KI Media: “Cambodia not ready to build chemical or nuclear weapons” plus 24 more

Cambodia not ready to build chemical or nuclear weapons

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:04 AM PST

February 25, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodian government reaffirmed Friday that it has banned all kinds of production of chemical and nuclear weapons which is contradictory to international treaty.

In a press statement released after a weekly cabinet meeting, it said a sub-decree with four articles was approved Friday during the meeting at which it is designed to examine the chemical substance which is potential for the production of chemical and nuclear weapons.

The sub-decree regulates the control, management and collection of data on the need of any use of chemical substance which is required by the international convention.

The sub-decree was approved as correlation to the country's constitution.

Cambodia's Constitution, article 54, says that "The manufacturing, use, storage of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons shall be absolutely prohibited."

Cambodia is a signatory and a party to many international conventions and treaties, including the Ottawa Treaty which deals with landmines.

UNESCO admits management plan for Preah Vihear Temple difficult: Thai FM

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:02 AM PST

BANGKOK, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said on Friday after talks between Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and UNESCO special envoy that the UNESCO delegation admitted it was difficult to carry on management plan for Preah Vihear Temple.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy on Preah Vihear temple, Koichiro Matsuura, arrived in Bangkok on Thursday night and had discussions with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at around 3:30 p.m. before going to meet with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at 5 p. m..

Matsuura, former director-general of UNESCO (1999-2009) and former chairman of the World Heritage Committee (1999), was appointed by Director-general Irina Bokova to discuss with Thailand and Cambodia measures to safeguard the temple, which was listed as a World Heritage site in 2008.

According to Thani, Kasit had explained to the envoy Thai- Cambodian relationships as well as close cultural and historical relations between the two countries.

The foreign minister also insisted that Thailand should continue seeking solutions on border issue through existing bilateral frameworks including Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and General Border Committee, the ministry spokesman said.

Kasit also explained how the listing of the Hindu temple has so far complicated the issue while border demarcation has not yet been completed.

The three-member UNESCO delegation will fly to Phnom Penh on Sunday for talks with Cambodian officials on ways of reducing tension and promoting dialogue around the preservation of the temple.

The deadly border-clashes between Thailand and Cambodia during Feb. 4-7 has caused slight damage to the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

The UNESCO issued a statement early this week, saying that the "temple was inscribed on the World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value in keeping with the 1972 World Heritage Convention, which has been ratified by both Cambodia and Thailand."

Cambodian PM tells troops at border to be high alert and maximum restraints

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:00 AM PST

February 25, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday reminded his troops stationed at the frontline of Cambodian-Thai border, especially at the area near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple to be "high alert and utmost restraints" to comply with the permanent ceasefire.

The premier's remark was made during the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed a permanent ceasefire on Feb. 22 during the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta, Indonesia.

To monitor the ceasefire, thirty Indonesian observers will be dispatched to the Cambodian-Thai border disputed area.

The two countries has the border conflict just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, since then periodic clashes between both sides' troops happened, resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

The latest clashes, on Feb. 4-7, had killed and wounded many soldiers and citizens of both sides, and caused tens of thousands of the two countries' villagers nearby the disputed areas fleeing for safe shelters.

Cambodia appeals ICJ to clarify verdict on disputed temple

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 06:59 AM PST

25/02/2011
VNA/VOV News

The Cambodian government on February 24 officially asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to explain the Hague's verdict in 1962 on the sovereignty of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

The Cambodian news agency AKP quoted Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying that the country officially sent its proposal together with all relevant documents to the ICJ, appealing this organ to clarify the 1962 verdict that recognises Cambodia's sovereignty on the Preah Vihear temple.

Earlier, PM Hun Sen said that Cambodia would obey the ICJ's decision and suggested Thailand respect the decision.

According to the Cambodian government leader, the Cambodia-Thailand conflict can not end with a ceasefire order or observers from the third side which may just ease tension while awaiting for a comprehensive solution for the two countries' border area.

Cambodian newspapers on February 24 cited the US State Department's statement applauding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s efforts in addressing the current severe border dispute between the two nations.

ASEAN will send Indonesian observers to the area near the disputed temple to monitor the ceasefire.

On February 23, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced that the country will not withdraw any troop from the border area with Cambodia despite the presence of the Indonesian observers.

Watchdog decries website blockage

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:03 AM PST

Sieng Sithy: TEAM CENSORSHIP

Friday, 25 February 2011
James O'Toole
The Phnom Penh Post

AN international press freedom group has registered concern over the government's apparent attempts to block opposition blog KI-Media and other anti-government websites.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the United States-based Committee to Protect Journalists said the move was part of a worrying trend of online censorship in the Kingdom.

"We are troubled by reports that Cambodia is increasingly curbing online freedom," Shawn Crispin, CPJ's Senior Southeast Asia Representative, said in the statement.

"We urge Prime Minister Hun Sen's government to immediately reverse course. The Internet is one of the few spaces left for free expression in Cambodia and that is how it should remain."

Earlier this month, users of local Internet Service Providers including WiCam, Ezecom and Metfone reported that they were unable to access Ki-Media. WiCam users briefly received a message stating that the site had been "blocked as ordered by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia".

MPTC officials initially denied ordering that KI-Media be blocked, though in an email to local ISPs that was leaked earlier this month, Sieng Sithy, deputy director of the Directorate of Telecommunications Policy Regulation at the MPTC, chided several firms that had yet to block KI-Media and other opposition sites and urged them to do so.

