KI Media: “Appeal to Members and Supporters of The Sam Rainsy Party to Help Contribute to The Organization of The Party Fifth Congress in Phnom Penh on 11 September 2011” plus 24 more |
- Appeal to Members and Supporters of The Sam Rainsy Party to Help Contribute to The Organization of The Party Fifth Congress in Phnom Penh on 11 September 2011
- Ksaem Ksan Letter to Mr. President of Supreme Court asking for clarification of the Time Frame of Duch's Appeal Verdict in Case 001
- Vietcong embassy rejects petition handed by Prey Lang Forest Communities
- Boeung Kak Residents need clear development site
- Soy Sopheap interviews Hun Xen (Cont'd) - By Anonymous
- Latest posts from CambodiaWatch-Australia
- ‘Forced overtime’ claim in H&M mass fainting
- Border meeting completed
- Not so fast in Case 002
- Cambodia tribunal - judges bowing to political pressure?
- US: China on track for modern military by 2020
- Brain Food for all the lovers out there
- TED - Marco Tempest: The magic of truth and lies (and iPods)
- Brain Food for the CPP who thrive on fear
- UN Convention Against Corruption
- Brain Food for Christians (also for the non-Christians, no?)
- Talks urged for disputed oil zone
- Bikers to Show Up in Support of I Ride Premiere In Long Beach 8/27
- Torquay family prompts law change but there's... No help for Pisey
- History keeps shitting on you - Poem by Peauladd Huy
- Cambodia: Crackdown on Critical Groups Confirms Civil Society Fears of Forthcoming Ngo Law
- 51% of HIV-affected households in Cambodia live in hunger: UNDP
- Thailand, Cambodia agree to boost border security cooperation
- U.S. and Cambodia Chamber of Commerce ink deal on trade loan guarantees
- 54 Families Rejected in Lake Resettlement Deal
| Posted: 25 Aug 2011 06:51 PM PDT  25 August 2011 APPEAL TO MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE SAM RAINSY PARTY TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PARTY FIFTH CONGRESS IN PHNOM PENH ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2011 The SRP bylaws call for the holding of an ordinary Congress every three years. The last - and fourth - ordinary Congress having been held in 2008, our Party Permanent Committee has recently decided to hold the fifth ordinary Congress on Sunday, 11 September 2011. As usual, our next Congress will take place in Phnom Penh, at the same place as before, meaning at House # 71, Sothearos Boulevard, with the permission of the premises' owner, Vice-President Kong Korm. As usual, in compliance with the SRP bylaws, I will preside over the Congress and will lead the debate in my capacity as Party President. But given the present circumstances, I will do it through video conference and other modern communication tools. Some 3,000 delegates will participate in the Congress. Each delegate, who is himself/herself a locally elected official, will represent possibly hundreds ordinary citizens from the grassroots level (from his/her village or commune). The Congress will allow our Party to:
The organization of such a Congress represents a heavy financial burden for our Party. We will have to cover expenses related to transportation and food for a large number of delegates coming from all the Kingdom's provinces. We also plan to distribute rewards to young participants who have been most active and effective in the young voter registration campaign, so as to encourage and to accelerate the ongoing campaign. I appeal to the generosity of SRP members and supporters in all countries and ask them to help us meet expenses related to the organization of our next Congress. Please send your contribution through the SRP branch geographically nearest to you, or directly to our Phnom Penh Headquarters by bank transfer (see references below). Thank you for your solidarity and generosity towards our dedicated activists in Cambodia. Sam Rainsy Bank references of the Sam Rainsy Party in Phnom Penh: Beneficiary: Sam Rainsy Party Account No.: 800-03-2 15931-6 Bank: Cambodian Commercial Bank Limited Swift Code: SICOKHPP Address: 26 Monivong Boulevard, Phnom Penh , Cambodia Telephone: (855).23.426 145 Fax: (855) 23 426 116 Email: CCBPP@online.com.kh ------------ Le 25 août 2011 APPEL A TOUS LES MEMBRES ET SYMPATHISANTS DU PARTI SAM RAINSY POUR CONTRIBUER A L'ORGANISATION DU 5ème CONGRES DU PARTI A PHNOM PENH LE 11 SEPTEMBRE 2011 Les statuts du PSR prévoient la tenue d'un Congrès ordinaire tous les trois ans. Le dernier (qui a été le 4ème) Congrès ordinaire ayant eu lieu en 2008, le Comité Permanent de notre Parti a récemment décidé de convoquer le 5ème Congrès ordinaire pour le Dimanche 11 Septembre 2011. Comme d'habitude, notre prochain Congrès se déroulera à Phnom Penh, au même endroit, c'est-à-dire au 71, Boulevard Sothearos, avec la permission du propriétaire des lieux, notre Vice-Président Kong Korm. Comme d'habitude, en conformité avec les statuts du PSR, je présiderai aux travaux du Congrès et je dirigerai les débats en ma qualité de Président du Parti. Mais compte tenu des circonstances, je le ferai par vidéo conférence en utilisant tous les moyens modernes de communication. Environ 3.000 délégués participeront à ce Congrès. Chaque délégué, qui est lui-même un élu local, représentera plusieurs centaines de militants de base (niveau du village ou de la commune). Ce Congrès permettra à notre Parti de:
L'organisation d'un tel Congrès représente une très lourde charge financière pour notre Parti. Il nous faudra couvrir les dépenses de transport et de nourriture pour un grand nombre de délégués venant de toutes les provinces du Royaume. Nous prévoyons aussi de distribuer des récompenses aux jeunes participants qui se sont montrés les plus actifs et les plus efficaces dans la campagne d'inscription des jeunes sur les listes électorales, et cela pour encourager la poursuite et l'intensification de cette campagne. Je lance donc un appel aux membres et sympathisants du PSR dans tous les pays du monde pour qu'ils nous aident à faire face aux dépenses liées à l'organisation de notre prochain Congrès. Veuillez SVP envoyer votre contribution par l'intermédiaire de la section géographique du PSR la plus proche de chez vous, ou directement par virement bancaire en utilisant les coordonnées ci-dessous. Merci pour votre solidarité et générosité envers nos militants au Cambodge. Sam Rainsy Coordonnées bancaires du Parti Sam Rainsy à Phnom Penh: Beneficiary: Sam Rainsy Party Account No.: 800-03-2 15931-6 Bank: Cambodian Commercial Bank Limited Swift Code: SICOKHPP Address: 26 Monivong Boulevard, Phnom Penh , Cambodia Telephone: (855).23.426 145 Fax: (855) 23 426 116 Email: CCBPP@online.com.kh  | ||
