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| បទសម្ភាសន៍ជាមួយម្ចាស់បទពាក់អាវមិនដែលឃើញដោះ ឬនាងពាក់តែអាវយួន Posted: 06 Aug 2011 11:21 AM PDT នៅពេលយុទ្ធនាការឃោសនាបោះឆ្នោតម្តងៗនៅស្រុកខ្មែរ គេតែងតែស្តាប់លឺបទពាក់អាវមិនដែលឃើញដោះ ដែលចាក់ផ្សាយតាមរយៈប្រព័ន្ធឧឃ្ឃោសនស័ព្ទរបស់ខ្លួន តែគេមិនដែលស្គាល់អ្នកចម្រៀងដែលច្រៀងរៀបរាប់ពីការដឹកនាំប្រទេសតាមរបៀបផ្តាច់ការ និងរណបយូននោះទេ។ នៅពេលនេះ លោក ឡឹម ពិសិដ្ឋ អគ្គនាយក នៃទស្សនាវដ្តីសារព័ត៌មានសេរី និងវិទ្យុសម្លេងខ្មែរដើម្បីសេរីភាព បានជួបសម្ភាសន៍ជាមួយនឹងម្ចាស់សំនៀង នៃបទពាក់អាវមិនដែលឃើញដោះ ឬបទនាងពាក់តែអាវយួននេះ ដែលមានខ្លឹមសារដូចតទៅ ៖ Click here to listen to the interview in Khmer: Click here to listen to the SRP's song Doss Av Pdach Kar (Take off that dictatorship shirt!):  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:41 AM PDT
By Samantha Chu World Policy Blog With the Dow Jones Industrial's 512-point plunge yesterday, the largest since the 2008 financial crisis, billions of dollars vanished. European stock exchanges did not escape the carnage. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 3.4 percent, representing the fifth consecutive day of losses, Germany's DAX 3.9 percent, and France's CAC 3.4 percent. The movements of those major exchanges kept anxious traders riveted to their monitors. But in places as varied as Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Peru, small players are joining the global financial rollercoaster with their own stock markets. The ride, as everyone knows (or will soon learn), is incredibly risky—the rewards, however, can trickle down to more than just the shareholders, as a stock exchange could lay the groundwork for business transparency and, in the longer term, financial literacy. On July 11, 2011, Cambodia opened its stock exchange with hopes of enticing investors to its small, developing economy. The Cambodia Securities Exchange, of which the Korea Exchange has a 45 percent stake, earned little international fanfare and had no companies listed upon opening, although the state-owned enterprises Telecom Cambodia, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, and Sihanoukville Autonomous Port are preparing IPOs. A lack of shares, however, is only one limitation that Cambodia must navigate to maintain its stock market. In addition to a population unfamiliar with capital markets and familiar to poverty, the Southeast Asian nation is hardly a shining model of transparency. In Transparency International's 2010 Corruptions Perception Index, the country ranked 154 out of 178 countries with a meager score of 2.1 on a corruption scale of 0 to 10, where 10 indicates "highly clean." (The United States ranked 22, with a score of 7.1; Denmark, New Zealand, and Singapore tied for first with scores of 9.6.) Cambodia's challenges—and tall ambitions—are not unique. Stock exchanges have blossomed all over the developing world, though the combined market capitalization of the smallest ten exchanges amount to less than 1 percent of the NYSE's. The benefits of a stock exchange are alluring.Most obviously, they can draw foreign investors interested in the unique advantages of smaller markets. Leopard Capital, a private equity fund with offices in Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Haiti, invests funds in "frontier markets where the reality has moved ahead of perceptions," wrote Douglas Clayton, founder, in an email. "Many pre-emerging markets have low debt levels, powerful demographics, and produce relatively inelastic items like food and cheap clothes. They don't burden businessmen with mountains of regulations." Lack of information and liquidity in the market make it a risky place to invest, but if the goods (such as natural resources) are relatively inelastic, businesses—and their shares—have a good chance doing well so long as the likes of China and India remain hungry for basic goods and resources. Of course, creating a successful exchange comes with its fair share of hurdles. Firstly, simply getting the attention of foreign investors can be difficult. "These countries do not really know how to market themselves overseas and always have difficulty attracting foreign investors," Clayton said. "Also most institutional investors favor larger, more liquid exchanges, but a few frontier investors show up early and usually do pretty well." Secondly, developing markets come with their own unique set of challenges that can leave them at the mercy of external economic powers. In Cambodia's case, a potential influx of foreign investment, couched in dollars, would further erode the country's monetary policy influence. Cambodia's reliance on the American dollar, rather than the local riel, for a majority of its economic transactions means that Cambodia's central bank cannot use internal tools to control the value of the most-used currency, which is tied instead to global markets and the decisions of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Acknowledging this concern, Cambodia has announced an unprecedented dual currency listing where stocks can be bought in either riel or U.S. dollars, with some hoping that the stock exchange could encourage the "de-dollarization" of the economy. Another proposed benefit of a healthy stock exchange is that ordinary citizens can cash in on national wealth. Despite drawing hungry gazes from international investors for its rich natural resources, Mongolia is reserving 10 percent of the shares from a planned IPO of a hotly contested Mongolian coal mine exclusively for Mongolian citizens, with another 10 percent for Mongolian companies. Each individual share of the coalmine is thought to be valued at $300, a windfall for citizens living in a country with a GDP per capita of approximately $1,573. Issues of education and financial literacy, however, remain. How will citizens know what a stock exchange is and how to invest, especially if the population is not accustomed to capital markets? (Mongolia's stock exchange is preparing a huge investor education effort.) In January 2011, the Dhaka Stock Exchange plummeted 587 points. Angry investors, some violent, took to the streets not only in Dhaka but other towns in Bangladesh, furious that their savings had vanished and demanding measures to moderate the market. Many experts believe low levels of financial literacy drove the stock market volatility. "You had this situation in which an average Bangladeshi person would make some money on the stock exchange, tell his friends, and they would invest. And this was driving the exchange for a long time. It was obviously increasing demand and the level of investment," says