PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: A U.N. agency said it has audited the finances of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal, as local and foreign officials involved in the judicial process were divided Wednesday over recent corruption allegations against it.
The announcement by the United Nations Development Program, which is managing some of the tribunal's funds, added weight to allegations of corruption made last week by a New York-based legal monitoring organization. The findings of the audit have not yet been announced.
The Open Society Justice Initiative alleged in a statement that Cambodian judges and other court personnel had kicked back some of their wages to Cambodian government officials in exchange for their positions on the court.
The UNDP said in a statement that its decision to conduct an internal audit action had been prompted by "various reports" late last year that "raised concerns about transparency of hiring procedures" of the tribunal.
"UNDP takes such matters very seriously," it said, adding that findings of the audit — conducted from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 — are being prepared. It did not say if or when they would be released.
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"Appropriate action will be taken to respond to the internal audit recommendations," it said.
Corruption permeates the society and administration of Cambodia, one of Asia's poorest countries.
The tribunal was created by a 2003 agreement between Cambodia and the U.N. after years of difficult negotiations to bring those behind the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime to justice.
The radical policies of the now-defunct communist group, which held power in 1975-79, led to the deaths of about 1.7 million people from execution, overwork, disease and malnutrition.
Cambodian officials at the tribunal's administrative office have strongly denied the OSJI's accusations. The tribunal is being jointly run by Cambodian and U.N.-appointed foreign staff.
Sean Visoth, the office's Cambodian director, has decided to sever all dealings with the OSJI, the tribunal's Cambodian spokesman, Reach Sambath, said Wednesday.
The OSJI has helped organize legal training for the tribunal's Cambodian staff in the past, Reach Sambath said.
He said Sean Visoth has also sent a letter to OSJI Executive Director James A. Goldston accusing the group of being irresponsible in making the allegations.
"They released the statement without responsibility. Cooperation with an organization that shows such bad faith and bias is impossible," Reach Sambath said.
Peter Foster, a U.N.-appointed tribunal spokesman, said Sean Visoth's decision was unilateral and does not keep the OSJI from having full access to the tribunal's premises and to other officials involved in the tribunal.
The U.N.-appointed deputy director of administration, Michelle Lee, has not issued any ban on OSJI, he said, adding that "We still consider them a valuable partner in the process."
If the OSJI's allegations turn out to have merit, "we believe they should be fully investigated," Foster said.
The corruption accusations could deal another blow to the already troubled tribunal, which is set to convene later this year after long delays.
However, there are concerns that further delays could result from continuing disagreements between Cambodian and foreign judges on draft rules for the proceedings.
The tribunal has been set up to operate under Cambodia's judicial system, which is widely regarded as corrupt and susceptible to political influence.
Foster said meetings scheduled to resume early next month will be an opportunity for Cambodian and foreign judges to tackle their differences over the tribunal draft rules.
He said foreign judges could "pull out" of the whole process, as allowed by a clause in the tribunal agreement, "should the U.N. feel that international standards are not being maintained."
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Corruption allegations in Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal promptUN audit
Vietnam to grow rubber trees in Cambodia and Laos
Under a bilateral cooperation plan, VRC will provide funding, seedlings and necessary equipment for the planting. The investment was part of a project to cultivate 100,000 ha of rubber trees in Cambodia which was previously approved by the Government.
Cambodia considers more seats for National Assembly
Cambodia has organized a six- member committee to study the possibility of raising the number of seats of the National Assembly, an official said on Wednesday.
"So far we have met only for one time to discuss the matter and we have not got the result yet," said Ek Sam Ol, chairman of the Legislation and Justice Committee of the assembly.
The result will be known in March, he said, adding that he had no comments over whether the assembly should be enlarged or not.
King Norodom Sihanouk signed a royal decree on January 26 to create the new committee to conduct such study and research in preparation for the general election in 2008, he said.
The committee includes one member from each major party in the assembly, two members from the Ministry of Interior, and one from the Statistics Department of the Ministry of Planning, said Ol, member of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
Meanwhile, Nov Sowathearo, spokesman of the co-ruling Funcinpec Party, can not be reached for comment.
In addition, Sam Rainsy, president of Sam Rainsy Party, said recently that Cambodia should increase the number of seats of the top legislative body by 10 because the kingdom's population has risen to about 14 million.
Currently, the National Assembly has 123 seats for lawmakers. Among them, 73 are from CPP, 26 from Funcinpec, and 24 from the Sam Rainsy Party.
Source: Xinhua
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Australian Senate president promises more cooperation with Cambodia
Australian Senate President Paul Calvert has promised to carry out more cooperation with and extending more aid to Cambodia during his recent visit here, reported official news agency AKP on Wednesday.
While meeting with Calvert here on Monday, King Norodom Sihamoni said his visit will further strengthen and consolidate the bonds of relationship and cooperation in all fields between the two countries.
He also thanked Australia for playing an active role in helping Cambodia seek for peace and granting aids for country's development in all sectors, particularly agriculture, health care, human resources and legal affairs.
While separately meeting with Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly President Heng Samrin here on Monday, Calvert said that the Australian Senate will further support and provide more assistance, especially human resources training, for Cambodian Senate officials.
He also highly valued the government's and the legislative bodies' achievements in the rehabilitation and economic development of the kingdom.
While meeting with Calvert here on Monday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that Cambodia and Australia should further push forward their cooperation.
"At this moment, our cooperation is better (than before), especially in fighting terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and intelligence information exchanges, but we should further promote it," he said.
Calvert was here on an official visit. Detailed schedule of his visit has not been disclosed.
Source: Xinhua
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Nuclear Master is worrying about its own mess
United State Nuclear plant in storage crisis
The Associated Press
FRENCHTOWN TOWNSHIP, MICH.
DTE Energy Co. faces a deadline for the amounting problem of storing spent nuclear fuel from its Fermi 2 reactor in Southeastern Michigan. In about three years, the detroit-based utility will run out of room in fuel storage pool next to the reactor vessel and expects it will have to store the fuel bundles on the Fermi plant's ground in heavy concrete and steel casks designed to contain the radiation.
" we have received some bids from a number vendors and those are under evaluation," DTE spokesman John Austerberry told The Monroe Evening News. " we are also looking at the option of forming alliances with other plants to obtain the storage containers."
Storage of spent nuclear fuel has bee a controversial issue at plants across the country due to environmental and security concerns. DTE will begin a $9 million "re-racking" of Fermi's fuel pool this month, allowing a tighter pack of the spent fuel assemblies to extend the pool's capacity to 2010. It will be the second times the plant has re-racked the pool.
The federal government initially vowed to take used fuel off the hands of utilities with nuclear plant and store in deep underground in Nuvada's Yuca Mountain. But that plan is years behind schedule, due to planning, political and safety concerns.
DTE officials have said that because of buildup of waste at other nuclear plants, the chances of any Fermi's waste ever being transported to Yuca Mountain are slim. Spent fuel already is stored in casks at Consumers Energy's Big Rock Plant near Charlevoix, the Palisates plant near South Haven and more than two dozen other locations around the country.
CUT IN EMISSIONS DTE Energy Co. is spending more than US$1 billion on its Monroe power plant as part of a five-year effort to comply with federal rules to reduce emissions. The Detroit- based utility, which own Detroit Edison and Michigan Consolidated Gas will install two flue gas desulfurization units, or scrubbers, and a selective catalytic reduction unit.
The new equipment will be able to control up to 97 per cent of sulfur dioxide emissions and 80 per cent of mercury emissions at facility. The coal-fired plant, the utility's largest, has already seen 63 percent drop in emissions of sulfur dioxide, an irritant to human respiratory system.
Emissions of nitrogen oxide, which contributes to acid rain, smog and global warming, have fallen 56 percent. " we have been doing a lot in this area, and it is really getting much better," Skiles Boyd, DTE's vice president of environmental management and resources, told the Detroit Free Press for a Monday story.