KI-Media made the news in December when Seng Kunnaka, a security guard employed by the United Nations World Food Programme, received a six-month jail term for incitement just days after he was arrested for printing out an article from the website and sharing it with co-workers.

Joint human rights project announced

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:38 PM PST

Experts explain about the role of human rights defenders during Wednesday's program (Photo: Marisa)

Thursday, 24 February 2011
Thomas Miller
The Phnom Penh Post

The United States-based Robert F Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights and the Cambodian civic education organisation CIVICUS launched an education programme in Phnom Penh yesterday designed to inspire students to become rights defenders.

Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of Robert F Kennedy and president of the RFK Center, recounted her own awakening to the cause of human rights in remarks at Pannasastra University before several hundred students.

She said a number of traumatic events during her youth had a deep impact on her.

The assassinations of her uncle, US President John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr and her father, Robert F Kennedy, as well as friends' experiences of domestic violence, discrimination and rape, seemed "chaotic" and left her feeling powerless.

She was then introduced to the field of international law through an internship with Amnesty International, where she learned about abuses of Salvadoran refugees in the US.

"But I also learned that all of the horrible things that had happened in my life were violations of international law. And that there were people in my country and around the world – human rights defenders – who were organised and were putting an end to these violations, and that I could join them," Kennedy said.

The project includes a curriculum for students and a photo exhibition at Meta House based on Kennedy's book, which profiles human rights activists with photographs by the Pulitzer prize-winning American photographer Eddie Adams.

A play also based on Kennedy's book will be performed at the Pannasastra University auditorium tonight at 5pm.

Surya Subedi, the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights, told students that human rights work takes a long-term commitment.

"The value of human rights education cannot be measured. Some of the work we do today may bring results tomorrow. Some of the work we do today may bring results in five years time," he said. "So we have to be persistent."

Discussion on the violation of human rights against Khmer people in Kampuchea Krom

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:20 PM PST

The following is a VOKK's discussion regarding the communist Vietnamese regime's violation of human rights against Khmer people living in Kampuchea Krom. VOKK is broadcasting a conversation with an anonymous monk-student, currently pursuing his study at the Buddhist Institute in Preah Trapaing province, on three important points: (1) The education of monks residing in pagodas in Kampuchea Krom; (2) the living condition of Khmer Krom people under the neo-colonialist Viet regime and (3) the convictions of the Khmer Krom people.

For additional information:
http://www.vokk.net
http://www.preynokornews.blogspot.com

Click the control below to listen to Part 1

Click the control below to listen to Part 2

JPAC Mission in Cambodia

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:04 PM PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoT-brTPGp0&feature=player_embedded

Interview with UN Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:01 PM PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPnMlZCA7GI
Part 1 of 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAboutJ1H0&feature=related
Part 2 of 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DexSU55wpM0&feature=related
Part 3 of 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcpihTciGFw&feature=related
Part 4 of 4

[Thai] FM: Unesco visit ‘good for Thailand’ [-Kasit gloating?]

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:49 PM PST

25/02/2011
Bangkok Post

The visit to Thailand by the special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) today will be beneficial to the country, foreign affairs spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said on Friday.

The Foreign Ministry will take this opportunity to provide the envoy with the facts relating to the recent border clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, said Mr Thani, the director-general of the Department of Information at the ministry.

He said the special envoy on Preah Vihear temple for Unesco, Koïchiro Matsuura, will not be allowed to visit the clash sites in Si Sa Ket border province as it is not appropriate at this time.

Mr Thani excpected Mr Matsuura will later travel to Cambodia.

"But he will visit only Phnom Penh and will not go to the disputed border area," he said.

He did not think the visit by the special envoy of Unesco amounted to interference in Thailand's internal affairs.

Mr Matsuura arrived in Bangkok on Thursday night and will have discussions with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Natural Resources and Environment minister Suvit Khunkitti this afternoon.

Unesco Envoy Prepares To Assess Temple Damage

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:46 PM PST

Koichiro Matsuura, a Unesco special envoy for the temple, will travel to Bangkok and Phnom Penh between Feb. 25 and March 1, Unesco said in a statement. (Photo: AP)

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Thursday, 24 February 2011

"It's just to see how much damage there is and what kind of effective measures can prevent further, bigger incidents."

A Unesco representative will meet with both Cambodian and Thai officials in coming days on a fact-finding mission over damage to Preah Vihear temple in recent clashes, officials said.

Koichiro Matsuura, a Unesco special envoy for the temple, will travel to Bangkok and Phnom Penh between Feb. 25 and March 1, Unesco said in a statement.

Cambodia officially requested that Unesco inspect Preah Vihear temple, which was damaged in deadly clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border earlier this month. However, Thailand has insisted the area remains too dangerous for an onsite visit.

Unesco officials declined to disclose further details of the visit, and Cambodian officials say that if the envoy makes a trip to the temple, it will not be disclosed to the public.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the envoy's trip to Cambodia will be a technical evaluation of damage to the temple.

"This assessment is not meant as a prosecution of anyone," he said. "It's just to see how much damage there is and what kind of effective measures can prevent further, bigger incidents."

