E Timor, Cambodia similar: Ramos-Horta

Photo by: Pha Lina

East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta speaks in the capital on Wednesday

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:02 Will Baxter

JOSE Ramos-Horta, the president of East Timor, touched on topics ranging from the prospect of peace to the importance of combating climate change during a speech at the University of Cambodia on Wednesday, during which he also drew parallels between Cambodian history and that of his own country.

In comments that spanned an hour, Ramos-Horta said that Cambodia’s and East Timor’s pasts shared “tragic similarities”, arguing that both countries had been victims of genocide, armed conflict and the fallout of the Cold War-era.

“[East Timor] is a footnote of the cold war,” he said, adding: “I wish we had the political stability of Cambodia.”

Ramos-Horta, who is on his third visit to the Kingdom, said it was regrettable that world leaders had not learned more from the devastation wrought by World War II.

“If you look at the statistical data since World War II, tens of millions of people have died in conventional warfare,” he said.

“Soon after World War II, we had Cambodia”, he added, referring to the civil war in the 1970s.

He went on to question whether it was realistic to hope for world peace. “Is peace realisable in our lifetime? I would say probably not. But I do not give up on humanity,” he said.

Ramos-Horta said that acts of “humanity”, including the international community’s response to the earthquake in Haiti in January and to the December 2004 tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean, had given him reason for optimism.

However, he bemoaned the fact that there were still numerous ongoing wars spurred by “different motivations”, and asserted that many of them are based on “ignorance”, which he said underscored the need to educate children about “tolerance”.

“There are no shortcuts, no instant solutions to conflicts. Our country … is one such example,” he said, referring to East Timor’s tumultuous path to independence.

Looking ahead, he said Asia has the opportunity to lead the world on issues such as climate change, poverty eradication and sustainable development, and suggested that Asian nations develop a fund to address these and other issues.

He also predicted that East Timor would be able to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by 2012 if it is able to maintain peace and sustain development.

“Otherwise,” he joked, “why would the ASEAN countries want another problem? Don’t they have enough?”

Eang Sophalleth, a spokesman for Prime Minister Hun Sen, said Wednesday that during talks held following the speech, the premier had pledged his support for East Timor’s ASEAN bid.

Each leader also agreed to send delegations to the other’s country to explore economic, trade and agricultural opportunities, he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KHOUTH SOPHAK CHAKRYA

Suspected madam held after raid

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:01 Chrann Chamroeun

A WOMAN suspected of running a prostitution ring since 2007 was placed in pretrial detention Wednesday at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, two days after her rented apartment in the capital’s Daun Penh district was raided, district officials said.

Police arrested 38-year-old Nin Saran and briefly detained two male customers and three prostitutes during Monday’s raid at the apartment in Srak Chork commune, said Sin Sitha, head of the National Military Police’s Anti-human Trafficking Bureau, who led the operation.

Sin Sitha said that while being questioned by police Nin Saran had admitted to running an exclusive, appointment-only brothel.

“According to testimonies from Nin Saran, she had rented the apartment for [US$400] per month since 2007, with a business of providing sex,” he said. “The prostitutes told us that they voluntarily had sex with customers for US$5-10, and shared half of the profits with the owner.”

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The prostitutes told us that they... had sex with customers for US$5-10.

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He added that the raid took place after an investigation that lasted several months, and that the three prostitutes swept up in the raid had been sent to the municipal Social Affairs Department for “education”.

Investigating Judge Chaing Sinat said Nin Saran’s trial date had not yet been set.

“We have ordered the woman to serve a pretrial detention under the charges of aggravated procurement of prostitution under the human trafficking law, pending a further investigation,” he said.

In March, Prime Minister Hun Sen in a speech urged officials to increase their efforts to eliminate illegal gambling halls, brothels, nightclubs and karaoke parlours.

In the speech, delivered on International Women’s Day, Hun Sen lambasted high-ranking officials who he said had been guilty of “misconduct” and had been intentionally thwarting efforts to reduce “human trafficking”.

The speech prompted a series of raids on brothels in Phnom Penh and in the provinces. Some NGOs have expressed concern that the raids are sending a marginalised group – sex workers – further underground.

Capital fire extinguished

Photo by: Sovan Philong

Firefighters douse an apartment fire in Prampi Makara district on Wednesday. The fire caused US$7,000 worth of damage before it was extinguished.

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:01 Thet Sambath

A FIRE in Phnom Penh’s Prampi Makara district on Wednesday caused US$7,000 worth of damage in one apartment before it was extinguished by municipal firefighters.

Net Vantha, director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Fire Department, said the fire had been caused by a light that was left on by the apartment’s owner.

“The fire was caused by a faulty electric light,” he said, adding that four fire engines arrived at the scene to douse the small blaze.

“It’s good for everyone that we got there so quickly and stopped [the fire] on time, because this apartment is connected to other flats, and it could have spread. We had cooperation from the residents and authorities,” he said.

Lon Sinath, the 45-year-old apartment owner, expressed remorse for having left the light on. “I apologise to my neighbours for putting them through this. This was an accident. I don’t know exactly how or why the fire happened because I wasn’t home at the time,” he said. “I don’t have anything left because of this fire. The only thing left is the apartment itself.”

He estimated that the damage totalled $7,000.

Revisiting the Wat Po killings

Photo by: Rick Valenzuela

Kurt Volkert describes the events that led to the deaths of nine of his colleagues in May 1971 during an interview at Raffles Hotel Le Royal on Tuesday.

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:01 David Boyle

War correspondent recalls the events that led to the deaths of nine colleagues

Working as a cameraman for CBS in May 1971, Kurt Volkert did something that under different circumstances he would have considered unthinkable: He told his boss that a story wasn’t worth the risk.

The next day, he and a group of stunned fellow journalists sat by the pool at Hotel Le Phnom, mourning those killed in the most ill-fated expedition undertaken by journalists covering the war in Cambodia.

