Opposition calls for purging of long-stalled investments

Photo by: Tom Hunter
Construction continues at Bokor Mountain. Many large projects failed to materialise this year due to the downturn in Cambodia's property market.

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by May Kunmakara
Monday, 11 May 2009

Call from Sam Rainsy Party comes after Prime Minister Hun Sen previously threatened withdrawal of business licences for inactive projects.

OPPOSITION lawmakers have urged the government to erase inactive investment projects from government books, saying that potentially hundreds of companies registered in the country are no longer operating.

According to a 2008 report by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), 101 projects worth US$10.89 billion were approved last year.

Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann said that since the global economy began shrinking, around 50 percent of companies have suspended or stopped operations, especially in the garment and construction industries.

"The government should pass the anti-corruption law, which will help keep away bad investors and build confidence," he said. "The government should also change our economic policy by encouraging both local and foreign investors to produce good quality items to compete with neighbouring countries and investigate whether these companies are actually operating after they receive approval from the government," he added, saying that some firms have used the economic crisis as a pretext to alter their business operations.

CDC figures said that last year $106 million was invested in agriculture, $715 million in the industrial sector, more than $1 billion in services and over $8 billion in tourism. Of this money, 68 percent came from overseas.

China was the top investor providing 40 percent of capital, followed by South Korea with 11.39 percent and the United States at 6.32 percent.

Yuon Heng, director of the Evaluation and Incentive Department at the Cambodian Investment Board, said last week that most of the projects approved last year were small-scale, adding that bigger investments always require a longer process.

"The reason that large capital investment companies have not started projects is because they are preparing a master plan and dealing with land disputes - it takes time," he said.

On a smaller scale
The difference last year, he said, was mainly due to a small number of large projects, such as the $100 million Bokor Mountain development, which boosted the level of investment. Such investments have been unaffected by the downturn, he added.

"I don't think those companies were impacted by the global financial crisis because I have not received any information that they are facing fund shortages," he said.

"However, I think those companies will be impacted by the challenges, and Chinese companies seem to be doing better than others," he added.

Prime Minister Hun Sen last month threatened to take back the development sites of inactive companies, urging Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh and the CDC to review the proposals of companies investing in golf courses that had not started construction.

Hopes sink for Pailin biz park

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Soeun Say
Monday, 11 May 2009

PAILIN officials say they doubt investors from Thailand will lead an economic revival at the dusty Thai border town, as they struggle to attract interest in an investment zone.

"I haven't heard any information about Thai investors," Keut Sothea, deputy governor of Pailin province, said last week.

"I don't have much hope that, with the world's economy as it is, they will come to invest here," he added, also citing ongoing tension between the two countries over Preah Vihear temple.

The 2,000-hectare business zone is being carved out of jungle 15 kilometres from the border at Steung Kach commune.

Officials had expected it to create jobs for former Khmer Rouge soldiers, according to a signboard in mid-May.

Ich Sarou, a parliamentarian for Pailin province, said he did not believe firms were eager to set up businesses in the zone.

"I don't have much hope that Thai investors will open companies and factories here," said Ich Sarou. "We have a lot of land here, and we are waiting for investors to come."

He said a group of more than 50 Thai businessmen visited the area promising to build 100 factories, but had now "disappeared".

At last, good news

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Trevor Keidan
Monday, 11 May 2009

Stress tests offer relief, but full recovery could still be some way off for many investors.

Optimism appears to be returning to Wall Street following the release of some long-awaited key US data.

The data - which involved US banks as well as the country's unemployment figures - sparked a rally in US stocks.

Investors were pleased that the much-touted bank stress tests did not throw up any major surprises.

Perhaps it was this newfound positive sentiment - and possible anticipation of things to come - that sparked some interest from one of my clients in his personal portfolio.

"Have my investments lost money?" The client in question asked.

"Only if you need the money now," I replied.

As it happens, this particular client's investment portfolio was down by about 30 percent since he started investing just over two years ago. His pension scheme - which he was paying in to monthly - was also down by a similar amount.

"Remember our goals," I continued. "You are in it for the long term and your investments are for your retirement."

The client in question is 45 years old, and he had planned to access his funds and investments at 60 or 65. The worst of his individual lump sum investments was down by 55 percent while the best performer had declined by 9 percent.

In addition to his lump sum investments the client is also making regular contributions to a pension scheme. This was also down by about 33 percent. The scheme is due to mature in 2015.

"What do you think my investments will be worth in 5 or 6 years time?" the client asked.

"In your time horizon I would expect growth to be target or even better due to the severity of the correction and don't forget unit cost averaging." I replied. "A lot depends on this much talked about recovery."

Warren Buffett was reported to have told CNBC last week that the economy, "the economic Pearl Harbor" he had described earlier in the year has passed, but the "war isn't over".

And it certainly isn't. Take a look at the United Kingdom's latest budget which was announced last month to realise the seriousness of the UK economy and the global financial crisis in general.

The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced that the UK will borrow a record £175 billion ($260 billion) over the next two years. Total government debt will double to 79 percent of GDP by 2013.

So, what advice did I give my inquisitive client? Amidst all this economic uncertainty, I told him to keep up with his monthly contributions which would allow him to buy units at cheap rates that he would benefit from when cashing in the fund in 2015 or later.

By investing a set amount each month he would be able to take advantage of market fluctuations.

I also told him to avoid cashing in any of his other investments right now to give them a chance to recover - it is just a matter of time.

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Trevor Keidan is managing director of Infinity Financial Solutions. Should you wish to contact Trevor send an email to tkeidan@infinsolutions.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Recovering ancient martial spirit

Photo by: Tom Hunter
Tomarak Club Khorm Martial Arts practice the ancient Khmer martial art of khorm yuth

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Tom Hunter and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
Monday, 11 May 2009

Young practitioner of pre-Angkorian khorm yuth hopes more young people will embrace the ancient martial art that gave rise to better-known styles such as bokator.

It's not kung fu fighting, but the pace of Norak Soeng's early low-budget action films is akin to early Jackie Chan flicks with a Cambodian twist. They are part of Norak Soeng's efforts to promote the almost forgotten Khmer martial art of khorm yuth.

At the age of 21, Norak Soeng has already created two award-winning short films and each week instructs a small group of young Cambodians in this ancient Khmer martial art, a discipline that predates all other Cambodian fighting styles.

Khorm yuth evolved during the Mon-Khmer period predating the Angkorian civilisation of 802AD.

The period remains relatively undocumented, and the fighting style came close to extinction during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Apparently, the style developed from local hunting techniques, and like Chinese kung fu, is based on the movements and behaviour of animals.

The art has many forms ranging from "Brahma toys with tiger", to "Hanuman toys with the garuda" and uses a mixture of Buddhist and Hindu mythology to evoke stories of mystery and intrigue splashed with bouts of severe violence.

Throughout the centuries, khorm yuth evolved into labok kaatou - more popularly known as bokator - which played a significant part in the expansion of the Angkorian empire.

Bokator was used by Khmer soldiers, generals and kings and proved invaluable in fighting wars against both the Chinese and Thai populations in the expansion of the empire.

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Most cambodians interested in martial arts have not heard of [khorm yuth].
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"The bokator style was created after the Chinese overran Angkor," bokator Grandmaster Sean Kim San said, adding that the fighting style was perfected during the rule of Jayavarman VII, who eventually drove out the Thais and the Chinese to create the great Angkorian empire.

