Policy Alone Inadequate: Youth Advocate

Cambodian students from the Royal Cambodian Administration school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo: AP)

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 11 May 2010

"Many young people today are jobless, even though they have a higher education. I wonder if they can get jobs without having to pay bribes.”

Facing a rising number of young people who are graduating school, looking for work and entering society in general, the government is drafting an official national youth policy. But advocates from the growing demographic say a policy alone is not enough.

“If we have only the document, but no institution to implement it, it will be useless,” Sun Chansen, president of the Khmer Youth Association, told “Hello VOA” Monday.

Sun Chansen, whose association represents six non-governmental organizations that work with young people, said a national youth council must be created to enforce the policy.

A draft of the 10-point policy was opened for final input from organizations late in April, and the final draft is expected to be brought to the Council of Ministers by the end of the year.

The policy broadly sets out rights and responsibilities for Cambodia’s young people, including economic activities.

A caller to “Hello VOA” on Monday, who gave his name as Kongkea, from Takeo province, said the policy won’t work unless the government addresses unemployment.

“Many young people today are jobless, even though they have a higher education,” he said. “I wonder if they can get jobs without having to pay bribes.”

But Sun Chansen said a body to implement the policy must be set up before questions like unemployment can be addressed.

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Labels: Joblessness among new graduates | Lack of government policy

Asean Leaders Seek US Trade Attention

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Tuesday, 11 May 2010

“There is also the potential for modernizing Cambodian rice production, which the US should consider investing in."

Asean trade ministers spent a week in the US this month, meeting with congressmen, business leaders and policymakers in the capital and Seattle, to promote the region’s economic potential.

The 10-nation bloc of countries has become one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, but Asean leaders need to convince Americans to look at it as a single unit, Asean’s secretary-general, Surin Pitsuwan, said.

“We are part of Southeast Asia, which is expected to be a locomotive pulling the global economy along,” he said. “And I think in the past we have never disappointed them, and we want to do more.”

Asean has potential in automobile production, green technology and infrastructure, among others, he said.

Cambodia, “with more than 50 percent of its population below 20 years of age,” could be especially attractive to technology investors, Pan Sorasak, secretary of state for the Ministry of Commerce, told VOA Khmer.

“There is also the potential for modernizing Cambodian rice production, which the US should consider investing in,” he said. “And there is tourism, where we can have cooperation among airlines.”

Cambodia lags behind other Asean countries in its human resources and infrastructure, but the bloc works to help members, he said, and members don’t compete for external partners.

Asean includes Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It is the fifth-largest trading partner and fourth-largest export market for the US, with two-way trade reaching nearly $180 billion in 2008, according to the US-Asean Business Council. US exports to Asean were more than $66 billion that year.

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Labels: ASEAN | US trade policy | US-ASEAN relationship

Businesswomen Find a Friend in Facebook


Ros Sothea, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 11 May 2010

“In the past, I was defeated many times. But afterward, I read information posted on Facebook, talking about the commitment and persistence of a restaurant owner to pursue her business, despite being defeated many times."

Around six month ago, Lim Viriya had abandoned her products distribution business—twice. The 29-year-old businesswoman from Siem Reap province nearly closed down her tour company, as she faced tight competition and thin profit margins.

Facebook saved her businesses.

“In the past, I was defeated many times,” she told VOA Khmer recently. “But afterward, I read information posted on Facebook, talking about the commitment and persistence of a restaurant owner to pursue her business, despite being defeated many times. She advised that with any kind of business, no matter how little we earn, as long as we persist, we will not fail.”

The site’s Cambodia Women in Business page encouraged her to carry on with her ventures, she said, and, since December 2009, things have been looking up.

The Facebook page was the initiative of the International Finance Corporation, the private-sector arm of the World Bank, which thought social networking could help Cambodian women looking to start their own businesses.

Cambodian women face a number of challenges starting or expanding their businesses. With often lower educations, they must make sense of regulatory information, and they have an uphill struggle against family values that disapprove of women in business.

Now the page has more than 300 members, many of them owners of small- or medium-sized businesses. There are female students, employers and researchers. Men are not excluded.

The page includes photographs of various businesses run by women and discussions about the challenges they face, such as difficulties with registration. It has suggestions on ways women can gain the support of their husbands. It includes market research, product prices and business management strategies. Members post articles on national and international businesswomen.

The page does have limitations. It is run in English, on the Internet, excluding many Cambodian women who can’t read English or don’t have access to the Web.

Still, IFC project manager Lil Sisambat says she’s confident it is helping.

“Facebook creates energy and a lot of ideas about how to do more business, to do better business and to have a way to solve the problems women are facing,” she said. “If one woman who starts a business faces difficulties, other women can help her online. So I think it is a very good source of support to make the environment easy to do business.”

Seng Stephene, an employee of a private business in Phnom Penh who wants to open a communication company, only joined Facebook a month ago. With it, she said, she learned how to start her own business and how to study the market.

Women who already have successful businesses, meanwhile, share their experiences.

“The moment that women face harder problem in their businesses, it will make them become stronger and be successful,” said Heng Chenda, manager of KNN Handicraft. “So, please, all women, behave with a strong commitment.”

Women play an important role in economic growth, and private enterprise is the main driver of economic development in Cambodia. It accounts for 92 percent of total jobs in the country, according to a 2008 study by the IFC. In those, women accounted for 55 percent of all business owners, mainly with micro- or small-sized ventures.

With Cambodian men the primary owners of medium and large businesses, women do not fulfill their potential as job creators, nor as developers of human resources—nor as taxpayers.

A network site like Facebook can help them put their voices together, said Veronique Salze-Lozac’h, the regional director of economic programs for the Asia Foundation.

“If they can actually find enough women to say, ‘Yes, this is really a problem,’ then they can come together and try to contact to the government to improve their situation,” she said. “So Facebook can be a very useful tool for businesswomen to push for some reforms.”

However, because of its unofficial nature, Ty Makara Ravy, an active member of the site, thinks the government may not take it seriously.

That may not be so. Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavy, after all, reads the page. She told VOA Khmer the concerns and challenges she finds there could help steer government policy.

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Labels: Business | Cambodian women | Web's First Social Networker

Cambodia's Preap Sovath

Preap Sovath, star of karaoke and cinema (DR)

Tuesday 11 May 2010
Radio France Internationale

Cambodia’s best-known celebrity is actor and singer Preap Sovath. Immensely popular in his home country, Sovath has a talent for keeping his audience interested. Above all, he's a singer, but few will doubt his talent on the big screen.

Appearing in everything from music videos, to film, Sovath's exploits in 2007 earned him the top honour at the Cambodian Film Festival. For Sovath, the biggest challenge was not simply becoming a celebrity, but remaining one - he confided to RFI.

