Cambodia launches new backbone as part of regional fibre project

CommsDay
http://www.commsday.com

Tony Chan
July 21st, 2009

Telecom Cambodia has inaugurated a new national fibre backbone that connects from the country’s south western coast at Kampong Cham to the Laos border in the country’s north. The new link is the country’s second major fibre backbone and will be interconnected to an existing fibre backbone linking Bavet on the Cambodia-Vietnam border via the capital Phnom Penh to Poipet on the Cambodia-Thai border.

According to the Cambodia’s national newspaper, Phnom Penh Post, the new 650 kilometre link was launched last week and offers an initial capacity of 620 Mbps, according to the report in by the Phnom Penh Post.

“Telecom Cambodia hopes to continue developing other high-speed information links, including the Internet, using optical fibre ... and landlines on the existing network to efficiently provide Internet services,” Lao Sarouen, director general at Telecom Cambodia said at a launching ceremony last week.

Sarouen added that the new infrastructure now provides high speed network coverage to two thirds of the country. Huawei Technologies was cited as the supplier for the network.

According to Sarouen, the new link also marks the completion of the country’s role in a major regional project called the GMS ISN (Greater Mekong subregion Information Superhighway Network) – a multi-year Asia Development Bank project first launched in 2005 to build a fibre optical regional network connecting Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

GMS MOU: The original GMS cable project MoU was signed in July 2005 between The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of the Kingdom of Cambodia, China Telecom, Enterprise of Telecommunications Laos, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications, CAT Telecom, and Viet Nam Posts and Telecommunications Corporations, according to a copy of the MoU document on the Asian Development Bank website.

According to Cambodia’s Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon the GMS project was initiated by China in its July 2005 Kunming Declaration and has a projected cost of US$66 million, the Post reported. Keat Chhon added that the GMS ISN project had outlined three phases, the first of which is to construct national fibre backbones in the six GMS countries. That phases is now complete, he told the paper.

Subsequent phases will link up the national backbones into a regional ring between the countries.

“The GMS project will help strengthen cooperation between people and the GMS countries and will boost Cambodia's economy and the regional economy,” Keat Chhon said. “It will also help Cambodia improve its ICT standard in the near future.”

COMPETING GMS CABLE? Meanwhile, a Thai company, Connectsia Limited has reportedly entered into a joint venture with Electricite du Laos to build a new fibre system connecting Laos, China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

According to a report by the Lao news agency (KPL), the two companies have signed a MoU in which the Thai company will laid a cable from China to Luang Prabang province and Vientiane Capital in Laos, with further links to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The MoU allows Connectsia to use the electricity poles of Electricite du Laos for rolling out its network.

Cronkite’s Legacy Includes the Killing Fields of Cambodia

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/

by Kurt Schlichter

Walter Cronkite passed away a few days ago and pardon me for not joining the wailing and gnashing of teeth of the professional media mandarins. The fact is that Cronkite was an over-praised meat puppet, a doctrinaire liberal-left talking head who never once uttered a word that would have caused so much as a sigh of consternation in the Manhattan media environs he dwelled in.

Except among his loved ones, the hoopla that has accompanied his passing has nothing to do with Walter Cronkite the man and everything to do with Walter Cronkite the symbol. He symbolized a time - “The Golden Age” to hear the wistful liberals tell it - of a solid, unconquerable media monolith that passed judgment on What Is The News and defined Socially Accepted Opinion.



Oh, those glorious days of yesteryear, when those drooling slobs without the education or breeding to live in New York and work at the Times or at one of the three networks would genuflect before their black and white TV sets every evening and await Mr. Cronkite to bestow upon them The Truth! Now (sigh), it’s chaos, with too many different media outlets and too many different opinions. It’s gotten out of (our) control!

Come back, Walter, and save us from Fox News!
It was a Golden Age, all right - a Golden Age of enforced unanimity and bogus consensus hidden behind the strained-serious face and stentorian oration of St. Walter. It was an age of media liberalism unchallenged by anything like a conservative alternative. And it was all encompassing. In recent days, many have watched the footage of Cronkite announcing the death of John F. Kennedy. But if you watch the footage for a few minutes before his genuinely moving final bulletin, you’ll hear his innuendo hinting that Kennedy has been shot by disgruntled right-wingers. It must have broken his heart to find out that JFK had been murdered by a commie loner with an affinity for Castro.

Think of the proudest moments of the heroes of the media’s “Golden Age” - the McCarthy expose, the Watergate hearings, Cronkite’s own infamous thrust of the rhetorical dagger into the back of the fighting men in Vietnam (and of the Vietnamese who hoped for freedom) that was his Tet Offensive editorial. It’s like a liberal greatest hits album. There’s nothing, nothing even remotely conservative in the pantheon - because nothing conservative would have ever even occurred to the media heroes like Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and the rest. Their prized objectivity was really only a tool that justified their own biases and opinions - if they did it, by definition, it was “objective.”

Cronkite was supposed to be the voice of the people of Middle America, but he was really just a loud voice speaking at them. And soon after they turned and rejected the man Cronkite dubbed the smartest of presidents - Jimmy Carter!?! - and elected Ronald Reagan, he threw in the towel. He passed the torch to Dan Rather, and the sun set upon the Golden Age of Media Liberalism. For all his faults, at least Cronkite maintained a certain dignity, but Crazy Dan is a catastrophe. When Rather dies, the quickest way to find his obits will be to Google the terms “Texas Air National Guard fraud” or “What’s the frequency, Kenneth?”

The passing of Cronkite does mark the end of an era, but let’s not fool ourselves. He was human wallpaper to those of us who grew up watching him intone the news every night, a vaguely comforting presence during turbulent times for those of us too young to understand that much of what he was often passing off as the truth was the utter nonsense.

But to simply dismiss his actions ignores their very real harm, and to simply write off the superficial eulogies of the mainstream media as mere nostalgia is to underestimate their danger. In the case of Vietnam, where he and the rest of the media elders did their level best to ensure that the Vietnamese had no chance of a free future, the killing fields of Cambodia are a stark reminder of the human cost of Cronkite’s conscience. And the threat of a return to a liberal media monolith looms ahead, with petty fascists fantasizing about re-branded censorship reestablishing their monopoly on public discourse under the guise of “fairness” and “community control.”

Walter Cronkite is gone. Our condolences should go his family. But we must also speak the truth - the man was not a hero, not a saint, and let us all hope our country never again sees another man like him.

Cambodia Court Cases Mount Against Opposition

Arantxa Cedillo
Cambodian police evicted 70 families on Friday, giving them a small payment for their homes, which were on valuable land.

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

By SETH MYDANS
Published: July 20, 2009

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia’s courts have been busy in recent weeks with cases of defamation, disinformation and incitement brought by the government in what critics say is part of a broad assault on civil liberties.

“If you’re just walking into the situation, it seems like a series of ridiculous lawsuits,” said Sara Colm, a senior researcher for the New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch, who said at least nine lawsuits have recently been filed against critics and political opponents by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his supporters.

But she and other analysts say the targets seem carefully chosen to send a chill through the free press, independent judiciary, political opposition and civic organizations that were introduced by the United Nations in the early 1990s.

The surge in lawsuits amounts to “a serious threat to democratic development, which may undermine the efforts of the past 16 years to rebuild a tolerant and pluralistic environment in Cambodia,” the United Nations human rights office in Cambodia said in a statement in June.

In the most prominent cases, two opposition politicians have been stripped of their parliamentary immunity and sued for libel by Mr. Hun Sen and his associates. Threatened with a lawsuit and disbarment, their lawyer has abandoned the case, apologized to the prime minister and pledged allegiance to the ruling party.

The editor of one of the country’s last opposition newspapers was sent to prison in June for articles he had published, and another, soon afterward, apologized and agreed to shut down his newspaper to avoid court action.

A young political activist was convicted of defamation in June and jailed for spray-painting slogans critical of the government on the walls of his house.

“The court has always been used as a political tool,” said Theary C. Seng, whose leadership of a human rights group, the Center for Social Development, is being challenged in what she says is a politically motivated court case. “But recently, there is a concentration of cases which seem to be very political and which seem to use the court as a political tool to silence opposition voices.”

Mr. Hun Sen dismisses, and even appears to parody, his critics, declaring earlier this month that he was acting in the interests of democracy by stripping the two lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity so that they could face prosecution in the courts.