The 11th-Century temple was put on a Unesco list of World Heritage sites in 2008, sparking protests by some groups in Bangkok and leading to a military build-up on the border that culminated in heavy clashes Feb. 4 through Feb. 7.

Unesco said in a statement that Matsuura will discuss safeguarding the temple with the prime ministers of both countries and "examine with both sides ways of reducing tension and promoting dialogue around the preservation of the temple."

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva acknowledged the trip earlier this week, saying it will be to listen to the accounts of both sides.

Cambodian officials say the temple was damaged by Thai artillery, though Thai officials say any damage was incidental as soldiers returned fire on Cambodian positions.

Rice Experts See Better Prospects in New Seeds

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:41 PM PST

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 24 February 2011

"Our farmers have small plots of land, so they are not very interested in the company's seeds."

For five years now, Yin Narong has used a new method to plant rice. Instead of planting from the seeds of the previous year's harvest, he buys new seeds from a local company.

The difference, he said in an interview, has been a boost in yield of 200 kilograms of rice each harvest on one-fifth a hectare.

"Now with pure seeds we get up to 900 kilograms," the 52-year-old farmer in Phnom Penh's Dangkor district said. He also uses less seeds, about 15 kilograms with the new method compared to 20 kilograms with the old.

A relatively low number of farmers like Yin Narong are using the new-seed method. But traditional habits persist, preventing the country from reaching its rice potential, agricultural economists say.

Many farmers still use rice seeds from the previous harvest to replant their paddies, instead of buying prime, new seeds from companies. Agricultural experts say the use of "pure" seeds can boost yields up to 20 percent.

"It is a challenge for Cambodia as the farmers still use their seeds saved for generations," Nov Seiha, research manager for the Economic Institute of Cambodia, said. "Sometimes, the genes of the seeds have already died out."

The old practice means that Cambodians harvest less rice per hectare than their regional neighbors.

A typical Cambodia harvest yields 2.6 tons per hectares, compared to 2.8 tons in Thailand, 3.5 tons in Laos and 4.9 tons in Vietnam, according to government statistics.

With more than 2.7 million hectares of cultivatable land, agriculture experts hope new methods and seeds can help the country reach a goal of 1 million tons of annual rice export by 2015.

The rice seed industry, however, remains in a nascent stage. Cambodia has only one seed company. By comparison, Thailand has 85.

Cambodia's company, Aquip Seed Co., Ltd., sells 2,600 tons or rice seeds annually to about 160,000 households, according to research by the Cambodian Economic Institute. In a report, the institute criticized the domestic seed sector as "backward" and "afraid to modernize."

The Ministry of Agriculture, which is charged in part with improving the sector, owns 49 percent of the company.

But company officials insist they are not interested in a monopoly.

"We need newcomers to boost demand in our country," said Kong Vitank, chief executive of the company. "Then it also opens equal competition in the seed business."

Ouk Makara, director of the ministry's Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, said the ministry has "no authority" to maintain a monopoly.

"Our farmers have small plots of land, so they are not very interested in the company's seeds," he said.

Meanwhile, the government continues its efforts to improve the rice trade. It has introduced 10 varieties of rice paddy for farmers to grow this season, including rice that is popular in foreign markets.

Yong Saingkoma, resident of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, said if farmers do not want to buy new seeds each season, they can use their own seeds more effectively by choosing the right ones to plant.

"The starting point is to make sure farmers across the country know how to purify their seeds for the next growing seasons," he said.

Social Media Here More Social Than Political: Researcher

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:38 PM PST

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 24 February 2011

"The possibility of creating the same unrest here as in other countries in not very likely."

Cambodia's low number of Internet users make a social-media fueled revolution here unlikely, an Internet researcher says.

Cambodia's more than 200,000 Facebook users mostly use the website to connect with friends and maintain professional social networks, said Saray Samadee, who recently co-authored a report for the Cambodia Communication review.

"The possibility of creating the same unrest here as in other countries in not very likely," she said, referring to recent uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt that toppled ruling governments with the help of sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

"Compared with Tunisia, they have nearly 2 million Facebook users, which is almost equal to the population of Phnom Penh," she said. "But we have just over 200,000 users. So I do not think that can cause powerful unrest."

Cambodia has seen its Internet users swiftly climb in recent years, though the figure of 244,000 Facebook users the company counts can be misleading, as it includes foreigners in Cambodia and Cambodians abroad.

No matter the number, the majority are online for recreation, Saray Samadee said.

"The main motivations of Facebook users here are just for seeking fun or friendship or maintaining networks," she said.

Most of her 3,000-some friends don't seem to pay attention to politics, she added.

Thai Patriots Network Seeks Red Cross Assistance for Two Thais Jailed in Cambodia

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 09:44 PM PST

25 February 2011
Thai-ASEAN News Network

The Thai Patriots Network is requesting assistance from the Red Cross to facilitate a meeting for network members and the two detained activists in Cambodia before the deadline to file for appeals expires in four days.

Members of the Thai Patriots Network, led by Chaiwat Sinsuwong and Momluang Wanwipa Charoonrote, submitted a letter to the Red Cross requesting assistance to arrange a meeting between the network's members and the two activists, Veera Somkwamkit and Ratree Pipattanapaibul, Thais found guilty of tresspassing and espionage by the Cambodian Court. .

Chaiwat said that Veera and Ratree have only four days left to file appeals with the Cambodian Court.

