Postgrads with designs on future

Photo by: Pha Lina

Construction problems could be minimised with more consultation with local people, discovered engineering graduate Oung Ponnaka while studying for a master’s degree in Australia.

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Wednesday, 27 April 2011 15:00 Roth Meas

Meet the new breed of educated Cambodians dedicated to rebuilding the Kingdom and improving the lives of its people – postgraduates who have returned from their studies in Australia.

Scholarships from the Australian government have enabled about 440 Cambodians to undertake further university study in Australia over the past few years, according to Ambassador Penny Richards.

Health, rural and international development, HIV and AIDS, social services, environment, finance, management and education are the sectors which will benefit from the scholarship programme.

Recent postgraduates agreed that their new skills would help redevelop Cambodia across all sections of society, at a gathering to honour their achievements at the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh.

Twenty-five returnees met with embassy officials at the event.

Typical of the new breed is Oung Ponnaka, 40, who is the technical chief of the Department of Rural Development in southeast Svay Rieng province.

He sees fundamental challenges ahead in development, particularly in building roads, bridges, irrigation projects and other infrastructure in the provinces.

An engineer who gained his bachelor’s degree at the Institute of Technology in Cambodia, Oung Ponnaka studied for a master’s degree in technology at Swinburne University in Australia.

Construction projects here often run into opposition from local people, he finds, because many engineers design projects without consulting the intended users, he says.

“Because the people are the [intended] users of our construction projects, we have to design them to fit their needs. Many Cambodian engineers think of themselves as technicians, so they feel they should decide priorities. But we should listen to the people too,” says Oung Ponnaka.

Photo by: Roth Meas

Postgraduate So Thea, second from left, was among previous graduates from Australia to meet Ambassador Penny Richards in Phnom Penh.

Part of the problem, he feels, is that the Cambodian education system is not based on group discussions, so graduates are not used to consulting other people on their projects.

“But in Australia, students learn to work in groups and discuss the consequences of construction, so engineers have the chance to integrate their ideas together,” he explains. Allowing local people to have their say on projects that affect them could cut protests and allow effective solutions, he feels.

Cambodia’s forestry industry and its treasure trove of hardwoods inspired So Thea, 42, to complete his PhD in biological science at Murdoch University.

His four years of study focused on forestry and the problems of illegal logging in Cambodia, while he searched for ways of making timber plantations sustainable.

His mission is to conserve Cambodia’s forests for the next generation, especially by studying ways to replant valuable native hardwoods such as kronhoung, beng, socrom and kokoh.

“These valuable timbers are vulnerable to illegal logging, [and] take up to 50 years to grow to maturity,” he says. As vice chief of the Forest Research Institute in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, his task is to increase replanting schemes in order to conserve the timber.

A tree with a trunk thicker than one metre could be at least 250 years old, he explains. “To lose a tree like that is a big [loss]. It’s [encouraging] that the Cambodian government is interested in forestry.”

As part of his research, So Thea visited Western Australia and Thailand to study forestry techniques.

Ambassador Penny Richards says the scholarships were provided to give Cambodians the skills and knowledge to contribute to the long-term development of Cambodia.

She told the postgraduates: “Now that you have returned to Cambodia, we look forward to seeing the contribution you will make in your various ministries. Australia is committed to promoting higher education as a means of improving the economic and social development of Cambodia.”

Most students returned to their successful careers in government, private sector and non-profit organisations, she said.

This year, Australia will award up to 50 scholarships to Cambodian students undertaking master’s degrees.

Further information about scholarships is available at www.australiaawards.gov.au.

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13 Thai community radio stations ordered closed, 3 media workers arrested, for airing lese majeste speech

Wednesday, 27 April 2011 09:23 DAP-NEWS/By colleagues

Government authorities raided 13 radio stations in Bangkok and nearby provinces, shutting down 12 of them, for allegedly airing a speech by an opposition leader that was considered defamatory to the royal family, media reports said April 27.

The "Bangkok Post" said officers from the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Crime Suppression Division, along with local police, brought court warrants to the community radio stations and confiscated their equipment. Three radio station personnel were arrested.

The "Bangkok Post" quoted Royal Thai Police spokesman Major General Prawuth Thawornsiri as saying that the raid was carried out upon the orders of ISOC after the stations were accused of airing a speech made by Puea Thai Party Member of Parliament Jatuporn Prompan on 10 April 2011 which was deemed defamatory to the monarch. Jatuporn is now facing lese majeste charges.

Seven of the stations were operating in Bangkok.

"The Nation" said that four of the 13 stations were run by the Red Shirts. Two of these were identified as 105.40 MHz channel and the 96.35 MHz "Red Skills" station, both in Pathum Thani, a province adjacent to Bangkok. A disc jockey from the former and the head of the latter were arrested, but both have posted bail of THB75,000 (USD2,500) each.

The third media personnel who was arrested was identified as Lek Suphan, who is program host of the 105.75 MHz "Ruam Jai Thai" channel. He was arrested from the station’s studio in Lat Phrao, Bangkok.

According to "The Nation", some 300 Red Shirt protesters barred policemen from entering the compound of FM 89.85 Kon Thai Huajai Diew Kan station in Bangkok's Sai Mai district.

At the height of the political crisis last April, the government declared a state of emergency on 7 April, which was followed by the shutting down of satellite-broadcast television stations and numerous community radio stations, most of which are run by the Red Shirts.

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Superpower should turn satellites to monitor border fighting, PM Hun Sen

Wednesday, 27 April 2011 07:15 DAP-NEWS/By Vibol

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday said that the superpower should turn their satellites to monitor the border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand, and they could observe troops who started to open the fighting firstly.

