Nurse volunteering in Cambodia

 via CAAI

Josephine Gillespie
28th December 2010

University of Queensland Ipswich nursing student Elissa Jackson will volunteer at a Cambodian military clinic at the foot of Phnom Bok Mountain from January 5.

Sarah Harvey

IT is a world away from the quiet streets of Flinders View, but for nursing student Elissa Jackson, spending her holiday volunteering in a Cambodian health clinic is a dream come true.

The 23-year-old is among a group of 15 University of Queensland (UQ) students who, accompanied by three clinical lecturers, will depart on January 5 for a new military clinic at the foot of Phnom Bok Mountain, near Siem Reap in Cambodia’s north-west.

For Elissa, the trip will be her first overseas.

“I think it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ms Jackson said.

“Not everyone gets the chance to go to a developing country and help them in a medical way.”

Ms Jackson, who hopes to work in paediatric or community health, said the placement would help her gain valuable skills.

“It is all the basic skills nursing is about,” she said.

“Generally in the clinic where we will work the equipment will be pretty basic.

“We will be using basic equipment such as thermometer and stethoscopes to diagnose and treat.”

Clinical lecturer Peta Crompton said the students would attend the official opening of the clinic by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen before beginning a four-week community health placement.

“Given the history of the site as a military camp, the students are expecting to treat many returned soldiers, their wives and children as well as local villagers,” she said.

“We envisage the most common health issues will include chronic pain and infections associated with older wounds such as amputations and landmine injuries as well as tropical illnesses.”

In January this year, the first group of UQ nursing students volunteered at the New Hope Cambodia community centre and orphanage in one of Siem Reap’s poorest areas.

Evangelicals offer redemption at Cambodia's girlie bars

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Western men looking for love in Cambodian girlie bars deserve redemption, too, volunteers say.

By Andrew Burmon — Special to Globalpost
Published: December 27, 2010

Women and motorbike taxi drivers wait outside one of Phnom Penh's many hostess bars on Street 136. (Vinh Dao/GlobalPost)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Jesus, who gained notoriety ministering to the poor and wayward in the worst parts of Judea, might feel at home among the brothels and karaoke parlors of Phnom Penh. So say ministry volunteers who have begun reaching out to “wayward” Westerners in the city’s red-light districts.

"[Jesus'] biggest beef was with religious people," said John Yoder, a volunteer with the MST Project, which stands for Men and the Sex Trade. "He never minded people who'd made mistakes."

According to Yoder, the MST Project presents Western men looking for company at hostess bars with the opportunity to avoid falling into the cliched role of aging lecher or sex tourist.

The MST Project was founded several years ago in Bangkok, where a group of preachers took to the city's red-light districts in the hopes of educating male tourists about the dangers faced by working women, and perhaps winning a few converts on the side.

Every other week, Yoder and his team of about 20 volunteers break into three groups. One group sets up a table outside Heart of Darkness, a dance hall popular with prostitutes; another across from Candy Bar, a prominent hostess establishment. The third team stays behind at a church center and prays for the success of the street team and for the men whose names the MST workers text them.

Outside the bars, the MST teams — made up of male and female volunteers — try to engage passing men in conversation. Some of these chats drag on or become confessional while others are extremely short.

"Our ministry is unique because it is not about numbers, but about reaching out to a part of the population that has been rejected by many community organizations," Yoder said.

There are many anti-sex trafficking organizations in Phnom Penh, but few if any reach out to the Western men who are often perceived as fueling the trade in young women. This may not seem like a problem, but Yoder says it shows the persistence of a social stigma.

Experts are quick to point out that the demand driving the most reprehensible sectors of the sex trade in Cambodia is predominantly Asian and domestic patrons, as opposed to Western tourists.

Of the 141 arrests for debauchery and indecent acts made in the last seven years, 26 percent of the suspects were Cambodian and 13 percent were Asian men, according to Joerg Langelotz, project assistant at Action Pour Les Enfants, a nonprofit group that combats the sexual exploitation of children by Westerners. The Christian charity World Vision found in 2001 that nearly 50 percent of foreigners seen taking home young girls in Phnom Penh were of Chinese, Japanese or Korean ethnicity.

The racial profiling of Western men is doing more harm than good, according to Steve Morrish, an Australian detective who runs the anti-trafficking group SISHA.

"I think there are a number of NGOs that see Western men as the main issue, which is tremendously misinformed," Morrish said. "I'd prefer that Khmer women worked at the bars if they have to prostitute themselves because it offers a potentially safer environment. In the worst-case scenario, that is the best case." Most of the brothels catering to pedophiles are far away from the touristy strips, and many of the hostess bars are female-run, he added.

MST targets Western men because its volunteers believe they can make a difference, said Frank, a volunteer who asked that his last name be withheld. "We aim for these [Western] men because they speak English and because we honestly believe we can change their hearts," Frank said. "They may not be the ones getting abused, but they still need love in their lives."

Steve Nyirady, who used to work in the nonprofit sector and now owns a number of Phnom Penh bars and restaurants, said that many people have the wrong idea about how sex work functions in Cambodia. "When I first got here, I was told the girls in the bars were indentured servants, chained to beds," he said. "It's really not like that. ... The work helps them support their families."

According to Nyirady, bar work might not be ideal, but it helps some women — many of whom are divorced or separated and thus perceived as tainted — support themselves and their families.

Heidi Hoefinger, a social researcher who studied Phnom Penh's prostitutes, said that such moralizing does more harm than good. "Moralism is dangerous — particularly when one group or another is pathologized as 'good' or 'bad,'" Hoefinger said.

The alliance of Christian abolitionist groups has created an atmosphere where advocating for sex workers' rights sounds like heresy, according to Hoefinger. "Save us from our saviors" is a common slogan among sex workers, she said.

MST volunteers stress the satisfaction of not only a relationship with Christ, but also long-term partnerships with a significant other. Yoder himself recently married a younger Khmer woman, a fact he jokes about uneasily.

