The mother of the jailed Thai engineer in Cambodia has asked the Phue Thai Party to assist in her son's case.
The government claims that it is not embarrassed and is fully sympathetic with the mother.
Simalak Na Nakhon Panom, the mother of the jailed Thai engineer in Cambodia, traveled to Pheu Thai Party headquarters to seek assistance from former Foreign Minister, Noppadol Pattama and a legal adviser.
Nov 30, 2009
Cambodia: ending HIV stigma in hospitals
Patient in Chey Chumneas hospital“Some hospitals in Cambodia do not like to operate on people living with HIV. In Phnom Penh there are eight hospitals. In my experience, only two will operate on HIV-positive patients.
Thai-Cambodian border's situation worrying: Thai senior official
BANGKOK, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Thai Foreign Ministry and co-chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) Friday expressed his worries about the Thai-Cambodian border's situation.
His view was made after the Cambodian government on Thursday evening announced recall of its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's earlier recall of its Ambassador Prasas Prasavinitchai to Cambodia.
His view was made after the Cambodian government on Thursday evening announced recall of its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's earlier recall of its Ambassador Prasas Prasavinitchai to Cambodia.
Cambodians stockpiling goods from Thai side amid rumors of border closure
BANGKOK, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodians at the Thai-Cambodian border Tuesday have been stockpiling goods from the Thai side due to continued rumors of the border closure because of the diplomatic standoff of the two countries.
Hun Sen blasts Thai leaders
Mr Hun Sen (left) said that his country would 'have no happiness' while Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his foreign Minister Kasit Piromya were still in power. -- PHOTO: AP
PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen criticised Thailand's leaders on Monday, saying they had insulted his country after Phnom Penh refused to extradite fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Abhisit is the most difficult Thai PM : Hun Sen
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday described Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva as the most difficult Thai premier he has worked with. The mutual ties which has been sour for months would be normalised only if Thailand has a new government, Hun Sen told reporters in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen rules out normal ties with Abhisit government
Phnom Penh - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attacked Thailand again yesterday, saying the Thai government was derisive about his country and that Abhisit Vejjajiva was the most difficult Thai PM he had ever worked with.
Question Hun Xen and gov't officials on KRT interference: Nuon Chea's lawyer
Khmer Rouge lawyers demand probe
Lawyers for a former Khmer Rouge leader have demanded that investigators at Cambodia's war crimes court question premier Hun Sen and government officials over alleged interference.
The defence for former Khmer Rouge ideologue Nuon Chea cited a September statement by Hun Sen - who himself defected from the communist regime in 1977 - that witnesses do not have to testify to the UN-backed tribunal.
Lawyers for a former Khmer Rouge leader have demanded that investigators at Cambodia's war crimes court question premier Hun Sen and government officials over alleged interference.
The defence for former Khmer Rouge ideologue Nuon Chea cited a September statement by Hun Sen - who himself defected from the communist regime in 1977 - that witnesses do not have to testify to the UN-backed tribunal.
The diplomatic crisis between Phnom Penh and Bangkok threatens the Trans-Asian Railway
Realization of the railway threatened - along six kilometres - which crosses the border between the two countries. The line should unite in Kunming in southern China to Singapore, along a path of 5300 km. End of work planned for 2015, for a total cost of 15 billion dollars.
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal: Trials and Tribulations
A memorial at the Choeung Ek mass-grave site in Cambodia is composed of victims' skulls. A flag is reflected in the glass panel (Sarah Caron / Polaris)When the Khmer Rouge emptied the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh of human inhabitants in 1975, one of Pol Pot's soldiers murdered 4-year-old Theary Seng's father. Later, Theary Seng, her mother and siblings ended up in a prison in southeast Cambodia. One day, Theary Seng awoke to an empty cell — the prison population had been massacred overnight.
Khmer Rouge Death Camp Commander Awaits Sentence
However, Theary Seng -- an author, lawyer and human rights activist -- argued that Duch should be sentenced to two or three life sentences, even after taking into consideration his cooperation with the court. "There are too many counts on which he could be found guilty and each one carries a life sentence," she said.
PHNOM PENH -- The trial of a Khmer Rouge prison commandant who oversaw the deaths of at least 12,000 people has wrapped up. But in his final statement, Kang Guek Eav, also known as Duch, stunned the court by asking for an acquittal.
PHNOM PENH -- The trial of a Khmer Rouge prison commandant who oversaw the deaths of at least 12,000 people has wrapped up. But in his final statement, Kang Guek Eav, also known as Duch, stunned the court by asking for an acquittal.
U.S says to continue help Cambodia to fight HIV/AIDS
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States said on Monday that it will continue to help Cambodia in fighting against HIV/AIDS.
"The United States looks forward to continuing our support of successes like these and we are committed to furthering efforts that curb the spread of HIV in Cambodia," it said in a statement released here on Monday by its Embassy.
The U.S is considered as the largest bilateral HIV/AIDS donor in Cambodia, committing 18 million U.S. dollars in 2009 as part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
"The United States looks forward to continuing our support of successes like these and we are committed to furthering efforts that curb the spread of HIV in Cambodia," it said in a statement released here on Monday by its Embassy.
The U.S is considered as the largest bilateral HIV/AIDS donor in Cambodia, committing 18 million U.S. dollars in 2009 as part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Nov 29, 2009
Motorcycle sales gain traction in Cambodia after slow year
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Motorcycle dealers in the capital Phnom Penh say sales have finally started to pick up following this year's downturn prompted by the global economic crisis, as buyers spend money generated in the provinces on upgrading to new models that have recently entered the market for 2010, local media reported on Monday.
Economic Thrust Eastwards
Hun Xen embraces Nguyen Tan Dung, meanwhile....
Villagers from the beseiged Kraya commune in Kampong Thom province say they have been forced to hide in cassava fields for fear of arrest and now face increasing health risks from a lack of medicine and the threat of malaria from sleeping outdoors. Authorities blockaded the commune following a violent protest last month over their impending eviction, during which equipment belonging to the Vietnamese-owned rubber company Tin Bean was set on fire (Photo by: Heng Chivoan, The Phnom Penh Post)Op-Ed by Ung Bun Ang
Nov 28, 2009
Cambodian Government to Allow Freehold for Foreigners, I won't hold my Breath
Yet again there is a report that legislation to allow foreigners to buy property in Cambodia freehold is about to become law, according to a new report in the New York Times.