The project will put the facility ahead of federal mandates under the Clean Air Interstate Rule and the Clean Air Mercury Rule that start in 2015.
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Southern Gold steps up role
SOUTHERN Gold has expanded its footprint in Cambodia via a joint venture with local company Greystoke. The Adelaide gold and base metals explorer said yesterday it had signed a letter of agreement to form a joint venture over two of Greystoke's exploration areas.
This brings to five the number of tenements Southern Gold is exploring across Cambodia, with a total area of 1155sq km.
"Exceptionally encouraging exploration results are being recorded from all these tenements as a better understanding of the mineralisation models are achieved," the company said in a statement yesterday.
"Southern Gold also notes Oxiana's reporting of several high-grade gold drilling results from Oxiana's Shin-Ha joint-venture project, which is adjacent to Southern Gold's O'Kthong project in eastern Cambodia."
Oxiana's results included 33m of 9.9 grams per tonne of gold and 4m of 10.4g/t.
Southern Gold's new tenements cover 375sq km and the company will earn an 80 per cent interest in each by funding exploration up to the bankable feasibility stage, managing director Stephen Biggins said.
The company said geochemical sampling and geological mapping would occur across the tenements during the first quarter of 2007, with drilling scheduled for several targets mid-year.
It has told the Cambodian Ministry of Industry Mining and Energy that it intends to apply for exploration licences for all of its tenements in Cambodia. Southern Gold shares added 1.5c to 54.5c yesterday.
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As economy fizzles, job prospects dim
A drop in both economic growth and the employment intensity of that growth has dimmed job prospects in Thailand, says a report by the United Nations Development Programme and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Indonesia shares a similar plight, said the report which studied the situation in Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Except for Malaysia, ''all the Asian countries studied experienced inadequate employment growth, and the problem has got worse in recent years'', said the ILO statement.
''This has been major factor in weakening the impact of economic growth on the earnings of the poor and in making growth less poverty-alleviating than it might have been.''
The causes of inadequate employment growth vary, the report says.
''In China and India, the two largest developing countries, the sharp fall in the employment intensity of growth has been the problem,'' said the ILO.
''In Indonesia and Thailand, the cause was both a reduction in employment intensity and a reduction in the rate of growth. In Cambodia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka the poor employment performance was, by and large, due to inadequate growth or growth bypassing the large sectors where poor workers are concentrated,'' the ILO said.
The study, titled ''Asian Experience on Growth, Employment and Poverty'', focuses on the employment intensity of economic growth as a means of poverty reduction and provides insights into why job growth is declining in some fast-growing Asian economies.
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Cambodia's deputy prime minister due in Seoul on enhancing cooperation
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Keo Puth Rasmey was due in Seoul Tuesday on ways to increase bilateral cooperation, the Foreign Ministry said.
"Deputy Prime Minister Rasmey, who also heads Cambodia's (co-ruling) Funcinpec Party, will visit Seoul until Thursday," Lee Youn-soo, a ministry spokesman, told reporters.
He was scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by South Korea's Foreign Minister Song Min-soon later Tuesday.
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Monday, February 19, 2007
Rush for Cambodia's Oil begins
CAMBODIA
Cambodia has huge offshore oil fields whose expected worth far exceeds its current GDP. Experts fear that only the government, one of the most corrupt in the world, might benefit. An agreement with Thailand must still be worked out to develop fields in the Gulf of Thailand.
Phnom Penh (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Oil companies have begun lining up for licenses to tap Cambodia’s vast oil and gas fields, but experts are wondering whether this new wealth will be a blessing for the country. Firms from China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, Australia, and France have come knocking on officials’ doors to get permits to explore and develop the country’s energy riches. US giant Chevron Corp. has already drilled in the Gulf of Thailand in the last two years and found oil in five oil wells.
According to several studies conducted by the United Nations, World Bank, Harvard University, and other reliable institutions, Cambodian reserves could contain as many as 2 billion barrels of oil and 10 trillion cubic feet of gas. Based on the current world price of oil and gas, this may provide Cambodia with annual revenues of US$ 6 billion a year over the next two decades, an amount more than the country’s gross domestic product which is only about US$5 billion a year.
Cambodia is one of the world’s poorest countries. Some 40 per cent of its population of 14 million live below the national poverty line of 50 cents a day, 50 per cent of children never complete their primary education, 30,000 children die every year from preventable diseases, and only half of the countryside has access to electricity.
Many experts fear a repeat of what has happened in many other developing countries where massive influx of oil money enriched elites without improving the standards of living of the population.
The best example is Nigeria. Since the discovery of oil in the 1970s, the African country has exported more than US$ 400 billion in oil, but that has not benefited its people, 70 per cent of whom continue to live on less than $1 a day. Moreover, the country is carrying a US$30 billion debt.
Cambodia is still viewed as one of the most corrupt countries in the world with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party using violence in maintaining its power. But in recent years, Prime Minister Hun Sen's government has had to accept some reforms and show some more respect for human rights in order to get foreign aid which represents about 60 per cent of its working budget. However, soon it will no longer need Western aid and could disregard human rights groups altogether.
In fact, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s regime has already created a Cambodian National Petroleum Authority under his full direct control over the oil wealth.
Sokimex, Cambodia's leading conglomerate, is expected to play a key role in the energy sector. It is majority-owned by Sok Kong, a long-time friend of Hun Sen.
Cambodia’s main opposition party led by Sam Rainsy publicly accused the two companies of tax and customs-duty evasion on imported petroleum products and complained last year that domestic retail oil prices failed to fall in line with declining global oil prices, which fell by about 25 per cent between mid-July and November last year.
Cambodian oil fields are very important for China because they would allow its fuel shipments to bypass the congested Malacca Strait, through which nearly 80 per cent of its oil imports now flow.
Chinese leaders have also openly expressed concerns that in a potential conflict, US naval vessels could block China's fuel imports from the Middle East at the narrow channel that separates peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesia island of Sumatra.
Beijing has recently showered Cambodia with aid worth hundreds for millions of dollars. On January 18, a "goodwill" delegation from the Chinese Communist Party met and held undisclosed discussions with senior members of Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
Full-scale production of oil is not expected earlier than 2009 and Cambodia must still reach an agreement with Thailand on an overlapping area claimed by the two neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Thailand. Negotiations between the two have been going on for years but have not produced any result. (PB)
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
Meanwhile: The spirit world of the Elephant Mountains
James Pringle
Sunday, February 18, 2007
BOKOR, Cambodia
This once-opulent but long- abandoned hill town, located high above the sea on a spur of Cambodia's Elephant Mountains, is as evocative of French colonial days in Indochina as it is possible to get, down to the bottles of Bordeaux for sale at the forest ranger station.
When the stars blaze from the clear night sky and one sees the ghostly shadow of the deserted Bokor Palace Hotel at the edge of a 3,500 foot-escarpment, it is easy to imagine the orchestra playing prewar French favorites like "Valentine" by Maurice Chevalier, and numbers by his onetime lover, Mistinguett.
Colonial officials, rubber planters and their well-coiffed wives or mistresses would step out on the dance floor for the tango, rumba and Charleston.
Chips would click down on roulette tables in the nearby casino, now a deserted shell, as bow- tied attendants called "Faites vos jeux, mesdames et messieurs."
But the screams of small apes calling to their mates in the cool night are the only nocturnal cries one hears today.
And at dusk Bokor resembles nothing so much as the setting of a Marguerite Duras novel like "The Lover" — or a spooky Hollywood movie. Nowadays, the population of the town is only 20.
Two girls come in to the ranger station for a dinner of rice, fish and winter melon soup, glad to escape the solitude, and easily imagined dangers.
Unfortunate, even terrible, events have really happened here. In the 1970s and '80s, the Khmer Rouge threw their victims over the nearby cliff, dead or alive, often tossing live grenades to finish them off. Skulls and human remains littered the jungle for years, until nature played its part.
The Cambodians, great believers in the spirit world, say Bokor is haunted.