"I think it was an arranged marriage, but not by me," he laughed. "When I arrived in Cambodia my wife was working in the house where I was staying. I guess they'd told her I was coming and she moved in."

Having predictable urges can be embarrassing, which Yoder says might account for the negative reactions MST volunteers sometimes receive on the street: a man insisting on taking the volunteers' photographs, another defiantly laughing at them, his arm around a girl in a tight black dress.

"People assume we are like the street preachers who berate people. But believe me, I used to do it — that isn't us," Yoder said.

The other volunteers follow Yoder's lead and make their appeals to passersby low-key, though Yoder admits that the occasional overzealous newbie may step out of line and threaten damnation.

Surrounded by the flirtatious shouting, giggling and bawdy dancing of the girlie bars, MST volunteers were almost shockingly well-mannered on one recent Friday night. With their uniformly inviting body language, slacks and purposefully casual smiles, the MST volunteers almost seem like the staff of an upmarket retail chain. But they don’t practice the hard sell.

"Excuse me," the volunteers say to the next passerby. "Would you like to take a survey?"

When they approach locals or tourists out on the town for an edgy evening, the volunteers are honest about their purpose, but quick to change the topic. Many of the conversations end up being about mutual longings for home, something easy to share.

One man who spent the better part of two hours talking to the group, seemed to savor the opportunity to talk to a group of young English speakers but declined to delve beyond cocktail chatter.

With a wave and a smile, the MST worker's new friend left them to wonder whether he was heading in sin's direction.

‘Regret’ over forced evictions

Photo by: Pha Lina

A woman pumps water from a well outside makeshift homes on the edge of Boeung Trabek lake Monday. More than 150 families have been evicted due to the construction of a canal at the lake.

via CAAI

Monday, 27 December 2010 20:14 May Titthara

A senior government official on Monday expressed “regret” over the forced eviction and relocation of thousands of Phnom Penh residents in recent years, attributing problems to a lack of awareness in resolving government policy.

Speaking at a workshop in Phnom Penh, Im Chhun Lim, the Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, said that though the removal and relocation of residents’ homes was commonplace in developing countries, it was important that the government takes action based on the proper policies.

He said much confusion stemmed from residents who are living illegally on state land, but who claim ownership and market-price compensation for their properties.

“It is regrettable that [we] were not previously sufficiently aware of how to resolve issues such as the confusion between resettlement based on humanitarian policies and the resettlement based on market price compensation or unreasonably high compensation demands that could not be accommodated,” he said.

Im Chhun Lim added that some relocation cases were complicated by the involvement of politicians, which delayed compensation negotiations or caused standoffs between residents and the authorities. Often, the disputes did not end until the government took “administrative measures”, forcibly removing residents from disputed land.

He stressed that the government wanted to avoid these problems at all costs and would implement a “humanitarian” policy related to urban evictions and relocations.

Rights groups claim that thousands of families have been illegally evicted from valuable land in the centre of Phnom Penh and relocated to sites on the outskirts that often lack all but the most basic amenities.

Sia Phearum, secretariat director of the Housing Rights Task Force, said that from 1990 to 2010, 130,000 Phnom Penh residents – nearly one in 10 of the city’s residents – have been the victims of urban land grabs.

“The evacuation of people from the capital to the suburbs affects their standard of living. This forces them to lock their homes [in the suburbs] and come back to the capital to look for jobs to support themselves,” Sia Phearum said.

Am Sam Ath, technical supervisor of local rights group Licadho, said the evacuation of residents from the city to ill-equipped relocation sites on the outskirts seriously affected such communities.

“The regret [expressed by Im Chhun Lim] is justified, but the victims are citizens. The authorities should have thought about the welfare of people first before simply evacuating them,” he said.

Bangladesh wants rice and land concessions

Photo by: Pha Lina

Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni shakes hands with Cambodia's foreign minister Hor Namhong in Phnom Penh on Monday.

via CAAI

Monday, 27 December 2010 20:07 Cheang Sokha

Bangladesh is seeking to purchase 200,000 tonnes of Cambodia’s rice and has requested economic land concessions, according to Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

After the meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni on Monday, Hor Namhong told reporters the government of Bangladesh saw its food shortage problem as a first priority. Consequently, it has asked to purchase roughly 200,000 tonnes of rice as soon as possible.

In turn, Cambodia requested more investment from Bangladesh to process rice domestically.

“We have a rice surplus although Cambodia does not have the rice mills [to process it] so we want Bangladesh to invest in rice mills. Because we do not have the rice mills our farmers sell their rice to Vietnam and Thailand,” he said.

Thailand and Vietnam are the world’s two largest rice exporters.

Last week the Bangladesh Directorate General of Food released a tender on its website seeking to import 50,000 tonnes of white rice to help its domestic shortage. It gave bidders until January 3 to submit offers.

Hor Namhong said Bangladesh wanted to invest in growing rice in Cambodia for future exports back to Bangladesh, requested long-term land leases for up to 99 years, such as Cambodia had already granted to other countries.

The two countries would work towards an agreement to improve the bilateral trade and investment relationship which was now quite small, he said.

Dipu Moni’s two-day visit, which ends Tuesday, is the first state visit from Bangladesh since 2001.

She has also met Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Minister of Agriculture, Chan Sarun, for further discussions about agricultural projects.

Cambodia’s national rice policy includes an aim to reach 1 million tonnes of milled rice exports by 2015.

Hun Sen said recently that Cambodia’s rice yield this year would be the biggest since the Khmer Rouge regime, with farmers harvesting up to eight million tonnes of rice, of which 3.7 million tonnes has been earmarked as surplus for export.

Countries from the Gulf States such as Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have made similar requests to purchase farmland to grow food for sale in their domestic markets.

Phnom Penh to revamp street signage

Photo by: Sovan Philong

People walk down an unnumbered street behind O’Russei Market in Phnom Penh.

via CAAI

Monday, 27 December 2010 19:59 Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

City officials have announced ambitious plans to reorganise the numbers of the capital’s buildings and install street signs that will be uniform in style across the city.