During the last boom Cambodia property became very popular with investors from all around the world, and rightly so; people were buying property and selling 6 months later for a 12% profit, 12 months later for a 24% profit on a regular basis. During this time a report that the government was coming closer to allowing foreigners to buy freehold would make the news at regular intervals -- we all waited and waited but it never came.
During the last boom Cambodia property became very popular with investors from all around the world, and rightly so; people were buying property and selling 6 months later for a 12% profit, 12 months later for a 24% profit on a regular basis. During this time a report that the government was coming closer to allowing foreigners to buy freehold would make the news at regular intervals -- we all waited and waited but it never came.
Cambodia B1.4bn loan still on[- Will Hun Xen still accept Thai charity?]
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday Cambodia's decision to scrap a 1.4 billion baht loan from Thailand to subsidise a road improvement project was the result of a misunderstanding.
He was responding to a news report which quoted Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong as saying Phnom Penh decided to cancel the loan.
He was responding to a news report which quoted Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong as saying Phnom Penh decided to cancel the loan.
Hang tough if Hun Sen gets rough
LEGAL-EYED: Kao SouphaKao Soupha is a lawyer who is well used to government pressure.
The 37-year-old Cambodian believes that if a lawyer is afraid of the state, then many innocent people will have no chance to defend themselves.
For this reason he decided to represent jailed Thai engineer Sivarak Chutipong.
Mr Sivarak, 31, an employee of Thai-owned Cambodia Air Traffic Services, was arrested on Nov 12 on charges of leaking information concerning the flight plan of Thaksin Shinawatra as he travelled to Cambodia.
Abhisit's action: A lesson of political civility to the opposition for Hun Xen?
PM thanks red shirts for postponement of rally
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday thanked the red-shirt leaders for postponing the rally, and thus easing the situation before the celebrations of His Majesty the King's birthday.
Opposition distributes 50,000 leaflets about border dispute
Opposition activists were and are distributing Sam Rainsy's message attacking PM Hun Xen's government for causing the loss of Cambodian territories to the benefit of Vietnam. At the same time, SRP MPs are asking the government to make available to the public documents regarding the legal aspects of the border resolutions with Vietnam.
.. Meanwhile the CPP is leading its PR campaign to discredit the opposition
A SRP official recognized that opposition party members have defected to the CPP, however, he said that defection is a personal right for each party member. Prey Veng SRP MP Chea Poch made this declaration after about 100 SRP party members defected to the CPP branch office in Meanchey district, Phnom Penh city in the morning of Saturday 28 November. The defectors allegedly include Sam Rainsy's bodyguards who used to be faithful to him. The defectors condemned Sam Rainsy for not leading the party properly and he allegedly never thought about party members at all (sic!).
Hun Sen - Thaksin Shinawatra : A Political Game?
(Photo: Reuters)By Maya Mary Kong
Cambodian Perspectives Review - November 2009
About the author:
Maya Mary Kong is a Ph.D candidate in political science, Canada. Born in 1985 from a Cambodia father and an Australian mother, I wish to express my gratitude to my parents for their love, support during all these years and for transmitting to me their love for Cambodia. A particular thank is also expressed to the worldwide Cambodian community for its help and strong encouragement. I also wish pay homage to Khmer people who have lost their life for the country, and all those who dedicate a part of their life to lead actions for Cambodia. And finally, a special thoughts for people who suffer and die because of the extreme poverty.
Nov 24, 2009
Victims and public attendance at Duch's trial
Bou Meng, right, a Cambodian survivor of the S-21 prison during the Khmer Rouge regime, arrives at the U.N.-backed tribunal court hall where Kaing Guek Eav, the prison's former chief, is being tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. Other people unidentified. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Duch 'should get 40 years'
PHNOM PENH - FORMER Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch should get 40 years in prison for his role in the hardline communist regime, a prosecutor told Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court on Wednesday.
'We submit... that the sentence to be submitted by this trial chamber should be 40 years in prison,' Bill Smith told judges in the prosecution's final arguments.
Duch - whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav - has apologised repeatedly and admitted responsibility for his actions under Pol Pot's brutal communist movement, which killed up to two million Cambodians in the 1970s.
'We submit... that the sentence to be submitted by this trial chamber should be 40 years in prison,' Bill Smith told judges in the prosecution's final arguments.
Duch - whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav - has apologised repeatedly and admitted responsibility for his actions under Pol Pot's brutal communist movement, which killed up to two million Cambodians in the 1970s.
Cambodian court to rule on spy charges against Thai engineer on Dec 8
A Cambodian court is scheduled to deliver a ruling in the case against a Thai engineer, who was arrested on an espionage charge, on December 8, a senor Thai Justice Ministry official said Wednesday.
Thai News Agency quoted Thawee Sodsong, deputy permanent secretary for Justice, as saying that the court was scheduled to deliver a ruling on the case against Siwrak Chutipong on December 8.
Thai News Agency quoted Thawee Sodsong, deputy permanent secretary for Justice, as saying that the court was scheduled to deliver a ruling on the case against Siwrak Chutipong on December 8.
Prosecution calls for 40-year sentence for Duch in Khmer Rouge trial
Phnom Penh - The prosecution at Cambodia's war crimes tribunal called Wednesday for judges to hand down a 40-year jail term to Comrade Duch, the former commander of the Khmer Rouge's most notorious prison known as S-21. Co-prosecutor William Smith said Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, was the Khmer Rouge regime's "loyal and dedicated agent" in running S-21, where thousands of people were tortured and executed between 1975 and 1979, and must be punished accordingly.
Desperate Thaksin may go for broke
With his assets seizure trial nearing its end, Thaksin Shinawatra may find himself a drowning man clutching desperately at every last straw.
A judgement against him will certainly quash the pardon-Thaksin petition that his supporters submitted in September, shutting down all avenues for him to escape legal punishment.
A judgement against him will certainly quash the pardon-Thaksin petition that his supporters submitted in September, shutting down all avenues for him to escape legal punishment.
ASEAN: from defiance to accommodation
WHAT FORMER ASEAN heavyweight leaders Indonesian President Suharto, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed had in common was a passionate belief in the regional grouping and a readiness to defend the Asean identity and values. They did it with valour and stood firm against heavy criticism from non-Asean countries. In short: no kowtowing to external demands without a consensus.