“From now on we are strengthening democracy and the rule of law,” he said. “This is not an anarchic democracy. Democracy must have the rule of law.”

Together with land seizures that are driving tens of thousands of people from their homes, analysts say these actions demonstrate a sense of impunity in a government that has resisted efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Cambodia.

In the most recent evictions, about 150 poor families were forced from their homes on prime land in Phnom Penh on Thursday and Friday, part of what the World Bank called “a major problem” in Cambodia’s fast-growing cities.

The court cases come at a time when countries in the region are looking increasingly toward China as a political and economic model and questioning the democratic and humanitarian values of the West.

In recent years, China has become a major donor and investor in Cambodia in projects that do not place the kinds of demands on governing and management that generally accompany assistance from Western nations and aid organizations.

“We have been fearing all along that Cambodia’s government is looking eastward toward China and Vietnam as models,” with their strong central governments and intolerance of dissent, said Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.

“Now there are a lot of activities recently that confirm our fear, and so it’s pretty scary,” he said. “What they are trying to do is to have only one strong party, and ultimately probably only one party.”

The aggressiveness of the government has been matched by what appears to be resigned acquiescence among many of its opponents to the dominance of Mr. Hun Sen and his ruling elite in the Cambodian People’s Party.

Nothing demonstrates this more sharply than the apologies that Mr. Hun Sen apparently requires as the price of leniency.

“I ask permission to demonstrate deep respect and bow down to apologize,” said Dam Sith, editor in chief of Moneaksekar Khmer, a pro-opposition newspaper, as he promised earlier this month to cease publication of his 10-year-old newspaper.

“I have in the past committed inappropriate acts again and again,” he said, adding that his only hope to avoid a defamation conviction is the “compassion and forgiveness” of Mr. Hun Sen — which he duly received.

European Parliament Representative Will Come to Observe Ms. Mu Sochua’s Court Hearing – Monday, 20.7.2009

Posted on 21 July 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 622

“Recently the government imprisoned the editor-in-chief of Khmer Machas Srok, and the National Assembly withdrew the immunity of two Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarians, Ms. Mu Sochua and Mr. Ho Van; this has led to strong reactions from many local and international organizations. The following is the reaction from an influential German parliamentarian, who asked the European Parliament to consider putting economic pressure on the Cambodian government.

“On 16 July 2009, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, an influential German parliamentarian and first vice president of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament [and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament], called on leaders of the European Union to intervene in order to protect democracy in Cambodia, as this country (Cambodia) has commerce and cooperation agreements with the European Union since 1997.

“An appeal in English, which was unofficially translated by Khmer Machas Srok, said that Article 1 of these agreements states “the respect of democracy and human rights as basis.”

Note:

Instead of re-translating the text again from Khmer back into English, we rather present here the press release in its original form:

“Liberals and Democrats call for EU to uphold Human Rights in Cambodia / 17-07-2009

“Today the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) have tabled a question to the European Commission and Council demanding action to stand up for Cambodian opposition politicians, journalists and lawyers who are facing serious defamation charges for daring to criticize the governing authorities.

“The ALDE political initiative comes in support of a UN Human Rights report published last month indicating an increasing use of defamation and disinformation lawsuits to undermine freedom of opinion in the country and stifle any criticism of the ruling elite or the Cambodian People’s party which has a huge majority in the Cambodian Parliament.

“In particular, in recent weeks the editor of a national newspaper (Khmer Machas Srok) which has shown support for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party and published articles accusing the Deputy Prime Minister of corruption was arrested. Similarly, two deputies from the Sam Rainsy Party were stripped of their parliamentary immunity at the end of June and face a trial on 24th July.

“Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (Free Democrat Party, Germany) and ALDE first Vice-President initiated the appeal to EU leaders to intervene in defense of democracy in Cambodia with whom the European Union has had a trade and cooperation agreement since 1997. The first article of this agreement deals with “respect for democratic principles and fundamental human rights” which are to “inspire the internal and international policies of the EU and Cambodia” and which “constitute an essential element of the agreement”.

“‘The EU has the vocation and obligation to export its values of democracy and human rights across the globe. Its soft power can and should be exerted through political and economic pressure on partner countries with which it has contractual relations,’ said Lambsdorff.

“‘We expect the Cambodian Government to drop its lawsuits against members of the opposition and we call on the European Union to send an observer to monitor the trial in Phnom Penh on 24th July of Mu Sochua, member of the Sam Rainsy opposition or any other politician facing similar charges.’”

“The ALDE initiative has been co-signed by ALDE MEPs Niccolo Rinaldi (Italia dei Valori) and Annemie Neyts (OpenVLD, Belgium).

http://parliament.europe.bg/en/index.php?category=374&id=23081&translation=en

[The ALDE Group is the 3rd largest political group in the European Parliament, holding the balance of power between the left and right.]

“This is a grave criticism addressing the downturn of democracy in Cambodia, expressed by a German parliamentarian who is among the parliamentarians of the European Union.

“It should be noted that the jailing of Mr. Hang Chakra, and the withdrawal of the immunity of two Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarians to make the way free for them to be called to the court – while the courts are criticized for not being independent – has led to condemnations from important local and international organizations, and they consider the measures taken by the government at present as a way to stifle freedom, and having a strong negative impact on democracy in Cambodia. However, all criticism of the current government has been dismissed by government officials.

“Even though government officials dismissed the condemnations from many sides, democratic countries from all over the world see that democracy in Cambodia is suffering a setback.”

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #, 18-21.7.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 20 July 2009

Spotlight on developing border area

Delegates from the committees for External Affairs from Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia discuss the development of their common border area during a conference in the Central Highland province of Kon Tum yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Le Lam

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/
21-07-2009

Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam delegations keen for infrastructure investment.

KON TUM — The role of national assemblies from Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam in promoting development in their common border area was high on the agenda at a conference which opened yesterday in the Central Highland province of Kon Tum.

The three-day conference was the first between the Committees for External Affairs of the three nations’ national assemblies. Delegates were also to discuss special priorities, including ways to encourage businesses to invest in key infrastructure such as roads, irrigation and electricity.

Issues related to capital disbursement, support for farmers, co-operation on culture, tourism, health care and environmental protection, as well as ways to promote peace and friendship, were other agenda topics.

The Vice Chairwoman of the NA of Viet Nam, Tong Thi Phong, said the conference’s role in implementing agreements between the Governments of Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam on poverty reduction, human resources development, health care and socio-economic infrastructure development for people in the area was significant.

The chairman of the Viet Nam NA Committee for External Affairs, Nguyen Van Son, said the conference was considered as a step in pushing up co-operative agreements signed between the Vietnamese NA and its Cambodian and Laotian counterparts.

He said it was also a chance for delegates from the national assemblies to share information and experiences and recommend effective ways to further partnership.

Officials from the Cambodian and Lao delegations said the national assemblies played an important role in boosting the development of border areas.

The legislators wanted to create a harmonious legal corridor which would promote investment between the neighbouring countries, they said. —VNS

Ex-KRouge interrogator recounts torture techniques

AFP - Tuesday, July 21

PHNOM PENH, July 21, 2009 (AFP) - - A former interrogator at the main Khmer Rouge prison told Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes tribunal Tuesday how staff were taught to torture prisoners using electric shocks and suffocation.

Prak Khan, 58, was testifying against Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21, in the late 1970s.

"We were taught how to torture the prisoners and to avoid the prisoners dying; otherwise the confession would be broken and we would be punished," Prak Khan told the court.

The witness, who was assigned to be an interrogator in late 1976 after being initially hired as a prison guard, said Duch and other high-ranking Khmer Rouge cadres often taught torture methods.

"We were trained how to whip the prisoners with the sticks, on how to electrocute, (and) on how to use the plastic bag to suffocate them," Prak Khan said.

"Detainees would be told not to make loud noises, not to curse or exchange swear words, or to shout slogans. And they were also warned not to scream while being tortured," he added.

Prak Khan said interrogators would torture prisoners until they confessed to spying on the Khmer Rouge regime and provided names of others in so-called espionage networks.

In earlier testimony, Duch admitted he did not believe that confessions obtained through torture were accurate.

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 the defendant has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and says 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 and torture or were executed during the 1975-1979 regime.

Mekong region ministers to meet Clinton Thursday

http://www.nationmultimedia.com

Phuket - Foreign Ministers from Lower Mekong region Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday and will mostly discuss economic development with her, Lao minister said Tuesday.

