Thailand returns 7 stolen artifacts to Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, second right, and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, stand by a piece from Cambodian artifacts of the Angkorian era during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, second right, and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, clap while standing by a piece from Cambodian artifacts of the Angkorian era during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian artifacts of the 12th century Angkorian period are displayed during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, right, looks on by a Cambodian artifact of the Angkorian period during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian artifacts of the Angkorian period are displayed during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian artifacts of the Angkorian period are displayed during a ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, June 12, 2009. Thailand Friday returned seven treasures from the 12th century Angkorian era -- Cambodia's Golden Age -- which had been illegally smuggled from the country years ago.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (L) shakes hands with Cambodian Deputy Foreign Minister Hor Namhong(R) during the handover ceremony of seven Cambodian artifacts which were stolen by smugglers, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 12, 2009. Abhisit is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit to discuss border issues.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reacts as Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (L) listens during the handover ceremony of seven Cambodian artifacts which were stolen by smugglers, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 12, 2009. Abhisit is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit to discuss border issues.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen examines an artifact as Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (L) smiles during the handover ceremony of seven Cambodian artifacts which were stolen by smugglers, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 12, 2009. Abhisit is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit to discuss border issues.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (L) shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during the handover ceremony of seven Cambodian artifacts which were stolen by smugglers, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 12, 2009. Abhisit is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit to discuss border issues.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Photographers take pictures of three artifacts during a handover ceremony of seven Cambodian artifacts which were stolen by smugglers, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 12, 2009.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodia: Forum Violates Freedom Of Assembly

Scoop (New Zealand)
http://www.scoop.co.nz

Friday, 12 June 2009

Press Release: Asian Human Rights Commission

Cambodia: Phnom Penh Municipality’s Impossible Requirement For Holding Forum Violates Freedom Of Assembly

Over the recent months, a human rights NGO, the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR), has been making arrangements to hold a public forum for concerned officials and residents of Boeung Kak Lake in Phnom Penh to discuss the issue of the eviction of these residents without just compensation. The Municipality of Phnom Penh has leased, allegedly illegally, the natural lake called Boeung Kak and its surroundings to Shukaku Inc., a private development company owned by a Senator from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), for a period of 99 years for US$79 million. This municipality has since been pressuring the residents of the area to accept its compensation package, an offer which the residents have repeatedly rejected.

The CCHR has encountered continuous difficulties in finding a venue and getting a permit from the municipal authorities for this particular meeting due to various forms of social control. On Friday 5 June at the very end of that day’s work and the end of the working week, the Municipality of Phnom Penh served the CCHR director with a summons to appear before its officials, police officers and officials from concerned departments on Monday 8 June at 2:30PM. The director of the CCHR was out of the country, and in the morning of Monday the CCHR office submitted, by hand, a letter to the Municipality seeking the postponement of the meeting until he returned later in the week. The Municipality refused to acknowledge receipt of the letter and insisted the meeting be held as shown in the summons.

The CCHR was compelled to comply. Its officials enlisted the participation of an official from the field Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the scheduled meeting. A number of officials from other NGOs lent support but were not allowed in and had to wait outside. At the end of the discussions on the holding of the forum, the municipal officials insisted that they would not consider any application for a permit to hold any forum for the residents of the area until the CCHR submitted with that application a receipt for payment of rent for the venue with the amount clearly stated and the signature of the owner of the premises.

The CCHR had already met that requirement when, on 25 May, a guest house called Lazy Fish near the lake agreed to rent its premises to the CCHR as the venue for US$250. It booked the premises and made a deposit of US$50. The forum was then planned for 12 June. But hardly a week later, on 1 June, the head and deputy head of the village where the guest house is located threatened the owner, saying: “If you let the CCHR conduct the public forum, your quest house will close after the forum.” Several days later the owner was summoned to their office. After his meeting with the commune officials, he informed the CCHR that he no longer wanted to rent his place for its forum unless the CCHR could secure a permit from the municipal authorities. On the morning of 8 June when the CCHR went to meet with the municipal officials, a police force of about 20 men surrounded the Lazy Fish guesthouse and shut it down on the charge that its business license had expired.

Before it found the Lazy Fish guest house, the CCHR had also been denied the yard of a mosque and a Buddhist monastery in the area when officials of these religious places, afraid of falling out of favour with their ‘benefactors’, withdrew their original consent to allow the use of their property. As a result the CCHR had to postpone its forum. Upon this postponement, local officials warned a woman resident who was distributing leaflets announcing the forum of the consequences of her activity. They told her, “Why do you continue to call and incite residents to go to the meeting now that the forum has already been called off? You should quietly contact the company. Beware! You could be sent to prison.”

Such threats and intimidation, and especially the way the authorities shut down Lazy Fish guesthouse after it had rented its premises, have created a climate of fear in the locality. It is now impossible for the CCHR to find anyone who is willing to rent their premises to be used as a venue for the forum. This means that the CCHR cannot obtain either premises or a receipt for payment of rent to submit with its application for permit to the Municipality of Phnom Penh. It is now a catch 22 situation. In order to be able to rent premises they must obtain a certificate from the local officials and the local officials will not issue a permit unless they can provide documentary evidence of having rented premises.

As a result, the residents of Boeung Kak Lake cannot exercise their constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression, and in a matter of time they, like hundreds of thousands of their fellow Cambodians in a similar situation, will be forcibly evicted from their homes and lands without just compensation.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) holds that, by instilling fear in the population and then imposing a requirement which is impossible to meet, the Municipality of Phnom Penh has denied the residents of Boeung Kak Lake the enjoyment of their constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression. The AHRC strongly urges the Cambodian government to order the Municipality of Phnom Penh to withdraw this requirement and remove any other obstacles to the holding of the forum so that those residents can exercise their rights.

About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Former gang member seeks pardon from gov

Story Updated: Jun 12, 2009
http://www.komonews.com

By Keith Eldridge

Watch the story

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Let's let bygones be bygones.

That's the proposal of a Cambodian refugee looking for a pardon from the governor. And the state Clemency and Pardons Board agrees.

Former gang member-turned-civic leader Mnny Uch needs the pardon for a past crime to avoid being deported.

On Thursday Uch appealed to the state Clemency and Pardons Board, hoping Gov. Chris Gregoire will step in on his behalf and stop the federal government from sending him back to Cambodia.

"I'm confident going into this that I've done my best for the past 10 years. So give me a chance," he said.

As a child in the early 1980s, Uch fled the killing fields of Cambodia with his family. During his years in the U.S., he drove a getaway car during a robbery and served time.

Since then, he's turned his life around. He is now a city community leader who counsels young people to stay out of trouble.

Uch's story has even been profiled in an Emmy-nominated documentary titled "Sentenced Home." He has helped write success stories like that of Johnny Cheng, whom he counseled.

"It wasn't anything in particular that he really said to me. It's more of what I saw him doing," Cheng said.

But because of his earlier crime he could be deported under the federal immigration laws. That threat has been hanging over Uch's head for years.

On Thursday, Uch's supporters gathered on the steps of the state Capitol as he appealed to the board. Among the crowd was University of Washington Drama Professor Mark Jenkins, who wants to turn Uch's story into a stage production.

"This whole immigration law seems to be an awfully heavy sledgehammer that's causing personal tragedy more than it's protecting America," Jenkins said.