Kasit misled the [Thai] nation on MOU with Cambodia
It was quite clear that there is not any clause or any wordings in the MoU that would allow the persons who were behind the original draft an edge in giving advice, which would be of special benefit to the Cambodia side over the Thai side in further negotiations. The next negotiation will be under full control of the new negotiators or the new government which would take control of the negotiation.
MATICHON NEWSPAPER, on November 16, published an article on Dr Kriangsak Kittichaiseri who was one of the members in the Thai team that negotiated the drafting of the Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia on Overlapping Maritime Boundaries.Both countries claim the areas, which are known to have a sizeable deposits of oil and natural gas.
Life under the Khmer Rouge
Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge submitted Cambodia to a totalitarian regime that killed more than a million people.
How did the Khmer Rouge come to power?
In the 1960s, ‘Khmer Rouge’ was the name given to followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the name given by the communists of Cambodia to the country). Following the military coup of 1970, they formed an alliance of convenience with the ousted prince. They then threw themselves into an insurgency, and, after five years of civil war, succeeded in capturing Phnom Penh and ousting the military.
What was their ideology?
How did the Khmer Rouge come to power?
In the 1960s, ‘Khmer Rouge’ was the name given to followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the name given by the communists of Cambodia to the country). Following the military coup of 1970, they formed an alliance of convenience with the ousted prince. They then threw themselves into an insurgency, and, after five years of civil war, succeeded in capturing Phnom Penh and ousting the military.
What was their ideology?
Taiwan to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia
Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) Taiwan is planning to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, which may signal a breakthrough in the country's bid to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a ruling Kuomintang legislator said Tuesday.
Contrition all a sham, victims say
In this photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Kaing Guek Eav, the former chief of the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison, now known as Tuol Sleng genocide museum, is seen in the courtroom of the U.N.-backed tribunal, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. Also known as Duch, Kaing Guek Eav is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture, and is the first of five defendants scheduled for long-delayed trials by the tribunal. (AP Photo/Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia)
Family on mend after a close call
Chamroeun Theam has pleaded not guilty to operating under the influence and other charges. Police say he plowed his car into a mother and two children as they crossed a Lowell street. (David H. Brow/ Lowell Sun via Associated Press)Kin say DUI suspect survived Cambodia terror
Cambodia's Duch 'must be jailed'
Prosecutors in a UN-backed genocide trial in Cambodia have called for a lengthy jail term for a former Khmer Rouge official.
The defendant, Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, was a senior prison chief during the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule over Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.
He is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of about 16,000 men, women and children at the regime's the S-21 prison, housed in a former high school in the capital, Phnom Penh.
The defendant, Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, was a senior prison chief during the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule over Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.
He is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of about 16,000 men, women and children at the regime's the S-21 prison, housed in a former high school in the capital, Phnom Penh.
Nov 23, 2009
Bhutan steps lightly towards global village
THOUGH sandwiched between emerging superpowers China and India, Bhutan is a country that has proceeded with extreme caution on the path to globalisation. Television and the Internet did not arrive until 1999, and traffic lights in the capital were removed after the public deemed them a nuisance. Tourism is limited to high-end tour groups in which individials pay upwards of US$200 per day, ensuring that the backpacking hordes that descend annually upon neighbouring India and Nepal do not trample Bhutan as well.
FACTBOX: Khmer Rouge casts lingering shadow over Cambodia
(Reuters) - Closing arguments began on Monday in the trial of chief Khmer Rouge interrogator Duch, the first senior Pol Pot cadre to face a U.N.-backed "Killing Fields" tribunal in Cambodia.
Here are some facts about the Khmer Rouge and how Cambodia is dealing with its legacy:
Here are some facts about the Khmer Rouge and how Cambodia is dealing with its legacy:
Cambodia denies premier's daughter taking stake in air traffic firm
Phnom Penh - Cambodia rejected Monday a Thai media claim that the daughter of Prime Minister Hun Sen is to take a stake in a Thai firm at the centre of a spying row. A cabinet statement said the government's management of Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a Thai-owned air traffic control firm, is temporary.
Alleged Thai spy files bail request in Cambodia: lawyer
PHNOM PENH — The lawyer for a Thai national held on charges of spying on fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra said he filed a bail request to a Cambodian court Monday.
Thailand denies access to Cambodian waters closed
Thai government on Monday said Cambodia has not blocked the entry of Thai fishing boats into its territorial waters, as earlier claimed by opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
Cambodians in Europe condemn the Cambodian National Assembly and Govt for lifting Sam Rainsy's Immunity
Film Star Jackie Chan on Arts, Culture, Peace
When film star and martial artist Jackie Chan visited Cambodia earlier this month, he brought a simple message: arts and culture are pathways to peace.
Chan spoke to 600 students and others at the University of Cambodia, focusing on a message of world peace, reminding participants that the world is a village, and that its residents should love one another despite race, complexion and social status.
Chan spoke to 600 students and others at the University of Cambodia, focusing on a message of world peace, reminding participants that the world is a village, and that its residents should love one another despite race, complexion and social status.
Nobel Laureate Inspires Cambodian Students
While animals may kill each other for food, humans are the only creatures to do so out of cruelty, Nobel laureate Aaron Ciechanover told an assembly of Cambodians earlier this month.
Ciechanover, who won the Noble Prize for chemistry in 2004, reminded 400 participants at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia that greed could drive human cruelty, something not found in other parts of the natural world.
Ciechanover, who won the Noble Prize for chemistry in 2004, reminded 400 participants at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia that greed could drive human cruelty, something not found in other parts of the natural world.
Victims Demand Reparation in Duch Case
Civil parties in the trial of Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch insisted on reparation for victims, as final arguments in the case got underway Monday.
Duch, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, has admitted responsibility for the deaths of more than 12,000 people under his administration of Tuol Sleng prison, in the first trial of the UN-backed court.
Duch, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, has admitted responsibility for the deaths of more than 12,000 people under his administration of Tuol Sleng prison, in the first trial of the UN-backed court.