However, he said there have been delays and he has not heard confirmation from the Thai government about a meeting with the detainees.

The Cambodian government also claims Thailand has not sent any information regarding a meeting with the two detained activists.

As such, the Thai Patriots Network is asking the Red Cross to step in and provide assistance in this matter.

The network leaders said that if the embassy and the Foreign Affairs Ministry approve the visit tomorrow, the Thai Patriots Network's core members Karun Sai-ngarm and Momluang Wanwipa will travel to Cambodia to meet with the two activists.

However, if the trip is rejected, the network will send only Karun to meet with the detainees.

The Thai Patriots Network leaders believe the prime minister is not working to the best of his ability to help the two Thais detained in Cambodia.

Wanwipa said that she is concerned that both Veera and Ratree are being detained without visitations from outsiders.

She also asked the Red Cross for assistance regarding the rights of the detainees, but has yet to hear back from the organization.

She believes politics is involved, and is the cause of the delays in the appeals of the two activists.

Purnomo Prepares Thailand-Cambodia Observer Team

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 09:42 PM PST

Thursday, 24 February, 2011
MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI
TempoInteractive.com

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Defense Ministry has prepared an observer team that will monitor the armistice between Thailand-Cambodia at the border of the two countries.

"We will announce it when it is confirmed," said Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro at his office in Jakarta yesterday. However, he would not specify the composition of the team or when it would be established.

Purnomo was responding to Thailand and Cambodia's request for Indonesia to arbitrate their conflict. Both countries have agreed to a cease fire after they were involved in a border conflict two weeks ago. The request was welcomed by the Indonesian government, which has responded by planning the observer team.

"The government will first send an advanced team to gather initial information," said Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa following the Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Foreign Department's office in Jakarta on Tuesday. Marty confirmed that the observer team consisted of civilian and military elements, namely staff from the Foreign Department, Defense Ministry and Indonesian Armed Forces.

Marty did not confirm the number of people in the team, but estimated there would be no more than 20 people in each. There will be two teams assigned at the Thai and Cambodian borders. "We haven't decided the leaders yet. Normally they would be military officers. I think there will be more military members," he said.

Regarding the suggestion to form the observer team, Marty said he had spoken to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, and Indonesian Armed Forces Commander Admiral TNI Agus Suhartono. "It won't be in weeks, it will be formed within several days," he said.

According to Marty, if one of the countries violates the armistice at the border, the observer team will note it in the report. Later, the report will be submitted to the Indonesian government as the ASEAN 2011 leader. "We then will convey to both parties who has violated and why," he said.

Unesco envoy to meet Kasit, Suwit

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 09:36 PM PST

25/02/2011
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) special envoy on Preah Vihear temple Koïchiro Matsuura arrived in Bangkok on Thursday night and will have discussions with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Natural Resources and Environment minister Suvit Khunkitti this afternoon.

Mr Matsuura, a former director-general of Unesco (1999-2009) and a former chairman of the World Heritage Committee (1999), was appointed by director general Irina Bokova to discuss with Thailand and Cambodia measures to safeguard the temple, which was listed as a World Heritage site in 2008.

The three-member Unesco delegation will fly to Phnom Penh on Sunday for talks with Cambodian officials on ways of reducing tension and promoting dialogue around the preservation of the temple.

Mr Matsuura's schedule in Thailand does not include a visit to Si Sa Ket province, which is the usual public entryway to the 11th century temple in normal times. It was not known if they would visit the slightly damaged old Hindu temple.

Unesco director-general Bokova has voiced concern over clashes around the temple in recent weeks, stressing that "the world's cultural heritage should never be a cause for conflict".

The Unesco issued a statement early this week saying that the "temple was inscribed on the World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value in keeping with the 1972 World Heritage Convention, which has been ratified by both Cambodia and Thailand".

In keeping with the convention, states parties undertake to recognize that "such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate".

Asda Jayanam, chair of the Joint Border Committee, flew to Paris last week trying to stop Unesco from visit the disputed site until the current conflict is over.

SRP MP Tioulong Saumura speaking at UN (Part II)

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:56 PM PST

Special: 'What Can I Say: Cambodia'

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:33 PM PST

February 25, 2011
ABC Radio National (Australia)

Click here to listen (MP3)

In the second of our series on independent media in South East Asia, Gary Bryson goes to Cambodia, a country struggling to join the global community but still haunted by the ghosts of its genocidal past.

It's a legacy in which democracy is a loose idea at best, and where saying too much can sometimes be dangerous.

Gary Bryson met many Cambodians, including a radio DJ who's spent time in jail more than once for his defiant remarks.

We're also introduced to a psychiatrist who refuses to be named, who tells of the human cost of Cambodia's culture of silence.

But Gary Bryson started at a Phnom Penh university where students were gathering for a weekend internet and technology conference.

They're the 'cloggers', a collective of Cambodian bloggers who write under the radar of government censorship.

'What Can I Say in Cambodia?' was presented by Gary Bryson and produced by Gary Bryson and Neil Trevithick.

The series is a co-production of ABC Radio National and the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Gary Bryson

Debate on hydro-power dams in Mekong River

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:26 PM PST

23/02/2011

VietNamNet Bridge – Building hydro-power dams across the major current of the Mekong River will cause serious consequences for the environment and development, Vietnamese scientists warned.