Thailand has accused Cambodia of fighting first. I want the public to know that Cambodian troop have not invaded neighboring countries. Thai troops invaded Cambodia under Bangkok leadership to seek support from yellow shirt group, Samdech Hun Sen said in the congress of the women association of peace and development in Phnom Penh. “That is a cruel act and has behavior of terrorist, he stresses. Not all Thais are bad, he said, adding that we have shortened the border issues.

“The world superpower like China, US, India, and Russia should use their satellites to observe the border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand. They will know who has started to fight first,” he stresses. We are small country; we could not fight against big one like Thailand. The world can judge,” he said, adding he supported the new analysis in herald tribune about the fighting. Border fighting left dozen of soldiers from both side dead and nearly 20 injured after 6th day of fighting.

Samdech stresses he planned to raise border issues at ASEAN summit in Indonesia if Indonesia who gets the mandate from UN Security Council could not deploy their observers at the border areas. Indonesia could send their observers to Cambodia first, we already prepared for them. Feb 22, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to accept the Indonesia observers, but so far, Indonesia could not do it because Thai troops have opposed that measure.

He added: Thai troops used heavy weapon during the fighting and it forced hundreds of local families to flee home for safety. He also urged local authorities to take care of refugees to avoid communicable disease. He said, “Electricity supply from Thai side has cut off due to fighting,”

Samdech noted we welcome border negotiation between Cambodian and Thai PMs but it could do at upcoming Asean summit if Indonesia could not send observers. Cambodia respected the role of ASEAN for the border deal, he explained. “Thailand needs to follow the term of reference, he said, adding that we already kept maximum restrain as our friendly countries asked but Thai troops always invaded our territory like Tamoan and Ta Krapey temples. The temple of Preah Vihear, Thai troops invaded Cambodia on July 15, 2008 using own map after Cambodia enlisted the temple with world heritage site.

AKP - The Agence Kampuchea Press

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National Defense Ministry’s Statement over Situation at the Frontline

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – The Spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense issued this morning a statement to update on the situation at the frontline.

The following is the full statement:  

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Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute: Cambodia Reacts Against Thai Cabinet’s Resolution

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has in a statement reacted against Thai cabinet’s resolution, considering it as tantamount to a declaration of war against Cambodia.

The full statement dated Wednesday reads as follows:

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Cambodian Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Note to Thai Embassy

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has sent a diplomatic note to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh regarding further violation of Cambodian territorial integrity by Thai armed forces on Apr. 25-26.

The following is the full diplomatic note dated Apr. 26:

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Statement of the Spokesman of the Office of the Council of Ministers over Thai Aggression

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – The following is the statement of the Spokesman of Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Office of the Council of Ministers dated Tuesday:

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RCAF Support U.S. Secretary of State’s Press Statement

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – The following is the statement of the Spokesman of Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense dated Apr. 26:

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Cambodia, Thailand To Meet in Phnom Penh for Ceasefire Talks

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense H.E. Tea Banh has accepted his Thai counterpart’s proposal to discuss the ceasefire between the two countries in Phnom Penh, according to a statement of Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense.

The full statement dated Apr. 26 reads as follows:

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RCAF Is Not Trained to Invade Other Countries

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – “The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) is not indoctrinated, trained and equipped to invade neighboring countries and has no history of doing so,” stressed the Ministry of National Defense in a statement on Monday.

The full statement reads as follows:

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Information Minister: Human Trafficking Is a Serious Human Rights Violation

Phnom Penh, April 27, 2011 AKP – The Royal Government of Cambodia has regarded human trafficking as a serious form of human rights violation, Minister of Information H.E. Khieu Kanharith told a workshop to raise media’s awareness about human trafficking held here yesterday at Sunway Hotel.

The Cambodian information minister also expressed the royal government’s strong determination to combat human trafficking, stressing that laws on combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation have been set up and many mechanisms have been established at national and sub-national levels.

It is a modern slavery that the world has been facing, said H.E. Khieu Kanharith.

The increasing demand of labor force and the increasing revenue people can have in fast developing countries as well as local development gap between rural and urban areas are the main encouraging factors for risky migration and vulnerable human trafficking and exploitation, he added. –AKP

By KHAN Sophirom

No Justice in the Killing Fields

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By JAMES A. GOLDSTON

Published: April 26, 2011

NEW YORK — More than 30 years after the murderous Khmer Rouge were driven from power in Cambodia, the U.N.-backed effort to bring justice to the victims of the killing fields stands on the brink of ignominious failure due to political interference from the Cambodian government and the indifference of the international community.

A hybrid court, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, has spent over $200 million since it was set up in 2003 with both international and local judges and prosecutors. It has tried only one person: Kang Kech Eav, or Duch, the head of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison complex, who is appealing his conviction for crimes against humanity, murder and torture.

Now Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken an axe to further proceedings. In power for over 25 years, Hun Sen has repeatedly and publicly declared that the court should try only one more case (case “002” in court parlance), against four detained senior ex-Khmer Rouge leaders, all of whom are in their late 70s or 80s.

As for five additional unnamed suspects, whom the court’s pre-trial chamber approved for investigation, Hun Sen bluntly informed U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon late last year that they would not be “allowed” to go forward.

The reason offered is the supposed threat any additional trial would pose to peace in Cambodia. Others suspect that the prime minister is simply enforcing a pact he long ago cut within his ruling Cambodian People’s Party that none of its ex-Khmer Rouge members would ever be tried or otherwise exposed for crimes they committed, no matter how serious.

Other actors have their own reasons for acquiescing in this. Donors want to save money and are anxious for the court to wind up operations.

