Touch of Tuscan sun for wine lovers

via CAAI

Friday, 24 September 2010 15:00 Nicky Hosford

TALK of Super Tuscans may bring dazzling images to the minds of some, but during a night of heady oenophilia, delicious Italian wines, not delectable Italian men, were the subject of a seminar hosted by Celliers d’Asie at the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa on September 16.

More than 70 Siem Reap restaurant and bar staff listened to Tuscan wine representative Guillaume Blanchard’s presentation on the regions, varietals, denominations, food pairings and terroir of the wines from a market that is often under-appreciated.

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The young are becoming more interested in wine"

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“We’re trying to improve the wine experience for Siem Reap,” says Scott McNeill, the Siem Reap branch manager for Celliers d’Asie, a wine wholesaler that’s been present in Cambodia since 1993. The seminar is part of a series in Siem Reap.

“This is just the beginning,” says McNeill. “This is part of our work to support the community and bring good quality wine to Cambodia.”

Blanchard represents noted Italian winery Castello Banfi from Montalcino in Tuscany, north of Rome. Italy is the second largest producer of wine in the world and of the 4000 known varietals (grape varieties to non-winos) more than 1000 are grown there. Tuscany is home to the world-famous Chianti, a wine that developed a reputation for mass volume and indifferent quality in the 1970s and ’80s.

But today’s Chiantis are far superior, says Blanchard. With a growing tourism industry, the market for wines in Cambodia will increase.

But producers and distributors are also very interested in the growing domestic market here. According to Blanchard: “The young are becoming much more interested in wine, and we’re very keen to improve their understanding and experience of wines.”

The phrase Super Tuscans was coined in the 1970s to differentiate those wines from the same region that used different varietal blends – not to describe the descendants of the model for Michelangelo’s David.

After the seminar, more than 130 people joined the Celliers team for an evening drinks party at Nest, where Patrick Charb played solo saxophone as guests enjoyed canapés and several selections of the Banfi estate wines.

Cambodian opposition leader convicted in absentia

via CAAI

Associated Press
2010-09-24

Cambodia's main opposition party leader was convicted in absentia yesterday and sentenced to 10 years in prison for a politically sensitive comment about a border dispute, in what critics said was another example of the government's intimidation of its opponents.

Sam Rainsy, who is living in exile in Paris, was convicted of spreading false information about a border dispute with Vietnam. The lawsuit was filed in February after Sam Rainsy questioned whether the border had been incorrectly marked by the government to Cambodia's disadvantage.

The conviction is the second this year for Sam Rainsy, who heads the sole opposition party in parliament and is a fierce, longtime critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

In January, a court sentenced Sam Rainsy to two years in prison for a political protest in which border markers were uprooted along the frontier with Vietnam.

He led the protest last year to dramatize his claim that Vietnam is encroaching on Cambodian territory, an issue he often raises to garner public support.

Hun Sen was installed after a Vietnamese invasion ousted the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.

He is sympathetic to Hanoi, while part of Sam Rainsy's support comes from appealing to traditional anti-Vietnamese sentiment among Cambodians who don't trust their much larger neighbor.

Cambodian Court Sentences Opposition Leader to Jail

http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2010-09-23

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday. But Rainsy is unlikely to actually end up behind bars because he’s living in exile in France.

Judges found him guilty of forging public documents and spreading false information that the country had lost some land to Vietnam.

But critics of the Cambodian government say the case was used to silence Rainsy, who is the government’s biggest opponent.

Rainsy has also been handed a two-year prison sentence in January for uprooting a post marking the border with Vietnam.

He was also ordered to pay the government a $1,200 fine and $14,000 in compensation.

The Sam Rainsy Party has accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of interfering with the judicial process.

[Kong Bora, Opposition MP]:

"The court unjustly convicted Sam Rainsy. They convicted him by the order of the government leader and this court I call it the pig cage because when I come in I smell the pig's dung already."

Prosecutors say they are pleased with the court's decision.

[Ky Tech, Government Lawyer]:

"This verdict is acceptable and it gives justice to the government because the damage caused by Sam Rainsy's act is so heavy, especially as it affected the good relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam."

New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused the ruling People’s Party of using unwarranted legal action to silence its political opposition and peaceful critics.

Exiled Cambodian Leader Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail

Robert Carmichael

Phnom Penh 23 September 2010
 
via CAAI
 

Photo: AP
Exiled Cambodian opposition party leader Sam Rainsy, right, who has been convicted by a court for falsifying documents related to a contentious border dispute with Vietnam.

The leader of Cambodia's main opposition party, Sam Rainsy, was sentenced to prison in a dispute about the border with neighboring Vietnam. But his supporters claim the case is politically motivated.

The municipal court in Phnom Penh on Thursday handed down a 10-year prison sentence to Rainsy because he displayed a map that had a different border between Cambodia and Vietnam than the one the government uses. During his trial earlier this month, the government's lawyer told the court that Sam Rainsy's action amounted to disinformation and falsifying of public documents.

The judges agreed, and handed down the prison term and a $16,000 fine. They also issued an arrest warrant for Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile in France.

The opposition leader had no chance for a fair trial, says his party's spokesman Yim Sovann, because the courts answer to the ruling party.

