Cambodian Anxiety Peaks Ahead of Khmer Rouge Verdict

In Cambodia, the trial of a leading Khmer Rouge figure, blamed for the deaths of about 16,000 people, is heading for a conclusion.

The trial of Kang Guek Eav, also known as Duch, has gripped this nation for almost a year and a half. Millions of people are expected to watch on television as the verdict is announced, Monday, by a United Nations-backed court.

Duch ran the S21 torture and extermination center, where thousands of men, women and children were processed before being sent to dig their own graves in the killing fields on the outskirts of the capital.

Initially, Duch pleaded no contest. Throughout the tribunal he has provided an abundance of chilling evidence into the inner workings of Pol Pot and his ultra-Maoists.

They ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979 and are being held responsible for the deaths of perhaps two million people, who died of murder, starvation and illness.

But, in a final legal twist, Duch changed his plea to not guilty and asked the judges to release him. He has sacked the head of his international defense team, French Lawyer Francois Roux, and asked for a Chinese lawyer to replace him.

Theary Seng survived the killing fields as a child. She was rescued from the refugee camps and raised in the United States, where she became an author and lawyer. She is the founder of the Center for Justice and Reconciliation.

"There's a lot of confusion at the moment because recently we were told Duch fired his U.N. lawyer at the 11th hour, on the advent of the verdict, which is very perplexing," Seng says. "And, it has raised suspicions again of political interference. It has raised cynicism. It has confirmed the fears of many Cambodians in thinking that Duch is not believable, in the first place - that his confession, his asking for forgiveness - aren't genuine and hopeful the fears won't turn into paranoia."

The Cambodian government has directed all domestic television networks to broadcast the verdict.

At the court, about 300 journalists and hundreds more officials, diplomats, legal observers and Khmer Rouge victims have overwhelmed authorities in seeking seats for the announcement.

Regardless of Duch's last-minute legal maneuvers, Theary Seng, along with many others, believe his admissions to overseeing crimes of torture that included water boarding and medical operations on patients without an anesthetic and the eventual murders of thousands of people will lead to a conviction and life in prison.

His evidence would also prove compelling in cases to follow. Another four surviving Khmer Rouge leaders - Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and his wife, Ieng Thirith - are to on trial next year.

"It's a catalyst that has broken the silence of the last 30 years of this regime, which has truly taken the lives of one-fourth to one-third of the Cambodian population. Every Cambodian alive right now is directly affected by the crimes of the past," Seng said.

After the Khmer Rouge were ousted by invading Vietnamese troops in early 1979, civil war continued for another two decades. Only then was Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in a position to ask the United Nations to help broker an international tribunal to focus on the atrocities allegedly carried out by Pol Pot and his henchmen.

Further delays followed, amid bickering with the United Nations about the final make-up of the tribunal and funding issues. However, the long awaited trial eventually got underway and is expected to remain a fixture on this country's legal and political landscape for a few years to come.

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New Zealander in Cambodia for Khmer Rouge verdict

By JERRY HARMER (AP)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The brother of one of a handful of Westerners killed by the Khmer Rouge returned to Cambodia for a landmark verdict in a war crimes tribunal, saying there can never be adequate justice for his family.

It was not clear how Rob Hamill's brother, Kerry, fell into the hands of the brutal communist regime. The 28-year-old's yacht was captured in Cambodian waters in 1978 and he and shipmate Briton John Dewhirst were taken to S-21 prison, tortured and executed.

A third member of the crew, Canadian Stuart Glass, was apparently shot dead when the boat was seized.

When the news reached Hamill's hometown of Hamilton, New Zealand more than one year later, it tore apart what had been a close-knit family. One brother committed suicide months later; Rob Hamill became a teenage drunk. His parents never recovered.

"There'll never be justice for our family," said Hamill, 46, noting his mother died seven years ago and did not get to witness the trial or hear its verdict. "I can't quite reconcile how justice can ever be served with the nature and the way these people's lives were taken."

A U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal will issue its first verdict Monday against a senior member of the Khmer Rouge, the ultra-communist regime blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million Cambodians during their 1975-79 rule.

About a dozen Westerners were among the estimated 16,000 people held at S-21 before being killed.

As commander of S-21, Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Those who passed through the gates of his secret prison were deemed the worst enemies of the paranoid Pol Pot regime: spies, saboteurs, traitors — and foreigners. Many were tortured. Interrogators pulled out toenails, drained blood and electrocuted prisoners to extract confessions.

In 1979 after Vietnamese invaders overthrew the Khmer Rouge, Kerry Hamill's so-called confession of espionage was among the meticulous records discovered at S-21.

Last year Rob Hamill spoke at Duch's trial, the only Westerner to do so as a victim, and tried to convey his family's suffering.

He says confronting Duch in court has helped him deal with the grief that has haunted his life, but forgiveness for his brother's killer still eludes him.

"I wanted to forgive Duch so that it would allow me to move on — until I went to S-21 and I got to see what this guy created," he said. "Any compassion I had for him at that time went out the window.

"Since then, time has a funny way of warping things," he said. "I've got an internal battle going on and maybe this sentencing will somehow further that process."

On his first visit, Hamill says he was an emotional wreck. This time he said he feels more in control, more at peace and believes his brother Kerry would approve of the way the family is finally moving on.

"I think he'd be very proud of what we're trying to do as a family to represent him after 30 years of our own family suppressing it and not talking about what happened and the effect it had on us all as a family," he said.

"I think this is a very special time and I'd like to think he's looking down and saying 'Well, it's about bloody time.'"

Rob Hamill, a rower who represented New Zealand at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, has requested a face-to-face meeting with Duch after the verdict to try to find out more about Kerry's fate. So far he's had no answer.

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Prison Deaths Across Cambodia Increasing: Rights Group

The number of people dying in Cambodia's prisons are increasing, according to a leading human rights group. Adhoc investigators say at least 26 prisoners have died across the country in the first six months of the year.

That number is an increase of 18 above the same period in 2009. The figures are according to a study conducted by Adhoc, which in part looked at prison documents.

The provincial prison in Kampong Cham accounted for the most deaths, which recorded at least six in the month of July, Adhoc reported.

According to a Kampong Cham prison report obtained by VOA Khmer, the prisoners died of Hepatitis B, hypertension and stroke, among other ailments. But Adhoc says the deaths can be blamed on overcrowding in cells.

“I do not believe prisoners died from disease,” Chan Soveth, an investigator for the group, said.

In Kampong Cham prison, up to 23 prisoners are kept in one room, creating conditions so crowded they are forced to sleep on their sides instead of their backs, he said.

Seak Leng Seap, deputy director of Kampong Cham prison, called the report untrue, but he declined to comment further. Officials at the Ministry of Interior's prison department could not be reached for comment.

Adhoc estimates the total number of prisoners in Cambodia at nearly 14,000, an increase of about 400 since last year.
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Christians Help Stem Cholera Outbreak in Cambodia

Two churches and a non-governmental organization working with the authorities have effectively stemmed a cholera outbreak in a district of Cambodia. The outbreak was part of a wider epidemic in the North-eastern Ratanakiri province that has resulted in at least 36 deaths since April.

Taveng district’s health center was overwhelmed with patients by early July. The health center expressed its need for help from volunteers to provide basic health education to prevent the spread of the disease. This was the evening of the first Sunday of the month.

As soon as churches in Ban Lung district and Ta Aung heard the plea, they mobilized their young people and trained them Monday morning. By the afternoon, volunteers were conducting a community education course with 300 people in attendance.

After the meeting, the team trained 14 health volunteers from Phaw and a neighboring village. Each volunteer received a set of materials to facilitate cholera education in outlying fields and hamlets.

In one instance, a woman living in a distant hamlet was about to die. However, local taboos prevented villagers from lending a motorized canoe to take her to the health center. The village head appealed to his Christian villagers and one of them lent his boat and the woman was saved.

Within three days, the team covered seven villages, all of them hotspots, in Taveng district. As a result of the cooperation between the Ban Lung Church, Christian development NGO ICC and district health authorities, the Taveng outbreak was brought under control.

According to official statistics, there were 96 cases and four deaths reported in Taveng during the one-week period of outbreak.

Cholera, a highly contagious disease, causes violent vomiting, diarrhea and possibly death from dehydration within four hours. More than 1,700 cases of cholera have been recorded in Ratanakiri province from April to early July.

The Cambodian province saw its last serious cholera outbreak in 1999 when 275 people died. At that time, Christians were involved in developing cholera education materials, such as pictures and catchy songs, suitable for use with illiterate tribal villagers. Multiple copies of the materials were made for health center staff and village health volunteers.

Pleased with the cooperation, the provincial health department invited the Ban Lung Church to address an official government cholera meeting held July 7.

During the meeting, the church distributed cholera education materials to staff of 29 health centers and health posts throughout the province.

The church even used creative arts in its efforts to promote health education within village communities. Young volunteers were trained to conduct educational skits and community theater. On invitation, they performed at the provincial hospital for relatives of cholera patients.

