via CAAI News Media
NGOs deny human rights abuses down
Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:41 DAP-NEWS
Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:41 DAP-NEWS
The Cambodia Human Rights Committee on Wednesday claimed that human rights abuses decreased in 2009, but some NGOs disagreed.
“Human rights abuses in Cambodia in 2009 was better than previous years,” Om Yien Tieng, the committee’s president, told DAP News Cambodia. However, he did not specify by how much.
“It was better with in all fields as the understanding is improving and the citizens are more educated. Moreover, the authority’s capacity is more improved in all state ministries,” he said.
However, NGOs officials disagreed with such an appraisal. “LICADHO found in 2009 that human rights abuses numbered about 904 cases, which was increased if comparing to 2008,” Orm Sam Arth told DAP News Cambodia.
“Human rights abuses in Phnom Penh increased than other provinces,” he added. Meanwhile, ADHOC official Chan Soveth expressed concerns about freedom of speech and movement, land abuses and other offenses.
Thaksin to assume position soon: Hor Namhong
Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:42 DAP-NEWS
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong, announced on Wednesday that former Thai PM Thaksin will visit Cambodia soon to assume his position as economic advisor to the government.
“Thaksin will help the government on economic matters,” he told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before departing to Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Retreat from January 13-14.
“Thaksin’s visit here will be simple one because he was appointed as economic advisor,” he added.
Hor Namhong said that he would not meet his Thai counterpart Kasit bilaterally in Vietnam but he will meet him in the meeting. He criticized Kasit’s comments on the bilateral relations between Cambodia and Thailand.
Hor Namhong said that Cambodia will not send an ambassador to Thailand day unless Thailand first sends an ambas- sador to Cambodia because Thailand recalled its diplomat from Cambodia first. He echoed remarks from PM Hun Sen who blasted the Thai government, especially PM Abhisit and FM Kasit, over their conditions—including Thaksin’s dismissal—for normalization of diplomatic relations with Cambodia and aid from Thailand.
“With no Thai Ambassador we did not die,” Hun Sen said yesterday.
Hor Namhong said that Thaksin is not involved with Cambodia-Thailand relations but rather the Thai encroachment upon Cambodia soil near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple three times since 2008 July. He added that it is the full right of Cambodia as a sovereign country to appoint Thaksin in November 2009, rejecting allegations that Cambodia interfered in Thai internal political affairs.
Hor Namhong also urged Cambodians not to cross the Thai border illegally for logging or to collect other forest products. “They have to turn seek jobs in the country because the price of labor force also is high and economic recovery also improved now,” he said. “We used to send diplomatic notes with serious words to Thailand after Thai troops shot to death and burned Khmer alive.”
Cambodia seeks maker of offensive shoes
Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:43 DAP-NEWS
The Cambodian government is inves- tigating the source of shoes bearing its flag and images of the temples of Angkor, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong said on Wednesday.
“I have investigated in this case and I have discussed with Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh to take action,” Hor Nam- hong told reporters at Phnom Penh Inter- national Airport before leaving to attend an ASEAN Foreign Ministers conference in Vietnam.
The only information so far is that the producer is based in California, in the US.
The Deputy PM confirmed that the shoes are disrespectful to all Cambo-dians. “It is not only the Cambodian flag they print on shoes, but also many other countries’ flags, affecting very seriously to those countries,” he said.
Ros Chandarabot, a Cambodian government official, agreed that the shoes were insulting to Cambodia.
“The government, especially the Foreign Ministry, have to take action,” he told DAP News Cambodia.
The website featuring the shoes is located at www.zazzle.com.
Similar cases, included the representation of Angkor Wat on sandals and a Thai with an image of the temple in his toilet, provoked outrage in Cambodia.
South Korea to Increase Aid, Investment for Cambodia
Thursday, 14 January 2010 10:45 By Ek Madra
PHNOM PENH – South Korean Ambassador told Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok An that Korea is to increase aid and investment given the good relations of the two nations.
“Korea will increase overseas development assistance (ODA) for Cambodia to restore this war-torn nation,” Korean ambassador Lee Kyung-soo assured Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in the meeting on Thursday.
Lee said South Korea has allocated US $100 million assistance for the poor nations this year including Cambodia.
“Cambodia is the top priority country for that ODA.”
“From this year onward we can invest more here,” said Lee.
Investment from Korea, which is one of the top ten, has been heavily invested in construction, tourism and garment sector.
Korean investment was recorded US $1.210 billion for 2007- 2008, said a government report seen by DAP.
Korea has injected US$389 million including aid and loans since 2007 to 2011, according to Cambodia’s government showed.
The ambassador, however, conveyed Korean investors’ concerns about the unavailable information of the government on foreign investment.
“In course of investment, it is very important for your government to provide correct information for investors,” Lee told Sok An in the meeting.
In response, Sok An said investors should contact the country’s investment agency of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).
He also said the government has approved last month the anti-corruption bill. In response, Korean ambassador said “as foreign investors it is very important to have that law passed.”
Sok An also said Cambodia soon is going to set up the national arbitration centre, whose independently function, aims at attracting investment to the kingdom.
South Korea through Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Korea Exchange help Cambodia to establish stock market which planned in 2010.
Korea to invest $1.8 million of the grant aid to train Cambodia’s officials under three-year-plan including the 15 training courses and nine consultation services on how handle their unprecedented work of stock market.
“In its securities market development goals, Cambodia has selected a strategic partner, Korea Exchange, one of the leading stock exchanges in the world, to help us to establish security market in Cambodia,” Hun Sen has said.
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