The Clemency and Pardons Board voted unanimously to recommend a pardon for Uch. But their vote is simply a recommendation to the governor.

The Governor's Office said Gregoire will consider the recommendation and make a final decision.

It's not known when the governor's decision will come. And while Uch waits, immigration could send him back to Cambodia at any moment. And he is not alone. Some 1,500 Cambodians are facing the threat of deportation nationwide.

Malaria is more deadly than swine flu

Mark Honigsbaum

http://www.guardian.co.uk
guardian.co.uk

Friday 12 June 2009

Perhaps the alarm caused over swine flu will help us empathise with the victims of other diseases that are killing millions

It is no mean feat to knock Ronaldo off the front pages, especially when the self-regarding Portuguese footballer has just broken the club record for a transfer fee. But yesterday the World Health Organisation's Margaret Chan achieved just that by declaring the first influenza pandemic in 40 years.

Never mind that to date H1N1 swine flu has killed just 144 people worldwide. With 1,300 cases now being reported in Australia, and simultaneous community outbreaks in Chile, Japan and the United States, Chan said scientists had concluded that transmission was "unstoppable" – hence the decision to declare a maximum pandemic alert at level six.

The subtext of Chan's message was that this was no time for complacency: with the winter flu season in Australia now well underway, hospital admissions in Melbourne have quadrupled in recent weeks. If the virus maintains its present level of virulence then experts are predicting that a third of the British population could be infected this autumn and as many as 36,000 could die – about three times as many as in a normal flu season.

But "could" is not the same as "will", and looking round the world you will find many more mortal and, arguably, more present threats to global health. Take HIV/Aids, for instance, a disease that has been pandemic, or at least has been spreading at epidemic levels in Africa, for 30 years. In 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, Aids-related illness killed 2 million people worldwide, including 270,000 children. But because two-thirds of the 33 million people annually infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa and the remainder belong, by and large, to discrete "high-risk" groups such as intravenous drug users, HIV no longer blips on our radar screens.

Or take malaria. I have just returned from western Cambodia, where scientists are now reporting the first signs of parasite resistance to the world's current frontline anti-malarial, artemisinin. Malaria, along with diarrhoeal diseases and pneumonia, is one of the leading causes of infant mortality in Cambodia. And in Uganda and other high malaria transmission countries in Africa, it is also a major killer of pregnant women (the WHO estimates that some 3,000 people a day die from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa every day, the majority of them women and children).

Unlike influenza, as yet we have no vaccine against malaria. Indeed, artemisinin is currently the best, and in some parts of the world, the only effective treatment against the deadliest strains of the parasitical disease. In other words, if resistance to artemisinin spreads worldwide – as occurred with choloroquine in the 1960s – then we have nothing else in the locker. This may not matter to you now: but it could well matter to you if you travel to Kenya and the prophylactic your GP has prescribed fails, or if your child is hospitalized with falciparum malaria during his or her gap-year travels.

Yet as with HIV, malaria strains our empathy. "When one has fought a war, one hardly knows what a dead person is," wrote Albert Camus in The Plague. "And if a dead man has no significance unless one has seen him dead, a hundred million bodies spread through history are just a mist drifting through the imagination."

Or as a taxi driver in York put it en route to York University's biology department – where scientists are currently breeding high-yielding strains of Artemisia Annua, the plant from which artemisinin is derived, to produce sufficient quantities of the drug for Cambodia – "Unless it affects someone in my family, why should I care?"

H1N1 of course could affect that taxi driver's family and the families of millions of Britons like him. Unlike seasonal strains of influenza, which are usually only dangerous to infants and the over-65s, H1N1 swine flu – like the 1918 H1N1 "Spanish" influenza virus – appears to be hitting the under-25s hardest, hence the importance of WHO's declaration yesterday and the stepping-up of vaccine production before the autumn (at present, experts predict there will only be enough vaccine to inoculate half the British population).

Yet, for all the concern about an influenza pandemic, we should keep in mind that WHO's announcement was first and foremost an exercise in risk assessment: a signal to governments who have yet to activate their pandemic plans to pull their fingers out. Its use of the term is also the reflection of changing definitions. In the past, WHO defined an influenza pandemic as causing "enormous numbers of deaths and illness". By contrast, the current definition requires only "community-level outbreaks" in two continents at the same time – a test that was actually met several weeks ago.

That WHO has delayed announcing the inevitable until now is an indication of how worried United Nations member states have become of fuelling panic at a time when the world economy is just beginning to shown faltering signs of recovery from the credit crunch. But while Chan recognised there was a danger of people overreacting, she argued that the greater danger was "complacency". She also warned that while a level six pandemic alert did not mean the virus was becoming more dangerous or that we should expect to see an increase in mortality in developed nations, there was no telling how H1N1 would behave "under conditions typically found in the developing world".

If panicking about an influenza pandemic can help us empathise with the plight of the invisible victims of infectious diseases and make those global health connections, so much the better. Like the HIV virus and drug-resistant malaria parasites, H1N1 is no respecter of borders. And whether we drive a taxi in York or live in a mud hut in Yemen, we can be bitten at any time.

Cambodian rail concession signed

http://www.railwaygazette.com

12 Jun 2009

CAMBODIA: The government and a joint venture led by Toll Group signed a 30-year concession agreement covering Royal Cambodian Railways on June 12. The metre gauge rail network is to be operated by a joint venture in which the Australian group has a 55% stake, with the remaining 45% owned by Royal Group, a Cambodian conglomerate controlled by businessman Kith Meng which has finance, telecoms, property and media interests.

'The agreement is conditional upon final confirmation of investment by the international community of circa US$145m' said Paul Little, Managing Director of the Toll Group. This will be used for infrastructure upgrading and the development of a modern intermodal facility in Phnom Penh. Principal funding has been committed by the Asian Development Bank.

'As the operator of the railways, we now have a strong strategic partnership with the Government of Cambodia that will see future benefits for Toll and the Cambodian people,' said Little. 'The Cambodian government has committed in our agreement to seeing more freight transported by rail. They have acknowledged that an efficient intermodal rail and integrated logistics operation will underpin Cambodia's economic development both locally and across the Asian region.'

In the long term, Cambodian railways will form part of a planned ASEAN rail network connecting Singapore with China via Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Poipet: Where Cambodians Are Trafficked into Thailand

World Vision
http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Posted: June 12, 2009

I had traveled to Cambodia's "wild west" border town of Poipet, in search of a story about human trafficking.

It was certainly the edgiest assignment I'd ever undertaken with World Vision. Everyone knew that trafficking was rife, yet nobody wanted to talk to us about it.

"There are no illegal crossings on our border," said an officer with the Cambodian border police. "Trafficking happens through the immigration post."

"There is no way people can pass through immigration illegally," said a Cambodian immigration officer. "That would require a high level of corruption from both Thai and Cambodian officials. They cross the border instead."

In fact, we were told in an anonymous interview, people go willingly and illegally across borders, across rivers, in casino cars straight through immigration. Hundreds of them every month. As many as half of them under-age.

Our source refused to be named because he said that would endanger his family. He said he was telling us because he was tired of it all, he wanted it to stop. He had children of his own.

The immigration officer told us that one of his duties was to bring back the bodies of Cambodians killed in Thailand. According to him, there were several each month, sometimes shot in bungled drug deals or arrests, sometimes beaten and left to die, or drowned in the river that forms the border.