Nhem Saran, director of the municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, said on Monday that the project would begin in the city centre early next year before being gradually extended to the outskirts of the capital.

The project – which is set to upend Phnom Penh’s anarchic system of street and house numbering – came about as a means of enhancing public order, he said.

“I notice that many houses and even streets still lack signs, which makes it very hard for our officers to implement their daily work,” he said.

“Once all houses, villas, flats and roads in Phnom Penh are adequately labeled, it will make things less complicated for us and our people, and accelerate development and progress in our country.”

He said the Chinese Chung Hong Company had been commissioned to manufacture the aluminum signs, but that businesses and homeowners in the capital would be required to pay US$4 each to cover the costs.

The scheme received a mixed reaction from residents on Monday, with some expressing concern about the fee they would be required to pay.

Sum Chanthol, a 50-year-old resident of Russei Keo district, welcomed the initiative, saying that her house was now unnumbered, making it hard for visitors to find.

She noted, however, that authorities should have consulted with homeowners first if they were to be expected to foot the bill.

“It is very good to make new address labels for houses and roads in our capital city, but I think that this proposed price is very expensive for the people to pay,” she said.

“The authorities should reduce the price and organise a public forum about this with the participation of the affected people before setting the price.”

According to figures provided by City Hall, Phnom Penh is currently home to more than 260,000 families.

Police seek wife accused of acid attack

via CAAI

Monday, 27 December 2010 19:08 Mom Kunthear

Police are seeking the arrest of a woman accused of throwing acid on her husband during a dispute at their home in Kampong Cham province’s Ponhea Krek district on Sunday night.

District police chief Prak Bun Nun said officials learned of the attack after the victim was admitted to the provincial hospital, by which time the suspect had fled with the couple’s two young children.

He said officials intend to pursue a prosecution, despite the victim indicating that he does not want to press charges against his wife.

“She has to face the law even though her husband did not sue her,” Prak Bun Nun said. “She has to be punished through the law.”

Speaking from a ward in the provincial hospital on Monday, Thy Bunthen, 33, said his wife had attacked him because she was angry he had been having an affair.

“I used to love another woman, but it was one month ago and I don’t know why my wife kept her anger until now,” he said.

Thy Bunthen said he did not want to press charges against his wife because he believed he was partially to blame for the attack, and because their children would be left motherless if she was imprisoned.

“It is not her mistake, it is my mistake that caused this problem and she couldn’t control her anger that’s what made her do that to me,” he said.

He said his burns were painful but not serious.

“I got injured from the right side of the neck down to the waist, and the villagers and friends sent me to the hospital to save me,” he said.

Prak Bun Nun said this was the second acid attack case in Ponhea Krek district this year.

Staff at the Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity were unable to provide updated statistics yesterday, but the organisation recorded 18 attacks involving 32 victims – plus four burn victims who were injured in accidents rather than attacks – nationwide in the first nine months of this year. Last year, CASC recorded a total of 28 attacks involving 33 victims.

State to probe Thailand over border shootings

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Monday, 27 December 2010 19:01 Cheang Sokha and James O’Toole

Foreign minister Hor Namhong has announced plans to send a diplomatic note to Thailand inquiring about the shooting of two Cambodian loggers by Thai troops last week.

The men, aged 17 and 37, were shot last week in Thailand’s Sisaket province after crossing the border from Oddar Meanchey province’s Trapaing Prasat district. The incident marks the sixth shooting this year in which Cambodian loggers have been killed by Thai security forces, according to local rights group Adhoc.

“Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send a diplomatic note to Thailand about the violent shootings of loggers crossing into Thailand,” Hor Namhong said on Monday.

“I will use serious words to emphasise that the shooting is a cruel act and is unbecoming of a civilised country.”

Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said, however, that the shooting last week had in fact been initiated by the Cambodian loggers.

“It was a routine patrol, and [Thai forces] came across some people illegally ... logging, and as they approached them to stop them, they were fired upon by their guards, who were armed, so the patrol had fired back in defence,” Thani said Monday.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, dismissed this claim as a “pretext” and an “excuse” that Thailand has used repeatedly following such shootings.

Last week, Hor Namhong met with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya. The two reportedly discussed the shootings of Cambodian loggers, and Hor Namhong said Kasit had agreed that Thai authorities would be more lenient with trespassers.

Thani said the two had agreed to differentiate between subsistence farmers and hunters and those who are caught logging illegally or trafficking in human beings. While those in the former group will not be prosecuted for crossing the border illegally, Cambodia and Thailand will cooperate to combat the latter, Thani said.

Trio faces drug pushing charges

Photo by: Sovan Philong

Sum Sovath, 37, a former Prey Sar prison guard accused of dealing drugs, leaves Phnom Penh Municipal Court following a hearing Monday.

via CAAI

Monday, 27 December 2010 18:27 Chrann Chamroeun

Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday heard the case against three men – including an ex-Prey Sar prison guard – who stand accused of dealing drugs, said presiding judge Ker Sakhorn.

Mak Kongkea, 24, was arrested on July 30 in Daun Penh district’s Boeung Keng Kang III commune as he was handing a man an envelope containing one gram of crystal methamphetamine, he said.

Kongkea then blew the whistle on his accomplice Sum Sovath, 37, a former Prey Sar prison guard, from whose apartment police discovered an additional five grams of the drug hidden under the mattress. Sovath’s roommate, Voa Dara, an 18-year-old Vietnamese, was also arrested and charged.

At Monday’s hearing, the three alleged drug dealers initially pleading not guilty, but changed their plea after Ker Sakhorn requested that they tell the truth. Sum Savuth testified that he had been cheated.

“I didn’t know about the illegal drug deals, Thy gave me an envelope and I was supposed to give it to another man for 150,000 riels,” he told the court. “I was betrayed.”

