Visit of Cambodian Prime Minister would undermine Labour’s anti-corruption pledges, warns Global Witness

http://www.globalwitness.org/

Press Release – 15/07/2009

The government should revoke the visa for Cambodia's prime minister Hun Sen who is set to visit the UK this week, said campaign group Global Witness today. Failure to do so would signify a failure by the Labour government to live up to its commitments to fight corruption and promote development, said Global Witness.

According to reports, Hun Sen is due to visit Bristol tomorrow (Thursday 16 July) to attend his son's PhD graduation ceremony. The news comes at a time of mounting international criticism over increasing levels of institutionalised corruption, repression and human rights abuse in Cambodia.

"Cambodia today is a country for sale," said Global Witness campaigner, Eleanor Nichol. "Hun Sen's regime has presided over a process of grand corruption which has seriously undermined poverty alleviation in Cambodia, but Europe and the UK continue to welcome him and his entourage. Meanwhile, gaps in Cambodia's state services are covered by the UK taxpayer through overseas aid."

The visit comes just as the UK government pushes ahead with the introduction of an anti-bribery bill geared towards bringing the UK in line with its international obligations on tackling graft in other countries.

"The anticipated anti-bribery bill is welcome, but the government should not neglect other obvious steps which can be taken within its own borders to cut down on overseas corruption and incentivise development," said Nichol.

At last week's G8 meeting and in a recently published DFID White Paper, the UK Government recommitted to increasing its overseas aid to the level of 0.7% of GDP. This is a pledge that the Conservative Party also stands by.

"Keeping aid promises is welcome and important, but with additional aid comes responsibility to ensure effectiveness. Throwing money at countries with poor governance could do more harm than good," said Nichol. "The UK and others must create tough disincentives for developmentally damaging, institutionalised corruption of the sort that we see in Cambodia. They should start by denying safe haven to the leaders of such regimes."

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Contact: +44 (0)7872600870

Global Witness exposes the corrupt exploitation of natural resources and international trade systems, to drive campaigns that end impunity, resource-linked conflict, and human rights and environmental abuses. Global Witness was co-nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for its leading work on ‘conflict diamonds' and awarded the 2007 Commitment to Development Ideas in Action Award, sponsored jointly by Washington DC based Center for Global Development and Foreign Policy magazine.

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Hun Sen UK visit press release

Cambodia: End Assault on Opposition, Critics

http://www.alertnet.org

14 Jul 2009
Source: Human Rights Watch

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

(New York) - The Cambodian government of Prime Minister Hun Sen should end its campaign of harassment, threats, and unwarranted legal action aimed at consolidating its rule by silencing the political opposition and peaceful critics, Human Rights Watch said today.

In recent months, senior Cambodian government leaders and military officials have filed at least nine politically motivated criminal defamation and disinformation cases against journalists, opposition members of parliament, lawyers, and government critics.

"The Cambodian government is imposing its most serious crackdown on freedom of expression in recent years," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Once again, Hun Sen is showing his true stripes by harassing and threatening to imprison peaceful critics of his increasingly authoritarian government."
Government attempts to muzzle free expression have intensified in recent weeks:

- On June 22, 2009, the National Assembly voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of two of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party's (SRP) most active members, Mu Sochua and Ho Vann, paving the way to try them on criminal charges of defamation against Hun Sen and 22 military officials, respectively.

- On June 26, a Phnom Penh court sentenced Hang Chakra, owner of the opposition newspaper Khmer Machas Srok (Khmer Landowner), to one year in prison on charges of disinformation after the newspaper published articles on government corruption.

- On July 7, Kong Sam Onn, one of the few private lawyers who had been brave enough to represent opposition SRP members in court, "defected" to the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and dropped his representation of Mu Sochua and Ho Vann after he was sued for defamation by Hun Sen and threatened with disbarment by the Cambodian Bar Association for representing Mu Sochua against criminal defamation charges.

- On July 10, Dam Sith, the owner of Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience), one of Cambodia's oldest and most influential opposition papers, closed the newspaper to avoid criminal prosecution for criticism of government officials.

- On July 14, Moeung Sonn, president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation, a nonprofit organization, was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison on charges of disinformation after he raised concerns about the effect of installation of lights on the Angkor monuments.

With the resignation of their lawyer, opposition lawmakers Ho Vann and Mu Sochua have not been able to find other lawyers willing to represent them in their upcoming trials, scheduled for July 17 and July 24, respectively.

"If Ho Vann and Mu Sochua are convicted, there's a real chance that two of the most active opposition voices will permanently lose their seats in the National Assembly," said Adams. "Key issues are at stake here - multi-party democracy, rule of law, independence of lawyers, and freedom of expression."

Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the coerced closure of Moneaksekar Khmer on July 10, prompted by a battery of defamation, disinformation, and incitement suits filed by the government against the newspaper's editor, Dam Sith, a member of the board of directors of the Sam Rainsy Party. After Sith pledged to close the paper in a letter of apology to Hun Sen on July 8, the charges were reportedly dropped.

Since it began publication in Phnom Penh in 1993, Moneaksekar Khmer has experienced regular threats, intimidation, and even the killing of one of its staff. Khim Sambo, a reporter for the paper, was killed just weeks before national elections in July 2008 and shortly after the one-week detention, in June, of Dam Sith on disinformation charges filed by the foreign minister.

The two other main newspapers formerly affiliated with the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) have also been targeted. In late June 2009, Hang Chakra, owner of Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, was sentenced to a year in prison on disinformation charges, for articles concerning corruption in the office of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

In 2008, the popular pro-SRP newspaper Sralang Khmer (Love Khmer) suddenly re-aligned toward the ruling party after its editor, Thach Ket, a board member of the SRP, was pressured to defect, during a period when the ruling party was being accused of using threats and inducements to obtain coerced defections of opposition leaders.

Perhaps the most outrageous misuse of criminal defamation charges has been in the conviction in early June of SRP youth activist Soung Sophorn, after he wrote slogans criticizing the government on the outside walls of his own house, which was slated for forced eviction for a new development on land owned by a ruling-party senator.

The recent lawsuits have all been filed under the broadly worded articles 62 (Disinformation; distribution of false information "likely to disturb the public peace") and 63 (Defamation and Libel) of the temporary penal code promulgated in 1992 by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. While imprisonment was removed as a penalty for defamation in 2006, it remains a criminal offense, and prison sentences of up to three years still apply for disinformation. Human Rights Watch said that criminal defamation laws violate the internationally protected right to freedom of expression and have a chilling effect on government critics and the media.

The string of lawsuits has effectively muzzled opposition voices, with an SRP member of parliament, Son Chhay, commenting in a Radio Australia interview on July 9: "We have no alternative. I think we will quiet down for a while. We are not going to raise the issue of corruption. We are not going to speak about land-grabbing. We are not going to talk about the corrupt court system."

Human Rights Watch urged Cambodia's international donors, especially those funding programs promoting the rule of law, judicial reform, human rights, and good governance, to insist that the Cambodian government cease its harassment and abusive legal actions against opposition members.

"The space for opposition media and peaceful dissent is rapidly shrinking in Cambodia, especially now with the closure of one of Cambodia's last remaining opposition newspapers," said Adams. "Cambodia's laws criminalizing peaceful speech should be repealed so that Hun Sen and other officials can no longer threaten journalists with jail for practicing their profession."

"Through violence, threats and money politics, Hun Sen already controls almost every aspect of Cambodia's politics," said Adams. "Yet his efforts to silence dissent seem endless. Why does he seem to wake up every day looking for enemies to persecute? Will this ever end?"

KRouge jail deputy denies downplaying crimes

People take photos of witness Mam Nai, the former deputy of Khmer Rouge prison S-21 or Tuol Sleng, on a television screen during the trial of Comrade Duch in Phnom Penh on July 13. The former deputy head of the notorious detention centre has denied he was minimizing his role in the late 1970s regime during testimony at Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court.
(AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Wed Jul 15, 2009

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – The former deputy head of the notorious main Khmer Rouge jail has denied he was minimizing his role in the late 1970s regime during testimony at Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court.

Mam Nai, 76, was giving evidence at the trial of his former boss Duch, who has admitted responsibility for overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

Confronted by prosecutors Wednesday with his own prison log book, which contained numerous references to torture, the witness -- who was also a senior interrogator at the jail -- denied any knowledge that inmates were abused.

"Personally, I was never instructed on how torture was used," said Mam Nai, whose Khmer Rouge nom de guerre was Chan. "And I have no idea what other kinds of practices were applied by other interrogators."

When prosecutor William Smith asked whether he was seeking to block from his mind the "horrible criminality" of his past actions, Mam Nai answered: "I have never had such (an) idea. I am testifying based on the activities I have done."

The witness, wearing purple fingerless gloves and a traditional checkered Khmer scarf, repeatedly fended off questions about conditions at Tuol Sleng, saying he could not remember or wished to remain silent.

Mam Nai told the court that Duch removed him from the interrogation detail and he became afraid he would be arrested after a prisoner alleged he was an enemy of the hardline communist regime.

"After he (Duch) told me that an enemy implicated me in his confession, he stopped me from being an interrogator and I was scared," Mam Nai said.

The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But he has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and maintains he never personally killed anyone.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, torture and execution during the 1975-79 regime.

Cambodia, France to strengthen relations, cooperation

People's Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn

July 15, 2009

Cambodia and France have pledged to strengthen their both diplomatic relations and commercial cooperation between the two countries, according to a press statement released Wednesday by the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The statement said Bernard Kouchner, foreign minister of France during his talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, has vowed to strengthen the two countries' relations by proposing a set up as soon as possible a Cambodia-France Joint Committee so as to consolidate the relations and cooperation.

And in addition to consideration on additional financial assistance to Cambodia, France had also pledged to grant more graduate scholarships to Cambodian students, it added.

Hun Sen was on a five-day official visit to France during which he had held a series of meetings and talks including Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Prime Minister Francois Fillon and President Nicolas Sarkozy.

While meetings with those French leaders, Hun Sen said Cambodia had granted French oil company Total to exploit oil exploration in Block III, one of its potential oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Thailand with which France welcomed it and expressed its satisfaction.

Hun Sen left the country on July 9 for an official visit to France and Britain where he will attend his son's graduation ceremony and he is expected to return home on Sunday.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia, China complete phase 1 of GMS Information Highway Project

People's Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn

July 15, 2009

A signing ceremony for the completion of Phase 1 of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Information Highway Project in Cambodia was held in Phnom Penh on Wednesday by China's Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Huawei") in collaboration with Telecom Cambodia.

Both parties provided a brief overview and arrangement of the work of Phase I of the GMS Information Highway Project - a project funded by the government of China - and voiced their support for the promotion and development of Phase 2 of the Project.

The event was graced by the presence of the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon, Minister of Posts and Telecommunication So Khun, diplomats from Chinese Embassy and representatives of other technical experts.

"The project will help strengthening and foster the relationships between our people and nations in the GMS region, as well as to promote stronger Cambodia's and regional economies," said Keat Chhon, adding that "in particular, this project would play an important role in strengthening the relationship between China and Cambodia in developing tele-communication sector."

The GMS Information Highway Project Phase l - started from Dec.2007 and completed in June 25, 2009 - involved the task of laying an optical fiber cable over a total distance of 649.9 km and equipment upgrades for the 11 stations as well as the construction of 15 new stations along the route within the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The completion of the GMS Information Highway Project Phase l has brought about, within the Kingdom of Cambodia, the coverage of an optical transmission system in the Mekong Basin with a high capacity backbone in addition to interconnection with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, promoting to a great extent the construction level of basic communication networks of Cambodia, building a solid foundation for further development in the Cambodian communications industry.

In the mean time, interaction between all countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion has been strengthened, making it a crucial contribution to the joint development of all nations in the subregion.

"I strongly believe that the development of telecommunication sector, GMS-IS, in Cambodia will strengthen the long-lasting cooperation between Cambodia and China as well as the cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion for sustainable economic growth and prosperity of all countries in the region," Keat Chhon said.

Source:Xinhua

Cambodia must stop harassing critics: rights group

A Cambodian girl stands amid a crowd of people during an event to mark the 60th Anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights in Phnom Penh. An international rights group has demanded Cambodia's rulers end a spate of legal action against critics, which it called the government's "harshest crackdown in years" on free speech.
(AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Wed Jul 15, 2007

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – An international rights group has demanded Cambodia's rulers end a spate of legal action against critics, which it called the government's "harshest crackdown in years" on free speech.

New York-based Human Rights Watch alleged premier Hun Sen's government aimed to silence political opposition and critics with a recent "campaign of harassment, threats, and unwarranted legal action."

"The Cambodian government is imposing its most serious crackdown on freedom of expression in recent years," said the group's Asia director, Brad Adams, in a statement.

Cambodian authorities have lodged at least nine criminal defamation and disinformation complaints against journalists, members of parliament, lawyers and critics of the government since April.

Criminal defamation cases against two opposition lawmakers are expected to proceed over the next weeks, and opposition newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer closed operations Friday to avoid prosecution for criticising government officials.

"The space of opposition media and peaceful dissent is rapidly shrinking in Cambodia, especially now with the closure of one of Cambodia's last remaining opposition newspapers," Adams said.

Cambodian government officials were not immediately available for comment.

The UN's human rights office in Cambodia also issued a report last month warning the spate of lawsuits against critics could nurture "fear, frustration and anger, with the risk of leading to further conflict and violence".

Khmer Rouge interrogator says "no regrets" about thousands of deaths at prison camp

Skulls are stacked on top of each other at a "Killing Fields" memorial in Batey district in Kampong Cham province, 125 km (78 miles) east of Phnom Penh, March 28, 2009. Former Khmer Rouge torturer Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, will face his second trial for crimes against humanity on Monday. At least
Photograph by: REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea, REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

The Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com

By Ek Madra, Reuters
July 14, 2009

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A former interrogator at the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison on Tuesday expressed no remorse for the deaths of thousands of Cambodians who he said had all committed crimes.

Appearing as a prosecution witness in the trial of Duch, Pol Pot's head jailor, Mam Nay, also known as Chan, denied any part in torture or killings of prisoners and blamed the United States and Vietnam for undermining his country.

An estimated 1.7 million people died during the Khmer Rouge's four-year "killing fields" reign of terror, which ended when Vietnamese forces invaded in 1979.

Asked by the judge if he regretted what happened at the Tuol Sleng prison, where more than 14,000 men, women and children were killed, Chan showed no remorse.

"My only regret was our country was invaded," he told the joint Cambodian-U.N. tribunal. "Frankly speaking, the Americans invaded us then Vietnam invaded us. That is my regret."

During his five hours of questioning, Nay, a former teacher, said he remembered very little about the S-21 interrogation center, a former school and now a museum to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime.

He was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony but was reluctant to speak against Duch, the first of the five indicted former Khmer Rouge cadres to face trial.

"I was assigned by Duch to interrogate detainees," said Chan, who wore sunglasses and a traditional Cambodian scarf. "I did not use torture in my interrogation. I believed I would not get a true confession."

Asked about the deaths of innocent people, Nay, 76, said: "None of them was innocent -- those people committed offences, either minor or serious.

"This was the reason for their arrest. How serious or how minor, I don't know."

With no death penalty in Cambodia, Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and murder.

Also indicted are Khmer Rouge second-in-command Nuon Chea, former President Khieu Samphan and ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife, all of whom have denied knowledge of the atrocities.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, who was known by the regime as "Brother Number One," died in 1998 near the Thai-Cambodia border.

Khmer Rouge interrogator feared for his life

Part of the the Khmer script sign behind skulls is seen in a small shrine at Phnom Batheay village, Kampong Cham province, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, July 15, 2009. The the Khmer script reads 'about 8,500 human skulls are displayed as alleged victims of the Khmer Rouge.' Up to 16,000 people were tortured under the command by Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, who headed the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, and later taken away to be killed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. Only a handful survived.

http://www.examiner.com
Jul 15, 2009
By SOPHENG CHEANG, AP

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Map, News) -
A senior interrogator at the most notorious Khmer Rouge prison told a genocide tribunal Wednesday that even he feared the regime would one day turn on him and order his execution.

He testified at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav - better known as Duch - who headed the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh. Up to 16,000 people were tortured under Duch's command and later taken away to be killed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. Only a handful survived.

The interrogator, 76-year-old Mam Nai, told the U.N.-backed court that he was overcome by fear when Duch (pronounced DOIK) stripped him of his main duties after prisoners said he had visited their homes - socializing prohibited by the regime.

Mam Nai said that regardless of their loyalty or high-rank, Khmer Rouge officials could be arrested and executed on suspicion of being traitors. Mam Nai himself was allegedly responsible for interrogating and torturing high-ranking members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea accused of plotting against the regime.

An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died of hunger, disease or were executed during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror in the mid-1970s. The regime was toppled by a Vietnamese invasion in 1979.

"When Duch told me I was implicated and later removed me from my interrogation task, I was so worried that probably Duch no longer trusted me and he would find some kind of pretext to arrest me," Mam Nai said.

In testimony Tuesday, he denied using torture to extract confessions from S-21 prisoners - a stark contrast to Duch's earlier recitation of the grisly techniques routinely used.

Duch, 66, is the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face trial and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. He is charged with crimes against humanity.

Senior leaders Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Ieng Sary's wife, Ieng Thirith, are detained and are likely to face trial in the next year or two.

Mam Nai said while at S-21 prison even his wife never knew of his work because the regime demanded that its members maintain total secrecy.

Borei Keila families face eviction

Photo by: CHRISTOPHER SHAY
Five young Borei Keila residents play on a log last month. District officials say 24 HIV-affected families in Borei Keila are to be moved more than 20 kilometres to Tuol Sambo today, joining other families with HIV-positive members who were evicted last month.

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
May Titthara

HIV-affected families to move to Tuol Sambo today, says district official.

TWENTY-four Borei Keila families, all of which have at least one HIV-positive member, are set to be evicted today, a district official told the Post.

"We have got City Hall approval ... and we will help them with transportation," said Sok Ath, the chief of the district's development programme.

These HIV-affected families said they did not live in the green shelters with the HIV community, but were spread throughout Borei Keila.

And unlike the HIV community that was forcibly removed in June, many of these families say they want to be moved to Tuol Sambo, a relocation site more than 20 kilometres away.

"When people don't want to go, they force them, but when they want to go, they delay. I don't really understand the government policy," said Borei Keila resident Sok Srey Paov.