Most of them had crossed illegally; without paperwork, it was difficult, upsetting, and sometimes impossible, to identify them.

"Why do people go with traffickers?" I asked everyone I met.

"Because they are poor. Because here they earn $3 a day; there they earn $8."

"Are children trafficked?" I asked.

"Yes," they answered. "But not on our watch."

Grasping at Poipet's slippery underbelly felt more like investigation than reporting. I will admit to suffering a twinge of regret that I could not push harder, break the crime rings with an exclusive "hidden camera" expose and the masked evidence of my anonymous source.

But in fact, what World Vision is already doing is probably more important than that. One major solution to the problem lies in advocacy, in working with governments across borders on their will to change, working with communities to teach them how to protect themselves and understand their rights.

World Vision has formed and joined coalitions that push governments to ratify and uphold legislation, including last year's groundbreaking Thailand law that finally recognized that boys and men could be considered victims of trafficking.

Last year World Vision also hosted a workshop for border authorities in Poipet, with both Thai and Cambodian officials in attendance to learn about the causes, effects and legalities of human trafficking.

Many of the police we met told us with pride that they had been in attendance.

"The situation is definitely improving," our source told us.

It's not time to rest just yet, though. Poipet is still a transient, dirty, lawless little town. Poverty still pushes people to take risks that will cost them dearly.

We met Phu Pean, a grandmother at home with her two grandchildren; her daughter travels across the border to Thailand each day to make shoes at 2 baht a pair.

"When should children work?" I asked her.

"Oh, once they can talk," she said. "Then they are able to look after themselves."

"Your grandchildren are talking now," I told her. "Would you ever send them to live and work in Thailand?"

She thought. "I would," she said, "but I don't know how to find the people that would take them."

At least -- unlike most of the other people I met in Poipet -- she was telling the truth.

-- Katie Chalk

The Government Sues Rasmei Kampuchea at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court – Friday, 12.6.2009

Posted on 12 June 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 616
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: According to a source of information, obtained in the morning of 11 June 2009 by Deum Ampil, the Royal Government of Cambodia recently had filed a complaint at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court against Rasmei Kampuchea, a well-known pro-government daily newspaper.

“According to that source, this complaint was presented to the court on Tuesday, 9 June 2009, and was filed by a lawyer of the Royal Government

“The complaint by the Royal Government is the second one in June, after the Royal Government sued [the president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation] Mr. Moeung Son, for expressing information considered to be provoking, regarding to the setting up electric bulbs to illuminate part of the Angkor Wat temple for tourists, one of the world’s seven wonders [?] and a priceless place of Khmer culture.

“To clarify this case, Deum Ampil contacted the government lawyer Mr. Pao Chandara. He said,’I am not responsible for that case (the complaint by the government against Rasmei Kampuchea), but the lawyer Doung Loeung is responsible, who is also a lawyer of the government.’

“Mr. Doung Loeung could not be reached for comment in the evening of 11 June 2009, because he switched off his phone, and even trying to contact his colleagues through other mobile phones still did not lead to a contact with him.

“Based on the same information source, it was learned that, after a lawyer of the Royal Government had lodged a complaint with the prosecutors of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday, this case was transferred by Prosecutor Yet Chakriya to Deputy Prosecutor Sok Kalyan.

“Contacted on Thursday evening, Mr. Sok Kalyan said, ‘I have not yet worked on this complaint. This complaint is complicated, and therefore I would not like to make any comment.’

“Based on what Deputy Prosecutor Sok Kalyan said, it is assumed that the complaint against Rasmei Kampuchea had already reached the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, but the reason why the Royal Government sued Rasmei Kampuchea through the lawyer Doung Loeung is not yet known.

“The editor-in-chief of Rasmei Kampuchea , Mr. Pen Pheng, also known as Mr. Pen Samithi, told Deum Ampil that he did not know anything about the complaint filed by government lawyers against Rasmei Kampuchea. In turn, the editor-in-chief of Rasmei Kampuchea asked the interviewers, ‘I don’t know… What do they sue me for?’

“After there was information that the government had sued Rasmei Kampuchea, a leading newspaper, some observers questioned, ‘Why Rasmei Kampuchea, a leading and highly respected well-known newspaper, is sued?’

“Another source of information said that the Royal Government did not sue the newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea, but the manager of this newspaper, or a reporter of the newspaper is the one that a government lawyer sued.

“The same source added that another leading newspaper was also sued by a government lawyer, but this information is not clear.”

Deum Ampil, Vol.1, #208, 12.6.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 12 June 2009

Plane hitch delays Thai PM's return from Cambodia

AP - Saturday, June 13

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The return of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva from a one-day official trip to Cambodia was delayed Friday by problems with his plane.

The chief of police at Phnom Penh's international airport, Chay Bunna, said late Friday night that that a new plane was being sent from Thailand to pick up the prime minister and his delegation, after their 9:20 p.m. departure was delayed.

"The technicians at the airport said that his plane has a very minor technical problem, so we insisted that he delay his flight schedule," said Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong.

Chay Bunna identified the aircraft, on which repairs were being made, as an Embraer 145. He said that Abhisit's party first waited at the airport for the aircraft to be fixed, but drove back to the city to wait further after it was decided to fly in a replacement plane.

It was not immediately known when the new flight would depart.

Abhisit met with Prime Minister Hun Sen and King Norodom Sihamoni during his visit, his first to the neighboring country since he became prime minister in December. He also held talks with Thai businessmen and visited a hospital.

Obama okays U.S. Exim bank loans for Cambodia, Laos

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has cleared the way for the U.S. Export-Import Bank to help finance exports of U.S. goods to Laos and Cambodia, the White House said on Friday.

Obama issued a pair of memorandums saying each of the two Southeast Asian nations has "ceased to be a Marxist-Leninist country," as defined under the 1945 Export-Import Bank Act.

"This designation will now allow U.S. companies to apply for financing thru the US Export-Import bank, which provides working capital guarantees, export credit insurance and loan guarantees," the White House spokesman said.

The policy change in is response to the commitment of both countries to open up their markets, the spokesman said.

It comes as some in Congress are pressing for renewal of U.S. trade sanctions on another Southeast Asian nation, Myanmar, which has charged pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi with violating the terms of her house arrest. She faces a maximum five-year term if found guilty of the charges.

Cambodia and Laos, with a combined population of more than 20 million, are small markets for the United States.

Last year, the United States exported $154 million worth of goods to Cambodia and just $18 million to Laos.

U.S. imports of mostly clothing and other textiles from Cambodia totaled more than $2.4 billion last year. The United States bought $42 million worth of goods from Laos in 2008.

(Reporting by Doug Palmer and Ross Colvin; editing by Todd Eastham)

Restoring Amicable Relations Tops Agenda As Abhisit Visits Cambodia

http://www.bernama.com/

BANGKOK, June 12 (Bernama) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva left Bangkok on Friday on an official visit to Cambodia to restore the normally close and cordial ties strained by renewed border clashes, especially by incidents near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.

The visit will show Thailand's determination to find ways and means to resolve outstanding issues in a spirit of good neighbourliness and as members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Thai prime minister will hold bilateral talks with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen which are expected to cover a wide range of cooperation.