Today, more than two dozen journalists who covered the war will visit the site where five of their colleagues died that day, May 31, 1971. Four others were killed at a separate location the following day in a related incident of violence.

Sitting poolside at the same hotel on Wednesday, Volkert told the story he helped unearth of how they lost their lives nearly four decades ago.

Journalists here exposed themselves to extraordinary dangers. What was the primary motivation to do that: the competition, the pressure of your bosses, pure gung-ho enthusiasm or a simple desire to pursue stories?

I think it’s a combination of all. There was a desire to get the story out, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this job.

But there was also competition, and what we call the mahogany foxholes in New York certainly did exert pressure. And if the competition – I’m talking about television now – NBC or ABC would have a better story, then we would get what’s called a rocket from New York; you know, we would get hit by this rocket.

We beat the others, and they beat us. And there certainly was an aspect of competition, an aspect of adventurism and an aspect of professionalism. I think these things did come together, but competition certainly did play a role and should.

Can you take us through the events of Wat Po?

The CBS crew ignored the last warning by a Cambodian roadblock maybe 10 or 15 kilometres out of town. That wasn’t atypical, because sometimes these roadblocks knew less than we did. But the CBS crew came upon a small stream and a wooden bridge that was destroyed. That actually should have been the cause for all bells to start ringing: Stop now, don’t go any further.

But the CBS correspondent crew, for reasons known only to God, took the jeep with the correspondent and the drivers, the interpreter, and to have a cameraman he took the freelance Indian cameraman who had a silent camera, and bypassed the broken bridge and went down and got back onto the highway after the bridge.

They went down another 500 meters and there was a team of [Viet Cong] and Khmer Rouge – I don’t know what exactly the makeup was – infantrymen with a rocket-propelled launcher. And they hit the jeep with that rocket-propelled grenade. It killed all of them except the correspondent. He staggered out, and he was gunned down.

In the meantime, the CBS Mercedes with the Japanese camera crew waited before the bridge. They couldn’t ford the little stream. And then NBC came upon them, and then they were all captured by the advancing Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge troops and taken to Thnal Bat, which is a few miles down the road from Baeng Ksain.

They were kept overnight in a teacher’s house, and early in the morning they were driven in the NBC Opal, I think, to Wat Po ... and they were led 500 yards west of Wat Po into a bamboo grove, and I was told that the village idiot from Kandal, which is a little village between the turnoff and Wat Po, he beat them to death. They had to kneel down in a circle, and ... they were beaten to death by the village idiot.

When we found them 22 years later, we found holes in their skulls up front.

You’ve spoken before about how strange it must have seemed to Cambodians to see you coming back in 1992 looking for the remains of five people when so many people died here. Can you elaborate on that?

The Cambodian villagers were great. First of all, there was an economic side to it – they had a job for a month. The army hired people carrying buckets and digging and doing all kinds of supportive work there, and I think they were well-paid.

I think it was hard for them to understand that in a country where you had a holocaust killing millions of fellow citizens, that we would care so much for the remains of five people. I think that was a learning process to go through for them, that we showed so much respect and interest to recover these remains.

In the end there was a very good relationship. Even in ’92, it was still a bit of a dicey area and we had about 100 Cambodian soldiers guarding the whole digging operation. And we rewarded them well for it.

But the villagers, I think, went through their own process, from shaking their heads that we cared so much about five people in a country where millions died, until they came around to thinking every life is worth something, and it just cannot be just thrown away the way it was during the Cambodian holocaust.

Interview by David Boyle

Volcanic ash cloud impacts Cambodia's hotel bookings

Smoke billows from a volcano in Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland on April 16, 2010, sending an ash cloud sweeping across northern Europe. AFP

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:00 Sam Rith

Flights are set to resume, but local hotels lost up to 15 percent of customers

THE giant volcanic ash cloud which caused travel chaos throughout the world reduced hotel bookings in Cambodia by between 10 and 15 percent, Tourism Minister Thong Khon and the Cambodian Hotel Association said Wednesday.

As some flights from Asia resumed Wednesday after a six-day lock down on air travel to and from northern Europe, the Kingdom is counting the cost of the eruption from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano – which began on April 14 and thrust vast plumes of potentially dangerous ash into the sky.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon told the Post that the ash cloud “really impacted the tourism sector in Cambodia. It impacted some hotel [bookings] by about 10 percent”.

He pointed out that Cambodia has more than 300 hotels and over 20,000 rooms.

The observation has been reiterated by top representatives of the hotel industry. Luu Meng, president of the Cambodian Hotel Association (CHA), said Wednesday: “I estimate about 10 to 15 percent of hotel rooms throughout Cambodia have been cancelled due to the volcanic [ash] cloud.”

Visitors from northern Europe – where the cloud grounded flights for nearly a week – account for a significant percentage of Cambodia’s tourists.

In 2009, according to Ministry of Tourism statistics, 10.87 percent of visitors to Cambodia came from the UK or France. Last year, the tourist sector garnered US$1.561 billion in revenue, according to Director of Statistics and Tourism Kong Sophearak.

Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), confirmed Wednesday that some tourists from European countries could not get to Cambodia, as airlines cancelled flights because of safety fears. He could not say how many people were affected.

However, the end of the crisis seems to be in sight.

Abdul Karim Md Isa, area manager for Malaysia Airlines' representative office in Cambodia, confirmed that the airline restarted flights to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt Wednesday.

CHA President Luu Meng and Tourism Minister Thong Khon predicted that tourists from European countries would arrive in Cambodia at normal levels within the next ten days.

“I do not worry much [about the impact] because it is just short term,” said Thong Khon.

He added that he did not want such incidents to occur too often this year, as it would put in jeopardy Cambodia’s goal of attracting 2.4 million tourists in 2010.

In the first three months of this year, the number of arrivals increased around 9 percent compared to the first quarter of 2009, he said.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines said the region's carriers had bled about $40 million a day during the crisis, AFP reported Wednesday. The International Air Transport Association put global airline losses at about $270 million a day.

