Second Opposition Lawmaker Called to Court
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
05 June 2009
An opposition parliamentarian has been summoned to Phnom Penh Municipal Court, following a suit filed by a group of senior military leaders.
Sam Rainsy Party member Ho Vann told local media in April that certificates awarded to 22 senior military officials by the Vietnamese Infantry Institute were “worthless.”
Ho Vann told reporters after his questioning he had not incited or defamed, and denied calling the certificates worthless. He said he had made numerous attempts to correct both the Cambodia Daily and the Phnom Penh Post for corrections.
Pol Saroeun and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Kun Kim, received doctorates in military science from the Vietnamese Infantry Institute in 2007, while 20 other senior military officials earned the master’s degrees.
Pol Saroeun declined to comment on the case. Tann Mengsroy, lawyer for the plaintiffs, also declined comment.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Critic of Temple Lighting Writes Hun Sen
Critic of Temple Lighting Writes Hun Sen
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Cambodia
05 June 2009
Moeung Sonn, who is facing a criminal suit for criticizing the agency in charge of the Angkor Wat temples, has written to prime minister to explain.
The Apsara Authority has issued a complaint for incitement and defamation against Moeung Sonn, president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation, for publicly criticizing a decision to shine lights on the Angkor Wat temples at night.
“The lighting could damage the temples when there is rain,” Meoung Sonn wrote to Prime Minister Hun Sen. Some of the lights are old and could electrocute tourists, he wrote.
Moeung Sonn told VOA Khmer Friday he hoped the prime minister would consider his letter, and think about the lighting at the famed temples.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Cambodia
05 June 2009
Moeung Sonn, who is facing a criminal suit for criticizing the agency in charge of the Angkor Wat temples, has written to prime minister to explain.
The Apsara Authority has issued a complaint for incitement and defamation against Moeung Sonn, president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation, for publicly criticizing a decision to shine lights on the Angkor Wat temples at night.
“The lighting could damage the temples when there is rain,” Meoung Sonn wrote to Prime Minister Hun Sen. Some of the lights are old and could electrocute tourists, he wrote.
Moeung Sonn told VOA Khmer Friday he hoped the prime minister would consider his letter, and think about the lighting at the famed temples.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
Amnesty International Report 2009 - Cambodia
Head of state: King Norodom Sihamoni
Head of government: Hun Sen
Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes
Population: 14.7 million
Life expectancy: 58 years
Under-5 mortality (m/f): 92/84 per 1,000
Adult literacy: 73.6 per cent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impunity, inadequate rule of law and serious shortcomings in the court system continued to cause a systemic lack of protection for human rights. Forced evictions, carried out with the direct involvement or complicity of government authorities, further impoverished thousands of marginalized Cambodians. Human rights defenders and community activists defending land and natural resources were imprisoned on baseless charges. Freedom of expression and assembly were restricted.
Background
In October, the Asian Development Bank warned that 2 million Cambodians may have slipped below the poverty line as the cost of food, fuel and other commodities rose amid the global financial crisis. This was in addition to the 4.5 million, around a third of the population, already living in poverty.
In July, the ruling Cambodian People's Party won National Assembly elections. The opposition had been weakened by internal and external political strife, and intimidation of voters, journalists and activists.
In September, the UN Human Rights Council replaced the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia with a Special Rapporteur of the Council for one year, retaining the mandate's functions. The mandate holder, Professor Yash Ghai, resigned deploring the government's refusal to co-operate with him.
In July, UNESCO listed the Preah Vihear Temple near the Thai border as a World Heritage Site. A territorial dispute with Thailand followed over ownership of land adjacent to the temple. Tension was periodically high as thousands of troops from both sides mobilized in the area. In October, two Cambodian soldiers were shot dead.
Forced evictions
Forced evictions continued in the wake of land disputes, land grabs, and agro-industrial and urban redevelopment projects. Thousands of forcibly evicted people did not receive an effective remedy, including restitution of housing, land or property. During the year, at least 27 forced evictions affected some 23,000 people. The government denied that forced evictions had taken place. The criminal justice system was increasingly used by the rich and powerful to silence those protecting their right to adequate housing and Indigenous Peoples protecting their land rights and way of life. Around 150 land activists and affected people were arrested during the year, many of them facing prosecution on spurious criminal charges.
