Promoting Vietnamese-Cambodian friendship and co-operation

Nhan Dan
June 24, 2008

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on June 24 started an official visit to Vietnam from June 24-26 at the invitation of State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

This is the second Vietnam visit by King Norodom Sihamoni since he was crowned in October 2004.

The visit taking place at the time when the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia is developing positively affirms the determination of the leaders and people in the two countries to further strengthen their traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation for mutual benefits.

Welcoming King Norodom Sihamoni, the Vietnamese people would like to congratulate the Cambodian people in their achievements in national construction and development.

The visit is made on coincidence with the celebration of the 41st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2008.

Thanks to the special attention paid by leaders and people in the two countries, the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has constantly developed in all fields under the motto “good neighbour, traditional friendship, comprehensive co-operation and long lasting stability.”

The exchange of high-level delegations between the two countries has contributed to promoting bilateral comprehensive co-operation in a more efficient and reliable manner.

Co-operation in the fields of economics, trade and investment has also seen positive changes. In 2007, two-way trade value was estimated at nearly US $1.2 billion and both sides are striving to reach the target of US $2.3 billion by 2010. Vietnam's investment capital in Cambodia stood at around US $100 million last year.

Ministries, sectors and localities from the two countries have increased their co-operation. The two countries have made continuous efforts to maintain security and stability in border areas and have agreed to complete land border demarcation and landmark planting by 2012.

Vietnam and Cambodia has established a Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Co-operation to review the annual implementation of co-operation agreements in the fields of economics, politics, trade, military and security and to work out plans for the next period.

The two countries have also paid attention to promoting co-operation in healthcare, education-training, energy and transport areas.

Co-operation among localities, especially border provinces and twinned cities, has contributed to boosting the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.

The two countries have also worked closely in the sub-regional framework and in multilateral co-operation such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the West-East Corridor (WEC), the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy (ACMECS) and Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam development triangle.

The Vietnamese people take this opportunity to express deep thanks to the Cambodian Royal Family, Government and people for their valuable assistance and support in the past as well as at present.

It is believed that the Cambodian people, under the leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni and the Royal Government, will record greater achievements in national development and play a more important role in the international arena in the future.

May the Vietnam visit by King Norodom be crowned with success, thus contributing to further developing the Vietnamese-Cambodian time-honoured traditional friendship, good neighbourliness and all-round co-operation between the two countries for happiness and prosperity in both countries as well as in the Southeast Asia region and the world at large.

Unravelling Thailand's political turmoil

Prime Minister Samak has been besieged by protests

Tuesday, 24 June 2008

By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok

The Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has been fighting for his political life over the past two weeks.

Thousands of demonstrators from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have besieged his office at Government House, demanding he step down. The main opposition party has filed a motion of no-confidence in parliament.

He has also faced protests by disgruntled farmers, truck drivers and fishermen.

There have even been rumours of another military coup. Mr Samak has only been in office for five months. So what has he done wrong?

SAMAK'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THAKSIN SHINAWATRA

Having campaigned openly in last December's election as a "Thaksin nominee", Mr Samak was never going to be accepted by those Thais who are still bitterly opposed to Mr Thaksin.

They see the Samak government as a Trojan horse that will eventually ease Mr Thaksin back into power.

The PAD is firmly in this camp. Nothing Mr. Samak could have done would have softened their hostility to him, even though the prime minister has often acted independently of the Thaksin loyalists in his party.

SAMAK'S CABINET

It was greeted with brickbats by many Thais when it was announced.

This wasn't really his fault. His party, the People Power Party (PPP), is essentially just Mr Thaksin's old party, Thai Rak Thai, under a different name.

It is run and funded by the same, powerful provincial figures. But with Mr Thaksin and 110 other top TRT officials banned from holding political office, they simply put forward relatives and cronies to take up ministerial portfolios in their place.

Most of these new ministers lacked relevant competences and experience. Their performance has been lacklustre, at best.

SAMAK'S UNDISCIPLINED MOUTH

Mr Samak is a street-brawler of a politician who relishes his reputation for being brutally outspoken.

This served him well during the campaign; it serves him far less well as prime minister.
He was the first to speculate about a military coup, sending the financial markets plunging, and forcing the army commander to rush out a denial.

He threatened to use force again the PAD protests, but then had to back down. Many Thais are embarrassed by his verbal gaffes.

SAMAK'S ATTACK ON THE CONSTITUTION

Altering the charter introduced last year under the military government was a priority for the PPP.

The charter included a number of provisions aimed at limiting the power of elected governments. But the two clauses Mr Samak targeted were directly tied to his party's and Mr Thaksin's interests - it looked like a self-serving move.

He has now been forced to back down, leaving any amendments to a bi-party parliamentary committee.

SAMAK'S FAILURE TO TACKLE THE ECONOMY

Thailand, like other countries, has been hit hard by rising oil and other commodity prices.

Inflation is up sharply. The price of rice has fluctuated, initially benefiting farmers, then catching them off-guard as prices fell back. The Thai currency has suddenly slipped in value, pushing up the cost of oil even further.

Mr Samak's economic team has blundered around these challenges, without producing any credible policies to address them.

SAMAK'S LACK OF PARTY SUPPORT

Mr Samak was chosen by Mr Thaksin to run the PPP because his close ties to the military and the monarchy were useful to a party disliked by the traditional elite; he has no power-base of his own inside the party.

As a result, he has been unable to control factional rivalry, weakening the party's effectiveness in parliament.

Some of those factions now appear to have lost patience with Mr. Samak, and may be angling to replace him.

THE TEMPLE ROW

On top of all these problems, Cambodia's bid to have an ancient temple on the border with Thailand listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site has sparked off a nationalist backlash against the prime minister.

Mr Samak agreed to support the bid, although the temple's inclusion in Cambodian territory is disputed by many Thais.

The fact that the Foreign Minister, Noppodol Pattama, who negotiated the deal to support the listing, also used to be Mr Thaksin's lawyer, has led some to suspect that he was swayed by Mr Thaksin's business interests in Cambodia.

So what happens next? Samak Sundaravej is a veteran politician whose tenacity and survival skills should not be underestimated.

He will almost certainly survive the vote of no-confidence. The opposition Democrats don't have enough seats to form a viable alternative coalition.

And, although they are too polite to say so, Mr Samak's coalition partners need to stay with him long enough to see some of the big government infrastructure spending projects get going.

It is a poorly kept secret in Thailand that parties rely on getting government positions to replenish their coffers after the expense of an election.

For that reason, forcing Mr Samak to dissolve parliament, and hold another election, is not palatable to any party.

A military coup also seems very unlikely. Army Commander Anupong Paochinda has made it clear he does not want one. Much of the army top brass feel they got little thanks for intervening two years ago. The situation would have to deteriorate dramatically for them to rethink.

If Mr Samak is forced to go, it will probably be by his own party.

But then he would likely be replaced by someone less independent from Thaksin Shinawatra - perhaps his brother-in-law, the Education Minister Somchai Wiongsawat, or Finance Minister Surapong Seubwongleee - neither of which would be appealing to die-hard anti-Thaksin groups.

Democracy in Thailand has always been messy. Perhaps never more so than now.