Battambang shopping mall nearly complete

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:00 Soeun Say

BATTAMBANG’s first shopping mall is set to open its doors by the end of the year, after a Cambodian investor put US$10 million towards setting up the retail centre.

President of the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Associations Phou Puy is owner of the still-incomplete 1,500-store Battambang Shopping Mall, which is being built in the provincial capital.

“Construction is about 90 percent complete. We’re doing the interior design and will open in the end of the year,” Phou Puy said Wednesday.

The retail space is set to include elevators and be air-conditioned, Phou Puy explained. He added: “We don’t have anybody to compete with us. It is the first shopping mall in Battambang town.”

The four-storey complex is being built along National Road 5 in O’char commune. Shops are set to be put on sale for up to $5,000 per unit, with payment at $50 per month.

“This is our strategy to attract clients to buy space at our mall,” said Phou Puy, who is also President of Battambang Chamber of Commerce and Director of Cambodia’s biggest paddy buyer, Baitang Kampuchea Plc.

Sung Bonna, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bonna Reatly Group and President of the National Valuers Association of Cambodia, said Wednesday that he expects the new mall to be able to attract buyers. “The main points needed to attract clients are good management and decoration,” he said.

Lao Tip Seiha, director of the Construction Department of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, said that the ministry approved a licence for the mall in 2008.

“We will be proud to have the first shopping mall in Battambang city,” he said. The government hopes that the shopping mall will both create jobs and boost the local economy.

Millicom's revenues soar 16 percent in Q1

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:00 Ellie Dyer

MOBILE company Millicom International Cellular CA announced a 16 percent revenue surge in the first quarter of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009, following the sale of US$346 million worth of Cambodian assets late last year.

Millicom sold a majority stake of Mobitel to Kith Meng’s Royal Group after a strategic review of its Southeast Asia assets.

It also sold interests in Royal Telecom International Co Ltd and Cambodia Broadcasting Service Co Ltd.

The sell-down of a bridging loan that covered the acquisition was launched in March by ANZ Royal and Standard Bank.

In its first-quarter report released Tuesday, Millicom showed strong growth on its operations in South America and Africa.

Basic earnings per common share grew to $1.43 from $1.29 last year.

Global revenue grew to $905 million, from $779 million in the first quarter of 2009, a figure that excluded results from its former assets in Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone.

President and CEO of Millicom, Mikael Grahne, said: “We have made a good start to the year and continue to execute our strategy successfully. We added 1.2 million new customers in the quarter as we continued to gain market share.”

“Cash generation continued to be strong, with operating free cash flow of $234 million representing 25.9 percent of revenues and all regions generating positive cash flow,” he added in a press statement which accompanied the quarter one report.

As the group is looking to develop markets in countries such as Chad and Guatemala, the fate of one of its former interests has yet to be resolved.

The business intended to sell a 74.1 percent holding in Millicom Lao Co Ltd to Russian-based firm Vimpelcom, which is the parent company of Cambodian operator Beeline.

The report stated that an agreement had not been completed, despite “all conditions” being met.

“Millicom is reserving its rights under the terms of the agreement, including the right to seek compensation for any loss of value that arises as a result of Vimpelcom’s decision not to complete,” the report stated.

The authors of the report also confirmed the company’s intention to proceed with the sale of its Laos operation.

Toyota safety fault delays imports

A Toyota vehicle dealership in Stockport, northwest England, on March 26, 2010. Some Cambodian imports have been put on hold after yet another car recall. AFP/Andrew Yates

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:00 May Kunmakara

Stability concerns lead Cambodia’s dealer to push back its 2010 order of Land Cruiser Prados

CAMBODIA’S sole Toyota dealer has delayed imports of Land Cruiser Prados until their safety can be assured, following a world-wide recall by the Japanese car manufacturer.

Phnom Penh-based TTHK Co Ltd, which exclusively imports the brand to the Kingdom from Japan, has put its 2010 order of the model on hold.

Toyota recalled 21,000 Land Cruiser Prado SUVs in left-hand drive countries Tuesday, after tests found problems with their Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) systems.

It also recalled 13,000 Lexus GX 460 sport-utility vehicles because the model can roll over in certain driving conditions. Heavy components, such as the fuel tank, are located on the left side.

In left-hand drive versions, the imbalance is exacerbated by the presence of the driver.

TTHK President Kong Nuon said Wednesday: “We have never imported Lexus GX 460, so we don’t care about it.

“But after we got confirmation statement [from Toyota head office], we delayed our importations of the Land Cruisers we had already ordered.”

He said that the ordered Prados are being kept in stock in Singapore, ready to go under repairs to fix their VSC systems.

Toyota Motor Corporation released a statement Tuesday that said: “As a remedy, Toyota will update the VSC program to enhance the effectiveness so that the risk of the vehicle sliding, even to the point that it is almost sideways, will be reduced.”

“We will wait for the system to be made safe then we will import for sale,” added Kong Nuon, who declined to state the number of Prados vehicles he had ordered.

The president said that no other Toyota models which have been sold in Cambodia are relevant to the recall.

Despite the global concerns about Toyota, which has been issued about 10 million recall notices in the past seven months, sales in Cambodia remain strong.

TTHK sales improved by 10 percent in quarter one, compared to the first quarter of 2009. Last year, according to Kong Nuon's estimate, TTHK sold 70 percent of all brand new cars in the country. This year, he plans to sell between 600 and 700 vehicles.

The company has imported SUVs such as the Fortuner, passenger cars like the Corolla, and commercial vehicles such as the Coaster in the past.

Toyota's latest recall has not affected stock price. In Japan Wednesday, Toyota ended 0.41 percent up.

The rise came two days after the automaker accepted a fine of more than $16 million for covering up accelerator pedal defects on some of its cars.

Hip-hop, graffiti art invade the Night Mkt

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Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:00 Roth Meas

KLAP Ya Handz production company will present an event called Rise Up! this Saturday, April 24, at the Night Market in Phnom Penh, featuring hip-hop musicians, DJs and graffiti artists both Cambodian and foreign.