At the hospital, volunteers noticed that there were too many patients living in unsanitary conditions. Many people who came to care for their sick relatives ended up contracting the disease due to a lack of knowledge concerning hygiene. Meeting the need, the team set out to disinfect the wards with clorox.

After a successful debut in the hospital, the community drama troupe was invited to provide cholera education in the villages around Ta Aung commune, where outbreaks were still happening. The church also cooperated with officials from Kon Mum district to educate its villagers.

Villagers loved the slapstick performances in their own language. One lady, rolling over with laughter, exclaimed, “This is too real!” The performances showed how cholera is transmitted at funerals and through lack of personal hygiene.

The cooperation between Christians and the local authorities encouraged other Christian groups elsewhere. One group, inactive due to persecution, was emboldened after seeing the troupe working with authorities. Its members immediately resumed worship meetings.

Christians in the village of Sek were encouraged to see that they are part of a wider, caring community of faith. The close cooperation between Christians and authorities left a good impression on community leaders and parents of young Christians in that village.

As a result of the community service, non-Christians in the predominantly Buddhist country were drawn to learn more about Christianity. A staff from one of the health centers, who worked with the Christians, turned up for a worship service at Ban Lung Church. At that meeting, the church prayed for him and other public servants and organizations engaged in fighting cholera.

The team continues to cooperate with officials in Ta Aung and Toeum communes. It is currently visiting other hotspots in Taveng district.
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Cambodia delays stock market debut to next July

By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press Writer

(AP:PHNOM PENH, Cambodia) Cambodia has delayed the opening of its proposed stock market for a second time, pushing the date back to July next year.

A statement Wednesday from the Finance Ministry said the delay was due to technical issues and the global economic crisis.

"The postponement of the stock market is to adapt to the evolving situation of the global economic and financial situation, which shows some positive signs of recovery but is still fragile," the statement said.

Last December, officials said Cambodia's stock market would open by the end of this year after initially targeting it to begin operating in 2009. After receiving the approval from Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodia stock exchange is expected to kick off in July 2011, the statement said.

The Cambodian economy is small and reliant on textiles, which account for nearly 80 percent of exports, and hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid. Foreign investment has been deterred by the country's reputation for endemic corruption.

Neighboring Vietnam started its stock market in July 2000. Nearby Laos is also planning a stock exchange.

Hong Sok Hour, director general of the Cambodia Securities Exchange, said the delay was necessary because Cambodia needs everything to be in place before the opening.

"We want our bourse to be a good one when we open. That is why we need the infrastructure and human resources to be ready at the same time," Hong Sok Hour said.

In December, Cambodia awarded a contract to a South Korean firm, World City Co. Ltd., to build the $6 million, four-story, 71,900-sq. foot (6,682-sq. meter) stock market building in Phnom Penh's planned financial district on the outskirts of the capital.

Hun Sen announced plans in 2007 to launch a stock market, saying Cambodia needs to find new ways to attract international capital beyond international aid and bank loans.

Soon after, lawmakers approved a securities law on issuance and trading of nongovernment securities to pave the way for the market.

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Multinational peacekeeping operation kicks off in Cambodia

KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia -- Servicemembers from 10 countries stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the parade field at the Training School for Multinational Peacekeeping Forces here July 17, marking the start of the Angkor Sentinel 2010 field training exercise, co-sponsored with the U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in support of the U.N. Global Peacekeeping Operation Initiative.

During the ceremony, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Maj. Gen. Peter Pawling said, "the Global Peacekeeping Operation Initiative training approach reflects the process as it continues to involve both conceptually and operationally to meet new and ever changing environments."

Countries participating in Angkor Sentinel include the U.S., Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Philippines, Mongolia, Tonga, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Chief of Operations for Angkor Sentinel, Col. Ker Savoeun, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, said the opening ceremony will help bring the Cambodian soldiers together with their leadership and allow them both to see what the Global Peacekeeping Operation Initiative is all about.

Over the course of the 14-day Angkor Sentinel exercise, participants will complete lane training in checkpoint operations, patrolling, securing a distribution site, convoy operations, conducting a cordon and search, and securing a disarmament area.

Angkor Sentinel 2010 is the latest in a continuing series of global operation initiative exercises designed to promote peacekeeping capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Abuse, Rape Await Sex Workers in Detention: Human Rights Watch

The 76-page report, “Off the Streets: Arbitrary Detention and Other Abuses Against Sex Workers in Cambodia,” is based on interviews with women and transgendered prostitutes in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap.

Sex workers are facing unlawful arrests and abuse by police and other authorities in government detention, Human Rights Watch reported Tuesday.

Citing interviews with 90 different sex workers, the international organization said the women face rape, physical abuse and robbery at the hands of authorities—charges a government spokesman denied.

“The Cambodian government should order a prompt and thorough investigation into these systematic violations of sex workers' human rights and shut down the centers where these people have been abused,” Elaine Pearson, acting Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said.

The 76-page report, “Off the Streets: Arbitrary Detention and Other Abuses Against Sex Workers in Cambodia,” is based on interviews with women and transgendered prostitutes in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap.

Sex workers are regularly arrested in sweeps of streets and parks and other sites under a 2008 anti-trafficking law that ill-defines crimes and allows the abuses to occur, the group said. Human Rights Watch found that even members of the anti-trafficking unit were culpable in some abuses.

“Sex workers told Human Rights Watch that police officers beat them with their fists, sticks, wooden handles and electric shock batons,” the group said in a statement. “In several instances, police officers raped sex workers while they were in police detention. Every sex worker that Human Rights Watch spoke to had to pay bribes or had money stolen from them by police officers.”

The group also pointed to “abysmal” conditions in the government center called Prey Speu, where it says at least three people were beaten to death between 2006 and 2008 and where a few sex workers have been detained this year. The center is a collecting point for marginalized groups such as street children, homeless and sex workers.

“The Cambodian government should immediately and permanently close down detention centers such as Prey Speu, where people are being unlawfully detained, beaten up and abused,” Pearson said in a statement. “Prosecuting those who commit these crimes will send a strong message that abuses against sex workers are not tolerated.”

Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, denied the reports' findings.

“The sex trade is an illegal business in Cambodia, but our authorities do not use violence to suppress the sex trade,” he said.

Detained sex workers are kept in “social affairs centers” run by the government, where they are trained for “proper professions,” he said.

“If Human Rights Watch directly raises the names of police who committed crimes against sex workers, we will be happy to receive it,” he said. “But we regard the Human Rights Watch report as an accusation against the police that is not factual nor constructive criticism.”

He called the report an act of “defamation” against the government.

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Tribunal Investigators Issue Closing Order for Second Trial

All five of the detained leaders—Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Duch—were under investigation for crimes including genocide.

Investigating judges for the Khmer Rouge tribunal have submitted their final order in the case of five detained regime leaders, signaling a close to the investigation.

Prosecutors now have 45 days to issue their own recommendations as the second trial for the UN-backed court moves forward.

“It basically means that now the investigating judges have finished all the investigation in Case No. 002,” tribunal spokesman Lars Olsen said Tuesday. “The prosecutors will make their recommendations to the judges as to whether or not to indict any or some of the charged persons.”

All five of the detained leaders—Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Duch—were under investigation for crimes including genocide. A trial is expected in March 2011.

Latt Ky, a tribunal monitor for the rights group Adhoc, called the closing a “positive step” toward the trial.

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Cambodia Needs Business Infrastructure: IMF Chief

The head of the International Monetary Fund has advised Cambodia to strengthen infrastructure that could buffer it from future economic turbulence.

“Cambodia is in a very critical situation,” Dominique Strauss-Kahn told reporters last week, following a two-day Asian economic summit in Daejoen, South Korea.

Strauss-Kahn had warned that many Asian countries need to strengthen their economic policies to protect them from future economic shocks, as economic officials met for the Asia 21 meeting. But Cambodia remains in a difficult situation, he said.

“To make progress, clearly the problem of infrastructure is the highest importance,” he said, “and it has to be stressed because trade and communication are strongly linked with infrastructure.”

Strauss-Kahn also advised increasing trade within Asian countries, so as not to rely on the West for consumers.

Cambodia is one of the smallest countries in Asia and is reliant on exports for economic growth. That made it vulnerable to the 2008 economic crisis, when orders from Western countries, especially the US, fell.

Analysts say Cambodia’s weak infrastructure limits its competitiveness. And the World Economic Forum 2010 report listed Cambodia as one of the worst countries in ease of trade.

“The government has been working on it, since infrastructure is the development priority of Cambodia,” said Sun Sanisith, secretary general of the National Bank of Cambodia, who attended the conference in Daejoen.