Having invested more than a decade in negotiations to launch the court and keep it alive, the United Nations finds it hard to walk away now. It is institutionally committed to the court, even though in 2002, then-secretary general Kofi Annan recommended against U.N. involvement in a tribunal which he rightly believed lacked adequate protections against precisely the kind of political interference that is blocking the additional cases.

Mr. Annan was compelled by pressure from the United States, Australia, France and Japan to accept the present flawed structure (the International Criminal Court is limited to prosecuting crimes that were committed after it was established in 2002).

Court officials are thus caught in a trap. The fearful Cambodian staff must respond to political pressures. Even international staffers feel constrained to focus their efforts on making the most of case 002, given the unlikelihood of any further trials.

As a result, the right course of action — allowing all cases currently before the judges to proceed through to completion — now seems unattainable. Advocates of impartial justice are faced, as they have been throughout the morally tainted history of this tribunal, with a choice of lesser evils.

One option under discussion would involve deception. According to various sources, court officials might “gracefully” dispose of the additional five suspects, for example, by presumptively finding that none of them are among those “most responsible” for Khmer Rouge crimes, as the governing statute requires. Such a move would implicate the court in a political decision to halt proceedings.

Unfortunately, this is where things seem to be headed. By their own awkward admission, the Cambodian and international judges responsible for investigating the additional cases have restricted their staff to desk review; no field investigation is underway. This month the deputy national co-prosecutor reaffirmed there would be no further prosecutions. The fix, it seems, is in.

A preferable, if still distasteful, alternative, would be to honestly horse-trade abandonment of the additional cases in exchange for a guarantee of total government cooperation, and full donor resources, for case 002.

The United Nations and the Cambodian authorities should openly declare that the hybrid court will cease operations after conclusion of case 002 due to government objections and the lack of continued funding. As part of the squalid bargain, the government should publicly commit itself to lifting its illegal veto of the pending witness summonses and comply swiftly with any other court order or request.

Even with these conditions fulfilled, victims of the Khmer Rouge will be cheated of the more comprehensive accountability further trials would have produced. And every Cambodian will know that all the will the international community could muster was not sufficient to create a truly independent court. It’s time for the U.N. to end the charade.

James A. Goldston is the executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative. In 2007–2008 he was coordinator of prosecutions at the International Criminal Court.

Marty: The sooner Abhisit, Hun Sen meet, the better

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By The Nation

Jakarta
Published on April 27, 2011

Indonesian foreign minister tells The Nation Editor-in-Chief Suthichai Yoon about the urgent need to get both sides to calm down and start discussing a ceasefire

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told The Nation yesterday that "the sooner, the better" if Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen met and put an end to the ongoing military confrontation on the border.

He said it would be far too late if both sides waited until the next Asean Summit is held. The grouping is scheduled to meet in Jakarta on May 7-8. "I don't want to wait that long," he said.

Abhisit said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan would meet his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh in Phnom Penh today to discuss a possible ceasefire, but he was non-committal about the outcome. "It depends on Cambodia, which triggered the conflict. If they did nothing, there would be no problem," he said.

Also, Tea Banh yesterday even-ing called Kom Chad Luek, The Nation's sister newspaper, to express his willingness to end the fighting with Thailand.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is due to arrive in the Indonesian capital tomorrow for talks with Natalegawa.

Indonesia is the current chair of Asean.

"Cambodia's Deputy Premier Hor Nam Hong is travelling. I understand he is in Paris. I am trying to schedule a meeting with him as well," Natalegawa said.

He added that he was "keen" to talk to Kasit and Hor Nam Hong and get a ceasefire re-established so that observer teams could be deployed along the Thai-Cambodian border. This would also encourage the resumption of diplomatic negotiations.

The Indonesian foreign minister said he was planning to visit Phnom Penh and Bangkok yesterday after shooting erupted on the border again for a third day. "But I changed my mind after finding the timing not propitious," he said.

When asked what he would do now that the two nations had broken the ceasefire pact, he said, his mission is to be on the "relentless pursuit of a diplomatic solution".

"As I have said on several occasions, we must be aggressive in pursuing peace, notwithstanding the present difficulties. The only viable solution is a solution through peaceful means despite the fact that we have had very difficult four or five days of military incidents. We hope the two sides can be encouraged to return to the negotiations table," Natalegawa said.

As for Thailand's reluctance to stationing of Indonesian observers on the border, he said: "It's still in the process and under discussion on both sides. As I understand it, Thailand has agreed to the idea of having observers. There are now some so-called technical issues to address. It's better to be done sooner rather than later - precisely to avoid confusion over who has done what and when."

He explained that having observers on the ground would help avoid confusion. "Now, it's even more urgent than before. It was urgent two months ago. It's even more urgent now because we have allowed time to pass. The longer we allow the situation to continue, the more casualties the two countries will suffer and there will be more disruption to the civilian populations," Natalegawa said.

As to whether the issue should return to the UN, he said: "It really depends on our capacity to solve the problem in the region. I don't want to suggest as if there is a clear difference between what is regional and global because they are mutually reinforcing to create conditions that are conducive to bilateral solutions. So, what is bilateral, regional and global are actually supporting one another."

Informed sources said the Thai side had proposed 15 points - all outside the 4.6 square-kilometre area under dispute - where the Indonesian observers could be stationed. They must be unarmed and not in military uniform. Negotiations have brought the sites down to four.

"The Cambodian side has told me that they don't mind where the Indonesian observers are assigned. They say the observers could even be in full military gear," the Indonesian foreign minister said.

Asked about speculation on the Thai side that Cambodia was trying to take the issue back to the UN, Natalegawa said: "It's already in the UN. It's not a question of bringing it back to the UN. The genie is out of the bottle."

