FREEDOM

S. Korea seeks Cambodia support for mining, oil

2012-01-27T12:02:00.000+07:00

Business Desk
Rasmei Kampuchea Daily
Publication Date : 27-01-2012

A senior South Korean official appealed to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Thursday for increased support for Korean companies operating in the mining, oil and energy sectors.

The request came during a courtesy call on Hun Sen by Shin Jae-hyun, the country's ambassador for mining and energy cooperation, the premier's assistant Ieng Sophalet said.

"During the meeting, he asked Samdech Techo Prime Minister to further support South Korean companies when studies are finished," the assistant said.

Korean companies are currently exploring for minerals in Preah Vihear, Takeo and Kampong Speu provinces.

Ieng Sophalet said the prime minister welcomed such investment and said that any companies conducting exploration projects would have the priority for mining operations.

Hun Sen also asked the envoy to convey a message to the South Korean president about the possibility of loans for Cambodia to improve electricity distribution.

The government is so far said to have approved exploration on 128 concessions covering about 13 per cent of Cambodia's land area.

Apart from local and South Korea interests, companies approved for exploration licenses are reportedly from Australia, the United States, Vietnam, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and France.

ASEAN Adopts International Negotiating Procedures

2012-01-27T12:01:00.000+07:00

By Edmund Sim
Fri, Jan 27th, 2012

Last week’s ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting of foreign ministers in Cambodia adopted “The Rule of Procedures for Conclusion of International Agreements by ASEAN” (ROP).

As described by ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Bagas Hapsoro,

“The Rule prescribes the procedures for ASEAN as an inter-governmental organization to enter into agreement with countries, international, regional and sub-regional organizations and institutions in pursuing its external relations as provided for in Article 41.7 of the ASEAN Charter.”

As ASEAN has not yet published the ROP on its website, I provide a copy below.

I suspect that only international law aficionados will study the ROP in detail. Yet I think that the ROP does provide some interesting points of relevance to the study of the ASEAN institutions and the AEC.

First, the ROP does not apply to agreements which are negotiated by the ASEAN member states collectively and create obligations for individual member states, namely the various free trade agreements (FTAs). ASEAN FTAs are actually a collection of 10 bilateral FTAs which share common language and obligations, the product of collective negotiation by ASEAN member states, with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat.

Second, the ROP illustrates, once again, the determination by ASEAN member states not to create strong supranational institutions. Under the ROP, the ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies coordinate with the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) on proposals to commence negotiation.

Final approval of the proposals is up to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, or the CPR acting for the foreign ministers. The ASEAN foreign ministers directly or indirectly through the CPR appoint the ASEAN representatives to the negotiation. The ROP requires the ASEAN representatives to maintain close consultations with the CPR and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies. Finally, the ASEAN foreign ministers by themselves or through the CPR will specify the manner of concluding the agreement and by whom.

The ROP thus anticipates a case-by-case authorization by the ASEAN foreign ministers (representing the ASEAN member states) for international agreements. Unlike what the EU does in trade matters, there is no standing delegation of authority by the member states to a central institution like the ASEAN Secretary General or the ASEAN Secretariat. Rather, the ROP allows for the designation of the ASEAN Secretary General to act on behalf of ASEAN in specifically authorized circumstances. The ROP also limits the role of the ASEAN Secretariat to that of assisting the designated ASEAN representatives. The primacy of the ASEAN foreign ministers in the process is firmly set by the ROP.

Now, this tension between national sovereignty and regional institutions is always present in entities such as ASEAN and the EU. The EU itself is still resolving such tension in other areas of the Community, such as in monetary affairs and foreign policy. So the factors that resulted in the ROP’s approach are not new.

In any event, perhaps this is all the “ASEAN” that the member states can accept at this time. But it still marks another step in the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, the further commitment to rule of law in ASEAN’s operations. For now, this should be celebrated.

Edmund Sim is a U.S. international trade lawyer at the Singapore office of Appleton Luff and adjunct associate professor of law at National University of Singapore. There, he teaches the first course developed on the law and policy of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). You can follow him via AEC Blog.

Exile group presses China on Uighur deportees

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000+07:00

Jan 27, 2012
AFP

Uighur activist leader Rebiya Kadeer, pictured in in Washington, DC, in 2011 (AFP/File, Nicholas Kamm)

BEIJING — An exile group has urged Beijing to explain the fate of 20 ethnic Uighurs who escaped to Cambodia but were deported back to China, amid reports some were sentenced to death or life in jail.

The deportees, members of the mainly Muslim minority Uighur group who have long complained of oppression in Xinjiang, fled China after ethnic rioting in the remote, northwestern region in 2009.

They applied for UN refugee status in Cambodia, but were forcibly repatriated back to China in December 2009, in a move that triggered strong international condemnation.

Cambodia's decision to deport the Uighurs was quickly followed by a 1.2-billion-dollar aid and loan package from Beijing. China has rejected accusations of a link between the two.

According to the World Uyghur Congress, China has refused to confirm the whereabouts of members of the group despite media reports that four were sentenced to death after their return, while another 14 were jailed for life.

"Uighurs forcibly returned to China are in extreme risk of torture, detention and enforced disappearance," Rebiya Kadeer, president of the Munich-based exile group, said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"We call once again on international governments to pressure the Chinese authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of all the extradited Uighurs and to provide the charges, if any, that have been made against them."

In the latest unconfirmed sentencing, a deportee named Musa Muhamad was sentenced to 17 years in prison by a court in Xinjiang's Kashgar city on October 20, according to Radio Free Asia.

The report said it was unclear what charges the 25-year-old faced because it was a closed trial.

Calls to the court went unanswered on Friday, as did calls to Xinjiang's regional judicial department.

China has said the Uighurs were wanted in connection with rioting that erupted in July 2009 in the regional capital of Urumqi between Uighurs and China's majority Han ethnic group which left nearly 200 people dead.

The Uighurs had expressed fears of persecution and torture if they were sent home to China, which implemented a massive security crackdown in Xinjiang following the 2009 violence.

At the time, the UN special rapporteur on torture called the expulsion from Cambodia of the Uighurs "a blatant violation" of anti-torture rules and urged an independent probe as well as access to the group should they be detained.

Foreign Policy Under Yingluck: Return to Thaksin’s CEO Style?

2012-01-25T12:42:00.000+07:00

Pavin Chachavalpongpun
January 25, 2012

It has been six months since the election that brought the first woman into Thailand’s top political position, Yingluck Shinawatra.

As a prime minister, Yingluck has encountered several difficult issues, from the devastating floods to the attempt to provide amnesty for her fugitive brother Thaksin to the increasing cases of lese-majeste.

But there is one area in which Yingluck has appeared to be doing well so far: foreign affairs. It is fair to say that since Thaksin’s downfall in 2006, Thailand has had no tangible foreign policy. The Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat governments were short-lived. And the Abhisit Vejjajiva period was marked by conflicts with neighboring countries, especially Cambodia.

It is therefore a real test for Yingluck to reinvent Thai diplomacy, departing from antagonism toward neighboring countries. In terms of Thailand-Cambodia relations, Yingluck paid a high-profile visit to Phnom Penh, as the first stop on her introductory tour. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was gleeful to roll out a red carpet to receive the Thai female leader. For now, relations between the two countries have returned to normal. And the secret to this success is that issues in this bilateral relationship have simply become less politicized, particularly on the Thai part.

Yingluck then went on to visit a number of countries that are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos and recently the Philippines. Symbolic as they were, these visits signaled Thailand’s recovery from political illness at home and its eagerness to play a role in Asean. But a question must be asked: How realistic is this Thai eagerness?

During her visit to Naypyidaw in December, Yingluck demonstrated that her government wanted to diversify Thailand’s policy options toward Burma, by reaching out to both the government and the opposition. Yingluck held a discussion with President Thein Sein and also paid a visit to Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy. At the end of her tour, Yingluck offered her support for national reconciliation in Burma, wishing to see further political reforms in the country long governed by the military.

Can Thailand, despite these bold moves, expect a shift in its foreign policy, which traditionally sought to advance national interests at the expense of promoting universal values, such as democracy and human rights protection? My answer is rather pessimistic.

Ultimately, both Yingluck and her foreign minister, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, have no experience in diplomacy. And one must not forget that Yingluck is indeed Thaksin in disguise. Accordingly, it is likely that she will restore the “Thaksinized” foreign policy that was essentially commerce-driven without any respect for principles.

In 2001 to 2006, Thailand under Thaksin was so ambitious that it thought it could conquer the world.

Thaksin, a successful businessman, was confident that he could transform Thailand into a hegemon dominating smaller and weaker states in the region. He then bypassed Asean, once a cornerstone of Thai foreign policy. He perceived Asean as a representation of “old politics” — the kind of politics sullied by rigid bureaucratic processes. Instead, Thaksin invented a myriad of business-centric cooperative frameworks, including the Asia Cooperation Dialogue and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy. He also strengthened Thai economic cooperation with major trading partners through the conclusion of many free trade agreements. Undoubtedly, the Thaksin period witnessed the most colorful and innovative foreign policy Thailand had had in decades.

The remapping of Thailand in the age of globalization put Thaksin’s foreign policy in the spotlight: he was tipped to become Asia’s next leader. Thaksin endorsed diplomatic activism, and in this, he wanted to place Thailand at the core of the regional order. Thaksin turned the kingdom into a company, run by a CEO prime minister whose task was to evaluate economic costs and benefits in the conduct of diplomacy.

But it wasn’t just the content of foreign policy that changed. The operational mode within the Foreign Ministry also underwent an extreme makeover. Representatives of the nation and the monarch were now becoming CEO ambassadors who would visit their customer for product demonstrations. While CEO ambassadors were dressed with more power, the role of the Foreign Ministry in the formulation of foreign policy diminished.

The radical transformation of the Foreign Ministry has left deep hostility between those who agreed and disagreed with Thaksin’s approach. .

If Thaksin is indeed behind the formulation of Thailand’s foreign policy in this Yingluck era, then he has to learn from the mistakes he made while he served as prime minister. Thaksin’s past foreign policy initiatives might have provided his government with a channel to secure Thailand’s supposed national interests. But along the way, he and his family members were accused of using state mechanisms for personal gain.

Yingluck needs to open up the foreign policy decision-making process, making it transparent to the public. More importantly, her foreign policy for the next few years will have to be based on economic interests and good governance. Her government has received a popular mandate through democratic means and Thailand cannot run away from a new international environment that has become more democratic.

Asia Sentinel

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. He is the author of “Reinventing Thailand: Thaksin and His Foreign Policy.”

Ieng Sary defence grills DC-Cam rep on group’s motives

2012-01-25T12:41:00.000+07:00

Phnom Penh Post
Mary Kozlovski
Wednesday, 25 January 2012

A defence lawyer for former Khmer Rouge foreign affairs minister Ieng Sary yesterday asserted that a senior representative from the Documentation Centre of Cambodia was being “less than honest” while testifying in Case 002 at the Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Following questioning by a defence lawyer for former Khmer Rouge Brother Number Two Nuon Chea, Michael Karnavas, co-defence counsel for Ieng Sary, requested that DC-Cam deputy director Vanthan Dara Poeu be reminded that he was under oath.

“It is our position … that the witness is confabulating, is being less than honest, so we would respectfully request that he be informed that he is still under oath and is required to answer the questions truthfully and fully,” he said.

The DC-Cam representative has testified this week about the organisation’s approach to researching the Democratic Kampuchea period, which defence teams have challenged in court.

While questioning Vanthan Dara Poeu, Jasper Pauw, co-defence counsel for Nuon Chea, stated repeatedly that the witness had not answered his questions.

Karnavas later repeated certain questions posed by the Nuon Chea defence, including whether representatives from DC-Cam had consulted with prosecutors at the tribunal, to which the witness responded that he had not personally met with prosecutors.

Jasper Pauw earlier questioned Vanthan Dara Poeu about the organisation’s “goals and purposes” including whether DC-Cam had ever “stated a desire to have Nuon Chea prosecuted”.

Vanthan Dara Poeu said that he had been called to testify about “documentation” and, after Pauw repeated the question, Trial Chamber President Nil Nonn ruled that the witness was not required to answer it.

Pauw later presented Vanthan Dara Poeu with a copy of a questionnaire used by DC-Cam researchers in fieldwork, and read out “sub-sections” from the document including those labeled with “torture”, “religious persecution”, “genocide” and “crimes against humanity”.

Pauw asked the witness whether he concurred with the Nuon Chea defence’s assessment that, through the questionnaire, the organisation was attempting to provide “building blocks for a later trial”.

“We intend to provide that information and those documents to people who are interested in finding justice for those who lived through the Democratic Kampuchea regime,” Vanthan Dara Poeu said.

The prosecution has argued that simply because one of DC-Cam’s goals is to “search for the truth” of the Democratic Kampuchea period, that does not signify that the organisation is biased.

Thailand import ban on rice slows trade with Cambodia

2012-01-25T12:39:00.000+07:00

Phnom Penh Post
May Kunmakara
Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Cambodia's total exports to Thailand decreased by more than 20 per cent year-on-year through November, the effect of a Thai ban on paddy imports from the Kingdom, officials said.

Exports to Cambodia’s western neighbour fell to US$159 million in the first 11 months of 2011, down from about $200 million during the same period the year before, data from the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh showed.

Bilateral trade, however, increased by 10 per cent, hitting $2.59 billion in 2011 through November.

Thailand temporarily banned Cambodian paddy imports last year when the Kingdom’s rice prices fell below that of Thailand’s, Thai Embassy Trade Promotion Officer Jiranan Wongmongkol said this week.

The ban has since been lifted but did contribute to Cambodia’s falling export figures, Jiranan Wongmongkol confirmed. A Thai ban on Cambodian corn also stymied the exports, she added.

Changing trade patterns may have lowered agricultural shipments to Thailand, Jiranan Wongmongkol said. Whereas Thailand often processed and resold Cambodian cassava products, China and Vietnam have recently started buying processed and raw cassava directly from Cambodia, she said.

A Thai ban on Cambodian paddy would not halt unofficial exports to Thailand, University of Cambodia economics and business lecturer Chheng Kimlong said.

“Even with a ban, it doesn’t mean that we did not export paddy to Thailand. We did but we did it unofficial. [The trade] wasn’t recorded,” he said.

Exports to Thailand – official or unofficial – are the only option for many Cambodian rice farmers. Chheng Kimlong said domestic mills don’t have the capacity to purchase much of the Kingdom’s paddy harvest.

Cambodia’s exports to Thailand, which comprise only a fraction of bilateral trade figures, are mainly agricultural products such as rice, corn and beans. Thailand exports oil, cement, construction materials, as well as a wealth of consumer products to Cambodia.

Floods and political problems have turned Cambodia into an attractive investment destination for Thai companies, Thai Business Council of Cambodia deputy manager Kriegn Kria said.

“[Investors] mostly want to invest in processing factories like rice milling and garment in Koh Kong and Banteay Meanchey provinces,” he said.

“This year we will see more big factories moving from Thailand to Cambodia because Thailand has big problem. Politics and natural disasters like flood have impacted their businesses.”

Thai, Vietnam rice prices drop as India lifts export cap

2012-01-22T12:25:00.000+07:00

January 22, 2012

RECORDER REPORT

Rice prices eased in top exporters Thailand and Vietnam last week due to thin demand and may be undermined further after India lifted its export cap, traders said on Wednesday.

The export market in Vietnam has also slowed ahead of a long holiday next week to mark the Lunar New Year.

India has allowed the overseas sale of common rice in excess of two million tonnes, officials said on Tuesday, removing a previous cap imposed in September 2011.Stocks in Indian government warehouses stood at 29.8 million tonnes by January 1, above a target of 11.8 million tonnes.

This week Indian white rice rose to $440-$450 per tonne, on a free-on-board basis (FOB), from $430-$440 a week ago.

"India now has more to export, maybe an additional three or four million tonnes of rice," a Vietnamese trader said.Thailand's benchmark 100 percent B grade white rice dropped to $535 per tonne on Wednesday, from last week's $550 per tonne, hit by weak demand, traders in Thailand said.

Thai 5 percent broken grade white rice also fell to $520 per tonne on Wednesday, from $540 last week, well above Indian grain of the same grade.

"There's almost no buyers in the market.

We have seen this trend for a while," said a rice trader based in Bangkok."The rice pledging scheme has distorted market prices.

India and Vietnam sell rice at much lower prices than us and we will probably see our rice exports falling this year." The weakening trend of Thai rice prices has started since November, following the introduction of the government's rice pledging scheme that pushed prices up, making Thai grain less competitive than Vietnamese or Indian rice.Thailand's rice exports in 2012 could halve to 5 million tonnes due to the high prices.

In Vietnam the export market has already closed last week and only some domestic transactions remained this week, traders said.

"The market closed early for Tet while demand has been thin," said a trader in Ho Chi Minh City, referring to the country's biggest festival to mark Vietnam's Lunar New Year.Vietnam's market holidays run from January 21 to 29.

Port activities also slowed, with no rice vessels for Africa, one of Vietnam's traditional markets, while loading for top buyer Indonesia has nearly been completed, he said.

"Africa has been quiet and Vietnam now only hopes it could sell to regional countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia," the Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.Indicative prices for Vietnam's 5 percent broken rice eased to between $450 and $455 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB), against $455 last Wednesday, and the 25-percent broken rice also dropped to $420 a tonne, from $430 a week ago.

"With a large volume of rice coming from the next winter-spring harvest, we do not know how much more prices could fall if there are no large deals to support," another trader said.The winter-spring rice crop, the country's largest, with harvesting due to peak in March, is projected to produce 11 million tonnes of paddy, up around 4 percent from 2011.

Buyers were expected to return to Vietnam next month in anticipation of lower prices due to the harvest, traders said.

Vietnam needs 'rights progress' for US weapons

2012-01-22T12:21:00.000+07:00

US Senator John McCain (R) speaks next to US Senator Joseph Lieberman (2nd L) at a press conference in Hanoi (AFP/File, Hoang Dinh Nam)

AFP

BANGKOK — The United States will not sell lethal weapons to Vietnam until it reverses the "backward movement" in its human rights situation, US Senators including John McCain said Saturday.

Following a visit to the communist Southeast Asian nation, McCain told reporters in Bangkok that Hanoi had a "long long list" of arms it would like to buy.

But the US delegation "specifically stated to the Vietnamese that our security relationship will be directly impacted by the human rights issues", said McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam.

"There has not been progress on human rights issues, in fact there has been some backward movement on it."

Senator Joe Lieberman added that approval from US Congress was necessary for ally Vietnam to get "lethal" weapons specifically.

"There's certain weapons systems that the Vietnamese would like to buy from us or receive from us and we'd like to be able to transfer these systems to them, but it's not going to happen unless they improve their human rights record," he said.

Rights groups say dozens of peaceful political critics and campaigners have been sentenced to long prison terms since Vietnam launched a crackdown in late 2009, despite Hanoi's stance that its rights record is improving.

Vietnam has been seeking greater exchanges with the United States amid high tensions with China, particularly over disputes in the South China Sea.

The senators spoke ahead of a trip to Myanmar, where they will be looking into dramatic reforms by the nominally civilian government in recent months.

These include the release this month of hundreds of political prisoners, leading US President Barack Obama to call for the resumption of full diplomatic ties.

McCain said US would likely begin to lift sanctions on the country if by-elections held in April were free and fair, but he expressed caution over the pace of change in the country that saw military rule for nearly 50 years.

"It seems to me that we ought to put a pause on things, see what happens and evaluate the situation and then act accordingly. Let's not rush into judgments that we may regret later on," he said.

Endangered turtle to be tracked in Cambodia

2012-01-21T15:35:00.000+07:00

Jan 21, 2012
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — One of the world's most endangered turtles has been released into a Cambodian river with a satellite transmitter attached to its shell to track how it will navigate through commercial fishing grounds and other man-made hazards.

The 75-pound (34-kilogram) southern river terrapin — one of only about 200 adults remaining in the wild — waddled into the Sre Ambel river in southwestern Cambodia this past week to the cheers of local residents and conservationists.

The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said the female terrapin was given to the group last year instead of being sold to traffickers who have decimated the country's population of turtles and other species to cater to demand for exotic wildlife in China.

The southern river terrapin, once considered the sole property of Cambodia's kings, only survives in the wilds of Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia, the group said in a statement. The population in the Sre Ambel river is estimated at less than 10 nesting females.

But it said the terrapins there have an excellent chance of recovery because coastal mangrove forests in the region are among the largest and most pristine in Southeast Asia, spanning some 175 square miles (45,000 hectares).

The first-ever satellite monitoring of the species hopes to determine how the turtle will fare among fisherman as well as in areas threatened by sand mining and conversion of mangrove forests into shrimp farms.

A small population of the species was found in 2000 in Sre Ambel after being considered locally extinct for many years.

Following the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1970s which left the country devastated, poor rural dwellers scoured the forests for wildlife, much of which was sold to traders connected to China, where many wild animals — from turtles to tigers — are believed to possess medicinal and sex-enhancing properties.

The turtle project is being run by the Wildlife Conservation Society in cooperation with the Cambodian government and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, a zoological enterprise.

Cambodia: U.N. Assails Rejection of Khmer Rouge Tribunal Judge

2012-01-21T15:34:00.000+07:00

By REUTERS
Published: January 21, 2012

The United Nations on Friday deplored Cambodia’s decision to reject the choice of a new judge from Switzerland to a court trying former Khmer Rouge leaders, and called on the government to appoint him immediately.

The decision by Cambodia’s Supreme Council of the Magistracy not to appoint Laurent Kasper-Ansermet as a joint investigating judge was “a matter of serious concern,” a United Nations statement said, and was a breach of a 2003 agreement between Cambodia and the United Nations on prosecuting former Khmer Rouge officials.

The United Nations had appointed Judge Kasper-Ansermet to replace a German judge who resigned in October from the joint United Nations-Cambodian tribunal because of what he said was interference by the Cambodian government.

Cambodian PM sends greetings on Chinese New Year

2012-01-21T15:33:00.000+07:00

Jan 21, 2012
(Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent his greetings to overseas Chinese in Cambodia on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, according to his message released to the media on Saturday.

In the message dated Jan. 14 to all beloved people of overseas Chinese in Cambodia, the premier said, "Cambodia is a warm house for all brotherly people, including Cambodians with Chinese descent."

He added, "During the time of miserable difficulty and complete separation of families in the 3 years, 8 months and 20 days, we had been in the same difficult lives, losing the beloved lives of fathers, mothers, spouses, and children."

"When the day of Jan. 7, 1979 came, we were all resurrected in warmth together, joining happiness, misery, difficulty and development together until now, it was 32 years ago," he said.

The premier continued to say that 2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon that occurs just once every 60 years. "The Year of the Dragon with water element is more powerful than other years and will bring immense luck, wealth, and happiness to all brotherly people."

"My wife and I would like to join the pleasure with all brotherly Chinese people and bless all of you with prosperity, fortune, and longevity," Hun Sen wrote in the letter.

The Chinese New Year is one of the largest festivals in Cambodia, up to 80 percent of Cambodian people celebrate it every year, Hun Sen said in a public speech in last January.

He said that Cambodia celebrates three times of New Year in a year: Universal New Year, Chinese New Year and Khmer New Year itself.

（Editor：燕勐）

Facebook face-off

2012-01-20T18:13:00.001+07:00

Claire Byrne
Friday, 20 January 2012

THERE'S a formidable force in Siem Reap, up there with Angkor Wat for the number of daily visitors. It’s the Expats and Locals Living in Siem Reap Facebook page and it’s now surpassed a membership number of 1,000.

The page, created about 10 months ago, is a source of information on all things Temple Town. Any given day it can serve up restaurant suggestions, bikes for sale, questions on where to buy what, and, given the feisty nature of our residents, frequent debates.

Former page administrator Zoe Kirby says the page was founded as a good natured way for locals to converse.

“Before, there was no central place for expats and locals to really share information, thoughts and ideas, and experiences. Now the page has developed into an invaluable resource for finding out where to source items, find housing, and allowing new businesses to advertise themselves. It’s also especially useful for newcomers to the town.”

But the page has taken somewhat of a nasty turn of late, with an increasing number of online spats and negativity.

Founder Daniel Venn initially set up the group as a way of meeting people in his new town. “It’s completely cleared a thousand now. When I first started doing it, it was very small. I’d be looking at it getting really excited that there were two more people. I had the idea in my head at the time that this could be big, so I’m not surprised. ”

Though for Daniel, the growth of the group has been a double-edged sword, “It’s a mix between good and bad really, with so many people, there are so many opinions that conflict one another.”

Daniel stepped back from his role as administrator several months after setting up the page following disputes within the group. “There was a conflict of interest. I didn’t really ever delete posts unless they were really directly insulting to someone or other. There was a time when someone made some pretty crude comments, and I was sent about 10 emails from different people asking me to try and delete the person from the group.”

Daniel deleted the member but says that the fallout was worse than he’d expected.

“I did remove the person, which was probably a fault on my part, because a lot of people got pissed. A bunch of people were also happy, but by then the fun had gone out of it.”

Since Daniel’s resignation, the admin post has been a revolving door, some added against their own free will, others criticised for intervening in the group’s conversations.

Earlier this month one admin attempted to bring in a three-strike-system and was met with a wide mix of praise and frustration.

As with many popular forums, criticism, debate and feuds tend to spark off, personalities clash and in a town this small the page has led to some rather rough swipes over recent months, with one new member commenting, “As a ‘new’ Reaper, just joined the page two weeks ago, I was amazed at the negativity.”

Daniel says he thinks the original concept of a cooperative group will win out in the end.

“Aside from all of that, and the animosity, it’s still really good, really helpful. For me personally I found out about things that I’d never have known about, certain shops, certain items that I needed to purchase. You also realise people are decent. But there’s no need to go on there swearing, being rude to other people. What’s the point?”

Daniel says that with the way Siem Reap is growing, he thinks page membership next year could hit 3,000.

As each new quarrel sparks off on the page, names are called and members threaten to quit, that 3,000 mark looks increasingly ambitious. But with calls for positivity rife on the page, change is certainly in the air. . After all, as is frequently quoted among heated threads, “Come on guys, it’s only Facebook.”

But in an aim to dispel any tensions both virtual and real, and more importantly celebrate all that is great about the page, a birthday party of sorts is being thrown to celebrate the 1,000 member milestone, and all Reapers and visitors are invited.

Party organiser Zoe Kirby says the party, at XBar on Saturday, also aims to raise money for chosen charities and to encourage Reapers to get together.

Proceeds of a raffle on the night going to two water charities – Water Aid for Cambodia and the Trailblazer Foundation – a fitting move given our love-hate relationship with town water, or the lack of it, over recent months. There is $1500 worth of loot up for grabs, including hotel stays, spa treatments, restaurant vouchers and a helicopter ride.

The night will feature several local bands including Cambojam and Mylo, three DJs, a fire-breathing act and the infamous ice luge. Food will consist of caterer Michael Foidl’s fabulous pig roasts, pork steaks and sausages plus a veggie option.

What there won’t be is speeches from page founder Daniel. “No, I’d get booed off stage,” he jokes.

Zoe hopes that the event will help shine a light on more positive aspects of the group, “Siem Reap is a small town and it’s inevitable that some people won’t get on but I hope that for this event everyone will put any differences aside and come together.”

Indonesian toddler has died of bird flu in Jakarta

2012-01-20T18:12:00.000+07:00

January 20, 2012

JAKARTA (AP) — Indonesian health officials say a 5-year-old girl has died of bird flu in Jakarta — just days after her uncle succumbed to the virus.

The H5N1 virus also claimed the lives of a man in Vietnam and a toddler in Cambodia this week. It has ravaged poultry stocks across Asia since 2003.

Indonesia's health ministry said Friday that several lab tests confirmed the girl had the virus.

She and her 23-year-old uncle lived in the same house and are believed to have been infected by sick pigeons.

Bird flu rarely infects humans and usually only those who come in direct contact with diseased poultry. But experts fear it will mutate into a new form that passes easily from person to person.

