The Phnom Penh Post News in Brief

via Khmer NZ News Media

ADB appoints new Cambodia economist

Friday, 25 June 2010 15:00 Catherine James

ASIAN Development Bank has appointed economist Peter Brimble as Cambodia’s senior country economist to replace Eric Sidgwick, who held the position for almost three years, an ADB spokesperson told the Post Thursday. Brimble, who will be the ADB’s Cambodia mission second in command after country director Putu Kamayana, is expected to start in the new role on July 1, according to ADB programmes officer Chantha Kim. Brimble was most recently a development consultant to the UNDP and USAID and managing director of currently suspended private equity fund Cambodia Emerald. Eric Sidgwick officially left the Cambodia mission in mid-May after accepting an internal promotion within the ADB, Phnom Penh-based Chantha Kim said. Sidgwick is now the bank’s principle economist for its regional cooperation and integration group based in Manila, a position that was internationally advertised at the beginning of March.

China Claim: Uighurs from Cambodia in ‘terror gang’

Friday, 25 June 2010 15:01 AFP

China Claim

Chinese police said Thursday that they had broken up a “terrorist cell” that carried out lethal attacks in Xinjiang, as the restive region braced for the first anniversary of deadly ethnic unrest. Three members of the cell were among a 20-strong group deported back to China on December 20 from an unnamed country, public security bureau spokesman Wu Heping told reporters. Cambodia sent a group of 20 Uighurs back to China last December despite US and UN protests. “Since 2008 this terror group planned and carried out many terror acts in Xinjiang, including an attack on police and border guards in Kashgar during the Olympics,” Wu said. He said the group was also responsible for bombings and a shootout with police in the city of Kuqa, which was blamed for at least 10 deaths. From July to October last year, the group gathered bombs, axes and Molotov cocktails with plans to carry out a chain of attacks in Xinjiang, and some members fled abroad when the plan was foiled, he said. Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the overseas World Uyghur Congress, said the timing of the announcement was politically motivated.