Over 4,000 Phnom Penh families living around Boeung Kak Lake faced displacement as the lake was turned into a landfill site. Many of those affected lived in poverty in basic housing. Residents were given no notice before the landfill began on 26 August. Threats from local authorities and company workers against protesters were widespread.
Freedom of expression
Journalist Khim Sambor and his son were killed on 11 July during the election campaign. The killings followed an article by Khim Sambor in the opposition affiliated newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) alleging serious illegal actions by an unnamed senior government official. The killing spread fear among journalists. Nine journalists have been killed since 1994 – to date no-one has been brought to justice.
In the pre-election period, authorities closed down an independent radio station for allowing airtime to opposition parties, and the editor of Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) was briefly detained for reporting on a speech by the main opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
Impunity
The Supreme Court heard the appeal of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun on 31 December and decided to send the case back to the Appeal Court for reinvestigation and to release the two men on bail. They had been convicted of the 2004 killing of union leader Chea Vichea. Both had alibis for the time of the killing.
In September, a Phnom Penh Court judge confirmed that the investigation into the 2007 killing of union leader Hy Vuthy had been closed due to lack of evidence.
In April, an International Labour Organization factfinding mission to assess the progress of an investigation by authorities into the killing of three trade unionists concluded that the lack of an independent judiciary was a key factor behind the government's failure to stem violence and attacks against union members.
Breaking a cycle of impunity, five former Khmer Rouge soldiers were tried for their role in the 1996 abduction and killing of a British de-miner and his interpreter. Four of them were convicted and sentenced to long prison terms.
Detention without trial
Police in Phnom Penh increased night-time raids, arbitrarily arresting sex workers, homeless people and beggars. According to victims and witnesses, sex workers were routinely rounded up and forced – often with violence or threats – into trucks. Many arrests violated Cambodia's Criminal Procedure Code and international law. Some detainees were transferred to "education" or "rehabilitation" centres run by the municipal Social Affairs Department, where at least three detainees had been beaten to death, and women had been gang-raped by guards. The two centres remained operational at the end of the year, but the government issued assurances that those staying there did so voluntarily.
International justice
Several pre-trial hearings were held at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC, the Khmer Rouge tribunal). However the first trial to take place, that of Kaing Guek Eav (also known as Duch), was postponed till 2009 following a decision by co-prosecutors to seek a broader indictment.
Amid continued corruption allegations both the UN and Cambodian sides of the Court agreed to establish an anti-corruption programme. This led a number of Cambodian staff to report they had to pay kickbacks to secure their jobs.
In September, a transgender woman submitted the first complaint to the ECCC about gender-related abuse under the Khmer Rouge, including sexual violence in the form of gang rape in detention, and forced marriage.
By year's end, the ECCC's Victims Unit had received over 1,100 civil party applications, 34 of which had been accepted, and about 1,700 complaints from victims.
Legal, constitutional or institutional developments
The new criminal code, which took 14 years to draft, was not passed; at the end of the year it was being reviewed by the Council of Ministers.
The anti-corruption law was not passed despite being a high priority for Cambodia's international donors. In May, a coalition of over 40 NGOs presented a petition signed and thumb-printed by over a million Cambodians calling on the National Assembly to adopt the law and take other steps to curb corruption.
In September, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated his intention to ensure a law on associations was passed, partly in order to increase control over NGO funding and objectives. NGOs countrywide expressed serious concern that the law would place further restrictions on their activities.
A new anti-trafficking law, adopted in March 2008, was criticized for focusing on the arrest and detention of sex workers instead of traffickers.
Amnesty International visits
Amnesty International visited Cambodia in February/March and October.
Amnesty International reports
Cambodia: Release Scapegoats for Labor Leader's Murder (22 January 2008)
Cambodia: Rights Razed: Forced evictions in Cambodia (11 February 2008)
Cambodia: Ignoring the rights of Indigenous Peoples (1 June 2008)
Cambodia: A risky business – defending the right to housing (26 September 2008)
Topics: Forced marriage, Pre-trial detention, International tribunals, Impunity, Freedom of expression, Forced eviction,
Republished by CI,June5,2009.Cambodia.
Head of government: Hun Sen
Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes
Population: 14.7 million
Life expectancy: 58 years
Under-5 mortality (m/f): 92/84 per 1,000
Adult literacy: 73.6 per cent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impunity, inadequate rule of law and serious shortcomings in the court system continued to cause a systemic lack of protection for human rights. Forced evictions, carried out with the direct involvement or complicity of government authorities, further impoverished thousands of marginalized Cambodians. Human rights defenders and community activists defending land and natural resources were imprisoned on baseless charges. Freedom of expression and assembly were restricted.
