Court hearing postponed in forest shooting

By May Titthara

The Phnom Penh Post

 

A COURT hearing on complaints filed by Forestry Administration officials who say they were shot at by former soldiers when they tried to clear a protected forest area in Oddar Meanchey province was postponed Tuesday when a Siem Reap provincial court judge failed to show up for questioning.

A total of 11 officials based in Samraong were summoned for questioning, as were two RCAF soldiers accused of persuading 200 families to move to the protected area from their village 50 kilometres away.

Earlier this month, complaints were filed with the Interior Ministry and the Siem Reap court following an altercation in which members of military families living in the area allegedly opened fire on Forestry Administration officials and physically assaulted 10 of them.

“We came to appear at the court, but the provincial judges were absent because they were busy having a meeting in Phnom Penh. They should’ve confirmed with us – we have wasted our time,” said Von Buntheoun, the chief of the Forestry Administration office in Samraong town.

The case is being handled by the Siem Reap court because there is no court in Oddar Meanchey.
 

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Pair make bail in land dispute

By May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Kampong Speu provincial authorities on Monday released on bail two men who had been detained for six days for their alleged role in the torching of a makeshift office of a company owned by a Cambodian People’s Party senator, villagers and rights groups said.

You Ren, 26, whose 62-year-old father, You Tho, was one of the two released men, said she was happy her father had been allowed to leave the provincial prison, but said she was concerned that he had been told he would need to check in twice a month with the provincial police office.

“My father is sick and old. It’s very hard for him to come two times a month, but he has to because he’s afraid the police will arrest him again,” You Ren said.

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Kampong Speu villagers awaiting representatives’ release

By May Titthara and Will Baxter 
The Phnom Penh Post

 ABOUT 200 villagers from Kampong Speu province’s Thpong district have vowed to greet two community representatives who are scheduled to be released Monday from Kampong Speu prison and escort them back to their homes, villagers said.

Meanwhile, a group of 400 villagers will be standing by to protest if the pair are not released by authorities as promised.

Suon Ly, a villager from Thpong district’s Omlaing commune, said, “About 400 villagers are prepared to come to protest in front of the provincial court again if the authorities do not uphold their promise.”

Another villager, Hi Hoeun, said he did not have much faith in the authorities, and that they have lied in the past about efforts to resolve their ongoing land dispute. Photo By May Titthara

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Danish woman extradited

By May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

 A DANISH woman sentenced to 15 years in prison for mailing thousands of codeine and Valium tablets out of Cambodia last year has been extradited to her native country, a prison official confirmed Sunday.

Johanne Vinther Axelsen was extradited to Denmark March 17, according to Heng Hak, director of the prisons department at the Ministry of Interior.

The move comes 14 months after Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced Axelsen, 55, to a lengthy prison term on charges of drug trafficking.

In an interview with the Post last year, Axelsen said she would be allowed to return to Denmark if she paid US$20,000 – a sum she refused, she said, because she did not want “to pay any money to the corrupt court officials, who will use the money to buy a luxury house and car”.

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Cholera Suspected in Six Kratie Deaths

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh

At least six villagers have died and dozens fallen ill from severe diarrhea and vomiting in a suspected cholera outbreak in Kratie province, authorities said Friday.

The outbreak occurred in two villages of Chet Borey district, a remote area far from the provincial capital, said Choung Seang Hak, chief of Kratie provincial police.

At least 53 people were being treated at the provincial hospital while “several dozen” others were being treated in their villages, Sanday, Treap and Village 105, in Thmei commune, he said.

Ou Pilay, chief of the provincial hospital, said six people died from serious diarrhea and vomiting suspected from cholera, causing worries of an epidemic.

“The patients have the conditions of chest pressure, difficulty breathing, and have indigestion” caused by dirty drinking water, he said. A lack of hygiene and high temperatures also contributed, he said.

Villagers were treated with anti-bacterial medication, and the conditions of some have improved, he said.

Around 20 medical officers and several dozen civil servants, police and military police are staying in the villages to investigate the cause of the outbreak, the officials said. Six ambulances were also on standby in the villages.

Authorities are searching the homes of villagers for signs of the disease and have urged anyone sick to seek out the medical teams.

Choung Seang Hak said the “cholera epidemic” was now under control and no further deaths were reported.

Nationalist Party started to strengthen party's internal structure

By Khmerization
Source: RFI

The royalist Nationalist Party, formerly the Norodom Ranariddh Party, has restarted to strengthen the internal structure and power base of the party after years of internal wrangling and bickering, reports Radio France International.

In one of its biggest campaigns, the party has on Sunday has begun its big gathering in Kampong Speu province in preparations for the 2012 commune and 2013 national elections, when the two royalist parties, Funcinpec and Nationalist, are hoping to go to the elections in a single ticket.

In the past, party's provincial officials and activists are responsible for the strengthening of the party's power base. However, the party has changed tact by launching a campaign where all top party officials from Phnom Penh must personally go to the provinces and talk to the people and party members. Mr. You Hockry, the party Secretary General and 1st vice president, said this is done in order to the strengthen the party provincial structure and to fill in vacant party leadership positions in the provinces.

The Nationalist Party is a splinter group who broke away from Funcinpec Party when the latter removed Prince Ranariddh from the party presidency in 2006. Prince Ranariddh, along with other party members, then founded the Norodom Ranariddh Party and won two parliamentary seats in the 2008 election. Prince Ranariddh has since left politics in a political deal with Prime Minister Hun Sen to facilitate his return to the country after being convicted of embezzlement and of breach of trust by a politically-motivated court.