Thailand needs to reconsider its position

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By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Published on April 27, 2011

The latest border skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia at Ta Mouan Thom temple is solid proof that Abhisit Vejjajiva's foreign policy and diplomatic skill towards Cambodia are absolutely wrong and have failed to help bring peace with its neighbour.

Many soldiers and civilians have lost their lives in recent years since Thailand opposed Cambodia's plan to get World Heritage listing for the Preah Vihear temple in 2008.

The latest clash at Ta Mouan and Ta Kwai (known in Cambodia as Ta Krabei), some 150km west of Preah Vihear, is just an extension of the conflict in February, which was caused by Cambodian disappointment at Abhisit's policy.

The issue became complicated and very difficult to resolve as the current Thai government mixed everything up. Thailand and Cambodia's conflict these days are a combination of boundary issues, military arrangements at the border, management of the World Heritage plan, as well as local and international politics.

The root cause of the problem began when Abhisit's government linked the World Heritage management plan with boundary demarcation of areas near to the temple. This government would use all means to block the management plan for Preah Vihear if demarcation of the boundary is not completed.

But even a schoolboy knows that boundary demarcation is time-consuming work and it could be separated from the management of World Heritage property. Legal experts agree that World Heritage listing should not cause Thailand to lose rights of sovereignty over territory adjacent to the temple - if that land really belongs to this country.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also knows that Abhisit wants to use this issue to delay his plan for Preah Vihear.

Abhisit has felt compelled to do this, as he has been pressured by conservative and nationalist groups, which have camped near his office for months now.

A plan to make permanent peace at the border was also deferred because the Thai military hesitated to receive Indonesian observers at the border. The government has stalled on this since it agreed to the proposal in February. No observer from Indonesia has set a foot on the ground since the last clash at Preah Vihear in February.

Perhaps it's too shallow to think that Cambodia attacked Thailand simply because it wants to 'internationalise' the conflict. Would anybody think twice on why Phnom Penh might want to do this? And why Thailand was so scared of a multilateral forum wanting to resolve the problem?

Abhisit insists from time to time that existing bilateral mechanisms should be used to strike a deal with Cambodia over the conflict - as though he never knew that such a method would be ineffective at settling a contemporary dispute.

It sounds very na๏ve to call local commanders on both sides for a ceasefire when everybody knows that only Prime Minister Hun Sen can make such a decision. So the question is why doesn't Abhisit, as head of government, call his Cambodian counterpart to get a ceasefire?

If the government has no diplomatic capacity to convince Cambodian leaders to settle the conflict, the only option is for an acceptable third party. So, if Thailand has nothing to hide, having foreign observers at the border to monitor a cease-fire should not be a worry.

In this context, Asean, which is now chaired by Indonesia, is available and ready to enhance its role in solving the problem for its two member states.

Phnom Penh is also ready to comply with Asean's line, as it called for observers. But the problem has been on our side.

Time is running out and the situation is escalating. Perhaps the original plan to dispatch only 15 Indonesian observers on each side is not enough now. If Thailand wants to limit the size of the problem and find a solution, it needs to adjust its position and make a decision now.

Private sector has four proposals to ease border tensions

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By Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Published on April 27, 2011

Thai businesspeople, fearing that the border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia will harm bilateral trade and investment if they drag on much longer, will make four proposals to the government aimed at easing tensions.

The Joint PrivateSector Committee will make the proposals to Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri soon, it announced yesterday.

The first proposal is that the government carefully consider closing border checkpoints as well as cutting the supply of electricity to Cambodia. Second, concerned agencies and media should be more careful with the release of information that could intensify the conflict.

Third, the two countries should find ways to compromise over the disputed territory to ensure further border trade. Finally, economic and security issues should be clearly separated to reduce tension or conflict between the two countries.

Payungsak Chartsutipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the business sector still had confidence that the border conflict will be eased soon.

"People of the two nations are considered relatives. Nobody wants to see war or any fight," he said.

The closure of checkpoints should be considered only at a certain point and for a short period; otherwise, it would affect overall trading and people's confidence, Payungsak said.

Despite the conflict, private enterprises of Thailand and Cambodia have insisted on setting up the ThaiCambodian Business Council to strengthen trade and investment growth.

Thanit Sorat, secretarygeneral of the council and vice chairman of the FTI, said private enterprises were conducting business activities as usual although the tension has decreased investors' confidence.

Bilateral trade is expected to grow continuously to more than Bt85 bilฌlion this year from last year's Bt79.26 billion. However, Thanit said prolonged fighting would not only affect investment but also lower the value of bilateral trade between the two countries, particularly crossborder trade.

For instance, Thanit pointed out that Thai investment in Cambodia had shrunk considerably over the past few years because of the border conflict. Only one project from Thailand worth Bt30 million was approved by the Cambodia Investment Board last year.

From August 1995 to June 2009, 81 Thai projects have been launched in Cambodia with a combined investฌment value of Bt7.02 billion. Of these, nine projects are hotels worth Bt4.29 billion, followed by agriculturalindustry schemes worth Bt2.34 bilฌlion, and garmentindustry projects worth Bt221 million.

Bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia was worth Bt79.26 billion last year. Of that, Bt55.41 billion was from crossborder trade, of which exports from Thailand were valued at Bt51.11 billion.

The flareup at the border has hit the tourism industry hardest, as tourists have cancelled their bookings to Cambodia. Eventually, it will directly harm inbound tourism from Cambodia as well.

Thailand is projected to boost crossborder trade with Cambodia by 8 per cent to Bt59 billion this year. Crossborder trade with that country accounts for 7.09 per cent of the Kingdom's total crossborder trade value.

Poonsak Kunudom, counsellor for the Thai Trade Representative in Phnom Penh, said bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia was still growing normally.

The Commerce Ministry's Export Promotion Department has no plans to cancel the Thailand Trade Exhibition 2011, which will be held from May 1922 in Phnom Penh.