Indonesia has been hardest hit.

Cambodia stands out among CLMV

2012-01-20T18:08:00.000+07:00

The Nation
January 20, 2012

Among Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Vietnam, widely abbreviated as CLMV, Cambodia is the most outstanding investment destination for Thai companies thanks to the country's free-trade policy and abundant natural resources, according to the Trade Negotiations Department.

Srirat Rastapana, director-general of the department, said that though Cambodia was the last to join Asean in 2009, its trade policy is the most liberalised among the four countries under the government’s policy to draw foreign investment and reduce poverty.

"Cambodia sets its sight on infrastructure investment, particularly road connection with neighbouring countries and hydro power plants. Beside, it possesses a competitive edge, over natural resources. Offshore oil and gas reserves were discovered. This could help eradicate poverty, but it depends on the efficiency and transparency of revenue to be derived from the resources," she said.

In 2010, Cambodia attracted FDI worth US$782.6 million (including $349 million from other Asean countries), up 45.2 per cent from the previous year. Among 10 Asean nations, in terms of FDI, it was ranked the 7th. Cambodia is also a member of key international organisations like the World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank.

Srirat noted that the Asean community paves way for Thai investment. Low labour cost would also be on the plus side. Attractive investment areas are in parawood processing, hotel, food and spa, aside from construction.

Ambassador to Cambodia tapped as Lee’s foreign policy secretary

2012-01-20T18:07:00.000+07:00

Jan 20, 2012

President Lee Myung-bak on Friday tapped Chang Ho-jin, Seoul’s ambassador to Cambodia, as his secretary for diplomatic affairs.

Chang has served in a variety of key diplomatic posts including those in the Foreign Ministry’s divisions handling North American issues and inter-Korean peace negotiations. He has served at the embassy in Cambodia since September 2010.

Lee also appointed Kwon Ik-hwan, senior prosecutor in charge of financial and taxation cases at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, as his secretary for civil affairs.

(sshluck@heraldm.com)

American expert to advise UN on Cambodia court

2012-01-19T15:33:00.000+07:00

Jan 19, 2012
AP

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon on Wednesday appointed the former United States ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues as the special expert to advise the United Nations on assistance to the Khmer Rouge trials in Cambodia.

United Nations spokesman Martin Nesirky said on Wednesday that David Scheffer was well qualified to advise the Cambodia tribunal 'during this critical phase' because he was involved in its establishment. He was also involved in the establishment of the International Criminal Court and tribunals dealing with war crimes in former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, and crimes against humanity stemming from the 1994 Rwanda genocide, Nesirky said.

The UN-backed tribunal is seeking justice for 1.7 million people who died of starvation, lack of medical care or execution under the Khmer Rouge's rule in the 1970s.

Three top Khmer Rouge leaders accused of orchestrating Cambodia's 'killing fields' went on trial in late November, and one official has been convicted. Prime Minister Hun Sen has openly opposed expanding the trials by adding indictments of other former Khmer Rouge figures, some of whom have become his political allies.

Cambodia royal family seeks medical care in China

2012-01-19T15:32:00.000+07:00

Jan 19, 2012
AP

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Cambodia's royal family has traveled together to China for medical checkups.

King Norodom Sihamoni accompanied his mother and his father, the former king Norodom Sihanouk, to Beijing on Thursday for what family members called routine medical visits.

The 89-year-old former king has suffered a variety of health problems and in recent years has spent most of his time in China, where his doctors are based.

In October, he vowed never to leave his homeland again, saying he would ask his Chinese doctors to come to Cambodia.

Bird flu kills two in Cambodia, Vietnam

2012-01-19T15:30:00.000+07:00

Jan 19, 2012
AFP

Vietnam on Thursday reported its first human death from bird flu in nearly two years, as the virus also claimed the life of a toddler in Cambodia.

Concerns about avian influenza have risen in the region after China in late December reported its first fatality from the H5N1 virus in 18 months, but Vietnamese authorities said there was no need to be alarmed.

"The bird flu situation is still within our control," said Le Minh Hung, a doctor from the Health Department of Ho Chi Minh City. "Some healthcare teams have been sent to check on the situation in southern provinces."

The Vietnamese victim, who died on January 11, was a duck farmer from the southern Mekong delta province of Hau Giang, and experts were investigating whether the infection came from his flock.

It was Vietnam's first human death from the disease since April 2010.

In neighbouring Cambodia, a two-year-old boy from northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, who is thought to have been exposed to sick poultry, died on January 18 from the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has killed more than 340 people worldwide since 2003, according to WHO statistics.

Vietnam has recorded one of the highest numbers of fatalities from bird flu in southeast Asia, with 59 deaths since 2003, according to the WHO.

In Cambodia 17 people have died of H5N1, according to the UN agency.

All of Cambodia's eight bird flu cases last year were fatal -- the last of them in August. Seven of the victims were children.

Indonesia, the country hardest-hit by bird flu, last week reported its third fatal case in three months.

Winter is the season when the virus tends to boom. Since early January, more than 3,000 birds have been culled in Vietnam's Mekong delta area in an effort to contain bird flu outbreaks.

Filipino Gets 15 Years Jail In Cambodia For Drug Trafficking

2012-01-19T15:29:00.000+07:00

PHNOM PENH, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- A Filipino woman found in possession of 72 grams of cocaine was sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined US$7,500 on Thursday by a Cambodian court, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Cadalso Vilma Cristales, 42, guilty for cross-border drug trafficking under the new article 32.2 of the amended drug control law.

She was arrested last May at the Phnom Penh International Airport upon arriving in Cambodia.

Judge Sin Visal said that Cristales has one month to appeal against the verdict.

The death penalty was abolished in Cambodia in 1989.

-- BERNAMA

Maid in Malaysia: a story of beatings, abuse

2012-01-18T12:19:00.000+07:00

LINDSAY MURDOCH

18 Jan, 2012

Cambodian maid Orn Eak, 28, with her son Ho Bora, 5. Orn Eak was abused for almost two years by her Malaysian employer.

BEATEN, starved and treated as a slave in a Kuala Lumpur apartment, Cambodian maid Orn Eak says a one-metre snake ended her almost-two-year nightmare in Malaysia.

''When the snake crawled into my employer's apartment she blamed me and kicked me out,'' says Orn Eak, 28, one of thousands of Cambodian domestic workers who have been exploited and abused in Malaysia. ''I got the blame for everything, including the death of my employer's elderly mother,'' she says.

Orn Eak's body is covered in scars from beatings by a Kuala Lumpur woman who employed her through a Cambodia employment agency in early 2010. Single with a five-year-old son, Orn Eak says she joined 30,000 other young Cambodian women and girls working as maids in Malaysia because her mother was struggling to survive in their village in Kompong Thom province.

In Kuala Lumpur, Orn Eak had no days off and worked from dawn into the early hours of the next morning caring for her employer's disabled mother. She says she was frequently beaten and often hungry.

The mistreatment worsened after the old woman died in hospital. ''I missed my son and mother very much, but I knew I had to keep working for them,'' she says.

But her mother, Ee Tha, 55, says she received only two payments in almost two years from her daughter's Malaysian employer totalling $US270 ($A262). The employer deducted Orn Eak's flight home from her salary, which was supposed to be $US180 a month.

When Orn Eak arrived back in Phnom Penh in November a woman picked her up at the airport and took her to the employment agency.

''I told the story about the snake to a director … Five men came into the room and beat me … they pushed my head into a glass door and kicked me on the ground,'' she says.

Ee Tha received a message to come to Phnom Penh to take her daughter home.

''When I saw that my daughter's face and body were cut and bruised my heart dropped,'' Ee Tha says. After Ee Tha refused to leave the employment agency's office with her daughter until she was given the money she was owed, a director finally handed over $1200 - meaning Orn Eak earned only $1470 for nearly two years' work, half what had been promised.

Social workers have verified her claims of abuse. Nine Cambodian domestic workers died in Malaysia in 2011, according to human rights organisations.

Malaysian opposition MP Charles Santiago has accused the Malaysian government and police of ''totally disrespecting'' laws by conducting only cursory investigations into the deaths.

Human Rights Watch says common abuses include excessive work hours with no rest days, lack of food and irregular or non-payment of salaries.

Many have reported sexual abuse, restrictions of movements and bans on contact with other maids.

A Cambodian government ban on sending maids to Malaysia has been ignored by unscrupulous recruitment agencies.

Free Trade and ASEAN

2012-01-18T12:17:00.000+07:00

Jan 18, 2012
Source: Live Trading News

10 ASEAN member states came together yesterday in Siem Reap, Cambodia to discuss the challenges and opportunities of free trade agreements, as well as ways that ASEAN would benefit from free trade agreements, according to a press release of the EU delegation in Cambodia.

The “Enhancing ASEAN FTA Negotiating Capacity Program” is a 2.5-million-euro (US$3.1 million) technical cooperation program funded by the EU for the benefit of ASEAN’s member states. It supports ASEAN economic integration and facilitates ASEAN’s preparedness for participating in FTA negotiations. The program is designed to provide high-quality training, cutting-edge research and analysis, and bilateral FTA negotiations for government and private sector representatives of the ASEAN member states and ASEAN Secretariat officials. It covers a broad range of trade and investment issues and addresses traditional and non-traditional issues and newer 21st century challenges.

In addition, the “Enhancing ASEAN FTA Negotiating Capacity Program” will conduct awareness-raising seminars on a wide range of international trade, investment, globalization and related political economy and socio-economic issues, which will be opened to the public, private and civil society sectors. Issues were chosen to reflect the interests and needs of the ASEAN Member States.

ASEAN as a whole represents the EU’s 3rd largest trading partner outside Europe (after the U.S. and China) with more than 175 billion euros (US$222 billion) of trade in goods and services in 2010 (according to ASEAN statistical data).

The EU represents ASEAN’s largest export partner with exports worth more than 90 billion euros (US$114 billion) in 2011 and ensuring an annual trade surplus to ASEAN of nearly 25 billion euros (US$31 billion).

EU and ASEAN started regional negotiations in 2007 which were also designed to contribute to ASEAN’s process of regional integration. Although these negotiations are currently suspended and the process is following a bilateral track, the EU still believes that a region-to-region free trade agreement makes political and economic sense in the long term.

Shayne Heffernan

Shayne Heffernan oversees the management of funds for institutions and high net worth individuals.

Shayne Heffernan holds a Ph.D. in Economics and brings with him over 25 years of trading experience in Asia and hands on experience in Venture Capital, he has been involved in several start ups that have seen market capitalization over $500m and 1 that reach a peak market cap of $15b. He has managed and overseen start ups in Mining, Shipping, Technology and Financial Services. www.livetradingnews.com

Philippines Urge Lifting of Sanctions on Burma

2012-01-18T12:14:00.001+07:00

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Philippines Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario (far left) and his Burmese counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin (second right), link hands with other Asean foreign ministers for a photo-op in Cambodia on Jan. 11. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

MANILA—The Philippines says international sanctions against Burma should be lifted amid the political reforms taking place there.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday that the Philippines welcomes the recent amnesty and release of more than 600 political prisoners. It said they showed Burma's political resolve and commitment "to nurture an environment for an enduring national reconciliation and democracy."

The foreign affairs department says such reforms "should find reciprocal gesture from the international community" in the lifting of sanctions.

The Philippines was one of the most vocal critics of the junta that once ruled Burma, which is also known as Myanmar.

Western countries have praised the reforms but are keeping sanctions in place for now.

UN calls for Cambodia to fulfil war crimes court obligation

2012-01-18T12:12:00.000+07:00

Jan 18, 2012
Source: Monsters and Critics

Phnom Penh - The United Nations said Wednesday that Cambodia is obliged to appoint a judge to the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal despite the government's insistence that it has a choice on whether to approve such a move.

Martin Nesirky, spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said Cambodia is 'under an obligation' to appoint the tribunal's reserve international co-investigating judge as the international co-investigating judge if there is a vacancy.

The post is currently open after German judge Siegfried Blunk stepped down in October, citing perceived political interference in two cases currently under investigation, the third and fourth to be taken up by the tribunal.

Senior Cambodian officials have repeatedly said the government would not permit either case to reach trial.

The UN-nominated replacement is reserve international co-investigating judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet, who voiced a determination Sunday on the micro-blogging site Twitter to investigate cases three and four.

Kasper-Ansermet's role has been left in limbo as Cambodia has yet to officially approve his appointment. Unconfirmed local media reports said his appointment was not endorsed at a meeting Friday of Cambodia's Supreme Council of Magistracy.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Monday that the judiciary has the power to decide whether to approve a judge or not. 'We continue to call upon Cambodia to fulfil its obligation,' Nesirky said.

The tribunal is investigating crimes against humanity during the Maoist Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 rule, during which 1.7 million to 2.2 million people died, according to tribunal estimates.

Martin Luther King Day: A Time To Reflect On Freedom And Peaceful Activism

2012-01-17T14:47:00.000+07:00

The Hague, The Netherlands
Source: UNPO

Today marks the 25th celebration of Martin Luther King Day. In the United States and elsewhere, millions will observe that holiday, which was created in 1986 to commemorate the legacy of a man whose unrelenting struggle for freedom and equality led to the end of an era of oppression.

It was through his nonviolent campaigns that after decades of marginalization Black Americans gained acceptance as equal members of society in the United States. Beginning in 1965, his campaign to ensure that Black communities registered to vote gave millions a voice, paved the way to the ending of discrimination before the ballot box, and ultimately changed American politics forever.

Martin Luther King was an outstanding man to say the least. Through life-long activism and deep beliefs in peace and freedom, he became the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, an involvement that tragically cost him his life. He inspired and still inspires millions of people throughout the world. If the man has become a legend, it is his ideals and precepts that one should also honor today.

Indeed, all over the world countless nations and peoples are still walking in his footsteps and that of other prominent leaders such as Mahatama Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Cesar Chavez, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. From the Degar-Montagnards in Vietnam to the Uyghurs in East Turkestan, from the Haratin in Mauritania to the Mapuche in Chile, countless people around the world are still pressing for their right to live free from oppression and persecution while engaging in peaceful activism.

So today, as we celebrate the accomplishments and ideals of a truly great man, let us not forget about people whose existence is the object of a relentless struggle. Let us praise the values of freedom, equality and peace while remembering Martin Luther King’s words: “change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle”.

Chinese Dam Project in Cambodia Raises Environmental Concerns

2012-01-17T12:17:00.000+07:00

Source: New York Time

KAMPOT PROVINCE, CAMBODIA — Ever since she was a child, Bun Thavry and her family have ventured into the nearby hills above the Toek Chhou river in Kampot Province to chop down bamboo plants to weave into baskets.

But after the Chinese company Sinohydro, one of the world’s largest construction companies, started work on the 193-megawatt Kamchay Dam in 2007, access to the countryside surrounding this tranquil town has been restricted. Mrs. Thavry’s husband, Kim Sopha, 39, like hundreds of others in nearby villages, must now travel about 10 kilometers, or 6 miles, beyond the dam site to collect the bamboo.

“Before, all you needed was a bicycle and a knife,” Mrs. Thavry, a 32-year-old mother of two, said recently as she perched on a small stool outside her wooden home near the riverbank. “But it’s completely different now.”

Today, villagers must take a truck and a boat to arrive at an unrestricted area where bamboo plants grow. Mrs. Thavry’s husband sometimes spends a week at a time in the forest to maximize his pickings and reduce travel expenses.

Downstream from the Kamchay Dam, inaugurated last month by Prime Minister Hun Sen, giant boulders bake in the sun where river waters once flowed. Owners of riverfront restaurants complain that business has fallen now that there is often no water to attract customers who might also enjoy a swim.

Cambodia’s economy grew 6.5 percent last year, according to the International Monetary Fund. To keep up with demand, the government wants to increase its domestic energy production from less than 1,000 megawatts currently to more than 10,000 megawatts through the construction of more than 20 hydropower dams all over the country.

Like Laos, which has 10 dams under construction and 25 more planned, Cambodia wants to sell to other countries a portion of the electricity generated from its new dams. The government has also said it wants to increase the domestic supply as a way to reduce dependence on imports, to lower energy costs at home and to create more jobs.

“The expected benefits of these projects are huge, including cheap electricity, new job and business opportunities, ‘greener’ energy and wider energy source diversity,” Maria Patrikainen, an analyst based in London for IHS Global, said by e-mail.

Ms. Patrikainen and environmentalists also say, however, that the dams would do more harm than good, and that situations like those being played out in Kampot Province could soon be repeated millions of times over, affecting the livelihoods of families like the Thavrys.

The most worrisome threat posed by the dams, some environmentalists say, is to food security for the rural population of Cambodia, people who depend heavily on fish as a source of protein.

“Large dams disrupt the ecosystems of rivers, block vital fish migration routes and stop nutrient-rich sediment from flowing downstream to the country’s riverbank gardens and rice fields,” Ame Trandem, Southeast Asia program director for International Rivers, an organization based in the United States, said by e-mail from Bangkok. “Their reservoirs also often lead to the displacement of large numbers of people and the clearing of the country’s forests.”

Large dams, she said, “can destroy livelihoods and food security, exacerbate poverty and lead to human rights violations.

“While each project proposed in Cambodia comes with a different set of impacts, large dams are likely to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, increase malnutrition levels and lead to an environmentally unsustainable future,” she said.

Most of the attention has been focused on the proposed 1,260-megawatt Xayaburi Dam in Laos, the first dam planned for the lower Mekong River, which runs through Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. But environmentalists assert that dams planned farther downstream on some of the Mekong’s major tributaries in Cambodia would be just as damaging.

The state-owned Électricité du Vietnam is due to start work next year on a dam on the Sesan River, one of the largest Mekong tributaries in Stung Treng Province, in northeastern Cambodia.

In the next three years, work is expected to begin on two more Chinese-built dams in Pursat Province, on the border with Thailand, and on a project on the Tatai River in Koh Kong Province.

Environmentalists say these dams, especially those with links to the Mekong, would have serious consequences for local fisheries and would prevent the flow of the nutrient-rich sediment that travels through to the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The Mekong Delta is where 40 percent of Vietnam’s rice stock is grown, where the majority of its fish is caught and where 17 million people live, according to the Mekong River Commission, an intergovernmental organization with representation from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

“Cambodia is possibly globally the country that is the most reliant on wild-capture fisheries for food security of its 13-plus million population,” Marc Goichot, a hydropower specialist from the WWF’s greater Mekong program, wrote in an e-mail from Vientiane, Laos. “A significant part of those wild fish are migratory species,” he said, and no system for fish passage through large dams has proven effective in similar cases.

To mitigate the negative effects on rural communities, consulting firms and government officials have in the past suggested ideas like getting villagers to switch their eating habits from fish to the abundant supply of rabbits in the northeast of the country. The introduction of boat tours where dams have been built to generate revenue from tourism has also been suggested.

But environmentalists say Cambodia should think about scrapping the dams altogether for technologies like solar power, gasification and co-generation, a process in which heat generated from power plants is captured and converted to energy.

Observers of hydropower development in the region also say that dam projects should be subject to strict environmental and social assessments.

“At present, there does not seem to be an appetite for best practice development, especially amongst the Chinese-developed dams in the Cardamom Mountains and elsewhere,” said David Blake, a doctoral candidate in the school of international development at the University of East Anglia, England, who has studied the development of hydropower dams in Southeast Asia.

One way that locals can be included in the economic benefits that hydropower dams bring, he said by e-mail, is through profit-sharing programs like those in Canada, where, after decades of rampant dam building, the aboriginal First Nation people have started to be paid an income from hydropower revenue.

Unlike dams planned for most of the region’s rivers, the Xayaburi Dam in Laos must undergo proper risk assessment under a 1996 pact between countries in the Mekong River Commission, which requires them to agree on all dam projects on the lower Mekong. China has already built four mainstream dams on the upper Mekong, already reducing the amount of sediment flowing downstream, environmentalists say.

Last month delegates from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia met in Siem Reap and decided to postpone the construction of the Xayaburi Dam until further studies could be done on its environmental and social effects.

The decision was based largely on findings in a 2010 report for the Mekong commission, which was carried out by the International Center for Environmental Management, a consulting firm based in Melbourne.

The report said the two hydropower dams planned for the mainstream Mekong in Cambodia would be enough to generate revenue of $1.2 billion for the government, or half of country’s entire annual budget for 2012.

The losses, however, could be far greater, it cautioned. If all the proposed dams on the mainstream Mekong go ahead, the report estimates, fisheries in the Mekong commission countries will lose $476 million a year in revenue.

Fish productivity, it said, would shrink by as much as 880,000 tons, or 42 percent of the total catch recorded in 2000. Fifty-four percent of all riverbank gardens on the Mekong River would be lost as agricultural land is flooded to create reservoirs or taken over for transmission lines, the report said. The transportation of sediment downstream would be reduced, which means the nutrients that fertilize the flood plains around the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, would be reduced by half. And 106,942 people stand to be evicted from their homes.

Still, he dams will give an already fast-growing region low-cost electricity, new jobs and renewable energy.

The Kamchay Dam, for example, will provide a new source of electricity to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, as well as the southern provinces of Kampot and Preah Sihanouk, all of which experience regular blackouts.

But observers say weaknesses in the region, like a lack of dispute-resolution mechanisms, are making it harder to arrive at ways that will avoid some of the more harmful consequences.

“In my view the question is not so much about whether Cambodia and other Mekong countries should not seek to increase their hydropower activism, but how they can cooperate more effectively with each other in order to manage their common water resources more equitably,” said Ms. Patrikainen, at IHS Global said.

As for the Kamchay Dam in Kampot Province, there were few measures put in place to make sure that the dam was an equitable solution for everyone involved.

“As this project was built in a protected park, without adequate impact studies or meaningful consultation with affected communities, it places the country at risk that this process may be repeated,” Ms. Trandem from International Rivers said.

Mrs. Thavry, the bamboo basket weaver, said she was not consulted before construction of the dam. If she had been, she said, she would have asked to be compensated for the weekly $15 journey her husband now has to make into the forest so that she can earn $100 a week selling her baskets.

“The electricity will flow,” she said, “but it has destroyed my ability to get bamboo.”

The Coming Age of Ethnic Reconciliation in Burma

2012-01-17T12:16:00.000+07:00

Vikas Kumar | January 17, 2012

Recent developments in Burma have generated considerable optimism about the country’s long-impending democratization.

But will democracy foster ethnic reconciliation, essential for Burma’s domestic stability? A cross-country comparison with Sri Lanka and an examination of Burma’s demography and geographic distribution of resources indicate that despite sharing an otherwise similar trajectory with Sri Lanka, Burma’s emerging democracy could foster ethnic reconciliation, even after more than 60 years of ethnic insurgency.

Geographically, Burma belongs to mainland Southeast Asia. But culturally it belongs to the Theravada Buddhist world, along with countries like Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. These countries are all alike insofar as their constitutions symbolically link the legitimacy of the state to Buddhism or, at the very least, extend special treatment to the majority Buddhist community.

But to the extent that each was affected by colonialism and communism/socialism, these Theravada countries can be classified into three groups: Thailand, which was never directly colonized and remained largely immune to communism; Laos and Cambodia, erstwhile French colonies that were strongly influenced by communism; and Sri Lanka and Burma, former British colonies, where socialism had considerable appeal. More recently in Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka, minority insurgencies have contested the authority of the state. With these commonalities in mind (among others), Sri Lanka is clearly the Theravada country whose path most closely resembles that of Burma.

In Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese Buddhist-dominated state militarily defeated the Tamil ethnic minority insurgency, but then refused to honor its commitment to reconciliation. While the Sri Lankan Buddhist majority is unwilling to hold the government accountable in this regard, the Buddhist majority in a democratic Burma is unlikely to behave in a similar fashion.

At the moment, it seems the process of democratization in Burma is entirely controlled by the military regime. But the regime is introducing political reforms and trying to initiate peace talks with ethnic militias only because it is increasingly unable to sustain itself in the absence of popular support, while its legitimacy as the guardian of the majority Burmese Buddhists’ interests remains questionable. So, the democratization of Burma, whenever that happens, will be a people’s victory against an authoritarian state — much different from the case of Sri Lanka.

There are two more structural reasons why majority-minority relations will not be overtly antagonistic in a democratic Burma. First, Burma’s population is not divided into two antagonistic camps. This is unlike Sri Lanka, where there remains a clear division between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority in the north.

In contrast, insurgents in Burma are divided along ethnic lines — and none of the groups has managed to establish authority over the rest, as was the case in Sri Lanka, where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam dominated the scene for more than two decades. Moreover, the Burmese Buddhists are also divided into a number of camps with fundamentally different approaches to the ethnic question. Second, unlike in Sri Lanka, the Burmese minority insurgent groups are not devoid of members from the majority community.

In short, religious, ethno-linguistic and political divides are not co-extensive in Burma. This has two consequences. First, it is highly unlikely that one political party will emerge as the sole representative of all the major ethnic minorities. So, the ethnic minorities are unlikely to pose a unified political threat to the Burmese Buddhists. Second, one political party is unlikely to maintain a majority with only the Burmese Buddhist vote. Parties representing the majority community would also need the support of ethnic minority parties. Consequently, political contests are unlikely to divide the polity into two clearly demarcated camps.

In addition, unlike the stronghold of the Sri Lankan Tamils, which is resource poor and located in one corner of the country, the strongholds of ethnic minorities are distributed along the entire periphery of Burma. The strongholds of Burmese ethnic minorities are not only resource-rich regions that should attract major international investment following democratization, but they also control Burma’s access to key neighbors like China, India and Thailand. Given the country’s decades-long economic stagnation, it is unlikely that the Burmese Buddhists will overlook this.

In sum, although demography and geographic distribution of resources failed to restrain ethnic conflicts immediately after independence, they will play a different role in a democratic Burma. A cursory acquaintance with Burma’s post-colonial history will convince the majority Burmese Buddhists of the impossibility and futility of any attempt to subjugate the minorities. This time, history should bear out the limits that demography and other factors place on ethno-political polarization and help foster ethnic reconciliation.

East Asia Forum

Vikas Kumar is an assistant professor at Azim Premji University in Bangalore.

RI ready to send observers to Cambodia, Thailand

2012-01-17T12:14:00.000+07:00

Nani Afrida and Novan Iman Santosa,
The Jakarta Post,
Tue, 01/17/2012

Indonesia will send military observers to mediate a territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia as the two countries have agreed to ask for Indonesia’s assistance.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiatoro said on Monday that the Indonesian foreign minister had told him about the plan.

“We have done some preparations since last year and we will send those observers soon,” he told a press conference after a leadership meeting at the ministry.

He added that last year Cambodia had agreed to involve Indonesia in mediating the dispute, but that Thailand did not respond due to a change in government.

“Now, both countries have agreed and what we need is to prepare our human resources,” he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Agus Suhartono said that the standard operational procedure (SOP) and term of reference (TOR) had been changed.

“Previously, Indonesia was to send 15 observers to each side of the border,” he told the press conference. “But now we will work together with the Cambodian and Thai forces along the 4.6-kilometer border.”

He said the previous arrangement required 30 observers, while TNI was still calculating the personnel need for the new one.

“We will have to deploy the personnel on May 2 at the latest,” he said.

Agus said the observers were being trained at the Indonesian Peace and Security Center (IPSC) in Sentul, West Java.

Contacted separately, Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Tene confirmed the plan, saying that Indonesia would help Thailand and Cambodia create peace on their border, but added that Indonesia was still waiting for some reviews of the TOR.

“The TOR has been created, but we have to review it based on the recommendation given by the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” Tene told The Jakarta Post, adding that the three countries were now working on that matter.

Tene said that the ICJ had recommended establishing joint teams of observers comprising Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia.

“We are ready to send our observers when Thailand and Cambodia are ready,” he added.

Besides establishing joint observers, the ICJ ruled that Thailand and Cambodia should pull their troops out from the site of an ancient Hindu temple and establish a demilitarized zone around its ruins in order to facilitate negotiations.