"Based on the verdict, not only one verdict, but the previous one, to my understanding and to the understanding of the people of Cambodia and the international community, this court is not independent," he said. "This court is used as a political tool to muzzle the opposition party."

The dispute dates back a year when Sam Rainsy and two villagers removed wooden posts marking the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. He received a two-year jail term for that and the villagers were each jailed for a year.

The two nations are in the middle of a six-year exercise to map their 1,270-kilometer border. Sam Rainsy has said Cambodia is losing land to Vietnam in the process.

The issue is a sensitive one for the government. Prime Minister Hun Sen maintains close relations with Vietnam, although many Cambodians are distrustful of their neighbor. In addition, Cambodia is involved in a tense border dispute with Thailand, which at times has turned violent.

Spokesman Yim Sovann says the government is growing less tolerant because it fears the opposition as the country heads toward the 2013 general election. He calls Thursday's verdict a "step backward for democracy" and he is calling for international help to prevent what he terms a slide toward authoritarianism.

"The international community has spent a lot of money to build democracy in Cambodia, to promote human rights, to help to build the rule of law," says Yim Sovann. "So if the leader of the biggest opposition party is in exile or facing jail term of more than 10 years, we can not say that Cambodia is democratic."

Mr. Hun Sen's government has long been accused of using lawsuits to silence critics. This month, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Surya Subedi, issued a report saying the courts are corrupt and often beholden to the ruling party. Among other things, he recommended that public figures become more tolerant of criticism and stop using the courts against their critics.

Lightning kills man

via CAAI

Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:36 Khouth Sophakchakrya

A 22-year-old Siem Reap man and his four buffalo were killed when lightning struck his cart..

Heng Samang, deputy police chief of Sotnikum district, said that Nue Sonan, a student at Damdek High School, was transporting rice seedlings to his family’s fields in Khchas commune when he and his buffalo were killed.

"Now the man’s parents and other villagers are holding a funeral ceremony and will cremate his body,” he said.

Uk Uory, 49, the mother of the deceased man, said during the funeral service that Nue Sonan had been the family’s primary bread-winner.

“My husband has been seriously ill so he cannot get up from the mat ... things are hopeless now,” she said.

Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management, said that lightning strikes had killed 102 people so far this year, in addition to 61 cattle.

About 54 people have also been severely injured over the same period. Some 128 people were killed by lightning during 2009.

Groups Want 'No Concessions' in Hun Sen Border Talks

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

Washington, D.C Thursday, 23 September 2010

via CAAI

Photo: AP
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, greets Prime Minister Hun Sen during their meeting in Hua Hin, Thailand, on April 4, 2010.

“No concessions. Not even in the area of Preah Vihear temple. We've taken the decision of the Hague and implemented it. The formal map that the court made was part of the border treaty of 1904. So how can we bargain? We are not boundary sellers.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen is expected to meet his Thai counterpart during meetings in New York this weekend, but experts and members of the opposition say he must be careful not to give concessions to Thailand over a contentious border issue.

Hun Sen is in New York to meet with Asean leaders and top US officials, and his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vijjajiva will be the first in nearly a year.

But the talks are coming before Thai parliament has approved discussions between a joint border commission seeking to resolve the border row, in which both sides claim ownership of a small strip of land near Preah Vihear temple.

Clear border demarcation cannot take place without the approval of three sets of meeting minutes from the border committee by Thai parliament.

“Concessions are not possible,” said Sean Pengse, president of the Border Committee in France, a group that advocates for Cambodian border integrity. “We've lost a lot to Thailand, such as Phnom Chart and other mountains they have already taken. What are we going to concede?”

If Cambodia gives up land, such as the Ta Moan temples of Oddar Meanchey province, he said, “it is going to be endless.”

Meanwhile, Cambodia is in a strong position and should find a way to end the conflict soon, through the Paris Peace Accords and the International Court of Justice, which can clarify for Thailand where the border should be, he said.

The International Court ruled on Preah Vihear temple in 1962, and its decision could be used to further clarify claims of land nearby, he said. Thailand disputes ownership of 4.6 kilometers of land west of the temple.

“Not to complain to the court again, but to ask the court to additionally clarify, that's all,” Sean Pengse said.

Cambodia says Thailand is using a unilateral map of the area for its land claims and is ignoring an international map that was even recognized by previous Thai governments.

While both sides are still trying to lay down markers on certain parts of the border, the latest dispute stems back to the July 2008 inscription of Preah Vihear temple on Unesco's World Heritage list, which sparked national furor in Thailand and led to a military build-up on both sides.

Talks failed to completely diffuse the subsequent tension, as Thailand accused Cambodia of violating a 2000 agreement and Cambodia maintained the border issue had been politicized by a Thai government in crisis.

Kem Sokha, head of the minority opposition party, said by phone from the US that Hun Sen has made his position clear and should now seek a solution, without giving up ground.

“I don't want to see additional losses to Cambodian land because of concessions,” he said. “We should take the principle of law and the internationally recognized map.”

Var Kim Hong, who is the head of Cambodia's border committee, said the government would not compromise.

