New Book Examines All Forms of Human Trafficking

Thai Military Officials Arrive for Preliminary Talks

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
Thursday, 02 September 2010

via Khmer NZ

Photo: AP
Bangkok continues to insist that a 4.6 kilometer stretch of land near Preah Vihear temple belongs to Thailand.

“Because they are not limited to the border, but relate to many issues, so I have allowed talks at this level.”

Senior Thai military officials arrived in Phnom Penh Thursday to hold talks with their Cambodian counterparts over border issues.

The preliminary talks will set the stage for a general border committee meeting that was postponed last month, defense officials said Thursday.

The resumption of talks at the military level comes after the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries last week and could pave the way for more discussions on a contentious border dispute over land near Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand's military commander for border affairs, Ni Phatthongleng, will meet with Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh over the weekend to discuss border issues like security and immigration.

But he could also work on a date for the general border committee meeting, Chhum Socheath, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said.

Border committee meetings are generally led by Tea Banh in conjunction with his Thai counterpart, Prawit Wongsunwon. It a the basis of discussions on issues ranging from landmine disposal to drug smuggling and human trafficking.

The larger problem of the Cambodian-Thai border dispute will have to be solved on another level, and Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday those talks, between foreign ministers, would have to wait until Thai parliament agrees to several agreements already discussed in border meetings.

Military talks can continue, however, he said, “because they are not limited to the border, but relate to many issues.”

“So I have allowed talks at this level,” he said.

Philadelphia Selected for Third Cambodian Consul in US

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
Thursday, 02 September 2010

via Khmer NZ

Photo: by Taing Sarada
The US government has green-lighted the establishment of a consulate for Cambodia in Lowell, Mass., home to around 35,000 Cambodians, in 2009.

“Our purpose in opening the consulate is first to facilitate paperwork for Cambodians, whether they hold US citizenship or still have Cambodian citizenship.”

Cambodia will open a consulate in the city of Philadelphia, Penn., later this month, aiming to provide services to Cambodians there and help draw investment back home.

Hor Namhong is expected to open the consulate, Cambodia's third in the US, on Sept. 25. Consulates already operate in Seattle, Wash., and Lowell, Mass.

“Our purpose in opening the consulate is first to facilitate paperwork for Cambodians, whether they hold US citizenship or still have Cambodian citizenship,” Cambodia's ambassador to the US, Hem Heng, told VOA Khmer. “Secondly, to protect their interests in the US. And thirdly, we want to expand trade and cultural relations and cooperation. We want to promote investment in Cambodia and attract US tourists to visit Cambodia.”

Sok Savoeun, a 48-year-old US-Cambodian, has been named consul for the office.

“This area is central to Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese communities and other ethnic groups who like to visit Cambodia,” he said. “As for the investment I have observed that the Korean community here likes to go to do business in Cambodia.”

The consulate will offer visa and passport services and certification of documents, such as marriage and birth certificates, he said.

However, supporters of Cambodia's opposition parties worry the consulate, located in a city of diverse political views and 18,000 Cambodians, will be used to further the interests of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

“I don't expect much from the consulate,” said Ou Kimhuot, an activist for the minority opposition Human Rights Party. “In my view, the consulate will serve [CPP] political purposes rather than serving the people here. It is placed as their eyes and ears to keep vigilance over the opposition, to see how strong the opposition is, so they can devise a strategy to cope with that.”

Hem Heng rejected the idea. He said the consulate will serve people from all political walks, “so long as they are Cambodians.

“We'll help them all,” he said. “There is no discrimination. Once he begins performing his duties, the consul will be neutral, although he supports the government. It is not set up to counter the opposition.”

International Report Highlights More Abuses Over Land, Press

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
Thursday, 02 September 2010

via Khmer NZ

Photo: AP
Cambodian Buddhist monks read local opposition newspapers at a ceremony in Phnom Penh.

“I do not think the violence is calming down,” he said. “But I think that arrests are increasing.”

The Cambodian government is facing more accusations it has cracked down on freedoms of expression and the media in the past several years.

In a new report by the Paris-based Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, researchers found “trade union leaders, land rights activists and journalists have faced among the worst human rights violations [and are] facing new legal restrictions and fierce retaliation for documenting and denouncing abuses.”

Dozens of land rights activists were detained on charges “designed to remove them from the role as community leaders,” the research group said in a statement.

The group cited the case of venerable monk Loun Sovath, who is embroiled in a land dispute in Siem Reap province, as an example.

Two of Loun Sovath's family members were shot during land protests in Anlong Samnor commune, Chi Kreng district, where villagers and the owner of a water reservoir were disputing ownership of nearly 100 hectares of rice fields.

Loun Sovath, who has led a number of awareness campaigns over the dispute, told VOA Khmer on Thursday the arrests of nine protesters and the wounding of others was “unjust for villagers who led a protest against a land grab.”

“I do not think the violence is calming down,” he said. “But I think that arrests are increasing.”

The international researchers also pointed to the jailing of opposition newspaper editor Hang Chakra as further evidence of the erosion of free expression.

Hang Chakra, the editor of the Khmer Mchas Srok newspaper, was jailed for nearly a year in 2009, after he published articles alleging corruption within the Council of Ministers.

“Since I was in jail, I think media expression has gone down,” he told VOA Khmer Thursday. “The Cambodian government should open their hearts to receive criticism and consider what the NGOs and media are doing. That's better than thinking about a dictatorship against criticism.”

Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the Cambodian People's Party, said freedoms of expression and media were not on the decline. “Right now the Cambodian government is reforming step by step on human rights issues,” he said.