Another resident, Pheak Kdey Neary, said the families want to leave Borei Keila because people have stopped renting apartments to them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When people don't want to go they force them, but when they want to go, they delay.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to Sao Vanna, the chief of the HIV community, the 24 families each will receive 100,000 riels (US$24) and some food in addition to 3.5-by-4.8-metre rooms in Tuol Sambo.

But some observers say these families only want to go to Tuol Sambo because they have been left with no other alternatives.

"It is very telling that despite the poor conditions ... some of the people are apparently saying that they actually wish to go there," said Naly Pilorge, director of the rights group Licadho. "This shows how little choice they feel they have, and that they consider anything to be better than ... being thrown in the street with nowhere to go at all."

Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun admitted that the Tuol Sambo relocation site, described by Amnesty International as "grossly inadequate", had problems, but he said the site was improving.

"Now, they have a health centre ... because we have provided a room for the [Centre of] Hope, who have helped the people with their health since they lived in Borei Keila," he said, adding, "We are also thinking about installing a clean water system because right now the water can be used to wash clothes but not to cook."

Rebuild Preah Vihear market: PM

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
CHEANG SOKHA AND THET SAMBATH

PRIME Minister Hun Sen has given Preah Vihear provincial authorities until the end of the week to construct a new market to replace the one near Preah Vihear temple that was destroyed during a clash between Cambodian and Thai soldiers in early April, despite the fact that Thailand has yet to respond to Cambodian demands for compensation.

Hang Soth, general director of the Preah Vihear National Authority (PVNA), said Hun Sen issued the order from France, where he is on a state visit with Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong.

Though he described the one-week deadline as unrealistic, Hang Soth said work on the market had already begun Tuesday afternoon.

"I have sent my officials to the market site this morning to prepare for the construction," he said.

"The new market will be a market for tourists."

During an exchange of gunfire between Cambodian and Thai soldiers on April 3, Thai rocket fire destroyed all 264 stands, leaving roughly 319 families who lived and worked at the market homeless, according to accounts from Cambodian military officials.

The Cambodian government in May demanded US$2.1 million from the Thai government to pay for the damages.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said during a visit to Phnom Penh in late May that Thai authorities would investigate the cause of the damage to the temple before responding to the request.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Tuesday that the government had decided to go ahead with the building of a new market despite having received no response from Thailand regarding compensation.

Officials from the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Thai Foreign Ministry in Bangkok could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

PM's orders
Hang Soth said the PVNA would be responsible for settling on a location for the new market, though he said vendors would need to pay for the construction of individual market stalls themselves.

He said that vendors who were displaced would "be given priority" for stalls.

"We planned to rebuild about 319 shops, but after studying the site now we think we will build about 150 shops," he said, adding that individual stalls would cost between $3,000 and $7,000, depending on size.

Sar Thavy, a deputy governor of Preah Vihear province, said Tuesday that the location of the new market had been selected and that construction materials had already been taken to the site.

"It's been raining for three days, so it's been difficult to transport the materials up the mountain," he said.

"But they have to obey the premier's order."

Also Tuesday, an RCAF official said that a meeting scheduled for Monday between Thai and Cambodian military officials had been cancelled because the Thai officials had been unable to secure approval from government officials in Bangkok.

Chea Morn, commander of RCAF Military Region 4, said that the meeting had been proposed to reduce tension along the border.

Jail time, fines for KCF head

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Chrann Chamroeun

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court Judge Chhay Kong on Tuesday sentenced the head of the Khmer Civilisation Foundation to two years in prison, fined him 7 million riels (US$1,671) and ordered him to pay an additional 8 million riels in compensation to the Apsara Authority for suggesting in interviews that the heat from lights at Angkor Wat could damage the 11th-century temple.

The judge ordered the Ministry of Interior to arrest and imprison Moeung Sonn, who fled to France in June when he was charged with incitement and spreading false information, if he returns to Cambodian soil.

"We find that the accused damaged the government's reputation and caused anarchy and disorder in society. There are enough elements to convict him," Chhay Kong said.

Moeung Sonn told the Post from France the verdict was unjust, describing it as a blow to free speech in Cambodia.

"I am appealing the conviction and calling on all local NGOs, international communities, observers and the respected King Sihamoni to seek intervention to bring justice to me," he said, adding that his attempts to meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also in France, had been unsuccessful.

Moeung Sonn's defence lawyer, Sam Sokong, said his client had become concerned about the lights only after the public did.

"My client didn't intend to damage or degrade the government's reputation, especially not the Apsara Authority," he said, referring to the body that manages the temple complex.

After the verdict was read, Sam Sokong told the Post that the court had clearly ignored the defence's case.

"The court didn't even consider the evidence and documents that I presented," he said.

Am Sam Ath, a technical supervisor for the rights group Licadho, called the conviction a "grave injustice" and said there were "not enough pieces of evidence or witnesses to convict him".

But prosecutor Ek Chheng Huot and government lawyer Pal Chan Dara said Moeung Sonn had purposefully undermined the credibility of the government.

"Moeung Sonn really knew what he did, and he kept distributing his disinformation to reporters to print the stories and also to broadcast on local radio. This caused confusion to millions of Cambodian people who love Angkor Wat," Pal Chan Dara said.

Ek Chheng Huot said the case against Moeung Sonn was necessary to avoid a violent outburst from a misinformed public.

"If we didn't stop Moeung Sonn's activities ... there would have been a big demonstration similar to the riots that burned the Thai Embassy in 2003," he said.

Ek Chheng Huot said Moeung Sonn continued to stoke fears about the lights even after officials said in a press conference that they would have no effect on the temple.

S-21 deputy denies torture

Photo by: AFP
Journalists record former Tuol Sleng deputy Mam Nai as he testifies at the Khmer Rouge tribunal Monday. His testimony continued Tuesday

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Georgia Wilkins

Amid concerns about self-incrimination, a senior interrogator at Tuol Sleng says he did not understand how the prison worked.

AFORMER deputy chief at Tuol Sleng prison downplayed his role at the notorious detention facility Tuesday, telling Cambodia's war crimes court that he never tortured prisoners, prompting judges to accuse him of having "no fear".

Mam Nai, 76, said he had "no knowledge" at the time of the fate that awaited prisoners at Tuol Sleng, a stance he maintained even after being read grisly testimony from his former boss and shown forced confessions that he had apparently signed.

"I was just a plain and simple interrogating cadre," Mam Nai, wearing fingerless gloves and a krama, told judges.

"I only interrogated prisoners without applying torture. It was my belief that applying torture would lead to untrue confessions," he said.

Mam Nai told the court he had worked with his former boss, prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, at the M-13 detention centre in Kampong Speu, where the ex-jailer first taught him how to interrogate.

He said he had "no knowledge" of Tuol Sleng's organisational structure because he worked in an interrogation house separate from the prison.

His repeated denials prompted judges to question, at various points in his testimony, whether he suffered from memory, vision and hearing problems.

Mam Nai said he had fallen from his house once, which he said had affected his memory.

After reading out an extensive list of Mam Nai's academic achievements, Judge Sylvia Cartwright asked why one of the most intelligent people at Tuol Sleng was not aware of how the prison worked.

"In principle ... I was only mindful about my duties," Mam Nai said. He said he had not known that all Tuol Sleng prisoners were presumed guilty, and he told Judge Jean-Marc Lavergne that his only regret was "that [Cambodia] was invaded" by America and Vietnam.

Lavergne then asked if he knew what the words "no fear" meant in English, and Mam Nai responded that he did not.

"In that case, I have no further questions," Lavergne replied.

Witness receives lawyer
Mam Nai's testimony came amid an ongoing row at the court over self-incrimination.

After Duch's defence lawyers argued Monday that Mam Nai could be prosecuted if a legal doctrine being pushed by the prosecution were applied, lawyer Kong Sam Onn was assigned to act as his legal adviser. But the lawyer admitted Tuesday that he was unclear of his role.

Kong Sam Onn defected to the ruling Cambodian People's Party earlier this month after facing disciplinary action by the Bar Association for his representation of SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua.

Co-counsel Francois Roux again urged the prosecution to question whether it was necessary to push for a legal amendment, known as joint criminal enterprise, that he said would make it more likely for subordinates such as Mam Nai to be prosecuted.

Incomes fall for urban poor

Photo by: Tracey Shelton
A woman in Phnom Penh sleeps on her cart. A new survey reports that poor urban women have seen their incomes fall of late.

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Christopher Shay

A survey from Indochina Research finds that income declines in 74 percent of sampled households have negatively affected nutrition in the past year.

ROUGHLY three-quarters of urban women in households making less than US$300 per month reported that their household incomes had declined in the last year, leaving their families unable to afford healthy food, according to a survey released this week by Indochina Research.

The survey questioned 200 women aged 25 and older in Phnom Penh. Respondents were stopped outside of four markets and asked about their employment, incomes and expenditures over the last year.

Seventy-four percent of respondents said they had seen their household incomes decline from June 2008 to June 2009.

The survey also found that small businesses in Phnom Penh had been hit hard by the economic crisis. Nearly 80 percent of respondents who had family members with a small business - including informal enterprises such as motorbike repair shops, hair salons and food stalls - said their incomes had decreased.

Kent Helmers, the social research director at Indochina Research, said via email: "While the plight of poorer urban and rural workers laid off from garment factories has been highlighted in the media ... we also need to highlight the struggle under way for poorer urban families depending on small business."

Poor diet
Because of their reduced earnings, many poor urban families are now unable to afford nutritious meals, the survey said.

Eighty-five percent of respondents said chicken - an important source of protein - had become less affordable over the last year, while 73 percent of women said they could not afford enough chicken for their families.

In addition, 17 percent of women said they were unable even to purchase enough rice, according to the survey.

"The concern is that these poorer families may not be able to buy sufficient protein in these hard times," Helmers said.

The 2008 National Anthropometric Nutrition Survey showed an increase in acute malnutrition in children, evidence of the unhealthy coping measures of families run by underemployed women, UN Resident Coordinator Douglas Broderick said via email Tuesday.

"Informal coping measures all have implications for long-term human development- stalling health, nutrition and literacy," Broderick said.

"Deterioration in these areas not only sets back the country today, but also long into the future."

The decline in urban incomes does not just affect urban areas, Broderick said. According to the United Nations, about 1.5 million rural Cambodians depend on remittances from urban migrants, mostly women, as their major source of income.

In contrast to Cambodia, Indochina Research's survey showed that the urban poor in Laos had benefited from continued economic growth despite the economic crisis, with only 25 percent of women saying their household income had decreased, whereas 43 percent said it had increased.

Indochina Research concluded that to buffer the impacts of the global economic crisis, improvements to the small business environment should be made to help the urban poor.

Police Blotter: 15 Jul 2009

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Kong Sokun

BOTHERSOME YOUTH BEATEN TO DEATH
An 18-year-old notorious for rocking his village with uncontrollable hostility was punched to death by a group of gangsters on July 12 in Kandal's Sa'ang district. The victim was identified as Ter Pros, residing in the district's Ta Lon commune. Police caught eight suspects aged from 15 to 19, residing in the same district as the victim. No official motive for the murder was disclosed, but certain villagers said that the slaying stemmed from "old" rancour.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

LOCAL TOUGHS ROB GARMENT WORKER
Four spoiled teenagers were arrested on July 11 for extorting US$5 from a garment worker identified as Chan Dara in Russey Keo district's Tuol Sangke commune. Police identified the muggers as Vor Sal, 18, Yun Neath, 22, Thai Sophal, 20, and Tong Ro,16. After the arrest, the perpetrators confessed to police that they had not had any intention to perpetrate the act, but that their superior, named Toch, had coerced them to earn money for him or face punishment. Police are hunting for the fifth suspect.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

SNAKEBITE KILLS PURSAT WOMAN
A 53-year-old woman died on July 8 after being bitten by an unidentified poisonous snake. Phal, who resided in Pursat's Rokat commune, died 20 minutes after the incident, after she was rushed to a hospital. Police said a son of the victim claimed that the reptile bit his mother on the leg, although a medical practitioner claimed the woman was bitten in the wrist.
KOH SANTEPHEAP

MYSTERY SURROUNDS GANG OF 'OFFICIALS'
A group of seven self-appointed government "officials" were apprehended by Ratanakkiri provincial police on July 12 in the province's Angdong Meas district for wearing unauthorised military police uniforms and possessing illegal weapons and an illegal stamp bearing the name of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Police said the suspects, whose names and addresses were not disclosed, had appointed a woman as leader, but the details of the unlawful activities perpetrated by the seven have not been revealed.
KOH SANTEPHEAP

MAN, 18, ARRESTED in RAPE OF COUSIN
A 18-year-old man was arrested Sunday for molesting his 11-year-old cousin twice on July 8, police said. Police identified the rapist as residing in Svay Rieng's Bavet district along with the victim. The perpetrator said that while he was sleeping next to his cousin he dreamt about having sex, which forced him to rape her. The man was sent to provincial court on Sunday.
KOH SANTEPHEAP

Preah Vihear: Provincial governor on life support

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Thet Sambath

Preah Vihear

The assistant for Preah Vihear Provincial Governor Preap Tan said Tuesday that the executive's family had decided to keep the 58-year-old on life support despite a bleak prognosis offered by doctors. Preap Tan was taken to a Ho Chi Minh City hospital after suffering a stroke last Wednesday. "We were told by Vietnamese doctors that there is no hope to save his life," said Bun Tharom, the assistant. "It is sad news for all of us. He has worked very hard for years for the nation." Preah Vihear Deputy Governor Long Sovann said Kuoy Bunthan, another deputy governor, was serving as acting provincial governor. He said officials were thinking about a permanent successor but had yet to name one out of respect for Preap Tan. Bun Tharom said officials from the Ministry of Interior had formed a committee to plan a funeral for the governor, to be held at his Phnom Penh residence.

Thailand turf video taken down

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Sam Rith and Joel Quenby

Controversial Web clip led to diplomatic note.

A THAI government Web site that had drawn the ire of Cambodian officials appeared to have been shut down at least temporarily Tuesday, one day after the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok delivered a diplomatic note to Thai officials accusing the site of spreading "false and misleading information about the loss of Thailand's territory to Cambodia".

The site, www.ilovethailand.org, included a video titled "Lost Territory", depicting the shrinking of the Siamese empire under various Thai rulers. Lost sections of the empire included parts of Siem Reap and Battambang provinces as well as the land on which Preah Vihear temple sits, according to the video.

Cambodian government officials and others criticised the video as misrepresenting history, which Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Tuesday had prompted officials to issue the note asking for the video to be removed.

Unclear origins
Because private citizens could register with the site and post their own content to it, he said, it was unclear whether the video had been posted by a Thai government official.

Officials at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

History an obstacle to SRP, HRP merger

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Sebastian Strangio and VONG SOKHENG

Analysts say there's a lot to be gained from joining forces, but personality clashes could sink plans.

NEW talks of an opposition merger have again inspired hopes of a grand democratic alliance to balance the power of the Cambodian People's Party, but observers say that recent aborted merger attempts call into question whether the parties will learn from the past or end up repeating it.

The Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party signed an agreement to align under the banner of the Democratic Movement for Change in January, following the ruling party's landslide win in last year's national election.

Yem Ponhearith, secretary general of the HRP, said that during the party's national convention on Sunday, delegates will vote on whether to merge fully with the SRP ahead of the 2012 commune council elections.

He said the recent string of suits against government critics had made the need for unity more urgent than ever.

"We need more dialogue in order to achieve our aim to merge into a single democratic party before 2012," he said.

"We hope that our plan of merging the parties will not meet any obstacles. We want a democratic party that will balance the power of the CPP."

SRP lawmaker Chan Cheng said that the Kingdom's democrats must be united if they want to challenge the CPP in the future, adding that the merger idea was a popular one.

"Voter feedback is very important for democratic parties to consider," he said.

"If we are not united, it will kill our political careers."

Legacy of division
The track record of previous merger attempts reveals an opposition in disarray.

An attempt to merge prior to last year's national election was foiled after Sam Rainsy made comments in May referring to the "weak points" of his HRP and Norodom Ranariddh Party coalition partners.

An attempt by Norodom Ranariddh to broker a three-way merger in late 2007 was also rebuffed by the SRP and the HRP, which claimed they would not need royalist support in the 2008 elections.

But Hang Puthea, executive director of election monitoring group Nicfec, said last year's election, which delivered 90 seats to the CPP, 26 to the SRP and just three to the HRP, was a reality check for the opposition.

"Before the last election, there were some promising ideas about a coalition. They could not cooperate together, but they have dragged [the idea] back since they learned of the results," he said.

Complicating the proposed merger are the three requests Yem Ponhearith said the HRP will make to the SRP: that the new party not bear an individual's name, that there be a two-term limit for the party president, and that all party decisions be made collectively.

Some analysts said that removing Sam Rainsy's name from the title of a new opposition party would bring benefits, but that the proposal went to the heart of a conflict of personalities that has stymied past merger attempts.

"I think it will be an effort for Sam Rainsy himself, in terms of his personal ego, to give up his name," Chea Vannath, an independent analyst, said, adding that it could prove the new party is "serious" about forging a new political consensus.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said that though personalities are important in Cambodian politics, a party based on a single individual could alienate potential supporters.

He said, "If [a] good politician wanted an opportunity, why would they want to join a self-named party? My suggestion is that there should be a balance between personalities and structure."

Though Sam Rainsy and HRP President Kem Sokha appeared to work well together in public, he said, they do not appear to cooperate at a "concrete, organisational level".

But union leader Rong Chhun said the spectre of a political landscape dominated by the ruling CPP had raised the stakes for the opposition.

"Both politicians and leaders in the two parties are very proud of their achievements, and they have never been tolerant enough to merge into a single party," Rong Chhun said.

"The most important point is that they tolerate each other and put the interest of the nation at the forefront of their work rather than individual interests."

Xing Tai garment workers protest factory conditions

Photo by: ITH SOTHOEUTH
Workers from the Xing Tai garment factory protest outside the factory’s gates, calling attention to poor working conditions and the dismissal of the factory’s union representative.

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
KHOUTH SOPHAK CHAKRYA

AROUND 350 garment factory workers gathered at the Xing Tai garment factory in Sen Sok district for the second day running Tuesday, protesting poor working conditions at the factory, which they claim include inadequate toilets and hot, windowless workspaces.

Tuesday's protest followed similar demonstrations Monday, which attracted more than 800 workers.

"We have no place to go to the toilet because the drainage system in this factory does not work," Sok Say Eam, 37, said outside the factory Monday.

She added that due to cramped working conditions in the factory, many workers were fainting during their shifts.