In Cambodia, new stars appear every day: They are born at nightfall and then disappear as soon as the sun rises, making way for those to come the night after. It’s rare for an actor to survive longer than three years. As a result, they tend to adopt a similar, rigid, style and find it difficult to adapt to the tastes of the public.

Sovath, to the contrary, knew how to conserve his popularity. He’s been the country’s highest-billed star for almost 20 years. It all started when he began singing in 1990, at a time when Cambodian cinema was not yet developed.

Apart from foreign films, karaoke music clips were all the graced screens in Cambodia. Sovath, a singer but also a talented actor, quickly joined Hang Meas, the biggest producer of music video clips in Cambodia.

Year after year, Sovath knew how to evolve along with the changing tastes of his fans. He did not hesitate to reinvent the style of his songs, nor the way he sang them. Moreover, he sang everything (from rock and pop to Khmer folk) and ensured everyone could see themselves in these clips – the young, the less young, the townsmen and the countrymen.

It was in 2005 when Sovath decided to dedicate himself to the big screen. He rediscovered himself in the film The Crocodile Hunter, playing nothing less that the hero. It was his film debut – but it was also his greatest cinematic success.

Today in Cambodia, the film market is in decline, largely because intellectual property rights are not respected: from the date of their release, and sometimes even before, films are copied and sold at an unbeatable price. As a result, cinemas are closing one after another and the producers are profiting less and less.

At 35 years of age, a married father of three, Sovath is continuing on his journey, all the while enchanting his public.

His success is not just thanks to his voice and acting prowess, but also to the manner in which he manages his private life. A stable and solid married life is paramount in a traditionally conservative society such as Cambodia's.

While most Cambodian celebrities are often tainted by sex scandals, Sovath is known to be a family man.

For his part, Sorvath hopes to continue his career along the same trajectory – at least for now. “I love art - and I love my career my as an artist, as it has allowed me step out of the void and become a celebrity.”

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Labels: Khmer Artist | Khmer singers | Preap Sovath

Public Invitation to Meet Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy and Mr. Sean Pengse in San Jose, California, USA

Click on the announcement in Khmer to zoom in
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Labels: California | Cambodian community in San Jose | Sam Rainsy | Sean Pengse | SRP | USA | Vietnamese encroachment

Meeting with opposition lader Sam Rainsy and Mr. Sean Pengse in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Labels: Canada | Ontario | Sam Rainsy | Sean Pengse | SRP | Vietnamese encroachment

Benigno Aquino III set for landslide Philippines election victory

Benigno Aquino is set to become the next Philippine president. Photograph: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images

Son of former president Corazon Aquino vows to fight corruption as count puts him ahead in presidential poll

Tuesday 11 May 2010
Associated Press in Manila
guardian.co.uk

Benigno Aquino III, the son of former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, promised today to fulfil his campaign promise to fight corruption as he headed for a landslide victory in the country's presidential elections. "I will not only not steal, but I'll have the corrupt arrested," Aquino, 50, said in his first comments since yesterday's poll. Massive corruption has long dogged the Philippines, tainting electoral politics and skimming billions of public funds in a country where a third of the population lives on $1 a day.

Aquino, whose father was assassinated while opposing Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship and whose mother led the 1986 "people power" revolt that restored democracy, was leading the nine-candidate presidential race with 40.2% of the votes from about 78% of the precincts, while his closest rival, ousted President Joseph Estrada, had 25.5%.

There is no runoff in the Philippines, home to 90 million people, and whoever has the most votes is declared winner.

Despite glitches with new computerised counting machines and violence that has claimed at least 12 lives, election officials hailed yesterday's vote as a success in a country where poll fraud allegations have marred previous contests. Turnout was 75% among about 50 million eligible voters, the elections commission said.

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Labels: Democracy | Election of a President | The Philippines

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy's congratulation letter to the Philippines' president-elect

Benigno Aquino (Photograph: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images)

May 11, 2010

Mr. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III
President-elect
Manila
Republic of the Philippines

Dear Noynoy,

I was so happy to learn today about your brilliant election as the new President of the Philippines. On this auspicious day, please accept my heartfelt congratulations and my very best wishes for the successful fulfilment of your historic mission at the helm of your country.

The tidal wave leading to your election as President of the Philippines brings an unprecedented hope not only to the Filipino people but to all the peoples in Asia who are longing for real democracy, better governance and social justice.

Among those peoples are the Cambodian people whom the Members of Parliament from the Sam Rainsy Party have the honour to represent.

My colleagues and I will remain always grateful to your regretted mother Corazon Aquino, to yourself, to all Congressmen, Senators, officials and members of the Liberal Party of the Philippines for your warm welcome to some twenty Members of Parliament from the Sam Rainsy Party in Manila, during my first exile from Cambodia in November 2005.

Thanks to the special relationship between the Liberal Party of the Philippines and the Sam Rainsy Party, in the framework of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and through personal contacts, your friends in Cambodia consider the Philippines as their second home in Asia and are eager to work even more closely with likeminded people in your beautiful country.

At the invitation of the Liberal Party of the Philippines and along with many other members of CALD, I will be very happy to attend the official ceremony inaugurating you as President and Manuel "Mar" Roxas II as Vice-President of the Philippines, in Manila on June 27-July 1.

I look forward to having the honour of meeting you again on that great occasion.

With my highest regards,

Sam Rainsy
Cambodia’s opposition leader

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Labels: Democracy | Election of a President | Sam Rainsy | The Philippines

Real progress requires change

"We all can make change, I truly believe that with the right mindset, and the right people, Cambodia will see change ... It's only a matter of time before justice comes along" - Sopheap Chak


May 12, 2010
By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)

There's no end to learning. I cherish the words and experiences of those who have seen and accomplished things I have not.

People change; things change -- a natural inevitability. Nothing stays the same. We must anticipate what may come and be proactive to influence the change we want to see, so we won't spend our lives getting out of the rubble that could have been avoided had we done something in the first place.

The late veteran professor Henry Steele Commager said: "Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them."

Martin Luther King Jr. said: "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically."

For some, formal education takes too long to produce results in this instant-gratification era of a click on the keyboard or a push of the button. But learning also has been made easier to acquire through technology.

An education leader of one of America's most successful public school systems, Jerry D. Weast, said, "The toughest job of any leader ... is to move from strategy to execution because it's people who do the work, not the plan." He asserts, "Visionary leadership will drive change, but to sustain it, you must shift leadership strategy to incorporate the work of teams."

Creative thought -- using our minds to imagine and create what we want to see -- and critical thought -- using our brains to evaluate and judge what our mind has produced -- are two interwoven determinants of action that dictate our future.

Specialists say organizations' and movements' successes are better assured when they are more inclusive, and individual members are encouraged to think creatively and critically, to innovate and take risks.