It was an initiative from Clinton to have the meeting on the sideline of the Asean annual meeting in the resort island of Phuket to boost US role in the region.

It would be an open-agenda meeting allowing ministers to raise various issues of interest to the meeting, said Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

The discussion would mostly cover the economic, infrastructure development, education, public health cooperation, he said.

The Nation

Interrogator recounts torture techniques

http://news.smh.com.au

July 21, 2009

A former interrogator at the main Khmer Rouge prison in Cambodia has described how staff were taught to torture prisoners using electric shocks and suffocation.

Prak Khan, 58, was testifying at the UN-backed war crimes tribunal against Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21, in the late 1970s.

"We were taught how to torture the prisoners and to avoid the prisoners dying; otherwise the confession would be broken and we would be punished," Prak Khan told the court on Tuesday.

The witness, who was assigned to be an interrogator in late 1976 after being initially hired as a prison guard, said Duch and other high-ranking Khmer Rouge cadres often taught torture methods.

"We were trained how to whip the prisoners with the sticks, on how to electrocute, (and) on how to use the plastic bag to suffocate them," Prak Khan said.

"Detainees would be told not to make loud noises, not to curse or exchange swear words, or to shout slogans. And they were also warned not to scream while being tortured," he added.

Prak Khan said interrogators would torture prisoners until they confessed to spying on the Khmer Rouge regime and provided names of others in so-called espionage networks.

In earlier testimony, Duch admitted he did not believe that confessions obtained through torture were accurate.

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 the defendant has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and says 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 and torture or were executed during the 1975-1979 regime.

Vietnam Central Bank: BIDV Can Open Cambodia Representative Office

http://www.nasdaq.com/

HANOI -(Dow Jones)- The State Bank of Vietnam said Tuesday it gave approval to the Bank for Investment & Development of Vietnam, or BIDV, to open a representative office in Cambodia.

The office, to be located in Phnom Penh, will be open for a four-year term, the central bank said.

State media said earlier this month BIDV plans to invest $50 million in Cambodia.

BIDV is in talks to buy a bank in the country, reported Vietnam News Agency, adding that the purchase will likely be completed this month.

It said BIDV also plans to invest in real estate and other businesses in Cambodia.

-By Vu Trong Khanh, Dow Jones Newswires; 844 35123042; trong-khanh.vu@ dowjones.com

Preparations for Thai-Cambodian border meet held in Bangkok

http://enews.mcot.net

BANGKOK, July 21 (TNA) – The preparation meeting for the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) was held in Bangkok to prepare for the session set to be held in September, with the venue yet to be decided.

The Joint Secretariat Meeting was co-chaired by Thai Border Affairs Department Director, Lt-Gen Nipat Thonglek, and Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister, Gen. Neang Phat.

The meeting prepared information for the GBC in all aspects to promote good relations and mutual understanding between the two countries’ armed forces.

Thai Defence Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan and his Cambodian counterpart, Gen. Tea Banh, will head the delegates to the upcoming border meeting which will cover three topics comprising 17 issues including survey and demarcation of land boundary; prevention and suppression of drug trafficking, and cooperation on border trade.

The most recent GBC meeting was held in April, at Cambodia’s Siem Reap, where the official name of the ancient temple of Preah Vihear (Phra Viharn in Thai) in the two bordering countries has not been agreed.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia. Clashes have occurred frequently near the 11th-century temple after it was listed as the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage Site as both countries maintain their claims on the area adjoining the temple. (TNA)

Market vendors protest upgrade

Photo by: Sovann Philong
Vendors from Kandal Market protest plans to redevelop the site into an eight-storey business centre. Four separate protests were staged Monday in front of City Hall, including one by families from the Tomnup Toek community.

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Chhay Channyda and May Titthara

Longtime Kandal Market vendors fear they will be left out of plans for eight-storey centre.

KANDAL Market vendors submitted a petition with more than 700 thumbprints to city authorities Monday demanding that the city block plans to redevelop the market and allow them to continue operating their businesses as usual.

Vendors' representative Leb Ny said 70 percent of the vendors oppose the redevelopment because they are afraid of losing their stalls and businesses after the project is completed.

"None of the vendors agreed with the market development plan, and they do not know anything about the deal between the government and the firm to renovate [it]," she said Monday.

"If the firm develops it, we will be kicked out of the market and might not be able to return."

Koet Chhe, deputy Cabinet chief at City Hall, accepted the vendors' petition, adding that he would pass it on to Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema for consideration.

Market upgrade
A joint venture between a South Korean company and the local company PPMD has put forth plans to build an eight-storey market and business centre on the site.

Chan Sophal, director of the joint venture, said Sunday that Prime Minister Hun Sen and Interior Minister Sar Kheng had agreed in principle to the US$12 million project, which will create around 1,000 stores for market vendors.

Under the agreement, the market would retain the ground floor and part of the first floor of the building, and vendors would keep their current spaces.

Chan Sophal said Monday that the protesters at City Hall were mostly mobile-stand operators worried that they would be displaced by the development. He said the company would build more than 400 stalls for those sellers.

Photo by: Sovann Philong
Kandal Market vendors protest against a redevelopment plan in front of City Hall on Monday.

"People can talk with us about their concerns about the redevelopment, but they do not have any good reasons to protest. They just don't want any redevelopment," Chan Sophal said.

He said the project would take five years to complete.

Relocation dispute
Meanwhile, about 40 residents facing a move from Chamkarmon district's Tomnup Toek community also protested in front of City Hall Monday to ask for a change in the relocation site offered by city authorities.

More than 200 Tomnup Toek families were left homeless after a fire tore through their homes on April 16.

Community representative Toch Sophan said the residents were demanding to be relocated to Dangkor district rather than to Phnom Bat commune in Kandal province because they wanted to be closer to their jobs.

"The reason we don't want to go to Kandal province is because we are construction workers and garbage collectors. If we go there, we will lose our business," he said.

But Tomnup Toek commune Chief Chor Heng said the families would likely end up with the 6-by-10-metre plots of land offered in Phnom Bat commune.

"They rejected the place we're providing, so we will keep negotiating with them," he said, but he added it was unlikely that City Hall would agree to the residents' request.

PM's aide linked to detention

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
May Titthara

Hun Sen's assistant confirms role in forcible detention case.

AN ASSISTANT to Prime Minister Hun Sen has been questioned about his involvement in the forcible detention of his cousin, who was reportedly shackled to her bed in her Sen Sok district home for a period of at least two weeks and possibly as long as three months until she was discovered last Thursday.

Svay Yi Pho, 37, was held in her home in Dong village, Teuk Thla commune, Sen Sok district, until workers for the rights group Adhoc discovered her after receiving a tip from an RCAF soldier, said Ouch Leng, an Adhoc investigator, in an interview Monday.

Ouch Leng said he believed Svay Yi Pho had been held for three months by relatives - including Chea Savoeun, an assistant to the premier - who wanted to take from her the US$23,500 she had recently pocketed when she sold her Central Market bookstore.

Interior Ministry officials including Chiv Phaly, deputy director of the ministry's anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection department, arrived at the house when Svay Yi Pho was discovered. There they questioned Chea Savoeun and six other relatives.

Reached by phone Monday, Chea Savoeun confirmed that he had been questioned in connection with the case.

He also acknowledged that Svay Yi Pho had been held against her will, though he said this had been done for her own benefit, saying that she suffered from an unspecified mental disorder and was prone to neurotic and destructive behaviour.

"We decided to arrest her at her home and to shackle her because we were afraid she would take off her dress and go walk around in public," he said.

He said he did not live with his cousin and did not spend much time in her home, adding that it was only by coincidence that he had been there when rights group and Interior Ministry officials showed up.

He refuted Adhoc's claim that she had been held for three months, saying that she had, in fact, been held for only two weeks.

He acknowledged having taken the $23,500, but he said he did so because she could not be trusted to spend it responsibly, a claim seconded by his wife, Pen Sophanara.

"In just nine days she had spent $1,500, and then she came to ask for more from me," she said.

She added: "If she is not crazy, then why would she sell her bookstore for $23,500? Her store was worth at least $50,000."

Ouch Leng and Am Sam Ath, a technical supervisor for the rights group Licadho, said Adhoc and Licadho doctors had examined Svay Yi Pho and concluded that she did not suffer from anything other than stress, which they attributed to her recent divorce.