Thai Vong, 29, my driver, who zig- zagged uphill for two hours over broken rubble on the once-tarred jungle track from Kampot, a town far below, suddenly dragged himself from the clifftop.
"Something was tugging my leg toward the edge," he nervously explained, insisting he was not, in turn, pulling my leg.
The first Western explorers reached the plateau in 1917, and in 1922 the hill station was founded, similar to the now tourist-clogged Vietnamese hill resort of Dalat, where the Emperor Bao Dai hunted tigers.
In the 1940s, in a microcosm of major conflict elsewhere, there was battling between Communist Viet Minh and French forces, then, in the 70s, fighting raged between the pro-Western Cambodian government and nascent Khmer Rouge.
The 1980s brought pitched battles between Khmer Rouge, holed up in the deserted Roman Catholic church, and invading Vietnamese forces holding the bullet-pocked hotel 500 yards away. Somehow the church's cross survived. Inside, a Khmer Rouge artist left a self-portrait on the wall.
Nowadays, there are still uniformed men armed with AK-47 rifles. But these are forest rangers employed to discourage illegal logging and to protect wildlife, which includes tigers, boar, bear, deer, python, deadly kraits and, in the more remote jungle, elephants.
Before arriving, I doubted that animals could have survived decades of fighting and bombing. But my doubts vanished as a large, black boar suddenly raced across our tracks.
The ranger, Vi Rang, 21, said he would not have shot the boar, even if it charged us.
"I'd have fired in the air, as I do to scare poachers and illegal loggers," he said.
All this is encouraging news to those who thought Cambodia's wildlife had disappeared. There is currently a debate on whether to devote all efforts to protecting what is now a national park or to encouraging more tourism, besides the iPod-toting backpackers now venturing to this unspoiled, magical time-warp.
Supporters say the largely mine-free Bokor would surely benefit from tourism. After all, as a senior ranger said, "Despite everything, the animals survived, and are even claiming back their land."
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Thailand is the big threat to the Land and Sea Demarcations of Cambodia.
Cambodia provides 2,000 tons of rice for WFP
The Cambodian government has decided to provide 2,000 tons of rice to the World Food Program ( WFP), which has helped Cambodia support children in hunger and HIV- infected people, a statement from the spokesman office of the Cambodian government said here on Saturday.
The WFP received a "critical and timely" contribution of 500, 000 euros (648,000 U.S. dollars) on Feb. 8 from the Spanish government, which allows the WFP to resume its vital food assistance to over one million poor and vulnerable Cambodians, the statement said.
Spain's contribution is crucial as thousands of Cambodians suffered from malnutrition and not having enough food, said Thomas Keusters, WFP Country Director in Cambodia.
WFP appealed in January that it needed at least 10 million U.S. dollars to assist 1.1 million hungry and poor Cambodians until July 2007, Thomas Keusters said.
Source: Xinhua
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Cambodia releases 2,205 mln USD capital for public investment program
The Council of Ministers of Cambodia approved the draft of public investment program from 2007 to 2009 with 2,205 million U.S. dollars capital on Friday, a statement from spokesman office of the Cambodian government said here on Saturday.
The money will be spent on 605 projects, including 274 top priority projects and other 331 projects, the statement said, adding the projects in 2007 is worth about 695 million U.S. dollars, in 2008 about 740 million U.S. dollars and in 2009 about 770 million U.S. dollars.
The projects are all in the plans of the national development strategy, it said.
So far, the Cambodian government and development partners have pledged 1,143 million U.S. dollars for the projects, while Cambodia still needs 1,061 million U.S. dollars, the statement added.
Source: Xinhua
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Saturday, February 17, 2007
Chinese State Councilor visits former Cambodian King
Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan visited former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk on Saturday, a day before the Chinese lunar new year.
Tang conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's new year greetings and praised Sihanouk's outstanding contributions to promoting China-Cambodia relations.
"China and Cambodia are good neighbors and will hold various events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations next year," Tang said.
Tang said that the two peoples, especially the young generations of the two countries, should understand the value of the China-Cambodia friendship and make efforts to pass on the traditional friendship from generation to generation.
Sihanouk thanked Tang and asked him to convey his new year greetings to Hu and the Chinese people.
He said Cambodia had forged a special and profound friendship with China and Cambodian people deeply appreciate China's long-lasting support and help.
Source: Xinhua
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A Man Who Knew How Precious Life and Liberty Are
- Dr. Haing S. Ngor is shown holding a box of medical supplies he and Mackinac Center President Lawrence W. Reed delivered on a trip to Cambodia in 1989.
Friday, February 16, 2007
2 smart schoolds teachers, Mindanaoan off to Cambodia
A teacher from Iligan City and two others from the cities of Baguio and Lapu-Lapu will fly to Cambodia on February 28 to represent the country in the annual Asian Regional Innovative Teachers' Conference. Evelyn Waperi of Iligan City National High School, Warren Ambat of the Baguio City National High School (NHS), and Donald Dungog of the Science and Technology Education Center (Stec) were named "Most Innovative" Smart Schools teachers during a Microsoft tilt.
The trio won as Most Innovative Teachers during the 3rd Innovative Teachers Leadership Awards (ITLA). Both Ambat and Dungog belong to school partners of Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) under the Smart Schools Program.
They emerged winners in the annual search conducted by Microsoft Philippines' Partners in Learning (PiL) for public high school teachers who have successfully integrated Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into their classroom teaching and learning.
Dungog, an ICT and Math teacher at Stec, was quick to cite the importance of adequate computer facilities and training as well as Internet access and connectivity, which the school enjoys under the Smart Schools Program. Stec served as the pilot school in the Visayas for Smart's flagship education program.
Through the Smart Schools Program, Smart equips deserving public high schools with networked computers and peripherals connected to the Internet, which is given free for one year. Of the 10 finalists for Most Innovative Teachers, four are from Smart Schools Program partners.
Aside from Stec, these are New Ormoc NHS, Loakan NHS and Ramon Avanceña NHS. "Certainly, Smart Schools helped us win this award since we had the means to upload and download resources from the Internet.
Our Smart Teachers Learning Resource Center allows us to do research over the information highway," he said. Ambat, who used to teach at the Loakan NHS, an annex of the Baguio City NHS and a Smart Schools Program partner, agrees that the "access" provided by Smart proved vital in the integration of ICT into classroom learning. "Because of Smart and Microsoft and Potensyal, we qualified for this award," he said.
Only public high school teachers from the top 30 Potensyal Divisions can join ITLA. Potensyal is also a Microsoft program under PiL, which seeks to empower students, teachers and schools to realize their full potential with technology. Launched last year, Potensyal is a yearlong hunt for outstanding Department of Education (Deped) divisions that have successfully integrated ICT in student teaching and learning curriculum.
Ambat, Dungog, and Amperil bested 10 finalists from a total of 32 nominees nationwide. The other finalists were Leah Paton-og of Ipil NHS in Ormoc City; Eleth Thea Eamiguel of New Ormoc City NHS; Jennifer Sumalinog Mirasol of Babag NHS in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; Salvador Besares of Ramon Avanceña NHS in Iloilo City; Zosimo Gomez of Maria Cristina HS in Iligan City; Rico Bantiles of Muntinlupa Science HS in Muntinlupa City and Marijo Calderon of San Isidro NHS in Makati City.
They were chosen after presenting their digital portfolio of lessons before a board of judges. An English teacher, Ambat submitted three lessons that revolved around the use of ICT in aiding the learning, appreciation and understanding of literary works. Among these were "Localization & Digitization: An Approach to Appreciating Shakespearean Plays," a lesson which uses the World Wide Web to aid students in understanding a play of William Shakespeare.
Ambat asked students to incorporate Cordillera customs and tradition in a Shakespearean play, using a digital video camera to shoot the images and Windows Movie Maker to edit video footage and add titles and credits. Students added local and cultural touch to the play by changing the setting and minor events but retaining the names of characters and the general plot. In contrast, Dungog submitted five Math-based lessons.