Stephen Finch, former business editor of the Phnom Penh Post and expert in the stock exchanges of the developing world. Many Bangladeshis were simply unaware of the risk that they could lose money—a lot of money. "People thought they could put money in, and what came out the other end was a larger amount. What Bangladesh is a good example of is an exchange that has suffered because of a very low level of financial literacy," Finch continues. Finally, stock exchanges may encourage the financial sophistication and transparency that are vital for a thriving business climate. Many companies in developing economies are cold to the idea of having stockholders, especially as many are run informally or as family ventures, which prevents capital from reaching a wider population. But having a market for stocks and securities may persuade them to join in as they could benefit from fresh cash investments. As for transparency—with the introduction of a stock exchange, international accounting and auditing firms have the incentive to move in for a piece of the action. "PricewaterhouseCoopers has been in Cambodia for a very long time, but it just opened a brand new office in the center of Phnom Penh," Finch says. "Now they have a shiny glass building that goes up a certain number of stories…The fact that [the stock exchange] has come, they've had to build all this financial infrastructure around this new stock exchange—so that definitely has a knock-on effect. Your average company in Cambodia barely keeps accounts but I think the knock-on effect will happen." Companies may clean up their books for the sake of auditors and, subsequently, more valuable IPOs. "A securities exchange provides a fundamental incentive for companies that list to become transparent and tax compliant in order to achieve a higher market valuation," Clayton wrote. "The market rewards positive behavior." So, though a stock exchange doesn't indicate a country's spotless corruption track record, it may herald a new era, with large businesses maintaining transparent operations to attract and keep international shareholders. The presence of a stock exchange, therefore, is not so much an indicator of a country's current business environment. For example, Cameroon, Maldives, Tanzania, and Syria all have small exchanges. On Corruption Perceptions Index, they rank 146, 143, 116, and 127 respectively. In World Bank's "ease of doing business" rankings as of 2010, Cameroon was ranked at 168 out of 183 countries. But like Cambodia, betting on their stock exchanges can be an investment in their future. Transparency and corruption must be, and are, addressed not only to get stock exchanges off the ground but to sustain and grow them. With government regulation and policies to encourage financial literacy and sophistication, installing a stock market can help attract wealth and investment to a developing economy. The world's smallest stock exchanges are often just under the radar, written off as capricious and insignificant. But with time and hard work, these new nodes in the global financial network can help countries earn an ample pay-off—not just in dividends, but by improving business transparency and, hopefully, financial literacy in some of the world's most corrupt and impoverished places. **** Samantha Chu is an editorial assistant at World Policy Journal.  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:27 AM PDT
Sokvannara Sar imbues 'Solo for Sy' with his Cambodian childhood and American education Friday, August 5, 2011 Wren Wertin wren@vaildaily.com Vail Daily (Vail, Colorado, USA) An American woman. A Cambodian teenager. A sense of movement. An artistic obligation. These are the elements that set the stage for Sokvannara Sar's leap of faith across oceans, across cultures, across disciplines. Known as Sy (pronounced See) by most of the world, the dancer on Saturday performs a work by Jill Johnson that draws on his memories of Cambodia while ensconced in an American reality. Created in conjuction with the Fire Island Dance Festival, "A Solo for Sy" (a title the dancer doesn't approve of, instead preferring "Duality") was premiered at the New York festival last month before making its Vail debut today. Sar is the recent subject of a documentary, "Dancing Across Borders," which chronicles his journey as a young folk dancer in Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to a ballet student — and star — in New York City. The idea of a 16-year-old boarding a plane for a new life in a strange land is at once romantic and intriguing. But Sar has a different perspective. "It's just another story," he said. "It's not more interesting than anybody else's story. It's just that mine's been recorded." Sar frequently danced traditional folk dances in his village with a group of his peers. It was a way to have fun with his friends, as well as earn some money for school supplies. Dance patron Anne Bass saw him at one such performance in a temple in 2000. He and his dancing abilities made a strong impression on her, but she returned to New York City without meeting him. But her mind wouldn't let go of the enormous potential she recognized within him. "Sy's dancing was alive with joy and with perfect proportions while he was entertaining the crowd at Angkor Wat," Bass told Fox News in 2010. "She felt, in a way, obligated to give me an opportunity," Sar said. "She thought it would be a waste if I didn't study ballet, because the world would never see me. I had never heard of ballet, but America seemed like a dream. I never thought I would be here." Bass spoke with Sar's parents, getting their permission for him to leave his home and go to America. He raced off into his dream, but was a little dismayed at what he found. Because he'd never studied ballet, he had a lot of catching up to do. Most dancers start by age 8 at the very latest. He was 16, and so he had a lot of catching up to do. For months he worked with ballet mistress Olga Kostritzky, and then he was accepted into the School of American Ballet. "I didn't like it," Sar said about his early time in the U.S. "My body didn't like it. I didn't speak the language. I didn't like the food. I kept going to the ballet, and I fell asleep at every performance." He struggled through his English-speaking high school, and eventually learned the language. He began to like ballet more, and he cultivated friends and peers. (He still hasn't made peace with American cuisine.) After studying at the School of American Ballet for five years, he joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. From