via CAAI News Media
Human Rights Watch Backs PM’s Warning to Generals
Saturday, 30 January 2010 02:41 DAP-NEWS
Human Rights Watch on Friday welcomed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s warning to several top military officials over illegal actions and corruption.
Ou Virak, the agency’s president, told DAP News Cambodia that he urged action seriously to those who break the law, such as suspending them from their jobs, or convictions.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday warned senior military officials who he said were not performing thier duties well.
Speaking at a meeting of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), PM Hun Sen said that Som Samnang, director general the of finance unit, has cheated soldiers of their money. “I agreed to hand each soldier with CR5000 as a bonus but this man gave only CR2500 to each soldier. I want to fire this guy but (defence minister) Tea Banh begged me not to do like that,” he said. He also warned Choeurn Chanthon, another top military official, who apparently wanted to be deputy commander in chief of RCAF. “I did not agree to appoint him because this man just came into military services and this man had a conspiracy with Ong Somkhan, former navy commander, to sell the navy headquarters and I did not agree to sell that headquarters,” the PM said.
Ou Virak said that “The military work is the whole nation’s story. They should not regard this story as a joke to commit illegal actions so that low ranking soldiers will be discouraged from serving the nation.”
He said that the government should take action this time, as previously no legal action was taken.
Human Rights Watch Condemns Rainsy Ruling
Saturday, 30 January 2010 02:40 DAP-NEWS
A Cambodian court’s closed-door conviction and sentencing of the opposition leader Sam Rainsy and two others takes Prime Minister Hun Sen’s campaign of persecution of critics to a new extreme and highlights government control over the judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today.
On January 27, 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court convicted Rainsy and two villagers, Meas Srey and Prom Chea, on charges of racial incitement and destroying demarcation posts on Cambodia’s border with Vietnam.
Rainsy, who was in Paris, was tried in absentia and sentenced to two years in prison and fined 8 million riels (approximately US$2,000). Meas Srey and Prom Chea were each sentenced to one year in prison for destroying public property. The court also ordered the three to pay 55 million riels (approximately US$13,000) in compensation for the removal of border markers with Vietnam.
“The Cambodian government’s relentless crackdown on critics continues apace in 2010,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Hun Sen seems intent on reversing the political pluralism that has been created over the past two decades.”
The cases were brought after Rainsy and local villagers pulled six temporary border markers from the ground in Chantrea district of Svay Rieng. Local villagers alleged that the border markers represented an attempt by Vietnam to encroach on Cambodian land, a longstanding claim of Rainsy and his party.
However, the above claim and criticism of Human Right Watch’s President was not welcomed and was rejected by the government official.
“They reported and claimed like this is to get aid from donors and to support Sam Rainsy’s action was like to support Sam Rainsy’s mistakes and abuse of this country’s law,” Tith Sothea, a member of Council the Ministers told DAP News Cambodia on Friday.
Tith Sothea warned Sam Rainsy that if he still shows his “illegal and disorder map,” he will face further complaints from the government.
Sok Sam Oeun, president of the human rights protection organization, declined to comment SRP. He said the court’s decision was their right.
HIV/AIDS down 0.7 Pct in 2009
Saturday, 30 January 2010 02:39 DAP-NEWS
HIV/AIDS had decreased 0.7 percent in the last 12 months, revealed Bun Rany Hun Sen, wife of the PM, at a forum at attended by senior government officials.
Cambodian Cross Red Director Bun Rany said that HIV positive Cambodians received good medical care. She stressed the global importance of the fight against AIDS.
The new HIV/AIDS policy being promoted is called “Friends to educate to another,” she said.
She identified goals as: focus on health education; extend health centers; attention to gender; prevent new transmissions; and emphasize and encourage all sufferers to pay attention to their disease.
Chinese Ambassador Ended its Terms for Cambodia
Saturday, 30 January 2010 02:39 DAP-NEWS
Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Zhang Jinfen has been in the kingdom four years, and in early March she will end her posting, a local source said on Thursday.
Jinfen was lauded for her contribution to Cambodia by to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Keat Chhon on January 28.
A spokesperson for the Finance Ministry said that the two discussed the close ties between the two nations.
Since 1992-2009, Cambodia has received over US$1.5 billion from China in both aid and loans as well as a free trade agreement.
Thailand Plans to Establish Business Centers at Borders
Saturday, 30 January 2010 02:38 DAP-NEWS
Thailand plans to establish four business centers in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia, according to a press release from the Thai Department for International Commerce on Wednesday.
“This center will give a chance to reach any knowledge, introduce at the border as usual with territory in regions, and join to solve all issues at the border’s sites,” said Wichak Wisetnoi, director of Thai Department of Inter-national Commerce.
Thai Commerce Minister Pomtiva Nakasai said that Thai policy is to urge investors to examine the potential of neighboring countries, especially with the Asian Free Trade resolution which adopted on January 01, 2010.”
A new sugar factory opened in Koh Kong province with both Cambodian and Thai investors, as well as backers from other countries.
The Thai Commerce Minister said that closer business ties would boost the region’s economic prospects.
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