Cambodia Affirms No overlapping Areas at Preah Vihear border

By Soy Sophea

The Royal Government of Cambodian has underlined the fact that there is no overlap between Cambodian and Thai territory in the areas adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple. This statement is fully supported by international law and official maps that describe and classify the terrain as falling under the purview of Cambodian sovereignty. Thai counterarguments have resulted in a tense border standoff since mid-July.

“There are no overlapping areas at all along the 800 kilometer border with Thailand. We don’t recognize any overlapping areas,” Phay Siphan, the Cambodian Government spokesman and Secretary of State at the Council of Ministers said, during a round table discussion conducted by the Club of Cambodian Journalists on November 18.

The Secretary of State explained that the Thai military map claims overlapping areas amounting to 4.6 square kilometers, and this is used to support the Thai claim, according to Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Council of Ministers. This claim was judged to be one-sided and unjustifiable at a 2007 UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting.

Siphan hoped that his clarification would dispel confusion among some international reporters who have mistakenly reported that Cambodia and Thailand have overlapping border areas near the Preah Vihear temple.

Since the registration of Preah Vihear temple on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on July 7, Cambodian and Thai troops have been deployed along the border, with each side accusing the other of encroachment. A small-scale clash recently claimed several lives and caused superficial damage to the exterior of the ancient temple’s staircase.

The Secretary of State noted that the maps in Cambodia’s possession are internationally recognized and do not show any “white” or overlapping areas. Therefore, Cambodia will never accept any claims of shared territory.

Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat recently explained the Thai stance in a joint press conference following border discussions on November 12 at Siem Reap province. Thailand is happy to use the 1904 and 1907 international treaty between France and Siam as a road map to resolve the border conflict.

People in Tonle Sap Lake Gain Benefit from Sustainability Livelihood Program

By Soy Sophea

Cambodians living along the banks of the Tonle Sap River, and in floating communities that cluster along the surface, have been benefiting from natural resources. They have joined forces to preserve the wealth of biodiversity that surrounds them and are convinced that the lake and the river that feeds it need to be protected and passed on in good condition to the next generation, according to environmental experts.

Three million Cambodians are directly dependent upon the lake's resources. For instance, fish caught in the river provides up to 70 percent of their protein intake. Furthermore, UNESCO registered the Tonle Sap on the list of Biosphere Reserve in 1997, in view of its exceptional ecological, economic, social and cultural value.

Hour Lim Chhun, Sustainable Livelihoods Specialist of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve Secretariat, said that his project, completed in August 2008 has done much to help them stabilize daily life. For instance, they have presented aquaculture as a viable alternative to fishing.

He also noted that sponsorship has been provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and that together with the Secretariat, they were all working towards a more sustainable future.

He added that a Self Help Group has been established to gather representatives from 15 to 30 local families who will serve as role models to demonstrate the advantages of an approach to life based on a cooperative approach to saving and exploiting micro credit mechanisms where necessary. He added that to date there are 22 Saving Groups established in 3 core areas.

These core areas include the Prek Toal Core Area, located in Koh Chiveang Commune, Aek Phnom District Battambang Province. This commune comprises 5 floating villages including Thvang, Kompong Prahoc, Anlong Taua, Prek Toal and Kbal Taol. Next, there is the Boeung Tonle Chhmar Core Area located in Peam Bang commune, Stoung District Kompong Thom Province. The floating villages are scattered to the North and South of Boeung Tonle Chhmar. Then there is the Stung Sen Core area, located in Phat Sanday Commune, Kompong Svay District Kompong Thom Province, with floating villages stretching all the way to the lake.

The Tonle Sap is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake due to a unique hydrological phenomenon. Its area varies from 2,500 Km2 in the dry season to 12,000 km2 during the monsoon rains. The three core areas have been selected based on their pristine habitat, botanical diversity and importance for threatened water birds.

Yem Sothearith, Education and Extension Officer working with the Tonle Sap Environmental Management Project (TSEMP), said that people along the river have changed their approach to exploiting the potential of fish. He said that the communities have been liaising with are populated by well-informed people eager to contribute to the preservation of the lake’s natural resources.

He said that his 5-year project to educate people in the 5 provinces along the river will be complete by December, 2008 and that the result of his work had been a population that understood the importance of preserving natural resources for future generations.

He also referred to Prek Toal area, located on the north-western shore of the lake that shelters the largest remaining colonies of water birds in Southeast Asia. Thousands of pairs of pelicans, ibis, darters and storks, all of them species threatened with extinction, gather to nest in mixed species colonies in the flooded forests from November to May. He noted that this area was worth protecting for the money it could generate from ecotourism.

An Asian Development Bank loan of $10.9 million has been topped up by a government grant of $3.9 million, with a further $3.9 million provided by the Global Environment Facility. The financial package is rounded off with a loan of $623,000 from the UNDP’s Capacity Grant, according to Kim Chantha, ADB External Relation Coordinator.

Heng Dara, Coordinator at the Siem Reap-based Osmose organization said that since 1999, he has introduced a pilot scheme linking conservation and development in the Prek Toal area of the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Osmose is the first ecotourism provider in the area, and over 100 poor families benefit from socio-sanitary support and alternative income-generating activities.

He added that, “The site is the last breeding stronghold in Southeast Asia for large water birds that face serious threats in the form of massive egg and chick collection for local consumption.”

The project uses an original approach, integrating water-bird conservation, environmental education and ecotourism, with the equitable development of the local communities as an overall goal. He noted that after all the hard work, the future of the water-bird colonies looked much more secure, safe in the hands of over 1,000 children that have joined the environmental education program. He added, “The project is now recognized as a model by local and international peers. At this stage, Osmose is setting out to get a clearer picture of the impact of its activities.”

Sa Mon, Project Implementation officer of Osmose said that responsibility for ecotourism activities were in the hands of 15 families/beneficiaries selected from Peak Kantel area. They have been provided with a range of equipment (including paddle boats, cooking utensils and water filters) and personnel (including guides, facilitators and hospitality workers). In addition, the Osmose Floating Visitor Center has been refurbished with a new kitchen and a viewing deck on the roof.
“Ecotourism provides a good model for replication in other areas of the Tonle Sap River Basin,” Mon said.

Wood-Burning Stoves Remain Viable

By Soy Sophea

In these days of microwave ovens and fast food, wood-burning stove makers remain enthusiastic about their product as sales increase. In the current economic climate, a little wood-burning stove has a big reputation as it can reduce cooking expenses by up to 30 percent. The French organization GERES (Groupe Energies Renouvelables Environment et Solidarités) has been preaching the benefits of this type of stove in Cambodia since 1997.

Khouern Pom, 57, with over 20 years experience in making traditional stoves, said that his business increased after he attended GERES courses. There he learned how to make a viable little product even more efficient and now he is selling upwards of 1,000 units per month.

“I can make around ten million riel per month selling these stoves. This is a massive increase over the course of the decade,” the stove maker told the Cambodia Weekly during a telephone interview.

Pom, whose product is well known the length and breadth of Battambang province, explained that his products are so popular because they save the owner money every time they are used; consuming up to 30 percent less energy than older stoves, they are much more cost effective than any of the alternatives. Better still, they do not produce as much CO2 as the older models.

“I am happy to see my countrymen buy these new stoves because each customer walks away from my shop with a guarantee of savings and overall value for money,” he said.
Yem Koeurn, the owner of three stove-making factories in Kampong Chhnang province, has increased production to around 4,000 to 5,000 stoves per month during this rainy season. He said during the dry season, he made about 6,000 stoves. He added that the rapid increase in sales was due to the widespread acceptance of lessons learned from GERES.