Temple issue linked to suspicious motives

The Nation
Published on June 25, 2008

Government accused of selling out Thai sovereignty for lucrative deals in Cambodia In 1962 when Thailand lost the sovereignty case over the Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia in the International Court of Justice, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, the then leader, could not contain his tears. Thais of that generation also felt the pain of the loss. Ever since, whenever the issue of Preah Vihear is raised, Thais feel very emotional. It was one of the greatest losses for the nation.

From the legal standpoint, Thailand has reserved the right not to agree with the Court's ruling. But as a member of the United Nations, it has agreed to move its troops from Preah Vihear. The Court only ruled that Preah Vihear is under Cambodian sovereignty. Its ruling does not cover the temple area where the pond and the approach belong to Thailand. A visitor can only access the temple by taking a route from Thai territory. From the Cambodian side, one has to climb an almost sheer cliff, which is impossible for ordinary people. Thailand and Cambodia are also in dispute regarding an overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres.

The Cambodian government has filed an application with Unesco for the Preah Vihear temple complex to be listed as a World Heritage site. The political controversy in Thailand is why the Samak government has rushed to endorse Cambodia's sole application for the temple to become a Unesco-listed site.

This matter should have been handled with more diplomacy, through a joint application from both governments. Otherwise, this signals to the whole world that Thailand has accepted that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia when past Thai governments held reservations on the International Court of Justice's ruling, which is not considered final from the Thai stance. Moreover, the Samak government has agreed to endorse Cambodia's sole application for Preah Vihear to become a World Heritage site by setting aside the long-standing territorial dispute and proposed buffer zone on the north and west of the temple.

"For its part, the Kingdom of Cambodia, in a spirit of goodwill and conciliation, accepted to inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List, at this stage, without a buffer zone on the north and west of the Temple," according to a document from the Cambodian government.

Cambodia has prepared the 47-page document for Unesco, detailing how the Thai government has been providing "active support" for the temple to be on the World Heritage List. This propaganda material looks, on the surface, very convincing because it chronicles step by step how the present Thai leaders - Samak Sundaravej, the prime minister; Noppadon Pattama, the foreign minister; and Somchai Wongsawat, the deputy prime minister and education minister - went to Phnom Penh to endorse Cambodia's sole application for the temple to be listed.

Again, we question why the Thai government is so keen to endorse Cambodia's move on Preah Vihear in the absence of a joint application to Unesco and in the absence of an amicable agreement on the territorial dispute. Most importantly, the endorsement is sending a signal that Thailand will never try to reclaim Preah Vihear. The Samak government has committed a big diplomatic blunder, which is unforgivable.

This controversy has become a ticking bomb. The People's Alliance for Democracy has been holding street demonstrations in front of Government House and is playing up the Preah Vihear issue and accusing the government of selling off the temple in return for casino and gas deals in Koh Kong. The opposition Democrats yesterday also focused the no-confidence censure debate on this issue. More than 300 distinguished Thais have also signed a letter to protest against any Unesco decision at this point to have the temple included on the World Heritage List while the sovereignty question over the temple and the temple area remains ambiguous.

The government's clarification of this issue is unclear. We have lost confidence in the government's ability to handle the Preah Vihear issue in the best interests of the nation.

The preah vihear temple controversy for dummies

The Nation
By tulsathit taptim

tulsathit@nationgroup.com
Published on June 25, 2008

I stink where history is concerned and the only reason I dare touch upon the most explosive issue of the hours - the Preah Vihear Temple controversy - is simply because I believe some of you share my dismal knowledge on the subject.

Like the title of this article says, the following probably won't suit those looking for the science and legality of border demarcation or foolproof historical accuracy.

What exactly was the World Court's ruling and Thailand's legal reaction?

Basically, the court, in June, 1962, ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia, leaving unsolved questions over disputed surrounding areas. The Thai government at that time accepted the ruling with clenched jaws and reserved its right to renew its fight for sovereignty if future legal opportunities arise.

What were the court's key reasons?

The ruling was based on a map drawn primarily by French colonial officers in the late 1900s and decades of Thailand's non-objection to the map that put the temple on Cambodian soil. The map was an integral part of a treaty whose benefits for Thailand, Bangkok had never complained about.

Does the Samak administration's decision to support Cambodia's push for registration of the temple as a World Heritage site compromise Thailand's sovereignty?

The decision, while obviously being overly politicised, was rash and uncalled for. It can be argued that the Joint Communique signed by Noppadon and the Cambodians to support the World Heritage nomination undermines decades of Thailand's "silent" protests against Phnom Penh's victory, and whatever right Bangkok may still hold to re-file the case.

Does Thailand still have that right?

The Samak government is holding on for dear life on Article 61 of the World Court regulation which states that "No application for revision may be made after the lapse of ten years from the date of the judgement". (In Cambodia's application document to Unesco, this article is highlighted, with "LAPSE OF TEN YEARS" in capital letters.)

In his scathing attacks on the government in Parliament yesterday, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva pointed out Article 60 of the court's regulation. This article allows warring parties to reserve doubts and observations concerning rulings and it does not spell out any timeframe.

Which article carries stronger weight is open for debate, but Abhisit was right in saying that Article 61 should be cited by Cambodian lawyers, not Noppadon.

Since Cambodia boasts full ownership of the temple, why does it need Thailand's backing for the application?

Unesco needs to reinforce sites' "universal values", therefore overlapping claims in surrounding areas could hinder Cambodia's unilateral efforts.

Maintenance capability seems to be one of the issues here. Unesco needs to ensure proper management and preservation for World Heritage sites. Apart from that, and this is my pure guess only, the fact that the temple, perched on a cliff higher than many New York skyscrapers, can only be accessed from the Thai side, makes Bangkok's cooperation for the World Heritage inscription quite essential.

Is "joint nomination, made on more equal grounds" better and possible as claimed by the Democrats?

Some experts say that joint nomination is the best way, and should be a role model for this kind of dispute in Thai-Cambodian relations. Unfortunately, Noppadon and the government as a whole failed to explore this possibility.

Whereas Thailand being able or unable to "reserve" its rights regarding Preah Vihear is somewhat abstract and has much to do with "what ifs?", Noppadon can be squarely criticised for not going for this best option for Thailand.

The temple is very "Khmer", isn't it? What's the point of Thailand's stubbornness?

Well, the World Court case, quite rightly I think, didn't focus on questions of cultural heritage or on which state was the successor to the Khmer Empire. Look at the location of the temple and it's obvious that everything regarding the grand-scale construction had to start from the Thai side. If this too had had to be taken into account, it would have made the dispute much more complex. For example, should the labour and transport routes have been declared Cambodian territory too?

Moreover, if the court had gone as far back as the early 9th century in establishing present ownership of a piece of a structure, all hell would have broken loose.

Fuel Prices and Inflation Are Not Expected to Decline after the 2008 Election

Posted on 24 June 2008
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 566

“Phnom Penh: Civil society organizations mentioned that fuel prices seem to be higher and inflation remains stable nowadays, and it is assumed that after the coming fourth term parliamentary election, although a new government will be created, it will not be possible to solve these problems.

