Cambodia Home Heart & Soul: “Sacravatoons no 2027 : " Open Letter "” plus 1 more |
| Sacravatoons no 2027 : " Open Letter " Posted: 11 Jun 2011 06:15 AM PDT   |
| Sacravatoons no 2026 : " Pirate Brothers " Posted: 11 Jun 2011 04:21 AM PDT   |
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KI Media: “Bald eagle jet?” plus 24 more |
| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 03:24 PM PDT
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| Latest posts on CambodiaWatch-OZ as of 10 June 2011 Posted: 11 Jun 2011 03:17 PM PDT Hi All, Please find below some of the latest posts on CambodiaWatch. We sincerely hope you enjoy reading them. Have a wonderful weekend. Voilent scenes in a rice paddy [Enough is enough and people take law to their own hands]Maneuver in Hun Sen Speechពួកអ្នកសេដ្ឋកិច្ច និងប្រជាធិបតេយ្យBest Regards, CambodiaWatch- Australia Team http://camwatchblogs.blogspot.com/  | ||||||||||||||||
| Angkora.com - Info Express - Film "The Great Khmer Empire" Posted: 11 Jun 2011 03:12 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqTjeP93mok&feature=player_embedded Bonjour, Simplement pour vous soumettre les infos du Cambodge, Un Nouveau film "Le Grand Empire Khmer " va sortir dans 3 ans, ça va coûter 70 millions de dollars US, à ce moment là, les combodgiens seront fier de son histoire, fier de son passé glorieux, et on ne se pose plus de question si le temple de Preah Vihear appartient au Cambodge ou à la Thailande, Le film va faire le tour du monde, et le monde connaitera le Cambodge Pour plus info : www.angkora.com Cordialement, ---------- Unofficial translation from Khmer Hello, Just to send you here information about Cambodia: A new film "The Great Khmer Empire " will come out in 3 years, it will cost US$70 million and, then, the Cambodians will be proud of their history, proud of their glorious past, and nobody will ever doubt who Preah Vihear temple belongs to: Cambodia or Thailand. http://www.angkora.com/viewupdate.php?id=135 The film will be distributed throughout the world and the world will know about Cambodia. For more information: www.angkora.com Cordially,  | ||||||||||||||||
| The Heart of Khmer Krom Women - by Ms. Sim Touch (Khmer Republic era song) Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:56 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hk7haK2Gz8  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:50 PM PDT
KI-Media Note: To Khmer Observer, please send us your article for publication at our email address kiletters@gmail.com. Thank you! June 10, 2011 By Khmer Observer La version française se trouve en dessous Given the event which has been ocurring between Sam Rainsy Party and Kem Sokha's Human Rights Party, and the recent speech of Hun Sen for which some of Khmer specialists outlined as the "divide and rule" strategy, we wish to share with all of you a note that we have gotten from online posting 4 or 5 years ago. As everybody knows, this "divide and rule" strategy, as it is outlined by the decision theory, will generate a big positive gain for the one who designs and implements this strategy if it works as expected and a "lose-lose" situation where all participants lose or the sum of winnings (positives) and losses (negatives) is negative. This is a negative sums game not only for the players but also the whole collectivity. We also copy and paste an article "Les Leaders Cambodgiens et Leurs Alliances Stratégiques Tragiques" for your reading and thinking. We are not responsible for all what is written in the political path of Pen Sovann and Kem Sokha, not for the article "Les Leaders Cambodgiens et Leurs Alliances Stratégiques Tragiques" either. This sharing of information is not led against anybody. We just want to share all information related to Cambodia and other countries which may help us to increase the understanding of the political and geopolitical environment of Cambodia. -------------Sam Rainsy et Kem Sokha 10 Juin 2011 Par Observateur Khmer Compte tenu des évènements ayant lieu entre le parti Sam Rainsy et le parti des droits de l'homme de Kem Sokha et le discours récent de Hun Sen, qui sont perçus par un certain nombre de spécialistes khmers comme relevant de la stratégie « diviser pour mieux régner », nous souhaiter vous partager une note de réflexion en date de décembre 2007 que nous avons récupérée en ligne il y a 4 ou 5 ans de cela. Comme tout le sait, cette stratégie « diviser pour mieux régner », telle que ça a été soulignée dans la théorie de décision, génère un gain positif important pour celui qui le définit et la met en place si elle fonctionne comme prévu, et une situation de perte où tous les participants au jeu enregistrent un gain négatif. C'est un jeu à somme négative non seulement pour les joueurs mais aussi pour toute la collectivité dans son ensemble. Nous faisons également un copier/coller dans le corps du mail un article "Les Leaders Cambodgiens et Leurs Alliances Stratégiques Tragiques" pour votre lecture et réflexion. Nous tenons à signaler que nous ne sommes pas responsables de ce qui est décrit dans le parcours politique respectif de Pen Sovann et Kem Sokha, ni de ce qui est écrit dans l'article "Les Leaders Cambodgiens et Leurs Alliances