“No concessions,” he said. “Not even in the area of Preah Vihear temple. We've taken the decision of the Hague and implemented it. The formal map that the court made was part of the border treaty of 1904. So how can we bargain? We are not boundary sellers.”

Nevertheless, a senior Cambodian general who spoke on condition of anonymity said Thailand has intruded across the Cambodian border, between 100 meters and a kilometer in multiple areas along the northern frontier. Thailand could gain occupied ground through bilateral deals and will therefore be unlikely to seek a multilateral solution, he said.

Var Kim Hong would only acknowledge that there are “controversial” sites that need clarification through demarcation, once joint border committee work renews.

“We are working on the issue,” he said, adding that it's “impossible” to say in some places where the border lies.

Group Files 90 Claims With Anti-Corruption Unit

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer

Phnom Penh Thursday, 23 September 2010
 
via CAAI
 

Photo: By Taing Sarada

General Department of Taxation of Cambodia.

The complaints included tax agents working out of uniform, to dissuade identification, said San Chey, a project coordinator for the Affiliated Network. They also included commune clerks, police, children of tax agents, village chiefs, deputy village chiefs and others.

A watchdog organization issued 90 complaints representing thousands of people to the nascent Anti-Corruption Unit on Thursday, claiming tax agents for the Ministry of Finance have been overcharging for annual vehicle stickers.

The complaints come from 2,700 people across 14 provinces and constitute the first real test of the ACU, which was established under a new anti-corruption law that was hailed as a breakthrough by the administration but lambasted as toothless by the opposition.

The Affiliated Network for Social Accountability In East Asia and the Pacific, which helped collect and file the complaints, says 2.5 million vehicles are registered in Cambodia, and each collection can be overcharged by as much as $0.50 each time, each year.

Kampong Cham province had the most complaints, 18, followed by Takeo with 17, and Phnom Penh, Kandal and Prey Veng with nine each.

The complaints included tax agents working out of uniform, to dissuade identification, said San Chey, a project coordinator for the Affiliated Network. They also included commune clerks, police, children of tax agents, village chiefs, deputy village chiefs and others.

San Chey said his organization wants the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the ACU to open investigations into the alleged corruption.

Om Yentiang, head of the ACU, said the unit welcomed complaints and would review them.

And Om John, deputy chief of the legal department for the Ministry of Finance's tax department, said tax agents are required to respect the law.

Sam Rainsy Sentenced to 12 More Years Over Web Map

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

Phnom Penh Thursday, 23 September 2010
 
via CAAI
 

Photo: AP

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy

“Only a political compromise can bring him back.”

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 12 years in jail Thursday, on forgery and disinformation charges for publishing a map on his party's website alleging Vietnamese border encroachment.

Those 12 years are added to a two-year sentence Sam Rainsy is already facing for uprooting markers along the Vietnamese border last year. He also received a fine of 65 million riel, more than $15,000—5 million riel to the court and 60 million riel to the government as reparation.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Ke Sakhan said at the conclusion of Sam Rainsy's trial in August he had deemed the map to be false and posted as an act to hurt the government's image.

Sam Rainsy has been in exile since the first set of charges were levied against him last October, and the map, he said, was meant to verify border claims he had made at the time.

Sam Rainsy's lawyer, Kong Bora, called the verdict a “grave injustice,” and said the judgement had “followed the orders of an individual who is currently in power.”

However, government attorney Ky Tech said the punishment was just as “the damage caused by Sam Rainsy was very big.”

In statements ahead of the verdict this week, Sam Rainsy said he would seek international intervention the cases against him, which he said were political. Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials have said there will be no political solution and left the case in the hands of the court.

Opposition lawmakers and other political observers have pointed to what they say is a systematic use of the courts to silence the opposition and political dissent, including the jailing of newspaper editors, human rights workers and others.

Observers say the new sentencing of Sam Rainsy will deprive the country of the lead opposition as Cambodia prepares for commune elections in 2012 and national elections the following year.

“Only a political compromise can bring him back,” said Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho.

Cambodian opposition party leader Sam Rainsy get 10 years in prison

FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2009 file photo, Cambodian opposition party leader Sam Rainsy, stands in front of the municipal court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia's main opposition party leader was sentenced in absentia Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, to 10 years in prison for a politically sensitive comment about a border dispute that critics say is another example of the

government trying to intimidate its opponents. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File)

REFILE - CORRECTING IDENTITY OF MAN Ky Tech, the Cambodian government's lawyer, speaks to the media after the sentencing of Sam Rainsy at Phnom Penh court September 23 , 2010. The court sentenced Rainsy to 10 years in prison in absentia on Thursday in a case involving a border controversy that critics say the government has used to silence its biggest opponent. In the latest verdict on Thursday, judges in Phnom Penh also ordered Rainsy to pay a fine of 5 million riel ($1,200) and another 60 million riels in compensation to the government for forging public documents and spreading disinformation about the country losing land to Vietnam. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A police officer stands guard outside Phnom Penh court September 23 , 2010. The court sentenced opposition leader Sam Rainsy to 10 years in prison in absentia on Thursday in a case involving a border controversy that critics say the government has used to silence its biggest opponent. In the latest verdict on Thursday, judges in Phnom Penh also ordered Rainsy to pay a fine of 5 million riel ($1,200) and another 60 million riels in compensation to the government for forging public documents and spreading disinformation about the country losing land to Vietnam. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Royal Cambodia Arm Forces starts military exercise

Pictures by Radio Free Asia

Harry Potter - Samuel L. Jackson Swings For Charity

via CAAI

23 September 2010

Samuel L. Jackson has hosted a three-day charity golf championship in Switzerland to raise money to build a hospital in Cambodia.