“Mr. Yang Saing Koma, Director of the Center for Studies and Development of Cambodian Agriculture, [CEDAC], told reporters at the Cambodiana Hotel on 19 June 2008 that food prices, which are steadily increasing and are a global phenomenon, push that in Cambodia the prices of all kinds of goods are increasing at the moment.

“He added that from August to September, the Cambodian rice price might continue to rise, because farmers might run out of paddy rice from the storage rooms while they at the same time want to sell it, because there is a lot of demand at the market, and domestic supplies are not enough; this will increase the price of rice to be higher, or at least it will remain at the present level.

“Ms. Chea Vannath, an independent analyst, she said that although after the forth term parliamentary election, and after a new government will have been created, still the price of fuel and inflation will not decline. Quite the opposite, ‘The situation will threaten the poverty alleviation strategy of the Royal Government.’

“Similarly, Mr. Chan Sophal, the president of the Cambodian Economic Association, said that the price of crude oil at the international market may further increase in the future. Therefore, the price of fuel in Cambodia is not expected to drop. He continued that inflation gets higher because of two factors – a domestic factor and an external factor. He explained that at the present time, the prices of all kinds of goods at the international market increase strongly because of the shortage of food. As for the domestic factor, there is a group of people who sell land, and they have income from this, but this group also needs domestic materials and food, and because the domestic products are not sufficiently available, the inflation grows higher.

“To solve the increase of fuel prices and of inflation, Cambodia could follow the model of Iran, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These countries have created systems to sell fuel or rice by setting two different pricing policies – to sell to the rich at higher, and to the poor at cheaper prices. The sale of fuel to the rich is established for those who drive luxury cars when they go to fill fuel at the gasoline stations. This example was raised by Ms. Chea Vannath; as for Mr. Chan Sophal, he added that the government can reduce the tax on oil imports, and this can reduce the price of fuel. As for inflation, the government has to increase the yields of cultivation, and handle land disputes better.

“Observers noticed that nowadays citizens in Cambodia sell land or leave their land unused while they have disputes; these are obstacles to increase the yield of rice in Cambodia.

“Regarding this issue, Mr. Ith Nody, undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, told reporters at the Hotel Cambodiana on 19 June 2008 that the government knows these problems and has measures to deal with them. The government will provide social concession land to citizens with the support of the World Bank and a Japanese fund by using social land concessions in Kompong Cham, Kratie, and Kompong Thom, but he did not give any details about the size of those social land concessions.

“He added that merchants have bought land from citizens and left the land unused. The government, when necessary, will require those merchants to pay land taxes to the state.
“Last Friday, Khmer Sthapana had tried to phone to ask for some explanation about the continuing rising price of fuel from the Senior Minister of Economy and Finance, but could not reach him.

“However, Mr. Keat Chhon has told reporters a few days ago that the government has prepared approximately US$30 million to spend this year quietly and has tired to prevent inflation, which is a phenomenon in foreign countries, to keep the price of fuel from increasing further.

“According to a recent report of the Asian Development Bank, inflation in Asia is a threat to poverty alleviation strategies and affects investments and incomes, creating instability for several governments.”

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #21, 24.6.2008

Better Health Care, Next Mandate: Minister

By Seng Ratana, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.59 MB) - Download (MP3) Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.59 MB) - Listen (MP3)

[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the first in a two-part series examining the state of Cambodian health care.]

Cambodia's health system remains poor, but in the time since the last general election, the government has worked hard to improve it and hopes to do more in the next term, the nation's top health official said.

Health Minister Nuth Sokhum, a member of the coalition Funcinpec party, said the government was working hard to fix the problems in the health system, building 40 health care centers around Cambodia since the last election and providing additional training to doctors on professional ethics.

The government hoped to do more in the next term, he said, especially to take better care of women and child health issues, he said.

Cambodians in rural areas like Kampong Thom province are not happy with the health care they see at the district level. One mother told VOA Khmer the local doctor gave her son an injection without informing her, then impolitely demanded money.

John Saroeun, who works for the health NGO Maristop in the province, said many rural citizens face the same difficulties. Doctors come late for work, leave for an early lunch and take the rest of the day off, he said.

Many people have lost faith in the health care system. Even though doctors have the ability to do their jobs, they are not paid well, forcing them to resort to corruption, Saroeun said.

Despite government promises to improve the situation, competing parties are looking for ways to exploit these health care woes as the election approaches.

Trials Begin in September: Tribunal

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.05 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.05 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The first trials of Khmer Rouge leaders will be held in September, tribunal officials told reporters Tuesday.

Tribunal officials returned from discussions with donors in New York on Friday, where they requested an additional $50 million to carry trials through 2009, with plans for additional funding if the proceedings last through 2010 or if more Khmer Rouge leaders are indicted, officials said.

"We are preparing for the trials to be able to commence in September," the tribunal Office of Administration said Tuesday.The tribunal has finished the construction of a main court room, which will be used in the next tribunal appeal hearing, for former foreign minister Ieng Sary, to be held June 30, and the Victims Unit is reviewing 1,200 civil party complaints.

Protests Shutter Preah Vihear Temple

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.10 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.10 MB) - Listen (MP3)

As Thai protesters arrived on the northern border, Cambodian authorities on Monday closed the gates to Preah Vihear temple, whose application for Unesco World Heritage protection has brought border anxieties between the neighbors to the fore.

Thai opposition politicians and activists accuse Thailand's foreign minister of hastily allowing the Cambodians to forward the application to Unesco, and over the weekend a group of protesters were outside the temple, requesting permission to enter.

Cambodia then closed the temple to all visitors, pending further notification.

The temple will be reopened when "the situation becomes good and no one is causing any more problems," said Var Kimhong, chairman of the government's border committee.

Kampot Housing Crackdown Continues

By Win Thida, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.21 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.21 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Four villagers have been arrested by military police in two districts of Kampot province and others were beaten, during operations to remove their homes from state land, rights officials and villagers said Tuesday.

The arrests follow the protest of a series of similar operations, especially in Chhouk district, where 83 families had their houses torn down earlier this month.

"The movement of the people is due to the authority that did not resolve their problems over many years, and at each election stage, the authorities promised to resolve their problems," Adhoc investigator Chan Saveth said. "But in the end, no."

"If the authorities will not settle the problem of the villagers, they might not go to vote," he added. "Because they are still concerned about their land."

King Sihamoni Leaves for Vietnam Visit

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (877 KB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (877 KB) - Listen (MP3)

King Norodom Sihamoni departed for Hanoi Tuesday morning, for a trip where he is expected to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two neighbors, Cambodian and Vietnamese officials said.

"The visit of his majesty to Vietnam is the second one over the past years," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told VOA Khmer after the king's departure. "It is clear that this visit encourages the friendly alliance and stronger cooperation between the two countries."

The king was accompanied by a delegation of royal palace and government officials on a dedicated Siem Reap Air flight.

Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen were also present for the official farewell.

Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay issued a statement Monday wondering "if his majesty will have the opportunity to propose to the Vietnamese president Nguyen Minh Triet or with other Vietnamese leaders to release the Cambodian monk [Tim Sakhorn] and to procure the rights of living to Cambodian people over there."