These included "Mathlogics," where fourth year high school students were asked to use the Internet to help them develop their own logic in coming up with an automated computer program using Borland C++. The programs were then shared among out-of-school youths within their community, with the objective of making the group appreciate how they could manipulate the computer to do mathematical computations. (Press release)
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Cambodia charges two Germans with child abuse
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia charged two German men today with sexually abusing girls aged between 13 and 15, the latest prosecutions in a long push to rid the country of its reputation as a haven for foreign paedophiles.
Phnom Penh Judge Ke Sakhan named the men as Henning Karl Opitz, 60, and Thomas Von Engelhardt, 42, and said both were arrested in August on suspicion of abusing four girls in the capital.
After the pair appeared in the witness box to hear the charges, the judge cleared reporters from the court to protect the identity of the victims, some of whom were in tears as they sat outside the court waiting to be called as witnesses.
German diplomats and child rights activists also attended the hearing.
Opitz was also charged with human trafficking in conjunction with two Vietnamese women, the judge said without giving details.
Under Cambodia's "debauchery" law, sexual abuse of minors carries between 10 and 20 years in jail.
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Chinese companies to build power projects in Cambodia
Updated: 2007-02-17 09:26
(xinhua)
Chinese companies on Friday signed several agreements with Cambodian government officials on building a hydropower plant and an electricity transmission network for the kingdom.
The plant in Battambang province will cost 190 million US dollars and can generate 465 million kilowatt-hour of electricity per year, said Deputy Prime Minister Sok An while addressing the ceremony.
The power transmission network will be constructed at the cost 113 million US dollars to connect Phnom Penh, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat and Battambang, he said.
The Cambodian government adopts BOT pattern (build, operate and transfer) for both projects, he said.
They are expected to benefit the kingdom in the fields of energy production, flood prevention, employment expansion, and tax enhancement, he added.
China Yunnan Corporation for International Techno-Economic Cooperation and Yunnan Southeast-Asia Economy and Technology Investment Industrial Co Ltd undertake the construction and development of both projects.
Representatives from the two companies, the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Electricity Authority of Cambodia signed the agreements in the presence of Sok An, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng and other senior Cambodian government officials.
Currently, Cambodia does not have the infrastructure to generate enough electricity to meet the growing demand, which has been rising 15 percent to 20 percent per year, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
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Ambitious Vietnam woos investors
Published: Friday, 16 February, 2007, 10:43 AM Doha Time
By Grant McCool
HANOI: Vietnam is thinking big. After a transformational year for the economy in 2006, investors have barely paused for breath in early 2007 to cash in on one of the world’s most-exciting emerging markets. From Haiphong and Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, the government and foreign investors have ambitious plans to help develop the Southeast Asian country’s poor infrastructure and fledgling financial services.
The new money is welcomed by the communist-run government and the markets, but there are also concerns that a rapid flow of indirect investment has overheated the immature stock market and could lead to capital or currency controls.“The government is considering various options but the last thing they want to see is discouraging investment,” said Il Huong Lee, representative of the International Monetary Fund in Hanoi.
“The market is still small and they don’t want it to be swamped with short-term investors.”Vietnam’s six year-old Ho Chi Minh City Securities Trading Center rose 144% in 2006 and is up 43% this year, partly driven by foreign funds chasing profits in an economy growing at a rate of more than 8%. The VN Index lists 107 companies for a total market capitalisation of $15.6bn.
The investment rush has sparked speculation authorities might impose controls to limit the cash flowing into the economy, possibly after the Lunar New Year holiday that falls next week. Strong flows can fuel inflation and put pressure on the local currency to rise, but some representatives of firms who encourage foreign investment say they do not expect any controls to be drastic.
Others doubted Hanoi would copy Thailand, whose military appointed government imposed penalties in December on foreign investors withdrawing assets within a year. The Thai experience prompted a 15% sell off on the Bangkok stock exchange in one day.
Fast economic growth, an 84mn population where half are under 35 years old, low labour costs and political stability are all part of the mantra recited by economists and foreign investors as reasons for taking business to Vietnam. Its attraction is no longer a secret, especially since Hanoi signed a new trade deal with former enemy the US, won entry to the World Trade Organisation and hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last year.
Commitments of foreign direct investment (FDI) reached a record of more than $10bn in 2006, the government says, but overall the trend of actual disbursements has been slow. In 2004, FDI was $1.6bn and rose to $2.02bn in 2005, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
Businesses also say there are risks in a still-basic economy with annual per capita income of just $720, a financial system lacking transparency and legislation that is opaque to many outsiders. “The work so far must not be seen as an end in itself, but the first steps on a long road leading to Vietnam’s emergence as a true Asian Tiger,” said Nicholas Greenfield, director of the Hanoi office of the European Chamber of Commerce. – Reuters
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US legal group urges full probe into corruption allegations against judges of Khmer Rouge tribunal
15.02.2007
A New-York based legal group has urged a full probe into corruption allegations against judges of the long-awaited Khmer Rouge tribunal, prompting a quick dismissal Thursday by the tribunal's office.
The Open Society Justice Initiative, or OSJI, cited allegations "that Cambodian court personnel, including judges, must kick back a significant percentage of their wages to Cambodian government officials in exchange for their positions on the court."
In a statement received Thursday, the OSJI called for the allegations to be investigated "thoroughly, fairly and quickly." It did not cite the source of the accusations.
Helen Jarvis, a spokeswoman of the tribunal, which is scheduled to begin hearings later this year, called the allegations "unsubstantiated."
Jarvis, an Australian who helped the Cambodian government set up the U.N.-backed tribunal, said she didn't know where the accusations stemmed from. She said a routine financial audit of the tribunal was underway but it has "absolutely nothing to do with any allegations."
The corruption accusations could, however, deal another blow to the already troubled tribunal.
"If these allegations of corruption are confirmed, it would strip the (tribunal) of its integrity and undermine its ability to provide accountability for mass crimes," James A. Goldston, OSJI executive director, was quoted saying in the statement.
The tribunal was created by a 2003 agreement between Cambodia and the United Nations after years of difficult negotiations to bring those behind the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime to justice, the AP report.
The radical policies of the now-defunct communist group, which held power from 1975-79, led to the deaths of some 1.7 million people from execution, overwork, disease and malnutrition.
After long delays, the tribunal is set to convene later this year. But trials could face further delay because of continued disagreement between Cambodian and foreign judges on draft rules for governing the proceedings.
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
EU donates 187 mln USD for Cambodian 2007 development
The European Union is expected to give Cambodia about 187 million U.S. dollars to help the country to improve social sectors which are critical for its development cooperation in 2007, an EU statement said on Thursday.
The aid will be used in economic cooperation, health, education and rural development, but the big focus is on the reduction of poverty, private sector development, administrative reform, decentralization and human rights, Winston Mc Colgan, the charge d 'affairs of EU to Cambodia, said in the statement.
"We are confident that the EU funding will contribute substantially to the Royal Government of Cambodia's efforts to develop the country," he said.
The plans of fund are detailed in the annual report about EU's development cooperation activities in Cambodia, known as the Blue Book, which was presented to Mr. Keat Chhon, Cambodian Minister of Economics and Finance, by German Ambassador H.E. Mr. Puis Fisher and Mr. Winston Mc Colgan, the statement said.
Keat Chhon was also presented with the EU road map for increasing aid effectiveness, it said, adding that the Blue Book and EU road map are part of the EU's efforts to increase aid harmonization and alignment through better coordination.
Source: Xinhua
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KSKW secures Cambodian project
Ang Tong Nam (second from left) exchanging documents with Major General Ouk Kosa. The ceremony was witnessed by Cambodian officials and People’s Progressive Party vice-president Datuk Maglin D’Cruz (third from left)Ang, who is KSKW chairman, is involved in an automotive parts business, and managing director Thor, in trading of household and electronic items.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Cambodia holds ground breaking ceremony for construction of new road
Cambodian government held ground breaking ceremony here on Wednesday for the construction of national road No. 76, which is under preferential loan from China.