Kin says [Cambodian-American] driver accused of plowing into family 'depressed' November 23, 2009 By John R. Ellement Boston Globe Staff (Mass., USA)
LOWELL -- A bruised and frightened 4-year-old boy sought comfort today in the arms of his grandmother, who held him close 12 hours after an alleged drunk driver plowed into his stroller as he was pushed in a crosswalk.
The boy, Jonathan Dickie Jr., suffered the most serious injuries when his family was hit by the car, but he has been released from the hospital.
The boy, Jonathan Dickie Jr., suffered the most serious injuries when his family was hit by the car, but he has been released from the hospital.
Cambodia flights recover
Air traffic between Thailand and Cambodia has returned to near-normal levels after plummeting at the height of the diplomatic spat earlier this month.
Bangkok-based carriers such as Thai Airways International (THAI) and Bangkok Airways saw bookings start to rebound last week.
Tension between the nations escalated rapidly after fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Cambodia on Nov 10 to take up his appointment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government.
Bangkok-based carriers such as Thai Airways International (THAI) and Bangkok Airways saw bookings start to rebound last week.
Tension between the nations escalated rapidly after fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Cambodia on Nov 10 to take up his appointment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government.
Navy slams Chavalit for 'distorting, politicising' spat
The navy has slammed Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for trying to "distort and politicise" the spat between Thailand and Cambodia.
The criticism by navy spokesman Prachachart Srisawat followed Gen Chavalit's statement that Cambodia had closed its waterways at the Cambodian province of Koh Kong , opposite Trat.
The criticism by navy spokesman Prachachart Srisawat followed Gen Chavalit's statement that Cambodia had closed its waterways at the Cambodian province of Koh Kong , opposite Trat.
Lawyer for Sivarak files bail request
Thai engineer promises to stay for his 'spy' trial
PHNOM PENH : The lawyer for the Thai engineer held on charges of spying on ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he has filed a bail request to a Cambodian court.
Sivarak Chutipong, 31, an employee of Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS), was arrested on charges of supplying details of Thaksin's flight schedule to the Thai embassy when Thaksin visited Phnom Penh earlier this month.
PHNOM PENH : The lawyer for the Thai engineer held on charges of spying on ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he has filed a bail request to a Cambodian court.
Sivarak Chutipong, 31, an employee of Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS), was arrested on charges of supplying details of Thaksin's flight schedule to the Thai embassy when Thaksin visited Phnom Penh earlier this month.
Cambodian gov't rejects report on PM's daughter
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government Monday denied the news report that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS).
Final arguments begin in trial of Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch
Cambodia's Khmer Rouge war crimes court on Monday began final arguments in the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, bringing the regime's prison chief closer to justice for the "Killing Fields" atrocities 30 years ago.
Mekong artists gather in Cambodia to celebrate regional arts festival
Some 200 delegates from the arts and media circle in the Mekong sub-region gathered on Monday here in the Cambodian capital to celebrate the vibrant culture and tradition along the Mekong River.
Khmer Rouge prison chief's trial enters final stage at U.N.-backed tribunal in Cambodia
This photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia shows a general view of the U.N.-backed tribunal court hall while Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, the former chief of the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison, now known as the Tuol Sleng genocide museum, is being tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. Closing arguments are expected to start Monday with both sides wrapping up their cases by the end of the week. Kaing Guek Eav, who pleaded guilty, is expected to testify as soon as Wednesday and to be sentenced early next year. (AP Photo/Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) (Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS / November 23, 2009)
Cambodian gov't rejects report on PM's daughter
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government Monday denied the news report that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS).
A statement issued by the Cambodian government on Monday said "The Spokesman of the Royal Government of Cambodia totally rejects the report of the Thai News Agency on Nov. 21, 2009, which was confirmed by Panitan Wattanayakorn, the Royal Thai Government's acting Spokesman, alleging that the daughter of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a private company."
A statement issued by the Cambodian government on Monday said "The Spokesman of the Royal Government of Cambodia totally rejects the report of the Thai News Agency on Nov. 21, 2009, which was confirmed by Panitan Wattanayakorn, the Royal Thai Government's acting Spokesman, alleging that the daughter of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a private company."
Hank Williams,1923-1953: He Wrote Songs About Love and Heartbreak
VOICE ONE:
PEOPLE IN AMERICA -- a program in Special English by the Voice of America.
Every week at this time, we tell you a story about people who played a part in the history of the United States. I'm Tony Riggs. Today, Larry West and I tell the story of country and
western singer and songwriter, Hank Williams.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
That was the record Hank Williams made when he first tried to interest recording companies in his music. None of the companies liked it at the time. But a few years later, the high sharp voice of Hank Williams would cut like a knife through the music world. When he sang his songs, people listened. They are still listening, long after his death.
Words and Their Stories: Ace in the Hole
listenning to rsdio voice
Now, Words and Their Stories, a program in Special English by the Voice of America.
(MUSIC)
It is surprising how many expressions that Americans use every day came from the card game of poker. For example, you hear the expression, ace in the hole, used by many people who would never think of going near a poker table. An ace in the hole is an argument, plan or thing kept hidden until needed. It is used especially when it can turn failure into success.
Now, Words and Their Stories, a program in Special English by the Voice of America.
(MUSIC)
It is surprising how many expressions that Americans use every day came from the card game of poker. For example, you hear the expression, ace in the hole, used by many people who would never think of going near a poker table. An ace in the hole is an argument, plan or thing kept hidden until needed. It is used especially when it can turn failure into success.
Results of UN Food Summit Seen as Disappointing
The meeting in Rome produced only limited measures to fight rising hunger.Transcript of radio broadcast:
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
download voice
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the World Summit on Food Security
Last week, the United Nations held a World Summit on Food Security. But the three-day meeting in Rome produced only limited measures to fight rising hunger. The U.N. World Food Program says more than a billion people -- one in six worldwide -- do not get enough food to be healthy.
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
download voice
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the World Summit on Food Security
Last week, the United Nations held a World Summit on Food Security. But the three-day meeting in Rome produced only limited measures to fight rising hunger. The U.N. World Food Program says more than a billion people -- one in six worldwide -- do not get enough food to be healthy.