Stratégiques Tragiques". Ce partage d'information n'est orienté contre personne. Nous souhaitons tout simplement partager de l'information concernant le Cambodge et d'autres pays qui sont susceptible d'accroître notre compréhension sur l'environnement politique et géopolitique du Cambodge. Parti des Droits de l'Homme et Pen Sovann Note de réflexion, Décembre 2007 La naissance du Parti des Droits de l'Homme de Kem Sokha et son union Pen Sovann interpellent notre attention à un plus haut niveau. Afin de nourrir notre réflexion, nous retraçons ci-dessous quelques jalons du parcours politique de Pen Sovann et celui de Kem Sokha. A / Pen Sovann Tout le monde connaît l'historique de Pen Sovann, personnage qui passe aujourd'hui son temps à critiquer sans risque, à l'approche des élections, la politique de Hun Sen et à dénoncer la vietnamisation du Cambodge. Voici les principaux jalons de son parcours politique : 1. Né le 15 Avril 1936 à Chan Tiep, district de Tram Kak, province de Takéo 2. Membre du Mouvement Issarak (1949-1954) 3. Membre du Parti Communiste Indochinois en 1951 4. Part au Vietnam en 1954 pour être formé à l'Ecole des cadres à Hanoi (1956-70) en même temps que Tou Samuth 5. Ralliement au FUNK en 1970 au côté de Pol Pot, Ieng Sary et Ieng Thirith 6. Retour au Vietnam en 1975 pour mettre en place FUNSK 1978 destiné à envahir le Cambodge en 1979 en compagnie de ses compagnons Khmers Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, Say Phou Thong et Hun Sen. 7. Secrétaire général du FUNSK en 1979 8. Premier Secrétaire du PRPK en 1979 (People's Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea)9. Président du Conseil et Ministre de la Défense en 1981 10. Soi-disant emprisonné à Hanoi de 1981 à 1987 pour contestation contre Hanoi (alors que certains comme Chan Si s'est fait empoisonné par injection en mai 1985 pour des « crimes » encore mineurs) 11. Soi-disant placé en résidence surveillée à Hanoi de 1987 à 1992 12. Soi-disant libéré par les Vietnamiens et ramené à Takéo le 25 Janvier 1992. Il forme son parti National Sustaining Party of Cambodia en vue de participer aux élections de 1993. 13. Devient Conseiller politique du PPC de la province Takéo en 1992 14. Soi-disant exclus de cette position le 10 Novembre 1995 par le PPC 15. Exil en Malaisie suite au coup d'état en juillet 1997, où il a rencontré un certain nombre de délégations de quelques grandes puissances, venant notamment des Etats-Unis 16. Retour de l'exil le 3 Décembre 1997 17. Ralliement au Parti Sam Rainsy au début des années 2000 ( ?) 18. Voyage aux Etats-Unis en 2000 où il a été en contact avec un certain nombre de personnalités khmères et interviewé ensuite par Naranhkiri Tith en 2001, prétendu fervent supporter de KEM Sokha. 19. Septembre 2002 : publication de son livre "Short Biography and the National Cause of Cambodia", livre qui n'apporte rien de plus de ce beaucoup de Cambodgiens savent déjà. 20. Juillet 2007 : Annonce son adhésion au parti des Droits de l'Homme de l'ancien activiste Kem Sokha 21. Novembre et Décembre 2007 : en tournée de recrutement des partisans PDH en France avec KEM Sokha B / Kem Sokha Kem Sokha était un des rares étudiants khmers à avoir bénéficié en 1981 d'une bourse pour aller étudier en Tchécoslovaquie, alors pays membre du bloc communiste. 10 ans plus tard, il crée « Vigilance des droits de l'homme au Cambodge », une organisation de défense des Droits de l'Homme, domaine pour lequel il est devenu une figure très reconnue du public cambodgien voire même occidental. Deux faits majeurs qui ont marqué son parcours politique : il a été d'une part arrêté et emprisonné en décembre 2005 pour cause de diffamation. Cet évènement lui a permis de bénéficier des mouvements de soutien aussi bien au Cambodge qu'à l'extérieur. Après son arrestation, il gagne en popularité et en soutien populaire auprès de la population cambodgienne. Et d'autre part, il a été accusé en 2007 dans une implication de détournement de fonds, financement venant des Etats-Unis IRI pour son ONG « Centre Cambodgien de Défense des Droits de l'Homme » (CCHR). Principaux jalons de son parcours politique : 1. Né le 27 juin 1953 dans la province de Takéo, au sud-est du Cambodge. 2. En 1981, après une formation en droit à Phnom Penh, il part étudier en Tchécoslovaquie, où il décroche une maîtrise en chimie. 3. En 1986, à son retour, il est chargé de remettre en service une brasserie à Sihanoukville, avant d'intégrer une distillerie à six kilomètres de Phnom Penh, où il contribue à élaborer un whisky cambodgien. 4. En 1991, il est à l'origine de la première organisation cambodgienne de défense des droits de l'homme, la « Vigilance des droits de l'homme au Cambodge » 5. En 1992, il devient secrétaire général du Parti libéral démocratique bouddhiste (PLDB) de Son Sann. 6. En 1993, il est élu à l'assemblée constituante qui, une fois la constitution approuvée, devient législative. Sokha reste député jusqu'en 1998. Il dirige une commission des droits de l'homme qu'il avait auparavant contribué à créer. 7. En 1995, suite à une scission au sein du PLDB, il choisit de rejoindre le nouveau Parti de Son Sann (PSS), dont il est à nouveau secrétaire général. 