“I appreciate this business as there is never an idle moment in my two stove-making factories. The only problem is that demand is running far ahead of supply and we can’t make enough of the stoves to keep everybody happy,” he said.

The Cambodia Fuel-Wood Saving Project (CFSP) was started in 1997 out of the need for coordinated action to shape a wood-burning energy policy. The initial work focused on Kampong Chhnang province as researchers assessed the technological and socio-economic issues surrounding a wood-based energy policy.

“We have engaged in a wide range of research and training activities to reduce the consumption of wood in Cambodia and focused in particular on fuel efficiency to improve the performance of the charcoal manufacturing processes and effectiveness of the stoves that burn it,” according to Mao Ratha, Human Resource, Administration and Logistics Manager of GERES.

Ratha said that his team seeks collaboration with other organizations involved with wood energy issues to bring about coordinated action and a unified national wood energy policy.

He continued, “One of the aims of phase two of our four-year program is to talk to the heads of 150,000 households to encourage them to adopt these improved stoves. This program would lead to a total saving of 2,210,000 tones of wood and the creation of about 90 jobs over a ten year period.”

Sek Sambath, a stove user in Battambang province, said that he has used the improved stove for the last three years and is well qualified to describe its advantages, not the least of which is a 5,000 Riel saving on monthly cooking expenses. The 35-year-old said the new stoves cost less than the older models and urged all Cambodians living in rural areas to take advantage of the savings.

According to GERES research, a household that depends on sugar palm production consumes the most wood. Introducing significant improvements to the efficiency of the stoves will reduce the amount of wood energy used. Studies indicate that use of improved stoves can cut Cambodia’s consumption of charcoal by 40 percent, or about 23,000 tones per year. Given Cambodia’s reliance on wood energy, reducing the nation’s consumption of wood & charcoal will move the country nearer to sustainable use of its fuel wood resources.

During phase one of their work, GERES, working in conjunction with CFSP and CEDAC (Centre d’Etude et de Développment Agriole Cambodgien) drew together 18 other institutions interested in wood energy issues, forming the Wood Energy Network of Cambodia. Through this network CFSP representatives were able to train 58 ICS (Improved Cook-stove) technicians and over 100 extension workers. 18,000 improved cook-stoves were introduced to the target communities resulting in a saving of 37,500tones of firewood each year and a 53,000 ton reduction in CO2 emissions.

CFSP representatives have set up a laboratory in Phnom Penh where stove designs can be developed. Here the new models are tested to destruction and monitored to assess their consumption and CO2 emissions. This data enables the organization to design ovens that provide the greatest fuel efficiency. In addition, a basic field laboratory has been devised to enable the production centers to test their stoves. This is backed up by extensive field research to confirm the fact that there are happier, wealthier and healthier customers at the end of the supply chain.

Hoeung Chuntheang, GERES’s quality control Manager noted that CFSP has been very successful in promoting the improved cook-stoves, primarily through their work with domestic stove producers. He added that once the producers understand the benefits of the stoves and know how to manufacture them, it is an easy matter to distribute these stoves using existing commercial channels.

“The economic benefits to the end users, middlemen and the producers maintain the stove's popularity over the long term,” he said.

Cambodia-Thailand Improve in Border Talks

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian and Thai delegates have given a more positive assessment following talks to defuse tensions over the disputed border. The two countries have just finished three days of talks, with November 10-11set aside for Joint Border Committee business and the 12th set aside for foreign ministerial meetings. This upbeat assessment was delivered to a joint press conference following the ministerial border negotiations that took place in Siem Reap province.

Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told reporters after the latest meeting on November 12, that Cambodia and Thailand have reached a joint agreement in principle and both sides have pledged to withdraw their troops from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda area.

The Deputy Prime Minister has described the talks as a "big practical step forward", and expressed his pleasure in understanding that the border issue could still raise the passions of the Cambodian populace. His Thai counterpart Sompong Amornwiwat said they had achieved approximately "96 percent" of what they had set out to achieve.

The Deputy Prime Minister continued “I am proud of our people as their spirit and the love they have shown to our country is without compare. Border resolutions such as these cannot be resolved overnight, nor can we expect to have everything entirely our own way. To illustrate the point, consider the historical border issues that still continue between Russia and China for example, or India and China, Vietnam and China, or Japan and Korea; these disputes have lasted for decades and are still not completely resolved.”

Furthermore, he informed reporters that after the latest meeting, “The Royal Government of Cambodia has its road map and will not start the process of resolution without first hammering out an appropriate strategy. We will also consider the continuation of good relations with our neighbors, as well as Cambodia’s territorial sovereignty.”

The first step has been taken, with Cambodia and Thailand pledging to begin to place markers along their common border and withdraw troops from around the disputed temple area. These preparatory moves came after a meeting of foreign ministers aimed at preventing further clashes after both sides exchanged gunfire last month.The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that obstacles remain in the way of a final amicable solution in settling the land dispute, a view upheld by his counterpart Sompong.

The two sides will begin marking out the border, which runs for nearly 800km, much of it heavily mined, and the two nations have also agreed to make the stretch upon which the temple stands their first priority, according to the Deputy Prime Minister. The two sides say they mark out sections of the contested area around the 11th Century Preah Vihear temple - the scene of last month's deadly clashes. These will reduce the risk of one side blundering into the territory of the other.

Var Kimhong, Chairman of the National Committee for the Resolution of Border Disputes in the Council of Ministers, who also attended the meeting, said that both sides have for the time being agreed to use all documents created by the Joint Border Committee (JBC) in 2006. These documents identify the 29 border markers or pillars that divide the two countries.

He added that time and research would be spent in getting a more precise fix on the marker locations; however, this could be difficult as time and years of civil war have conspired to hide these markers from view.

What is without doubt is the fact that the Thai delegates have accepted internationally recognized map, created between 1904 and 1907, according to Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat.
However, the Thai Foreign Minister says the accord is still subject to ratification by his country's Parliament. He said that the two sides will conduct another round of negotiations in January.

NDI Trains Political Party Women for the Upcoming General Election

By Soy Sophea

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) on Wednesday last week launched its one-day seminar for women leaders from three political parties. The seminars were arranged
to enhance communication with voters during the campaign period for the upcoming 2008 national elections.

At the opening seminar held at the Cambodiana Hotel, Chit C. Asis, an NDI political trainer said training was aimed at strengthening participation by political parties by enhancing the skills of women party trainers in political campaign communication skills. She added that 36 women trainers from the Cambodia People’s Party, the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia, (Funcinpec), and the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) have been trained in campaign communication.

Ky Lum Ang, Funcinpec parliamentarian, said at the workshop that it would enable the three main political parties to broadcast better focused political messages. “Women are
the development partners for our society,” she said. “We have to educate them as much as we can, especially in the areas such as political theory and the democratic process.” In addition,

Ke Sovannroth, SRP parliamentarian, said that experience in elections was important for Cambodia’s democratic society.

“We have to have them trained to make sure they are strong enough to take part in forthcoming political campaign,” Sovannroth said.

Nin Saphon, from Cambodia People’s Party, said that the seminar was a good way to bring the different political organizations together where they were able to sit and learn together as one great Khmer family. Cambodia is scheduled to hold its forth national election in July 27, 2008.

Cambodia Still Has Agricultural Potential on Rice Crop

By Soy Sophea

Cambodia’s top government officials and food production NGO’s agree that Cambodia
has the ability to grow even more rice. They pointed that the rice yield of recent years did not represent the nation’s full potential as a producer of the staple crop.

The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said early this month that Cambodia has great potential for agriculture. The Premier was speaking to the Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda during a helicopter trip to the Cambodian-Thai border last month. He pointed out the thousands of hectares of agricultural lands which currently lie fallow and require irrigation.