The issues to be discussed include land and maritime boundaries, cooperation on promoting peace and stability in border areas, development and use of land transport networks, energy cooperation, trade promotion, investment and tourism to collectively cope with the various challenges as a result of the global financial crisis.

This visit is not just a goodwill visit, but is also a testimony of Thailand's commitment to further strengthening of its bilateral relations and cooperation with Cambodia, according to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Abhisit said earlier he wished to create trust and improve relations between the two countries, despite the past, frequent clashes which would enable the peoples of the respective countries to cooperate with each other more.

The latest armed clash between the Thai and Cambodian militaries took place on April 3 near the Preah Vihear temple, which has long been a source of tension between the two countries.

Abhisit will be granted a royal audience with His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, Cambodia's monarch and will make courtesy visits with Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly President Heng Samrin.

In addition, the two prime ministers will witness a ceremony to transfer seven pieces Khmer sculpture from Thailand's minister of foreign affairs to a representative of the Government of Cambodia.

The historic works of art hold religious and cultural significance for Cambodia and were smuggled into Thailand where they were intercepted and seized by the Thai authorities.

The return represents the application of an agreement between Cambodia and Thailand to counter illicit trafficking and the cross-border smuggling of "Movable Cultural Property" and to restore such items to the country of origin, a pact which was signed nine years ago 2000.

Abhisit said he would also meet the Thai business community in Cambodia, listen to their problems and that he would ask the Cambodian government to help protect their business interests.

-- BERNAMA

Cambodia, Thailand promise no armed clash on border

People's Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn

June 12, 2009

Cambodia and Thailand on Friday pledged to stop any further armed clash at the border area near the Preah Vihear temple where troops from both sides have confronted nearly a year.

The agreement was reached at the meeting of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and visiting Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"Both Prime Ministers agreed to prevent any armed clash at the areas near the Preah Vihear temple and will prevent the expansion of disputes to any places along the border," Ieng Sophalet, assistant to Premier Hun Sen told reporters after the talks between the two leaders.

Both sides also agreed to solve the border disputes with the existing mechanisms and the border deal has depended on the MOU (memorandum of understanding) 2000, he said, adding that "the situation of the areas near Preah Vihear now is calm."

"Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen proposed to Thai and Cambodian military commanders and provincial governors along the border between the countries to meet regularly to strengthen the close ties in contribution to border deal and security matters," Ieng Sophalet said.

Hun Sen also said that the Cambodian side want to see the situation at areas near the Preah Vihear temple and other places return to prior to July 2008, he added.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arrived here Friday morning to have a one-day official visit at the invitation of his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

Source: Xinhua

South Korean firm invests in Cambodian corn

http://www.allaboutfeed.net

12 Jun 2009

The Cambodian agriculture ministry said that South Korea's KOGID plans to invest US$150 million to grow and process corn for animal feed to be sold overseas.

Chan Tong Yves, secretary of state who is in charge of investments at the ministry told newspapers that the company has long-term investment plans for the Kingdom.

KOGID plans to purchase 70,000 to 150,000 tonnes of corn this year and would buy from the four top producing provinces.

"We welcome this plan because it will help create markets for Cambodian corn, which we have had trouble finding," Chan Tong Yves said.

"Our farmers only sell corn to Thailand and Vietnam, and these markets are unpredictable. Sometimes they buy, but sometimes they don't," he added.

According to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in 2008-09 Cambodia harvested 611,865 tonnes of corn from 163,106 hectares of land.

Oung Savuth, manager of KOGID Cambodia Co Ltd, confirmed the total investment, but added that the company would invest only $38 million from 2009 to 2012 as part of the first phase.

"We will encourage the government to give us land concessions to grow corn after 2012 by providing houses, water and electricity, and building markets and schools and hospitals for our workers," Oung Savuth said.

U.S. dogs to sniff out Cambodian tigers

© WWF/Nick Cox
Field workers set up camera traps.

© WWF
Tiger caught on camera trap in 2007.

WWF International

http://www.panda.org

Posted on 12 June 2009

Mereuch, Cambodia: Researchers will monitor Cambodia’s remaining tigers using almost 200 camera traps and two specially trained dogs – capable of tracking the tigers over 150 square kilometers by following the animal’s droppings.

The camera traps and dogs ultimately will help conservationists to better protect tigers in the Mondulkiri Protected Forest in Eastern Cambodia, one of Southeast Asia’s largest remaining tropical dry forests.
WWF has set up more than 165 camera traps in the area, and in a few months two US-trained dogs, will begin scouring the undergrowth and sniffing for tiger scent.

The two dogs will be re-trained to locate the scat of tiger and other carnivores. Using dogs to sniff out the scats from large carnivores has been widely used in other parts of the world with great success, such as tiger monitoring projects in the Russian Far East.

“We know tigers are there. With more concentrated monitoring we have a better chance of spotting them – and this will enable us to put more protective measures in play,” said Nicholas Cox, WWF’s Dry Forests Ecoregion Leader.

Despite many years of poaching, there now are signs that the dry forest is recovering as a habitat for tigers. Leopards now are relatively common and other wildlife returning to the area include wild banteng, Asian jackal, Eld’s deer and primates such as silvered langur. In addition Vultures, Great Hornbills and Giant Ibis have now been frequently spotted in the forest.

The tiger population is estimated to be between 10 and 25 animals in the Eastern Plains Landscape. Camera traps have been used in some parts of the Protected Forest previously, but they will now be concentrated to a core area frequented by tigers. A tiger was last photographed in the area in 2007, and scats (droppings) have been found more recently in the area.

“It’s now or never, we must act if the trend of increasing tiger prey species is to be made permanent,” said Seng Teak, WWF Cambodia Country Director. “Stronger protection measures and a rigorous management plan are being implemented by the local government in Mondulkiri and WWF. When prey returns to the area the tiger population will have a chance to bounce back in a few years”, says.

WWF has been involved in conservation work in the Eastern Plains since early 2001. That commitment was increased a few years ago to cover an area spanning more than 20,000 square kilometers.

Strict protection measures have been enforced in the Mondulkiri Protected Forest and the Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary. In core protection zones, villagers are not allowed to hunt or cut timber, and
more than 70 trained rangers patrol the protected areas.

Lean Kha, a 48-year-old ranger working for WWF, was a poacher in the 70s.

“As a 13-year-old boy I was forced by the Khmer Rouge to go into the forest and kill wild animals,” Kha said. “I quickly learned to shoot and lay snares. During a period of 5-6 years I shot 16 elephants, 14 leopards and two tigers. At the time, I was ignorant and did not think of the consequences when I shot those tigers.”

“Today I’m really proud to work for WWF, and to use my skills to combat wildlife crime so that there will still be tigers and other wildlife in the forest when my children grow up,” he said.

Thai Jesuit ordained in Cambodia

http://www.indiancatholic.in

June 12 2009

BATTAMBANG, Cambodia : The Church in Cambodia has ordained the first Jesuit priest since the Church revived in the country during the early 1990s.

Father Phongphand Phokthavi, a Thai national, was ordained by Bishop Emile Destombes, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, on May 24, in a special ceremony in Battambang attended by 2,000 people.

The ordination of Father Phongphand, 53, brings the number of Thai priests serving in Cambodia to four.

Ham Sok, one of the many people at the ordination, said the scale of the event was a sign that the Church in Cambodia is growing.