"Right now we don't have any documents to confirm that she has a sensitive nerve problem," Am Sam Ath said.

Meas Sam Oeun, her ex-husband, said she had suffered from high stress early in their marriage, but that she did not have a mental disorder.

"My wife is a little crazy, but she is smart crazy," he said.

Chiv Phaly said Monday that the case had been sent to the Municipal Court but declined to answer questions about whether an investigation had been conducted or whether Chea Savoeun had been charged.

Municipal Court President Chiv Keng said Monday that he could not comment about the state of the case. Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak also declined to comment.

Chea Savoeun said the case had nothing to do with him, and that he would not likely be charged with any crime. But Am Sam Ath said Chea Savoeun was a central player in the crime and should be charged accordingly.

"They carried out this mean torture and arrested someone," Am Sam Ath said. "They must be held responsible if anything happened to her while she was inside the house."

Rights body lacks teeth: NGOs

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Sebastian Strangio and Sam Rith

A REGIONAL human rights body approved at the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Phuket has come under fire from local and international rights groups, who say the proposed body lacks the teeth necessary to deter rights abuses in the region.

Delegates were set Monday to approve the terms of reference for the long-awaited ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB), paving the way for its establishment at the organisation's annual summit in October.

At a press conference Sunday, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said the rights body would be approved Monday and subjected to a review in five years' time. He also said country representatives would serve three-year terms and that the posts would be open to civil society group members.

Critics say the body - expected to be known as the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission of Human Rights - is unlikely to have much effect because it focuses too much on the "promotion" of human rights rather than their protection.

The AHRB draft terms of reference tabled in Phuket lists no sanctions for countries that fail to provide the required reports on their rights situations.

The draft says the body will promote rights "within the regional context" and "[take] into account the balance between rights and responsibilities".

"The protection mandate has been compromised," said Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia programme manager at the Bangkok-based Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development.

"What is the point of having an ASEAN human rights protection mechanism if the body cannot ... ensure the protection of people in ASEAN?"

She also criticised the absence of a provision guaranteeing the independence of country representatives on the body.

Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc, said Sunday that ASEAN's principle of consensus decision-making had watered down the body's protection mandate.

"We would like to have this sort of protection mandate for the ASEAN human rights body, but right now we don't see [this] clearly reflected in the terms of reference," he said.

Though the ASEAN Charter, adopted in November 2007, encourages member states to "promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms", some said the goal appears to clash with other core principles, including "non-interference" in the internal affairs of other ASEAN countries.

"The two are contradictory," said Kek Galabru, president of local rights group Licadho.

"The respect for fundamental human rights and non-interference, I don't think that these two can go together."

She added that the body would be "nonsense" without a protection mandate, but said that gradual progress could be achieved if some countries appoint independent experts to the AHRB.

"It will be very hard, like pushing an elephant, but maybe one day [we]'ll get something," she said. "I think we have no alternative."

Wahyuningrum said the concept of "non-interference" needed to be redefined to exclude human rights abuses, which stood above purely national concerns.

She said, though, that she was encouraged by ASEAN's willingness to address human rights directly.

"If you compare with five or 10 years ago, it was very rare to hear human rights mentioned," she said.

Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Monday that Cambodia had no objection to an independent ASEAN Human Rights Body so long as it was implemented "in parallel to the situation and ability of each country".

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP

Rights body lacks teeth: NGOs

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Mom Kunthear

Thirty-hectare landfill located near Choeung Ek killing fields replaces iconic Stung Meanchey and displaces scavengers

THE capital's new 30-hectare dumpsite located near the Choeung Ek killing fields received its first truckloads of trash at 8am Monday morning during a ceremony that drew more than 20 municipal officials.

Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Chreang Sophan said the day was significant because it marked both the opening of the new site, located 15 kilometres outside central Phnom Penh, and the closing of Stung Meanchey, the 44-year-old dump that had in recent years become an icon of international poverty.

"Today, we open the new dump, and - just as important - we close the old dump," he said in an interview.

Svay Lorn, the former chief of Stung Meanchey who will become chief at the new site, said the new dump would be able to process just as much waste as the old one did - roughly 1,000 tonnes of trash from the capital each day.

Drawing a distinction from Stung Meanchey, where trash has been piled aboveground, he said staff at the new site would bury the trash in order to cut down on the smell.

"Every time we reach 2,000 tonnes, we will bury the trash at once in order to smother the smell," he said.

Chreang Sophan highlighted another quality that set the new site apart from Stung Meanchey: no scavengers.

"We will not allow the scavengers to work here and even if we did, they wouldn't have any garbage to collect because we will bury it every two days," he said.

Phymean Noun, the director of the People Improvement Organisation, a local NGO, estimated in a recent interview that Stung Meanchey was the main source of income for about 1,000 families.

Chan Sokkhoeun, a 50-year-old scavenger, said Sunday that her family had "depended" on income earned from the site since 1992.

"I could earn anything from 8,000 riels (roughly US$2) per day to 10,000 riels per day, but I will not earn this anymore," she said. "I really don't want them to move the dump to another place, but I cannot forbid them."

From trash to gas
City Hall announced in April that it had approved a proposal from a German company to convert waste from Stung Meanchey into methane gas.

Detlef Gutjahr, a representative from the International Environmental Consulting Company, said at the time that the company was committed to processing the waste for the next 15 years.

Capital's new dump opens

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
A man looks on as the first garbage trucks arrive at the capital’s new city dump Monday morning.

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Mom Kunthear

Thirty-hectare landfill located near Choeung Ek killing fields replaces iconic Stung Meanchey and displaces scavengers

THE capital's new 30-hectare dumpsite located near the Choeung Ek killing fields received its first truckloads of trash at 8am Monday morning during a ceremony that drew more than 20 municipal officials.

Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Chreang Sophan said the day was significant because it marked both the opening of the new site, located 15 kilometres outside central Phnom Penh, and the closing of Stung Meanchey, the 44-year-old dump that had in recent years become an icon of international poverty.

"Today, we open the new dump, and - just as important - we close the old dump," he said in an interview.

Svay Lorn, the former chief of Stung Meanchey who will become chief at the new site, said the new dump would be able to process just as much waste as the old one did - roughly 1,000 tonnes of trash from the capital each day.

Drawing a distinction from Stung Meanchey, where trash has been piled aboveground, he said staff at the new site would bury the trash in order to cut down on the smell.

"Every time we reach 2,000 tonnes, we will bury the trash at once in order to smother the smell," he said.

Chreang Sophan highlighted another quality that set the new site apart from Stung Meanchey: no scavengers.

"We will not allow the scavengers to work here and even if we did, they wouldn't have any garbage to collect because we will bury it every two days," he said.

Phymean Noun, the director of the People Improvement Organisation, a local NGO, estimated in a recent interview that Stung Meanchey was the main source of income for about 1,000 families.

Chan Sokkhoeun, a 50-year-old scavenger, said Sunday that her family had "depended" on income earned from the site since 1992.

"I could earn anything from 8,000 riels (roughly US$2) per day to 10,000 riels per day, but I will not earn this anymore," she said. "I really don't want them to move the dump to another place, but I cannot forbid them."

From trash to gas
City Hall announced in April that it had approved a proposal from a German company to convert waste from Stung Meanchey into methane gas.

Detlef Gutjahr, a representative from the International Environmental Consulting Company, said at the time that the company was committed to processing the waste for the next 15 years.

Tuol Sleng ex-guard denies survivor's torture allegation

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Georgia Wilkins

Him Huy says he and survivor Bou Meng were merely playing.

A FORMER guard at S-21 prison on Monday denied having tortured one of the few survivors of the detention centre, telling Cambodia's war crimes court that the two had simply been playing.

Him Huy, who began testifying on Thursday, told civil party lawyers that he had not intended to hurt survivor Bou Meng, who said in earlier testimony that Him Huy had abused him.

"I did not intend to do him any harm," he said, describing an incident in which he had challenged Bou Meng to carry the guard on his back.

"I noticed how small he was and made fun of him."

Lawyer Silke Studzinsky urged Him Huy to tell Bou Meng what happened to his wife.

"I can only confirm that the wives of those detained were killed," Him Huy said.

The accused, former S-21 chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, asked the guard to tell him what happened to a professor who was also detained at S-21.

