| Icelanders escape Cambodia pleasure cruiser capsize Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:34 PM PDT 09 April 2011 IceNews (Iceland) Six Icelandic women around the age of 20 were on board a two-storey pleasure boat which capsized near the resort of Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia on Thursday. All passengers escaped with their lives; but it is considered a miracle that one of the women survived; as she was locked in a bathroom when the boat went over.
The Icelanders have been travelling around Asia in two groups for the last three months. This was the first time they had all met up again and decided to take a pleasure cruise around nearby islands. There were 90 passengers on board, mainly Europeans.
After around an hour at sea, "One of us was in the bathroom and saw that the sea was coming in through the head and she somehow managed to get out," one of the women, Eva Sigrun Gudjonsdottir told Visir.is.
Some people jumped off the boat before it had the chance to turn over. "I ran for the handrail," says Gudjonsdottir. "There are very many people in a bad way after that, battered and with broken arms."
Other boats in the area came to rescue passengers; all of whom escaped — and most without injury. Gudjonsdottir said the scene was one of sheer panic, with people screaming and frantically trying to find their friends.
The women have not been given an explanation for the boat's accident; but foreign media have reported that it was over crowded and that it capsized because of all the dancing. Gudjonsdottir said, however, that nobody was dancing at the time of the accident. She added that little or no safety equipment appeared to be on board.
The six Icelanders are shrugging off their ordeal to the best of their ability and are continuing with their trip. Next they will visit Vietnam and Thailand. |
| The Thai army is BLIND, DUMB and DEAF ... or it is trying to act that way when it got caught red-handed!!! Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:29 PM PDT Army insists cluster bombs were not used
MILITARY BARS USE OF MUNITIONS AT CENTRE OF SCANDAL 10/04/2011 Wassana Nanuam Bangkok Post The army at first denied using a cluster bomb because it thought the term referred only to those dropped from aircraft, but the definition also covers ones fired from the ground if they later burst into multiple bomblets, said the source ... The Thai troops did not care if the weapons they used were cluster bombs
The army has suspended the use of the M198 shell used with 155mm towed artillery, following allegations that cluster bombs were employed in border clashes with Cambodia in early February.
The army, however, insisted this type of shell was not classified as a cluster bomb, despite some similarities.
The army has suspended the use of M198 shells and the French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzer since late February after Cambodian soldiers complained to the United Nations that Thai troops had used cluster bombs during clashes on Feb 4-6, said an army source.
Cambodian soldiers had collected samples of what they believed to be cluster bombs and showed them to the UN, said the source.
The Caesar self-propelled howitzer is usually used with "cargo" rounds that burst in the air into groups of multiple bomblets, but unlike the cluster bomb, these bomblets immediately explode on impact, said the source.
The cluster bomb is a munition that bursts into bomblets after being launched and these bomblets often lie dormant and could later explode, maiming or killing people or animals who happen upon it, the source said.
The army at first denied using a cluster bomb because it thought the term referred only to those dropped from aircraft, but the definition also covers ones fired from the ground if they later burst into multiple bomblets, said the source.
"But because some bomblets were duds, the Cambodian soldiers collected them as evidence to falsely accuse the Thai troops of using a cluster bomb," said the source.
"This claim is untrue because those bomblets automatically destroy themselves, otherwise the Cambodian troops would have been able to collect a far greater number of samples," said the source.
Normally, only a division commander would have had the authority to order the use of the artillery and its ammunition but at that moment the Thai troops had to respond immediately to the Cambodians' attacks to protect people living near the border, said the source.
"After that, a new order was issued that a request to use the artillery and its ammunition must be approved by the army chief first," the source said.
The Thai troops did not care if the weapons they used were cluster bombs, they just had to respond promptly as the Cambodians attacked Thai border villagers with artillery shells and BM-21 multiple rockets, the source said.
Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha had already received a report about the M198 ammunition matter but his decision on whether the army should admit to using cluster bombs or keep denying it remained unknown, said the source.
In any case, Thailand was not among the countries that have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, banning their use, said the source.
Therefore, the source said, even if the Thai troops had used cluster bombs in the border clashes with Cambodia, it would not have contravened any agreement or broken any law.
The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) last week said the Thai ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva confirmed Thailand's use of 155mm Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) cluster munitions at a meeting on Tuesday.
But Sihasak Phuangketkeow later denied that he said the Thai army used cluster munitions during the Thai-Cambodian border skirmish.
Mr Sihasak claimed he said the Thai army had actually used 155mm DPICMs, which it did not classify as cluster munitions.