Gunfire exchange between Cambodian, Thai troops continues in fifth day

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English.news.cn   2011-04-26

PHNOM PENH, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The gunfire exchange between Cambodian and Thai troops over the disputed border area at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province still continues as of 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday, said Pich Sokhin, the governor of Oddar Meanchey province.

The Tuesday's fight began at 1:40 p.m. at the 11th century Preah Vihear temple and spread to burst out at the Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple at 2:10 p.m.

"It's the longest fighting today, now it has been going on for more than 7 hours, and it's still continuing," the governor told Xinhua by telephone on Tuesday night, adding that the casualties are not available yet.

He said that Thailand has been using small guns and artilleries to fire on Cambodian troops and territory.

"We have exchanged some small weapons and big ones such as BM21 in order to protect our territory from invasion," he said.

"It's reported that some of our troops are injured," he said. "And our troops reported that more Thai troops have been reported killed and injured in today's fighting."

Cambodia said that Thai troops have launched attacks on Cambodia to capture the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple, which lie 150 kilometers west of the Preah Vihear Temple.

"So far, our troops are still in firm and full control of the temple of Ta Moan and the temple of Ta Krabei," he added.

He said that as of Tuesday evening, the number of Cambodian evacuees has increased to 28,180 people.

Meanwhile, the electricity in the whole Oddar Meanchey province is cut on Tuesday night due to the fighting and some evacuees who take refuge in Samrong district in the province have continued to move to other places in order to escape from Thai artillery shelling, he added.

The latest in a series of deadly clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops have occurred for five straight days from April 22-26 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province and on April 26 at the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the World Heritage site.

The clashes left at least a dozen of both sides' troops killed and more than 30 injured.

The fighting has not only cost lives, damaged the temples, but also forced tens of thousands of civilians of both countries to flee for safe shelters.

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated.

Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Temple of Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, the row over the 4.6-square-km territory around the temple has never been resolved.

The conflict has occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, since then both sides have built up military forces along the border, and periodic clashes happened, resulting in the deaths of troops on both sides.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Opportunity, Possibility for Young Leaders Limited in Cambodia: Youth Leader

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer

Phnom Penh Tuesday, 26 April 2011

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Photo: by Heng Reaksmey

Hou Sidany, acting coordinator of Youth Council of Cambodia, left, Chhem Pe, middle, a 2009 champion of Youth Leadership Challenge, a local reality TV show. “

“They seem to be ignorant of important information for their self development although they have internet and facebook.”

It is not the case that young people in Cambodia do not want to participate in social activities, but the problem is that the possibility and opportunity for their participation is still not widespread, according to a young leadership champion.

“Youth's access to information seems limited,” said Chhem Pe, a 2009 champion of Youth Leadership Challenge, a local reality TV show. “ Both scholarship and community activity-related information by non-governmental organizations, governmental organizations and the government itself appears inaccessible to most young people,” he said on Hello VOA on Monday.

Chhem Pe, however, also said the lack of information about the country's development has resulted from the ignorance of youths themselves too.

“Some youths enjoy themselves too much” said Pe. “ They are enjoying extreme materialism and love affaire at young age, so they are distracted from the country's development issues, the community situation and their own future goals also,” said the 21-year-old student of sociology at Royal University of Phnom Penh.

“They seem to be ignorant of important information for their self development although they have internet and facebook,” he said.

Hou Sidany, acting coordinator of Youth Council of Cambodia, which organizes the Youth Leadership Challenge show, said young people need more opportunities to participate in social activities in order to become real leaders of their country.

“We need to implant them to value and get involved in community activities such as fund raising to help orphans, collecting books for community library or figuring out community problems and needs,” she said on Hello VOA on Monday.

So, more of such Youth Leadership programs should be paid attention to so as to engage more young people in community services so that they can develop both themselves and their community, she said.

“In order for a country to be both economically and politically strong and powerful, youths' human resources are needed, so they need to be invested on,” said a caller, Mr. Sen, from Siem Reap province.

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Published: 26/04/2011 at 09:31 PM

Thailand and Cambodia were on Tuesday preparing for ceasefire talks after a new front opened in their worst border fighting in recent history, in which 13 troops have died.

Cambodian soldiers are seen travelling in a military truck in Oddar Meanchey province near the border with Thailand. Thailand and Cambodia are preparing for ceasefire talks after a new front opened in their worst border fighting in recent history, in which 13 troops have died.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes on both sides as heavy weapons fire pounded the jungle frontier, shattering a fragile truce that had held since February.

"Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh has agreed to meet his Thai counterpart in Phnom Penh shortly to discuss a ceasefire between the two countries," the Cambodian defence ministry said in a statement.

Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon indicated that he was ready for dialogue with his Cambodian counterpart.

"We will have an opportunity to talk and there will be no problem. I think the situation will ease within a few days," he told reporters in Thailand during a visit to the border area.

The two armies exchanged fire Tuesday near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which has been the focus of strained relations between the neighbours since it was granted UN World Heritage status in 2008.

Fighting erupted near the ruins at 1:30 pm (0630 GMT) and lasted for 30 minutes, said Thai army spokesman Colonel Prawit Hookaew.

"They fired artillery and mortar and we retaliated," he said.

Cambodia blamed Thailand for starting the clash, which broke out in an area that had been relatively calm for two months and is 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of two other disputed temple complexes that have been the scene of fierce fighting since Friday.

In February 10 people were killed near the Preah Vihear temple, prompting a UN appeal for a permanent ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday urged Thailand and Cambodia to show restraint and said Washington was "deeply concerned".

She said that the United States had engaged directly with Thai and Cambodian officials in hopes of ending the violence, without providing further details.