A one-star general shot and seriously wounded a motorcycle driver

By Khmerization
Source: Koh Santepheap

A military officer, with the rank of brigadier general and his bodyguard, had been arrested by military police after he shot and seriously wounded a remorque (a motorcycle-pulled trailer) driver after a minor traffic accident, reports Koh Santepheap.

The accident took place on the morning of Sunday 28th, at the intersection of Wat Ang Khmao pagoda in Sambor commune, Samrong Torng district of Kampong Speu province.

According to the report, the remorque driver took a turn to enter Wat Ang Kmao pagoda and the Camry, with number plate 2A3540, which travelled in high speed from the opposite direction, skidded off the road when the driver braked to avoid crashing into the remorque. The car driver, which has been identified as Brig-Gen. Soy Narith who is based in Kampong Speu, got off his car and started abusing the remorque driver, identified as 31 year-old Korng Korn. The verbal exchanges ensued and Gen. Soy Narith drew his K-54 pistol and shot Korng Korn in the cheek, with a bullet piecing through to the other end of his cheek.

Capt. Din Pharith, head of the Provincial Criminal Office, said Gen. Soy Narith and his bodyguard were arrested on the spot and the victim has been sent for treatment at Kampong Speu Hospital, then transferred to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh where he has been in a serious condition.

Police, villagers clash in Kampong Speu

By: May Titthara and Will Baxter 

The Phnom Penh Post

 Kampong Speu Province

ABOUT 10 people were injured on Thursday morning when police attacked a convoy of protesters travelling from Kampong Speu’s Thpong district to the provincial court, where they planned to join an ongoing demonstration against the arrest of two community representatives in connection with a land row involving a Cambodian People’s Party senator, rights workers and villagers said.

The police attacked the convoy with batons, disabled one mini-tractor by cutting its drive belt and, for the second day in a row, set up checkpoints to impede the villagers’ progress, rights groups said.

One villager, Try Kea, 29, said he was beaten by police who tried to knock him off one of the convoy’s six mini-tractors.

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Two held over Kampong Speu conflict

By: May Titthara and Will Baxter

The Phnom Penh Post 

 TWO representatives of villagers embroiled in a land dispute with a sugar company owned by a Cambodian People’s Party senator were arrested Wednesday morning after being questioned at Kampong Speu provincial court, in a move that prompted hundreds of villagers to protest outside the courthouse.

Khem Vuthy, 30, and You Tho, 62, were among a group of four villagers who had been called to appear on Wednesday for questioning related to a protest held last week in which the Phnom Penh Sugar Company’s local office was burned to the ground. They arrived at the provincial court at 8:30am and were arrested at around 11:20am after being questioned by the provincial prosecutor in a session that was closed to reporters.

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Gen. Chea Dara: Border disputes caused by critics of the Cambodian and Thai governments

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

Gen. Chea Dara (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the Preah Vihear operations, said the Cambodian-Thai border disputes were caused by Cambodian anti-government groups and Thai anti-government groups, reports Radio Free Asia.

Speaking during a report to government about the military situations along the Khmer-Thai borders, Gen. Chea Dara squarely blamed anti-government groups both in Cambodia and Thailand for causing the year-long border disputes between the two countries. "The (ruling) Cambodian People's Party (CPP) had resolved a lot of issues successfully. At that time, the anti-government, anti-CPP groups in cambodia plus the Thai anti-government groups in Thailand, who were anti-Cambodia, withdrew their swords to oppose Thailand because the anti-government groups in cambodia cannot beat the CPP in the election, so they pushed the issues to become like what we've seen today", he said.

Mr. Yim Sovan, spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said the SRP had never owed any grattitude to any foreign country, therefore the SRP had never and will never collaborate with foreign countries to destroy its own nation. "We never cede our territories to any foreign countries and never asked any foreign countries to come and help us, nor are we indebted to any foreign countries. So, we had never collaborated with any countries to destroy our country and to cede territories to any countries, so we don't have any intentions of doing any of these things. What we are doing everyday is to protect our territories", he said.

Dr. Hang Puthea, chairman of COMFREL, the free and fair election monitoring body, said the army should be a neutral institution and should not serve any political parties. "The institution of the army is a neutral institution of Cambodia. It is not an institution that serves any political parties. If any government officials or staff used a forum and their positions to serve any political parties, I think it is a problem", he said.

Mr. Yim Sovan added that opposition parties never betrayed the nation. He also requested the army to be neutral and stays away from politics.

Gen. Chea Morn's son sentenced to 6 years and 6 months jail?

By Khmerization

Source: DAP News

The son of Gen. Chea Morn, commander of Cambodia's Military Region Four, is likely to be sentenced to 6 years and 6 months jail for conducting illegal logging in the Preah Vihear-Siem Reap areas, reports Deum Ampil.

There are unofficial reports that Chea Sophal, Gen. Chea Morn's son, will be convicted for illegal logging and sentenced to 6 years and 6 months jail by the Siem Reap Magistrate Court.

Chea Sophal is a very powerful figure who is behind widespread illegal logging in areas under the control of the Military Region Four in the Siem Reap-Preah Vihear regions, which is commanded by his father. The report said, due to his father's influence and powers, the authority are scared to touch him until yesterday, 24th March, when he was arrested and was immediately brought to Siem Reap Magistrate Court.

Troops linked to sugar firm

By May Titthara

The Phnom Penh Post

SOLDIERS who have been deployed to protect land owned by the Phnom Penh Sugar Company in Kampong Speu province’s Omlaing commune are slated to receive financial support from the company as part of a controversial programme to forge partnerships between the military and the private sector.

Villagers say that former Khmer Rouge troops from Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Battalion 313 have descended on disputed parts of the 9,000-hectare plantation, after angry villagers burned down a company office Thursday.