He said the CMC misunderstood Thailand and was trying to pressure the country to accede to the Convention of Cluster Munitions. |
| Activists fight to stop dam across Mekong Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:21 PM PDT April 8, 2011 By DENIS D. GRAY The Associated Press A plan for the first dam across the Mekong River anywhere in its meandering path through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam has set off a major environmental battle in Southeast Asia.
The $3.5 billion Xayaburi dam is slated for the wilds of northern Laos and would generate power mostly for sale to Thailand. The project pits villagers, activists and the Vietnamese media against Thai interests and the Laotian government in its hopes of earning foreign exchange in one of the world's poorest countries.
A decision on whether the dam gets the green light, is axed or deferred for further studies is expected April 19 during a meeting in the Laotian capital among Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Opponents warn it could open the way for 10 more dams being considered along the lower Mekong.
"Our lives and livelihoods depend on the health of the Mekong River," said Kamol Konpin, mayor of the Thai riverside town of Chiang Khan.
"As local people have already suffered from dams built upstream in China and watched the ecosystem change, we are afraid that the Xayaburi dam will bring more suffering."
China has placed three dams across the upper reaches of the Mekong, but otherwise its 3,000-mile (4,900-kilometer) mainstream flows free.
The Xayaburi would cut across a stretch of the river flanked by forested hills, cliffs and hamlets where ethnic minority groups reside, forcing the resettlement of up 2,100 villagers and impacting tens of thousands of others.
Environmentalists say such a dam would disrupt fish migrations, block nutrients for downstream farming and even foul Vietnam's rice bowl by slowing the river's speed and allowing saltwater to creep into the Mekong River Delta.
A Thai firm would build the 1,260 megawatt hydroelectric project. However, Thai villagers along the river are staging protests and planning to deliver letters to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Lao Embassy in Bangkok, where the Thai government has maintained an official silence on the issue.
Pianporn Deetes, of the U.S.-based International Rivers, said environmentalists are ready to take their case to court if Abhisit doesn't deliver a positive response.
Last month, 263 non-governmental organizations from 51 countries sent letters to the governments of Laos and Thailand urging that the project be shelved.
Laos said in February that the Xayaburi would be the "first environmentally friendly hydroelectric project on the Mekong" and that will "not have any significant impact on the Mekong mainstream."
"We are excited about this project," the statement said.
Vietnam's official media, in a rare disagreement with its communist neighbor, has blasted the dam, while scientists and environmental groups have called for its construction to be delayed for 10 years until more research is conducted.
"It seems that countries of the lower Mekong still haven't learned lessons from the impact of the Chinese dams," Pianporn said. "Xayaburi is so important because it could set off the destruction of the lower Mekong."
Since 2007, there have been proposals to put up 11 mainstream dams in Cambodia and Laos.
The Mekong River Commission, set up by the four Southeast Asian neighbors in 1995 to manage the river, has expressed serious reservations about Xayaburi. A study by the group recommended a 10-year moratorium on all mainstream dams, a stand supported by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a Southeast Asian trip earlier this year.
The commission cited feared damage to migrations of between 23 and 100 fish species, among a host of other environmental problems.
Another MRC document showed nobody spoke in favor of the dam during public consultations this year in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, while many officials, academics and residents cited problems or lack of information about the project. No consultation was held in Laos.
"If this project goes ahead it would be unimaginably irresponsible," said Ame Trandem of Rivers International.
Somkiat Khuengchiangsa, who has spent his life along the river and heads The Mekong-Lanna Natural Resources and Culture Conservation Network, said governments are more interested in the economics of the project than its effect on residents.
"Rivers are not the property of nations or groups of people. They belong to all mankind," he said. |
| Cambodian fest set to warm up otherwise cold day Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:19 PM PDT 04/09/2011 By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer Long Beach Press Telegram LONG BEACH - With chilly temperatures expected, it might not exactly feel like Cambodia. But that won't stop organizers from doing all they can to deliver the rest of the Cambodian New Year feeling to the annual celebration today at El Dorado Park, 7550 E. Spring St.
From 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., participants can enjoy an eclectic blend of religious ceremonies, exotic foods, carnival games, face painting for kids and entertainment that will include traditional Khmer dance and drama, and both traditional and modern Khmer music performed by famous singers.
There will also be information and merchandise booths.
The Cambodian New Year celebration at El Dorado, organized by the Cambodian Coordinating Council, is one of the most popular events in the Cambodian community, annually attracting thousands.
Admission tickets are required. They are $23 per vehicle and there is a $7 entrance and parking fee.
