Duelling boat tours reach deal

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
May Titthara

PROVINCIAL officials in Siem Reap's Chong Kneas commune on Thursday struck an agreement with two Tonle Sap river tour companies that they hope will resolve a bitter rivalry that posed a threat to the commune's tourism sector.

The two companies, one operated by the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA) with offices in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and the community-based Walk In boat tour company in Chong Kneas commune, have for the past two days clashed over access to tourists visiting Siem Reap, with Walk In claiming CATA held an unfair advantage.

Authorities, led by Siem Reap Deputy Governor Bunn Tharith, agreed with both companies on Thursday to a compromise for operators to conduct tours on a rotating daily schedule.

Heng Tim, a Walk In tour boat operator, praised the decision as a just compromise. "All of us agree that this is a fair resolution," he said.

But not everyone at Walk In was satisfied. Kim Sophany, tourism controller at the Sou Ching port in Chong Kneas, said the agreement was unfair.

"The Cambodian Association of Travel Agents has no business organising boat tours. They have become involved in order to protect the interests of rich and powerful people," he said.

Bunn Tharith said that, as far as he was concerned, the dispute was resolved.

Girls curfew proposed

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Chhay Channyda

PHNOM Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said this week that he would request that the Ministry of Interior prohibit girls under 16 years of age from going out alone at night.

The governor said young girls should not be allowed to go out in the evening because they are likely to go to clubs, karaoke bars and other entertainment spots that should be reserved for adults.

"I will request that the Ministry of Interior consider issuing a directive banning children under 16, especially girls, from going out alone after 9pm," he said. "If they want to go out after 9pm, they must be accompanied by their parents. We want to promote the morals of girls in our society."

Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said he agreed, but was not sure the plan would be feasible.

"This is a good idea, but I'm afraid it violates the human right to mobility," he said.

Duch testifies about motives

Photo by: AFP
Children visit Toul Sleng prison, where former prison chief Duch allegedly committed the crimes for which he is currently being tried.

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...DUCH IS A GOOD [NAME] AND HAS KHMER CHARACTER. THAT'S WHY I USED DUCH.
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The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Cheang Sokha

Ex-S-21 commander cites a broken heart, suffering under the Lon Nol regime and faith that 'joining the revolution could help the people and save the nation'.

Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, said Thursday that factors ranging from a broken heart to disenchantment with the Lon Nol regime influenced his decision to join the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK).

Under questioning from the Trial Chamber at Cambodia's war crimes court, Duch also explained the origins of his nom de guerre. "I wanted a name in Khmer, not a kind of Chinese one," Duch said.

He also chose the revolutionary name because it was one used by a good student in a book he studied when he was young. "So Duch is a good one and has Khmer character. That's why I used Duch," said the former maths teacher.

In the period before he decided to join the CPK, he recalled, he tried to persuade a girl he was in love with to become a maths teacher like him.

Her decision not to "disappointed" him greatly, he said. He also said he had grown angry with the government of Lon Nol, which he said had arrested many of his friends.

This emotional turmoil aside, his main reason for joining the party was his faith in CPK teachings and policies, he said. "At that time, I thought that joining the revolution could help the people and save the nation," he said.

Thursday marked the beginning of a new phase of the trial in which witnesses and the accused himself will discuss Duch's character.

A large part of Thursday's proceedings was consumed by a debate over whether civil party lawyers would be able to put questions to witnesses during the new phase, which will resume Monday.

Civil party lawyer Ty Srinna argued that the character of the accused was central to the established facts of the case and that civil parties had every right to ask questions about it.

Kar Savuth, Duch's Cambodian co-lawyer, said civil party lawyers would bring little to the proceedings.

"We can see that there are two prosecutors representing the victims, and they have the obligation to ask questions about the character of the accused in order to meet the burden of proof," he said.

The Trial Chamber ultimately ruled that civil party lawyers would not be able to ask questions. Judge Jean-Marc Lavergne dissented from that decision.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP.

Thais lend $41.2m for Nat'l Rd 68

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Sam Rith

CAMBODIA on Thursday signed a loan agreement with a Thailand-based development group worth 1.4 billion baht (US$41.2 million) to fund a new National Road 68, said Kem Borey, general director of public works at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

The agreement was signed by Vong Sey Vissoth, deputy director general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Acksiri Buranasiri, president of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency, which brokered the loan between Cambodia and the Thai government.

Funding for the road, which is to run from O'Smach district in Oddar Meanchey province to Kralanh district in Siem Reap province, was first proposed in 2005-06 and approved by the Thai government last month.

Acquittal expected for Chea Ratha: attorney

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Meas Sokchea

A LAWYER representing former deputy chief of staff of the National Military Police Chea Ratha, who is suspected of involvement in an acid attack, said Thursday he expects his client will be exonerated by a Phnom Penh court in a verdict scheduled to be delivered on Monday.

Keo Ya said Phnom Penh Municipal Court should acquit Chea Ratha of charges stemming from the attack last year.

"I hope my client will be released on [Monday] because the court does not have enough proof against her," Keo Ya said.

"The prosecution has filed a complaint against her that only suspects her of involvement [in the incident]," he said, adding that Chea Ratha would likely return to Cambodia if the court ruled in her favour.

Keo Ya would not provide any information about Chea Ratha's current whereabouts.

Presiding Judge Din Sivuthy could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Chea Ratha is being tried in connection with an incident from May 2008 in which a Phnom Penh woman, Ya Soknim, was severely disfigured in an acid attack. Ya Soknim is the aunt of prominent beauty pageant contestant In Soklyda, who had a love affair with Chea Ratha.

Chea Ratha has admitted the love affair but denies any involvement in the acid attack.

Anti-gangster strategy

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Chrann Chamroeun and Chhay Channyda

Top police officials met Thursday at Phnom Penh Municipal Court to discuss a new strategy for combating youth-related crime following a directive from Prime Minister Hun Sen in June to crack down on gangsters. "During a three-hour discussion, we outlined the goals of cracking down on crime in a smooth way, a legal way and an efficient way, in order to guarantee security, safety and civil peace in Phnom Penh," said Chev Keng, director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

The strategy is to be followed by local and national police across the Kingdom, Chev Keng said, in order to prevent youths from terrorising local communities and to educate them.

Vehicle taxes to be rolled back after protests erupt around the country

Photo by: Thun Sophea
Motorists demonstrate against motorcycle tax enforcement in Poipet on Thursday.

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
May Titthara

Demonstrators, mostly cash-strapped motorbike owners, say registration fees are too high, forcing many to flout the law by operating unregistered vehicles.

CONTROVERSIAL vehicle taxes are to be reduced throughout Cambodia following a series of protests by thousands of disgruntled motorcyclists, a top customs official said Thursday.

Widespread public anger was sparked earlier this month after Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered provincial police across the Kingdom to collect the taxes in accordance with the Land Traffic Law.

Under Article 79 of the law, owners of imported motorcycles must pay a one-off registration fee of US$250. Driving a vehicle without a licence plate incurs a fine of between 25,000 riels and 200,000 riels ($6 to $48).

Since the crackdown began, tens of thousands of motorcycles have been impounded, many temporarily, by customs officials, prompting motorcyclists from across the country to stage a series of demonstrations calling for the tax and fines to be cut.

On Thursday, following a protest in Poipet, Pho Phala, head of Banteay Meanchey's Customs Department, said fines would be put on hold and the tax rate slashed, although he didn't specify how great the reduction would be or when it would come into force.

"The General Department of Customs and Excise will release a new statement that orders all customs departments around the country to reduce the vehicle tax," he said.

Thun Sophea, a motorcyclist who took part in the Poipet protest, told the Post: "I'm so happy the authorities have agreed to settle this problem.