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia centers around Preah Vihear, the 11th Century Hindu temple located along the borders of the two countries. Previously, a 1962 ICJ ruling gave the right of the temple to Cambodia; a point Thailand does not debate. Thailand, however, claims the land surrounding the temple.

There have been various skirmishes along the disputed area since 2008, in which soldiers from both Cambodia and Thailand were killed.

CAMBODIA: Toppling cambodian dictators is not impossible if we think smart and act smart

2012-01-17T12:13:00.000+07:00

Contributors: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

My grandson, 12, a seventh grader, read "The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror" (2004), a bestseller by a former Soviet prisoner, Natan Sharansky. He passed the book to me, saying I might be interested in reading it.

I had read about Sharansky, 9 years a prisoner in the Soviet gulag; I hadn't read his book. I immediately opened the book to pages my grandson had bookmarked: Sharansky's distinction between "free societies" and "fear societies"; Sharansky's description of believers, dissenters and the millions of "double thinkers" who don't speak their thoughts because of fear of arrest, imprisonment and physical harm so they speak with their "eyes" but go through the motion of supporting rulers who are interested only in remaining forever in power.

Sharansky contends that elections are not enough to dub a society free – a free press, an independent judiciary, the rule of law must exist before genuine free elections are held. He became controversial as he blasted conservatives for placing "stability" above human rights in international relations, and liberals for failing to distinguish between struggling democracies and authoritarian regimes that overtly trample human rights. Sharansky advocates the universality of freedom and human rights.

As I browsed through the book, a Khmer saying came to my mind: "Tumpaeng snorng russey," referring to young bamboo shoots that grow to replace aging bamboo trees – the future is in the making.

A day later my grandson forwarded me comments by an anonymous blogger "Pissed Off" on KI-Media. Although I am rarely interested in anonymous postings, I have commented in this space before about Pissed Off's well-reasoned op-ed piece on the Internet about using our resources to educate every Khmer child as a way to resolve countless Khmer problems, including the much feared Vietnamization of Cambodia.

In his most recent posting, blogger "Pissed Off" commented on "potential Cambodian leaders" who oppose Hun Sen's rule as "like different streams that run fiercely toward the same goal, but cannot merge to reach that goal with a strong and full force. Perhaps the four rivers that merge in front (of) Phnom Penh can serve as an enlightenment for them to see."

Pissed Off's most relevant question: "(C)an't potential leaders of Cambodia be bound together by their education and the common goal of saving and helping Cambodia and her people?"

Inquisitive minds

Those who read my columns know that my purpose in writing springs from my role as an educator. I write to share what I know and have experienced and to nudge readers to remain curious and inquisitive: A mind that does not question is intellectually useless, especially in this ever changing world. Cambodia, the land of my birth, has gone through hell and fire for too long and her people have suffered greatly. The least I can do at my age is to write while my brain still functions.

As a political scientist, I have engaged in the discipline's conventional tasks: to describe objectively what is; to explain through analysis, causes and effects; to project what may or not happen in the time ahead; and to suggest what or what not, to do. Of course, I don't expect everyone to agree with my views. But diversity is what democracy is about, and in a civilized world gentlemen disagree and move on.

In the past, I carried my tasks further: I became a political activist and "actionist" – a pursuit I put to rest when I left the Khmer People's National Liberation Front in 1989, to become a teacher. I taught in formal classrooms and engaged in writing for wall-less classrooms. Since my retirement, I continue to share, seeking to educate, and inspire – another form of activism.

The Chinese say, "Talk doesn't cook rice." True enough. But I have also often referenced Lord Buddha's words: "An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea." It has been said, "The ancestor of every action is thought."

An old Khmer saying tells of a place for anything and any person in a Khmer's world: "A vieach york mork thveu kang; A trang york mork thveu kamm; A sam rognam york mork thveu os dot" – "Bent woods make wheel; Straight woods make spoke; Crooked/twisted woods make firewood." So, think smart, make room; make use of it or him/her, or his/her ideas and thoughts.

The New Year 2012: An unhappy beginning

My end of the year article in December in this space contained unhappy news on Cambodia and her people. The New Year didn't begin with happy news, either.

On January 3, 2012, some 500 hundred police supported by emergency vehicles provided security to employees of private developer Phan Imex, and to its hired men armed with axes and crowbars, who were bulldozing citizens' homes in Phnom Penh's Borei Keila.

The police fired shots and used sticks and electric batons against about 200 residents – including children, as photos and videos on the Internet illustrated. The residents fought back. They threw stones, Molotov cocktails, and used tree branches to fence off those who had demolished nearly 300 homes. Phan Imex was armed with a court order that ruled the land belonged to it.

A 2003 agreement between the government and Phan Imex authorized the latter to construct 10 buildings on 2 hectares of land to house 1,776 families, and to have development rights over a remaining 2.6 hectares. However, Phan Imex has constructed only 8 buildings leaving some 400 families without housing. On Jan. 3, 2012 Phan Imex, backed by the government, began dismantling the rest of the Borei Keila residents' homes.

The remarks of Var Ponlork, a member of the uniformed military, were posted on the Internet. He asked how Premier Hun Sen could send soldiers to protect Khmer land at the border while taking away land that belongs to the people?

Eleven human rights groups issued a joint statement condemning the "destruction of … homes" and the "violent eviction" of the residents, "Phnom Penh's urban poor." The Phnom Penh Post dubbed it "A Battle for Borei Keila" – a far cry from being a welcoming New Year!

If the past is a guide for the future, forced, violent evictions will continue, and more "battles" will be fought between the people and developers backed by the government.

Ironically, an almost identical event occurred in Southern China's fishing village of 20,000 residents in Wukan, where an open popular revolt took place against local Chinese Communist Party officials following seizures of farmland and land deals. The Wukan revolt began as a protest against officials selling a village-owned pig farm to developers of luxury housing community for $156 million. The townspeople received none of the proceeds of the transaction. The protesters alleged that their village leader died as a result of a beating by police. Subsequently, Wukan villagers ousted the local officials. Worried, China's higher-ranking authorities called for negotiation – but the fate of the land deal remains unclear.

Some Cambodians speak

After my December column, a Phnom Penh University student, Phiev Tong Him (he authorized me to use his name), identified himself as a teacher of English in a state school and noted he is worried as a "culture of corruption (is) now being promoted in Khmer society": "Children in all grades do not study hard as they rely on the teachers to whom they bribe to get high scores." He claimed the situation is "critical" because "corruption is rampant from the bottom to the top in all fields in the country." He asked "what will happen to society if this habit continues?"

A former comrade-in-arms of mine from the royalist faction of the Khmer Non-Communist Resistance lamented from Phnom Penh about former leaders – both KPNLF and Royalist – "crippled" by the force they once had fought against, as they have been lured by a thirst for "power, money and prestige." The ranking royalist called "pathetic" a Phnom Penh overpass called "7 January Overpass" – in recognition of Vietnamese seizing the capital in 1979 – and which "the new Khmer people called ‘Liberation Day' overpass." He optimistically asserted, "Personally I don't think this is the end"; "The silent majority is hard at work."

They will have to work quickly, however. Teveakor, a young Khmer activist I introduced in this space at an earlier time, wrote that he travelled last month from commune to commune in northwestern Cambodia looking for "land to rent, to grow cassava in the next year." He was shocked, he reported, that "thousands of hectares of land already belonged to foreign companies through land concessions, about 10 hectares only are owned by a middle class family in the city, the Khmer farmers and villagers in the area no longer own land."

I could feel Teveakor's nationalist blood boiling in his e-mail, as he asked: "Does this not mean that the Khmer villagers, once masters of the land, will in the short future become farm workers and immigrants on their ancestors' soil?" The nationalist sentiment is also very personal: "I always owned ten hectares of land in this area, but the authorities found reasons to let a foreign company grow rubber on them."

He assured me that what happened to him with the land he owned also happened to "countless citizens" throughout Cambodia.

Teveakor is angry, and frustrated.

Elections

The years 2012 and 2013 are election years that will change or sustain the status quo for another term in Cambodia. Looking ahead, Teveakor, a democrat, believes in elections as a founding principle of a democracy. He questions how anyone says s/he believes in democracy but rejects elections even in adverse conditions: If conditions are adverse, then do something to render them more favorable, he says.

Early this month, political analyst Lao Monghay told the Voice of America that, "Now, their destiny is in the hands of the Cambodian people entirely." In a perfect world, this would have been true. As Pissed Off commented, "Dictators in Cambodia maintain their grip on Cambodians using violence, fear, suppression of justice, false image of monarchy . . . control of the justice system and most importantly with a new method of providing just, or barely, enough for the poor, so they won't revolt . . .," et cetera.

Teveakor doesn't doubt that Hun Sen and the ruling CPP will rig and manipulate the elections, use fear and intimidation, in order to hold on to power. But, he thinks they can hold on to power perhaps for another decade only. There is still much work for rights and democracy advocates to do – like instilling a political awareness and new political thinking in the Khmers. But progress will be made over time.

Teveakor's thinking dovetails with that of democracy advocate Sambath and colleagues (who seem to keep low profiles at this moment). Even the ranking royalist correspondent shares the same thought.

What will happen when these different forces – and many others not mentioned here – converge against the same adversaries, to attain the shared goal of ending the autocrats' rule? Of course, democrats must not forget that the autocrats, too, seek to divide, weaken, and defeat them at every opportunity.

Non-Violent Resistance to Topple Dictators

I have written elsewhere about two men whom the December issue of Foreign Policy Magazine identified as among 100 top global thinkers.

One was American political scientist Gene Sharp, 83, a Ph.D. degree holder in political theory from Oxford, Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and founder of the nonprofit Albert Einstein Institution in Boston, devoted to studies and promotion of nonviolence action in conflicts worldwide. The other was Srdja Popovic a former marine biology student at Belgrade University, who at age 29, and influenced by the work of Gene Sharp, formed "Otpor" ("Resistance" in Serbian) in 1998, to mobilize Serbia's populace against Slobodan Milosevic, Serbian president (1989-1997) and Yugoslav president (1997-2000), ending Milosevic's rule in 2000.

Sharp's work has become a blueprint for the world's activists against dictatorship, and Popovic's first hand experiences and his writing have become sought after knowledge by democracy advocates in more than 50 countries – especially the Arab Spring movements against their dictators.

It is more the reason, and with urgency, that Cambodian rights and democracy advocates become familiar with the work by Sharp and by Popovic. Of course Cambodia is not Serbia nor Egypt. But we need to examine the similarities where they exist and learn to see many trees in a forest and see a whole forest from different trees.

I have written on Sharp's 1993 book published in Thailand, "From Dictatorship to Democracy, A Conceptual Framework for Liberation," and I am happy to see the book, and Popovic's "Nonviolent Struggle, 50 Crucial Points" posted on the Khmer Blog KI-Media.

Sharp's 1973 classic, "The Politics of Nonviolent Action" has influenced revolutionists the world over, and Popovic's Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies' (CANVAS) one-hour documentary film, "Bringing Down a Dictator," is said to be a must-view film (which inspired Burma's Saffron Revolutionists).

There is no substitute for reading their writings. But here are some of Sharp and Popovic's ideas that opponents of Hun Sen might draw upon. Activists and "actionists" from other nations have already benefited from them.

Gene sharp

A dictatorial regime remains in power thanks to the obedience, submission and cooperation of the people it governs. Therefore, democracy activists' goal is to convince the people that their withdrawal of obedience, submission and cooperation from the regime would end the regime's hold on power. As a regime is like a building that is supported by columns, activists must pull those columns from it to their side. Two very important columns to pull away from autocrats are the police and the military – and Popovic's Otpor and the Egyptian protesters did precisely that.

Sharp's seven reasons why the many obey the few are applicable to the Cambodian situation. People obey out of habit, and from fear of punishment if they don't obey. Thus, many people are what Sharansky called "double thinkers." Also, there are those who feel a moral obligation to obey (as Cambodians obey "Sdech phaen dei" or the king of the earth); those who obey out of a kind of emotional-psychological identification with the ruler; and those whose "zone of indifference" allows them to tolerate and overlook areas that are unpleasant, so they endure.

Many people obey out of their own "self-interest" in prestige, power position, direct or indirect financial gain incurred. Cambodians in general fit this criteria so well. Those whose self-interests include desire to travel in and out of the country find using Hun Sen's travel passport and visa to be within their zone of indifference or tolerance. Sharp also mentioned people without the self-confidence to disobey and resist – Sharp refers to this as an avoidance of responsibility.

Can Cambodians reverse some or all of these reasons?

Sadly, Sharp argues, obedience is essentially "voluntary" – a person consents to obey because s/he is unwilling to face the consequence(s) of disobedience. Sharp mentioned Russian Leo Tolstoy's writing on the English subjection of India: "What does it mean that (a commercial company of) 30,000 men . . . ha(s) subdued 200 million . . .? Do not the figures make it clear that it is not the English who have enslaved the Indians, but the Indians who have enslaved themselves?"

Sharp also cited 16th century French writer Etienne de La Boetie on the power of a tyrant: "He who abuses you so has only two eyes, has but two hands, one body, and has naught but what has the least man of the great and infinite number of your cities, except for the advantage you give him to destroy you."

Sharp's "Methods of Nonviolent Action" lists about 200 methods available for democracy activists to use against autocrats, including methods of social, economic, and political "noncooperation" and methods of nonviolent intervention (psychological, physical, social, economic, political).

Srdja Popovic

Born on October 29, 1969, the Belgrade University marine biology student Srdja Popovic who, with his friends, founded the Otpor resistance movement on October 10, 1998, at a time when Serbian dictator Milosevic's rule was firmly entrenched, decided that it must be Otpor's primary objective to transform the political culture of the Serbian people. Their political consciousness needed to change, and all issues were considered in terms of the overall goal of removing Milosevic.

Otpor leaders were very frustrated by the different opposition political leaders who were more concerned with protecting and promoting their own interests, and who fought among themselves rather than working to remove Milosevic.

A document, "Declaration of the Future of Serbia," was drafted to expose Otpor's vision for Serbia's tomorrow: It defined Serbia's main problems, Otpor's objectives, and the methods Otpor proposed to use to remove Milosevic from power. Happily, the document was endorsed and approved by "all" important student organizations in Serbia, and prominent figures from different walks of life emerged to throw their support behind Otpor. Otpor's symbol of the clenched fist was adopted.

Otpor's two-pronged strategies included mobilizing the Serbian people to vote, although Otpor leaders knew well that Milosevic would never accept defeat in the elections. As Sharp puts it in his book, "Dictators are not in the business of allowing elections that could remove them from their thrones." So, while people were encouraged to vote, they were also encouraged to carry out "individual resistance" using nonviolent methods of civil disobedience. Otpor made clear that it was a must that the opposition must get more votes than Milosevic, and that in order to reach this objective the different opposition parties must "unite" behind one opposition presidential candidate, and that the only goal in the struggle was removing Milosevic.

Otpor leaders thus worked on improving analytical skills to promote and maintain "unity, planning, and nonviolent discipline" – the analytical skills that can be taught and learned.

Serbian students who led Otpor made use of Serbian translations of Prof. Gen Sharp's writings on nonviolent action as a theoretical basis for their struggle.

Slowly, the Otpor leaders stripped away the traditional "fear, fatalism and passivity" of the Serbian people, and creatively turned those factors into positive action by making it "even cool" to be a revolutionist. They used humor and creative street theater in public protests to mock Milosevic, to make "those grey and square-headed bureaucrats look stupid and ridiculous."

The idea was to break down fear, and to inspire "the tired, disappointed and pathetic Serbian society." Elevate enthusiasm and humor, and fear and apathy would diminish. People needed to be empowered to see the regime's vulnerability, thus, overcoming their fear of punishment.

"Gotov je" (He is finished!) and "Vreme Je!" (It's Time!) became slogans to galvanize public discontent. One month before the people stormed Serbia's parliament, Milosevic's police arrested some 2,000 Otpor activists in September 2000.

But, in October 2000, Milosevic resigned.

Advice on Violence

Sharp posits: "Constitutional and legal barriers, judicial decisions, and public opinion are normally ignored by dictators." On the other hand, "By placing confidence in violent means (in the struggle against dictators), one has chosen the very type of struggle with which the oppressors nearly always have superiority."

Popovic advises: "There are two things you need to avoid if you don't want your movement to be doomed: One is violence . . ." Popovic sees the maintenance of a "nonviolent discipline" as indispensable for the success of a revolution. A protester who throws rock at the police opens door for the police with superior power to respond with force on the whole group.

The second thing to avoid is "taking advice from foreigners."

On reliance on outside saviors

Sharp says, oppressed people who are "unwilling and unable to struggle" for lack of "confidence in their ability to face the ruthless dictatorship . . . understandab(ly) . . . place their hope in for liberation in . . . outside force" to come to their rescue.

Sharp presented "a few harsh realities." Frequently, Sharp tells us, "foreign states will tolerate, or even positively assist, a dictatorship" to serve the foreign states' "own economic or political interests." Also, foreign states "may be willing to sell out an oppressed people instead of keeping pledges to assist their liberation at the cost of another objective"; they will act against a dictatorship "only to gain their own economic, political, or military control over the country." Foreign states may become actively involved "only if and when the internal resistance has already begun shaking the dictatorship . . ." However, Sharp posits, "International pressures can be very useful . . . when they are supporting a powerful internal resistance movement."

"Foreign governments don't have friends, only interests," warned Popovic.

He encouraged democrats to "try to cultivate external support, get the knowledge and material resources from those offering it and use it for your movement's mission. But beware of their political advice because successful revolutions are only those which are home grown, designed and followed by local people in a certain country."

Happy 2012

I write this article hoping to spark discussion and cause Cambodians to reflect on what opponents to Cambodia's autocracy can learn from the experiences of others. Some Cambodian democracy activists may feel helpless and lonely in their fight, but they must not feel hopeless or alone. Many people under the sun have traveled this road and some have seen success.

"Never" is too long a time. Humans' liberation from oppression is not impossible.

Remember Lord Buddha's words, "Nothing is permanent"; "He is able who thinks he is able"; "I believe in a fate that falls on (men) unless they act."

Happy New Year 2012 to all Cambodian democracy activists!

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The views shared in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC, and the AHRC takes no responsibility for them.

About the Author:

Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. He currently lives in the Uni

Philippines seeks Asian summit on disputed islands

2012-01-16T11:36:00.001+07:00

Jan 16, 2012 The Philippines has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to hold a summit of China and five other Asian claimants to try to resolve long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said yesterday that he asked his ASEAN counterparts during an annual meeting in Cambodia last week to back the Philippines' call for the 10-member bloc to organise such a summit "as soon as possible".

A resolution of the conflicts should be based on internationally accepted rules such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, he said.

The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Taiwan have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea's Spratly Islands, which are believed to have undersea deposits of oil and gas.

AP

Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery Affecting 30 Millions Women and Children

2012-01-16T11:07:00.001+07:00

By Gilbert Mercier

Most people think that slavery is a crime of the past. However, this notion couldn’t be any further from the tragic reality of a well organized criminal activity which victimized more than 30 millions women and children worldwide. As matter of fact, there are more people being enslaved today than at any other time in human history. There are two distinct facets of this modern slave trade: one concerns victims who are sold, bought and used as sex slaves, the other one pertains to people exploited for labor purpose. In this article we will only try to get a grasp on the global sex trade aspect of human trafficking.

Sex slavery is not limited to brothels is Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines or the Dominican Republic. In countries where prostitution is legal, like Germany, traffickers, pimps and dangerous organized crime organizations such as the Russian mafia or ethnic Albanians are controlling most sex workers, even the ones who claim to be “independent”. According to recent estimates, there are currently around 200,000 children between the age of 12 to 15 who are sold for sex by pimps/traffickers every year in the United States. The problem is epidemic, and it often hides in plain sight.

The Obama administration- under the impulse of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton- has declared January 2012 the “human trafficking prevention month”. Even so it marks a desire from the US government to focus on the issue, the problem is so vast and global that this action is unlikely to make a dent. It is likely that the only positive impact will be to raise public awareness on the issue. By issuing its Trafficking in Person Report 2011, the State Department has been active in tracking human trafficking worldwide, country by country, and unlike previous reports the current report had the honesty to identify the United States as one of the hubs for modern day slavery.

Sex Trafficking, Globalization and the Internet

Until the communication revolution of the Internet, sex trafficking was mainly confined to brothels and street corners. But since then, the information super-highway has given criminal organizations the tool to turn sex trafficking into a multi-billions a year enterprise. It is more profitable than drug and weapon trafficking for a very simple reason: once a 100 kilos shipment of cocaine or heroin has been sold in the streets, it is gone. On the other hand, the “investment” made by human traffickers on the buying end- in women or children- will keep turning a profit over a fairly long period of time. Often large criminal organizations work together to control the recruitment of the victims, the transit and the enslavement at the destination point. The Russian mafia and Albanian gangs have the upper hand in Europe, and often work in association with recruiters/pimps in the Middle-East-where the biggest hub/distribution point is Beirut, Lebanon- to provide Estonian, Ukrainian or Lithuanian women, which are in “high demand”,for the rich “buyers” of the Gulf.

In Africa, the two biggest sources for human trafficking are currently Nigeria and Ghana. In a scheme that is more or less universal, women are recruited locally- often by other women- under the pretense of job opportunities aboard. But once they have reached their destination, either Italy, Greece, Belgium or Germany, their passports are taken away by pimps, they do not have legal immigration status, and they are forced to prostitute themselves-usually after being severely beaten and raped- to pay off the debt of their transit to Europe. According to a recent report from the British police, 75 percent of the sex trade in the UK is controlled by brutal Albanian gangs. In Germany, 75 percent of sex workers come from former Eastern block countries.

In the West, the Internet has become the number one platform for buying women and children for sex. Victims, from various countries of origin, are trafficked through pseudo-independent, but in reality pimp controlled escort services, chat rooms, and even “dating” web sites freely advertizing on the internet with ads such as “Meet Russian women online”. In the United States, there are countless brothels disguised as “massage parlors”, and in the burgeoning strip club business industry, “exotic dancers” are in fact turning tricks in VIP rooms. In Texas, migrant women from central America- either from Guatemala or El Salvador- are lured into crossing the US border by Coyotes working with local pimps, Mexican gangs and Salvadorian/US gang MS13, and will likely end up being sex slaves in Cantinas or massage parlors.

Human Trafficking: A Tragic Symptom of a Broken World

The cynics will say that prostitution is the “oldest profession in the world”. However, very few women enter this line of work willingly. In all cases they are forced into it by adverse socio-economic circumstances. The fall of the Soviet Union, and the rapid rise of Russian organize crime in its aftermath has flooded Western Europe and the Middle-East with an unprecedented influx of former Eastern block women seeking the dream of a better life and hoping to support their families back home. It is the same for poor women and children in rural areas of Thailand, Cambodia or the Philippines who are bought by local recruiters- for sometime as little as $150.00- and then shipped to Japan where they will become sex slaves in brothels controlled by Yakuzas.

Sophisticated criminal organizations are exploiting a situation of despair created by a global system where human beings are not much more than a resource and a commodity. Mega international corporations have outsourced countless jobs to seek a labor pool which can be paid slave wages, just like global organized crime has found a gold mine in human trafficking. And fundamentally, Albanian gangs, the Russian mafia, MS13 or the Mexican drug cartels are applying the same brutal rule of “free market” capitalism-which is to provide a product for a demand-with 30 millions enslaved human beings.

Cambodia Rejects UN Genocide Judge

2012-01-16T11:04:00.000+07:00

The Investigative Fund.
Posted by Douglas Gillison

New York — In another blow to investigations for alleged genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, Cambodian officials are set to reject a United Nations judge nominated for a court created for the crimes of the Khmer Rouge, officials said.

Though details remained scant and a decision has yet to be officially announced, the development would constitute a new and grave challenge to the UN in its fraught co-management with Cambodian authorities of the tribunal, which is to try a minimal number of aging suspects for some of the worst crimes of the 20th century but has faced dysfunction, delay, and controversy since before it was created in 2006.

In a message sent Saturday by the micro-blogging service Twitter, Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet of Switzerland, who had been due to take office, said he believed he had been rejected because he sought to investigate cases that are vehemently opposed by the Cambodian government on political and national security grounds.

"Given my determination, today recognized, to pursue the investigation of case files 003 and 004, one could have expected this," he wrote.

By Saturday, word of the impending rejection continued to be tightly held. A spokesman for Cambodia's Cabinet Minister, Sok An, said deliberations by a judicial appointments body were continuing. A UN spokeswoman said Friday her organization had not been officially notified of any such development by the Cambodian government "and we continue to call upon the government to fulfill its obligation under" a 2003 treaty governing the creation of the tribunal.

Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet of Switzerland was to replace Judge Siegfried Blunk of Germany, who, as I reported in Foreign Policy in November, resigned in scandal three months ago after his own staff accused him of deliberately undermining investigations that are opposed by the Cambodian government, which says they risk sparking a new civil war.

The cases are of great magnitude, and concern both the executions of hundreds of thousands of people and suspects who continue to enjoy freedom in Cambodia.

The court's inability to make progress in the cases has cast a shadow over the continuing trial of three senior Khmer Rouge leaders, a landmark case for international criminal justice which opened last year and will almost certainly be the last held at the court (though it is only its second case).

It has also allowed critics to claim the vindication of views that the foreign powers including the United States, France, Japan, and Australia unwisely thrust the United Nations into a bargain with the Cambodian government ten years ago to create a mixed UN-Cambodian court that could not function independently of Cambodian authorities.

Appointed last year as a stand-in, Judge Kasper-Ansermet, a financial crimes investigator and photographer best known for his work in the French chapter of the investigation into the UN Oil-for-Food program, attempted last month to take up his position but was immediately and publicly rejected by his Cambodian counterpart, Judge You Bunleng, as I reported in a previous blog post.

The Open Society Justice Initiative, an organization which monitors the tribunal, called Tuesday for Cambodian authorities to end the delays and endorse Judge Kasper-Ansermet.

Judge Kasper-Ansermet had publicly complained on Monday that Judge Bunleng had refused to authorize the release of "information about important decisions" submitted last month. Ninety minutes later, Judge Bunleng released a statement saying Judge Kasper-Ansermet had again issued a statement without his knowledge and reiterated that the Swiss Judge "does not have legal accreditation."

Cambodia's Supreme Council of the Magistracy, the putatively independent body made up of Cambodia's senior-most jurists, decided Friday to deny that accreditation to Judge Kasper-Ansermet.

The pair is meant to be cooperating.

The reasons for the Swiss judge's rejection were unclear, but by law all 31 of the tribunal’s judges and prosecutors are required to have "high moral character, a spirit of impartiality and integrity." Many of the court's 17 Cambodian judges and prosecutors have been involved in highly politicized cases and are widely believed to owe fealty to the government. The president of the court's Trial Chamber, Judge Nil Nonn, told a British former prosecutor that Cambodia's judges "aren't independent" and that the government — led by a prime minister who himself defected from the Khmer Rouge in 1977 — "threaten[s] and put[s] pressure on judges." His "surprisingly candid" remarks were published in a report (PDF) in 2010 for which I was interviewed.

Some indication of the fault found with Judge Kasper Ansermet emerged last week when Cambodian officials on Thursday inadvertently released a record of high-level communications between Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, including a meeting between the two in Bali in November during which the matter was discussed face-to-face. Since October, the UN had been asking that the Cambodians process Judge Kasper-Ansermet's appointment, according to a statement released by Cambodia's Council of Ministers. Hun Sen replied on November 3, "suggesting prudent consideration in the light of 'certain activities by Mr Laurent Kasper-Ansermet that have been brought to public attention.'"

That could be a reference to the judge's Twitter account, which, until recently, he had used to refer to the statements of outside organizations concerning the work of the court but not to discuss the merits of the cases that he was to decide.

Later that day, the Council of Ministers sought to recall this statement, sending out a replacement version with the timeline of correspondence deleted and noting in an e-mail: "Please note that this replacement is MUST."