During the ceremony, Jesuit Monsignor Enrique Figaredo, apostolic prefect of Battambang, said Father Phongphand "always gives himself to others, loves the poor and encourages people who have lost hope."

The monsignor, who has known the priest for 20 years, cited one occasion when Father Phongphand saw some people without shoes and offered them his own, saying, "I have another pair."

Cambodia has a special place in the Thai priest's heart. During the 1980s he helped Cambodian refugees in Thailand while working with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Later in the 1990s he went to Cambodia with returning refugees and helped build a vocational center for the disabled near Phnom Penh.

Talking to UCA News, the Thai priest said his inspiration for becoming a priest in Cambodia was when he saw the smiles of refugees despite the suffering they had endured during years of civil war.

He said the challenges he would encounter as a priest in Cambodia would not be cultural or linguistic, but would be in tackling poverty and suffering, and spreading the love of God.

He added that his work from now on will be that of a parish priest in Kompong Thom in Battambang apostolic prefecture. He also said he wants to serve in Cambodia for the rest of his life.

Besides the four Thai priests, there are also five Thai nuns serving in Cambodia. The last priestly ordination in the country took place in 2001, when four Khmer priests were ordained.

Of the 50 priests or so presently in Cambodia, only about five are local Khmer.

Courtesy : UCAN

Alcatel-Lucent makes a difference in a Cambodian community

http://press-releases.techwhack.com

June 12th, 2009

Employee volunteer initiative is part of Alcatel-Lucent “International Days of Caring”

Phnom Penh / New Delhi, June 12, 2009 – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE:ALU) set aside one day during a recent senior leadership conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to implement a major Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)initiative. The 150 participants – across section of the company’s senior leaders in Asia Pacific – gave their time to build 45 houses for poor Cambodian families in Veal Thom village, outside of Phnom Penh.

The program is part of the Alcatel-Lucent “International Days of Caring” (IDOC) project, a worldwide employee volunteer initiative (May 4 – June 30, 2009) addressing key community needs and issues. IDOC provides an opportunity for staff to be directly engaged in local community work to help those in need.

The initiative was organized in conjunction with Tabitha Cambodia, a non-profit organization set up in 1994. Tabitha helps poor Cambodian families participate in a micro-banking program that helps them work their way out of poverty. When local families save USD30 toward a new home they are eligible to participate in Tabitha’s house building program. In this case, Alcatel-Lucent Asia Pacific provided all the additional funds, around USD960 per house, to purchase the building materials for 45 houses, as well as one day of senior staff time to build fully funded houses for 45 families, or some 240 individuals.

“We chose Tabitha because they gave us an opportunity to get involved and make a difference through the work of our own hands,” said Sean Dolan, President, Alcatel-Lucent Asia Pacific. “At Alcatel-Lucent Corporate Social Responsibility means more than acting ethically, it also means providing opportunities for our employees to become involved and demonstrate day after day, the company’s concern for society.”

The Cambodian project caps a range of Asia Pacific staff community activities that include:

· Australia: employees serving as guides during open days and community events at a science museum;

· China: charity sales events in Shanghai and Chengdu to support communities and families devastated by last year’s major earthquake;

· India: partnering with NGO’s to volunteer at orphanages in India; helping with life skills training for disadvantaged youth; organizing collections for clothing and money;

· North Asia: arranging for high school students to spend a day with employees at the office to give them exposure to the business world;

· South and South East Asia: donations to blood banks.

Alcatel-Lucent has been operating in Cambodia since 1992, and is a major supplier of GSM equipment and solutions to Mobitel, the country’s biggest mobile operator. The company recently signed a frame agreement with a new customer, Chuan Wei, to build a nation-wide WiMAX network.

About Tabitha Cambodia

Tabitha Cambodia was founded in 1994 by Janne Ritskes, a Canadian with 20 years experience working in the slums of the United States, Philippines, Kenya and Cambodia. Tabitha Cambodia works exclusively to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor. Tabitha Cambodia is currently working with 3,500 families in five Cambodian provinces. For more information, visit Tabitha Cambodia on the Internet: http://www.tabithafoundationaustralia.com/main.cfm?Page=2

About International Days of Caring (IDOC)

The first Alcatel-Lucent International Days of Caring Project (IDOC) was launched in 2008. Held annually in April/May/June, the multi-week event focuses on team-driven, employee-led projects. More than 9,800 employees supported more than 180 projects for a total of nearly 75,000 volunteer hours, in 15 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Poland, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States (in 18 states).

Alcatel-Lucent’s 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility report is available at
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/csr/csr-report/Alcatel-Lucent-CSR-Report-2008-EN.pdf.

About Alcatel-Lucent

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 16.98 billion in 2008 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

For more information please contact:

Manpreet Singh
9810286337

manpreet.singh {at} vccpl(.)com

Krityanand Kundan
9990099562
krityanand.kundan {at} vccpl(.)com

Latika Taneja
9899010054
Latika.Taneja {at} alcatel-lucent(.)com

Hiranmay Choudhury
9871527830
hiranmay.choudhury {at} alcatel-lucent(.)com

Still no A/H1N1 flu cases confirmed in Cambodia: ministry

http://www.tmcnet.com

PHNOM PENH, Jun 12, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Cambodia is still safe from the epidemic of A/H1N1 flu disease, said a joint press release issued here on Friday.

"As of June 12, 2009, no cases of Influenza A/H1N1 have been confirmed in Cambodia," said the press release jointly issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

With the virus continuing to spread internationally, the Ministry of Health "continues to strengthen the implementation of the national pandemic response plan and, supported by WHO, has been actively preparing management guidelines for Ministry of Health staff, " it added.

Sok Touch, director of the communicable disease control department of Ministry of Health told Xinhua Thursday that the Cambodian government are still vigilant and that precaution measures have been and being taken at all points of entries into Cambodia, especially, at the international airports such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Moreover, the public will be kept informed of developments via the ministry's website and regular statements made to the press, it said.

While Cambodia announced that it is safe from the influenza cases, the flu virus has already affected 74 countries worldwide and the number of reported A/H1N1 infection has reached to 28,774, including 144 deaths, according to WHO.

Cambodia becomes 94th member of International Renewable Energy Agency

www.chinaview.cn

2009-06-12

PHNOM PENH, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has become the 94th state of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that was established early this year, according to a press statement released Friday by the German Embassy in Cambodia.

The statement said Cambodia signed for the membership of the agency on Friday in Berlin, Germany, which has become the 21st country from Asian nations, with 35 other countries from Africa, 29 from Europe and nine from Latin-America, the statement said.

IRENA was established in Bonn, Germany on Jan. 26, 2009, and Germany is a depository state for this international agreement.

The agency, originally, intends to facilitate access to all relevant information, including data on the potentials for renewable energies, best practices, effective financial mechanisms, and state-of-the-arts technological expertise.

Following the global voice for renewable energies, IRENA is mandated to become a main driving force for promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale.

It is also envisaged to provide practical advice and support for both industrialized and developing countries; thereby helping to improve framework and built capacity.

The agency will consist of an Assembly, a council and a secretariat.

Editor: Deng Shasha

Phnom Penh ties alliance with Busan

www.chinaview.cn

2009-06-12

PHNOM PENH, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and South Korea reached an agreement here on the sister cities affiliation between the Municipality of Phnom Penh and the Busan Metropolitan City for mutual cooperation exchange, local media reported on Friday.