Samuel L. Jackson has hosted a three-day charity golf championship in Switzerland.

The Shooting Stars Benefit 2010 saw a number of celebrities head to the exclusive Grand Resort Bad Ragaz to take part in the tournament.

The golf competition raised money for the Samuel L. Jackson Foundation and the Swiss Red Cross to go towards a new hospital in Cambodia.

Explaining the event, Samuel said: "We are here in Switzerland to raise funds trying to do the best we can to make life easier for other people. I always try to do the best thing.

"We as citizens of the world have the responsibility to help and support other people in whatever way we can. We have to take care of each other."

Celebrities taking part in the tournament and supporting the charities included 'Harry Potter' actor Rupert Grint, 'W' star Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Salmon - who has appeared in three James Bond films - and Anthony Anderson, who has a role in upcoming horror 'Scream 4'.

The event was sponsored by Armand de Brignac Champagne, and in addition to the charity golf tournament there was also a raffle which featured an Armand de Brignac Methuselah, which was signed by celebrities in attendance.

The new hospital is being built in Takeo, one of Cambodia's poorest provinces and is supported by the Swiss Red Cross. It will treat people free of charge.

When asked about his golf performance, Samuel replied: "My handicap is 6.1 and, although my team played very well, we didn't win. I did, however, achieve the 'Nearest to the Pin' award which I am very proud of!

"I work for five days and then on my two days off I always play golf. The PGA championship course here at Bad Ragaz is fantastic, lots of trees so slightly tricky, but a great course."

Running for Cambodia

http://www.theflindersnews.com.au/

via CAAI

23 Sep, 2010

Ryan Schell, of Booborowie, and Tim Siv, of Clare, will run from Salisbury to Clare to raise money for a community centre in Cambodia.

Starting on September 28, Ryan will pass through Gawler and head up to Clare, with Tim joining him along the way.

The money raised goes towards food and clean water, medical supplies and health care, education, life skills and hope for the future.

Ryan worked with Cambodian children last year and volunteered with the New Hope Community Centre.

“I had come to hear of ‘New Hope’ through a friend in Clare, Tim Siv, who told me of his life story and his time volunteering with New Hope,” he said. “Tim and his family originated from Cambodia but have lived in Australia and became Australian citizens over 30 years ago. He told me how he was born while his parents were on the run from the Cambodian Government of the early 70's, the Khmeer Rouge.”

It was after hearing Tim's story that Ryan was inspired to visit New Hope and help in any way he could.

“During my time at New Hope, I was deeply moved by the children and their situation and felt that perhaps I could have something to offer and really make a difference to the lives of some of the families,” he said.

“Tim and I decided to do something here at home so after talking with family and friends we decided on a run from Adelaide to Clare between September 28 and October 2 as a means of raising awareness of the plight of these children and to raise much needed funds.” Ryan and Tim are returning to New Hope next year to work as volunteers.

The run will end at Pioneer Park, Clare on October 2.

Kingdom Breweries: Cambodia's New Craft Beer

via CAAI

By Gemma Price
Thursday, Sep. 23, 2010

Courtesy of Kingdom Breweries

 

Cambodia might not be counted among the world's most eminent beer-producing countries, but change is brewing. From its premises on the banks of the Tonle Sap, Phnom Penh's newest boutique brewer, Kingdom Breweries, is gearing up to give local brands a run for their riel — using only the best German and Czech hops, premium German malt and top-quality water to produce its flagship pilsner.

"Can I offer you one?" CEO Peter Brongers asks, proffering an ice-cool bottle of the first batch ever brewed. "Some of the locals might think it's too bitter, but I think it's perfect."

You'll probably think so too, if you like the crisp, light and dry style of European lager. Kingdom's bearded German brewmaster Peter Haupenthal is hoping to win the locals over with his product's body and consistency — important attributes in a town where microbrew is popular but varies wildly in quality, with poor heads, soapy textures and artificial colors (bright red or acid green anyone?) being not uncommon. After plenty of experimentation and patience, Kingdom has only recently arrived at the final recipe that it hopes will educate the market. "Unfortunately, making a good beer takes time," Haupenthal says, "and we can't speed up the process."

The fledgling brand will officially launch on Oct. 1, and visitors are welcome to observe the production process. Tours of the brewery can be arranged and include a chat with Haupenthal and a drink in the on-site bar, with its leather upholstered bar stools, studded Chesterfield couch and hardwood counter.

"When we launch in the market, we want to establish Kingdom as one of Southeast Asia's leading boutique breweries," says Brongers. Looks like Cambodia could finally be taking its place on the world's beer map. See kingdombreweries.com for more.

Khmer Arts Ensemble of Cambodia debuts dance-music piece at Connecticut College

via CAAI

Published 09/23/2010

Connecticut College's onStage series begins Saturday with the debut of a piece by the Khmer Arts Ensemble of Cambodia.