Sok Cream Visal, the executive producer and founder of the Klap Ya Handz, said the event was aimed at providing entertainment as well as inspiring young Cambodians to invent their own music and art styles.

“Many famous DJs and hip-hop musicians, both Cambodians and foreigners, will get together on Saturday and perform songs in which most of the rhythms and lyrics are their own original compositions,” he said.

“Everybody who will perform at the event has worked separately so far in Cambodia. They have rarely worked together, so Rise Up! will bring them together to help promote our songs and our rhythms,” said Sok Cream Visal. Among the musicians slated to perform are DJ Khlang, DJ Kdeb, Adda, Angry Woebot, DJ Illest and DJ Gang.

Visal said that although hip-hop music did not originate in Cambodia, he thinks the music form can develop in the country in harmony with traditional culture.

“Local performers take the rhythms of hip-hop music and mix them with Cambodian musical styles, and this will help inspire young people to start composing their own music and songs in the local style rather than eliminating Cambodian culture,” he said.

“The style of dancing is actually hip-hop, but the rhythms are definitely Cambodian. The local musicians insert some melodies from Cambodian songs from the 1960s into their music,” said Visal.

Besides the musical performances, three foreign artists will create street art and graffiti near the stage within view of the audience.

Visal said that although graffiti art is popular in Europe and the US, it has not yet caught on in Cambodia.

“Rise Up! is helping to bring this kind of art to Cambodia. We want young people in Cambodia to see it because we think the strange and colourful paintings will give them new ideas about art and creativity,” he said.

Rise Up! will also provide audience members with the opportunity to take part in a free-rap competition. Anyone is welcome to sign up at the Night Market from 5pm to 6pm on the day of the event.

Rise Up! will be held from 3pm to 12 midnight on April 24 at the Phnom Penh Night Market on Sisowath Quay.

Lynn mayor's newest aide a bridge to Khmer community

Kiririath “A.J.” Saing poses outside of Lynn City Hall Tuesday. (Item Photo / Reba M. Saldanha)

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By Laura Paine/The Daily Item

LYNN - For more than 20 years, Lynn has been home to the third largest Khmer community in the United States, but until nearly a month ago it did not have representation in the Mayor’s office. Kiririath “A.J.” Saing saw the Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy’s Administration as a chance to change that.

“The community wanted to do something about it with the new mayor coming in because, in the previous administration, we didn’t go anywhere further than a ‘hi’ or ‘hello,’” Saing said. “When I walked into Mayor Kennedy’s office about a month ago and met with her chief of staff, Claire Cavanagh, and addressed this concern from the Southeast Asian community. To my pleasant surprise, they opened up.”

Saing has been living in the U.S. since 1982. He spent two years in Kampuchea learning the Khmer language and continued researching and studying on his own in the years after his move, which enables him to work as the mayor’s Southeast Asian liaison.

“The people and the language are called Khmer, the country is actually Kampuchea, but somehow we became known as Cambodia and Cambodian, and the country just accepted that,” Saing said. “If you go to Kampuchea, my homeland, in Khmer it will say Kampuchea and in English it will say Cambodia. I just wanted to point out that Khmer is the right terminology.”

He said the Khmer people wanted to have their issues addressed, but because of language barriers, they did not know who to talk to. In fact, he said many did not know that City Hall was a public building.

“Mainly, I put the face in the office so they now feel that there is a Southeast Asian person in the Mayor’s office when they could go up there and meet with me to address their issues,” Saing said. “They do have issues, generally, for the Cambodian community. It is mainly the deportation issue.”In 2002, President George W. Bush signed a deportation law between the United States and Cambodia. Since this happened, Saing said that families will sometimes have a member of their family being deported. Due to a lack of representation, they do not know where to turn to prevent it.

“We have no leadership voice, no associations,” he said. “All we have is what I call a Khmer Professional, and what that is is a group of Khmer people like myself who work for different agencies. When a situation happens in the community, they would call any one of us and then all of us get together to see what we can do. We direct them to find a lawyer that would fit with that and then we would help them communicate it with a (state) representative and work with them to ask for a letter of support, and then I act as an interpreter for language services and go from there.”

Saing said Khmer families also have trouble navigating the public schools and helping children complete their homework. In Cambodia, he said a teacher is viewed as a parental figure, which is a major cultural difference.

Saing also lends a helping hand in his position as Union Hospital’s manager of interpretive services and community outreach, where it is his goal is to build a bridge between the Southeast Asian community and the hospital.

“I view my life now as the saying, ‘I am at your service,’” Saing said. “I want to say, on behalf of the Southeast Asian community in Lynn, that we are living here and we do want to work and build that relationship with the Mayor’s office. We never really got to that until Mayor Kennedy was elected and we do want to work with any agency that thinks we can do anything to support, and vice versa. We want to work as a community and show our support, but due to the lack of English and not knowing how to navigate within the system, just came to a stop. We have the desire but not the path. Hopefully, through the Khmer Professional, we can open up a way for the next generation that can work effectively with the community at large.”

The United States of America Launched a Program of Accountability in Governance and Politics – Wednesday, 21.4.2010

http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

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Posted on 22 April 2010

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 661

“Phnom Penh: The United States of America launched a Program of Accountability in Governance and Politics with US$16.2 million to promote accountability and transparency in the Cambodian government.

“The program was launched on 20 April 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Phnom Penh, and it was chaired by the Minister of the Council of Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, and by the US Ambassador to Cambodia, Ms. Carol A. Rodley.

“The United States Agency for International Development [USAID] developed this Accountability in Governance and Politics 5-year program, aimed at assisting Cambodia by encouraging the government to be responsible for implementing their policies through: 1. Strengthening of accountability, transparency, and broad access to information; 2. Creation of modern leadership; and 3. Support for the electoral systems.

This program will provide US$7.2 million to the International Republican Institute from 2009 to 2014, concentrating on consolidating the capacity of civil servants and of officials of political parties through the analysis of public surveys and through the creation of effective strategies for decision making.