The agreement was inked by Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema and Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik on Thursday, according to the official Agence kampuchea Presse (AKP).

On the occasion, Kep Chuktema said that this alliance is very important to further strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries, through the cooperation exchange in the fields of administration, economy, tourism, culture and education between Phnom Penh and Busan.

Busan is the second city that tied alliance with Phnom Penh Municipality. In late March 2009, Phnom Penh and South Korea's Incheon Metropolitan City also signed the sister cities affiliation.

On the same day, the visiting South Korean delegation led by Hur Nam-sik also met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers Sok An to seek his support for the direct flights between Busan and Siem Reap.

In response, Sok An warmly welcomed the proposition and encouraged South Korean side to work with the Civil Aviation General Secretariat to reach the agreement.

Editor: Deng Shasha

Thai, Cambodia Premiers Vow Peace on Border

http://www.voanews.com

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
12 June 2009

The prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand on Friday affirmed their goal to maintain peace along the disputed border, where military clashes over the past year have led to casualties on each side.

“Both sides agreed to avoid armed conflict along the border,” a spokesman for Prime Minister Hun Sen said, following talks in Phnom Penh.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is on his first official visit to Cambodia. Both sides have hundreds of troops amassed along the contested border near Preah Vihear temple.

Fighting, including rocket and mortar fire, has ensued at least twice since last July, killing at least three soldiers on each side.

Hun Sen suggested military officers on both sides hold regular meetings to ease tensions, and Abhisit agreed, according to spokesman Eng Sophallet.

No demonstrations were held for Abhisit’s visit, despite warnings from the Cambodian Confederation of Unions. The confederation held a gathering at its headquarters instead, in protest of alleged Thai incursions into Cambodia.

As part of his visit, Abhisit returned seven stone artifacts from the Angkorian period seized from smugglers on the Thai side of the border. Cambodia has requested the return of 46 artifacts.

Court To Request Suspension of Lawmaker’s Immunity

http://www.voanews.com

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
12 June 2009

Phnom Penh Municipal Court is prepared to ask the National Assembly to suspend the immunity of an opposition parliamentarian embroiled in a defamation suit by the prime minister, a lawyer said Friday.

The Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker, Mu Sochua, filed suit against Hun Sen in April, alleging degrading remarks in the 2008 election campaign. Hun Sen countersued against the accusation. The court has dropped the suit against Hun Sen, but it is continuing its case against Mu Sochua. Civic groups have called for both to drop their cases.

“The prosecutor has requested the National Assembly to suspend Mu Sochua’s immunity, and the request was signed by deputy prosecutor Sok Roeun,” Ky Tech, Hun Sen’s lawyer, said Friday.

Sok Roeun declined comment Friday. Mu Sochua said she had not yet seen a court request to suspend her immunity.

Ny Chakrya, an investigator for the rights group Adhoc, said both suits were undertaken for “political interests.”

“We should not take political items to the court system, affecting the independence of the court system,” he said.

Opposition Leaders Call for Unification

http://www.voanews.com

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
12 June 2009

Only unification among nationalists can change the country for the better, opposition leaders in Washington said Thursday.

“If we don’t unify, we can’t restore a country that is sinking,” said Sam Rainsy, leader of the main opposition party, as a studio guest on “Hello VOA.”

Sam Rainsy was joined by Kem Sokha, leader of the minority opposition, the Human Rights Party. Both are in the US to build support among Cambodians in the US and to visit officials in Washington.

“Of most importance is to unify for change, because our country is facing an emergency,” Kem Sokha said. “So we need to change, change from an unjust to a just society, and change from a corrupted society to a clean one. This is our goal. We have the same goal, and we will firmly walk together.”

The 2012 commune election will have only one list of candidates from a unified party, he said. And both leaders say they are aiming to upset the ruling Cambodian People’s Party in 2013.

The parties were not in alliance for the 2008 election, which saw a sweeping CPP victory of 90 of 123 National Assembly seats.

Responding to caller concerns that party members could defect to the CPP, Sam Rainsy said the “1 percent” of party members who leave were not a concern.

Garment Sector in Danger: Manufacturers

http://www.voanews.com

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original repoort from Phnom Penh
12 June 2009

At least 100,000 factory workers have felt the pinch of the global economic crisis, with 60,000 losing their jobs, the Garment Manufacturers Association said Friday.

Orders are down, and Cambodia lacks competitiveness with its neighbors Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and Vietnam, Van Sou Ieng, head of the association, told reporters.

Manufacturers are facing pressure from unions to increase wages, as the crisis has cut the overtime hours many workers have come to rely on.

The garment sector is one of the chief engines of the Cambodian economy, but its main target is the US and European markets, which have been hard hit by the economic downturn.

Toll in rail venture with Cambodia

The Australian Business
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au

Ross Kelly
June 12, 2009

Article from: DOWJONES

TOLL Holdings has signed an agreement with Cambodia to operate the nation's railways under a 30-year concession.

Under the agreement, announced today by Toll Holdings, a joint venture between Toll, with a 55 per cent stake, and Cambodian conglomerate Royal Group, with a 45 per cent stake, would operate the rail network and related freight logistics.

The agreement is conditional on final confirmation of investment by "the international community" of $US145 million ($176.8m), Toll said.

Toll already has an oil and gas logistics operation in Cambodia.

Thailand returns 7 stolen artifacts to Cambodia

People's Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn

June 12, 2009

Thailand on Friday handed over seven pieces of Cambodian artifacts stolen by illegal smugglers upon request of the Cambodian government.

It is a positive gesture from Thai side in friendship and cooperation, said Hor Nam Hong, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation in the handover ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen and visiting Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He added that one of seven artifacts already was handed over to Cambodia by Thai Premier to Hun Sen in April in the ASEAN summit.

"The seven among 43 artifacts were smuggled from Cambodia to Thailand about 10 year ago," Hor said, adding that we also are urging to Thai side to hand over the rest artifacts.

"All the sandstone artifacts that handed over today are made in Angkor Empire in 12th and 13 centuries," he said, adding that the seven included one head of angel and six heads of giants.

Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, told Xinhua that Thailand also pledged to return the remaining 36 pieces at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen, but only when all proven documents are presented.

He said, as of this date, Cambodia has presented full proven documents identifying 18 pieces of all 43 Cambodian artifacts stolen to Cambodia in 1990s.

And as agreed upon, the seven pieces were returned today and the other 11 pieces will be in later stage, he said.

When asked whether any other Cambodian artifacts were stolen and illegally smuggled to other countries, Chuch Phoeung said, to his best knowledge, five pieces are in Switzerland and one piece in Indonesia.

Attracting more than one million foreign tourists last year, Cambodia is best known as one of Asian nations rich in cultural heritages such as Angkor Wat temple complex, built between 9th to 12th century. Angkor Wat Temple is located in Cambodia's northern Siem Reap province.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodian, Thai leaders pledge to avoid further border clashes+

Breitbart
http://www.breitbart.com/

Jun 12 03:01 AM US/Eastern

PHNOM PENH, June 12 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand agreed Friday to endeavor to avoid any further military clashes along their two countries' border.

The commitment was made during a meeting in Phnom Penh between Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva, Hun Sen's spokesman Eang Sophalleth told reporters.