But Him Huy said he did not know, maintaining that he had been "like a horse" that could only "look straight".

Though on Thursday he described how he killed a prisoner at the Choeung Ek killing fields, he said Monday that he had never used torture because he was illiterate and could not write confessions. He also told defence lawyers that he considered himself to be a victim of the regime.

"We all were victims," Him Huy said. "We seem to be reborn. Talking about those who survived, we are the lucky group, and we only want justice."

Him Huy also told the court Monday that he believed Duch had the ability to release prisoners, a claim Duch has repeatedly rejected.

Ex-student recalls Duch
One of Duch's former maths students, Tep Sok, 64, attended the hearing on Monday, having travelled from his hometown in Kampong Cham province after receiving an invitation from the court.

He told reporters that he felt pity seeing his former high school teacher, who he said had been a "serious" teacher who "treated students equally".

"He asked the students to study hard and take that knowledge to serve the country," he recalled.

"I'm deeply disappointed and very sorrowful," said Tep Sok, who noted that Duch had waved to him as he entered the public gallery.

British MP lashes out at monkey business

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Christopher Shay and Khouth Sophak Chakrya

Along with NGO, politician appeals to govt to halt export of monkeys for research abroad.

AS THE legal monkey trade in Cambodia continues its rapid growth, a British-based animal protection group and a British parliamentarian have decried the resulting "unacceptable cruelty and suffering" inflicted on Cambodia's long-tailed macaques.

Last Thursday, British Labour MP Chris Mullin called on the Cambodian government "to put an end to this awful trade", and the chief executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) urged the UK government to express concerns to the Cambodian government.

According to data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Cambodia started legally exporting long-tailed macaques in significant numbers in 2004, and the industry has been steadily growing since then. In 2008, the number of long-tailed macaques exported from Cambodia nearly doubled to about 15,000, roughly 9,700 of which were sent to China.

As a CITES signatory, Cambodia can only export macaques that have been bred in captivity for medical research. But Sarah Kite, director of special projects at BUAV, said this restriction was impossible to enforce.

"It is very difficult for Cambodia to police whether wild-caught animals are themselves traded internationally.... We understand that there is a lack of effective enforcement of primate farms," she said.

But Men Phy Mean, the director of the Wildlife Office at the Forestry Administration, said the Cambodian government had adequate mechanisms to enforce the regulations.

"We put two inspectors in each company, and if any of the companies does not respect the CITES regulations, then we will fine them," he said.

Breeding facilities still need wild monkeys to establish their farms, and Kite said monkey farms continued to rely on wild populations to expand their farms.

The collection of monkeys for breeding facilities has been accelerating since 2004, according to a 2008 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report.

And this has led to techniques for capturing monkeys that damage the whole forest ecosystem, according the IUCN.

"Farm staff enlisted the aid of, and instructed, local villagers in the trapping of monkeys, which involves isolating groups in trees by felling the surrounding forest," the report said.

During a visit to the Vanny Bio-Research Corporation farm in Kandal province, Kite said she was "shocked" when she saw "monkeys housed singly in small, barren cages". These conditions, she said, "failed to meet the complex... needs of this highly intelligent and social species".

None of the macaque-breeding companies contacted would allow a reporter to view its premises, but a documentary about the Vanny Bio-Research Corporation obtained by the Post shows long rows of cages in which monkeys are housed communally. Single cages can be seen in what appears to be the monkey infirmary.

The monkey business is already big business in Cambodia, Men Phy Mean said.

"At least 200 people work in each monkey farm," he said.

Other types of farmers also stand to benefit, he said, "because the monkey farms need more than 10 varieties of food".

23 Khmer Krom sent from Thailand claim food, help is lacking

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Cheang Sokha and Sebastian Strangio

Asylum seekers deported to Poipet say they have struggled to survive since their arrival, with no family or other support in Cambodia.

A GROUP of 23 Khmer Krom asylum seekers hiding out in Banteay Meanchey province after being deported by Thai immigration authorities earlier this month say they continue to grapple with a lack of food and medical care.

Since their July 3 deportation, 33 members of the group of 56 have left the Poipet border town to move in with friends and relatives scattered across the country.

But the remaining 23 deportees, who claim they were born in southern Vietnam and have no family in the country, are now stranded at a small property about 15 kilometres from Poipet, where they face food shortages and increasing bouts of illness.

"We do not have enough food to survive," said one deportee, who declined to be named.

"We are coughing, and we are afraid that we will contract swine flu, but we do not have the money for treatment."

The deportee said the Phnom Penh office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had made no attempt to contact them since the deportation, leaving them in a state of increasing uncertainty.

"We cannot live here much longer," he said. "We do not know what will happen to us in the future."

Chao Veasna, a Khmer Krom living in Poipet who has provided some support to the recent arrivals, said they had received a bag of rice from a Christian charity and that they were going into the fields to seek additional food.

"They do not have any support right now, and I do not know who can help them," he said, adding that their food supplies would only last through today.

Forgotten people
The situation for the deportees seems set to worsen, with local and international organisations saying they are unable to aid the Khmer Krom refugees.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We cannot live here much longer. We do not know what will happen to us...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toshi Kawauchi, head of the UNHCR office in Phnom Penh, said his mandate did not extend to the deportees because all ethnic Khmers technically have the automatic right to Cambodian citizenship.

"We are not able to process their cases as long as they are in Cambodia," he said.

"I am still in discussions with our regional office in Bangkok to see what actions we might be able to take."

Ang Chanrith, executive director of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Organisation, also said his office did not have any means to support the people and could only provide legal support.

"We do not know how to help them," he said. "They are Khmer, but they did not have any documents to prove it, so we will wait and see."

A Human Rights Watch report released in January cited the "severe and often shrouded methods" used by the Vietnamese government to stifle dissent among the country's large Khmer minority.

Thai trenches draw concern

Photo by: Tracey Shelton
Cambodian soldiers practise using a rocket launcher in a trench dug in Preah Vihear province earlier this month.

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Thet Sambath

RCAF officials say Thai soldiers have worked hard to expand their network of trenches along the border in the past month.

MILITARY officials on Monday accused Thai soldiers of stepping up the digging of trenches near the Thai-Cambodian border, with several saying that the Thai trenches were both greater in number and more strongly reinforced than those dug by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

"The Thai soldiers are increasingly using tyres to make trenches," said RCAF Brigade 8 Commander Yim Phim. "They are placing them everywhere along the front lines."

He said he believed Thai soldiers had in the past month begun asking Thai citizens to provide tyres and other materials as part of a campaign to expand and reinforce their network of trenches along the border.

"They have collected more tyres and they are appealing to their people to provide these tyres for their soldiers to make trenches," Yim Phim said.

"They are very active on this."

He said the trenches were being reinforced in an attempt to provide more protection to soldiers hiding in them, though he said he doubted that the method would be effective.

Bo Sarath, a medic with Brigade 8's Battalion 81, said he had seen Thai soldiers use concrete as well as tyres to reinforce trenches.

He said RCAF soldiers had also built trenches in the area, but that he did not believe any of those had been reinforced with tyres or concrete.

Officials at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh could not be reached for comment Monday.

Kampot villagers ask for Hun Sen's help in Bokor land dispute

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Vong Sokheng and Cheang Sokha

Evicted families say they have occupied the farmland since 2000, though authorities say they were squatting in a conservation area.

MORE than 20 families who were evicted from Bokor National Park in Kampot province last week arrived in Phnom Penh on Monday to submit a complaint to the National Assembly and to call on Prime Minister Hun Sen to intervene on their behalf.

Local authorities sent about 60 armed men to Kilo Dapi village in Kampot's Teuk Chhou district Thursday to clear about 48 hectares of land to be used by Camland Co, a private fruit company, village representative Noch Tha, 54, told the Post on Monday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE AUTHORITIES BURNED DOWN OUR HOUSES AND REMOVED US FROM OUR LAND.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authorities maintain that the villagers were squatting illegally in a conservation area.

But Noch Tha said the authorities had "burned down our houses and removed us from our land".

"We've come to Phnom Penh today to submit our complaint to [National Assembly President Heng Samrin] and Samdech Hun Sen, and we will stay here until we receive justice," he said.

Noch Tha said the 23 families had occupied their plots of farmland, measuring around two hectares each, since 2000, though he acknowledged that they did not have permission from local authorities.