Meanwhile, Asian financial experts also warned of financial systems that will require more cooperation among Asian nations. Experts from South Korea, China and Japan all said the banking sectors of Asian countries can be better bolstered through increased capital reserves and better cooperation among local banks.
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After Illness, Hun Sen Issues Warning to Rivals

Prime Minister Hun Sen walks through honorary guards as his arrives for presiding over a U.S.-backed peacekeeping exercise dubbed "Angkor Sentinel 2010" at the Cambodian tank command headquarters in Kampong Speu province, on Saturday.

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday gave only his third public address since reportedly falling ill with swine flu last month.

Speaking in front of Svay Rieng University and appearing healthy, Hun Sen warned would-be detractors that he would tightly hold onto power, and he promised to be the leader of the country in both 2013 and 2018 general elections.

Hun Sen and five cabinet members were reported to have fallen ill with the the H1N1 virus last month, causing the cancelation of several high-level meetings, including with a delegation of German diplomats.

“The opposition party has been talking about my health since my absence,” Hun Sen said. “They say that I was kept in the house or that I fled Cambodia.”

Hun Sen said this could have inferred a coup d'etat and he warned that if such an event took place, Cambodia would erupt into open violence.

“Whoever dares to commit a coup d'etat, they should have a head of iron,” he said.

Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, declined to comment on Hun Sen's statements. “I want Cambodian people to judge his speech,” he said.

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Cambodia To Seek Protection From Chemical Imports

Activists say that Cambodia has become a major dumping ground of pesticides by major companies and smaller operators.

Cambodia is planning to apply to an international convention that could help reduce the number of illegal hazardous chemicals coming into the country, a senior official said last week.

The government is considering application to the UN’s Rotterdam Convention, which outlines responsibilities of states towards each other regarding chemicals.

“The ministry is considering convention membership because we want to prevent other countries from using Cambodia as a trash bin for their hazardous chemicals and pesticides,” Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun told a meeting of government and development officials on July 14.

The meeting was to discuss a draft law to bolster protections against pesticides and other dangerous chemicals.

The Rotterdam Convention requires proper labeling and and instructions from countries of origin for chemicals, as well as disclosures on restrictions or bans of the chemicals. Both Thailand and Vietnam are among the 134 parties to the convention.

Meanwhile, Cambodia struggles with dangerous chemicals, with only about a third of all chemicals in local markets registered with the Ministry of Agriculture. Of them, only 14 percent have instructions and other labels in Khmer.

“Joining the Rotterdam Convention is a necessity, because when there is the import of hazardous chemicals into our country, we will be informed in advance,” said Keam Makara Dy, a health program manager for the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture

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First Epidemiological Study To Enroll Up To 1,000 Infants And Children In Cambodia Announced By Aeras And CHC

The Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation and the Cambodian Health Committee have announced the initiation of a study of tuberculosis prevalence in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia, beginning this month. This is the first study conducted in partnership by the two non-profit research organizations and the first Aeras-sponsored study to be conducted in Cambodia.

"Enhancing the ability to diagnose TB in children is essential. The scientific knowledge to be gained from this trial will assist in global efforts while easing the suffering of children right now in Cambodia from this curable disease," says Anne Goldfeld, co-founder of CHC and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.

One out of every three people worldwide is infected with TB. In 2007 more than nine million people became sick with active TB disease and nearly 2 million people died of the disease. Co-infection with HIV and the growth of difficult-to-treat drug-resistant forms of TB have worsened the epidemic and increased calls for new TB vaccines. Cambodia is ranked by the World Health Organization as among the 22 nations with the highest burden of tuberculosis. Nearly one million Cambodians are infected with TB and 12,000 die of TB annually.

Worldwide, infants and young children are at heightened risk for TB mortality because of inadequate prevention options, difficulties in timely diagnosis, and tendency to progress more quickly to severe and disseminated forms of TB disease. Due to resource constraints and technical difficulties in diagnosing childhood TB, the incidence of TB among infants is unknown in Cambodia.

This six month cross-sectional epidemiology study will enroll up to 1,000 infants and children under five years old. The primary objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis among BCG-vaccinated children over the set period of the study in two operational districts of Svay Rieng Province.

With precise estimates of TB incidence in infants and children, strategic policies and programs for preventing, diagnosing and treating childhood TB can be developed in Cambodia and other resource poor environments. Towards this goal, this study will for the first time compare the efficacy of a state-of-the art liquid culture system donated by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) with traditional TB culture techniques.

"Accurate diagnosis of TB is critical to getting care to children now and to efforts to develop an effective TB vaccine. The currently available TB vaccine -- Bacille Calmette-Guérin -- provides some protection against severe forms of pediatric TB, but it does not prevent pulmonary TB, the most common form of the disease," said R. Gordon Douglas, Jr., MD, the Executive Chairman of Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. "The world deserves new, more effective TB diagnostics and TB vaccines and Aeras is pleased to be collaborating with the Cambodian Health Committee in this effort."

Source:
Annmarie Leadman
Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation
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U.S. returns 7 pieces of Khmer artifacts

PHNOM PENH, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government on Sunday handed over seven pieces of the Khmer antiquities to the Cambodia national museum to further strengthen the relations between the two countries amid commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relation.

The U.S. Undersecretary William Burns said at the handover ceremony that "our efforts to return these artifacts exemplify the respect we have for Cambodian historical patrimony and culture."

The returned Khmer antiquities--which made of sandstone and metal bronze dated back in 10th and 12th century of the Angkor period--are temple decorative element, head of male divinity, horse, and torso of a male divinity.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Him Chhem, said at the ceremony "returning these items is like returning the souls of Khmer ancestors to their bodies after dozens of years of separation and so, reviving the bodies."

The minister also said that up to now Cambodia has received 27 pieces of artifacts in total from the American people and the U.S. government.
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Angelina Jolie: 'I've eaten spiders'

By Marcell Minaya, Entertainment Reporter

Angelina Jolie has admitted that she has eaten spiders on her frequent trips to Cambodia.

The Salt star also confessed to being an "adrenaline junkie", and said that she is not afraid when it comes to action scenes in her films.

The 35-year-old told The Sun: "I do like spiders and bugs and all that, so I'm not squeamish. I've eaten some from my days in Cambodia, so I don't have a problem."

As for performing her own stunts in movies, she added: "I'm a little fearless to the point of stupidity sometimes. I've got the scars to prove it. But I've been so fortunate in my career that I've been able to do these type of [action] films that I will admit that I'm an adrenaline junkie.

"I do love to jump out of things and on to things, and so I don't really have a great deal of fear when it comes to those things."

Salt hits US cinemas on July 23 and in the UK on August 20.

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Cambodia hosts large scale peacekeeping drill

KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia -Cambodia opened its first ever large-scale international peacekeeping training exercise with a ceremony Saturday at a military base south of the capital

Over 700 military personnel from 23 countries will participate in two weeks of field training during the "Angkor Sentinel" exercise, focusing on developing nations' contributions to UN peacekeeping operations.

"From a country that used to receive blue hat soldiers to help keep peace, Cambodia has become a country that sends blue hat soldiers to help keep peace in other nations," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said, referring to UN troop uniforms.

Cambodia was the focus of a UN peacekeeping mission in the early 1990s to help end decades of civil war, but has recently deployed troops to work as UN peacekeepers in Chad, Sudan and the Central African Republic.

But the exercise, co-sponsored by the US Army, has been criticised by New York-based Human Rights Watch for using the grounds of the Cambodian military's ACO Tank Unit, which has been accused of being involved in illegal landgrabs.

"For the Pentagon and State Department to permit abusive Cambodian military units to host a high-profile regional peacekeeping exercise is outrageous," said Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director, in a statement.

"The US undermines its protests against the Cambodian government for rampant rights abuses like forced evictions when it showers international attention and funds on military units involved in grabbing land and other human rights violations," he added.

The "Angkor Sentinel" is part of the 2010 Global Peace Operations Initiative, a US effort to help train peacekeepers around the world.


--AFP
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Mobile banking service launches in Cambodia

ACLEDA Bank operates the largest bank branch network in Cambodia. The bank has just announced that it has launched mobile banking services for retail consumer. The service is called "Unity". It provides mobile subscribers with the ability to view account balances, obtain a mini-statement, transfer between their accounts, make payments to other people, make bill payments and top-up their mobile phones.

ACLEDA Bank Plcannounced today the release to the general public of its new ’Unity’mobile phone banking service. A virtual ‘bank in your pocket’ – itprovides a convenient and secure way to manage all daily banking transactionsany day, anytime, anywhere. It communicates in both the English and Khmerlanguages and handles transactions in Khmer Riels, US Dollars and Thai Baht,with other currencies to follow.

“Our aim is to offer access to financial services to thewhole community”, said Mr. In Channy, ACLEDA’s President and CEO. “Unity workswith all mobile phone networks and a very wide range of mobile handsets. It ‘unites’a whole selection of financial services under one umbrella that simplifies day-to-daybanking through mobile phones anywhere in the country. For those customers whohave global roaming it will even work throughout the world”, he stated.