On his Twitter feed, Judge Kasper-Ansermet appeared to acknowledge on Friday the fact that his tweets on the tribunal had been held against him. Where once he had included headlines and text when referring followers to articles about the tribunal, on Friday, eight tweets had text that appeared censored with 'x's. One read: "Cambodia Khmer Rouge xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xx."

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told the Agence France-Presse news agency this week that the UN had been "concerned" by foot-dragging in Cambodia on Judge Kasper-Ansermet's appointment.

"The United Nations has since made every effort to secure the appointment of the judge," Nesirky was quoted as saying, adding that Cambodia had "an obligation" to appoint Judge Kasper-Ansermet.

Let’s discuss Spratlys, PH urges Asean

2012-01-16T10:13:00.000+07:00

January 16th, 2012
By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has called on the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) anew to hold a meeting of Spratlys claimant-countries, including China, to resolve the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario sounded the call during the just-concluded Asean foreign ministers meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

In a statement, Del Rosario said Asean was “at a critical juncture of playing a momentous role in the resolution of the disputes in the West Philippine Sea” based on the rules-based regime of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos.

“We must now muster the will as an Asean community to face these sensitive issues with determination,” he said.

“It behooves member-states to now play a positive and meaningful role to solve the disputes peacefully in accordance with the (Asean) Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and reach a stage whereby we are able to help resolve sensitive issues decisively without letting such issues fester and adversely affect the progress of our bilateral or multilateral relations,” Del Rosario said.

The secretary noted that “in the context of the Philippine position and the background on this issue, the Philippines reiterates its proposal that a meeting be held as soon as possible among claimant-states, including China, under the guidance of Asean to resolve the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea based on the rules-based regime of Unclos.”

“This proposal for constructive engagement should be acceptable to all,” he added.

Del Rosario had made the same proposal in November last year.

“Thus far, we are pleased that fellow Asean member-states support the rules-based approach, which essentially calls for solving the issue peacefully in accordance with the rule of law, particularly Unclos, and the multilateral participation of various stakeholders to account for the various perspectives and interests,” he said.

“These principles are the very bedrock of our international order,” he added.

Journalist groups wary of obstacles to press freedoms

2012-01-14T10:34:00.000+07:00

CLAMPING DOWN:A representative from the IFJ voiced concern about compromised freedoms in Taiwan from attempts at manipulation by politicians and businesses

Jan 14, 2012
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff Reporter

While Taiwan is already a democracy where the media enjoys a high degree of freedom, participants in a forum in Taipei yesterday on media and democracy voiced concerns that some forces — including big corporations, politicians and China — are still trying manipulate media outlets.

Journalists and representatives of journalist organizations from various countries and territories, including Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, took part in a forum hosted by the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ) on the role of media in a country’s transition to democracy.

While several participants spoke about the restriction on press freedoms in authoritarian countries, others, including Asia-Pacific correspondent for the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Serenade Woo (胡麗雲), voiced their concerns about compromised freedom of the press in democracies, such as Taiwan.

“We do pay a lot of attention to Taiwan and I was quite shocked when seeing businessmen or the government trying to manipulate the media, like the government giving money to the media to promote its policies through editorials,” Woo said. “We were quite worried when seeing things like this happen in Taiwan. I’m not saying that I’m very confident in [President] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), but I didn’t expect him to be so bad.”

She also mentioned a case where Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus whip Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) filed a lawsuit against the head of Internet news source Newtalk, Su Tzen-ping (蘇正平), and the media outlet’s reporter Lin Chao-i (林朝億) over a report that Lin wrote about Hsieh.

“It’s ridiculous that a lawmaker files a lawsuit against ATJ members,” Woo said, adding that, fortunately, pressure from civil society has forced the government to respond to media-related issues and rethink its approach.

Former ATJ chairman Leon Chuang (莊豐嘉) said the challenges that the media in Taiwan now faces include attempts to control it by big corporations, politicians and China.

“It is thanks to the growing movement of citizen-journalists that the monopoly of information can be blocked,” he said. “I think a stronger citizen-journalist movement and a better-structured and financed public broadcasting system could be the answer to the problems.”

Haidi Faruk, a journalist with Egypt’s Sabah Elkheir magazine, described how the authoritarian regime under former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak held a tight grip on the media.

“Since the collapse of the Mubarak government, we’re now able to enjoy more freedom as journalists, the media is talking more about freedom and democracy nowadays — which are [sic] banned topics in the past — and new newspapers and TV channels are popping up,” Faruk said. “I don’t know how much freedom the new government — yet to be elected — would give us, but I’d say that our freedom came from Tahrir Square and if the new government takes away our freedom, we’ll be out on the streets again.”

Nine more Cambodian ‘loggers’ nabbed in Laos

2012-01-13T17:31:00.000+07:00

Tep Nimol
Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 13 January 2012

Nine Cambodians had been apprehended after illegally entering Laos near the Stung Treng border on Tuesday, officials said yesterday.

Sun Ban, commander at police station 701 on the Cambodia-Laos border in Siem Pang district, told the Post yesterday the nine men captured in Laos’s Champasak district were thought to have been logging illegally.

Laotian authorities had not yet provided further details to their Cambodian counterparts, he said.

Siem Pang district police chief Var Sophan said he had not yet received calls for help from the families of the men.

Under a district border agreement, the men would be released if their families paid Laos US$500 each, he said.

Tuesday’s incident comes less than a month after Laotian authorities detained 19 Cambodians for illegal logging in the same area.

Fifteen of them were released two weeks ago after their families each paid more than $450 to Laos for their freedom.

Vietnam leads ASEAN wood product export last year

2012-01-13T09:53:00.000+07:00

(philstar.com)
January 13, 2012

HANOI (Xinhua) - Vietnam became the largest exporter of timber and wood products in ASEAN countries last year, earning $3.9 billion U.S. dollars in exports, local Vietnam News quoted the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC) as saying on Thursday.

According to southern Ho Chi Minh City Association of Handicraft and Wood Industry, wood products accounted for more than 80 percent of Vietnam's total wood and timber exports, an increase of 500 million U.S. dollars in export value over the previous year.

ASEAN would become a single market by 2015, with a larger capital flow, information and labor forces. The timber trade volume would improve significantly if a timber production zone with stable and competitive price was established in the region to help ASEAN exporters enhance their competitiveness, productivity and efficiency before the birth of the ASEAN Economic Community.

AFIC is made up of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines, which focuses on promoting the interests of ASEAN furniture industries.

China Wage Surge Lures Bra Maker to Cambodia

2012-01-13T09:52:00.000+07:00

By Dexter Roberts - Jan 13, 2012

Workers at Top Form International Ltd.’s newest Cambodia plant are painting a long line of latrines on a December morning. Rows of sewing machines sit idle in a dimly lit warehouse, while next door 150 18-year-old women learn how to sew bras on used Singer Sewing Co. machines.

Chairman Willie Fung has big plans for the factory on Phnom Penh’s outskirts: By the end of 2012, 1,200 workers will produce 80,000 bras a month for sale to the U.S. and Europe. Eventually, this Southeast Asian nation of 14.7 million people could account for one-third of Top Form’s output.

“Cambodia is just like China was 20 years ago. It’s on the verge of a big expansion,” says Fung, a 40-year veteran of the business who may open more factories outside Phnom Penh. Hong Kong-based Top Form, which supplies New York-based Warnaco Group Inc. and Japan’s Wacoal Holdings Corp. (3591), has reduced its China production from 65 percent of total output three years ago to just over 50 percent now. It could drop to just one-third.

“In Cambodia, people are happy to have a job,” says Fung. “But in China we keep losing workers. Whether we like it or not, we will be moving out.”

Top Form is one of hundreds of textile manufacturers diversifying beyond China, the world’s No. 1 apparel producer, Bloomberg Businessweek reports in its Jan. 16 issue. Cambodia is one popular destination along with Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Their combined share of exports to rich countries rose to 17.3 percent in 2010 from 12 percent in 2004, according to Clothesource Limited, an Oxford, U.K.-based consulting company.

Lower Wages

The countries all have young people willing to work for less. In Cambodia, that means $76 for a 60-hour workweek. Chinese workers get from $280 in Jiangxi province to $460 in Shenzhen. That’s take-home pay in his factory for 48 hours work, including overtime, says Fung.

While in 2010, China produced 43.6 percent of rich countries’ apparel imports, that number shrank to 36.8 percent in the first half of last year, estimates Clothesource. The stronger yuan, stricter enforcement of environmental rules, and rising wages are pushing production out. “Chinese workers are ever more demanding,” says Willy Lin, chairman of the Hong Kong Textile Assn.

China’s factory wages have risen 18 percent to 20 percent annually over the last three years, while staff turnover is running at 10 percent monthly, estimates the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. On Dec. 30, Shenzhen labor officials announced a 13.6 percent increase in the monthly minimum wage, to 1,500 yuan ($237).

‘Gypsy Factory’

According to the Hong Kong federation, smaller margins mean that one-third of the estimated 60,000 Hong Kong-financed makers of textiles, electronics, and toys in China’s Pearl River Delta will have to shut down or move abroad. “If you are very low- cost, very soon you will have to become a gypsy factory,” says Roy C.P. Chung, the federation’s chairman.

In the past year, Cambodia’s textile industry has taken off. On the outskirts of Phnom Penh, trucks carrying workers from new plants clog highways. Exports by about 300 licensed textile factories grew to $3.3 billion in the first 10 months of last year, up 35 percent, according to the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia. An additional 2,000 to 3,000 textile factories are subcontractors to the licensed plants.

China’s infrastructure and supplier network still beat Cambodia’s handily. In Cambodia, “everything is imported -- even the sewing needles and thread,” says David Tan Kok Ngan, director of Best Tan Garment, a jeans and cargo pants supplier for Inditex SA’s Zara and other brands. Tan says parts take one week by ship from Hong Kong and two weeks from Shanghai. Even Top Form intends to keep making its priciest products in China.

As in China, workers in Cambodia are showing a proclivity to strike. More seriously, other low-cost countries are vying for plants, too. “The challenge is if another country can pay salaries cheaper than Cambodia -- maybe Myanmar,” says Tan. “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Dexter Roberts in Beijing at droberts34@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Power at cpower3@bloomberg.net

ASEAN to further develop maritime cooperation : Marty

2012-01-12T13:24:00.000+07:00

Jakarta, Jan 12 (ANTARA) - ASEAN member countries have agreed to further develop their maritime cooperation in the region, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Wednesday.

"ASEAN foreign affairs ministers have agreed to Indonesia`s proposal to make use of the ASEAN Maritime Forum as an event to discuss maritime cooperation in the region," Marty said through phone after attending the ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers` Retreat Session in Siem Reap, Cambodia, earlier in the day.

The minister said the annual ASEAN Maritime Forum would also invite member countries of the East Asia Summit Forum (EAS) to discuss cooperation in the maritime sector.

"ASEAN wants to bring forward the cooperation factor in the maritime sector instead of the problems it is causing in the region," he said.

The maritime sector had long been a challenging factor and sometimes a conflict starter for some ASEAN member countries. Border clashes in the South China Sea between four ASEAN countries and China and also illegal fishing issues are among the maritime problems facing members of the regional organization.

Earlier, during the 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali last November 2011, ASEAN Leaders agreed to promote maritime cooperation, and fight piracy and maritime crimes. The leaders also agreed to tackle transnational crimes and threats, to ensure safe and free international navigation,

The agreement was written into the Bali Declaration on ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations or the Bali Concord III signed by the leaders of the ten ASEAN member countries, namely Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. (ANTARA)

Vietnam knuckles down on climate change

2012-01-12T13:23:00.000+07:00

The Vietnam News/Asia News Network
Thursday, Jan 12, 2012

HA NOI - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday chaired the first working session of the National Committee on Climate Change, two days after its official establishment.

Dung said response to climate change and sea level rise was a matter of life or death to the nation's sustainable development, and that Viet Nam had to start taking drastic measures right away or it would be too late.

He said it was not until now that Viet Nam realised the vital importance of responding to climate change. Since 2008, Viet Nam has constructed a National Target Programme to respond to climate change.

However, the efficiency has been low due to limited resources and weak co-operation between relevant stakeholders.

The National Committee on Climate Change hopes to help address this.

One of the committee's tasks is to advise and consult the Government and Prime Minister on important matters relating to inter-agency responsibilities with respect to climate change.

Its key functions include to design national climate change strategies and programmes, as well as monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of these strategies.

Dung asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to quickly finalise the principles governing its work and its working agenda.

He also pushed the ministry to finish compiling the National Action Plan to respond to climate change, make it available to the public and put it into practice.

The draft identified top priorities for the decade: climate change adaptation, increasing preparedness for natural calamities and sea level rise, ensuring food and water security and consolidating dyke embankment.

In order to fulfil these goals, Viet Nam should improve the management capacity of work related to climate change and mobilise resources from different actors in the economy.

Scientific research in support of national climate change policy and the strengthening of international co-operation were to be undertaken.

The action plan was scheduled to be submitted to the Prime Minister during this quarter.

As part of the Support Programme in response to the climate change, the inter-sectoral committee and independent consultants reviewed nearly 240 climate change proposals submitted by local authorities and selected 19 projects that touched on urgent matters.

UNAIDS, Vietnam work to fight HIV/AIDS

2012-01-12T13:22:00.000+07:00

HANOI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A consultative workshop was held Wednesday by Vietnam Union of Scientific and Technical Associations (VUSTA) to work on the country's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS with the participation of relevant agencies and representatives from the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS).

According to Vladanka Andreeva, senior expert of UNAIDS in Vietnam, during the first UN meeting on health care in June 2011, participating heads of states agreed to jointly fight and prevent HIV/AIDS by 2015. They signed the "Political Statement on HIV/AIDS 2011", which became an impetus to the global fight against this disease.

The statement has three major targets, including no more HIV infected people, no discrimination and no mortality by AIDS.

Vietnam has completed the Country Report 2010 successfully and will continue to implement the report on Global AIDS progress that will be completed in March 2012.

During the implementation process, with UNAIDS coordination, VUSTA held consultative meetings with social organizations to further promote their role and ensure their comments to be added in the report. According to VUSTA, the outcome of this workshop will be updated and finalized at a conference next month, which will contribute to completing Vietnam's Report on AIDS progress 2012.

Editor: Xiong Tong

UN 'concerned' over Khmer Rouge judge's legal limbo

2012-01-11T17:26:00.002+07:00

(AFP)
Jan 11, 2012

Cambodia's delay in appointing a foreign judge to the Khmer Rouge tribunal is causing concern (AFP/ECCC/File, Nhet Sokheng)

PHNOM PENH — The United Nations voiced concern Wednesday over Cambodia's delay in appointing a foreign judge to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, paralysing probes into two cases strongly opposed by the government.

Swiss judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet arrived in Phnom Penh last month as the UN's choice to replace a German judge who abruptly quit in October over government opposition to further prosecutions linked to the 1975-1979 regime.

"The United Nations has since made every effort to secure the appointment of the judge," UN chief Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky told AFP, adding Cambodia had "an obligation" to appoint the reserve choice in the case of a vacancy.

But the government body charged with rubber-stamping the nomination has failed to meet in recent weeks, leaving the Swiss judge in a legal impasse, in the latest setback to the court.

"The United Nations is concerned that, more than three months after the resignation of the international co-investigating judge, the Supreme Council of the Magistracy has not appointed the reserve international co-investigating judge to replace him," Nesirky said.

The Cambodian justice ministry confirmed that it had received a letter from the UN requesting the council to discuss the matter.

"We don't know when the meeting will take place," cabinet chief Sam Pracheameanith told AFP, declining to elaborate.

Observers from the US-based Open Society Justice Initiative said in a statement that Cambodia was stalling, "effectively leaving the judicial investigations in a state of limbo".

Kasper-Ansermet's Cambodian counterpart You Bunleng on Monday publicly refused to work with the Swiss, who he said was not legally accredited.

Kasper-Ansermet, meanwhile, accused You Bunleng of blocking "important" information about the two new cases involving five ex-Khmer Rouge members accused of crimes against humanity.

The tribunal has so far completed just one trial -- jailing Kaing Guek Eav, a former Khmer Rouge prison chief, for 30 years in July 2010 for overseeing the deaths of 15,000 people under the brutal regime.

A second trial involving the regime's four most senior surviving leaders is ongoing but the landmark proceedings risk being overshadowed by the controversy over the possible new cases.

Cambodia to call for lifting of economic sanction against Myanmar

2012-01-11T17:26:00.001+07:00

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (Kyodo) -- Cambodia will call for the lifting of economic sanctions against Myanmar, acting in its capacity as new chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cambodia's top diplomat said Tuesday.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told Kyodo News in an interview that a statement calling on the removal of sanctions will be made when Cambodia hosts the 20th ASEAN summit in April.

"Myanmar has made good progress in democratization and, therefore, we (ASEAN) and as well as the international community should have a new position on Myanmar," Hor Namhong said.

Hor Namhong made the pledge after he met Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in Siem Reap.

Hor Namhong and Wunna Maung Lwin were in Siem Reap for an informal ASEAN ministerial meeting.

(Mainichi Japan) January 11, 2012

Korea’s yearly aid to emerging countries tops $1 billion

2012-01-11T17:24:00.000+07:00

Jan 11, 2012
Source: Koreaherald

Korea’s financial aid to underdeveloped and developing countries has surpassed $1 billion per annum.

The Export-Import Bank of Korea said Wednesday that the yearly amount of “official development assistance” has reached $1.17 billion.

This means each Korean offered an average of 27,730 won to underdeveloped and developing countries, according to the state-run bank.

Asia was the main target of the ODA, accounting for 65.2 percent, followed by Africa with 15.5 percent, and South & Central America with 7.2 percent.

By nation, Vietnam topped the list with percentage of 10.6 percent out of Korea’s total assistance. Other major targets included Cambodia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Over the past few years, Korea Eximbank continued to increase its provision of economic development and cooperation funds to promote economic cooperation with emerging nations.

The EDCF, being provided at a minimum interest rate of 1 percent, are mainly used for the construction of industrial and residential infrastructure in the developing world.

The bank’s policy focus has been on financing projects to build water supply facilities and waste water disposal plants.

Last year, under the initiative of chairman & CEO Kim Yong-hwan, the state-run bank met to map out further development of the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

After Korea Eximbank and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of Korea pushed to enhance what was then a vocational training center by providing loans, the Cambodian government upgraded it to the status of a national college.

The EDCF has offered the college $28 million under the Korean government’s policy to expand cooperation with emerging countries over the past few years.

Seoul has dispatched a group of professors and operated a Korean language school in the institute.

Pich Sophoan, Secretary of State of Ministry of Labor of Cambodia, said he hopes that the college’s development will be linked to the nation’s improvement in income level.

Bun Phearin, president of the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia, said the case has been a successful model with the help of Korea’s systematic aid and effective management.

Exim Bank executives pointed out that this is only part of the expanding interchanges with the Southeast Asian country.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldm.com)

Cambodia jails US doctor for child sex offences

2012-01-11T17:23:00.000+07:00

AAP
From: Herald Sun
January 11, 2012

A CAMBODIAN court has sentenced an American doctor to 10 years in prison for paying for sex with two under-aged boys, officials said.

Phillip Bruce Shepard from Michigan, was arrested in the capital Phnom Penh last July for abusing the brothers aged 12 and 14.

"He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for purchasing child prostitution," prosecutor Ek Chheng Huot at Phnom Penh Municipal Court told AFP today.

The court also ordered the 68-year-old to be deported after serving his jail term, he said.

Shepard was working as a doctor at a private clinic in Phnom Penh before his arrest, according to project officer Khoem Vando from the anti-paedophile group Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) which provided legal counsel for the victims.

APLE first began monitoring the American in 2007 when he was seen walking into a hotel with two boys, he added.

Dozens of foreigners have been jailed for child sex crimes or deported to face trial in their home countries since Cambodia launched an anti-paedophilia push in 2003 in a bid to shake off its reputation as a haven for sex predators.

But to the dismay of child protection activists, at least three convicted offenders were freed by a royal pardon last month.

These included a Russian businessman who became the focus of Cambodia's largest-ever paedophilia case after buying sex from 17 girls.

Khmer Rouge lawyers slam PM's 'killer' remarks

2012-01-10T16:05:00.000+07:00

January 10, 2012
(AFP)

PHNOM PENH- Lawyers for a top Khmer Rouge leader accused of genocide on Tuesday condemned alleged remarks by Cambodian Premier Hun Sen describing their client as a "killer" whose testimony was "deceitful".

The comments, reported by Vietnamese media last week, "were a very clear statement about the guilt of Nuon Chea by a high government official," defence lawyer Michiel Pestman complained to Cambodia's UN-backed court, as hearings resumed in a landmark atrocities trial.

"Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea and his co-accused, ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary and former head of state Khieu Samphan, deny charges including crimes against humanity and war crimes for the deaths of up to two million people.

Giving evidence last month, Nuon Chea, 85, partly blamed Vietnam, a country he said wanted to "annex" Cambodia, for the mass killings that occurred under the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime.

During a news conference in the neighbouring nation last Tuesday, Hun Sen was paraphrased by the state-run Thanh Nien daily as saying it was not necessary to respond to the "deceitful" words by Nuon Chea.

The prime minister also reportedly described Nuon Chea as a "killer and genocide (perpetrator) defending himself in an effort to evade the crime".

Pestman said the comments required "a very strong response" by the court, which has long been dogged by allegations of political interference.

"It's not up to the prime minister to decide whether my client is guilty," Pestman told the judges.

"We request you to officially condemn these statements which prejudice our client and violate his rights to a fair trial and ask the prime minister to refrain from such remarks in the future."

Trial monitor Clair Duffy from the US-based Open Society Justice Initiative said it would be "prudent" for government officials not to comment about individuals under prosecution.

"This is especially the case in countries like Cambodia where judicial independence is still a very real issue," she told AFP.

Led by "Brother Number One" Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge wiped out nearly a quarter of the population through starvation, overwork or execution in a bid to create an agrarian utopia before being toppled by Vietnamese forces.

Hun Sen, himself a former cadre before he defected, travelled to southern Vietnam last week to mark the 33rd anniversary of the ouster of the Khmer Rouge and unveil a monument there to the Cambodian resistance movement.

Hong Kong casino to rise in Cambodia

2012-01-10T14:40:00.000+07:00

Business Desk
Rasmei Kampuchea Daily
Publication Date : 10-01-2012

Hong Kong's Entertainment Gaming Asia Inc. has announced that its Dreamworld Casino Pailin in northwest Cambodia is expected to open during the second quarter of this year.

A statement late Monday said the casino in Pailin, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold, was "strategically located on a growing trade route with solid infrastructure between Cambodia and Thailand" and that it would cater to "mass market and premium players from the major nearby cities in the region".

The initial phase opening in the second quarter will have up to 23 table games with initial capital investment by the company expected to be about US$2.4 million for the design, construction and casino equipment, it said.

Entertainment Gaming Asia said it would have "exclusive management control" over the casino’s development and business operation, leasing the land from a local land owner and sharing 80 per cent of the profit before depreciation and land lease expense.

"The company has first right to lease from the local land owner adjacent land to the initial phase of the project, where an existing and popular casino is currently in operation, to potentially develop additional phases," the statement said, adding that lease terms were 20 years with a renewal option.

Press Release of the First Meeting of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, 8-9 January 2012

2012-01-10T14:39:00.000+07:00

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened its First Meeting on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) from 08 - 09 January 2012 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This was the first meeting under the Cambodian Chairmanship and chaired by H.E. Om Yentieng, Senior Minister and President of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), the Cambodian Representative, the Chair of AICHR, in 2012.

The Chair's Statement of the 19th ASEAN Summit noted the task given by the Foreign Ministers to AICHR to finalize the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and to submit a Progress Report to the AMM Retreat in January 2012. Pursuant to this task, the Meeting held discussion and adopted the Progress Report on the AHRD to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers. In the Progress Report, AICHR reaffirmed its commitment and determination to finalize the AHRD in 2012 and set out the way it will achieve that aim. AICHR also appreciated the hard work of the Drafting Group to produce the basic draft of the AHRD and their Final Report.

The Meeting also discussed its tentative 2012 calendar for deliberation on the AHRD. The 2012 calendar for AICHR sets out the agreed dates and venues for AICHR meetings on the AHRD and the three regular meetings of AICHR.

The Meeting expressed appreciation to the Host for the hospitality and excellent arrangements for the Meeting.

The Second Meeting of AICHR on the AHRD will be held from 17 – 19 February 2012 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.

view original source

Prahok soul of Khmer cuisine

2012-01-09T15:09:00.000+07:00

Jan 9, 2012
By Jane F. Ragavan
The star

The smell of the Cambodian fermented fish paste called prahok may have you reeling, but it is the soul of Khmer cooking.

IT’S prahok season in Cambodia – you can smell it.

On the banks of the Tonle Sap River, hundreds of families lug baskets of finger-sized silvery fish from boats, gut and slice off their heads and then crush them underfoot before the pulp is dried, salted and left to ferment in bags or jars for weeks or even months.

Work in progress: The fish needs to be cleaned, gutted and crushed underfoot before it is salted and left to ferment.

Its pungent smell hangs heavily in the air, but it is no bother to Cambodians because prahok is the soul of Khmer cuisine. Often called Cambodian or fish cheese in English, prahok is equal in value to rice. In fact, farmers will travel from outlying provinces to trade rice for the protein-rich fish paste, a much needed supplement in the countryside where simple meals of prahok and rice are common.

It can also be used in soups, but is mostly used as a condiment in a wide variety of Khmer dishes.

Some years ago, there was a poor harvest of fish as well as a problem with illegal fishing. The production of prahok consequently suffered.

“Without the prahok, health will suffer. Without the prahok, food will taste bad in the mouth. Without the prahok, life is not as we know it,” is how a fisherman then described the poor harvest to a travel writer.

This year, there has been an abundance of riel – Cambodian currency is named for these little fish – causing nets to overflow and prices to drop.

Despite the problems and the back-breaking work involved in the production of prahok, it is something many Cambodians will not forgo.

Take your pick: People selecting fish to be made into prahok.

Some, however, are shunning this heritage.

One Cambodian told a journalist writing for the online news site, The Faster Times, that as he has moved from being a farmer to running a cooking school in the city of Battambang, he no longer likes prahok anymore.

“Some people look down on you if you eat prahok, because if you eat prahok, you are a farmer, you are poor,” he said.

Another man echoed the sentiment, saying that people with money would only eat prahok “only once every few months. When they don’t have money, they eat a lot.”

In 2007, Cambodia announced it was seeking Geographical Indication status (just like Champagne) for five distinctive regional products it deemed regionally unique under World Trade Organisation guidelines. One of them was prahok. It was later reported that Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu palm sugar had gained the recognition, but the registration process was ongoing for its other products.

Foreigners encountering prahok in its raw form for the first time may find it repugnant – the grey to brown colour looks unappetising and the potent smell can be offputting. People who swear by it say that once it is incorporated in cooking, it lifts the flavour and produces a dish that is completely different than when it started.

Sun-drie d: Fish are laid out to dry.

Those of us who know the delicious transformative effects of belacan and cincalok in our own cuisine would not disagree.

King father requests funeral arrangements

2012-01-09T15:08:00.000+07:00

Kim Yuthana
Phnom Penh Post
Monday, 09 January 2012

King Father Norodom Sihanouk has asked that after his death, his ashes be placed inside a shrine in the Royal Palace, following a Buddhist ceremony, said a message from him released on Saturday.

Palace officials were quick to note, however, that the rare message from the former king who celebrated his 90th birthday last October 31 not be interpreted as a signal of declining health.

Prince Sisowath Thomico, personal assistant to Norodom Sihanouk, told the Post yesterday that “the Royal message was not intended to shock”. The prince explained that the former king, who led Cambodia’s independence from France, was simply preparing those who loved him for his eventual passing away.

The King Father’s health was normal and doctors were on call should he become ill, the prince said.

When Norodom Sihanouk returned from China to celebrate his 90th birthday, he said he would reside permanently in Cambodia.