The neighbours agreed in late February to allow observers from Indonesia into the area near Preah Vihear.

But the Thai military has since said the monitors are not welcome and they have not been deployed.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said on Tuesday that Bangkok would review its policy towards Cambodia including trade, border checkpoints and cooperation at all levels, but would not sever diplomatic ties.

Kasit is due to hold talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, whose country is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, on Thursday in Jakarta.

"Thailand will inform him that Thailand agrees to international observers but Cambodian troops must withdraw from Preah Vihear," Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding area.

Eight Cambodian soldiers and five Thai troops have died in the latest fighting further west along the border, while another Cambodian soldier is missing.

Thailand said nearly 26,000 people had been evacuated on its side of the border and were being housed in 22 shelters. Three districts -- Phanom Dong Rak, Kap Choeng and Prasat -- have been declared emergency areas.

More than 23,000 people have been displaced by the fighting on the Cambodian side, authorities have said.

Cambodia has accused Thailand of using spy planes and poisonous gas in the recent fighting -- which Bangkok has strongly denied.

The fighting comes at a sensitive political time for Thailand, with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva preparing to dissolve the lower house of parliament soon for elections he has said will be held by early July.

Abhisit said on Tuesday that the clashes would not derail his poll plan.

"The border problem will not affect the house dissolution because there will be a caretaker government which has full authority," he told reporters, adding that it was possible that the vote date could be announced next week.

Are Cluster Bombs Still in Use in Thai-Cambodian Fighting?

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Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Cluster Bombs

There are serious reports, but unconfirmed by independent observers, of the use of cluster weapons by Thai forces in the Good Friday, April 22, 2011, attack on Cambodian forces. This would be a direct violation of the ban on cluster weapons although neither Thailand nor Cambodia has ratified the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. Laos is the only Southeast Asian State to have ratified. However, 108 States have signed the Convention and 56 have ratified by March 2011. Such a large number of signatures makes the Convention a central element of customary humanitarian law even if a State has not signed it.(1)

The early morning Good Friday fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops took place near the ancient temples of Ta Krabey and Ta Moan Thom, some 150 kilometres southwest of the better-known 900 year old Preah Vihear Temple where fighting had broken out in February 2011. There have been repeated clashes around the Preah Vibear Temple, especially after 2008 when UNESCO enshrined Preah Vibear as a World Heritage site for Cambodia over Thai objections. The World Court had in 1962 decided that Preah Vibear was on the Cambodian side of the frontier. However, the only roads for easy access to the temple are from Thailand.

The new round of fighting, which continued on Saturday April 23rd, along with the evacuation of the population of villages near the frontier, indicates that the situation remains volatile. The villages on the Cambodian side are relatively densely populated so that unexploded cluster weapons make farming difficult. Farming is the only civilian activity of the area, and the loss of livelihood is an emotional issue on which Cambodian officials can play.

The fighting in February 2011 had been brought for mediation to a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Indonesia which currently holds the rotating chairmanship agreed to send military observers to the frontier area. However, they have not yet been sent, and Thai officials considered them unnecessary.

There have been suggestions that the renewed fighting is part of planning by factions within the Thai military in light of June legislative elections. There have even been suggestions that the fighting is a prelude to a military coup in Thailand. Obviously, there is no way to analyse motivations and tactics within the Thai Army. The fighting can also be a flair-up among nervous soldiers posted along the frontier and may have no lasting consequences.

However, the accusations of the use of cluster weapons pose clearly the issue of the investigative and complaints procedures of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. Since the negotiations in the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament (CCD) during the 1969-1970 session on the convention banning the placement of nuclear weapons on the sea-bed (the Sea-Bed Treaty), the formula for investigation and complaint has been “appropriate international procedures.” “Verification pursuant to this Article may be undertaken by any state party using its own means, or with the full or partial assistance of any other state party, or through appropriate international procedures within the framework of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter.”

At the time “appropriate international procedures” represented the highest common denominator of agreement between those CCD members led by Canada which wanted the verification procedures laid down in the treaty to accord a leading role to the UN Secretary-General and those led by the Soviet Union, which wanted verification to be the exclusive responsibility, within the UN, of the Security Council. To this day, verification procedures and follow-up sanctions in arms control treaties have always remained vague.

Now, in the same month, there have been two accusations of violations of the cluster weapons convention. The NGO Human Rights Watch has released a report that cluster weapons made in Spain have been used by Libyan Government forces in the attacks on Misrata, the vital seaport. The strength of international humanitarian law and of arms control treaties lies in their application and in the way that accusations of violations are treated. The case of Libya and Thailand is crucial, and we need to watch how “appropriate international procedures” are applied.

Secretary-General Calls for Dialogue as Cambodian, Thai Troops Clash Again

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The following statement was issued on 23 April by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is troubled by reports of renewed fighting in the past two days between Cambodian and Thai troops along the two countries’ common border, which has reportedly claimed numerous lives from both sides. He had been encouraged by the initial signs of progress in regional efforts to strengthen bilateral mechanisms for dealing with the dispute between the two neighbours.

The Secretary-General calls on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and to take immediate measures to put in place an effective and verifiable ceasefire. He also believes that the dispute cannot be resolved by military means and urges Cambodia and Thailand to engage in serious dialogue to find a lasting solution.

Interview: Current ASEAN not able to solve Cambodian, Thai border row: Cambodian academics

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English.news.cn

2011-04-26

by Nguon Sovan

PHNOM PENH, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is unlikely to be able to solve the bloodshed conflict between Cambodia and Thailand over the disputed border areas, Cambodian academics said Tuesday, warning that the conflict can lead to a rift in this bloc.