Operatingon a 24/7 basis, with high-level multilayer security features, the bank claimsthat Unity gives customers the choice of using text message (SMS), Mobile Browser/WAP or a dedicated downloadableapplication interface, according to which best suits their needs. They can view their account balances,obtain a mini-statement, transfer between their accounts, make payments toother people, make bill payments (pay their utility bills and other accounts)and top-up their mobile phones. Other services will be added in the future ascustomers demand.

"As a fast-growing bank in a rapidly developing economy, we arelooking for a complete integrated mobile banking and payment solution. We wantto make sure that our mobile services are universally available to ourcustomers, are safe for them to use and deliver the dependability andreliability that ACLEDA is known for" said Mr. In Channy, President &CEO of ACLEDA Bank Plc. "We will be leapfrogging overtraditional delivery channels to provide our customers with the latest bankingtechnology.".

About ACLEDA Bank Plc.

ACLEDA Bank currently is the Cambodian leadingbank with the largest branches and offices network. It's over 17 years presencein domestic financial services. As at the end of June 2010, the value of theloan portfolio has reached US$615 million with 258,064 borrowing customers. Thetotal savings and deposits was US$793 million with 670,383 accounts. Its totalassets have exceeded US$1 billion and employed 7,105staffs.

TheBank offers a wide range of banking products and financial services tocorporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels. ACLEDAis a leading player in the retail banking market and services its largecustomer base through a network of 233 offices. With 100 ATMs serve 24/7 and 24 hours call center to ensure that customershave access to its services at all times.

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CP Cambodia aims for growth

Charoen Pokphand Cambodia plans to expand both feed and animal production. They anticipate greater economic growth in the country, due mainly to increased tourism and a burgeoning real estate boom.

By Apisit Buranakanonda, Bangkok, Thailand

Sakol Cheewakoset, senior vice president in charge of overseeing the agribusiness giant's Cambodia and Laos operations, said that despite the numerous obstacles facing investments in feed and animal production in Cambodia, now is the time to have a strong presence there.

Success in the Cambodian feed business requires technical support and follow-up, he added, because the cost of product failure is too high for the country's struggling producers to bear. Furthermore, re-establishing trust and credibility in such a case would be virtually impossible. In its decade of operations in the country, CP Cambodia has helped to modernise the local livestock industry. It has also established a positive image and reputation, differentiating CP Cambodia's feed from imports. The company's production accounts for 60% of the feed sold in Cambodia. Feed is distributed through more than 40 distributors in major animal production areas, namely Kandal, Kampong Spue, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap and Battambang.

Infrastructure improved
Although labour is cheaper, overall, Cambodia has up to 15% higher production costs due to more costly transportation and import taxes. Electricity alone is 20-30% more expensive than in Thailand. In recent years, infrastructure has been improving. Cultivation areas for corn and cassava are growing as well, which will one day lead to enough production for domestic use and limited exports. Local producers face fierce competition in the form of imports from Thailand and Vietnam.

Vietnamese products have been enjoying cost advantages over their Thai competitors because the Thai baht has risen faster against the US dollar than the Vietnamese dong. Also, Vietnamese feed is packed in 25 kg bags, making it seem cheaper at first glance than the standard 30 kg bags coming from Thailand. On the production front, the feed industry sees competition from the cassava processing industry in Cambodia and traders from Korea, Thailand and China, all of whom are vying for corn and cassava. This has driven prices up by more than 50% compared to early 2007, resulting in a big windfall for Cambodian farmers. It is estimated that some 60% of raw materials produced are destined for Thailand. Tight supplies of raw materials have driven feed prices up by more than 20% compared with 2007.

Additionally, bird flu in 2004 swept away many small hatcheries supplying broiler and day-old layer chicks. Furthermore, more stringent animal trade controls along the Cambodia border have deterred animal trade, enabling better control of this serious disease.

Today, the poultry breeding operation of CP Cambodia is doing well and will be expanded further to accommodate heavy demand. The company plans to raise its annual output of broiler chicks to 3 million birds per year, up from 2.2 million in 2007. In Cambodia, the company supplies only pullets.

Quality control in feed production

Raw materials such as corn, soybean, cassava, and fish meal are available locally. December is the busiest time for procuring raw materials and checking the quality of feedstuffs. Coarse grains are tested for adulterants, contaminants, appearance, physical quality, moisture content and more. Some 30% of raw materials are subject to primary testing before acceptance. Once accepted, the quality control team takes 100% samples of all intake materials. For protein sources, it is using dried freshwater fish from Tonle Sap lake, fishmeal from Kampong Som, and oil from the fish processing industry. It uses a urea phenol red solution to screen if soybean meal has been overcooked. Raw materials and cooked products are physically separated.

Producers can choose concentrate, mash or pellet feed. Pellets are slightly more expensive than mash, but the market is shifting more towards pelleted feed due to better growth performance. CP Cambodia's sales strategy is based on the premise that providing top breeds, proven technology and management, as well as good feed performance, will improve the competitive position of the producers who buy its products. With modern technology, genetics and top quality feed, a producer can reduce finishing time for their pigs by two weeks or more, Cheewakoset said.

Quality assurance and feed quality is on par with CP's feed in Thailand. Formulas are prepared on site under the direction of the parent company in Thailand. Its phase feeding programme consists of pre-starter, starter, grower and finisher feed. Retained samples are kept for one month to aid trace back. CP Feed is marketed under the Hi-Gro, CP, and Hog brands. Read more!

U.S. urges Thailand to end emergency rule

(Reuters) - A senior U.S. official urged Thailand on Friday to end a three-month state of emergency that allows the government to arrest and hold people without charge, censor the media and restrict public gatherings.

U.S. Under Secretary of State Bill Burns made the comment during a news conference with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at the start of an official visit to Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

"Clearly, the United States hopes that the state of emergency, that the decree, can be lifted as soon as possible," Burns told reporters during a brief press conference.

Attempts to forcibly disperse thousands of ant-government protesters in April and May sparked a crisis that killed 90 people and wounded nearly 2,000. Dozens of buildings were set ablaze. Leaders of the movement were arrested and accused of terrorism, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

"We believe our friends in Thailand best serve their own interest through a peaceful resolution of political differences," he said with Kasit by his side.

The comment was made more than a week after the government extended the state of emergency for another three months in about a quarter of the country, saying anti-government elements continued to pose a security threat.

The law gives broad powers to the security forces, including the right to detain suspects for up to 30 days without charge and shut media deemed to incite "public panic" and violence.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who met with Burns later on Friday, said the government was making process in its national reconciliation process. "If everything goes well and in an orderly fashion next year, we could hold an election then," Abhisit told reporters after the meeting.

Abhisit's term expires in December, 2011 and elections will have to be held within 45 days after that.
Read more!

HCM City Expo 2010 opens in Cambodia

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On and Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Nguyen Thi Hong, attended Vietnam-Cambodia Trade, Service and Tourism Fair 2010 (Ho Chi Minh City Expo 2010), which opened in Phnom Penh on July 15.
More than 300 booths set up by 100 leading Vietnamese businesses are showcasing high-quality Vietnamese products including agricultural produce, processed foods, interior decorations, leather goods and footwear, chemical products and cosmetics, electronic devices, and construction materials.

The opening day of the exhibition attracted thousands of Cambodian visitors, who came to shop – or just look.

This year’s four-day fair is said to be much larger and better organized than the nine previous ones.

Ho Chi Minh City Expo aims to increase two-way trade and promote cooperation between businesses in tourism and healthcare services.
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World parliaments criticize Israel, Cambodia

GENEVA — Representatives of world parliaments on Thursday criticized Israel, Cambodia and 19 other countries for their treatment of lawmakers.

The chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's human rights committee, Rosario Green, urged Israel not to deport Palestinian lawmakers Mohammed Abu Teir, Mohammed Totah and Ahmed Abu Atoun after they were recently released from prison.

The three were ordered expelled from Jerusalem for links to Hamas. But Green, a former Mexican foreign minister, said the expulsion violates the lawmakers' human rights.

Green's panel also called a Cambodian defamation case against opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua a "complete travesty of justice."

Mu Sochua faces up to six months in prison after refusing to pay a court-ordered fine for defaming Cambodia's prime minister.

Other countries scrutinized by the committee for their treatment of lawmakers included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Iraq, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Zimbabwe.

In one of its harshest criticisms, the panel slammed Russia for failing to bring to justice the murderers of Galina Starovoitova, who was gunned down in the stairwell of her St. Petersburg apartment building in 1998.

"We have been urging the Russian Federation for now 12 years to investigate more deeply into the masterminding of the assassination," said panel member Sharon Carstairs, a Canadian senator, explaining why the previously confidential case was now being highlighted.

"It is clear that they are not trying to get to the bottom of her assassination," said Carstairs. "We believe therefore that it is necessary to make this a public case, in order for her murderers — those who are ultimately responsible for her murder — to be brought to justice."