Suon Ly, a villager who took part in the protest that resulted in the razing of the company office, said Monday that soldiers from Battalion 313 – formerly Khmer Rouge Battalion 37 – arrived to guard the plantation following Thursday’s incident.

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Court calls 16 Kampong Speu villagers

By May Titthara

Phnom Penh Post

  

 KAMPONG Speu provincial court has summoned 16 villagers from Thpong district’s Omlaing commune to appear in court Wednesday to answer questions related to the burning of an office belonging to the Phnom Penh Sugar Company last week, provincial court officials said.

Court clerk Seng Chamroeun Rith said the summons orders were issued Friday and that the 16 were bound by law to appear. “If they don’t appear in court, the court will issue an arrest warrant for them,” he said.

Since Thursday’s incident, about 100 soldiers have been sent to guard the disputed land, which is part of a 9,000-hectare concession granted to the Phnom Penh Sugar Company, owned by Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat.


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Vendors worried about acid law

 

Mom Kunthear and Brooke Lewis

 

Phnom Penh Post

 

THOUGH a committee tasked with drafting acid legislation has so far focused largely on setting punishments for perpetrators of acid crimes, officials and those who advocate on behalf of victims say the challenge of regulating acid sales is just as important, if not more so.

Acid vendors, however, have expressed concerns that restrictions on the sale of acid could negatively affect their businesses, something Ouk Kimlek, the committee’s deputy director, says he is hoping to avoid.

“This law does not affect their businesses, both import and export,” he said Monday. “What we want is to reduce the number of acid attacks, not reduce [the number of] acid sellers.”

At its most recent meeting on Friday, Ouk Kimlek said, the committee touched on the regulation of acid sales but “focused strongly on the punishment, because this is the very important thing”.

 

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SRP plans to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the 1997 grenade attacks

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) is planning to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the 1997 grenade attacks which killed 16 people and wounded more than 100 people, reports Radio Free Asia.

On 30th March 1997, four hand grenades were thrown into a crowd of protesters led by the Khmer Nation Party, the precursor of the SRP. Mr. Sam Rainsy, president of the then Khmer Nation Party, was slightly injured and an American, Ron Abney who works for the American International Republican Institute (IRI), was seriously injured. All fingers were pointing to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his bodyguard units deployed at the scene during the protests.

Mr. Yim Sovan, spokesman for the SRP, said it was a crime that should not be forgotten. "We must commemorate this event every year because up until now, the murderers were never brought to justice. So, we must commemorate this event, in order to pay tribute to those heroic protesters who had sacrificed their lives. And it is an opportunity for us to call on the government to find the perpetrators who were behind the attacks and bring them to justice", he said.

Ny Chakriya, investigator for the human rights group Adhoc, also criticised the lack of progress in the investigation, 13 years after the attacks. "It (this case) is different from other cases. Sometimes, we saw that it only takes 2-3 weeks for the identikits of the suspects to drawn, but it is very strange for this case that after more than 10 years, the perpetrators still have not been found yet", he said.

Gen. Keat Chantharith, spokesman for the Cambodian National Police, said the case is still open and the investigation is still ongoing.

The American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) got involved in the investigations but pulled out because of the lack of cooperations from the Cambodian authority and because of a personal threat to the safety of its investigators working in Cambodia who had received death threats. The FBI's initial reports found the involvements of Mr. Hun Sen's Bodyguard Unit in the attacks.

During the attacks, witnesses said that they saw the grenade throwers ran into the military compound of the bodyguard Unit of Prime Minister Hun Sen. When they gave chase, Mr. Hun Sen's bodyguards threatened them with guns and then let the grenade throwers slipped through and hid in the compound.

Court decided not to detain Khmer Amatak's editor

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News

The Phnom Penh Magistrate Court decided not to detain the editor of Khmer Amatak newspaper, Mr. Bun Tha, after he attended the court hearing on Monday in relation to a defamation and disinformation lawsuit lodged by Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs andf Rector of the University of Cambodia, reports Deum Ampil.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn sued Mr. Bun Tha in October 2009 after the Khmer Amatak newspaper published an article accusing the university of corruption after students claimed the university overcharging them for application forms to sit for the test for a scholarship.

Outside the court, Mr. Bun Tha thanked the court for allowing him to go free. "I wish to thank the court for not detaining me", he said.

He said he is willing to publish a correction and an apology but Dr. Kao Kim Hourn refused to accept the offer. "I wish to end this case by publishing a correction but Mr. Kao Kim Hourn refused to accept this offer", he said.

The newspaper claimed that the Japanese government is offering 500 scholarships to poor Cambodian students. It charged that the students complained that the University of Cambodia charged them 20,000-25,000 riels ($5-$5.55) for each application form that could only cost 500 riels to produce. Mr. Bun Tha alleged that with 20,000 copies of application forms sold, the university could make a substantial profit.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn sued Mr. Bun Tha for $100,000 in compensation, claiming the article is defamatory. The case is ongoing.

Villagers fear police retaliation

By May Titthara

Phnom Penh Post

AROUND 100 soldiers descended Saturday on disputed land occupied by villagers in Kampong Speu province’s Thpong district, and villagers in Oudong district fled their homes amid fears of arrests following an altercation with police last Thursday, villagers said Sunday.

On Thursday, about 500 villagers from Omlaing commune in Thpong district burned down an office belonging to the Phnom Penh Sugar Company, owned by Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat, in relation to an ongoing land dispute.

Soldiers have now been sent to guard the disputed land, which is part of a 9,000-hectare concession to the sugar company.