Heng Son, 31, who claims she was injured when a fan fell from the ceiling of the factory, said management had been "unaccountable" for the conditions.

She also said the owners had asked staff to work overtime and had fired any worker who refused to work extra hours.

One aim of the protest, she said, was to call for the reinstatement of Va Sophon, the deputy chief of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union.

Va Sophon, whose organisation represents some Xing Tai workers, said Tuesday that Horm Hav, the factory's chief of administration, had fired him late last year in an attempt to silence worker protests.

"He forced me to replace two administrators who had resigned, but I clearly could not do it. I was dismissed three days later," he said.

He added that the Arbitration Council, an independent mediation body, had ruled in February for the company to reinstate him, but that the company did not accept this agreement and threatened to fire any workers who supported him.

Horm Hav denied the charges, saying that Xing Tai had appealed the February ruling, and that Va Sophon was fired for poor performance.

"We dismissed him because he was not accountable in his role - not because of discrimination against union workers," he said, adding that sanitation at the factory had improved since July 9.

In hearings Monday and Tuesday, the Ministry of Labour's Labour Conflict Resolution Bureau heard the complaints of the Xing Tai workers. But Um Visal, a coalition labour dispute resolution officer, said the company rejected workers' demands.

"I don't think that the company was willing to negotiate and solve the problem with us," he said. "We will call on international union workers to contact the buyers and put pressure on the company if they won't find a solution."

Prum Veasna, a labour conflict official at the bureau, said the dispute would be sent to the Arbitration Council.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ITH SOTHOEUTH

Group 78 lashes out at radio comments

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Group 78 residents await the result of a Court of Appeal ruling Monday

The Phnom Penh post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
May Titthara

Residents say Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun lied about government efforts to clear the site.

RESIDENTS from Group 78 who face imminent eviction from their homes in central Phnom Penh told the Post Tuesday that Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun lied on a local radio station when he said government officials were not coercing residents into accepting compensation.

"They forced and threatened us to take their compensation, but when [Mann Chhoeun] talked to the radio, he said that we volunteered," Lim Sambo, a Group 78 representative, said about the deputy governor's statements on Voice of America radio.

"[Powerful people] can say what they want. They threaten us to accept their compensation, and when people become afraid of their threats, they tell everybody we volunteered," Lim Sambo said.

Amnesty International issued a press release Monday saying that city authorities were "trying to force the families to accept compensation", adding that more than 20 families fled Group 78 in 2007 to a resettlement site far from Phnom Penh when they were harassed by local authorities.

Another Group 78 representative, Kheng Soroth, said Tuesday that Mann Chhoeun can say whatever he wants because he wields political power.

"Because he has power, what he says is never wrong, and what he says is designed just to make people afraid," he said.

Mann Chhoeun, however, denied trying to scare residents and said he was "praying" for more members of the Group 78 community to accept the government's terms.

"I am praying to the Buddha spirit to make people's minds calm and accept our compensation," he said. "We don't want to use administrative measures ... but sometimes we reserve our right [to use them]."

Because the community is near the NagaWorld Hotel and Casino and the National Assembly, he said, removing the poor community would make the capital more attractive to tourists.

"I need to develop the area [to improve] the city's face," he said.

The Amnesty International statement said that government officials have had no genuine consultation with members of Group 78, and that they have failed to explore "feasible alternatives to the proposed eviction, including proposals submitted by Group 78 residents themselves".

THAI BORDER: Govt to look into reports of shootings

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
VONG SOKHENG

THAI BORDER

Cambodian consular officials in Thailand will investigate reports that two Cambodian soldiers were shot by Thai border troops on Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Tuesday. Thai media reported this week that the two soldiers were shot and killed after illegally crossing into Thailand's Sisaket province, about 1 kilometre from the Cambodian border, to cut wood. "We don't have any accurate information at the moment because we have only received information through the Thai newspapers. Our consulate in Thailand has begun investigating the incident," he said, adding that about 30 Cambodian soldiers had tried to claim the soldiers' bodies but were blocked by Thai troops. If two soldiers have in fact been killed, he said, "We will continue to work to take the bodies back so relatives can organise a funeral".

Journalists group allowed to visit imprisoned newspaper publisher

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
VONG SOKHENG

After visit bringing him money and food, Club of Cambodian Journalists issues release asking Court of Appeals to fast-track Hang Chakra's case.

FOUR board members of the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) were allowed to visit jailed publisher Hang Chakra in Prey Sar prison on Monday, where they said they found him to be in good health.

Khieu Kola, one of the visitors, said the CCJ board members were allowed to speak with Hang Chakra, publisher of the opposition-aligned Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, for about 40 minutes, adding that they also brought him US$60 and some food.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court last month found Hang Chakra, 55, guilty of disinformation under the UNTAC Criminal Code in connection with a series of articles he published in April and May accusing officials working under Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of corruption. He was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 9 million riels ($2,156).

Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers and other supporters said earlier this month that they had been prevented from visiting Hang Chakra, though Sam Ny, director of operations at the Ministry of Interior's prisons department, said requests to visit Hang Chakra were being processed in the same manner as requests to visit any prisoner.

After the visit, Khieu Kola said, "Chakra told me that his reporter wrote the articles, but that as publisher he had to take responsibility for them."

State of the appeal
Chuong Chou Ngy, Hang Chakra's lawyer, said Tuesday that his client's case had been sent from the Municipal Court to the Court of Appeal on Monday, though he said he had not yet received word of a hearing date.

A CCJ press release issued Tuesday evening called on the Court of Appeal to expedite the case.

Total awarded energy concession, says govt

Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) shakes hands Monday with French Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris. AFP

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Kay Kimsong

Announcement during Hun Sen’s official government visit follows years of negotiations with French oil company

CAMBODIA has awarded French oil giant Total the rights to a contested drilling area in the Gulf of Thailand.

The announcement was contained in a press release dated July 14 - Bastille Day - from Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cabinet during his official visit to France.

The statement was confirmed to the Post by Prak Sokhon, secretary of state for the Council of Ministers, who is in France with Hun Sen.

Both Thailand and Cambodia claim a 27,000 square kilometre swath of the seabed, which is thought to be rich in oil and gas deposits.

The area in the press statement that has been awarded to Total is referred to as Block III.

In the statement, Hun Sen said the decision to award the concession was made after proper overview of bidding documents, adding that he welcomed the presence of any French companies wishing to invest in Cambodia, a former French colony.

The news was a surprise to Total's leading upstream executive in Cambodia, Jean-Pierre Labbe.

Last week he told the Post that Total had been negotiating with Phnom Penh for several years and in 2008 submitted an official request for concessions.

Contacted by phone on Tuesday, Labbe said he had not heard an official response from the government on the bid.

"I don't know. We knew the Cambodian Prime Minister [Hun Sen] is visiting France, but we have no feedback from Paris," he said.

A source at the Council of Ministers, who asked not to be named, said it was likely that Total's bid had come up in discussions in Paris, but was unable to provide detailed information and referred all questions to the prime minister's Cabinet.

Hun Sen is accompanied on his trip by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

The director general of the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA), Te Duong Tara, hung up when called about the issue, saying he was too busy to comment.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner reportedly welcomed the announcement.

Multiple concessions
Stephane Dion, managing director of Total Cambodge, told the Post during an interview last week that the firm was in ongoing discussions with Phnom Penh on offshore and onshore concessions for oil and gas exploration.

"[There are] at two different projects that we are interested in," he said at the time.

Minister Hun Sen left on Thursday for a five-day visit to France at the invitation of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The trip was aimed at boosting ties between the two countries. "This visit is to strengthen cooperation between Cambodia and France," said Koy Kuong, a spokesman for Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STEVE FINCH

Southern Gold finds 'significant' deposits

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
STEVE FINCH

AUSTRALIAN mining company Southern Gold announced on Tuesday it had hit a "significant" quantity of gold deposits at its Snuol concession in southern Kratie province.

The Adelaide-based miner said in a statement that it had found gold mineralisation close to the surface following shallow drilling at its wholly owned, 100-square-kilometre Anchor prospect, which lies within the larger Snuol concession.

Southern Gold said the find also showed "high levels of other metals ... associated with the gold mineralisation" including silver, copper and zinc.

"I am delighted with the results of this first-pass drill programme," said Southern Gold managing director Stephen Biggins in the statement, "and look forward to aggressively following up these results with further drilling to better understand the potential of this area for a significant mineral discovery".

Southern Gold's shares (SAU: ASX) rose 5 percent in Sydney Tuesday to 10.5 Australian cents on the news.

Southern Gold announced last month it would raise up to A$1.6 million (US$1.26 million) with an offering of 16 million ordinary shares, partly to fund ita Cambodia operations.

The company said on Tuesday it would drill deeper at the Anchor prospect during the next phase, which is expected to begin in November.

Southern Gold owns seven mining concessions in Cambodia - in Kratie, Mondulkiri and Ratanakkiri provinces. Three are joint ventures with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp.

Govt approves $1.2b in FDI in first half, down 73 percent

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Ros Dina

Investment Decline

$1.2b in FDI approved in first half, a 73pc decline on same period last year
$4.43b approved in first half of 2008, but $3.8b for just one project - Chinese Union Development project in Koh Kong
Economic crisis cited by government as cause of decline
Source: CDC

Economic crisis blamed for major drop from $4.43 billion in first half of 2008 amid assurances Cambodia remains attractive for foreign direct investment

THE Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved 53 investment projects in the first half of the year, worth a total of US$1.2 billion, according to statistics released Monday.

The figures represent a sharp drop from the first half of 2008, when the CDC approved $4.43 billion in investments, including a $3.8 billion tourist development in Koh Kong by Chinese Union Development Group.

A CDC official, who declined to be named, said investment had taken a hit from the global financial downturn, but that in relative terms the Kingdom remained an attractive destination for investors.

"Today's economic crisis has caused direct influxes of capital around the world to decline by 50 percent in the first half of 2008, and cross-border investment to decrease 77 percent," the official said.

Of the investments approved, $354 million went to the tourism sector, $323 million to agriculture, $303 to industry and $241 million to other private-sector developments.

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Our FDI is still in a favourable condition despite the world economic crisis.
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The CDC official added that Cambodia's pre-existing investment projects had boosted the current economic activity in the country and would continue to propel private-sector development.

He noted, "If no companies came to invest, many other sectors would be sure to grind to a halt. But as long as factories are built, workers are needed.... This will create job opportunities for transportation service providers and other services. What is more, they will pay taxes to the government."

Sok Sina, an independent economic analyst, agreed that most CDC-approved investment projects are now being carried out since the authority had started vetting them more strictly.

"Generally speaking, we are happy to see that many requested investment projects are in operation. It is a good sign for Cambodia's economy, and our FDI is still in a favourable condition despite the world economic crisis."

According to the CDC, ASEAN countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia, were the leading sources of investment money in the first half, with $389 million in investments. Second to ASEAN were other Asian investors - including from China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong, which have invested a total of $367 million.

Road tax collection to begin today: govt

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Nguon Sovan

THE Ministry of Economy and Finance has announced that the annual collection of road taxes begins today and will run for the next three months.

"The finance ministry announces for all vehicle owners that the tax collection on the means of transportation for all kinds of vehicles will begin on July 15 and run to October 15," stated the announcement, which was signed by Minister Keat Chhon.

Cheap Davuth, the deputy director general at the general department of taxation, said the tax applies to any and all means of motorised transport, be they motorcycles, cars or even ships.

"If the owners fail to pay the tax during the set period they will be fined. That fine is double the amount of the applicable road tax fee for their vehicle," he said.

The announcement also lists a number of exclusions from the tax.

These include ambulances and fire trucks; vehicles belonging to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, the military police and the police; any vehicles used for national defence or security; and diplomatic or consular vehicles.

Vehicles of international organisations and those belonging to the government's technical cooperation agencies are also excluded.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport estimated in a report last year that there are 197,800 registered cars and 671,000 registered motorcycles in the Kingdom.

Garment exports drop 20pc in first 5 months

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Chun Sophal

Government says Cambodia’s largest export generated $909m up to the end of May this year while predicting that the industry will see a 5 percent fall overall for 2009, a projection that other sector analysts say is overly optimistic

THE government announced garment exports dropped 20 percent in the first five months to US$909 million compared with the same period last year.

Hang Chuon Naron, secretary general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said the decrease should not seriously damage the Kingdom's economy, as the decline will prove temporary and ought to end later this year.

"We expect garment exports will decline only 5 percent for the year overall," he said. "We hope garment exports will climb to $2.8 billion later this year as the United States' economy is showing a higher demand for garments."

Cambodia exported $3.1 billion worth of garments last year. Most went to the US and the European Union.

Hang Chuon Naron was talking at a forum on Tuesday on the effects of the global economic crisis and strategies to overcome the challenges. The forum was attended by 300 people from government, NGOs and the private sector.

Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodia Economic Association (CEA), said it is not clear that local garment manufacturers will benefit from the expected boost to the US economy since other garment-exporting nations have moved ahead.

Chan Sophal blamed the closure of garment factories locally on a lack of competitiveness as well as the economic crisis.

"The US ... can buy from other countries which are more competitive, such as Bangladesh," he said. "The prediction that Cambodia's garment exports will decline only 5 percent ... is too optimistic."

Kaing Monika, external affairs manager for the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia, a trade association, said garment exports would likely end the year 10 percent down, citing competition from high-volume producers Vietnam and Bangladesh.

"GMAC would welcome it if exports decreased in line with the government's prediction, but I don't think that will be easily achieved," he said. "Today's export markets are still narrow."

development hits financial wall, seeks foreign investor

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
May Kunmakara

The developer behind a $50 million mixed-use retail, residential and leisure complex near the Happiness City housing development on Phnom Penh's Chroy Changvar peninsula is seeking foreign capital to complete the project.

Young's Commercial Centre and Resort administration manager Ngin Pok said the global credit crunch and the related bottoming-out of the local real estate market had hit the development hard.

"Recently we are working hard to find foreign partners who are interested to cooperate with us on this huge capital investment project because we are struggling with financial issues," Ngin Pok said. "We aren't choosy about our partners; if someone wants to cooperate with us, we welcome them."

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We aren't choosy about our partners; if someone wants to cooperate with us, we welcome them.
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The first phase of the two-phase development was originally due to be completed in April 2010 but has only been 40-percent completed, Ngin Pok said. Construction began in January 2008.

"Although we haven't found a partner, I am optimistic that we still try our best to complete the first phase of construction," he said.

"We are gathering other financial resources for this first phase, and we plan to sell other property to support the project as well. If we don't meet the deadline, we will feel the wrath of customers who have signed a rental contract."

He said that around 60 customers had already signed a contract to rent retail space in the development.

Young's Commercial Centre and Resort has a multilevel design featuring 123 four-storey shophouses arranged in a horseshoe shape at its base. A further 26 five-storey shophouses provide a frontage to the complex.

A three-storey shopping mall ànd two two-storey arcade malls will be built immediately on top of the shophouses, containing 45,000 square metres of retail space.

The resort, which will be located on the roof of the shopping mall, features 30 stand-alone motel units scattered throughout a landscaped terrace garden.

It was designed by Vietnam-based firm Real Architecture.

It is the final phase of development in the Happiness City site, which was built on reclaimed swampland 600 metres along National Road 6A from the Cambodia-Japanese Friendship Bridge.

Saturation point
Phnom Penh already has a large number of "one-stop" shopping destinations, including the city's first major mall, Sorya Shopping Centre, which opened for business in 2002, Sydney Mall, Paragon Cambodia, Sovanna and BS Department Store.

BS marketing office assistant Men Phirom said he was concerned about more shopping centres being built in an already highly competitive city. "I think that when there are new city malls, sales will be affected because the customers will have more choices to buy products at other shopping centers," he said. "However, we will improve our services and products and create something new to impress those customers."

Sorya Shopping Centre General Manager Lam Ratana said the economic crisis had hit the shopping habits of Cambodians, but that the retail sector would survive. "Purchasing power has dropped, but that does not means customers have stopped coming to my shopping centre; they cut down their expenses since the crisis occurred, but the number of buyers is still the same."

He said he was upgrading products, services and the building itself to compete with other new shopping centers. He planned to also introduce a flower shop, bar, 24-hour coffee shops and new parking lots to attract customers. "My new services and products will be launched this year to compete with new city malls," he said.

No silver lining yet as crisis bites handicraft maker

Photo by: SOUEN SAY
Silverware on display at Sothea Khmer Silver Crafts.

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I planned to expand this year, but I can’t because I would have lost money.
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The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Soeun Say

SILVERSMITH Ros Chanthou learned his craft as a youngster from his father. But it was in 1990, once he had married, that he decided to set up his own business: Sothea Khmer Silver Crafts.

In the early days, he had four craftsmen who made almost all the products by hand on the premises in Phnom Penh's Daun Penh district. Now he employs 10 artisans, who earn US$80-$100 a month depending on their skill.

Ros Chanthou would not be drawn on his business's revenue, saying only that custom began well and kept improving through the years. But like many businesses, Sothea Khmer Silver Crafts has recently been affected by the global economic crisis.

"My business ran very well in 2007 and 2008, but when the crisis started to bite, my business dropped about 70 percent," he said.

The decline in business is easily seen in his reduced orders for the raw material. Until a year ago he bought 100 to 120 kilograms of silver a month. Now he needs between 10 and 30 kilograms.

The only bright spot in the current economic gloom is that the price of silver, which he sources from Malaysia, China and Singapore, is lower. Ros Chanthou said that it costs him $450 per kilogram today, down from $600 per kilogram last year.

"Because the raw material is cheap, this ought to be a good opportunity for business," he says. "But how can we if we cannot sell the end product?"

He says conditions mean some of his competitors are facing bankruptcy.

"Bankruptcy is not something I am concerned with since we have built good relationships with our clients - they know our quality, and they trust our products," he says.

So who are his clients? They vary, says Ros Chanthou. Local purchasers include foreign embassy staff, government officials and NGO workers. And until the drop in tourism hit home, tour groups were a good earner, too.

"Some senior government officials have bought my silver products to use at home, such as spoons, glasses and plates. And some buy them to display at home," he says.

Sothea Khmer Silver Crafts has also sent work overseas and competes with producers in Thailand and Vietnam. But in the past year, the economic problems mean the Thai market has dried up.

And although he maintains that Cambodian silverwork can compete with that done in Thailand, China and Vietnam, he acknowledges that imports from those countries are proving stiff competition here.

"Many market vendors are displaying goods sourced from outside Cambodia, including from countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and China. We do find it hard to compete with all of them," he says.

When asked about the future, he says the global crisis means he has had to put on hold his plans to boost overseas sales.