there he became a freelance artist. He recently joined Carolina Ballet in North Carolina as a soloist. Choices Last year, Sar decided to retire from the world of dance. "I had a breaking point," he said. "It wasn't that my body was hurting, and it wasn't emotional. But I felt like there was so much more I could in my life. And I felt like I'd never had a chance to choose this for myself. Plus, I'm the only Cambodian ballet dancer, and that's a lot of pressure." So he decided to quit. But it just didn't take. "I spent so many years studying ballet already, and now I'm at the beginning of my career," he explained. "I felt like I betrayed myself. I spent so much time, and then I dropped it. I betrayed myself and I betrayed the people who supported me. So I returned." But he returned with a feisty dedication to not simply study ballet, but all movement. A devotee of the martial arts, he also intends to study every type of dance available to him. "In general, dance teaches you to know your body better," he explained. "You don't know what your body can do until it's moving." And by coming back to dance, he was able to work with Johnson. The work she created for him was inspired by his own memories of home. At their first session she put on " Passacaglia," the violin music by Heinrich Biber used in the piece. She asked him to remember his village, and — amazingly — he did. "I started to remember stories about being home, and it was touching," he said. "A tear came out at the memories." And those memories were incorporated into the dance. Some of the movement is based in Cambodian dances, like the Monkey Dance. The second title, "Duality," stems from the dual nature of Sar's life. When he's in Cambodia, he misses the U.S. But when he's in the U.S., he longs for Cambodia. It's almost like a flashback. "I hear the music, it calls to me, and then I remember," Sar said. "I'm between two things. I walk one direction, but that means walking away from the other side. It's hard to decide." Cambodia versus America. Dance versus any number of things. Sar has choices. And luckily for Vail audiences, one of the things he's chosen to do for the past four years is dance at the Vail International Dance Festival. For more information about Sokvannara "Sy" Sar, visit www.dancingacrossborders.net.  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:19 AM PDT Ottawa-area residents build houses for poor August 6, 2011 By Bob Carver Ottawa Citizen (Ontario, Canada) My wife Wendy Cunning and I are self-described "Asia Hands." My connection to Southeast Asia derives from my long involvement as an instructor of martial arts from that region. I owned and operated the Thai Boxing Academy in Ottawa for 12 years. Wendy and I began spending our yearly vacation in Southeast Asia in 2000. The initial trip took a bit of convincing on my part. After hounding Wendy for several years, she finally relented to our first trip with the words, "All right, I'll go this once, then I don't want to hear about it any more." However, Asia has a way of hooking visitors. Most who visit Thailand and neighbouring countries fall in love with the climate, food and especially the people, and can't wait for their next opportunity to visit. Wendy was no exception. Since 2000, we have travelled the length and breadth of the area. "We have now been to more parts of Thailand than many native Thais. We have also visited Laos, and toured Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon in 2002," says Wendy. But it was our visit to Cambodia in 2003 that changed our lives. That year, we did a three-day trip to Siam Reap to visit Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was an absolutely amazing place, but we also noticed that there was real poverty on the edge of what had been developed for tourists. Other areas we had visited in Asia were always green, with multiple crops per year possible, and no one goes hungry. Crossing from Bangkok over the Cardamom Mountains, we saw an immediate and striking difference in the climate; Cambodia was "dustbowl dry," as Wendy put it. That September, an article in the Ottawa Citizen caught my eye, about a presentation by Janne Ritskes, a local resident who with her own funds started the Tabitha Foundation in Cambodia in 1994. I did a little Internet search and liked what I saw about the organization - volunteer driven, with more than 90 cents of every dollar reaching the field. We began by doing "kickathons" and sending over a few hundred to a thousand dollars to Tabitha several times a year, to be used to provide wells for rural villages. In 2006, we decided to put together a volunteer team and participate in Tabitha's house-building program. Rockin'4Tabitha was born, we raised enough money for four houses that first year, and, after seeing how Tabitha worked, we committed to continue our house-building trips for as long as possible. To date Rockin'4Tabitha has finished 75 houses, resulting in lifechanging living conditions for nearly 400 of Cambodia's rural poor. Last year R4T received support from Lush Handmade Cosmetics, which donated $10,000, enough to build 10 houses, and sponsored several employees. Also part of the team were Lush CEO Mark Wolverton's wife Karen and daughter Chloe. I think Karen and Chloe really got what our work is about since Lush is sponsoring 25 houses and sending another team of employees on our next build. Because of this we will be able to complete 40 houses, more than our first four years combined! We are very excited about this partnership. It is rewarding, and humbling to see that what began as onetime event is now in its sixth year. The sixth annual Rockin'4Tabitha music night fundraiser is Sept. 22 at the Lonestar at 1211 Lemieux St., near St. Laurent Boulevard. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, go to www.rockin4tabitha.ca or contact me at carverbob54@gmail.com  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:16 AM PDT  by Special Correspondent Weekly Blitz The third threat relates to the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's elder brother, is known to have good relations with Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen who said the election outcome marked the start of "a new era of cooperation" and that differences between the countries would be resolved peacefully. Yingluck Shinawatra is the first female Prime Minister of Thailand after a Royal command is issued for her to take up this responsibility. Of the 496 MPs who cast their votes in the 500-seat House, 197 abstained while three voted against the Yingluck bid. The new Cabinet is shaping up, with Thirachai Puvanart-naranuban, the outgoing secretary-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, likely to replace Dr Vichit Suraphongchai as the new finance minister. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is the younger sister of former Thai Prime Minister and business tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra. As Yingluck government assumed office already, according to Thai news commentators, her government will be forced to reckon with problems that need to be solved immediately, including the rising cost of living, and inflation. In July inflation rose 4% from a year earlier, driven by climbing food and energy costs. It was the fourth month in a row with inflation at 4% or more. Rising pork prices, which have reached 170-180 baht a kilogramme in some areas of the country, have prompted butchers in Songkhla's Hat Yai district and Betong in Yala to stop working in protest. This could affect the government's popularity, just as the Democrat party experienced when it failed to rein in cooking oil prices amid a shortage early this year. The second threat concerns implementation of the policies which Pheu Thai promised during its campaign. Although Prime Minister Yingluck has confirmed her party will carry out its promises, the question is how, and to what extent. Two of the most controversial policies - raising the daily minimum wage to 300 baht and paying new university graduates 15,000 a month will be difficult to implement. It will also have to deal with its promise to develop a new city by reclaiming land from the sea. The third threat relates to the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's elder brother, is known to have good relations with Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen who said the election outcome marked the start of "a new era of cooperation" and that differences between the countries would be resolved peacefully. The People's Alliance for Democracy [PAD] has accused Thaksin Shinawatra of a conflict of interest over his relationship with Cambodia. As a result, any move by the Yingluck government on the border dispute will be under surveillance and criticism of the political opponents. In the other hand, neutral analysts are seeing a beginning of new era of better understanding with the neighboring nations under the leadership of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. They believe, Thailand believes in friendship while the political opponents of Shinwataras are willing to push this peaceful nation towards hostility and confrontation with the neighboring countries. Harsh critic of Yingluck Shinawatra government, Thailand's influential daily newspaper, The Bangkok Post is trying to give opinion quoting "political observers" saying, Yingluck government will last 3-6 months in power. Bangkok Post commented "Feminists and women's rights advocates have asked whether the 44-year-old sister of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra can do anything apart from enhancing her looks and being mother to a nine-year-old boy." On the other hand, political analysts on Asian affairs believe that, any early collapse of the Yingluck Shinawatra government will certainly push the fate of democracy of Thailand towards severe uncertainty. Thai democracy is already under the heavy influence of the shadow ghost of military as well as some other elements. Female leaders always come by accident. Corazon Aquino, Benazir Bhutto, Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Hasina, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Chandrika Kumaratunga or even Aung San Suu Kyi - you name it. Female leaders rise to power rarely in normal circumstances. Something bad needs to happen to their loved ones to act as an unlikely but effective catapult. Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is no difference. She is young, pretty, fashionable and a bit shy. She virtually cat-walked her way through the election campaign, perhaps talking less than her big brother did from exile over the past two months. But that's probably the point. Yingluck's biggest political asset, at least for now, is that she seems non-confrontational by almost all accounts. Whether her family name - the only thing confrontational about her - will destabilise her government and cut short a fairy-tale political journey remains to be seen. But her "Shinawatra" surname is a big deal, something so controversial it has all but overshadowed her being a woman, young and virtually clueless about politics. We have heard different stories concerning her business profession. Admirers talked about a decisive boardroom executive who was "soft on the outside but tough within", who listened to various thoughts before making her own decisions. Given the Shin Corp Empire's standing before the political hurricane blew it away, it would be hard to argue against Yingluck's pre-politics record. Detractors quipped that it was harder to fail than to succeed at Shin Corp when it was at the peak of its business and political dominance. Yingluck, they claimed, could practically sleepwalk through management and still grab top executive awards. Arguably, the same could be said about her dreamlike election campaign. But again, there are two ways to look at it. Either she was helped by big forces already in great momentum and all she had to do was wave and smile, or her non-provocative waves and smiles helped put Pheu Thai back in power today. Would it have been this smooth with Pracha Promnok or Mingkwan Saengsuwan? It's a question worth pondering, but they are men, to begin with. The good news is, Yingluck obviously has strong political assets. A humble, female character in the spotlight against the backdrop of cut-throat politics threw enemies and rivals off guard. Pracha or Mingkwan would have been left nearly dead by the "amnesty" issue, whether Pheu Thai had won the election or not. Prime Minister Yingluck's first challenge is to prove her independence, and this is not a feminist phrase. Too much shadow of her big brother and her dream political journey can easily turn into a nightmare. As Thailand's first woman leader, she will come under close watch, whether that's fair or not. But as Thailand's first woman leader who is Thaksin Shinawatra's sister, scrutiny will duly come. In Asia, female leaders in particular, who step into politics due to any extra-ordinary reason or circumstance become quickly unpopular, when they try to apply their emotions too much in politics instead