Discover Pristine Cambodian Beaches Ranked by Forbes' Magazine as 'Asia's Best' with Travel Indochina's 'Buy One-Get One Half Off' Offer

 

via Khmer NZ

 

Published: September 02, 2010

 

LOS ANGELES - (BUSINESS WIRE) - For vacationers dreaming of walking barefoot on white sandy beaches that are virtually untouched, and who relish in the sensory delights of discovering fascinating cultures, Asia travel specialist Travel Indochina's small group journeys to Cambodia combine the best of everything, including a significant savings on select tours for the rest of 2010.

 

Of the 2.16 million visitors to Cambodia last year, a great majority missed experiencing the exquisite beauty of pristine Cambodian beaches that Forbes Magazine recently named as "Asia's Best Beaches," including O'Tres Beach in Sihanoukville, Ream Beach in Prey Nop and an environmentally planned resort island just 30 miles off the Cambodian coast, Koh Rong.

 

"The world's attention is now starting to focus on the beautiful coastal areas of Cambodia, which our small group journeys have consistently included on our itineraries," said Paul Hole, president of Travel Indochina. "Our philosophy of providing unique, 'real' experiences in small groups means all our journeys include some surprising or undiscovered hideaways that definitely should not be missed," he added.

 

Travel Indochina's 'Buy One-Get Second Half-Price" sale is valid on two popular Small Group Journeys for the remainder of 2010. These tours offer travelers a way to experience Cambodia in depth along with time to relax and enjoy its unspoiled beaches.

 

• Cambodia Revealed is a 12-day journey offering the best of Cambodia with visits to the capital of Phnom Penh, colonial port town of Kampot, the un-crowded beaches of Kep and Sihanoukville, as well as the majestic temples of Angkor and the remote Boeng Mealea. Pricing starts at just $1,695 per person (twin share) with the second person receiving half off and availability includes seven departures through the end of the year.

• Cambodia Kings, Temples and Elephants is a family oriented 10-day journey that explores the ancient temples, monuments and the beachside towns in various forms of transportation including tuk-tuk, hot air balloon, bicycle and speedboat. Pricing for Cambodia Kings, Temples and Elephants starts at $1,545 per person (twin share) and the second person at just half price and is available for the December 18, 2010 departure.

Entertainment Gaming Asia Reaches 670 Gaming Machine Seats in Operation at NagaWorld

via khmer NZ

Posted on: Thu, 02 Sep 2010

HONG KONG, Sep 02, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc. (NYSE Amex: EGT | PowerRating) ("Entertainment Gaming Asia" or "the Company"), formerly known as Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of electronic gaming machines on a participation basis to the Pan-Asian gaming industry, announced today that as of August 31, 2010 it had reached 670 gaming machine seats in operation at NagaWorld casino resort. This fulfills the total number of machines under the Company's most recent Machine Operation Participation Consolidation Agreement with NagaWorld Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong listed NagaCorp Ltd. (HKSE:3918). Despite the increase in installed base, average net win per unit per day for the Company's operations at NagaWorld continues to be strong, achieving $214 for the month of August 2010. NagaWorld is a luxury casino resort in Cambodia and is the only licensed full service casino in and around the capital city of Phnom Penh.

Due to the strong performance of Entertainment Gaming Asia's operations at NagaWorld, the Company recouped in mid-August 2010 all remaining commitment fees paid to NagaWorld. Entertainment Gaming Asia and NagaWorld will continue to share the revenue and certain operating costs, such as marketing and floor staff, at a 25% / 75% split, respectively, on the total installed base of 670 gaming machine seats.

Clarence Chung, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Entertainment Gaming Asia, commented, "Our slot operations at NagaWorld, which we jointly manage and operate with NagaWorld, have experienced dramatic growth since our first placements of approximately 200 gaming machine seats in January 2009. We attribute our strong performance to our targeted marketing efforts to build customer loyalty, the right machine mix, favorable positioning on NagaWorld's prime casino lobby floor spaces, and the benefits of the closure of all slot clubs previously operating in the Phnom Penh region early in 2009. We believe these factors along with our proactive management will enable us to drive continued improvements in our operating performance at NagaWorld."

About Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc.

Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc. (NYSE Amex: EGT), formerly known as Elixir Gaming Technologies, Inc., is a leading provider of electronic gaming

machines on a participation basis to the Pan-Asian gaming industry. The Company secures long-term contracts to provide electronic gaming machines and related systems to premier hotels and other well-located gaming venues in Asia. The Company retains ownership of the gaming machines and systems and receives recurring daily fees based on an agreed upon percentage of the net gaming win per machine and provides on-site maintenance. Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc. also holds a casino license in Cambodia and intends to build and operate Dreamworld Casino and Resort, a casino hotel in the Takeo Province near the Vietnam border. For more information please visit www.EGT-Group.com.

About NagaCorp Ltd.

NagaCorp Ltd. (3918.HK) operates NagaWorld, the only licensed 5-Star Hotel Casino Resort in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. NagaCorp holds a casino license issued by the Royal Government of Cambodia, which gives the company the rights to operate the casino for 70 years commencing January 1995 with 41 years exclusivity within a 200 kilometer radius of Phnom Phen (except the Cambodia-Vietnam boarder area, Bokor, Kirirom Mountains, and Sihanoukville.) One of Cambodia's most popular tourist destinations, NagaWorld currently has, among others, 508 rooms, 176 table games, a premium meeting, incentive travel, convention, and exhibition (MICE) facility, a retail shopping area, a collection of restaurants and bars, a karaoke lounge, and a spa. NagaCorp Ltd. is incorporated in Cayman Islands with limited liability and its securities are listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Entertainment Gaming Asia, formerly known as Elixir Gaming Technologies, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those forward-looking statements include statements regarding expectations for the business of Entertainment Gaming Asia, its working capital requirements and future revenue and profitability, the project schedule for its Dreamworld Casino and Resort and Entertainment Gaming Asia's ability to fund the Dreamworld Casino project. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual circumstances, events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include, but are not limited to, risks related to the costs incurred by Entertainment Gaming Asia in defending shareholder litigation and the outcome of any judgment or settlement with respect to such litigation, Entertainment Gaming Asia's inability to place gaming machines at significant levels, whether the gaming machines placed generate the expected amount of net win, Entertainment Gaming Asia's ability to successfully execute its plans to build and operate a casino hotel, the ability of Entertainment Gaming Asia to acquire additional capital as and when needed, the ability of Entertainment Gaming Asia to collect revenue and protect its assets and those other risks set forth in Entertainment Gaming Asia's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 filed with the SEC on March 30, 2010 and subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Entertainment Gaming Asia cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Entertainment Gaming Asia does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur.