The ceremony, attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng, was held at the start point of the road in Snoul, Kratie province.
The ground breaking ceremony marks the start of four projects under the preferential buyer's credit loan from the Import-Export Bank of China (China Eximbank), Zhang said, adding that the Chinese government hopes the construction of those projects can help improve Cambodia's transportation environment and promote the economical development.
Hun Sen expressed his appreciation to the Chinese embassy, the China Road and Bridge Corporation as the contractor of the project and the concerned departments of the Cambodian government, saying that their efforts have made the project start shortly after it was initiated less than a year ago.
According to plan, the national road No. 76 from the junction of national road No. 7 in Snoul, Kratie province to Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri province, has a length of 127 km.
The China Eximbank signed an agreement with Cambodian government on Jan. 22 to offer 207 million U.S. dollars of loans to develop Cambodian infrastructure construction, including the construction of National Road No. 8 from Khsach Kandal to the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, the National Road No.76 and two bridges.
Source: Xinhua
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Australian Senate President starts official visit in Cambodia to strengthen bilateral ties
Australian Senate President Paul Calvert arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, starting his official visit in Cambodia from Feb.14-21 for strengthening the cooperation and bilateral ties between the two countries , a senior official said.
During the visit, Paul Calvert is scheduled to meet with Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly President Heng Samrin, Om Sarith, Secretary General of the Cambodian Senate, said on Wednesday.
"Cambodian and Australian Senates have always exchanged delegates every year for strengthening the cooperation and bilateral ties and we always have good relationship," Om Sarith told Xinhua.
Paul Calvert will also visit Siem Reap and Kompong Chhnang province, where the Australian government helps to fund for demining children's orphanage and health center projects, Om Saridth said.
Every year, Australia provides about 50 million U.S. dollars humanitarian funds to Cambodia, he added.
Source: Xinhua
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Cambodian prime minister lauds China, snipes at donorsWednesday 14 February 2007 12:22vote +45%
Wednesday 14 February 2007 12:22
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen lauded China and sniped at donor nations Wednesday, saying Chinese aid came with respect and no strings attached.
Speaking at the inauguration of a new road in the nation's north-east, Hun Sen appeared to be taking a swipe at donors after a tense meeting between them and the government earlier in the week. He praised China's relationship with Cambodia, saying it "respected Cambodia's independence and integrity. "
"All Cambodia asks is an equal relationship with its partners," Hun Sen said in a speech broadcast on national radio. "China is a very big country with 1. 3 billion people. If the Chinese all urinated at once, they would cause a great flood.
However, Chinese leaders do good things with their partners. " Last April China pledged 600 million dollars in aid to Cambodia during a visit by Premier Wen Jiabao - aid which the government and Chinese state media both said came with no conditions attached. That pledge almost matched the total pledged by all donor nations at the March Consultative Group meeting during which they again publicly castigated Cambodia over its human rights record and failure to pass an anti-corruption law.
Wednesday's inauguration of a Chinese-funded project came just days after similar public criticism had emanated from the quarterly meeting between donors and Cambodia. "When China gives, it doesn't say do this or that. We can do whatever we want with the money," Hun Sen said.
Donors have voiced increasing impatience over Cambodia's continued failure to put anti-corruption legislation before the National Assembly, with some even threatening to withhold funding to the heavily aid-dependent nation if it dallied on reforms much longer. dpa sl jh
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US urges Cambodia to get tough on Trademarks and Copyrights
Feb 14, 2007, 11:39 GMT
Phnom Penh - The US criticized Cambodia for lagging behind neighbouring Vietnam in strengthening its laws on trademark infringements despite its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), a Cambodian lawmaker said Wednesday.
Opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian said Senior Counsel of the Office of Enforcement of the US Patent and Trademark Office Peter Fowler had met with the parliamentary committee set up to oversee financial and economic matters and urged the country to toughen its laws against such infringements.
The US wants to see Cambodia ... create more laws to ensure the commercial environment and especially trademark problems, Keo Remy, deputy chief of the committee, told reporters.
Remy said he had reminded Fowler that Cambodia was a transit point and not a major production point for such infringements, but had also admitted that trademark violations did exist, especially in pirated goods such as CDs.
He said Fowler had extended an invitation for committee members to travel to Washington to attend a seminar on ways Cambodia could draft and implement tougher laws. Cambodia was granted WTO accession in 2003.
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Vietnam, Cambodia sign agreement on transportation
19:25' 14/02/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam and Cambodia have signed a supplementary agreement to the Agreement on Road Transportation they had previously inked.
The supplementary agreement was signed by Vietnamese Minister of Transport and Communications Ho Nghia Dung and Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transportation Sun Chanthol during Dung's visit to Cambodia on Feb. 11-12.
The Agreement on Road Transportation covers the coastal road transportation route linking Vietnam's Mekong delta province of Kien Giang with Cambodia's Kompot Province, Sihanoukville City and Kohkong Province.
The Cambodian and Vietnamese ministers spoke highly of their cooperation over recent years, particularly in launching a road transportation service from the Moc Bai border gate in Vietnam's Tay Ninh Province to Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh with 40 bus trips a day.
The Cambodian side proposed increasing the number of bus trips on this route to 100-140 trips a day and asked Vietnam to help it in building transport infrastructure.
(Source: VNA)
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Tuesday, February 13, 2007
WFP resumes programs providing food to people with TB, HIV in Cambodia
13-Feb-2007
The World Food Program has resumed its programs providing people living with HIV and tuberculosis in Cambodia with access to food after receiving aid from Spain and the U.S., the agency said on Thursday, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (AP/International Herald Tribune, 2/8).
Thomas Keusters, country director for WFP's Cambodia office, said recently that WFP had been "forced to suspend" the programs because of funding shortages.
The programs distribute food rations to 18,000 people with TB and 70,000 people with HIV.
They also ensure that HIV-positive people and people with TB needing medicine are connected with food distribution points.
"The sick need food first before taking medicines," Haidy Ear-Dupuy -- advocacy manager at the Phnom Penh, Cambodia, office of World Vision -- said, adding, "You cannot take medication on an empty stomach.
You must maintain a balance" (Macan-Markar, Inter Press Service, 2/6). WFP in a statement on Thursday said that Spain has provided about $650,000 and that the U.S. has provided 6,100 tons of legumes, as well as 2,370 tons of vegetable oil, for a period of three years.
WFP three weeks ago announced that it needed at least $10 million to run its programs in Cambodia through July (AP/International Herald Tribune, 2/8).
Keusters said WFP welcomed the donations but added that more "urgent donations" are needed (Agence France-Presse, 2/8). HIV prevalence in Cambodia is 1.6%, the highest in Southeast Asia, according to Inter Press Service (Inter Press Service, 2/6).
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Cambodia hopes Castor Oil will boost their Economic
Phnom Penh - Cambodian officials Tuesday said they were aiming for a sweet financial future fuelled by castor oil, after negotiating with a Singaporean company to establish significant castor seed plantations in central Cambodia.
Chay Sareth, governor of central Pursat Province, said his cabinet had reached agreement with Van der Horst Jatropha Oil Plantation Pty Ltd, which would provide local people with seeds and technical training before buying back the resulting crop 'at a fair price.'
How much land would be put under castor oil production was dependent on how well the plant performed in Cambodian conditions, but initial estimates indicated at least 1,000 hectares would be dedicated to the endeavour, he said.
'We are looking at this as a way to boost employment,' Sareth said. 'But we have not yet signed a final contract.'
Some analysts have predicted a continued rise in world demand for the oil as a bio-diesel fuel source.
India currently supplies more than 85 per cent of world demand, but markets are expecting a shortfall after Indian farmers began to shift to cotton production instead.