"I planned to expand this year, but I can't because I would have lost money," he says.

In the meantime Ros Chanthou says the government ought to do more to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) such as his. He wants lower tax rates and says the government could help businesses learn how to export their products.

"The other thing is interest rates. I borrowed money from the bank to invest in my business, but rates are too high," he says. "I would like the government to help bring down those rates to give SMEs a chance to stay in business."

Televising history at the trials

Co-presenters Neth Pheaktra and Ung Chan Sophea get down to the serious business of reporting the Khmer Rouge tribunal. PHOTO SUPPLIED

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The film reminded me of what pol pot did. my brothers and sisters all died.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Joel Quenby

An award-winning British TV producer is helping Cambodians stay abreast of developments at the Khmer Rouge tribunal by airing a weekly programme featuring highlights and analysis

Horrendous images of the babies being smashed against the trees: "I didn't recognise it at first," says Pol Pot's former chief torturer from the witness dock.

The television camera cuts to a shot of the dual row of Cambodian and foreign judges. Some frown; others remain impassive.

The footage then flips back to the accused, capturing the reptilian pride emanating from 66-year-old Kaing Guek Eav, better known as "Duch", as he continues in a measured tone: "It was done by my subordinates. I do not blame them because this was under my responsibility."

We cut back to a well-lit TV studio, where a pair of handsome, businesslike co-presenters promptly begins quizzing a Cambodian legal expert on intricacies of the case.

Male presenter: "Some of Duch's evidence seems carefully calculated rather than spontaneous. Is that a fair statement?"

"The way he answers each question cautiously may make the judges and observers sceptical about what he says..." begins the guest in response.

Hoping for closure
The aforementioned represents a sample minute of the 24 minutes allotted weekly (excepting repeats) to covering the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia - the long-awaited Khmer Rouge genocide trials - by Cambodian Television Network (CTN).

It is hoped that the trials will bring closure to survivors' grief, and that the process will also educate young Cambodians about an era they know little about.

The show, Duch On Trial, summarises the weekly developments with a deft blend of courtroom 'action', explanation and analysis. It's slicker than typical local media output - though a company called Khmer Mekong Films (KMF) is credited with the production.

It turns out that a 64-year-old Cambridge-educated BAFTA-winning former BBC producer, who helped shape primetime pop culture for millions of British telly addicts for three decades, is the man behind KMF.

KMF founder Matthew Robinson in directorial mode. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Award-winning
Having won awards for his contribution to iconic British television shows such as Eastenders (he cast characters like 'Dirty Den' and Nick Cotton) and Crossroads, and founded the kids' soap opera Byker Grove in the process, Matthew Robinson came to Cambodia six years ago on a contract from BBC World Service Trust to make a health-promoting drama.

"A hundred episodes; that's finished," he says, briskly.
Robinson founded the film and television production company in 2006 - and has run it from Phnom Penh ever since.

The company's involvement in the landmark tribunals started when it won a bid to produce some pre-trial short films, funded by the British government.

"It was part of their funding for developing countries," says Robinson, who came up with a semi-dramatized treatment to explain a complex, convoluted trial system - that has had international legal experts scratching their heads - "in simple terms to ordinary, uneducated Cambodians".

The resulting series of six films, titled Time For Justice, was screened to thousands of villagers as part of a nationwide outreach programme. This jolted horrific memories in its older viewers, evident from the filmed post-screening debates.

"This film reminded me of what Pol Pot did," exclaims an old, bespectacled man. "It was the same as in the story. My brothers and sisters all died."

Another day, another hearing: The KMF team, with guest legal expert Sok Sam Oeun on the far right, prepare for the studio cameras to start rolling. Photo Supplied

Painful generation gap
He begins to cry. "I cannot speak because I am overcome," he eventually sobs.

His testimony stands in sharp contrast to that of the jeans-clad teenage girl who subsequently says: "Now I believe that this regime really did exist. It's shocking to hear older people talk about what happened to their families.

"When I was first told that so many people were killed, I didn't believe it."

Such footage exposes the painful generation gap between those who survived the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and their children and grandchildren, who are often left in the dark when it comes to their country's recent history.

Despite the education campaign, a pre-trial survey found 85 percent of respondents "had little or no knowledge" of the tribunal, although court officials disputed its findings.

A subsequent study conducted by the Human Rights Centre at the University of California in the fall of 2008 found that as much as 70 percent of cent of Cambodia's population is under the age of 30 - and four out of five members of this generation know little of the Khmer Rouge years.

"It is a problem," acknowledges Robinson. "That was why we commissioned an initial focus group to find out whether those beliefs are really true. And partly they were, though I don't think the intelligent [younger] generation thinks it's all fictional.

"In terms of 'bang for buck', outreach really doesn't compare with television," he continues.

"You have to have an awful lot of motorbikes and projection equipment, and a lot of people going into a lot of villages to get anywhere near even 10 percent of one showing on television."

When the British Embassy won additional government funding to produce a television show to cover the Khmer Rouge tribunals, KMF was invited to advise.

"I suggested a weekly sum-up of the weekly highlights presented in bite-sized chunks - again aiming at rural Cambodians," says Robinson.

"It was never intended for the legal community or more highly educated Cambodians; you'd start off with a different approach for that target audience."

Impressive results
The results have still impressed. After initially expressing doubts about the programme, CTN now schedules regular repeats of key episodes in addition to the regular Monday lunchtime slot.

And, whereas the funding initially only covered the first eight weeks of the courtroom developments, the show's success has prompted further funds that should extend to covering the closing of Duch's trial - and hopes that additional donations could see it become a permanent fixture on the TV schedule while the tribunals are running.

Meanwhile, the wisdom and experience Robinson brings to the editing suite are setting new standards for local production values.

"Cambodian people have never seen a show like this. We include so much information, so many details, in the 24 minutes; we cannot afford to waste any time," says male co-presenter, 29-year-old Neth Pheaktra, who is also deputy chief of staff at the Post.

"My friends tell me that as presenters, Ung Chan Sophea and I seem very professional," says Neth Pheaktra, who says he sometimes gets recognised by viewers. They ask him why he never smiles on TV.

"Cambodian people have never seen this presenting style before. Lots of TV presenters - they talk a lot, and they're always joking, but they never say anything.

"I cannot joke about such a serious subject."

His co-presenter, 26-year-old Ung Chan Sophea, a reporter for French newspaper Cambodge Soir Hebdo and Radio France International, says before the show aired "some of my friends and other people around me told me 'It's useless doing a trial programme' - but after they'd watched it, they changed.

"Suddenly it was 'Oh! It's a worthwhile, interesting programme'."

National calling
Both presenters feel duty-bound to contribute to this moment in Cambodian history, a bittersweet note of progress in an impoverished nation still struggling to rehabilitate its crippled economic and human resources.

Moreover, "if we don't have this programme, some victims will not know the outcome of the trials", believes the show's resident legal expert, Sok Sam Oeun.

"We want all victims to be released from their suffering. And the best way of doing that is by giving them the right to follow this trial."

Greater outreach
And the best medium for doing so happens to be television.

As Matthew Robinson notes: "Although the outreach people did a very good job and probably got [Voices For Justice] shown to 50,000-100,000 people, one showing on CTN is going to get at least 800,000, if not a million people."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MOM KUNTHEAR

How does one get from Siem Reap to Thailand's Ko Chang island?

PHOTO BY TRACEY SHELTON / PHOTO SUPPLIED
From the splendour of Angkor (left) to the tropical beach surrounds of Thailand's popular tourist isle Ko Chang.

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Travelfish.org

The historic and cultural sites at Angkor are magnificent, but most travelers get templed out eventually, so for those seeking an island escape in Thailand, here is a suggested itinerary

So you're done with the temples, and it's time for some serious beach time. Where better to head than the glorious islands in Thailand's Trat province?

After all, the pier at Laem Ngop is just a share taxi, tuk-tuk, bus, another bus and a songtheaw ride away. Then from there you just need to settle on which island - Ko Chang, Ko Maak, Ko Kut, Ko Wai - oh decisions, decisions. Read on for the inside line on how to get between the two - and yes, it is possible to leave Siem Reap after breakfast (not brunch!) and be on the island in time for a before-dinner dip.

Siem Reap to the border
There are three main ways to get between Siem Reap and Poipet (the border town between Cambodia and Thailand and an absolute armpit of a town) - tourist minibus, share taxi and pickup truck.

The tourist minibus should be avoided at all costs, as it will inevitably transform into a scam-bus not long after leaving Siem Reap and you'll have precious time wasted as they waste your time. Take our word for it - do not take a tourist mini bus service to Poipet - they are all scams.

The pickup truck is only an option if you're trying to prove yourself to your travelling partner as being a hard-as-nails, down and dirty budget traveller. You'll certainly be dirty by the end, in fact you'll be absolutely filthy. You'll also lose time in Sisophon (where you'll need to change from one heap of junk to another), and you won't get to Ko Chang in the same day. You will save a few dollars though. If you still want to do it by pick-up, be a bit of a softie and opt for a seat inside the cabin.

A share taxi is the way to go - either hire the entire car yourself or buy a seat (or two) in one. This is, by far, the fastest way to get to the border. Expect to pay US$25-35 for an entire car.

The route map as seen on Google Maps. PHOTO SUPPLIED

The border
The Poipet border can be a bit time consuming at times, depending on crowds and how hard the officials feel like working. The most important piece of advice is to ignore all touts - ALL of them. You're best to get there as early as possible to avoid the crowds.

Once you're through both sides of immigration, continue on to the market and take a tuk-tuk to the government bus station in Aranyprathet (6 kilometres away).

A crossing can take as little as ten minutes or as long as three hours - this can be a real wild card when it comes to doing the ruins to beach run in a day.

Aranyprathet bus station
Aranyprathet bus station has buses to both Bangkok and Chanthaburi, but there are no direct buses to Trat. Instead, you need to catch a bus to Chanthaburi and then change buses there. The bus to Chanthaburi should take around three hours.

Chanthaburi
There's no need to leave the bus station, as buses to Trat leave from the same terminal you'll be dropped at coming from Aranyprathet. The bus to Trat should take between an hour and a half and two hours.

Trat
Once you are in Trat, you need to get a songtheaw to one of the three piers that serve the Ko Chang island group. All three piers are around an hour from Trat by songtheaw.

Laem Ngop to Ko Chang
There are three piers that send boats to Ko Chang. The main Laem Ngop pier, Centrepoint Pier, 4km north and Thammachart Pier some 9km from Laem Ngop.

The latter two double as car ferries and while Thammachart drops you at Ao Sapparot on Ko Chang, the other two, Laem Ngop and Centrepoint, will drop you at Dan Kao, which is a little further from all the main beaches.

Ferry cross the Andaman
Ferries leave Laem Ngop six times a day between 7am and 5pm, take an hour and cost 100 baht. From Thammachart, ferries leave nine times daily between 7am and 7pm and take just 30 minutes, costing 100 baht. From Centrepoint departures are similar to Laem Ngop - six times daily between 7am and 5pm, take around 45 minutes and cost 100 baht.

All of the ferries are met on Ko Chang by songtheaws, which will transport you to your beach of choice.

Laem Ngop to Ko Wai, Ko Maak and Ko Kham
There is one slow boat a day from Laem Ngop pier to Ko Wai, Ko Maak and Ko Kham, leaving Laem Ngop at 3pm, taking around three hours and costing 300 baht. Speedboats services are also available.

Laem Ngop to Ko Kut
Boats leave Laem Ngop every Friday, Saturday and Tuesday for Ko Kut, but they leave at 9am so you'll need to overnight in Trat to get these. They pass by both Ko Wai and Ko Maak.
www.travelfish.org

Bheut Kam eyes Nuon Soriya

Photo by: Virginie Noel
29-year-old Nuon Soriya is wary of Bheut Kam’s stamina and strength in the clinch.

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Robert Starkweather

Formidable 22-year-old Bheut Kam steps into the ring with veteran Nuon Soriya Sunday in a highly anticipated bout at the TV5 boxing arena in Takhmao

AS a teenager, Bheut Kam terrorised the local boxing scene. When he stepped up to the 67-kilogram weight class earlier this month, now aged 22, the move sent shudders through the lightweight division. The sport's most dominant little man had grown up.

While the move likely crushed the dreams of many lightweight hopefuls, it delighted fans, who pined to see the Battambang southpaw take on a new division of champions.

The first will be Nuon Soriya, who faces Bheut Kam in a highly anticipated bout Sunday at the TV5 boxing arena in Takhmao.
Bheut Kam enters the ring Sunday with a record of 171-4-1. Nuon Soriya, who began fighting 18 years ago at the age of 11, lost track of wins and losses long ago.

Photo by: Robert Starkweather
Battambang southpaw Bheut Kam faces his childhood hero Nuon Soriya Sunday at TV5 boxing arena in Takhmao.

"When I was young, he was already famous," Bheut Kam said after a recent afternoon workout. "I would watch him fight against foreigners. He was always very good."

A graceful, fleet-footed technician, Bheut Kam dominated boxing's lower weight divisions since first putting on gloves six years ago at the tender age of 17. He holds five titles in three weight classes, including three at 60 kilograms, a division he owned for many years.

Bheut Kam yet to lose in 2009
After a largely inactive year in 2008, Bheut Kam has fought five times in 2009, winning three times in France and twice at home. For the bouts in France earlier this year, he weighed in at 66 kilograms. In his most recent outing, a July 5 dismantling of Pao Puot at TV5, Bheut Kam fought at the announced weight of 67 kilograms, the heaviest of his career.

His move up to the 67-kilogram weight class set off waves of expectation in the boxing world, as fight fans anticipated a new round of matches with champions from the heavier divisions, among them Nuon Soriya.

At 29 years old, Nuon Soriya is admittedly no longer in the prime of his career. He still remains among the very best fighters active today, but holds no illusions about the challenge that Bheut Kam presents.

"He is very good," said Nuon Soriya, sitting ringside at the Angkor Youth Boxing Club, where he works as a trainer. "He will be tough to beat."

Age, he predicted, not ability, will likely be the decider in Sunday's bout.

"We are of comparable skill," he said, the grunts of sparring fighters lending a gritty authenticity to the dim club atmosphere. "But I am older, and my stamina is not as good as his."

"I think my hands are better, but in the clinch he is stronger," he added.

Fighting with Christian faith
Bheut Kam, a Christian who brings a mouth guard, hand wraps and a Khmer-language Bible to every fight, refrained from speculating on the outcome of Sunday's contest.

"I don't dare make predictions," he said. "I just put my trust in Jesus."
Sunday's fight schedule begins at 3:30pm.

Crown cancel Thai trip

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
KEN GADAFFI

CPL champions Phnom Penh Crown were forced to cancel their trip to Thailand on Tuesday due to their failure to gather sufficient documen-tation from some of their foreign players for visas in time. "We are sorry we couldn't make the trip," said Crown manager Makara Be by phone Tuesday, adding that he intends to organise a trip to Thailand sometime in the near future. Crown were aiming to use the trip to expose some of their players to Thai Premier League (TPL) teams - who will go on a mid-season break in a week's time - for potential transfer consideration. Meanwhile, Crown's Cameroonian-born striker Jean-Roger Lappe Lappe, who is on a two month loan to TPL strrugglers Samuth Songkhram FC, is expected back August 15.

India, Asean set to meet again on trade agreement

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

15 Jul 2009
Amiti Sen, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Top officials from India and the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, will meet in Manila on Thursday to lay
down the road map for the implementation of the proposed bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), which has been bogged down by many delays over the years.

The FTA, which seeks to eliminate tariffs on more than 4,000 products, including electronic goods, chemicals, certain capital goods and some categories of textiles, is scheduled to be implemented from January 1, 2010.

Indeed, talks were supposed to have been wrapped up as early as 2007, but got mired many times in tariff disputes between India and regional heavyweights Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand on commodities like crude, palm oil, metals and textiles.

Asean members include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

In Manila, the officials are expected to set a time frame and milestones for the eleven governments to get the treaty approved at their national levels.

India has managed to convince Asean not to set the year-end as the deadline for implementing various phases of the tariff cuts as was originally envisaged when the agreement was scheduled to be implemented from January 1, 2009.

“Since the agreement will now be implemented one year later than originally proposed, the end dates also have to be logically extended by one year. Initially, the Asean was not agreeable to this, but we managed to persuade them,” a commerce department official told ET.

Earlier, India had also persuaded the Asean to give up its demand of executing tariff cuts twice a year instead of annual cuts. This would have forced India to cut duties at a faster rate than it is prepared to do.

As per the agreement, duties on 4,000 items out of the 5,000-odd items traded between the two sides will be brought down to 0-4% levels over six years.

While 479 items (comprising mostly agricultural products from India’s side) will be shielded from tariff cuts, duties on products marked as sensitive (like garments and automobiles), will be reduced to 5% over 3-9 years.

Although the UPA government, during its previous regime, had got the approval of various departments and ministries on the FTA, it had to seek fresh approval after the general elections.

“We had to go to each ministry and department again to seek approval. Now we are ready to place the agreement with the Cabinet for its nod,” the official said.

Pupils set off for Cambodia expedition

http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk

Tuesday 14th July 2009

IT was an emotional and exciting farewell when, at 9am on Monday, June 29, fourteen intrepid explorers set off on a challenge of a lifetime from St Cyres to Cambodia and Thailand.

This is no holiday trip as they will be working at a charity school called the ‘Beautiful Children of Anghor’ in central rural Cambodia.

The local village has no electricity or mains water and the parents of the children earn on average 50p per day. Cambodia is the fourth poorest country in the world. Add the fact that in recent times, a quarter of the population disappeared under the tyrannical rule of the Khmer Rouge and you have a country in need of help.

The pupils from St Cyres will arrive with gifts and will spend a couple of weeks completing manual projects such as concreting, building and painting at the school. They will also spend time with the children, playing games and telling them about themselves.

Once the project is finished, they will use local transport to travel into Thailand and visit the jungles around Kachanaburi (Bridge over the River Kwai).

After learning some jungle techniques, the group will head for the deeper jungles of Northern Thailand where several nights will be spent sleeping in hammocks and trekking through dense undergrowth near the Burmese border.

Finally a long journey will take the team down to Bangkok where, at last, they will have two days to rest before the 14-hour flight back to the UK.

To keep up with the expedition’s progress, go to http://www.photobucket.com/stcyresexpedition which will be updated with photos (depending on access to Internet points in the two countries).