The armed forces of the two sides have on occasion exchanged fire along the border since Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in July last year, leaving a number of deaths and injuries on both sides.

The situation has recently eased, but the military presence in the area remains.

The Cambodian government insists that Thai troops have deployed on Cambodian soil, while Thailand says its troops are only in a disputed zone. The border dispute stems partly from the use of different border maps.

According to Eang Sophalleth, Abhisit agreed with Hun Sen's suggestion that military officers based along the border of the two nations should hold regular meetings to deepen understanding and ease tension.

Since the border issue erupted last year, many rounds of talks at different levels including defense and foreign ministerial levels have been held, but a solution to the border issue has proved elusive.

Abhisit's visit to Cambodia was his first since coming to office late last year.

As part of the visit, seven pieces of artifacts that had been stolen by smugglers were returned to Cambodia. Cambodia has asked Thailand to return 36 more pieces.

Cambodia agrees to return bomb plotters to Thailand

http://www.alertnet.org

12 Jun 2009
Source: Reuters
By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH, June 12 (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed on Friday to allow two Thai Muslims convicted of plotting attacks on Western embassies in Phnom Penh in 2004 to serve the rest of their prison terms in Thailand.

The deal was agreed during a meeting on Friday between Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith told Reuters.

The two Thais and a Cambodian, who were linked to the Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), were given life sentences by a Cambodian court in December 2004 for plotting to bomb the U.S. and British embassies in Phnom Penh.

Chiming Abdul Azi, Muhammadyalludin Mading and Cambodian Sman Esma El were found guilty of colluding to attack the missions along with Hambali, the suspected JI mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Hambali remains in U.S. detention since being handed over by Thailand after his capture in the central city of Ayutthaya in 2003.

Kanharith said several Cambodians serving prison sentences in Thailand would be returned as part of the deal.

"Hun Sen told his Thai counterpart that he would send the two convicted Thais to serve their punishment in Thailand and vice-versa," he said.

Kanharith said the transfers could take some time because Thailand and Cambodia have no extradition agreement.

The two leaders also pledged to settle a long-running dispute over the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which has been a source of tension between the two countries for generations.

Two Thai soldiers were killed and nine wounded in April in a clash with Cambodian troops near the temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962, without ruling on the ownership of the disputed land around it.

"They gave assurances that armed conflicts would not take place at the border near the temple," Ieng Sophalleth, a Cambodian government spokesman, told reporters.

Hun Sen and Abhisit also said they would work to settle a maritime dispute over a potentially oil and gas-rich patch of the Gulf of Thailand, which both countries have claimed jurisdiction over, Sophalleth said.

(Editing by Martin Petty and Jeremy Laurence)

Thailand, Cambodia leaders meet

http://www.bangkokpost.com

By: Bangkok Post

Published: 12/06/2009

Thailand and Cambodia on Friday agreed to solve their joint border problems through peaceful means in a meeting between Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

The two leaders met during Mr Abhisit's official visit to Cambodia.

Mr Abhisit said that, in solving border problems, the two sides agreed to exchange information in meetings at various levels of both military and administrative officials to avoid border conflict.

He said the two countries also agreed that Thailand will transfer two Cambodian prisoners it is holding to Cambodia, which will do likewise with two Thai prisoners being held in Cambodia. The two countries do not have an extradition treaty.

Thai premier to discuss border disputes during Cambodia visit

Earth Times
http://www.earthtimes.org/

Posted : Fri, 12 Jun 2009
Author : DPA

Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva departed Bangkok Friday for a one-day official visit to Cambodia to discuss the neighbouring countries' border disputes that have erupted into armed confrontations twice within the last year. Abhisit, who left for Phnom Penh on a Thai Air Force plane, was scheduled to meet with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen for talks.

Thai-Cambodian relations have been tense since last July when an armed confrontation broke out over their separate claims to an area adjacent to the 11th century Preah Vihear Hindu temple. Two Cambodian soldiers died in the brief border battle and several Thai soldiers were wounded.

The temple, which has been at the centre of disputed claims between Thailand and Cambodia since the 1950s, was granted to Cambodia by a ruling of the International Court of Justice in 1962. In July last year it was granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO despite Thai objections.

The land adjacent to the temple compound, including its main entrance on the Thai side, has been claimed by both countries.

This April Cambodian and Thai soldiers fought another brief battle in a disputed border area around Preah Vihear, which left two Thai soldiers dead and half a dozen wounded on both sides.

The exchange of gunfire started when a team of Thai soldiers went to investigate the planting of landmines west of the temple, situated 350 kilometres northeast of Bangkok.

Several other smaller temples on the border have also fallen subject to dispute.

Crisis poses added hurdles to elimination of child labour

Photo by: Sovann Philong
Two child labourers collect plastic bottles for recycling along Phnom Penh’s Street 63 this week. World Day Against Child Labour, observed today, marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of an International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention stressing the need to end the worst forms of child labour. Members of the ILO and other groups say the crisis poses additional hurdles to achieving this goal.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Christopher Shay
Friday, 12 June 2009

OU Kunthear, 19, is one of tens of thousands of garment workers in Cambodia who have lost their jobs as factories across the Kingdom have shut down as a result of the economic crisis.

As a garment worker, Ou Kunthear would regularly send US$30 back to her family in Kampong Speu province. Since losing her factory job, she can no longer send remittances, leaving her parents too poor to pay for food.

In response, her parents have taken her younger siblings - all under the age of 15 - out of school and forced them to work washing clothes and making charcoal.

"I pity my younger siblings, because they should be learning. They should not be working over charcoal stoves or washing stations," she said.

The eighth World Day Against Child Labour, observed today, marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of an International Labour Organisation convention stressing the need to end the worst forms of child labour.

As the global economic crisis has hit Cambodia, however, pressure has mounted on families to pull their children out of school and push them into the workforce, experts said.

According to a statement released Thursday, ChildFund Australia estimated that 40 percent of all children aged between 7 and 17 years are currently engaged in some form of child labour.

But the ILO has said that efforts from the government and donors could help transform the crisis into a catalyst for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in Cambodia.

"The economic downturn is one of the most unexpected, hardest challenges impacting child labour. But the downturn - even though it's a threat - can be turned into an opportunity," said Joseph Menacherry, the chief technical adviser at the ILO's International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour.

When the construction sector was growing rapidly, there was a sharp increase in demand for child labour, Menacherry said. As the boom goes bust, there are fewer jobs available to children, he said.

"This gives us an opportunity to be able to put into place sufficient awareness, sufficient sensitivity and sufficient mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement, so that once the economy starts to go up, we will be able to ensure that children do not go back to this hazardous construction sector," he said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I PITY MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS ... THEY SHOULD NOT BE WORKING OVER CHARCOAL STOVES.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Menacherry said that eliminating child labour during an economic crisis has the added benefit of opening up jobs for adults, allowing more families to preserve their incomes and keep their children in school.

"Why are we sending children to work when there is an economic crisis? When there is an economic crisis we should be pulling children out of work and making sure adults go there," he said.

At the moment, however, the crisis is forcing more children into the worst forms of child labour, said Haidy Ear-Dupuy, advocacy and communications manager for World Vision Cambodia.

"Many workers have lost their jobs and seen their income drop," Ear-Dupuy said, adding that this has led many parents to force their children to find jobs.