There may also be an exciting medical future ahead for 'jatropha curcas.' Various parts of the plant are currently being medically tested for a range of uses including as a treatment for diseases ranging from malaria to fevers and even tumors.
Experts say mature plants can be expected to produce nearly 2,000 litres of oil per hectare per year.
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Cambodia: A US navy warship left Cambodia on Tuesday
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: A U.S. navy warship left Cambodia on Tuesday after the first port call by an American military vessel in this Southeast Asian nation in more than three decades.
The USS Gary, a guided missile frigate with 200 officers and crew, received a send-off from Cambodian naval officers as it left Sihanoukville port, 185 kilometers (115 miles) southwest of the capital Phnom Penh, said Khun Borin, a Cambodian deputy naval commander.
During the vessel's four-day stay, U.S. sailors shared techniques for rescue operations with their Cambodian counterparts and the two sides had a chance to play soccer together. The Americans also conducted humanitarian activities, including repairing a local medical clinic and providing checkups for Cambodian villagers.
"The ship's visit has paved the way for the two countries' sailors to get to know each other more closely," Khun Borin said.
Cambodian and U.S. officials have hailed the visit as a sign of the improved relationship between the two countries.
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military heavily bombed suspected communist guerrilla strongholds in Cambodia up until 1974.
Eighteen U.S. soldiers were killed fighting Khmer Rouge forces on Koh Tang, a Cambodian island in the Gulf of Thailand, in May 1975.
The United States halted military assistance to Cambodia following a 1997 coup, in which Hun Sen grabbed full power after ousting his co-premier, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Hun Sen remains prime minister.
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Monday, February 12, 2007
UN: Cambodia Economic grow 9.5 per cent in 2006, but never realized Million Poor Cambodians no water to drink
Ankorcivilization
The UN: Cambodia Economic grew 9.5 per cent in 2006. The Economic growth was fuel by political stability in the country.
Good domestic products grew 13.4 per cent increase. The economic institute in Cambodia estimated good domestic product income worth $ 6.5 billion dollars.
With all of these good news, everybody seem very happy with economic growth and the $ 6.5 billion income. And everybody probably thought that the strive hard worth the return of this accomplishment (especially the UN). But the dark side is, how much did they know about Cambodia?, million Cambodian didn't even have fresh water to drink.
Million poor children have no access to school, the majority of them had no fresh water to drink and malnourished. All parents and children are living in a chaotic traumatized days and nights thinking about what they could get to fill their stomach for the next day. Someday they got a little bit food to eat and someday they didn't eat at all. Many of children are dying of starvation keeping their family member shrinking from generation to generation.
Pol Pot regime was a very tough one which Khmers never forget and all Killing Field Survivors (KFS) are living with psychological trauma. All of the Killing Field Survivors had never been rehabilitated. They are all living through the dust an unforgiven society (survive is harder than die). Everyday million Cambodians are begging for lives to live, but some unfortunate Khmers were not allowed to live (even a venue to be alive was not given).
Phnom Penh is the place where UN, donors and people around the world called the BOOM TOWN (Capital city), yes, it is. There are businesses, market square, government building, the rich, the Big fat government officials. But Phnom Penh is the blind fold for the World.
Billion dollars a year poured in Cambodia, hopefully 14 million Cambodians are not homeless and no beggars. But right now there are more beggars everywhere in the country and also more homeless people while more donations poured in and economic risen 9.5 per cent.
What happened was the million dollars financial and donation support for the Government keep boosting and bold strengthening corruption in the government and public level. It is Billion dollars windfall for the criminals to get bigger and fatter. And those criminals got more strength and stronger to flatten poor Villagers from their land, more people are now homeless, no food and no medication.
The UN and Donors around the world had poured billion of dollars to help poverish Cambodians; but instead, they are financing criminal activities in Cambodia without knowing that they are destroying Cambodia and the future of million children. In Cambodia today, every link and businesses, even people talking to people are money talks (bribes). If you don't have money, sorry keep going.
Phnom Penh is the very safe heaven for all level corrupted government officials and criminals. Especially the high ranking ministers, they are fat and ugly with high Villas lavished life. And each of them has two or three wives plus mistresses. Those Hells are living like no tomorrow. They are going after any thing and grabbed whatever they could. There is no law but bribes or money (law is just for putting low cast in jail).
There is nothing to stop those criminal officials from malicious act. The anti-corruption laws were no implemented because those supposed to sign the law are the perpetrators. And if they pass the law, there will be no free million dollars gift for them any more. So they just keep holding on the power as CPP monopoly political party and using all kind tactic, threats, beating, intimidation, suppression and killing.
Phnom Penh is the heaven for the riches and tourists. Phnom Penh is the smiling faces of government buildings at water front side showing delegations from around the world to see and believing that Cambodia is a better place and good future for million Cambodians. But those UN officials and delegations had never seen the outskirt of Phnom Penh and the remote towns.
All remote towns are like hell. There are no fresh water, food, hospital and people are living under the sacks, huts and trees. Every winter and rainy season, god had punished them by blowing Strong cold wind and poured rainy water on their dwellings. The body was soaked wet with water and shaky. They all got a little nap in a sitting curl up position. What is good about billion dollars donation to fight poverty? What is good about about economic growth?
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Bridge links Viet Nam, Cambodia (another new Vietcong Trail?)
Feb.12, 2007
DONG THAP — Viet Nam and Cambodia got a little closer to become Hanoi' domination last Friday. With the joined cooperation between the two countries policy that were signed stacking up ton of times, Vietnam is seeing all chew bones for the hungry Hyenas.
After a year of construction, the Dinh Ba Bridge, connecting Dong Thap Province in Viet Nam and Preyveng Province in Cambodia, officially opened. It is another Ho Chi Minh tail that keep Vietnameses flow into Cambodia non-stopped. What will future like for Cambodia?
Cambodia is a living rat inside snake' iron cage. Politically, Vietnamized administration controlling, blocking the progress in all Government level. And all level in the Ministries in Cambodia are controlling by the CPP. Corruptions are free meals sharing among the Government officials.
The bridge links people travelling through the Dinh Ba border crossing to Cambodia’s Bon Tia Chac Cray check stop across the So Ha River. The total cost of the project was VND5 billion (US$312,000) and was funded by the Vietnamese government.
The new bridge is expected to facilitate trade, tourism and cultural ties between the two countries, particularly for Viet Nam’s Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces and eastern communities in Cambodia.
Before all Vietnamese who were crossing to Cambodia being illegal, and now thousand of them can freely travelling through the border and building their dwellings inside Cambodia land. The border have been shrinking from generation to generation. It was a very big lost in the American war with Hanoi in 1970.
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Singaporean company invests castor oil plantation in Cambodia
The government of Cambodia's Pursat province has sign an agreement with a Singaporean company to invest a castor oil plantation there, a government official said on Monday.
Chay Sareth, governor of Pursat province and Peter Cheng, representative of Vander Horst Jatropha oil plantation PTE Ltd. of Singapore, signed the agreement at the provincial hall on Feb. 7, Pich Horn, deputy governor of Pursat province told Xinhua by phone.
The Singaporean company will provide local people with the seeds and technique for planting Jatropha Curcas, a kind of plant which can be refined into castor oil, and they will buy it back in appropriate price, Pich Horn said.
This investment will help local people to get jobs and promote economic development of the country, he said.
Peter Cheng told the governor that his company also plans to build a factory to refine the castor oil in this province for exporting and local use, he added.
Peter Cheng said that his company, which has a big factory in Singapore, has invested to plant the Jatropha Curcas in many Asian countries, such as Indonesia, India, Burma, Laos and Vietnam, Pich Horn said.
Source: Xinhua
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Political stability helping Cambodia's economy: UN Cambodia
CambodiaIn Depth
The United Nations says the economy in Cambodia grew by 9.5 per cent last year, attributing growth to political stability after three decades of civil war.