"The authorities told us it was illegal to occupy land in Bokor National Park, but surrounding our land there was not a park, but a durian farm," Noch Tha said.

Se Da, governor of Teuk Chhou district, said he was considering an investigation into the incident because of uncertainties about land rights and jurisdiction in the area.

The villagers resided along the border between the park's conservation areas and an economic land concession that has not yet been approved by the government.

"We were concerned that the villagers were residing in the conservation area of the park, but we are considering how to resolve their problem," Se Da said.

Yang Phirom, director of Bokor National Park, could not be reached for comment Monday. He has said that he considers the villagers illegal squatters and has told them to leave the area before.

Monitoring staff for Licadho, a local rights NGO, were on hand for the eviction, which they described as peaceful. Licadho representatives were sympathetic to the villagers' grievances, though they noted that the villagers possessed no legal title to the land, and that it could legally belong to the national park.

"This is a legal issue, and it is difficult to know who is right and who is wrong," said Ngeth Soseng, Licadho's Kampot provincial coordinator. "But we will continue to monitor the situation".

Intl union to monitor Mu Sochua court case

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Meas Sokchea

A REPRESENTATIVE from the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) is to attend the trial of Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua on Friday, during which she will face defamation charges filed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The IPU, a worldwide organisation of parliamentarians, has designated Franklin Drilon, a former Philippine Senate president, as its official representative in the case, Mu Sochua told the Post Monday.

Mu Sochua said Monday that Drilon would arrive in Cambodia on Thursday.

"That the IPU is coming to observe us is a show of responsibility in front of our assembly because we are a member of the IPU. They defend all of us when we are under pressure, no matter what party we're in," she said.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said that the government would welcome the presence of Drilon, but he also said the representative should observe the proceedings objectively.

"It is good that the IPU is coming to observe Mu Sochua's case, but it should not attack or speak without a factual basis," he said.

Press crackdown
Meanwhile, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance and 11 other groups working for the promotion and protection of free expression in the region have written an open letter to Hun Sen asking that he cease the current crackdown on government critics.

"We ... are gravely concerned by a palpably deteriorating freedom and civil rights environment in Cambodia," said the letter, dated Friday.

"We urge the government of Cambodia to cease this campaign threatening freedom of expression and the fundamental rights of its citizens."

ACLEDA profits plunge

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
An ACLEDA customer uses an ATM in Kampot. The bank said it expects the second half to improve after profits fell up to June.

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Nguon Sovan

Bank blames 54 percent drop to $1.34m in second quarter on delayed loan repayments and stricter lending practices

AN increase in the volume of loans not repaid on time and greater lending caution led to a 54 percent drop in second-quarter profits at ACLEDA Bank, President and CEO In Channy said Monday.

Unaudited quarterly financial statements released by the bank last week showed profit after income tax dropped 54 percent to US$1.34 million over the second quarter from $2.91 million in quarter one of this year.

"The profit drop is due to our restrictions on loan disbursements," In Channy said. "As a result of the economic downturn, business activities are not good, so we are vigilant over lending. Eighty-eight percent of our revenue is from interest rates, and when we disburse fewer loans, revenue is also lower."

However, the financial statements show income from interest declined just 1.76 percent from $23.86 million in quarter one to $23.44 million in the second quarter as total loans and advances to customers outstanding dropped from $450.25 million to $440.44 million. At the end of 2008, the bank had $463 million in outstanding loans, In Channy said.

Interest payments increased from $6.61 million to $7.4 million over the same period as deposits grew from $494.5 million to $573 million.

In Channy said that writedowns on loans not paid on time were a significant factor in the drop in profits.

The bank's figures show that provisions for loan losses grew from $236,348 in quarter one to more than $1.1 million in the quarter ended June 30. In Channy said the provisions were for late payments and did not mean the loans were in default. However, he acknowledged that bad debts had risen from 0.44 percent at the end of last year to 1 percent at the end of June.

In Channy said he expected profits to rebound in the second half of the year as the bank increased loans to customers ahead of the planting season.

"Usually, in the first half of the year, we earn only one-third of our profit," he said.

ACLEDA Bank posted profits of $19.45 million for the full year 2008, $10.37 million from the first half of that year, financial statements show.

Union Commercial Bank President and CEO Yum Sui Sang said Monday that his bank's profits had also dropped in the first half of the year as a result of reduced lending and increased competition.

"For the first half of the year, UCB earned $1.6 million profit - 45 percent down from $2.9 million in the first half of last year," he said.

Phan Ying Tong, country head of Cambodian Public Bank, said first-half profit figures were not available, but that he expected a drop because of reduced business activity among clients.

Fertiliser sales decline despite drop in price

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Khouth Sophakchakrya

THE cost and retail price of chemical fertilisers have dropped sharply on last year due to low rice prices and competition from organic and homemade alternatives, industry experts said.

The Ye Tak Group last year imported 7,000 tonnes of high-quality chemical fertilisers from Vietnam. Owner Ye Tak said prices are down 70 percent.

"Last year my company sold chemical fertilisers such as urea, N-P-K and DAP for between US$650 and $1,300 per tonne, but those prices have dropped to between $280 and $400 per tonne," he said, adding that sales quantities are also down.

His experiences were echoed by Cheam Tech, whose Cheam Tech Company last year sold 50 tonnes of chemical fertilisers daily. It imported urea, N-P-K and DAP chemical fertilisers from Thailand, Vietnam and China for between $550 and $750 per tonne and sold them at between $650 and $1,250 per tonne, said Cheam Tech.

Last year, farmers seemed unconcerned by the prices, but that has changed, she added. Now her firm sells 20 tonnes a day for $180-$200 a tonne.

Yang Saing Koma, president of the Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), attributed the decline to his NGO's work to raise awareness of the cost and benefits of natural fertilisers.

"Some farmers can save 50 percent on chemical fertilisers simply by collecting kitchen waste, leaves and animal excrement to make their own compost," he said.

Another importer, Chhun Kang, owner of Ex-M Cambodia, said fertiliser prices are down because the cost of raw materials is lower and because some governments such as China and the Philippines have abolished taxation on the export of fertiliser in the face of the global economic crisis.

Ex-M Cambodia is importing 1,000 tonnes of organic fertiliser from Belgium this year, down two-thirds from 2008. Although it is 40 percent cheaper than chemical fertiliser and can generate better yields, Chhun Kang said it has struggled to sell well this year.

"That's because the price of paddy rice in the local and international markets is low, which means farmers cut their fertiliser inputs," he said.

Group announces first milled-rice exports

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Chun Sophal

THE Cambodian Rice Millers Association (CRMA) has announced its first successful export sale of high-quality local rice.

CRMA said it will deliver 200 tonnes of Grade-One jasmine rice to Hong Kong in September, a further 200 tonnes in October, and another 1,000 tonnes in December in the US$1.1 million deal.

CRMA President Phou Puy added that companies from Germany, the Philippines and Brunei are currently negotiating to buy hundreds of thousands of tonnes of milled fragrant rice next year.

The Hong Kong deal, to an unnamed company, comes on the heels of CRMA's July purchase of 4,000 tonnes of unmilled Malis rice from farmers in Battambang's Bai Tong commune for domestic demand and exports. And it follows CRMA's $7 million purchase last year of Taiwanese rice-drying machines and modern packaging materials from Japan.

"We no longer face obstacles in exporting high-quality rice because we have a drying machine, mills and the latest packaging materials," Phou Puy said. "We will buy 40,000 tonnes of unmilled Malis rice from farmers between October and December to support our exports in 2010."

Yang Saing Koma, president of the Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture, said news of the exports was a boon to the nation's farmers, who could switch focus from low-quality to high-quality rice strains that earn more money.

The statistics department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Monday that Cambodia would harvest an extra 100,000 tonnes of rice this year provided it is not hit by drought or flood.

The Kingdom has 2.6 million hectares of land under rice cultivation producing 7.1 million tonnes of rice. Last year Cambodia exported 3.1 million tonnes of rice.

Hello set to launch 3G BlackBerry

Hello is scheduled to launch RIM’s 3G Blackberry Bold this month, the company said. BLOOMBERG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2G blackberries have been a surprising success for us.... We've created a niche.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Steve Finch

The Kingdom’s No 3 mobile-phone service says it will follow up its April release of 2nd-generation BlackBerries with the launch of the Bold handset, which the company will officially unveil Thursday

HELLO, Cambodia's No 3 mobile-phone operator by users, said Monday it planned to launch Cambodia's first 3G BlackBerry handsets this month.