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The Role of the Thai Prostitution and the Thai King in Economic Development

By Mr. Tony
Originally posted at:
http://www.thaipoor.blogspot.com

What a tourist first see and asked after he sets his foot on Thailand, it must be the thousand portraits of the Thai King (Bhumibol Adulyadej). The King's portrait (and the Queen's) can be seen in stores, people's homes, hospitals, schools, outside on city streets, billboards, bridge crossings...everywhere decorated artfully throughout Thailand and when he gets in a taxi then the first question he is asked is if he needs a girl.

This is what we call Thailand, the typical country in the world. The land that the king is demanded to be loved by all. Constitutionally, he is above all, protected by the lése majesté which none is allowed to criticize him for his bad deed. He is credited as the symbol of the political intervention and unity of the country for his role in Thai political intervention and facilitating Thailand´s transition to democracy and even the symbol of economic development for his various development projects which these are reasonably or unreasonably believed and recognized by the Thais. With all these, he is respected like the semi-divine god king. 

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One journalist killed and another summoned to court

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News and RFA

A 55 year-old journalist was killed when a truck transporting timbers illegally overrun his motorcycle, reports Deum Ampil. Another journalist has been summoned to court for spreading disinformation and for publishing defamatory information, reports Radio Free Asia.

55 year-old Sem Sophal, a reporter for "Kar Pitt" (Truth) newspaper was killed on 18th March when a truck he was chasing rammed his motorcycle. Sources said that Sem Sophal was taking a deputy commander of military police of Sambor district of Kampong Chhnang province to see illegal transportations of timbers. When they spotted three trucks illegally transporting the timbers they gave chase and one of the truck rammed their motrcycle, killing the journalist instantly, while the commander of the military police sustained minor injuries.

Mr. Bun Tha, editor-in-chief of Khmer Amatak (Immortal Khmer) newspaper has been summoned to court for disinformation and defamation. He was sued by Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rector of University of Cambodia, for publishing article exposing corruption within the University of Cambodia. In October 2009, Mr. Bun Tha had taken complaints from students from the University of Cambodia who alleged that the university charged them between 20,000-25,000 riels ($4-$5.50) for applications to sit for the test to receive sholarships to study at the university.

While defamation is a civil case, disinformation is a criminal case which carries a jail term. Two journalists, Hang Chakra, eidotr of Khmer Machas Srok, and Ros Sokheth, contributor for the English-language South East Asia Globe magazine, had been jailed between one to one and half year each for defamation and disinformation.

A Khmer Krom sentenced to 2 years jail term in Vietnam for disinformation

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

A Vietnamese court has on 19th March sentenced a Khmer Krom, an ethnic Khmer living in Vietnam, to 2 years jail for defamation and for spreading disinformation in regard to ongoing land disputes between the Khmer Krom community and the Vietnamese authority, reports Radio Free Asia.

Mr. Huynh Ba is currently in jail in Kleang (Soc Trang) province and all his family members are banned from visiting him in jail.

A Khmer Krom lady from Boeng Sansorng district in Kleang province, who spoke on condidition of anonymity, said she and Huynh Ba used to actively participate in protests against land confiscations by the Vietnamese authority. "Huynh Ba has been sentenced yesterday (19th March). I used to go with Huynh Ba to complain and protest against land confiscations. He is my friend. I know him", she said.

Another Khmer Krom from Moat Chrouk (An Giang) province, where protests against land confiscations by the Vietnamese authority are very prevalent, said he is saddened by Huynh Ba's imprisonment. "I am very saddened because we have spent a lot of energy and resources fighting this cause and how can we survive if everything has been taken (by the Vietnamese authority)? We demanded he be released but they (Vietnamese authority) have never agreed to meet us. So, even if they mistreated him, no one will know", he said.

According to a statement released by World Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation in Cambodia, Mr. Huynh Ba was arrested in May 2009, mistreated by not giving food, forced shaved and humiliated. He has only been taken to court on 19th March 2010, 10 months after his arrest.

Ven. Thach Sovannara, spokesman for World Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation in Cambodia, condemns the action of the Vietnamese authority. "It is very unjust for Huynh Ba. The Vietnamese government has threatened and violated the freedom of Mr. Huynh Ba because Huynh Ba didn't do anything wrong, he just protested and demanded for the returns of lands confiscated by the Vietnamese authority. So, when he protested, the Vietnamese court issued an arrest warrant against him, put him in jail and sentenced him to jail term by accusing him of political uprising", he said.

Another Khmer Krom monk, Ven. Yoeung Sin, also condemns the Vietnamese authority. "To call them 'Vietnamese' is not appropriate, we must call them 'Yuon'. The Yuon always have this kind of mentality and that is the Yuon characteristics. It is not appropriate to call them Vietnamese, but if we call them Yuon, their character is always like that", he said.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh cannot be reached for comment at the time of this report going to air because it is Saturday when it is closed for business.

Mr. Huynh Ba has led Khmer Krom to fight for the returns of their ancestral lands from 2001 until his arrest in October 2009, their ancestral lands which were confiscated by the Vietnamese authority in 1978 when they fled their homes to escape the fighting between the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese forces which took place in the area.

Land disputes flare in Kampong Speu

By May Titthara

Phnom Penh Post

Kampong Speu Province

VIOLENCE erupted Thursday morning in two separate land disputes in Kampong Speu province – one in Oudong district and the other in Thpong district – resulting in the injury of more than 20 villagers and police, as well as the torching of a company’s offices.

An early-morning altercation between authorities and 88 families at Oudong district’s Phnom Touch commune broke out when the authorities tried to carry out a Supreme Court-ordered eviction of the families from a 65-hectare plot of land, villagers said Thursday. Twelve villagers and 14 local police were hurt in the brawl.

At about 6:45am police attempted to forcibly evict the residents so that they could bring in equipment to tear down their houses, but the eviction was thwarted by locals who attacked police with stones and bamboo clubs, and disrupted their advance with burning tyres, villagers said.