SOURCE: Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc.

Cambodian rights groups face worsening repression: activists

Rights group Licadho said that as of mid-July around 60 activists were being held in Cambodian prisons

via Khmer NZ

PHNOM PENH — Human rights workers in Cambodia face "an increasingly hostile environment" as authorities use violence, intimidation and "trumped-up" criminal charges to silence them, activists warned Thursday.

Rights group Licadho said that as of mid-July around 60 activists were being held in Cambodian prisons on a range of charges.

"Cambodian human rights defenders have faced an increasingly hostile environment over the past two years, enduring physical violence, illegal arrests, trumped-up criminal charges," the group said in a statement.

In a new report, "Attacks and Threats Against Human Rights Defenders in Cambodia", it said courts were being used to obstruct human rights workers' lawful activities while defamation and disinformation laws were restricting freedom of expression.

In a separate statement, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) said that rights groups faced "shrinking space" in Cambodia.

"Time and again we see the same pattern -- those who dare to speak out against injustice are arrested, imprisoned and intimidated," said Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH president.

"The message to human rights defenders is clear: Be quiet, or the government will forcibly silence you," he added.

The groups' warning came just a few days after Licadho staff member Leang Sokchouen was jailed for two years for disinformation after he allegedly distributed anti-government leaflets.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FIDH and OMCT condemned the conviction in joint statement released late Wednesday and called for his immediate release.

"Unfounded charges of disinformation or defamation are well-worn tactics used by the Cambodian government to create a climate of fear," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in the statement.

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press

via Khmer NZ

Cambodian PM: Relations between Cambodia and Thailand Go Down Due to Thailand’s Encroachment on Cambodian Territory

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian premier said the relations between Cambodia and Thailand went down due to Thailand’s encroachment on Cambodian territory and ex-Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s resignation does not comply with a request of Bangkok.

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia said this while presiding over a ceremony held at the National Institute of Education to confer certificates to students who graduated from the private University of Human Resources.

The Cambodian premier also blasted Thai politicians in Bangkok for misunderstanding him.

On the part of Thaksin's resignation, he said, Cambodia only approved his request to do so and his resignation had nothing related to any interest for Cambodia and Thailand.

He said he cannot be satisfied with relation with Thailand as long as Thai soldiers maintain a presence inside Cambodian territory.

The Cambodian premier also appealed to Thai parliament to approve agreements made by the foreign ministers of the two countries in order to help solve the border problem.

He said once the three agreed minutes approved by the Thai parliament, after then it will pave the way for the two governments to continue smooth talks and will help solve the border problem.

“Cambodia is still patient to solve the border dispute by peaceful means in a framework of bilateral talks and if there is nothing changed in a withdrawal of Thai army from Cambodian soil, the third mediation is still necessary to solve border conflict between the two nations,” he said.

The Cambodian prime minister also said he is ready to hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and such meeting will be learned in the several upcoming venues and events such as Asia-Europe to be held in Brussels early in October, ASEAN Summit to be held in Vietnam in late October or leaders' meeting of ACMECS to be held in Cambodia in November. --AKP

(By THOU Peou)

-------------------

PM Urges All Educational Establishments To Pay Much Attention on Quality

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has reminded the educational institutions to pay much attention in strengthening the quality of education.

The remarks were made known here on Wednesday when he presided over a graduation ceremony at the National Institute of Education.

"Paying attention to the quality of education is a priority to develop the country, he said.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen asked all educational institutions to further promote the training programs and enhance the education on sciences, technology, culture, arts, sports, as well as to combine the theoretical knowledge and practice in law policy, disciplines, ethics and morality to students.

He also urged all educational establishments to pay much attention in increasing the scholarships for poor students to enable them to continue their studies in higher education.

According to the figures of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, over 160,000 students are studying in 88 higher educational establishments, of them 54 are private and 34 public, while some 3,500,000 others are going to primary and secondary schools across the country. --AKP

(By LIM Nary)

-------------------

Cambodia To Build 555-meter Tower in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has announced a project to build a 555-meter tower on Koh Pich Island, Phnom Penh.

The Royal Government of Cambodia is planning with the private sector to build a 555-meter-tall tower, which would be shorter than the Dubai’s tower (828 meters) and taller than other buildings in Asia, the Cambodian premier said at a graduation ceremony yesterday.

“I think we can do it. I have sent the building’s plan to H.E. Im Chhun Lim (minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction), H.E. Kep Chutema (Phnom Penh governor) and H.E. Pung Kheav Se (director general of Canadia Bank),” he added.

With this highest building, people will be able to see the beautiful landscape of Phnom Penh and Tonle Sap River, he said. --AKP

(By CHAN Soratha)

-------------------

S. Korean Garment Manufacturers Eye Cambodia’s Markets

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- Representatives of 10 garment factories from South Korea had met with about 30 local companies related in garment industry on Wednesday in Phnom Penh to discuss investment opportunities in Cambodia.

Gue-Bae Yeoum, team manager of Korea Federation of Textile Industries, was quoted by Chinese News Agency Xinhua as saying at the sideline of Cambodia-Korea business matching forum on Wednesday that so far about 30 garment and textile factories owned by South Korean investors have been operating in the country, but it is still low compare to Vietnam.