This shows they understand how hard it is for us to pay these fees."

Fellow protester Chhayden, 25, echoed his sentiments, saying, "This proves that the authorities pay attention to us.... They really do care about the people of Cambodia."

Before the customs announcement, motorcyclists had complained that police frequently demanded money for the retrieval of confiscated vehicles.

"We're not trying to get away from the police," said Tan Van Lorn, 34, who took part in the Poipet demonstration.

"We want to be able to respect the law, but we cannot afford to pay taxes this high."

He called on the authorities to reduce the tax on older motorcycles to between $30 and $50 and suggested the registration fee for new motorcycles should be no higher than $150. The current tax levels were too high for poor people who rely on their motorcycles to earn a living, he said.

In an interview with the Post's Khmer-language edition earlier this month, Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said the protests were a clear indicator of the poverty and poor living standards being endured by many Cambodians.

"[The movement] is showing us that people are facing more hardship in their lives," he said. "To ensure social stability, security and public order, the government should re-examine its policies that relate to what the people are demanding."

Police Blotter: 28 Aug 2009

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Lim Phalla

SKILLED OXEN THIEF KILLED IN BEATING
Police said two men in Pursat have confessed to the Sunday killing of Nai Kimseng, 49, who was beaten unconscious, thrown into a road and run over by a car. The suspects said they attacked the man because he had been "very skilful in stealing villagers' possessions, including three of their oxen". The two suspects were identified as Saing Mean, 26, and Has Hong, 27, both of whom are from Pursat's Krakor district.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

PANTY RAIDER GIVEN TWO-YEAR SENTENCE
A Siem Reap man who stole a bag containing panties, a bra and 2,000 riels (US$0.48) was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison. Leng Sany, 27, stole the bag from a woman while she was riding a bicycle alone in Siem Reap town in February.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

'SELF-DESTRUCTIVE' MAN GETS 8 MONTHS
Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week sentenced a man to eight months in prison for destroying his own possessions back in February. The man, identified as Heng Samoeun, 27, went on his "self-destructive" rampage after his mother, Hun Sameith, refused to give him US$200 to buy a motorbike. He had been held in pretrial detention since February 27.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

ITALIAN MAN FOUND DEAD IN S'VILLE ROOM
An Italian man was found dead Tuesday in his rented apartment in Sihanoukville's Mittapheap district. His landlord, who first found the naked corpse, identified the man as Ivano Sartoris, 65, and said he had just signed a lease on the apartment five days before he was found dead. Police could say only that Sartoris died of "sickness".
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

STICKS AND STONES FIGURE IN BRAWL
Two men were arrested Tuesday after a drunken brawl in which they are accused of hurling stones at two other men before punching them and beating them with wooden sticks. Police said they had yet to figure out why Song Pros Neang, 20, and Sim Vuthy, 19, attacked Seng Khuoch, 20, and Sim Sam Nang, 28.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

BATTAMBANG MAN, 39, SHOT OVER BUFFALOES
A 39-year-old man was slightly injured while being robbed of 12 million riels (US$2,894) by a band of four robbers wielding guns Monday night in Battambang province's Mong Russei district. The victim, identified as Kheng Khorn, had been accused of stealing seven buffaloes the previous day. The four robbers approached Kheng Khorn in Chrey commune and fired four shots, one of which grazed him, before making off with the money.
RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

Detained prostitutes to receive new skills

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Khoun Leakhana

NEARLY two dozen sex workers have been rounded up by Phnom Penh's Department of Social Affairs and sent to NGOs to learn new skills, officials said Thursday, as an anti-prostitution sweep continues in the capital.

Social affairs official Ban Vutha said that 22 women had been sent to the NGOs Friends International and the Women's Network Organisation.

"We sent them there because we believe they will be able to learn many new skills," he said. "Our department cannot keep them here because we are not able to support them, train them or create jobs for them yet."

The drive to get prostitutes off the streets and into alternative employment was launched on Monday, said Saing Sopheakvichet, deputy governor of Tuol Kork district, adding that the campaign was launched to restore "order in the city".

"Most of the women who get arrested are the same women over and over again, which means our efforts in educating them have been ineffective," he said. "Many of these women take up this job voluntarily because they can earn a lot of money easily."

Returnee holding centres to open

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Vong Sokheng

THE Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation has announced a plan to open two temporary holding centres for Cambodians deported from Thailand and Vietnam.

In remarks at the ministry Wednesday, Ith Sam Heng said the government would set up centres in Poipet and Svay Rieng.

"We are conducting the appropriate studies before selecting locations for the temporary centres, which will give an opportunity to people kicked out of Thailand and Vietnam to have somewhere to stay before contacting their families," he said.

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WE ARE CONDUCTING ... STUDIES BEFORE SELECTING LOCATIONS FOR ... THE ...CENTRES.
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Ith Sam Heng could not be reached Thursday to elaborate on plans for the centres, and several secretaries of state at the ministry declined to comment.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said he approved of the idea of the centres but said they should be operated in a transparent manner to ensure that people who are held there are not subject to rights abuses.

But Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said he did not believe government money should be spent on the centres, arguing that there were not enough Cambodians deported each year to justify the expense.

Ith Sam Heng said in his remarks Wednesday that roughly 1,000 people could benefit from the holding centres each year.

Rong Chhun also called on the government to create more jobs in Cambodia so people would not feel compelled to move out of the country.

Bodies of two loggers found after Thai raids

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Thet Sambath and James O'toole

Thai border troops said to have fired on groups.

THE bodies of two Cambodian men were discovered this week near the Thai-Cambodian border by residents of Oddar Meanchey province's Trapaing Prasat district after villagers and officials said the Thai military opened fire last week on a group of Cambodian men illegally logging in Thai territory.

Keo Tann, the Trapaing Prasat district police chief, said Thursday that the body of 35-year-old Chum Pov of Oddar Meanchey was found Tuesday around the uncertain border between his home province and Thailand's Sisaket province. On Thursday, the body of Monh Pheak, age unknown, of Kampong Chhnang province, was discovered around the same area, he said.

Both bodies were cremated at the scene, he added.

Villagers from Traipang Prasat found the two while searching for signs of men who they said had been missing since a pair of incidents last week left 11 men detained in a Thai prison and an uncertain number still unaccounted for.

Keo Tann said he believed the men were killed August 20, in an incident after which an unknown number of men remain missing.

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The thai military should find the perpetrator and put him in jaiL.
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This came just three days after another incident in the same area in which 11 men were arrested by Thai troops and one man was injured.

"We are investigating to determine the exact number of missing men. It is difficult to figure out who is missing because many loggers are new-comers to Oddar Meanchey province and they don't report their presence here to local authorities," Keo Tann said.

Leu Chandara, the deputy chief of the Thailand-Cambodia relations office at the Chom border gate, said that soldiers from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces were planning to search for the missing Cambodians after receiving permission from their Thai counterparts.

He said that the Thai military claimed its soldiers had only fired on the loggers in self-defence, as the loggers were armed themselves.

Vann Kosal, governor of Trapaing Prasat district, said that he does not believe this explanation.

"It's just an excuse by the Thai side. They want to twist the story around," he said.

He blamed both the Thai military and the businessmen who sent the loggers into Thai territory for putting their lives in danger.

Chan Soveth, a senior monitor for the rights group Adhoc, urged the soldiers involved to take responsibility for the men's deaths.

"The Thai military should find the perpetrator and put him in jail. This is a human rights violation," he said, adding that poor Cambodians who do not understand the regulations governing border crossings are at special risk of exploitation by logging contractors.

Officials from the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh were unavailable for comment Thursday. A spokesman from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he needed to gather information about the case and did not comment.