“This program also offers US$6.08 million to the National Democratic Institute for increasing transparency over decisions of the government, and for further strengthening the access to public information about policy formation.

“The program also provides US$2.29 million to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems to strengthen the understanding of politics and the participation by women in government positions.

“Ms. Carol A. Rodley said that democracy in Cambodia is young, but it has progressed much since the first elections in 1993. She added that the United States of America hopes to cooperate with related institutions of the government, with civil society, and with all political parties to strengthen democracy in Cambodia. She went on to say, ‘I am exited about the extensive consolidation of skills and of experiences that these organizations have contributed to Cambodia, with which they can implement the projects at their areas. I believe that we will see positive results within five years.’

“On the same occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An highly assessed USAID for initiating and for funding this crucial program, and he hopes that it will contribute to promote the understanding and the participation of citizens in creating and implementing various policies that are more accountable and more transparent, so as to lead to a broader implementation of democracy in Cambodia.

“He added that the projects to be implemented are also consistent with the political program of the Royal Government that is encouraging the participation from all circles in the process to establish policies, in project organization, and in different decisions made by the Royal Government through consultations to ensure a balanced progress in Cambodia. The Royal Government clearly stated that civil society and non-government organizations are important partners for economic and social development, as well as for the strengthening of democracy and the respect for human rights in Cambodia.

“He hopes that these projects will be implemented equally and faithfully by the three organizations, according to their goals, in order to join with the Royal Government to strengthen democracy, development, and the implementation of polices to further develop the economy and the society.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5177, 21.4.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Tourism study for Koh Rong island

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21 Apr 2010

UK-based design consultancy Scott Wilson has been appointed to conduct a tourism feasibility study on the Cambodian island of Koh Rong.

The company will carry out an environmental evaluation and social impact analysis on what is set to be Asia's "first environmentally planned resort island".

The Royal Group of Cambodia, which has been awarded a 99-year lease by the Cambodian government to develop the island, has also tasked the consultancy to produce a blueprint for the infrastructure on Koh Rong - including a road network, a marina, an international airport and utility services.

Covering an area of 80sq km (31sq miles) the island currently has a population of just 1,500, most of which live in small fishing villages spread across the coast.

The Royal Group's chair, property tycoon Kith Meng, said he wants to establish the largely untouched Koh Rong and its white beaches as the "next Asian Riviera" - following the likes of Phuket and Koh Samui in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia.

Meng added that The Royal Group is "committed to sustainable development" of Koh Rong, ensuring that the impacts on the environment are minimised and positive environmental benefits are realised throughout the development phases of the island.

The study will identify environmentally sensitive areas, such as coral reefs, mangroves and fisheries, and take the findings into account when drawing recommendations for international tourism and real estate development.

Initial plans for the island include luxury resorts and accommodation and two golf courses.

Property giant CB Richard Ellis' Thailand office will act as the exclusive advisor and sole agent for developing the island.

Lauri Van Run, general manager of Scott Wilson's Malaysian office, will head the consultation in partnership with Hong Kong-based MAP Architects.

He said: "The master plan for Koh Rong presents perhaps a unique opportunity to create virtually from the beginning a truly ecologically sustainable large scale resort community."

"Koh Rong is an unspoilt paradise of pristine beaches and spectacular natural forests. It offers a unique opportunity to create the ultimate ecologically managed island, with ecologically sustainable resorts with sound investment potential.

David Simister, chairman of CBRE Thailand, said: "The Koh Rong story is similar to that of Samui and Phuket 30 years ago.

"It is one of the last undiscovered paradises in South-East Asia with the potential to become the next Asian Riviera."

Hun Sen Opens Counterterror Building

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Cambodia has emerged as a willing partner in the US’s fight against terrorism, having arrested four suspects of the Jemaah Islamiyah network in 2003.

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Photo: AP

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen gestures during a speech in Phnom Penh.

“Terrorism is the most ferocious [act] we have to fight. It occurs everywhere, without racial or religious discrimination.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday said he was committed to fighting terrorism, with the participation of Cambodian citizens.

“What I insist on is preventing terrorism,” Hun Sen said at the inauguration of a building that will house the government’s counterterrorism agency.

Hun Sen’s son, Hun Maneth, is the head of the Ministry of Defense’s counterterrorism unit.

“Terrorism is the most ferocious [act] we have to fight,” Hun Sen said. “It occurs everywhere, without racial or religious discrimination.”

Cambodia has emerged as a willing partner in the US’s fight against terrorism, having arrested four suspects of the Jemaah Islamiyah network in 2003. Three suspects remain in jail in Cambodia. Cambodia was also used as a haven for the head of Jemaah Islamiyah, Hambali, who was arrested in Thailand in 2003.

“We consider the Cambodian government to be a strong partner in terms of counterterrorism cooperation,” US Embassy spokesman John Johnson said Wednesday.

“We’ve said in the past that Cambodia’s porous borders are a concern, not just in terms of terrorism but also in terms of transnational crimes and narcotics trafficking,” he said. “And we’re therefore engaged with the government at all levels to help improve maritime and land border security, in order to ensure that Cambodia remains a strong and stable partner in the region.”

Senior Opposition Leaders Continue Court Battles

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Senior opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua returned to Cambodia last week, where she is contesting a defamation verdict at the Supreme Court.

Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Photo: AP

Mu Sochua, a Cambodian opposition party lawmaker, looks on in front of the Phnom Penh Municipality Court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

On Tuesday, Sam Rainsy’s lawyer requested the establishment of a court border commission to investigate encroachment.

Senior opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua returned to Cambodia last week, where she is contesting a defamation verdict at the Supreme Court.

Mu Sochua, a member of the Sam Rainsy Party, was fined for remarks made in connection with a lawsuit against Prime Minister Hun Sen, who she claims defamed her in public speeches made last year. She had been traveling in the US.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy himself remains in exile abroad, facing a two-year sentence on charges stemming from the destruction of border markers in Svay Rieng province, next to Vietnam.