The April New Year, which officially runs April 14-16, is one of the biggest celebrated holidays for Cambodians. It is meant to celebrate the end of the harvest season. This year, 2555 on the Buddhist calendar, is the year of the rabbit or the hare.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291 |
| Cambodia 'disappointed' by Thai stance on observers Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:16 PM PDT 10/04/2011 AFP & Thanida Tansubhapol JAKARTA : Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong yesterday expressed disappointment over Thailand's refusal to accept Indonesian military observers into the disputed area on the Thai-Cambodian border.
''If Thailand really wishes to have a ceasefire at the border, why should they hesitate to receive Indonesian observers?'' he asked reporters in Jakarta ahead of an Asean meeting on the relief response to tsunami-ravaged Japan.
''Every time there's an armed clash, they always accuse Cambodia of starting the fighting. If this is the case, why don't they accept Indonesia as a mediator?'' he said.
At an informal Asean Foreign Ministers' meeting on Feb 22, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to accept Indonesian observers into a flashpoint section of the border where heavy fighting erupted the same month.
But Thailand's military last month said the observers were not welcome in the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area near 11th-century Preah Vihear temple because it was too dangerous and their presence would only complicate matters.
Hor Namhong said Thailand should respect Indonesia's role in the negotiations as Jakarta had received the UN Security Council's support.
''We have to respect the Asean chair's role in the negotiations. Indonesia as a chair has received the mandate from the UN Security Council,'' he said.
''I never can be optimistic with Thailand; it's very difficult to deal with them. I always trust Indonesia,'' he added.
A two-day Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting of senior officials from the two countries held in Bogor, Indonesia, this week ended without
dhresolution.
''The border issue is very complex. The discussion process cannot possibly be solved in just one meeting,'' said Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.
However, Thailand continued to urge Cambodia to resolve the border conflict through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the foreign minister, said: ''We want Cambodia to use this mechanism to tackle future problems and prevent severe conflicts along the border.''
He said that the Bogor meeting was held on a bilateral basis and Indonesia did not interfere.
Mr Marty was at the venue but did not attend the talks, co-chaired by Thai delegation head Asda Jayanama and Cambodian Senior Official on Border Affairs Var Kimhong.
There was no mention of which country would host the next JBC meeting.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya last night discussed with Mr Marty the details of the terms of reference for sending Indonesian observers to the Thai-Cambodian border.
The talk was held after Mr Kasit sent a letter to Mr Marty on Friday last week discussing how Thailand would take care of Indonesian observers.
Both Thailand and Cambodia have now agreed not to have any Indonesian observers stationed in the disputed area, said Mr Kasit, adding that the deal was reached after talking with Cambodia through Indonesia.
He said the details of the Terms of Reference would be announced to the cabinet shortly. |
| Thai stand on observers flayed Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:13 PM PDT April 10, 2011 By Nuntida Puangthong The Nation on Sunday, Agencies Cambodian foreign minister says conflicting signals make it difficult to deal with Bangkok over border conflict
Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong yesterday slammed Thailand over its hesitation to receive Indonesian observers to monitor the permanent ceasefire at the disputed border near Preah Vihear Temple, saying Bangkok had sent many confusing messages on the matter.
"If Thailand wishes really to have a ceasefire at the border, why should they hesitate to receive Indonesian observers," Hor Namhong told reporters.
"Every time there's an armed clash, they always accuse Cambodia of starting the fighting. In such a case, why don't they accept the role of Indonesia as mediator?" he asked.
Hor Namhong was in Jakarta together with his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya for an Asean-Japan meeting on the relief response to the tsunami.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to the peace plan proposed by Indonesia to have observers assess the situation and monitor the ceasefire after a border skirmish at Preah Vihear in February.
Phnom Penh expressed its readiness to accept the observers but the Thai military is reluctant to allow them in, saying the area was too dangerous and having observers could be considered an infringement of Thai sovereignty by foreigners.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit has failed in several attempts to convince the military to honour what Thailand has already agreed with Cambodia and Indonesia.
The Thai military initially said they would discuss the observation "modality" proposed by Indonesia with Cambodia in the General Border Commission (GBC) first. But as Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa proposed the GBC meeting be held in Bogor on Thursday and Friday last week, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who co-chairs the GBC, said he won't attend the meeting.
Hor Namhong said Thailand has sent very confused signals all the time over the deal to settle the border dispute.
"Frankly speaking, it's really difficult to deal with them," he said. "The government and the foreign minister say one thing while the military says another thing.
"We don't know who we can trust, who to deal with. We don't know who really has the right to negotiate.
"We have to respect the Asean chair's role in the negotiation. Indonesia as a chair has received the mandate from the UN Security Council," he said.
Kasit informed Indonesia in writing on Friday that from now on he was the person who would discuss and make an agreement with Jakarta on the terms of reference (TOR) for the observers.