“If Cambodia can learn some lessons from Thai agricultural practices, the volume of Cambodia’s rice export will be higher than Thailand and Vietnam’s rice exports combined,” he stressed.
ODIA STILL HAS...’
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MoAFF) has predicted that for 2007-08 season, Cambodia will produce over six million tons of rice, similar to the 2006-07 season, when 6,264,123 tons of rice were produced. Of this, two million tons was
exported. However, the Premier explained that Vietnam has planted rice on every
available plot of land and is able to harvest three crops per year.

“They get three to four tons of rice crops per hectare of land compared to Cambodia’s
2.4 tons per hectare,” he said. “If we do the same as Thailand and Vietnam with double or triple the planting and yield, Cambodia will export more,” he added. “We can certainly
afford to do this as the population of Cambodia is smaller than the other two countries.”

The Premier’s optimism is shared by MoAFF Secretary of State for Agriculture Chan Tong Iv. The Secretary of State confirmed that now Cambodia gets just over 2 tons per hectare in one harvest per year. He confirmed that the “…Agriculture ministry wants to introduce double rice planting next year.”

However, he said that care would be taken to ensure that appropriate breeds of rice are sown in appropriate soil types at appropriate times of the year.

He went on to say, “We have three million hectares of rice paddy fields, but we plant rice on only on 2.2 million hectares. It will take time to achieve the Premier’s goal”.

Yang Saing Koma, President of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development
in Agriculture (CEDAC) said that if Cambodia did not follow the rice growing methods set out by Thailand and Vietnam, the nation will not reach its goal.

He recommended that the Cambodian government should have agricultural advisors at the grass roots level to advise farmers, manage irrigation systems and monitor production
output. He said it depends on the government’s ability to balance food security with export demands.

Through his experience with farmers, he suggested that there should be at least three agriculture advisors for each commune involved with agricultural production—today that means 1,000 out of a total of 1,621 communes throughout Cambodia. “If we can do that, we can reach our goals quickly and provide our neighbors with some real rice growing competition,” he said.

“We need to train farmers to grow as much as they can,” he said. “They work so hard but remain unaware of the technical and horticultural advancements made over recent years.
Water supply is another area that requires attention.”

These suggestions are likely to cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, CEDAC’s President agreed with the Premier in saying “We certainly have the potential
to create an agricultural boom, but we have to reform first”.

Cambodia Keeps on Track to Cut off Ozone destroyer by 2010

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian environment experts are convinced that Cambodia will reach its goal of producing no chlorofluorocarbon halomethane, a greenhouse gas more commonly known
as CFC-12 by 2010.

Khieu Muth, secretary of state at the Ministry of Environment, said during a one-day seminar at Sunway Hotel in Phnom Penh on March 7 that Cambodia looked set fair to achieve its target to abolish CFC-12. An 85 percent reduction in the use of CFC-12 must be achieved by 2008, and by 2010 there should be no CFC-12 emitted in any part of the nation. This will bring Cambodia in line with the rest of the world, as according to the Minister “There is no other country currently using it.”

Muth said that between 2002 and 2004, 94 tones of CFC-12 were used in Cambodia, but since a three-year project costing US $ 890,000, funded by the United Nations for Development Program and the Global Environment Fund, this figure has fallen dramatically.

He confirmed that Cambodia had well thought-out contingency plans to ensure smoother implementation of the project. “We have achieved a 22.8 metric ton reduction in consumption of CFCs as a refrigerant, as a result of retrofitting 3,402 cars with ozone
friendly means of air conditioning. This measure alone will allow us to reach our 85 percent reduction goal for 2008—by March 2008, 3,155 cars had been changed their refrigerants.

Nearly 50 participants from relevant parts of the project including Cambodian government officers, customs officers and garage owners took part in the workshop.

Cambodia ratified the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol on June 27, 2001. The Vienna Convention was established to protect the ozone layer in 1985. Following this, the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer was introduced in 1997 with the objective of reducing and finally phasing out the use of these substances.

NGOs and Media Urge ECCC not to be Strict with Members of the Press

By Soy Sophea

Local and international NGO officers and media representatives have requested the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)’s Public Affairs Office to be more transparent and allow the public access to more information about ECCC processes
in relation to the five accused former Khmer Rouge leaders.

A talk was conducted by OSJI (Open Society Justice Initiative) in Phnom Penh on March 10 about the media’s role in the ECCC. This followed an argument between an ECCC Public Affairs Officer, Peter W. Foster and CTN (Cambodian Television Network)’s news anchor, Soy Sopheap.

According to Soy Sopheap, the argument came about after he pointed a video camera at
Duch, the former Toul Sleng S-21 prison chief during the Pol Pot regime.

The incident occurred when the accused was taken for re-enactments at Cheung Ek killing field. The participants urged the ECCC Public Affairs Office to explain and clarify the rules governing media involvement in the Court. This will help to avoid future disputes and ensure the media and NGOs do not violate the court’s internal rules. These internal rules have been the source of some controversy in the past and have lead to
tense moments at times in relationship between the press, NGOs and the ECCC.

CTN’s Soy Sopheap said that he had done nothing more than attempt to provide real information to the people about the progress of the Extraordinary Chambers. He was
acting on behalf of the victims and all Cambodians in general. He went on to say “What Cambodian people care about now is their land, not the Khmer Rouge trials. So why are you [the ECCC] so strict with us [the media]”

Ek Madra, a Cambodian journalist with 15 years experience, told the half-day discussion that journalists wanted to bring real facts about the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to light in order to inform Cambodians about the process of the court.

“Please don’t be so strict to journalists who work not only to inform the people of Cambodia but people across the world,” Madra said. “The ECCC officers say they would like local and international NGO officers and media representatives have requested the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)’s Public Affairs Office to be more transparent and allow the public access to more information about ECCC processes
in relation to the five accused former Khmer Rouge leaders.

Long Panhavuth, a Programme Officer for the Open Society Justice Initiative, said that the ECCC should behave in a positive way when dealing with the public, as it is considered to be symbolic of judicial reform in Cambodia and elsewhere.

An element of the ideal of impartial justice is transparency. Helen Jarvis, the ECCC’s Chief of Public Affairs, told the Cambodia Weekly a day after the conference that she welcomed the suggestion from the media regarding access to information from the court.
She added, “The ECCC is unlike most courts in Cambodia as it is a great deal more transparent than they are.”

Thai Premier Welcomes Cambodia's Preah Vihear Entering

By Soy Sophea

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who paid a two-day official visit to Cambodia on March 3-4, has expressed his heartiest support for the Cambodian government’s efforts to enter Preah
Vihear temple into UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of world heritage sites.

The event to decide the matter will be held in June this year in Canada. The Thai Premier told his counterpart Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during an official dialog at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) that Thailand backed Cambodia’s plans for her only Preah Vihear but would not extend similar support in relation to a controversial border issue, according to the Cambodian Government’s Spokesman Khieu Kanharith.

Khieu Kanharith, who is also the Information Minister, told reporters at a press conference on March 3 that the Thai Premier Samak confirmed that his government backed Cambodia in entering the controversial temple to the world heritage list, explaining that according to the Thai Premier, “Thailand has no objections…”

Last year, the MoFAIC Minister Hor Namhong asked the Thai government for support for Cambodia’s re-submission of a proposal to enter Preah Vihear temple to UNESCO’s world heritage list this year. The Minister Hor Namhong said Phnom Penh was ready to declare that the procedure would not affect the border demarcation.