He is also facing charges of disinformation—a potential 18-year sentence—for publishing a map on his Web site alleging border encroachment from Vietnam. On Tuesday, Sam Rainsy’s lawyer requested the establishment of a court border commission to investigate encroachment.

Court officials said Wednesday they were considering the request.

BHP bribe scandal could involve Cambodian project

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BARRY FITZGERALD AND MATHEW MURPHY

April 22, 2010

BHP BILLITON'S blue-chip reputation has been tarnished by a foreign bribes scandal, believed to involve the group's abandoned bauxite exploration project in Cambodia where the payment of ''tea money'' to gain access to exploration ground is rife.

The scandal has been under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission since August but only became ominous for BHP in a reputational sense yesterday when the Australian resources giant admitted the bribery claims could have merit.

BHP disclosed that its own internal investigation - a response to inquiries from the SEC - had uncovered evidence ''regarding possible violations of applicable anti-corruption laws involving interactions with government officials''.

It did not name the country or the now abandoned projects involved. While Cambodia was the popular tip by the non-government organisations that monitor the behaviour of the global miners in Third World countries, a nickel project in the Philippines was also mentioned by the organisations.

Either way, the revelations are a blow to BHP Billiton's need to maintain a squeaky clean corporate image while waiting on clearance from global regulators for its $US115 billion ($123 billion) iron ore production joint venture with Rio Tinto, a proposed deal that has angered the Chinese steel industry, the world's biggest. It was notable that while BHP would not name the country at the heart of the bribery scandal, it was prepared to volunteer that it was not China.

''We are limited in what we can comment on as the matter is still under investigation,'' it said.

''However, we can confirm that the SEC's requests for information primarily relate to certain terminated minerals exploration projects and not any activity in China, BHP Billiton's marketing activities or the sale of any of the company's products.''

Rio itself has suffered damage to its reputation in recent weeks. Last month China jailed four iron ore traders, including the Australian citizen Stern Hu, for accepting bribes and stealing commercial secrets. They were sentenced to between seven and 14 years' jail.

BHP is being assisted in the investigation by the New York law firm Davis Polk & Wardell. BHP would not comment on whether any of its employees had been stood down pending completion of the inquiry.

The bombshell was contained on the third page of an exploration and development report to the stock exchange for the March quarter.

BHP believes it was not obliged to make an earlier disclosure on the SEC investigation. But it now considers it relevant information - at least in the context of announcing in the exploration and development report - following its more recent discovery of possible anti-corruption violations.

''The company is co-operating with the relevant authorities including conducting an internal investigation, which is continuing. It is not possible at this time to predict the scope or duration of the investigation or its likely outcome,'' BHP said.

Under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, BHP could be fined up to $US2 million while ''officers, directors, stockholders, employees, and agents are subject to a fine of up to $US100,000 and imprisonment for up to five years''.

The laws were introduced in the 1970s after more than 400 US companies admitted making questionable or illegal payments to foreign government officials to secure favourable treatment.

In a report by the British advocacy group Global Witness, published in February last year, the group cites a 2007 article in The Cambodian Daily which says that Cambodia's Minister for Water Resources, Lim Kean Hor, told the National Assembly BHP had paid $US2.5 million to the government to secure a bauxite mining concession.

''Lim Kean Hor is reported to have described this payment as 'tea money', an unofficial payment in Cambodia,'' the report says.

BHP rejected the claim in a letter in November 2008 to Global Witness saying the money was used for a social development program. ''In … terms of the minerals exploration agreement with the Cambodian government, which granted BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi the right to explore for bauxite, an amount of $US1 million was formally paid to the Cambodian government in September 2006,'' BHP wrote.

''If the money appears elsewhere … it is not clear where,'' the Global Witness report said. ''This raises questions as to where BHP Billiton's $US1 million payment made in September 2006 has gone.''

Bird flu kills another, virus still threat to Cambodia

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April 21, 2010

PHNOM PENH, April 21 — The World Health Organization (WHO) and Cambodia said on Wednesday that another Cambodian man was killed by bird flu H5N1 virus which is considered still a threat to this Southeast Asian kingdom.

A 27-year-old Cambodian, of the eastern province of Prey Veng, died on April 17 as a result of respiratory complications after contracting bird flu virus H5N1, said a joint statement of WHO and Cambodian Health Ministry.

"Avian influenza H5N1 is still a threat to the health of Cambodians. I urge communities to be on the look-out for sick poultry and to report poultry die-offs to the ministry of health and agriculture hotlines so that they can be investigated before people start to get sick," said Cambodian health minister Mam Bun Heng in a joint statement.

The latest death brought the country's death toll from the deadly virus to eight out of 10 confirmed cases of H5N1, said the release.

The Ministry of Health's officials are now in the affected area conducting filed investigation to identify the man's close contacts and to initiate preventative treatment as required, it said.

"Health officials are also coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries teams who are investigating possible poultry deaths in the area," said the press release.

Globally since 2003, there have been 494 laboratory confirmed cases of avian influenza with 293 related deaths, it said.

The virus does not spread easily between humans, although the virus H5N1 spreads between sick poultry and sometimes from poultry to humans, said the release.

Cambodia - Telecoms, Mobile, Internet & Forecasts

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April 21, 2010

Cambodia - Telecoms, Mobile, Internet & Forecasts Executive summary Despite its status as a least developed country and remaining one of the poorer countries in Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s efforts to expand and upgrade its telecom infrastructure are bearing fruit. There was very little infrastructure remaining from before the tumultuous Khmer Rouge days. As a result, Cambodia bypassed rebuilding the fixed-line market and quickly launched into alternative technologies, jump-starting its telecommunications infrastructure with digital technology. Not surprisingly, mobile services have completely overwhelmed the market. By early 2009, there were nine mobile operators vigorously competing with each other in a market segment that was growing at an annual rate of more than 50%. There were 4.3 million mobile subscribers (penetration 29%) in the country by March 2009. The market was still in a very strong growth phase, as evidenced by the keenness shown by foreign operators seeking to be part of it.