A Khmer saying goes, "Think first before you draw."

Yet, Cambodians say cases of drawing first and thinking later are plentiful in Khmer society.

A comparativist by training, I see connections in thought -- a Khmer proverb is connected to psychologist-consultant Dr. Linda V. Berens' "four temperaments" -- the theorist, the catalyst, the improviser, the stabilizer -- and to Weast's "teams" that "work within a culture."

A Khmer proverb says, "Curved wood makes wheel; straight wood makes spoke; crooked wood makes firewood." All things have a purpose.

Berens says one may be a "best-fit" in one temperament pattern, but display characteristics of other temperaments. In "Understanding Yourself and Others," she describes four temperaments. A theorist values competence, coherence and expertise, uses strategic analysis to approach situations and builds a path to achievement. A catalyst idealizes a vision of the future, advocates, builds bridges between people and helps them attain self-actualization. An improviser seizes the moment and varies actions to get things done using whatever is at hand. The stabilizer wants structure and sequence to maintain order, stability and security, and to prevent groups and institutions from falling apart.

Recall retired Johns Hopkins University professor Naranhkiri Tith's calls on Cambodians to remove their "blindness and irrational trust and belief in ... the god-king." He knows challenging the old mentality and monarchical practices may be "unthinkable" for many, but Tith asks why we fear going against old habits and conventional wisdom if doing so serves justice and human rights, a higher end?

There are Cambodians of Berens' temperaments and of Weast's teams, inside and outside the country, who seek to foment change.

I profiled some in my columns: Opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua; grassroots activist Serey Ratha Sourn, head of Cambodian Action Committee for Justice and Equity; former Radio Free Asia reporter, Piseth Lem, who now fosters the successful Free Press Magazine Online.

Last month, a Cambodian graduate student in Japan, Sopheap Chak, wrote "'Development' does not justify land grabs," which looks at Cambodia's forced evictions and land grabs through comparative lenses. Of the 18 million people evicted in 80 countries, Cambodia ranks first among Asian countries in the number of evictions. This month, Chak defends her master's thesis, "Urban Forced Eviction in Cambodia: Causes and Possible Solutions."

The youngest of three siblings from Kompong Cham, where her father was a tailor and mother a housewife, Chak finished high school in 2002, worked for a nonprofit organization, involved herself in conferences on democracy, election and poverty reduction, and pursued university studies in Phnom Penh.

With a bachelor's degree in international relations and another in economics, she ran a volunteer youth network, working with people in rural areas. She was an advocacy officer of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights before she went to study in Japan in 2008.

"We all can make change," Chak said in an interview on Global Voices Online. "I truly believe that with the right mindset, and the right people, Cambodia will see change." Her biography in her website reads, "It's only a matter of time before justice comes along."

Chak's "Reflection on Cambodian Women Value and Model" tells how her parents raised her to value education, but Khmer society pulled her to "old tradition" in a male-dominated society that considers females inferior -- a topic worth another column!

Chak, 25, plans to join a civil society organization upon her return to Cambodia this summer. She envisions earning a doctorate degree in the future.

A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.

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Labels: A. Gaffar Peang-Meth | Be the Change | Forced eviction in Cambodia | Justice for Cambodia | Sopheap Chak

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hey KI-Media, what's going on?


Hey KI-Media,

Though Buddhism is the official religion of Cambodia, and has been for a long time, there is a big section of Cambodian population of other faiths, at home and oversea, that we rarely hear about on this blog. What's going on?

I don't know your blog is aimed toward reaching all cross-section of Cambodian of different faith or not. But if you are, perhaps you should includes, every now and then, articles about other faith as well. Though some of us embrace other faith, we are still Khmer and feel connected to fellow Khmer.

Just a thought, because I'm a regular reader of this blog, and outside of Buddhism, you guys seldom post news of other faith.
---------

Dear Readers,

You are correct in your observation. It is true that the majority of our religious postings are aimed towards Buddhism rather than other faiths, such as Christianity or Islam. The explanation to this is relatively simple: because we rely on our Readers to send us information to post, when it comes to religious events, our Buddhist readers tend to send more information for us to post. That being said, from time to time, there are some rare news articles about Catholic and/or other Christian denomination activities. As for Islam, we rarely read much news about this faith even though Cambodia counts a large number of Khmer-Islams.

Nevertheless, we would be delighted to hear and to post information from our brothers and sisters of all faiths. We encourage all our Readers to send us photos and information on religious events in your respective communities so that we may share them on KI-Media. Please send your information to us at: kiletters@gmail.com

With our deepest respect,

KI-Media team

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Labels: Buddhism | Christianity | Faith and religion | Islam | KI-Media reader letter

Documentary : SRP invites govt to view Chea Vichea


Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post
Documentary

A lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) said Monday that the party plans to screen the documentary Who Kill Chea Vichea? soon after its run at the Cannes International Film Festival in France concludes this month. Mu Sochua said a screening would be held at party headquarters at the end of the month, despite government warnings not to show it, and called on government officials to attend. “It will be screened soon. However, we must screen it at party headquarters. At the end of the film festival, they will give the film to us, and then we will screen this film,” she said. “Now let the government and the public come and watch the film with us together.” The government prevented activists from showing the film in public as part of Labour Day demonstrations on May 1. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Press and Quick Reaction Unit at the Council Ministers, said on Monday that Mu Sochua’s invitation was evidence that the SRP was “mocking the government”. “The SRP should not call on [the government] to watch this film. It is just mocking the government, which says that the film is illegal,” he said.

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Labels: Chea Vichea's murder | Culture of impunity | Mu Sochua | Who Killed Chea Vichea?

Officials accused of pillaging villa [-A case of the rich robbing the rich?]

Sok Kong
Authorities carry out an eviction on a Russey Keo district villa in compliance with a Supreme Court warrant on Friday. (Photo supplied)

Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post

A FORMERLY well-heeled resident of Russey Keo district says that local authorities robbed her of hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewellery and removed US$2 million worth of property last week while serving a Supreme Court warrant to evict her from her villa.

Hang Borey said $60,000 in cash and $260,000 worth of jewellery were removed from her home during the raid on Friday, along with $2 million worth of other property.

“They removed all my property – I’ve lost everything now,” Hang Borey said. “I was not informed in advance about my removal from the villa.”

Hang Borey said her partner, Yors Sokuntheary, purchased the villa in 2007 from the brother of its Chinese owner, who was serving a jail term overseas. She added, however, that she never received a land title or a deed to the property. Hang Borey says that after the original owner returned to Cambodia, he took her to court in 2008 to get his property back, and that the Supreme Court ruled in his favour earlier this year.