“The Cambodian government does not do intensive promotion about the industry in Korea that’s why many of (South) Korean investors don’t know clearly about the sector and they hesitate to invest in Cambodia,” he added.

Ian Cheong, manager of Daehyun Textile based in South Korea, which has been working with a lot of partners in Vietnam said that he will learn more about the Cambodian industry and try to have connection with local business persons.

“We come here to make a new partner with Cambodia, but, I need time to study more about this new market because we don’t know much,” he said.

Despite global economic crisis, Cambodia’s garment sector still remains strong in terms of providing jobs to Cambodian people, a government data released earlier showed.

The data provided by the Ministry of Commerce showed that there are currently 320,734 workers, among them 293,664 are women -- all are working in 269 factories across the country.

In 2009, it showed the total garment exports to foreign countries amounted to US$2,385 million. And in the first half of 2010, garment and textile exports increased by 11 percent to US$1.33 billion from US$1.2 billion in the same period in 2009, according to the Commerce Ministry’s figure published recently. --AKP

-------------------

EU Supports Kampot Pepper Promotion Association

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- The European Union has encouraged the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association to improve the quality of pepper production for the European Union market.

Mr. Rafael Dochao Moreno, chargé d’affaires of the EU Delegation to Cambodia, said this during his recent visit to Kampot province to inspect some EU funded projects.

Cambodia’s pepper can be sold from US$30 to US$100 per kilogram in the European market, while in Cambodia the price is only from US$10 to US$12 per kilogram, he said.

Mr. Nguon Lay, president of the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association said pepper plantations in Kampot and Kep provinces can harvest more than 17 tons annual. --AKP

(By Théng)

-------------------

Children’s Library Opened in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, September 2, 2010 AKP -- A library for kids, a donation from the residents of Japanese city of Hiroshima was officially inaugurated here last Sunday.

Located on the first floor of the Hiroshima House in the Ounalom Pagoda complex, the library has hundreds of illustrated children's books, mostly of Cambodian and Japanese folktales translated into Khmer language.

Venerable Lim Long; Katsuhiro Shinohara, a former Japanese ambassador to Cambodia; Takashi Hiraoka, a former mayor of Hiroshima and now director general of the Association for Exchange between Hiroshima Citizens and Cambodia; representatives of NGOs; and students attended the inaugural ceremony.

According to the former Japanese ambassador who speaks fluent Khmer, the library, contributing to increasing Cambodian children’s reading habit and knowledge, is the result of cooperation between Japanese and Cambodian people and Ounalom Pagoda’s monks.

The four-floor Hiroshima House was built from 1995 to 2006 with the financial support from Hiroshima’s residents in favor of peace and Cambodia-Japan relationship. --AKP

(By SOKMOM Nimul)

Hun Sen wary but still ready for Thai talks

via Khmer NZ

By The Nation

Published on September 2, 2010

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday the recent thaw with Thailand following resumption of diplomatic relations would not help solve the border conflict as long as Thai troops were stationed in the area near the Preah Vihear temple, claimed by both countries.

"I am not satisfied nor am I smiling while you are shaking my hand and at the same time you step on my foot," he was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.

However, Hun Sen expressed his readiness to hold talks with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The two leaders are expected to meet at several upcoming events, such as the Asia-Europe Meeting to be held in Brussels in early October, the Asean Summit in Vietnam in late October, or the leaders' meeting at the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) in Cambodia in November.

The Cambodian leader said outside mediation was not necessary for just bilateral talks covering issues of common interest. However, if no way out was found for the border problem, a third party was a real need. Hun Sen added that Cambodia could not wait for too long, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Hun Sen also urged the Thai Parliament to approve agreements made by the foreign ministers of the two countries in order to help solve the border problem.

He said parliamentary approval for the three agreed minutes would pave the way for the two governments to resume their talks and for the border dispute to be solved. The agreements referred to the setting up of a joint committee to look into the redeployment of the armed forces, real action on troop redeployment at the area near Keo Sikhakiri Svarak temple and Preah Vihear, and the joint de-mining of the areas.

Regarding fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's resignation as his economic adviser, Hun Sen said his status had nothing to do with the border conflict.

Thaksin: I quit out of annoyance

via Khmer NZ

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Thursday that he has quit his advisory posts for the Cambodian government and Cambodian prime minister out of annoyance.

In an interview with Thai Rath, Thaksin said he quit the two posts because "it's annoying. People always accused me of this and that."

"In order not to be annoyed any more, I asked Hun Sen if I should quit."

American Public Schools, the Khmer Rouge, and Ideology

 Written by BruceDPrice

Virginia Beach, VA

via Khmer Nz

Starting in 1975, Pol Pot and his Communist revolutionaries killed almost 2,000,000 Cambodians, out of a total population of 5,000,000. Why??

Pol Pot lived in Paris for many years where he became a Marxist intellectual. Sitting in classrooms and cafes, he visualized the perfect Cambodia. He went back to Cambodia to eliminate foreign influences, purge educated people, and thereby create an agrarian workers paradise.

Pol Pot was a fanatic, a true believer. The best one-word summary is to say that Pol Pot was an ideologue. He had ideas in his head; he knew they were right; and he was thereby entitled to kill millions of people to make those ideas prevail. Pol Pot, some may object, is a monster and too horrible to contemplate. I would counter that contemplating Pol Pot is one of the most useful things we can do. Let us declare April (said by Eliot to be the cruelest month) as Ideology and Mass Murderers Month.

Students in public schools especially should be urged to contemplate the ravages of ideology. So many of them are its victims.

Ideological extremism is relatively rare in the United States; many people may be lulled into thinking it does not exist at all. However, for several years I've suspected that the only way to explain the failures in American education is to look at the ideological extremism of the people in charge.