Language Centers in Flats nearby Bak Touk High School Still Popular

By Soy Sophea

Just about 50 meters from street 169, along the street next to the southern fence of the Bak Touk High School, many flats have the learning schedules for foreign languages pasted outside their doors. These flats have been leased to provide classes for foreign language study.

Leaning on a mirrored book closet in front of his English classroom, a middle aged man was chatting to his colleagues while he took a rest after teaching many hours of English.
Looking into his classroom, Lim Hong sighed and said that today not so many students came to study English in his class, but he said he always welcomes students from everywhere over the country.

Lim Hong is an English teacher who has leased a flat in the same location for over twenty years in which to teach English. Even though there are many English centers established near his classroom, he still has many students studying English in his class.

Hong, who specializes in English grammar and English newspaper texts said that students who came to study and practice English in his class were generally university students and employed people.

“Here students spend only 1,000 riel per hour for English study. It is cheaper compared to others,” he said. “They come to study English here in detail because their study at university does not go into the same depth.”

He boasted that, “Teachers at other English centers or universities are not as good as we are, because students pay a monthly fee. Teachers don’t care about the students after the money has been paid.” he added. “If we adopted the same attitude, we could not compete
with other English training centers.”

He said he was proud that he had taught thousands of students, some of them becoming English teachers. He added that students who studied English in his class would not get any recognized certificates, but they could speak, listen, read and write as well, if not better, than the ones who trained at other language centers recognized by the Ministry of Education, Youths and Sports.

However, he advised students that they had to study hard at home; otherwise their English would not improve even though they had learnt English in his class.

He said, “Here, they spend only one or two hours per day, which is insufficient if real improvement is to be made. Their time here must be augmented by study at home.”

Chuon Sopheak, 32, a student taking English classes nearby Bak Touk High School, said that he now spent his lunch break learning English. He pays 1,000 riel per hour for English classes translating newspapers from English to Khmer.

“I have studied here for nearly 10 years,” Sopheak said, “But I almost forgot it all because I work in a field which is not related to English language use and now I want to be reminded of it again.”

“It is a good place to study for me because teachers always take care of students and do explain in more detail,” he added.

Not only Sopheak, but also 16-year-old Seang Piseth a young man from Phnom Penh is interested in studying English over there. The thin, tall and pale student said that “Students studying here, study hard.” Pesith advised to his friends who attend other centers to study hard, otherwise their English would not improve. “It depends on students
themselves. If they do not study hard, they will achieve nothing.”

Besides English, Bak Touk also has other foreign language training centers dealing in Thai, Chinese, Japanese, French, Korean and many more. Its reputation as a language
training area began in 1992 during the UNTAC (United Nation Transitional Authority in Cambodia) period. So far, hundreds of thousands of students who are mostly poor and come from provinces have been trained in foreign languages there.

Thiv Nora, who used to study English from 1995 to 2000, said that it was a good place for either students or poorly paid working people to learn to improve their foreign languages. The 28-year-old working man realized that students who paid a lot of money
at expensive classes would achieve nothing if they didn’t study in their own time. He recommended patience and practice as a route to success.

Prak Soyean, who is a manager of the ASEAN Mixture School located near Bak Touk High School, also expressed positive thoughts about these schools and their ability to cater for a wide variety of learners and their needs.

Soyean, who monitors teachers at his schools, said that, “I cannot hope to challenge the other high visibility language centers, but I care about my students and always try to give them the best value for money.”

Job Market Still Limited in Cambodia

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian officials, youth association officers and lecturers worry about Cambodia’s
future development if the younger generation continues to find work in services or industries in which they have little experience and no educational background.

The problem has been exercising minds in the highest ranks of government in Cambodia.
The Prime Minister Hun Sen advised students during a diploma distribution ceremony to students at the Phnom Penh Royal University on March 5 that in the free market, work was hard to find. “If students do not study hard, they will not get a decent job,” said the Prime Minister. “You [the students] have to be skilled and talented; otherwise you will experience trouble finding work.”

Chea Se, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, said the country would not develop smoothly if the students found jobs for which they had not been trained. He recognized that this trend dated back to the 1980s when he was young.
The Under Secretary of State for Education said, “I have been concerned about this for many years and yet the situation has remained the same. Our society will not develop along rational lines if our human resources are trained for one task, but performing another,” he added.

Mak Sarath, head of the Youth Council of Cambodia, agreed that there was no choice for Cambodian youth. He raised the example of medical students who were unable to find work in hospitals and consequently found employment as accountants or marketers/distributors.

Sarath said, “They [students] have no choice to work in the field that they have learnt.”
Commenting on this issue, a foreign English teacher, who asked not to be named, voiced concern for Cambodian students and their permanent employability when they found jobs away from their fields of study.

The teacher added that students in this category could only hope to command low wages.
The Under Secretary of State for Education Chea Se explained that this phenomenon was a result of the needs of students to support their families.

He pointed out that there are a limited number of subjects studied at universities that may guarantee immediate employment in a closely related field, such as engineering and education. However, other fields are not so relevant to Cambodia’s current job market needs, even though the student may study marketing, business, or accounting.

Under current conditions, only one in ten students is employed, said Mak Sarath, quoting a recent Youth Star of Cambodia report. And the job that one student got is in a different
fi eld of study.

Bun Reoun, who studies general English at diploma level, said that he had lost confidence since he found a job away from his study subject. He added that he had just dropped his third-year bachelor decree in management to work as a shoe designer
for a Pilipino factory in Phnom Penh.

He said he regretted that he chose to work away from his study subject, adding that there was no choice as he wanted money to maintain his study. However, he said everything
had changed, with no real job, no real money and no more study.

He said, “I am now unemployed. I need money to continue my study, so I do not mind whatever job I do.”

A 25-year-old Student Chan Sotra looked happier because he had managed to find a job related to his study background. Sotra, who holds a bachelor decree in tourism management, said that he was lucky to get a job related to his study background at the university.

He added that he had started working as a tour operator with a local tour company since he was a third-year college student. Sotra said, “I am very happy with my job and my study.”

He added that, “We should work with what we have studied. Even though we might get a lower salary in the beginning, we will get higher pay later on.”

He added that working within the study field is more enjoyable and has provided him with much experience. Working as tour operator, he has traveled extensively in the Asia
Pacific region, Thailand, Laos PDR, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States.

Information Minister Appeals to Print Media Owners to Help Their Resellers

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith on March 11, urged all presidents of media associations in the kingdom to find a workable method to help news vendors.
In a statement following discussions with news merchants, the Information Minister said that Hok Bunnath, Chairwoman of the Newspaper Resellers Association asked for his
intervention to encourage publishers to help news vendors make more profit. He added that the profit vendors earned was not much.

Pen Samithy, Editor-in-Chief of a Khmer language newspaper, said that his publication could not cut prices. According to him, news publishers are also facing difficulties as a result of inflation. He added that in his opinion, the solution lay in increasing the price of newsprint to around 1000 riel per copy. Beyond this advice, he was unable to help them.

Samithy, who is also the President of the Club of Cambodian Journalists, said that increasing the price meant that he could share profits with the vendors, but he could not say when the increase would be made.

“We need to talk to other newspaper owners to make sure we are all reading from the same page,” he said.

A 45-year-old Ty Sodany started her career selling newspapers and magazines in 1993. She said she could make about 100 riel per newspaper sold at 700 riel and 500 riel per copy from local magazine sales.

Sodany, whose newsstand is located next to Wat Lanka near the Independence Monument, added that, copy from local magazine sales. Sodany, whose newsstand is located next to Wat Lanka near the Independence Monument, added that, profit we make and the ever rising prices.” She was therefore eager to agree with Pen Samithy’s idea to increase the price of newsprint.