On February 22, the second national-level meeting between Vietnam and Laos on the construction of the Xayaboury hydropower dam took place in Vietnam's Quang Ninh province. The opinions of experts at the meeting will be transferred to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), which was formed by Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

Xayaboury is among 12 hydro-power plants that will be built across the major flow of the Mekong River. This work is located in Laos, around 1930km from Vietnam's Mekong Delta, with designed capacity of 1260 MW. The dam is designed to be 810m long. Most of the output will be sold to Thailand.

In October 2010, Laos sent an announcement on the construction of the Xayaboury dam to member countries of the MRC. The MRC Secretariat requested Laos to provide related information about this project. The MRC also asked member states to research and submit their opinions about the project to reach the final decision in April 2011.

Laos and Thailand are very eager for this project and they made a deal on the power price. Both countries said that trans-border impacts from this project are in within the spheres of physics and biology. The project will mainly block the road of immigration of fish.

According to the Bangkok Post, Laos confirmed that the project will not harm the environment and it has competence for approving this project because it is based in Lao territory. Thailand agreed with Laos because it will purchase a great volume of power from this plant.

The investors of Xayaboury, including two Thai firms, said that the dam only uses water and it will return the water to the river so it is harmless to the river.

Environmental organizations in Thailand called the Thai Prime Minister to annul the commitment of a Thai power company to buy electricity from the Xayaboury plant.

According to the Bangkok Post, Thailand organized three workshops on this project. At the workshop, many experts protested the project because they worried that the project will greatly impact people along the Mekong River. They proposed to postpone it until scientists conduct full research. Thailand has not submitted its opinion about this project to MRC.

Cambodian scientists also voiced their concerns about the impacts of this project. They said that the dam will hinder the immigration of fish and may cause a disaster of food and nutrition security.

Prof. So Nam from the Fishery Institute in Phnom Penh told the Cambodia Daily that the project may affect over 6 million people whose lives depend on the Mekong River.

A representative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Cambodia, Gordon warned that if there is a loss of protein from fish then Cambodia would have to import more meat.

Manager of the Cambodian NGO forum, Chhit Sam Ath expressed her worry about the shortage of information about the Xayabouri project. Cambodia supports the WWF's suggestion to postpone the construction for ten years.

In Vietnam, many non-governmental organizations and scientists also protested the project.

To Van Truong from the Southern Institute for Irrigation, said that the construction of Xayabouri will cause serious environmental impacts for downstream areas.

Prof. Pham Hong Giang from the International Commission on Large Dams said that if this project is approved, it would make the precedent for other projects on the major flows of the Mekong River. He asked the MRC to carefully consider this project.

"Hydro-power works should not be built across the main current, but the branches. The construction of power plants on branches should wait for ten years when we have deeper research as the warning of the WWF. No dam is the best for all countries," he emphasized.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hoe from the Vietnam Association for Protection of Nature and Environment said that Laos should not build the Xayabouri power plant.

He said that the plant would destroy the living environment and the ecological system of the Mekong River, causing dangers for the abundant fauna and floral system of the river, especially fish. The people whose lives depend on the river would be affected.

Hoe worried that Vietnam's Mekong Delta will face two dangers: the change of the natural flow and rising sea levels one the Xayabouri dam is built. Salt water contamination may harm the lives of millions of people in the Mekong Delta.

At the first workshop on Xayaburi project in Can Tho city in mid-January 2011, Vietnamese scientists agreed that no dam should be built across the major current of the Mekong River or at least the construction must be postponed for further research.

The MRC's strategic environmental assessment report 2010 proposed that projects to build dams across the major current of the Mekong River should be delayed for ten years.

The Mekong is one of the world's great rivers. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is 4,909 km and it drains an area of 795,000 km2, discharging 475 km3 of water annually.

From the Tibetan Plateau this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam established the Mekong River Commission in 1995 to assist in the management and coordinated use of the Mekong's resources. In 1996 China and Burma became "dialogue partners" of the MRC and the six countries now work together within a cooperation framework.

Cambodia to ask Indonesia to continue to act as mediator in 2012: PM

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:21 PM PST

February 24, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that Cambodia will ask Indonesia to continue to act as mediator in 2012 when Cambodia would be ASEAN chair.

"Cambodia will be ASEAN chair in 2012, so Cambodia cannot play as both footballer and referee at the same time in the negotiation of the dispute with Thailand, " Hun Sen said during closing the national conference of the Ministry of Interior, which attended by 350 senior national police.

"So we will ask Indonesia to mediate the negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand on behalf of ASEAN. Cambodia will not use the role of ASEAN chair in negotiating with Thailand," he said. "This is a preliminary initiative," he said.

"Now, the most important thing, we wish, is Indonesia to send observers as soon as possible to the border," he said.

Hun Sen thanked Indonesia, as ASEAN chair, has played important role in convening the ASEAN foreign minister's meeting on Feb. 22, adding that the meeting has made very good results which were needed by Cambodia and Thailand, as well as the ASEAN.

The premier suggested that the first bilateral meeting between Cambodia and Thailand will be held in Indonesia with the presence of ASEAN chair or representative and the first meeting will be the defense ministerial one.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen said that Thailand need not to withdraw its troops from its border.

"I have not requested Thailand to withdraw armed forces from its territory, your forces on your territory is your rights, and Cambodian forces are on Cambodian land, it's Cambodia's rights," he said. "I just suggested Thai side for no mobility of armed forces."