8. En 1999, suite à la fusion du PSS et du FUNCINPEC, il est élu sous cette nouvelle étiquette au sénat et préside les commissions sénatoriales des droits de l'homme et de réception des plaintes. Il fut le premier parlementaire à proposer la création du conseil suprême de la magistrature et à vouloir mettre en place des lois anti-corruption et de déclaration de patrimoine. 9. De 2000 à 2007, il a été le chef de la délégation cambodgienne d'un groupe indépendant de défense des droits de l'homme auprès de l'ASEAN, militant pour la création d'une commission des droits de l'homme au Cambodge. 10. En 2002, il quitte le FUNCINPEC, auquel il reproche son manque d'indépendance et de transparence vis à vis du gouvernement. Il fonde alors, et préside jusqu'en 2007, le Centre cambodgien pour les droits de l'homme (CCDH), un réseau national composé de plus de 9 000 antennes dispensant des formations et des réunions publiques dans les villages, où les habitants pouvaient exprimer leurs problèmes, essentiellement des récriminations à l'encontre du pouvoir en place. Il lança aussi la radio « La voix de la démocratie », un des programmes radiophoniques les plus populaires du pays. 11. Il créa et dirigea également de 2005 à 2007 l'alliance pour la liberté d'expression au Cambodge, qui comprenait 28 organisations et conduisit à ce titre les principales activités de cette alliance, notamment la campagne du ruban jaune en faveur de la liberté d'expression, et une marche historique de seize jours pour promouvoir la liberté d'expression, la non-violence et la tolérance politique. 12. Il est emprisonné le 31 décembre 2005 pour diffamation à cause d'une banderole qui, lors d'une manifestation du CCDH, critiquait un accord frontalier controversé signé en octobre 2005 entre le Premier ministre Hun Sen et le Viêt Nam. Le 16 janvier 2006, il est libéré suite à une forte mobilisation populaire et internationale et organisera une marche de trois jours, soutenue par les instances bouddhistes pour appeler le gouvernement à décriminaliser le délit de diffamation. 13. En 2007, il quitte le CCDH et retourne à la politique, créant, le 19 avril, avec Son Soubert, Kéo Rémy et Pen Sovann, le parti des droits de l'homme. Plusieurs organisations de défense demanderont en vain à Kem Sokha de changer le nom de son parti, pour éviter « une confusion des genres entre les activités politiques du parti, et celles des ONG qui sont, quant à elles, réellement indépendantes et au service de l'intérêt général ». 14. Aux élections législatives de 2008, le parti des droits de l'homme décroche 3 des 123 sièges en jeu, dont un dans la province de Kampong Cham, qui sera dévolu à Kem Sokha. -------------------------Les Leaders Cambodgiens et leurs Alliances Tragiques(1) Note diffusée le 22 Juillet 2004 L'histoire politique contemporaine du Cambodge ne peut être saisie pleinement sans avoir un regard inquisiteur sur son passé. Comme disait Conficius : « study the past, if you would divine the future », et c'est dans cet esprit que nous avons la ferme conviction qu'il n'est parfois pas inutile de revoir le « passé » pour bien comprendre le « présent » et améliorer le « futur ». Le passé du Cambodge est chargé de relations « de causes à effets ». Et c'est en recherchant et analysant les causes que l'on parvient à comprendre sa situation actuelle. Les évènements qui se sont produits au Cambodge le mardi 13 juillet 2004 avec le départ de Samdech Chea Sim vers la Thaïlande pouvaient être interprétés sous plusieurs angles comme il a été mentionné dans nos réponses adressées à certains de nos lecteurs. Mais quant à notre position, nous avons privilégié les aspects relatifs aux tactiques manipulatrices qui ont été utilisées et réutilisées dans de divers moments de l'histoire politique Cambodgienne. Dans notre recherche, les alliances conclues par quelques uns de nos leaders ont retenu notre attention et nous souhaitons les reprendre dans cet article à travers quelques faits stylisés. Ces alliances nous semblent constituer une des causes majeures de la « pathologie » que souffre actuellement le Cambodge. Car c'est à travers elles qu'ont pu être exécutées les stratégies imaginées dans le but d'anéantir la Nation Khmère. Le but de notre article n'est pas de susciter la haine à l'égard de personne, mais tout simplement d'apporter à nos actuels et futurs leaders des éléments de réflexion susceptibles de leur permettre d'analyser les conséquences de leur politique d'alliances, et de favoriser les capacités d'anticipations et la conscience collective de la communauté khmère. Bien qu'étant analysées successivement comme suit, ces stratégies ne sont pas exclusives et ne constituent pas non plus la liste exhaustive de la panoplie des stratégies utilisées. 