Officials visit electric crematorium

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
A local policeman stands in front of the new electric crematorium installed at Wat Russey Sanh on Thursday.

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Chhay Channyda

PHNOM Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said Thursday that construction of a new electric crematorium in Dangkor district, part of an effort to shift cremations out of the city centre, was 80 percent complete.

Following a visit to the site with officials from the Ministry of Cults and Religions, Kep Chuktema said the crematorium itself was finished, but that "infrastructure" - including a garden, a water system, restrooms and fences - was not.

The visit Thursday came less than two weeks after municipal authorities began demolition of the dilapidated crematorium at Wat Lanka, in the capital's Chamkarmon district. Officials have also recently ordered the demolition of the crematorium at Wat Ounalom in Daun Penh district.

Kep Chuktema said the decision to shift cremations towards the outskirts of the capital would "protect the environment as well as the health of the people in the city".

Ma Theary, the chief monk at Wat Russey Sanh, where the new crematorium is located, said he did not know when the site would be ready. He seconded Kep Chuktema's opinion that the new crematorium would have less of an impact on the environment, adding that the site also had plenty of parking.

Govt warns Beeline on below-market pricing

Photo by: SOVAN PHILONG
Beeline employees take part in a promotional campaign in Phnom Penh in this file photo. The government has warned the company to increase its tariffs to US$0.06 a minute.

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I request [Kith Meng] to open sufficient Trunk Network so as to allow high efficiency of traffic.
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The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Steve Finch

Newest entrant to Cambodia’s increasingly crowded mobile phone sector told to raise tariffs after dispute with Mobitel

THE government has warned Beeline, Cambodia's newest mobile phone service, to increase its tariffs following a dispute with market leader Mobitel, according to a letter from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications obtained by the Post.

Dated August 17, the letter says that Beeline - in a meeting with Royal Group CEO Kith Meng - agreed to raise tariffs from US$0.05 a minute to $0.06. Royal Group is due to become the majority shareholder in Mobitel following an agreement this month to buy out Millicom International's stake.

Mobitel was considering shutting down Beeline's access to its infrastructure, the letter said, on the basis that Beeline was selling its mobile services below cost price.

"I would ... like to request [Kith Meng] to open sufficient Trunk Network so as to allow high efficiency of ... traffic between Mobitel and Beeline for the benefit of the customers of both networks," said the letter, signed by Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun.

Beeline - which is run by Russia's Vimpelcom Group - has been given until Tuesday to up its tariffs, according to an industry official who did not want to be named. The company was unavailable for comment Thursday.

"There is no comment, and there are no issues [with Beeline]," Kith Meng said Thursday. It remained unclear whether Mobitel still intended to block its competitor.

The letter was sent to Beeline, Mobitel and the Kingdom's seven other mobile operators in an apparent warning to the sector over increasing competition that has seen companies offer services for free or below-cost price. It is the first time the government has directly intervened in the sector's pricing policies.

On Thursday, in announcing its second-quarter results, Hello owner Axiata of Malaysia bemoaned the distribution of free SIM cards as the reason behind a 17.4 percent drop in revenues. Millicom International has also previously complained about the competitiveness of the Cambodian mobile market, which was the main reason it cited in deciding to sell its stake in Mobitel to Royal Group.

In launching operations in May, Beeline Executive Vice President Vladimir Riabokon said the company would pursue an aggressive investment strategy in a bid to gain half a million users by December.

The company registered 100,000 users in its first fortnight of operations, Riabokon said in May, adding that Beeline was aiming for 20 percent market share within the next three years, which - if achieved - would place it second in the market behind Mobitel.

At the time, Touch Heng, an undersecretary of state at MPTC, welcomed Beeline's low prices.

"The rate [$0.05 for a local call] offered by Beeline is a very good price for users because Cambodians want low prices and a high-quality service," he said.

Campaign to boost market for apartments

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Soeun Say

THE government kicked off a publicity campaign Thursday to promote a newly passed measure allowing co-ownership of buildings in the hope of boosting the depressed property market.

Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Im Chhun Lim said promotion of the sub-decree, which was approved earlier this month, would give confidence to developers and investors currently constructing apartment buildings.

The measure will be promoted through advertisements, he said.

The Sub-Decree on Co-ownership allows Cambodians for the first time to own apartments. Previously they could only rent or lease them. It also paves the way for a forthcoming law allowing foreign nationals to buy space on or above the first floor of a building.

Speed urged
National Valuers Association of Cambodia President Sung Bonna urged the government to push through the law on foreign-owned apartments. "Developers have been waiting for this law for many years," he said.

Im Chhun Lim said the law had already been drafted. "We have already agreed with the Ministry of Justice, so the law will be here soon," he said.

Chhean Dara, project manager of the US$30 million Young's Commercial Centre and Resort on Chroy Changvar peninsula, said he hoped the sub-decree on co-ownership would boost apartment sales.

The sub-decree, which does not allow the purchaser to own the land on which the development is constructed, also covers the sale, exchange, donation and inheritance of apartments. Post

Billiton shelves bauxite mine

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Ith Sothoeuth and Nathan Green

BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi Corp have pulled out of a bauxite-mining concession in Mondulkiri province following exploratory drilling and have cancelled plans to build an aluminium refinery in the region, officials said this week.

The companies have informed the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy that they will not use their exclusive right to mine the area under the terms of a 2006 mineral-exploration agreement signed with the Cambodian government, a source inside the ministry said.

"They have filed the document officially, but it's not done yet because it needs to be sent to the Council of Ministers," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said he was unaware of the issue.

Poor returns
The source said a feasibility study, which cost US$10 million and covered 400 hectares of the company's 996-hectare concession, failed to find bauxite in sufficient quantities to make extraction profitable and justify the construction of the aluminium refinery.

Bauxite ore is the unrefined component of aluminium.

A spokesman for BHP Billiton said by email from Australia late Thursday: "We completed our exploration field work in the Mondulkiri province and are in the process of sharing our evaluation with the Royal Government of Cambodia. As such, we have reduced our presence in Phnom Penh."

However, the spokesman refused to give further details, saying only that "we do not comment publicly about the results of our exploration activities".

BHP Billiton was no longer in its Norodom Boulevard offices Thursday when the Post visited, and its project and risk manager, Dave McCracken, could not be reached on his mobile phone.

The general manager of Mitsubishi Corp's Phnom Penh representative office, Morihiko Kondo, refused to comment when approached by the Post on Thursday, saying only that inquiries should be directed to the joint-venture partner.

Kong Piseth, the chief of the Department of Industry, Mines and Energy in Mondulkiri province, said the joint venture had wound up its operations.

"The company has withdrawn from the site in Mondulkiri and even asked us to cut off the electricity," he said Thursday.

"I have the licence they asked for to continue the second phase, but I haven't seen them go back to work yet."

His deputy, Um Saran, said the company suspended its activities in February or March this year. "They have explored for nearly three years and drilled more than 1,000 holes," he said.

'Billions of dollars'
Australia's BHP, the world's largest mining company, and Japan's Mitsubishi, one of the world's largest diversified trading and investment companies, signed a mineral-exploration agreement with the government in September 2006, according to documents on BHP's Web site.

Exploration operations began in May 2007 and were due to conclude this year. No projections were made as to the likely quantity of bauxite reserves in the province, but Deputy Prime Minister Sok An told an investment conference in November 2007 that bauxite in Mondulkiri could result in an investment worth "billions of US dollars".

No estimate was ever publicised concerning the potential value to the province of the proposed aluminium refinery.

Cambodia's mining sector has long been wracked by controversy, with international NGO Global Witness slamming a "total lack" of transparency in the sector in a 70-page report released in February this year.

