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German Helps Cambodia to Launch more Gender Awareness

Friday, 23 April 2010 10:51 DAP-NEWS/ Ek Madra

CAMBODIA,PHNOM PENH, April 23 – German’s aid agency (GTZ) official said it is very important to educate young Cambodian generation so as to reduce domestic violence in the former war-torn nation where the victims by the crimes and rapes are still high.

Ms. Franziska Böhm, GTZ - PWR team leader, informed DAP News Cambodia that “it is very important for Cambodia to change the attitude of people to fight domestic violence.”

“And it is very important to start with young people as they can play role to reduce violence in the future,” said Ms. Böhm.

Cambodian women’s affairs ministry joins with German’s aid agency, GTZ, to Launching of “A Young People’s Toolkit On Issues Connected To Gender-Based Violence – Raising Awareness on Roles and Responsibilities in Relationships” on April 30, said a release.

“This Young People’s Toolkit is an easy to use, flexible and accessible toolkit for use with young people aged 15 -18 years, related to gender-based violence, said a joint release of Women’s Affairs Ministry and GTZ.

Women Minister Ing Kantha Phavi said in on the Women Day March 8 that there considerable progresses in the areas such as women in public decision-making and politics, legal aspects, economic empowerment for women, and women’s health as well as improving in education field for the group.

But the Minister noted that members of the group have been continued as victims by the domestic violence and rapes, which is still high.

“It seems over the last 15 years the domestic violence and violence against women and children are still high”.

“Rape and forced sex have been on the increase, particular among minors aged from 5 to 18,” said the women minister.

“There is also an increasing fear of gang rapes by teenagers, which is likely to have been caused by consumption of alcohol, drugs and pornography through the internet, mobile phones and pornographic movies.”

A joint release also said that the overall objective of this project is to support the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and other government agencies, as well as civil society organizations, to implement the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of the Victims (DV-Law) effectively and efficiently.

Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and GTZ has altogether injected Euro 4 million for 2006 - 2010 to fund the ongoing project of fighting against domestic violence , Ms. Böhm told DAP.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische

Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is implementing the project Promoting Women’s Rights (PWR).

There Was a Time When King Rama IX Used His Power to Bless

Friday, 23 April 2010 09:42 DAP-NEWS / Sam Sotha

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, April 23-I have read two articles on Bangkok Post on line, breaking news, published on April 19, 2010 entitled “Chavalit Seeking Audience with King”, another article in response to the above mentioned, on the following day on April 20, 2010 under the title “PM questions Chavalit’s motives”, and on the same topic in The Nation, published on April21, 2010 entitled “Chavalit, Somchai draw flak for seeking King’s intervention”.

I sympathize with the two former prime ministers: Gen.Chavalit Yongchaiyuth and Mr.Somchai Wongsawat, for both of them wanted to assist the current government to solve the growing political crisis, which has escalated and reached its climax with violent and deadly clashes between the Red protesters and the army on April 10, 2010 resulting in at least 24 deaths and more than 840 injured.

Personally, I find the current situation unacceptable, as it will end up with unavoidable violence, similar to the military crack down on protesters during the “Black May” period from May 17-19, 1992, when Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon ordered the military to disperse demonstrators and to handcuff Mr. Chamlong Srimuang, the leader of the demonstration, a decision which triggered the violence to escalate gravely.

The clashes of these 3 days and nights resulted in at least 52 deaths, many disappearances, hundreds of injuries, and over 3,500 arrests. Many of those arrested were allegedly tortured. The West views these episodes as social unrests.

Similarly, when I closely monitor the situation in Thailand since early March 2010, I can understand the demands from the protesters and the responses from the government.

There are several political camps, but could be grouped in two, the camp of the ruling

Democratic Party led coalition government, and the camp of the oppositions led by the Peu Thai Party chaired by former Prime Minister Mr. Chavalit Yongchaiyuth and surrounded by many other core members, who were dispersed from Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) and People’s Power Party (PPP).

The first camp is supported by the People’s Alliance for Democracy, the PAD, the second is supported by the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship, the UDD, and called themselves the “Red Shirts”, while the PAD called themselves the “Yellow Shirts”.

Most of the Red Shirt members are farmers and peasants from the countryside. They are overwhelmingly supportive of the TRT and the PPP, the parties which were dissolved by the Constitutional Court, respectively on May 30, 2007 and December 2, 2008

In my view, Thailand is still a borderline between developed and developing country. On the many occasions that I had met with several western country Ambassadors, he/she said “We ceased to provide grant aid (bilateral aid) to Thailand because she is now a developed country. In our judgment, Thailand is now a developed country which is providing grant aid to the neighboring countries”. But in fact there is a wide disparity of distribution of wealth, between the rich and the poor, between the rural citizen and the urban citizen.