The premier's remark was made following the announcement of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday that the Thai army will not withdraw any troops from the Thai-Cambodian border, even though Indonesia is about to send a team of observers there. "I confirmed that Cambodia respected ceasefire and Cambodia has never invaded the other and has never opened fire first on the other," he said.

"If any Cambodian troops invade Thai territory, Thai can shoot them, and if Thai troops violate Cambodia, Cambodia will smash on the site or arrest on the site too," he added. "I publicly order my troops, don't violate the other."

The premier said that if Thailand does not invade and Cambodia does not invade, there will be no further clashes.

Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

In the informal ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 22, at the invitations of Thailand and Cambodia, Indonesia agreed to send its 30 observers to the disputed border areas near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple soon in order to monitor the ceasefire between the two nations.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Degar-Montagnard: Canada Gives Asylum to Religious Refugees

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:45 PM PST

February 24, 2011
Source: UNPO

The arrival of 50 Montagnard refugees who had fled persecution in Vietnam was announced today by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Below is n press release published by Marketwire:

Canada agreed, at the emergency request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to resettle a group of Vietnamese Montagnard refugees who had been under risk of return to Vietnam.

"Canada had the capacity to act quickly in response to this situation and we are pleased to welcome these individuals to Québec City as they have been living in an uncertain situation for far too long," said Minister Kenney.

This group of Montagnard hill tribespeople from Vietnam's Central Highlands fled in 2006 and crossed the border into Cambodia. They were initially under consideration for resettlement to another country, but had not yet been admitted there. As the refugee centre in Cambodia was closing, Canadian officials acted quickly to resettle the remaining refugees. The acceptance by Canada of this group means that the protection needs of all members of the original group that fled in 2006 have now been addressed.

"Canada has a proud tradition of opening its doors to people from around the world and providing a safe haven for those fleeing communism," added Minister Kenney. "Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, more than half a million Vietnamese fled Vietnam. Thanks to the outpouring of support from Canadians, we welcomed more than 60,000 refugees in two years from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia under the Private Sponsorship Program."

The Montagnard refugees are just the latest refugees from Vietnam to find protection in Canada. In 2008, the Government of Canada facilitated, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, the immigration of approximately 250 Vietnamese who had been living in the Philippines without status since the late 1970s, when they fled communism.

"We are committed to further strengthening Canada's role as a global leader in refugee protection," Minister Kenney said. "That is why the Government of Canada committed, as part of the measures to reform Canada's asylum system, to increase the total number of genuine refugees resettled annually by 20 percent, including those seeking freedom from persecution."

"These refugees came to Canada the legal way, applying to the UNHCR and then being selected for resettlement. They didn't pay human smugglers to jump the queue, or try to abuse our immigration system by lying to Immigration Canada," added Minister Kenney.

The Montagnards arrived in Quebec as government-assisted refugees. This means they will receive settlement support through Quebec's humanitarian immigration program.

Philly Family Chose to Fight Fire That Killed Two [Cambodian-American children]

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:38 PM PST

Thu, 02/24/2011
BY ALLISON STEELE and JEFF GAMMAGE
The Philadelphia Inquirer

As a fast-moving fire spread through a crowded Olney rowhouse Tuesday, members of the family that lived there apparently never called 911 and tried to extinguish the blaze themselves, according to Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.

"They discovered it, and they made the choice to fight it," Ayers said.

By noon, the flames had grown out of control, and passersby and neighbors called 911. By the time firefighters arrived, a 7- and 9-year-old boy were dead, and at least seven members of the household were injured, including four other children.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Ayers said. It was not clear why the residents of the home, who were Cambodian, did not call 911, but Ayers acknowledged there might be "cultural issues" at play, such as distrust of the government.

"This was an absolute tragedy," Ayers said, adding that the department will look at how it can reach out to non-English-speaking populations. "This shows there's clearly the need for more education in some of the communities in our city."

At least five people remained hospitalized Wednesday with serious or critical injuries. The victims have not been identified.

The rowhouse at 134 Sparks St. had been home to at least 10 members of an extended family, some of whom came to America as refugees more than a decade ago.

A day afterward, little beyond the brick frame of the Olney rowhouse remained. A sidewalk memorial had begun to bloom, with flowers set beside a row of stuffed animals and votive candles depicting a benevolent Jesus perched on a short brick wall.

"All gone," said a disbelieving Gloria Garcia, who lives on the block. "I saw the flame, and the fire coming out of the roof."

The house had no working smoke detectors, fire officials said. The electrical outlets were overloaded, the house was cluttered with space heaters and other appliances, and one neighbor said the family kept a hot plate in the living room. Ayers said there was no indication whether any of those caused the fire.

Rorng Sorn, executive director of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, said she and others were still trying to determine how many people were injured and how they are related to one another.

She said three children were being treated at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, one in serious condition. Two grown children were in the intensive-care unit at Temple University Hospital.

The mother of some of the children was in Cambodia visiting family when the fire broke out. She is expected to return Thursday, Sorn said.

Bill Gault, president of the firefighters union, blamed the city's scheduled brownouts for the severity of the fire, but city officials disputed that.

The station closest to the home, Engine 61, was closed Tuesday. Engine 51, which is less than two-tenths of a mile farther away, responded to the scene within five minutes, Gault said.