| Posted: 25 Aug 2011 01:38 PM PDT លិខិតជូនដំណឹង សម្រាប់ពតិ៍មានបន្ថែមពាក់ពន្ធ័នឹង សមាគម ក្សេមក្សាន្ត សូមចូលទៅកាន់គេហទំពរ័ www.ksaemksan.info ។ ដោយក្តីគោរពអំពីយើងខ្ញុំ ក្នុងនាម សមាគម ក្សេមក្សាន្ត គឹម ម៉េងឃី មេធាវីសមាគម ក្សេមក្សាន្ត (៨៥៥) ១៧ ៣៣ ៨១ ៥៥ / contact@ksaemksan.info _________ Phnom Penh , 25 August 2011 Notice On August18, 2011, "Ksaem Ksan" Association has sent a letter, herein attached, asking ECCC supeme court President Kong Srim to clarify the time frame of Duch's appeal verdict in Case 001. For more information about Association "Ksaem Ksan", please visit our website : www.ksaemksan.info. Faithfully yours, Onbehalf of Association Ksaem Ksan KIM Mengkhy, Lawyer for Association (855) 17 33 81 55 / contact@ksaemksan.info    | ||
| Vietcong embassy rejects petition handed by Prey Lang Forest Communities Posted: 25 Aug 2011 01:15 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKKnpR4gfcE&feature=player_embedded  | ||
| Boeung Kak Residents need clear development site Posted: 25 Aug 2011 01:13 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EamyCHsn-Og&feature=player_embedded  | ||
| Soy Sopheap interviews Hun Xen (Cont'd) - By Anonymous Posted: 25 Aug 2011 01:08 PM PDT    | ||
| Latest posts from CambodiaWatch-Australia Posted: 25 Aug 2011 12:35 PM PDT Good Morning, Please find some of the latest post over the last few days. We hope you enjoy reading them. Best Regards, CambodiaWatch- Australia Team http://camwatchblogs.blogspot.com/  | ||
| ‘Forced overtime’ claim in H&M mass fainting Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:33 AM PDT Thursday, 25 August 2011 Tep Nimol and Vincent MacIsaac The Phnom Penh Post Staff at the garment factory in Kampong Chnnang where more than 100 workers fainted on Tuesday morning while making knitwear for global brand H&M had been forced to work overtime of up to six hours a day for about two months prior to the incident, a representative of their union said yesterday. "The factory's boss forced workers to work an extra four to six hours a day during the past two months," union representative Norn Leakhena said, adding that from January to March they were forced to work until 11:00pm. She also said fainting was commonplace at the factory, especially in areas adjacent to the laundry room, which emitted fumes that made workers dizzy. An executive with M&V International Manufacturing Ltd, however, denied allegations of forced overtime and a toxic working environment, saying the fainting was caused by a "strange psychological phenomenon". "In China, this kind of thing is unthinkable. We can't understand how this happens so often in Cambodia," said the executive who declined to identify himself by name. "The workers don't pass out at once, they pass out in succession. One worker passes out, and when another sees this and she passes out, then another and another and another. It's beyond my comprehension," he explained. The factory is run by a Macau-owned company that produces items for several global brands, including Benetton and H&M, at factories in China and Cambodia. The Kampong Chnnang facility produces knitwear for H&M, the executive confirmed. He said poor health was an underlying cause of the fainting. "The workers' health is poor. They don't eat breakfast and come to work very tired." Moeun Tola, head of the labour programme at the Community Legal Education Center, said factory staff reported that at least three or four workers fainted every day at the facility after inhaling an insecticide sprayed inside it. He also pointed to the legal wage, about US 30 cents an hour, as an underlying cause. "The monthly $61 basic salary [for 48 hours per week] is insufficient so employees have to work overtime. They don't get enough sleep and they don't get enough to eat so they are susceptible to fainting," he said. The factory was inspected by monitors from the International Labour Organisation earlier this month as part of its Better Factories Cambodia programme, ILO communications officer Ying Bun said. He also said that the factory would be inspected again. "When an incident such as mass fainting happens, our monitoring team visits, and approaches the factory, workers, unions, and victims to seek further information and keep buyers informed," he said. Ying Bun said that Better Factories Cambodia did not disclose information on particular factories, but provides an overview of the industry and allows each company to decide for itself whether it will disclose the results of the ILO monitoring to its potential suppliers. It released a report earlier this month that found that garment factories were, for the most part, compliant with national laws and international labour standards. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DON WEINLAND  | ||
| Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:31 AM PDT Thursday, 25 August 2011 Vong Sokheng The Phnom Penh Post Bilateral talks between Cambodia and Thailand ended yesterday, in the first set of official discussions to take place since Yingluck Shinawatra was elected Thai Prime Minister. Although no official result had been recorded from the Regional Border Commission as of last night, according to Cambodia defence spokesman Chum Socheat, the Bangkok Post reported Thailand's second Army Region Commander Thawatchai Samutsakorn as saying that both countries had agreed to step up security force cooperation along the border. The Phnom Penh Post could not verify the report last night. But on the agenda of the meeting – which took place in Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima province – were issues including illegal border crossings, logging, drugs trafficking and counter terrorism, Chum Socheat said. Discussions on border conflict and troop withdrawal from a demilitarized zone – set up around Preah Vihear temple following a decision by the United Nations International Court of Justice last month – were not on the agenda but could not be ruled out, he added. "We don't know yet," he said yesterday. The RBC meeting was co-chaired by Thawatchai Samutsakhon and Cambodia's Fourth Army Commander Chea Mon and follows