But Mak Kongkea testified that Savuth had given him the initial envelope.

“Savuth told me to bring the envelope with the ice to Boeung Keng Kang III commune and give it to a man called Thy, who was supposed to pay US$300. But before he paid the money, I was arrested and Thy fled,” he said. He added that he had only dealt drugs twice before his arrest.

Presiding Judge Ker Sakhorn said a verdict would be announced on Wednesday.

New home for Cambodian killer elephant

Sambo, a five-tonne bull elephant

via CAAI

PHNOM PENH — An enraged bull elephant that killed its owner and then went on a 10-day rampage in the Cambodian countryside has been taken in by a wildlife rescue centre.

The bull elephant, named Sambo, terrorised villagers in the southwestern province of Kampong Speu and destroyed their crops before he was subdued by wildlife workers on December 15.

The five-tonne animal was confined to a rice field for over a week while a special cage was built to transport him to the Phnom Tamao rescue centre on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital.

Sambo -- who has displayed violent behaviour in the past and is thought to have killed four people over the years -- arrived at the centre on Saturday evening, a late Christmas present for the animal sanctuary.

"He has been placed in a temporary enclosure for the time being," said communications officer John Maloy from the Wildlife Alliance, adding that Sambo was being kept away from the zoo's five other Asian elephants.

"Sambo is probably too dangerous to mix with them at present," he told AFP.

The Wildlife Alliance believes Sambo is in musth -- a periodic condition in bull elephants that is often accompanied by highly aggressive behaviour.

His handlers hope that eventually Sambo will calm down and find a mate at the rescue centre.

Cambodia is home to about 120 domesticated elephants, according to Jack Highwood who heads the Elephants Livelihood Initiative Environment, a local organisation that assisted in Sambo's transfer.

While there are no official statistics, Highwood estimates that six people have been killed by elephants in Cambodia in the last three years, including Sambo's victims. In all of those cases it was by a male elephant in musth.

The Asian elephant is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

DAP News. Breaking News by Soy Sopheap

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Airline Industry Investment in Cambodia will Expand: Official

Monday, 27 December 2010 13:25 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 27, 2010-Two new airlines, Indochina and Tonle Sap airlines companies will be opened early next year to jump air service industry’s competition in the country, a senior civil aviation official said on Monday.

“The two companies are invested by local businesspeople to serve air services in Cambodia,” Moa Hasvan nal, head of civil aviation authority of Cambodia told reporters at the national assembly after defense of air service agreement with ASEAN.

“They are in process of getting licenses, and build up human resources, and legal process,” He added. We welcome all investors to expand our air services, he said.

South Korea also invested 500 million US dollars with first step to open new airport at Siem reap province.

Bangladesh Plans to Buy and Invest Rice Industry in Cambodia

Monday, 27 December 2010 13:20 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 27, 2010-“Bangladesh plans to buy 200,000 ton of rice product from Cambodia to supply its people and also wants to invest rice crops industry in Cambodia,” Cambodian FM Minister Hor Namhong said on Monday.

The announcement was made after the bilateral meeting between Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Hor Namhong today at the foreign ministry.

Businesspeople and officials from Bangladesh will talk in details about the investment of rice industry with Cambodians, Minister said, adding that Cambodian opens for foreign investment on rice crops with 100 per cent shares and our law allowed them to invest 90-99 years for land contracts.

Moni also met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, PM Hun Sen, and Agriculture minister Chan Sarun in a two day visit in Cambodia to strengthen bilateral cooperation and support each other at the international stages.

Cambodia Sends Diplomatic Note to Thailand over Shooting Innocent People

Monday, 27 December 2010 12:29 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 27, 2010-Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Monday said today his government sent a diplomatic note to Thailand over shooting innocent people and making violence on Cambodians.

“In the note, I used the word “cruel acts” and “not civilized country” because it does not use legal measures to deal cases,” Minister told reporters after the meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister.

The Thai authorities subsequently shot and made violence on Cambodians, who entered Thai soil at the border.

The comment from Cambodian authorities after Thai authorities along the border killed two Cambodians and four other arrested because they entered Thailand illegally.

The shooting and violence occurred after both sides met and promised not to use the armed attack on local people but Thai authorities shot and made violence on innocent Cambodians.

“Local people did not know where the borderline is, “Minister said, adding that some went to harvest forest products and they went deeply in forestry by not knowing the borderline.

Last week, Cambodia arrested three Thais, jailed and then released them all. The Cambodian governmental always appealed to local people to avoid entering neighboring countries illegally.

Overseas Chinese in Cambodia marks 20th anniversary of establishment of Association of Chinese in Cambodia

Monday, 27 December 2010 04:25 Xinhua

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese community in Cambodia on Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Chinese in Cambodia.

The celebration was attended by Pan Guangxue, Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, representatives of Chinese associations from China's Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines as well as about 1,200 Chinese-blood descendants in Cambodia.

Duong Chhiv, the president of the Association of Chinese in Cambodia, said during the celebration that the association represents about 700,000 Chinese-blood descendants living in Cambodia and it sticks to the policy to develop Chinese language and promote Chinese cultures in Cambodia.

"Within 20 years, we have not only promoted Chinese language and cultures well in Cambodia, but we have also contributed a lot to the development of Cambodian economy and actively joined with Cambodian government in humanitarian work," he said.

Pan Guangxue said the Association of Chinese in Cambodia has played an important role in developing Cambodia's economy, society and culture as well as maintaining closer relation and cooperation between China and Cambodia.

"Moreover, the association supports the great cause of national reunification of one China and stands as a bridge to strengthen friendship between Cambodia and China," he said.

The event was also welcomed by the congratulatory messages from Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim, the National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Cambodian Government will not Appoint New Officials in Cabinet

Friday, 24 December 2010 10:59 DAP NEWS / VIBOL

CAMBODIA, PHNOM PENH, Dec 24, 2010-Samdech Hun Sen on Friday said that the government will not appoint any new governmental officials to avoid high expense from national budget.