IPU brings together lawmakers from 155 countries. The U.S. Congress isn't a member.
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Universities Fail at Critical Thinking: Student Advocate

Cambodia’s higher education system has failed to address a lack of critical-thinking and problem-solving curricula among university students, a youth advocate told “Hello VOA” on Monday.

Instead, says Cheang Sokha, head of the Youth Resource Development Program, “student-centered” approaches exist on paper only within higher education.

“The quality of education in these skills is still very limited,” Cheang Sokha said.

“If we want to see a society’s fate, we look at how young people’s education is invested in,” he said. “Now look at the way our current education system invests in young people. How can we hope that our society will have a good fate?”

The Youth Resource Development Program hopes to improve that, he said, and has trained around 2,000 university students since 1999 to make them better thinkers and more attractive in the job market.

“Employers put more value on people with high critical-thinking and analytical problem-solving skills,” he said.

More than that, said one caller, Sun Thun, the education system has also failed to instill the proper sense of patriotism, democracy and respect for human rights.
Read more!

Cambodian officials required to declare assets

Some 100,000 government officials in Cambodia will be required to declare their assets this year in an effort to combat corruption, a senior official said Wednesday.
Under an anti-corruption law passed in March, any official found guilty of taking bribes could face up to 15 years in prison.

Cambodia, a poor country heavily dependent on foreign aid, is routinely listed by independent groups such as Transparency International as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia.

Om Yentieng, chairman of the government-appointed Anti-Corruption Unit, told reporters that it will require senior officials _ including civil servants and police officials _ to detail their assets by November.

Lawmakers and leaders of nongovernment organizations will be asked to declare their assets later, he said.

International donors have long pressed Cambodia to combat corruption.

In 2004, a study prepared for the U.S. Agency for International Development said that Cambodia lost an estimated $300 million to $500 million annually to various forms of corruption, although the government contests that graft is on such a large scale.

The anti-corruption law was first proposed 15 years ago but the government, unwilling to tackle the problem, dragged its feet on getting it passed. It remains to be seen if the asset declarations will be effective in monitoring officials. Government salaries are as low as $20 a month.
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Cambodia Dismisses UN Rights Chief Statements

A government spokesman on Wednesday dismissed as “personal” statements by the UN’s top human rights official, who had criticized a defamation case against opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua.

Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the case brought against Mu Sochua by Prime Minister Hun Sen was highly politicized and showed a weakening of the judiciary and basic freedoms in the country.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Wednesday the comments were “a personal view and do not reflect the reality of Cambodia.”

Mu Sochua, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, is facing the prospect of jail time if she does not pay compensation to the prime minister and a fine to the court.

She has said she will not pay.

She lost a defamation suit brought by Hun Sen after she had sued him for allegedly making disparaging and sexist remarks in public speeches last year. The Supreme Court upheld the decision in June.

In Geneva, Pillay’s spokesman, Rupert Colville, said the verdict was not warranted.

“No evidence providing either damage to reputation or malicious intent was presented during the case against Mu Sochua,” he said.
Read more!

Kiwi to confront mass killer

By James Thaka


Transatlantic rower Rob Hamill will head to Cambodia shortly, clinging to the hope of a private audience with the Khmer Rouge henchman who headed the prison where his older brother Kerry was tortured and killed.

Mr Hamill will be at the United Nations-assisted Extraordinary Chamber of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) at Phnom Penh for the July 26 sentencing of Kaing Guek Eav, known as "Duch", the former head of the S-21 or Tuol Sleng prison.

Mr Hamill's older brother Kerry was imprisoned at S-21 when the yacht he and friends were sailing to Bangkok strayed into Cambodian waters on August 13, 1978.

Canadian crewman Stuart Glass was shot dead while Mr Hamill and Briton John Dewhirst were accused of being CIA spies and taken for interrogation.

In January 1980, the Hamill family learned Kerry had been tortured for two months before he signed a "confession" and was murdered.

Rob Hamill, who was 14 years old when he saw his brother Kerry for the last time, yesterday told the Herald that he was hopeful of a private audience with Duch after his sentencing, having made the request through his lawyers to Duch's legal counsel about a month ago.

"In his final statement during the trial he said he would see any of the family members if they wanted to speak with him, so I would be disappointed if he said no," said Mr Hamill.

"I've had my say in court and told him what I think so I don't need to go there. What I need to try and get is some sort of understanding of what he was thinking at the time. He probably had some genuine causes which he felt would be best for Cambodia at the time so my mission would be to try and understand where that changed."

Mr Hamill said the prosecution had sought a 40-year imprisonment term for Duch, who oversaw the torture and executions at the prison of about 16,000 men, women and children.

Cambodia does not have the death sentence, which is something the Hamiltonian said he would not have endorsed for the 67-year-old.

Duch has already served 12 years in jail, something Mr Hamill sees as problematic.

"If he got a 20-year sentence he'd be out in eight but I think for the rest of his living days inside a prison would be a fair outcome for everyone, all the people I have spoken to in Cambodia think he should be locked away for life, even the kids. There's an understanding that he has to pay for what he did and his role in effectively overseeing the deaths of all of these people."

Asked if the sentencing would provide some closure for him, his family and friends, Mr Hamill said: "It's a continuation of several processes. It's been 32 years since Kerry went missing and I see this as kind of a milestone in the continuing process for getting some justice but also for reconciling all those deaths.

"My mother never got to see this sort of justice done which is sad. We have a desire to see justice done but there's also the grieving process."

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge sought to set up a communist utopia.

Up to two million people died from starvation, overwork, torture or execution during the 1975-1979 regime.

Read more!

Cambodia Conducts Peace Keeping Military Exercise

PHNOM PENH, The first phase of a large-scale military exercise entitled "Angkor Sentinel 2010" started here on Monday with the participation of more than 1,000 soldiers from 26 countries.

According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) this is the first time Cambodia has hosted such a multi-national military exercise.

Speaking at the opening of the "Command Post Exercise (CPX)" Gen Moeng Sampham, Secretary of State of Cambodia's National Defence Ministry, said the exercise aimed to enhance capacity for both the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and military from various countries through the process of multi-national operations exercise in order to fulfil the UN standards for peacekeeping operation.

The second phase of the exercise entitled "Field Exercise" will officially take place in Kompong Speu province, about 50 km from Phnom Penh, on July 17 with the presence of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Both of the military exercises are part of the Global Peace Operations Initiatives (GPOI), a UN-US peacekeeping training programme for strengthening peace and security.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence, said the military exercise will conclude on July 30.

-- BERNAMA Read more!

1,000 year old lion statue unearthed in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A statue of lion with a date back about 1,000 years has been unearthed in Cambodia's northwestern province, an official said Tuesday.

Kim Sophoan, chief of heritage office of the provincial culture and fine arts department, said that the statue of stone lion, 78 centimeters tall and about 80 kilograms in weight, was unearthed last weekend. It could be dated back in 11th century or about 1, 000 years old.

He said the statue was discovered on Saturday when the construction workers were using a tractor to renovate national road from Battambang province to Pailin province.

Soon after he was informed with the unearth of the lion statue, he said, he went up to see it and took it to a museum in Battambang province.

Kim Sophoan said it was a nice statue with good shape except both legs were broken.

After several decades of civil war, many statues and pieces of cultural heritage were lost, stolen, trafficked or covered under the ground.

For already many years, many heritage pieces have been returned, discovered or repatriated from foreign countries through bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and those countries.

Located in Southeast Asia, Cambodia is known as a country rich in cultural heritage such as Angko Wat Temple, Preah Vihear Temple, both were registered as Word Heritage Sites, and hundreds of more temples across the country as well as arts, culture and tradition.
Read more!

Bt10m put aside to fight Cambodia on Preah Vihear

The Hindu temple near the Thai-Cambodian border was listed in July 2008 as a World Heritage Site, but Thailand has been lobbying member countries to delay Phnom Penh's management plan owing to disputes in areas adjacent to the temple.

The Thai authorities want Cambodia's management plan to be delayed until the border dispute is settled, the government's deputy spokesman Marut Masayawanit said.

The Bt10 million will be spent by a delegation representing Thailand at the meeting, which runs from July 25 to August 3, he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti would lead the delegation and present Thailand's stance to the Unesco World Heritage committee.

"We want to delay the plan because we are still in a border dispute with Cambodia and we have not seen any documents for the management plan," Abhisit told reporters.

Thailand is concerned that Cambodia might use the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area near the temple as a buffer zone for the site.

Abhisit added that the committee's decision would not affect Thailand's boundary with Cambodia, but it was advisable that no decisions were made while the disputes remained.

According to a 1962 verdict from the International Court of Justice, the Preah Vihear temple is located in Cambodia, but Thailand claims that areas adjacent to the temple belong to Thailand. The two countries are still in the process of negotiation for boundary demarcation.
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CAMBODIA: Late wage deal halts garment strikes

Garment workers in Cambodia have halted planned strike action after the government drafted out minimum wage terms.

A nationwide strike of garment workers was due to occur over the next three days, led by the local Free Trade Union (FTU).