Yingluck's election earlier this month. Her rise to power has resulted in warmer relations between the two nations, with top Cambodian officials entering discourse with their Thai counterparts after what Prime Minister Hun Sen called a "nightmare" period of relations under her predecessor Abhisit Vejjajiva. Ties between the two Kingdoms are growing, and yesterday Thai newspaper The Nation reported that Yingluck said she would coordinate with agencies to help two Thai nationals now serving prison sentences in Cambodia for spying. Veera Somkwamkid, a well-known activist within Thailand's nationalist Yellow Shirt movement, and his associate Ratree Pipatanapaiboon are serving eight and six-year prison terms in Cambodia respectively, Thailand's Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdee could not be reached for comment yesterday while Cambodia's Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith declined to comment on a potential pardon. Koy Kuong, spokesman at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could not be reached.  | ||
| Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:24 AM PDT Thursday, 25 August 2011 Thomas Miller and Cheang Sokha The Phnom Penh Post Long-awaited testimony in the Khmer Rouge tribunal's Case 002 may have to wait until next year, while victims of the regime have urged the court to speed up its deliberations on the appeal of S-21 jailer Duch. A number of legal issues need to be addressed before proceedings can begin in earnest against the four Khmer Rouge leaders in the second case. The tribunal has scheduled hearings next week to determine whether two of the defendants – Brother No 2 Nuon Chea and former Khmer Rouge Social Action Minister Ieng Thirith – are fit for trial. It has also ordered Ieng Thirith to undergo a mental health exam, and said more hearings would be necessary to consider the results of the additional tests. "It's not possible for the Trial Chamber to schedule the start of the substantive trial before they have completed the fitness issue," court spokesman Lars Olsen said yesterday. "And we don't know when that will be." Anne Heindel, a legal advisor at the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, said it was "safe to say trial will not begin this year", and noted that there would "likely" be rulings by both the court's Trial Chamber and the Supreme Court Chamber on the fitness question. Together with Nuon Chea and Ieng Thirith, former KR Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and head of state Khieu Samphan have been charged with offences including genocide and crimes against humanity for their roles in the deaths of between 1.7 and 2.2 million in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. A number of preliminary issues have been raised, including lists of witnesses and experts and Ieng Sary's 1996 pardon and 1979 conviction in absentia for genocide. Heindel said it would be up to the Trial Chamber to decide which issues must be addressed before substantive testimony in the trial can begin. The court's internal rules allow it to separate proceedings against defendants being tried in the same case in a situation in which one is declared unfit for trial or passes away, but Olsen said the Trial Chamber "has not given any indication that separation of the case is currently on their agenda". Heindel said that such a move for Ieng Thirith would be "unnecessarily time consuming if she is found fit for trial, but would likely be the next step if she is found unfit". Meanwhile, victims have written to the court urging its Supreme Court Chamber to issue a decision in the appeal of Kaing Guek Iev, alias Duch, who was convicted last year of crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Duch was given a 30-year sentence, commuted to 19 years for time already served. "We have been waiting for the verdict in Case 001 from the Supreme [Court] Chamber for several months, but it has not come out and we're concerned that it will continue to be prolonged," Chum Mey, an 80-year-old survivor of Tuol Sleng prison, said yesterday. "We are concerned that the sentence against Duch is unfair already, so it will give a bad example for Case 002." Heindel said she did not believe the Supreme Court has taken an "excessive" period of time in its Case 001 ruling in comparison to other international courts. "They are likely addressing other foundational legal issues – such as the exact character of the court as a hybrid national/international institution – that will impact not only the Duch verdict but also cases 002-004."  | ||
| Cambodia tribunal - judges bowing to political pressure? Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:18 AM PDT Judges will announce "sometime next year" if two politically sensitive cases will be heard at Cambodia's tribunal, according to the court's international co-prosecutor. The decision will hinge on whether the suspects can be considered "senior leaders or those most responsible" for crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge regime. 25 August 2011 By Jared Ferrie, Kampong Chhnang International Justice Desk Andrew Cayley made the comments during a presentation to about 70 teachers attending a training course on Khmer Rouge history. In a question and answer period following his talk, one teacher asked about the status of the court's third and fourth cases (003 and 004), which the government has warned will not be "allowed" to go to trial. Cayley noted that prosecutors built those cases before he was appointed to the court in 2009. "They were put into my lap," he told the teachers. "The only thing I can do is follow the law and the rules of the court in addressing these case. Ultimately, it will be a matter for the judges to decide whether people involved in these cases were senior leaders or those most responsible." Mid-ranking cadres The identities of the suspects have not been released, but leaked documents reveal that 003 involves the heads of the Khmer Rouge navy and air force, while the suspects in 004 were mid-ranking cadres who allegedly oversaw mass killings and other atrocities in areas under their control. In a recent statement, the co-investigating judges said they had "serious doubts about whether the suspects (in 004) are 'most responsible'". But the judges shared no information about the nature of those doubts. In an interview last