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Revisiting Lon Nol’s Cambodia

Sebastian Strangio 

The Phnom Penh Post

 FORTY years ago today, the National Assembly convened in Phnom Penh and voted to replace then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk as head of state. The “coup” of March 18, 1970, though it involved no immediate shedding of blood, paved the way for the country’s first experiment with republican government.

The regime that came into being four decades ago was headed, and later personified, by two men: General Lon Nol, a close ally of Sihanouk who became prime minister in August 1969, and Sihanouk’s cousin Prince Sisowath Sirikmatak. During their five short years in power, which ended with the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, the two men attempted a bold experiment in Khmer democracy. On October 9, with much pomp and ceremony, they presided over the founding of the Khmer Republic, bringing Cambodia’s centuries-old monarchy to an end and installing a US-style presidency.

Caught between the velvet-gloved authoritarianism of Sihanouk’s Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime and the horrors that came after under the Khmer Rouge, the Khmer Republic remains a blind spot in many accounts of Cambodian history. But the event was in its own way a historical watershed, shattering Prince Sihanouk’s royalist consensus and opening up a political rift that led the country into civil war and the more muted political conflicts of the present day.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MAY TITTHARA AND NETH PHEAKTRA

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Hun Sen warned Human Rights Watch

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News


Prime Minister Hun Sen (pictured) has strongly and angrily reacted to the New York-based Human Rights Watch for releasing a statement attacking the Cambodian government for its lack of efforts to fight human trafficking and drug trafficking, especially human rights abuses against drug addicts, reports Deum Ampil.

Human Rights Watch issued a 93-page report, "Skin on the Cable," on January 25, 2010, with reports of widespread beatings, whippings, and electric shock to detainees, including children and individuals with mental disabilities, in seven Cambodian drug detention centers.

Speaking at the Ministry of Interior on 17th March during a ministerial meeting on government's 2009 efforts to combat drug trafficking, Prime Minister Hun Sen bitterly attacked the HRW report as "unwise and thoughtless" that failed to mention the good efforts made by the Cambodian government.

Mr. Hun Sen admitted that Cambodia's efforts in combating drug trafficking are not perfect, but it is not as bad as made to be seen by the HRW report, he said.

Cambodia-Vietnam border demarcations to be completed in 2012

By Khmerization

Source: DAP News

A senior Cambodian government official said that the Cambodian-Vietnamese border demarcations will be completed in 2012, reports Deum Ampil.

Gen. Chay Saing Yun, Secretary of State of Defence Ministry, told reporters after a meeting with members of a delegation of Vietnamese Veteran Association at Defence Ministry on 14th March that both sides had agreed to complete border demarcations by the end of 2012.

Cambodian-Vietnamese border demarcation is a contentious issue, with opposition parties and government critics making constant allegations of Vietnamese encroachments through secretive agreements and border demarcation works, but the the government rejected the allegations.

Cambodia and Vietnam agreed to plant 375 border pillars along the 1270-kilometres long borders between the two countries. Up until 2009, 111 border pillars have already been planted.

Funcinpec-Nationalist parties a step closer to merger

By Khmerization
Source: Kampuchea Thmey

The royalist Funcinpec Party and Nationalist Party, formerly Norodom Ranariddh Party, is a step closer to a permanent merger after recent talks between the leadership of the two parties, reports Kampuchea Thmey.

During a press conference in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, Mr. Keo Putrasmy (pictured), Funcinpec president and spokesman, said Funcinpec and the Nationalist Party have agreed to go the 2012 commune election in a joint candidate list by using Funcinpec name.

Mr. Keo Putrasmy, who is married to ex-King Sihanouk's daughter, Princess Arunrasmy, said Funcinpec is a historic name and the front and party was created by the ex-King Sihanouk, therefore it is important to keep the name.

Mr. Keo Putrasmy said Funcinpec is open to cooperations and alliances from other political parties such as the Sam Rainsy Party, Human Rights Party and the Nationalist Party because these parties have their origins in Funcinpec.

Hun Sen: government spent too much on civil servants' salary

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

Prime Minister Hun Sen is unhappy that his government spent too much money on paying the salary of civil servants, reports Radio Free Asia.

Speaking on 17th March in a meeting to hear the reports about the government's 2009 achievements, Mr. Hun Sen has ordered all ministries to stop recruiting more staff in an attempt to save money. He said only teachers and medical staff are allowed to be recruited. "Only teachers and medical staff are allowed to be recruited. In other institutions, if they have 100 staff and if 30 staff retired, 70 are kept and they won't be allowed to recruit any more staff because past expenditures have exceeded our micro-budget", he said.

Mr. Hun Sen also said in the past, expenditures on civil servants' perks such as free petrol, phone bills, allowances, accommodation, food and travelling expenses on overseas missions have exceeded the micro-budget. He said from now on, if necessary, ambassadors and diplomats in Cambodia's overseas missions will attend the conferences and meetings in the countries they are based in instead of sending officials from Cambodia in order to save the money.

According to government figures, expenditures on civil servants' perks is equivalent to 4.4% of Cambodia's Growth Domestic Product (GDP), which is considered too high for any country.

Mr. Yim Sovan (pictured), spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said there are corruption involving in applying for allowances and perks from many government officials. "They inflate the invoices. They only received one invoice, but they presented two invoices (for reimbursements) and sometimes they inflated the invoices three times higher than the real charges in the invoices because they connived with the service providers and vendors. This has caused the government to lose a lot of money because there is no control put in place. This is only the tip of the iceberg and this is not a new issue, it is an old issue, so it is good that (Mr. Hun Sen) has raised the issue. So, we want to see his words become a reality and we wish that these words are transormed into concrete measures in order to tackle unnecessary expenditures and to save our National Budget because all these money are coming from the sweat and blood of our citizens", he said.