Vietnamese Embassy spokesman Trinh Ba Cam said Tuesday the visit would strengthen ties between the two neighbors. He declined to discuss whom the king would meet in the capital.

Rights Groups Calls for Halt to Torture

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.41 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.41 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The rights group Adhoc and the Asian Human Rights Commission plan to broadcast a radio program appealing to the Cambodian government to prevent torture, for UN Anti-Torture Day, Thursday.

Adhoc "will set up a radio program and will cooperate with the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong in order to broadcast, disseminate and call for the Cambodian government to prevent, halt and to [work] against torture in Cambodia, which has happened in some prisons and police custody," Adhoc investigator Chan Saveth told VOA Khmer.

Torture cases have decreased in Cambodia but they still occur, he said.

One suspect, Yan Sokea, was arrested in Preah Vihear province but died in Prey Sar prison when he wasn't given adequate medical attention, Chan Saveth said.

He was severely beaten by prison guards, Chan Saveth said.

Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak denied torture occurs in prisons or while suspects are in custody.

"We have never seen such a thing happen," he said, adding that the government has issued information to all police institutions to stop the use of torture.

Cambodia ratified the Optional Protocol Against Torture in 2007.

The government must institute stronger measures to monitor prisons and other detention facilities, said Lao Monghay, a senior researcher at the Rights Commission.

Rights Groups Calls for Halt to Torture

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
24 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.41 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 24 June (1.41 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The rights group Adhoc and the Asian Human Rights Commission plan to broadcast a radio program appealing to the Cambodian government to prevent torture, for UN Anti-Torture Day, Thursday.

Adhoc "will set up a radio program and will cooperate with the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong in order to broadcast, disseminate and call for the Cambodian government to prevent, halt and to [work] against torture in Cambodia, which has happened in some prisons and police custody," Adhoc investigator Chan Saveth told VOA Khmer.

Torture cases have decreased in Cambodia but they still occur, he said.

One suspect, Yan Sokea, was arrested in Preah Vihear province but died in Prey Sar prison when he wasn't given adequate medical attention, Chan Saveth said.

He was severely beaten by prison guards, Chan Saveth said.

Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak denied torture occurs in prisons or while suspects are in custody.

"We have never seen such a thing happen," he said, adding that the government has issued information to all police institutions to stop the use of torture.

Cambodia ratified the Optional Protocol Against Torture in 2007.

The government must institute stronger measures to monitor prisons and other detention facilities, said Lao Monghay, a senior researcher at the Rights Commission.

Preah Vihear History vol1

History of the sacred site of Preah Vihear and Her inscription in the Liste of World Heritage UNESCO

Preah Vihear History vol2

History of the sacred site of Preah Vihear and Her inscription in the Liste of World Heritage UNESCO

Preah Vihear: After meeting Paris 26/05/08 Part 1

Preah Vihear: After meeting Paris 26/05/08 Part 2

Thais petition UNESCO; court to hear temple dispute complaint

MCOT English News

BANGKOK, June 24 (TNA) - Thailand's Central Administrative Court has set a hearing on Thursday to determine whether or not to issue an injunction as requested by a group of politicians and activists over the nullification of a cabinet decision concerning the disputed Preah Vihear temple, while another group led by senators petitioned the United Nations agency seeking postponement of the temple registration as a World Heritage site.

Thailand's cabinet on June 17 endorsed a new map -- as yet unseen by the Thai public -- of Preah Vihear that paves the way for neighbouring Cambodia to apply for the disputed temple to be listed as a World Heritage Site.

Cambodia will present the map as a key document to experts of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at a meeting in Canada next month.

A group of Thai politicians and activists represented by Sen. Kamnoon Sitthisaman and Suriyasai Katasila, coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy, petitioned the court on Tuesday asking it to nullify the June 17 cabinet decision and to invalidate the signing by Thai foreign minister Noppadon Pattama of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Communique of June 18.

Suwat Apaipak, a Thai lawyer, explained that the group petitioned the court for fear that Thailand might lose territory as a result of endorsement of the joint communique. Recognising Cambodia's right to seek World Heritage site status for Phra Vihear is tantamount to affecting Thailand's border, according to Mr. Suwat.

Critics say the Samak administration bypassed Parliament when his government endorsed the joint communique, arguing that Thailand and Cambodia should apply jointly for World Heritage status for the site.

The foreign minister and the cabinet must testify Thursday, according to the court statement.
Meanwhile, about 300 senators, academics and national artists Tuesday petitioned the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to postpone its consideration of the Preah Vihear temple site.

Sen. Priyanandana Rangsit, deputy chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, presented a petition signed by 300 senators, academic and civil society representatives to UNESCO asking the UN agency to postpone its consideration of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site, arguing the plan should be proposed by both Thailand and Cambodia because the temple is a transboundary asset.

A 4.6 square kilometre area adjacent to the temple is in an overlapping zone where Thai and Khmer ownership has yet to be demarcated.

Dr. Sheldon Sheffer, Director of UNESCO Bangkok, Asia said he would forward the petition to the World Heritage Committee.

Richard Engelhardt, UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific, commented that the process to select world heritage sites normally takes between three and ten years.

Regarding the Preah Vihear case, the Cambodian government proposed the temple to the World Heritage site last year and the World Heritage Committee will meet between July 2-12 to discuss the issue. (TNA)

Thais, Cambodians Dispute Temple Site

Thai tourists visit Cambodia's famed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai- border in Preah Vihear province, about 245 kilometers (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo: AP)

The Irrawaddy

By SAI SILP
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cambodian authorities on Monday ordered the controversial Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border temporarily closed while, on Tuesday, about 300 Thai senators and academics submitted a letter to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), urging the world body to delay making a decision on listing the historical temple as a World Heritage Site.

The Cambodian authorities’ action comes after continuing protests in Thailand ahead of a UNESCO meeting in Canada on July 2-10. Both the Thailand and Cambodian governments signed a joint communiqué last Wednesday endorsing the Cambodian application.

Preah Vihear temple was built in dedication to the Hindu god Shiva and was constructed between the 9th and the 12th centuries. The territory on which the temple lies has been the subject of conflict between the two countries for many years.

In 2007, Bangkok opposed Phnom Penh's application to annex 4.6 square kilometers of overlapping land claimed by both sides. The dispute was settled after Cambodia agreed last month to accept that only the temple lay on Cambodian land.The case quickly became a political issue when opponents noted that Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej bypassed parliament when he endorsed Cambodia's application for UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the temple, which was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962.

Meanwhile, Senator Priyanandana Rangsit, vice-chairman of the Thai Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a press conference in Bangkok that 300 senators and academics had signed a petition which had been submitted to UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Director Sheldon Shaeffer, requesting a delay in the process for the disputed Preah Vihear temple to be listed as a World Heritage Site.

“Preah Vihear has an overlapping area around the temple between Thailand and Cambodia, so it should be registered as joint-custody of both countries.” Priyanandana said.

Local people in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket Province, where the Hindu temple allegedly overlaps onto, have been protesting since Sunday, accusing the cabinet of endorsing Cambodian sovereignty.

The matter has also been highlighted by the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which has been staging anti-government protests in Bangkok for several weeks.