Background
In October, the Asian Development Bank warned that 2 million Cambodians may have slipped below the poverty line as the cost of food, fuel and other commodities rose amid the global financial crisis. This was in addition to the 4.5 million, around a third of the population, already living in poverty.
In July, the ruling Cambodian People's Party won National Assembly elections. The opposition had been weakened by internal and external political strife, and intimidation of voters, journalists and activists.
In September, the UN Human Rights Council replaced the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia with a Special Rapporteur of the Council for one year, retaining the mandate's functions. The mandate holder, Professor Yash Ghai, resigned deploring the government's refusal to co-operate with him.
In July, UNESCO listed the Preah Vihear Temple near the Thai border as a World Heritage Site. A territorial dispute with Thailand followed over ownership of land adjacent to the temple. Tension was periodically high as thousands of troops from both sides mobilized in the area. In October, two Cambodian soldiers were shot dead.
Forced evictions
Forced evictions continued in the wake of land disputes, land grabs, and agro-industrial and urban redevelopment projects. Thousands of forcibly evicted people did not receive an effective remedy, including restitution of housing, land or property. During the year, at least 27 forced evictions affected some 23,000 people. The government denied that forced evictions had taken place. The criminal justice system was increasingly used by the rich and powerful to silence those protecting their right to adequate housing and Indigenous Peoples protecting their land rights and way of life. Around 150 land activists and affected people were arrested during the year, many of them facing prosecution on spurious criminal charges.
Over 4,000 Phnom Penh families living around Boeung Kak Lake faced displacement as the lake was turned into a landfill site. Many of those affected lived in poverty in basic housing. Residents were given no notice before the landfill began on 26 August. Threats from local authorities and company workers against protesters were widespread.
Freedom of expression
Journalist Khim Sambor and his son were killed on 11 July during the election campaign. The killings followed an article by Khim Sambor in the opposition affiliated newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) alleging serious illegal actions by an unnamed senior government official. The killing spread fear among journalists. Nine journalists have been killed since 1994 – to date no-one has been brought to justice.
In the pre-election period, authorities closed down an independent radio station for allowing airtime to opposition parties, and the editor of Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) was briefly detained for reporting on a speech by the main opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
Impunity
The Supreme Court heard the appeal of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun on 31 December and decided to send the case back to the Appeal Court for reinvestigation and to release the two men on bail. They had been convicted of the 2004 killing of union leader Chea Vichea. Both had alibis for the time of the killing.
In September, a Phnom Penh Court judge confirmed that the investigation into the 2007 killing of union leader Hy Vuthy had been closed due to lack of evidence.
In April, an International Labour Organization factfinding mission to assess the progress of an investigation by authorities into the killing of three trade unionists concluded that the lack of an independent judiciary was a key factor behind the government's failure to stem violence and attacks against union members.
Breaking a cycle of impunity, five former Khmer Rouge soldiers were tried for their role in the 1996 abduction and killing of a British de-miner and his interpreter. Four of them were convicted and sentenced to long prison terms.
Detention without trial
Police in Phnom Penh increased night-time raids, arbitrarily arresting sex workers, homeless people and beggars. According to victims and witnesses, sex workers were routinely rounded up and forced – often with violence or threats – into trucks. Many arrests violated Cambodia's Criminal Procedure Code and international law. Some detainees were transferred to "education" or "rehabilitation" centres run by the municipal Social Affairs Department, where at least three detainees had been beaten to death, and women had been gang-raped by guards. The two centres remained operational at the end of the year, but the government issued assurances that those staying there did so voluntarily.
International justice
Several pre-trial hearings were held at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC, the Khmer Rouge tribunal). However the first trial to take place, that of Kaing Guek Eav (also known as Duch), was postponed till 2009 following a decision by co-prosecutors to seek a broader indictment.
Amid continued corruption allegations both the UN and Cambodian sides of the Court agreed to establish an anti-corruption programme. This led a number of Cambodian staff to report they had to pay kickbacks to secure their jobs.
In September, a transgender woman submitted the first complaint to the ECCC about gender-related abuse under the Khmer Rouge, including sexual violence in the form of gang rape in detention, and forced marriage.
By year's end, the ECCC's Victims Unit had received over 1,100 civil party applications, 34 of which had been accepted, and about 1,700 complaints from victims.