Some limited fixed-line growth had earlier come about through investment under foreign assistance, but this has mainly benefited Phnom Penh and geographical coverage has not increased significantly since that effort in the 1990s. The number of fixed-line services was relatively static at around 40,000 by 2008. In the absence of any real fixed-line growth, mobile telephone services continue to completely dominate the overall telecom market in Cambodia, with mobiles representing more than 99% of the total number of telephone services in the country. This disparity has been growing more significant each year.

The expansion of Internet services has also been overshadowed by the mobile phenomenon. In fact Internet take-up remains disturbingly low, one of the lowest penetrations in the region. Of course, the limited fixed line infrastructure has been a major inhibiting factor in the roll-out of both dial-up and ADSL Internet services. One encouraging feature has been the general availability of Internet access in provincial towns.

It is worthwhile noting that wireless technology has been especially advantageous for Cambodia in achieving rapid network rollout and replacement of a fixed network badly damaged by 20 years of war. In addition to the thriving mobile networks, Wireless Local Loop has been useful for rapid provision of a limited number of fixed-line services. However, while Cambodia has exemplified the fact that WLL offers a viable option for rapidly expanding telecom access in developing countries with low levels of fixed infrastructure, the potential of this technology has yet to be fully exploited in the country.

Key highlights: The year 2008 saw Cambodia’s mobile market continue on its positive expansion path, with annual growth of 56% for the year and continuing at 50%+ into 2009; With 29% mobile penetration by March 2009, the mobile market had passed the 4 million subscriber milestone earlier in 2009; With 3 new mobile operators coming to the market in 2008/09, Cambodia has a total of 9 operators in what has become a crowded and highly competitive market; The development of fixed-line and Internet services continue to languish; the latter is particularly disconcerting as online access is crucial to national growth; On the broader political front, National Assembly elections were held in 2008, with Hun Sen being returned to power; while the elections were generally regarded as credible, deficiencies remain.

Cambodia rubber price rises by 236 percent

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April 21, 2010

PHNOM PENH (Commodity Online) : Cambodia’s General Directorate of Rubber said the price of dry rubber has increased by more than 236 percent year-on-year in the country.

Such sharp increase in rubber prices has not been seen for 60 years. It has resulted from demand outstripping supply, it said in a report.

The price of rubber sold to international markets this month reached $3,700 per tonne.In April last year, rubber was sold for only $1,100 per tonne, with a 2009 market high of $3,000 per tonne.

Last year, because of the unfavourable weather and unusual heavy rainfall in major producing areas such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, world production decreased around 6 percent.

So far, much of Cambodia’s 130,000 hectares of rubber cultivation consists of young crops, which have not yet yielded.

In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported that Cambodia produced 37,000 tonnes of rubber, 36,000 tonnes of which was exported.

Cambodia reports 8th bird flu death, 1st this year

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Apr-22-10 1:20am

From: ap.org

A 27-year-old man in eastern Cambodia has died of bird flu, the country's first fatality this year and its eighth since the virus started to sweep through Asia almost seven years ago.

Cambodia's Health Ministry said in a statement issued jointly Wednesday with the World Health Organization that the man in Prey Veng province died Saturday. It was the country's 10th human case of the disease.

The statement says there have been 494 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease in 15 countries since 2003, with 293 fatalities. The Cambodian man's death was the 11th worldwide this year.

The Health Ministry said it was investigating the case, and stepping up a campaign for preventative health measures.

Woman's mission trip to Cambodia a heart-wrenching experience

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By Cheryl Chojnacki

Daily Herald Columnist

Jen Bohyer of Elgin, wife of Student Ministries Pastor Dan Bohyer at Elgin's Grace Evangelical Church, recently went on a mission trip to Cambodia.

Jen Bohyer recently made a trip to Cambodia to see things she didn't really want to see and feel things she didn't want to have to feel.

Bohyer is the wife of Student Ministries Pastor Dan Bohyer at Grace Evangelical Church, Elgin, and the mother of two little girls.

In February, she traveled with Rapha House, a ministry based in Joplin, Mo., to learn more about the child sex trafficking that is rampant in the Phnom Penh area.

"You see it happening in broad daylight," Bohyer said. "You see Western men just walking down the street with these little 10-year-olds. It was very, very hard, especially having kids myself."

Sometimes girls are kidnapped and sold as sex slaves, Bohyer said, and others are trafficked when parents are duped into believing their daughters are getting legitimate work.

Worse still, some families know exactly what they're doing when they hand their little girls over to prostitution.

"A common family dynamic is 'we have put money into you up to this point, so now you need to make money for us,'" Bohyer said. "I can't imagine being so poor that you can't afford to feed your kids so you sell a couple."

Bohyer said child trafficking is illegal in Cambodia, but the law often turns its back.

"We saw a girl that was sold, and there was a cop right there," she said.

She said she saw another policeman opening the car door for a preteen who had apparently been drugged in order to facilitate a sale.

Not all police are in on it, however, and Rapha House works with law enforcement to raid locations where girls are being held. The ministry gives them housing, education, and love and teaches girls how to support themselves in healthy ways.

Bohyer was able to befriend some of the rescued girls and give gifts like nail polish, headbands, and hair clips. The treasures were donated by Grace Evangelical and Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, where Bohyer works in the lab.

Now that she's home, "I've been praying about what God would have me do that would help with this cause," she said. "I figure the more people know, the more they (the Cambodian government) are going to have to do something at some point.

"It makes me so angry I have to stop and pray."

Rent a garden: First Congregational Church of Geneva is now in the business of sowing seeds literally as well as spiritually.

The church council recently approved a plan to build a community garden on the spacious lawn behind the building. Up to a dozen raised beds, 4-by-8-feet each, will be available for local gardeners to rent.

"It was totally unused space, and it felt like a waste," said Lynnly Buchanan, church properties board chairman. "We just have this space, and a lot of people have been expressing an interest in gardening."