On Tuesday, the Thai cabinet agreed to minor changes in the wording of its resolution on Preah Vihear in an attempt to tone down public criticism.

It also asked the Thai Foreign Ministry to detail the exact dimensions of Preah Vihear temple into the Thai-Cambodian joint communiqué to drive home the point that the area in question is part of the disputed territory, according to a report in Thai newspaper The Nation on Tuesday.

Cambodia's "Killing Fields" court trims budget

24 Jun 2008
Source: Reuters

PHNOM PENH, June 24 (Reuters) - Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal has cut its proposed budget to $143 million instead of $170 million sought from donors, and brought its expected end date forward by a year to 2010, officials said on Tuesday.

The joint Cambodian-U.N. court set up to try Pol Pot's top surviving henchmen for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people under the Khmer Rouge had an initial budget of $56 million, and was expected to run for three years.

But after delays in getting it off the ground, followed by seemingly endless bail hearings, appeals and pre-trial machinations, it quickly became apparent the court would be broke before any of the ageing cadres faced justice.

Presenting the revised budget extension, Cambodia's top official to the court, Sean Visoth, said he was "quite optimistic" foreign donors would come up with the cash.

He also said the court's first full trial, that of Duch, the ultra-Maoist guerrilla movement's chief jailer and executioner, would start in September.

Five top Khmer Rouge officials have been charged with war crimes or crimes against humanity and placed under detention, including Duch and Pol Pot's right-hand man, Nuon Chea, also known as "Brother Number Two". (Reporting by Ek Madra, Editing by Ed Cropley and Sanjeev Miglani)

In Cambodia, giving a stage to 'inclusive arts'

From front, Kong Veasna, Kim Sathia and Mao Tipmony performing at the Spotlight festival in Phnom Penh. (Vandy Rattana/Epic Arts Cambodia)

International Herald Tribune
By Robert Turnbull
Published: June 24, 2008

PHNOM PENH: With the slogan, "See ability, not disability," the London-based charity Epic Arts has been challenging the common perception of disabled performing artists. "This is not about sympathy or therapy," said its artistic director and founder, Katie MacCabe. "We want to show that impairment can actually enhance creativity and that virtuosity is not the just the domain of the able-bodied."

Epic, an acronym which stands for Each Person Is Counted, established a base in Phnom Penh in 2006, three years after MacCabe first visited the city with her husband. Since the suicide of her mother and the subsequent death from polio of her father, MacCabe, 34, a professional dancer, had been seeking radical solutions to the problem of "exclusiveness" in dance, and ways of integrating disabled people into arts communities.

Cambodia represented a unique opportunity. The war-scarred country has one the world's highest ratios of disabled people, few of whom enjoy social protections. Established nongovernmental organizations like The Cambodia Trust, working exclusively with landmine victims, have been encouraging the government to draft legislation to improve their standing.
Epic's mission has been to change public attitudes by training and showcasing disabled performing artists.

Through the trust, MacCabe met Kim Sathia, a former royal dancer who had a high-profile career as professional dancer before a car accident in 1997 paralyzed her below the waist.
Though she was eager to pass on her skills to others, Kim was apprehensive about resuming dancing, until MacCabe persuaded her. Their developing relationship, and the first steps toward establishing an artistic partnership, has been sensitively captured in the 2005 film "The Return," which is currently playing at international dance festivals.

Although doors opened easily for MacCabe, the initial reaction to her work was bafflement, even among the intended beneficiaries. Disabilities were, she said, "everywhere but never discussed" and discrimination was rampant. Greater tolerance in Cambodia in recent years has barely masked a deeply conservative society that often makes a causal link between disability and an individual's bad karma.


That is changing as more performers gain confidence. The 33 artists currently working directly with Epic Arts, eight of them professional, have honed their skills and acquired more opportunities. The emergence of role models such as Kim and Pon Den, a 22-year-old landmine victim-turned-acrobat, has significantly reduced their sense of isolation.

But aside from the benefits to artists, the challenge for Epic Arts is to create a body of work strong enough to merit international scrutiny. Given the vast differences in style and technical facility, that hasn't been easy. While Kim can draw on the literally hundreds of gestures that make up the formal classical syntax, untrained dancers like Pon have adopted acrobatics as their means of expression as well as a physical intimacy more suited to MacCabe's own background in Western contemporary dance.

The answer, said MacCabe, is to "draw out inner movements that are natural to them, harnessing a range of skills into strong narrative pieces. Dancers are encouraged to push their own limits, aided by others with complementary skills. The choreographic mix is richer still when MacCabe invites the able-bodied to join the disabled, significantly blurring the lines between the two.

The discovery of other arts organizations for disabled people in East Asia led to Epic's decision to create Southeast Asia's first inclusive arts festival in late February. Produced by Hannah Stevens of Epic Arts and funded with a grant of $300,000 by the Nippon Foundation, "Spotlight" involved 200 artists in an eight-day event that featured a wide variety of disabled artists from around the region and beyond.

Stevens introduced the opening ceremony at Phnom Penh's Chaktamok Theatre to a packed house that included members of the political elite, among them Princess Buppa Devi, King Sihanouk's eldest daughter and the most famous classical dancer of her generation. Kong Nay, Cambodia's blind virtuoso of the popular two-stringed chapei, acted as the M.C. of the evening.
The appearance of wheelchairs on stage for Kim's new dance, called "Robamm Satrei," drew muted gasps and giggles from some surprised audience members. More relaxed laughter emerged later with the Singaporean actor Ramesh Meyappan's commedia del arte mime version of Dario Fo's "Mistero Buffo," an irreverent satire on modern manners which Meyappan, who is deaf and mute, has toured successfully around Asia.

Japanese acts featured strongly, including the Koshu Roa Taiko, an eight-member team of the hearing-impaired taiko drummers from Mount Fuji; and Aki Kiwashita, who has muscular sclerosis and performed with the dance troupe Creative Sora.

"Stories of Us," a powerful ensemble piece on HIV, drug addiction and sexuality from the deaf Vietnamese dance group Together Higher took some by surprise with its bleak vision and frank approach toward violence and homosexuality.

A more accessible Cambodian meditation on similar issues was "Let's Talk about Love," starring the deaf and mute circus artist Huon Sopheak as Cupid.

In an effort to engage Spotlight's audience on the "relativity" of disability, Jane Hartnell, the artistic director of the event, considered handing out blindfolds, ear muffs and other props but rejected this in favor of three moveable box-like installations designed to simulate the effects of different impairments. "Human beings retain knowledge best when they learn it," said Hartnell.

For its immediate future, Epic is looking toward securing a regional network for disabled performing artists. Stevens said she hopes that continued sponsorship from the Nippon Foundation as well the cooperation of other Southeast Asian countries will guarantee Spotlight's future. As the organization begins to plan the next event, it is openly encouraging potential participants to come to Cambodia to develop their work.

Meanwhile, the number of those seeking more immediate support continues to grow. With funds from the British Embassy, Epic will inaugurate in April a center in Kampot, a coastal town known for its large numbers of landmine victims. The center is intended to be the location of the next festival, planned for 2010. Until then, it will be engaging both disabled and able-bodied children in physical theater, shadow puppetry and arts and crafts.