It was not necessary to discuss the TOR with Cambodia in the GBC, he said.
Kasit was scheduled to meet with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty yesterday to discuss the TOR. But as of press time, the outcome of the meeting was not disclosed.
"I will discuss the TOR with Indonesia and bring some details to consult with the military again on the location where we should allow the observers in," Kasit told reporters in Jakarta. |
| Cambodia criticizes Thai stance on border dispute observers Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:10 PM PDT Apr 9, 2011 DPA 'The [Thai] government, the foreign minister, says one thing while the [Thai] military says another thing.
'We don't know who we can trust, who to deal with. We don't know who really has the right to negotiate.' Jakarta - Cambodia on Saturday expressed frustration over conflicting messages from Thailand on Indonesia's role as mediator in a border dispute between the two nations.
Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers agreed in February to accept Indonesian observers stationed along their common border to monitor a ceasefire in a dispute over land surrounding an 11th-century Hindu temple.
But Thailand's military insisted the issue be resolved bilaterally and rejected the involvement of Indonesia, the current chair of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
'We can't understand,' Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said in Jakarta. 'If Thailand wishes really to have a ceasefire on the border, why should they hesitate to receive Indonesian observers?'
Hor Namhong said Thailand accused Cambodia of starting the fighting every time an armed clash broke out.
'Frankly speaking, it's really difficult to deal with them,' he said. 'The government, the foreign minister, says one thing while the military says another thing.
'We don't know who we can trust, who to deal with. We don't know who really has the right to negotiate.'
Thai and Cambodian diplomats held talks Thursday and Friday in the Indonesian city of Bogor to try to resolve the dispute.
The Bangkok Post reported Friday that Thailand's Foreign Ministry would take over from the Defence Ministry the task of defining the roles of Indonesian observers and where to post them along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The ministry originally only had responsibility for giving the observers diplomatic immunity while they are stationed in Thailand.
The move upset the Thai military, which announced Tuesday that it would not allow observers to enter the disputed area, the Post said.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya reportedly said he had agreed with Phnom Penh and Jakarta that Indonesian observers could inspect the area.
The Bangkok Post said 15 Indonesian observers would be deployed in Thailand and 15 in Cambodia
Thailand has blamed UNESCO for exacerbating the dispute with its 2008 decision to list the Preah Vihear border temple as a heritage site despite Bangkok's objections.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the 11th-century temple belonged to Cambodia but stopped short of determining the border demarcation in a nearby contested area.
Both countries claim a 4.6-square-kilometre plot of land near the temple, which has been included under Cambodia's management plan for UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. |
| Foreign Minister Optimistic Despite Thailand, Cambodia Arguing Over Observers Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:06 PM PDT April 09, 2011 Ismira Lutfia Jakarta Globe Bogor. A plan to send Indonesian observers to the disputed border region between Thailand and Cambodia has stalled as the two countries argue over where the observers should operate.
Nonetheless, Indonesia's foreign affairs minister, Marty Natalegawa, said he was confident the impasse would be resolved over the next three days during meetings with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Kasit Piromya and Hor Namhong.
Marty said the three ministers would discuss the issue at the Asean-Japan foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on Saturday and the Asean foreign ministers' retreat in Bangkok on Sunday and Monday.
"This is a pending matter but it is possible to solve," Marty said.
Last month, the Thai military shot down a proposed plan to deploy unarmed Indonesian Armed Forces personnel as observers to both sides of the border in the disputed area.
Marty said that while Indonesia would not meddle in Thai domestic politics, he had been in constant communication with the Thai foreign minister, who has pledged to raise the matter with his government.
The proposal to send Indonesian observers to the disputed area was hammered out at the Asean foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta in February. During that meeting, a regional plan was formulated to ensure a cease-fire agreed to by Thailand and Cambodia was respected.
Both countries at the time agreed to accept observers, a decision Marty said reflected the regional bloc's confidence in Indonesia playing a larger role in conflict mediation.
He said the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission meeting held in Bogor this week reaffirmed the countries' commitment to a diplomatic solution to the border issue.
"This is a consolidation of the option that Indonesia has always proposed," he said.
Marty said that the two historic rivals meeting under the same roof at the Bogor Palace already showed remarkable progress compared to the situation in February, when border clashes resulted in the deaths of at least six people.
"Two months ago they were exchanging artillery fire, now they are here exchanging arguments, and that is obviously a much better way," he said, adding that Indonesia always preferred peaceful resolution over armed conflict.
The results of the JBC meeting were yet to be announced as the talks were still ongoing on Friday.