Khieu Kanharith: “A Spokesperson Must Tell the Truth, but Just Some Truths Cannot Be Told” – Tuesday, 14.7.2009

Posted on 15 July 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 621
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: After last week’s training of spokespersons for the military and for the national police was finished, the Ministry of Information opens a new training course for civil officials of the Royal Government, and the Minister of Information described it as an essential task.

“The Minister of Information, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, said during the opening ceremony on 13 July 2009 of the course for spokespersons, that to communicate with journalists and with people in general is really important – so that they can understand the policies and the positions that their respective institutions, ministries, and province administrations area taking or have achieved.

“The Minister added, ‘What a spokesperson handles in public communication cannot do without an ethical attitude, as the task of a spokesperson is not easy, but we are persons in leading positions who can change the faces of our ministries or institutions, after something wrong has been done, as we can intervene to lessen controversies through the use of words.

“Mr. Khieu Kanharith went on to say, ‘The spokespersons must tell the truth, but just some truth cannot be completely told – but there must be no lie. This is the principle that must be remembered, it is the golden principle that all spokespersons must remember.’ The Minister said that a lie by a spokespersons will initiate a loss of trust that will last forever. The task of a spokespersons is not just to communicate with journalists, but also to directly communicate with the public, and moreover with the public opinions expressed through the media, because a democratic society must have three elements: a multi-party system, an active civil society, and a strong and independent press.

“Twenty six officials from the Ministry of Rural Development, the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Land Management, Urbanization, and Construction, the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, and from the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Kompong Cham, Ratanakiri, Pailin, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang, and Mondolkiri participate in the training with support from the US Embassy, and the training will be completed on 17 July 2009.

“The US ambassador to Cambodia, Ms. Carol A. Rodley, said through a translator, ‘The tie of the Royal Government with journalists is not always smooth. Working with journalists is a challenge. I know well that spokespersons have their roles as part of their tasks. I would like to emphasize that our spokespersons must cooperate with colleagues in the press. Working with journalists, we must be sure that the policy and the priorities of our government are clearly shown to the citizens.’ She added, ‘A spokesperson must be aware to be leading, to bring information to journalists in order to rule out rumors and untrue information, and to bring all this to the public. Working with journalists is not always easy and sometimes, we have to deliver also bad information about ourselves for which we get criticized by citizens as well as by journalists.’ She continued to say, ‘Please remember that sometimes the Cambodian public will praise the work of spokespersons which reaches them through the work of journalists, and this happens in your role of responding to the public by delivering clear information.

“Mr. Tommy R. Vandam [?] who had been a spokesperson of the US Air Force and the US Police for several years and has rich experience, is a trainer in this crucial training.”

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1995, 14.7.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 14 July 2009

'I never used any torture,' senior interrogator at Khmer Rouge prison tells tribunal

http://www.brandonsun.com

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - A senior interrogator at the most notorious Khmer Rouge prison denied Tuesday that he tortured victims, despite grisly earlier testimony from his former boss that torture was common there.

Mam Nai, 76, told the U.N.-backed genocide tribunal that his main duty was to interrogate low-ranking Khmer Rouge soldiers who allegedly opposed the regime, as well as Vietnamese prisoners of war.

"I never used any torture. It was my understanding that applying torture would lead to an inappropriate confession, that there would be little true in forced confessions," Mam Nai said.

His testimony comes at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav - better known as Duch - who headed the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh. Up to 16,000 people were tortured under his command and later taken away to be killed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. Only a handful survived.

During hours of earlier testimony, Duch graphically described torture methods used at the prison, though he did not testify about Mam Nai's activities there. He has asked forgiveness from victims' relatives.

Duch (pronounced DOIK), 66, is the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face trial and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. He is charged with crimes against humanity and is the first of five defendants scheduled for long-delayed trials by the tribunal.

Senior leaders Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Ieng Sary's wife, Ieng Thirith, are detained and are likely to face trial in the next year or two.

Mam Nai allegedly was responsible for the interrogation and torture of high-ranking members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea accused of plotting against the regime.

He said he met Duch after fleeing into the jungle to fight with the Khmer Rouge in 1973, and Duch trained him in interrogation. He said he was once assigned to question 20 Vietnamese soldiers.

"First, I had to play politics with them, to make them understand and then they agreed to make a confession. After that, I asked for their biographies and their personal activities," he said.

"If the prisoners refused to confess, I asked the guards to take them back to their cells to think and reflect on their positive and negative activities," he said.

Tales of Torture and Death Fill Court in Cambodia

Journalists took photographs of Mam Nai, the former deputy at a Khmer Rouge prison, on a live video feed during the trial of the former head of the prison, Kaing Guek Eav.

The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com

By SETH MYDANS
Published: July 14, 2009

PHNOM PENH — “Where were you tortured and when?” For the past two weeks, judges and lawyers in the trial of a Khmer Rouge prison chief have probed for details about the suffering of victims of a regime that caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people between 1975 and 1979.

As the stories of terror and brutality have filled the courtroom, even the defendant, Kaing Guek Eav, or Duch, has at times dropped his hard mask and broken down in tears.

“I send my respects to the soul of your wife,” he told one witness, Bou Meng, whose wife died in the prison and whom Duch (pronounced DOIK) had come to know when he put him to work as a painter.

Bou Meng put his face in his hands. Duch, his lips quivering, turned his back on the courtroom, and both men wept.

Duch, 66, is the first of five key figures from the Khmer Rouge regime to be tried here in a United Nations-backed tribunal. He faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes as commandant of Tuol Sleng prison, where at least 14,000 people were tortured and sent to their deaths.

Duch has taken responsibility for the torture and killings at the camp and expressed “heartfelt sorrow,” when he took the stand. But he has also placed himself within a chain of command where disobedience often meant death.

In vivid testimony, the court has heard a clinical description of the ripping out of toenails — and viewed the scarred toes of the victim — and has listened to the sobs of a man who said he drank his own urine to survive.

It has heard from a man who said he crawled out alive from a pit in a killing field, and from a woman who said she saw a child thrown into the air and speared on a bayonet.

Most of this testimony is uncorroborated, and some has faced vigorous challenges from the defense and skepticism from the judges. In particular, the judges have called into question the testimony of witnesses who also are designated as “civil parties” — an innovation in international tribunals that allows alleged victims to join the case and to seek reparations from any defendants who are convicted.

The testimony of these witnesses has not been vetted by prosecutors, and most have arrived poorly prepared by overburdened lawyers. Their testimony has often deviated from their sworn depositions, leaving the judges to decide which version, if any, to credit.

Duch’s trial opened at the end of March; it has heard testimony not just from the defendant himself, but also from expert witnesses. It has been slowed by procedural delays and challenged by accusations of corruption and of political manipulation by the Cambodian government. The tribunal, an experimental hybrid of local and international legal systems, has been criticized by human rights groups and some legal scholars for compromising on international standards of justice.

Duch’s most intense display of emotion to date came when a video was shown publicly for the first time of his escorted visit in February 2008 to Tuol Sleng prison, which is now a museum.

With survivors standing nearby, Duch, surrounded by his lawyers and security officers, began to read a statement of apology to the victims.

Suddenly he stopped, wiped his forearm across his eyes and let out a cry that sounded like the bark of a seal before turning away in tears.

But apart from such moments of emotion, Duch has maintained a confident, didactic tone, prefacing his answers with phrases like “based on my analysis and assumption” and “according to the surviving documents.”

The five-person panel of Cambodian and international judges has often addressed him more as a disinterested authority than as a defendant. He seemed to have the final word in the courtroom on the authenticity of prison documents and on the long, painstaking lists that he compiled of prisoners sent to die in a killing field.

In challenging the story of one witness who said he had been a prisoner at Tuol Sleng, Duch presented the curious defense that this could not be the person in question because, according to Duch’s records, he had already had him killed.

Using a similar argument, he questioned the account of a man who said he had survived the camp, where he was imprisoned as an 8-year-old child; Duch asserted confidently that he had made sure all children who entered the prison with their parents were killed.

That witness, Norng Chan Phal, now 39, whose authenticity was later confirmed by prison documents, presented a horrifying picture of loss that could resonate with millions of survivors.

He testified that he and four other children were left alone in the empty prison when Duch and his staff fled the Vietnamese invasion that ended Khmer Rouge rule in February 1979. Mr. Norng Chan Phal said he ran through empty corridors among corpses and flies, searching for his mother, who had been imprisoned with him.

“There was blood and I was scared,” he said. “I kept running and crying for my mother, searching for my mother.” Like almost everyone else who was imprisoned there, she had been killed.

Duch has claimed he had not visited the prison’s cells and torture chambers, asserting that he was a coward, and said that he did not participate in, or even know in detail about, the abuse of the prisoners.

“I shut my eyes and ears,” he said. “I did not want to see the reality that did not reconcile with my feelings. I did not allow myself to see or hear.”

This testimony, which seemed at odds with his hands-on administrative style, was challenged Monday by a witness who said she had worked for him as a medic and had lost several family members in Tuol Sleng.

The witness, Nam Man, 48, said she had seen Duch, standing under a coconut tree, beat two of her uncles to death with a metal rod.

“Are you going to deny the facts and the truth that I have just told the chamber?” she said, addressing him directly.

Duch said that he had found no records of her family in his files and that no women had worked as medics there. He denied everything.

Asked later about this response, Ms. Nam Man said, “Now I have to find the records to prove I am telling the truth.”

Newspaper of Murdered Journalist Closes

By Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 July 2009

A year after an opposition journalist was murdered in Phnom Penh, the paper he once wrote for is closing, even as the case goes unsolved.

Moneaksekar Khmer, or Khmer Conscience, ceased circulation Friday, following an apology to Prime Minister Hun Sen from its editor, Dam Sith, who faced charges of defamation and incitement by the courts.

In an interview Saturday, Dam Sith said he did not want to discuss the murder or the closing of the paper, saying only, “I am facing difficulties.”

Moneaksekar Khmer ran for 10 years, and its reporters faced extra-judicial attacks—incurring injuries, or being killed—and lawsuits in the courts, as it published stories critical of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and often favorable of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

Reporters for the newspaper will now be out of work, but they worry still for their safety.

“I feel scared all the time,” said Vong Sopheak, a reporter for the paper who was injured in the March 1997 grenade attack on an opposition rally. That attack killed at least 16 people and injured more than 150, and its perpetrators have never been caught.

“But we can’t think too much about the fear, or we couldn’t work,” Vong Sopheak said in a recent interview. “So we keep the scared feeling aside. I am shocked with fear and concern for my own security. I am scared that I could meet the same fate as Khim Sambo and his son, because security for journalists is so risky.”

Journalists for the now defunct paper meet other journalists from the mainstream media and now ask for jobs, Vong Sopheak said, adding that this will silence one half of the political debate in the country.

“I am sorry that people are going to lose a large portion of information,” he said. “A democratic society needs constructive criticism. Without constructive criticism, a democratic society won’t run smoothly.”

Meanwhile, the murder of Khim Sambo, who had written for the newspaper and was killed ahead of general elections last year, remains open.

Two weeks prior to Khim Sambo’s killing, the journalist wrote an article under a pseudonym, Srey Ka, alleging that a top police official had lost money gambling at Le Macau Casino in Bavet district, Svay Rieng province.

The gambling debts had cleaned out the official, who had lost $100,000, Khim Sambo reported. The casino returned half the money, which the police official soon lost in more gaming, only to force the casino to extend him a credit line. When a casino staff member refused, the official threatened to have him arrested, according to the report.

Following the July 11, 2008, murder, Reporters Without Borders urged Prime Minister Hun Sen to create an independent commission to investigate, claiming it had credible reports that Gen. Hok Lundy, the national police chief, may have been behind the crime and that police had covered it up. (Less than five months after Khim Samboi’s murder, Hok Lundy perished in a helicopter crash over his home province, Svay Rieng. Officials said bad weather brought the helicopter down.)

Ultimately, the US offered the services of a team of FBI agents to assist in the investigation, but no one was arrested, and Khim Sambo’s family has since fled the country.

Lt. Gen. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told VOA Khmer the authorities had worked hard to track down the murderers, but he declined to comment on the results of the investigation. He denied that police had been involved in a cover-up.

“It is not so. It is not so,” he said. “Whomever is involved, we must investigate. While the investigation is underway, I wish not to reveal [details].”

The ongoing investigation had been hindered by the family’s flight from the country, Khieu Sopheak said.

Chan Saveth, a senior investigator for the rights group Adhoc, who personally inspected the crime scene and the bodies of Khmer Sambo and his son, said he had been deeply frustrated at the lack of arrests in the case and the rise in impunity the murders seemed to underscore.

“The case reflects the impunities in our country, relating to the murder of journalists, for example,” he said in a recent interview. “Impunity in our country is on the rise day by day. It is piling up. We are worried about it because after the murder, nothing was found.”

H1N1 Flu Found in US Embassy Staffer

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 July 2009

Cambodia on Friday added the ninth H1N1 flu case to its growing roster of patients, claiming a US Embassy staff member had been infected with the virus.

The 35-year-old American was tested positive for the illness, sometimes called swine flu, on Thursday, following a trip to Thailand, health officials said.

Six of the nine positive cases in Cambodia have been American, though no one has died here from the disease, which has killed a reported 429 people so far worldwide.

“The patient is in a normal situation, and we will supervise him for at least seven days,” said Sok Touch, head of contagious disease control at the Ministry of Health.

The World Health Organization has recommended that all countries focus on serious cases of the disease, he said.

Cambodia is not on alert, he said, “but we must not be negligent,” adding that the disease can be fatal if a patient comes down with a coinciding illness.

Leopard Capital Weighs Investment Climate

By Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 July 2009

[Editor’s note: Leopard Capital is the only company in Cambodia raising funds from foreign investors for multiple sectors. Since its inception in 2007, Leopard’s manager partner, Douglas Clayton, has met with more than 500 wealthy investors from around the globe, though most have proved hesitant to invest in Cambodia. Clayton recently sat with VOA Khmer for an interview in Phnom Penh.]

Q. When you first began here two years ago, you expected to raise $100 million. How far have you come in that plan?

A. Well, two years ago when we started this fund, the world economy was much stronger. So we were more optimistic, but things changed, [and] we’ve raised $27 million. We are going to invest in around 10 businesses here. We have some 80 or 90 investors in our fund. So we have managed to persuade some of them to send their money to Cambodia.

Q. What is the difference in Cambodia’s investment climate from when you first opened your office?

A. Certainly, the economy slowed down a lot. It has become more difficult to raise money for any risky investment than it was two or three years ago. Globally, investors have lost a lot of money because of the stock markets coming down and the property markets coming down. So there’s less money for people to invest, and there is more caution for the money than before. They try to hang on to what they have, and they try not to take long-term risks. They want to be very liquid with their investments.

Q. You mention risky business. What are the risks to business in Cambodia that make it hard to attract investors?

A. Most foreign investors don’t know very much about Cambodia. Most of them have never been here, and they remember the old history of Cambodia thirty years ago, but they don’t know too much about the recent history. So we have to explain what has been going on here and how the country has changed, how it is developing. The hardest part is that most people consider Cambodia as a small country far away that they have never been in, and they generally have heard negative things in the last two decades. They haven’t heard the positive things going on here.

Q. In this economic crisis, what are the most risky Cambodian businesses to invest in?

A. I don’t know if I could answer which sector is the most risky. But certainly it’s all about finding businesses that can still prosper during the time of global recession. We could invest in agriculture; there’s always demand for food. Whether the economy is strong or weak, there is still some demand for rice.

Q. In the middle of 2008, when the economic crisis was hitting, how many investors were you talking with?

A. I’ve been around the world four or five times marketing this fund, and I have probably met over 500 investors individually. These are large institutional investors that manage billions of dollars. I spoke at 10 or 12 conferences that I was invited to, to explain Cambodia with other speakers who explained other countries.

Q. Who were these investors? Where were they from? What were their views on Cambodia’s investment climate?

A. We have investors from all over the world, but the largest group and largest percentage is from Europe, European investors who are familiar with Southeast Asia, as many of them have come for holiday in this part of the world. But most of them would say something like, “I’ll have to come out to visit Cambodia on my next trip to Asia before I invest.” And then, after they don’t have to come to Cambodia, most of them don’t actually start investing. But at least they learn a little bit about Cambodia, and they know there is an opportunity to invest here.

Q. It seems that these investors are reluctant to invest in Cambodia. Can you identify reasons that have made them so hesitant to enter the Cambodian market?

A. Firstly, they’ll consider the very small economy of Cambodia. The total GDP here is around $8 billion or $9 billion. That’s about the size of one company in the West. So they think they should spend a lot of time to understand a tiny economy such as Cambodia. Secondly, they are worried about the rule of law. They read in the paper a lot of reports that the rule of law is weak in Cambodia, and they worry to invest here they might not be able to get their money back.

Q. What kind of law?

A. They are worried if there is a dispute with a fund or other local partners who they invest with, they are not sure that the court will be able to give a fair ruling. That not only happens in Cambodia, but in all emerging countries, where investors worry about contracts, resolution and disputed elements.

Q. What about corruption? A recent report by the World Bank and International Financial Corporation says corruption is still the most challenging aspect of investment in Cambodia.

A. Yes, it is a challenge in all markets, especially when we have underpaid government officials who have to find a way to support their family. So this is something that we have to manage and have to be careful of.

Q. What currently are the most favorable investment destinations?

A. Well, I think most people still focus on China and India. They like the large populations of these countries, the huge economies. These countries should be major players in the world economy.

Q. Can you sum up the positive and negative aspects of Cambodia’s investment market?

A. The bad things are what we have talked about: the rule of law, under-development, corruption and the small economy; the fact that most of the people are not very well off and can’t afford products and services; people widely dispersed around the country. The infrastructure is still not perfect. The cost of power, telephone, Internet, and transportation are all higher than other countries. Human-resources skill is another problem. Any business we do, we have to train a lot more than we would do in another place. We may have to import managers initially.

The positive side is that it is a country that has many business opportunities. In most countries, there will be rental car agencies, there is a bus pickup to town, but there are not in Cambodia. Many other Asian cities have this, but Phnom Penh doesn’t.

Secondly, we have a very young population here. The average age in Cambodia is 21, unlike many western countries, where the average age is 40, the time that you get ready for retirement. Cambodians are just ready to go to work.

Khmer Rouge interrogator says "no regrets" about deaths

The Star Online
http://thestar.com.my/

By Ek Madra
Tuesday July 14, 2009

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A former interrogator at the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 prison on Tuesday expressed no remorse for the deaths of thousands of Cambodians who he said had all committed crimes.