Cambodian Khmer Rouge trial still US$43.8m short: officials

THE STRAITS TIMES
June 24, 2008

PHNOM PENH - KHMER ROUGE tribunal officials said on Tuesday they were optimistic that those guilty of crimes against humanity would face trial in Cambodia despite a 43.8-million-dollar (S$59.9 million) funding shortfall.

Court officials met with international backers last week in New York and presented a budget that required at least 50.3 million dollars extra to continue their operations until December 2009.

So far, only Japan has come forward with significant new funds.

'We are quite optimistic that there will be contributions from donor countries,' Sean Visoth, director of administration for the court, told reporters.

If trials of the five Khmer Rouge officials currently detained go on longer than expected or if more people are prosecuted, court officials said the budget could swell to 105 million dollars, with cases running to December 2010.

'The money is not going to come easily. We have to work for the money,' said Knut Rosandhaug, deputy director of administration for the court.

Donors have appeared hesitant to give more cash to the court after allegations of mismanagement and political interference.

Japan agreed last week to donate nearly three million dollars and there are some outstanding original pledges, but court officials were seeking much more in a meeting with donors last Friday.
The tribunal, which opened in 2006 after nearly a decade of wrangling between the United Nations and Cambodia, was originally budgeted at 56.3 million dollars over three years.

Once in operation, the tribunal significantly raised its cost estimates to more than 100 million dollars.

Court officials said they expect the trial of former Khmer Rouge jailer Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, to start in September.

The United Nations this year announced that an audit showed no financial mismanagement.

But last year, the New York-based Open Society Justice Initiative alleged that Cambodian tribunal staff, including judges, had bought their jobs.

Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were executed as the communist Khmer Rouge dismantled modern Cambodian society in a bid to forge an agrarian utopia during its 1975-1979 rule. -- AFP

Elite group asks Unesco to delay temple discussion

(BangkokPost.com) - About 300 senators, academic and national artists Tuesday petitioned the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to postpone its consideration of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site.

According to appointed senator Priyanandana Rangsit, the group feels it is important enough that the UN should change plans and refuse to accept the request by Phnom Penh to name the ancient temple as a World Heritage Site during the Unesco meeting beginning in Canada next week.

She said that the plan should be proposed by both Thailand and Cambodia because of land disputes around the site.

Unesco in Bangkok accepted the letter and promised to forward it to Unesco officials later.

Court to hear Preah Vihear case on Thursday

(BangkokPost.com) - The Administrative Court agreed Tuesday to accept a case filed by People's Alliance for Democracy, which asked the court to nullify the cabinet's endorsement of Cambodia's map of Preah Vihear and a joint declaration to be presented to Unesco.

The court scheduled to hear the case on Thursday at 10am.

On June 14, the government approved the new map drawn by Cambodia, which defines the temple's boundary to be proposed to the World Heritage Committee during its meeting in Quebec starting on June 2, placing it inside Cambodia.

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama also signed a joint statement with Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, supporting the application, soon after Bangkok agreed to the map.

Thai protests force closure of Preah Vihear temple

Heng Chivoan; A military officer patrols the grounds of Preah Vihear June 15 during a celebration of the 46th anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling giving Cambodia sovereignty over the temple. Protests erupted June 22 outside the Thai entrance to the ruins, which sits just meters inside the Cambodia-Thai border, prompting Phnom Penh to close the ancient Hindu monument to tourists out of safety fears, the government said.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Thet Sambath and Brendan Brady
Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Cambodian officials have closed Preah Vihear temple, citing security concerns after protesters claiming that the 10th-century Hindu monument belongs to Thailand rallied near the ruins.

“The gate to Preah Vihear temple is temporarily closed for the safety of tourists because Thai demonstrators are standing ... in front of the gate,” Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Sisphan told the Post on June 24, a day after the border crossing at the temple was sealed.

“The closure is not a political decision,” he added. “There has been no change in the policy of the Cambodian and Thai governments, and no interference between them.”

Some two dozen Thai protesters remained on the Thai side of the border near the temple, said Ros Heng, chief of the Preah Vihear checkpoint, also on June 24, adding, "We closed the checkpoint because we saw the Thai people were coming and we were worried that ... people on both sides would clash."

The decision came as Deputy Prime Minister Sok An prepared to lead a delegation to Quebec, Canada, where he would push for Preah Vihear's inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Disputes over Preah Vihear have repeatedly prevented its World Heritage listing, with Thailand laying claim to the territory surrounding the mountain-top temple.

Cambodia announced earlier this month that it would seek to list only the temple, which was awarded to the Kingdom by the International Court of Justice in 1962, and a re-drawn map of the area was approved by the Thai government on June17.

But protests in Bangkok and the rally at the temple have further complicated the situation, with Thai demonstrators claiming that Cambodia was encroaching on Thai territory with its World Heritage Site application.

The Preah Vihear protests come against a backdrop of political unrest in Bangkok, where anti-government demonstrators have accused Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government of ceding territory to Cambodia with their support for the temple listing.

The Thais at the temple protest would continue “until we get our Kao Phra Viharn (Preah Vihear) back and expel Cambodians who have encroached on the Thai border,” the Bangkok Post quoted protest leader Saman Sri-ngam as saying, adding that protestors sang the Thai national anthem and patriotic songs during their rally.

“We just learned about the closure this morning, and we have not received official word from the Cambodian government,” said Teruo Jinnai, head of UNESCO Cambodia. “UNESCO is not an authority on border issues; we offer technical assistance for heritage issues.”

The Thai Embassy declined to comment on the situation.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee will meet with Thai and Cambodian officials regarding the World Heritage site application from July 2-10.

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni visits Vietnam

The Associated Press
Published: June 24, 2008

HANOI, Vietnam: Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni has arrived in Vietnam for a three-day visit to boost ties between the Southeast Asian neighbors.

Sihamoni was given a red-carpet welcome Tuesday by President Nguyen Minh Triet. The king's motorcade was greeted by several hundred Vietnamese waving Cambodian flags.

It was Sihamoni's second visit to Vietnam since he took over the throne in 2004, when his father retired.

Vietnamese troops occupied Cambodia for a decade after Hanoi invaded in 1979 to oust the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. In recent years, ties between the two governments have been close.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry says Sihamoni will meet Wednesday with Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh and lay a wreath at the mausoleum of independence leader Ho Chi Minh.

Cambodia shut a border gate leading from Thailand to the 11th-century temple claimed by both nations

A Thai boy climbs up an entrance step of Cambodia's famed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai- border in Preah Vihear province, about 245 kilometers (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 21, 2008. Cambodia shut a border gate leading from Thailand to the 11th-century temple claimed by both nations, an official said Tuesday, June 24, 2008.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Thai tourists visit the Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia near border with Thailand on June 21. Cambodia has closed its border with Thailand at the disputed Preah Vihear temple after a group of Thai protesters rallied near the ruins, an official said Tuesday.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Thai tourists climb down at an entrance step of Cambodia's famed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai- border in Preah Vihear province, about 245 kilometers (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 21, 2008. Cambodia shut a border gate leading from Thailand to the 11th-century temple claimed by both nations, an official said Tuesday, June 24, 2008.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Thai tourists visit Cambodia's famed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai- border in Preah Vihear province, about 245 kilometers (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 21, 2008. Cambodia shut a border gate leading from Thailand to the 11th-century temple claimed by both nations, an official said Tuesday, June 24, 2008.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Thai people did not shame at all while the court ruling in 1962 as PREAH VIHEAR is belong to Kingdom of Cambodia and the world also know that Preah Vihear is belong to Cambodia. Great that the government of Cambodia is close the gate so now what Thai will do?