The home’s original owner has since transferred his rights to the property to Sok Kong, president of the Sokimex development company, Hang Borey said. She added that she had filed a complaint against Sok Kong to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Russey Keo deputy Governor Koub Sleh said district officials were simply following the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“I have no right to talk about the court’s decision. We were just following the court’s warrant,” he said.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court deputy prosecutor Hing Bunchea said he had not seen any money or jewellery lying around the house when local officials entered to serve the warrant.

Sok Kong could not be reached for comment.

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Labels: Forced eviction | Hun Sen's cronies | Sok Kong

Villagers say Mong Reththy project threatens their land

Mong Reththy seen being decorated by Hun Xen

Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Tep Nimol and Mom Kunthear
The Phnom Penh Post

VILLAGERS in Mondulkiri province’s Keo Seima district said Monday that surveyors over the weekend had begun measuring off land in two of three villages that stand to be affected by a concession granted to a rubber company owned by business tycoon Mong Reththy.

Local villager Gos Saly said surveyors had first appeared in Keo Seima district earlier this year on behalf of the Rithy Kiri Seima Rubber Plantation company, and that this past weekend they had ramped up measurement work for a proposed plantation that he said would occupy about 40 percent of the 8,000 hectares of land in the district’s O’Am, O’Rorna and O’Sneng villages.

“It is our land because we bought it in 1997. We have letters to prove this to local authorities, but we don’t have land titles,” he said.

Eng Neang, 51, another Keo Seima resident, said local authorities had assisted the rubber company in securing the concession, but had not bothered to assist local residents in securing land titles.

“We are not happy with the development company because they are oppressing us poor people. They have never helped us, and they are robbing our rice pot,” Eng Neang said.

“I think that the authorities have taken bribes from the company,” she added.

Mong Reththy said Monday that the government had granted the 5,000-hectare land concession to his company in 2007. The surveyors, he added, had measured off territory both for the rubber plantation and for a social land concession for the villagers, who he said were living on a protected wildlife preserve.

“The villagers are confused because this will benefit them and the authorities will provide them with land titles,” Mong Reththy said.

“They live in a wild animal shelter, and it would be easy for someone to pursue a complaint against those villagers with the authorities.”

Keo Seima district Governor Sin Van Vuth said Monday that local authorities would provide the villagers with land titles after the surveying process concluded.

“About 60 percent of those villagers cooperated with us, and there are two more villages that we will survey next time,” he said.

Mong Reththy was named in a report released on Monday by the watchdog group Global Witness, which linked him to sand mining projects in Koh Kong province that the group says are destroying the livelihoods of local fishermen.

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Labels: Hun Xen's crony | Keo Seima | Land-grabbing by CPP officials | Mondulkiri | Mong Reththy | Rubber Plantation

PM rules against villagers [-Another one of Hun Xen's arbitrary decisions?]

Villagers protest the presence of excavators on disputed land in Kandal province last month. (Photo by: Pha Lina)

Tuesday, 11 May 2010
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

AUTHORITIES in Kandal province’s Kandal Stung district announced during a meeting with villagers Monday that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet had ruled that around 200 hectares of contested land in Prek Sleng commune belongs to the Heng Development Company, and that local residents have no legal claims to it, villagers said.

A letter from the cabinet, which also stated that the villagers had no right to protest the decision, was quickly denounced by the 18 village representatives present at the meeting as illegitimate.

Oeung Chanry, one of the representatives who attended, said the only explanation for the authorities’ announcement was that the letter was “fake”. “I cannot believe Prime Minister Hun Sen would do this,” she said.

Villagers say they have been farming the land since 1986, but officials claim the Heng Development Company purchased it in 1996 for commercial rice cultivation.

Oeung Chanry said that during the meeting, village representatives demanded that the company produce land titles to prove that they owned the land. “Who sold the land to them?” she said.

Mathieu Pellerin, a consultant for the rights group Licadho, said Sunday that the company had never provided proof that it possessed the appropriate land titles. “As far as we are concerned, we were never shown these documents,” he said.

However, Lim Leang Se, deputy chief of the premier’s cabinet, said, “Prime Minister Hun Sen has recognised that Heng Development Company is the owner of that land because they have the land title, and another part is for a fishing area.”

Ouch Leng, land programme officer for the rights group Adhoc, said the authorities should find a mutually acceptable resolution to the dispute. “If the authorities do not find a clear resolution, violence will occur,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY WILL BAXTER

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Labels: Heng Development Co. | Hun Sen's rule by order | Land dispute

Cambodia, Malaysia pledge to further trade, investment relations

May 11, 2010
Xinhua

Cambodia and Malaysia will further promote and strengthen their trade and investment relations with the visiting of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and the signing of six deals worth more than 1 billion U.S. dollars.

During the three-day official visit to Cambodia, wrapped up Tuesday, Najib Razak has met with Cambodian leaders including Prime Minister Hun Sen and was granted an audience by King Norodom Sihamoni.

Najib and Hun Sen had exchanged a wide range of discussions over the bilateral cooperation between the nations and the assistance as well as investment in Cambodia.

Both of them highly valued their relations. Hun Sen thanked Malaysia for its continued support in various fields, and saying that the visit of Najib Razak and his business delegation "will add a new dimension to Cambodia's socii-economic development effort, through the expansion and strengthening of both countries' cooperation in the field of politics, security, economy, social affairs, and culture."

The Malaysian prime minister has pledged to encourage more investors to Cambodia. "Malaysia has been the biggest investor in Cambodia for 14 consecutive years with investments totaling 2.19 billion U.S. dollars. Cumulative Malaysian investments in Cambodia during the past two years total 118 million U.S. dollars," Najib Razak said.

It was the first visit to Cambodia made by Najib Razak since he came to office last year, and the outstanding achievement during the visit was the deals among the private sectors of the two countries that had agreed in principle to engage in business agreement that worth in total of 1 billion U.S. dollars.

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Labels: Malaysia | Malaysian investment in Cambodia | Najib Razak | Trade agreement

The damage caused by Singapore's insatiable thirst for land

Sand extraction in areas like Koh Kong province in Cambodia is causing widespread ecological damage
Sand being dredged in the Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary, recognised as an internationally significant wetland and home to endangered species

11th May, 2010
Tom Levitt
Ecologist

While logging and deforestation has gained global attention the growing sand mining sector is being largely ignored. Fuelled by Singapore’s land and construction demands it is wreaking environmental destruction across south-east Asia
The fast growing market for sand in south-east Asia, particularly from Singapore, is being linked to widespread damage to coastal ecosystems and fish stocks.

The densely populated state of Singapore has expanded in size by more than 20 per cent since the 1960s by reclaiming vast amounts of land from the sea, in doing so becoming the world’s biggest importer of sand – 14.2 million tonnes in 2008.