Menacherry said the number of children working in hard labour conditions in Cambodia had grown from an estimated 250,000 in 2002 to about 300,000 this year.

Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON
A child fixes a motorbike tyre at a mechanic’s shop in Kandal province.

Promoting economic growth
Child labour is one of the major hurdles Cambodia must clear if it is to achieve sustained economic growth in the future, said Bill Salter, director of the ILO's sub-regional office for Southeast Asia.

"Child labour has to be tackled in Cambodia - not only as a social issue, but also as an issue of human resource development that can help the economic growth of the country," he said.

The ILO, with the help of the World Bank and UNICEF, is finalising estimates of how much funding would be necessary to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in Cambodia.

Menacherry said the task would cost "not more than US$100 million", adding that he viewed the figure as "modest".

Even though child labour has increased over the last seven years, Menacherry said, the ILO's goal to end the worst forms of child labour in Cambodia by 2016 was "extremely realistic" if sufficient resources were made available.

In work, out of school
Knut Harald Ulland, country director for Save the Children, said the economic crisis could cause more teachers to begin collecting informal fees, which would make more families unable to send their children to school.

"Because teachers have felt the impact of the crisis, school fees may have increased" already, he said, calling informal school fees the biggest obstacle to education in Cambodia.

"As long as teachers don't have a living salary, it's difficult to crack down on," he added.

Four years ago, informal fees drove Ran Rin, 12, out of the classroom and into a salt-production job in Kampot province. He told the Post this week that he left school because his family could not afford the fees charged by his teachers.

"Poverty was the obstacle for my studies.... If teachers do not demand money from their students, then children of poor families like me would not have to drop out," he said.

Protest to target Thai PM's visit

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Vong Sokheng
Friday, 12 June 2009

Union members to demonstrate against Thai border incursions.

AT least 150 trade union members have threatened to picket today's state visit by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to protest what they said were recent border incursions by Thai troops.

Municipal officials held meetings Thursday with representatives of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) and the Free Trade Union (FTU), warning them that they would face consequences if they protested without the approval of the Ministry of Interior, said CCU President Rong Chhun.

"We know that the local authorities will try to take measures against us, but we will try our best to move ahead with this peaceful demonstration demanding that Thailand stop its ambitious invasions of Cambodia," he said Thursday.

Rong Chhun said the protesters would march peacefully to the National Assembly and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send a message to Abhisit to withdraw his soldiers from Cambodian territory and return them to their bases by July 15.

He said they would also call on Thailand to pay compensation for the damage of a market near Preah Vihear temple that occurred when during clashes April 3.

FTU President Chea Mony said an attempt to crack down on the demonstration would indicate that the government had no political will to resolve border issues with Thailand.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said Wednesday that Abhisit was scheduled to meet with King Norodom Sihamoni and senior officials from the ruling Cambodian People's Party, adding that he hoped border issues would be addressed.

"Our two countries are facing problems with a border conflict, and I hope that the border issues will be the topic of discussion between the two prime ministers," he said.

He said Abhisit would preside over a ceremony marking the return of seven Cambodian artefacts stolen by smugglers.

Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth could not be reached for comment after Thursday's meeting.

A pat on the back

Ross Dunkley (left), publisher of The Phnom Penh Post, and Seth Meixner, managing editor, hold up the paper's certificates of honour during the Society of Publishers in Asia's 2009 Awards for Editorial Excellence ceremony Thursday at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Hong Kong.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Post Staff
Friday, 12 June 2009

The Phnom Penh Post scooped up awards for reporting and photography at the Society of Publishers in Asia's annual competition, announced Thursday night at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong.

Vandy Rattana, Chhay Channyda and Rick Valenzuela took the Excellence in News Photography award for their coverage of Boeung Kak lake, where a private company is reclaiming the natural reservoir to build a commercial and residential project, affecting more than 4,000 families. The judges said the essay and singles were "striking, heartbreaking images that are also visually complex".

May Titthara and Christopher Shay won the award for Excellence in Human Rights Reporting for their article "Escape from Hell on the High Sea: Nine trafficked Men Return Home", on 17 men repatriated from Malaysia after having escaped forced labour on a Thai fishing boat. The judges called the report "enterprising work from a small publication".

The Post's publisher, Ross Dunkley, and its managing editor, Seth Meixner, received the awards at the Hong Kong ceremony. The newspaper had entered submissions from its daily-newspaper coverage, which began in August after more than a decade as a fortnightly paper, in the group for English-language local newspapers and magazines with a circulation less than 50,000.

Tim Sakhorn confident on asylum bid

http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Holly Pham and Neth Pheaktra
Friday, 12 June 2009

AS the June 18 deadline for his asylum application draws near, Buddhist monk and human rights activist Tim Sakhorn says he is confident the United States government will grant him political asylum and allow him to settle in America.

Tim Sakhorn, an advocate for the rights of southern Vietnam's ethnic Khmer minority, popularly known as Khmer Krom, fled from Cambodia in
April and has been living at an undisclosed location in Bangkok awaiting the US government's decision, expected next week.

"I am now waiting for an official confirmation from [the UN High Commissioner for Refugees]," Tim Sakhorn said by phone from Bangkok, adding that he is going to have a meeting with officials from the US Embassy in Bangkok soon.

"I strongly believe that I deserve asylum status since the threats from the Vietnamese authorities are real."

The 41-year-old monk, who was arrested and defrocked in Cambodia in June 2007 before being deported and jailed for a year in Vietnam on charges of undermining its national unity, fled to Thailand when Vietnamese authorities allowed him to enter Cambodia on April 4 to visit
family in his native Takeo province.

"It is difficult for Khmer Krom to stay in this country: The Thai authorities will arrest as soon as they find us," Tim Sakhorn said.

"It is a bit easier for monks since they can rely on pagodas for day-to-day support, but regular Khmer Krom have a hard time even finding shelter or paying for food. Khmer Krom will face serious problems if the UN fails to recognise our rights to refuge," Tim Sakhorn said.

The Bangkok office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has granted temporary refugee status to five Khmer Krom monks, allowing them to stay in Thailand pending the approval of an asylum bid to other countries.

Ang Chanrith, executive director of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Organisation, said the UNHCR is expected to release the official verdict on Tim Sakhorn's case on Thursday, while the refugee status of the other five Khmer monks will be finalised by early July.

He said Thailand is now a temporary home for more than 200 Khmer Krom currently applying for residence in third countries.

Since early 2009, the UNHCR has helped four Khmer Krom refugees obtain political asylum in the United States, while an additional 71 have received temporary refugee status and are waiting to move on to another country.

Worsening situation
Thach Setha, president of Khmer Kampuchea Krom Association, said the rapid increase in the number of Khmer Krom refugees in Thailand was due to the series of protests against rights abuses committed by the Vietnamese authorities in 2007 and 2008.

"Even after having fled to Cambodia, [the Khmer Krom] are not safe. The Vietnamese authorities continue to track them down here. This is why they must seek asylum in another country," he said.

In a report on the Khmer Krom issued in January, Human Rights Watch recorded the "severe and often shrouded" methods used by the Vietnamese government to stifle freedom of religion and other basic rights of the Khmer minority in the Mekong Delta.

The US Embassy in Bangkok could not be reached for comment Thursday.