month with VOA, Investigating Judge Siegfried Blunk expressed similar doubts about the suspects in 003. Political pressure Observers worry that such statements indicate the judges are bowing to political pressure and preparing to dismiss the cases. The judges ignited an ongoing controversy when they closed down the investigation into 003 despite failing to interview suspects or examine sites that may contain mass graves. Cayley has lodged an appeal with the Pre-Trial Chamber, which can ask the judges to re-open the investigation. He said in an interview that Blunk's statements regarding doubts that the suspects fall under the jurisdiction of the court are premature. "I believe that you've actually got to carry out a full investigation before you can make that determination of whether somebody is either senior or most responsible," he said. An August 5 "Court Report", released by the public affairs section of the tribunal, notes that investigations are ongoing into 004. An investigating judge interviewed key witnesses in July, and legal staff members are examining more than 50,000 pages of "evidentiary material", according to the report. On August 19, the court also released a redacted version of Cayley's appeal to the Pre-Trial Chamber – a move Cayley had requested in its text. Inadequate investigation Among other arguments, the appeal states that the investigation carried out by the investigating judges was inadequate and did not produce enough information to determine whether the suspects fall under the court's jurisdiction. "Given that the PTC (Pre-Trial Chamber) has ruled that jurisdictional issues are fundamental, without further investigations it is highly possible that the entire Case 003 could be dismissed," the document reads. In an interview, Cayley noted that Blunk told VOA that he and his Cambodian counterpart, You Bunleng, developed a criteria to determine whether suspects fall under the jurisdiction of the court, under the categories of senior leaders or those most responsible". "My office will be asking for those criteria because we haven't seen them so far," he said. "And certainly when we can make an assessment ourselves whether that test actually falls within the remit of international criminal law." Jurisdiction He added that the Supreme Court Chamber is expected to issue a judgement soon regarding the court's first case, which will deal with the issue of jurisdiction. "I anticipate they will be coming up with their own set of criteria which Judge Blunk will be bound by," he said. Cayley was referring to an upcoming judgment in response to an appeal by Duch, a Khmer Rouge prison chief who was convicted last summer. He appealed his sentence, arguing that he had no choice but to follow orders and thus did not fall under the court's jurisdiction. Cayley said the court is expected to issue a verdict by the end of this year.  | ||
| US: China on track for modern military by 2020 Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:09 AM PDT 08/25/2011 Reuters WASHINGTON - China appears on track to forge a modern military by 2020, a rapid buildup that could be potentially destabilizing to the Asia-Pacific region, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. Fueled by its booming economy, China's military growth in the past decade has exceeded most U.S. forecasts. Its aircraft carrier program, cyber warfare capabilities and anti-satellite missiles have alarmed neighbors and Washington. Some China watchers, including members of the U.S. Congress, note with apprehension that rising Chinese defense spending coincides with Washington's plans for defense cuts. "China clearly believes that it can capitalize on the global financial crisis," said Representative Howard McKeon, adding the U.S. military presence in the Pacific must not be sacrificed in an attempt to control U.S. spending. The U.S. Defense Department's annual assessment to Congress on the Chinese military flagged all the major concerns about China's growing military might, including Beijing's widening edge over Taiwan. It also noted cyber attacks in 2010 -- including those on U.S. government computers -- that appear to have originated in China. "We have some concerns (on cyber) about some of the things that we've seen. And we want to be able to work through that with China," said Michael Schiffer, a deputy assistant secretary of defense. The report focused on 2010, a year when the Pentagon said China's military modernization program paid "visible dividends." It cited China's fielding of an operational anti-ship ballistic missile, continued work on its aircraft carrier program and the completion of a prototype of China's first stealth fighter jet, the J-20. The J-20 program, the Pentagon report said, would not achieve "effective operational capability" prior to 2018. "Despite continued gaps in some key areas, large quantities of antiquated hardware and a lack of operational experience, the PLA (China's People's Liberation Army) is steadily closing the technological gap with modern armed forces," the report said. Officials at China's embassy could not be immediately reached for comment. Destabilizing effect? The military buildup could have a destabilizing effect on the region, Schiffer said, calling for greater openness by the People's Liberation Army and more bilateral military dialogue. "The pace and scope of China's sustained military investments have allowed China to pursue capabilities that we believe are potentially destabilizing to regional military balances," Schiffer said. The Pentagon said despite its progress at becoming a more potent regional military power, Beijing was not expected to be able to project and sustain large forces in high-intensity combat operations far from China before 2020. That is something the United States, still the predominant military power in the Pacific, has been able to do throughout the world for decades. One of the best ways for a military to project power is with aircraft carriers and China launched its first carrier -- a refitted former Soviet craft -- for a maiden run earlier this month. Schiffer said he believed Beijing was working toward building its own domestically produced aircraft carriers and sources told Reuters China was building two carriers. Still, the report said any domestically produced Chinese aircraft carrier would not be operational until at least 2015, if construction were to start this year. "Whether or not this (China's carrier program) proves to be a net plus for the region or for the globe or proves to be something that has destabilizing effects and raises blood pressure in various regional capitals I think remains to be seen," Schiffer said. One of the biggest irritants in Sino-U.S. ties is Taiwan. The PLA suspended military ties with the United States for most of 2010 over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and warned that a renewed flurry of engagement could again be jeopardized by new arms sales to an island China sees as a renegade province. Schiffer said the U.S. government has not yet made a decision on any new arms sales to Taiwan, comments echoed at the State Department. A Reuters report this month said the U.S. sale of 66 new Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D fighter jets to Taiwan appeared unlikely.  | ||