"It is an internal matter between the two delegations," Marty said. "They will inform us later as acknowledgment of our facilitation, and we will then inform the other Asean member states." |
| Thai-Cambodian FMs To Meet On Proposed Indonesian Observers Posted: 09 Apr 2011 03:02 PM PDT BANGKOK, April 9 (Bernama) -- Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is set to meet with his Cambodian and Indonesian counterparts Hor Namhong and Marty Natalegawa in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, on Saturday afternoon to discuss a draft of terms of reference (TOR) for a proposal to station Indonesian observers at an unsettled 4.6 square-kilometre area along the Thai and Cambodian border, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
According to a Thai Foreign Ministry announcement, Kasit's meeting with his Cambodian and Indonesian counterparts was arranged on the sidelines of a special Asean-Japan foreign ministers' session on cooperation in dealing with disasters in the region in the wake of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan's northeastern region on March 11 with radiation leaks consequently.
The trio talks came after a two-day Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting in Bogor, Indonesia, which ended on Friday.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, Secretary to the Thai foreign minister, claimed that the latest JBC meeting was successful, as Cambodia appeared to now understand Thailand more properly.
Thailand's has made it clear that Indonesian observers should not be deployed at the contentious border area near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple. |
| Cambodia disappointed with Thailand in border row Posted: 09 Apr 2011 02:59 PM PDT JAKARTA, April 9, 2011 (AFP) - Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Saturday expressed disappointment over Thailand's refusal to send Indonesian military observers to the disputed Thai-Cambodia border.
"If Thailand wishes really to have a ceasefire at the border, why should they hesitate to receive Indonesian observers," he told reporters in Jakarta ahead of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting on the relief response to tsunami-ravaged Japan.
"Every time there's an armed clash, they always accuse Cambodia of starting the fighting. In such a case, why don't they accept (the) role of Indonesia as mediator?" he added.
At an ASEAN meeting in February, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to accept Indonesian observers to a flashpoint section of the border where heavy fighting erupted the same month.
But Thailand's military in March said the observers were not wanted in the disputed area near an 11th-century temple because it was too dangerous and they would only complicate matters.
Hor Namhong said Thailand ought to respect Indonesia's role in the border negotiations as Jakarta had received the UN Security Council's support.
"We have to respect the ASEAN chair's role in the negotiation. Indonesia as a chair has received the mandate from the UN Security Council," he said.
"I never can be optimistic with Thailand, it's very difficult to deal with them... I always trust Indonesia," he added.
A two-day border meeting of senior officials from the two countries held in Bogor, West Java province, this week ended without resolution.
"The border issue is very complex. The discussion process cannot possibly be solved in just one meeting," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters Friday.
Thailand and Cambodia have each accused the other of starting the border clashes, which erupted around the ancient Hindu temple of Preah Vihear. |
| Thai, Cambodian Foreign Ministers to confer on draft TOR for Indonesian observers Posted: 09 Apr 2011 02:55 PM PDT BANGKOK, April 9 (MCOT online news) -- Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya is scheduled to discuss with his Indonesian and Cambodian counterparts later Saturday in Jakarta on the draft terms of reference (ToR) for Indonesian observers to be stationed at the disputed 4.6 square-kilometre between Thailand and Cambodia, according to an announcement issued by the Thai foreign affairs ministry.
The announcement said Mr Kasit would meet other foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japanese foreign ministry officials to discuss assistance to the latter and would use the opportunity to talk with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong about the draft ToR.
Thailand's has made it clear that Indonesian observers could not be positioned in the disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Saturday's talks came after a two-day Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting in Bogor, Indonesia, ended Friday, in which Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Mr Kasit, said the meeting ended successfully overall, as Cambodia now understood Thailand better and did not buy time, as the three memorandums of the JBC still needed approval from the Parliament.
Mr Chavanond also said in his telephone call to the foreign affairs ministry that both sides at the Friday's meeting also agreed that a third party company would be hired to take aerial photos of the disputed border.
Initially, either a Japanese or an Australian or Danish firm would be selected to do the job while both Thailand and Cambodia would make a decision which firm has the most approriate technology, he said.
Reiterating that the just-ended meeting was held without interference from a third country despite being held in Indonesia, Mr Chavanond said he hoped future's meetings to resolve border dispute would be held in either Thailand or Cambodia, which would benefit the two neighbouring countries. |
| Thai FM no show as JBC meeting ends Posted: 09 Apr 2011 02:53 PM PDT  | | In between: Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (right) talks to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on the sidelines of the two-day Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Bogor, West Java, on Friday. JP/Ricky Yudhistira | Sat, 04/09/2011 Mustaqim Adamrah The Jakarta Post, Bogor, West Java The Indonesia-brokered Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on demarcation for land boundaries in Bogor, south of Jakarta, ended on Friday, but the results of the meeting remain unclear.