He said he had “absolutely decided not to leave Cambodia” again, and that doctors would be sent from China to treat him here.

Kingdom, Cuba to sign agriculture MoU

2012-01-09T15:07:00.000+07:00

Post Staff
Monday, 09 January 2012

Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with its Cuban counterpart “to establish a comprehensive cooperation … in the agriculture sector”, according to state-owned Agence Kampuchea Presse.

AKP, in a report on Friday on its website, said the potential MoU was discussed during a meeting of newly appointed Ambassador of Cuba to Cambodia José Ramón Rodriguez Varona and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries HE Chan Sarun.

Chan Sarun reportedly asked Cuba to send agricultural experts to the Kingdom to train Cambodian officials once the MoU had been signed, according to AKP.

However, no deadline was given for when the MoU would be signed. Chan Sarun could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Lightning kills 165 Cambodians in 2011, up 45 pct

2012-01-07T19:03:00.000+07:00

Jan 07, 2012

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- Death toll from lightning strikes in Cambodia had increased by 45 percent to 165 deaths in 2011 from 114 deaths in a year earlier, Keo Vy, chief of the Cabinet of National Committee for Disaster Management, said Saturday.

"Among the 2011's deaths, 23 were children," he told Xinhua by telephone, adding that besides the deaths, other 139 people were injured.

"Most of the victims are in rural areas," he added.

Three provinces with the highest death toll from lightning last year are Battambang, some 300 kilometers Northwest of Phnom Penh, Pursat, some 175 kilometers West of Cambodia and Kampong Cham, about 120 kilometers East of the country.

Lightning occurs every year in Cambodia, especially, in rainy season which begins from May through October.

Cambodia vows to finalize ASEAN human rights declaration this year

2012-01-07T19:02:00.000+07:00

The Asia News Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia | Sat, 01/07/2012

Cambodia aims to finalize the drafting of an ASEAN Human Rights Declaration this year as it chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cambodian Human Rights Committee chairman Om Yin Tieng said.

"This is a big job and needs a lot of discussions. However, we are confident that we can finalize it by this year," said Om Yin Tieng, who is also a senior minister and chair of the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights in 2012.

He said the commission would hold its first meeting on the declaration in Siem Reap on January 8 and 9, immediately ahead of a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers.

Human rights group Amnesty International called Friday for ASEAN institutions to make public and accessible a draft of the declaration.

"An inclusive drafting process, taking into account input from civil society and any other interested individuals or groups, is crucial for the Declaration. The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration concerns every woman, man and child in the region, and it is only natural that they should be given an opportunity to have their say," a statement said.

The group said it was "disappointed by the secrecy surrounding the drafting process so far. Not a single piece of substantive information on the process has been officially shared, and even the Terms of Reference of the Drafting Group have been kept confidential."

Om Yin Tieng said the upcoming meeting of the commission was an internal meeting. (mtq)

Tough on the field, unyeilding at the table

2012-01-03T10:42:00.000+07:00

Jan 3, 2012
Bangkok Post

Thanasak Patimaprakorn's past record and accomplishments are proof that he's a soldier worthy of working of his rank as supreme commander.

Thanasak: Expert on the border

Atlhough by virtue of his position, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has often overshadowed him, Gen Thanasak's career accomplishments are second to none. Gen Thanasak is an outstanding royal guard for Her Majesty. In fact, he started out serving as a close guard to the Queen in his early days in military uniform.

He has often been seen accompanying the Queen and extending an arm for her to lean on during her visits to villages.

Inside the armed forces, Gen Thanasak received the full backing of other top brass including Gen Prayuth and his predecessor, Songkitti Jaggabatara, during a search for a new supreme commander.

And nobody opposed the choice to make him supreme commander in the military reshuffle in October last year. He is due to retire in 2014.

Gen Songkitti, Gen Thanasak and Gen Prayuth are classmates from Class 12 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.

Gen Thanasak is a man of few words and prefers to keep a low profile.

"I give an interview only every two months after chairing the bimonthly meeting of armed force leaders," he said. "I want to give them freedom to work without me saying they will have to do this or that."

His past posts include a stint in border protection affairs, including on the frontier between Thailand and Cambodia.

When he was a military chief of staff, Gen Thanasak drafted a defence scheme for the border and designed several plans for military drills.

After serving in the 9th Infantry Division in Kanchanaburi, Gen Thanasak moved on to the Long Range Patrol Company of the 1st Division, the King's Guard. After that he received a promotion to become commander of an attack battalion of the army's special warfare unit. That was when he earned a reputation as an aggressive and efficient fighter.

He also founded the armed forces' anti-international terrorism centre, which works with the United States and other key allies on intelligence and training the military in anti-terrorism operations.

His latest challenge was the Thai-Cambodian border clashes that erupted over a dispute about the 4.6 square kilometres of land surrounding Preah Vihear temple as both sides awaited a hearing before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The ICJ ordered both Thai and Cambodian troops to pull out of a provisional demilitarised zone and that Indonesian observers be allowed in the area.

Gen Thanasak has worked closely with the secretary-general of the General Border Committee to ensure Thailand is not at a disadvantage in negotiations with Cambodia.

"We will lose territory if Thai soldiers are not allowed to enter an area belonging to Thailand," he said, referring to the possible consequences of the ICJ's ruling.

A key man at the latest GBC meeting in Phnom Penh on Dec 21 was Gen Thanasak, who joined Defence Minister Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapa during negotiations with his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Tea Banh. He fed information to the negotiating team and made sure it did not agree to points it should not.

Gen Thanasak helped the Thai team win concessions from Cambodia, which had originally wanted to allow only Indonesian observers on the disputed land. In the end, Cambodia agreed to support a joint observation team comprised of Thai, Cambodian and Indonesians, instead.

Than Shwe wants to be remembered like Kim Jong IL and not Pol Pot

2012-01-03T10:26:00.000+07:00

Jan 3, 2012
- Asian Tribune -
By Kanbawza Win

The common denominator of these three men are cruelty, brutality, ruthlessness, and secrecy that had set-up a tyranny which simultaneously oppressed and starved its people to an almost unique degree to sustain their own regime. All of them have directly or indirectly killed from 1-5 to 2 million of its own citizens.

Pol Pot (actual name of birth is Saloth Sa) won the scholarship in 1949 to study radio electronics in Paris became enthralled by writings on Marxism and revolutionary socialism and forges bonds with other likeminded young Cambodians studying in the metropolis, including Ieng Sary, Khieu Samphan, Khieu Ponnary, Khieu Thirith and Song Sen who are destined to become the notorious Khmer Rouge leaders. Returning from a secret trip to North Vietnam in 1967, Pol Pot takes refuge in the northeast of Cambodia where he lives with a hill tribe and was so impressed by their simple, non-material way of life, imagine itself to be a realisation of communist ideals.

Beginning on the day in 1975 when his guerrilla army marched silently into the capital, Pol Pot declares 'Year Zero' and directs a ruthless program to "purify" Cambodian society and no opposition were tolerated. Buddhist monks are defrocked and forced into labour brigades. In Phnom Penh, Pol Pot emptied the cities, pulled families apart, abolished religion and closed schools. Everyone was ordered to work, even children. The Khmer Rouge outlawed money and closed all markets. Doctors were killed, as were most people with skills and education that threatened the regime. The Khmer Rouge like the Burmese Tatmadaw (army) persecuted members of minority ethnic groups -- the Chinese, Muslim Chams, Vietnamese and Thais who had lived for generations in the country, and any other foreigners -- in an attempt to create a ''pure'' Cambodia. Non-Cambodians were forbidden to speak their native languages or to exhibit any ''foreign'' traits.

The pogrom against the Cham minority was the most devastating, killing more than half of that community. The Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979, in which approximately 1.7 million people lost their lives (21% of the country's population), was one of the worst human tragedies of the last century. As in the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian genocide, in Nazi Germany, and more recently in East Timor, Guatemala, Yugoslavia, and Rwanda, the Khmer Rouge regime headed by Pol Pot combined extremist ideology with ethnic animosity and a diabolical disregard for human life to produce repression, misery, and murder on a massive scale.

Irrefutable evidence of "crimes against humanity, genocide, grave breaches of the Geneva Convention, homicide, torture and religious persecution." were found by the UN. But the people of Cambodia were liberated when on 15th April 1998 in a small thatched hut in the mountains of northern Cambodia Pol Pot died at the age of 73 when the government troops were closing down on him and left the nation in trauma up to this day.

Kim Jong Il was born in 1941 in Siberia, when his father Kim II-sung better known as the Great Leader was living in exile; Kim Jong IL had a reputation as a spoiled playboy who vainly wore platform shoes to appear taller. After his father's death in 1994, Kim Jong-Il managed to retain power (although he did not assume his father's titles until 1997, when he was named secretary of the Communist party) was known as a Dear Leader. Kim Il-sung’s death on July 8, 1994. marked the first hereditary transfer of power in a Marxist, Communist state as even today his son Kim Jong Un took power as the Supreme Leader to complete the hereditary communist throne of North Korea and retain the Kim family dynasty. Seven senior officials - all high-ranking party officials or military figures will be guiding North Korea during Kim Jong Un's early years in power.

During the three generations North Korea like Burma had become one of the most isolated countries in the world, with frequent famines and an economy in a shambles. Something like Burma’s Ye Kyi Aing and notorious jails of Insein and the likes, North Korea has a torture camps because Kim Jong Il needed them to terrify his destitute people into quiescence. Now, as his callow third son maneuvers to take over the world's most shuttered state, it is worth reflecting on the staggering breadth of human rights abuses in North Korea. How they were used for so long to keep the lid on the North Korean people, and why many Westerners paid so little attention. Kim's cruelty that was often overlooked partly due to the deceptive power of the images that found their way out of North Korea on TV and newspapers but mainly due to the nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that most effectively kept his government's grotesque human rights record out of the popular imagination.

Thanks to missile launches and nuclear tests, Kim endlessly made sure North Korea seemed really scary. And it worked. Neighboring states and the U.S. government became obsessed with containing his primitive nuclear devices and the missiles that might one day deliver them to Seoul, Tokyo, or San Francisco. To this North Korean diplomats would periodically participate in negotiations over nukes and missiles, but when it comes to concentration camps they would throw a fit and storm out similar to what the Thein Sein administration would react when mentioned that thousands of political prisoners were still under lock and key.

Like the Tatmadaw it steals much of this relief food that has caused severe malnutrition has caused cognitive impairment for millions and speculates that, even if reform were to come, the capacity of North Koreans to revive their country has been severely set back. The North Koreas like the people of Burma are desperately hungry and obviously hungry people do not have time or energy to cause trouble.

Like the Army led Burmese Socialist Programme Party Kim could not stamp out the scrappy informal back markets that sprang up to feed the desperate masses, so his security forces have brutally co-opted the markets, extorting bribes from traders and, in the absence of a living wage from the government, using the money to feed and clothe their families, similar to what the Tatmadaw is doing now. If these -market traders do not pay up, they can be sent to jail under different pretext subjected to execution, torture, and starvation.

Should the Kim dynasty continue to resist the forces of change flooding in from China, the son will need all his family's totalitarian tools in order to keep control?

But, if Kim Jong Un makes some state accommodation to Chinese-led economic growth food shortages and poverty would likely ease. And there would be no need from him to perpetuate his father's extraordinary era of cruelty. Kim Jong Il was equally elusive just like the Burmese despots Snr-Gen Than Shwe and still believed to be wielding power from behind the scenes. Both of them are tyrants and extremely dangerous person who not only starved their own people but threatened the security of the Asia-Pacific region and supported each other in crimes against humanity

The friendship between the two countries started in 1970 didn’t last long, however, because in 1983 North Korean agents snuck into Burma and attempted to assassinate visiting South Korean president Chun Doo-Hwan in Rangoon, killing several visiting South Korean ministers in the process. Burma cut diplomatic relations with North Korea. But the next administration secretly renewed the ties with North Korea as early as 1999 even though Pyongyang never apologize Burma.

After the Saffron revolution Gen Thura Shwe Mann made a clandestine visit to North Korea and signed a memorandum of understanding under which North Korea agreed to build or supervise the construction of special Burmese military facilities, including tunnels and caves in which missiles, aircraft and even naval ships could be hidden. North Korea has provided Burma with Scud-type missiles, missile parts, rocket launchers, other conventional weapons and underground warfare technology. During the visit of Hillary Clinton, she asked the Burmese leadership to stop illicit military, nuclear and ballistic missile cooperation with North Korea that violates UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

Evil men, like Kim Jong Il and Than Shwe were a man of perpetual war who gloats in oppressing their own people and helped each other to do the same. The gravest international worry regarding the Burma-North Korea relationship is that Burma is attempting to develop nuclear weapons with North Korea. Kim Jong Il got a free pass from the West for his most important legacy: state-sanctioned cruelty. Burma’s cruelty over its own people under Than Shwe is the same as North Korea under Kim Jong Il that was dominated by the armed forces.

Than Shwe, pronounced (?á? ?wè) in Burmese was born February 3rd.1933 in Minzu village, near Kyaukse in central Burma is a military leader and politician, who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011.The secret of his success is his very lack of charisma, flair, overt ambition or obvious talent, until he became the number one. He still pulls the strings from behind because control over promotions of officers and many soldiers owe their careers to him and feel indebted. In addition, he has been a skilled and ruthless manipulator, using divide-and-rule tactics to strengthen his power base and weaken his potential rivals, within and outside the armed forces as when he was officially in power

“His human right violations have been so numerous and consistent over the past years as to suggest that they are not simply isolated or the acts of individual misbehaviour by middle and lower-rank officers but are rather the result of policy at the highest level, entailing political and legal responsibility.” was the remarked given by United Nations Special Reporter Rajsoomer Lallah, on the situation of human rights in Burma.

Cold and humourless he has a “plump, sullen face”. After ordering thousands of monks to be killed in the Saffron Revolution, he went into a deep depression, and refused to eat anything except chicken rice soup. Many soldiers owe their careers to him, just as he owed his to Ne Win.

Only when he had reached the very top did he assert his own power, by putting Ne Win and his family under house arrest, He has built several power bases, notably the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA), a group of business cronies, the new capital, a new constitution and fake elections that will ensure military rule and protection for him and his family after his eventual retirement or death. An expert manipulator, who knows in playing people off each other, was not educated academically, but it will be a mistake to underestimate him or to think of him as mad or stupid. He is ruthless and brutal, but he knows what he wants and has shown a remarkable ability to get it. His very colourlessness and lack of flamboyance is the secret of his success.

The world already have mountains of evidence of the regime’s mistreatment of political prisoners, brutalization of democracy advocates, use of forced labour and child soldiers, and vicious campaigns against ethnic minorities, including systematic rape, summary executions of civilians and destruction of entire communities.

Satellite images conducted by AAAS (American Associations for the Advancement of Science) proves that the destruction of twice as many villages as Darfur where 25 the locations showed evidence consistent of destroyed or damaged villages. He has conducted a systematic organized campaign to force ethnic nationality out of their homeland villages proving beyond doubt that that human-rights abuse already documented by many international organizations was absolutely correct.

During these offensives, the Burma Army attacks and burns villages, rapes, tortures, and kills people, destroys their sources of livelihood, and lays landmines to prevent their return. There are more than two million displaced people who are far worst than Zimbabwe and the Darfur region of Sudan.

He has conscripted tens of thousands of child soldiers some as young as age 10 were forcibly recruited into the army making Burma the largest child army in the world. To supply these attacks the Burmese military regime illegally utilizes forced labour. The attacks themselves violate a host of international laws, ranging from murder to illegal property. If the international tribunals can act on Rwanda Sudan and Yugoslavia why can’t they do it in Burma? Is it because Burma’s is strategically situated between China and America in the impending New Cold War?

As the UN research documents clearly and authoritatively suggest that the human rights abuses occurring in Burma are not isolated incidents. Failure by the UN Security Council to take action and to investigate these crimes could mean that violations of international criminal law will go unchecked. This still does not include family’s greed and corruption, his grandson’s antics the influence of astrology, the drugs trade, the nuclear programme, arms purchases, biological and chemical weapons, relations with China, Russia and North Korea, the cronies, the succession, and the Cyclone Nargis.

Than Shwe and his old generals are now more focused on how to leave their ill gotten gains to their offspring and want to leave in the guaranteed Swiss banks as their predecessor Ne Win has done. But the Western sanctions have prevented them to do so. Hence they are pressuring the Thein Sein Administration to try his level best to lift the Western sanctions. Now Than Shwe seems to be obsessed in improving his prospects in the next life, apparently in the belief that piety will protect him from the karmic consequences of his actions. He seems to be hoping that death will catch up with him before the international courts do so. But as long as Than Shwe pull the string from behind especially controlling the army and did not stop an all out war in Kachin States using chemical weapons or make political settlement with the ethnic nationalities, the world should not relent its punitive actions and drive for the UN Commission of Inquiry (CoI)

Obama administration backing of (CoI) into crimes against humanity in Burma has been greeted as a major breakthrough. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself has supported the move. Of course, it would be unwise to expect the establishment of a CoI into the regime’s egregious abuses over the past two decades to result in a cathartic courtroom drama anytime soon. Justice is a painstaking process, and many obstacles lie ahead. But the wheels have been set in motion, and it is up to all of us to see that they maintain their momentum. The CoI will have the power to refer the generals to the International Criminal Court to face prosecution for their crimes. Whether it exercises this power, will depend very much on the support of the international community as on the force of the evidence and hopefully will bring justice to the merciless? Meanwhile let Than Shwe dream of turning Burma into a global military power and a proud nuclear-weapons state having a vision of the people shedding crocodile tears at his demise before he joined his two comrades (Pol Pot and Kim Jong Ill.) in a hot place (hell).

- Asian Tribune -

Court ruling seen as pivotal to ending border row

2012-01-02T10:05:00.000+07:00

Yingluck asks Cambodia to withdraw ICJ complaint, but Hun Sen wants a judgement issued instead

Published: 2/01/2012
Bangkok Post

The love-hate relationship between Thailand and its neighbour Cambodia will keep simmering this year _ and pundits are doubtful the border dispute between the two countries will be resolved in a hurry.

Both countries are now looking forward to the International Court of Justice ruling over the ownership of the 4.6 sq km overlapping area around Preah Vihear temple. The ICJ will rule on the case late this year or next year.

Some pundits believe that no matter what decision is handed down, it might be the last hope of the two countries to end the long-running border row.

Critics say the border dispute between the two nations, especially over the area around the centuries-old Preah Vihear temple, is the root cause of bickering between both nations.

The two countries claim ownership of the land. In 1962 the ICJ ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia, but it didn't rule which country had authority over the land on which it sits.

The relationship between Thailand and Cambodia has been sour for years, with soldiers and civilians of both countries have been killed in border skirmishes. Cambodia called on the United Nations Security Council to mediate the problem.

The council resolved that Indonesia, as the Asean chairman last year, must broker the situation. Cambodia carried on with its attempts to draw intervention from the international community and on April 28 last year asked the ICJ to rule which nation should be given the rights over the disputed border area near the Preah Vihear temple.

The ICJ has asked both nations to defend their positions before the ruling.

Bangkok sent a 600-page document along with 300 annexes to counter Cambodia's claim to the court on Nov 21 last year.

The court forwarded them to Cambodia.

Cambodia must send its defence document to the court before March 8.

Bangkok will have the last chance to defend its position in June and the ICJ will inform both countries what further information is required.

Cambodia sent another urgent request in the same application for the ICJ to issue provisional measures.

It asked the court to order Thailand to withdraw its troops and stop all military activities around Preah Vihear.

Thai ambassador to the Hague Virachai Plasai acted as an agent together with three foreign lawyers to defend the Thai position, with the Cambodian side led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

On July 18, the court ruled that the two countries must withdraw their troops from the 17.3 sq km demilitarised zone, of which 8.5 sq km is in Thailand and 8.8 sq km in Cambodia.

A source said the court had no jurisdiction to consider the boundary issue as Thailand and Cambodia had their own mechanism _ a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 which also covers issues such as the boundary.

This was Thailand's first round of defence to the ICJ.

Bangkok prefers to tackle the boundary problem through bilateral talks.

Thailand believes it is not necessary to send a letter opposing the court's jurisdiction, as Thailand has opposed it since 1962 and believes its position is still valid.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had asked her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen to withdraw the case from the ICJ, saying the relationship between the two countries has improved since the Pheu Thai Party seized power from the Democrats in July.

"But Cambodia saw the ICJ's consideration was a better way out and it decided to let the court to have a final say in settling the dispute," Mr Surapong said.

Both sides now anxiously await the outcome which could have impacts far beyond the border.

Nobody can guarantee whether the people of both countries will accept the decision and whether lasting peace along the border will ever be seen.

Myanmar, Cambodia high-growth investments

2012-01-02T10:04:00.000+07:00

by Avelyn Ng

Jan 02, 2012

SINGAPORE - Myanmar and Cambodia have emerged as high-growth investment destinations, with Myanmar recently engaging high-level Western diplomats, while Cambodia is continuing with economic reforms.

Franklin Templeton Investments said the frontier economies are now in the position that emerging markets like Brazil, Russia, India and China were 20 years ago.

By some measures, Myanmar has had a spectacular 2011. Its endorsement as chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations for 2014 and a visit from United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last November marked a new chapter, following reforms that have elevated confidence in an economy barely emerging from years in the dark.

Businesses are set to benefit from further reforms, even though Myanmar still carries the weight of trade sanctions by the US and Europe.

Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings, which is deeply entrenched in Myanmar, hopes to tap further growth opportunities there. The company derived about 95 per cent of its half-year revenue ended Sept 30, 2011 from property and other investments in Myanmar.

Mr Andrew Rickards, CEO of Yoma Strategic, said: "The country that was held back in terms of development for the last 40 or 50 years, suddenly tries to reintegrate with the world economy; there's an awful lot of catching up to do. So, the challenges range from basic infrastructure, mobile telephones and Internet access to hotel rooms and getting flights. You can imagine that the whole place is creaking a little bit at the seams as it is suddenly on people's radar for the first time."

However, the question is to what extent the reforms will lead to a substantial improvement in the business environment. With Singapore being Myanmar's fourth-biggest trading partner in 2010, industry leaders say business ties count for a lot.

Mr Ho Meng Kit, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation, said: "In the case of Myanmar it will be more difficult, a little bit more unknown. Then again, there are a lot more opportunities, so for some companies which do have links, the intelligence there, the partnerships, those risks can be managed."

Meanwhile, neighbouring Cambodia is also reforming its ways - although it is more established as an investment centre than Myanmar.

Danish manufacturer Jebsen & Jessen says the ease of doing business is propelling a potential US$650,000 (S$843,000) investment in the country.

"It is small for its population, but very much open in its policy to attract new investors and it is easy to settle down there, it is very easy to build up business relationships," said Mr Fritz Graf von der Schulenburg, executive vice-chairman of Jebsen & Jessen.

Mr Ho also said that Cambodia, a member of the World Trade Organisation since 2004, "represents far lesser risk" and more Singapore companies have been operating there recently.

Franklin Templeton's emerging markets specialist Mark Mobius says these frontier markets are now in their "take-off stage" where self-sustaining development is taking place, thanks to high consumer spending at home.

Nonprofit teaches high-tech skills in the developing world

2012-01-02T10:02:00.001+07:00

By John Boudreau
January 2, 2012

Digital Divide Data, a nonprofit, trains disadvantaged workers in the developing world. The program is offered in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya.

Yon Meakchan leads his village's cow to a stream for a wash after tending to his family's rice field at their home on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Yon is a participant in Digital Divide Data's training program, converting publications into electronic form. (LiPo Ching, San Jose Mercury News / October 4, 2011)

Reporting from Phnom Penh, Cambodia—When Yon Meakchan isn't converting publications into electronic form for customers such as Stanford University, he pedals his bicycle 10 miles south from his office to the rural edges of this city of 2 million people to help his family, pulling weeds in rice paddies, tending to banana trees and wading into a murky river to bathe oxen.

"Poor people work very hard," said Yon, the eldest of eight children who grew up in a bamboo and thatched-roof house. "If they want to buy nice clothes or a motorbike, they can't. But the rich people can buy nice clothes. They can buy motorbikes. I want to be that rich person."

Yon, 22, now has a shot at a life beyond poverty thanks to Digital Divide Data, a 10-year-old nonprofit with roots in Silicon Valley that trains disadvantaged workers in the developing world for entry-level technology jobs. In the developing world — Digital Divide has operations in Laos and Kenya as well as Cambodia — a small amount of training can be the difference between grinding poverty and a comfortable life.

Although the organization pulled in about $2.3 million in revenue last year, its core mission is to train and educate those like Yon, who works six-hour shifts while also attending a university.

During the five-year training program, he and other employees earn $85 a month, a good salary for part-time employment in Cambodia's impoverished economy. They also get a college scholarship worth at least 65% of costs, healthcare insurance and extensive English lessons.

Graduates leave well on their way to a better life. They earn two to three times the $150 average monthly salary of Cambodian university graduates, the organization says.

The training gives them hope in a world where dreams are often crushed, said Mai Siriphongpanh, a Digital Divide Data board member.

"Dreams are not for poor people," she said. "Today you have to worry about what will happen to you tomorrow. Will you have food to eat?"

When Yon's 8-year-old sister recently contracted typhoid fever, he had to borrow $40 from a teacher to pay for her medicine. While life remains a struggle, he is brimming with optimism. He hopes to one day become a university professor and earn enough to ease the burdens of his family.

Digital Divide Data was launched with donations from Silicon Valley venture capitalists and receives funding from the Skoll Foundation in Palo Alto and support from companies including San Jose networking giant Cisco Systems. Its client list includes universities around the globe and publishers who use the nonprofit to digitize books for Apple Inc.'s iPad, Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle and Sony Corp.'s Reader. Google Inc. hired the nonprofit to manage its AdWords campaign in Africa.

"We've got kids living in the slums at night and managing AdWords during the day," said Chief Executive Jeremy Hockenstein, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant who co-founded the organization. "If it can work there, it can work in other countries with slums and office towers."

Governments in developing countries recognize the enormous potential of outsourcing companies to provide jobs, but they are usually for "the more educated and affluent people," said Susan Kagondu, a researcher in the Rockefeller Foundation's Africa office, which supports Digital Divide Data.

A report in June funded by the Rockefeller Foundation estimated that the income of workers like Yon can soar as much as 200% when they are employed by outsourcing operations such as Digital Divide Data, which has about 750 trainees and full-time employees in addition to 400 alumni. The study said that by 2015, nearly 800,000 bottom-of-the-pyramid workers could be employed in regions including Southeast Asia and Africa, representing 11% of the $178-billion global market for so-called business process outsourcing.

While the report notes that global outsourcing is draining the United States of some jobs, Hockenstein said the work done by his employees — tedious and time-consuming data entry and database creation and management — would be prohibitively expensive to do in the United States.

"A university couldn't afford to spend several million dollars to digitize a library, but it can afford to spend a few hundred thousand dollars" by hiring organizations like his, he said. His model is to spread some of the work to areas of the world beyond India, China and the Philippines, which he said represent about 80% of the outsourcing industry. "If we can harness a huge flow of revenue that is already out there, we could get more people out of poverty."

Many of Digital Divide Data's services do not require a lot of analytical skills. Nonetheless, they are crucial, said Cathy Aster, project manager at Stanford's digital library systems and services department. "They are helping to make a larger portion of our cultural heritage available in an online environment to a population from around the world," she said.

G. Leonard Baker Jr., managing director of Sutter Hill Ventures in Palo Alto and a longtime financial supporter of Digital Divide Data, was taken by the vision of Harvard-educated Hockenstein and his model to create an organization that generates its own income and therefore is less dependent on donations. "It's an incredibly cost-efficient use of charitable dollars," Baker said. "It's truly amazing."

Cynthia Hauck, a former Silicon Valley programmer who is the organization's chief operating officer, keeps an eye on revenue and gross margins. But, she said, Digital Divide Data's bottom line is "to use the profits to reinvest in our social mission." That includes encouraging some of her best trainees to look for work elsewhere in hopes of becoming business and government leaders.