What Thanksgiving Day Means to People in US
Sharing some favorite memories, mixed with cold reality about the effects of the economic downturn. Transcript of radio broadcast:
22 November 2009
listenning to Radio
VOICE ONE:
Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA. I'm Faith Lapidus. This Thursday is a day for families and friends to share a special holiday meal and think about what they are thankful for. This week on our program, we ask some people to share their favorite memories of Thanksgiving Day.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Special English reporters June Simms and Dana Demange talked to people about the holiday.
JIM OLDHAM: "My name is Jim Oldham and I'm from Nashville, Tennessee. I remember my father drove a bus and my mother was a waitress, and so we often didn't get to have Thanksgiving together. And I remember when I was about twelve, her work and his work permitted us all to do that. And we had brothers and sisters, and the traditional turkey and all the trimmings. We always had pumpkin pie, and if we were really lucky, a little bit of whipped cream on top. And it was just a wonderful day."
ANN GEIGER: "I'm Ann Geiger from Tucson, Arizona. Thanksgiving is special for our family because like so many families our adult children live around the country. And we usually get at least part of them together for Thanksgiving."
22 November 2009
listenning to Radio
VOICE ONE:
Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA. I'm Faith Lapidus. This Thursday is a day for families and friends to share a special holiday meal and think about what they are thankful for. This week on our program, we ask some people to share their favorite memories of Thanksgiving Day.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Special English reporters June Simms and Dana Demange talked to people about the holiday.
JIM OLDHAM: "My name is Jim Oldham and I'm from Nashville, Tennessee. I remember my father drove a bus and my mother was a waitress, and so we often didn't get to have Thanksgiving together. And I remember when I was about twelve, her work and his work permitted us all to do that. And we had brothers and sisters, and the traditional turkey and all the trimmings. We always had pumpkin pie, and if we were really lucky, a little bit of whipped cream on top. And it was just a wonderful day."
ANN GEIGER: "I'm Ann Geiger from Tucson, Arizona. Thanksgiving is special for our family because like so many families our adult children live around the country. And we usually get at least part of them together for Thanksgiving."
Duch trial enters final arguments
Prosecution’s strength doubted as landmark KR trial nears end.
IN 1999, photographer Nic Dunlop was on a trip shooting mine-clearance operations in Battambang province when he happened upon the fugitive he had been chasing for more than a year.
At the time, the man was going by the name Hang Pin and working as the head of education in Samlot district, but Dunlop almost immediately recognised him as Tuol Sleng prison commandant Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch.
IN 1999, photographer Nic Dunlop was on a trip shooting mine-clearance operations in Battambang province when he happened upon the fugitive he had been chasing for more than a year.
At the time, the man was going by the name Hang Pin and working as the head of education in Samlot district, but Dunlop almost immediately recognised him as Tuol Sleng prison commandant Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch.
Officials destroy safrole oil stills
ANTI-DRUG officials say they are one step closer to eradicating illicit drug precursor production in the Cardamom Mountains following a recent patrol that led to the destruction of 18 illegal factories in the region.
Thai leaked Thaksin info, attorney says
SIWARAK Chotipong, the 31-year-old Thai national accused of espionage in the theft of fugitive Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight schedule, has admitted to leaking information about Thaksin’s flight to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, Siwarak’s defence attorney said Sunday, though the attorney denied that this act constituted theft or espionage.
LEGISLATION: Graft law to be debated next month
The Council of Ministers is set to debate a draft of the long-awaited Anticorruption Law on December 11, after an order from Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday, council spokesman Phay Siphan said. “In the current stable political climate and due to the passing of the new Penal Code by the National Assembly, it is time for the government to fight against corruption,” he said.
Charges follow violent land row
HREE people have been charged with destruction of private property following an anti-eviction uprising in Kampong Thom’s Santuk district that left two people hospitalised and an entire commune under siege, police said.
Blaze leaves nearly 2,000 homeless
Almost 2,000 people were left homeless by a massive blaze that tore through a village in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district last week, officials said Sunday, as authorities struggled to explain what sparked the flames.
Let evicted villagers harvest rice: groups
A COALITION of NGOs plan to file a joint petition to the provincial governor of Oddar Meanchey on Monday asking that villagers whose homes were destroyed in a violent eviction be allowed to harvest the rice crop on their former land, an NGO representative said on Sunday.
Treasures of the deep gain protection
Divers taught to preserve secrets in old shipwrecks,
About 18 metres below the sea off Rayong province, 15 divers from seven countries are exploring a wooden shipwreck.
The exploration is part of Unesco's six-week training on underwater cultural heritage preservation.
The divers are from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
They have been picked for an underwater heritage protection programme organised by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and the Fine Arts Department's Underwater Archaeology Division (UAD) which runs from Oct 26 to Dec 6.
Division head Erbprem Vatcharangkul said Thailand has 64 underwater archaeological sites. He said all of them, especially those in shallow water, were under threat from treasure hunters.
Nov 21, 2009
Feng Shui expert foretold Thailand faces turmoil in the "Year of Tiger"
By Khmerization
A Thai Feng Shui expert has foretold that in the Year of Tiger (2010) Thailand will face political turmoil and Prime Minister Abhisit will be toppled from powers while luck and fortunes will come on the way of fugitive ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, reports Koh Santepheap.
A week ago, Mr. Soraccha Mulyu, another Thai famous fortune-teller, predicted that in 2010 Thailand will face misfortunes. Cambodia and Thailand will fight a bloody battle where many Thais will be killed by Cambodian soldiers.
A Thai Feng Shui expert has foretold that in the Year of Tiger (2010) Thailand will face political turmoil and Prime Minister Abhisit will be toppled from powers while luck and fortunes will come on the way of fugitive ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, reports Koh Santepheap.
A week ago, Mr. Soraccha Mulyu, another Thai famous fortune-teller, predicted that in 2010 Thailand will face misfortunes. Cambodia and Thailand will fight a bloody battle where many Thais will be killed by Cambodian soldiers.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in Cambodia ... under the watchful eyes of Sok An and Annie Sok An?