Appearing as a prosecution witness in the trial of Duch, Pol Pot's head jailor, Mam Nay, also known as Chan, denied any part in torture or killings of prisoners and blamed the United States and Vietnam for undermining his country.

An estimated 1.7 million people died during the Khmer Rouge's four-year "killing fields" reign of terror, which ended when Vietnamese forces invaded in 1979.

Asked by the judge if he regretted what happened at the Tuol Sleng prison, where more than 14,000 men, women and children were killed, Chan showed no remorse.

"My only regret was our country was invaded," he told the joint Cambodian-U.N. tribunal. "Frankly speaking, the Americans invaded us then Vietnam invaded us. That is my regret."

During his five hours of questioning, Nay, a former teacher, said he remembered very little about the S-21 interrogation centre, a former school and now a museum to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime.

He was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony but was reluctant to speak against Duch, the first of the five indicted former Khmer Rouge cadres to face trial.

"I was assigned by Duch to interrogate detainees," said Chan, who wore sunglasses and a traditional Cambodian scarf. "I did not use torture in my interrogation. I believed I would not get a true confession."

Asked about the deaths of innocent people, Nay, 76, said: "None of them was innocent -- those people committed offences, either minor or serious.

"This was the reason for their arrest. How serious or how minor, I don't know."

With no death penalty in Cambodia, Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and murder.

Also indicted are Khmer Rouge second-in-command Nuon Chea, former President Khieu Samphan and ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife, all of whom have denied knowledge of the atrocities.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, who was known by the regime as "Brother Number One", died in 1998 near the Thai-Cambodia border.

Testimony of contested civil party and dramatic twist by defence adjourns the hearing

Kambol (Phnom Penh, Cambodia). 13/07/2009: Mam Nay, alias Chan, 76 years old, former chief interrogator at S-21, came warmly-clothed as a witness in Duch’s trial
©Stéphanie Gée

Ka-set

http://cambodia.ka-set.info

By Stéphanie Gée
14-07-2009

Mrs. Nam Mon – civil party whom the Trial Chamber started hearing on Thursday July 9th – continued on Monday July 13th to deliver a confused testimony in which serious doubts kept transpiring as to her detention in S-21, then Prey Sar. Something the accused, Duch, did not fail to highlight. When the much-awaited Mam Nay, who was the head of the interrogation unit at Tuol Sleng prison, succeeded her at the stand, the defence put the Chamber in an awkward position by arguing, in light of the request by the office of the co-Prosecutors to introduce in case file no. 1 the concept of joint criminal enterprise, that the witness may be prosecuted and must therefore be duly informed of his rights…

A succinct medical training
Mrs. Nam Mon, who introduced herself as a former nurse at S-21 where she was then detained and several relatives of hers died, was assisted by a representative of TPO, a psychological support NGO, who stayed by her side throughout her testimony on Monday. She never seemed overwhelmed by her emotions and remained harshly severe while she testified. The photograph of a man that had upset her so much on Thursday July 9th was shown to her again, and this time, she said she was ready to identify him: it was her father. The screen then showed the pictures of her mother, an older brother, a younger brother, her dead father, with the mention of the date of November 9th 1977, her sister-in-law and an older brother, which all accompanied her civil party application. But why was her father photographed dead? The question was not asked.

What did she do in S-21? “I took care of the sick and I saw that prisoners were interrogated and hit. I did not witness it directly, but I saw the blood and wounds on the bodies of the prisoners I had to care for.” She did not see any dead prisoner. She specified she took care only of adults in the prison building where she was assigned at age 15, in 1975. No, she did not know anything about blood drawing or physical experimentations that were allegedly performed on detainees.

When judge Cartwright asked her to describe the medical training she received before taking her post, Nam Mon hardly said much: “I was taught to distribute medication and take care of the sick.” The illiterate woman explained the medication was “simple” and her team prescribed vitamins or, most often, Parecetamol. Once these stocks of medication inherited from the former regime were exhausted, they used “traditional remedies” which were delivered to them. In response to a question from the defence, she later specified that the training was given in a house located “near radio station no. 5.”

Nam Mon specified that only cadres were sent to the “special” building where she worked, and that was where her father ended up after his arrest.

A civil party that did not say everything, out of fear
Returning to the photographs of her deceased relatives, bearing captions handwritten by her lawyer and dictated by her, as the civil party confirmed, judge Lavergne noted a few confusions. On one picture, it was written that it represented her cousin, whom she earlier presented in court as her older brother. Nam Mon explained: “Actually, I didn’t say at first that it was my older brother because I felt ill-at-ease with the idea that all my brothers had been imprisoned. That’s why I said it was my cousin…” On another, under the photograph of the man she claimed to be her father, it was written that it was one of her brothers. “It is actually the photograph of my father. […] I originally identified him as my brother because I hadn’t properly realised it was my father.”

Strange justification for a change of identity
The civil party, officially known under the name of Nam Mon, used another identity under the Khmer Rouge, that of Roeun Chantha. Why? “I used that name to try and hide my parents’ origin. I therefore took the name of my godmother. […] If I had kept my father’s name or a name close to my parents’, I would have been killed,” she explained. Why would she have worried about such a possibility from 1975, when her father was not yet in suspected by the Angkar and her relatives appeared to be well-placed in the Khmer Rouge hierarchy? The question was not asked to her. Her reply sounded even stranger when, a little later, she recognised that “some combatants” did know that two of her brothers were employed as guards at the same prison where she worked. This time, the judge wondered: “How did they know that since you no longer used the same name as them?” “People knew because my uncle and father had let it be known at the beginning. Some people who had worked with my father in logistics were also in S-21. That’s how some could know I was my father’s daughter. But they tried to hide my identity as soon as ‘Brother of the East’ [another alias of Duch] arrived at S-21 and they called me ‘Chantha.’”

Nam Mon does not know all of her file
A biographical data sheet relating to someone called Yarn Yoeun was added to her civil party application. Was that person known to the civil party? Nam Mon thought of her father, but when the judge read to her what was written on it, that is the man was arrested late 1976, while she repeated that her father was imprisoned only late 1977, Nam Mon was lost and stated she did not know who it was.

Duch, “more handsome back then”
During her two years of work at the prison, Nam Mon claimed, in response to the co-Prosecutors, she met no staff members other than her colleagues of the medical team. She was authorised to work only in one of the prison buildings, the one where cadres were imprisoned, and could not circulate freely in the compound. She knew no cadre at S-21, but was aware “there was one person called ‘Brother of the East.’” Invited to identify the accused, she stated: “I believe he was indeed ‘Brother of the East’ but back then, he was more handsome than today.” She saw him almost every fortnight, but ignored at the time he was the one in charge of the prison.

An uncle killed under her eyes
She then recalled a scene, that occurred “one day at 6pm” and which she was able to observe from the third floor of the building where she worked: “I saw my uncle Hoeun be beaten and Brother of the East hit him [on the back of his neck] with a metal rod of about 50cm […] under a coconut tree, outside of the compound,” at the back of the building where she was. “Afterwards, I was blamed for not doing my work well, but actually, I believe it was because I’d seen my uncle’s execution.”

Kambol (Phnom Penh, Cambodia). 13/07/2009: Nam Mon, during her testimony at Duch’s trial, with a member of NGO TPO by her side
©Stéphanie Gée

She said she met Duch outside of work, at the house of her uncle – “who was still an important person in her division and both had been friends” –, at two parties the latter had organised at his home. “If your uncle was a friend of the accused, why do you think he killed him?”, the international co-Prosecutor asked her. “I could not find out if they were very close friends…”

Taking care of the detainees so they can continue their confessions
“What instructions were you given?”, the international co-Prosecutor asked her. “Do my best to take care of the patients so they can be strong and continue their confessions. I didn’t understand why those in a very bad state could not receive any care, only those with light wounds…”

An uncle escaped, then the rest of the family was arrested
Then interrogated by her co-lawyer Silke Studzinsky, Nam Mon reported htat until her arrest, she used to go and visit her uncle Hoeun, the one who put her up in Phnom Penh and sent her to medical training. She used to meet him “frequently” until she was arrested. One night, she and the other members of her family discussed at that uncle’s house an escape plan that only uncle Sem attempted. The latter managed to fly to the United States, where he still lives.

Nam Mon, witness to another execution
Before her lawyer, she suddenly remembered also seeing the execution of her other uncle, Keth, beaten by “Brother of the East” in the same way and at the same place as his younger brother, uncle Hoeun. Judge Lavergne then inquired about the new uncle, whom the civil party had until then never mentioned. “I did not include uncle Keth in my complaint because I was afraid of giving too many names. I was also scared of being killed, as I was the last survivor in my family,” Nam Mon explained. She said that two weeks after her uncle Sem’s escape, her two other uncles were arrested, and later, her father.

“Prey Sar was not a re-education centre…”
In the re-education camp of Prey Sar, where she was transferred after three months of detention in S-21 in an individual cell, did she see “children be killed?”, Silke Studzinsky asked her. “At night, I would hear children cries and I saw one child be thrown into the air so he fell back on the pike of a bayonet.” “It was not a re-education centre, but a place where women and children were killed,” the civil party said about Prey Sar.

Nam Mon obtained the right to ask a question to the accused: “I want to know if the accused will deny the true story I just told the Chamber?”

Too many inconsistencies and inaccuracies, the accused opined
After giving another talk about his “legal and emotional” responsibilities for the executions carried out in S-21, Duch recalled that after April 17th 1975 and the evacuation of Phnom Penh, forces remained mobilised in the capital, “in particular those assigned to Vorn Vet to help him at the Ministry of Commerce and those assigned to Son Sen.” Once this historical point specified, he declared he had not found the name of Nam Mon’s father – whom she presented as a logistician at S-21 – in the staff list, nor the name of the civil party in the list of the medical staff, who he said “belonged to the former forces of division 703 and only comprised of men.” He did not stop there. “The description she gave is very remote from the situation that prevailed in S-21. […] Regarding Prey Sar, detainees were given many missions, yet the civil party said she only had to dig pits,” he said with conviction, adding he did not believe “her sufferings were the result of S-21.” As for a transfer of Nam Mon from Prey Sar to another prison (Prey Totem), S-21 simply did not have the authority for such a move, he continued. However, learning from Norng Chanphal’s case, he took care to issue a reservation: “If documents attesting that the civil party was a member of S-21 medical staff were to be found, and if such a document can be presented to the Chamber, mentioning her name […], then I will revise my position. But I am not familiar with all the names [of her deceased relatives] she gave ring and I cannot find them on the lists of S-21 detainees.” Then, concluding his demonstration, he highlighted that the civil party seemed to ignore how many times S-21 changed location, a point he already explained the Chamber.

In a very short time, Duch finished undermining a testimony which fragility had already appeared in its inconsistencies and inaccuracies.

Duch rehabilitates the story of a previous civil party
After the lunch break, the accused returned to the case of the civil party who testified just before, Mrs. Chim Meth. He had news. Unit 17, which she belonged to, was indeed under the authority of Prey Sar, he now admitted, after reading relevant documents, and he recognised the authenticity of her photograph. “What Chim Meth said about unit 17 was true. I therefore recognise she suffered and I hope to get more documents to shed light on her case.” Then, in an unrelated fashion, he declared that “the seven photographs related to Nam Mon’s complaint are not sufficiently supported by other documents for me to be able to confirm or infirm the presence of these people in S-21.”

Nam Mon does not recognise Duch’s photograph
Judge Cartwright jumped in: “Do you recognise one [of the people whose photographs were shown this morning] as staff members or detainees in S-21?” “None of them,” the accused replied positively. “[…] I do not recognise any of those people as having been S-21 staff members.” However, he did not say if he had known them as detainees or outside the context of S-21.

Then, a group photograph was shown to the civil party. Nam Mon said she did not recognise any of the faces. Judge Cartwright then turned to Duch, who listed the names of the people featured on the old black and white picture, essentially S-21 staff members… including himself.

Nam Mon: in Tuol Sleng since 1975
Kar Savuth, Cambodian co-lawyer for the accused, highlighted some inconsistencies in Nam Mon’s testimony. From the first question, Silke Studzinsky intervened: “I ask Your Honour to request that my colleague Kar Savuth talk to the civil party in a less aggressive manner.” The president agreed and recalled for the defence that this was an emotional topic. The lawyer apologised, it was his “habit to talk in this way” but he had never intended to threaten Nam Mon. He corrected himself. How was she able to work since mid-1975 at S-21, when S-21 had not yet been established on the premises of Tuol Sleng? “We treated the people who were there, those who prepared the place before S-21 was set up there,” Nam Mon answered. “And when cadres and their families were arrested, the place became a place of detention and that’s how Tuol Sleng prison was established. But I was there from the start. I began by providing care to the soldiers, then to the prisoners.”

Tuol Sleng or S-21?
“Under Pol Pot’s regime, were people authorised to organise parties?” “At the time when my parents and my uncle were still alive, yes, it was still possible to organise a party. Afterwards, it wasn’t.” Did she know Nath, who directed S-21 until Duch took charge in 1976, François Roux, the international co-lawyer for the accused, asked her. “No, I do not know this name.” In any case, when she arrived in Tuol Sleng in 1975, the person in charge of the premises was someone named Yem, “a subordinate of my uncle” (Hoeun), and “the place became a prison only when ‘Brother of the East’ arrived,” she stated, adding that Tuol Sleng “never changed location.” Duch was not asked whether Tuol Sleng was already “inhabited” when he decided to establish S-21 there permanently in 1976.

If Nam Mon did not indicate in her civil party complaint of July 9th 2008 that she had seen her uncle’s execution, it was “out of fear to be killed,” she repeated. She had not mentioned it even to the judges, but only when she was interrogated by the co-Prosecutors. “It is true. Because at first, I didn’t want to talk about them.” In her complaint, she did not mention either she had witnessed the killing of children in Prey Sar. The civil party recognised she had reported only today the scene of a children being thrown into the air and falling back on the pike of a bayonet, only when she was interrogated by her lawyer. Without any other explanation. The president thanked her for her testimony. Next.

Mam Nay, Duch’s former subordinate, informed of his rights
Mam Nay, alias Chan, 76 years old, took his seat. He was warmly-clothed: a krama wrapped around his neck, two shirts one over the other, and mittens on his hands. From the outset, the president announced to the former head of the interrogation unit in S-21 that as a witness, he had the right to remain silent and not answer “a question that may incriminate him.”

Joint criminal enterprise: the defence scores
François Roux then shared a concern of the defence: “As you know, the co-Prosecutors have filed a request for the application of the concept of joint criminal enterprise. In paragraph 9 of this request, […] it is indicated that the co-Prosecutors consider that Duch was an integral part of a joint criminal enterprise that included his subordinates at S-21. This clearly means that, should the Chamber grant this request, the witness present here, who was a subordinate of Duch, may be prosecuted by the co-Prosecutor, whether he remains silent or not. It seems to me it is our duty to inform the witness at this stage of what may happen to him. It seems to me it is our duty to allow the witness to discuss immediately with his own lawyer, who will explain him what joint criminal enterprise is and that, if the Chamber should grant the co-Prosecutors’ request, he may be prosecuted, either before this tribunal or before a domestic court. So, before going further, Your Honour, I would like you to inform the witness of his rights and to authorise him to meet his lawyer immediately, unless… Unless the office of the co-Prosecutors immediately renounces their request regarding joint criminal enterprise.” The arguments prompted stir in the audience.

William Smith responded: “The co-Prosecutors have already told the co-Investigating Judges they would not seek to prosecute the present witness before the ECCC [Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia] […], before the co-Investigating Judges have met and interrogated the witness. The co-Prosecutors’ position has not evolved since and whatever the result of the co-Prosecutors’ request regarding joint criminal enterprise, as you know, this will have no consequence in this case.”

François Roux had not said his last word. “When the co-Prosecutors said that to the co-Investigating Judges, they had not yet filed the request I have mentioned and which is extremely clear, as it refers to all the subordinates in S-21. […] Secondly, you are saying today that you will not prosecute the witness before the ECCC. Can you affirm before this audience that the witness will not be prosecuted before the national courts? Can you guarantee that to him? If you cannot, I ask that he be allowed to consult his lawyer immediately.”

The international co-Prosecutor had no objection to the witness consulting a lawyer and “reiterated that charges before the ECCC do not depend on a decision you will render on joint criminal enterprise, Your Honour.”

Mam Nay wants a lawyer
Interrogated, Mam Nay claimed he did not have a lawyer. “Do you think you need a lawyer to assist you before you testify?”, the president asked him. Unsurprisingly, the witness answered positively, saying he did “not have the means” to hire one.

The Chamber had contacted the Legal Aid Scheme, but “unsuccessfully until now,” the president noted, before deciding to adjourn Mam Nay’s testimony. And, “since no other witness was scheduled to appear,” the hearing was adjourned…

That was a swift move operated by the defence, as the co-Prosecutors’ request was filed when case file no.1 was already referred to the Trial Chamber and it had already delayed the opening of Duch’s trial by five months. The disarray of the Chamber and the office of the co-Prosecutors revealed they had not thought of such a scenario, while the concept of joint criminal enterprise continues to complicate the case. On a procedural level, the defence’s remark was pertinent and implacable. However, it meant that there will be nothing to expect from witnesses like Mam Nay, if they are duly assisted by lawyers and aware of their right to remain silent. Some information may remain buried forever, though it is unclear if such individuals were ready to make revelations to the Chamber when they have always refused to talk to this day…

Treating 4,000 diabetic patients in Cambodia, a high-prevalence but resource- limited setting: a 5-year study

7thSpace
http://7thspace.com

2009-07-14

Despite the worldwide increasing burden of diabetes, there has been no corresponding scale-up of treatment in developing countries and limited evidence of program effectiveness. In 2002, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Cambodia, Medecins Sans Frontieres initiated an outpatient program of subsidized diabetic care in two hospital-based chronic disease clinics in rural settings.

We aimed to describe the outcomes of newly and previously diagnosed diabetic patients enrolled from 2002 to 2008.

Methods: We calculated the mean and proportion of patients who met the recommended treatment targets, and the drop from baseline values for random blood glucose (RBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and body mass index (BMI) at regular intervals. Analysis was restricted to patients notlost to follow-up.

We used the t test to compare baseline and subsequent paired values.

Results: Of 4404 patients enrolled, 2,872 (65%) were still in care at the time of the study, 24 (0.5%) had died, and 1,508 (34%) were lost to follow-up. Median age was 53 years, 2,905 (66%) were female and 4,350 (99%) had type 2 diabetes.