The economic performance followed a record 13.4 per cent growth in Cambodia's gross domestic product in 2005. The UN says apart from booming tourism and rising garment exports, political stability after three decades of civil war, including the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule in the 1970s, helped spur Cambodia's economy.
The Economic Institute of Cambodia estimated the country's gross domestic product at $US6.5 billion dollars last year.
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Hong Kong youth traditional about sex
Hong Kong (dpa) - Hong Kong has a reputation as one of Asia's raciest and most cosmopolitan cities, but when it comes to sex, its young people are surprisingly traditional, according to a survey released Monday.
Nearly 50 per cent of university and college students said they thought premarital sex was unacceptable while 30 per cent said they would be unhappy if the man or woman they married was not a virgin, according to the survey conducted by the Christian group the Hong Kong Sex Culture Society.
Asked what form of contact was appropriate for boyfriends and girlfriends before marriage, 411 of the 943 students polled said kissing. Only 27 per said they thought sex was appropriate.
Seventy per cent of the young people questioned said they believed in lifelong unions and that people should look for partners who they would remain with for life. The results demonstrated how traditional beliefs about marriage and morality still largely hold sway in the city of 6.8 million.
Because of the city's size, most college and university students in Hong Kong live at home rather than on campus. Young people usually carry on living with their parents until, and sometimes after, they marry.
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Cambodia to send nearly 200 athletes to attend SEAGAMES
Cambodia will send nearly 200 athletes to compete in the Southeast Asia Games (SEAGAMES) to be held in Thailand, the Commercial Daily here on Sunday quoted sports officials as saying.
The team will comprise 189 athletes, 59 of them women, 46 coaches and 22 supervisors, they said.
All the athletes are to be rallied up for training on March 1, they said.
Mainly because of geographic and traffic convenience, Cambodia decided to dispatch a large team there, they added.
Source: Xinhua
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Sunday, February 11, 2007
Singapore IT-service provider upbeat on China, Cambodia, Malaysia
By DPA Feb 12, 2007, 3:03 GMT
Singapore - Resolvo Systems, a Singapore information technology-service provider, is bullish about its three new operations in China, Cambodia and Malaysia, an executive said in a report published Monday.
'Revenues from our overseas operations are expected to help grow our overall revenue by some 70 per cent for fiscal year 2007,' co-founder Yap Boon Leong told The Business Times.
While declining to disclose exact figures, he said revenue last year was in the millions.
'By 2008, we expect revenue outside of Singapore to surpass that of revenue from Singapore,' Yap was quoted as saying. 'As part of our regional strategy, this year, we are going to look at the markets of Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.'
Resolvo's main areas of focus are virtual desktops, open-source infrastructure solutions, identity-management solutions and enterprise solutions.
Its operations in Cambodia also handle research and development. 'Cambodia is a highly underrated country, often overshadowed by its neighbour Vietnam,' Yap said.
He praised the drive and aptitude of the company's Cambodian staff.
Resolvo was founded in April 2000 by Yap and his partner, Wong On Yee.
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Students baking cookies to aid Cambodia
By JEFFREY HAGE jeff.hage@lee.net
Steam rose from the baking pan as Jacob Wagner pulled a dozen cookies, soft and hot, from the modern kitchen at his town of Tilden home.The oven used to bake the cookies, the running water that moistened the cookie dough, and the kitchen utilities used to form the dough into round balls were a stark contrast from those that the cookies would benefit.
Jacob and his fellow fourth graders at Hillcrest Elementary School in Chippewa Falls have been joined by their parents in kitchens throughout Chippewa Falls the past three weeks baking cookies for weekly bake sales with proceeds benefiting children in Cambodia.
The project, which has turned Hillcrest into a building full of "cookie monsters," began in the classroom of teacher Beth Prusila, who called to action by her brother and sister-in-law, who traveled to Cambodia recently and saw the terrible conditions children were living in.
"They have no toilets, books, chalkboards or running water," Prusila said of the Cambodian schools. Prusila's brother felt bad about what he witnessed and called her to see if Hillcrest could help the children in Cambodia.And help, Hillcrest has.
For the past three Wednesdays, Prusila's students have been arriving at school early to sell their home baked cookies from 7:30-8:15 a.m. Combined with a bake sale during conferences one night this past week, the students have raised $1,061 through "Cookies for Cambodia." There are three more Wednesday morning cookies sales planned, with the other Hillcrest fourth grade classes stepping up to bake and sell cookies, too.
It was the students who dreamed up the "Cookies for Cambodia" idea."We were trying to think of ways to help them and we decided on the cookies," said fourth grader Elli Daniels."We thought a lot of kids would want to buy cookies," said Marissa Pearson, a fellow student.Student Kurt Schauss liked the idea."Cookies and Cambodia - they both start with Cs so they go good together," he said.
Student Riley Patrow not only helped by baking cookies and then purchasing a few dollars worth for a Wednesday school-time snack. He also added $26 of his hard-earned cash to the cookie kitty.Kaitlin Rubenzer, another fourth grader, said she's glad to be able to help out for a good cause."It's nice to help if they don't have anything over there," she said.
The fourth graders have learned about Cambodia through social studies lessons. They have seen the plight of the Cambodians first hand through photos sent to Prusila by her brother. Prusila shared with her students a video her brother filmed and Cambodia and sent along on a compact disk."They sent me photos, and we used them to make posters advertising the cookie sales," Prusila said.
Now students from every grade level have been exposed to the dire conditions of students in a far-away land. Prusila says her brother and sister-in-law have big plans for the money Hillcrest raises."They are going back to Cambodia and are going to buy chalkboards and supplies right there.
My brother is going to commission a well so they have fresh water. The learning environment and living conditions of 700 Cambodian students are sure to change for the better all because of some flour and water mixed with love - and a few chocolate chips for good measure.
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Cambodia to open islands to tourists
Phnom Penh (dpa) - Cambodia's pristine islands are to be the focus of a new government push to attract developers and broaden the base of the country's growing tourism market, local media reported Sunday.
The English-language Cambodia Weekly quoted Tourism Ministry secretary of state Thon Khon as saying the 61 mostly untouched islands had been identified by the government as ideal development and investment opportunities.
The government is keen to develop its booming but narrow-based tourism industry beyond the temples of Angkor Wat in the country's north in order to create a more robust tourism economy.
"We need to link the Angkor temples to the beaches ... Although we have many tourism sites, our two biggest potential draws are the Angkor Wat temples and the beaches," the newspaper quoted Khon as saying.
The paper also quoted investment chief for the Council for the Development of Cambodia, Sourn Sothy, as saying that there were a number of bids on the table centered around Cambodian islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Sothy said the government was keen for rapid development in the area, and was demanding earnest money of 1,000 dollars per hectare from investors which would be forfeited by those who sat on land and failed to develop it within six months.
Last September the government announced it had signed an agreement to allow a Russian company to develop a coastal island into a tourist resort with an initial investment of up to 300 million dollars. The Ministry of Tourism annual report released last week recorded 1.7 million visitors to Cambodia in 2006, up by nearly 20 percent.
The country registered 1 billion dollars in tourism revenue in 2006, up from $832 million in 2005. However these figures were highly dependent on visitors to Angkor Wat, the gateway of which, Siem Reap, has an international airport.
Earlier this year Sihanoukville Airport also reopened, and the Tourism Ministry has said it is keen to attract tourists from Angkor to its stunning white sand beaches and islands in the south-west of the country, around 240 kilometers from the capital.
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U.S. sailors provide medical care to villagers in landmark Cambodia visit
The sailors from a U.S. warship named USS Gary on Saturday conducted community relations events, providing medical care to villagers, during the first U.S. Navy visit to Cambodia in more than 30 years.
During their second day on land, sailors painted a clinic and fixed its rain gutter in a village near Cambodia's main port city of Sihanoukville, where their ship docked.
At a nearby Buddhist pagoda, about 200 villagers lined up to get their health checked by a team of warship doctors.