“We will not appoint news secretary of state, under secretary of state for replacing the free places to avoid the national budget’s expenses,” Samdech said in cabinet meeting.

In total, Cambodia has over 300 governmental officials in cabinet and some ministries have seven of secretaries of state and under -secretary of state respectively with one minister.

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press

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Anti-corruption Institution’s Budget Approved by Cambodian Cabinet Meeting

Phnom Penh, December 27, 2010 AKP -- The Royal Government of Cambodia has approved a separate budget set aside for the anti-corruption institution.

The separate budget of the institution was passed in the cabinet meeting held on Dec. 24 in the presence of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, in which there were a draft sub-decree on organization and the implementation of the anti-corruption unit, a draft sub-decree on the management of budget of the anti-corruption institution and a draft sub-decree on logo and stamp of the institution.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting also approved a draft sub-decree on the formation of the national commission of tourism experts and a draft sub-decree on national metrics center.

The meeting further discussed some issues dealing with the connection of electricity grids from Vietnam to Cambodia. --AKP

By THOU Peou

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

AKP/02

Bangladesh To Buy 200,000 Tones of Cambodian Rice

Phnom Penh, December 27, 2010 AKP -- Bangladesh is willing to buy some 200,000 tonnes of Cambodian rice and the purchase can be done as soon as possible.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H.E. Hor Namhong told reporters upon his meeting here today with visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mrs. Dipu Moni.

“In 2010, we have around 3.8 million tonnes of paddy surplus for export, but we lack rice processing factory. Therefore, I asked the Bangladeshi foreign minister to encourage Bangladeshi investors to invest in this field,” said H.E. Hor Namhong.

As we do not have enough rice processing factories, we have so far authorized our people to sell their paddies to neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, he explained, adding that some of the rice exported from these countries is Cambodian rice.

Besides investment in rice growing in Cambodia, the meeting also touched on cultural exchange agreement and the establishment of a joint commission between the two foreign ministries to strengthen both countries’ cooperation in all domains, H.E. Hor Namhong said.

Bangladesh further wished to sign an agreement to promote mutual investment protection with Cambodia, he added.

Cambodia and Bangladesh have already signed a trade agreement, so the visit of Mrs. Dipu Moni to Cambodia, the first of its kind, is to further boost both countries’ trade, said the Cambodian deputy prime minister.

According to the schedule, during her two-day stay (Dec. 27-28) in Cambodia, Mrs. Dipu Moni will be received in a royal audience by His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. She will also pay a courtesy call on Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and meet with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries H.E. Chan Sarun.

Besides, Mrs. Dipu Moni will visit Angkor temples in Siem Reap province.

In 2001, Bangladesh prime minister also paid an official visit to Cambodia. --AKP

Article in Khmer by CHIM Nary

Article in English by SOKMOM Nimul

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AKP/03

Cambodia, Vietnam Want Border with Peace and Development

Phnom Penh, December 27, 2010 AKP -- The National Assembly and the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam have promoted the cooperation in all fields between the two countries – Vietnam and Cambodia, so as to improve the living condition of both countries’ peoples who live at the border.

The comment was made by H.E. Pham Minh Tuyen, head of the committee for deputies’ affairs of Vietnamese Assembly who led a delegation of the Vietnam-Cambodia friendship parliamentarians group to pay an official visit to Cambodia, during his meeting with Acting National Assembly President H.E. Nguon Nhel in Phnom Penh last Thursday.

When visited the villagers living along the border, they expressed their desires to have the border marker planting completed as soon as possible, said H.E. Pham Minh Tuyen.

In reply, H.E. Nguon Nhel said the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia has given the approval to the royal government to set up Cambodia-Laos, Cambodia-Vietnam and Cambodia-Thailand border commissions and the planting of the border markers on the border with Vietnam and Laos is expected to finish in the near future.

He stressed that Cambodia also wanted to have a border with development, peace and safety to create a favorable condition for those living at the border.

On the same day, H.E. Pham Minh Tuyen was also received by Cambodian Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Mrs. Men Sam An.

The Vietnamese delegation arrived in Cambodia on Dec. 22 for a six-day visit. In Phnom Penh, it has visited the National Museum, the Royal Palace and the Cheung Ek Killing field. The delegation has also left for Siem Reap province where it visited Bayon Temple and Ta Prom Temple before returning home on Dec. 27.

Also on Dec. 23, Acting National Assembly President H.E. Nguon Nhel met with H.E. Jittipot Viriyaroj, senator and head of Thailand-Cambodia friendship parliamentarians group.

During the meeting, he made a request and an appeal to the Thai National Assembly to endorse minutes on the border demarcation between the two countries – Cambodia and Thailand in order to reach a joint border of friendship and peace.

In reply, H.E. Jittipot Viriyaroj said the Senate and the National Assembly of Thailand will try their best in helping the two countries solving the border dispute.

He further told H.E. Nguon Nhel of his visit, the purpose of which he said, is to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries for the two peoples’ interest.

During his visit in Cambodia on Dec. 23-25, the Thai delegation led by H.E. Jittipot Viriyaroj was also received by Cambodian Senate Second Vice President H.E. Tep Ngorn, NA Chairman of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Propaganda and Information Commission H.E. Chheang Vun, Chairwoman of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Propaganda and Information Commission of the Senate H.E. Ty Borasy, and Senior Minister and Commerce Minister H.E. Cham Prasidh. --AKP

By Noeu

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

AKP/04

Cambodian Official Gets PhD from AIT in Bangkok

Phnom Penh, December 27, 2010 AKP -- Dok Doma, a Cambodian official from the Ministry of Rural Development got a doctor degree in Costal Fishery Conservation from Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok.

Dr. Dok Doma, currently deputy director of the Department of Rural Water Supply of the said ministry, is one of the 31 successful PhD candidates from 22 countries around the world.