Median (interquartile range (IQR)) follow-up was 20 months (5 to 39.5 months). A total of 24% (51/210) of patients had a HbA1c concentration of <7%>60 years, living outside the province, normal BMI on admission, high RBG on last visit, and coming late for the last consultation.

Conclusions: Significant and clinically important improvements in glycemia and BP were observed, but a relatively low proportion of diabetic patients reached treatment targets. These results and the high loss to follow-up rate highlight the challenges of delivering diabetic care in rural, resource-limited settings.

Author: Marie-Eve RaguenaudPetros IsaakidisTony ReidSay ChyLim KeukyGemma ArellanoWim Van Damme
Credits/Source: BMC Medicine 2009,

Former K.Rouge prison deputy denies torture

AFP Photo: A photographer take a picture of witness Mam Nai, the former deputy of Khmer Rouge...

Tue Jul 14

PHNOM PENH (AFP) - The former deputy head of the main Khmer Rouge prison on Tuesday denied he had tortured prisoners as he sought to play down his position in Cambodia's late 1970s hardline regime.

Mam Nai, 76, told the UN-backed war crimes trial of former jail chief Duch that his role had been only to question inmates at the notorious Tuol Sleng prison.

"I was just a plain and simple interrogating cadre," Mam Nai said, addressing the court as a witness, not a defendant.

"I only interrogated prisoners without applying torture. It is my understanding that applying torture brings untrue confessions."

His former boss Duch is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people who passed through Tuol Sleng.

Although documents from the regime say Mam Nai was Duch's deputy and tortured prisoners into confessing espionage, he said he only interrogated "not important" inmates and used psychological tricks rather than abuse.

"When I asked the person about their biography and activities, it was not difficult at all (to get a confession)," Mam Nai said.

"If a prisoner refused to respond... I instructed guards to take prisoners back to their cell to think for a while, to reflect on their positive and negative activities," he added.

Mam Nai, whose Khmer Rouge nom de guerre was Chan, went on to tell the court that he was "unclear" on the organising structure of the notorious detention centre and knew nothing of mass killings there.

The witness, appearing in court wearing purple fingerless gloves and a traditional chequered Khmer scarf, batted away judges' questions throughout the day.

He said he had not known all prisoners at Tuol Sleng were presumed guilty and destined to be killed, and that he could not recall drafting prison documents shown to the court, which appeared to be signed by him.

When French judge Marc Laverne asked whether he suffered from memory problems, Mam Nai replied that he has trouble recalling the names of his children after a recent accident at his home.

"I fell onto the ground and fell unconscious for a while. Since then, I seem to forget a lot," Mam Nai said.

The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But he has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and maintains he never personally killed anyone.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, torture and execution during the 1975-79 regime.

Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in detention and are expected to face trial next year at the court, which was formed in 2006 after nearly a decade of wrangling between the UN and the Cambodian government.

The tribunal is marred by a dispute between prosecutors over whether to pursue more suspects. It also faces accusations of government interference and claims that local staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.

Mam Nai's testimony continues Wednesday.

Suchua-Cambodia's precious gem

http://www.mysinchew.com

2009-07-14

WHEN CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly insulted an unspecified female politician recently, he got more than he bargained for: His implied target turned around and sued him.

The prime minister’s insult might be considered typical in a country with continuing gender inequality, but that didn’t mean Mu Sochua was going to take it lying down.

For 20 years, Mu Sochua has been a voice for exploited Cambodians. As the Viet Nam War spread to Cambodia in 1972, the then 18-year-old was exiled, with no chance to say goodbye to her parents, who later vanished under the Khmer Rouge regime. She spent 18 years overseas, studying and working in Paris, the US and Italy and in refugee camps along the Thai–Cambodian border.

Since her return in 1989, she has been hands-on in rebuilding her homeland, first as an activist and now as a politician, focusing on women’s and children’s issues.

“I had the choice of being part of the reconstruction of Cambodia and I took that choice,” said Sochua, a member of parliament for the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the leading opposition to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

In 1991, Sochua formed the first Khmer women’s organisation, Khemara, and joined the Funcinpec political party, winning a national assembly seat representing Battambang in 1998. She soon became the first female minister for women’s and veterans’ affairs.

“What prepared me for the job was my early return, before the country was even officially open to the Western world, which put an embargo on it during 1975 to 1990.”

Her first ministerial act was to launch a national campaign for gender equality, Neary Rattanak (Women Are Precious Gems), which transformed an old Khmer proverb, “A man is gold; a woman is a white piece of cloth” into “Men are gold; women are precious gems.”
The rewritten proverb argues that women are as valuable as men; if “dirtied”, they can shine again like gems, rather than be stained forever like a muddied cloth.

However, in July 2004, she resigned, claiming corruption hindered her work. She joined the SRP, becoming the party’s first female secretary-general in 2006.

Her struggle has been recognised by several nominations and awards, including a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nomination and the 2005 Vital Voices Human Rights Global Leadership Award, presented by then US senator Hillary Clinton.

Sochua, who is fluent in English, French and Khmer, and holds degrees in psychology and social work from US universities, believes the key to positive change lies in giving people the right to participate in national development without discrimination.

“(Development) must be based on the preservation of the country’s resources, which are plentiful but so badly managed because of corruption and lack of rule of law.”

Sochua’s three daughters have all followed in her humanitarian footsteps. Although she says Asian people look at her with “sorry eyes” when they hear she has no sons, she is fiercely proud of her girls, saying they inspire her to fight even harder for equal access to education and healthcare and for gender equality.

“(Each time) I go to the police station and work with survivors of gender-based violence, I imagine myself a victim and that my daughters are caught in this cycle of violence.”

Her struggle led to her decision to sue Hun Sen for defamation, after he allegedly called her “cheung klang” (strong leg), an offensive term for women, during a speech in her Kampot constituency. He immediately responded with a countersuit, a threat to remove her parliamentary immunity and a request that the Cambodian Bar Association investigate her lawyer, Kong Sam Onn.

Without immunity, Sochua faces imprisonment and her lawyer faces disbarment. However, she is determined to proceed with the case.
This determination shows she cannot be stained by any dirty words, no matter who throws them.

(By Sara Veal in Phnom Penh-The Jakarta Post/ANN)

MySinchew 2009.07.14

Overseas Property News - Cambodia

http://www.live-pr.com/

14.07.2009

Phnom Penh has a grace and beauty not found in other Asian capitals. This vibrant Cambodian city has a rich and varied French Colonial heritage including villas, churches and boulevards.

(live-PR.com) - Phnom Penh has a grace and beauty not found in other Asian capitals. This vibrant Cambodian city has a rich and varied French Colonial heritage including villas, churches and boulevards.

Between the granting of independence and the dark days of the Khmer Rouge, a new golden era of architecture emerged, driven by French-educated Khmer architects. This was characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor.

Fortunately enlightened developers are preserving and refurbishing these timeless buildings to offer a mix of heritage, modernity and sumptuous amenity.


DSR Asset Management Ltd have a new release of 1 - 2 bedroom apartments for sale in French Colonial Phnom Penh competitively priced from £29,000 - £90,000. The refurbishment has been carried out to very high standard.

David Redfern of DSR said “After a little over a year of developing these units in Phnom Penh, we are very relaxed that at each interval demand has easily outstripped supply - both in terms of the sales and rentals.”

Phnom Penh is serviced by a modern international airport, and the city is experiencing massive growth as it is being discovered by a wider global audience.

The apartments can be fully-managed to produce hassle-free income from letting and there is a queue of customers for flats like these.

”All of the units developed so far are tenanted, and the developer and management company have a waiting list of expats ready to rent those that will be completed and hitting the rental market this quarter.

This is a great position to be in and demonstrates that the market is very hungry for high quality, stylish, well located accommodation like French Colonial,” said David

In the sought after riverside French Quarter demand for property of this type far exceeds supply and capital growth is running at an astonishing 17-20% per annum.

Chinese mobiles finding favor in Cambodian market

www.chinaview.cn

2009-07-14

PHNOM PENH, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Distributors here have said that the number of Chinese-sourced mobile phones being sold in Cambodia each month is climbing rapidly, local newspaper the PhnomPenh Post reported on Tuesday.

Not only are they cheaper than leading brands, but some have features including the ability to use two SIM cards, built-in radio and TV receivers and MP3 and MP4 players, it said.

The Ky Hout company said that it imports between 6,000 and 8,000 phones monthly for distribution in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang. The sales manager, who asked not to be named, said customers liked the fact that the phones were substantially cheaper than the competition.

She said sales were up ten-fold since the start of the year. "Previously we imported only 300 t0 600 of these phones each month that sell for between 35 U.S. dollars and 100 U.S. dollars each," she said, adding, "Our sales of Nokia phones have dropped by 80 percent."

Srey Touch, the owner of another importer, the 03 Company, agreed that sales of Chinese-made phones were up sharply. "We import new model phones two or three times a month, with up to 500phones each time," he said, adding, "The phones sell especially well during the big national holidays such as Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben and the Water Festival."

But representatives of Nokia and Sony Ericsson said their market share was not being hit by the cheaper competition. "Sales are stable," said Yoeun Makara, a retail sales manager who imports Nokia phones. "Moreover, 80 percent of our customers choose to buy Nokia because it is strong and robust, and they like the new touch screen models."

Chea Mony, the head of marketing at Sony Ericsson in Cambodia, is also bullish. He said sales were up at least 10 percent this year. "The influx of Chinese cell-phones creates opportunities for many users, but it is not an obstacle for Sony Ericsson because competition goes beyond price, and Sony Ericsson offers many different prices including low, medium and high," he said.

So Khun, minister of posts and telecommunications, said in May that 4.23 million of the country's 13.4 million citizens have mobile phones, and that the nation has just 42,000 landlines.

Nine mobile phones companies operate in Cambodia: Beeline, Excell, Hello, MFone, Metfone, Mobitel, qb, Smart and Star-Cell.

Editor: Li

(TIME) The Rise and Fall of the Khmer Rouge

AFP
Royal Seal of Approval
In 1965, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia's head of state, asserted the nation's opposition to the U.S.-backed government in South Vietnam by allowing North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases within Cambodia's borders. The North Vietnamese had an alliance with a Cambodian Marxist insurgency group, the Khmer Rouge, whose top brass Sihanouk is pictured here with in 1973.

Bettmann / Corbis
Losing Control
A Cambodian soldier holds a .45 to the head of a Khmer Rouge suspect in 1973. When Sihanouk was forced out of power in a coup, the new Prime Minister, General Lon Nol, sent the army to fight the North Vietnamese and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Fighting two enemies proved to be too much for Cambodia's army. As Civil War raged from 1970 to 1975, the army gradually lost territory as Khmer Rouge increased its control in the countryside.

Christine Spengler / Sygma / Corbis
Coming Apocalypse
Survivors sift through rubble after the Khmer Rouge bombed Phnom Penh, the capital city, on January 1, 1975. Four months later, the party took the city, on April 17, 1975, and began their mission of returning Cambodia to an agrarian society, emptying the cities and forcing their countrymen into agricultural labor.

Claude Juvenal / AFP / Getty Images

Day One, Year Zero
Khmer Rouge fighters celebrate as they enter Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. Prince Sihanouk, the party's early ally, resigned in 1976, paving the way for the now notorious Khmer Rouge founder and leader, Pol Pot, to become prime minister. The country was renamed Kampuchea, and it was the start Year Zero — the beginning of a new history for Cambodia written by Pol Pot.

Roland Neveu / OnAsia
Left Behind
Days before the occupation of the capital, thousands of Cambodians gather behind a school perimeter fence near the American embassy to watch the final evacuation of U.S. and foreign nationals.

GAMMA / Eyedea Presse
Death Sentence
A prisoner gets her mug shot taken. At prisons like Phnom Penh's infamous Tuol Sleng, prisoners were painstakingly documented before being sent to their deaths in mass graves later to be come known as the "killing fields." Hundreds of thousands of intellectuals were tortured and executed under the Khmer Rouge; others starved or died from disease or exhaustion. In total, an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died between 1975 and 1979.

AFP / Getty Images
Pol Pot's Utopia
An undated photograph shows forced laborers digging canals in Kampong Cham province, part of the massive agrarian infrastructure the Khmer Rouge planned for the country.

Bettmann / Corbis
A New Occupier
Fed up with cross-border raids by Khmer Rouge, Vietnam invaded Cambodia on Dec. 25, 1978. By Jan. 7, shown here, Vietnamese troops had occupied Phnom Penh. The Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia lasted for 10 years.

Kyodo News / AP
Fearless Leader
The Vietnamese overthrew Pol Pot, too, driving the leader to the Thai border where he continued to head the Khmer Rouge in the jungles.

John Bryson / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
Purging the Western Curse
The Khmer Rouge sought to rid Cambodia of all Western influences that distracted its people from their agrarian calling. Cars, abandoned and forbidden, were stacked up alongside the road.

David A. Harvey / National Geographic / Getty Images
A Bloody Landscape
An exhumed mass grave, pictured in 1981, in the Cambodian countryside reveals the skeletons of those executed and buried together under Pol Pot's regime.

Alex Bowie / Getty Images
The Resistance
Khmer Rouge guerrillas in the jungle of western Cambodia as they attempt to halt advancing Vietnamese forces on Feb. 15, 1981.

Alain Nogues / Corbis Sygma
Running for Cover
Cambodian refugees, pictured in January 1985, at a refugee camp, near the Thai-Cambodian Border. Some 60,000 people fled to the south as fighting increased between Khmer-Vietnamese troops and the FNLPK (Khmer People's National Liberation Front), one of the three groups making up the anti-communist resistance.

Jacques Langevin / Corbis Sygma
Out from Under the Iron Curtain
Without backing from the Soviet Union, Vietnam could no longer afford to keep its troops in a state of indefinite occupation in Cambodia. In September 1989, Vietnamese troops withdrew from Phnom Penh.

Michael Freeman / Corbis
A Tearful Reunion
A family greets each other in August 1989 after being separated during years of war and occupation.

Jacques Langevin / Corbis Sygma
Return the Old Guard
The 1991 Paris Peace Accord that followed Vietnam's withdrawal mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, but was not fully respected by Khmer Rouge guerrillas. U.N. transitional authority shared power with representatives of various factions, and Prince Sihanouk, shown here at center making his way back the Royal Palace in November 1991, was reinstated as Head of State.

Romeo Cacad / AFP / Getty Images
Forgiven
U.N.-run elections in May 1993 resulted in a shaky coalition between Sihanouk's son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge guerrilla pictured here at a political rally before the elections. The country was once again named the Kingdom of Cambodia. Hun Sen remains Prime Minister today.

Jason Bleibtreu / Corbis Sygma
The Banality of Evil
Pol Pot continued to lead the Khmer Rouge party from rural Cambodia until July 1997 when he was arrested. In a show trial, Pol Pot, known as Brother No. 1, was denounced by his own followers and sentenced to house arrest in his jungle home. The press gathered there when he died less than a year later at age 73 on April 15, 1998, never having faced charges.

Ou Neakiry / AP
A New Chapter
Finally agreeing to abandon their fight, the remaining Khmer Rouge soldiers fighters surrendered on Feb. 9, 1999, and donned new uniforms of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces during an integration ceremony in Anlong Veng near the Thai-Cambodian border.

David Hogsholt / Getty Images
Documenting the Aftermath
Contact sheets showing pictures of what is believed to be former prisoners of the S-21 prison, also known as Tuol Sleng, where over 15,000 people lost their lives. Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, was detained for his role as chief of the torture center in 1999.

John Vink / Magnum Photos
The World Watches, and Waits, for Justice
A long delayed U.N.-backed tribunal to bring the leaders of the genocide to justice began in 2009. On Feb. 17, Duch's trial began. He is the first of five defendants scheduled for trial.

Toothless laws encourage rising demand for pangolin

Illegal trade in Asian pangolin meat and scales has caused the scaly anteaters to disappear from large swathes of Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR.

http://www.panda.org

14 July 2009

Singapore - Rising demand for pangolins, mostly from mainland China, compounded by lax laws is wiping out the unique toothless anteaters from their native habitats in Southeast Asia, according to a group of leading pangolin experts.

Illegal trade in Asian pangolin meat and scales has caused the scaly anteaters to disappear from large swathes of Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, concluded a panel of experts whose findings were announced today by the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC.

China has a long history of consuming pangolin as meat and in traditional medicine, the report states. Due to continual demand and the decreasing Chinese wild population, in the past few years pangolin smuggling from Southeast Asia has resulted in great declines in these producing countries wild populations, as well.

Although the animals are protected under national legislation in all Asian range states, and have been prohibited from international trade through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 2002, this legislation is having little impact on the illicit trade.

Pangolins are the most frequently encountered mammals seized from illegal traders in Asia, and are highly unusual in not possessing teeth.

Pangolins, like the laws designed to protect them, lack bite, commented Chris R. Shepherd, Acting Director for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

Pangolin populations clearly cannot stand the incessant poaching pressure, which can only be stopped by decisive government-backed enforcement action in the region.

According to pangolin hunters and traders, there are so few pangolins left in forests throughout Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, they are now sourcing animals from their last remaining strongholds in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Recent large seizures back up these reports. They include 24 tonnes of frozen pangolins from Sumatra, Indonesia, seized in Viet Nam this March and 14 tonnes of frozen animals seized in Sumatra this April. There have also been recent instances of African pangolins seized in Asia.

Pangolins save us millions of dollars a year in pest destruction, says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. These shy creatures provide a vital service and we cannot afford to overlook their ecological role as natural controllers of termites and ants.

The key to tackling the pangolin crisis is better enforcement of existing national and international laws designed to protect pangolins, better monitoring of the illegal trade, and basic research to find where viable pangolin populations still exist and whether ravaged populations can recover given adequate protection, according to the report.

The experts on pangolins included scientific researchers, government law enforcement officers from most Asian pangolin range States, CITES Management and Scientific Authorities and animal rescue centres, who convened at a workshop hosted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore at the Singapore National Zoo.

TRAFFIC's work on pangolins was supported by National Geographic and Sea World Bucsh Gardens.

MRC calls for public submissions on proposed Mekong hydropower schemes

www.chinaview.cn

2009-07-14

PHNOM PENH, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has established a web page to allow the public to make submissions regarding the 11 hydropower schemes proposed for construction along the mainstream Mekong.

The submissions, which can be made at http://www.mrcmekong.org/ish/hydro-submit.asp or by post or fax, will provide input to the MRC's Strategic Environmental Assessment that is looking at the wider economic, social and environmental implications of the proposed dams in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, according to MRC's statement released on Tuesday. MRC member countries will use information presented by the study to guide their decisions on these projects, it said.