| Brain Food for all the lovers out there Posted: 25 Aug 2011 04:47 AM PDT If music be the food of love, play on. - William Shakespeare  | ||
| TED - Marco Tempest: The magic of truth and lies (and iPods) Posted: 25 Aug 2011 04:36 AM PDT By Khmer Democrat, Phnom Penh The Philosophy of CPP Series Magical! (That's not the philosphy!) LIES! DECEPTION! AND MORE LIES! (Minus the entertainment value, that's the philosophy!) Using three iPods like magical props, Marco Tempest spins a clever, surprisingly heartfelt meditation on truth and lies, art and emotion. Why you should listen to him:Marco Tempest's imaginative combination of computer-generated imagery, quick-cut video and enthusiastic stage presence has earned him a place in the pantheon of great illusionists. At 22, the Swiss magician won the New York World Cup of Magic, launching him into international prominence. Tempest's award-winning television series "The Virtual Magician" airs in dozens of countries worldwide, while his lively phonecam postings on YouTube, done without post-production and video-editing tricks to astonished people on the street, get millions of views (search on "virtualmagician"). His Vimeo channel showcases his artistic side -- like his recent hypnotic series "levitation," using a high-speed camera. Through his art, Tempest creates a highly entertaining way to be entranced by the reality-bending tech magic that surrounds us all every day. He says: "I blend the line between what is incredibly real and what is incredibly not." "I don't know what magic will be like in 50 years, but I suspect that it will look a lot like Marco Tempest."HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco  | ||
| Brain Food for the CPP who thrive on fear Posted: 25 Aug 2011 04:34 AM PDT In time we hate that which we often fear. - William Shakespeare  | ||
| UN Convention Against Corruption Posted: 25 Aug 2011 04:28 AM PDT United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) In accordance with article 68 (1) of resolution 58/4, the United Nations Convention against Corruption entered into force on 14 December 2005. A Conference of the States Parties is established to review implementation and facilitate activities required by the Convention. Cambodia acceded to the UNCAC Chapter II Preventive measures Article 11. Measures relating to the judiciary and prosecution services 1. Bearing in mind the independence of the judiciary and its crucial role in combating corruption, each State Party shall, in accordance with the fundamental principles of its legal system and without prejudice to judicial independence, take measures to strengthen integrity and to prevent opportunities for corruption among members of the judiciary. Such measures may include rules with respect to the conduct of members of the judiciary. 2. Measures to the same effect as those taken pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article may be introduced and applied within the prosecution service in those States Parties where it does not form part of the judiciary but enjoys independence similar to that of the judicial service.  | ||
| Brain Food for Christians (also for the non-Christians, no?) Posted: 25 Aug 2011 04:20 AM PDT Taming the Tongue Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. - St. James' letter to Christians in the 1st century  | ||
| Talks urged for disputed oil zone Posted: 25 Aug 2011 01:30 AM PDT  Yuthana Praiwan Bangkok Post Energy planners are pushing the revival of talks with Cambodia on the oil-rich overlapping claims area (OCA) between the two countries to ensure energy security. They also urge all parties not to turn it into a political issue so that the talks stand a chance of getting off the ground. In recent years, less-than-smooth relations between the two countries have prevented the issue from being raised. "In principle, energy planners are eager to see progress, as we're all aware our gas reserves are going to be depleted over the next 15-18 years," said an Energy Ministry source. "Without prior preparation for new petroleum reserves, Thailand will likely be in trouble, given the growing rate of consumption." A source insisted the plan has nothing to do with Thai politics. The OCA is a 27,000-square-metre offshore area estimated to contain 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and unknown quantities of condensate and oil. The OCA is defined by the Cambodian claim of 1972 (western boundary line) and the Thai claim of 1973 (eastern boundary line), as well as the 1991 Cambodian-Vietnam maritime border (southern boundary). Cambodia and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2001 under the Thaksin Shinawatra administration. They agreed in principle that a joint development regime could be established over the southern two-thirds of the claims area, which spans 27,000 sq km, while the northern third could be developed once the maritime border was delineated. Agreements on overlapping claims were almost reached when the 2006 coup toppled the Thaksin government. Bangkok cancelled this agreement in 2009 in protest over Thaksin's appointment as an economic adviser to Cambodia. Thailand has sought to settle the dispute over the overlapping claims area for 30 years, back to the days of the Gen Prem Tinsulanonda government. It successfully concluded similar talks with Malaysia and Vietnam, which started in 1979 and 1994, respectively, but those with Cambodia, which began in 1995 to tap