Grandmaster Sean Kim San describes the styles of bokator and khorm yuth as a delicate mix of two religions.

"We use Buddhism in the left hand and Hinduism in the right," the grandmaster said, adding that the left hand is used in peaceful defence while the right is used to attack.

Grandmaster Sean Kim San says the key difference between bokator and khorm yuth is grounded in the classification developed by the Cambodian Bokator Federation.

"If you don't follow the rules and disciplines of bokator, then you have to call it something else," the grandmaster said, adding that khorm yuth is an overarching term for Khmer martial arts, while bokator is considered to be more disciplined.

Promoting khorm yuth
In 2006, Norak Soeng established Tomarak Club Khorm Martial Arts in an effort to promote the ancient fighting style of khorm yuth through film.

"I established the club to produce films that depict ancient Khmer culture and khorm yuth martial arts," Norak Soeng said. "Khorm yuth is the first traditional Khmer fighting style that existed prior to labok kaatou, but most Cambodians interested in martial arts have not heard of the style."

Norak Soeng's debut film, which he says won first prize at the Apsara Television film contest in 2008, was made on a modest budget of US$400.

The 30-minute film titled Norak Soeng Sena Khorm Yuth, or Strong Bodyguard, is inspired by Hong Kong's kung fu genre, but with a dose of Khmer comedy.

"I hope the stunts in the film will inspire youth to become more interested in the rich culture [of khorm yuth]," Norak Soeng said.

Norak Soeng, who has been training since the age of 13, has competed in numerous national bokator competitions in Phnom Penh.

"In 2006 I entered the national bokator competition and won two gold medals and one silver," Norak Soeng said, adding that since he formed Tomarak Club Khorm Martial Arts, its members have been successful in national bokator competitions, claiming a total of 7 medals in the 2007 event.

Since 2007, however, the group has not been eligible to compete in the event because it does not follow the strict discipline of bokator - no drinking and no gambling while training under the guidance of a certified bokator master.

The group seems unphased by their declassification from the federation and continues to produce entertaining and culturally significant action movies, albeit on a very tight budget.

Norak Soeng's next film, Keatkor Kbachkun Hanuman Neakreach, or The Monkey and Naga Fighter, is due for release later this year.

Sun, sand and SEA games

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by NICK SELLS
Monday, 11 May 2009

A volleyball player from team Cambodian 1 (left) springs to smash past a Laotian player Saturday during the final game of a rtegional competition at the beach volleyball court in the grounds of the Olympic Stadium. The Cambodian team went on to win the game two-sets-to-love.

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia organised the two-day Beach volleyball event for Friday and Saturday with the aim of promoting friendship between neighbouring countries ahead of the SEA games in Laos in December. The friendly tournament featured two teams from Cambodia and a team each from Laos and Vietnam in a round-robin format with teams playing each other once. The Vietnam pair came first in the overall standings, with Cambodian teams 1 and 2 coming second and third respectively, while Laos failed to make the podium. However, a Laotian delegate noted that stronger pairings stayed in Laos to train whereas the attending team was there to gain experience in international competition.

Sponsors of the event included Anchor beer, Naga World and Coca-cola with prizes including 150 crates of Anchor, five hotel rooms for three nights in Phnom Penh and a Coca-cola drink.

Mobile base stations OK

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Kong Marry
Monday, 11 May 2009

Dear Editor,

Economic growth in Cambodia has attracted many investments in telecommunications, especially cellular networks. There are now nine mobile operators. This will substantially increase the number of mobile phone base stations across the country.

Recently, there have been growing concerns among Cambodian people who are living near mobile phone base station antennas about the adverse effects of the antennas on their health.

Research about the radio radiation effects on the human body has been conducted over 50 years on a global scale. Researchers have come to the conclusion that radio waves for wireless communication do not cause any harmful effects on the body although ongoing research is still being carried out worldwide.

To understand the effect of base station antennas on the body, it is first important to note that mobile operators in Cambodia are deploying mobile communication systems such as GSM/GPRS and 3G networks. These cellular systems operate at the frequency range of 800MHz from a CDMA network, 900MHz and 1800 MHz for GSM networks, and 2100MHz for 3G networks.

My points are, firstly, radio frequency (RF) radiation. There are two categories of RF: ionising and non-ionising. Technically speaking, ionising radio frequencies such as X-ray and Gamma-ray can, when it collides with biological materials, create negative and positive particles, which may cause problems for human health. Non-ionising radio frequencies do not have enough energy to ionise atoms from the materials, which means they cannot cause any health hazards to human beings. Radio frequencies of cellular networks (800MHz - 2100MHz) fall within the non-ionising category. Therefore, it indicates that the radio radiation from mobile base station antenna doesn't pose any threats to human health.

The other important factor is called the exposure level or, in technical terms, power density measured in microwatts per square centimetre and abbreviated as µW/cm². There is a limit to how much the human body can be exposed to the power density from the base station antennas.

In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limits the exposure level to no greater than 580 µW/cm² . It has been found that the exposure level or power density very near the typical cellular base station antennas is on the order of 1 µW/cm² or less. Although there is no published report on the exposure level of mobile base station antennas in Cambodia, it is very unlikely that it would exceed the allowed level specified by various countries when all operators are deploying standardised cellular systems developed by recognised industries.

In conclusion, people living near base station antennas should not be concerned about the adverse effects of mobile base station antennas on their health. However, the government of Cambodia should continue to work with mobile operators to ensure that they conform to safety requirements. More effort should also be made to raise people's awareness on this issue by publishing the reports on mobile base station data and any other useful information so they understand that their community is not being harmed by the development of telecommunications in Cambodia.

Kong Marry
Waseda University, Japan

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Send letters to: newsroom@phnompenhpost.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or P.O. Box 146, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Post reserves the right to edit letters to a shorter length.

Police Blotter: 11 May 2009

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Lim Phalla
Monday, 11 May 2009

TEEN SHOT DEAD BY POLICE DURING RAID
Ty Vantheit,15, was shot dead by Phnom Penh police during a raid on a property of 12 men suspected of being involved in a string of robberies in Beoung Kak 2 commune, Tuol Kork district, Phnom Penh. Police had a warrant for one of the men, Sam Ratha, 26, who was arrested at the scene.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

SIX HURT IN DANCE PARTY BRAWL
Six men were severely wounded during a clash between two rival gangs at a dance party Friday in Boeung Tumlorb village, Vor Sar commune, Samraong Tong district, Kampong Speu province. The victims were attacked by five men who later returned to the scene of the fight with 20 others and fired several shots from a firearm into the air. No arrests have been made.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

Man arrested for suspected rape
Veth Srun, 21, was arrested by police on May 4 on suspicion of raping a 13-year-old girl in Kbal Mous village, Mong commune, Mong Russei district, Battambang province. The arrest was made after the victim's parents reported the incident to police on Friday.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

MOTO TAXI DRIVER ROBBED, KILLED
A moto-taxi driver was robbed and killed on Thursday in Or Chamneuk village, Ta Sda commune, Sampov Loun district, Battambang province. The attacker evaded authorities after cutting the victim's throat and fleeing into the woods. The victim was 35-year-old Noy Nang.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