The group of about 30 dancers and musicians will perform "The Lives of Giants," about a mistreated giant in Shiva's heavenly temple who wants a weapon against the ridicule of devilish angels. The story comes from an episode of the Reamker, the Cambodian version of the Ramayana.

A program note by choreographer Sophiline Cheam Shapiro says, "In 'The Lives of Giants,' I'm looking specifically at cycles of violence. I believe the relationship between the glorification of war and the physical abuse of a child is a close one. Violence begets violence. The abused become the abusers. Within Cambodian society, state-led terror and genocide of the recent past has fed contemporary epidemics of domestic violence and human trafficking. This is an unfortunate truth in many parts of the world, in wealthy nations as well as poor ones.

"Nevertheless, I believe compassion is an antidote. When we acknowledge our own and our enemies' humanity, we create room to step away from inhumane behavior."

"The Lives of Giants" wraps these ideas in a performance of movement and melody set in what Sophiline Cheam Shapiro calls a "mysterious and magical world" that reflects our own universe.

- Kristina Dorsey

"The Lives of Giants - Khmer Arts Ensemble,"

8 p.m. Saturday, Palmer Auditorium, Connecticut College, Mohegan Avenue, New London; $20-$28 ($18-$25 seniors, $10-$14 students); (860) 439-2787.

Cambodia starts military exercise

via CAAI

September 23, 2010

Cambodia began Thursday a military exercise in northwestern parts of the country, a senior military official said.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of Ministry of National Defense, said the military exercise began Thursday morning at Phnom Veng, about 350 kilometers northwest of the capital Phnom Penh.

Deputy prime minister and minister of national defense Tea Banh is presiding over the drill.

It is the second military exercise in three months in Cambodia.

In July, Cambodia conducted a two-week multi-national military exercise with code name "Angkor Sentinel 2010" and involving about 1,000 forces from 26 countries and two international organizations.

Source: Xinhua

ADB to Help Cambodia Improve Water Management, Irrigation Systems

via CAAI

23/09/2010

The FINANCIAL -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing loans, grants and technical assistance of nearly $34 million to help Cambodia improve the management of its water resources and to upgrade irrigation services to strengthen food security and cut poverty.

ADB’s Board of Directors on September 23 approved the funds for the $63 million Water Resources Management Sector Development Program, which includes measures to strengthen national water regulations and to improve the management of river basin resources. It also will help the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology rehabilitate small- and medium-sized irrigation systems within the Tonle Sap Basin. ADB will also administer a loan from the OPECC Fund for International Development, and technical assistance grants from the Government of Australia and Nordic Development Fund to support program implementation.

"Cambodia’s economy is highly dependent on water, and sustaining the water cycles in the Tonle Sap Lake and Lower Mekong delta is critical to the country’s agriculture and fisheries. With the onset of climate change, more frequent extreme weather events are likely, along with potentially worse seasonal water shortages and floods. To promote more effective water management, the Program will seek to strengthen existing legal and institutional frameworks," ADB says.

“The activities will result in improved management of water resources and more efficient and sustainable irrigation services, which will ultimately enhance food security and support government efforts to reduce poverty and stimulate economic development,” said Christopher Wensley, Lead Professional (Water Resources) in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.

The program component will support the government’s Strategy on Agriculture and Water, with outputs to include strengthening the policy, regulatory and institutional environment to improve coordination and collaboration on water resources among government agencies. It will also build the capacity of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology to manage irrigation services. ADB will finance these activities through a program loan of $20 million equivalent from its concessional Asian Development Fund, which will be released in two tranches over a 24-month period. The loan has a 24-year term, including a grace period of 8 years. Annual interest is charged at 1% during the grace period, rising to 1.5% a year for the balance of the term.

The project component will rehabilitate and upgrade about 15,000 hectares of small- and medium-sized irrigation schemes within the Tonle-Sap basin provinces of Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap. ADB will provide a loan of $10 million equivalent and a grant of $2.8 million from the Asian Development Fund. The project loan has a 32-year term, with the grace period and interest on a par with the program loan.

The OPEC Fund for International Development is extending a $12 million loan, along with $6.36 million from the Government of Cambodia, and $760,000 from beneficiaries, for a total project investment cost of almost $32 million. The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology is the executing agency for the project, which is expected to be completed by December 2017.

The technical assistance package of $11.2 million, including $1 million from ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund, and grant contributions from Australia and the Nordic Development Fund, will be used to help implement agreed policy actions, to support training in water resources management and provide capacity building in target institutions.

Cambodia jails opposition leader in absentia

A rights group and supporters of exile Sam Rainsy, pictured, have slammed a conviction of the political activist

via CAAI

By Suy Se (AFP)

PHNOM PENH — A Cambodian court on Thursday sentenced fugitive opposition leader Sam Rainsy to 10 years in jail for forging and publishing a false map of the border with Vietnam.

A rights group and supporters of Sam Rainsy, who lives in self-imposed exile in Europe, slammed the conviction as politically motivated -- a charged denied by the government, which said the map depicted incorrect border markings.