In Country for Sale, the London-based NGO said the government had granted more than 100 mining concessions - including 21 in 2008 - to companies controlled by "elite regime figures", with little environmental oversight.

It also singled out a 2007 comment by Lim Kean Hor, minister of water resources and meteorology, where he described a $2.5 million BHP Billiton-Mitsubishi social development fund as "tea money".

Hello revenues slide 17.4pc

A man rides a scooter past a Hello mobile phone subscription office last month in Phnom Penh. BLOOMBERG

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Steve Finch

Kuala Lumpur-based Axiata, the parent company of Hello, blames highly competitive Cambodia mobile market for drop in second-quarter income

HELLO'S revenues fell 17.4 percent in the second quarter on increased competition in the sector, the mobile-phone operator's majority stakeholder, Axiata, announced in a statement Thursday.

While the Kuala Lumpur-based company recorded a 44 percent rise in net profit overall to 526.8 million ringgit (US$149 million) in the quarter up to the end of June, its Cambodia operations suffered from a "challenging" business environment, the statement said.

"Major operators are facing intense competition on pricing, and new operators are offering free SIM cards and free minutes to capture market share," it stated.

Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia), which operates under the brand name Hello, is among the top three operators in the Kingdom in a market that has increased to nine companies this year.

Hello's Cambodia CEO, Simon Perkins, said the operator had reduced tariffs to compete with the rest of the sector, citing a difficult start to 2009.

"[Reduced rates] had an effect on our revenue for Q2," Perkins said, declining to break down the company's revenues for the period.

Thursday's statement by Axiata did not disclose financial data for the Kingdom.

Millicom International SA, the majority shareholder in market leader Mobitel, which recently announced that it planned to sell its stake to local partner Royal Group, has also cited an overly competitive market for downward pressure on its revenues for this year, although the Royal Group has denied any impact on its own finances.

In a bid to compete with promotions including free SIMs, Perkins said Hello had offered customers refill bonuses. He added that further tariff changes would be announced next week "which will benefit ... existing customers and further reward them for loyalty, and appeal to new customers".

Hello controls approximately 15 percent of the Cambodian market, according to private-sector data.

Perkins said the company was already seeing "a good improvement in revenue in Q3" on the back of launching BlackBerry push email services earlier this year, which has been followed by the introduction of the 3G BlackBerry Bold handset that went on sale Thursday.

"We have had to increase our stock of handsets to keep up with the demand," he said.

Regionally, Axiata announced it had reached nearly 100 million users in markets that include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, representing growth of close to 100 percent since the second quarter of last year.

Axiata's shares rose 0.7 percent on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange Thursday.

Planned fish hatchery to supply local farms

The Phnom penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Chun Sophal

THE development of a saltwater fish reproduction centre in Preah Sihanouk province is scheduled to begin next year, financed by nearly US$10 million from Japan, a government official said Thursday.

Sam Nov, deputy director of the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the centre will be able to produce between 20 million and 30 million young fish per year to supply fish farmers.

"We expect that when the centre starts producing young fish that we will be able to double production to meet demand from local markets, and also increase exports," he said.

The $9.93 million centre is scheduled to be opened in 2011, he said.

Cambodia currently has around 40 saltwater fish-raising communities producing 40,000 tonnes of fish and shrimp per year, according to ministry figures. However, they rely on imported species of fish, especially sea bass and grouper, which are particularly susceptible to disease, Sam Nov said.

Ung Puth Molika, manager of Angkor Shrimp Farming Company in Preah Sihanouk province's Veal Rinh district, said importing fish to raise was expensive and time-consuming.

The company imports sea bass and grouper from Thailand and Vietnam for between $0.10 and $0.20 a head. Anywhere from six to nine months later, the mature fish are sold for between $3.50 and $10 per kilogram, she said.

"It is good that a breeding centre for young sea fish is being built in Cambodia because it will save me time and increase my profits," she said.

She said it would encourage her to expand the farm to produce more than 10 tonnes a year.

Figures from the Agriculture Ministry showed ocean fisheries in Cambodia produced 66,000 tonnes of fish. Export figures were not available for saltwater fish alone, but Cambodia exported 12,000 tonnes of saltwater and freshwater fishery products in 2008.

Border insurance deal signed

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Nguon Sovan

Six companies sign MoU to create insurance pool for cross-border traffic

SIX of Cambodia's seven insurance companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish an insurance pool for cross-border travel to and from the Kingdom, industry officials confirmed Thursday.

The deal, signed on Tuesday, marks a further step towards the establishment of cross-border auto insurance following an ASEAN agreement from 2001. A government directive issued in March made it compulsory for vehicles crossing Cambodia's border to register third-party liability insurance.

Chhay Rattanak, chairman of the General Insurance Association of Cambodia (GIAC), the organisation that manages the scheme, said Thursday that the insurance policy would be launched at the beginning of next year at the latest.

"Cambodia has implemented it with Vietnam at Bavet ... and continues to negotiate with Thailand over the Poipet checkpoint, as well as with Laos," he said, adding that the initiative would help boost cross-border trade and tourism.

The number of border gates would prove a challenge in terms of managing the scheme, he said, with setup costs still under negotiation.

Differing insurance laws among Cambodia and its neighbours was another issue that had to be resolved, said In Meatra, the head of insurance at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This includes differences between third-party, passenger and vehicle insurance. Those differences mean the passengers of a Cambodian vehicle that crashes abroad could return, but the vehicle would be impounded, according to current agreements and insurance regulations.

He said Thursday that Cambodia-Vietnam Insurance Company (CVIC) remained the only insurance company in the Kingdom not to sign on to the scheme because it had only been established last month.

"The MoU was prepared before [CIVC's] arrival.... It may join later," said In Meatra.

Infinity Insurance CEO David Carter said the pool would be equitable for all parties, meaning that risk, costs and revenues would be shared on a proportional basis.

"Infinity believes in and fully supports the cross-border motor vehicle insurance pool project as the best way to insure these types of risks," he said by email Thursday, adding that it would require close collaboration between the insurance sector, the GIAC and the government.

Currently, vehicles can only cross legally between Cambodia and Vietnam as part of an agreement that allows 150 vehicles across each day, said Chan Dara, deputy director general of the transport department at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, even though agreements have been signed with all three of the Kingdom's neighbours.

An agreement was signed with Laos in April to permit 40 vehicles a day to cross, but problems on the Laotian side mean it is yet to be implemented, he added.

"As for Thailand, there is a deal, but it has not yet been enacted since we have had difficulties contacting the Thai side," said Chan Dara.

Bokator battles rage

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
DAN RILEY

The ancient Cambodian martial art of Bokator will see its moves showcased over the weekend at Olympic Stadium as part of its annual Bokator Championship. The tournament, contested over five days from Thursday through Monday, attracts 211 competitors from provinces including Kandal, Siem Reap, Takeo, Kampot, Phnom Penh, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham. Sessions are held from 8am until 11am, and 2pm until 5pm each day, with the finals and medal ceremony scheduled for Monday. The close-quarter combat form, which utilises staffs, sticks and swords as well as a fighter's arms, was developed over a thousand years ago by Angkorian armies as a means to defend against enemy attack and attack from wild animals such as lions and tigers (bokator literally translates as "strike lion"). There are two disciplines on show: kata, the display of movements from the martial art, and individual combat. Kata is competed during the morning hours, while combat is reserved for the afternoon.

FFC shows commitment to national football

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
FFC President Sao Sokha gives a speech during their annual congress meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel Thursday morning.

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
A computer generated image shows the FFC’s design for it’s US$1.2 million National Football Centre, including four pitches, water reservoirs, dormitories and restaurant.