On April 19, 2010, there was an article, written by a CNN reporter, Mr. Arwa Damon, entitled “Red Shirt supporters say they are willing to take risks in an attempt to secure change”. He interviewed numerous poor supporters and found that: “despite the impact on their miserly income, they said they had to make a trip to Bangkok to take part in the Red Shirt demonstrations”. “They viewed Abhisit’s government as illegitimate, and they are calling them to step down”.

“They say that out there Thaksin is seen as a hero, the man who gave them a voice, fought for their rights, and eased their economic burdens”.

After the clashes on April 10, many families in the countryside were called to return home, but the CNN reporter quoted these people as saying “We have to help our people win. We are not worried about our financial loss, but that it is a risk we are willing to take to fight for long term change.” The word “illegitimate government”, for everyone understands, is used only by the opposing camp. Since the protest started from mid of March, the protesters demands were consistent: “You, Prime Minister, you have to dissolve the Parliament and leave the country, that the general election be organized the soonest possible.

These demands, if you are driving backward to the period of 19 years ago during “Black May 1992” you will see that there is no material difference. On February 23, 1991, Army chief General Suchinda Kraprayoon overthrew (Ret) Gen. Chatichai Choonhavan. The coup makers, who called themselves the National Peace-Keeping Council, appointed Mr. Anand Panyarachum as Prime Minister. Anand’s interim government established a new constitution and scheduled parliamentary elections for March 22, 1992.

A government coalition with 55% of the House of Representatives was formed and appointed General Suchinda as Prime Minister. Massive public protest immediately followed, as it became clear the government parties would not honour their word, thus plans went ahead for a strike on Sunday 17 May. As General Chavalit had experienced and seen the situation repeated, he adopted the same tune as “Black May” and called upon former primer Somchai Wongsawat to join him in issuing a statement calling on the government to dissolve the House of Representatives and revoke the emergency decree. To this end Gen. Chavalit tried to get an audience with His Majesty the King in a bit to end the growing political crisis, calling for royal intervention to resolve the political stand-off. In the articles from Bangkok Post and the Nation, I found reactions, particularly from Mr. Abhisit, the Prime Minister and the Democrat’s ruling partner namely Chart Thai de-facto leader Banharn Silapa-archa, said “the call could put undue pressure on His Majesty the King who is still recuperating at Siriraj Hospital.”

Democrat chief advisor to Democratic Party and former prime minister, Mr. Chuan Leekpai echoed that ‘” the monarchy was above and beyond politics and it is inappropriate for Chavalit to invoke His Majesty the King in a political context.”

Both camps should remember His Majesty, on his birthday on December 5, 2009; “called on all parties to join hands in returning normalcy to the country and to set aside personal benefits for the sake of the public interest if you wanted to make me happy on my birthday”.

To prevent further bloodshed in my opinion it is time to reconcile with one another

Follow the footstep of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX who called Mr. Chamlong Srimuang and the Prime Minister on May 20, 1992 and demanded that the two men put an end the confrontation and work together through “Parliamentary procedure.”

Following the wisdom of their King, Suchinda released Chamlong and announced an amnesty for detained protesters. He also agreed on an amendment requiring the prime minister to be elected. Chamlong asked the demonstrators to disperse, which they did. On May 24, 1992;General Suchinda Kraprayoon resigned as Prime Minister of Thailand. In the same day Mr.Meechai Ruchuphan was appointed by royal decree as acting prime minister and resigned onJune 10 to make way for Mr. Anand Panyarachun who was elected by the House of Representatives. Mr. Anand, the new prime minister then set September 13, 1992 as the date for the general election. The Democrats won a narrow majority and Mr. Chuan Leekpai wasappointed on September 23, 1992 as 20th Prime Minister of Thailand.

So, it is about time that all parties call upon King Rama IX to receive His Majesty’s blessing in the same way the King granted a private audience to Mr. Abhisit Vijjajiva on Monday,March 3, 2010 on the 14th floor of the Chalermphrakiat, Siriraj Hospital, for the King toreceive a briefing on the situation in the country and on Abhisit’s decision to apply the Internal Security Act to metro Bangkok and assignment of 6,000 soldiers to duty.