Chhum Bunthy, a 25-year-old who has been in the program for three years, is studying to be an architect. He lives in a two-story, bricks-and-concrete home with his family, which doesn't have enough money to complete the unfinished building. His father works as a laborer and his mother is a street vendor who sells barbecued beef.

"My dream is for her to stop selling the beef," said Chhum, who leaves home every day at 4:30 a.m. He eyed his mother, 47-year-old Chun Chhen, putting bits of beef on skewers, flies buzzing around her face. "I want her and [my father] to be able to stay home."

Boudreau writes for the San Jose Mercury News/McClatchy.

Vietnam sailor saved as 22 crew mates die at sea

2012-01-01T17:10:00.001+07:00

By Le Thang Long
(AFP)

HANOI — A Vietnamese seaman survived five days floating in open ocean with only a life jacket for protection after his cargo ship sank and all his 22 crew mates died, before he was rescued Friday, officials said.

Vietnam's state shipping firm said the Vinalines Queen, which disappeared on Christmas Day after passing the island of Luzon in the Philippines, had capsized, apparently without sending a distress signal.

The country's government website said the single surviving sailor, Dau Ngoc Hung, was found in open water by the British ship London Courage on Friday morning, almost a week after his own vessel went down in violent seas.

Nguyen Anh Vu, director of the Vietnam Maritime Rescue Cooperation Centre said Hung had reported that "the vessel sank very quickly... after being strongly overturned to the left" in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hung, 31, was picked up around 350 kilometres (220 miles) away from the site of the accident, Vu said on the government site, adding that the rescue vest had saved the sailor's life. The British ship is now on its way to Singapore.

Vu said that the Vinalines Queen had gone down in very bad weather in waters up to 5,000 metres (2,780 fathoms) deep.

"According to our initial information, only one sailor has been rescued and the vessel has not been found yet," an official at Hanoi-based Vinalines told AFP, asking not to be named.

Vinalines said its ship was carrying more than 54,000 tonnes of nickel ore and was travelling from Indonesia to China when it lost contact.

Vietnam had appealed to the Philippine, Taiwanese and Japanese coastguards for help in finding the vessel, but had heard nothing of the ship until now.

"We are now focusing our efforts on searching for the Vinalines Queen," the company official added.

The Japanese-built 190 metre (627 feet) Vinalines Queen was one of the largest and most modern cargo ships in the Vietnamese fleet, with a capacity of more than 56,000 tonnes. It had been in service for Vinalines since 2005.

Rescue experts quoted in the Vietnamese press said emergency equipment on the vessel should have automatically sent SOS signals to satellites and coastal rescue stations. It is not yet clear why no distress message was transmitted.

Vietnam National Shipping Lines, or Vinalines, is one of the communist country's main state-owned enterprises.

Global shipowners association Intercargo issued a statement in December 2010 warning of the hazards of transporting nickel ore which, it said, may liquefy and cause a ship to list if not loaded to international standards.

The body said it was "completely unacceptable" that three cargo ships, all carrying nickel ore and all loaded in Indonesia, had sunk in 2010, killing 44 seamen.

No Fear Of H5N1 Spreading From China - Health D-G

2012-01-01T16:44:00.000+07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has allayed any fear of the spread of bird flu from China where a man has died of the disease.

Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said today Malaysia is ready to tackle any case of the Influenza A (H5N1) on humans under the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan activated in 2006.

The ministry is monitoring the situation in Shenzhen, he said in a statement.

A 39-year-old bus driver died of H5N1 in Shenzhen after he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia but tested positive for the bird flu virus.

Dr Hasan said the China case is an isolated one and there has been no spread of the disease among the 120 nearest contacts of the dead man.

He also said that there has been no case of Influenza A (H5N1) among humans in Malaysia and monitoring by the Veterinary Services Department showed no positive samples of the disease in birds in the country since 2007.

Dr Hasan said that up to Dec 15, the World Health Organisation has confirmed 57 H5N1 cases involving 30 deaths in four countries, namely Egypt (36 cases, 13 deaths), Indonesia (11 cases, nine deaths), Cambodia (eight cases, eight deaths) and Bangladesh (two cases).

He advised Malaysians against going to markets selling birds during their visits to countries where H5N1 has been detected.

-- BERNAMA

Reaching out to Cham Muslims

2012-01-01T16:42:00.000+07:00

01 January 2012
www.nst.com

A two-month donation drive by the New Straits Times Press Charity Organisation has helped alleviate the plight of Muslims in Cambodia, writes Kamarulzaman Salleh
Road

The road leading to Kampong Andong, Prey Veng province is muddy, which makes the village difficult to reach. di Kemboja. Gambar oleh Pix by Nik Rosli Ishak

DONORS and sponsors of the Cambodia Humanitarian Programme can be proud that their contributions have helped to ease the plight of poor families following a visit by the New Straits Times Press Charity Organisation ("Badan Khairat NSTP") to the impoverished nation.

With the cooperation of the Cambodian mufti's office, the funds totalling about US$10,000 (RM31,000) were spent on improving basic amenities and providing assistance to villagers in three provinces in the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh in July.

The amount was collected during a two-month donation drive by the media group's newspapers -- Harian Metro, Berita Harian and New Straits Times -- with the cooperation of TV Al-Hijrah, a unit under the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

The mufti's office recently reported that five wells, built from donations, received from BKNSTP have benefited 400 families in four villages -- Peak Sbai, Kancong, Jikha and Kapong Keh.

BKNSTP chairman Datuk Mior Kamarul Shahid led a 20-member group, including its deputy chairman Roslan Ibrahim and NSTP religious and welfare officer Zamanuddin Jusoh, to Cambodia.

The wells in the Chanang province were needed because of the lack of water supply, causing residents to rely on the rivers for daily use.

"During the donation drive, we received calls from individuals wanting to contribute zakat (tithes) for this purpose. Therefore, we coordinated with the mufti's office to identify areas requiring wells," said Mior Kamarul, who is Berita Harian group editor.

Supplies, such as rice, sugar and cooking oil, were also handed over to some 500 poor families in Prey Veng and Kandal provinces.

"We bought ducklings and two sugarcane vending machines to supplement the income of some families involved in conducting free tuition classes in the provinces," he said.

Cambodian government mufti Kamaruddin Yusof said the government welcomed foreign aid and donations to alleviate poverty among the 5,000 Cham Muslims in the predominantly Buddhist nation.

The government under Prime Minister Hun Sen, he said, encouraged the community to seek outside help as the country was still undergoing reconstruction following the 1975-1979 genocide during Pol Pot's reign.

Kamaruddin, who survived the crackdown on minorities, said many Muslim families and religious leaders were killed by the Khmer Rouge, prompting many to flee into the interior.

The Khmer Rouge also forced Muslims to eat pork and those who refused would be shot dead. Many fled Cambodia to escape persecution while others became refugees in neighbouring countries during those traumatic years, he said.

"The scars of war may have contributed to our present predicament, especially the lack of education and religious knowledge," he said, adding that his office had coordinated with foreign charity organisations to train religious teachers.

He said those trained abroad, including Malaysia and the Middle East, would be posted to various parts of Cambodia upon their return in the hope that they would help spread knowledge to improve the living conditions of the community.

Kamaruddin, however, stressed there were also other Muslim groups in Cambodia, which operated independently, prompting accusations of abuse of funds from donors.

According to him, the mufti's office only coordinated the donations by channelling funds to areas identified for assistance.

"When charity groups do not coordinate with us, they may go to places already assisted by us, thus depriving others who have yet to receive help," he said, adding that there were local groups which concentrated on getting help only for their respective villages.

"Therefore, we encourage those wanting to do charity to coordinate with us to avoid possible duplication or abuse."

Prey Veng province imam Yahya Arafat Ahmad, who studied syariah in Malaysia and the Middle East, expressed appreciation that BKNSTP had made the trip to help residents in remote villages.

"Not many groups want to visit villagers in the interior because of the difficulty in reaching these places.

"Besides, almost all these villages do not have proper water supply and have to rely on wellsand rivers," he said, adding that residents in the province were mostly farmers and fishermen.

During the visit, two cows were donated to several villages to be slaughtered.

Mufti office representative Ismail Ibrahim, who accompanied the entourage, said beef was considered a luxury here.

"While we appreciate all the assistance and donations, your presence here to coordinate such charity efforts will be remembered by the people as its seldom done," he said, urging members of the group to share their experiences on the plight of Muslims in Cambodia.

Ismail said the community also welcomed technical assistance and investments in the fields of agriculture and manufacturing for the long-term development of the community.

Virus sickens 110,000 in Vietnam, kills 166

2011-12-31T09:29:00.001+07:00

The Associated Press

HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam says an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease has infected more than 110,000 people this year and killed 166, most of them children under 5 years old.

A Health Ministry official said Friday that the infection rate was slowing from a September peak of 3,000 per week to about 1,500 per week in December. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.

The virus typically infects up to 15,000 children per year in Vietnam, killing 20 to 30 of them. Most people recover quickly from the illness after little more than a fever and rash.

The official says this year's figures cannot easily be compared to previous years, because the government has only collected thorough data on this disease in the past year.

Mekong Battle Delayed

2011-12-31T09:27:00.000+07:00

Dec 31, 2011
By Tom Fawthrop
Source: The Diplomat

The announcement that a decision over whether to proceed with the controversial Xayaburi dam has been delayed has been welcomed by NGOs. But will Laos push ahead anyway?

The turbulent waters of the Mekong River have been witness to much strife. From the Vietnam War to the conflict in Cambodia in the 1980s, the citizens of the Mekong have been divided by war, ideology and Cold War diplomacy. And now, an energy-hungry region that has witnessed a boom in hydropower projects has spawned a new conflict – one that could again divide the Mekong sub-region.

It isn’t meant to be like this. After all, the Mekong River Commission (the MRC), which was established in 1995, was meant to unite the four member states in cooperative management of the river through dialogue and negotiation. The MRC was itself the successor to the Mekong Committee and the Interim Mekong Committee.

The river has long formed an integral part of the societies and economies of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and offers the region a rich ecosystem that includes more than 800 species of fish, as well as food security for an estimated 65 million people. It’s not surprising, then, that controversy has surrounded the plans for the Xayaburi dam.

This dam is the first of a cascade of 11 dams to be built on the Lower Mekong. The Lao government insists that building the dams, and in doing so becoming the ‘battery of Asia,’ is the country’s only hope to secure the resources it needs to support its development programs.

“The dam construction would pose no serious risks,” Viraphonh Viravong, deputy minister of the Laotian Ministry of Energy and Mines, has argued.

Vietnam’s National Mekong Committee has led efforts to block the dam with support from Cambodia, and has consistently argued that no more dams should be built on the Mekong for a decade. This view echoes the recommendation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, a consultant report on the potential impact of the dam commissioned by the MRC and released in 2010.

This month, at a ministerial session in Siem Reap in Cambodia, the four nations issued a joint statement delaying a decision on the dam and calling for further scientific study on the likely impact of the proposed Mekong mainstream projects. Japan and other international donors will be asked to assist in conducting the studies.

The move was applauded by hundreds of NGOs and environmental groups working under the “Save the Mekong” campaign umbrella. But elation over the possibility that work on the dam had been indefinitely suspended has been dampened by a dissenting Lao government statement delivered in closed session at the end of the MRC session.

The Lao statement, which was never made public, reportedly states: “The Lao PDR will continue to work with reputable international experts to review and improve the final design of the Xayaburi HPP (the Hydropower Plant).”

A former official in the Lao hydropower sector, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the decision by the Lao government to build the Xayaburi dam had already been taken. “Whatever the other Mekong countries say, they are determined to go ahead in 2012,” he added.

The reality is that behind the vaguely worded MRC “consensus,” which reflects the weak regulatory framework of the commission, lays significant conflict between Laos, backed by Thailand on one side, and Vietnam and Cambodia on the other.

Thailand is heavily involved with the project, with Thai corporation Ch. Karnchang to build the dam with financing from four Thai banks. An estimated 95 percent of the electricity is expected to be sold to Thailand. Meanwhile, Ch. Karnchang has already built a new road to the dam site, a development on which the Laos government has failed to answer questions posed by the MRC.

Piaporn Deetes, Thailand campaign coordinator for NGO International Rivers, says the Thai government has been complicit with the Lao government in trying to push ahead with the dam. “By moving under the radar of the Mekong River Commission, Thailand and Laos have threatened the spirit of regional cooperation and the integrity of the 1995 Mekong Agreement,” she says. “While it’s no surprise that the dam builder Ch. Karnchang has lobbied extensively for the dam to proceed, it’s completely unacceptable that the Thai government would bow down to the project developer over the interests of its own people.”

Under the 1995 Mekong Agreement, after the consultation process is finished, there is nothing to stop the Lao government exercising its right to proceed with the dam anyway, in spite of vehement objections from Cambodia and Vietnam – and a substantial body of science warning of an ecological disaster.

“Dams have a hugely negative impact even in economic, terms. It’s not just environmental losses,” says Philip Hirsch, director head of the Australian Mekong Resource Centre at the University of Sydney. “According to a recent study, the economic cost to replace these ecosystem services has been estimated at around $274 billion.”

Donor nations to the MRC, including the United States, have also indicated concern that no dam should proceed before a credible environmental impact assessment is undertaken, as well as assessments of other risks involved. One issue that has been raised, for example, is whether the designers have taken sufficient account of the fact that the Xayaburi dam is located on a fault-line.

Some observers hoped that the traditional historical bonds between Laos and Vietnam, dating back to the common struggle against French colonialism, might have been enough to deter Laos striking out on its own. But the influence Hanoi still has looks like it may be outweighed by the Thai investment in the $3.8 billion project.

An amicable resolution to the issue is therefore likely going to require a face-saving solution that comes with some significant financial incentives for Laos to back away from the plan. The question is whether the will exists among international donors to back up such a solution.

Tom Fawthrop is a Thailand-based journalist and producer. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Al-Jazeera and the New Statesman, among other publications.

2011: Disasters, denials and revelations

2011-12-31T09:25:00.000+07:00

December 31, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

Southeast Asia rode out 2011 with its the top stories likely to set the agenda for 2012.

KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asia was in 2011 bedeviled by political brinkmanship, territorial disputes, natural disasters and the region’s more colourful and notorious figures having their day in court.

FMT contributor Luke Hunt, who is based in Phnom Penh, offers a quick roundup of issues that made the news in 2011.

Thailand floods

Record floods devastated much of Southeast Asia. About 2,000 people were killed across the region with billions of dollars in losses chalked up by business primarily in Thailand with Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and The Philippines taking a massive knock from Mother Nature.

The UN noted Bangkok had for years been warned about the need to develop a fully integrated approach to flood prevention. But the biggest impediment was always convincing the government. The rapid changes in Thailand’s leadership compromised the ability to plot long term strategies to combat floods.

While international aid donors were quick to react with millions of dollars of food, supplies and medicine airlifted in, harder to shift were attitudes.

Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter and had expected a rice crop of about 25 million tons in 2012 and this is now forecast to slump by a quarter. Livestock and poultry industries also suffered heavy losses.

The global computer industry based in Thailand is expecting a slowdown in the output of hard disk drives and companies like Toyota suffered from disrupted supply chains that resulted in production also being scaled back in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

In politics, Thailand was the only country in Southeast Asia to experience a change in leadership in 2011 after Yingluck Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory over Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in July.

Her win resulted in an easing of tensions at home and across the border and paved a way home for her brother and former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless 2006 coup.

Her victory generated an improved political climate with Phnom Penh (Cambodia) allowing for an easing of tensions along their border. At the 900-year-old Preah Vihear Temple at least 10 people were killed in February when fighting broke out between Cambodian and Thai troops. A further 18 died when fighting erupted in April along other parts of the border.

Many thought her first task would be to negotiate an amnesty for her brother. However, Yingluck’s priorities rapidly changed as the worst disaster (floods) since World War II assailed the country.

Myanmar’s opening

Thirteen months ago, the Burmese military allowed elections that resulted in the first civilian government coming to power since 1962. The poll – despite being widely regarded as a sham — has pushed the country in a direction welcomed by the international community.

President Thein Sein has revised laws on political parties, freed about 300 political prisoners, sought a conciliatory line with pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and stunned observers by defying one of its few allies, China.

Beijing had planned to build a mega-dam inside Burma but the plan generated enormous local resentment, prompting the government (Naypyidaw) to suspend construction. The government has also legalized trade unions and eased censorship laws.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) applauded the moves and decided to award the Asean chair to Burma in 2014.

As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived on an historic visit to encourage further reforms, Aung San Suu Kyi lent some support by announcing she would contest up-coming by-elections once her National League for Democracy (NLD) party had been re-registered.

However, 1,700 political prisoners remain behind bars and complaints of human rights abuses persist particularly in the countryside where ethnic conflicts continue, prompting warnings that Myanmar’s ruling elite still had a long way to go before convincing skeptics its reforms are anything but superficial.

Malaysia’s revelation

The July 9, Malaysia revealed its other side when a group of non-governmental organisations and opposition political parties decided to rally in support of fair elections in Malaysia. Some 50,000 people had gathered in Kuala and few had expected the police and politicians in Kuala Lumpur would react as harshly as they did.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had initially attempted to play down the protest by Bersih 2.0 coalition of NGOs, but changed his tune after Amnesty International described the crackdown as the worst case of suppression seen in his country for years.

Police were deployed under “Operation Erase Bersih”. They sealed off roads, dispatched toxic water cannons and opened fire with tear gas as tens of thousands attempted to march towards the iconic Merdeka Stadium.

Stampedes followed, and the crowds dispersed into smaller groups and taunted riot police armed with batons, guns and shields. Baton charges followed.

One man was dragged and kicked from outside the Chinese Maternity Hospital (in Jalan Pudu) as tear gas was fired into the hospital’s grounds and next door at Tung Shing Hospital where protesters had sought shelter.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose trial for sodomy was finally wrapped recently with a decision scheduled on Jan 9, 2012, was injured after police fired tear gas canisters into a tunnel.

Protesters, however, remained defiant amid more than 1,000 arrests.

Such marches are common in European and North American countries, Australia and New Zealand, all first world nations – a club that Malaysia has aspirations of joining by 2020.

Malaysia – decent Asyraf

Also notable is the Malaysian who was caught in the London riot.

Out of the despair of the London riots one young Malaysian deservedly won himself a place among the top stories of the year for simply being decent.

Soft spoken Asyraf Haziq Rosli deservedly won himself a place among the top stories of the year for simply being decent.

Stunned and bleeding, Asyraf was filmed being helped to his feet after being beaten in East London at the height of the August riots.

The cameras also caught his supposed rescuers rifling through his backpack and stealing what they could grab.

At least three million viewers watched the cowardly act on You Tube while Asyraf was applauded for his response.

“I feel sorry for them,” the 20-year-old from Kuala Lumpur had told a news conference.

“It was really sad, for among them were children, boys in primary school. It was quite shocking.”

He initially suffered a broken jaw and lost some teeth in the attack and needed an operation after some 100 youths charged at him and a friend while they were pushing their bikes to a friend’s house.

The riots erupted after British Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced massive spending cuts and introduced University fees of up to US$14,000 per student per year.

Cameron in reference to Asyraf’s plight, said it was a “disgusting sight” that highlighted how things were “badly wrong in our society”.

Indonesia – Terrorist arrested

Almost nine years after bombings by Islamic militants left 202 people dead on the idyllic Indonesian island of Bali, the last of the bombers was finally arrested signaling an end to a historic manhunt and the War on Terror in Southeast Asia as defined by the first decade of this century.

Omar Patek was captured by Pakistani authorities in January following an apparent tip-off from United States intelligence. Information surrounding his arrest was not released until two months later.

The arrest afforded some closure for the relatives of victims and survivors of a tragic episode that heralded what became known as the Second Front in the War on Terrorism, covering Southeast Asia.

In May, Osama bin Laden was killed.

A prominent member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Patek was a deputy field commander at the time of the first Bali bombing, committed amid calls by JI for an Islamic caliphate across Southeast Asia.

A tape reportedly made by Osama bin Laden also said the bombings were in retaliation of Australia’s support of the United States’ War on Terror and Australia’s role in winning independence for Christian East Timor. Eighty-eight Australians died in the twin blasts.

An explosives expert, Patek was also wanted in Australia, the United States and in the Philippines. He has since been returned to Indonesia where he is about to stand trial.

Spratly disputes

Southeast Asian nations have witnessed a disconcerting rise in tensions over the Spratly and Paracel Islands as China’s gained in the economic and military ascendancy.

Tensions this year were at their worst yet with Chinese belligerence over this issue leading to violent protests in Vietnam.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have also staked their claims over the chain.

Chinese claims are ambitious and in regards to the Spratlys lie across a sea and largely within the 200 mile limit of Philippines and a political stone’s throw from Malaysia and Brunei.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu insisted China held “indisputable sovereignty” over the island chain despite the geographical realities. None of its neighbours agree.

Still, Asean and China agreed to heed to the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) which China described “as an important milestone document on the cooperation among China and Asean countries.”

The DOC is a framework for future deliberations on territorial claims on the islands. It was signed way back, in 2002.

In Hanoi, rare protests were allowed, in the lead-up to an Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in Bali that was dominated by China’s Spratly stance. There was also a push to drop recognition of the name ‘South China Sea’.

Manila is now referring to it as the West Philippine Sea, the Vietnamese call it the East Sea.

Philippines tragedy

Over in the Southern Philippines where decades of unrest destroyed any semblance of normal life, a year-end tropical storm piled further havoc on the misery being felt there.

The storm triggered flash floods that officials said killed over 1,000 people and left many missing.

An army spokesman said many villagers on the north coast of Mindanao island were swept into the sea after Tropical Storm Washi brought heavy rain.

Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities were hard hit. Television pictures of the aftermath showed smashed homes and cars and debris strewn across streets and clogging drainage canals.

Entire villages were swept into the sea by flash floods. The Philippines are struck by about 20 major storms every year but most of them take a more northerly track, hitting Luzon island.

Typhoons Nesat and Nalgae battered the country within days of each other in September, leaving more than 100 people dead. Both storms struck Luzon.

Cambodia – Pol Pot in court

The Khmer Rouge Tribunal finally got into full swing with three surviving leaders of Pol Pot’s regime in a UN-endorsed court for crimes against humanity.

Case 002 got off to a low key start when compared with the first trial which secured the tribunal’s first conviction. Arguments and testimony presented before the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts in Cambodia (ECCC) were startling, with prosecutors focusing on the immediate forced evacuation of Phnom Penh and urban centres around the country after the Khmer Rouge seized control in April 1975.

Predictably, those in the dock were Nuon Chea, the brother of a one-time head of state Khieu Samphan – and former Foreign Minister Leng Sary. Both have denied the charges.

Nuon Chea claimed the Vietnamese were to blame for the atrocities, including genocide, committed in Cambodia.

Between 1.7 million and 2.2 million people died under Pol Pot’s rule that ended in January 1979 when invading Vietnamese forces pushed the Khmer Rouge into remote pockets of the country-side.

The court heard that beatings with rattans, the use of pincers to pull nails, noses and ear lobes, electrocution and suffocation were common. Labourers toiled in fields until their legs were eaten away by salt water. Tales of disembowelment and cannibalism were numerous.

Other issues in Cambodia that also grabbed the attention of long time observers was construction of a massive airstrip in the central province of Kampong Chhnang, which was funded by and built for the Chinese government, supporters of the Khmer Rouge throughout the Cold War. Tens of thousands were marched to the air strip and ordered to work. Conditions were so bad that many opted for suicide, choosing to leap under passing trucks.

Singapore’s polls

In Singapore, thick skins have always been in short supply. British author Alan Shadrake found this out when he was jailed simply for producing a book on executions in the island-state.

In most countries the loss of a handful of seats at a general election that had little or no impact on the overall governing of the state would merit little attention.

But in Singapore where the authorities have for years’ encouraged nothing but whole-hearted support such losses seemed tragic.

At the 16th parliamentary elections in May the opposition polled better than ever before.

The People’s Action party (PAP), which has been in office ever since independence in 1965, won a reduced overall 60 percent of the vote down from 67 percent in 2006. Still PAP managed to hold on to 81 out of 87 seats.

Housing shortages, problems with public transport, a growing wealth gap and immigration were blamed on the PAP’s worst performance in its history.

Singapore’s ruling elite is not used to criticism.

Lee Kuan Yew — Singapore’s founding father and longest serving Prime Minister and now Minister Mentor – was upset by the result and resigned.

His son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described the poll as a watershed saying: “There will still be a few who are against us, whatever we say. And some of these may have different views from the PAP. Others will want to displace us. But the issue is not policies or whether we are doing right or wrong, but who is in charge, in power.”

Australia and people smuggling

For Australia, the year began much the same way as it ended. People smuggling and illegal immigration dominated its agenda with Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

A refugee swap with Malaysia was struck down by Australia’s High Court as overloaded boats ferrying human cargo from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Sri Lanka continued to land.

This led to the December sinking of a boat off Indonesia with more than 100 lives lost.

However, Prime Minister Julia Gillard insists a deal with Malaysia along with a regional solution remains the best way to combat people smuggling.

More than 1,200 asylum seekers are being held in detention facilities on Christmas Island off Australia’s northeast coast amid reports that people smugglers had moved their bases from much harder to reach places, including Laos.

Vietnam sentences 5 to death for drug trafficking

2011-12-31T09:24:00.000+07:00

Dec 31, 2011

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A court in southern Vietnam has sentenced five people to death for heroin trafficking.

State-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said Saturday that the five were convicted in Ho Chi Minh City of trafficking 7 kilograms (15 pounds) of heroin from neighboring Cambodia to Vietnam.

The newspaper said three others received life imprisonment on the same charges at the end of the three-day trial by Ho Chi Minh City People's Court on Friday.

The court also handed down jail terms ranging from seven to 20 years against six other defendants.

About 100 people are sentenced to death each year for drug-related offenses in Vietnam, where trafficking or possessing 1.3 pounds (600 grams) of heroin is punishable by death.

Cambodia attracts 2.58 mln foreign visitors in 11 months

2011-12-30T18:18:00.000+07:00

Dec 30, 2011
(Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH -- The international tourist arrivals in Cambodia had increased 14 percent year-on-year in the first eleven months this year, showed the statistics of the Tourism Ministry on Friday.

From January to November this year, the country had welcomed 2. 58 million foreign visitors, up 14 percent from the same period last year, said the report.

Vietnam topped the chart among the top ten arrivals with 564, 532 tourists, up 20 percent, followed by South Korea with 304,922, up 17 percent, and Chinese tourists at third up 37 percent with 220,476.

During the period, Thai tourists to Cambodia declined by 26 percent to 101,118 due to the two countries' border clashes earlier this year.

The report said that 51 percent of the visitors travelled to the country by air, 46 percent by land and the rest by waterway.

The Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said Cambodia saw China as a big potential market for Cambodia's tourism and the country expected to attract at least 1 million Chinese tourists by 2020.

Tourism industry is one of the major four pillars supporting Cambodian economy. In 2010, the sector received a total of 2.5 million foreign tourists, generating a revenue of 1.75 billion U.S. dollars.

Myanmar, Cambodia emerge as high-growth investment destinations

2011-12-30T18:17:00.002+07:00

By Avelyn Ng | Posted: 30 December 2011

SINGAPORE: By some measure, Myanmar had a spectacular 2011. Endorsed as chair of Asean for 2014, and a high profile visit from the US secretary of state - reward for recent political reforms that have elevated confidence in an economy barely emerging from years in the dark.

Andrew Rickards, CEO of Yoma Strategic, said: "The country that is perhaps being held back in development, that is perhaps being held back for the last 40 or 50 years, suddenly tries to reintegrate with the world economy.

"There's an awful lot of catching up to do, challenges from basic infrastructure mobile telephones internet access to hotel rooms and getting flights... You could imagine that the whole place is creaking a little bit at the seams as it is suddenly being put on people's radar for the first time."

Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic is deeply entrenched in Myanmar, with 95 per cent of its revenue derived from property and other investments in the country in the latest half-year. It is well positioned to benefit from further reforms, even though the country still carries the weight of trade sanctions by the US and Europe.

With Singapore being Myanmar's 4th biggest trading partner in 2010, historic business ties count for a lot.

Ho Meng Kit, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation, said: "In the case of Myanmar, it will be more difficult, a little bit more unknown... The key really is the extent of the reform that is happening, whether this will be followed through, and whether it will then lead to an improvement in the business environment there.

"Then again, its a lot more opportunities so for some companies who do have links, have the intelligence there (and) have the partnership there, those risks can be managed."

Neighbouring Cambodia is also reforming its ways, although it is more established as an investment centre than Myanmar. It will chair Asean in 2012.

Danish manufacturer Jebsen & Jessen said the ease of doing business is propelling a potential US$650,000 investment in the country.

Fritz Graf Von Der Schulenburg, Eexcutive Vice Chairman of Jebsen & Jessen, said: "Small for its population, but very much open in its policy to attract new investors and it is easy to settle down there, it is very easy to build up business relationships."

Mr Ho said: "Cambodia has been reformed, has been in the market for a long time, has been a member of WTO since 2004. So of course from the risk point of view, I think Cambodia represents far lesser risk and because our companies have been operating there more recently."

Dr Mark Mobius, Executive Chairman at Templeton Emerging Markets Group, said these frontier markets are now in their "take-off stage", where self-sustaining development is taking place, thanks to high consumer spending at home.

-CNA/ac

Thailand, Cambodia to establish power plant working group

2011-12-30T18:17:00.001+07:00

PHNOM PENH, Dec 30 - Thailand and Cambodia are to establish a working group to facilitate cooperation for the Stung Num hydropower plant and a coal-fired power plant on Koh Kong after both countries agreed on electricity sharing.

Thailand’s Minister of Energy Pichai Naripthaphan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul were officially visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Thursday when the Cambodian leader raised the issue.

Mr Pichai said the matter had been on hold due to political problems between the two nations.

According to Mr Pichai, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) was assigned to discuss with Cambodia in detail, as it is to purchase power as stated in the existing agreement.

EGAT subsidiary EGAT International was tasked to further study both power plant projects.

He said that both countries agreed that it would be beneficial for the Stung Num power plant to be in Thailand while the dam and reservoir should be on the Cambodian side.

Cambodia's Koh Kong Seaboard Company presented its study for 94 and 101 megawatt power capacities with a construction budget of Bt5.5 billion.

Water stored in the dam will be managed for Cambodian communities as well as for agricultural and industrial sectors in the Koh Kong area, and it will be sufficient for sharing some 200-500 million cubic metres with Thailand's Map Ta Phut industrial estate in the eastern seaboard province of Rayong, as well as with Chantaburi and Trat provinces.

Regarding the coal-fired power plant at Koh Kong, Mr Pichai said the project now awaits a response from Cambodian investors, which is needed for further progress.

In April 2008, the Cambodian government allowed three private companies to compete for the project development. The condition is any firm succeeding in electricity sales to Thailand will be granted the right to develop such a project.

The three firms are Koh Kong Power Light (KKPL), Cambodia's international joint venture, and Gulf JP Company. All have a power capacity installation of 1,800 megawatts.

Koh Kong Power Light (KKPL) is a joint venture involving Italian Thai Development Plc, Egco Group Plc and Ratchaburi Power Generating Holding Plc. It supplies coal from Indonesia.

The second group comprises a 72-per cent share from Charoen Energy and Water Asia Company (CEWA) and a 28-per cent stake from Cambodia's joint venture with coal supply from Indonesia and Australia.

Gulf JP's shareholders are GJP Holding Company (GHC) and Japan's J-Power, with coal supplied from Indonesia and Australia. (MCOT online news)

Ocean Sky sets up 2 Cambodian subsidiaries for US$1.8m

2011-12-30T18:16:00.000+07:00

December 30, 2011
(Singapore time)

By CARINE LEE

Ocean Sky International Limited on Friday announced that it has established two wholly-owned subsidiaries in Cambodia for a total investment of US$1.8 million.

The two companies - Nassim Apparel (KH) Pte Ltd and Leedon Apparel (KH) Pte Ltd - are principally involved in that of apparel manufacturing and related services.

The investment in the subsidiaries will be funded through internal resources and is not expected to have a material impact on the group's net tangible assets per share and earnings per share for the current financial year ending December 31, 2011.

Vietnam’s GDP Growth Quickened This Quarter

2011-12-30T12:21:00.000+07:00

By Bloomberg News

Vietnam’s economic growth accelerated this quarter as rising domestic consumption and exports limited the impact of higher interest rates, a government report showed today.

Gross domestic product increased 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, the General Statistics Office said in an e-mailed release today. The preliminary estimate compares with a revised 6.07 percent growth rate for the three months through September. For the full year, Vietnam’s economy expanded 5.89 percent, down from the 6.78 percent rate for 2010.

Vietnam’s government has struggled this year to steady its economy, devaluing the dong as the currency weakened on the black market and raising borrowing costs to contain the fastest inflation in Asia. While Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said this month his administration has price gains under control, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have said that easing monetary policy too soon would risk economic instability.

“We expected fourth-quarter growth to rebound as the trade deficit narrowed,” Dariusz Kowalczyk, a Hong-Kong based senior strategist at Credit Agricole CIB, said before the data were released. “We see a slowdown in 2012 due to the deteriorating external environment and because insufficient depreciation of the dong will undermine exports.”

Exports rose 33.3 percent to $96.257 billion this year, the General Statistics Office said yesterday. The trade gap narrowed to $9.5 billion from $12.6 billion in 2010.

Income Gains

Economic growth averaging about 7 percent over the past decade has helped Vietnam reach what the World Bank calls lower middle-income status, with per-capita income having increased more than ten-fold since the ruling Communist Party started market-oriented reforms in 1986.

Fourth-quarter growth is “traditionally stronger” than the rest of the year, with both production and consumption increasing in part because of the Tet lunar new year holiday, said Alan Pham, the Ho Chi Minh City-based chief economist at VinaCapital Group. The Tet holiday begins in January next year.

Vietnamese “save up all year for Tet, or they dip into savings to keep spending up and then replenish savings later when their income improves,” Pham said. “On the production side, many companies grit their teeth to borrow in the fourth quarter, because Tet is when they make 20 to 30 percent of their full-year profit.”

Lending Rates

Still, Vietnamese companies have struggled this year to cope with commercial lending rates that have reached as high as 27 percent.

FPT Corp. (FPT), the biggest publicly traded telecommunications and software company in the country, said this month slower growth will hurt profit this year. HAGL Joint-Stock Co. (HAG), the second-biggest publicly traded property developer, reported a slide in third-quarter profit as the company battles what Standard & Poor’s described this month as high inflation and interest rates that are hurting Vietnam’s property market.

The central bank’s refinancing rate is 15 percent, up from 9 percent at the beginning of the year, as officials tried to fight an inflation rate that reached 23 percent in August. Soaring prices contributed to a 28 percent drop this year in the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange’s VN Index. (VNINDEX)

The rate increases and stock-market slump have put pressure on the country’s banking industry, which Capital Economics Ltd. described this month as undercapitalized and vulnerable.

Vietnam “also faces the challenge of timing its rate cuts as inflation slows,” Kowalczyk said.

Industry and construction, which accounted for 40 percent of the economy, expanded 5.53 percent in 2011, the statistics office said today. Services, which made up 38 percent of GDP, grew 6.99 percent. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries, which were 22 percent of GDP, expanded 4 percent.

--Jason Folkmanis in Ho Chi Minh City. With assistance from Shamim Adam in Singapore, Nicholas Heath in Hanoi. Editors: Brendan Murray, Stephanie Phang

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Jason Folkmanis in Ho Chi Minh City at folkmanis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net

Thai-Cambodian talks to neutralise exploration conflict

2011-12-30T10:14:00.000+07:00

The Nation

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An called for a renewed discussion with Thailand over power generating and conflicts over overlapping petroleum exploration area, said Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

After his meeting with the Cambodian minister today, Pichai said that Sok An wanted all conflicts cleared within a year and a half, for the mutual benefits of both countries.

Pichai noted that the matter is now upto the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s negotiation team. He insisted that no particular person would gain benefits if the negotiation allows a joint development similar to what Thailand agreed with Malaysia or Vietnam. To lead the Thai investment is PTT Plc, which is majority owned by the government, he said.

"During my trip to Burma, there was a criticism that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would benefit from the petroleum concessions granted to PTT and he insisted that he had no share in PTT Group. I’d like to say that all should be concerned about Thailand’s long-term gain," the minister said.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that the Thai government also wished to quickly solve the conflict. He would soon ask for the Cabinet’s endorsement if it wants to revoke the memorandum of understanding with Cambodia signed in 2001. If it stands by the Abhisit government’s proposed revocation, the parliamentary approval will be sought and then a new round of negotion would begin.

But if the Yingluck government wants to maintain the MoU, the negotiation with Cambodia on the overlapping area would be restored accordingly.

He noted that should such negotiation lead to a joint development, it would take over 10 years to discover natural gas.

Cambodia: Justice Delayed May Mean Justice Denied

2011-12-30T10:12:00.000+07:00

Dec 30, 2011
http://blog.seattlepi.com

I spent the month of November touring Vietnam and Cambodia. Despite our tragic and arrogant war in SE Asia, the people in both countries are welcoming. Of course many are too young to have their own memories and now rely on the history they've learned in school or from the government, and some simply don't know much at all. But even if they only knew the propaganda, it didn't seem to matter, because they seemed to like us Americans. The cynic says: 'it's just the money, they like.' But I thought their welcomes were genuine.

In Vietnam there was a definite pride in believing they had defeated the so-called 'paper tiger,' the USA, in what they refer to as the "American War." I personally crawled in one of the Cu-Chi tunnels. In 10 minutes I was dripping in sweat and glad to get out. They lived down there! No question about how determined an opponent the Viet Cong had to be. We also toured the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton,' where Senator McCain and others were imprisoned during the war. The structure was originally built by the French to imprison Vietnamese rebels 100 years ago. How the wheel of history turns. For it was strange to watch the government approved video there, which showed the American POW's performing calisthenics and eating a lavish Christmas dinner, even with bottles of beer on the table. That version makes Fox News look accurate. And yet, a former American POW later became our first ambassador to Vietnam in the 1990's. Another curious turn of that wheel of history.

At the Presidential Palace in Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City), the guide kept referring to America as "the enemy." Later, I asked our guide about that and he said that is the official lecture he must give. He also confided that his father worked for the Americans during the war and that his father first taught him English. Certainly he bore no animosity toward us.

Cambodia is another story. They have a tragic history. In part due to our bombing during the war in the 1970's, we managed to alienate the Cambodians and drive them into the Khmer Rouge's arms. Cambodia's communists were Chinese allies, who drove out the West-sympathizing regime in 1975. Unbelievably, as soon as they marched on Phnom Penh, they cleared the city of all its residents and began a horrific prison camp system. Out of 8-9 million Cambodians, about 1.7 million were killed by the Khmer Rouge, until Vietnam invaded in 1979 and took over. The Khmer Rouge fought a guerilla war for years, which was known as Vietnam's 'Vietnam!' In 1998 the infamous Pol Pot died, and a few years later, the Khmer Rouge finally ceased their jungle warfare along the border with Thailand. Not until about 2003 did Cambodia safely open to Western tourists.

Now to their immense credit, the Cambodians share this tragic history with the world. One of the former killing fields is a major tourist destination. Their openness and honesty about the murderous past is amazing. We also saw the terrible prison at Tuol Sleng, housed in a former school, where barbed wire still covers the open hallways of the upper floors, added to prevent prisoner suicides. Out of about 20,000 inmates, less than 10 survived. One of the survivors was an artist whose gut wrenching paintings of prison life and death are displayed at Tuol Sleng. Ironically, the only person to be convicted of war crimes in Cambodia so far is the prison's warden, known as Comrade Duch. He confessed to his many sins and is serving a prison sentence.

Sadly, and only as recently as November 2011, have three additional perpetrators of this genocide been put on trial. Cambodia originally asked the United Nations and the international community to help set up a tribunal into the genocide in the mid-1990s. A joint tribunal was finally established in 2006 following long drawn-out negotiations between the Phnom Penh government and the UN. Now the three defendants (one of whom was Pol Pot's right hand man, Nuon Chea, known then as 'Brother Number Two') are in their 80's and may not outlive their trial, much less get punished. We learned that the core problem is that the Cambodian government is badly corrupt and too intertwined with former Khmer Rouge power brokers. Due to this, it remains to be seen where this slow march to justice will end up.

Nonetheless, Cambodia is a beautiful country. I think of Angkhor Wat and its beautiful corn cob towers, the dramatic carved stone faces of Angkhor Thom and the immense Kapok trees whose roots intertwine with the ruins at Te Prohm. Tonle Sap Lake (largest lake in SE Asia) is another extraordinary place with a floating village and fantastic bird life. It is worth touring this country and meeting its people who are beginning to pull themselves up from their past. Tourism is their lifeblood, so go there and spend money--it can only help at this point.

PRESS DIGEST - Thai newspapers - December 30

2011-12-30T10:11:00.000+07:00

Dec 30 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Thai newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

BANGKOK POST

- The government will not risk economic stability in the transfer of responsibility for losses from the 1997 economic crisis to the Bank of Thailand, said Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.

- Cambodia has offered to exchange high-profile jailed Thai activists Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaibun with Cambodian prisoners in Thailand.

- The cabinet has given a green light for the use of the 300 billion baht ($9.45 billion) Vayupak Fund as a financial tool to raise funds for the country's future development and investment.

- The recent flooding has affected spending by Thai tourists and cut sales of outbound tour packages for the New Year holiday by 40 percent, says the Thai Travel Agent Association (TTAA).

THE NATION

- The Energy Ministry's Mineral Fuels Department has announced plans to invite bids on 22 new petroleum-field concessions.

- The two state telecom agencies should finalise plans next year on how they will deal with the approaching ends of their private cellular concession terms, Information and Communications Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap said.

- For next year, Siam Commercial Bank Pcl will emphasise risk management over loan growth because the outlook for the economy is hard to pin down.

- Beverage maker Serm Suk Pcl has announced the resumption of full production at its Pathum Thani and Nakhon Sawan plants and rapid distribution in all regions, after a stoppage for more than a month during the floods. The company is also undertaking flood-relief programmes.

KRUNGTHEP TURAKIJ

- The Board of Investment has approved a plan to exempt corporate tax for flood-hit plants and industrial estates for eight years and manufacturers would have until the end of 2012 to submit its applications.

($1 = 31.755 baht) (Bangkok Newsroom)

Vietnam treasures ties with Cambodia

2011-12-30T10:10:00.002+07:00

VNA
Updated : Fri, December 30, 2011,

Photo: Tuoi Tre

The Government, people and army of Vietnam always attach importance to developing the solidarity with the Government, people and army of Cambodia and will do their utmost to preserve and further strengthen the relations.

The statement was made by Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Cung at a meeting with a delegation of the Cambodian National Assembly led by Pal Sam Oeurn, Vice Chairman of the Commission on Interior, National Defence, Investigation, Anti-Corruption and Public Function, in Hanoi on Dec. 29.

Cung informed his guests of Vietnam ’s socio-economic development and highlighted the time-honoured traditional friendship between the two neighbouring countries.

Vietnam and Cambodia have enjoyed major achievements in all areas under the motto “Good neighbours, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” reached by the two countries’ leaders, Cung said.

Over the past years, the Vietnam People’s Army and the Cambodia Royal Army have fostered the friendship and defence cooperation for the interest of each people, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region, he noted.

On this occasion, Cung expressed his thanks to the Cambodian Government and people for their support for Vietnam in searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese’s martyrs who fell down during the war time in Cambodia .

For his part, Pal Sam Oeurn thanked the Government, State, people and army of Vietnam for helping Cambodia escape from the genocide, restore peace and develop the country in all fields.

The Cambodian Government and people will continue their assistance to Vietnam in bringing home Vietnamese martyrs and experts’ remains, he affirmed.

Yingluck's administration brings close ties for Cambodia, Thailand: Cambodia PM

2011-12-30T10:10:00.001+07:00

PHNOM PENH, Dec 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday hailed the Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra for her efforts to restore good relations with Cambodia.

Speaking at a meeting with visiting Thai foreign minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul and energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan at the Phnom Penh's Peace Palace, Hun Sen said that the bilateral relations between Cambodia and Thailand have "turned good" since the Pheu Thai Party led by Yingluck Shinawatra won the general election in July this year.

He added that it was the open of the new chapter of Cambodian and Thai relations and cooperation.

The premier said that since July this year, the bilateral trade and tourism have been significant increased.

Meanwhile, Surapong pledged to continue boosting the bilateral ties on trade, investment, tourism and cultures for the mutual interests of the two countries' peoples.

Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflict over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008 and witnessed fierce border fighting in February and April this year during the previous Thai's administration led by the Democrat Party. (Xinhua)

No rush on NGO law

2011-12-29T17:21:00.000+07:00

Chhay Channyda
Phnom Penh Post
Thursday, 29 December 2011

Prime Minister Hun Sen said the government will wait until 2014 if that is what it takes to achieve consensus on the highly criticised draft law on associations and NGOs.

Speaking at a high school graduation yesterday, the premier said Cambodia had already been waiting for 33 years for the necessary law and to wait another two or three years would hardly make any difference.

“If we have not agreed by 2012, there will be no issue, we will wait until 2013; if not 2013, we will wait until 2014,” Hun Sen said. “We have been in discussions for almost 20 years, so we will not be too early.”

The draft NGO law aims to establish a framework for the registration of NGOs and associations and to safeguard the “rights and freedoms” of the organisations, according to the fourth draft of the law compiled by the Ministry of Interior.

The Council of Ministers sent the draft law back to the Ministry of Interior to re-draft earlier this year. While the fourth draft is markedly different from the third draft, civil society organisations in Cambodia and abroad are still not satisified with the law, particularly a provision that effectively makes registration compulsory.

Despite heated public outcry over the law and a call by civil society for its abandonment, the premier said in no uncertain terms there would be a law.

“We must have this law. It is too unreasonable [to request the law be abandoned],” he said. “The government pays attention to all activities of organisations and considers this an important part of a developing country.”

Hun Sen added that the law must “be accepted by all sides” to pass and rejected criticisms that the government was dictatorial or that the National Assembly was merely a rubber stamp for the ruling party.

“Issuing this law will facilitate the humanitarian work of organisations that are willing to import materials to hand out to Cambodians, because the import tax for these organisations is exempt,” he said.

The premier’s address was welcomed by Cambodian legal experts and some civil society organisations.

“Civil society has demanded more discussion time from the government, and this is a better point to hear the delay in passing the law,” Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project said.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, applauded Hun Sen’s stance.

“This is a positive result opening the discussion for longer to avoid criticism after the law goes into effect,” he said.

At an open forum with civil society representatives last week, the Ministry of Interior welcomed written and verbal feedback on the fourth draft but made no firm commitments to adopt feedback into a fifth draft of the contentious law.

Cambodia says two Thai spies must serve two thirds of jail term before amnesty

2011-12-29T17:20:00.000+07:00

PHNOM PENH, Dec 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, minister of foreign affairs, reiterated on Thursday that there will be no royal pardon for the two Thai "Yellow-Shirt" activists jailed here for espionage until they have served two thirds of their jail term.

His remarks were made after visiting Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul asked him to consider to reduce the jail term or to give royal amnesty by Cambodia's King to the pair.

"According to Cambodia's law, a prisoner must be jailed at least two thirds of his jail term before being considered for royal pardon from the King," Hor Namhong told reporters in a joint press briefing after the meeting.

However, he said that it is possible to release the two Thai spies earlier if the government of Thailand has a request to Cambodia for a meeting "to exchange prisoners as package."

Surapong thanked the government of Cambodia for giving good care to the two Thai detainees in the Prey Sar prison on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

The two "Yellow Shirt" Thais are Veera Somkwamkid, one of the leaders of the People's Network against Corruption and a high- profile activist in the Thailand Patriot Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance, on February 1, convicted Veera and Ratree of illegal entry, unlawful entry into a military base and espionage and sentenced them to 8 years and 6 years in jail respectively.

Veera and Ratree were arrested on December 29, 2011, along with five others including Democrat Party Member of Parliament Panich Vikitsreth, after they illegally entered Cambodian territory to observe the border demarcation process.

The five were released in late January after a Cambodian court suspended their sentences of nine months in jail. (Xinhua)

Supporters rally: Monks need help, rights groups told

2011-12-29T12:57:00.001+07:00

Mom Kunthear
Thursday, 29 December 2011

Supporters rally
Supporter yesterday urged human rights groups to help two Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks – one who was fired from his pagoda and another who was accused of inciting protesters – because they said they had done nothing wrong.

The Khmer Kampuchea Krom association wrote a letter to Licadho, Adhoc, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights and the UN Office of Higher Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, calling on them to intervene to help the Buddhist monks.

In early November, Mok Kampoul district officials in Kandal province forced Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhist monk Chea Sovannaphum to leave the Keo Monyvorn pagoda without reason.

Last week, Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhist monk Sieng Sovannara, who lives in Samki Raingsey pagoda, was summonsed to Phnom Penh Municipal Court to face accusations of inciting protesters involved in a land dispute in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district.

“On behalf of the organisation and association of Khmer Krom in Cambodia, we are worried very much about these two Khmer Krom monks’ safety,” Son Yoeung, executive director of Khmer Kampuchea Krom for Human Rights and Development Association, said in the letter.

“We need the human rights group to intervene to allow Chea Sovannaphum to return to manage his pagoda and the court officials to stop accusing Sieng Sovannara and stop summonsing him to court,” he said.

“We are waiting to see whether those human right groups can help them, and we will send the letter for help to the government if we still receive nothing,” he said.

PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - Dec 28

2011-12-28T14:09:00.001+07:00

HANOI | Dec 28, 2011

HANOI Dec 28 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

FINANCIAL NEWS:

LAO DONG

-- The central bank has licensed the Saigon Commercial Bank, an entity formed by the merger of three domestic banks, to open on Jan. 1, 2012. The lender has registered capital of 10.58 trillion dong ($503 million).

-- BIDV, the country's second-biggest bank by assets, said 16,238 investors had registered to buy a combined 140.87 million BIDV shares, 66.2 percent above the offered volume.

ECONOMIC AND GENERAL NEWS:

VIETNAM NEWS

-- Vietnam's two stock markets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be merged in the 2012-2015 period, the Finance Ministry said. Details would be available in the first quarter of next year.

LAO DONG

-- The economy in Hanoi grew 10.1 percent this year, the city's statistics office said.

THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM

-- The import duty on petrol may be imposed at 4 percent, from zero now, the Finance Ministry said, asking oil product distributors to keep their sale prices unchanged.

-- Vietnam's tourism industry has set a revenue target of 150 trillion dong ($7.13 billion) next year, up 15.3 percent from 2011, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

DAU TU

-- A domestic venture has started building a $250 million fertiliser plant in the northern province of Lao Cai with annual output of 330,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate. The Vietnam National Chemical Group owns a 51 percent stake in the venture. (Reporting by Hanoi Newsroom)

Tax revenues from casinos climb 25 per cent in 2011

2011-12-28T14:07:00.000+07:00

May Kunmakara
Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 28 December 2011

The Kingdom’s 27 casinos are set to generate about US$20 million in tax revenue for the government in 2011, a 25 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

At least one government official, however, said the lack of a regulatory regime for the casino industry prevented Cambodia collecting many times that amount.

That $20 million target was in line with estimates at the beginning of the year, May Vann, director of the ministry’s Department of Industry and Finance, said yesterday.

Year-on-year revenues jumped 23 per cent in 2010, reaching $16 million, according to MEF data.

May Vann credited the growth to Cambodia’s burgeoning tourism industry and an expansion in some economies, including that of the Kingdom. Consumers had become more confident in their spending as a result, he said.

“We do believe we can achieve our target [of growing 25 per cent year-on-year] because our revenue went up, along with the growing number of foreign tourists, and an improvement in the domestic and world economies,” May Vann said.

The biggest casino profits were made in Poipet, on the border with Thailand, and in Bavet, on the Vietnamese border, according to the ministry. Many visitors are Thais and Vietnamese who enter the Kingdom specifically to gamble.

The border conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand that dominated much of the year had not affected the casino sector, Mey Vann said, because visitors had returned in large numbers after Yingluck Shinawatra was elected as Thai Prime Minister in July.

Minister of Tourism Thong Kong said yesterday that although many visitors to Cambodia came to see cultural sites such as Angkor Wat, a small percentage, namely Thais and Vietnamese, frequented the Kingdom's casinos.

But Son Chhay, a Sam Rainsy Party member who serves in the National Assembly, said the Cambodian government was letting vast sums of tax revenue go uncollected because the industry lacked proper regulation.

He claimed that countries that laid down clear tax rules for casinos gained greater benefits overall for their economies.

“Many countries impose not less than 50 per cent of a casino’s profit. If our casinos generate around $500 million a year, that means we could be collecting at least $200 million,” Son Chhay said.

MEF chief of casino management Chrun Theravath could not be reached for comment yesterday.

ICJ should be allowed to rule on temple

2011-12-28T10:25:00.000+07:00

Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation December 28, 2011

It is not a good idea to ask Cambodia to withdraw the Preah Vihear case from the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s consideration, as it could lead to an escalation of the boundary dispute over the temple, rather than a permanent solution.

Conservative figures in Thailand have demanded the government exploit its good relations with Cambodia to end the ICJ's pending interpretation of its 1962 ruling.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said earlier that he might seek a chance to raise the proposal with Cambodia when he visits the country later this week. If Cambodia agrees to withdraw the case, the two countries would try to settle the dispute through bilateral negotiations.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the Hindu temple for long time. The court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia. Thailand complied, but continued to argue that while the temple might belong to Cambodia, its vicinity was absolutely under Thai sovereignty. The two countries have an overlapping claim on an area of 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the temple.

This overlapping claim had created little tension between the two neighbours until recently, when conservative nationalists in Thailand raised the question of Preah Vihear as a pretext in their political game against the government under late prime minister Samak Sundaravej in 2008. They, including the opposition Democrat Party, launched a campaign against Cambodia's move to list the temple as a World Heritage site on the grounds that Phnom Penh would take the temple's vicinity to be a buffer zone for the inscribed temple.

The situation became worse during the reign of the Democrat Party in early 2009, as the diplomatic dispute turned into a series of border skirmishes between the two nations, obstructing bilateral negotiations to clarify the boundary line.

Cambodia lost patience and requested the court in April to clarify the scope and meaning of the 1962 judgement to indicate whether the area adjacent to Preah Vihear is also under its sovereignty. The court is now in the process of making this interpretation. For safety reasons, the court ordered both sides in July to withdraw their military personnel from the court-determined provisional demilitarised zone of 17 square kilometres around the temple. Thai nationalist activists disagreed but they could do nothing. The border seemed to be peaceful now and the two governments are in the process of complying with the court's injunction.

Allowing the court to continue its process and make a final interpretation would benefit both countries for many reasons.

One, the court could keep the issue from being politicised as conservative nationalists could not intervene in the court judgement.

Two, the current government and concerned officials don't need to take any political responsibility for the consequence of the court decision. Nobody could shift blame to them as long as the legal team, line of argument and the case's handling are not changed.

Three, the interpretation of the 1962 judgement, no matter what it is, would be a guideline for the boundary demarcation. The ICJ's explanation and clarification regarding the boundary line would be legally binding for the two countries in their boundary-dispute settlement.

If the court says the 1962 judgement covered the boundary line as Cambodia understands it, the boundary conflict at the Preah Vihear portion could be settled in accordance with the court's ruling.