The opposition parties have in the past accused the government of unnecessarily recruiting hundreds of civil servants every year but it has never made the figures public. Mr. Yim Sovan also appeal to the government to punish those officials who inflate the invoices in the past.

Inmate work training begins

By May Titthara

The Phnom Penh Post

PRISONERS in Pursat province’s Correctional Centre 4 on Tuesday began a vocational training programme aimed at teaching them agricultural skills, prison officials said, as part of a new approach to the Kingdom’s ever-growing inmate population.

Rights groups have long voiced concern that prisoners in Cambodia are subject to abuse bordering on torture, chronic overcrowding and other hardships. Government officials say the agricultural programme at CC4 is part of a broader effort to implement needed reforms and give prisoners marketable skills that might reduce their risk of recidivism upon release.

Hin Sophal, the chief of CC4, said the centre would eventually house about 2,500 prisoners on 846 hectares of land. The facility’s first 66 prisoners began arriving in November of last year, and on Tuesday they began ploughing about 12 hectares of land around their housing blocks. 

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JAMES O’TOOLE

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Kampong Speu villagers protest at Phnom Penh Sugar

May Titthara 

The Phnom Penh Post

AROUND 100 villagers in Kampong Speu province on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the local offices of the Phnom Penh Sugar Company, saying company employees operating 11 excavators had encroached on 2 hectares of land in Omlaing commune.

The company, owned by CPP senator Ly Yong Phat, has been awarded a 9,000-hectare concession in the commune, located in Thpong district, and farmers there have expressed concerns since February that they might be forced off their land as a result.

Chhuon Ly, 42, who attended Tuesday’s protest, said the company had failed to honour an agreement to stay 25 metres away from the farmers’ land.

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Oddar Meanchey villagers to leave contested forest

May Titthara

Phnom Penh Post

MILITARY families have agreed to vacate a section of protected forest land in Oddar Meanchey province after Forestry Administration officials filed a series of complaints against them, and one of two men accused of fraudulently selling the land denied the allegation on Monday.

The complaints were filed to the Interior Ministry and the Siem Reap provincial court last week, following an altercation in which members of the families allegedly opened fire on Forestry Administration officials and physically assaulted 10 of them.

Von Bunthoeun, the chief of the Forestry Administration office in Samraong town, said an agreement was reached with the families last Thursday.

 

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Show me the evidence : Thaksin

 The Nation

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday challenged Abhisit Government to show evidence to prove a claim that he may be behind an attempt to stage a sabotage in Thailand.

"It was the same old (Deputy PM) Suthep Thaugsuban that spread the news that foreign intelligence agencies tapped my telephone conversations. He went further that I am behind an attempt to stage a sabotage in Thailand," Thaksin tweeted in thaksinlive.

"Suthep should provide evidence to back up the claims. Suthep is 60 years old and is old enough to stop making up stories," Thaksin said. The reports came as the red

Thaksin, who was reportedly seen in Montenegro last week, said that he would like to thank all red shirts who joined the protests to demand for return of democracy to the country.

Military and government sources said earlier that a recent "sabotage" warning which featured in Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's statement came from the United States.

The sources said early this month that intelligence reports pointed to the possibility of sabotage taking place during red-shirted rally. He did not say where the intelligence reports had come from.

The sources said the warning had been conveyed by the United States using information provided by intelligence officials.

Apart from Abhisit, the Thai Army also received similar information.

The US Embassy on Tuesday was not available for comment.

There will be blood

By The Nation

 Red shirts start giving blood on Tuesday morning for their campaign to put pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the Parliament.

They plan to spill three thousands litres of blood collected from 1 million red shirts at the Government House, Demorat Party headquarters and the premier's residence. The Nation online gather photos of the acitivity for our viewers.

Red shirts start shedding blood

The Nation

8.39am

About 500 red-shirt protesters made long queue at 8 am Tuesday to let their leaders draw to cc of blood each as part of the measure to force the government to dissolve the House.

Voluntary medical personnel started taking the protesters' blood at 8 am for the red-shirt leaders to pool the blood for pouring in front of the Government House at 6 pm.

The red-shirt leaders announced they would pour 1 million cc of the grassroots' blood to pressure the government to dissolve the House.

Troops To Stay Put During Thai Strife

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
15 March 2010

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday appealed to Cambodian soldiers to limit operations while Thailand undergoes a new round of political instability.

Thai protesters have gathered in the tens of thousands in Bangkok to demand fresh elections, raising the possibility of further demonstrations and strikes.

“For the problem in Thailand, it’s the Thai people’s problem,” Hun Sen said, speaking at a graduation ceremony at the International Institute of Education.

“I also appeal for all Cambodian troops who are stationed along the border with Cambodia and Thailand, please have good cooperation with the Thai army and provincial governors of Thailand close to the border with Cambodia. If it’s not important, please do not mobilize the troops.”

Hun Sen said he wanted to avoid “misunderstandings from the Thai side,” adding, “I won’t allow Cambodian troops to cause any problem between Cambodia and Thailand.”

Chea Dara, the army commander in charge of front-line operations near Preah Vihear temple, said his troops remained stationed at the border and were prepared “to protect our territory.” However, he said, they would not be moving, as per Hun Sen’s order.

Thailand sends four truckloads of troops to Preah Vihear areas

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News

A Cambodian commander based at Preah Vihear areas have reported that Thailand has on Monday afternoon sent 4 truckloads of troops to Chak Chreng area which is located about 7 kilometres from Preah Vihear temple, reports Deum Ampil.