Pol Pot is one of the great monsters of history and obviously very rare. But the thing to focus on is that once he committed to his ideas, he believed there were no limits, no rules, no restrictions. That's the mark of a true ideologue.

What happened in America is that around 1900, all the leaders in education were Socialists, Collectivists, or Marxists of some stripe. They believed their views were correct and that it was their duty to prepare the country for Socialism. When they dumbed down schools and leveled children, John Dewey and his fellow ideologues believed they were doing a noble service. The point is, so did Pol Pot and his gang. Ideologues always believe they are doing good deeds. That is why they are so dangerous.

The "killer" part of Dewey's ideology is he felt he was above American society. He did not need the approval of Congress, the president, the Supreme Court or the voters. All of these obstacles had to be circumvented and this is where Dewey's ideology got us into real trouble. Maybe they weren't murdering people; they were definitely murdering truth and transparency.

Dewey and his fellow conspirators worked in secret from their headquarters at Teachers College in Manhattan. Their plot was to indoctrinate future teachers, send them out to the schools in the countryside, and use the classroom to steer the US to socialism. Ideology made secrecy seem respectable.

This machinery, once in place, got out of control, as you might predict. The Russian Revolution circa 1920 and the Great Depression circa 1930 galvanized our left-wing educators into thinking that their time had come, all arguments were settled, and big bold steps must be taken.

So now we see one of the most destructive events in American history: circa 1932 educators abruptly imposed Look-say on the children of America. This was a bogus, unworkable system whereby children were supposed to learn to read by memorizing the shapes of words. Memorizing a few hundred sight-words is doable, and thus the illusion is created that children are making progress. But virtually nobody actually goes on to read with whole-words. Typically, more than half the class will belatedly evolve into reading phonetically. But a third will stay mired in whole-words and become functional illiterates. We have 50,000,000 of them.

The simplest way to explain this tragedy is to say that ideology caused it. I think the same pattern repeated itself with New Math circa 1965. Both these gimmicks are grotesque in their manifest inability to do the purported task. It's as if you go to the store to buy white bread and someone sells you a lump of styrofoam.

I would argue that the same pattern repeats itself many DOZENS of times, as our Education Establishment devised numerous so-called methods that never seemed to work as promised. Only ideology could produce such a ditzy parade of failure. Clearly, the methods were not supposed to work educationally; they were intended to work ideologically.

One of the distinguishing traits of American education today is that the people in charge have not only dumbed it down, they have also wrapped the entire subject in propaganda, alibis, excuses, sophistries, deceptions, and confusion. The public is trained now to blame children, parents, television, computers, drugs, sex, rock 'n roll, internet, cell phones, especially parents. Anything but the real perps.

Typically, when large enterprises fail, we blame the leaders and replace them. That's what we should do here. But the Education Establishment is brilliant at deflecting criticism. The last thing they want you to realize is that they are ideologues, and all of us are victims of their ideology.

For Lane Yon, "Mayor" of Bear Necessities, Obstacles to Immigration Hit Home

Nathan Schwartzberg
Lane Yon works at Bear Necessities on Wednesday. Yon is fighting to bring his pregnant wife from Cambodia to the United States.

via Khmer NZ

September 2, 2010

By Jeff Stein

Bear Necessities food service worker Lane Yon — nicknamed “The Mayor” by his co-workers because “he knows everyone” — has spent endless hours over the last several years chatting with and befriending Cornell students, hitting Dino’s with members of the basketball team, and even attending the occasional fraternity party.

But beneath his buoyant, bubbly exterior, Yon has been painfully struggling in a way many of his Cornell friends might not know. His wife, Kim Por, has been denied entry into the United States by the American embassy in Cambodia, according to Yon, since 2008.

And Por is expecting. To prove his marriage was real and to see his wife, Yon spent the summer in Cambodia. With Por two months pregnant, Yon is hoping to have his child born in the U.S., especially because the American hospitals are better than those in Cambodia, he said.

Yon expects to hear again from the immigration office in about a month, but he is trying to resist high expectations.

Yon said that the American embassy believes his marriage with Por “is a scam” because, in its view, the two are “only married because of [his] green card.” They’re “giving me the run around,” Yon said of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

According to Prof. Stephen Yale-Loehr ’77, law, an immigration professor who also practices immigration law at an Ithaca firm, Yon’s dilemma is representative of a larger international trend.

“In some countries, like Cambodia, getting the documentation that the immigration agency prefers is a lot harder [than in other countries],” Yale-Loehr said. Getting one’s real wife through the immigration service’s stringent criteria is “often is a problem,” he said.

No one knows exactly how common is the practice of “sham marriages,” Yale-Loehr said. In 1986, the U.S. government estimated in a report that one-third of all marriages reviewed were “shammed for green card purposes,” but, Yale-Loehr said, the study was faulty.

“One has to look at it from both sides,” said Caryl Uzelac, the executive director for a U.S. immigration law firm based in New York City. She said that real marriages can be “very difficult to prove,” and that the U.S. has the responsibility of protecting its borders.

Still, this has not been much solace to Yon, who expressed frustration with those who conduct sham marriages.

Yon has traveled back to Cambodia five times since his marriage to Por in 2008 in an effort to prove his marriage is real. “What can I do to make [the embassy] believe [me]?” he said.

In October, Yon’s lawyer, Hilary Fraser — who Yon said is helping him for compensation less than her regular rate — wrote a letter to Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-22nd) asking for help.

“We are all aware of the high fraud rate in Cambodian U.S. immigration applications … However, this one I assure you is legitimate,” Fraser wrote.

Hinchey’s office wrote back that they were unable to render an “advisory opinion,” but recommended Yon try contacting the Department of Homeland Security.