Bravery award for daring river rescue

TheRecord.com
June 24, 2008
Kevin Swayze
RECORD STAFF

CAMBRIDGE

Jim Enright's years of keeping his first aid skills up to date pushed him to act when he learned two people were trapped at the bottom of a muddy river in Cambodia.

"It's the training to take action," the environmental worker said last night after receiving a Governor General's bravery award during a Cambridge city council meeting.

Enright, 49, was born and grew up in Cambridge. Since graduating from the University of Waterloo in 1982, he's been volunteering and working for non-governmental environmental agencies in Central America, India and Southeast Asia.

On Feb. 3, 2006, he was on his way to inspect a project in Cambodia to preserve mangrove trees along the coast.

When his car came around a rural corner, he saw a group of people on the side of a slow-moving, tidal river. They told Enright that two people were trapped in a car in the river. None of the bystanders was doing anything about it, however.

Enright dived in and found the vehicle in 2.5 metres of water. By feel, he pulled out a woman, who was then pulled to shore by his U.S. co-worker, Ben Brown. Enright went down again and found a man and dragged him to shore. By then, bystanders were holding the woman upside down by her ankles and shaking her, trying to revive her.

"They don't teach that in CPR," Enright said in an interview after Mayor Doug Craig gave him a certificate of commendation on behalf of the Governor General.

The woman regained consciousness as Enright prepared to start rescue breathing on her unconscious husband. The man vomited and coughed back to life before Enright got started.

The experience underlines the importance of learning first aid, Enright said. "I was at the right place at the right time. We don't know when that's going to happen to us."

Enright left the couple in the care of locals after 15 minutes and continued on his way.

Ten days later, he was handed a newspaper story about the rescued French couple, who were pleading for information about the men who saved them. A telephone call and many emails later, they met in October 2007.

"They say we gave them a second life."

The steamy jungles and rough back roads of Thailand and Cambodia are a long way from Margaret Street in Preston, where Enright grew up and played hockey on frozen ponds. His quest for travel and new cultural experiences "is an addiction," he said. The spark was a field trip to India in his last semester at university. He was soon applying through the federal government for overseas jobs with non-government organizations in Latin America, India and Southeast Asia. Today, he lives in Thailand and is co-ordinator for the Mangrove Action Project.

Mangrove trees live in brackish, slow-moving water along tropical coastlines. They're being removed to make way for shrimp-farming ponds, rice fields and palm oil production, which is used as a biofuel to replace gasoline.

"Mangroves are disappearing at a faster rate than tropical rainforests," said Enright, who is now visiting his mother in Cambridge.

Since mangroves act as natural buffers between the sea and coastal areas, their loss leaves huge areas at risk when tsunami waves hit or cyclones roar ashore. In recent years, people have tried replanting mangroves in devastated areas, but the trees tend to die because they're planted incorrectly.

In the last year, Enright's organization has offered training courses to help people let mangroves naturally regenerate.

"We're promoting working with nature instead of against nature," he said.

Day in pictures: King Sihamoni visiting Vietnam

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni poses for a photo in front of the statue of late Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Vietnam's President Nguyen Minh Triet (R) and Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni shake hands in front of the statue of late Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Vietnam's President Nguyen Minh Triet (R) and Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni pose for a photo in front of the statue of late Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni reviews the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni reviews the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Vietnam's President Nguyen Minh Triet (L) and Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni review the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi June 24, 2008.REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM)

Cambodian navy rescues two Thai, five Cambodian 'slaves'

The Earth Times
Tue, 24 Jun 2008
Author : DPA

Phnom Penh - The Cambodian navy rescued two Thai nationals and five Cambodians after they jumped from a fishing boat alleging they had been forced to work 24 hours a day with no pay since July, police said Tuesday. Sam Saroeun, the immigration chief of the port city of Sihanoukville, 240 kilometers from the capital, said the men claimed they would rather drown than be slaves any longer and jumped ship from the unidentified vessel Sunday.

"They saw land and they jumped," he said.

The five Cambodians came from various provinces, but police did not know what areas the Thais had originated from, Sarouen said.

"The Thais were escorted back to the Thai border so they could go home," he said by telephone. "All of the rescued men were very weak."

Cambodian authorities said they were investigating the incident, but warned Khmers that they made themselves vulnerable to abuse, kidnap and trafficking if they entered neighbouring countries illegally searching for work.

CAFOD Focuses on Empowerment of Women in Cambodia

Vatican Radio

(24 June 08 - RV) In Cambodia the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and the aftermath of the war in neighbouring Vietnam, left the country facing massive human and economic need. But while tackling poverty in the Cambodian village of Prolet the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development or Cafod and its partners have decided to focus on the empowerment of women as a catalyst to development.

Thai PM faces critics in no-confidence debate

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej

Senators listen to Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej in Bangkok

A member of the People's Alliance for Democracy protests in front of the government house in Bangkok

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's prime minister faces his critics in a no-confidence debate beginning Tuesday, as he defends his four-month-old government from claims of mismanagement and cronyism.

Samak Sundaravej took office after his People Power Party (PPP) comfortably won elections in December, ending more than a year of rule by royalist generals who overthrew premier Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.

Samak had openly campaigned as an ally of Thaksin who would replicate his policies in rural areas, but his intimacy with the self-made tycoon despised by the elite and middle classes helped ignite the recent crisis.

The opposition Democrat Party claims Samak is running Thailand on behalf of Thaksin, who is banned from politics, while protesters camped outside Government House say he is suppressing corruption cases against his predecessor.

Democrat MPs also intend to grill Samak and seven cabinet ministers over their handling of the economy, a deal with Cambodia over a disputed temple, the transparency of procurement of buses for the capital, and other issues.

"We want only to do our job of investigating the government," Democrat Party spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon told AFP.

"The investigation of a government's performance does not depend on how long they have been in office for. Once they show signs of corruption and inefficient work it's enough to lodge a no-confidence motion."

PPP spokesman Kudeb Saikrajang said Samak was confident going into the debate.

"He can answer any question because the government has done nothing wrong," Kudeb said. "This debate is an effort to link him with former premier Thaksin to destroy his reputation."

The debate will end with a no-confidence vote on Thursday, and Samak has vowed to step down if he loses.

This is a slim prospect, with Samak's six-party coalition dominating two-thirds of the 480-seat lower house, analysts say.

"The opposition doesn't have a large enough number of seats to make any difference, which reflects the fact they don't have the popular vote," said Giles Ji Ungpakorn, a politics professor at Chulalongkorn University.

Samak's toughest week yet began Monday with a debate before senators, nearly half of whom were appointed under the army-backed constitution.

The prime minister refuted charges that he was Thaksin's puppet, telling the Senate: "The members of our political parties may come from the same groups, but it's normal in Thai politics for people to change parties."