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter cuts a ribbon next to his wife Rosalynn Carter (2nd R) as Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Council of Ministers Sok An (L) and his wife Annie Sok An (R) look on during the inauguration of the New Life Community at Oudong village in Kandal province, 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter applauds after cutting a ribbon next to his wife Rosalynn Carter (2nd R) as Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Council of Ministers Sok An (L) and his wife Annie Sok An (R) look on during the inauguration of the New Life Community at Oudong village in Kandal province, 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for the poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter waves while talking with volunteers at Oudong village in Kandal province, 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter speaks at the inauguration of the New Life Community at Oudong village in Kandal province 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for the poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokuntan>
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter applauds after cutting a ribbon next to his wife Rosalynn Carter (2nd R) as Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Council of Ministers Sok An (L) and his wife Annie Sok An (R) look on during the inauguration of the New Life Community at Oudong village in Kandal province, 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for the poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter waves while talking with volunteers at Oudong village in Kandal province, 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter speaks at the inauguration of the New Life Community at Oudong village in Kandal province 50 km (31 miles) north of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2009. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the former U.S. president on Saturday officially opened the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Kandal province where 21 houses were built for the poor Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokuntan>A flexible Myanmar dialogue
ROBERT TAYLOR
THE two-hour summit meeting of US President Barrack Obama and the leaders of the 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held on Sunday, at the end of the APEC meeting in Singapore, stimulated much idle speculation about possible future political developments in Myanmar. This was because the hyped meeting was the first encounter between a senior Burmese government official, Prime Minister Thein Sein, and a US president since Lyndon Johnson welcomed General Ne Win to the White House in 1966. Then, in the midst of the Cold War, neutralist Burma was hailed as a cheap but effective bulwark against Chinese communist expansion into Southeast Asia. When the Cold War ended, and the containment of communism ceased to be the centre of American foreign policy, Myanmar soon became a favoured whipping boy for the Clinton and Bush administrations, ultimately obscuring larger issues at stake in US-Asian relations.
President Obama is taking a different tack. Whether the administration in Washington really expects the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) military government in Naypyidaw to heed its insistent strictures regarding the release from house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other opponents of the regime, or reopen negotiations on the political future of the country prior to elections slated for next year, is unclear. They would be naive if they expected much from sending two top state department officials for two days of talks in Yangon and Naypyidaw or to dangle economic rewards in front of the generals who have governed Myanmar for the past 20 years, accepting no foreign advice and precious little foreign economic assistance. Whatever else the Americans are currently doing, in statements to the effect that they are establishing no conditions on a dialogue with the SPDC they are positioning themselves to be able to improve relations with Myanmar after elections in 2010 create a new government with a civilian face. The European Union member states will doubtless probably soon be playing catch-up.
Photo by: AFP
Earlier this year a woman passes a banner calling for the release of Myanmar opposition icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent most of the past 20 years in detention at the behest of the country’s ruling military junta.THE two-hour summit meeting of US President Barrack Obama and the leaders of the 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held on Sunday, at the end of the APEC meeting in Singapore, stimulated much idle speculation about possible future political developments in Myanmar. This was because the hyped meeting was the first encounter between a senior Burmese government official, Prime Minister Thein Sein, and a US president since Lyndon Johnson welcomed General Ne Win to the White House in 1966. Then, in the midst of the Cold War, neutralist Burma was hailed as a cheap but effective bulwark against Chinese communist expansion into Southeast Asia. When the Cold War ended, and the containment of communism ceased to be the centre of American foreign policy, Myanmar soon became a favoured whipping boy for the Clinton and Bush administrations, ultimately obscuring larger issues at stake in US-Asian relations.
President Obama is taking a different tack. Whether the administration in Washington really expects the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) military government in Naypyidaw to heed its insistent strictures regarding the release from house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other opponents of the regime, or reopen negotiations on the political future of the country prior to elections slated for next year, is unclear. They would be naive if they expected much from sending two top state department officials for two days of talks in Yangon and Naypyidaw or to dangle economic rewards in front of the generals who have governed Myanmar for the past 20 years, accepting no foreign advice and precious little foreign economic assistance. Whatever else the Americans are currently doing, in statements to the effect that they are establishing no conditions on a dialogue with the SPDC they are positioning themselves to be able to improve relations with Myanmar after elections in 2010 create a new government with a civilian face. The European Union member states will doubtless probably soon be playing catch-up.
"Kom Tha Tor Tov Teat!" Op-Ed by Angkor Borei News
Anonymous said...
Ah Var Kim Hong! Ah Khbot Cheat!Ah mean Kbal sans Khour!
6:22 AM
Anonymous said...
To Mr.Ly Diep,Soth Poline and all khmer abroad How and what? Can we do to save khmer by report to international court?
Please explain,because we must help our mother land out of Hun Sen ,Sihakmony and Viet Nam's invader.
7:41 AM
Anonymous said...
Organize all our villagers at the border and form them into a militia to safeguard our border.Those people had been there all their lives and they knew exactly where our frontier are.Likewise ,in the UNITED STATES people organized themselve into a militia and called themselves MINUTEMEN to patrol the border or report something to the authority.
May be it can't be done in Cambodia,because the heads of the govt are; <<>>.
Anonymous said...
There is a need to keep such information for historical review. The next generation need to know the fact behind the scene.
8:38 AM
Anonymous said...
Members of Parliament of Cambodia follow correctly the order of the Vietnamese government to lift parliament immunity of the opposition leader.
9:30 AM
Anonymous said...
Ah Var Kim Hong! Ah Khbot Cheat!Ah mean Kbal sans Khour!
6:22 AM
Anonymous said...
To Mr.Ly Diep,Soth Poline and all khmer abroad How and what? Can we do to save khmer by report to international court?
Please explain,because we must help our mother land out of Hun Sen ,Sihakmony and Viet Nam's invader.
7:41 AM
Anonymous said...
Organize all our villagers at the border and form them into a militia to safeguard our border.Those people had been there all their lives and they knew exactly where our frontier are.Likewise ,in the UNITED STATES people organized themselve into a militia and called themselves MINUTEMEN to patrol the border or report something to the authority.
May be it can't be done in Cambodia,because the heads of the govt are; <<>>.
There is a need to keep such information for historical review. The next generation need to know the fact behind the scene.
8:38 AM
Anonymous said...
Members of Parliament of Cambodia follow correctly the order of the Vietnamese government to lift parliament immunity of the opposition leader.
9:30 AM
Anonymous said...
Khmer Rouge Tribunal Asked to Define Victim Reparation
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) and a London-based rights group, Redress, urged the Khmer Rouge Tribunal on Friday to show respect for the principle of reparation and make funds available for the regime’s survivors.