However, the Cambodian government and five largely pro-government unions have reached an initial agreement for a minimum monthly wage of US$61.

"The Labor Advisory Committee decided on 8 July to increase the minimum wage from US$50 to US$61," Ken Loo, secretary general of Garment Manufacturer's Association in Cambodia (GMAC), which represents 230 factories employing about 200,000 people, told just-style.

"The existing US$6 cost of living allowance will be abolished at the same time. This increase will be effective 1 October 2010 through to 2014."

The final agreement is still being negotiated though, and the FTU's demands for a US$70 minimum wage has not been satisfied. The union is unhappy with the US$5 increase, and the four-year timeframe from 1 October this year.

The agreement was determined without the FTU, leading to claims it does not represent the majority of workers.

The FTU is requesting further negotiation in a bid to get a US$70 minimum wage, as well as focusing more on food, workplace seniority and overtime.

The garment industry is the backbone of the Cambodian economy, being the third-biggest currency earner behind agriculture and tourism.

In the first quarter of 2010, textile and garment exports reached $671m, representing an increase of 7.18% on last year as a result of strong recovery in exports to all its major markets. Read more!

Angelina Jolie would probably marry Brad Pitt if kids asked

Angelina Jolie says she and Brad Pitt may get married if their children asked and adds that there are no immediate plans for a seventh kid but that the couple was open to the idea.

"I think it'd be hard to say no to the kids," Jolie said regarding marriage in a recent interview on ABC's Nightline program. "They're not asking. They are very aware that nothing's missing."

Asked if she saw herself growing old with Pitt, Jolie said: "Of course. We wouldn't have six children if we weren't absolutely sure of that."
Jolie, 35, had said last month she may have a seventh child and even marry Pitt, 46, adding that she does not think she will pursue acting much longer due to family commitments.

Jolie and Pitt are believed to have started their relationship while filming the 2005 spy movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, during which he was married to Jennifer Aniston. The two are parents to Maddox, 8; Pax, 6 and Zahara, 4 - adopted from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam and biological children Shiloh, 4 and one-year-old twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline.

"There's no plans at the moment for more but we always talk about it, we're always open," Jolie said on Nightline. "We kind of joke about it, 'cause in the morning we're so tired. 'Cause there -- nobody spends the night. We wake up and we have breakfast. And so, we always have this thing kind of first thing in the morning where we're really, really tired.

"And we always look at each other and wonder like, Are we ever gonna get sleep?'" she said. "And then we joke about sleep. ... But yet, we still love the idea of having more children.""

Jolie was married to Jonny Lee Miller, he co-star in the 1995 film Hackers, between 1996 and 1999 and to actor Billy Bob Thornton between 2000 and 2003. Pitt was married to Aniston between 2000 and 2005.

Read more!

Shameful marriage practice

For years, growing numbers of Korean men have gone looking for wives in countries overseas, mostly in Southeast Asia.

Today, one in 10 Korean men are married to a non-Korean citizen. The ratio is true in four in 10 rural neighborhoods.

But the trend has had serious repercussions - especially for women. Brokers seeking easy money recruit foreign women and arrange marriages that, in many cases, amount to human trafficking. Local girls and women are lined up and paraded in front of prospective husbands. Rarely are the women given accurate information about the man they are about to marry.

According to a government poll from 2006, 1.3 in 10 marriage migrants said they discovered they had been deceived in some way after their marriage to a Korean man.

That’s what happened to a young Vietnamese woman who was stabbed to death by her husband just eight days after she started her married life in Korea. She, like many of the young women who immigrate through marriage seeking a better life for themselves or the families they’ve left behind, arrive here with hope. She, like many of her peers, had her life ended tragically and much too soon.

Many of the women in her situation are murdered or find themselves having to run from their new husbands to escape continued physical and mental abuse. Some have even taken their own lives. If they had known of the true nature of their husbands-to-be, it is unlikely they would ever have agreed to get married.

One country, Cambodia, has taken action to protect its citizens. It banned its citizens from marrying Korean men. When Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with President Lee Myung-bak last October, he asked Korea to give special attention to Cambodian women married to Korean men.

But we cannot expect other countries to solve the problem. We must find a solution for what has become a serious social problem. Abuses of foreign wives by Korean men could also create a diplomatic stigma against us.

In a positive step forward, the Ministry of Justice has announced that all men planning to take marriage trips overseas will soon have to take a government-led class before they depart. It also plans to prohibit men with a history of mental illness, incarceration or three previous international marriages from getting a visa.

We must address these disgraceful cases of international marriages before they leave a lasting stain on our country.
Read more!

Warmer Relations, But Cambodian Debt Remains

Cambodian Ambassador Hem Heng shakes hand with US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

National anthems, traditional Khmer music and big smiles were all a part of a celebration dinner held by Cambodian diplomats Friday to mark the 60th anniversary of US-Cambodia relations. But Cambodia still wants debt forgiven and a chance to see more deductions in tariffs.

“I think we’re on an upswing...so we’re pleased with the relations,” US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters.

Cambodian Ambassador Hem Heng noted the improved relations but said he still wanted to see Cambodia forgiven more than $300 million in debt incurred prior to the Khmer Rouge. He said he was optimistic the US would consider the possibility.

About 200 guests from the US State Department, Cambodian diplomatic corps, US government agencies and Congress joined Friday’s dinner, which was held in a Chinese restaurant in a Virginia suburb of Washington.

The US and Cambodia are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations this month, which talks and performances planned in Cambodia throughout July.

Read more!

Worries Delay Opening of Stock Exchange

Cambodia’s much-touted stock exchanged will not be opened at the end of the year as planned. Instead, worries after the Greek debt crisis and internal problems will delay the opening of the bourse until 2011.

Finance Minister Keat Chhon made the announcement at a business conference in Daejeon, South Korea, on Sunday. South Korea has been a main backer of the stock exchange, which has proven elusive, having first been delayed in 2009.

“We have to be careful and take a close look to see if we have more things to do relating to regulations to avoid risk,” Keat Chhon told the regional conference, “Asia 21: Leading the Way Forward.”

“Meanwhile, there are two internal problems regarding governance of regulators and companies,” he said.

Economic officials hope the exchange will boost growth. Already, the government has ordered three state-owned companies to prepare for a listing on the exchange: Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority and Telecom Cambodia.

Keat Chhon said Sunday these companies need more time to get ready. He declined to elaborate on an exact month the exchange might open in 2011.

Cambodia’s Securities Exchange Commission is also now looking for a partner to provide training to government officials to help them educate the public about trading on the exchange.

“We will provide training at universities, the business community and the general public about the benefits of stock trading and the difference between doing simple business,” SEC Secretary General Minh Ban Kosal said.

The exchange is also wrestling with which currency to use—dollar or riel. And it remains unclear how popular the exchange will be in the private sector.

No private companies have yet to sign up for listing on the exchange, though some interest has been expressed in the past from businesses in banking, agriculture and the garment sector.
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Manhunt for Cambodian soldier who killed three in shooting spree

Phnom Penh - A manhunt is underway for a soldier who shot dead three people and injured four others, local media reported Monday.

Sles Yeb, 50, is being sought after going on a shooting spree following an argument with his wife and son, whom he tried to stab with a knife late Thursday. The two escaped unharmed.

Commune police chief Khieu Pov said after the argument Sles Yeb walked the streets of Ty Pram Muoy village in Kampong Cham province in southeast Cambodia shooting people at random.

'The suspect shot a lot,' Khieu Pov told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper, adding that police recovered more than 50 cartridges casings.

More than 100 civilian and military police then spent 48 hours staking out a cornfield where they thought the suspect had fled.

'We did not dare to go deeper into the cornfield to look for him because the suspect has an AK machine gun with 160 bullets, a pistol and bombs,' said district police chief Lay Nguon. 'He is running and hiding, but we are looking to arrest him.'

He said the suspect might have fled to another province.

Cambodian security personnel involved in crimes often escape prosecution, but an army officer said Sles Yeb would be brought to justice.

'We do not support him even though he is a soldier,' said district commander Sim Uy.

Incidents of multiple killings such as this one are highly unusual in Cambodia.
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U.S. Chooses Abusive Cambodian Military Units to Host Joint Exercises

Despite its own reports documenting abusive behavior by Cambodian military units, the U.S. State Department agreed with the Department of Defense to allow Cambodia to host a military exercise for international peacekeepers.

The “Angkor Sentinel” exercise, part of the 2010 Global Peace Operations Initiative, will host 1,000 military personnel from 23 Asia-Pacific countries. It also will feature a two-week field training exercise hosted by Cambodia’s ACO Tank Command Headquarters in Kompong Speu province.

The problem with this, says Human Rights Watch (HRW), is that the ACO Tank Unit has been involved in illegal land seizures, which have been noted by the State Department and by Cambodian and international human rights organizations. In 2007, soldiers from the unit destroyed villagers’ fences and crops and confiscated land.