Legal, constitutional or institutional developments
The new criminal code, which took 14 years to draft, was not passed; at the end of the year it was being reviewed by the Council of Ministers.
The anti-corruption law was not passed despite being a high priority for Cambodia's international donors. In May, a coalition of over 40 NGOs presented a petition signed and thumb-printed by over a million Cambodians calling on the National Assembly to adopt the law and take other steps to curb corruption.
In September, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated his intention to ensure a law on associations was passed, partly in order to increase control over NGO funding and objectives. NGOs countrywide expressed serious concern that the law would place further restrictions on their activities.
A new anti-trafficking law, adopted in March 2008, was criticized for focusing on the arrest and detention of sex workers instead of traffickers.
Amnesty International visits
Amnesty International visited Cambodia in February/March and October.
Amnesty International reports
Cambodia: Release Scapegoats for Labor Leader's Murder (22 January 2008)
Cambodia: Rights Razed: Forced evictions in Cambodia (11 February 2008)
Cambodia: Ignoring the rights of Indigenous Peoples (1 June 2008)
Cambodia: A risky business – defending the right to housing (26 September 2008)
Topics: Forced marriage, Pre-trial detention, International tribunals, Impunity, Freedom of expression, Forced eviction,
Republished by CI,June5,2009.Cambodia.
Global Witness Slams Donor Complacency Over Cambodian Corruption
Embargoed: 5 May 2009
Global Witness slams donor complacency over Cambodian corruption
Aid donors to Cambodia, including the EU, US, Japan, China, and the World Bank are failing to act in the face of overwhelming evidence of government corruption and state looting, said international campaign group, Global Witness today.
Three months on from the launch of a hard-hitting report detailing corruption and nepotism in the nascent extractives industry in Cambodia, Global Witness said that none of the major donors to Cambodia had indicated more than rhetorical willingness to address the issue. “We approached all the major international donors to present the findings of our report, Country for Sale. Some refused to meet with us, others said they shared our concerns, but none made concrete promises to act,” said
Eleanor Nichol, campaigner at Global Witness. “There is now a large body of evidence which shows that corruption undermines efforts to promote development - and our recent report shows that corruption in Cambodia is rife. Donors must do more to use their influence to help improve governance.” Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and receives significant international aid.
Last year donors pledged nearly $1bn – the equivalent of more than half the national budget. But Global Witness has revealed how government officials at the highest level are allocating the rights to natural resources to themselves and their cronies, with little or no benefit to the majority of the population. In 2006 and 2007 millions of dollars were paid by extractive companies for the right to explore and exploit oil, gas and mineral reserves, yet Global Witness’s investigations suggest the money may be missing from the national accounts. “Managed well, the profits of extractive industries could help lift people out of poverty, but decades of illegal or unsustainable exploitation of natural resources in Cambodia has deprived citizens of their rightful benefits,” said Nichol. “Aid is vital and can make a vast difference to poor people’s lives - but in Cambodia, international donors are using taxpayers’ money to plug a hole made by corrupt politicians. With the country on the brink of yet another exploitation bonanza, turning a blind eye must no longer be an option.”
The scale of donor complacency and refusal to engage with the issues raised in Country for Sale is best demonstrated by donors that declined to meet with Global Witness. These included France, China and Japan. Others who did agree meet were unhelpful and in some cases obstructive. Even donors who engaged did not
agree to push for reforms. “Some donors are reluctant to demand conditionality, which is understandable, given widespread criticism of inappropriate and damaging loan conditions in the past. However, there is a difference between imposing a set
of inflexible rules that are not in a country’s interest, and demanding a basic level of transparency and accountability which would help to prevent corruption,” said Nichol. Global Witness is calling for a stop to allocation of concessions until the basic regulatory frameworks are in place and a review of existing concessions to ensure that the companies are fit for purpose.
Global Witness wants donors to:
• Recognise that there is a direct link between governance and development outcomes, and use aid as
leverage to improve governance;
• Take immediate steps to integrate and coordinate the donor aid agenda with the urgent need to reform and
strengthen the governance of Cambodia’s emerging extractive sectors;
• Ensure that anti-corruption efforts are integrated within the core activities of all petroleum and mineral
related aid programmes to Cambodia
• Support Cambodian civil society in its efforts to increase transparency and accountability in the
management of Cambodia’s public assets
For more information contact Amy Barry on +44 7980 664 397, +44 207 5616358. www.globalwitness.org.