1) Stratégies de coopération et de manipulations Norodom Sihanouk et Ho Chi Minh : la rencontre de ces deux hommes n'est pas le fruit d'un hasard mais d'une stratégie mûrement conçue par le dernier. Après avoir tenté en vain de lutter contre le colonialisme français par ses propres moyens, Ho Chi Minh a eu l'idée de conclure des alliances stratégiques avec le Roi Sihanouk pour évincer la France de l'Indochine afin de permettre au Vietnam de bâtir son Empire au détriment du Cambodge et du Laos. Grâce aux soutiens discrets de Ho Chi Minh, le Roi Norodom Sihanouk est devenu aux yeux de la plupart des Cambodgiens « le Père de l'Indépendance » pour la Nation Khmère et a gagné une popularité immensément grande de la part du peuple Khmer. Comme on a pu constater, les Vietnamiens ont servi à plusieurs reprise la « carte Sihanouk » pour faire progresser leurs intérêts. Pour convaincre le Roi Sihanouk à se mettre de manière indéfectible de leurs côtés, les Vietnamiens lui auraient promis de restituer le Kampuchea Krom afin de renouveler sa popularité auprès du peuple Khmer. Ayant goutté avec plaisir l'immense popularité généreusement offerte par un peuple honnête, le Roi Sihanouk s'est engagé à servir les intérêts du Vietnam sans modération. Les accords conclus avec les Vietnamiens ne manquent malheureusement pas : soutien, malgré sa politique de neutralité, au Vietnam lors de la guerre contre les Américains (piste Ho Chi Minh, approvisionnement en nourriture), création du FUNK le 24 mars 1970 pour combattre aux côtés des Vietnamiens contre les soi-disants agresseurs Américains au Cambodge, etc… Mais au bout du compte, le Kampuchea Krom est toujours resté non seulement sous l'emprise du Vietnam mais l'existence du Cambodge même, ou du moins pour ce qui reste de l'Empire Khmer, est également menacée. 2) Stratégie de coopération et de destruction Les Khmers Rouges et les stratèges Vietnamiens : la « carte Sihanouk » n'était malheureusement pas la seule à figurer sur l'échiquier des Vietnamiens. Pendant que le Roi Norodom Sihanouk régnait sur son Royaume au travers de son Sangkum Restr Niyum, les Yuons préparaient déjà la relève en s'alliant avec les Khmers Rouges. Ces derniers ont été le « produit fabriqué » à la fois par Sihanouk et les Vietnamiens. Car ne trouvant aucune place au sein du Sangkum Restr Niyum, les Khmers Rouges ont pris le maquis avec le soutien des Vietnamiens. Les années 60-70 allaient donc marquer le début de la destruction du Cambodge par le Vietnam à travers les « mains Khmères ». Cette stratégie a été très efficace dans la mesure où elle a contribué à la fois à créer la haine entre les Khmers et la destruction du Cambodge au profit du Vietnam. Connaissant bien le projet de « révolution sociale et sociétale » et les intentions nationalistes des Khmers Rouges, les Vietnamiens les ont aidés à venir au pouvoir tout en infiltrant leurs éléments au sein du mouvement des Khmers Rouges afin de les réactiver le moment venu. Les Khmers Rouges étaient à peine au nombre de 3 000 hommes au début de 1970 et les Vietnamiens savaient parfaitement mesurer leur potentiel militaire (des Khmers Rouges). A la différence des Chinois, les Vietnamiens ont agi secrètement au sein de l'organisation des Khmers Rouges grâce à leurs éléments infiltrés qui détenaient plus ou moins le contrôle de ce mouvement politique. Après avoir appliqué leur projet de « révolution sociale et sociétale » démentiel, les Khmers Rouges allaient se retrouver dans un engrenage destructeur : affaiblissement militaire et humain par des attaques frontalières et épuration interne suite aux rumeurs de complots. A partir de 1977, la confusion règne au sein du mouvement Khmer Rouge. D'une part Pol Pot est informé d'un imminent complot visant à le renverser, et d'autre part on faisait croire à un autre groupe de Khmers Rouges, parmi lesquels figuraient Hun Sen, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin et Pen Sovann, qu'ils allaient être trahis par Pol Pot. Car ce dernier, par peur d'être effectivement renversé, a commencé par massacrer ses compagnons d'arme. De ce fait, les stratèges Vietnamiens ont réussi, comme prévu, à créer deux clans visibles au sein du mouvement des Khmers Rouges. D'un côté, on avait le clan de Pol Pot, mais toujours infiltré d'éléments Yuons (Nuon Chea par exemple) et de l'autre on avait le groupe de Hun Sen, Chea Sim, etc, enragés de l'idée de trahison par Pol Pot, qui allait être utilisés par les Vietnamiens comme les valeureux sauveurs de la Nation Khmère du génocide perpétré par les Khmers Rouges (Pol Pot, Hun Sen, etc). Mais en fait, ils n'ont fait que servir les intérêts du Vietnam pour envahir le Cambodge. Le plan des stratèges Vietnamiens a bien fonctionné. La plupart de la population khmère et une partie de l'opinion internationale ont effectivement perçu l'arrivée des Bo Doi Vietnamiens comme étant celle des « libérateurs providentiels». Persuadés qu'ils étaient sauvés de justesse par les Vietnamiens de la trahison de Pol Pot, le clan de Hun Sen et Chea Sim règne de fait sans partage depuis 1979 au Cambodge tout en se conformant aveuglément aux diktats de Hanoi sans avoir le moindre souci à l'idée qu'ils puissent être un jour mis hors de la scène politique, voire même éliminés, par les Vietnamiens une fois que ces derniers n'auront plus besoin d'eux pour conquérir le Cambodge. 