About the author: Mr. Sam Sotha is the author of the “In the Shade of A Quiet Killing Place”, His Personal Memoir. About the book visit the www.heavenlakepress.com and H.E Sam Sotha is advisor to Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen and secretary of state of the council of ministers.

Royal Plowing Day To Conduct at Siem Reap Province This Year

Friday, 23 April 2010 05:12 DAP-NEWS/ Tep Piseth

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, April 23-The Royal Plowing ceremony this year will be conducted at Siem Reap Province, the statement from the national festival committee said on Friday.

The ceremony will be presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni, it said, adding that it will fall on May 2. The plowing ceremony will predict about the product of agricultur crops this year and which crop should be grown by the farmers.

last year, Cambodia gained 7 million tons of rice product and it remainded about 3 million tons for export.

Thailand Has Obligations to Hand over Ancient Khmer Artifacts

Friday, 23 April 2010 04:24 DAP-NEWS/ Tep Piseth

PHNOM PENH, April 23-Thailand needs to implement international norms and to hand over the ancient Khmer artifacts that it was seized years ago from illegally cross- border smuggled artifacts, an official said on Friday.

One piece of the inscription from 11th century Khmer Preah Vihear temple has been installed at Thai National Museum in Bangkok, and Thais took from Preah Vihear temple years ago, and we asked them many times but they did not provide to us,” Hang Soth, secretary general of Preah Vihear temple Authority said by phone from Preah Vihear zone.

He noted that Thai authorities took many pieces of artifacts from Preah Vihear temple before they agreed to leave the temple in 1962. When the international court in Holland released the verdicts that Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia.

Those artifacts are human being’s properties and world heritage. They need to hand those sculptures for us,” he said, adding that we will show more proof for other pieces belonging to Preah Vihear temple of Cambodia.

In April 2009, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit handed over 7 pieces to Cambodia when he visited here and one of them was handed over to Cambodian side during the sidelines of 14th ASEAN summit in Pattaya. But Cambodia asked Thailand to hand over other around 40 pieces of artifacts which confiscated by Thai authorities from robberies and illegal smuggling from Cambodia. So far Thailand has not given us those remaining artifacts, the official of rcultural ministry said.

On Feb. 24, 2009, the Thai cabinet adopted a resolution to restitute the seven artifacts to the government of Cambodia in accordance with an agreement signed between the two countries to combat against illicit trafficking and cross-border smuggling of movable cultural property and to restitute it to the country of origin which Thailand and Cambodia signed in 2000. Those artifacts are not involved in political issues of the two countries and they are the humanitarian values.

Cambodia and Thailand relation has soured after Thai troop invaded Cambodian soil in July 15 2008 when Cambodia successfully listed Preah Vihear temple as world heritage site with world heritage committee in July 7, 2008.

Thai troop occupied an area near the temple and that area is the main strategic road to Preah Vihear temple from Cambodia. Analysts said that Cambodia could not develop Preah Vihear temple or promote the temple as tourism destination for foreigners because the road was blocked by Thai army with heavy weapons. After fighting occurred many time, thai troops moved back, and moved to other of areas. During Khmer New year on April 14-16, around ten of thousands of local and foreign tourist went to see the temple.

This year, we have a lot of tourists to visit here in during New Year, Hang Soth said, adding now the situation is normal.

Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire for many times since 2008, and it led dozen of soldiers from both sides died. The last fighting earlier this week, it caused two Thai soldiers hurt.

Thailand used the unilateral map to deal border issues with Cambodia, that were drawn by themselves, and Cambodia used the border treaty in 1904-1907 which is official one for both countries. Thailand is arrogant during the negotiation with Cambodia. Thailand always rose many times about the own unilateral map. Last year, Cambodian military commander in Chief POL Sareoun tore down Thai unilateral map in front of Thai delegation. Pol Saroeun at that time hated the manner of Thai delegation, the army said.

Even now, it has some signs that Cambodia and Thailand could mend its ties after both sides recalled their ambassadors respectively. Cambodia is waiting for Thai side to send its ambassador first only because Thailand last year recalled their ambassador first. Cambodia will follow next step. Thailand at that time said that recalling of the ambassador because Cambodia did not send former Thai PM Thaksin under extradition of the two countries but Cambodia told back that under extradition agreement, point number four, both sides will not send political prisoners to each other. From that point, Cambodia did not send former Thaksin and he was appointed as economic advisor. And Thailand recalled its ambassador. Thailand accused Cambodia of putting the hand into Thai internal affairs. Cambodia told back that the relation started tension because Thailand sent troops to invade the region of the area.