Soy Sopheap, another newspaper publisher agreed with the vendors. He suggested that the leading daily newspapers which get more income from advertisement should be the first to consider to the vendors’ welfare.

Hun Sen: Tourism Boom in Cambodia not Because of Exhibition

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 5 recommended that the Ministry of
Tourism not spend money on an exhibition abroad which would waste hundreds of thousands of US dollars.

Making his remarks at the closing of a two-day annual tourism assessment forum at the Chaktomuk Theatre in Phnom Penh last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that he had
rejected a Tourism Ministry proposal which recommended spending more than one hundred thousand $US to participate in a tourism exhibition in Italy over the next few months.


“I said “NO” to the useless expenditure over the exhibition as it wastes our money,” the Premier Hun Sen said. The Prime Minister recommended that the way to enhance tourism
was to organize warm hospitality for the arrivals, and to ensure that everything was priced reasonably.

“If you don’t have national security and safety, no one will visit your [country],” he said. “However, you also have to have warm and well-prepared hospitality.”

The prime minister also pointed out the importance of the visa on arrival at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap International Airports and other border checkpoints with the neighboring nations—Thailand, Vietnam and Laos PDR.

Moeun Son, who is a chairman with the Tourism Enterprise of Cambodia, agreed with Hun Sen’s recommendation. However, he also voiced concern over increasing prices, which are much greater than for other tourist traps in the region. He said it costs double to buy a package tour to Cambodia compared to Malaysia or Thailand.

“Cambodia’s tour package price is much too expensive,” he said. “Tourists spend a lot of money on airport taxes before their holiday has even begun.”

Moeun Son, who also runs his own tourism business, said that big investors in the tourism industry in Cambodia have been considering raising the price of airport taxes. “They do not so much care for Cambodia’s future tourism,” he added. “They want to earn a lot of money now without any concern for future visitors.”

The Cambodian Premier also appealed to all involved in the tourism business to spend less on promotions and pay more attention to their services and hospitality.

Son Vichet, a ticket sales officer for a local tour company, said that even though arrivals had increased by more than two million, his ticket sales remained at about 10 to 15 per day. He said that the government should control prices for tourism services if they wanted to develop a sustainable tourist industry in the kingdom. “The Government should involve itself in prices, especially airport tax and transportation fee charges,” he said.

According to Tourism Ministry statistics, Cambodia’s tourism industry continued to grow in 2007, with 2,015,128 international visitors—an 18.5 percent increase compared to the 2006 figure of 1,700,041. Siem Reap’s Angkor Wat arrivals increased with 1,120,586 visitors last year representing a 55.61 percent, while Phnom Penh and other destinations
saw 894,542 more visitors, a 44.39 percent increase over previous years.

Cambodian Economy Grows at 6.5 % in 2008: 4.75% predicted in 2009

BY SOY SOPHEA

The global slowdown will probably mean lower foreign investment in Cambodia and its economic growth is likely to slow to 6.5 percent this year and 4.8 percent in 2009, according to David G. Cowen, Deputy Division Chief of Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Cowen said garment exports and tourist arrivals are slowing, reflecting a rapid downturn in the economies of key trading partners, as well as illustrating the strain on Cambodia’s competitiveness. This is due in part to the strength of both the riel and U.S. dollar, operating in a situation of tighter global liquidity conditions.

“We see that the external conditions will continue to be very challenging. We are expecting foreign investment to be lower next year and that is one of the reasons we are forecasting a lower growth rate in the construction sector,” he said during a press conference at the end of a visit in Cambodia from October 23 to November 7.

Following several years of very strong performance, Cambodia’s economy faces a number of challenging headwinds, the IMF noted that after a robust start, growth momentum eased over the course of 2008, and more recently, the economy has began to experience adverse effects as the implications of global financial stress are felt.

“These factors are expected to lead to an easing in growth to 6.5 percent in Cambodia, slowing to 4.75 percent as 2009 progresses.” he said at the press conference on November 7, in Phnom Penh.

Cowen, who met with Cambodian economy officials, private sector delegates, donors, NGOs, and Labor unions, as well as the National Bank of Cambodia, said that Cambodia had attracted around $750 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2008 but the figure was likely to be 25 to 30 percent lower next year.

Garments brought in $3.8 billion last year and the country attracted 2.1 million tourists, helped by the return of relative political stability.

Hang Chuon Naron, Secretary General at the Ministry of Economic and Finance, said that the economic growth forecast in 2008 was produced by his ministry with all cooperation form the IMF.

“We have predicted economic growth would stand at 7 percent in early this year, but this figure has been revised down to 6.5 percent due to the global financial crisis. The Royal Government of Cambodia has accepted the forecast,” he told the Cambodia Weekly by telephone after IMF released the statement during the press conference on November 7.

The Secretary General continued to say that Cambodian economic growth for 2009 is expected to grow at 4.45 percent. However, he said that the next year’s economic forecast is merely a prediction. “Practically, it will either increase or decrease, depending on the performance of the big players in the global economy.”

However, Naron said that a reversal in these factors in the second half of 2008, led by lower oil prices, should result in a decline in headline inflation from a peak of about 26 percent in May to around 15.50 percent by year’s end. With domestic demand pressures projected to ease, inflation should continue trending downward next year.

Cowen added that the external current account deficit (including official transfers) is estimated to have widened significantly in 2008, to 12.25 percent of GDP, reflecting the impact of higher oil prices and strong imports fueled by domestic demand.

He continued to say that given strong inflows in the first half of 2008, gross international reserves rose to about $2.2 billion at end of September 2008. For 2009, the current account inflows account for around eight percent of GDP because the impact of lower oil prices slowing import demand more than offsets weaker garment exports and tourism.

However, the visiting mission also commended the authorities for maintaining a policy of steady budget implementation, particularly through the election period.

Fiscal policy discussions centered on the appropriate response to the projected slowdown in economic activity in Cambodia. The mission considered that, given weakening growth prospects and a projected reduction in inflation pressures, some countercyclical easing of fiscal policy would be warranted in 2009.

The National Bank of Cambodia responded appropriately by doubling the reserve requirement on foreign currency bank deposits to 16 percent in June. The mission emphasized that firm enforcement of prudential regulation would help to safeguard Cambodia’s banking system.

In its latest forecast for world economic growth, IMF sharply revised its growth projections downward, saying that “global activity is slowing quickly.”

“Prospects for global growth have deteriorated over the past month, as financial sector de-leveraging has continued and producer and consumer confidence have fallen,” according to an IMF World Economic Outlook report, published on November 6.
IMF also said that world growth is projected to slow from five percent in 2007 to 3.75 percent in 2008 and just over two percent in 2009, with the downturn led by the underperformance of advanced economies.

Border Conflict Talks

Boy Sophea

The Cambodian and Thai Prime Ministers agreed during a meeting in Beijing October 24 that their nations will avoid any more armed clashes over a border dispute, according
to foreign ministers from both nations.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Somchai Wongsawat discussed the issue during bilateral talks on the sidelines of a 43-nation Asian-European summit in China’s capital, Beijing.

“Both sides have to advise their troops not to have confrontations any longer,” Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat told reporters as he summarized agreements made between the two leaders.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, made similar remarks and described the atmosphere of the talks as “very good, very friendly.”

“We are moving rapidly along the right track, not only to solve the problem of the borders between our two countries but also to improve our neighborliness and cooperation,” Hor Namhong said.

He added, “What happened between us we have to solve peacefully and amicably, for the sake of the neighborliness that has characterized our relations in the past,” On Friday October 24, Thai military commanders insisted that talks with their Cambodian counterparts were easing border tensions after deadly clashes last week, but refused to back down from front line positions.

