Religious View in Cambodia 2007
Kingdom of Cambodia
National Religion King
(unofficial translation)
Ministry of Cults & Religious
Nº245 June 26, 2007
For Information.
Concerning the Re-enforcement in Implementation of the Management of Pagan Religious.
The Ministry of Culture and Religious Affiars has seen that the Cambodian people have used their rights in holding religious beliefs, in accord with the Constitution of The Kingdom of Cambodia. Additionally, it is noted that there has been some negative activities by believers of other religions. In order to improve the good name of religions, we would like to inform authorities at all levels and all related powers, particularly every religious institution and religious society to continue to strengthen implementation of the following:
- Inter-ministerial Regulation between the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Cults and Religious Affiars Nº003 ស.រ​ signed on Jan 14, 2003 about religious activities and practices in Cambodia.
- Instruction Letter Nº01 ក.ធ.ស.រ.ណ.ន signed on Jan 14, 2003 about directive Nº2 ក.ធ.ស signed on Jan 02, 2003 about governing pagan religious.
- Building constructions to serve religious activities must have the permission from the Ministry of Cults and Religious. Every application form must be approved by the concerned authorities at every level, both those relating to the Ministry of Religious and Cults and also the local authorities, (eg. Khum/Sangkat, District/Khan, and city).
- It’s forbidden to use loud amplification to broadcast that might disturb the people living around the church of religious places.
- It’s forbidden to use money, material or any other ways to draw believers of one religion to become an adherent to another religion.
- Do not forbid your adherents the right and freedom to believe other religious, or to forbid them to respect/sacrifice or enter to the area and temple of another religion. For instance, Christian leaders who forbid their congregants to respect/worship the Buddhist images, monks or go to Buddhist Temples.
- Do not draw Khmer children, in any possible way, to learn other languages against their free will.
- Don’t allow religious adherents to speak critically and insultingly at another religion.
- Concerning churches which have a license but have closed, or which have other activities contrary to religious activities, the church name and leaders name must be reported urgently to the Ministry of Cults and Religious, and Ministry will consider what to do with such as these.
- Spreading religion through propagation and sharing religious tracts is allowed in the church precincts, places of worship and religious schools only. It is forbidden to walk about giving out tracts in various ceremonies or crowded places, sticking the tracts onto trees or public places. If necessary, cases can ask permission from the Ministry first. Concerning foreigners who wish to propagate religious in The Kingdom of Cambodia, they must be religious missionaries who have been authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Cooperation and they must have permission from the Ministry of Cults and Religious. All activities of spreading of religious in public places is forbidden. For the Christian religion it is forbidden to evangelize peoples houses by knocking on doors, or sitting and waiting, and then saying “The Lord has come!”, which is a disturbance to the inhabitants or it which could cause social insecurity.
In cases where there are incidents coming from the activities banned above the local authorities (Khum/Sangkat) must make timely intervention to stop those activities or report to Khan/District authorities and the Office or Cults and Religious of the District, so that the offending persons can come to be educated as a means to strengthen national solidarity and to promote the good name of religion in The Kingdom of Cambodia, so that it can be maintained, in order to avoid any crises, conflects, or eventualities which might happen in society.
If they do not stop we need to take measures a follows:
- For pagan religions: confiscate their license and stop the activities in the church.
- For foreigners: they must be punished according to the law.
Therefore, you Excellencies the Governors of each province/city, you Provincial Directors of The Department of Cults and Religions, you much pay attention to advising your authorities and offices in accordance with this instruction that they will implement this very effectively; this includes the leaders of foreign religions who must pay attention to implement this with the very highest effectiveness, in accordance to the Inter-Ministerial Declaration.
Minister of State
The Minister of Cults and Religions
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