"If Engine 61 was open, they could have been there in two minutes," Gault said.

Fire officials and Mark McDonald, a spokesman for Mayor Nutter, said the department's response time was within accepted guidelines. Even if Engine 61 had been open, McDonald pointed out, its firefighters could have been at another fire when Tuesday's call came in.

The Red Cross is assisting people displaced by the fire, said spokesman Dave Schrader. Family members have been relocated to a temporary home, where they are being given meals and clothing.

Neighbors said the family moved into the house about 15 years ago.

Cambodians make up a tiny minority -- about 6,570 people, less than one-tenth of 1 percent -- of the city population. Many came here after escaping war or the horrors of the Killing Fields genocide.

The family on Sparks followed a familiar path, coming to Philadelphia as refugees during the post-Vietnam waves of resettlement, landing first in Logan, Sorn said. Like others, they saved enough money to move to a nicer home in a better neighborhood.

Asean observers await their orders

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:31 PM PST

25/02/2011
Bangkok Post and AP

Indonesia has yet to arrange with Thailand and Cambodia the deployment and scope of authority of its observers who are to visit the disputed border area.

A senior source in the Thai army yesterday said Indonesia planned to send 30 observers but their deployment in Thailand and Cambodia had yet to be finalised.

The source said Indonesia might deploy 15 observers each in Thailand and Cambodia. Alternatively, 11 military observers would be fielded in Thailand and Cambodia.

Three other military officers would supervise the observation in the two countries and five non-military observers would coordinate their mission.

Indonesian authorities will soon discuss the scope of the observation mission with Thai and Cambodian defence ministers.

The deployment will be similar to that of observers in Aceh in Indonesia, but their authority would not be as great because the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia was smaller.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will meet Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and senior officers from the Defence Ministry this afternoon to discuss the scope of work and procedures for the Indonesian observers.

Gen Prayuth said the details had to be clear and documented and be coordinated with Cambodia.

The US has welcomed Asean's efforts to resolve the deadly border dispute.

State Department spokesman PJCrowley said on Wednesday the US also supported the Asean foreign ministers' call for Cambodia and Thailand to resume bilateral negotiations "at the earliest opportunity".

Also in relation to the border, Democrat Party MP Atthawich Suwanphadi yesterday said a joint house committee deliberating the minutes of the past three meetings of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission had agreed that the documents contained no wording that showed Thailand had recognised a French 1:200,000 scale map.

Agreement on the documents was reached at meetings in Siem Reap in November 2008, in Bangkok in February 2009 and in Phnom Penh in April 2009.

The documents involved a decision by Thailand and Cambodia to survey border areas, including those near the Preah Vihear temple, and to start to make aerial maps of the border.

Mr Atthawich, spokesman of the house committee, said the panel also disapproved of a comment made by Var Kim Hong of Cambodia, co-chairman of the JBC, during one of the meetings that "Thailand invaded Cambodia".

Var Kim Hong made the remark citing the 1:200,000 scale map, he said.

He said the comment was not in line with the facts and the committee would forward its recommendation to Asda Jayanama, who co-chairs the JBC, to contest what Var Kim Hong had said at the next JBC meeting.

Mr Atthawich said the committee had not decided whether to approve the JBC minutes but it would submit its recommendation on the issue to parliament for consideration.

He said if the House endorsed the documents, it would not mean parliament accepted Var Kim Hong's remark. It would only approve the substance of the documents.

The constitution requires parliament to approve agreements that have an impact on Thai territory.

Mr Atthawich said the committee had also agreed that the memorandum of understanding signed with Cambodia in 2000 had been useful in bringing about bilateral negotiations between the two countries.

The committee stressed the need for the government to hold bilateral talks with Cambodia under the framework of the memorandum and evacuate civilians and soldiers from the two sides of the disputed area claimed by the two countries so the JBC could go ahead and complete the demarcation work.

Thais hurt in landmine blast [-Were the Thai soldiers trying to trespass into Cambodia?]

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:29 PM PST

Cambodians build a concrete road to Preah Vihear temple to help troop movements in the disputed area near Phu Ma Khua. Thailand opposes the construction of the road. JETJARAS NA RANONG

Cambodians accused of 'expanding presence'

25/02/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

SI SA KET : Two Thai soldiers have been seriously injured after stepping on landmines while patrolling Phu Ma Khua along the Cambodian border.

The incident occurred about 4pm yesterday.

The two were later identified as Sgt Pornpiboon Ngaosuwan and Cpl Sumet Boonsalee of the 16th Infantry Battalion in Yasothon province.

They have been admitted to Kantharalak district hospital in Si Sa Ket province.

Cambodian troops are ignoring Asean's urgent call for a truce with Thailand by continuing to fire shots in the disputed border area.

Cambodian soldiers yesterday fired three shots in the area where they are trying to expand their presence before the arrival of Indonesian observers today.

The Bangkok Post accompanied Thai soldiers to the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area in Si Sa Ket yesterday morning to observe the military presence. The delegation found Cambodia actively expanding its military bases and bunkers in the disputed area after the outbreak of hostilities from Feb 4 to 7.

Cambodian soldiers have also turned Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda into a military base equipped with anti-aircraft artillery in breach of the bilateral 2000 memorandum of understanding on land demarcation that prohibits any man-made physical changes in the disputed area.