GUARDS BEAT MAN OVER PARKING
A group of security guards are suspected of beating a man, Ton Rathana, unconscious after he parked his motorbike in a forbidden place on Friday. The incident occurred at a small market in Tuol Svayprey commune, Chamkarmon district, Phnom Penh.
KAMPUCHEA THMEY

POLICE ZEALOUS IN ENFORCING NEW LAW
Van Yeth, 29, was reportedly beaten by Phnom Penh police Friday after he was stopped for driving a vehicle with no registration plates. The conflict erupted when police fined the man 9,000 riels (US$2.25), but failed to return change from US$10. The victim is threatening legal action after the incident, which occurred on Russian Boulevard, Sen Sok district, Phnom Penh.
KOH SANTEPHEAP

The Phnom Penh Post News In Briefs

In Brief: Indian delegation to arrive today

Written by Kay Kimsong
Monday, 11 May 2009

A delegation from India's National Defence College is expected to arrive in Cambodia today for the beginning of a six-day visit that is to include meetings with officials including RCAF Commander-in-Chief Pol Saroeun and Neang Phat, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Defence. Founded in 1960 and based in New Delhi, the college provides instruction in "the wider aspects of higher direction and strategy of warfare".


In Brief: Land concession protest in Kratie

Written by Chrann Chamroeun
Monday, 11 May 2009

More than 300 villagers in Sambor district, Kratie province, held a protest Saturday against a Korean company that has been granted an economic land concession there. The villagers said the company would damage graves and rice fields. Tim Narin, Kratie provincial coordinator for the rights group Adhoc, told the Post that she had received a complaint from the villagers but had not yet conducted an investigation. She said she did not know the size of the concession or the name of the Korean company.


In Brief: Red Cross marks 16th anniversary

Written by Mom Kunthear
Monday, 11 May 2009

The Cambodian Red Cross announced Friday that it had received US$4 million from Cambodian and international donors to fund its 2009 operations. Speaking at the 146th anniversary celebration at the Red Cross head office in Phnom Penh, first lady Bun Rany said the Red Cross theme for 2009 - "Our world, our action" - underscored the need for all Cambodians to work together in response to resource shortages and other problems. She commended donors for allocating part of their budgets to help Cambodia develop.

ASEAN+3 Health Minister meeting Friday, May 8, 2009, in Bangkok

ASEAN+3 Heath Ministers attending a special meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) pose for a photo opportunity Friday, May 8, 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand. Photographed are Indonesia's Director General of Disease Control Tjandra Yoga Aditama, from left, Laos' Minister of Health Dr. Ponmek Dalaloy, Malaysia's Minister of Health Tiong Lai Liow, Myanmar's Ambassador to Thailand U Aung Thein, South Korea's Minister of Health Dr. Lee Dukhyoung, China's Minister of Health Dr. Chen Zhu, Philippines' Secretary of Health Francisco Duque, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand's Minister of Public Health Witthaya Keawparadai, Japan's Minister of Health Dr. Takao Watanabe, Singapore's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State Dr. Balaji Sadasivan, Vietnam's Minister of Health Trieu Quoc Nguyen, Brunei's Minister of Health Suyoi Osman, Cambodia's Minister of Health Dr. Mam Bunheng and ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan.(AP Photo/David Longstreath)

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva addresses the opening ceremonies of the ASEAN+3 Health Minister Special Meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) Friday, May 8, 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand.(AP Photo/David Longstreath)

A general view of the ASEAN+3 Health Ministers' Special Meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) in Bangkok May 8, 2009. Asian countries will increase stockpiles of medicine to fight the H1N1 flu virus and look at ways to share essential supplies in the event of an emergency, according to a statement drafted for a meeting on Friday.REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang (THAILAND POLITICS HEALTH)

A Thai soldier wears a protective mask as a precaution against the swine flu, as he stands guard outside the ASEAN+3 Health Minister meeting Friday, May 8, 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand.(AP Photo/David Longstreath)

Thai soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint near the Dusit Thani Hotel at the ASEAN+3 Health Minister meeting Friday, May 8, 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand.(AP Photo/David Longstreath)

UN Secretary General calls for collective efforts to fight global problems

REPUBLICA
http://www.myrepublica.com

KATHMANDU, May 9: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for collective efforts of all the countries to combat the problems like financial crisis, climate change, pandemics, terrorism and other international threats.

In his message delivered on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, the UN chief said a problem in one country quickly turns into a worldwide threat and the fates of all the people are linked. “I constantly remind leaders that we must act together or we will fail individually,” said Ban. “I tell them that we must join forces in solidarity. Not only is this the right thing to do; it is in our best interests.”

He said in the message that the need for global solidarity may seem like a modern concept, but it was not. “More than 2,500 years ago, the Buddha taught that nothing exists in isolation, and that all phenomena are interdependent.”

Ban also suggested all to carry on the spirit of Buddha’s teachings. “On this Day of Vesak [Vaishak Purnima], let us resolve to help people who are suffering so that we may secure a better future for all.”

Bam also remembered his visit to Buddha’s birthplace in Lumbini last year.

UN chief calls for global compassion, solidarity on Buddhist day of Vesak

www.chinaview.cn

2009-05-10

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In a message commemorating the Vesak Day, which marks the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called upon the world to learn from the spiritual leader's sense of compassion.

"The financial crisis, climate change, pandemics, terrorism and other international threats prove that the fates of all people are linked," the secretary-general wrote in his message.

He noted that a problem for one country can quickly turn into a global threat, saying that "I constantly remind leaders that we must act together or we will fail individually."

It is in the world's best interest to join forces in solidarity, as well as the right thing to do, Ban said. "More than 2,500 years ago Buddha taught that nothing exists in isolation."

Underscoring the idea, Ban noted that Buddha also taught that we "cannot be happy as long as others suffer, and that when we do reach out, we discover the best in ourselves."

"On this day of Vesak, let us resolve to help people who are suffering so that we may secure a better future for all," he said.

Vesak is an annual holiday observed traditionally by practicing Buddhists in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, such as Nepal, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Pakistan and India.

Sometimes informally called "Buddha's birthday," it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment Nirvana, and passing (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha.

The exact date of Vesak varies according to the various lunar calendars used in different traditions. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on the full moon Uposatha day (typically the 5th or 6th lunar month). While the Vesak Day in China, it is on the eighth of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar but falls in April or May.

Editor: Yan

Cambodia Should Have a Law How to Manage Funds of Political Parties and of Campaigns – Saturday, 9.5.2009

Posted on 10 May 2009

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 611
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“The Committee for Free and Fair Elections released an article presenting its initiative for positive changes to solve political problems in Cambodia, and that new initiative suggests that Cambodia should have a law about the management of funds of political parties and of campaigns. This initiative is supported by most voices from different circles, especially from the opposition party.

“Based on the progress of the political situation in Cambodia, it is time to have a law to manage the funds of different political parties. The connection between politics and funds raises concern in many countries, because the amount of money or the sources of some funds are under suspicion. The most important thing for the draft of a law to manage funds of political parties is to ensure a minimum of reasonably used public resources for the intentions and benefits of elections.