3) Stratégie de duplication et de manipulation PPC et Opposition Khmère : pour parer aux mécontentements de plus en plus croissants du peuple Khmer qui vit dans l'extrême pauvreté, le Vietnam semble vouloir mettre en place une stratégie qui consisterait à « dupliquer » leurs pions, et à faire croire à la population Cambodgienne et à la communauté internationale à un début de dissension au sein du PPC. En fait, une telle stratégie a déjà été testée avec Pen Sovann. Ce dernier a été attribué d'un rôle de soi-disant dissident dès le début des années 80 avec la protestation contre la politique du gouvernement de l'époque et notamment contre la construction des murs de bambou. Pour cette audace, Pen Sovann a écopé, selon les informations en «libre circulation», seulement de quelques années de prison à Hanoi. Alors que d'autres ont été exécutés pour des crimes encore mineurs. Il semblerait que l'essence d'une telle stratégie réside dans la volonté de préparer le prolongement de la vie du PPC sous une autre appellation en attendant la prise en main directe du Cambodge par les Vietnamiens. « Jouer au jeu d'échec » avec des pions khmers permettrait au Vietnam d'éviter la confrontation directe comme le cas des Israëliens et Palestiniens et d'éveiller la conscience nationale khmère. La stratégie de duplication de leur « bras conquérant » (PPC) permettrait aux Vietnamiens de : - voir ceux (au sein du PPC) qui ne leur sont pas fidèles. Ceux qui ne bénéficient pas de rôle de dissidents et osent rejoindre le soi-disant dissident seront probablement éliminés. La dissension d'apparence au sein du PPC pourrait être un moyen efficace pour pratiquer une « purge » vis -à-vis des éléments non fiables. - faire croire au peuple Khmer au nationalisme des soi-disants dissidents. De ce fait, ces derniers pourront réduire le potentiel électoral de l'opposition khmère. Le vote du peuple sera donc divisé entre la vraie opposition et la fausse opposition. Et la marge de manœuvre démocratique de la vraie opposition au sein de l'Assemblée Nationale sera de ce fait réduite. En guise de conclusion Au vu de cette analyse, on peut dire que la scène politique Cambodgienne ressemble curieusement à un théâtre d'ombres où la plupart des acteurs sont des éléments préalablement choisis pour exécuter des rôles qui ont été formatés à leur mesure. Malgré l'apparition successive de quelques acteurs sur cette scène, le scénariste reste toujours le même. Quel que soit les tours de magie subtilement imaginés, il est du devoir de tous les spectateurs, qu'ils soient de gauche ou de droite, de dévisager l'ombre maléfique afin d'assainir l' « amphithéâtre » pour réécrire ensemble nos propres scénarii dans l'intérêt de tous. ___1 Cet article est la version modifiée des réponses adressées aux diverses réactions de la part de la communauté khmère en France et aux Etats-Unis à la suite de la diffusion de l'analyse intitulée « Une implosion du PPC ou une simple Tactique Politique ? ». Bien que ces réactions nous aient été adressées en privé, nous tenons à remercier ces personnes pour l'intérêt qu'elles portent à notre analyse qui a été diffusée précédemment au sein des forums khmers.  | ||||||||||||||||
| "Oknha Pka Cho'urr" a Poem in Khmer By Heng Thal Savuth Posted: 11 Jun 2011 12:46 PM PDT   | ||||||||||||||||
| Fraud suspects returned to Taiwan on charter flight for 1st time Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:36 AM PDT  Taipei, June 11 (CNA) - A group of 122 Taiwanese fraud suspects were flown back to Taipei from Macau on a private EVA Airways flight early Saturday, marking the first time in Taiwan's crime-fighting history that a chartered plane was used to transport suspected criminals. They were all arrested in Cambodia in a joint regional crime-fighting operation on Thursday, in which a total of 598 suspects, including 410 Taiwanese and 181 Chinese nationals, were nabbed. The suspects were rounded up in Taiwan, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for allegedly operating Internet and telephone scams mainly targeting Chinese and Taiwanese, according to the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB). The bureau sent 60 detectives to escort the 122 fraud suspects back to Taiwan from Macau. The suspects arrived in Macau from Cambodia, along with 181 Chinese suspects, aboard a plane chartered by China. After they arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, another 40 police officers were dispatched to escort them to the central city of Taichung for questioning. Some CIB agents said the in-flight escort mission was reminiscent of the Hollywood action-thriller film "Con Air, " in which a newly released ex-con and former U.S. Ranger found himself trapped on a prisoner transport plane when the passengers seized control. Police sources said the CIB would send another chartered plane to Indonesia in the next couple of days to fly back the 100 suspects arrested there in the June 9 operation. It marked the first time that law enforcement officers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait simultaneously collaborated with their counterparts in Southeast Asian countries in a cross-border crime-fighting operation. Taiwan alone mobilized more than 800 police officers to join the massive crackdown on telecom and Internet scams. National Police Agency Director-General Wang Cho-chiun said Friday that the operation had dealt a heavy blow to the fraud rings and should help reduce fraud cases in Taiwan. Moreover, he said, it was the first time that Taiwanese and mainland Chinese police had jointly investigated fraud cases in a third country. "We believe the operation has set a new trend in joint crime-fighting," he added. Taiwanese fraud rings have reportedly relocated to Southeast Asia since an agreement was singed two years ago between Taiwan and China to work more closely to bust such operations, police sources said. (By Johnson Sun and Sofia Wu)  | ||||||||||||||||