into potentially rich reserves, have made little headway. The issue of revenue sharing is a stumbling block for both sides. Both countries presented competing proposals in earlier talks. Cambodia proposes dividing the disputed area in a checkerboard fashion, creating at least 14 different blocks, with revenue and management shared equally. But the main Thai counterproposal is that the disputed area be divided into three strips running north-south, with the revenue from the central area to be shared equally. The share from the outer areas would be weighted in favour of the country adjacent to that area, about 80/20 to Thailand on the western side of the OCA and 80/20 to Cambodia on the eastern side. In the absence of firm data on reserves in the OCA since exploration has yet to be allowed, energy experts have indicated it makes intuitive sense that most of the exploitable reserves are located towards the Thai side of the OCA. This is because the Pattani basin, the oilfield containing most of the offshore oil and gas reserves in undisputed Thai waters, extends into the OCA.  | ||
| Bikers to Show Up in Support of I Ride Premiere In Long Beach 8/27 Posted: 25 Aug 2011 12:34 AM PDT
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 BroadWay World News Desk Bikers to Show Up in Support of "I Ride" Premiere, a Film by Daron Ker, at Art Theatre of Long Beach on Saturday, August 27 "I Ride," the latest film from Cambodian filmmaker Daron Ker will premiere at The Art Theatre of Long Beach on August 27, 2011. Dozens of members of the biker community are expected at the premiere to show support for Ker's film which celebrates biker culture. "I Ride" is a film about the Fryed Brothers Band, the 'house band' for America's biker movement. For the past 26 years, the band has headlined most of the America's premiere biker events. Ker spent five years following the band after meeting them during a scouting trip to Sturgis for a project that never materialized. Thousands of road miles later with hours of footage, Ker fashioned the film into a lively and unpredictable exploration of biker culture. With cameos by Willie Nelson, Oakland Hells Angels founder Sonny Barger and Doobie Brothers vocalist/guitarist Pat Simmons, "I Ride" offers a rare glimpse into the traditions and strong family bonds that make up this unique slice of Americana. "I Ride" is a tribute to their perseverance, dedication and love of all things biker. The film is being released by FilmBuff this fall. Ker's first film "Rice Field of Dreams" is the story of the establishment of a professional baseball team in Cambodia. Ker's family fled Cambodia during Pol Pot's reign in the 1970s. He returned to the country for the first time in almost 30 years to film "Rice Field of Dreams." The Art Theatre of Long Beach is located at 2025 East 4th Street, Long Beach, CA, 90814. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the box offIce The day of the event or by visiting http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/194735. Screenings of the film will be at 3 pm and 5 pm. For more information about "I Ride" please visit the film's website at www.waterbuffalopics.com  | ||
| Torquay family prompts law change but there's... No help for Pisey Posted: 25 Aug 2011 12:26 AM PDT
August 25th, 2011 Geelong Advertiser (Australia) A TORQUAY family's tragic separation from their adopted Cambodian daughter has resulted in a change to the law that will ensure others don't face the same heartache. But in a cruel twist the change will not help Meagan and Michael Paterson or their adopted daughter Pisey. Five-year-old Pisey has been living in a rape crisis centre in Cambodia while the Patersons have been trying desperately to secure a visa for her to come to Australia. The family faces an 18-month wait to have Pisey's case heard by a Migration Review Tribunal. Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen, after reviewing the Paterson's case has directed the immigration department to change adoption visa requirements. Mrs Paterson said while the change in the law would not assist her family's case, she was happy other families would not face the same heartache. "I think this change shows that the Government is listening to us and has taken on board the fact that this law which is meant to protect children is in fact keeping families apart," she said, In a letter to the family received yesterday, the Minister said: "Having reviewed Pisey's case, I have asked the Department to amend the adoption visa requirements so the overseas residency requirement will not disadvantage families like your's who were genuinely living as expatriates but have had to return to Australia in the midst of an adoption process." The Paterson were living and working as expatriates in Cambodia when they began the adoption process for little Pisey over three years ago. The couple legally adopted the little girl, working with the Australian Embassy in Cambodia and the Cambodian Government to ensure the adoption was legal and legitimate. But, when Mrs Paterson's dad Bill Welsh was diagnosed with cancer, the couple flew back to Australia with an assurance from the Australian Embassy in Cambodia that the Australian Government could waive a requirement that the couple be living in Cambodia when they lodged an application for the visa that would allow Pisey to live in Australia with her family. The couple now know the advice they received was incorrect and the Australian Government refused Pisey's visa in line with Australian intercountry adoption laws.  | ||
| History keeps shitting on you - Poem by Peauladd Huy Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:58 PM PDT History keeps shitting on you
From here: how do I go on saying, expressing my despair, without you turning your attention elsewhere? I am quite aware it is solely my problem. Not yours, nor the next reader's. It is expected; it is human in us to desire something pleasant yet new, pleasant yet very different from the same sob-stories – they're herded to be killed. It's just another killing. Another genocide of a faraway land. I imagine even today we'd react the same way; stunned, this can't happen, then confirmed and reconfirmed by some news – yes, it did. Yes, it still goes on. I am like you all. Eventually, I have enough and I am tired of them sneaking in new words to keep me awake night after night, especially my mother and that lady who survived to tell how young Khmer Rouge cadets handled the women before bludgeoning them to death. My mother, my aunts, my friends, and their sisters and mothers. How can I not care, not believe my mother may have been gang-raped before she was killed? From here: where do I go? What distance and how many more feet should I add onto my existing wall, between me and what was said, between me and that world I once knew everything cruel was possible. How do I say she was killed? How do I tell her grandchildren?  | ||