In January, Sam Rainsy, the main rival of Cambodian premier Hun Sen, was already sentenced in absentia to two years in prison over a related conviction for uprooting border posts and inciting racial discrimination.

Hun Sen maintains close relations with Vietnam's communist regime but Sam Rainsy, 60, whose political party shares his name, has repeatedly accused the government of ceding land to Vietnam.

His new conviction for forging public documents and disseminating false information relates to claims that he posted a "fake map" of the border on his party's website to show Vietnam was encroaching on Cambodian territory.

"The acts of the suspect harm the good relationship between Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," said Ke Sakhorn, president of the judges' panel.

He added that the map was "manipulating" and aimed at "discrediting the government".

Former finance minister Sam Rainsy was also fined five million riel (1,100 US dollars) and ordered to pay the government compensation of 60 million riel, the court said.

There was a heavy police presence outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for fear of protests by supporters of Sam Rainsy, whose party spokesman Yim Sovann said the ruling party was using the court "to slow down the popularity" of the opposition.

"It is a huge setback for democracy in Cambodia," he told AFP.

Ou Virak, chief of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, slammed the verdict as "an obvious move by the CPP (the ruling party) to stop Sam Rainsy coming back to compete in the upcoming national elections".

The next polls are due in 2013.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith denied the sentence was politically motivated and said Sam Rainsy's own actions were "deeply about politics".

In the January conviction, Sam Rainsy and two villagers were found guilty of intentionally damaging temporary border posts in October last year.

No formal map has yet been agreed between the two countries.

Cambodia and Vietnam officially began demarcating their 1,270-kilometre (790-mile) border in September 2006 after decades of territorial disputes stemming from French colonial times.

Youk Chhang smashes Ieng Sary, defence team

via CAAI

Thursday, 23 September 2010 15:00 Youk Chhang

Dear Editor,

I regret that yesterday the Phnom Penh Post misattributed its two letters to the editor, making it appear as if Ou Virak of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights had drafted a stinging criticism of me, and Ieng Sary defence lawyers Ang Udom and Michael Karnavas had drafted a well-argued plea for investigation of potential political interference in the work of the Khmer Rouge tribunal. Yet, the mistake ultimately demonstrates the cohesion of Cambodian civil society, as Ou and I were immediately in touch to discuss the humorous error.

The defence team’s reprimand was in response to my statements for the article “Ieng Sary team seeks ECCC judge’s ouster” (September 20). There were two points I had hoped to make clear in my comments, a selection of which appeared in the article. The public must prepare itself to accept that Ieng Sary may pass away before trial, as he is old and his health is fragile. I certainly do not wish him death as we approach the Pchum Benh ancestor holidays. For that reason, it is imperative that the trial move forward without delay so that Ieng Sary may live to tell us why Khmer killed Khmer and be judged accordingly.

I seek the truth, and would thus be a fool to support corruption in Cambodia, including at the Extraordinary Chambers/Defense Unit. Constructive defense challenges at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal benefit Cambodia, which suffers from a lack of fair trial standards in its national courts, but it is easy for the Ieng Sary defense to attack everything and themselves politicise the proceedings. Ieng Sary deserves better than to die and have his lawyers declare “victory”. He deserves to be tried.

Youk Chhang

Documentation Center of Cambodia

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Exiled Cambodian opposition leader given jail term

via CAAI

23 September 2010

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has been sentenced to 10 years in jail after being found guilty of altering public documents and disinformation.

Sam Rainsy was sentenced in his absence as he is living in self-imposed exile

The government accused Mr Rainsy of manipulating a map to show that Vietnam had encroached on Cambodia's territory.

His party has accused the Cambodian government of ceding territory to its larger and more powerful neighbour.

Mr Rainsy was sentenced in his absence as he has been living in self-imposed exile in France for the past year.

Unmarked border

The BBC's Guy Delauney in Phnom Penh says the only surprise was that Mr Rainsy's sentence was not longer. He could have faced up to 18 years in prison.

The opposition leader has been spending recent weeks trying to engineer a way of coming back to Cambodia, but now his return seems further away than ever, our correspondent says.

Mr Rainsy is paying a heavy price for his attempts to show that Cambodia is losing land to Vietnam - a sensitive subject, as many Cambodians make no secret of their loathing for all things Vietnamese, he adds.

The two countries officially began demarcating their contentious border in September 2006, in a bid to end decades of territorial disputes.

The 1,270km (790-mile) border has remained essentially unmarked and vague since French colonial times, with stone markers and boundary flags having disappeared, while trees once lining it were cut down.

When a new border line was agreed by the two governments, some Cambodians lost their land, and Mr Rainsy took up their case.

In January, he was given a two-year jail term for encouraging villagers to uproot border markings, in protest at Cambodia's government.

The following month, he was charged with manipulating a map to show that Vietnam had encroached on Cambodia's territory.

In his defence, Mr Rainsy said he had simply downloaded the document from Google.

The Sam Rainsy Party has accused the government of using the judicial system to silence the opposition. But the government insists that the courts are independent - and simply enforcing the law.

Temple hopping in Cambodia: Stories in stone

via CAAI

A 13hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap was just the beginning of an awe-inspiring trip for CNNGo reader Ara Charissa Sam

By Ara Charissa Sam

23 September, 2010

Phnom Bakheng -- Gear up with your most fashionable action shot, Lara Croft style.

