Trent Walker: An American mastering Khmer Smot

As part of his senior thesis, Religious Studies major Trent Walker produced the first ever full-scale study of the Cambodian dharma song tradition.

During the course of his research, Trent learned how to sing religious texts in the complex musical style called smutr.
———
Bilingual Dharma Song in Memory of Prum Ut (1945-2009)
Written and performed in Khmer and English by Trent Walker

This song in the seven-syllable meter was written in memory of my master Prum Ut, with whom I studied Cambodian Dharma songs from 2005 until his death in 2009.

ខ្ញុំលើកទសករដាក់សិរសី
ចំពោះគ្រូនៃបទនេះអាយ
ដែលគេស្មូត្រតាំងពីព្រេងនាយ
មុននឹងសម័យព្រះគង់នៅ ។ក្នុងផ្ទះលោកគ្រូបានបង្ហាត់
ខ្ញុំឲ្យចេះស្ទាត់បាលីត្រូវ
ឲ្យចេះថ្នាក់ថ្នំក្រាំងសៀវភៅ
ចេះសព្វថ្ងៃទៅថ្វាយវន្ទា ។

ចំពោះព្រះរ័ត្នត្រៃទាំងបី
ទាំងគ្រូប្រុសស្រីសព្វសត្តា
រហូតដល់យើងដាច់សង្ខារ
សោះសូន្យកាយាស្វែងធម៌ស្ងប់ ។

I raise these hands up to you,
Teacher, guru, of this song,
This melody, sung so long
Ago, before the Bo tree.In your kind home you taught me
To chant Pali reverently,
Treat books with care, so gently,
And to daily humbly pray.

To the Three Jewels, our teachers
And all creatures, till the day
You and I must fade away,
Die and decay, chasing peace.

To read the Stanford U. article about Trent’s senior thesis, go to:

http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/trentwalker

To read about Trent’s work, go to: http://www.trentwalker.org

[Useless] Hun Sen ordered to release the trio Thais arrested!

Cambodian villagers along the border arrested, chained their legs and jailed by Siamese authority

Today Hun Sen brainlessly ordered to release the three Thais arrested last week for entering Cambodia illegally without saying a word about our beloved Cambodians who are arrested by Thai soldiers for similar reasons and now serving jail term for years in Thailand for such minimal crimes. I am so speechless to hear this news from this scumbag Hun Sen. Read it here. He never gives our people any sign of hope.

NOTE: Here are some news related to the barbarian Thai soldiers along the Cambodian-Thai borders that arrested and killed our people: Here, here, here, here, here, here.

Siam psychopath: Siamese MFA accused Cambodia of internationlizing Preah Vihear issues

The Son of the Khmer Empire

Kasit -Siamese MFA

After Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to Asean chair last week asking for Asean mediation, this week Siamese MFA has also sent a letter to Asean, not asking for mediation but protest against Cambodia for sending such a letter and accused Cambodia for internationalizing the Preah Vihear’s conflicts.

The Foreign Ministry has submitted a letter to Vietnam, the current chairman of ASEAN, to protest against the Cambodian government’s attempts to bring a third party into the border dispute surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple.

The Thai government has lodged a letter of protest with Vietnam, the chairman of ASEAN, against the Cambodian government’s attempt to draw international interference in the border dispute surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple.

[…]

…Bangkok has expressed its desire for bilateral talks with Cambodia, without any intervention by a third party.

NOTE: Shame on you Siamese people:

• It’s your people that internationalize this issues by running around to protest against Cambodia since 2005 the first time that Cambodia applied for Preah Vihear’s inscription. And what Cambodia do today is just a commitment to avoid prolonged conflicts and more armed clashes in the future, then Cambodia is accused by your scumbag people.
• We Cambodians don’t need bilateral talk, and if Hun Sen still prefers this then it is his turn to take responsibility in the future and we will deal with him accordingly.
• If the commitment for border resolution really for the interests of peace, development, friendship, and respect for the people of the two countries, then please try it with the multilateral party since the bilateral party has not worked so far. So try it  …why afriad Mr. Kasit, unless you, your govt, your gangs are  thieves ?

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Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Siamese and their mental problem: Kasit and Buranat
• Thailand and Cambodia agree to prevent border fightings
• Cambodia not to raise Preah Vihear issue at ASEAN Summit

Thaksin resigned as advisor to Hun Sen

The Son Of the Khmer Empire

Cambodian King has today signed a Preah Reach Kret (royal decree) to finish Thaksin’s position as advisor to Royal Government of Cambodia and Hun Sen.

Kouy Kong, spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that it was Thaksin’s rights  to resign and this din’t mean to please any party.

The Cambodian government explained that the Thaksin was so busy and he had his personal difficulty to fulfill his job. However, his relation with Hun Sen is till firm. Read the full report in Khmerhere.

Hun Xen warns to remove corrupt officials [-Hun Xen is all talk again?]

21 Augusts 2010
By Yun Samien
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Hun Sen (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

During the meeting at the Council of Ministers on Friday 20 August, Hun Xen warned that he will remove government officials, soldiers and police officers who intervened for position change or for irregular nomination inside government institutions. Hun Xen’s warning came after government officials are looking for intervention so that they can replace retiring government officials and army and police officers.

Phay Siphan, the mouthpiece of the Council of Ministers, parroted to RFA on 21 Agust that Hun Xen’s measure was taken to strengthen good governance and to encourage active officials who are providing efficient work.

Phay Siphan claimed that Hun Xen will fire both the officials who are intervening for somebody else and the officials who receive their promotion from these interventions.

SRP MP Mu Sochua said on Saturday that, if Hun Xen has the real intention to eliminate the interventions for government promotions, then Hun Xen should stop signing the authorizations nominating these officials. She added that Hun Xen has the government list in his hand, therefore, he can shorten the list any time he wants.

Mrs. Mu Sochua said that, currently, the government has promoted and nominated too many government officials and army officers, and this affects the national budget. The spending cut from these officials could be used in important sectors, such as agriculture and healthcare.

Hun Xen’s warning to remove corrupt officials took place after he announced on 09 August an end to the nomination and hiring of additional employees in various government agencies because the salary spending for these officials and new hires exceed the 2009 budget.

In May, the census performed by the Council of Ministers uncovered about 2,000 ghost officials on the payroll list of 20 ministries. These ghost officials led the government to lose $2 million per year.