can imagine the Chinese & Russians fighting the US, UK and France to arm these groups. One group will be labled terrorists whilst the other freedom fighters. (yes...lets not go there).