A sigh of relief and excitement enveloped me as the plane touched down in Ho Chi Minh. I didn’t have a concrete plan other than getting to Siem Reap. But I knew I was going to have the grandest time.

I was with my friends and we were in search of a memorable adventure. We dropped the mainstream route of taking a plane to experience Cambodia -- so off to the bus stop we went, and bought our 13-hour bus ride ticket.

It was a great decision, because the intensely rich and picturesque surroundings kept us entertained the whole trip.

When we got to Siem Reap, we were tired but we were in awe.

Angkor Wat statues adorn the halls, each with it's own story

There are a lot of temples to see in Cambodia. So, armed with our digicams, water bottles and a thirst for adventure, we journeyed to where the action was, or at least where it used to be.

Guided by our local companion, Bon, who knew a ton of background information and insights we traveled to our heart’s desire. He gave us the opportunity to pick his brain and learn to better understand Cambodians as a people.

At Siem Reap we were transported into an architectural masterpiece from thousands of years ago.

The intelligence and sophistication of the masters that conceptualized the structure shows throughout. Power, might and light-heartedness emerge from the artworks on the wall telling tales and signifying depth in their own beliefs.

The symmetry of Angkor Wat is astounding. Imagining it during the time it was fully functional was overwhelming -- Apsara dancers illuminating the halls with their energy, lectures being passed on from one elder to another and kings sharing inspiring thoughts and knowledge with their people.

Another nearby temple we visited was Bayon in Angkor Thom. It’s beauty and look enticed us to come in -- a series of intricately made smiling facades invite tourists to revisit Jayavarman VII’s work of art. I really love this temple because positivity encapsulated the whole area and the massive stone faces shine on the spotlight.

Bayon Temple.

We continued to temple hop, and it was a blast. We got to understand and learn the transfer of power that transpired, hear stories that ruled the bonfires and best of all, we got to converse with monks as they still go to the wats and pray.

Inside the Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom.

A temple in Phnom Bakheng is considered to be a “hot spot.” They filmed the most exciting scenes of "Tomb Raider" in Phnom Bakheng where gigantic roots of old trees intrusively sweep the temple walls.

This is where we had fun trying out creative poses mimicking scenes from the movie.

Exploring Siem Reap with my friends proved to be one of the best experiences I had in Cambodia.

We consider ourselves privileged to have been able to experience the glory that once was. If only we could have teleported ourselves back in time -- but alas, pictures and journal entries will have to do.

Nonetheless, to see and touch the pieces is to witness that once there was a time when a genuine love for architecture and passion for their belief carried far across the land.

So, after a few days of exploration, we packed our bags and left Siem Reap, bidding farewell to a beautiful place that will be sure to stick with us for the rest of our lives.

Where to stay

Mandalay Inn: They can even customize the tour for you. Look for Kat (the manager.) Their place is filled with warmth and hospitality. Getting a good tour guide is the key. Ask for Bon. He’s well-read and knowledgeable. He can speak good English, too.

About the author: Ara Charissa Sam is a Filipino adventurer at heart -- in search of rich cultures and awe-inspiring tales from other countries. Her day job involves deadling with media marketing decisions within the telecommunications industry.

Ara Charissa submitted this piece as part of CNNGo’s CityPulse section. To find out what other stories we are looking for, go to our CityPulse page.

Taxi driver turned robber arrested

via CAAI

Thursday September 23, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: A taxi driver who robbed and stripped naked his two Cambodian women passengers has been detained by the police.

Police are looking for a friend of the taxi driver, believed to be involved in the robbery, Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said.

In the incident yesterday, the two women boarded the taxi driven by the suspect at the Bukit Jalil bus terminal to go to Bukit Tinggi in Klang.

The women had just arrived from Johor Baru and were planning to return to their country after working as tailors for two years.

“Instead of taking them to Klang, the suspect drove to an oil palm estate in Felda Gedangsa, Hulu Selangor, before robbing them and stripping them naked,” DCP Khalid said in his Facebook as reported by Bernama.

The suspect then drove away, leaving the two women stranded.

Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Norel Azmi Affandi Yahya said the suspect took the victims’ passports, suitcases, RM900, US$6,000 (RM13,800) as well as some jewelleries.

“The victims were returning to Cambodia and their visas expire tomorrow. They were assisted by the public who took them to lodge a report,” he said.

Cambodian Reconciliation Explored at Symposium

via CAAI

Contact: Patrick Verel
(212) 636-7790
verel@fordham.edu

Leng Sithul
Photo By Patrick Verel

 

Can theatre help a country overcome the mental anguish of mass murder?

That was the question explored on Sept. 20 and 21 at a symposium dedicated to the role of theatrical arts in healing Cambodia’s national psychological wounds.

“Theatre and Peace-Building in Cambodia,” was sponsored by Fordham Theatre at the Lincoln Center campus.

It brought playwright and actress Chhon Sina and actor/musician Leng Sithul from Cambodia to New York City. They collaborated with Fordham acting students and Dawn Akemi Saito, artist-in-residence at Fordham, on Sina’s new play, Phka Campei.