Despite the fact that the meeting involved only senior Cambodian and Thai officials, the absence of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in Bogor, while Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong was present, proves that Indonesia's diplomacy was limited and that Thailand had humiliated Indonesia as the agreed broker, an expert said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia had no knowledge of the results of the two-day JBC meeting but hoped both delegations would inform the archipelago of the results, which were expected to be passed on to other ASEAN members for a progress report.
"We cannot anticipate the outcome [of the JBC meeting]," he told reporters at the Bogor Palace on the sidelines of the meeting.
"But we need to underline that things are getting better, with Cambodia and Thailand having chosen to settle the outstanding problem between them through diplomacy," he said.
Marty said he also had "a very good constructive discussion" earlier that day with Namhong at the Palace on the meeting and the finalization of terms of reference for the deployment of Indonesian observers to the disputed Thai-Cambodia border area.
However, Marty refused to disclose the results of his meeting with Namhong.
"[I will] continue to deliberate with my Thai foreign minister colleague [on terms of reference for the deployment of Indonesian observers] when he arrives in Jakarta," Marty said.
He said he would look for the best opportunity to discuss the terms of reference with both Piromya and Namhong on the sidelines of an ASEAN-Japan meeting scheduled on Saturday afternoon.
"We already received confirmation that Thailand will discuss this matter with Cambodia and Indonesia," he said.
At an Indonesian-brokered ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 22, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to accept a team of Indonesian observers to the disputed area adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear temple, where heavy fighting erupted in February.
However, more than a month later and after almost no progress on the terms of reference, the observer team remains in Jakarta and Thailand's military now says it is not needed.
Thai media earlier quoted Thai army chief Gen. Prayut Chan-O-Cha as saying that the observers were not wanted in the disputed area, which is near an 11th-century temple, because it was too dangerous and they would only complicate matters.
Parahyangan University ASEAN expert Bantarto Bandoro said the Thai foreign minister, who was absent in Bogor, would not likely be serious in discussing the terms of reference in another meeting, if any, on Saturday because of the different atmosphere and context given by the ASEAN-Japan meeting.
"[The ASEAN-Japan] meeting is not designed to settle the Thai-Cambodia issues," he told The Jakarta Post.
Bantarto said Piromya's absence might imply that Thailand still had preservation it did not want to share with a third party during negotiations with Cambodia.
That could mean that Thailand had humiliated Indonesia because it, along with Cambodia, had agreed to have Indonesia as the broker in the border dispute, he said.
"It also shows that Indonesia's diplomacy was not maximum. As a broker, Indonesia should have been able to persuade both countries to be present at the same time," he said.
He also said Piromya's absence in Bogor would also tarnish Thailand's image, while Cambodia would gain benefit from that momentum by showing to the world that Thailand lacked strong commitment to settling the problem. |
| Thailand, Cambodia continue talks on border dispute in Indonesia Posted: 09 Apr 2011 02:49 PM PDT April 09, 2011 Xinhua Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Friday that a meeting to discuss the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia continued on Friday and he expected another informal meeting to solve the problem.
The meeting kicked off on Thursday at the Bogor Palace in West Java.
"The process is still ongoing," Marty was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.
The meeting is a consultation called "The Thailand-Cambodia Joint Commission on the Demarcation for Land Boundary," he said.
The minister said that he would also have informal meetings with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts to discuss the problem, which he said was a complex one.
"This matter cannot be solved with one meeting," he said. Indonesia is trying to broker a peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand at a two-day bilateral meeting in the Indonesian town of Bogor.
The minister said that the main message from the meeting was that a peaceful solution was back on track, as rejected to violence.
The Jakarta globe reported that Indonesia on Thursday praised the progress of the discussions, although plans for sending observers to the conflict zone were yet to be finalized.
Marty said that the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission had so far agreed to focus on a diplomatic solution as opposed to use of force to resolve the border dispute.
"Today's meeting represents yet another important step to underscore that diplomacy is the preferred means to solve problems, " the minister said.
"That's the main message of the meeting."
It was originally conceived as a parallel discussion to the General Border Committee, but that meeting was vetoed by the Thai military over a proposed plan to deploy unarmed Indonesian Armed Forces personnel as observers to both sides of the border in the disputed area.
Marty said despite the apparent setback, he and his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, had followed up on the outcome of the ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta in February, during which a regional plan was formulated to send Indonesian observers to ensure a cease-fire agreed to by the two countries was respected. |
| Soul Food Posted: 09 Apr 2011 11:12 AM PDT Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.
- Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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| 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes Posted: 09 Apr 2011 11:08 AM PDT By Khmer Democrat, Phnom PenhExpanding our Mind SeriesAWESOME ! A must watch! Statistics come to life when Swedish academic superstar Hans Rosling graphically illustrates global development over the last 200 years.
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| "Chea Bang Pa'aun Khmer Pi Kaal Naa?" a Poem in Khmer by Sam Vichea Posted: 09 Apr 2011 09:49 AM PDT |
| Olympian rower Rob Hamill's Civil Party application to ECCC Case 003/004 Posted: 09 Apr 2011 02:13 AM PDT |
| Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Boeung Kak Lake's People Posted: 09 Apr 2011 12:29 AM PDT |
| Appel à La Solidarité Parlementaire Internationale Posted: 09 Apr 2011 12:25 AM PDT The English version is available here
8 avril 2011 APPEL A LA SOLIDARITE PARLEMENTAIRE INTERNATIONALE
 Je m'appelle Sam Rainsy. Je suis député du Cambodge, un élu du suffrage universel, et le dirigeant de la deuxième force politique de mon pays.
Parce que je dirige une opposition critique à l'égard du gouvernement je suis persécuté avec acharnement par celui-ci et le parti au pouvoir qui est de type totalitaire.
En 1995 j'ai été expulsé inconstitutionnellement de l'Assemblée nationale, mais ai pu retrouver mon siège de député aux élections suivantes.
A chaque élection mon parti a recueilli un nombre accru de voix et obtenu un plus grand nombre de sièges à l'Assemblée nationale.
Mais le 16 mars 2011 j'ai été à nouveau expulsé de l'Assemblée nationale, de manière tout aussi inconstitutionnelle que la fois précédente, de par la seule volonté des dirigeants du parti au pouvoir.
Au cours des quinze dernières années j'ai échappé à plusieurs tentatives d'assassinat, comme une attaque à la grenade particulièrement meurtrière en 1997, mais environ quatre-vingts membres et sympathisants de mon parti ont été assassinés.
Le parti au pouvoir ne se contente pas d'attenter à ma vie ou de m'expulser de l'Assemblée nationale, il s'est aussi arrangé pour enlever mon immunité parlementaire et me faire condamner à des peines de prison à de multiples reprises. La dernière fois remonte seulement au début de cette année quand j'ai été condamné à un total de 12 années d'emprisonnement sur des accusations de nature purement politique. J'ai été donc contraint à m'exiler provisoirement en France.
Mon seul crime tient au fait que j'ose imperturbablement dénoncer la corruption et les violations des droits de l'homme, et défendre les habitants du pays qui m'ont élu comme leur représentant.
En 2006 j'ai reçu le Prix pour la Liberté attribué par l'Internationale Libérale.
Dans une décision des 12-15 juillet 2010 de son Comité sur les Droits de l'Homme des Parlementaires, l'Union Interparlementaire à Geneve "réaffirme que l'action judiciaire à l'encontre de Mr. Sam Rainsy est sans rapport avec le délit qu'on lui attribue".
Un communiqué daté 14 septembre 2010 d'une coalition de 16 ONG de droits de l'homme précise: "Le gouvernement a utilisé les tribunaux pour réduire au silence les voix critiques à l'encontre de son action touchant la confiscation de terres, la corruption et les conflits frontaliers". Autre précision: "Les accusations [contre Sam Rainsy et d'autres contestataires] sont de nature politique".
Dans sa résolution sur le "Cambodge, en particulier le cas de Sam Rainsy" adopté le 21 octobre 2010, le Parlement européen "condamne les verdicts fondés sur des motivations politiques à l'encontre de représentants de l'opposition et d'ONG, en particulier ceux prononcés à l'encontre de Sam Rainsy". La résolution dénonce le fait que "la stratégie du parti au pouvoir au Cambodge consiste à utiliser une justice servile pour museler toute critique à l'encontre du gouvernement". [Pour lire le texte entier de la résolution, aller à http://tinyurl.com/284ps3v].
Dans sa décision du 17 janvier 2011, l'Union Interparlementaire "considère qu'il devient urgent de revoir le cas de Mr. Sam Rainsy et de le réhabiliter et demande aux autorités, y compris le Parlement, de prendre sans tarder les mesures adéquates afin de permettre à Mr. Sam Rainsy de reprendre sa place légitime au sein de l'Assemblée nationale." [Pour lire le texte entier de la décision, aller à http://tinyurl.com/6yrt4t4].