He also faces pressure from street protesters led by the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which brought 25,000 people to the gates of Samak's offices on Friday.

The PAD had led protests against Thaksin in the months before the coup, and its latest demonstrations have raised fears of a new coup, which has sent investors fleeing the Thai stock market.

Its rallies exert a strong influence because the leadership is seen as a reflection of the traditional power centres in the palace and the military.

Thaksin had antagonised Bangkok's elite with policies such as free healthcare that endeared him to Thailand's populous rural heartland.

Analysts say that even if Samak were somehow forced out of office, tensions would remain between the traditional elite and voters.

"Even if there is a house dissolution and a new election, the politics will resume the same road because the PPP will come back, a shadow of the Thaksin system, and the PAD will resume its action," said Somjai Phagaphasvivat, a political analyst at Thammasat University.

Cambodian primary schoolteacher accused of raping pupils

M&G Asia-Pacific News
Jun 24, 2008

Phnom Penh - A Cambodian primary schoolteacher was on the run after five of his 8-year-old students accused him of rape, local media reported Tuesday.

Up Sophy, 25, fled before police in the north-eastern province of Kratie could apprehend him, the Khmer-language Koh Santepheap newspaper said.

The grandmother of one of the victims filed a complaint after she noticed the girl was bleeding.
Four other children subsequently also reported serial abuse at the hands of their teacher.

'The first little girl told her parents she had been raped 12 times, and the second said she had been raped five times,' the paper quoted local police officer Chokk Pally as saying. 'These cases were the most serious.'

The two girls who allegedly suffered the most regular and brutal assaults were cousins, the paper said. The three others were also students in Sophy's primary school class.

If convicted, Sophy faces up to 20 years in prison.

Thai tourists visit the Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia near border with Thailand on June 21. Cambodia has closed its border with Thailand at the disputed Preah Vihear temple after a group of Thai protesters rallied near the ruins, an official said Tuesday.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Thai tourists walk at Preah Vihear temple near Thai border in Preah Vihear province, on June 21. Cambodia has closed its border to Thailand at the disputed Preah Vihear temple, after a group of Thai protesters rallied near the ruins, a senior official said on June 24.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodia has closed its border with Thailand at the disputed Preah Vihear temple after a group of Thai protesters rallied near the ruins, an official said Tuesday.

Senior Minister Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodian government's border committee, told AFP the border crossing was closed Sunday evening when a group of Thai protesters rallied near the checkpoint.

"The reason is Thai protesters demonstrated near the gate to the temple and authorities feared that something could happen to visitors to Preah Vihear temple," Kimhong said, adding he did not know when the crossing would reopen.

The protesters rallied against a decision last week by Thailand's cabinet to allow Cambodia to apply for the Preah Vihear temple to be listed as a World Heritage Site.

The deal has sparked claims that Thailand would lose territory to Cambodia around the small but emotive site.

Thailand's foreign minister, Noppadon Pattama, who has been criticised for sealing the deal without seeking parliament's approval, told reporters in Bangkok that he was working to have the site reopened.

He insisted that he had done nothing wrong and said Thailand would consider listing the entrance to Preah Vihear on Thai soil as a separate World Heritage site.

"We cannot seek a joint World Heritage listing as Cambodia has already rejected that idea, so we would have to seek our own listing," he said.

Democrats were expected to grill Samak and Noppadon on the Preah Vihear issue Tuesday afternoon as part of a no-confidence debate against the government.

Cambodia last year attempted to have the ancient Hindu site, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border, listed by the UN's cultural body UNESCO. But that effort failed, amid rumours Thailand had blocked the deal.

Cambodia began seeking World Heritage status for Preah Vihear nearly six years ago, but the temple has long plagued relations between the two countries.

Both countries have historically laid claim to the site, which sits on Cambodian soil but can only be easily accessed from Thailand.

Former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk took Thailand to the World Court in 1962 over the two countries' claim to Preah Vihear. The court ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia.

A spat in 2003 over Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple -- the most significant symbol of the country's ancient Khmer empire -- sparked a night of riots in which Thailand's embassy and several Thai-owned businesses were burned and looted.

Foster mum reaps a rich reward

Singular example: Deb Archer wants more people to follow her example and become a foster carer. Picture: Wesley Lonergan

TheLeader.com.au
BY JIM GAINSFORD
24/06/2008

WOOLOOWARE foster carer Deborah Archer is literally one of a kind.

Ms Archer, 33, is the only foster carer in Sutherland Shire for Barnardos Adolescent Services which works with adolescents aged between 12 and 18.

A former modelling agent, Ms Archer decided to become a carer after visiting an orphanage in Cambodia.

She has been a full-time foster carer for three years to a girl who is now 15 and who she says has become a permanent part of her family.

``She is my foster daughter now whom I love very much,'' she said. ``When I first met her she did not smile a lot or communicate well. Now she is a bright, vivacious teenager.

``The reward has been to watch her grow and become a beautiful young woman.''

Barnardos Adolescent Services urgently needs more carers to provide safe and nurturing accommodation options for young people who cannot reside with their families.

Barnardos gets hundreds of adolescents a year referred to them from various agencies.

They are young people who are at risk of neglect and abuse and need a safe place to live. And there is a particular need for carers in Sutherland Shire.

Carers need to be over 25 and knowledgeable about how to look after children and adolescents.
They need to have a spare bedroom and have no other adolescents living in the home.

They can have full-time employment outside the home while being a carer. And they don't have to come from a nuclear family.

Ms Archer was single when she first became a foster carer. She is now engaged and said her foster daughter is a beautiful part of her new family.

``She is my family forever now,'' she said.

Barnardos needs several types of carers including long-term carers like Ms Archer, respite carers who can care for children once a month and short-term crisis carers. Barnardos pays a generous allowance and provides 24-hour support. It offers carer training and each young person has a case worker.

Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer can call Barnardos Adolescent Services on 9787 4440.

Sex workers want legislation changed

Theage.com.au
June 24, 2008

Sex workers have delivered a letter to the Cambodian embassy in Canberra calling for changes to anti-trafficking and sex work laws.

The Scarlet Alliance, representing Australia's sex workers, and the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers, say a recent law change in Cambodia equates all sex work with trafficking.

That had led to closures of brothels and widespread human rights abuses against sex workers, they said.

The new laws had simply moved sex work underground, in an unsafe, unregulated environment, alliance president Elena Jeffreys told AAP.

"Hundreds of sex workers have also been arrested, detained, and have faced violence and sexual assault in detention.

"Sex workers who are HIV positive have been unable to access their medication, which is placing their lives at risk."

The Cambodian government overlooked the distinction between sex work and trafficking, Ms Jeffreys said.

"The outcome of the law has been to abolish the entire sex industry in Cambodia.

"It is unacceptable and it is a human rights abuse that trafficking hasn't been approached with a more sensitive and more sophisticated set of laws."

The entire HIV response in Cambodia had broken down as a result of the law change, Ms Jeffreys said.

The Cambodian government needed to repeal and review the anti-trafficking laws and decriminalise sex work.

"This would go a long way to both granting sex workers human rights, and preventing trafficking in Cambodia."