Most of its exports have come from neighbouring Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam but all three have now attempted to limit or ban exports of sand. With plans to expand its surface area by a further 7 per cent by 2020, Singapore is becoming increasingly reliant on another one of its neighbours, Cambodia, to meet its demand.

Although Cambodia publicly maintains that it has banned sand exports, an investigation by the NGO Global Witness has estimated that 796,000 tonnes of sand with a retail value of US$248 million are still being extracted and exported to Singapore every year from just one province, Koh Kong.


Ecological damage

The extraction is coming at a significant environmental cost. Dredging reduces water quality by increasing turbidity, blocking sunlight and killing off plant life, including seagrass and coral. Sand extraction also disrupts natural sedimentary regimes causing increased erosion and greater flood risks. There have also been reports of significant declines in fish stocks.

Campaigners are now worried that the rapid rise in sand mining activity in Cambodia could see the Koh Kong province in particular meet the same fate as Indonesia’s Riau Islands. Over-extraction there led to significant damage to coral reefs and entire islands disappearing, forcing the authorities to ban sand exports back in 2007.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, did announce a ban on sand exports last year but Global Witness later found this only covered river sand and not seabed sand. It claims the sector is rife with corruption and largely controlled by individuals close to the ruling elite in the country. 



Sand dredging licences, Global Witness maintains, are being allocated inside protected mangrove and seagrass habitats. Local newspapers have also reported villagers being attacked and killed during forced evictions from areas of increased sand extraction.


‘Ultimately the people who are reliant most on the natural resources will lose out: fishermen who are being evicted or seeing their stocks plummet from sand dredging boats coming through their catch area; and indigenous people,’ said Global Witness campaigner George Boden.

Corruption

Having already logged much of the country’s forest resources, Global Witness accuse Cambodia’s elite, in collusion with mining companies, of switching their attention to sand.

The report says there is little evidence that any of the financial benefit from the booming sand mining trade is benefiting the country as a whole.

‘Millions of dollars are changing hands, but there is no way of tracking whether royalties, taxes and other revenues generated are reaching the national treasury…as usual, it is Cambodia’s poor who have borne the brunt of this elite capture, with loss of their livelihoods and coastal environments,’ the report says.

While the problem is being felt most critically in Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, Global Witness says the majority of the blame lies with Singapore, which it accuses of ignoring concerns about the environmental impact of its sand imports as it gives the go-ahead to new racing tracks, casinos and port developments requiring yet more sand. 


In response to the NGOs findings, the Singapore Government said the import of sand to Singapore was done on a commercial basis and that they were ‘not party to any agreement or contract for the import of sand’.

However, Global Witness says it has evidence that government ministries were involved in buying sand, allegedly from Cambodia.

Illegal trade

In fact the industry has become so lucrative that as neighbouring countries implement bans to safeguard their ecosystems, there has been a growing market from Singapore for smuggled sand.



Greenpeace Indonesia says smugglers had no problem getting their exports into Singapore and were ‘rarely intercepted by customs boats or the navy’. It said 300 million cubic metres of sand was being exported illegally every year.

There have also been reports that Singapore is turning its attention to sand mining opportunities in Bangladesh, a country where erosion is already threatening its coastline.

Global Witness says the onus is now on Singapore to act: ‘The Singapore government tries to portray itself as a regional environmental leader and is hosting the World Cities Summit in June this year showcasing its environmental leadership. The reality is their demand for sand is having a hugely damaging impact on the environment in surrounding countries.

‘Its failure to mitigate the social and ecological cost of sand dredging represents hypocrisy on a grand scale,’ said Boden.

The NGO says the country should bring in guidelines for construction companies on the sustainable sourcing of raw materials.

Jerry Berne from Sustainable Shorelines, which campaigns on sand dredging, says reforming the sector may prove difficult.

‘Unfortunately for our coastlines and the ecosystems these sustain, the dredging industry, its consultants, shipping interests and many governmental agencies are deeply committed to this process and the profits it generates.’

However, he said dredging could be done sustainably. ‘Not all dredging is a bad thing. In its place and properly vetted for its environmental impacts (not the often questionable reports from industry backers), dredging might be a relatively safe mining practice. Today, however, too little efforts goes into insuring this.

'Also, it seems too many of those who should know about the harm being done by it are either ignorant or remain silent,' said Berne.

Useful links

Shifting Sands: how’s Singapore’s demand for Cambodian sand is threatening ecosystems and undermining good governance

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Labels: Ban of sand export | Environmental concerns | Global Witness | Singapore

Vesak Bochea Celebration at Wat Khemara Rangsey Pagoda in San Jose, California on May 8-9, 2010

Buddha statue inside the pagoda
Alm offering to the monks
Alm offering to the monks
Alm offering to the monks
Blessing from the monks
Blessing from the monks
Monks offering their prayers
Monks offering their prayers
Monks offering their prayers
Blessing from the monks

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Labels: Cambodian community in San Jose | Khmer Krom | Vesak Bochea celebration | Wat Khemara Raingsey Pagoda

Vietnam-Cambodia trade turnover shoots up [... thanks to Uncle Hoon Xhen]

05/11/2010
VNA/VOVNews

The two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia in the first quarter of this year rose by nearly 130 percent over the same period last year to hit US$432 million.
The sharp rise is regarded a good signal for achieving the target of US$2 billion in the two-way trade turnover set by the two countries’ prime ministers for this year.

The target is achievable since Cambodia sees a strong economic recovery, said Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce Secretary of State Chan Nora.

Vietnam’s export staples to the neighbouring country are vegetable, fruits, plastic products, home utensils, construction materials, farming machines and fertilisers.

Meanwhile, Cambodia exports wood, rubber, cashew nuts, maize, cassava among agricultural products to Vietnam.

Last year, the bilateral trade turnover only stood at US$1.33 billion, down 19 percent from 2008, due to the negative impact of the global financial crisis.

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Labels: One-way trade with Vietnam | Vietnamese influence in Cambodia

Please put Le Duc Tho and Hun Xen on trial for the K-5 crimes - Op-Ed by Uon Sim

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

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Labels: Hun Xen | K-5 | Op-Ed | Vietnamese criminals | Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia

The Prey Nokor News No. 13 Vol. 1 is now available

Click here to read the Prey Nokor News

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Labels: Khmer Krom news | Khmer Krom plight | Prey Nokor webzine

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Sand Suckers

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

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Labels: Ban of sand export | Global Witness | Hun Xen's cronies | Ly Yong Phat | Mong Reththy | Political Cartoon | Sacrava | Singapore

Graffiti artist slammed for defacing Khmer Rouge genocide prison

Tue, 11 May 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - An Italian graffiti artist has been sharply criticized for spray-painting walls at a notorious Khmer Rouge execution centre, national media reported Tuesday.