of brains and logics. In Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto precisely realized one fact that, too much quoting of her father and his "greatness" was no blessing for her to be in popularity anymore. In Bangladesh, two of the female leaders, who also basically are in politics as heirs as yet to realize this reality and are pushing the very democracy of the country into total uncertainty. We want to believe that Yingluck Shinawatra will be an exception. She will stand-up much as the leader of the Thai people instead of being a sister of someone. Bangladesh and Thailand has extremely cordial friendly relations for decades. And very naturally, we always hope a stable democracy in that friendly nation. While greeting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra with garland of flowers, we also wish her all the best. Congratulations Prime Minister Yingluck and people of Bangladesh wish your grand success in your new position. We also believe, under your dynamic leadership, relations between Dhaka and Bangkok will witness newer and wider cooperation. God speed Yingluck Shinawatra!  | ||
| Cambodia Requests Thailand to Return Remaining Stolen Artifacts Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:08 AM PDT 2011-08-06 Xinhua Cambodian government has asked Thailand to return the remaining artifacts stolen from Cambodia in 2000, a senior government official said Saturday. Him Chhem, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, said he had asked Sompong Sanguanbun, Thai Ambassador to Cambodia, to process the remaining artifacts back to Cambodia. In 2000, Thai authorities seized 43 pieces of artifacts stolen from Cambodia, and following the request from the Cambodian government seven pieces of them were already returned to Cambodia in 2009. The 7 pieces of artifacts were handed over by then Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during his one-day official visit to Cambodia. Him Chhem said he had made the request, for returning the remaining of 36 artifacts, to Thai ambassador during a meeting on Thursday in Phnom Penh. According to Him Chhem, Sompong Sanguanbun responded that he would convey Cambodia's request to his government in Bangkok. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has earlier said, in addition to, the 43 stolen pieces of artifacts bounded for Thailand, at least 5 other pieces were stolen and smuggled to Switzerland and another piece to Indonesia.  | ||
| Thailand, Cambodia Restart Talks on Overlapping Natural Gas Claims Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:06 AM PDT Saturday, 06 August 2011 By. Joao Peixe, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com While international attention has largely focused on China's disputes with its neighbors the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei over the offshore riches of the contested Spratly islands, other energy maritime disputes are roiling Southeastern Asian waters. The Thai government is preparing to revive talks with Cambodia on overlapping petroleum claims in the Gulf of Thailand, which have been deadlocked since 2006. Thailand and Cambodia share an area in the Gulf of Thailand that encompasses more than 10,000 square miles in the "Overlapping Claims Area," or (OCA), The Bangkok Post reported. Thailand and Cambodia are also in dispute over a land frontier surrounding the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by an International Court of Justice decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site. The OCA is thought to contain up to 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In 2001 Cambodia and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding on a proposed joint development of the southern portion of the OCA, with the northern portion eventually to be divided by a defined maritime border. Phnom Penh and Bangkok had nearly reached agreement on the overlapping OCA claims before the 2006 coup that toppled the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Three years later Thailand unilaterally cancelled the agreement to protest Thaksin's appointment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government.  | ||
| គ្នាអញៈ "សក្ដិ", គ្នាគេក្រៅបក្ខៈ "SACK" a Poem in Khmer by Sam Vichea Posted: 06 Aug 2011 09:01 AM PDT   | ||
| Pou Uk's Story - Chapey Dorng Veng Posted: 06 Aug 2011 12:45 AM PDT  Dear Readers, The following story about Pou Uk (Uncle UK) was posted by Ker Samphoas on Facebook. Although the name of the Chapey Dorng Veng artist was not provided, judging from the ease and the eloquence of the artist, we are willing to bet that it was interpreted by Lok Ta Prach Chhuon. Click the control below to listen to the story  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 12:24 AM PDT   | ||
| "Orn Euy Srey Orn" - The complete featuring Virak Dara, Kon Sam Oeurn and Nop Nem Posted: 06 Aug 2011 12:20 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsiqKqyUS9Y&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5goNrhRhBI&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44gJCr5jb-g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzR2TyBwyEI&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToMv4nf4JS0&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw6K39EiEX8&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opr9iW9WdDo&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9dxNq5Ai-M&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIVXYLlv7Y  | ||
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 12:07 AM PDT  On behalf of Buddhist monks and the committee members of Wat Khemara Rangsey, we would like to invite you, your families and friends to come and attend the Inauguration Ceremony of the remodeling of Wat Khemara Rangsey's Worship Place. During this event, members of Wat Khemera Rangsey will also celebrate the 12 July 2011 Property Entitlement on the pagoda as well. Please see the attached accouncement below...    | ||