"It's beyond ASEAN's ability to solve it out despite that the ASEAN is putting its strong efforts to mediate it," said Dr. Ros Chantrabuth, advisor to the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

"I believe that only the United Nations Security Council can help to tackle the Cambodian and Thai border conflict," he added.

Meanwhile, he warned that the Cambodian and Thai row could lead to the rift in the ASEAN, and the security stability in the Southeast Asian countries could be in jeopardy if the fighting still continues for a longer time without any intervention from the third party.

Chheang Vannarith, the executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, agreed that the current ASEAN is not strong enough to solve the Cambodian-Thai border dispute.

"It's powerless and lacks unity, for the Cambodian-Thai conflict, it can be solved out at the ASEAN level only if all ASEAN members unanimously give stronger power to the ASEAN chair to put pressure on any of its members that fail to solve issues with peaceful means with international norms," he said.

He added that for now, it has only one way to temporarily end the fighting between the two countries, that is Indonesia, the current ASEAN chair, should urgently dispatch its observers to the disputed border areas despite disagreement from Thailand.

The latest in a series of deadly clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops have occurred for five straight days from April 22-26 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province and on April 26 at the Preah Vihear temple, the World Heritage site.

The clashes left at least a dozen of both sides' troops killed and more than 30 injured.

The fighting has not only cost lives, damaged the temples, but also forced tens of thousands of civilians of both countries to flee for safe shelters.

On the latest clashes between the two neighboring countries, Dr. Ros Chantrabuth said that the renewed fighting "is due to Thailand taking Cambodia as the hostage of its internal political instability."

"Thai's attack on Cambodia is the trick of the Thai government in gaining popularity from the Thai 'yellow-shirt' group, or Thai extremists, as the election is approaching," he said. "Another reason is it is the excuse for the current Thai government to postpone the election."

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated previously that the government will hold an election in June or early July following a likely House dissolution in the first week of next month.

Chheang Vannarith said that the fighting is also the strategy of the Thai military to expand fighting zones in order to weaken Cambodian forces as it knows that Cambodia has fewer forces and logistics than them.

"So, when Cambodian forces are weakening, Thai troops will fight to capture major Cambodian locations that it wants before it allows international community, especially the ASEAN to mediate," he said.

According to the statement of the Cambodian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday, during the last four days of armed clashes, Thai troops wanted to attack and capture the Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple, but failed as Cambodian troops are strong enough to defend its territory.

The ASEAN summit will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 6-7.

Cambodian government spokesman and minister of information, Khieu Kanharith said Tuesday that Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva may meet to talk on the border conflict on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. However, the meeting must have the presence of the third party.

The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Cambodia rules out dialogue with Thailand

Preah Vihear - Fighting moves closer to 900-year-old temple

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Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Thailand has pressed for talks with Cambodia as troops from both sides fought with short-range rockets and guns near 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand has pressed for talks with Cambodia as troops from both sides fought with short-range rockets and guns near 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

Thai and Cambodia troops fought with short-range rockets and guns near 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, opening a second front in a five-day confrontation that has killed 13 people in Southeast Asia's bloodiest border dispute in years.

The fighting raised concerns that hostilities had spread 150km (93 miles) east of two other ancient Hindu temples where Thai and Cambodian troops have clashed sporadically since Friday, sending more than 50,000 people into evacuation shelters.

Thai regional army spokesman Prawit Hukaew said Cambodia fired rockets after two Thai F-16 jets patrolled the area.

Six Thai houses were destroyed and a Thai soldier was wounded, he added.

There were no reports of Cambodian casualties.

Thailand has pressed for a bilateral solution but Cambodia ruled out talks until a May 7-8 leaders' summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, insisting on third party mediation.

Thailand's foreign minister will meet with the chair of the Southeast Asian regional grouping on Thursday in Jakarta, as the neighbours come under mounting pressure to end the row.

Sovereignty over the three ancient, stone-walled temples: Preah Vihear, Ta Moan, Ta Krabeyand the jungle of the Dangrek Mountains surrounding them has been in dispute since the withdrawal of the French from Cambodia in the 1950s.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was 'deeply concerned' and urged restraint, a comment echoed by Beijing.

'We hope that both Cambodia and Thailand will maintain calm and restraint, and resolve their problems through consultation,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told journalists.

Until Tuesday, hostilities had been contained to jungles near the 12th-century Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples.

Thailand says the ruins reside in its Surin province according to a 1947 map.

Cambodia says they are in its Oddar Meanchey province.

Preah Vihear, was the scene of intense clashes from 4-7 February that killed 11 people.

It has been a source of tension for generations and the two countries have been locked in a standoff since July 2008, when the temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

Thailand opposed the listing on grounds that the land around Preah Vihear was never demarcated.

An international court awarded the temple to Cambodia 49 years ago, but both countries lay claim to a 4.6 sqkm (1.8 sq mile) patch of land around it.

Although on the surface, the conflict appears to be a dispute over sovereignty and territory, many experts believe the fighting is fuelled by political interests on both sides.

The two governments could be seeking to discredit each other and appeal to nationalists at home, especially as Thailand prepares for a general election expected by July.

A change in government could be in Cambodia's interests.

Analysts said the Thai military could also be flexing its muscles to preserve its sizeable stake in Thailand's political apparatus and to satisfy conservative elites at odds with the country's powerful opposition forces.

The clashes are a setback for ASEAN, a 10-member bloc modelled on the European Union with ambitions to become a regional community by 2015, illustrating the limits to regional diplomacy after the Thai army rebuffed international monitors proposed by ASEAN foreign ministers in February.

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has urged immediate dialogue and said ASEAN's reputation was at stake.