Fabrizio Cammisecra, who reportedly lives in London, posted photographs that showed him spray-painting cell walls of Tuol Sleng genocide museum, known as S-21, where thousands of victims of the Khmer Rouge were tortured and executed between 1975 and 1979.

S-21 survivor Bou Meng, who testified last year at the trial of the prison's former head, Comrade Duch, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper he was appalled at Cammisecra's actions.

"This is bad to see. S-21 is a historical museum," Bou Meng said. "How can people deface it? They should not let this happen again."

Bou Meng, an artist, was one of just a handful of people who survived S-21 where as many as 30,000 people are thought to have been tortured and executed.

The Cambodia Daily newspaper printed one of the spray-painted images, a portrait of a boy executed at S-21 holding a sign with Cammisecra's tag, codefc, and the words "#codefc stuDIED here 1975-1979."

Others that Cammisecra posted online show spray-painted images of more executed prisoners from S-21 with his codefc tag.

The director of S-21 museum, Keh Sobanaka, said his staff had scrubbed away several images in the past few months, and described people willing to deface S-21 as "mentally ill."

Judgement in Duch's trial is due to be handed down in the coming weeks. Duch, who was tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity for his part in the deaths of 12,380 people at S-21, faces life in prison if convicted.

Around 1.7 million people are believed to have died from execution, starvation, illness and overwork during the Khmer Rouge regime's rule of Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.

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Labels: S-21 | Vandalism

Cambodia, Thai Troops to Play Sports, Reduce Tension

2010-05-11
Xinhua

Cambodian and Thai troops are planned to play sports together later this month to reduce tension and improve more understanding to avoid further clashes, a military official said Tuesday.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of Cambodia's Ministry of National Defense said the military commanders from both sides are to discuss more details later Tuesday the facilitation of the sports activities.

He said, as planned, three kinds of sports: volley ball, bowling and Sipatakraw (shuttle cock) to be on bout for soldiers from both sides who are deployed along the two countries' border area near Preah Vihear Temple, the center land of border conflict.

He said, if the schedule is not changed, then the bout will take place from May 17 through 21 at three border points not far from Preah Vihear Temple.

He said the initiative is designed to create friendlier atmosphere and understanding between the two armies, saying the border conflict shall be resolved by leaders and specialized border commissions of the two countries, not by the armed forces or military confrontation.

Cambodia and Thailand has faced off with border dispute since 2008 and since then there have been three rounds of military clashes, and there remains military presences from both sides along the border until today.

It remains unclear when the border dispute will be resolved.

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Labels: Border dispute with Thailand | Sport

Global Witness condemns sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore

Tue, 11 May 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - International campaigners on Tuesday condemned sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore, saying the trade has severely damaged the livelihoods of impoverished Cambodians.

In its report titled Shifting Sands, Global Witness said the sand dredging industry was unregulated, opaque, and environmentally damaging, adding that millions of dollars in revenues remain unaccounted for.

Oliver Courtney, a spokesman for Global Witness, said the damage being done to Cambodia's coastline stood "in stark contrast" to Singapore's position as a leader for sustainable development.

"(Singapore) should suspend all imports of Cambodian sand, undertake an audit of all payments by Singaporean entities for Cambodian sand, and lead by example through taking steps to ensure that sand is sustainably sourced," Courtney said.

Global Witness said in the past 50 years Singapore's surface area has grown by 22 per cent, an ongoing operation that requires large amounts of sand.

But some nations in the region, including Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, have banned sand exports to Singapore citing environmental concerns. It said Singapore had shifted its sourcing to countries like Cambodia.

UN trade figures reveal Singapore imported 3.8 million tons of sand from Cambodia in 2008. Global Witness said that figure has likely increased, and estimated that 796,000 tons of sand are being dredged monthly in Cambodia's Koh Kong province alone.

It added that operations were following the same destructive patterns seen in the exploitation of Cambodia's forests and extractive industries.

The Cambodian government has long disparaged Global Witness's reports on the corruption and nepotism allegedly at the heart of its extractive industries.

Cambodia announced a ban on sand exports last year after criticisms over the damage from the industry. Hundreds of subsistence fishermen complained of reduced catches as a result of the destruction of fish habitats.

However Global Witness claimed the government ban had been ignored, and said boats were even dredging in protected areas.

For its part Singapore denied it imports sand without regard for the laws or environmental impact in Cambodia, and said it had received no official notice that sand exports had been banned.

"We are committed to the protection of the global environment, and we do not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand, or any extraction of sand that is in breach of the source countries' laws and rules on environmental protection," Singapore's Ministry of National Development said.

Global Witness said donors - who will meet in the coming weeks to determine how much money to give Cambodia this year - must demand accountability of revenues from the exploitation of state assets.

"Global Witness calls on the donors to ensure that funds are only disbursed after the government achieves reforms for transparent and accountable management of natural resources and their revenues."

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Labels: Ban of sand export | Environmental concerns | Global Witness | Hun Xen's cronies | Ly Yong Phat | Mong Reththy | Singapore

Report: Cambodia destroying coastal ecology by sand exports to Singapore

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
By Denis D. Gray (CP)

BANGKOK — Cambodia is devastating its coast by dredging vast quantities of sand to sell to tiny Singapore for expansion projects, with multimillion-dollar profits going to tycoons close to the Cambodian prime minister, a watchdog group said Tuesday.

Impoverished Cambodia has become the new prime source of the masses of sand used for projects to artificially enlarge Singapore's island territory now that several other Southeast Asian nations — including Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam — have banned sand exports because of environmental concerns.

Singapore has increased its surface area by 20 per cent in recent decades by filling in coastal seabeds to create new, valuable waterfront ground, a process known as "land reclamation."

London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness criticized Singapore for the practice, pointing out that the wealthy island city-state at the same time "presents itself as a regional leader on environmental issues."

"The country's failure to mitigate the social and ecological cost of sand dredging represents hypocrisy on a grand scale," Global Witness said in a report released Tuesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last year announced a blanket ban on sand exports following local protests, but the Global Witness investigation said the country continues to supply Singapore with tens of thousands of tons of sand dredged up from rivers and estuaries along the fragile coastline.

Operations from just one Cambodian province were estimated to be worth $248 million annually in retail value in Singapore, the group said.

Cambodia's law on sand actually banned only river sand from export, but Global Witness said its investigators found that both river and sea sand have been exported since the law was passed.

Global Witness said the government has been "failing to ensure compliance with Cambodia's other environmental and socio-economic legal framework," though a Cambodian government spokesman said that dredging is confined to areas where the environment would not be degraded.

Singapore's National Development Ministry said sand import is carried out by private enterprises, which must by law "not breach any of the source countries' environment rules and other relevant laws."

The Cambodian sand trade, Global Witness said, is monopolized by two senators with close ties to Hun Sen "with no evidence of any revenues (from the exports) reaching Cambodia's state coffers."