| Re: Sisowath Sirik Matak's letter to Norodom Sihanouk Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:45 PM PDT Dear Fellow Compatriots, It is with great respect and interest that I read Trong Sisowath Sirik Matak's letter. Indeed, I came across that letter a few years ago; and despite I have read it several times since then, the emotion still runs high in me every time I re-read it. Over the past few days, I have closely followed the debate at Khmer-Avenir forum over the content of the letter and the related events in the 1970's. Based on what have been said or written throughout the debate, it is clear that the division among our people over the event of March 18, 1970 still runs deep as it did forty years ago. The so-called republicans and royalists still regrettably blame each other for the personal and national tragedies resulted from the March 18, 1970 event. At this point, I am not sure if it really matters who was right and who was wrong back then. What matters the most is that we all try to learn from it and hopefully we can do something to prevent similar tragedy in the future. When the Mar 18, 1970 event took place, for many urban elites, it was the right thing to do to get the Viet-cong out of the country, and for that reason the republicans enjoyed tremendous support from the urban population. I still recalled many young people, including one of my uncles, lining up to volunteer for the military service to fight the Viet-cong. Sadly, the republicans quickly lost control over the country as the abuses of power and corruption became rampant from the highest to the lowest government offices. The republicans' experience showed that it took more than the "good will or intention" of a few leaders and citizens to put the country on the path to prosperity. The same can be said for the Khmer Rouge regime whose movement started with noble intention to liberate the country from foreign domination, and corruption among other things. Our history is full of glory and tragedy, yet we refuse to accept that ultimately the fate of the Nation depends on every one of us, not just a few leaders or Samaritans. We all have an important role to play and contribution to make. As frustrating as it may sound, pointing the fingers does not morally absolve us from the suffering of our nation. Could we have done more to help the Nation? In that sense, we all share the blame. Regardless what some may think or say, Trong Sisowath Siri Matak bravely fought and died for what he believed was right for the country. I could only wish that more of us have his courage and fortitude. Let's be united and work together to honour his memory. Truly yours, Davan Long ================ Chers compatriotes, C'est avec un grand respect et d'intérêt que j'ai lu la lettre de Trong Sisowath Siri Matak. En effet, j'ai obtenu une copie de cette lettre il y a quelques années, et malgré que je l'ai lu à plusieurs reprises depuis lors, j'ai toujours un sentiment triste chaque fois que je relis. Au cours des derniers jours, j'ai suivi de près le débat au Forum Khmer-Avenir sur le contenu de cette lettre et les événements dans les années 1970. Basé sur ce qui a été dit ou écrit au cours du débat, il est clair que la division parmi notre peuple concernant l'événement du 18 mars 1970 demeure aussi profonde qu'elle ne l'était il y a quarante ans. Les soi-disant républicains et les royalistes continuent de blâmer les uns les autres pour les tragédies personnelles et nationales entraînées par l'événement du 18 mars. En ce moment, je ne suis pas sûr si c'est vraiment important de juger qui avait raison et qui avait tort à l'époque. Ce qui importe le plus, c'est que nous essayons tous d'apprendre de cet événement et arrivons à faire quelque chose pour empêcher la tragédie semblable à l'avenir. Pour beaucoup d'élites urbaines, l'événement du 18 mars 1970, était nécessaire pour faire sortir le Viet-congs du pays, et pour cette raison, les républicains obtenaient un soutien spontané de la population urbaine. J'ai encore rappelé de nombreux jeunes, dont un de mes oncles, se portaient volontaire pour le service militaire pour combattre les Viet-congs. Malheureusement, les républicains ont rapidement perdu le contrôle du pays parce que l'abus du pouvoir et la corruption est devenue endémique dans les bureaux du gouvernement.du plus haut au plus bas L'expérience des républicains nous a clairement montré qu'il a fallu plus que « la bonne volonté et intention », de quelques dirigeants et citoyens pour pouvoir mener le pays sur la voie de la prospérité. La même chose peut être dite pour le régime des Khmers rouges dont le mouvement a commencé avec une noble intention de libérer le pays de la domination étrangère, et de la corruption entre autres. Notre histoire est pleine de gloire et de tragédie, mais nous refusons d'accepter que finalement le destin du pays repose sur chacun de nous tous, pas seulement une poignée de dirigeants ou de Samaritains. Nous avons tous un rôle important à jouer et une contribution à apporter. Aussi frustrant que cela puisse paraître, pointant les doigts ne nous rendent pas innocent moralement vis-à-vis a la souffrance de notre nation. Aurions-nous pu faire plus pour aider la patrie? En ce sens, nous partageons tous les blâmes.. Peu importe ce que certains pensent ou disent, Trong Sisowath Siri Matak a bravement combattu et sacrifie sa vie pour ce qu'il croyait être bon pour le pays. Je ne peux que souhaiter qu'il y a plus de gens parmi nous qui ont son courage et sa détermination. Soyons unis et travaillons ensemble pour honorer sa mémoire. Fraternellement vôtre, Long Davan  | ||
| Khemarak-Pheasa (Khmer Language) - Poem in Khmer Pech Makod from Surin Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:34 PM PDT | ||
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:25 PM PDT Speechless... Poet, writer, activist Eve Ensler lived in her head. In this powerful talk from TEDWomen, she talks about her lifelong disconnection from her body -- and how two shocking events helped her to connect with the reality, the physicality of being human. Why you should listen to her:Inspired by intimate conversations with friends, Eve Ensler wrote The Vagina Monologues. The play recounts tender, funny, gripping and horrifying stories she gathered from hundreds of women about their bodies, their sexual experiences, and yes, their vaginas. Since its first staging in 1996, it has been translated into more than 45 languages, performed in more than 120 countries and re-created as an HBO film. The Vagina Monologues' success allowed Ensler to create V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls, which has so far raised $85 million to prevent violence and protect abused women. In February 2011, Ensler received the Isabelle Stephenson Tony Award for her philanthropic work. Ensler has also drawn praise for The Good Body, a play that cuts to women's obsession with their appearance, and her film What I Want My Words to Do to You, which portrays a writing group she leads at a correctional facility for women. Today, she continues to find new projects and push the envelope. Her latest play, I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, hit the New York Timesbestseller list and just wrapped a workshop production in Johannesburg -- nest stop is Paris and then Berkeley in June 2012. "Eve is bringing women back, she's giving us our souls back."  | ||