The groups insist on having victims participate in the discussions about reparations with the court, and that judges should issue an order about reparations and explain ways to find funds for it.
The groups insist on having victims participate in the discussions about reparations with the court, and that judges should issue an order about reparations and explain ways to find funds for it.
Treaty Signed Under The Guns
Vietnamese occupation troops in Cambodia
Friday, November 20, 2009
Op-Ed by Anonymous
I listened to His Excellency Var Kim Hong's explanation on the border issue with keen interest. What got me thinking most was the way he based his committee's works around the signed treaty of 1985, between a Vietnamese installed regime, signed under barrels of the guns and only to be re-signed again in 2005. Here right away, one should understand that we start this process from negative - some lands along the border had already been initially signed away to Vietnam since that 1985 deal.
Khmer Rouge Tribunal Asked to Define Victim Reparation
By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 November 2009
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) and a London-based rights group, Redress, urged the Khmer Rouge Tribunal on Friday to show respect for the principle of reparation and make funds available for the regime’s survivors.
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 November 2009
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) and a London-based rights group, Redress, urged the Khmer Rouge Tribunal on Friday to show respect for the principle of reparation and make funds available for the regime’s survivors.
Blaze destroys more than 200 homes
Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Hundreds of Cham Muslims were left homeless on Thursday morning when a fire tore through a crowded neighbourhood in Phnom Penh, incinerating more than 200 homes and causing ammunition in a police station to explode. Despite the intensity of the inferno, no one was killed.IT was a scene of destruction Thursday morning as a raging fire set light to more than 200 homes in Russey Keo’s Chraing Chamres II commune and left even the local police station and commune hall destroyed.
The morning saw residents frantically trying to salvage what possessions they could from the roaring blaze.
“Help my home! Help my home!” Samrith Sary cried as fire trucks, sirens wailing, pulled into the street. She ran back and forth on the road, lugging plastic containers filled with water and throwing the liquid on the walls of her burning home.
As the fire continued to spread, loud explosions could be heard from inside the burning police station as bullets and ammunition ignited.
Elsewhere along National Road 5, parents called out to their children while police officers stopped trucks hauling canisters of oil and gas from driving past.
Govt seizes Thai airport firm
THE government took control of the Thai-owned aviation firm Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) on Thursday and banned its Thai employees from the offices after the arrest of one of their co-workers on suspicion of stealing the flight schedule of fugitive Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his visit to Cambodia last week.
The move, which is likely to further damage diplomatic relations between the two countries, comes amid accusations by a Thai opposition leader that Thailand’s foreign minister ordered the theft.
CATS is a fully owned subsidiary of Bangkok-based Samart corporation, which has a 32-year air traffic control concession and employs nine Thai nationals in Cambodia.
It has been placed under the caretakership of a Cambodian government official, though representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority declined to comment on the official’s identity or the duration of the caretakership.
“The caretaker has prohibited the Thai expatriates from performing their duties,” Samart vice chairman Sirichai Rasameechan said in a letter to Thailand’s stock exchange, where the company is listed.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia’s takeover of CATS was “temporary” but necessary “to ensure national security and public safety.” The financial operations of the company, he added, would not be affected.
The move follows last week’s arrest of CATS employee Siwarak Chotipong, a 31-year-old Thai accused of spying, who is currently being held in pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison.
Thaksin is not the prime minister of cambodia – he is a convicted man....
Cambodian officials say that Siwarak was ordered to steal the flight schedule by Kamrob Palawatwichai, the first secretary of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. Kamrob was expelled last week, and Thailand responded by expelling the first secretary of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok.
Both countries had already withdrawn their respective ambassadors in the row over Thaksin’s appointment as government economics adviser.
Siwarak is being charged under Article 19 of the 2005 Law on Archives, which covers offences related to matters of national defence, security or public order. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Kav Soupha, Siwarak’s defence attorney, said Thursday that he did not believe that the leaking of Thaksin’s flight schedule constituted a threat to Cambodia’s national security.
“Thaksin is not the prime minister of Cambodia – he is a convicted man who is being hunted by Thai authorities,” Kav Soupha said. “Even if [Siwarak] had reported to the Thai embassy, that would be according to his right and obligation as a Thai citizen to alert authorities about a fugitive.”
Kav Soupha added that he planned to request that Siwarak be released on bail.
Jatuporn Prompan, a parliamentarian from the opposition Puea Thai party, said Wednesday that he had an audio tape of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ordering the flight schedule theft of which Siwarak is accused, the Bangkok Post reported.
Thai Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongphakdi, however, said officials in his ministry “do not believe in the existence of such a tape”.
Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said he had no knowledge of such evidence.
Kasit said Thailand would have to gather further information about the CATS takeover before formulating a response.
“The ministry is waiting for reports from the Thai embassy and we will also have to get clarification from the Cambodian government. If it violates bilateral agreements, then we will find ways to proceed from there,” the Bangkok Post quoted Kasit as saying.
Secrecy ordered
As tensions between Thailand and Cambodia simmered, the government released a directive on Wednesday in which the Ministry of Interior called on all government officials to encrypt their communications to “protect information related to national security”.
The statement, signed by Interior Minister Sar Kheng on October 15, touted, without specifically describing, newly acquired encryption technology that will “guarantee secrecy, so that government information will not be leaked”.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said such measures were necessary in Cambodia’s present diplomatic circumstances.
“If Thaksin would have been arrested because of [Siwarak] leaking information about him, that would prove we could not keep sensitive information a secret.”
Evictees could face hunger as aid falls off
Photo by: Sovan Philong
A man lies on a mat in his makeshift home in Tuol Sambo earlier this year.THE United Nations and other organisations expressed renewed concern about access to food for the 40 HIV-affected families living at a relocation site in Dangkor district, and some said they fear standard food packages will be cut off after a three-month commitment from the World Food Programme concludes in January.
“In the current absence of secure livelihoods and therefore of income flows, access to more than the minimum food package (rice, salt, oil) is crucial,” reads a UNAIDS summary of a November 9 visit to Tuol Sambo, a copy of which was obtained Thursday.
The WFP began distributing standard food packages containing 30 kilograms of rice, 1 litre of vegetable oil and 1.5 kilograms of iodised salt on October 20. To supplement that, the NGO Caritas Cambodia is scheduled to begin its own three-month programme of food packages including sugar, fish, fish sauce and instant noodles on December 1.