| Midlander, foundation work for Cambodian women’s empowerment Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT Saturday, June 11, 2011 By Theresa Clift Midland Daily News Midlander and retired Dow Corning Vice President Marie Eckstein recently spent two weeks in Cambodia working with The Harpswell Foundation. The politically-neutral Harpswell Foundation's mission is to empower a new generation of women leaders in Cambodia and the developing world. Eckstein is a new member of its advisory board. The foundation was created by Alan Lightman, a retired professor at both Harvard and The University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Bijou orchestra's musical production of Lightman's best-selling book Einstein's Dreams, inspired Eckstein to take the trip. "I wanted to see if there were opportunities where I could help," Eckstein said. "What I found was just amazing." The foundation serves women from Cambodia's countryside who graduated from 12th grade despite extreme poverty. The 80 women are provided with housing, money for food, and extra critical thinking classes to help them learn skills to become leaders and problem solvers. "He's giving these girls a real added layer of education that nobody else is getting in Cambodia," Eckstein said of Lightman. Eckstein was drawn to the foundation because she remembers when at least 1.7 million educated Cambodians were killed in the end of the Vietnam War, leaving the country with a gap for leadership. "This approach is helping Cambodia change from within," Eckstein said. "It just makes sense." Successful women such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador of Cambodia Carol Rodley have spoken to the students, providing inspiration. When they graduate, the women are deeply committed to improving their country, Eckstein said. Several studies have shown that educating women is the best investment to recover developing countries. With her business experience and contacts, Eckstein hopes to create a better job market for the foundation's graduates, helping some start their own businesses. Currently, only half of the graduates can find decent paying jobs in the country. Eckstein hopes to find a way to export Cambodian handmade specialty clothing to the United States. She also wants to help connect international corporations who are investing or planning to invest in the foundation to find internships or careers for the students, and to enhance their Corporate Social Responsibility programs by becoming a sponsoring partner with the foundation. Five foundation graduates will begin a fellowship for one year of study in the U.S. at Bowdoin College in Maine, Bard College in New York, and Agnes Scott women's college in Georgia. Each girl's housing costs about $15,000 a year. Spending money, clothes, and laptops are also needed. People can donate to the area of their choice by visiting www.harpswellfoundation.org.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Cambodia slams Thai 'spy' arrests Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:22 AM PDT Saturday, June 11, 2011 AFP PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has accused Thailand of "deceitful fabrication " after Thai police arrested three men on suspicion of spying near the neighbours' disputed border. "The Royal Government of Cambodia wishes to assert that the above fabrication is only a pretext to justify future aggression against Cambodia," said a foreign ministry statement released on Friday. Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a bitter dispute over their shared border that has seen 28 people killed in two outbreaks of fierce fighting this year, and the row has since moved to the United Nations' highest court. On Friday Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the alleged spying activities were unacceptable and accused Phnom Penh of "violating Thai territory". One Thai, one Cambodian and a Vietnamese man were picked up in Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province on Tuesday evening carrying maps with military facilities marked on them, according to Thai police. The suspects have denied they were spying in the area, the officer who made the arrest told AFP. Cambodia said it "categorically rejects this deceitful fabrication by the Thai authorities and prime minister, intending to mislead the public and malign Cambodia", adding it had no need to spy. Last month the country launched a legal bid at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague seeking to force Thailand to pull troops from a disputed strip of land near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple. The court ruled in 1962 that the temple itself belonged to Cambodia but both Phnom Penh and Bangkok claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) patch of nearby territory. In April Cambodia asked the ICJ to clarify its initial ruling.