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Khouth Sophakchakrya

New $1.2 million National Football Centre in Takeo to have four pitches, dormitories and 500 parking spaces

THE Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) unveiled its plans for the new National Football Center (NFC) on 15 hectares of purchased land in Takeo province during its annual congress meeting at the Hotel InterContinental on Thursday morning.

"Currently, our old NFC is too small and flooded in the rainy season," stated FFC President Sao Sokha, adding that national team players need large, modern facilities to give them the best chance of competing strongly in international competitions.

Sao Sokha, who is also commander of the Military Police, said the new centre, located between the Phnom Tamao National Zoo and the Tonle Bati Resort, will encourage footballers to improve their training regimes.

The president also revealed the grounds design accommodating four football pitches - one for competitions, and three for training - parking space for 500 cars, large reservoirs for supplying irrigation, and two dormitories - one for visiting players and teams, and one for selected national team players.

"We plan to spend about US$1.2 million [in total] for the construction of the new NFC," said Sao Sokha, following the purchase of the land for $200,000 from private funds organised by the president. "We also plan to sell the old NFC in Phnom Penh, to generate funds for the new NFC in Takeo," he added.

Sao Sokha also thanked the kind donations from unnamed sources of 200,000 litres of gasoline and machinery used to level the land and develop its infrastructure.

Thong Khon, president of National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said he was impressed at the rapidness of the FFC's improvement of football in the Kingdom, but noted that a lot still needs to be done before Cambodia could become a top contender in the region.

Election outcomes
The conference also announced the results of elections for the next term of the FFC executive committee. General Sao Sokha was unopposed in voting to retain his presidency, while Vice President Khek Ravy lost his position to Military Police Chief of Cabinet Khiev Sameth. Eight new members were also chosen to join the executive committee, including one each from Svay Rieng, Prey Veng and Pursat provinces, and Kirivong Sok Sen Chey manager Lay La.

CPL set for exciting end

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
DAN RILEY

The penultimate round of fixtures in the Cambodian Premier League regular season play out this week at Olympic Stadium, with Super 4 sides jostling for position, and four teams still in the hunt for the remunerative fifth place. Saturday sees Khemara Keila face off with Super 4 rivals Naga Corp. Both teams will looking to finish as high as possible and avoid the league leader in the semifinals. The later game pits Build Bright United (BBU) against Preah Khan Reach (PKR). This is BBU’s last game, and they need a win to force the other fifth-place hopefuls to win out. Sunday features Kirivong Sok Sen Chey against National Defence Ministry in a game that could see the Army team pushed out of the running for fifth place. Spark have perhaps the easiest task of the fifth chasers, facing relegated side Post Tel Club.

Volleyball team keep strict regime

Photo by: NICK SELLS (www.nicksellsphotography.com)
A member of the Takeo ISPP Templestowe Falcons smashes the ball during their second round CNVLD match against the Kampong Speu CTN Koupreys Saturday.

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
Ken Gadaffi

Cambodia’s National Volleyball team have been practising long and hard at Olympic Stadium in preparation for the SEA Games in Laos in December

ISPP students gain awareness
The International School for Phnom Penh (ISPP) began its annual Landmine and Disability Study Group last week, with 10 students visiting the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled) office for an introductory presentation. The CNVLD is the largest organisation in Cambodia in terms of developing national disability sport programmes, and they provide national and international disability awareness and education.

The ISPP study group was established by schoolteacher Brian Webster in 2003, and has made with remarkable progress in integrating disability issues into the school curriculum. ISPP sponsor the Takeo ISPP Templestowe Falcons volleyball team, currently sixth in the CNVLD standings after two rounds, with funds raised by events such as their annual Fun Run in February, which generates around US$5,000 each year for the team.

The Falcons also help the ISPP team prepare for their regional international schools Mekong River International Schools Association (MRISSA) tournaments.

In September, Takeo Falcons co-sponsors Templestowe College from Melbourne organise the Cambodia Community Challenge, with students visiting for the fourth consecutive year to play in mixed-team matches with the Falcons and ISPP team members.
ISPP was awarded the Best Educational Institute for Disability Issues by the CNVLD last year.

Photo by: KEN GADAFFI
National volleyball coach Kem Say watches training at Olympic Stadium.

Since 2005, ISPP Landmine and Disability Group students have worked on the renovation and upkeep of the grounds of the Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation centre, created an award-winning Dutch-language land mine information Web site, designed an international fundraising campaign, produced a short video documentary and, most importantly of all, contributed enormously to raising awareness, support and respect for athletes with a disability of Cambodia.

During the visit to the CNVLD office last week, ISPP students were given an introduction by General Secretary Chris Minko and met with Manager Pich Piseth, Admin Manager Keth Theary and Special Projects Officer Neil Wilford to learn about the huge progress the CNVLD has made since the end of the 2009 school year. Such advances include the formation of the 2009 Cellcard National Volleyball League, the push for national wheelchair racing champion Van Vun to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the development of the Armed Art Programme under Melbourne Royal Institute of Technology lecturer George Friml.

Van Vun set to make Olympics bid
Hopes for Cambodia's first-ever representative at the Paralympics rest firmly on the powerful shoulders of Van Vun, the National Wheelchair Racing Male Champion for the past two years.

The CNVLD have been tasked with providing the training and entry requirements necessary for ensuring the participation of the 23-year-old athlete at the 2012 London Games. Van Vun is said to be hard at training, allegedly adopting the song "London Calling" by The Clash as a theme tune for his campaign, which has received sponsorship from ANZ Bank.

Photo by: Jean Loncle
Wheelchair athlete Van Vun is Cambodia’s best chance of Paralympics qualification.

Van Vun is also being provided the opportunity to seek long-term training and employment in Phnom Penh in parallel with his athletic endeavours, thanks to a donated computer and training from nonprofit data-entry enterprise Digital Divide Data, who have partnered the CNVLD for the past two years.

Volleyball team brace for SEA Games
With the start of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games less than four months away, sports teams representing Cambodia at the event in Laos are beginning to intensify their training.

The National Volleyball team is no exception, with training sessions conducted daily under the watchful eye of national team coach Kem Say and his assistant Mao Vanniya at the indoor hall of the Olympic Stadium.

Coach Kem Say has selected a squad of 20 players, most of whom are students and members of the armed forces. He feels all his players are of a high standard and is confident they will give stiff opposition to the favoured teams from the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.

"We train every day from now until the Games - except on public holidays - starting from 6:30am 'til about midday," Kem Say stated.

"I don't know if we can win a medal, but we will try our best," he added.

The coach highlighted a trio of star Cambodian players that lay the foundations of their squad. "[Sem Sam] Ath is our best spiker," he said. "We also have [Pouv] Chan who is very good at setting and passing the ball, and then [Chan] Sovann will be providing service."

Kem Say hopes his team this year will improve on their performance at the last SEA Games in 2007, where they were knocked out in the preliminary rounds while the Men's Beach Volleyball team claimed the bronze medal.

Smashing young lad

PHOTO BY SOVAN PHILONG

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 28 August 2009
DAN RILEY

Young Cambodian star Ek Chamroeun serves during his men's doubles quarterfinals match at the Cambodian Country Club (CCC) Thursday. The 14-year-old prodigy partnered by 16-year-old Orn Sambath lost 6-1, 6-1 to an older and more experienced Vietnamese pairing. Earlier in the week, Ek Chamrouen had taken the U18 competition by storm, dropping just three games in four matches on the way to claiming the title. And the inspirational youngster wasn't done there, winning his men's singles quarterfinal against high-ranked French player Christophe Forsinetti 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. How this little wonder has improved his game and power by so much in just a few months is a true testament to the commitment and hard work of the Cambodian Tennis Federation (TFC), whose General Secretary Tep Rithivit had sponsored him to attend a training camp in France. Ek Chamrouen plays his semifinal match against a Vietnamese opponent Saturday, and a victory to advance to Sunday's final would send the TFC into ecstasy. The men's final starts at 10am Sunday at the CCC, and the TFC welcomes all spectators free of charge to watch the games.