Yon said he is now “trying to get a hold” of Cornell President David Skorton to ask for help. He said he “hopes this story will get [Skorton’s] attention.” He also said that he is now “getting assistance” from U.S. Senator Kristin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

After years of disappointment, Yon is getting frustrated with his position.

“Some nights I want to give up,” he said, adding that it is difficult “working late hours without someone to support you back home.”

Other Bear Necessities employees said they have seen Yon’s struggle to bring his wife to Ithaca take a toll on him.

“We’ve seen him cry sometimes when he talks about it,” said Anne VanDonsel, Yon’s co-worker of two years.

Ronnie Horton, Yon’s shift supervisor, said that the “family” of workers “see when he’s emotional” about Por and try to “make it so he doesn’t get down.”

“Just bring her home,” said Yon’s co-worker Helen Quick.

Yon said that he plans to go back to Cambodia “if [Por] gets denied again.”

“I want to start my life already, buy a house and have kids,” he said.

The history behind Yon and Por’s relationship may lend support to the marriage’s validity.

A few years ago, Yon’s father, Kennedy, set up an arranged marriage for Yon in Cambodia, where Yon was born. Kennedy had changed his name when his family came to Salt Lake City in 1988, “sponsored by a Mormon family,” because Yon’s father “respected [U.S. President John Kennedy’s] Vietnam policy,” Yon said.

Back in Cambodia, Kennedy found a wife for his son. Yon had planned to accept this predetermined bride, but when he arrived in Cambodia, he broke off the match because “we had nothing in common.”

Yon’s father was infuriated and decided to cut off support for his son. His decision plunged Yon into a depression. He did not know what to do with his life, he said.

Then he “bumped into” his future wife at the mall.

“In South East Asia, [a] guy can’t pursue girls,” Yon said. But since Yon, whose family came to America when he was seven, was “so Americanized … I went up to her and said I liked her.”

“She was scared of me [and thought] I was from a mental hospital,” Yon recalled, laughing. But he persisted, and the two were married in 2008.

During the course of his interview with The Sun, Yon was approached and high-fived by several students, some of whom knew him by name. He has over 70 friends on Facebook who were or are Cornellians. He said that he occasionally goes to fraternity parties “just to get out of my place to have people to talk [to] and have fun.”

He also said that members of both the tennis and lacrosse teams are particularly adamant about getting Yon to come to their parties, “but I just don’t have the time,” Yon said.

Yon said that he likes a lot of things about Cornell but that it is a “stressful environment.”

His plan, after working more in the U.S., is to “take these skills back” to Cambodia and open his own American restaurant in the model of Bear Necessities.

Tobacco Ad Ban Proposed in Cambodia

via Khmer NZ

02.09.2010 | news Newsdesk

Health Minister Mam Bunheng said a proposed sub-decree banning advertising and promotion of tobacco products was discussed during a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee for tobacco control yesterday and would be sent to the Council of Ministers “soon”.

Health authorities have proposed a sweeping ban on all tobacco advertising and promotion.

Health Minister Mam Bunheng said a proposed sub-decree banning advertising and promotion of tobacco products was discussed during a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee for tobacco control yesterday and would be sent to the Council of Ministers “soon”.

“We are creating the sub-decree on tobacco advertisement measures because we are mainly focused on promoting people’s health,” Mam Bunheng said.

The advertising ban is a key component of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Cambodia ratified in November 2005.

The convention demands that member states institute a “comprehensive ban” on all forms of tobacco “advertising, promotion and sponsorship” within five years of ratification.

Mam Bunheng said companies that breach the ban on advertising would risk losing their business licences. “If any company does not follow, first we will send a letter to warn them,” he said. “Second is to suspend their business and the third is to withdraw licences from running businesses.”

WHO tobacco health adviser Yel Daravuth said he supported a ban. “Banning advertising of tobacco products is an important step to prevent youth from starting to smoke,” he said. “It will help smokers start to quit.”

Mom Kong, the executive director of the NGO Cambodia Movement for Health, said tobacco advertisements were far too prevalent.

“There are all forms of advertisements in the media,” he said. “You can see it on the street, or at concerts, which can attract a lot of youths and rural people to smoke.”

Kun Lim, the head of corporate affairs for British American Tobacco Cambodia, said the company had been prepared for an advertising ban and supported it – so long as the embargo was enforced across the board.

“We welcome all the sensible laws regarding tobacco control, including advertising,” he said.

“If it is done on a level playing field, I don’t see any major issue with it.”

Kun Lim said BAT would like point-of-sale advertisements – posters where cigarettes are sold, for example – not to be included in any potential ban.

“How do we get information to the consumer? We can only do so at the point of sale,” he said.

Chum Sophea, the human resource manager for Viniton Group, which markets Angkor brand cigarettes, said any ban on advertising would affect the company “100 percent”.

However, her company was still waiting to see what the new sub-decree would entail, she said.

Health Minister Mam Bunheng said a proposed sub-decree banning advertising and promotion of tobacco products was discussed during a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee for tobacco control yesterday and would be sent to the Council of Ministers “soon”.

Original news source: Tobacco ad ban proposed

Cambodia aims high with 555m skyscraper

via Khmer NZ

2010-09-02 07:24

Cambodia is aiming for the record books with an ambitious plan to construct Asia's tallest building, a 555-meter skyscraper worth US$200 million, Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.

The building would be five times taller than the country's present highest structure, the new, 32-storey Canadia Bank Tower, which dominates the Phnom Penh skyline, where buildings of more than five floors stand out.

If the project goes ahead, it would top the Taipei 101 Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center and Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers - the world's three tallest buildings after the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

"It will be shorter than the one in Dubai and taller than any buildings in Asia, and I think we can do it," Hun Sen announced during a university graduation ceremony yesterday.

"We don't have to be too conservative and we also don't need to be too outdated," Hun Sen added, brushing off criticism from cultural groups concerned that a construction boom was threatening the capital city's French colonial architecture.