Eleanor Nichol is available for interviews and briefings on +44 7872 600870
Cambodia’s donors are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, the United Nations, the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank Group
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
Global Witness slams donor complacency over Cambodian corruption
Aid donors to Cambodia, including the EU, US, Japan, China, and the World Bank are failing to act in the face of overwhelming evidence of government corruption and state looting, said international campaign group, Global Witness today.
Three months on from the launch of a hard-hitting report detailing corruption and nepotism in the nascent extractives industry in Cambodia, Global Witness said that none of the major donors to Cambodia had indicated more than rhetorical willingness to address the issue. “We approached all the major international donors to present the findings of our report, Country for Sale. Some refused to meet with us, others said they shared our concerns, but none made concrete promises to act,” said
Eleanor Nichol, campaigner at Global Witness. “There is now a large body of evidence which shows that corruption undermines efforts to promote development - and our recent report shows that corruption in Cambodia is rife. Donors must do more to use their influence to help improve governance.” Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and receives significant international aid.
Last year donors pledged nearly $1bn – the equivalent of more than half the national budget. But Global Witness has revealed how government officials at the highest level are allocating the rights to natural resources to themselves and their cronies, with little or no benefit to the majority of the population. In 2006 and 2007 millions of dollars were paid by extractive companies for the right to explore and exploit oil, gas and mineral reserves, yet Global Witness’s investigations suggest the money may be missing from the national accounts. “Managed well, the profits of extractive industries could help lift people out of poverty, but decades of illegal or unsustainable exploitation of natural resources in Cambodia has deprived citizens of their rightful benefits,” said Nichol. “Aid is vital and can make a vast difference to poor people’s lives - but in Cambodia, international donors are using taxpayers’ money to plug a hole made by corrupt politicians. With the country on the brink of yet another exploitation bonanza, turning a blind eye must no longer be an option.”
The scale of donor complacency and refusal to engage with the issues raised in Country for Sale is best demonstrated by donors that declined to meet with Global Witness. These included France, China and Japan. Others who did agree meet were unhelpful and in some cases obstructive. Even donors who engaged did not
agree to push for reforms. “Some donors are reluctant to demand conditionality, which is understandable, given widespread criticism of inappropriate and damaging loan conditions in the past. However, there is a difference between imposing a set
of inflexible rules that are not in a country’s interest, and demanding a basic level of transparency and accountability which would help to prevent corruption,” said Nichol. Global Witness is calling for a stop to allocation of concessions until the basic regulatory frameworks are in place and a review of existing concessions to ensure that the companies are fit for purpose.
Global Witness wants donors to:
• Recognise that there is a direct link between governance and development outcomes, and use aid as
leverage to improve governance;
• Take immediate steps to integrate and coordinate the donor aid agenda with the urgent need to reform and
strengthen the governance of Cambodia’s emerging extractive sectors;
• Ensure that anti-corruption efforts are integrated within the core activities of all petroleum and mineral
related aid programmes to Cambodia
• Support Cambodian civil society in its efforts to increase transparency and accountability in the
management of Cambodia’s public assets
For more information contact Amy Barry on +44 7980 664 397, +44 207 5616358. www.globalwitness.org.
Eleanor Nichol is available for interviews and briefings on +44 7872 600870
Cambodia’s donors are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, the United Nations, the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank Group
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
National Briefs: Traffic Deaths, Accidents Reported Down for Feb '09
According to The Cambodia Daily Newspaper, Volume 42, Issue 58-On Friday, June 5, 2009.