“Political parties should have clarity about the sources and transparency to manage politics, especially transparency in the management of their resources. The Cambodian government had expressed the intention to fight corruption, but rules for the management of funds of political parties is an important part to solve various disputes and mutual suspicion among the parties over corruption. Many countries in Asia are interested in creating public funds for political parties. Those countries had had practical experiences with funds for political parties, and their management can lessen the possibilities for corruption in different sectors. There has been a strong struggle of opinions in Siam [Thailand] to eliminate the buying of votes, where political parties do this with voters during elections.

“In Cambodia, the National Election Committee does not exercise its power to monitor the expenses of political parties. This leads to strong suspicion and a loss of trust in the management of fair elections, eroding the trust in an efficiently working election process. Political parties play a great role providing strong leadership, and therefore the funds of those political parties should be made known. Do they originate from contribution of their supporters, or are funds of the citizens used?

“But what is a major problem is the huge influence of too much funds in politics and in elections, which might relate specially to illegal businesses, or to contributions including the use of national funds to buy votes and politicians, and to increase expenses for campaigns through the media. In Cambodia, influential oknhas, investors, and businesspeople contribute a lot of funds and materials to powerful politicians and to the ruling party. Funds from those people are used to build hundreds of schools and to construct different buildings which are declared as their achievements.

“The Cambodian government had better focus more on the funds of political parties rather than promoting a law to control non-government organizations, requiring non-government organizations to report their activities and funds to the government. The problem is that those political parties and politicians are on the way to control positions of state power, which sets policies and the fate of the nation. Furthermore, nowadays, the financing of some political parties is too high and it is not audited, and there is no information for the public and not even for their party members.

“In Cambodia, there is bureaucracy between the government and political machinations. Public administration officials do it, or they are required to put funds into a ‘party box’ which is sometmes also called a ‘black box.’ Government officials have to divide up the funds from corruption into three parts: one part for themselves, one for their superiors, and the other for the party box.

“An ambassador of a western country mentioned that the author of the book Patronage Politics and Hybrid Democracy: Political Change in Cambodia; 1993-2003 had reported that a former Phnom Penh governor had been reputed to have spent US$20,000 into the party box every month. The funds were used to build schools and to buy rice to be distributed to citizens. Therefore, the whole government became a network obliged to organize this flow of resources.

“There is an increasing number of countries in the world that have laws how to manage the funds of political parties. As for Cambodia, the opposition party expressed to feel double opposition against the creation of such a regularization; normally, such laws require political parties to clearly report their expenses, and especially the sources of their income. Dignitaries and officials of the ruling party had mentioned security problems, if they would openly declare information about their property, related to corruption.

“The will and dedication of politicians for the benefits of the nation are quite important for the creation of an anti-corruption law as well as for a law to manage the funds of political parties and of campaigns. Corruption occurs increasingly, disgracing the public image of most parties and elected politicians. If there is no action against this problem, gradually corruption and politics in general may lead to serious insecurity, instability, and social problems.

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16,#3753, 9-10.5.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 9 May 2009

TNT extends Asian road services into Cambodia

Business Times
http://www.btimes.com.my

2009/05/11

DUTCH logistics group TNT NV has extended its scheduled road services in Asia called Asia Road Network (ARN) into Cambodia, adding more than 1,500km to an existing 6,000km running from Singapore to Thailand to China.

The new service is available from today, initially in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

"Via TNT's road hub in the city, the ARN connects seamlessly to TNT's nationwide domestic network across Cambodia and then on to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City," TNT Asia regional managing director Onno Boots said in a statement last week.

The ARN will boost the connectivity of Cambodia to the rest of Southeast Asia, China and Europe through its recently-expanded integrated air and road regional hub in Singapore.

Boots said customers can also look forward to cost-savings of up to 30 per cent when they use the ARN as opposed to airlifting out of Cambodia.

Transportation by road with TNT is also on average three times faster than shipping.

"As the country rapidly develops and as more traditional markets mature, Cambodia will increasingly become an important trade partner for Malaysia. The extension of the TNT ARN will boost the growth of the currently low but growing trade flows and investment between the two countries," said TNT Express Worldwide (M) Sdn Bhd managing director for Malaysia and Brunei, Gerry Power.

Launched at the end of 2005, the ARN today operates in 127 cities across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and China through an integrated, door-to-door road service.

Boasting a real-time Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking of TNT's container trucks, TNT has seen a strong double-digit growth in overall volumes transported on the ARN in the last six months.

The growth has been largely driven by customers moving high-value and time-sensitive goods in the high-tech, healthcare and equipment and machinery sectors.

Cambodia to strengthen security for ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting

www.chinaview.cn

2009-05-10

PHNOM PENH, May 10 (Xinhua) -- More than thousand of police and military police will be in force in order to safeguard the upcoming ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting to be held here in late May, national media reported on Sunday.

The Interior Ministry will be responsible for the security of the meeting, and military and police will be deployed to have the meeting not be affected by demonstrations and terrorism activities, the Chinese-language newspaper Cambodia Sin Chew Daily quoted Khieu Sophak, the ministry spokesman, as saying.

"Tight security will be in force in meeting-place," said Khieu, but he did not give the details of the deployment of the security force.

Delegations from 40 ASEAN and EU countries will gather here in late May to discuss ways to fight terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling, weapon proliferation, according to a statement from the government.

The 17th Ministerial Meeting between ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and EU (European Union) will review previous and future cooperation between the two regional bodies from May 27 to 28, said the statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong and Vaclav Klaus, Czech President and current EU President, will be named as co-presidents of the meeting.

The 16th Ministerial Meeting between ASEAN and EU was held in Germany from March 14 to 15, 2007 with the adoption of the Nuremberg Declaration on an ASEAN-EU Enhanced Partnership which sets the direction and the agenda for ASEAN-EU relations in the years to come.

The meetings rotate between ASEAN and EU countries.

Editor: Deng Shasha

WBank to put US$15m towards improving higher education

University World News

http://www.universityworldnews.com

10 May 2009

The World Bank is to inject US$15 million to support tertiary education in private and public universities and institutes in Cambodia, the Ministry of Education has said, writes Khuon Leakhena for The Phnom Penh Post. The money will be spent over five years and will be aimed at boosting standards, providing scholarships for needy students and improving academic research and financial management.

Pith Chamnan, a Secretary of State at the Ministry, said the funding would be a significant boost to tackling weaknesses in the sector. US$15 million, said Chamnan, "is a small sum, but we consider it a start. We must ensure the four areas of spending reach their goals so that education quality will improve."

He said the ministry hoped for further funds if the project was successful, adding that the initial tranche of money had not yet reached the Ministry. The cash will be spent between 2010 and 2015.

Full report in The Phnom Penh Post

Armed robbery arrested

Pictures by Deum Ampil Newspaper

http://www.dap-news.com

A group of armed robbery was arrested by National police of Khan Tould Kork

Asean+3 in flu fight

ASEAN+3 Health Ministers at a special meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) in Bangkok, Thailand. -- PHOTO: AP

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

May 9, 2009

They will boost anti-flu medicine stockpiles and intensify surveillance

By Nirmal Ghosh, Thailand Correspondent

BANGKOK: - Health ministers from 10 Asean countries and China, Japan and Korea yesterday concluded a key meeting with a pledge of regional solidarity and cooperation in the face of the H1N1 influenza pandemic threat.
The virus has not yet been recorded in Asean and Japan.

But its spread in North America and beyond has drawn predictions that it could infect up to one-third of the world's population within months, severely burdening public health systems.