Jeremy Bird, Chief Executive Officer of the MRC Secretariat, said that Mekong governments (include Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam) have expressed "a strong desire" to understand the full range of opportunities and risks of any proposed mainstream hydropower project, particularly those of a regional nature, before a decision is taken to proceed.

"In order to do this effectively, it is important to have a broad consultation process that allows us to hear the views of communities, NGOs, researchers and businesses. These web page submissions provide one of the tools to help achieve this."" he added.

As set out in the 1995 Mekong Agreement, MRC Member Countries must undergo a formal inter-governmental consultation process prior to building any dams on the river. Projects proposed for development on the mainstream in the lower Mekong Basin will come to the Commission for consultation, with a view to assisting member countries to reach consensus.

Past studies have shown that the development of hydropower can be both positive and negative. For example, the electricity generated and foreign exchange earnings can support a country's development programs, MRC's statement said. "However, a major concern is the effect that proposed dams could have on fish migration and numbers, and ultimately on the people that live in the river system and who rely on fish for their livelihoods and protein intake," says Xaypladeth Choulamany, a Fisheries Program Co-ordinator at the MRC. "What we need to do is to fully understand the basin wide implications of this and other impacts."

Editor: Zhang Xiang

Two-month campaign aims to stem human trafficking

http://english.vietnamnet.vn

14/07/2009

VietNamNet Bridge – A two-month campaign to tackle the trafficking of women and children starts next week.

The General Department of Police has asked the force nationwide to form plans to combat rings involved in trafficking in border regions, especially those adjoining China and Cambodia.

It would work closely with border guards and other agencies to rescue and repatriate victims of trafficking who faced being sold in foreign countries. So far this year, 191 trafficking cases involving 417 women and children have been detected.

A recent ministry report indicated about 360 people were being investigated for likely involvement in related illegal activities. Since 2005, there have been 1,600 cases of human trafficking with 4,300 victims - and about 3,000 people were investigated for involvement.

Traffickers often sell women and children they kidnap in northern provinces, including Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Dien Bien, to contacts in China.

"Reasons for trafficking were the economic crisis, unemployment and residents' low awareness of the law," said the deputy director of the Social Order Crime Investigation Police Department, Nguyen Tri Phuong.

There was a lack of co-ordinated administration and also difficulties when working with neighbouring countries, he said. "To prevent human trafficking, we need help from our neighbours."

The ministry would co-ordinate with provincial police and border guards and bodies in China, Cambodia and Laos to establish better ways to try to eliminate trafficking rings.

Traffickers often take advantage of dark nights and a lack of vigilance among families to kidnap children. In isolated cases, they have murdered parents to kidnap new-born babies.

Nearly 80 per cent of the women had lived in Mekong Delta provinces and HCM City, where police discovered five cases of illegal marriage brokerage and attested 26 people for acting as middlemen.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Khmer Rouge prison chief killed detainees: survivor

A foreign journalist watches Nam Mon (right), a survivor of Khmer Rouge’s prison S-21, on a livefeed TV at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), in Phnom Penh yesterday

http://www.gulf-times.com

Tuesday 14/7/2009

A Khmer Rouge survivor yesterday told Cambodia’s war crimes trial she saw the regime’s prison chief kill her two uncles—the first testimony that Duch executed detainees at the main jail.

Nam Mon told the UN-backed court she witnessed Duch, known to her during the Khmer Rouge’s 1975-79 rule as Brother East, killing her uncles while she worked as a medic at Tuol Sleng, the central torture centre and prison.

While Duch, real name Kaing Guek Eav, has admitted responsibility for overseeing the torture and extermination of around 15,000 people who passed through the prison, he denies personally killing anyone.

But 48-year-old Nam Mon said: “Outside the gate, near the coconut tree, both my uncles were ordered to kneel down and they were beaten and killed. I was shocked but I did not do anything”.

“I saw this Brother East use a metal bar about half a metre long to beat those people underneath a coconut tree,” she added.

“After they were killed... I was terrified, I could no longer speak and I could not concentrate on my work any longer”.

Asked by Judge Nil Nonn whether she had any questions for Duch, Nam Mon said: “Are you going to deny the truth of the facts that I have said in front of the chamber?”
Duch, 66, responded that Nam Mon could not have worked at Tuol Sleng because no female medics were employed there.

“Yes, I acknowledge they suffered, she suffered, but not at (Tuol Sleng),” he said. “All the names that she provided, when I checked the list (of detainees), it’s non-existent. There’s no evidence at all.”

Recognised as a civil claimant in the case against Duch, Nam Mon was revealing her story in public for the first time, her lawyer said last week.

However, judges have cast doubt on the authenticity of several civil claimants who have testified that they were at Tuol Sleng.

Earlier yesterday, Nam Mon was comforted by a court-appointed psychiatrist while she identified chilling black and white photos of her parents, three brothers and a sister-in-law whom she said were imprisoned and executed at Tuol Sleng.

“This is the photo of my father the moment he was dying,” Nam Mon said after being shown an image of an emaciated man lying down, staring into the air. She told the court on Thursday that one of her brothers had been ordered to kill her father. Her testimony was adjourned last week when she began to weep uncontrollably.

Nam Mon said that her two elder brothers were guards at Tuol Sleng before her family was killed at the notorious jail, while she initially lived and worked there before being interrogated herself.

“I treated the sick. I saw prisoners who were beaten and interrogated... I only saw the wounds and the bleeding on bodies of prisoners while I treated them,” Nam Mon said yesterday. Duch begged for forgiveness near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity after accepting responsibility for his role overseeing the jail.

But he has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia’s cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two mn people were executed or died of starvation, overwork or torture. Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in detention and expected to face trial next year. AFP

Former KRouge prison deputy denies torture

The skulls of victims are piled up on display at the Choeung Ek memorial stupa south of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. Mam Nai, the 76-year-old former deputy head of the brutal regimes's main prison, Tuol Sleng, has denied he tortured prisoners as he sought to play down his position during the country's 1970s hardline state.
(AFP/File/Nicolas Asfouri)

Tue Jul 14

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – The former deputy head of the Khmer Rouge's main prison has denied he had tortured prisoners as he sought to play down his position in Cambodia's late 1970s hardline regime.

Mam Nai, 76, told the UN-backed war crimes trial of former jail chief Duch that his role had been only to question inmates at the notorious Tuol Sleng prison.

"I was just a plain and simple interrogating cadre," Mam Nai said, addressing the court as a witness, not a defendant.

"I only interrogated prisoners without applying torture. It is my understanding that applying torture brings untrue confessions."

His former boss Duch is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people who passed through Tuol Sleng.

Although documents from the regime say Mam Nai was Duch's deputy and tortured prisoners into confessing espionage, he said he only interrogated "not important" inmates and used psychological tricks rather than abuse.

"When I asked the person about their biography and activities, it was not difficult at all (to get a confession)," Mam Nai said.

"If a prisoner refused to respond... I instructed guards to take prisoners back to their cell to think for a while, to reflect on their positive and negative activities," he added.

Mam Nai, whose Khmer Rouge nom de guerre was Chan, went on to tell the court that he was "unclear" on the organising structure of the notorious detention centre and knew nothing of mass killings there.

The 66-year-old Duch, real name Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role in governing the jail and begged forgiveness from victims near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But he has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and maintains he never personally killed anyone.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, torture and execution during the 1975-79 regime.

Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in detention and are expected to face trial next year.

Interrogator at Khmer Rouge prison denies torture

A Cambodian man watches Mam Nai, a former Khmer Rouge Chief of Interrogation Unit at the notorious S-21 prison, on a local television in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, July 14, 2009 as sessions of the U.N.-backed tribunal continue. Heng Sinith / AP Photo

By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press Writer

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A senior interrogator at the most notorious Khmer Rouge prison denied Tuesday that he tortured victims, despite grisly earlier testimony from his former boss that torture was common there.

Mam Nai, 76, told the U.N.-backed genocide tribunal that his main duty was to interrogate low-ranking Khmer Rouge soldiers who allegedly opposed the regime, as well as Vietnamese prisoners of war.

"I never used any torture. It was my understanding that applying torture would lead to an inappropriate confession, that there would be little true in forced confessions," Mam Nai said.

His testimony comes at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav - better known as Duch - who headed the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh. Up to 16,000 people were tortured under his command and later taken away to be killed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. Only a handful survived.

During hours of earlier testimony, Duch graphically described torture methods used at the prison, though he did not testify about Mam Nai's activities there. He has asked forgiveness from victims' relatives.

Duch (pronounced DOIK), 66, is the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face trial and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. He is charged with crimes against humanity and is the first of five defendants scheduled for long-delayed trials by the tribunal.

Senior leaders Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Ieng Sary's wife, Ieng Thirith, are detained and are likely to face trial in the next year or two.

Mam Nai allegedly was responsible for the interrogation and torture of high-ranking members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea accused of plotting against the regime.

He said he met Duch after fleeing into the jungle to fight with the Khmer Rouge in 1973, and Duch trained him in interrogation. He said he was once assigned to question 20 Vietnamese soldiers.

"First, I had to play politics with them, to make them understand and then they agreed to make a confession. After that, I asked for their biographies and their personal activities," he said.

"If the prisoners refused to confess, I asked the guards to take them back to their cells to think and reflect on their positive and negative activities," he said.

2009-07-14

Cambodia Installs Over 500 Solar Energy Electricity

http://www.bernama.com

PHNOM PENH, July 14 (Bernama) -- More than 500 solar energy electricity generations have been installed in Cambodia's rural areas to help improve the living standard of poor people, China's Xinhua news aagency said quoting local media reports Tuesday.

The UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and local organisations, so far, have cooperated each other to install more than 500 solar energy electricity generations at the rural areas of Cambodia, where the electricity is not able to access for everyday life in households, schools and referral hospitals, according to Khmer language newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea.

"The producing of the solar energy electricity does not affect the environment and global warming, and the solar energy electricity will be used for healthcare and education fields," Kong Pharith, president of Capacity Building Organization was quoted as saying. Capacity Building Organization is an expert for installing the solar energy system at the rural areas in the country.

"When we have electricity, our local students can access to use computers in their schools," he added.

Now, the local and international organisations are focusing on the installation of battery charging stations for people in the rural areas, he said, adding that price for charging battery will be reduced to 30 percent with support from the UNDP.

Cambodia has 30 percent of its population living in poverty. Most of them live in the rural areas, while 80 percent are farmers.

-- BERNAMA

Smiles from nowhere

GREER McDONALD
SHARE THE LOVE: 'Thank you for your smile,' a monk told us. 'If you give your smile, it makes the world better and spreads peace.'

http://www.stuff.co.nz

By GREER McDONALD - The Dominion Post
14/07/2009

Cambodia is the place where, for the first time, I really cursed the world of technology.

It began on a surprisingly smooth minibus ride from the capital, Phnom Penh, towards Battambang - the second-largest city in the country, and I wished my eyes were able to take a photo every time I blinked.

Was that too much to ask?

Instead, my camera groaned under my attempts to capture every second of the dynamic country as we zoomed through traffic at what felt like an average speed of 140 kilometres an hour.

The postwar history of the "Land of a Thousand Smiles" tends to prompt a grimace rather than a grin - but that's changing.

The nation was at least 30 years behind the rest of the world, I'd been warned, thanks to the Khmer Rouge role in a civil war that crippled it. Like the beautiful lotus flower, which grows like a weed across the countryside, the country is reopening itself to the outside world.

The 300km journey between Phnom Penh and Battambang is not the most popular of journeys for tourists: they tend to fly 45 minutes to Siem Reap, home of the famous ruins of Angkor Wat.

We stopped at a silversmith village, filled with the most intricate silver creations; where adorable children ran from their huts clutching trays of jewellery and ornaments. Other family members busily hammered away, barely looking up as they knocked out another elaborate design.

There is a certain level of satisfaction in handing over a couple of US dollars to a small child in a village off the beaten tourist trail. In a country known for corruption which filters down from the government to street level, parting with a few greenbacks to the person you just witnessed creating the item leaves one with a great sense of economic satisfaction.

Pottery manufacturers in Kompong Chhnang, tucked away in lush country like the set of Platoon, are also worth a deviation.

Rural Cambodians have the most novel common sense about them, as if, after being knocked down through their civil war, they've jumped back to their feet, dusted themselves off and kept going. Immensely resourceful and impossibly polite, even the most sheltered Cambodian has a basic grip on English and will bend over backwards to have you witness their lives.

Once in the country's northwest, it becomes obvious Battambang city is less than used to visitors. Centred around a busy food market and a nondescript river, the city boasts one major hotel, a handful of backpacker accommodation - and one rather luscious French boutique hotel called La Villa.

The smattering of French colonial architecture is a pleasant surprise, and suspends visitors in a sort of time warp.

On a rusty bike, the town really comes alive: riding along the Sangker River to Wat Slaket pagoda, the residence of the provincial Buddhist patriarch, was a highlight of the trip. There we met a 12-year-old monk and his mother, who gave him to the monastery to ensure he had a better life. His haunting gaze was a window into a wise soul.

We also met an older monk who beamed the famous Cambodian smile. "Thank you for your smile. I give you my smile too. It is important to give your smile to people. If you give your smile, it makes the world better and spreads peace," he told our group.

My eyes prickled with tears, which mixed with sweat from the bike ride in the searing heat to make a salty tang on my lips.

Cycling enabled us to inhale the smells of the countryside and wave at the children who would run to the roadside to practise their English. "Hello, hello," they yelled, with the odd "bonjour" thrown in.

We heard the noises of wedding celebrations and soccer wins, funeral dirges and loudspeaker entreaties for donations to the local monastery.

A couple of days later we walked through the village of Kompong Khleang, about an hour from Siem Reap. This community, again off the beaten trail, is home to more than 20,000 people who live in enormously high stilt houses and make a living from fishing.

Children screamed welcome from high up in their homes which, when the monsoon arrives, will have water lapping at their doorstep and fishing lines cast from their windows.

Despite the remoteness of the village, cellphone towers loomed overhead. Landlines are like hen's teeth and the country has adopted mobile technology to the extreme - nine mobile phone companies compete to provide services to a population of 15 million.

Near Siem Reap we visited the Khmer silk village of Phnom Srok or "the little hill" and watched over the shoulders of women who weave intricate silk scarves. We witnessed the silk production line - from silkworms on a mulberry tree leaf to the finished product - by visiting each family responsible for one of the five steps in the process.

Stepping outside the comforts of the minivans was, in short, experiencing the country - rather than just passing through and ticking the boxes of the major tourist spots.

And it made for a moving and unforgettable adventure.

* The writer travelled courtesy of Adventure World, Cathay Pacific, Dragonair and Bangkok Airways.

GETTING THERE

* Cathay Pacific and sister airline Dragonair offer special fares from New Zealand to Phnom Penh, via Hong Kong. Bangkok Airways offers domestic connections between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Southern Gold 'strikes gold' in Cambodia

http://www.businessspectator.com.au

14 Jul 2009

AAP

Southern Gold Ltd says it has found significant gold mineralisation at one of its projects in Cambodia.

The gold junior found "a number of prominent gold intersections" during its first reverse circulation drilling program, the company said.

Shares in the company leapt on news of the discovery, which identified gold intersections as rich as 8.8 grams per tonne.

Other metals including silver, copper and zinc also were located at the site.

Southern Gold managing director Stephen Biggins said the maiden drilling program validated the company's confidence in the area.

"I am delighted with the results of this first-pass drill program and look forward to aggressively following-up these results," Mr Biggins said in a statement.

At 1107 AEST, shares in Southern Gold were up 1.5 cents, 15 per cent, to 11.5 cents.

Prisoners Given ‘Aspirin’: Tuol Sleng Nurse

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 July 2009

Prisoners in the notorious Khmer Rouge prison of Tuol Sleng received little or no medical attention, except for receiving occasional mild painkillers, a former nurse at the sight to a UN-backed court Monday.

Nam Mon, now 48, told the Khmer Rouge tribunal that she had no real training in medicine before she was sent to the prison, which was administered by Duch, currently facing an atrocity crimes trial.

“I learned and cured patience at the same time,” she said. “I didn’t know how to write the names of medicines, so I had to recognize and remember them by heart.”

Nam Mon was one of three nurses at the prison, where prosecutors say 12,380 people were brutally tortured and later to their deaths.

“There were some treatments for prisoners in S-21,” Nam Mon said, referring to the prison by its Khmer Rouge code. But the treatment only included “paracetamol and aspirin.”

Thai Web Site Spreads False History: Cambodia

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 July 2009

The Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok formally requested that the Thai government withdraw a video clip from a Web site Monday, claiming the site spread false historical information.

The Web site, www.ilovethailand.org, features a video claiming the Siamese Empire, which predated modern-day Thailand, lost the provinces of Battambang, Siem Reap and Preah Vihear to Cambodia.

In fact, both the Siamese and Khmer empires battled back and forth for control of territory over the centuries.

In its note Monday, the embassy said, “it is the Kingdom of Cambodia which had lost much of its territory from the Khmer empire.”

Thailand and Cambodia are currently engaged in a military standoff over contested border patches, and nationalism on both sides has led to violence in the past.

Tourism Facing Multiple Strains: Official

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
13 July 2009

Cambodia’s second-largest earner of foreign income, tourism, is starting to feel the effects of a prolonged economic downturn and the unstable political situation in Thailand, tourism experts said Thursday.

The number of foreign visitors was down slightly for the first quarter of 2009, dropping 2.23 percent compared to the same period in 2008, but, officials said, those visitors who do come are spending less money.

“This decline has nothing to do with Cambodia’s performance,” said Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The industry is facing a swath of problems, from the global downturn, a wobbly government in Bangkok, the spread of the H1N1 virus, and even oil price hikes, he said.

Some have blamed Cambodia’s lack of a national airline for the decline, he said, and are hoping for a new tourism law and an open-sky policy, as well visas on arrival and an expansion of attractions.

Even with the slight decline, the number of tourists from the region has risen. Visitors from the Philippines, Laos Malaysia and Vietnam have boosted business for small hotels, he said.

“Therefore, big and luxurious hotels have faced some difficulties in losing their customers...as tourists now spend less money,” Ang Kim Eang said.

To stay competitive in the downturn and to keep numbers up, tourism professionals should target specific countries, said Ho Vandy, co-chairman of the Tourism Working Group, who was also a guest on Thursday’s show.

“What we have advised for the government is related to the promotion of targeting specific tourist groups, Japan or Korea, for instance”