Free speech exposes truth

The Phnom Penh Post
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Raymund Johansen

Dear Editor:

It is no surprise that one of the persons implicated, whether truly or falsely, in the recent distribution of anti-government leaflets around Phnom Penh is now apparently in fear for his safety.

As I once stated at an AusAID interview in Canberra for a project supporting justice sector reform here in Cambodia, it is no mystery that Cambodians are afraid to speak out in their own country.

The representative of the Cambodian Ministry of Justice present at the time merely sat stony-faced at the table. Come to think of it, the AusAID representatives also seemed unpleased. I didn't get the job.

Of course, the problem with preventing free speech, no matter how politically objectionable it may be to those with the power to prevent it, is that by doing so the ideas expressed are inadvertently but inevitably given a level of credibility and reasonableness they may not otherwise have garnered. After all, it is reasonable to assume that if powerful persons are afraid of the mere expression of an idea, then that idea must have a grain of truth. The assumption may be incorrect, but it will nevertheless be made.

On the other hand, the great benefit of a society where ideas can be freely expressed without fear of retaliation from the powers that be is that they may then be subjected to the objective scrutiny of the average reasonable citizen and countered with opposing reasonable arguments. Thus, truly ridiculous notions and accusations will be exposed for what they are in the arena of open, public discourse, rather than being repeated in whispers year after year, their merit never tested.

Raymund Johansen
Afghanistan


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Send letters to: newsroom@phnompenhpost.com or PO Box 146, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Post reserves the right to edit letters to a shorter length.

The views expressed above are solely the author's and do not reflect any positions taken by The Phnom Penh Post.

Rob Hamill Gives Testimony at Duch Trial

kiletters

The brother of a New Zealand man tortured and killed by the Khmer Rouge on Monday (August 17) had a courtroom confrontation with the man who had him executed, wishing him a similar gruesome fate.

Kerry Hamill was 28 when he was captured by the Khmer Rouge after his yacht was blown off course into Cambodian waters in 1978. He and a shipmate were taken to Phnom Penh's notorious S-21 prison.

About a dozen Westerners were among the estimated 16-thousand people held there before being put to death in 1975-79.

His brother, Rob Hamill, wept as he testified on Monday at the genocide trial of S-21's commander, Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch.

OZ Minerals Sells Assets To China Minmetals - Bloomberg

OZ Minerals' remaining mine is the A$1.2 billion prominent hill copper and gold project. (The Bloomberg Edge)

RP to allow emergency transit of refugees

http://www.philstar.com

August 27, 2009

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippines will allow refugees at risk to stay pending their resettlement in a third country under an agreement signed Thursday.

The Philippines has hosted some 500,000 refugees, mostly from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, over the past four decades.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo signed the Memorandum of Agreement on the Emergency Transit of Refugees to assure better protection for refugees and address emergency resettlement situations, according to a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement provides a legal framework for the transit of refugees at risk, allowing them to be evacuated to the Philippines quickly before they are resettled elsewhere, department spokesman Ed Malaya said.

Camps and processing centers for Indochinese refugees were closed in 1996, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. The Philippines is considering opening a refugee transit center, although its location and other details have yet to be agreed on, Malaya said.

Romulo signed the agreement with representatives of the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration.

The Philippines ratified the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and has a long-standing commitment to assist the UNHCR in addressing the plight of refugees.

VN Bank Signs Agreement With Metfone

http://www.banking-business-review.com

27-August-2009
By Staff Reporter

Linking their telecom and banking operations is expected to expand their presence across Combodia

Metfone and VN bank have signed a cooperation agreement in Phnom Penh to link their telecom and banking operations – reported Phnompenhpost.

According to the deal, Metfone is expected to provide communications infrastructure to Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC). Reportedly, Metfone will help BIDC to expand its presence in Cambodia by covering needs such as leased-line Internet services to connect the bank's branches.

In return, BIDC, which is owned by Hanoi-based Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), would offer the company $40 million credit line for expanding GSM mobile phone networks and a 3G upgrade, reported the newspaper.

It has been reported that BIDC will also fullfil Metfone's other banking needs such as bank guarantees, insurance and letters of credit and loans. In a media release issued at the signing ceremony, the bank has mentioned that it would disburse the loan in stages and the first installment is already made available.

Metfone is a mobile network, wireless fixed phone network and Internet services provider and a brand name for Viettel (Cambodia).

DSR Cambodian Culture Conservation French Colonial in Phnom Penh

http://www.pr-inside.com

DSR Cambodian Culture Conservation French Colonial in Phnom Penh

2009-08-27 - Phnom Penh has a grace and beauty not found in other Asian capitals. This vibrant Cambodian city has a rich and varied French Colonial heritage including villas, churches and boulevards.

Between the granting of independence and the dark days of the Khmer Rouge, a new golden era of architecture emerged, driven by French-educated Khmer architects. This was characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor.

Fortunately enlightened developers are preserving and refurbishing these timeless buildings to offer a mix of heritage, modernity and sumptuous amenity.

DSR Asset Management Ltd have a new release of 1 - 2 bedroom apartments for sale in French Colonial Phnom Penh competitively priced from £29,000 - £90,000. The refurbishment has been carried out to very high standard.

David Redfern of DSR said “After a little over a year of developing these units in Phnom Penh, we are very relaxed that at each interval demand has easily outstripped supply - both in terms of the sales and rentals.”

Phnom Penh is serviced by a modern international airport, and the city is experiencing massive growth as it is being discovered by a wider global audience.

The apartments can be fully-managed to produce hassle-free income from letting and there is a queue of customers for flats like these.

”All of the units developed so far are tenanted, and the developer and management company have a waiting list of expats ready to rent those that will be completed and hitting the rental market this quarter.

This is a great position to be in and demonstrates that the market is very hungry for high quality, stylish, well located accommodation like French Colonial,” said David

In the sought after riverside French Quarter demand for property of this type far exceeds supply and capital growth is running at an astonishing 17-20% per annum.

For more infomation on Property Cambodia and other overseas property investments

Author:
Rebecca Sale
e-mail
Web: www.davidstanleyredfern.com
Phone: 01158714594

Bank Official: The Global Economic Crisis Does Not Affect Banks in Cambodia – Thursday, 27.8.2009

Posted on 28 August 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 627
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: The director of the National Bank of Cambodia said that even though the financial crisis is affecting many countries in the world, Cambodia does not suffer from it seriously.

“In the morning of 26 August 2009, the Club of Cambodian Journalists held a roundtable meeting about banking management and the trust of the public, with the participation of many journalists and representatives of the National Bank of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

“Ms. Tal Nay Im, the director general of the National Bank of Cambodia, who represented the governor of the National Bank of Cambodia, Mr. Chea Chanto, to preside over the meeting, said, ‘In this time of a global financial crisis, we must point out the progress of the banking systems in Cambodia within the last two years.’ She went on to say that the banking system in Cambodia operates at present with the National Bank of Cambodia as the central bank of the country, 27 commercial banks, 2 representation offices of foreign banks, 6 expert banks, and 25 micro-finance institutions under the control and monitoring of the National Bank of Cambodia.