One of the senators, Mong Rethy, refused to comment when reached by telephone, while the other, Ly Yong Phat, could not be reached despite several attempts.

Global Witness has over the past decade published several reports chronicling the stranglehold of what it calls Cambodia's "kleptocratic elite" on the country's forests, minerals and other natural resources through corruption and cronyism, often accompanied by abuses of human rights.

The government has denied such charges, but Cambodia's international donors, including the United States and the European Union, have levelled similar criticism.

Global Witness' latest report said Cambodia's sand-dredging industry "poses a huge risk to its coastal environment, threatening endangered species, fish stocks and local livelihoods. There is no evidence that basic environmental safeguards have been applied."

It said that concessions had been allocated inside protected areas and that on one day alone, nine dredging vessels were spotted inside such a zone. Extraction has actually increased since last year, it said.

The report quotes a government website as estimating that up to 60,000 tons of sand are mined each month from the water of Koh Kong province in the country's southwest.

Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said a total ban was in place on sand dredging near islands and eco-tourism areas, deep water regions and in zones with large number of fish stocks.

However, he said some dredging is permitted to serve local demand and allow passage of ships in silted-over areas. Surplus sand could be exported, he said.

Singapore's government denied any wrongdoing and disputed the Global Witness report's allegations.

"The report suggests that the Singapore government seeks to import sand without due regard to the law or environmental impact of the source country. This is not true," a statement from National Development Ministry said.
___
Associated Press writer Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh and Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.

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Labels: Environmental concerns | Global Witness | Ly Yong Phat | Mong Reththy | Sand export

Opposition MPs plan to visit jailed villagers involved in border stakes uprooting on 18 May 2010

SRP MPs in front of the Svay Rieng jail during their previous visit to Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey

11 May 2010
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Nevertheless, SRP MPs indicated that, soon, they will invite all the MPs from Kampong Cham province – including Heng Xamrin – to visit the border posts planted by the joint Khmer-Yuon border committee [in Kampong Cham] where the local villagers reported that Vietnam encroached in that region just like what they did in Svay Rieng also.

The opposition party sent a letter to the Svay Rieng provincial jail warden to ask for the authorization for 25 opposition MPs to visit 2 villagers who are currently jailed for their involvements in the uprooting of border stakes. The visit is planned for 18 May 2010.

Mrs. Ke Sovanroth, SRP Secretary-General, told the Free Press Magazine this morning: “We already sent the letter to the Svay Rieng provincial jail warden to visit Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey. They are victims whom the SRP must pay attention to their health, as well as the wellbeing of the families.”

Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey are Cambodian villagers form Koh Kban Kandal village, Samrong commune, Chantrea district, Svay Rieng province, who were sentenced to 1-year of jail term on 27 January 2010 after they were charged with intentional destruction of Khmer-Yuon border stakes at post no. 185. The pair and opposition official Sam Rainsy uprooted border stakes planted right in the middle of rice fields belonging to these farmers on 25 October 2009.

The visit to the jailed villagers by opposition MPs is planned for 18 May 2010, and this will be the third time that these MPs are authorized to visit the prisoners in order to provide them with medicines, money and financial help for their families.

According to Mrs. Ke Sovanroth, the opposition MPs do not plan to revisit the location of the problematic border post no. 185 during their visit to Svay Rieng.

It should be noted that, up to now, the situation of the Khmer-Yuon border problem still remains tense and the Cambodian government always uses threats against those who dare tell the truth about the Vietnamese border encroachment into the Cambodian territories.

Nevertheless, SRP MPs indicated that, soon, they will invite all the MPs from Kampong Cham province – including Heng Xamrin – to visit the border posts planted by the joint Khmer-Yuon border committee [in Kampong Cham] where the local villagers reported that Vietnam encroached in that region just like what they did in Svay Rieng also.

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Labels: Cambodian villagers arrested | Hun Sen's subservience to Hanoi | SRP MPs | Vietnamese encroachment

Comrade Le Kha Phieu visits Vietnam’s colony

Comrade Le Kha Phieu

10 May 2010
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Le Kha Phieu, the former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, came to visit Cambodia on 10 May in order to strengthen the 10,000-year old [and stale?] friendship ties and solidarity between the parties and the people from the two countries. A source from the CPP indicated that Le Kha Phieu will be visiting Cambodia between 10 and 16 May 2010, and he was invited to come visit by the permanent committee of the CPP central committee and Hun Xen. During his visit, Le Kha Phieu will pay a visit to Cambodian supreme patriarch, Hochimonk Tep Vong, Chea Xim, Heng Xamrin and Hun Xen. Le Kha Phieu will also visit three orphanage centers in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, respectively. He will visit the National Museum, the Preah Keo Morokot temple inside the royal palace, as well as a number of cultural centers in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and several temples in Siem Reap.

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Labels: Indochinese Federation | Vietnam | Vietnamese influence

Cambodia accused of reversing sand dredging ban


May 11, 2010
ABC Radio Australia

Last year the Cambodian Government announced a total ban in the export of sand, saying the environmental impact on Cambodia was too great. Prime Minister Hun Sen said sand dredging was having a detrimental effect on Cambodia's rivers and marine areas. But now a new report by advocacy group Global Witness is accusing Cambodia of reneging on that pledge by secretly exporting sand to Singapore which is heavily reliant on sand imports to increase its land mass. The report says Cambodia is still dredging sand from environmentally sensitive areas despite the 2009 ban. And it says there's no evidence that basic safeguards have been applied, with boats reportedly dredging in protected areas.

Presenter: Linda LoPresti
Speakers: George Boden, campaigner advocacy group Global Witness, London

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

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Labels: Ban of sand export | Environmental concerns | Global Witness | Ly Yong Phat | Mong Reththy | Singapore

[M'sian] PM wants more trade with Cambodia

Red carpet treatment: Najib inspecting a guard-of-honour in Phnom Penh yesterday. Accompanying him is Hun Sen. - Bernama

Tuesday May 11, 2010
By EDDIE CHUA
The Star (Malaysia)

PHNOM PENH: Malaysia hopes to increase the number of goods involved in its trade with Cambodia, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia trade base with Cambodia was very narrow and confined to a few products.

“Malaysia’s main export to Cambodia are chemicals, machinery, appliances and electrical products while imports consist of textiles, clothing, raw rubber and logs from Cambodia,” he said at the Malaysia-Cambodia business forum luncheon here yesterday.

Najib said there was plenty of opportunities for both countries to expand the scope of products and services.

He said businessmen from both nations must continue to find ways and work together to enhance the bilateral trade and form strategic partnerships that would take advantage of the opportunities arising from the greater regional economic integration.

He said it was important for both nations to continue to work closely to improve trade relations through bilateral cooperation and active participation in Asean integration initiatives.