HRW officials point out that the Angkor Sentinel exercise is likely to include elite Cambodian military units, such as Prime Minister Hun Sen’s personal bodyguards and Brigade 70, “both of which have been linked to a deadly March 1997 grenade attack on the political opposition, and Airborne Brigade 911, which has been involved in arbitrary detentions, political violence, torture, and summary executions.”

“For the Pentagon and State Department to permit abusive Cambodian military units to host a high-profile regional peacekeeping exercise is outrageous,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The U.S. undermines its protests against the Cambodian government for rampant rights abuses like forced evictions when it showers international attention and funds on military units involved in grabbing land and other human rights violations.” Read more!

Cambodia To Host Large Scale Military Exercise Next Week

PHNOM PENH, July 10 (Bernama) -- Cambodia will conduct its first ever large scale military exercise next week, a part of the United Nations Peacekeeping framework for strengthening peace and security, China's Xinhua news agency reported Saturday.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defence said that the military exercise codenamed "Angkor Sentinel 2010", will be conducted from July 17 to July 30, with 26 countries and more than 1,000 forces participating.

Among some of the participating countries are France, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, India, Italy, Germany, Japan, Mongolia and the United Kingdom.

Of those forces, the largest number will be coming from Cambodia as a host country and from the United States, the co-organiser of the exercise.

Chhum Socheat said the military exercise, which is part of the Global Peace Operations Initiatives (GPOI), a UN-US peacekeeping-training programme will be conducted in two separate exercise.

The first field exercise will be held in Kompong Speu province, about 50 kilometers from Phnom Penh and the second exercise will be conducted in Phnom Penh as part of the far command from headquarters.

-- BERNAMA Read more!

Cambodian diplomat sidelined with health problems in Long Beach

By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer


LONG BEACH - Song Chhang had hoped to be celebrating this weekend in Washington D.C.

He certainly didn't expect to be in a bed in a nursing facility considering his life and wondering what the future holds.

"I still have so many things to do," the 72-year-old says wistfully.

There are stories yet to tell. He wants to see how things turn out in his Cambodian homeland. But now, he just doesn't know.

Chhang is a prominent if rather low-key Cambodian in Long Beach. He is French and American educated, the former Minister of Information for Lon Nol's government during the Cambodian civil war. In the United States he helped craft the legislation that paved the way for 150,000 refugees to flee Cambodia after the fall of Pol Pot's brutal Khmer Rouge regime, under which upwards of 2 million Cambodians died.

He returned to Cambodia around 1994 and was part of the Cambodian People's Party until he was ousted in the late 1990s.

This weekend, Chhang had looked forward to speaking at a special dinner among diplomats and fellow Cambodians to recognize the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and the United States.

The actual date of the beginning of Cambodia-U.S diplomatic ties was in July 15, 1950. That year, the U.S had sent its first ambassador to Cambodia to recognize its impending independence before the country's final separation from France in 1953.

Although relations have been rocky at times and even severed, in recent years the relationship has improved.
Later this month, there will be events in Cambodia to mark the anniversary, including a performance by Long Beach resident Sophiline Shapiro's Cambodian classical dance troupe of "Seasons of Migration."

Although he'd love to take it all in, instead, Chhang will have to hear second-hand from his bed at the Regency Oaks Skilled Nursing Care facility.

Initially, Chhang thought he suffered a stroke, but he says doctors are still doing tests.

Chhang traces his health problems to overextending himself in a recent visit to Phnom Penh for a reunion of war correspondents, or the "old hacks," as they called themselves. Before his ascension to Minister of Information, Chhang was a press liaison.

At the reunion, Chhang helped oversee the installation of a small memorial to the 37 journalists who died covering the civil war between 1970 and 1975. He was also part of a group that traveled south of Phnom Penh to plant a tree in memory of an NBC team killed there.

Chhang says he wrote and made eight different speeches over the reunion events.

Now he hopes to get out of his bed and do whatever he can to help his country. He had planned a speech about refreshing sometimes rocky relations between the U.S. and Cambodia before his country falls too much under the sway of China.

And he wishes to see a day when a more "spiritual leadership" comes to his country. That's would make the old man happy. Read more!

Cambodian Activist Chooses Jail in Standoff with Prime Minister

To be a critic of the Cambodian government is difficult and, sometimes, dangerous work. But to be a female activist is even more challenging in the male-dominated society. Mu Sochua, an opposition party parliamentarian, is one of the country’s most powerful women. She is now counting down the days until her arrest on charges of defaming Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Strong legs

It all started when Mu Sochua sued the prime minister for defamation. Last year, Mr. Hun Sen called Mu Sochua “cheung klang,” which means strong legs. Mu Sochua says “cheung klang” was used in a disparaging way to disrespect her gender and intimidate the opposition. She sued him for the equivalent of 12 cents in what she called a symbolic protest. The prime minister responded with his own defamation suit, alleging that her lawsuit unfairly disparaged him.

Cambodia’s courts struck down Mu Sochua’s case but upheld the prime minister’s. She has until July 15th to pay about $4,000 in fines. But she says she would rather go to prison.

“It is my conscience that tells me I have not committed any crime. It is my conscience that tells me that we have to stop living in fear, and fear of one man who has ruled Cambodia for over 30 years,” Mu Sochua says. “And for me, it’s a gender issue as well. Because if I allow it to happen, if I pay the fine, what does it mean to the value of women who represent more than half of the people of Cambodia?”

Women's rights

Mu Sochua was not always a member of the opposition. From 1998 to 2004, she served in the government as the minister of women’s affairs. Since then, many more women have joined the government. Mu Sochua says the social image of women has improved somewhat, but that the changes have not been institutionalized.

“The women who are elected from the ruling party, the party of the prime minister, unfortunately do not serve their constituency because they serve their party first,” she says. “Which means that they don’t challenge, they don’t monitor the implementation of the laws.”

Mu Sochua says she is unwilling to stay silent while Prime Minister Hun Sen intimidates the Cambodian people, including those in his own party.

“It’s not about me and the prime minister,” Mu Sochua says. “It is about the opposition party making all its efforts to fight a prime minister who acts as a dictator. And it is about time to make a move for change.”

Detention

Authorities have not said how long Mu Sochua would spend in prison if arrested. She says she is mentally preparing to be behind bars for six months. Her case is not unprecedented. In 2005, several human rights activists were also jailed for defamation but released in less than a month largely because of international pressure.

The world may be watching Mu Sochua’s case, as well. The Cambodian parliamentarian is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and a U.S. citizen. But she says she is not using her status to try to avoid arrest. She says if going to prison will help illuminate Cambodia’s problems, then she is willing to do whatever it takes.

Western nations often raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cambodia, but critics say they do not do enough to hold the Hun Sen government accountable. In June, foreign donors awarded Cambodia more than $1 billion in development aid on the same day the Supreme Court upheld the prime minister’s case against Mu Sochua.

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‘Unprecedented’ Cambodia, US Ties

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia recieved paper from newly appointed US Ambassador Carol Rodly

Cambodia and the US are experiencing their strongest ties in 60 years, according to historians and other experts, in what has been a relationship with a lot of ups and downs.

Diplomatic ties were cut twice, in 1965 and 1975, and the countries were torn apart by the Cold War. Relations were strained further after the Cambodian People’s Party seized power in fighting in 1997. And the two countries occasionally clash on issues of human rights and democracy.

Despite all this, ties are growing.

“From economic growth projects to cultural exchange programs to military cooperation, the level of substantive collaboration is unprecedented,” Kenneth Foster, a spokesman for the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, told VOA Khmer. “In no time over the last 60 years have our two countries coordinated on a daily basis as much as we do now.”

Kenton Clymer, a historian of Cambodia-US relations, said Cambodia’s Cold War position and the US’s inability to “forge a policy” damaged the relationship. He suggested a non-ideological path of diplomacy to ensure a long-term relationship.

“It it is hard to predict the issues that will arise in the next, say, 60 years will be,” he said in a phone interview. “All I can say is that as long as both sides follow an intelligent and thoughtful diplomacy, that will prevent or at least mitigate problems that will arise.”

The US is now one of the biggest donors to Cambodia, providing development assistance topping $40 million per year. And unlike aid in the 1970s, which went to war-fighting, this aid is for development.

“Nowadays, cooperation between our two countries focuses on economic development, improving democracy, human rights [and] counterterrorism and fighting drugs and human trafficking,” Cambodia’s ambassador to the US, Hem Heng, told VOA Khmer in a recent interview.

Still, there are areas where Cambodia does not meet US expectations.

“Issues like human rights, democracy, and corruption are not properly addressed,” said Kem Sokha, president of the opposition Human Rights Party. “Whenever the US raises these issues, the government of Cambodia always objects. There are still disagreements over these big issues.”

Kem Sokha said Cambodia’s leaders often talk about US invasion and past mistakes, “but never talk about those of China.”