In less than three weeks, it has spread to 25 countries, infecting 2,483 people and leaving 47 dead.

South Korea has detected three cases, and Hong Kong has detected one.

'No single country is able to control and cope with the threat alone. Rather, intensive international cooperation is required,' Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in opening remarks at the conference yesterday.

The ministers said in a statement that stockpiles of anti-flu medication would be enhanced, national pandemic preparedness plans implemented and surveillance intensified.

They also stressed the importance of transparency in public communication.

Japan announced that it would donate 500,000 doses of anti-viral medicine, plus 750,000 sets of personal protection equipment, to Asean's existing stockpile, to be shared across the region as necessary should the virus arrive and spread.

The ministers said they would consider 'exit screening' as a cross-border disease control strategy.

French Pedophile Released in Cambodia

Short News
http://www.shortnews.com

05/09/2009

Last year in Cambodia, French pedophile, Michel Roger Blanchard, 44, was arrested for sexually abusing 5 Cambodian boys ages 11 to 16. Blanchard received a one year sentence and had to pay $50 to one of his victims.

Blanchard walked free last Tuesday, the remaining three months of his sentence having been suspended.

Mr. Seila, country director of the anti-pedophile NGO Action Pour Les Enfants, said they had observed Blanchard with at least 20 boys since 2005.

Cambodia: The Bar Association

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

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Press Release: Asian Human Rights Commission

Cambodia: The Bar Association Must Not Be An Instrument To Curtail Professional Freedom

The international norms and standards relating to the legal profession require that the lawyers could practice their profession without fear and intimidation. The professional rights of the lawyers have been recognised globally. The lawyers in Cambodia have the same status and the rights as their counterparts in other countries. The exclusive purpose of a Bar Association is to protect the independence and the integrity of the legal profession. Above all, the Bar must protect the lawyers from interferences by the executive. A recent case against Kong Sam Onn where an investigation against him has started by the Bar Association of Cambodia regarding acts he did in relation to his professional duties raise concerns about the threats to the legal profession in the country.

On 23 April, Kong Sam Onn, a lawyer, was present at a news conference where his client, Mu Sochua, a female Member of Parliament (MP) for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, announced her defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Hun Sen. She alleged derogatory remarks made against her in a public speech in Kampot province in early April. In that speech Hun Sen called an unnamed woman "cheung klang", a Khmer phrase (literally strong leg) meaning "gangster", and said that she had embraced an army officer and sued him afterwards. Mu took these together with other remarks as targeting her, not any other woman, as they matched her status and activities.

Several days later, on 27 April, Hun Sen countersued Mu and her lawyer Kong Sam Onn for their respective alleged defamatory remarks made against him during a news conference.
Hun subsequently called for the suspension of Mu's parliamentary immunity so that the courts could prosecute her. He was confident that this suspension would be "as easy as ABC", while his own suspension would be unlikely as his party has an overwhelming majority in Parliament. This call has been viewed as a threat to and intimidation against the opposition MP.

Several days later, on 30 April, Hun Sen's lawyer, Ky Tech, filed a complaint with the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia against Kong. It was lodged for the latter's remarks against Hun Sen during and after the news conference together with his alleged violation of the code of ethics for lawyers. Ky's complaint has prompted action by the Bar due to his influence as their former president and a government lawyer. The Bar has started its investigation which could lead to a range of disciplinary actions including Kong's debarment, which has already been mentioned. Chiv Senghak, the current President of the Bar, said that Kong could receive a warning, have his license suspended, or be debarred as a legal professional altogether. But Chiv did not prejudge the outcome; it would be up to the decision of the Bar's Disciplinary Council.

Kong has maintained that his remarks are not defamatory. He has made them in the defense of his client in his capacity as a lawyer and has not violated in any way the code of ethics for lawyers. During the news conference on 23 April, he said that his client Mu Sochua was the target of Hun Sen's derogatory remarks even though Hun Sen did not name her specifically. To pretend otherwise would be a "cowardly act", he asserted. He called Hun Sen's remarks insulting and inappropriate. He urged Hun Sen to imitate the Thai foreign minister who had apologized to Hun Sen, roughly a month previously. After that minister had called Hun Sen "nak leng", an appreciative Thai phrase meaning "lion-hearted and courageous" but with its derogatory Khmer equivalent meaning of "gangster".

Such remarks by Kong against Hun Sen do not seem to be specifically proscribed by the Law or the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia of 1995 or by the Code of Ethics for Lawyers which the Bar had issued in the same year.

Ky's complaint and the Bar's subsequent action together with Hun Sen's lawsuit were probably meant to serve as a threat and to intimidate Kong, a lawyer who had the audacity to make unpleasant remarks against the Prime Minister, known as "the Strongman of Cambodia". If tolerated, such a threat and intimidation would further enhance the known government control of the legal profession, undermine the independence of the Bar which is clearly stipulated under Article 1 of the Law on the Bar, and also prevent lawyers from playing their role as officers of the court.

At the individual level, the Bar's investigation into the defamation complaint against Kong, its outcome, and the action eventually taken against Kong Sam Onn are very much prejudicial to his case in court where he is facing the same charge. The plaintiff will use them in court to support the charge against him thereby swaying the court's decision against him. All these developments, beginning with Ky Tech's complaint with the Bar, will further reduce the chance of Kong having a fair trial with courts already under executive control.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges the Bar Association of the Kingdom Cambodia to ensure that the lawsuit and the complaint against Kong Sam Onn will not have any negative consequence on the independence of the legal profession and his case in court. It should uphold this independence and withstand any external pressure. The Bar, with regard to Kong's case, should hold its investigation in abeyance, if such an investigation is called for, until the court has adjudicated the defamation lawsuit against him. As a matter of urgency, it should set out to ensure that Kong, a member of the Bar, has a fair trial in court.

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

MP Sam Rainsy addresses workers on the International Labor day

kiletters

May 1, 2009 : MP Sam Rainsy addresses workers on International Labor Day in front of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia Saves Rare Bears

kiletters

Conservationists in Cambodia are rescuing as many bears as possible from animal traffickers in order to give them a better life.

Getting A Taste For Cambodian Food

kiletters

Cambodian cuisine may not have the global profile of Thai or Vietnamese food, but it's certainly not from lack of flavour, sophistication or influence. Most visitors to Cambodia discover local food on the street, prepared and sold from the numerous outdoor restaurants and food stalls. And compared to its neighbours, many tourists say that Cambodian street food is quite bland. That's because it contains few of the herbs and spices commonly found on the streets of both Thailand and Vietnam.

What lies beneath

Since 1992, almost 1 million mines have been cleared from about 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) of land in Cambodia like this site in Battambang province. (Nicolas Axelrod/GlobalPost)

Due to its troubled past, Cambodia is a leading exporter of demining expertise.

http://www.globalpost.com

By Claire Duffet - Special to GlobalPost

May 8, 2009

PHNOM PENH — Nuon Sao has laid 11,000 mines across Cambodia.

The 44-year-old, who now works for a non-profit radio station in Phnom Penh, fought for 13 years with the now-ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) during the civil war that followed the fall of the communist Khmer Rouge in 1979.

But when the United Nations took control of Cambodia in 1992 to enforce a shaky peace accord, Nuon Sao defected to its demining unit and began unstitching what he had made. Thousands of other soldiers eventually joined him.