An army source said Cambodian deputy army chief Hun Manet, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, had told Thai army chief-of-staff Dapong Rattanasuwan and 2nd Army chief Thawatchai Samutsakhon last Saturday that the pagoda would only be repaired as a residence for monks.

The pagoda was partly damaged during the recent border clashes.

Cambodian soldiers have built facilities to support reinforcements on the disputed part of Phu Ma Khua. They have ignored repeated protests from the Thai soldiers overlooking them from the hill top.

Cambodian soldiers are also building two new roads from Keo Sikha Kiri Savara to Phu Ma Khua in a bid to occupy as much of the disputed area as possible.

"Cambodia will not readily stop because they want to advance and occupy as many parts as possible before soldiers and observers arrive from Indonesia," the source said.

There have been a number of clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops at Phu Ma Khua. Cambodian soldiers attacked a Thai base on the hill on Feb 5 and seriously injured a soldier who later succumbed to his injuries.

While this reporter was taking photographs of Keo Sikha Kiri Savara yesterday, Cambodian soldiers fired two warning shots from the pagoda and another from Phu Ma Khua. Thai soldiers and the reporter then left the area. If the third shot had come from the pagoda, there would have been another clash, the source said.

A truce agreed between the military leaders of the two countries last week would not be honoured as Cambodian soldiers were poorly disciplined and had proved they would not hesitate in firing on Thai soldiers in their own territory, he said.

Temple row to dog relations until WHC meets [-A war of SEMANTICS?]

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:23 PM PST

Now shake hands like good boys: Overseen by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (centre), Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (left) shakes hands with Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya in Jakarta on Tuesday.

25/02/2011
Saritdet Marukatat
Bangkok Post

Thailand benefits from the decision by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to dispatch Indonesian observers to both sides of the border with Cambodia.

Phnom Penh may claim victory from the outcome of Tuesday's meeting in Jakarta, to have a third party involved in the border spat with its neighbouring rival, when the Asean foreign ministers agreed to the future presence of the observers.

The meeting led by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa welcomes "the invitation by both Cambodia and Thailand for observers from Indonesia, current chair of Asean, to respective sides of the affected areas of the Cambodia-Thailand border, to observe the commitment by both sides to avoid further armed clashes between them...," said the chair statement released after the talks. Indonesia holds the Asean chairmanship this year.

But Bangkok seems to benefit more from the decision, as the team of observers from Indonesia will put an end to Cambodian accusations of "Thai aggression" during the armed clashes which began on Feb 4.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong attacked Thailand at the United Nations Security Council on Feb 14, claiming Bangkok used "sophisticated weapons including cluster bombs" and artillery shells "20 kilometres inside" his country. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya strongly denied this, claiming Thailand was hit first by Cambodian soldiers on that day and had the right to self-defence.

Stationing the observers is the best way to put an end to this trade in accusations between the two countries, and may help fend off future clashes at the border near the famous Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand's diplomatic move on the defensive side compared favourably with the aggressive tactics of Cambodia from the beginning of the border conflict early this month. Phnom Penh has been using all means at its disposal to convince the international community that a small country is being threatened and bullied by a bigger neighbour. The strategy has left Thailand able only to react to every charge made by Cambodia.

The duty of the observers will help Thailand as they will witness the reality on the ground at the fragile frontier.

Yet the most difficult part has yet to come, when Asean expects the two countries to sit down at the same table to settle the disputed area through negotiation. The main body tasked with responsibility on this issue is the Joint Boundary Commission set up specifically to demarcate the entire land border, including the controversial 4.6 square kilometre area near the 11th century Hindu temple. The JBC is jointly chaired by former career diplomat Asda Jayanama and Cambodia's top border negotiator, Var Kimhong.

Judging from the tone of the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers at the Security Council meeting in New York last week, and by subsequent moves, the two countries occupy different positions over how the issue of the overlapping border area near the temple should be resolved.

Cambodian Prime Minster Hun Sen wants the issue to go to the International Court of Justice to make the ruling once and for all, but Thailand's position is to talk it over with Cambodia. The JBC's success hinges largely on warm diplomatic relations between the two countries, but the atmosphere right now is not conducive to either side's settling the issue. Hor Namhong strongly criticised Thailand at the Security Council, claiming hostilities were aimed at taking control of the area near the temple. Mr Kasit hit back, calling all moves by Phnom Penh a "Broadway play" with a plot to try every means to take the issue to the world court, despite already having the mechanism agreed upon by the two countries to end the dispute.

The exchange of words in New York leads to the easy prediction that the first JBC meeting after the border clashes will make no progress. The date for that meeting has not been set.

The hope now hinges on another channel: talks between the two countries' military leaders in another forum _ the General Border Committee chaired by the respective defence ministers, Prawit Wongsuwon and Teah Banh. Despite the armed conflict and border tension, military ties between the two countries at the top level have not been severed or devastated by the tension. They continue to maintain close contacts and relations between the two generals and are not as cool as their diplomatic counterparts'.

The next round of the GBC meeting will likely lead to a pledge by the defence ministers to order their commanders and soldiers at the frontier to end confrontation and restore peace at the border. That is the best the ministers in charge of defence can do right now.

The core problem of sovereignty over the disputed area is beyond its mandate. The issue will haunt both countries and Cambodia's efforts to put an end to this issue for good will intensify as the World Heritage Committee (WHC) meeting set for June draws nearer.