Gary Foo, brand manager of the company, which is owned by Kuala Lumpur-based Axiata, said it would officially launch BlackBerry's Bold handset Thursday night at Raffles Hotel Le Royal.

The 3G handset would go on sale "very shortly after that", Foo said.

Hello's Chief Executive Officer Simon Perkins said earlier that the product - produced by Canada's Research in Motion (RIM) - would be launched before the end of July.

Foo added that prices would be announced at a later date.

"[They're] not finalised yet at this moment.... We're still crunching the numbers," he said.

Hello became the first mobile provider in Cambodia to offer the Blackberry when it launched RIM's 2G handsets Pearl 8120 and Curve 8320 at the end of April.

The 2G BlackBerries "have been a surprising success for us - we didn't know the corporate market was that big", Perkins said. "We've created a niche."

Figures on how many BlackBerry handsets Hello has sold or how many Bold units would be shipped to Cambodia were not immediately available, although Perkins said the RIM 3G handset was in short supply due to its global popularity.

The domestic launch of RIM's Bold handset follows the release of the model in a number of global markets, including Australia in August and Thailand in December.

RIM remained the No 1 global supplier of smartphones in the first quarter with 19.9 percent of the market, Bloomberg reported, although Apple Inc closed the gap, with its iPhone doubling market share to 10.8 percent.

Mobitel, the Kingdom's leading mobile-phone service provider with 55-percent market share, said Monday that it also planned to launch BlackBerries this year.

Mark Hanna, chief financial officer of Royal Group, which owns a 38.4 percent share in Mobitel, said 3G Blackberries would be launched in the fourth quarter.

Police Blotter: 21 Jul 2009

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Kong Sakun

VIETNAMESE DRUG DEALERS NABBED
Three Vietnamese nationals were arrested Thursday for distributing drugs and providing a haven for drug users in Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province, local police said, identifying the suspects as Ghien Ghok Mai, 52, Yeong Doek, 44, and Hong Van Hav, 34, all of whom reside in Ba Li Lay village. Following the arrest, police confiscated 866 yama tablets and two Honda motorcycles from the perpetrators.
KOH SANTEPHEAP

DRUG USERS FREED BY SVAY RIENG COURT
Svay Rieng provincial court on Friday released a couple arrested in Bavet town on June 18 for drug distribution and trafficking, under the reasoning that the suspects were just drug users and were not actually traffickers. A Svay Rieng provincial military police official stated that 47-year-old Mam Sovun and his Vietnamese wife, 20-year-old Leng Ghong Tham, were arrested last month in a guesthouse while in possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia, two cellphones and an artificial penis.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

TWO FISHERWOMeN REMAIN MISSING
Two women are missing after their motorboat sank during a storm as they were fishing for crabs and mollusks Friday in Preah Sihanouk province. The missing women - Lae Mieng, 40, and her unidentified sister-in-law - reside in the province's Prey Nob district. Locals said it was unlikely that the victims survived the incident and complained that they had not seen any action by the police to help locate the missing women.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

HOMELESS TEENAGE THIEVES JAILED
Three homeless teenagers were sent to Prey Sar prison on Saturday for stealing villagers' chickens and bicycles Wednesday. Russey Keo district police identified the teens as Ban Yun, 19, Mot Kak Trey, 18, and Lap Rosa Ly, 18. All three are construction workers without specific addresses. Police confiscated two bikes and three chickens from the perpetrators, who were also suspected of using drugs.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

UNEMPLOYED MAN RAPES DAUGHTER
A jobless man was arrested for raping his 17-year-old stepdaughter two times Friday. Police that the 48-year-old man, who lives in Chamkarmon district's Phsar Dangkor commune, tricked the girl by telling her that her mother was seriously ill at home, police said, adding that when the daughter arrived, the perpetrator dragged her into a room, tied her hands and raped her violently. The rapist confessed to police that he had perpetrated the shameful act because he could not control his burning sexual desire.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

Pace of growth in fixed phone lines speeds up

Telecoms law update

THE long-awaited draft Telecoms Law is awaiting approval at the Council of Ministers, spokesman Phay Siphan said Monday, after which it will go to the National Assembly to be passed. Among the draft law’s provisions is an article requiring operators to cooperate and share infrastructure. The draft shows the law would cover telecoms management, building of infrastructure, as well as the rights and obligations of consumers, companies and authorities. One of the long-standing problems the draft will address is interconnectivity across networks. HOR HAB

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Hor Hab

TELECOM Cambodia (TC) has announced it sold twice as many fixed phone lines last year as it managed to sell in 2007, boosting the number of lines to 26,091.

Last year's increase of more than 3,600 lines - versus 1,500 in 2007 - was outlined in a TC report released this month.

TC, the state-owned fixed-line provider, is one of three operators in the market. There are around 50,000 fixed lines in the Kingdom, with the remainder shared between Camintel and Mfone.

TC's report showed that growth has continued this year with the number of fixed lines up by 1,337 in the first five months.

The same report outlined that subscribers to Camnet also increased.

"In 2007 there were about 300 Camnet subscribers, but by the close of the first half of this year, the number climbed to around 1,000 subscribers," said Lao Saroeun, TC's director general.

He said one reason for the increase in numbers was Camnet's decision to cut the cost of high-speed Internet access. Previously the monthly cost for one Megabit per second (1 Mbps) was US$1,300. However since Viettel, the operator owned by the Vietnamese military, entered the market, Camnet had dropped its price to $700 for 1 Mbps.

Untie your tongue with tutors in Phnom Penh

Photo by: JOHANN SMITS
Eng Haksreng from the Nagasaki Japanese School and (inset, top) Mandarin teacher Huixian He and (inset, bottom) students studying with Kem Valentyna at the Russian Cultural Centre.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's easier to teach foreigners…Khmers don’t always have the time to study at home.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Johann Smits

Mastered Khmer and feel like tackling another lingo? Various well-regarded language institutions can hone your linguistic endeavours in any direction

It's no secret that in Phnom Penh we're spoilt for choice when it comes to leisure activities - from yoga and dance classes to film showings and art openings.

But what about massaging the left side of your brain and taking up a language course?

You're already fluent in Khmer - naturally - but with so many nationalities in the city, there is ample opportunity to broaden your horizons.

Some languages require a bit of research and persistence to locate a teacher that suits your requirements.

But the good news is that you can find courses for half what it would normally cost you in the West.

Huixian He, a certified Mandarin teacher who has been tutoring in Cambodia since 2005, says the prices for students studying in the Kingdom are more than reasonable.

"I don't think that US$10 per hour for private lessons is a lot because I've been teaching for so many years and I always have great results," she says.

According to her, it would take two lessons per week, over a six-month period, for an average student to learn all the basic communication skills in Mandarin.

And in her experience, Western students learn fast.

"Especially adults," Huixian He says. "Because it's their own choice - interest is the best teacher!"

However, if you're the kind of student who thrives in a classroom environment, then the well-organised, recently established Goethe Institut could be for you.

Coordinator Eva Pritscher says she was surprised by the response from locals.

"We started the first evening class on June 30, and it is already full," Pritscher says. I'm surprised that so many people want to learn German."

Based at Meta House, the classes at the Goethe Institut contain a maximum of 15 people, which means that students get the best of both worlds - interaction with classmates, as well as a lot of personal attention from the instructor.

Eva only works with certified teachers and receives authentic German textbooks via the Goethe Institut in Vietnam.

At US$2 per lesson, her classes are a bargain.

"The price is the same for Westerners," she adds.

"I sometimes ask if someone is interested in sponsoring a student, but I don't want to have different rates."

The next course starts in September, but if new students want to be sure of a place, they will need to enrol soon.

Meanwhile, with Russia enjoying something of a renaissance in recent years, the language of the tsars is back on the agenda for many students.

Kem Valentyna teaches at the Russian Cultural Centre, with her assistant and fluent Russian speaker Keo Chantheavy, helping out if things need to be explained in Khmer.

"It's easier to teach foreigners because Khmers don't always have the time to study at home," Kem admits.

The Russian classes at the Russian Cultural Centre are currently only for Cambodians and are free of charge.

However, Keo Chantheavy also teaches private lessons to anyone who is interested.