Dr. Dok Doma, 41, has received various educational qualifications since he graduated on irrigation engineering from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia and followed by a master degree in water and land conservation from Indonesia. --AKP

By KHAN Sophirom

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AKP/05

More and More Cambodian Students Are Interested on Media Study

Phnom Penh, December 27, 2010 AKP -- More and more Cambodian students are now interested in media study, Mr. Tieng Sopheak Vichea, acting director of Department of Media Center (DMC) of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, told AKP last week.

DMC receive around 30 students annually, but the number is expected to increase in response to the rising number of students who want to study the media subject, especially photography, he said.

Recently, DMC’s students had attended a video films for television contest in Thailand and won the third place.

In another separate event, Mr. Chan So, a photographer and bureau chief of Kampuchea Magazine Department of the Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP), won the second place in the Competition of Photos, Documentary Film and Reportage Festival on ASEAN Countries and People in late October 2010 in Vietnam. --AKP

By Théng

Cambodia: New penal code undercuts free speech

via CAAI

Dec 27th, 2010

By Bikya Masr Staff 

NEW YORK: The Cambodian government’s use of its new penal code against a man who shared web articles with his co-workers is a huge step backward for free expression in Cambodia, Human Rights Watch said last week.

The man was quickly convicted on incitement charges and sentenced to prison.

Human Rights Watch called on the Cambodian government to amend the penal code, which went into effect on December 10, 2010, to remove provisions that limit the peaceful expression of political views so that the law fully complies with international standards.

“Charging someone with incitement for sharing web articles is a profound setback for free expression in Cambodia,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Cambodia’s new penal code should have put an end to abusive practices, not encouraged new ones.”

On December 17, Seng Kunnaka, a Cambodian employee with the United Nations World Food Program in Phnom Penh, was arrested on charges of incitement under article 495 of the new penal code after he shared an article with two co-workers. While the contents of the article are unclear, it was printed from KI-Media, a website that publishes news, commentaries, poetry, and cartoons that are sharply critical of the government, including a recent series of opinion pieces lambasting senior officials regarding a border dispute with Vietnam.

On December 19, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court hastily tried and convicted Kunnaka, sentencing him to six months in prison and fining him 1 million riels (US$250). December 19 was a Sunday, when the courts are normally closed.

During the last two years, more than 10 critics of the government, including journalists and opposition party activists, have been prosecuted for criminal defamation and disinformation based on complaints by government and military officials under the former penal code.

The new penal code places greater restrictions on free expression, Human Rights Watch said. Responding to media inquiries about the case, Cambodia’s information minister, Khieu Kanharith, said: “Before, using the argument of ‘freedom of expression’ and opposition party status, some people could insult anybody or any institution. This is not the case now.”

“A dubious arrest so soon after the new penal code came into effect shows that the Cambodian government is ready to use its new legal powers to criminalize peaceful expression and political dissent,” Robertson said. “And Cambodia’s pliant courts seem all too willing to throw any perceived government critic in prison after a rushed trial.”

Under the new penal code, incitement is vaguely defined in article 495 as directly provoking the commission of a crime or an act that creates “serious turmoil in society” through public speech, writings or drawings, or audio-visual telecommunication that are shared with, exposed to, or intended for the public. It does not require the alleged incitement to be effective for penalties to be imposed, which include prison terms of six months to five years and fines.

The new penal code also allows criminal prosecutions for defamation and contempt for peaceful expression of views “affecting the dignity” of individuals and public officials, as well as of government institutions. It makes it a crime to “disturb public order” by questioning court decisions.

“The new penal code makes it more risky for civil society activists to criticize corrupt officials, police, and military officers who commit abuses or question court decisions,” Robertson said. “This is particularly troubling in Cambodia, where the judicial system is weak and far from independent, with court decisions often influenced by corruption or political pressure.”

KI-Media is a controversial website that describes itself as “dedicated to publishing sensitive information about Cambodia.” The website’s editors, who have never publicly identified themselves, compile information from a variety of sources, including leaked and public government documents, Cambodian-language newspaper articles, and Chinese, Cambodian, and Western wire service reports. It also posts hard-hitting commentaries, blog articles, cartoons, and poetry from its readers – most of whom are sharply critical of the government.

Cambodia's legislature passes ASEAN transport service agreements

via CAAI

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 27, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- The Cambodian National Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted the draft law of the ASEAN multilateral agreement on the full liberalization of air freight services and the ASEAN multilateral agreement on the full liberalization of passenger air services.

Nin Saphon, chairwoman of the commission on public works and construction of the National Assembly, said during the debate that the two agreements were to create air freight and passenger services freely, transparently and competitively with high effectiveness among ASEAN countries.

"The agreements will accelerate open sky arrangements and advance liberalization in air transport services, especially air freight services and air passenger services," she said.

"The two agreements will help Cambodia to attract more tourists and investment through air transport services from countries in the region and in the world," she said. "It will also build more confidence from foreign airline companies, especially airlines in ASEAN."

Mao Havanal, secretary of state of the secretariat of civil aviation, said during the debate that the agreements were committed to deepen and broaden the internal economic integration and linkages with the world economy to realize an ASEAN Economic Community.

"The agreements are to remove restrictions, on a gradual basis, so as to achieve greater flexibility and capacity in the operation of air freight services and air passenger services in ASEAN with a view to building a single unified aviation market of ASEAN by 2015, " he said.

The two agreements were signed on May 20, 2009 in Manila, the Philippines by the heads of the civil aviation of the 10 ASEAN countries.

ASEAN countries consist of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Source: Quotemedia)

Child Sponsorship Report 2010, from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

via CAAI

Dec 27, 2010

Dear sponsor,

It is my pleasure to write to you and tell you more about the life at the SOS Children’s Village Phnom Penh. We hope you enjoy reading and knowing more about the families and their lives at the village.