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:07 PM PDT In light of the start of trial hearings beginning on 27 June 2011 of Case 002 against the surviving Khmer Rouge senior leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith, KI Media is posting installations of the public document of the Closing Order of Case 002. The Closing Order of the Co-Investigating Judges forms thebasic document from which all the parties (Co-Prosecutors, Co-Lead Lawyers for all civil parties, Defense Lawyers) will be making their arguments before the Trial Chamber judges (one Cambodian President, 2 Cambodian Judges, 2 UN judges). Up until now, the hearings involving these four surviving senior Khmer Rouge leaders have been in the Pre-Trial Chamber over issues of pre-trial detention and jurisdictional issues. Beginning in June 2011, the Trial Chamber will hear the substantive arguments over the criminal charges (e.g. genocide, crimes against humanity, penal code of 1956). Available in Khmer and French. Contact the ECCC for a free copy. CLOSING ORDER of Co-Investigating Judges You Bunleng and Marcel Lemonde, 15 September 2010 Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site1658 Location and Establishment 377. Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site was located in Patlang Village, Kraing Leav Subdistrict, Rolea P'ier District, Kampong Chhnang Province. Applying the CPK's system of identifying administrative boundaries, it was situated in District 20, Sector 31 in the West Zone (Zone 401). The airfield is still present and covers 300 hectares. It is composed of two 2400 metre-long runways, a control tower and an administration block. The site was in total seven kilometres long and included the house of the site supervisor and the site kitchen (both of which were two kilometres southwest of the runway), as well as a tunnel which was under construction in the adjacent hill.1659 378. The need to build a new military airfield was discussed by the CPK Standing Committee at meetings in late 1975 and early 1976; the choice of Kampong Chhnang became official during the meeting of 19-21 April 1976.1660 Witnesses place early 1976 as the starting point of construction.1661 Standing Committee minutes of a meeting show that, in any case, construction was already underway by May 1976.1662 The site was still under construction in January 1979 and was never completed.1663 Functioning Structure and Personnel 379. The CPK Standing Committee took the decision to build an airport at Kampong Chhnang. The minutes of this meeting show that Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary were in attendance at this meeting.1664 In May 1976, Son Sen, the Chairman of the General Staff reported at another CPK Standing Committee meeting, attended by Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, on the progress of construction.1665 380. The construction of the Kampong Chhnang Airport was under the control of Centre Division 502.1666 This Division was created shortly after 17 April 1975, merging personnel from preexisting units.1667 Like the other Centre Divisions, it reported directly to the General Staff and its Chairman Son Sen.1668 Division 502 was notably in charge of the RAK air force and responsible for all airports in Cambodia.1669 The Secretary of the Committee of Division 502 was [REDACTED]1670 who visited Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site on a regular basis.1671 Despite his denial in an interview, it appears that [REDACTED] was a leading cadre within Division 502.1672 Witnesses have identified Lvey (deceased) as [REDACTED]'s Deputy for at least part of the time that Kampong Chhnang Airport was under construction. He was in charge of the direct supervision of Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site.1673 Lvey held meetings about construction of Kampong Chhnang Airport every day and gave orders to his assistants and would visit the site daily. Furthermore, criticism/self- criticism meetings were held for cadres.1674 Regular meetings between the Chief of the General Staff Secretary and the senior cadres from the Centre Divisions and Independent Regiments were attended by the Secretary of the Committee of Division 502. During these meetings the cadres reported to Son Sen on various topics including the internal and external enemy situation and sought instructions for implementation at the Division level.1675 381. Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site functioned as one of the means of implementation of the purge process of RAK members as it was used as a tempering site for RAK members considered as "bad elements" from Division 502 itself1676 or from other divisions or military units. It appears from these minutes of meetings and from letters and reports exchanged between Division 502 and S-211677 that Division 502 actively participated in the purge of the RAK members. For example, at one of these military meetings on 9 October 1976, the Secretary of the Committee of Division 502 stated "it can be stipulated that the enemies have been basically eliminated, but it is imperative to take further measures to prevent this from happening a second, a third and a fourth and so on again time. The enemy will not be able to do anything to us so long as our military is politically hard and clean. It is imperative to strengthen the party politically, ideologically and organisationally. It is imperative to dare absolutely to conduct purges".1678 At another meeting in March 1977 he stated "it's obvious that number of elements whom we had previously arrested really are enemy elements. More than 50 no-goods have been sent to S-21.There can only be reliability if five more platoon secretaries are removed".1679 388. Several witnesses attest to the Charged Persons visiting Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site. One former cadre explains that in early 1977 Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary visited Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site and that they met with the leadership of Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site.1680 One former worker states that he saw Ieng Sary, Nuon Chea and Ke Pork visiting the site, watching the workers and meeting with the leadership of Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site on several occasions between 1978 and the end of the DK period.1681 Another worker saw Khieu Samphan visiting the worksite in late 1977.1682 Similarly, a fourth witness explained that he saw Khieu Samphan coming to Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site by helicopter in late 1977 to observe the labourers' work.1683 Khieu Samphan's driver from 1978 until the end of the regime states that Khieu Samphan never went to Kampong Chhnang Airport Construction Site during that period.1684 Several witnesses also mention the presence of Ta Mok on several occasions at the site.1685  | ||