| Cambodia: Crackdown on Critical Groups Confirms Civil Society Fears of Forthcoming Ngo Law Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:55 PM PDT Thursday, 25 August 2011 Press Release: IFEX Organisations critical of a government project to rebuild a railway link that could displace thousands of families have been suspended or told to toe the government line, reports the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). Critics say it's a sign of what's to come if a controversial bill that aims to regulate the country's non-governmental groups gets passed. NGO Forum, an umbrella group of 88 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) whose donors include Christian Aid and Oxfam, confirmed it had received a "warning letter" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over its concerns relating to communities affected by a railway rehabilitation project linking Phnom Penh to Thailand, which is funded by the Asian Development Bank and AusAID. The government said the group had made "false" and "unfair" claims about the deaths of two children relocated by the railway. In a meeting last week, the Foreign Affairs Ministry accused NGO Forum and international organisation Bridges Across Borders of inciting families to oppose the project. The groups were told to "readjust their work in order to work closely with the government," reports CCHR. The claims come on the heels of the government's suspension of land rights group Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), which had been critical of government-backed evictions as a result of the railway project. According to STT, a higher number of affected households than officially reported will be displaced and probably at unfair compensation rates. Earlier this month, 130 Cambodian groups - including CCHR - issued a joint statement condemning the suspension, calling it arbitrary and illegal. The groups say the suspension is a "preview into the future of government control over civil society organisations and associations" under the draft law on associations and NGOs, which is on the verge of being passed. The law has been widely criticised for imposing registration on grassroots movements and community-based organisations and the lack of transparency in the assessment process. STT has been told it can seek reinstatement when the law comes into force. "This law will be a disaster for freedom of expression in Cambodia. Sadly, it's clear this is precisely the intent of the highest levels of government, who don't want to face any sort of criticism from anyone," Human Rights Watch told the "Phnom Penh Post". Human Rights Watch has also warned that the government's moves will have a chilling effect on the media. "Information sources for the media among local associations will likely dry up because those association officials will rightly worry that the government could shut them down overnight," said Human Rights Watch. In another sign of the government's increasing intolerance, more than 100 activists working to protect the large Prey Lang forest in northeastern Cambodia were detained last week in the capital, Phnom Penh, for handing out "save the forest" flyers, reports the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). Authorities said the flyers could "disrupt social order." Some activists were held for questioning and "re-education," reports CCHR. Villagers living near the forest, which spans over four provinces, say their livelihoods are being threatened by deforestation and continuous government concessions to private rubber and other companies. They maintain that the forest is critical to the preservation of wildlife and flora that are sacred to indigenous communities. One of the villagers, Svay Phoeun, said major development loans from foreign aid and international banks were potentially driving some of the destruction of the forest. "Once again we see the phrase 'disruption of social order' being used to justify cracking down on freedom of expression," said CCHR. "The real threat here is to the elite's ability to exploit Cambodia's natural resources. And the real threat to social order is the disregard for the homeland and livelihood of hundreds of ordinary citizens." Villagers have since delivered a petition with around 300 signatures to embassies, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank calling for their intervention.  | ||
| 51% of HIV-affected households in Cambodia live in hunger: UNDP Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:38 PM PDT PHNOM PENH, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Some 51 percent of the HIV/AIDS-infected households in Cambodia are living in hunger, said a new UN survey released here on Thursday, calling for more attention to the need for HIV-sensitive social protection mechanisms. The survey on the Socioeconomic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Cambodia is the largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted in Cambodia. It was produced by the National AIDS Authority and the United Nations in Cambodia. It had been conducted on 4,172 households including 2,623 HIV- affected households and 1,549 non-affected households. The study found that 51 percent of HIV-affected households reportedly suffered from hunger and not having enough food to eat, compared to 35 percent of non-affected households. It said that stigma and discrimination happened more often on HIV-positive women than men. Some 23 percent of women reported experiencing verbal abuse as a result of their HIV status, compared with 16 percent of men, while seven percent reported experiencing physical threats or abuse as a result of their status, compared with four percent of men. The report also found that 65 percent of people living with HIV epidemic being low self-esteem, 49 percent feeling