This seems to be the norm amongst many teachers - having a regular job in a school but also tutoring private students.

Jung In Hyoo has been teaching at the Korean Language Centre for three years, helping Cambodians increase their chances of finding employment with Korean companies.

His particular vernacular may not top the wish list of many Westerners, but, if you're a language enthusiast, attempting to decipher the alien-looking Korean script can be good fun.

"Whoever tries their best to study the Korean language can accomplish it," Jung promises.

Funky Japanese, on the other hand, might be more of an obvious choice for Westerners.

Not a problem if you already know the basics, but as a beginner it might be hard to find a Japanese teacher who can communicate with you.

"Many of them don't speak English and have no experience teaching Westerners," says Eng Haksreng, who teaches at Nagasaki Japanese School.

Apart from a few other Asian nationalities, all of their 180 students are Cambodians.

"If a foreigner wants to study Japanese, we'll have to discuss it with our general manager," he admits.

But with five years of teaching experience under his belt, Eng assures us he is willing to offer private lessons.

Arigato!

Nuon Soriya alive and kicking

Photo by: ROBERT STARKWEATHER
Few expected Nuon Soriya (right, red shorts) to get past young Battambang sensation Bheut Kam, who entered the ring Friday night with just four losses in six years, for a record of 171-4-1.

The Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Robert Starkweather

In a Friday night clash of superstars, 29-year-old veteran Nuon Soriya outlasts a younger Bheut Kam to score a surprising come-from-behind victory at TV5

BHEUT Kam is mortal after all. On Friday night, the young Battambang superstar fell to Nuon Soriya, the crafty, 29-year-old veteran from the Ministry of Interior boxing club.

With smart ring generalship, merciless kicks, and a sneaky left hook, Nuon Soriya fended off an early knockdown to come back and score a huge upset decision, handing Bheut Kam just the fifth loss of his six-year professional career.

An 18-year fight veteran, Nuon Soriya appeared to have the young sensation figured out by the end of the second round. He countered kicks with lead hooks and kept the Battambang fighter busy with combinations. By the third round he was out-manoeuvring the 22-year-old in the clinch. Down the stretch he simply fought harder.

The outcome surprised everyone, including Nuon Soriya.

"I didn't think I could beat him," he said afterwards.

He almost didn't.
Early in round two it looked as if Nuon Soriya would be just another victim when twenty seconds into the round Bheut Kam smashed him in the face with a hard right-left.

The veteran staggered and nearly fell forward before catching himself, then stretched his arms outward and smiled.

The gesture said "no, that was nothing", but referee Chhit Sarim stepped in to count anyway. Nuon Soriya stood akimbo and rolled his eyes, smiling in apparent disbelief as the referee unfolded his fingers.

"I was not hurt," he said afterwards, shrugging his shoulders. "No problem."

Bheut Kam failed to capitalize on the knockdown, and a minute later Nuon Soriya rocked him with a left hook and a hard knee to the body. And then Bheut Kam was flat on his back.

Clinch up at center ring, Nuon Soriya spun the Battambang fighter hard to his left. As Bheut Kam slipped to the canvass, Nuon Soriya fired off two knees. The first one caught Bheut Kam in the ribs, the second one in the temple.

The crowd exploded. Nuon Soriya raised a fist. Bheut Kam slept.

Motionless until the count of six, Bheut Kam somehow managed to get upright by eight. Still dazed, he clung to the top rope. Unsure if the fight was over, he focused hard on Chhit Sarim.

The referee ruled the second knee late, and he took a point from Nuon Soriya.
The bell rang seconds later, and Bheut Kam escaped.

Frustration began to surface in the third round. After a series of intense flurries, Bheut Kam wrestled Nuon Soriya to the ground. As Nuon Soriya sat on the canvass with his back turned, Bheut Kam tried to kick his head off, just barely missing.

For dramatic effect, Nuon Soriya sat motionless for several long seconds, the expression on his face approaching something like mock outrage.

"Did you see that?" he seemed to say. Chhit Sarim did. He scolded Bheut Kam and took away a point.

The deduction itself probably made little difference, but the exchange appeared to mark a shift in the momentum of the fight.

With a roll of the eyes here, and a hard left hook there, the veteran was frustrating the young superstar. And through the later rounds, Nuon Soriya, fighting from the red corner, appeared largely in control.

When the final bell rang, few in the TV5 boxing arena doubted which way the decision would fall.
Nuon Soriya circled the ring with a fist raised high.

"Red, red, red," the crowd chanted. And they were right.

Influenza A/H1N1 continues to threaten Asia-Pacific region

www.chinaview.cn

2009-07-20

Hong Kong, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Influenza A/H1N1 has continued to threaten the people in Asia and Pacific region as more than 200new flu cases were confirmed on Sunday in the region.

Singapore's Health Minister said on Monday that 53 percent of the new flu cases are A/H1N1 positive.

The number spiked from 13 percent in a span of just four weeks, according to Singapore's Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, who was quoted by local TV broadcaster Channel News Asia in his update in Parliament.

He also warned that A/H1N1 flu prevalence in Singapore should peak within a week or two, adding that more Singaporeans will get infected, reaching a peak before the numbers start to decline.

He explained Singapore remains in yellow alert because unlike seasonal flu, the at-risk groups involve younger adults with underlying medical problems.

According to Philippine's TV network GMA News reported on Monday, more than 100 inmates in two Philippine jails were quarantined for suspected A/H1N1 influenza, raising fears that an outbreak might occur among the confined population.

Over 60 inmates have developed flu-like symptoms in the central Philippines' Mandaue city jail, where 100 inmates were placed under observation.

In northern Bulacan provincial jail, ten inmates were quarantined after showing sings of A/H1N1 influenza, the report said.

The suspected outbreak has prompted jail officials to shorten families' visit hours and to conduct thermal scanning on visitors before they enter the jail.

The Philippines is among the worst-hit by the A/H1N1 influenza in Southeast Asia as the authorities confirmed 2,688 cases by July9, with four deaths.

On the same day, Vietnamese Ministry of Health confirmed 45 more influenza A/H1N1 cases, bringing the country's tally to 383.

All the newly confirmed cases are in the southern provinces, said the ministry.

So far, 299 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The rest are being quarantined and treated in stable conditions.

China's Hong Kong confirmed 76 new cases of A/H1N1 flu infection in the 24 hours up to 2.30 p.m. on Monday, medical authorities said.

According to a spokesman of the Center for Health Protection, the new cases involve 36 males and 40 females, aged between one and 81.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 1,886 in Hong Kong, the spokesman said.

The city's Hospital Authority said in a release later in the day that currently a total of 41 confirmed patients are staying in public hospitals for treatment and five of them are in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the neighboring Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said that six newly cases of Influenza A/H1N1 were confirmed, bringing the total number of such cases to 127 so far.

The newly confirmed cases included three men and three women whose ages ranged from eight to 42, according to SAR's Health Bureau.

The Indonesian Health Ministry announced 15 new positive A/H1N1cases on Monday. Of the 15 patients, five were male and ten were female.

"Five of them have a history to go overseas, one to Malaysia, two to the United States, and another two to Singapore," said Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, a disease control official of the ministry.

By now, the cumulative cases of positive influenza A/H1N1 in Indonesia amounted to 172, involving 86 men and 86 women.

Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said that 862 out of the total patients of the disease had recovered, seven were still under treatment in hospitals, while five of them were receiving out-patient treatment.

Liow said the total cases of the flu comprising 567 imports and307 local transmissions.

He said his ministry would continue in monitoring cases of the disease being brought to the hospitals, including cases of cluster "influenza-likeness illness".

Owing to a sharp rise in the number of influenza A/H1N1 cases in the world and the region recently, Cambodia government on Monday called on its citizens to avoid traveling to its neighboring country of Thailand.

The Cambodian Health Ministry made the call in order to prevent the large scale outbreak of A/H1N1 flu in the country.

"Without the need for the time being, Cambodian citizens should avoid traveling to Thailand in order to prevent the wide-spreading of the epidemic in Cambodia," the Health Ministry's statement said.

According to local media reported that as of July 19, Thailand had found at least 4,000 cases of confirmed influenza A/H1N1, while 24 people died of the flu.

Cambodia now has a total of 14 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu, but most of them were imported and no one died of the virus so far in the country.

Editor: Mu Xuequan