But the president of an NGO involved in food distribution at the site said Thursday he was worried that only “10 or 15” families would be in a position to receive food after the three-month WFP commitment ends, adding that he hopes the WFP will commit to another year of food packages.
“I am worried that the WFP will not continue its help, and then we will meet with a big problem because we do not have enough support to help those families with HIV/AIDS,” said Chea Sarith, president of the Women’s Organisation for Modern Economy and Nursing (WOMEN).
His fears were matched by Mey Sovannara, communications and advocacy officer for the HIV/AIDS NGO Khana, which has also been involved in food distribution.
“If the World Food Programme no longer provides support, Khana will not have money to allocate food to them,” Mey Sovannara said, though he added that the NGO might be able to assist “some vulnerable children in Tuol Sambo who face food insecurity”.
Officials at the WFP country office could not be reached Thursday. UNAIDS Country Director Tony Lisle said discussions were ongoing about extending the WFP commitment, and he expressed confidence that families unable to support themselves would continue to receive food.
“I categorically guarantee that we will make sure that there’s no discontinuity in food,” he said.
Residents and rights workers, meanwhile, said access to food was a chief concern.
“The most difficult problem we are facing is the lack of food,” said 41-year-old Tuol Sambo resident Soun Davy. “It was better for my family before we moved to live in Tuol Sambo, because I had a job there and could earn money to buy rice.”
The HIV-affected families were relocated to Tuol Sambo over the summer in a move that was roundly condemned by rights groups.
Am Sam Ath, technical superviser for the rights group Licadho, said many of the families he had interviewed were short on food, adding that their new location some 17 kilometres outside the capital afforded them fewer scavenging options.
“It’s not the same for them now like in the city, when they could collect rubbish and take the money to buy food,” he said.
Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun declined to answer questions Thursday about the food situation at Tuol Sambo.
Some progress made
The UNAIDS site report highlights some progress at Tuol Sambo, noting in particular that residents have “satisfactory access” to health services and antiretroviral therapy, and that “access to water was not considered an issue”. The report also refers to “commendable” efforts by Caritas to involve 39 families in “income-generation opportunities”, mainly in construction, sewing and tailoring.
Though the report states that subsidised electricy was shut off on November 6, residents said Thursday that it had been restored.
Plans are also in the works to upgrade the housing stock and to further integrate the HIV-affected families with families living in a nearby riverside community.
In addition, Lisle said Thursday that Tia Phalla, deputy director of the National AIDS Authority, had told Prasada Rao, Asia and Pacific regional director for UNAIDS, in a meeting this week that the eviction of Borei Keila families to Tuol Sambo had been “a mistake, and that this would not be the way they would proceed in the future”.
Villagers call for PM to grant farmland
ABOUT 40 people who have fled to Phnom Penh to avoid arrest after recent land clashes in Oddar Meanchey province travelled to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s residence in Takhmao on Thursday to make a formal request for government intervention in their case.
Residents started fleeing to the city after authorities razed 214 homes in Oddar Meanchey’s Kounkriel commune in early October to clear 1,500 hectares of land for the construction of a sugar plantation by the Angkor Sugar Company, owned by CPP Senator Lee Yongphat.
“We sent a letter to the prime minister’s house because we want to ask him to provide us with a social land concession,” said villager Dit Saren, noting that the 30-metre-by-50-metre plots offered as compensation to villagers were too small to support their families.
Lim Leang Se, deputy chief of Hun Sen’s cabinet, said he had received a letter from the villagers and promised to forward it on to the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, promising that the issue would be investigated.
“We heard that the provincial authorities have settled their problems already, so they should accept compensation,” he said.
But Ton Nhorn, 72, said the 1-hectare plot was not enough to support the 10 members of his family, and that the government should reconsider its offers.
“If they don’t provide us with what we are suggesting, please give us about 3 hectares of farmland,” he said.
He said villagers had denied requests from Hun Sen’s cabinet to return to their home province, saying they fear arrest if they return.
KAMPONG Thom villagers go hungry
Photo by: Rann Reuy
San Siphan, 39, shows the facial injury he suffered during Monday’s clash with armed military police.“Today we are facing a shortage of food because our rice stores are nearly finished,” said villager Po Kin. “We cannot go out, and also the vendors cannot come in, so it is very difficult for us now.”
Santuk district police Chief Ek Mat Muoly vowed to ramp up the local police presence after an altercation Monday between villagers and armed officers stationed on the 8,000-hectare economic land concession, which was awarded to the company in 2007 in a move that has been criticised by the hundreds of families already living there.
Villagers burned four vehicles owned by the company before the officers turned on them with knives, hatchets and canes, rights workers said.
Prom Saroth, one of the nine men who were injured, also complained of a food shortage on Thursday, adding that villagers were reluctant to leave because they feared retaliatory harassment from the officers.
“This morning, the police came into the village and opened fire into the sky, and then they shot two of our chickens and took them back to their place,” he said. Ek Mat Muoly denied that the incident had taken place.
Po Kin said residents’ fears had been exacerbated by the arrest on Wednesday of three men accused of inciting villagers to burn the excavator trucks. “Nobody dares to go out because yesterday three villagers took a moto to go buy food, and they were arrested when they left the village,” he said.
“We don’t know why they have not been released yet, and we heard they had been sent to the provincial police department for questioning.”
Ek Mat Muoly said the provincial court had issued arrest warrants for the men, identified by villagers as Heng Han, 66, Toy Sokhorn, 50, and Nai Kep, 21.
“The situation now is still tense, and we must spread our police to protect the company’s property because they come from their country to invest in our country,” he said.
Kampong Thom Governor Chhun Chhorn said Wednesday that 20 warrants had been issued in connection to the altercation.
Chan Soveth, a monitor for the rights group Adhoc, said he had urged the authorities to grant the villagers freedom of movement.
“It is difficult for them when they can’t go outside and people can’t come inside, and they are facing a lack of food,” he said.
Ek Mat Muoly said police officers would “only arrest the leaders who encouraged people to burn company and military police property.... Normal people will not be arrested”.
Provincial prosecutor Pen Sarath said the three arrested men had not been sent to the court as of Thursday afternoon.
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