| Interview between Soy Sopheap and De-chor Hun Xen (Cont'd) - A parody by Anonymous Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:42 PM PDT    | ||
| "Singh Sen Kbuon Tae Muoy" a Poem in Khmer by Sék Serei Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:41 PM PDT   | ||
| "Reas Khmer Sraek Yum Pruos Batt Dei" a Poem in Khmer by Heng Thal Savuth Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:05 PM PDT   | ||
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:44 PM PDT Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. - Book of Proverbs (the Hebrew Bible)  | ||
| Brain Food for all the Lovers out there Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:39 PM PDT If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. - Thich Nhat Hanh  | ||
| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:30 PM PDT  Bart Simpson, 'Eat My Shorts'. 'I'm Bart Simpson, who the Hell are you?' 10 year old son of Homer and Marge. Mischievous. Hor 5 Hong, 'I, Khmer Rouge hell, punk.' Did not play well with others at Boeung Trabek. Sick.  | ||
| UN Convention Against Corruption Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:23 PM 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 on 5 September 2007 Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. This evil phenomenon is found in all countries—big and small, rich and poor—but it is in the developing world that its effects are most destructive. Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development, undermining a Government's ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign aid and investment. Corruption is a key element in economic underperformance and a major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development. I am therefore very happy that we now have a new instrument to address this scourge at the global level. The adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption will send a clear message that the international community is determined to prevent and control corruption. It will warn the corrupt that betrayal of the public trust will no longer be tolerated. And it will reaffirm the importance of core values such as honesty, respect for the rule of law, accountability and transparency in promoting development and making the world a better place for all. The new Convention is a remarkable achievement, and it complements another landmark instrument, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which entered into force just a month ago. It is balanced, strong and pragmatic, and it offers a new framework for effective action and international cooperation. The Convention introduces a comprehensive set of standards, measures and rules that all countries can apply in order to strengthen their legal and regulatory regimes to fight corruption. It calls for preventive measures and the criminalization of the most prevalent forms of corruption in both public and private sectors. And it makes a major breakthrough by requiring Member States to return assets obtained through corruption to the country from which they were stolen. These provisions—the first of their kind—introduce a new fundamental principle, as well as a framework for stronger cooperation between States to prevent and detect corruption and to return the proceeds. Corrupt officials will in future find fewer ways to hide their illicit gains. This is a particularly important issue for many developing countries where corrupt high officials have plundered the national wealth and where new Governments badly need resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate their societies. For the United Nations, the Convention is the culmination of work that started many years ago, when the word corruption was hardly ever uttered in official circles. It took systematic efforts, first at the technical, and then gradually at the political, level to put the fight against corruption on the global agenda. Both the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development and the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development offered opportunities for Governments to express their determination to attack corruption and to make many more people aware of the devastating effect that corruption has on development. The Convention is also the result of long and difficult negotiations. Many complex issues and many concerns from different quarters had to be addressed. It was a formidable challenge to produce, in less than two years, an instrument that reflects all those concerns. All countries had to show flexibility and make concessions. But we can be proud of the result. Allow me to congratulate the members of the bureau of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption on their hard work and leadership, and to pay a special tribute to the Committee's late Chairman, Ambassador Hector Charry Samper of Colombia, for his wise guidance and his dedication. I am sure all here share my sorrow that he is not with us to celebrate this great success. The adoption of the new Convention will be a remarkable achievement. But let us be clear: it is only a beginning. We must build on the momentum achieved to ensure that the Convention enters into force as soon as possible. I urge all Member States to attend the Signing Conference in Merida, Mexico, in December, and to ratify the Convention at the earliest possible date. If fully enforced, this new instrument can make a real difference to the quality of life of millions of people around the world. And by removing one of the biggest obstacles to development it can help us achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Be assured that the United Nations Secretariat, and in particular the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, will do whatever it can to support the efforts of States to eliminate the scourge of corruption from the face of the Earth. It is a big challenge, but I think that, together, we can make a difference.
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