Ley Funeral Committee to Defy Ban

Organizers of the funeral committee for murdered political analyst Kem Ley have refused to back down from their wish to hold his 100-day ceremony at Wat Chas pagoda in Phnom Penh, despite notices from City Hall and the pagoda’s chief monk telling the group to find another place to hold the event. The 100-day funeral ceremony – planned for October 14 to 17 – was due to be held at Wat Chas after weeks of back and forth between the funeral committee, City Hall and a variety of pagodas across Phnom Penh.
 

Organizers initially wanted to hold the ceremony in Wat Botum park, but City Hall refused to allow them to use the area. The group then chose Wat Chas pagoda, as it was a place Mr. Ley attended on a frequent basis. But City Hall again refused to allow the committee to hold the event there and put pressure on the head monk to back City Hall’s pronouncement, telling local media outlets that the committee was attempting to turn the funeral into a protest against the government.
 

In a letter sent out on Monday, Wat Chas pagoda chief Venerable Meas Sakhorn said the pagoda could not hold the funeral ceremony and could not get involved in its planning out of a fear of retribution from City Hall. “I am Wat Chas’ pagoda chief and I agree with the notice from the Phnom Penh City Hall administration which does not allow the pagoda to be a location to organize the ceremony,” the Venerable Sakhorn said.

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