Today, this same ragtag group of militiamen still removes most of the explosives throughout the country. Since 1992, almost 1 million mines have been cleared from about 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) of land. Three non-governmental organizations and Cambodia’s military divide up the work, which is administered by an oversight group funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). They estimate that less than 700 square kilometers of mined land remains in Cambodia.

Despite the makeshift start, the U.N. is impressed with the pace of Cambodian demining. In an April speech on the achievement of Cambodia’s U.N. Millennium Development Goals, Cambodia is “now regarded as a world leader in demining," said Douglas Broderick, the country's U.N. resident coordinator.

“Over the past decade, Cambodia has made a remarkable transition from infamously being one of the most mine-affected countries in the world to becoming one of the most innovative countries in addressing the problem,” UNDP Cambodia mine action project manager Melissa Sabatier told GlobalPost.

This unique expertise is now being exported overseas.

In 2007, Prime Minister Hun Sen allowed the U.N. to send 135 Cambodian troops to clear mines in southern Sudan. For three years, Cambodia has maintained troops there on a rotating schedule, with another company set to deploy in June. Of five participating countries, Cambodia has cleared the most mines — more than 2,000 — and is highest rated by the U.N. in terms of both productivity and safety, said Ker Savoeun, director of the military’s peacekeeping division and a former CPP fighter.

In January, the military trained another 400 troops for emergency peacekeeping and demining missions. With 45 days notice, the U.N. can send them anywhere in the world. Sometime this year, the U.N. will also send 20-soldier platoons to both Chad and the Central African Republic to provide airport security. These missions boost Cambodia’s reputation and soldiers’ wallets. While the average troop earns less than $400 annually, the U.N. pays its peacekeepers and deminers $1,000 per month.

Demining expertise proved even more lucrative for Srey Sangha, a former KPNLF member and the chief surveyor for Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), the largest clearance NGO in Cambodia. In May 2007, a Swedish electricity company hired him to identify mined areas in southern Angola where it planned to build a power line. While he earns $800 per month as a department head at CMAC, he was paid $32,000 for four months’ work in Angola.

Along with Afghanistan, Angola and Cambodia are considered the most heavily mined countries in the world. But the demining that Srey Sangha says he encountered in Angola was amateur compared to the work in his home country. Not only did Angola lack modern equipment, the maps he was given hadn’t been updated since 1880.

In CMAC’s clearance fields in Cambodia’s northwest, workers use a mixture of long-tested and high-tech methods. Up to 90 percent of demining is still carried out by individuals equipped with handheld metal detectors and prods, said Pring Panharith, the director of the organization’s Battambang unit and a former Khmer Rouge member. Pairs work in meter-wide rows divided by red yarn. They scan the land and if it’s clear, they unravel the spools 8 centimeters and scan again. If they find a mine, they either diffuse it or blow it up. This process is slow and tedious, but cheap.

In 2000, CMAC began using dogs to speed up its work. It now has the second-largest canine demining program in the world, after Bosnia, with 56 animals sniffing for TNT remnants, Pring Panharith said. For forested terrain and areas with an abundance of anti-tank mines, CMAC uses enormous, Japanese-made machines that dwarf most heavy construction equipment. The swing-type deminer, made by Hitachi, was created and tested in Cambodia.

CMAC is also training its staff to use the Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System, a state-of-the-art device that identifies whether or not a piece of metal under the ground is hollow. Deminers find millions of metal scraps that they must treat as potential explosives. Identifying the harmless fragments will speed up the clearance process immeasurably, said Heng Ratana, the CMAC director-general.

Despite advances, land mines remain a deadly problem in Cambodia. Though the number of mine-related injuries and deaths dropped from 858 in 2000 to 266 in 2008, the latter figure is still unacceptable, Heng Ratana said. The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention requires Cambodia to eradicate land mines completely by Dec. 31. Within the next few weeks, the government will request to extend the deadline to 2020.

Though a mine-free Cambodia remains distant, individual success stories are more common than ever.

Near a minefield outside Battambang where dogs named Happy and Peanut sniffed for bombs recently, Cheng Pek, 56, sat with his wife outside their bamboo hut feeding chickens. They returned from the Thai border in 1993 when the government offered refugees free plots of mine-filled land. Living in fear, they subsisted on vegetables grown on a half-hectare plot. CMAC cleared their land late last year, uncovering a 5-square-meter stockpile of explosives. This season, the couple will grow corn, mango, tapioca, and coconut across 3 hectares.

“If this land was not cleared by CMAC, we could not grow anything,” Cheng Pek said. “The mines would still be here in a thousand years.”

Read more about Cambodia:

Facing Cambodia's past. Or not.
Cambodia's coming oil economy
Cambodia begins emotional journey with trial

GE announces expansion of its Developing Health Globally programme to Cambodia

Trading Markets
http://www.tradingmarkets.com

Fri. May 08, 2009

May 08, 2009 (M2 EQUITYBITES via COMTEX) -- GE Quote Chart News PowerRating -- Diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) announced on 7 May that the company is expanding its Developing Health Globally programme to include six sites in Cambodia.

The Developing Health Globally corporate citizenship programme is aimed at improving access to quality healthcare by addressing critical gaps in existing developing-world healthcare facilities by providing products and expertise.

In addition, GE announced that the programme is donating GE Healthcare ultrasound equipment, mobile X-rays and patient monitors to Cambodia's Ministry of Health, for distribution to 23 public health facilities throughout the country.

GE said, that under the programme, Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh Municipal Regional Hospitals and Kossamak National Hospital in Cambodia will be completed first, with commissioning expected to occur late this summer.

Each commissioning reportedly marks the completion of the product installation and training and provides each hospital the opportunity to share the news of the upgraded facility to the community.

In addition, the 23 sites to receive products, determined by the Ministry of Health in Cambodia, will have proper training for the people using the donated products.

Each site will also have a GE employee ambassador assigned from the GE Asia Pacific American Forum to ensure that improvements are sustained.

Also, the Developing Health Globally programme is also commissioning its last two hospitals in Honduras.

Experts Confirm Mobile Phone Towers Set on Buildings or on the Ground Do Not Have Noticeable Impact – Thursday, 7.5.2009

Posted on 8 May 2009

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 611
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: Cambodia is experiencing significant economic growth, especially in the telecommunication sector, which is progressing with great speed – but at the same time, Khmer citizens notice that during the rainy season, there are frightening rains, thunder and lightning, and many people and animals have been killed by lightning strikes. Thus, citizens express fear about mobile phone towers. In recent years, towers were set up on high-rise buildings or on the ground, and citizens in their vicinity fear that they might collapse on their homes, cause health problems such as headache, causing infertility, and people are especially afraid that those towers attract lightnings.

“Responding to these issues, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication held a workshop about mobile phone technology and its effects, under the presidency of the Minister of Post and Telecommunication, Mr. So Khun. Experts from different telecommunication companies participating in this workshop confirmed that when setting mobile phone tower systems, each company always sets up lightning rods – devices against lightning strikes – and the effect on the people is minimal.

“In a separate interview, Minister So Khun said that concerns and the fear of citizens are understandable, but in this case, they are not right, because at present, the level of the effect [of radiation?] is less than 1 percent [of which data reference number?], which is very little, and it is acceptable. So far, there are more than four million customers using mobile phones and the state earns not less than US$30 million per year.