Je fais appel à votre solidarité en tant que collègue parlementaire. Vous pourriez grandement m'aider en demandant au gouvernement de votre pays de faire pression sur les autorités étatiques du Cambodge, un pays dont la survie dépend de l'aide internationale, de sorte que je puisse reprendre mon travail de député dans des conditions acceptables et continuer à promouvoir la démocratie dans mon pays.
Je vous en remercie.
Sam Rainsy |
| Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy visits Denmark Posted: 08 Apr 2011 11:35 PM PDT |
| Excerpt from "Getting Away With Genocide" by Tom Fawthrop and Helen Jarvis on "Charged Persons" Meas Muth and Sou Met Posted: 08 Apr 2011 11:28 PM PDT |
| Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy met with SRP Kandal Provincial Councilors Posted: 08 Apr 2011 11:17 PM PDT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URPHp_riF54
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| Brain Food Posted: 08 Apr 2011 10:56 PM PDT Legalism
–noun 1. strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.
[In Cambodia, think, NGO Law]
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| Excerpts from "Seven Candidates for Prosecution" by Stephen Heder and Brian Tittemore on "Charged Persons" Meas Muth and Sou Met Posted: 08 Apr 2011 10:56 PM PDT |
| Scared and alone, Japanese farmer waited weeks for help Posted: 08 Apr 2011 10:34 PM PDT  | | Kunio Shiga, a farmer in Minami Soma, on Friday greets the first people he has seen since the tsunami. (Hiro Komae / AP) | Reporters were first to reach 75-year-old; wife vanished in tsunami 4/8/2011 By ERIC TALMADGE The Associated Press MINAMI SOMA, Japan — The farmhouse sits at the end of a mud-caked, one-lane road strewn with toppled trees, the decaying carcasses of dead pigs and large debris deposited by the March 11 tsunami.
Stranded alone inside the unheated, dark home is 75-year-old Kunio Shiga. He cannot walk very far and doesn't know what happened to his wife.
His neighbors have all left because the area is 12 miles from the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant — just within the zone where authorities have told everyone to get out because of concerns about leaking radiation.
No rescuer ever came for him.
When a reporter and two photographers from The Associated Press arrived at Shiga's doorstep Friday, the scared and disoriented farmer said: "You are the first people I have spoken to" since the earthquake and tsunami.
"Do you have any food?" he asked. "I will pay you."
Shiga gratefully accepted the one-liter bottle of water and sack of 15-20 energy bars given to him by the AP, which later notified local police of his situation.
He said he has been running out of supplies and was unable to cook his rice for lack of electricity and running water. His traditional, two-story house is intact, although it is a mess of fallen objects, including a toppled Buddhist shrine. Temperatures at night in the region have been cold, but above freezing.
The Odaka neighborhood where he lives is a ghost town. Neighboring fields are still inundated from the tsunami. The smell of the sea is everywhere. The only noise comes from the pigs foraging for food.
Local police acknowledged they have not been able to check many neighborhoods because of radiation concerns.
As radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant has fallen in recent days, however, the police have fanned out inside the evacuation zone to cover more areas. On Friday, they were busy searching for bodies two miles from Shiga's farmhouse.
Hundreds of police, many mobilized from Tokyo and wearing white radiation suits, pulled four bodies in an hour from one small area in Minami Soma. They had found only five bodies the previous day.
The AP crew, which had been watching the police search, later broke away to see if it could find any residents living inside the evacuation zone. Some construction workers directed them to a part of town where some houses were intact.
The farmhouse where Shiga's family has grown vegetables for generations is at the end of a long mud- and rubble-covered road blocked by fallen trees and dead and decaying animals.
The journalists spotted the relatively undamaged house about 500 yards away. Unable to drive on the road because of the debris, they navigated the rest of the way on foot, sometimes crawling over large branches.
Shiga was seen wandering in front of his house but went inside. The journalists went to greet him.
He said he spent his lonely days since the disaster sitting in bed in his dark home and listening to a battery-powered radio. A scruffy beard covered his face.
"The tsunami came right up to my doorstep," he said. "I don't know what happened to my wife. She was here, but now she's gone."
Shiga said he was aware of the evacuation order but could do nothing about it, since he is barely able to walk past the front gate of his house. His car is stuck in mud and won't start.
The AP journalists asked Shiga for permission to tell the authorities about him. He agreed, and they went to a police station to tell them about the stranded farmer. The police said they would check on him as soon as they could.
Even if authorities can make it to him, Shiga said he might rather stay.
"I'm old and I don't know if I could leave here. Who would take care of me?" he said, staring blankly through his sliding glass doors at the mess in his yard. "I don't want to go anywhere. But I don't have water and I'm running out of food." |