Thailand has evacuated more than 30,000 villagers in two border provinces, while Cambodia said 24,000 people had been moved to safety, accusing Thailand of attacking villages 20km (12 miles) into its territory.

Live from battlefield (Cambodia-Thailand)

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Tuesday, 26 April 2011 12:00 DAP-NEWS

- At 10:25 Thai soldier still fire artery to Cambodia´ s TaMoan and TaKrabey temples.

- Cambodian military officials said that the skirmish at Phnom Trap of Preah Vihear left five Thai black clad troops dead.

- Cambodian Military officials said at 19:24 PM situation is calm.

- Cambodian Military officials said the electricity in Samrong district of Oddor Meanchey were cut since 18:20 PM. The electricity were supplied by Thailand.

- Provincial governor said that till now Cambodian refugees up to 7,055 families (28,180 people)

- Till 18:12 Thai soldiers continues shelling to Cambodia

- At 17:30 PM Thai soldiers fired artery to Thmor Daun of Oddor Meanchey.

- Cambodian military officials said that at 17:25 Thai soldiers started firing artery 155 mm to Cambodia’s Bos and Keab villages.

- Cambodian military officials said that Thai soldiers started firing artery 155mm to Cambodia’s territory.

- Cambodian military officials said that till 16:42 PM Thai troops stopped firing to Cambodia’s Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples.

- Thai source said that Thais’ ambulance evacuated wounded soldiers from the frontline

- Cambodia said that at 16:05 PM Thai and Cambodian troops were silent but the arteries still in fighting.

REFILING: UPDATE2: Cambodia, Thailand agree to hold ceasefire talks+

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PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK, April 26 (AP) - (Kyodo)—(EDS: FIXING DATELINE, ATTRIBUTION AT 6th GRAFS)

Cambodia and Thailand agreed Tuesday to discuss a ceasefire as border clashes spread to the vicinity of the ancient Preah Vihear Temple on the fifth day of fighting between the two countries, Cambodian government officials said.

The Cambodian Defense Ministry said Defense Minister Tea Banh has accepted a proposal from his Thai counterpart Prawit Wongsuwan to hold talks in Phnom Penh "in the near future."

Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Cambodian Council of Ministers, said three Thai military aircraft flew over the Preah Vihear area at 1:38 p.m. and shortly after that Thai ground forces fired rockets and artillery into Cambodian territory in the Mt. Phnom Troap and Veal Intry area near the ancient Hindu temple.

No casualties were reported on the Cambodian side.

In Bangkok, a Thai army spokesman disputed Cambodia's charges that Thai military aircraft overflew Cambodian territory and said the ensuing fighting was probably based on a "misunderstanding."

"Four F-16 jet fighters of the Royal Thai Air Force were on a patrol and training mission in northeastern Thailand...They were flying above Thai territory but the Cambodians might have reacted (out of) misunderstanding," said Lt. Col. Siriya Khueangsirikul, the army spokeswoman.

Thai defense officials said the armed forces of the two countries also resumed fighting in disputed territories near the Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples for the fifth straight day.

Thailand's Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Cambodian troops fired multiple-launching rockets toward four Thai villages near the Ta Muen and Ta Kwai temples, killing one Thai villager and wounding three others as well as three Thai soldiers.

Siriya said Thai troops had not started any fighting with the Cambodians.

"They fired recoilless rifles and artillery into Thai territory. We had no choice but to react proportionately," she said.

The Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, about 150 kilometers west of Preah Vihear, became a new flash point between the two military forces last Friday.

Preah Vihear had been a source of conflict between the two neighbors, who are also fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962 and UNESCO, the U.N. education and science agency, put it on the World Heritage list in 2008.

Cambodian and Thai military forces have since fought several times over 4.6 square kilometers of disputed land near Preah Vihear. The last clash there had been in February.

To date, at least 12 soldiers have been killed and 57 others wounded on both sides in five days of fighting.

Phay Siphan said seven Cambodian soldiers have been killed and 17 wounded in the latest round of conflict.

Japan seeks peaceful resolution of Thai, Cambodia border clashes+

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TOKYO, April 26 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Japan on Tuesday called for a peaceful resolution of clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops along the two countries' disputed border through dialogue.

Foreign Press Secretary Satoru Sato said in a statement that Tokyo is concerned about the renewed fighting and strongly hopes that the two countries will promptly settle the conflict by heeding mediation efforts by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its chair Indonesia.

Cambodian and Thai military forces have been engaged in clashes over a disputed 4.6 square kilometers of land near the Preah Vihear Temple, a World Heritage site.

But most of the clashes since Friday have taken place at the temples of Ta Moan and Ta Krabey in Cambodia, about 150 km west of Preah Vihear. The disputed temples are known as Ta Meun and Ta Kwai in Thailand.

Thai PM says border clashes won't affect election

Thailand's prime minister vowed on Tuesday to press ahead with a planned election despite the bloodiest fighting at the border with neighbouring Cambodia in recent history. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

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Apr 26, 2011

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S prime minister vowed on Tuesday to press ahead with a planned election despite the bloodiest fighting at the border with neighbouring Cambodia in recent history.

Abhisit Vejjajiva said the clashes, which have left at least 13 soldiers dead and displaced thousands, will not halt preparations to dissolve the lower house of parliament soon for a vote expected to be held by early July.

'The border problem will not affect the house dissolution because there will be a caretaker government which has full authority,' he told reporters, adding that it was possible that the vote date could be announced next week.

Thailand and Cambodia, which are fighting in two areas near ancient temples along their shared jungle border, have indicated that they are preparing for ceasefire talks.

The neighbours have come under mounting international pressure to end the violence after five days of heavy weapons fire.

Thailand remains deeply divided after deadly street protests last year and the poll is expected to heighten political sensitivities in the country. -- AFP