The senior military officials, whose talks began over a round of golf a day earlier, met to defuse the border dispute near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which erupted into a fire fight on October 15 that left one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers dead.

The Thai commanders, led by Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, said there was a “friendly atmosphere” with the Cambodians but insisted Thailand’s soldiers would stand firm. “The Thai side strongly reiterates that the position of our troop deployments is clearly inside Thai territory,” said a statement from Thai commanders released as
the Friday meetings began.

The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.

CSC Provides Surgery Service for Children in Cambodia

By Soy Sophea

Dr. Jim Gollogly, Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), said his plan is to help Cambodian children for the next 20 years if the Cambodian Ministry of Health will extend a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cover the period. He noted that his centre is currently in the third mandate of a 5-year extension.

He said that his centre is located in Kien Kleang hospital, Russei Keo district of Phnom Penh. It is recognized as the peak organization in Cambodia providing a range of specialized rehabilitation surgical services, medical training and support directly to the people of Cambodia.

Dr. Gollogly said that CSC aims to improve the quality of life for Cambodian children in need by providing rehabilitative surgery and general rehabilitation programs. He added that a central role of this mission is a program to train local surgeons and health workers, focusing on the development of sustainable health services. He added that CSC provides a wide range of surgical services, encompassing facial reconstruction, orthopedic surgery, eye surgery, and plastic & burns surgery.

Dr. Gollogly’s concept is to help Cambodian people and he has been doing so ever since he first came here in 1992 on a mission with American Red Cross. He recalled that during the first mission in Cambodia he found a worrying situation wherein the basics of surgical procedures were largely forgotten.

He remembered the early cases where people were saved from living with the stigma of a disease that was, with the proper care and attention, completely curable. The establishment of his center here in Cambodia gave these people the opportunity to receive care and to resume life free from the blight society so readily imposes on those who carry a physical “blemish”.
“I was shocking to see Cambodian people in rural areas suffering from curable diseases,” he said. “I had to do something for them.”

According to a report available on the CSC website, around 500 million or 12% of the world's population suffer from some form of disability. Disabilities bring misery, reduce economic status, destroy social integration and cause untold suffering through stigmatization and marginalization from society.

In the last 30 years international agencies have made great efforts to assist with health-care in developing countries, focusing on the principles of 'primary health care'; e.g. sanitation, clean water, Maternal Child Health (MCH). However, surgery has been considerably under-emphasized as 'too sophisticated and expensive' for widespread impact.

Dr, Gollogly said that CSC's experience shows that safe, simple surgery is easy to organize, costs a reasonable average of $100 per operation, and is highly effective. The results of successful surgery are beneficial to the patient, gratifying to the surgeon and the technology, whilst perhaps not as advanced as the latest magnetic resonance imagers is practical and dependable.

The costs are sustainable by all developing countries and are similar to the costs for medical treatment of chronic disease. “Our donors are always pleased to sponsor us when the see the cost per operation reasonable and the outcome so successful.”

Dr. Jim added that salaries for employees are not too high and donors are always welcome to contribute to help keep the running expenses under control as it sets about the important business of treating up to 5,000 patients per year.

Kim Yinna, with eight years of nursing experience upon which to base the title Chief of Nursing at CSC, said his centre demonstrates the huge benefits to be gained in promoting simple, safe rehabilitation surgery to developing countries by organizing treatment and training programs. He added that CSC is one of very few organizations promoting this doctrine, and stands almost alone in turning the fine sentiments into practical healthcare for the poor.

“I am happy to be a member of this team as we all contribute to the welfare of our countrymen and women. I have the highest regard for Centers such as these who provide the gift of health freely to those who cannot afford to pay. We provide a full service and the last thing we want our young patients and their parents to worry about is food and accommodation during their hospital visits, so we are able to help them here too.

He continued, “Our work is inspired by the desire to help the less fortunate members of our community. This desire is not unique to the Khmer soul, but is rather a quality of human dignity. Therefore foreign doctors travel to visit us on a regular basis and we are there to provide a suitable environment for them to operate in.”

Emma Levy, Relations Officer at the Children’s Surgical Center, said that it provides general and eye surgery freely to everyone, with non-emergency priority given to those who would find it difficult to pay for treatment otherwise. She too spoke of the pleasure she experienced in this work.

Thong Phoeurng, 70, grand mother to a 20-year-old female patient who has been hospitalized in the centre for 5 months, said that she would have had no hope in finding a cure for her grandchild, had the center not provided free care and accommodation on a daily basis.

“I have stayed and looked after my grand child for 5 months without paying anything,” she said. Her grand child was a victim of a traffic accident in Kampong Chham province.

She said the shattered joints in her right leg were being rebuilt in a process known as anthroplasty and there are high hopes that the young lady will walk again as gracefully as any youth, with perhaps the faintest hint of a limp to show for her traumatic ordeal.

Moul Mon, 55, other patient of the centre, whose right leg was broken in a fall from a palm tree last year, said that he had recently had an operation on the bones. Previously, he held out little hope of ever being able to walk again; but having gratefully handed responsibility for his care over to the center, he was confident that he would be as hale and hearty as ever and was looking forward to climbing more palm trees with a little more care next time.

Hun Sen Promise Stronger Defense Following Thai Incursion

BY SOY SOPHEA

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen promised Friday to improve national defenses, as
his troops prepare to begin joint patrols with Thai soldiers over the disputed border. With these measures in place, a repeat of last week’s fatal clashes should be avoided.

The Prime Minister has made the pledge at a cabinet meeting that included a moment of silence for the three Cambodian soldiers who died this week after gunfights with Thai
troops on disputed land.

“Today our cabinet, with the pride we received from protecting our territory, will discuss draft laws to put the national defense sector on top,” the Premier said, without elaborating
on specific steps.

The Premier made his remarks because Thai and Cambodian soldiers faced off along the border, awaiting joint patrols which senior military officials agreed to in a Thursday meeting. The agreement was aimed at preventing a repeat of Wednesday’s clashes on disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple, a UN heritage site on Cambodian territory and the focus of months of tensions.

Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thais injured by gun and rocket fire, and a third Cambodian soldier died Thursday of smoke inhalation from repeatedly firing his rocket-launcher.

Cambodia and Thailand Prepare for Border Talks on November 10-12

BY SOY SOPHEA AND REAKSMEY KONG KEA

The next round of border talks will be conducted over two days in Siem Reap province, according to Koy Kuong, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He said the meeting later in the week will hopefully produce a fruitful outcome as these are the intentions of the Cambodian delegates, headed by the optimistic Under Secretary of State and it is to be assumed, of his Thai counterparts.

The boundary negotiators from the both sides have fixed a two-day period for the meeting in Siem Reap, November 10 - 11 with a Foreign Ministerial meeting to be held on November 12 in Siem Reap in a bid to end a months-long military standoff, according to Koy Kuong.
Tea Ban, Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of National Defense, said that he is now holding a meeting with all members of the National Committee for the Resolution of Border Disputes (NCRBD) at the Ministry of National Defense in Phnom Penh.

“The meeting has been called to discuss technical aspects and solutions in detail among NCRBD members, prior to leaving for Siem Reap and the Cambodia-Thai Border Talks,” he told the Cambodia Weekly by telephone on November 7.

Shortly after a round of talks failed last month, troops from the two countries clashed in a border firefight on October 15 on disputed land near Cambodia's ancient Preah Vihear temple, at Veal Intry.

Cambodian Prime Ministers Hun Sen and his counterpart Somchai Wongsawat recently discussed the border issue and agreed in principle to a conceptual solution to the issue during bilateral talks that took place quietly on the sidelines of a 43-nation Asian-European submit in China’s capital, Beijing.