The small medical team of two primary care doctors, two dentists and their assistants are joined by local physicians and the Sihanoukville Public Health Department to provide primary health services to local villagers in the two day medical civic action event on Saturday and Sunday, according to a press release from the U.S. embassy.
The USS Gary is the first American naval vessel to make a port call in Cambodia in the past 32 years, Joseph Mussomeli, U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, said to reporters, adding that the visit symbolizes strengthening ties between Cambodia and the United States.
The USS Gary is an Oliver Hazard Perry Class guided missile frigate. This class currently consists of 51 ships making it the largest single class of warships built by a Western Nary since World War Two, the press release said.
The ship, which is 453 feet in length, has a crew of 21 officers and 203 enlisted personnel, it said.
The USS Gary is scheduled to make a ship visit to Cambodia from Feb. 9 to Feb. 13, it added.
Source: Xinhua
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SK buys stake in Vietnam offshore oil field
SK Corp. said yesterday it bought a 25 percent stake in an offshore oil development project in Vietnam to better tap the fast-growing energy demand in Southeast Asia.
Korea's largest refinery took over the shares in the 15-1/05 oil field from Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp., or Petrovietnam, the Southeast Asian country's state-run oil monopoly.
The purchase is SK's second energy investment in Vietnam.
The company currently holds a 9 percent stake in the neighboring 15-1 reserve, which has secured about 300 million barrels of crude oil and over 3 trillion cubic feet of gas.
"We had a great success in 15-1 field, and we pin a high hope on the new project as well," SK CEO Shin Heon-cheol said in a signing ceremony in Hanoi.
SK also plans to set up a branch in Hanoi in a further effort to expand its overseas exploration businesses. SK is currently tapping 25 oil fields across 14 countries, having secured about 440 million barrels of oil reserves so far.
The Seoul-based oil firm estimates its crude oil development project in Brazil will start production in the second-half of 2007.
SK's oil development business turned in about 215 billion won ($228 million) in operating income last year, which accounted for nearly 20 percent of total earnings.
Industry watchers largely expect the company's revenue from exploration projects to further rise in the coming years on the back of high petroleum prices.
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Saturday, February 10, 2007
Germany donates 10 mln USD for Cambodia to repair rural roads
The German government has donated 7.6 million EURO (around 10 million U.S. dollars) for Cambodia to improve its rural roads' condition in the next three years, the Bayan Television said on Saturday.
The fund will help restore and repair about 2,000 kms of rural roads across the country, it quoted Yim Chaily, secretary of state of Ministry of Rural Development, as saying.
In the future, said Chaily, the quality of the rural roads is expected to match that of the national roads.
According to official statistics, Cambodia's road web now extends 35,000 kms, including 4,800 kms of national roads, 5,700 kms of provincial roads and 24,500 kms of rural roads.
Source: Xinhua
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Finland donates 2 mln USD for Cambodia to improve land registration
Finland has donated about 2 million U.S. dollars for Cambodia to improve its land registration, officials told Xinhua on Saturday.
Ministry of Urbanization and Construction will use the fund to adopt modern information technology, strengthen public awareness and increase community participation in the sector of land registration, said Mean Chanvanny, chief of Cabinet of Ministers.
In addition, Im Chhun Lim, Minister of Urbanization and Construction, expressed appreciation to Finland, saying that it has helped Cambodia handle the land registration, a key work closely connected with the living conditions of the people.
From 2002 to 2007, Finland altogether provided about 3.5 million U.S. dollars for Cambodia to improve its land registration, he added.
Source: Xinhua
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Cambodia needs support from Spain for UNSC non-permanent membership
The Cambodian Government had consulted Spanish foreign minister Leire Pajin Iraola for its application for non-permanent membership of the United Nation Security Council from 2013 to 2014, an official said on Friday.
The minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Hor Nam Hong had discussed with Spanish Deputy Foreign Minister Leire Pajin Iraola who arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit, said Ros Simara, head of the information department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Iraola promised to take this issue to his government for consideration. Cambodia had not considered any important role in the United Nations for a long time period, it just hopes to apply for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council from 2013 to 2014, said Ros Simara.
Meanwhile, Ros Simara confirmed that Spain will open its embassy in Cambodia in 2008.
Hor Nam Hong has asked the Spanish side to open the embassy as soon as possible for bilateral cooperation of both countries such as political tied, business and investment, he added.
In addition, said Ros Simara, the deputy foreign minister apologized for canceling the official visit of Queen Sofia of Spain to Cambodia, originally scheduled for Feb. 8, because one of her relatives died of road accident.
The queen will resume her visit to Cambodia in an appropriate time in the future, he added.
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Retired Marine Allegedly Raped Girls In Cambodia
LOS ANGELES A retired Marine Corps captain who worked as a teacher in Phnom Penh was expelled from Cambodia and now faces charges for allegedly forcing young girls to have sex with him while in that country. Michael Joseph Pepe, 53, arrived on a flight Wednesday from Cambodia, escorted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements agents.
ICE'S Los Angeles head of investigations, Robert Schoch, said the details of Pepe's case " are as appalling as any we've ever encountered in a sex tourism investigation."Pepe is charged under a U.S. law that allows prosecution of individuals for engaging in engaging in child sex tourism. If convicted of the charge, he faces up to 30 years in prison, according to ICE. In an affidavit filed in the case, authorities allege Pepe paid a prostitute a finder's fee to bring him young victims.
He allegedly paid the young girls' families a fee and monthly stipend for access to the girls for sexual gratification. In one case, the prostitute admitted receiving $10 for finding him a young girl, whose family received $300, authorities allege. Pepe was arrested by the Cambodian National Police in June after an investigation by U.S. and Cambodia authorities.
The ICE investigation was opened after it received information from two groups alleging Pepe had raped and sexually abused local children using bondage, drugs and beatings, according to court papers. Agents who searched Pepe's home found rope and cloth strips allegedly used to restrain the victims, child pornography, children's clothes, and mood altering drugs, along with newspaper articles about pedophiles, according to ICE.
Pepe's computer contained hundreds of images of nude and semi-clothed children, in some cases bound, performing various sex acts with a man authorities believe is Pepe, according to ICE.
An affidavit filed in support of the charges states ICE agents interviewed four of Pepe's alleged victims, who ranged in age from 9 to 12. The girls stated he had sexually abused them, according to ICE. Schoch said the case is "yet another reminder that pedophiles believe they can evade detection and prosecution by committing sex crimes overseas.
Fortunately for the world's young people, foreign authorities and U.S. law enforcement are allied in their resolve to combat this problem and bring the perpetrators to justice."
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Friday, February 09, 2007
Viet Nam, Cambodia agree to do more to fight criminals
Feb. 9,2007
Yuon Public Security minister Le Hong Anh had signed the agreement with Cambodian Minister in cooperation fighting criminal activities and terrorism. But the Commonist Yuon never recognized terrorism when their authorities confiscated land, beating and jailed Khmer Krom.
The Cambodian government and all the high ranking officers are also committing crime against Cambodian people. They robbed farm land, torn down houses and chasing poor Cambodians with guns, these are an act of terrorism. They are the one committing crime. Why should they bother to sign an agreement to fight crime?
Phnom Penh — The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Cambodian Ministry of Interior have signed an agreement to further battle criminal activity, in 2007.
Vietnamese Minister of the MPS Le Hong Anh, signed the agreement on February 7, in Phnom Penh during his four-day working visit.
The programme is set to focus on and combat terrorism, transnational crime rings, human trafficking, drug smuggling, money laundering and illegal immigration.
Security personnel training will also be on the agenda which aims to reinforce the two countries’ co-operation in maintaining social order and building a common border of peace, friendship, stability and development.
Last year, the two ministries collaborated effectively in bringing to light a number of criminal rings involved in drugs and human trafficking.
During the visit, Vietnamese officers laid a wreath at a monument dedicated to Vietnamese soldiers who lost their lives in Cambodia. The delegation was also received by Prime Minister Hun Sen. — VNS
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