“It is obvious that current leaders lean to another side that is still contrary to the US stance,” he added.

The most recent strain came in December 2009, when Cambodia sent 20 Uighur Muslim asylum seekers back to China, in what some groups said was a violation of international obligations.

The US suspended a military aid package as a result, but there has been little other public fallout. China followed with a military aid package of its own.

That development disappointed some.

“It would be good if Cambodia could learn from a rich and democratic country, not a communist one,” said Yap Kimtung, president of the group Cambodia-Americans for Human Rights and Democracy.

However, it has not derailed the relationship, and a stream of celebrations are planned as July continues.

Read more!

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam To Jointly Develop Triangle Area

PHNOM PENH, July 9 (Bernama) -- Parliaments of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have signed an approval for the three countries to jointly develop a triangle area, China's Xinhua news agency reported Friday.

Citing the joint statement, the agreement allows of having a joint-controlled border point as well as setting up of a website with English language as an international language and the three nations' national languages.

The joint statement was released on Friday after the two-day parliaments meeting, which kicked off on July 7 in Kratie province in Cambodia.

The meeting also discussed the roles of parliaments on how to help promote triangle development plan among the three countries.

The triangle development area covers four provinces in Cambodia: Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Kratie, with three provinces in Laos and four provinces in Vietnam.

It is the annual meeting and Vietnam hosted the meeting last year.

In 2002, leaders of the three countries agreed to boost for economic benefit, promoting tourism, exchanging culture, as well as to well cooperate in social order, security and to reduce poverty.

-- BERNAMA Read more!

Gates grant funds production of genetically engineered malaria drug

Posted by Kristi Heim


The Institute for OneWorld Health, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, said it has received $10.7 million from the Gates Foundation to begin commercial production of a key ingredient for malaria treatment.

In a partnership with drug company Sanofi-Aventis, the institute will use the Gates grant to prepare for large-scale production and commercialization of semi synthetic artemisinin by 2012.

Semi synthetic artemisinin is produced by a combination of genetic engineering and synthetic chemistry.

Artemisinin, the standard treatment recommended for malaria, is derived from artemisia, an herb found in Chinese medicine from the leaves of the wormwood tree.

Whie the parasite that causes the mosquito-borne disease has developed resistance to traditional drugs such as chloroquine, artemisinin in combination with other drugs is considered to be the most effective medication and credited with raising recovery rates globally.

The problem is its cost. Labor intensive extraction drives the price up and out of reach of most people in malaria prone areas such as sub-Saharan Africa.

This scientific paper describes the process, and this article offers a plain English translation of the project to use genetic engineering techniques to create microbes that can mass-produce artemisinin. (The University of Washington is also studying artemisinin's potential in cancer prevention.)

But even a more stable supply may not fully solve the problem of drug resistance when it comes to malaria. U.S. health officials say resistance to artemisinin is spreading.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last year that parasites resistant to artemisinin had emerged along the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

The Gates Foundation gave the Institute for OneWorld Health a five-year $42.5 million grant in 2004 to establish and validate a manufacturing process to make artemisinin-type drugs more affordable.

Read more!

Cambodia: Halt US Aid to Abusive Military Units

Source: Human Rights Watch
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

(New York) - The US selection of a Cambodian military unit with a record of human rights abuses to be the host of an annual peacekeeping exercise in Asia undermines the US commitment to promoting human rights in Cambodia, Human Rights Watch said today.

The "Angkor Sentinel" exercise is part of the 2010 Global Peace Operations Initiative, an effort jointly run by the US Departments of Defense and State to help train peacekeepers. Co-hosted by the US Pacific Command, Angkor Sentinel will be the largest multinational military exercise held this year in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 1,000 military personnel from 23 Asia-Pacific countries taking part.

The peacekeeping exercises will begin on July 12, 2010, with a five-day "command post" exercise in Phnom Penh. A two-week field training exercise will follow, with Cambodia's ACO Tank Command Headquarters in Kompong Speu province as the host. The US Defense Department funded construction there of a US$1.8 million training center for the 2010 initiative.
"For the Pentagon and State Department to permit abusive Cambodian military units to host a high-profile regional peacekeeping exercise is outrageous," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The US undermines its protests against the Cambodian government for rampant rights abuses like forced evictions when it showers international attention and funds on military units involved in grabbing land and other human rights violations."

For years, the ACO Tank Unit has been involved in illegal land seizures, as documented by the US State Department and by Cambodian and international human rights organizations. In November 2008, the unit seized the farmland of 133 families in Banteay Meanchey province, ostensibly to build a military base. In 2007, soldiers from the unit in Kompong Speu province used armored vehicles to flatten villagers' fences, destroy their crops, and confiscate their land.
Since 2006, the US has provided more than $4.5 million worth of military equipment and training to Cambodia. Some of that aid has gone to units and individuals within the Cambodian military with records of serious human rights violations, including Brigade 31, Brigade 70, and Airborne Brigade 911.

The Phnom Penh portion of Angkor Sentinel is likely to showcase elite Cambodian military units based near the capital, such as Prime Minister Hun Sen's personal bodyguard unit and Brigade 70, both of which have been linked to a deadly March 1997 grenade attack on the political opposition, and Airborne Brigade 911, which has been involved in arbitrary detentions, political violence, torture, and summary executions.US material assistance has also gone toward rights-abusing units such as Brigade 31, formerly known as Division 44, which in 2008 used US-donated trucks to forcibly move villagers evicted from their land in Kampot province. In recent years Brigade 31 has been implicated in illegal logging, land grabbing, and intimidation of opposition party activists during the 2008 national elections. The unit was also involved in summary executions of captured soldiers loyal to the FUNCINPEC party during a 1997 coup staged by Hun Sun.

Cambodian military personnel are not held accountable for serious rights violations. Instead, Hun Sen has promoted military officers implicated in torture, extrajudicial killings, and political violence, such as Hing Bunheang, the deputy commander of Brigade 70 at the time of the 1997 grenade attack, who was made deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in January 2009.

In December 2009, Cambodia deported 20 ethnic Uighur asylum seekers at grave risk back to China on the eve of a visit by senior Chinese officials to Phnom Penh. The US cancelled delivery of 200 surplus military trucks and trailers to Cambodia under the US Excess Defense Articles program. This was only the most minimal response to a serious breach of Cambodia's obligations as a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Human Rights Watch said.

In February, Hun Sen announced plans for corporate sponsorship of military units as a way to support defense costs. More than 40 Cambodian businesses have agreed to subsidize military units, including some companies that have long been allowed to misuse military units as the equivalent of security contractors to protect and support their business ventures in agri-business, banking, casinos, and national media.

"By essentially auctioning off military units, Hun Sen revealed that many military units are little more than guns for hire, not the defenders of the Cambodian people," Robertson said. "The US should not be training corrupt and abusive military units for global peacekeeping."

The US government should suspend military aid to Cambodia pending an improved and thorough human rights vetting process that screens out abusive individuals or units from receiving any aid or training, Human Rights Watch said. Certain military units, as well as individual personnel from them, should be immediately banned from Defense Department assistance, including Hun Sen's bodyguard unit, Brigade 70, Brigade 31, and Airborne Brigade 911, and any of their sub-units.

"US support for peacekeeping training cannot mean turning a blind eye to soldiers and units who have violated human rights," Robertson said. "Instead, military units that are called to deploy abroad as international peacekeepers must be true professionals, not only in technical expertise, but in their respect for human rights." Read more!

US, Cambodia Set To Mark 60 Years of Diplomacy

Hem Heng, left, Cambodian US Ambassador to Washington alongside with Tea Banh, Minister of Defense, in a pagoda in Maryland.


The embassy in Washington will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations with the US on Friday, with celebrations scheduled in Cambodia in weeks ahead.

The Cambodian Embassy has invited 200 guests and dignitaries for a performance of traditional dance and a live concert Friday, the Ambassador Hem Heng told VOA Khmer.

In Cambodia, the US Embassy is hosting a week of activities starting from July 18. On that day, the Pacific Fleet Marine Band will play a concert at Chaktomuk Hall in Phnom Penh, followed by another performance in Battambang town on July 20.

The award-winning “New Year Baby,” produced by Socheata Poeuv, will play July 19 at Chenla Theater in Phnom Penh. On July 21 and July 22, the government and US embassy are co-sponsoring a discussion of former ambassadors and historians that will be open to the public on both days. And on July 24, the embassy will host a public dance recital of “Seasons of Migration,” by master dancer Sophiline Shapiro, at Chaktomuk Hall.

The celebrations are part of a continued program to mark diplomatic dealings that have not always been smooth. The US was behind a coup that ousted then prince Norodom Sihanouk and preceded the rise of the Khmer Rouge. It also undertook a secret bombing campaign during the Vietnam War.

Relations between the two countries have improved in recent years, with the resumption of direct aid and the lifting of Cambodia from a trade blacklist, following soured relations in the aftermath of the 1997 coup d’etat.
Read more!