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Thai MFA Informs Cambodia, Vietnam On Arrest Of Spying Suspects Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:18 AM PDT BANGKOK, June 11 (Bernama) -- The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the Cambodian and Vietnamese Embassies in Bangkok of Thailand's arrest this week of their nationals for alleged spying, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported Saturday. Thai caretaker foreign minister Kasit Piromya said that he has instructed his ministry's Department of East Asian Affairs to report the case to the Cambodian and Vietnamese Embassies to Thailand in details. Kasit assured that the case will be proceed in accordance with the Thai laws without any political intervention, saying that he will liaise with Thai police and the Office of the Attorney-General for all facts and information related to the case. Three men were arrested by the Thai police for alleged spying in Kantaralak District of Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket Province near the Thai-Cambodian border earlier this week, including a 32-year-old Thai national, Suchart Muhammad, as well as a Cambodian and a Vietnamese nationals, identified as 43-year-old Ung Kimtai and 37-year-old Nguyen Tengyang respectively. The local police said that the arrest followed a military intelligence report indicating that the trio was driving around the northeastern Thai province, gathering information on Thai military bases and bunkers built for local residents along the Thai-Cambodian border. The Thai police also found with the three suspects a Cambodian military map and a Thai map with different scales and four mobile phones. The trio was charged with espionage threatening Thailand's national security, while the Thai and Cambodian suspects also faced additional charges of drug abuse, as the Thai authorities found both of them were tested positive for methamphetamines.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Open Letter Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:08 AM PDT
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| Sacrava Political Cartoon: Pirate Brothers Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:06 AM PDT
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| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:11 AM PDT Convention on the Rights of the Child Ratified by UNGA in Nov. 1989, entered into force 1990 Cambodia ratified this Convention on October 15, 1992 PART IArticle 61. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life. 2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:08 AM PDT And oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse. - William Shakespeare  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:06 AM PDT Cambodian Constitution (Sept. 1993) Article 157- New (Previously Article 138 and as amended March 1999) The first term of the Senate shall be 5 years and shall be ended after the new Senate taking over the office. For the first term of the Senate: The total member of members shall be sixty-one. The King shall appoint two members including the President the first Vice President the second Vice-President of the Senate. Other members of the Senate shall be nominated by the king upon proposal by the president of Senate and President of National Assembly from among members of political parties which have seats in the National Assembly. The joint meeting between the National Assembly and the Senate shall be conducted by both presidents of these institutions.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 11 Jun 2011 12:28 AM PDT BANGKOK, June 11 (MCOT online news) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Saturday that he had assigned Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya to clarify on the arrest of three men -- a Thai, a Cambodian and a Vietnamese -- apprehended earlier this week on charges of alleged spying of Thai paramilitary bases and bunkers built for Thai villagers at the Thai-Cambodian border to concerned agencies. Mr Abhisit told journalists the clarification would be made after the Phnom Penh government reportedly issued a statement saying that it has never sent spies to gather intelligence in Thailand and alleged that the ongoing charges were made up by the Thai government on a pretext to invade Cambodia. Although he had not yet seen the statement, Mr Abhisit said he has ordered Mr Kasit to clarify the matter to concerned offices. On Friday, Mr Kasit said his ministry had informed the Cambodian and Vietnamese embassies in Bangkok about the arrest of their nationals for alleged spying, affirming that legal action would be taken under Thai law. The trio were identified as Suchart Muhammad, 32, a Thai national; Ung Kimtai, 43, a Cambodian national, and Nguyen Tengyang, 37, a Vietnamese national, and were arrested Tuesday evening at a Thai border village in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket. Mr Kasit said on Saturday the Thai government is willing to exchange the arrested Cambodian and the Vietnamese with two Thai activists now detained in Cambodia on espionage charges, but under the Thai law a prisoner must serve at least two-thirds of jail term before an exchange of prisoners could be possible. A Cambodian court ruled on February 1 that Veera Somkwamkid, Thai Patriots Network coordinator, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon were guilty of espionage, illegal entry, and trespassing in a military zone. Mr Veera was sentenced to an eight-year jail term and a 1.8 million riel (US$450) fine, while Ms Ratree was handed a six-year jail term and a 1.2 million riel (US$300) fine. Thailand has always cooperated with Cambodia, Mr Kasit said, adding that it would be better to wait for the Thai judicial process regarding the apprehended three men proceeded before the government issued further statement.