The number of traffic casualties in February--the most recent month for which data are available--dropped 10 percent around the country compared to the same period last year, while traffic accidents declined by 23 percent, according to a monthly report released by the Cambodian Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System. Sem Panhavuth, manager for RTAVIS, attributed the drop to Chinese New Year," he said, explaining that last year the holiday was in February. Mr Panhavuth added that there is evidence in the new report that the number of motorbike drivers wearing helmets in the capital also decreased in February. He said 303 motorbike drivers injured or killed in accidents in January were wearing helmets while only 182 were wearing helmets in February. During the first week of January when the law was first implemented, around 80 percent of motorcycle drivers in Phnom Penh wore helmets, Mr Panhavuth said, citing a study by Handicap International. However, he added, that figure has dropped to around 56 percent according to the study.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
The number of traffic casualties in February--the most recent month for which data are available--dropped 10 percent around the country compared to the same period last year, while traffic accidents declined by 23 percent, according to a monthly report released by the Cambodian Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System. Sem Panhavuth, manager for RTAVIS, attributed the drop to Chinese New Year," he said, explaining that last year the holiday was in February. Mr Panhavuth added that there is evidence in the new report that the number of motorbike drivers wearing helmets in the capital also decreased in February. He said 303 motorbike drivers injured or killed in accidents in January were wearing helmets while only 182 were wearing helmets in February. During the first week of January when the law was first implemented, around 80 percent of motorcycle drivers in Phnom Penh wore helmets, Mr Panhavuth said, citing a study by Handicap International. However, he added, that figure has dropped to around 56 percent according to the study.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
National Briefs: Funcinpec Party Refreshes Its Relations With China
According to The Cambodia Daily Newspaper, Volume 42, Issue 58-On Friday, June 5, 2009.
Funcinpec Second Deputy President Prince Sisowath Sirirath on Wednesday said his party has refreshed its long-standing relations with the ruling Communist Party of China, following a recent Beijing visit by Funcinpec President Keo Puth Rasmey. Prince Sirirath said the two parties "understand each other" and that the royalist Funcinpec has supported the Chinese ruling party since the 1980s. "We have supported the one-China policy for a long time now, since Funcinpec was ruled by the King Father," he said, referring to retired King Norodom Sihanouk. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that China is "ready for further exchanges with Cambodia's Funcinpec Party based on the principles of being independent and equal, mutual respect, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs." "Party-to-party exchanges are an important channel to enhance our comprehensive and cooperative partnership," Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping told Mr Puth Rasmey, according Xinhua. As recently as December, The CPP and China made a similar, bilateral pledge to strengthen ties, according to the news agency.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
Funcinpec Second Deputy President Prince Sisowath Sirirath on Wednesday said his party has refreshed its long-standing relations with the ruling Communist Party of China, following a recent Beijing visit by Funcinpec President Keo Puth Rasmey. Prince Sirirath said the two parties "understand each other" and that the royalist Funcinpec has supported the Chinese ruling party since the 1980s. "We have supported the one-China policy for a long time now, since Funcinpec was ruled by the King Father," he said, referring to retired King Norodom Sihanouk. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday that China is "ready for further exchanges with Cambodia's Funcinpec Party based on the principles of being independent and equal, mutual respect, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs." "Party-to-party exchanges are an important channel to enhance our comprehensive and cooperative partnership," Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping told Mr Puth Rasmey, according Xinhua. As recently as December, The CPP and China made a similar, bilateral pledge to strengthen ties, according to the news agency.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
Business Briefing: Fishing Payload Up as Season Draws to a Close
According The Cambodia Daily Newspaper, Volume 42, Issue 58-On Friday, June 5, 2009.
The Cambodian fishing season officially ended Monday, renewing a seasonal ban on all fishing activities until September in order to help replenish fish stocks, Fisheries Administration Director-General Nao Thuok said this week. "The number of fish caught in the first five months of 2009 increased by 10 percent compared to the same period in 2008," said Mr Thuok, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture was working very hard to crack down on illegal fishing methods, including the use of electricity. Mr Thuok said that a total of 391,000 tons of fish were caught between January and May, 10 percent of which was exported to Thailand and Vietnam. Although the government is trying to help maintain stocks through the implementation of a four-month fishing ban, Mr Thuok said there was currently no quota system stipulating how many fish can be caught during the season. His administration is collaborating with the Mekong Fishing Committee to compile more data on fish stocks inside Cambodia's rivers, he said.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
The Cambodian fishing season officially ended Monday, renewing a seasonal ban on all fishing activities until September in order to help replenish fish stocks, Fisheries Administration Director-General Nao Thuok said this week. "The number of fish caught in the first five months of 2009 increased by 10 percent compared to the same period in 2008," said Mr Thuok, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture was working very hard to crack down on illegal fishing methods, including the use of electricity. Mr Thuok said that a total of 391,000 tons of fish were caught between January and May, 10 percent of which was exported to Thailand and Vietnam. Although the government is trying to help maintain stocks through the implementation of a four-month fishing ban, Mr Thuok said there was currently no quota system stipulating how many fish can be caught during the season. His administration is collaborating with the Mekong Fishing Committee to compile more data on fish stocks inside Cambodia's rivers, he said.
Republished by CI, Cambodia.
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