Hun Sen said the proposal had been made to the country's Land Management Ministry and local lender Canadia Bank would be involved in the project.

However, real estate companies questioned whether there was much demand for a building half a kilometer high in the capital of one of Asia's poorest countries.

"Where would the investors come from?" said Sung Bonna, CEO of Bonna Real Estate Group in Phnom Penh. "We are concerned about the shortage of demand and occupancy rates so we need time, but we hope this dream comes true."

Cambodia urged to release jailed human rights worker

via Khmer NZ

1 September 2010

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged the Cambodian government to immediately release a human rights worker who was sentenced to two years in prison for giving out anti-government leaflets.

Leang Sokchouen, who works for the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), was convicted on charges of "disinformation" on Monday after a trial marked by numerous procedural flaws.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) have called or Sokchoeun's release in a joint statement.

â??This conviction once again highlights the lack of independence and impartiality of the courts, which are all too often used as a tool against the less powerful, rather than to uphold their rights,â?? said Donna Guest, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific deputy director.

Cambodian police arrested Sokchouen on 29 May on charges of involvement in the production and distribution of anti-government leaflets in Takeo province in January.

He was held incommunicado for over 33 hours, despite numerous requests by his family and lawyer to visit him. Sokchouen was given a US$500 fine, plus a two-year prison sentence.

â??Unfounded charges of disinformation or defamation are well-worn tactics used by the Cambodian government to create a climate of fear,â?? said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH President, added: â??We reiterate our call to the Cambodian authorities to abolish the crimes of defamation and disinformation in Cambodian criminal law and ensure that the Criminal Code is not used to abusively restrict the right to freedom of expression.â??

Eric Sottas, Secretary General of OMCT, urged the Cambodian authorities to free the activist.

â??Leang Sokchouen should be immediately and unconditionally released as his detention is arbitrary and due process was blatantly violated throughout investigation and trial,â?? he said.

EVN sends 912 million kWh of power to Cambodia in 16 mths

via Khmer NZ

September, 02 2010

HCM CITY — Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) has supplied nearly 912 million kWh of power over the past 16 months to Cambodia.

The national power utility released these figures at a conference on the Chau Doc-Takeo 220kV transmission line held in HCM City on Tuesday.

The meeting was organised by EVN's National Power Transmission Co (NPT) and Electricity of Cambodia (EDC).

Nguyen Van Bay, head of the technology division under the Power Transmission Company No4, said the Chau Doc-Takeo transmission line had helped Cambodia deal effectively with power shortages.

He said EVN had gone to great lengths to achieve this because Viet Nam was itself facing serious electricity shortage during the dry season this year.

The two sides discussed several issues at the conference, including the operation of the transmission line linking Chau Doc in An Giang Province with Cambodia's Takeo Province; developing new power networks, as well as technical problems and maintenance work.

The 220kV Chau Doc – Takeo Transmission Line includes a 26.5-km line from Chau Doc to the border between the two countries and a 50.1-km line from the border to Takeo.

The project is part of a power purchasing contract signed between the EVN and the EDC, and an agreement on power energy cooperation between the Cambodian and the Vietnamese Governments signed in July, 2000.

In addition to this transmission line, the EVN has also signed power purchasing contracts with Chinese and Lao partners. — VNS

Secret titanium mine threatens Cambodia's most untouched forest

via Khmer NZ

Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
September 01, 2010

Although the mining consortium, United Khmer Group, has been drawing up plans to build a massive titanium mine in a Cambodian protected forest for three years, the development did not become public knowledge until rural villagers came face-to-face with bulldozers and trucks building access roads. Reaction against the secret mine was swift as environmentalists feared for the impacts on wildlife and the rivers, local villagers saw a looming threat to their burgeoning eco-tourism trade, and Cambodian newspapers began to question statements by the mining corporation. While the government has suspended the roadwork to look more closely at the mining plans, Cambodians wait in uncertainty over the fate of one of most isolated and intact ecosystems in Southeast Asia: the Cardamom Mountains.

Cardamom Mountain Range waterfall popular with ecotourists. Photo courtesy of the Wildlife Alliance.

Spreading over some 2 million hectares (5 million acres) the Cardamom Mountains contain a startling biodiversity, including some 250 bird species, half of those recorded in Cambodia. Rare species such as Malayan sun bears, Indochinese tigers, pileated gibbons, and Siamese crocodiles inhabit the region. The largest population of Asian elephants in Cambodia, numbering about a hundred individuals, also roams this region.

If built, the titanium mine will stretch some 15,000 to 20,000 hectares (37,000 to 50,000 acres) of the Cardamom Mountains. Construction of the pit will require deforestation and burial of vast amounts of waste; such waste often results in the destruction or pollution of important waterways.

Michael Zwirn, head of Wildlife Alliance's US operations, described the impact to wildlife in the region as "very serious", adding that the mine would particularly imperil freshwater species, such as the Siamese crocodile, which is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. In addition, the mine will sit right in the middle of an elephant migration route, endangering a quarter of Cambodia's wild elephants.

Map of the mining area

For locals the announcement of a mine in their backyard could not come at a worse time. The village of Chi Phat has spent years developing sustainable eco-tourism in the region. Many of the locals have left off poaching and logging for tourism and their efforts had begun to pay off: Lonely Planet, one of the most recognized travel guide companies in the world, named the area, known also as the Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, among the "World’s Top 10 Regions for 2010".

American tourists on birdwatching tour led from Chi Phat

Villagers are currently working with Wildlife Alliance on a new lodge to attract even more tourists to the once little-visited site. The conservation organization has spent over half a million US dollars to build an eco-tourism base in the area.