“He confirmed that the construction of towers on buildings or on privately owned land is agreed to between the owners of the real estate property and mobile phone company owners, and it is administered by the local authorities. Regarding the techniques to set up towers, if there are problems in the future, the companies themselves are responsible for it.

“During a speech at that occasion, the minister added that during more than 15 years, the development of telecommunications in the Kingdom of Cambodia has experienced rapid growth, particularly in the mobile phone field, where there have been more than 4.230.000 customers so far. The provision of services requires the use of modern technology and materials to connect networks from place to place in order to provide services covering different areas effectively, and with clear sound for users. Recently, the ministry and different institutions had received protests from some citizens living near towers and antenna devices, built and set up by mobile phone companies to serve the public.

“The Ministry of Post and Telecommunication invited relevant ministries to provide their opinions and create methods and solutions to inform citizens about the explanations given at this workshop, and then the ministry held a press conference after the meeting about the above mentioned topics.

”It should be noted that at present, there are nine mobile phone companies and three table mobile phone companies in Cambodia. The nine mobile phone companies are: 1. Mobitel (012, 017, 089, and 092); 2. Mfone (011, 085, and 099); 3. Hello (015, 016, and 081); 4. qb (013); 5. StarCell (098); 6. Viettel (097); 7. Smart Mobile (010 and 093); 8. Excell (018); and 9. Beeline (090). And the three table mobile phone companies are: Telecom Cambodia, Camshin, and Cammintel of the state.”

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6643, 7.5.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 7 May 2009

Swede faces child sex charge in Cambodia

UPI
http://www.upi.com

May 8, 2009

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, May 8 (UPI) -- A Swedish national arrested in Cambodia on child sex charges says he did not sexually assault a 12-year-old boy as alleged by authorities.

Varg Gyllander, a representative of the Swedish police's National Investigation Department, said the Stockholm resident, whose identity was not reported, has been transferred to a detention center in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the news agency TT/The Local said Friday.

"What we're doing now is making sure that the Cambodian police receive the help they need from us. We'll help them out as best we can," Gyllander said of the sex crimes case.

Gyllander added the man, who was arrested Wednesday, has previously been accused of other child sex crimes.

"All we can say is that he's known for similar crimes from before," he said of a 2008 child sex crimes investigation in Cambodia that was focused on the Swedish national.

TT/The Local said Seila Samelang of the Action Pour Les Enfants non-governmental organization alleges the man had been living with five boys prior to his arrest.

Constitution Hid Khmer Rouge Crimes

http://www.voanews.com

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 May 2009

Cambodians widely believe the Khmer Rouge was an atheist regime. But in trial testimony this week, jailed prison chief Duch said the regime’s constitution allowed for religion that wasn’t harmful.

The former chief of Tuol Sleng, who is facing atrocity crimes charges at the tribunal, told judges this week that Article 20 of the constitution for Democratic Kampuchea, as the regime was called, allowed for “every citizen of Kampuchea” to have “the right to worship any religion and the right not to worship any religion.”

“Reactionary religions that are detrimental to Democratic Kampuchea and the people of Kampuchea are absolutely forbidden,” it said.

Duch’s testimony about the constitution uncovered another truth about the regime: The words may have been there, but they masked another intent.

“Concretely, the position of this scheme was not to believe in religion whatsoever,” said Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia. “The monks were forcibly defrocked, and pagodas became deposits for cells of detention. Cathedrals and mosques were the same, and their believers were accused as enemies and died by oppression.”

In fact, the constitution served “only to hide the crimes the Khmer Rouge expected would happen,” he said.

The constitution also called Democratic Kampuchea an “independent, neutral state,” with “justice managed by Kampuchean people’s court.”

Bar Must Be Neutral, Rights Watchdog Says

http://www.voanews.com

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 May 2009

The Cambodian Bar Association must remain neutral and unbiased as the government pursues a defamation case against an attorney for the opposition party, the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission said Friday.

The attorney, Kong Sam On, is facing a countersuit by Prime Minisister Hun Sen, following the pursuit of a defamation case against the premier on the behalf of Mu Sochua, an opposition lawmaker for the Sam Rainsy Party.

The Cambodian bar, until recently led by a controversial president, Ky Tech, has suspended Kong Sam On’s license to allow the court’s to investigate the case. Ky Tech is also the attorney for Hun Sen.

Mu Sochua alleges that Hun Sen made disparaging remarks about her in the run-up to the 2008 National Assembly election, a charge repeated by Kong Sam On at a press conference in April. Hun Sen countersued both of them, also for defamation.

In an April 30 letter to the bar, Ky Tech said comments made by Kong Sam On at the press conference were a violation of the code of ethics for lawyers.

The bar’s current president, Chiv Song Hak, said the bar was now looking into Kong Sam On’s case.

“The Bar should stand neutrally for all lawyers,” Kong Sam On said.

Tribunal Judges Refuse To Investigate Corruption

http://www.voanews.com

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 May 2009

The two investigating judges for the Khmer Rouge tribunal have denied a request from defense lawyers to investigate corruption allegations in the court’s administration office.

The allegations have already cost the court donor support, and defense attorneys for the regime’s jailed ideologue, Nuon Chea, and former foreign minister, Ieng Sary, have begun to use the court’s inability to tackle the allegations as evidence their clients will not receive fair trials.

In a statement dated April 3, investigating judges You Bunleng and Marcel Lemonde said they had “no authority” to investigate the allegations.

The Open Society Justice Initiative, an organization monitoring the court, publicized the allegations in February 2007, claiming that, “Cambodian personnel, including judges, must kick back a significant percentage of their wages to Cambodian government officials in exchange for their positions on the court.”

Four months later, according to a complaint by defense attorneys, “the United Nations Development Program released a similarly damning report.”

UNDP has since held back around $750,000 in funding, while the UN and Cambodian negotiators have failed to reach an agreement on how allegations should be handled.

“Corruption has been widespread through my client’s upcoming official hearing,” said Son Arun, Cambodian counsel for Nuon Chea. “When there is corruption, there will not be justice.”

And Udom, defense attorney for Ieng Sary, said the judges’ decision not to investigate was “not proper.”

“The court is filled with corruption allegations,” he said. “We cannot find justice for any party.”

Both attorneys said they would appeal the investigation decision to the Pre-Trial Chamber of the court.

One court monitor, Lath Ky, of the rights group Adhoc, said judges should investigate the charges, for the sake of “effectiveness, transparency and justice at the tribunal.”

Muslim Women Finding Education in Capital

http://www.voanews.com

By Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 May 2009

Ly Navy had just come back from school. Wearing her school uniform and a scarf to cover her head, the second-year medicine student at Phnom Penh’s University of Health Science entered a room filled with bunk beds, bookshelves and wardrobes.

For now this was her home, a hostel for female Muslims on the grounds of the International Dubai Mosque in Phnom Penh.

The 22-year-old student from Kampong Cham province said she has felt at ease staying in the hostel for more than a year.

“Staying here is not difficult, as we have a firm and good manager who is taking care of us,” she said, referring to her student head sitting nearby.

“Most students in this hostel come from provinces, and as you know our parents cannot afford our high education here in the city,” said Math Islamiyas, another student from Kandal province. “So, we are really happy to be able to go to colleges or universities on provided scholarships.”