Up to date we have provided a family to 181 children who 1 of them have been embraced this year. She has been provided with all necessary needs so she always feel belong to her family. She can later overcome the trauma of losing her environment, friends and family from where she comes. She has found in the SOS Children’s Village Phnom Penh a loving home. The youngest child is under 3 years old and the oldest child is 21 years old. We have been organising Khmer Traditional Dancing every Sunday morning, football training every Thursday & Saturday, Karate-do every Saturday evening & Sunday morning. We organize English class in village for elementary level everyday. Simultaneously they also study out side the village for the beginner & Newspaper class everyday. They all enjoy studying all this Programme. On March 13, 2010 SOS girl team joined football match at Old Stadium. This match was for the friendship and was organized by Indochina Start Fish, supported by Barclay Capital Bank.

SOS Nursery provides education to our children and the children from the neighbourhood. The SOS Nursery is in the village and you can hear children laughing in every group. This is a place which is never quiet! Up to 125 children between the ages 3-6 attend SOS Nursery. The availability of suitable classrooms, game and toys ensures that the children are given the optimum conditions for developing their social, intellectual and creative skills and they are prepared for the primary school.

Presently, three Youth Houses are functioning in Phnom Penh. 21 youngsters are living in I youth house, 24 youngsters in II youth house and 21 youngsters in III youth house. Some of them have already started vocational training course, attended University and some get higher education.

Simultaneously there are 2 youths have found a part-time job. They want to get experience during studying.

The mothers and Aunts from the SOS Children’s Village are regularly receiving literacy training Programmeme in order to help reinforce their level of understanding, improving their work and responsibilities and allowing them to better support their children’s care and education. They also received training on the SOS Village manual and Child Protection Policy for better understanding.

In order to make children more interested in their life, we always promote their developments, activities and events which organized within and outside the village.

On the 1st June, International Children’s Day a joint entertaining activity was arranged at SOS Nursery in village. All mothers, children and co-workers participated in the event. All the children get up early to made up and dress up neatly. All children enjoyed playing with many game such as banana eating competition, pair running competition and dancing game competition. There were many question relating to the rights of the children are prepared for children. They can answer all the questions. They also received the gifts from the committee. They all were joyful and know well about the International Children’s Day.

During the Vacation, youth leader and youths went away on a trip to Kampong Som Province. They took between 3 and 4 hours to reach Kampng Som Province. There are several popular beaches in the provincial Centre of the Kompong Som Province such as Victorial, Independence, Sokha, O Chheu Teal, and O Tres. They have visited all that beaches. They were happy to see the clean white sandy beach, the crystal clear ocean and palm trees. After they finished lunch they took a rest for one hour. Then they swimmed togther. They enjoyed it very much and had a wonderful time!

Your kind help enables us to do work. Therefore on behalf of all us I would like to thank you and convey our gratitude and appreciation.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Meas Mala

Senior Co-worker Sponsorship

TCT Cyclists Training Near Thailand-Cambodia Border

via CAAI

KUALA TERENGGANU, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- Terengganu Pro-Asia Cycling Team (TCT)is training in Chanrai near the Thailand-Cambodia border in preparation for Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) next month.

"The three import cyclists who had been training in Chanrai since Dec 19 will be joined by nine Terengganu cyclists starting Dec 30," said assistant coach Syed Husaini Syed Mazlan.

The three import cyclists in third phase training are Shinichi Fukushima who also acts as coach and Motoi Nara of Japan and Phuchong Udomsin of Thailand.

The Terengganu cyclists are Anuar Manan, Mohd Harrif Salleh, Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin, Yusrizal Usoff, Mohammad Saufi Mat Senan, Mohamad Faiz Sharifuddin Abd Kadir, Mohd Shobry Abdullah, Mohd Nor Umardi Rosdi and Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki.

Husaini said the fourth and final phase would be from Jan 23-Feb 1 before wrapping up training here.

Focus would be on pedalling, mental strength and teamwork to make TCT all fired up for the pretigious championship.

The cyclists were also involved in the National Grand Prix Final in Jasin, Melaka yesterday, the second phase of training.

"I am satisfied with the riders who showed good team spirit," he added.

Cambodia's success in tackling HIV/AIDS threatened

http://www.brecorder.com/

via CAAI

PHNOM PENH (December 27, 2010) : Cambodia's widely hailed efforts in tackling HIV/AIDS are under threat with foreign donors likely to cut funding over the next two decades, a study said on December 22. "The success that Cambodia has had with its AIDS programme is at risk because of the possibility that external partners will withdraw financial support too quickly," said Richard Skolnik of the Results for Development Institute (R4D).

The Cambodian government will have to spend more of its own money in the fight against the virus, study co-ordinator Skolnik added.

New HIV infections have dropped from around 15,500 annually in the early 1990s to about 2,100 in 2009. And around 93 percent of 33,500 AIDS patients who are eligible are receiving anti-retroviral treatment.

External partners fund 90 percent of the country's AIDS programme, which currently costs just over 50 million dollars a year.

But as a result of the global financial crisis and a shift in donor priorities, those funds are likely to shrink in the coming years and Cambodia "will need to significantly increase its own allocation", the report states.

The study, "The Long-Run Costs and Financing of HIV/AIDS in Cambodia", was compiled by a team of government officials with assistance from UNAIDS and US-based R4D, which specialises in health policy analysis.

The authors compared several financing scenarios from now until 2031, four decades after HIV/AIDS was first detected in Cambodia.

Each option has a different price tag and a different rate of success in preventing new infections, and all assume the government and external donors will eventually split the costs evenly.

Luxury market the key for cambodia

via CAAI

Published: 27/12/2010

Didier Lamoot is the general manager of the new $50 million, 201-room five-star Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel. He has opened hotels across the world, in markets as diverse as Mauritius and Tunisia. Ahead of Sofitel's soft launch this past weekend, he talked to Soeun Say of the Phnom Penh Post about Cambodia's potential.

Q: What do you think about Cambodia's hotel industry and what is your general perception of the Kingdom?