Gen. Srey Doek, commander of division 3 of the Intervention Forces based at Preah Vihear, has just told Deum Ampil by telephone that the military situation in the areas remain calm and that those Thai troops have not made any unusual military manoeuvres yet.

This Monday morning, Prime Minister Hun Sen has publicly said that he had ordered the Cambodian frontline commanders not to make any unusual military manoeuvres that might send the wrong signal to the Thai military that Cambodia is taking advantage of the political crisis in Bangkok. He said he had ordered all Cambodian military commanders to make cordial contacts with the Thai military commanders based in the areas. In the same speech, he had also advised Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand not to participate in the mass rally in Bangkok for fearing that they will become the victims of an eventual and anticipated break out of violence.

Border situations near O'Chak Chreng very tense

By Khmerization
Source: Kampuchea Thmey

The military situations at the border areas of O'Chak Chreng, which sometimes called just Chak Chreng, have become very tense after the Thai military reinforced more troops to the areas and ordered bulldozers to start bulldozing at the disputed areas, reports Kampuchea Thmey.

Reports from the border frontline said the military stand off on the morning of Monday 15th at O'Chak Chreng's Border Pillar No.8, located about 5 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple, nearly lead to armed clashes when Thai troops intransigently bulldozing the forbidden areas. In the afternoon, 4 truckloads of Thai troops, equivalent to about 300 soldiers, were seen arriving at the site. The Cambodian commanders based in the areas said the situations could lead to armed clashes if Thai troops still intransigently pushing into Cambodian territories.

Gen. Srey Doek, commander of Division 3 in charge of the Preah Vihear operations, said the situations at O'Chak Chreng's Border Pillar No. 8 was tense as have been reported because Thai troops had bulldozed the forbidden areas and due to the deployments of 300 extra Thai troops to the areas. By 4pm, those Thai troops still had not been withdrawn yet. However, 1,000 Cambodian troops deployed in the areas had not been withdrawn either, unless Thai troops are withdrawn first, he said.

Gen. Srey Doek said, on top of troop deployments, the Thai military had ordered the laying of hundreds of Claymore landmines around Border Pillar No.8 which is against the Ottawa Treaty which bans the laying of new landmines which Thailand is a signatory.

SRP plans to reshuffle MPs' candidate list

By Khmerization
Source: KEN

A senior Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) official said that the party plans to review and reshuffle the MPs' candidate list in a number of constituencies in preparations for the 2013 national election, reports Khmer Express News.

The review and reshuffle of the electoral candidate list is the opposition party's new strategy to maximise its electoral chances for the 2013 election. KEN quoted an anonymous SRP official who said that the reshuffle will be carried out in the constituencies of Kandal, Kampot, Banteay Meanchey, Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu and Kampong Cham provinces. However, many serving MPs are very nervous about the reshuffle and had opposed the ideas, reported KEN.

Mr. Yim Sovan (pictured), spokesman for the SRP and MP for Phnom Penh, said up until today the decision to reshuffle has not been made by the party's Permanent Committee (Steering Committee?) yet. But the party has plans to change the compositions of the party's provincial working committees as ways to improve the effectiveness of the party's campaign to strengthen the support base on the grounds in all provinces.

Mr. Kimsour Phirith, MP for Kampong Cham, said in the past the party had reshuffled its MPs in the middle of their parliamentary term, but this term the party had not considered the idea yet.

Recently, Ms. Mu Sochua, MP for Kampot has been moved to take up Mr. Eang Chhay Eang's MP seat in Battambang, while Mr. Eang Chhay Eang has been moved to Kandal for the next parliamentary term.

True blood [from 100,000 protesters]?

By The Nation
March 16, 2010

After their first attempt yesterday to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Parliament failed, the red-shirt protesters announced they would sacrifice their blood at Government House.

After the march to the 11th Infantry Regiment resulted in increased traffic congestion on Paholyothin Road but no political change, the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) begged each protester to donate 10cc of their blood with which to "soak the Prime Minister's Office".

DAAD co-leader Veera Musigapong said he would donate the first 200cc himself.

They intend to get at least 1 million cc of blood from 100,000 protesters by today, said co-leader Weng Tojirakarn.

Some 500 physicians and nurses would help to take the blood donation which began at 8 a.m. at the protesting site in Rajadamnoen Avenue in accordance with sanitary procedure, he said.

"It is a peaceful way of fighting. We would see whether Abhisit dares to walk on our blood to work at the government house," Weng said.

"If the Prime Minister stays on, another one million CC of blood would be poured at the Democrat Party headquarter. If he still resists to step down, another one million CC more would soak his house."

Prime Minister Abhisit said in a live televised address yesterday that the demonstration could not force him to dissolve the parliament. The decision was made after a consultation with leaders of coalition parties, he said.

"This government was set up and backed up by majority of MPs in the parliament in accordance with the constitution like previous two cabinets," he said.

The government needed to listen to people from entire the nation, not only the protesters, he said and noted the parliament dissolution and snap election could not end the on-going political conflict.

Military expert Maj. General Kattiya Sawasdipol, who was also a red shirted group's supporter, said he disagreed with the blood sucking campaign since such tactic would disturb the protesters and they might turn their back to the protest.

"It's silly, how can you ask your supporters to waste their blood for nothing. Why don't take your parents' blood. This tactic would not achieve any victory," he said.

Many protesters were reluctant to donate their blood while some might give little blood as a symbolic of fighting.

Reporters at the protesting site reported that number of the protesters sharply decreased yesterday as many of them disagreed with the blood sucking campaign and saw no sign to win over the government.

Many protesters decided to return homes in up provinces after finished activities at the infantry regiment as saw the protest could not reach the goal.