That includes Buchanan and Pastor Becca Clancy, who developed the idea of farming out the church lawn because their own yards won't work for vegetables.

"A lot of people are rethinking where they get their fruits and vegetables and buying locally," Buchanan said. "There's nothing more local than growing your own."

Buchanan said four or five plots are still available for $50 each. Gardeners are responsible for their own planting and weeding, of course, and are encouraged to use organic fertilizers or compost.

The church, at 321 Hamilton St., will keep a few rain barrels on hand and also provide a small storage space for tools. Beds are expected to be ready for planting by May 2.

For more information or to reserve a space, contact First Congregational at geneva-ucc@sbcglobal.net.

Spiritual seminars: Biblical principles from two internationally renowned speakers are coming to the Fox Valley this month in separate programs.

Beth Moore, the popular teacher and founder of Living Proof Ministries, will present "So Long, Insecurity" live via satellite on Saturday, April 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Elgin Bible Church, 1580 E. Chicago St.

Tickets are $25; for more information, e-mail pleman@att.net or call (847) 404-7909.

Bill Gothard's Basic Seminar, which has been around for 46 years and enrolled more than 2.5 million people in the six-day program, will be presented by video at Highland Fellowship Church, 2250 W. Highland Ave., Elgin.

The seminar runs 7 to 10 p.m. each night from Monday, April 26, through Thursday, April 29; from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 30, and from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 1. For more information, visit www.iblp.org or call Pastor Bill Warren, (847) 741-6629.

Gothard himself, along with young adults who have made positive changes as a result of the seminar, visited Highland Fellowship earlier this month to plug the event.

Get ready for Barn Sale: The Barn Sale, a September staple in the Tri-Cities for more than 30 years, is being expanded to 10 dates spread across summer instead of a single weekend in the fall.

The first is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, from 9 a.m. to noon.

The sale is a fundraising effort of three Catholic parishes that rotate hosting responsibilities a decade at a time.

At bat again this year is St. Peter Church of Geneva, which is also introducing a new venue, the Campana Building at Fabyan Parkway and Route 31, Batavia.

Hundreds of volunteers have been sorting, pricing, and setting up the gently used clothing, books, toys, furniture, and other merchandise for display. Sounds like an enormous amount of work, but it'll go a long way toward paying down the Geneva church's debt.

More donations are always needed; for more information, call the church at (630) 232-0124.

Other sale dates are May 15, June 5 and 26, July 17 and 31, Aug. 14, and Sept. 4, 18, and 19.

Welcome: Congratulations to Andrew Whittenburg, who will be installed as assistant pastor and minister of youth this Sunday, April 25, at Geneva's Calvary Baptist Church.

• In the Spirit covers churches and synagogues in Kane and McHenry counties; contact cmchojnacki@yahoo.com to submit information or ideas for upcoming columns.

Lightning kills six in Cambodia

Six people have been killed by lightning during a heavy storm in Cambodia.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Six people have been killed by lightning during a heavy storm in Cambodia, police say.

The victims, all aged between 15 and 60, were struck on Monday evening during a rainstorm in the western province of Pursat, provincial police chief Sarun Chanthy told AFP by telephone on Wednesday.

'This is a natural danger and we feel regret about it,' he said.

Three people were hit while they were sitting on a porch and the other three were killed as they sought shelter at a house under construction, he added.

At least 140 people were killed by lightning last year, according to Cambodia's national committee for disaster management.

BHP faces investigation into $2.7m Cambodia graft claim

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Matt Chambers and Matthew Stevens

From: The Australian

April 22, 2010

BHP Billiton yesterday joined Rio Tinto in battling graft allegations, saying it had uncovered evidence of possible corruption by employees on an overseas project.

The Australian understands the conduct, now under investigation by the powerful Securities and Exchange Commission in the US, relates to a bauxite exploration project in Cambodia.

BHP has admitted making a $US2.5 million ($2.7m) payment to the community near the bauxite project, in the northeastern Cambodian province of Mondulkiri, near the Vietnamese border.

A Cambodian government minister described the payment as "tea money", a local term for unofficial payments to government officials.

BHP has rejected this, saying the money was put into a development fund investing in local social welfare programs. The company said it had paid $US1m in September 2006 to the Cambodia government for bauxite exploration rights.

BHP yesterday declined to reveal where the alleged corruption occurred, stressing only that it was not China. It would not comment on what the behaviour involved and whether employees had stood down or been fired but it said the activities involved mineral exploration, not marketing its products.

Last month, Rio sacked four workers, including Australian Stern Hu, after they were convicted of bribery and stealing commercial secrets related to deals to sell iron ore to Chinese steel mills. Rio has introduced sweeping changes to its Chinese operation and is conducting a review to avoid a repeat of the scandal.

Yesterday, BHP said the alleged corruption was uncovered after the SEC queried it during an investigation into mineral exploration projects.

"The company has disclosed to relevant authorities evidence it has uncovered regarding possible violations of applicable anti-corruption laws involving interactions with government officials," BHP said yesterday in a statement.

According to a report in The Cambodia Daily in July 2007, the nation's National Assembly was told BHP had paid $US2.5m to the government to secure exploration rights to a bauxite deposit in Mondulkiri with Japanese industrial giant Mitsubishi.

The claim was made by the then water minister, who described the payment as "tea money".

The minister's comments informed a report into Cambodian corruption by the non-government organisation Global Witness. The report, Country for Sale, details the claims and BHP's rejection of them.

Global Witness wrote to BHP in October 2008 requesting details of any and all payments made to the Cambodian government.

BHP responded saying it had put $US2.5m into a development fund and it had paid $US1m in September 2006 to the government for bauxite exploration.

"BHP Billiton has never made a payment to a Cambodian government official or representative, and we reject any assertion that the payment under the minerals exploration agreement is, or amounts contributed to the Social Development Projects Fund are, `tea money'," the miner said.

While Global Witness did not draw any negative conclusions about the management of the development fund, it did identify an issue with the $US1m payment to government, although one outside the control of BHP.