A: In 2004 to 2005, a lot of people were asking, "Why build a luxury hotel in Phnom Penh?" All upscale hotels were losing money by that time, as occupancy and room rates were really below average.

But by 2007 to 2008, all professionals from our sector were pushing us to open, as they needed more luxury rooms. Times are changing fast and Phnom Penh is following the trend, maybe more than anywhere else in the main Southeast Asian capitals.

What potential did hotel investors see in Phnom Penh?

Confidence in the future - Phnom Penh is on the map to attract more businessmen, investors, and tourists. It is the domestic hub of Cambodia.

As a newcomer in the capital, what is your strategy to gain market share?

Since 2009, we have noticed a change in the way people were using hospitality. The habits and expectations of the different type of clients are not so framed anymore.

A businessman will need all the corporate and exclusive services, especially high and efficient [internet] connectivity, but also all resort facilities in one - colonial style with high technology combined together.

Also, the hotel must have space. Our location by the river, in a beautiful park, makes our hotel very attractive.

What do you think about Cambodia's hotel services compared to other countries in the region, such as Vietnam, Thailand or Laos?

I'm used to saying that the first wonder of Cambodia is the Khmer culture. The people are very service oriented. In 2007, the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra [in Siem Reap] was awarded 100% for service among a list of the 500 best hotels over the world. Only 10 hotels worldwide were ranked 100%. Cambodia can be proud of this achievement, due to the kindness and professionalism of its people.

Do you see any effort by the government to improve hotel services to meet international standards?

The Ministry of Tourism under the leadership of Dr Thong Khon is very active in helping and structuring our sector of activity. The private sector works very well with the public sector to achieve the classification of the hotels and restaurants, strategy, marketing, communication.

The concept of a clean city, clean hotels and good service raises the quality level to international standards for all.

In the first six months of 2010 just 37 hotels in the Kingdom's had registered for a star rating following a 2004 sub-decree. What do you think of this, in comparison to the region?

Our industry has started to be structured in the right way under the Minister of Tourism orientation. This takes time. Even if we are a little bit behind, we [will] go very fast. Very soon we will be at the same level, even above that of the other countries in Asean.

Can you compare the hotel market in Cambodia to Thailand and Vietnam?

Khmer culture makes the difference from a service prospective. In addition, our neighbours are more targeting mass tourism and we cannot compete with this strategy. Cambodia is a luxury destination. We must target this segment as a priority.

The people, the history, the archaeology, the seaside and the quality of natural agriculture - like rice from Battambang, pepper from Kampot, the sugar palm, the freshness of the fish from the Tonle Sap - the biodiversity, not having polluting industries, is what people is expecting.

We have all [these things] in one and we must communicate that. The upgrade of the infrastructure will contribute to attracting travellers.

How did the economic crisis affect the sector and what are its future challenges?

We had the economic and a political crisis at Preah Vihear at the same time the average spend per visitor decreased a lot. Also, the market changed in 2008 to 2009.

Many professionals could resist [booking] thanks to their ability to use better distribution channels, mainly through internet. But the appropriate answer was to maintain quality and consistency of products and services.

The most important [challenge] is to develop to coast to become a full destination.

We need our tourists to book one week at the beach and to do an extension to Siem Reap all year long. Air France will fly starting in March to Phnom Penh - this is fantastic news for the future. We need to have domestic flights with proper services, schedules and destinations, especially to Sihanoukville. That is the priority.

Chinese ambassador hails UCB

UCB Chief Executive Oknha Yum Sui Sang holds one side of the framed certificate authorising the new UCB branch as National Bank of Cambodia Deputy Governor Neav Chanthana holds the other. Next to her is China’s Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guang Xue and to Yum’s right is Juliana Lam, shareholder’s representative for the Union Commercial Bank. Photo by Stuart Alan Becker.

via CAAI

Friday, 26 November 2010 15:02 Post Staff

CHINA’S ambassador to Cambodia showed up at the grand opening of the Olympic Market branch of the Union Commercial Bank on November 17, lending some weight to UCB’s expansion plans and underscoring the bank’s close relationship with China.

Ambassador Pan Guang Xue made the first cut on the ribbon, followed by Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia Neav Chanthana as UCB’s Chief Executive Officer Oknha Yum Sui Sang also welcomed Jin Yuan, the economic and commercial counselor from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and at least 50 other dignitaries at the opening.

Yum said UCB had embarked on a programme of expanding physical presence in Phnom Penh at strategic locations “where there is real and urgent need for closer and better procession of services to our customers”.

Yum also serves as Chairman of The China Hong Kong & Macau Expatriate & Business Association in Cambodia, an association that was founded by businessmen from Hong Kong and Macau to expand their businesses – many of them garment factory owners.

At the recent opening ceremony, Yum said he hoped UCB’s Olympic branch would be the first of many such branches to open in Phnom Penh in the coming years.

“As the bank broadens its outreach to its existing and new customers and brings our brand of service to the citizens of Phnom Penh, we will continue to stress our commitment to customers and their needs,” he said.

Yum took pride in UCB’s actions during the July 1997 period of civil strife and military action – when they took the decision to keep regular banking services open even as tanks rolled around the streets.

“We will strive to continue our tradition of being always available to service the customer, just like we did during the stormy and eventful days in July 1997 when we continued to allow normal banking services including unlimited cash withdrawals because we strongly believe the needs of the customers is greater than our need for caution,” Yum said.

“Today we strongly believe this policy of fulfilling the customers’ needs first has received wide support from our customers and we hope to bring this brand of service and our commitment to a wider audience.”

Yum said UCB had recognised the changing face of Phnom Penh and its ever growing population.

“Phnom Penh is growing fast in business and commerce, and this will increase the wealth of the people,” Yum said.

The Union Commercial Bank has branches in Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville with a head office in Phnom Penh as well as the new Olympic Market branch.

UCB specialises in personal banking services including credit cards, loans and trade finance and always puts the customer first.