If the court agrees with Thailand's claim that the 1962 judgement had nothing to do with the boundary line, Cambodia could no longer use the court's ruling - and notably the France-made map on which it is based - to claim the disputed area. Negotiations on the boundary demarcation would be conducted on the basis of Siam-Franco treaties and geographical features.

It's better to let it go on as the court's work is one of the most effective ways to

de-politicise the issue and keep it out of the hands of nationalists.

East Turkestan: Uyghur Refugees Still Missing

2011-12-28T10:24:00.000+07:00

Two years after the disappearance of 20 Uyghur refugees, their whereabouts remain unknown.

Below is an article published by The Phnom Penh Post:

Two years after Cambodia sent 20 Uighurs seeking refugee status back to China against their will, grave concerns about their whereabouts remain, rights groups said this week.

On December 19, 2009, the asylum-seeking Uighurs, which included a woman and two children, were deported without any investigation into their refugee status. Chinese authorities have still not disclosed their whereabouts or legal statuses, according to the World Uighur Forum.

“The past 10 years have proven that Uighurs fleeing suppression and discrimination in East Turkestan are at extreme risk of being deported back to China, where they face enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture and execution,” the Forum said in an anniversary statement.

UN High Commission for Refugees Asia spokesperson Kitty McKinsey told the Post that since the highly criticized deportation, the government has handled all asylum applications internally.

“A sub-decree passed the day before the deportation was made public on the same day as the 20 Uighurs were put on a plane to China,” McKinsey said. “The government said they would handle all refugee applications and has ever since.

“There was no pretext that they [the government] had carried through any of the processes to assess refugee status,” she said, adding the office was “frankly outraged” by the deportation.

It was widely reported that China granted Cambodia a US$1.2 billion aid package two days after the deportation.

Since December 2009, there have been no other known cases of asylum seekers in Cambodia being returned to countries against their will, McKinsey said, but could not comment on how many applications there had been, since the assessments are now internal government matters.

Representatives from the Foreign Affairs Ministry handling refugee applications could not be reached yesterday.

Author: Bridget Di Certo

Cambodian dancers to perform in Prahran

2011-12-28T10:23:00.000+07:00

28 Dec 11 @ 11:41am by Holly McKay

A GROUP of Cambodian breakdancers, travelling to Melbourne for the first time, will perform in Prahran next month.

Direct from Cambodia, Tiny Toones uses break-dancing, hip-hop and contemporary art as creative tools to empower the youth of Cambodia.

The group, based in Phnom Penh, will showcase their unique talents at Chapel Off Chapel from January 10-14.

The dancers tell the story of their lives through song and dance, paying tribute to their own experiences and welcome Cambodian youth to participate in its programs regardless of gender, social-economic status, physical handicaps, family background, or other personal disadvantages.

Details: stonnington.vic.gov.au/events/tiny-

Vietnam's rice exports at record high, talks on to export more to M'sia

2011-12-27T09:58:00.000+07:00

Dec 27, 2011

HANOI: Vietnam's rice exports this year jumped 4.36 percent from 2010 to a record high of 7.19 million tonnes, the Agriculture Ministry said on Monday, beating previous industry projections.

Vietnam is in talks with Malaysia to sell 200,000 tonnes of 5 percent broken rice, which could bring its rice exports in 2012 to Malaysia to 500,000 tonnes, the Vietnam Economic Times newspaper reported on Monday.

Based on a floor price of $500 a tonne for the 5-percent broken variety set last week, the deal would be worth $100 million, free-on-board basis.

Malaysia is Vietnam's third-largest rice buyer after Indonesia and the Philippines.

It has taken delivery of 464,500 tonnes of Vietnamese rice in the first 11 months, up 30.6 percent from the same period last year, Vietnam's Agriculture Ministry data show.

Total Vietnamese Rice export revenue rose 14 percent from last year to an estimated $3.7 billion, the ministry said in its monthly report on Monday.

Vietnam, the world's second-largest rice exporter after Thailand, had been expected to export around 7 million tonnes of the grain this year, after shipping a record 6.83 million tonnes in 2010.

The higher revenues came after Asian rice prices were boosted by a Thai government purchasing scheme while Southeast Asia's floods led to a food shortage, the report said.

It estimated Vietnam produced a record 42.3 million tonnes of paddy in 2011, up 5.8 percent from last year, coffee output rose 5 percent from 2010 to nearly 1.17 million tonnes and rubber output rose 8 percent to 811,600 tonnes.

Vietnam is the world's largest robusta coffee producer.

It is the fourth-largest natural rubber exporter after Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Coffee exports in 2011 are estimated at 1.22 million tonnes, or 20.33 million 60-kg bags, up only 0.2 percent from 2010, the agriculture ministry said.

Vietnam's rice output in 2012 is expected to remain steady at this year's record levels of around 42 million tonnes of unhusked grain, a government minister has said, which could help ensure supply in Asia and soften food prices.

The country has set an initial target to export between 6.5 million and 7 million tonnes of rice in 2012. - Reuters

Thaksin not going to Cambodia: Noppadon

2011-12-27T09:56:00.000+07:00

The Nation
December 27, 2011

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has no plan to travel to Cambodia during the upcoming New Year's festival, his legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said yesterday.

Noppadon dismissed as groundless news reports that the fugitive ex-premier would spend the festive New Year period in the neighbouring country.

"I asked Thaksin about this and he said that he would not travel to Cambodia during the New Year period. It was not a cancellation. He never had a schedule to go [to Cambodia at this time]," Noppadon said.

"Whoever planned to meet him in Cambodia, please be informed that you should cancel your plan," he said.

Thaksin will spend the festive period with his children in Europe, according to Noppadon.

In a related development, a red-shirt group announced yesterday that more than 8,700 "red shirt villages" have been set up over the past year and the number is expected to reach 30,000 by the end of next year.

Prasong Boonpong, chief adviser to the Federation of Red Shirt Villages for Democracy, held a press conference at a hotel in the northeastern province of Udon Thani to announce the latest developments and future plans for the group.

He said the first red-shirt village was set up in Udon Thani's Muang district on December 15, 2010. Now there are 8,702 such villages, with as many as 3,807,520 members, in all regions of the country, mostly in the Northeast.

The group plans to increase the number to 30,000 within 2012 in all districts of the country, according to Prasong, who also said red shirt villages would also be established in the three southernmost border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court yesterday granted a request by red-shirt leader Yoswalit Chooklom's lawyer for a postponement of a court hearing on the list of witnesses and evidence provided by the defence.

The new schedule is February 27 next year. The lawyer, Winyat Chatmontri, told the court that he was busy with another case in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Yoswalit, a comedian whose stage name is Jeng Dokjik and who is now assistant secretary to the deputy interior minister, is accused of lese majeste in connection with his speech during a red-shirt protest in March 2010.

Hush the border radicals

2011-12-27T09:54:00.002+07:00

Dec 27, 2011
Bangkok Post

One of the early and positive achievements of the Pheu Thai government is the dramatically improved relations with Cambodia. Almost as soon as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was sworn into office, the tension between the countries dropped. Diplomacy is nearly back on a dignified level, and the military officers are once again conducting professional talks and negotiations. It still is not entirely smooth or always pleasant to be the neighbour of Cambodian strongman Hun Sen, but Thai-Cambodian relations can be described as peaceful once again.

This is why it is disturbing to hear from the self-styled nationalists that the very top politicians, diplomats and military officers are giving away Thai territory to Cambodia. It happened again over the weekend, when Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa and army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha flew back to Bangkok from the General Border Committee meeting with Cambodian counterparts in Phnom Penh. The top military men of the two countries spent several days putting together a border agreement which, for the first time, will pull back all troops from the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple _ and involve foreign observers from Indonesia.

The very far right wing of the People's Alliance for Democracy immediately criticised the deal. The self-described patriots alleged, and not for the first time, that the high-level border agreement is not just a sellout. Pulling back Thai troops from the disputed area is allegedly the equivalent of giving the territory to Phnom Penh, as the extremists view it.

On the question of the Cambodian border, then, there now is more disagreement among Thais than between Thailand and Cambodia. It is important, then, that the government carefully describe the state of border relations with Cambodia, so the extremists can be dismissed. Credit Gen Yutthasak, then, for his cooperation with the media, and his detailed explanation of what occurred at the Phnom Penh meeting, and what will happen at and around Preah Vihear in coming months.

First, it is a welcome development that the two countries will pull their troops back. During the last government, under then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, several battles broke out in the Preah Vihear region, over nothing but misunderstandings on troop positions. Soldiers died in at least three such clashes, villagers were terrorised and the local economy was damaged. This is a border between two friendly countries, and does not require a heavily armed military presence 24 hours a day. A mutual standdown is in the interests of both countries _ and that is what Gen Yutthasak and his team negotiated over several hard, tough days at the bargaining table.

Thailand and Cambodia will always have points of dispute; neighbours always do. But it was just a year ago that Cambodia arrested a member of parliament and six other Thais for illegal entry. A year ago this week, Gen Preecha Iamsuphan of the PAD insisted there was "only one answer, that is to go to war" with Cambodia.

One hopes in the very changed circumstances that Ms Yingluck will resume efforts to free the two misguided and "patriotic" Thais from prison in Phnom Penh. For certain, given Hun Sen's record of trying to score cheap points, the government must exercise all caution to ensure that Cambodia lives up to last week's Preah Vihear agreement. But one must also never lose sight of the fact that Cambodia and Thailand are peaceful neighbours, and it is safe to ignore the tiny minority trying to whip up enmity.

Cambodia Tourism received double digit growth

2011-12-27T09:54:00.001+07:00

Written by Ozgur Tore

Monday, 26 December 2011

International tourist arrivals to Cambodia posted a double digit growth of 13.5% in October, while over the 10-month period the improvement reached 15.4%.

After opening an office in Thailand, tourism started to grow rapidly. Only in October due to flooding in Thailand, there was a decline of 18.4% in arrivals. In October, just 10,431 Thais visited Cambodia.

In October, Cambodia received 233,190 visitors, up 13.5% over the same month in 2010. Neighboring Vietnam contributed almost a quarter (23.2% share) or 54,008 tourists, a 26.1% rise in trips.

In terms of regions, 75.7% of international tourists in October came from Asia Pacific, up 15.4% from the same month last year to reach 176,630 trips. Most of the arrivals from this region originated in ASEAN and East Asia and largely from a handful of countries – Vietnam, Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, Laos and Australia. Arrivals from South Asia and western Asia and other countries in the Pacific represented just 1.8%.

Europe was the second contributor. The number increased at the beginning of the high season with a market share of 16.4% instead of 12.2% in September. It showed a small 8.8% improvement (38,207).

Tourists from the Americas also increased, accounting for a 7.3% share instead of 5.5% in September. It represented a marginal 3.6% improvement on 17,013 trips. Very few tourists originated from Africa and Middle East, just, 415 and 925 respectively.

In the emerging market category, Eastern Europe posted a substantial growth of 43.2% with arrivals from Bulgaria and Romania surging 78.8% and 122.4% respectively. However, only Russia supplied notable volume — 4,805 out of 6,404 arrivals from the region. The country posted a 55.5% growth over October 2010.

By destinations visited, 122,450 tourists or 52.5% visited Siem Reap, while 110,740 or 47.5% visited Phnom Penh and other cities.

Ancient Khmer ruins and cultural shows a hit with tourists

2011-12-27T09:48:00.001+07:00

Dec 27, 2011
Story and photos by FREDERICK FERNANDEZ
fred@thestar.com.my

NORTHEAST Thailand, or I-san as it is called in Thai language, is pretty quiet and subdued compared to Bangkok or Phuket mainly due to its rural landscapes and its people’s simple way of life.

However, the region comes alive in the third weekend of November every year.

This is because local and foreign tourists gather in droves to witness the Amazing Surin Elephant Roundup which takes place once a year in Surin.

This unique event, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world, brings together more than 250 elephants in a single venue. In fact, it is fair to say that Surin is in the world map due to the popularity of the Elephant Roundup.

Historical show: The colourful and mesmering sound and light performance at Prasat Sri Khoraphum gives a good description on the events leading to the formation of the Kingdom of Siam.

The Surin region is famed for its elephant trainers who manage to tame the wild elephants after capturing them in the jungle. Once tamed by their “conquerors”, the elephants are taught to perform a variety of tricks and stunts much to the delight of the spectators.

At the Sri Narong Stadium in Surin, visitors get to see a re-enactment of how the Kui tribe captured elephants from the wild and train them to do chores in the farm.

Visitors will be thrilled to see elephants playing soccer, basketball and even darts. The elephants also show their brute strength by easily defeating more than 30 human beings in a tug-of-war match.

After the three-hour show, tourists are given the opportunity to feed sugar-cane shoots and the more adventurous get to go for a short ride on the elephant for a token fee.

Fierce battle: The Elephant Roundup show at Surin also depicts scenes which show Siam at war with her neighbours in which elephants featured prominently during the battles.

This is the 51st year that this event is being held in Surin and the event gets bigger and bigger each year as more people come to hear about the spectacular show by over 250 elephants.

The best way to get to Surin is to take a flight from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani and then use public transport to reach Surin. One can also travel to Surin by road from Bangkok for the 457km journey.

A couple of days before the roundup, tourists get the opportunity to see a colourful presentation of dance and drama which depicts the origins of the Kingdom of Siam (the old name for Thailand). This show is presented at the ancient Hindu temple built in the 12th century called Prasat SriKhoraphum located 34km away from Surin town.

The dancers and performers wear elaborate colourful costumes and headgear as they sing and dance to traditional Thai music. The show depicts how the early inhabitants of the kingdom embraced Hinduism and centuries later became followers of Buddhism.

This ancient temple which is about 30m high is believed to have been contructed in the 12th century. The sanctuary comprises five brick towers raised on a single base, adesign similar to simialar temple ruins found in Baphuon and Angkor in Cambodia.

The stone carvings of celestial dancers on the door to the central tower of the temple is similae to the ones found at Angkor.

Apart from the elephant show, Surin is also known for its hand woven traditional silk, silverware and rattan baskets.

Ancient wonder: The Prasat Hin Phanom Rung temple at Buri Ram.

One of the popular places where tourists throng to buy traditional silk or “Yok Thong” at Surin is at the Ban Tha Sawang Village. Also known as the Village of Silk, it became well known internationally after it was chosen to do weave the silk shirts and scarfs for the APEC leaders in 2003. Three years later, weavers from the village were again chosen to to weave the silk material for the Thai royalty in conjunction with the King’s 60th anniversary in ascending the throne.

“Yok Thong” is uniquely woven either from pure silver and golden coloured silk. It takes between one and three months to complete one piece of silk fabric.

Another interesting place to visit in this region is the ancient Khmer ruin Prasat Hin Phanom Rung located about 120km from Buri Ram town. It is an ancient Hindu temple which was built when the region was ruled by the Khmer kingdom hence its design and structure has similiarities with Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Phanom Rung is a fine example of ancient Khmer art and architecture. Believed to have been constructed in the 12th century to pay homage to Lord Shiva, the temple is built out of pink sandstone and laterite.

Standing at 383m, the temple ruins provides a breathtaking view of the Khorat Plateau and the Dong Rak Mountains that form the border with Cambodia.

The building structures within the walled compound comprise a chambered gateway, a square-based sanctuary tower with entrances to the four main corners.

“This is arguably the most impressive of similar monuments to be seen outside Cambodia which has its famed Angkor Wat,” said the local tour guide.

He added that the temple was intricately designed to enable the sun rays to pass through the 15 doorways of the temple. This phenomena can be witnessed only four times a year.

A good place to visit while on holiday on this part of Thailand will be the Pha Taem National Park located at Ubon Ratchathani. It is a tourist attraction which has plateaus, mountains, forest and waterfalls. Within the park is Pha Tame, a hilly place which has ancient paintings on the stone columns of the cliffs.

Rock wonder: Sao Chaliang is a unique collection of large rocks in the shape of mushrooms in Ubon Ratchathani.

The route to Pha Tame will allow one to see a breathtaking view of the Mekong River from the edge of a cliff. You are also able to see with the jungles on the Laos side across the river.

The Saeng Chan Waterfalls is also located at this park.

Also within the park is the Sao Chaliang, which is a large natural formation of rocks in the shpae of mushrooms. Fossilised sea-shells, pebbles and sand grains can be seen on the stone slabs.

Another interesting place to visit at will be Wat Pa Na Chat or the “Monastery in the Forest” at Ubon Ratchathani. This monastery was set up by the late Buddhist monk Achan Cha to provide English-speaking monks an opportunity to follow the way Buddha taught his monks in the forest 2,600 years ago.

The writer’s trip to Surin, Buri Ram and Ubon Ratchathani in the I-San region in Thailand was sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). For more information on tourism packages to the northeast region of Thailand, call TAT at : (603) 2162 3480 or visit tourismthailand.com.my

Thaicom's new CEO shifts to function-oriented structure

2011-12-26T11:21:00.000+07:00

USANEE MONGKOLPORN,
SIRIVISH TOOMGUM
THE NATION December 26, 2011

Satellite operator Thaicom, under the helm of new chief executive officer Suphajee Suthumpun, has announced a new operational structure as part of its growth strategy.

In an interview with The Nation, Suphajee, who assumed her position in August, said the organisation has shifted from a product-centric operation to a function-oriented one. The change will officially take effect next month.

Earlier, Thaicom's organisational structure focused on products, with one marketing and sales team overseeing satellite broadcasting services while another oversaw iPSTAR satellite broadband services.

"In the new chapter, Thaicom is moving forward; they'll not work separately but oversee products of both the broadcasting and broadband businesses," she said.

Under the new structure, company president Dr Nongluck Phinainitisart becomes chief commercial officer in charge of sales and marketing for both the satellite-broadcasting and the satellite-broadband businesses, a change from overseeing only the broadcasting business' sales and marketing.

Chief technical officer Paiboon Panuwattanawong will provide engineering support to both businesses, instead of only to the iPSTAR business as he did earlier.

Thaicom currently owns the Thaicom 5 broadcasting satellite and the iPSTAR broadband satellite.

Suphajee said the change is also intended to prepare the firm for the new businesses it expects to gain from the launch of the Thaicom 6 broadcasting satellite, together with the launch of a new satellite in cooperation with Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat). They will provide services on their portions of the new satellite under the names AsiaSat 6 and Thaicom 7, respectively.

Thaicom 6 and Thaicom 7 are expected to be launched by 2013 and in early 2014, respectively.

Tanadit Charoenchan, Thaicom's acting executive vice president of marketing and sales for China, will handle the company's special projects and portfolio management of the businesses that Thaicom does not own 100 per cent, such as CS Loxinfo, Lao Telecommunications (LTC) and Cambodia-based cellular operator Mfone.

Suphajee said LTC has performed well and there is a chance it will be listed on Laos' stock exchange. The Lao government owns 51 per cent in LTC, while Shenington Investments holds 49 per cent. Thaicom owns 51 per cent in Shenington.

But Mfone has suffered from the brutal competition in Cambodia, where there are total of 10 players. Shenington owns 100 per cent of Mfone, which is the third-largest player in Cambodia.

It was speculated that Thaicom would divest its stakes in Mfone to other players in Cambodia, and the deal is expected to be concluded early next year. Suphajee declined to comment on the matter.

Thaicom posted a consolidated net profit of Bt16 million in the third quarter, versus a net loss of Bt25 million in the previous quarter and a net loss of Bt317 million in the third quarter of 2010.

Suphajee said Thaicom would stay focused to sustain profit growth.

Thaicom's flagship, iPSTAR, will further boost demand for its services. Suphajee has targeted a utilisation rate of at least 35 per cent of total capacity next year, up sharply from the current 24 per cent.

The iPSTAR footprint covers 14 Asia Pacific countries with a bandwidth capacity of more than 45 gigabits per second.

Cambodia: Russian Pedophile Pardoned On Government Request

2011-12-26T11:19:00.001+07:00

Written by: RFA
December 26, 2011

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government asked the country’s King Norodom Sihamoni to pardon a Russian businessman convicted of sexually abusing more than a dozen girls in Cambodia, according to a prince.

Prince Sisowath Thomico told RFA in an interview Friday that the king granted an amnesty to Alexander Trofimov, who was freed on Tuesday, based on a government request.

Trofimov, who became the focus of Cambodia’s largest-ever pedophilia case, had been convicted of buying sex from 17 girls between the ages of six and 13.

Anti-human trafficking groups have expressed dismay over his release, saying it would be a bad example for criminals.

“I don’t want to respond to [the] anti-human trafficking groups’ comment and thought but I can comment based on the laws. The King has granted amnesty because the government has asked the King to prepare a royal decree to pardon [Alexander Trofimov],” Thomico said.

“The King can make his own decision without consulting with the government and other institutions but in the case of Alexander Trofimov, the King granted the amnesty upon the government’s request,” he said.

Thomico added that the government request was made to the King through the council of ministers.

“The ministry of justice must have requested through the council of ministers,” said Thomico, who is also the spokesman for retired King Norodom Sihanouk.

He declined to comment when asked whether the King knew that Trofimov was a sex offender.

Before his arrest in October 2007, Trofimov was chairman of a Russian-led investment group developing a Cambodian tourist island.

Investor

Trofimov led Koh Pos Investment Company, which in 2006 received permission to build a U.S. $300 million resort on Koh Pos, known also as Snake Island, off Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia.

Trofimov was originally sentenced to 17 years in jail, but his term was slashed to seven years in August 2010.

Trofimov was one of the higher profile cases in recent years in Cambodia’s efforts to crack down on pedophiles.

Anti-pedophile non-governmental group Action Pour Les Enfants (Apple) country director Samleang Seila told RFA that even though Trofimov’s release was “legal,” it will set a bad example in Cambodia.

“We are very sad. We felt that a person who committed a serious crime against children received a very light punishment. Our reaction is the release is a weak message showing that serious offenders receive a light punishment. This punishment is not enough for what he did,” he said.

Trofimov was one of more than 300 inmates held in prisons across Cambodia who were either released or had their sentences reduced after receiving a royal pardon.

Apologize

Trofimov admitted to sexually abusing 16 of the girls and apologized to his victims and the Cambodian people during a hearing last year.

He is also wanted by Russia in connection with child sex allegations in his native country, but Cambodia’s Court of Appeal has rejected a request by the Russian government to extradite him, Agence France-Presse reported.

Dozens of foreigners have been jailed for child sex crimes or deported to face trial in their home countries since Cambodia launched an anti-pedophilia push in 2003 in a bid to shake off its reputation as a haven for sex predators.

Reported by Samean Yun for RFA’s Khmer service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.

3 dead, 5 missing in shipwreck off Russia's east coast

2011-12-26T11:08:00.000+07:00

Dec 25, 2011
(Xinhua)

MOSCOW -- A Cambodia-flagged ship with eight people aboard sank early Sunday in a fierce storm, leaving three dead and five others missing, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

The ship "Ginga" sank in the La Perfuse Strait, which divides the southern part of the Russian island of Sakhalin from the northern part of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The eight aboard the ship are five Russians and three Indonesians. Two of the three dead bodies were identified as Russian citizens with the other remaining unidentified.

According to the ministry, a joint search operation conducted by Russian and Japanese rescuers is underway.

"The Russian search and rescue group comprises the Atlas rescue vessel, the Ozersk refrigerator ship, the shipping boats Paliya and Zaliv Vasilyeva, and also a Mi-8 helicopter, while the Japanese team includes the REBUN patrol boat and a plane," the ministry said.

It added that the emergencies center in the Russian Far East received a distress call from the ship at 22:40 Moscow time (1840 GMT) on Saturday, when north-west winds of 14 meters per second were blowing in the area.

Itar-tass news agency said the ship, supposedly a fishing boat, was registered in Panama.

Last week, a Russian floating oil rig capsized and sank in the same water due to bad weather, leaving 17 people killed and 36 others missing.

（Editor：雪萌）

Pedophile Pardoned On Government Request

2011-12-24T17:33:00.000+07:00

2011-12-23
RFA

Anti-human trafficking groups criticize Cambodia for amnesty decision.

AFP

Alexander Trofimov smokes a cigarette after his verdict at the Phnom Penh municipal court, March 14, 2008.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's government asked the country's King Norodom Sihamoni to pardon a Russian businessman convicted of sexually abusing more than a dozen girls in Cambodia, according to a prince.

Prince Sisowath Thomico told RFA in an interview Friday that the king granted an amnesty to Alexander Trofimov, who was freed on Tuesday, based on a government request.

Trofimov, who became the focus of Cambodia's largest-ever pedophilia case, had been convicted of buying sex from 17 girls between the ages of six and 13.

Anti-human trafficking groups have expressed dismay over his release, saying it would be a bad example for criminals.

“I don’t want to respond to [the] anti-human trafficking groups' comment and thought but I can comment based on the laws. The King has granted amnesty because the government has asked the King to prepare a royal decree to pardon [Alexander Trofimov]," Thomico said.

"The King can make his own decision without consulting with the government and other institutions but in the case of Alexander Trofimov, the King granted the amnesty upon the government’s request,” he said.

Thomico added that the government request was made to the King through the council of ministers.

“The ministry of justice must have requested through the council of ministers,” said Thomico, who is also the spokesman for retired King Norodom Sihanouk.

He declined to comment when asked whether the King knew that Trofimov was a sex offender.

Before his arrest in October 2007, Trofimov was chairman of a Russian-led investment group developing a Cambodian tourist island.

Investor

Trofimov led Koh Pos Investment Company, which in 2006 received permission to build a U.S. $300 million resort on Koh Pos, known also as Snake Island, off Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia.

Trofimov was originally sentenced to 17 years in jail, but his term was slashed to seven years in August 2010.

Trofimov was one of the higher profile cases in recent years in Cambodia's efforts to crack down on pedophiles.

Anti-pedophile non-governmental group Action Pour Les Enfants (Apple) country director Samleang Seila told RFA that even though Trofimov's release was "legal," it will set a bad example in Cambodia.

“We are very sad. We felt that a person who committed a serious crime against children received a very light punishment. Our reaction is the release is a weak message showing that serious offenders receive a light punishment. This punishment is not enough for what he did,” he said.

Trofimov was one of more than 300 inmates held in prisons across Cambodia who were either released or had their sentences reduced after receiving a royal pardon.

Apologize

Trofimov admitted to sexually abusing 16 of the girls and apologized to his victims and the Cambodian people during a hearing last year.

He is also wanted by Russia in connection with child sex allegations in his native country, but Cambodia's Court of Appeal has rejected a request by the Russian government to extradite him, Agence France-Presse reported.

Dozens of foreigners have been jailed for child sex crimes or deported to face trial in their home countries since Cambodia launched an anti-pedophilia push in 2003 in a bid to shake off its reputation as a haven for sex predators.

Reported by Samean Yun for RFA's Khmer service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.

$2.2 Million Funding Available for Supporting Antimalarial Research in Cambodia

2011-12-24T17:32:00.000+07:00

Federal Grant Opportunities
2011-12-24 by MANISHA BISWAS

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity has announced that it expects to award a discretionary cooperative agreement grant for supporting antimalarial research in Cambodia.

The estimated total program funding available was cited as $2.2 million.

This funding opportunity is open to any entity, such as state, county, city, township and special district governments; Native American tribal governments and organizations; institutions of higher education; Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Tribally-Controlled Colleges and Universities; non-profits; for-profits; small businesses; eligible agencies of the federal government; and faith-based or community organizations.

A funding opportunity notice from NIH states: "This Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity, WRAIR Malaria Prevention Research Award (MTRLP-MPRA) is soliciting proposals for clinical research to support antimalarial research in Cambodia. Research will be focused on development of new products to include drugs and vaccines, improved use of existing antimalarial drugs, and active epidemiologic surveillance for drug resistance. The research will take place at AFRIMS established clinical research sites and/or facilities within Cambodia, or at new sites approved by the Cambodian Ministry of Health and/or other appropriate authorities."

The funding opportunity number is W81XWH-12-WRAIR-MTRLP-MPRA (CDFA 12.420). The application closing date is Jan. 31.

For more information, contact Wanda Harper, 301/619-8094. NewsFocusCode FedGrants NWNAgrants federalgrants TNSFG111223