“The governments of both countries have taken steps to establish a framework for sustained cooperation in all economic and political areas and now is the time to mobilise our resources collectively for the economic development of Asean as a whole,” he added.

Najib said Cambodia had the potential to play a prominent role in Asia’s expansion.

Earlier, Najib held bilateral talks with his counterpart Hun Sen at the Council of Ministers.

He said Malaysia and Cambodia agreed to expand its two-way trade commitments and one of the topic discussed was Cambodia’s 3.5 million tonnes of rice surplus.

The country has invited Malaysian companies to set up mills to process the padi for export.

Najib said Cambodia was satisfied with the training provided under the Malaysia Technical Corporation and the number of scholarships provided by Petronas and other companies to Cambodians.

He said the Cambodian government has given an approval-in-principle for CIMB to open in the country after its application was submitted to the National Bank of Cambodia.

He said that with the approval, Malaysia would have five financial institutions operating in the country.

In the morning, Najib also attended the wreath-laying ceremony at the Independence Monument.

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Labels: Malaysia | Malaysian investment in Cambodia | Najib Razak | Trade agreement

[M'sia] CIMB gets in-principle approval from Cambodia

Tuesday May 11, 2010
The Star Online (Malaysia)

PHNOM PENH: CIMB Group has obtained approval-in-principle to offer banking services in Cambodia by its central bank, the National Bank of Cambodia.

It said the approval allowed CIMB Bank to establish and operate a 100%-owned subsidiary to offer banking products and services to the nation of 14 million people.

"The approval also requires the group to set up operations within six months. The group plans to establish its headquarters in Phnom Penh as soon as possible," the company said in a statement yesterday.

CIMB group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said he was pleased to be granted the approval-in-principle and excited about the long-term prospects for the Cambodian economy. "The move further cements our position as a leading Asean franchise. We are now in eight out of 10 Asean countries,"� he said in the statement.

Meanwhile Bernama reported that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen welcomed Malaysian investors to venture into areas which have yet to be fully capitalised there.

He said the areas included agriculture, agro-industry, infrastructure, labour-intensive and export-oriented industries, oil and gas, mining and tourism. "Cambodia has opened its economy to all investors and treats both local and foreign investors equally,"� he said during a Cambodia-Malaysia Business Forum at a hotel in Phnom Penh.

The country, Hun Sen said, has opened its economy in all sectors, including banking, insurance and telecommunications in which 100 per cent foreign-owned equity was allowed in such sectors. "This openness has provided several Malaysian companies to pioneer investments in banking and telecommunication sectors ahead of investors from other countries," he said.

Tycoon Tan Sri Dr Chen Lip Keong who set up Naga World Hotel, Axiata in telecommunications, Cambodia Utilities in power generation and Cambrew for Angkor Beer were some of the Malaysian investors' success stories in investing in this country, he added.

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Labels: Malaysia | Malaysian bank to operate in Cambodia | Najib Razak | Trade agreement

The dangers in trafficking Cambodian men

May 11, 2010
ABC Radio Free Asia

Tens of thousands of Cambodians cross into neighbouring countries each year in search of work. But agreeing to work abroad illegally can be dangerous not least for men who are generally not seen as being at much risk.

Presenter: Robert Carmichael
Speakers: Louise Rose, victim protection officer, The Asia Foundation; Manfred Hornung, legal adviser at human rights NGO Licadho

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

CARMICHAEL: The phrase 'human trafficking' commonly conjures up images of women and children sold into servitude, bonded labour or brothels.

But men are of course trafficked too, although until recently the issue of male trafficking in south-east Asia was ignored and unstudied.

But at this hotel in Phnom Penh, delegates have gathered for a conference on the issue of regional migration, with a particular focus on Cambodia.

Louise Rose works as a victim protection officer for The Asia Foundation, an NGO, and spoke to delegates about male trafficking.

She says in recent years the issue of Cambodian men being trafficked onto fishing boats in Thailand and Malaysia has gained some attention, but information about the scale of the issue is limited.

Rose says the most comprehensive study to date is of 258 men who were returned to Cambodia through the southern province of Koh Kong. Most of the men had worked on fishing boats in Thailand.

She says the men - who represent just a fraction of more than 100,000 Cambodian men, women and children deported from Thailand each year - were asked about their motivations for migrating.

Researchers found that debt drove half to leave Cambodia and look for work. Two other factors were even more significant.

LOUISE ROSE: Lack of food was a huge one. Three-quarters of the men reported not enough food being a motivator for migrating. And the other one that was even higher again - no source of income.

CARMICHAEL: No jobs, no food, low skills, limited land, and few opportunities for the 350,000 young people entering the job market each year mean there is a large supply of ready labour in rural Cambodia.

Manfred Hornung is a legal adviser with human rights NGO Licadho. Over the past three years Licadho has interviewed more than 60 men brought back to Cambodia who were trafficked onto Thai fishing vessels.

He says the men's stories have a common thread, starting at the point where an agent turned up in their home village with promises of work.

MANFRED HORNUNG: So in most cases this broker won't tell these youngsters that they have to work on a fishing boat. They'll tell them he will find work for them in the construction sector or on a plantation in Thailand. In most cases they are promised well-paid jobs.

CARMICHAEL: The men are smuggled across the border into neighbouring Thailand, and then down to Pak Nam fishing port 30 kilometres south of Bangkok.

There they are locked in guesthouses until they are sold to the captains of vessels in Thailand's multi-billion dollar fishing industry.

Hornung says conditions on board the fishing boats can be horrific. And since the captain and Thai crew are often armed, press-ganged fishermen from Cambodia, Burma or Laos have few options.

MANFRED HORNUNG: A very typical story then is that once they are on the boats they have to work long hours - in most cases these young fishermen tell us that they have maybe two to three hours rest per night; that they receive very meagre rations of food, that they are constantly beaten; they are drugged because they have to work long hours; we have had reports that men who fell sick were thrown overboard.

CARMICHAEL: In some cases, matters are so bad that the men jump overboard at night and try to swim to land. That's what three Cambodians did off the coast off East Timor in February this year. Luckily they were rescued by local fishermen and are awaiting repatriation.

You might think it would be easy enough to jump ship when fishing boats reach port. But the decline in fish stocks means some boats stay at sea for months, and make contact only with mother-ships onto which they offload their catch.

The solution will require better cooperation among governments in the region, improved services for migrants, and education about the risks involved.

But until that happens, unscrupulous agents, corruption, poverty and a lack of jobs mean more of Cambodia's youth will experience this version of 21st century slavery.

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Labels: Cambodian fishermen slaves | Cambodian migrant workers | Human trafficking | Joblessness in Cambodia | Thailand

"Ou'tiean Pear'no" a Poem in Khmer by Sék Serei