Thaksin, who is de-facto leader of the red shirted group, phoned into the rally site calling the protesters to stay on and the red shirted group would win the victory eventually.

"Many people might upset but be patient, we would win but the victory must be achieved step by step," he said.

Thaksin phoned in speech mostly criticised aristocrats who controlled Abhisit's government and dictated the juridical system of the country.

He called upon the coalition parties and the military to withdraw their support from the government and cooperate with people for democracy.

Thaksin's whereabouts remained unclear. The Foreign Ministry is verifying a news report that fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra was spotted in the Montenegrin town of Budva.

Agence France-Presse quoted local media as reporting that Thaksin was seen in coastal Budva's medieval old town on Sunday, enjoying coffee and cakes in a posh hotel with his entourage.

Vice Foreign Minister Panich Vikitsreth said the ministry had asked the Thai Embassy in Hungary, which covers Montenegro, to verify the report. If the news was true, the government would ask Montenegro to pressure Thaksin so the ex-PM does not use the country as a base to launch attacks on Thailand, he said.

Complaint possible in police shooting

May Titthara

Phnom Penh Post

THREE men who were shot during an altercation with police in Kampong Thom’s Santuk district last week plan to meet with workers from the rights group Adhoc today to discuss the possibility of filing a criminal complaint – despite the fact that they remain in hiding and refuse to go back to Kampong Thom themselves. On the afternoon of March 7, police opened fire on a group of 40 villagers who had returned to a section of land in Kraya commune from which 1,700 families were evicted last December. Local authorities have said the police were acting in self-defence after being provoked by the villagers.

Photo by: Photo Supplied
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Blaze ravages protected Pailin forest

Tep Nimol and Mom Kunthear 

Phnom Penh Post

MORE than 1,000 hectares of protected forest land in Pailin, Kampot and Siem Reap provinces have been destroyed by forest fires in the last 30 days, and all three fires are suspected to have been caused by human activity, officials said Sunday.

None of the fires led to any reported casualties.

The biggest of the three fires, in Pailin, raged for three full weeks – from February 16 to March 8, said Sous Siyat, the governor of Pailin town. He said the blaze ripped through 966 hectares of protected forest land at the base of Keav mountain, adding that the area’s remote location and numerous land mines made combating the flames impossible at first.

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Court formally charges Rainsy

Vong Sokheng and Sebastian Strangio

Phnom Penh Post

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court on Friday formally charged opposition leader Sam Rainsy with falsifying public documents and spreading disinformation, two weeks after government lawyers filed complaints against the embattled Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) president.
Sok Roeun, the court’s deputy prosecutor, said that preliminary investigations had led to the filing of the charges, but that further investigations were necessary before a trial date is set.

 

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy addresses supporters of his party via a live video feed from Paris during a press conference on January 28

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Red shirts march for reply on House Dissolution

The Nation 

1.08pm:

 Red shirts protesters on Monday march to the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkhen where the premier is inside to push for reply on House Dissolution.

1.08pm : red shirts leaders declare that they want to enter the 11th Infantry Regiment where peacekeeping operations commands is located. If their demand is not met, they would invade the compound.

noon : A red shirts leader; Arisamun Pongruengrong, says the rally in front of the regiment would end at 2pm and the protesters would move back to Pan Fah Bridge.

11am : Public Health Ministry upgrades emergency service to a highest level following the red-shirts march to the peacekeeping operations command in Bangkhen.

The ministry prepares extra beds, bloods and rescue cars in case of emergency.

The upgrading is announced after it evaluates that the number of the protesters exceeds 50,000.

10.40am : Rear of the red shirts' procession is still at Sanam Luang while its head already occupied Paholyothin Road in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment.

10.20am : Red shrits arrive of the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen. Their rally almost paralyse Paholyothin Road near Prasimahatat Temple.

10.10am : Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says in a special television programme that red-shirt leaders used false information to incite protesters to clash with the authorities.

He said the red-shirt leaders had been using doctored audio clips during the rally Sunday night to try to deceive the protesters that he ordered the use of force against them.

The premier insists the government had no plan to use force against the protesters and the enforcement of the Internal Security Act was aimed at keeping law and order, not for suppressing the protesters.

10am : Abhisit announces the government could not give in to the protesters' demand for House dissolution. He insisted the demand could not be met before the deadline expires at noon Monday.

He said his government would also have to heed opinions of other groups of people in the society.

The prime minister was speakigng to a press conference after a meeting with leaders of coalition partners. He said all coalition partners reached the common stand that the protesters' demand for House dissolution could not be met.

9.44am : The first part of the red-shirt procession from Phan Fa Bridge reach the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen. They arrived mostly on motorcycles and some pick-up trucks.

The regiment announced through loudspeakers to try to calm down the protesters while playing songs composed by His Majesty the King.

9am : The front part of the red-shirt procession from Phan Fa Bridge reached the Lard Prao Intersection on their way to the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen, TNN Channel reported.

The front part is comprised of protesters on motorcycles. They stopped at the Intersection to wait for other protesters, who were travelling on pick-up trucks and other vehicles from Pan Fa rally site.

The protesters plan to reach the 11th Infantry Regiment at noon when the 24-hour deadline for the government to dissolve the House expires.

7.45am : The Metropolitan Police Bureau advises motorists to avoid the Phechaburi Road, Victory Monument and the Phaholyothin Road as protests were heading to the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen to defy the Army.

Pol Maj Gen Phanu Kerdlarppol, deputy metropolitan police chief, said the red-shirt protesters were moving the Pan Fah Bridge to Bang Khen, using Phetchaburi Road, passing through the Victory Monument and Phaholyothin Road, and could cause traffic snarls on the road.

He says traffic congestions could spill to Ramkhamhaeng and Lard Prao roads.