Two rounds of emergency talks after the October clashes made little progress, with both sides only agreeing not to fire on each other again, thus maintaining an uneasy truce.
The most recent tensions began in July when the 11th Century Preah Vihear was awarded United Nations World Heritage status, rekindling a long-running disagreement over ownership of the surrounding land.

UN Calls for Harmonious City Development in Cambodia

By Soy Sophea

The UN agency for Habitat, based in Phnom Penh, has called for harmonious city development in Cambodia especially in Phnom Penh, home to many less well-to-do citizens. The call was made in the occasion of World Habitat Day October 6, with this year’s theme being “Harmonious Cities”.

Another significant threat to harmonious city development today, particularly within the Cambodian context is the concentration of development in Phnom Penh. This has been characterized by inequality of urban redevelopment, forced evictions, improper resettlement planning, insecurity of land tenure for urban poor communities and unhygienic living environments for urban poor communities. This has been the case both in central districts of Cambodia’s cities as well as in the suburban areas. The drive towards real estate development has been purchased at the expense of environmental and social considerations, according to the United Nations Human Settlements Program.

According to preliminary data from the census of 2008, 19.5 percent of Cambodia’s population live in urban areas, with 1,325,700 or nearly 50 percent of them concentrated in Phnom Penh. The majority of national development projects are also concentrated in this city, with some related tourism development projects in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.

However, the report makes clear that efforts to continue and encourage development and investment in other urban areas apart from Phnom Penh should be considered.

The UN agency said that the urban poor communities constitute around 30 percent of the current population of Phnom Penh. It added that whilst the thousands of migrant factory workers who are sharing tiny rented spaces with unhygienic living conditions around the industrial zone of Phnom Penh are not counted in such surveys. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of informal settlements and urban poor communities in some secondary towns such as Sihanoukville, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kandal, and Poipet. These have sprung up as a result of increased urban economic activity.

The UN Habitat program manager Din Somethearith said October 6 that the gap between the poor and the rich is widening. Given this fact, little heed is paid to the poor when development decisions are made.

He added that Cambodia “…understands the concept but it does not have the technical guidelines to turn the concept into reality.”

He said that his agency is a technical organization and his office is ready to give advice if the government wants to ensure that urban development is achieved without ignoring the needs of the poorer members of society.

Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, executive director of UN-Habitat, said in a statement to welcome World Habitat Day “We mark World Habitat Day at a time when the majority of the world’s people are living in towns and cities.”

She explained that the theme “Harmonious cities” had been chosen because the process of urbanization is accelerating; this transformation has a direct bearing on the strategies that “we must adopt to attain the Millennium Development Goals. The other historic turning point came when the number of urban slum-dwellers worldwide broke the one billion mark, making it clear that the urbanization of poverty was arguably one of the biggest challenges facing development today.”

She continued, “We need to raise awareness of the problems of rapid urbanization, their impact on the environment and the consequences and challenges of spiraling urban poverty.”

Mann Chhoeurn, Phnom Penh Municipal deputy governor, told the Cambodia Weekly on October 6, 2008 that the Phnom Penh Municipality always pays attention to the poor communities although there is a boom of private investment in the capital. He said that the municipality has plans to develop the city.

“We have done a lot of things to develop our city, and we don’t leave the poor behind,” he said. “We take care of them.”

He was referring to thousands of homes for settlement of the urban poor and the facilities they enjoy within these housing developments.
//

Prime Minister Calls for Improvements in Education

By Soy Sophea

The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to all relevant sides to take action to improve education and recognize the dignity of teachers, during a speech to celebrate Teacher’s Day October 6.

The prime minister’s remarks were made in a statement dated October 1, 2008 to welcome the new study year 2008-2009. The Prime Minister stated, “To show the importance of the day, all schools and education intuitions need to join hands with parents and students to mark the day. Furthermore, students need to be made aware of the importance of Cambodian culture, mutual respect and understanding. They should also remember the work their teachers have done on their behalf and be grateful to them.”

He continued, “I call on education officials, teachers, all levels of authority, monks and national and international agencies, donor countries, the private sector and charitable concerns to keep supporting and developing the education sector.”

Teacher’s Day is an initiative of Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, who introduced the celebrations back in 1997 to recognize the work that teachers do. Indeed, many students consider them to be their second mother and father. Prime Minister Hun Sen said that he wanted to see Teacher’s Day becoming a firm tradition in the country.

Hem Saly, director of Boeung Trabek High School, told the Cambodia Weekly on October 10 that he appreciated Teacher’s Day as it drew attention to teachers who devoted their time and skill to educate children.

“We [teachers] try our best to educate and advise students to study hard and work hard,” he said. “What we want is to see our students becoming good citizens able to make positive contributions to society.”

Sam Sementa, director of Kampong Speu’s Education, Youth and Sports Provincial Department, told the Cambodia Weekly that his department marked Teachers Day by conducting a welfare ceremony for nearly 100 retired teachers who had spent a lifetime in the education sector.

King Sihamoni leaves for Francophone Conference in Canada

By Soy Sophea

The King of Cambodia, His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni has left His nation to join the 12th summit of Francophone nations. Heads of state from the world’s French speaking nations will join Him in Quebec, Canada.

The King will be absent from his country from the 15th to the 21st of October, according to the King’s message, published October 14 and dated October 11. With the absence of the King, who is the head of state of Cambodia, Senate President Chea Sim is automatically assigned His place as the head of state of Cambodia during His Majesty’s travels.

Cambodia is pleased to number herself among the other Francophone nations, given her history as a former French colony and the cordial links that exist between the two independent nations today.

Fourth Parliamentary Mandate Kicks off

By Soy Sophea

The newly-elected National Assembly members for the Fourth Parliamentary Mandate have started meeting on September 24, 2008 at the National Assembly. The first meeting was presided over by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, the king of Cambodia.

At the ceremony to mark the first official meeting, His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni delivered a royal speech to the 123 newly-elected parliamentarians though it was noted that four of them were absent.

The King said that the first meeting of the fourth mandate presented a new and historic opportunity for the nation’s legislative body.

His Majesty continued, “I strongly believe that all of you will work hard to serve the best interests of the nation by giving top priority to the development of national rather than personal advantage.”

“All laws adopted by parliamentarians are used as a shining guide to help the government take action in developing and defending the nation. We also want to enhance the quality of Cambodian life, making it more prosperous, peaceful and stable; where liberty and respect for human rights are recognized as the source of all authority in the nation,” the King added.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen told reporters after the meeting that the event was a historical landmark for Cambodians as all except four parliamentarians came to join the first event of the fourth parliamentary mandate under the royal presidency of the Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.

“Today is an auspicious day and I thank King Norodom Sihamoni for His Majesty’s presence at the first meeting of the new parliamentary mandate,” Samdech Techo said. “This [the National Assembly Building] can be considered as a new location for our activities, and the new King’s first official opening of a meeting for the fourth mandate.”

The 123 newly elected members received their mandates following the National Elections held on July 27, 2008. As a result, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party won 90 seats, the Sam Rainsy Party claimed 26 seats, the Human Rights Party three seats, the Norodom Ranariddh Party two seats, and Funcinpec Party two seats.

Following the first meeting of the fourth mandate of the National Assembly of September 24, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a Royal Decree to appoint Samdech Techo Hun Sen the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Australia Pledges to Give US $3.3 Million to ECCC

BY SOY SOPHEA

The Australian government has announced its intentions to contribute over $AUS 5 million (about US $3.3 million) to the international side of Khmer Rough Tribunal. The official announcement was made by Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and obtained by the Cambodia Weekly on October 21.

“I am pleased to announce a further $AUS 5 million for the United Nations (UN) to be used by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal,” said Smith.