According to Zwirn, the town of Chi Phat is "almost universally opposed to the mine" since "communities have staked their economic development on environmentally friendly tourism". Seven hundred and sixty-six villagers, including the village chief, have already signed a petition against the mine for Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Spoonbills in flight photographed from helicopter. Photos courtesy of the Wildlife Alliance.

In face of opposition it has become increasingly unclear as to the status of the mine. Zwirn says that in Cambodian "ministries have sent very contradictory signals".

"It's not clear who's making some of these decisions, and it's not even clear what some of these decisions are. It's not clear how the process is being made."

Zwirn adds that a significant portion of the government appears to oppose the mine, but that may not be enough to stop it. According to reports the mine was initially approved by the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, yet the ultimate decision rests with the Ministry of Commerce.

"This is a perfect example of unplanned and uncoordinated development," Suwanna Gauntlett, CEO of Wildlife Alliance, said in a statement.

Not only the government, but the mining corporation has also faced criticism. The CEO of United Khmer Group, Chea Chet, stated that the mine would raise revenues of 2,500 US dollars a ton. However, the Phnom Penh Post, which calls Chet's assertion "frankly absurd", reports that titanium has been selling for less than a third that amount.

"Even if the ultimate revenues are far less than they promised they are still making money," Zwirn explains. No matter what profits the company makes it's not certain those funds would stay in Cambodia: Zwirn says that the project is being backed by Vietnamese and Chinese interests, but the company has refused to disclose the names of the private investors involved in the project.

Khmer burial jars (300-500 years old) in one of 12 known archaeological sites in the Cardamoms. Photo courtesy of the Wildlife Alliance.

In addition, questions have been raised as to the amount of ilmenite, which is the mineral mined for titanium production, in the area. Chea Chet has stated that United Khmer Group expects to pull up 120 million tonnes. Yet, Wildlife Alliance counters that the area was explored by another mining company, Omsaura, which estimated that only 2.5 million tonnes would be available, about 2 percent of Chet's claim.

Zwrin says that the company is playing "classic bait and switch". By "vastly overstating the [expected] revenues" United Khmer Group is using visions of riches to pressure the government for approval.

Map of the mining area

Conservationists fear that if this titanium mine is approved it will open the door to a variety of industrial projects in the region ultimately devastating one of Southeast Asia's last pristine forests. The Phnom Penh Post reports that if the titanium mine is successfully approved, China is planning three to four more mines covering 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) in the Cardamom Mountains.

DAP News. Breaking News by Soy Sopheap

via Khmer NZ

Cambodian-Thai Information Minister Meet for Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Thursday, 02 September 2010 07:24 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010-Cambodian and Thai information Ministers on Thursday met an hour talk to strengthen bilateral cooperation between two countries after the countries mended the diplomatic ties last week.

“The meeting today is playing a very important role to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in field of media system and rebuild relationship for media - media of the two countries, Khieu Kanharith, information minister and Cambodian government’s spokesman.

The media from both sides need to help to create the atmosphere of indiscrimination of the two peoples, and we need good cooperation, Khieu added.

We are working on three tools for strengthening cooperation: first, we need to have exchange urgent connection for media system to avoid misunderstanding in providing news from media system. Second, Cambodian appoints an official to work with Thai embassy here to connect on media field and third, both sides will exchange the news to each other including technique, and articles for information cooperation.

“We want to strengthen close relationship for media system and our talks is fruitful, Ongart Klampai Boon, Thai information minister told media after the talks. We have similar culture and religion that are core things for our relationship. Thai delegate will meet Cambodian PM Hun Sen at late afternoon to ask the recommendation for strengthening the cooperation on media field and also paid the courtesy call.

Thai troops invaded Cambodian on July 15, 2008 at area near 11th century Khmer Preah Vihear temple. And the relationship has soured from that time.

Sondhi Limthongkul, Thai PAD leader is barbarian: Cambodian DMP Sok An

Thursday, 02 September 2010 06:56 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010-Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the council of ministers on Thursday said that Thai People’s alliance for Democracy (PAD) is a barbarian for this century.

Sondhi is creating the darkness for diplomatic ties between Cambodia and Thailand,” Dr. Sok An said in a extraordinary congress of scouts’ association at the council office.

Sondhi used cruel words in looking down on Cambodian leader “Samdech PM Hun Sen” and Sondhi created religious ceremony with crazy manner. This guy is not civilized person in the century.

Sondhi is destroying reputation of Thailand,” Dr. Sok An said, adding that our great students asked to create similar manner against Sondhi. “We do not do it. We are not barbarian like Sondhi,” he added.

The Thai government should advice Sondhi not to do so if Thai government wants to have good relationship.

Yesterday, PM Hun Sen said that one day Sondhi will kill himself from acts that he did.

Sondhi Limthongkul was born 7 November 1947 and he is a Thai media mogul and leader of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and later was elected for leader of the New Politics Party (NPP).

He has been starting his career as a journalist, he later founded Manager Daily newspaper as well as satellite broadcaster ASTV.

Originally a strong supporter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he later became a leader of the anti-Thaksin movement. Under his leadership, the PAD was the major player in the 2005–2006 Thai political crises that led to the 2006 military coup that toppled the Thaksin government.

When Thaksin affiliated parties won the 2007 general election, Sondhi became the major player in the 2008–2009 Thai political crisis, leading the PAD in violent clashes with security forces and anti-PAD protestors as well as the seizure of Government House, Don Muang Airport, and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Sondhi is a supporter of the Democrat Party and stopped the PAD's protests after Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed Prime Minister. Thai media said that Sondhi plans to become Prime Minister of Thailand and later he plans to be first president of Thailand.

Thai troops invaded Cambodia on July 15, 2008 at an area near Preah Vihear temple through secret map which drawn unilaterally. Thai invaded a week after Cambodia has listed successfully the temple as world heritage site. Cambodian needs international communities to help deal border issues.