ashamed of their status, while 47 percent felt they should be punished, and 16 percent reported having suicidal thoughts. On the economic side, 27 percent of respondents said they lost their jobs or other source of income since being diagnosed with HIV, and it also decreased income for caregivers. Over 25 percent of the HIV-infected people have caregivers, and 18 percent of caregivers reportedly left their jobs. It added that 65 percent of HIV-affected households had a least one loan. In addition, the report predicted the national HIV epidemic would be responsible for an overall decline in GDP of 16.5 percent between 1993 and 2020. However, the report estimated high coverage of anti-retroviral therapy, up to 96.7 percent, successfully averted 21,497 labor force deaths between 2003 and 2009 and reduced GDP loses by 100 million U.S. dollars a year. Currently, an estimated 75,000 Cambodian people in 60,000 households are living with HIV/AIDS, said the report. "The report will be an important base for us to find ways to improve the livelihoods for the HIV-affected households," said Tia Phalla, vice chairman of the National AIDS Authority.  | ||
| Thailand, Cambodia agree to boost border security cooperation Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:34 PM PDT MCOT NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Aug 24 -- Thailand and Cambodia agreed Wednesday at the Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting to boost cooperation between the police and military of the two countries to ensure peace along border. The 15th RBC meeting in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima was co-chaired by Lt-Gen Thawatchai Samutsakhon, Second Region Army Area commander responsible for security affairs in Thailand's northeastern region, and Cambodia's Fourth Army commander Lt-Gen Chea Mon. Gen Thawatchai told reporters after the first of the two-day meeting that both parties had reached an unofficial conclusion to step up cooperation between police and military of the two countries to provide security at the border, patrol the border area and crack down on illicit drugs in crossborder trafficking. They have also agreed to develop the quality of life of local residents, support public health, agriculture, tourism, education, tradition and to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. As for the troop redeployment, Gen Thawatchai said that the meeting discussed only the initial framework and agreed not to disclose details of the issue, which would first be forwarded to their superiors. Then the discussed details would be presented to the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting on Sept 8 in the Cambodian capital. Any decision would depend on the GBC meeting and the solution at the meeting would be brought into action, Gen Thawatchai said. "Be assured that the overall (RBC) talk was positive and from now on (I) believe that there would be no further clashes as a problem no longer exists," the senior Thai military officer said.  | ||
| U.S. and Cambodia Chamber of Commerce ink deal on trade loan guarantees Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:26 PM PDT PHNOM PENH, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Export-Import Bank ( Exim Bank) and the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) inked the Memorandum of Understanding on trade loan guarantees to boost trade between the U.S. and ASEAN member countries, according to a statement released by the U.S. embassy here on Thursday. The MoU was signed between the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, Carol A. Rodley and Kith Meng, the CCC's president, earlier this week. The agreement between the two entities reflects an initiative under the U.S.-ASEAN Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement ( TIFA), said the statement. "Under the agreement, Exim Bank provides loan guarantees to underwrite the risk of nonpayment of medium- and long-term loans extended by commercial banks to ASEAN buyers of U.S. goods and services," it said. The CCC will now join business chambers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam under this framework, it added. In June 2009, President Barack Obama determined that Cambodia became eligible to receive financing for purchases of U.S. exports by its private-sector buyers under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945.  | ||
| 54 Families Rejected in Lake Resettlement Deal Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:24 PM PDT
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh "There are some bad officials who want to swindle us and swallow the people's land." City officials have rejected the applications of 54 families to be resettled on a land development site at Boeung Kak lake. Phnom Penh authorities are in the process of assessing land titles for hundreds of families, who have been promised resettlement on 12 hectares of the 133-hectare site. Nearly 800 families sought to be resettled, following years of protests by residents who refused buy-out or off-site resettlement offers, officials said. Among those who will not get land is Heng Mom, 41, who said her house does not fall within the designated land area offered by the city. "Now it seems we've lost everything and we are in shock," she told VOA Khmer. "This is a violation of not only my rights, but for the other people who will not get justice." The resettlement plan came at the order of Prime Minister Hun Sen earlier this month, following threats from the World Bank that it would freeze funding to Cambodia if the dispute between villagers and the city-backed development company was not resolved. Heng Mom said her rejection was against the spirit of that order. "There are some bad officials who want to swindle us and swallow the people's land," she said. Tep Vanny, a representative of lake residents, said that so far 54 families have been denied plots of land. The community has seven villages and 794 families. She said the villagers will struggle to make sure that all families have homes as part of the deal. In Saphorn, deputy chief of Srah Chak commune, said that the authorities are working on solutions for the families who are not being provided a land title. The World Bank said in a statement it continued to encourage negotiation over the land.  |
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