He said that the Australian government has been a long-term supporter of Cambodia’s efforts to bring Khmer Rouge leaders to justice.”This new funding will support the United Nations’ contribution to the work of the ECCC over the next two years. Australia has previously provided over $4 million towards the ECCC’s operations,” he mentioned in his statement.According to an agreement between the United Nations and the Royal Government of Cambodia, the ECCC will conduct trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders charged with crimes against humanity during the period of 1975-1979, in which it is estimated that up to three million people perished.In 1997 the then newly formed Cambodian Government requested UN assistance in establishing a trial process to prosecute the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge. The Cambodian National Assembly in 2001 passed a law to create a Court to try serious crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime.However, Australia also urged Cambodia and the international community to intensify their cooperative efforts to ensure that the trials are completed in a timely manner and according to internationally acceptable standards of justice, fairness and due legal process.

Reach Sambath, Press Officer of Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), welcomed the Australian government’s donation to the UN side.

“We are happy to see Australia’s strong commitment as part of the UN family to support the court,” he said. “This generosity will help us find justice for Khmer Rouge victims.”

Former S-21 prison survivor Van Nath welcomed the donation. However, he doubted the amount would make much headway against the ECCC’s financial crisis when he realized that the $ 56.3 million spent so far had proved insufficient.

“My hope was extinguished when the money started running out.” he said. “Time has passed, I am 62 years old and I am not sure when I can expect to see justice.”

While the court was created by the Cambodian Government and UN, the ECCC is an independent body and will provide a new model for court operations in Cambodia.There has been significant progress since the ECCC began its work, with five individuals charged and held in provisional detention awaiting trial. The ECCC provides an historic opportunity to achieve justice for the victims of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.

Cambodia Wants Peace Not War: Hor Namhong

By Soy Sophea
The Royal Government of Cambodia really wants a peaceful resolution to the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand but warns that Cambodia will not hesitate to respond to hostile actions made by Thailand. This statement was made during a press conference on October 15, by Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“We want to create a peaceful deal to solve this matter. The Cambodian Government wishes to reiterate its firm commitment to exercising the utmost restraint and to negotiating and working closely with the Thai side to avoid large-scale armed hostilities between the two countries," the Deputy Prime Minister said after Cambodian and Thai soldiers exchanged gunfire during a 2-hour skirmish earlier in the week.

The Deputy Prime Minister claimed, "Thai troops fired first and Cambodia has the right to defend for Her own territory. I am pleased to report however that the situation on the border appears to have returned to normal.”



Meanwhile, during the clash, Cambodian forces detained 10 Thai soldiers and have provided them with food and shelter, on the orders of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the minister said.

"We will return the detainees to Thailand, when the Thai government asks us to do so," he added.

A Cambodian commander said on Thursday that 13 Thai soldiers who surrendered during a deadly border shoot-out had been returned to their units, although Thailand denies they were ever in custody.

Major General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troop operations in the disputed border area, was quoted as saying they had agreed to release the Thai soldiers after talks on Thursday with senior Thai military officials."We have already handed their weapons back to them," Srey Deok said, adding that the troops had been released and allowed to walk around the disputed area.

However, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon of the United Nations on Wednesday expressed his deep concern about the exchange of gunfire along the Cambodia-Thailand border and urged the neighbors to exercise "utmost restraint." "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the exchange of gunfire today along the Cambodia-Thailand boarder and the reported casualties," Ban's spokeswoman Michele Montas was quoted as saying.

Tensions flared July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple named a World Heritage Site. Cambodia deployed about 800 troops to the border, and Thailand sent some 400 soldiers.

Two Thai soldiers lost legs earlier this month after stepping on land mines, three days after a brief gunfight broke out between soldiers from the two sides. One Cambodian and two Thai soldiers were wounded. Both sides claimed the other fired first and blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border.

At a meeting with his visiting Thai counterpart Sompong Amornwiwat, Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation requested Thailand convene an immediate meeting of both nations’ Task Forces to discuss redeployment of the remaining troops from Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, the withdrawal of Thai troops from TAMONE TOUCH and TAMONE THOM and make the site of TA KRABEY temple a demilitarized zone.

Hor Namhong also proposed meetings for representatives on 21-24 October 2008 in Siem Reap. He called for a meeting of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation of Land Boundaries (JBC) between 3-7 November 2008 in Cambodia and a further meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia and Thailand between 19-20 November in Thailand.

The aim of all these meetings is to push for an early settlement of the overall border problem; however, the Cambodian proposals cannot be confirmed until the Thai National Assembly provides its gives a green light in advance.

American Natural Fertilizer Introduced to Cambodian Farmers

By Soy Sophea

It takes nearly three months for Chung Say to test a new liquid fertilizer on his three hectares of land devoted to rice farming. Chung Say, 45, a farmer living in Samrong district, Takeo province, said that he was curious to use the new natural fertilizer in order to revitalize his farmland. After eight years of chemical fertilizers is plot is not as bountiful as it once was.

Say said that until now, he had no choice but to dig chemicals into his land as these were all that were available. “I have used chemical fertilizers to the extent that the yield is no longer sufficient to provide a living,” he said. “The time is now right to switch to an organic alternative.”

He said that since he had used Bio One, an American fertilizer, his rice crop had increased to more satisfactory levels. It also made good financial sense as this product costs less than chemical fertilizer.

“I am very happy when I see my farming land improve, especially when this is achieved at a lower price than before,” he said. “I spent only US $33 per hectare on this product compared to the $100 I am used to spending on chemicals.”

The fertilizer is a revolutionary solution to some of the most pressing concerns of world agriculture, is kind to the environment and is economical said Yung Samrok, general manager for Bio One Co. Ltd.

Samrok said that the fertilizer revitalizes farmlands by promoting deep root penetration through improved soil structure. He added that it provides the right environment to nurtures corps, which are healthier and more resilient to environmental elements such insects and drought.

He asserted that Bio One fertilizer is 100 percent natural, concentrated liquid microbial biomass, and it contains a wide variety of free living and naturally occurring soil microbes and their nutrient media. It also has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, making nitrate available to plants.

He said that each one liter bottle of Bio One is enough to cover one hectare of land using a simple method: one liter of Bio One is mixed with 1,000 liters of water. To this, one kilo of local sugar palm is added and the liquid left to rest for 48 hours. The product has been available in Cambodia since May 2008.

The product has been approved by the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MoAFF). 160 field tests have also been carried out in Cambodia. These tests have mostly concentrated on provinces where farmlands have been damaged by many years of chemical fertilizer use.

These tests have so far demonstrated that Bio One is the right fertilizer to revitalize and improve Cambodia’s farmland, and increase resistance to disease, insects, and drought. More importantly, Bio One fertilizer makes farming more economical by keeping fertilizer costs down.

However, Sok Chamroeurn, chairman of Cambodian Farmer’s Association, told the Cambodia Weekly that the chemical versus natural fertilizer controversy was a matter of indifference to him. He said that the Mekong River covers his 4,000 hectares of farming land. “I don’t much care about fertilizers because every rainy season the Mekong River gives me the prefect mix of nutrients.”

Chamroeurn added that he would prefer it if the US were to help Cambodia build irrigation systems, rather than exporting fertilizer to Cambodia.

Lim Saody, chief of the Agriculture Marketing Office at the Department of Planning and Statistics at MoAFF, said that even though there were many new chemical and natural fertilizers imported into Cambodia, the price remained high and some Cambodian farmers were unable to afford them.
He said that according to his statistics, the average price of fertilizers in January 2008 was 131,000 riel per 50 kilos. However, in September 2008 the price increased to 215,300 riel per 50 kilos.