“Ms. Tal Nay Im added that during the last two years, he number of commercial banks operating in Cambodia has increased. Most of them are foreign banks that come to invest in the banking sector in Cambodia. The increase in the interest looking for benefits by foreign banks at the Cambodia market is considered, by Cambodian people, as a positive point, because Cambodia has political stability and a market, seen by foreign investors as having potential for strong progress under the legal framework of Cambodia, though there is no neutrality yet, but there is a favorable environment to attract investment in a free trade atmosphere, which does not limit the in-and-out flow of capital or currency exchange operations. She continued to say that also the fact that there is a high level of dollarization in the Cambodian economy helps to ease the control of active and inactive property of a majority of the banks that operates with dollars. Even though Cambodia is a small country in the region, it has potential for development and investment for profit almost in every economic sector which can be considered as having an interesting outlook for foreign investors.

“Ms. Tal Nay Im went on to say that in Cambodia in 2009, the number of people who deposit money at commercial banks is 820,284, corresponding to 6% of the country’s populations, excluding the deposits at the micro-finance system. Also, Cambodia had reserved currency resources at the National Bank of US$100 million in 1998, but now US$2,300 million in 2008.

“The Country Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation of Germany, Ms. Rabea Brauer, said that provided that Cambodia does not suffer from the impact of the financial crisis as seriously as the United States, according to a study conducted previously, the financial crisis has an impact to a smaller extent, especially on women and children, and this impact will continue.

“She added that journalists should focus on topics about the impact of the global financial crisis on women and children.”

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2033, 27.8.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 27 August 2009

No Civil Parties in Duch Sentencing, Judges Say

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 August 2009

Representatives of civil party complainants will not be allowed to weigh in on the punishment for Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch, judges for the UN-backed tribunal announced Thursday.

Two of four groups of civil parties had requested they be allowed to share their opinions on the proper punishment for Duch, who is facing atrocity crimes charges for the deaths of 12,380 people at his Tuol Sleng prison.

Hong Kim Suon, a lawyer for the one of the civil parties, called the decision “unfair to victims,” though defense lawyers said it helped maintain balance and fairness in the proceedings.

The trial for Duch is expected to last through October, with a verdict expected early in 2010, tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said.

Judge Nil Nonn, head of the tribunal’s Trial Chamber, said civil parties would be allowed to request reparation but would not be able to question expert witnesses.

New Zealander Gives Testimony at Duch Trial

Rob Hamill, shown on a CTN program, testisfies against Duch on Monday.

By VOA Khmer, Yann Ker
Video Editor: Manilene Ek
27 August 2009

WATCH VIDEO, click here.

The brother of a New Zealand man tortured and killed by the Khmer Rouge on Monday (August 17) had a courtroom confrontation with the man who had him executed, wishing him a similar gruesome fate.

Kerry Hamill was 28 when he was captured by the Khmer Rouge after his yacht was blown off course into Cambodian waters in 1978. He and a shipmate were taken to Phnom Penh's notorious S-21 prison.

About a dozen Westerners were among the estimated 16-thousand people held there before being put to death in 1975-79.

His brother, Rob Hamill, wept as he testified on Monday at the genocide trial of S-21's commander, Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch.

Rob Hamil: “Duch, at times I have wanted to smash you, to use your words. In the same way that you smashed so many others. At times I've imagined you shackled, stabbed, whipped and clubbed viciously, viciously! I have imagined your scrotum electrified, being forced to eat your own faeces, being nearly drowned and having your throat cut."

Earlier this week, Duch asked the Cambodian people to give him "the harshest punishment." Duch is being tried for crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture.

Up to 16-thousand people were tortured under his command and later killed during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. Only a handful survived.

Duch later became an evangelical Christian and worked for international aid organisations after the ouster of the Khmer Rouge. Duch is the first of five senior Khmer Rouge figures scheduled to face long-delayed trials and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. His trial, which started in March, is expected to finish by the end of the year. He could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Cambodia has no death penalty.

Information for this report was provided by APTN.

Media Groups Call for Editor’s Release

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 August 2009

Seven media organizations have sent a letter to King Norodom Sihamoni asking him to intervene in the prison sentence of an opposition newspaper editor.

Hang Chakra was jailed in June following the publication of a series of articles alleging corruption under the powerful Council Minister Sok An.

The letter asks that the king help intervene through his role as a member of the Supreme Council of Magistracy in interpreting legal matters at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Pa Ngoung Teng, director of the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, said there had been irregularities in Hang Chakra’s June hearings. After the first hearing, after the defense had asked for more time to collect evidence, the court held a second hearing, sentencing Hang Chakra in absentia, he said.

And Sok Sovann, president of Khmer Journalists for Democracy, said the court should have used the media law passed by the National Assembly in 1995.

Chhoung Chou Ngy, lawyer for Hang Chakra, said he will wait for a response to the request before deciding on whether to appeal the 12-month sentence.

Thai Gets 3-Month Sentence After Temple Insult

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 August 2009

A Thai man accused of insulting the national symbol of Angkor Wat temple received a three-month jail sentence on Tuesday, for living in Cambodia without a visa.

Salavout Khamsan, 39, was originally arrested by local police for carving an image of Angkor Wat in concrete in front of a public toilet in the border town of Poipet. The courts could not find a legal article under which to charge him for that, however.

“I sentenced the Thai national Salavout Khamsan to three months in prison for illegally entering Cambodia,” Tous Sam Ath, the provincial court judge, told VOA Khmer. “I dropped charges against [him] for insulting Angkor Wat because there is no offense with which we can charge him.”

Soum Chan Kea, Banteay Meanchey coordinator for the rights group Adhoc, said the sentence was a fair warning, but he felt “very sorry” the charge of insult had to be dropped.

To put an image of the temple in front of a toilet was “incitement,” he said, as well as “racial discrimination.”

Thai Embassy officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

‘Conflict easing’ on Cambodia-Thai border

http://www.i-to-i.com/

27 Aug 2009

Gap year travellers in Cambodia and Thailand may welcome the news that the troops of the former country have partially pulled back from a conflict area along the country’s border, reports Reuters.

The cause of the dispute is the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which both countries have attempted to lay claim to over the years.

Fresh break outs of fighting over the last year have claimed seven lives in the area and prompted the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office to advise against British nationals visiting it.

However, the new developments have been described by General Chea Dara, deputy commander-in-chief of Cambodia’s armed forces, as a step in the right direction.

The news provider quotes him as saying: "This shows the positive position of Cambodia, that we want to live in peace, and is something the two nations will benefit from."

Border issues have been on the Cambodian agenda of late – it was announced earlier this month that more points of entry would be opened between the country and its eastern neighbour Vietnam.

EU condemns executions in Thailand

Earth Times
http://www.earthtimes.org

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:26:43 GMT
Author : DPA

Brussels - The European Union on Thursday condemned the recent execution by lethal injection of two drug traffickers, in a move that ended a de facto six-year-long moratorium on the use of the death penalty in Thailand. "The European Union would like to state its well-known position that the death penalty has not been found to act as a deterrent and that any miscarriage of justice - which is inevitable in any legal system - is irreversible," said a statement issued by the Swedish presidency of the EU on behalf of the bloc's 27 member states.

Bundit Charoenwanich, 45, and Jirawat Phumpruek, 52, were executed in Bangkok's Bang Kwang on Monday, more than eight years after being arrested for possessing more than 114,000 methamphetamine pills.

Calling capital punishment "cruel and inhuman," the EU called on the Thai government to abolish the death penalty and establish a moratorium in the meantime.

"Such steps would contribute to the Royal Thai Government's expressed ambition to promote human rights," the EU statement said.

There are currently 832 convicts on death row in Thailand. Of these, 127 have had their final court ruling, meaning they can no longer appeal, according to Thai media reports.

Cambodians Still Traumatized

Radio Free Asia (RFA)
http://www.rfa.org

2009-08-27

Will the long-awaited trial of Khmer Rouge leaders ease Cambodians' trauma, or stir painful memories?