Some scholarships are offered on a competitive basis by the Islamic Development Bank or organizations in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, according to the Cambodian Muslim Student Association.

Fifty-two university students have been staying here at the International Dubai Mosque since the first-ever hostel for female Muslim students was opened in 2007, said the student head, Tolos Fa-Eysas , who is from Kratie province.

Most of them are from the provinces of Kampong Cham, Kratie, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang and Battambang.

They are all studying at both private and state colleges or universities, according to Tolos FaEysas, herself a fourth-year student of computer science at Norton University.

“When we stay here, we not only have a chance to go to university, but we also have access to Islamic education,” said the 25-year-old Tolos Fa-Eysas, adding that all the female students in the hostel go to Arabic or Malay classes or Quran-reading classes every evening in an Islamic institute next door.

CMSA President Sos Mousin said the creation of the hostel encouraged parents of Cambodian Muslims to send their daughters for higher education.

“Some parents do not lack money; they really can afford their daughter’s higher education, but they are worried about her staying in the city,” Sos Mousin said. “So the hostel is of great value, not just for poor students but also for those concerned parents.”

Of 300 Muslim students who are attending colleges or universities in the country, more than 100 are female.

Some are staying with relatives in the city, said Sos Mousin, who is also a secretary of state for the Ministry of Cults and Religion.

Like their Buddhist counterparts, most Muslim female students in the countryside have little chance of even finishing high school, let alone attending higher education. They are generally not encouraged to go away from home for fear of their personal safety and security.

Consequently, rarely does one see Muslim women holding high positions in either private or state institutions.

Among more than 20 high-ranking Muslim officials in the government, just two are women, serving as undersecretary of states, said one of them, Kob Mariah, who works at the Ministry of Women’s Affair.

However, with recent permission by the government to let female Muslim students wear traditional clothes in schools, more Muslim parents will send their daughters to universities, she said.

“I believe more and more female Muslim students will pursue higher education, such as those at the hostel,” said Kob Mariah, who is also secretary-general for the Cambodian Islamic Women Development Association.

Mu Sochua Considers Dropping Hun Sen Suit

Mu Sochua, secretary general of Sam Rainsy Party (SRP).

http://www.voanews.com

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
08 May 2009

Opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua said Thursday she would consider dropping a defamation suit against the prime minister if Hun Sen drops his against her.

The two are heading for a legal battle, after Mu Sochua filed a complaint in Phnom Penh court alleging Hun Sen had made disparaging, sexually discriminating remarks about her in the run-up to the July 2008 general election.

Hun Sen countersued, saying her accusation defamed him.

“To protect the country, if both sides agree to withdraw the complaints, I agree,” Mu Sochua said Thursday, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker said she had complained about Hun Sen’s comments to protect the value of women in general, especially because the government has said it values women in politics and administration.

“I just want responsibility for the words spoken by the prime minister,” she said.

Some members of the National Assembly are considering suspending Mu Sochua’s parliamentary immunity, but she said she was not worried as long as “everything follows the law.”

Cambodia bans sand export for environmental protection

www.chinaview.cn

2009-05-08

PHNOM PENH, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government issued a directive signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen here on Friday to ban sand export for the sake of environmental protection.

"In order to protect the balance of nature and environment in areas of sea and fresh water, the government has decided to allow sand business to meet domestic demand only," said the directive.

After examination by experts, sand dredging is only allowed in places where the balance of nature can be restored or water flow is obstructed, it said.

Meanwhile, the directive "terminates any sand export to foreign countries," too.

The Committee of Sand Management has to check sand trade immediately, and report all the involved institutions to the premier, it added.

According to local reports, Cambodia used to export 40,000 to 50,000 tons of sand per month from its coastal province of Koh Kong, and the annual value of this business stood at 35 million U.S. dollars.

Vietnam and Singapore were the major destination countries.

While sand business boomed, sand dredging frequently caused riverbanks and houses to collapse along the Mekong River and the Tonle Bassac River.

Editor: Deng Shasha

Cambodians Brace for First Taste of Recession

http://www.voanews.com

By Luke Hunt
Phnom Penh
08 May 2009

The global financial crisis is taking its toll on small countries like Cambodia, where citizens are bracing for the nation's first recession in living memory.

Cambodia's economy was shattered by four decades of conflict and communist dictatorship. But since peace was restored more than 10 years ago the country has enjoyed steady economic growth above five percent annually.

That stopped as this year began. Trade with Thailand - by far Cambodia's most important neighbor - has fallen 25 percent in the first two months of 2009. Garment exports are also down 25 percent and property prices slumped 40 percent from January to the end of March.

This is the first time in Cambodia's post-war era that property foreclosures, vehicle repossessions, bankruptcies and job losses have been seen, causing some concern for bankers and businessmen.

"We were of course seeing huge, huge, increases in land values probably over the last 12 months as a result of speculative land and investment in the country," said Paul Freer, vice president of Maruhan Japan Bank in Phnom Penh. "That has virtually come to a standstill."

The World Bank forecasts 30,000 lost jobs in Cambodia's garment industry. A decline in tourism receipts from the Western countries compounds economic problems for the government. The opposition calls for a 500 million dollar spending package, an enormous sum by this country's standards.

Many people here expect Cambodia to fall into recession in the next few months.

Derek Mayes from the Australian Business Association of Cambodia says investment was getting reckless as the economy peaked in the second half of last year. He says that pushed conservative and long-term investors out of the market.

Now, he says, the downturn could take the heat of out of the market and bring investment back to realistic levels.

"The wrong type of development was going ahead and I think this has actually brought it back to the point where the opportunities are still there but I think the realism from serious business people is saying yep we can still do a deal," said Mayes.

Freer at Maruhan Japan Bank echoes that sentiment.

"It's probably one of the first recession's that most people here I think in the business community can remember," he said. "People had perhaps thought that the property market was going to continue to go northwards."

Ultimately, he says, the downturn could prove to be good for the country, by encouraging more careful and sustainable growth.

Khmer Krom: Land Rights Demonstration

UNPO
http://www.unpo.org

Friday, 08 May 2009

Hundreds of Farmers are demonstrating in three different locations in Vietnam, demanding the return of confiscated farmlands

Below is a statement issued by the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation:

This morning, May 8, 2009 approximately 10:00AM local time, hundreds of Khmer-Krom farmers are peacefully demonstrating in three different locations to demand returning their confiscated farmlands.In Chau Lang village, Tri Ton district, An Giang province, more than 100 Khmer-Krom farmer families are peacefully protest to demand returning their confiscated farmlands, but they are being forced to go back to their home by the Vietnamese polices. At this time, they currently are being surrounded by the Vietnamese Polices at Che-Eng Krom Temple in Chau Lang village.

In An Cu village, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province, more than 40 Khmer-Krom farmers are peacefully demonstrating in front of the Vietnamese Local Authority’s building of An Cu Village to demand returning their confiscated farmlands. They are being surrounded by the Vietnamese Polices.

In Can Tho City, more than 50 Khmer-Krom farmers from Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces are also peacefully demonstrating to demand their confiscated farmlands.

In this regards, we would like to urge all foreign Embassies in Vietnam to closely monitor and provide any possible assistant to protect the Khmer-Krom farmers so they can freely exercise their land rights to demand returning their confiscated farmlands.