The collaboration began with an open rehearsal of the full play and finished the next day with a staged reading of a single scene. The play tells the story of a sex worker and victim of domestic violence who lives in a slum and struggles to come to terms with the evils her father exacted on her and her mother.

Afterward, Sina and Sithul discussed the unique responsibilities they bear as artists in Cambodian society, at a panel with three Fordham professors.

Sithul, who sang selections from a contemporary Cambodian opera, said many tensions still exist in Cambodia. An estimated two million of the country’s eight million citizens were killed from 1975 to 1978 during the rule of the Khmer Rouge, and many former regime supporters still live with those who suffered its abuses.

Sina compared an artist on stage to a soldier on the battlefield who needs protection from above. Music and dance are largely left alone, but theatre productions are considered a “sharp weapon” in Cambodian society.

“We do not have the artist protector. So artists feel intimidated to do their work, because they are not the people who hold the power in the ministries,” she said through interpreter Rithisal Kang.

Still, she said, they persist even with little funding and occasional flare-ups from audiences, like when she played a killer in a play called Breaking The Silence.

“How can we overcome these challenges, and how can we, as the elder teachers of theatre in Cambodia, transfer our knowledge to the younger generation?” she said. “We don’t want to bring our knowledge to the grave.”

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College in the United Kingdom.

Interbank FX eyes Cambodia

via CAAI

2010-09-23

In line with its overseas expansions, US online foreign-exchange broker, Interbank FX, is seeking Cambodian partners to expand to the Kingdom.

According to the Utah-based company, it will seek local partners such as banks, investment funds, securities brokerage and individuals in the kingdom.

The company provides online platforms for foreign currency trading.

Cambodia is an emerging market working towards the establishment of a stock market, it was the right time for the company to show its presence here.

Wing partners with Metfone for money transfers

http://www.telecompaper.com/

via CAAI

Thursday 23 September 2010

ANZ's subsidiary Wing Cambodia, which provides mobile money transfer services, has partnered with mobile operator Metfone. Following the agreement, the service will be available for Metfone customers and the companies are discussing making Wing services available via Metfone's 190 stores, the Phnom Penh Post reports. Other Wing partners include Mobitel, Beeline, and Excell. Recently, Mobitel has launched its own mobile transfer service as well, following a USD 5 million grant from the GSM Association.

Clinton Foundation Helps Road Safety Program in Cambodia and Other Asian Countries

via CAAI

Thursday, 23 September 2010 08:32 DAP NEWS / VISOT

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010-The Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation announced Thursday onstage at the Clinton Global Initiative a commitment to implement road safety programs in 94 schools across 4 countries over the next 3 years.

Greig Craft, president of the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation said that these programs will reach 357,000 students, parents, and teachers through direct interventions and 81 million people indirectly through public awareness education in Cambodia, Vietnam, India, and Uganda.

Craft said that In Cambodia, everyday 5 people perish and 19 people suffer severe injuries that remove them from the work force because of road traffic crashes. In response, the Cambodia Helmet Vaccine Initiative plans to launch a road safety public awareness campaign that will reach over 3 million people in addition to school-based education programming projected to reach almost 40,000 students and 1,000 teachers.

Earlier this year, AIP Foundation in co-ordination with the Ministry of Interior, the National Road Safety Committee, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, ANZ Royal Bank (Cambodia) Ltd. and Total Cambodge launched the “One Helmet. One Life.” helmet use campaign.

The AIP Foundation will implement these interventions acting as the lead NGO for the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative, an international coalition launched in 2009 with founding partners the FIA Foundation, and World Bank Global Road Safety Facility. Recently, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have joined this coalition. The Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative operates under the mission “a helmet on every head” in the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011 to 2020). Helmets have been proven to reduce the likelihood of serious brain injury by 70% and fatality by 42%.

“We are honored to have our work recognized by Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative. This recognition highlights the importance of using helmets as a vaccine against the rising epidemic of traffic fatalities,” said Craft.

On September 21, Craft delivered a presentation on the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative during the Promoting Safe Roads Action Network at the Clinton Global Initiative. In addition, the FIA Foundation announced a multi-year financial commitment to the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative.

David Ward, Director General of the FIA Foundation, said:

“The Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative is the core element of our ten year, US $1 million a year, CGI commitment for improving road user behaviour during the Decade of Action. Ensuring motorcycle users always wear a helmet is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce death and injury. GHVI is delivering a vaccine that has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives.”

The AIP Foundation was pleased to receive an invitation to attend the Clinton Global Initiative, an international conference that promotes collaboration between the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and other global leaders to effectively confront the world’s most pressing problems with an emphasis on tangible results. In 2000, Bill Clinton launched AIP Foundation’s signature Helmets for Kids program in Vietnam. Since then, AIP Foundation has donated over 500,000 helmets to children in developing countries worldwide.

Traffic fatalities are on par with the death tolls from the world’s major diseases, including malaria and tuberculosis, though they receive a fraction of the attention. The WHO predicts that traffic fatalities will rise from the current rate of 1.2 million per year to 2 million per year by 2020. Children account for 40% of traffic fatalities and developing countries bear 96% of the global burden of child deaths.