AFP
Former Khmer Rouge prison commander, Kaing Guek Eav (C), sits in the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, Feb. 17, 2009.

PHNOM PENH—A Cambodian psychiatrist has testified at the trial of a confessed Khmer Rouge torturer that up to 40 percent of Cambodians suffer psychological trouble as a result of the faction’s brutal four-year rule.

“According to research conducted after the Khmer Rouge period, two out of five Cambodians have [suffered] mental problems and psychosocial crises. This figure is high—up to 40 percent” of the population, Chhim Sotheara said.

Studies this year also found that some 14 percent of Cambodians aged 18 and older have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chhim Sotheara testified at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who commanded a Khmer Rouge torture center when the group was in power from 1975-79.

“During the Khmer Rouge regime, people were trained not to trust each other. This has continued among Cambodians today,” said Chhim Sotheara, of the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization, which promotes community mental health programs,

He added that Duch’s trial offers a chance for Khmer Rouge victims to heal through the administration of justice.

A map made from the skulls of Khmer Rouge victims at the Cambodian genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Oct. 13, 2001. Credit: AFP

Painful memories

The Journal of the American Medical Association this month published new research by experts at the University of North Carolina that found most Cambodians feared the tribunal would stir up painful memories.

Those who most wanted revenge were also likely to suffer PTSD, they wrote.

Some 87.2 percent of Cambodians 35 or older believed trying Khmer Rouge leaders would stir painful memories, they found, adding, "Now that the trials have begun, longitudinal research is needed to determine the impact of the trials on Cambodians' mental health."

Duch is the first of five senior Khmer Rouge figures scheduled to face long-delayed trials and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. His trial, which started in March, is expected to finish before the end of the year.

He could face life imprisonment. Cambodia has no death penalty.

Original reporting by Leng Maly for RFA’s Khmer service. Translated by Sothea Thai. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Written and produced in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.

KRouge chief explains name

Duch, actual name Kaing Guek Eav, is on trial in Cambodia for overseeing the torture and execution of about 15,000 people at Tuol Sleng detention centre in the late 1970s. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

The Straits Times
http://www.straitstimes.com

Aug 27, 2009

PHNOM PENH - THE Khmer Rouge's main jail chief on Thursday told a UN-backed war crimes tribunal that he adopted 'Duch' as his revolutionary name because it was Cambodian and his real name was not.

Duch, actual name Kaing Guek Eav, is on trial in Cambodia for overseeing the torture and execution of about 15,000 people at Tuol Sleng detention centre in the late 1970s.

The former prison chief said he changed his name to Duch in 1967.

'I wanted a name in Khmer (the Cambodian language), not a kind of Chinese one,' Duch said.

He added he also chose the revolutionary name because it was one used by a good student in a book he studied when he was young.

'So Duch is a good one and has Khmer character. That's why I used Duch,' said the former maths teacher.

Duch has repeatedly accepted responsibility for his role in governing the jail under the regime and begged for forgiveness from the families of the victims.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge an agrarian utopia, resulting in the deaths of up to two million people from starvation, overwork and torture. -- AFP

Local team in rescue of dolphins

http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au

Belinda Scott 28th August 2009

WHEN Hec Goodall, Troy Saville and Verne Dove leave Coffs Harbour for Cambodia on Sunday, they will be hoping it is the start of a project that will make Cambodians world leaders in the rescue of an endangered aquatic species.

Leading the team to save the Mekong River's Irrawaddy dolphins from extinction is veterinarian Verne Dove, who is assisted by her fiance, former Coffs Harbour Zoo animal curator Troy Saville.

Eighty-two-year-old marine mammal expert Hec Goodall, believed to be the only person in the world with experience in capturing Irrawaddy dolphins in the wild, has now joined the international conservation team.

Mr Goodall, the founder and principal shareholder of the Pet Porpoise Pool, also has extensive experience of captive dolphin care.

There are estimated to be only 70 freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins left in Cambodia, where they live in three isolated populations in the Mekong River.

The Mekong, which flows through four different countries, is contaminated by chemicals like PCBs and DDT and contains high level of mercury, which is affecting the dolphins' immune systems to the point where normal pathogens in their environment are killing them.

The research team's first report, with their findings on chemicals and pollutants, made international headlines and upset the Cambodian government when it was officially released on June 18, a fortnight after the Coffs Coast Advocate ran the story.

FAO to donate 12 mln euro to help Cambodia against drought

www.chinaview.cn

2009-08-27

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations will donate 12 million euro (about 17.16 million U.S. dollars) to Cambodia after the country was hit by drought, the FAO official said on Thursday.

"The budget will be signed with Cambodian partner on Sept. 2, but actually we have already helped in fighting against drought in the country," Seung Soy, program assistant for FAO told Xinhua by phone.

"The budget will focus more on helping the training, rice seeds, fertilizers, planting other agricultural crops for local farmers," he said, adding that the finance is from the European Union (EU).

"We also have concern on the food security after it is being hit with drought this year," he added.

Currently, eight provinces in Cambodia have been hit by drought and 40,000 hectares of rice seedlings have been affected by it.

"But Now, Cambodian government has taken actions to save rice seedlings from dry. We used water pumps to help farmers and we prepared seeds for local framers," Chan Tong Ev, secretary of state for Ministry of Agriculture told Xinhua. However, he said he could not comment about the budget, but waiting.

Editor: Yan

Acid Attack Documentary Finds Audience

Tat Marina answers questions about her current situation and living with the suffering and memories of the attack.

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
27 August 2009

“Finding Face,” a new documentary detailing the life of an acid attack victim, showed in the US on Sunday, moving Cambodian and American audience members to take a stand against the crime.

The film profiles Tat Marina, a karaoke singer and mistress of a powerful government official, who was doused with acid in 1999, allegedly by a jealous wife, and nearly died a result. Over 40 percent of her body, including head and face, were burned.

“Many, many people asked what are the concrete actions that we can take to help not only on this issue of acid violence in Cambodia and worldwide, but about Tat Marina’s case,” Skye Fitzgerald, the films producer, told VOA Khmer.

The film had moved some viewers to inquire with their congressmen in the US to learn what actions can be taken in the case of Tat Marina, who now lives in the US, and whether lawmakers should more carefully consider whether donor funding is tied to human rights.

Tat Marina, who narrates the film, was present at the screening and was available for questions afterward. Dressed in dark robe with hair covered up her shoulders, Marina walked steadily to the podium as the audience vigorously applauded. She was asked about her current situation and living with the suffering and memories of the attack.

“I was happy to have received care and support from our people, other nationals, and the Cambodian Association in Portland,” she told VOA Khmer later. “I am excited that hundreds of people supported me and gave me encouragement by showing up in a large crowd.”

She had decided to cooperate with the film after initially thinking she would remain quiet, after committing a “sin.” She eventually decided to allow her story to be documented as a way to seek justice for other victims, even if it meant putting her own family at risk, she said.

The film describes the love affair between Tat Marina and Svay Sitha, an official at the Council of Ministers, who told VOA Khmer through a spokesman the attack had been difficult for him as well. He said he was victimized by the act and publicity that blamed him.

“I find it hard to believe that any logical, sane individual could possibly define himself as a victim when they themselves were instrumental in protecting the perpetrator of a crime like this,” Fitzgerald said. “If indeed he is a victim, as a member of the Cambodian government, I would think he would be motivated to ensure that justice was done for all in the case.”

That would mean implicating his former wife, Khuon Sophal, and her nephew, Khuon Vandy, who allegedly committed the attack, for arrest and prosecution, he said.

Meanwhile, US television stations have begun to show more interest in airing the film. A preview can be seen at its Web site: www.findingface.org.