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Taiwan fraud suspects deported from Cambodia Posted: 11 Jun 2011 12:23 AM PDT 2011/06/11 New Straits Times (Singapore) The 122 suspects, detained Thursday in a rare co-ordinated police operation across several Asian countries, landed in Taiwan early Saturday and were taken to a police centre for questioning, said the Criminal Investigation Bureau. TAIPEI: More than 120 Taiwanese nationals arrested in Cambodia on suspicion of fraud were deported to Taiwan Saturday for further investigation, police on the island said. They were among nearly 600 people, including 410 Taiwanese and 181 Chinese, rounded up across the region for allegedly running Internet and telephone scams mainly targeting mainland Chinese, according to the bureau. Details of the scams are sketchy and appeared to have varied from country to country, but police believe thousands of people were taken in. Taiwanese fraud rings have recently relocated to Southeast Asia after the island's police joined forces with Chinese authorities to bust their operations.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 10 Jun 2011 11:56 PM PDT AKRVCOpenLetterDisloyalStaff10June2011 http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/57572882?access_key=key-8btg58pu31b0bwfqa5x AKRVC President Theary Seng's Open Letter to the "Disloyal Staff at the ECCC" for your "Crime against Bureaucracy" 10 June 2011, Phnom Penh Dear "Disloyal Staff of the ECCC": I would like to publicly and personally express my deep gratitude to you for your courage in releasing information regarding Case 003. I can imagine it was a very difficult decision, but I am glad your higher conscience won out. You may have committed a "Crime against Bureaucracy", but in doing so, you have provided the victims and the public a powerful weapon to fight against the "Crimes of Idiocy", an odious offense that is part of a widespread and systematic practice currently in flamboyant display at the Extraordinary Chambers ("ECCC"). What is happening with regards to Cases 003 and 004 is an affront to 1,700,000 victims and 14,000,000 survivors and kins of the Khmer Rouge regime. You stand with the heroes and rescuers of past genocides who challenged the power of mindless bureaucracies and blind obedience to authority in the wholesale destruction of lives—what Hannah Arendt termed as the "banality of evil" and Dr. Ervin Staub coined as the response of "passive/active bystanders" in the "continuum of destruction". The mentality is the same even if the scope and scale are not. Those we honor for their "crimes against bureaucracy" in responding to the "crimes against humanity" are well-known and countless, including Raoul Wallenberg, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oskar Schindler, etc. You are in good company. Again, the mentality is the same even if the scale is not. With my highest respect and regards, Theary C. SENG Representative of the Civil Parties of Orphans Class Association of Khmer Rouge Victims in Cambodia  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 10 Jun 2011 11:48 PM PDT Pre-electoral window-dressing operation and instrument to eliminate rivals By Khmer Observer Sereyvuth Chan, a former prosecutor at the Pursat provincial court, was arrested and tried for corruption. The arrest of such a high ranking personality is a first breaking new since the adoption of the Anti-Corruption Law on March 11, 2010 But the question is how far Hun Sen is willing to go in implementing this law? In other words, the application of this law, in this present case, would not it be both an instrument for eliminating undesirable elements and internal purge, and an operation of pre-electoral window-dressing operation to woo voters for the elections in 2012? [KI-Media Note: Potemkin villages or Potyomkin villages (Russian: Потёмкинские деревни) is an idiom based on a historical myth. According to the myth, there were fake settlements purportedly erected at the direction of Russian minister Grigory Potyomkin to fool Empress Catherine II during her visit to Crimea in 1787. According to this story, Potyomkin, who led the Crimean military campaign, had hollow facades of villages constructed along the desolate banks of the Dnieper River in order to impress the monarch and her travel party with the value of her new conquests, thus enhancing his standing in the empress's eyes] ----------- Potemkin graft crackdown in Cambodia Jun 11, 2011 By Sebastian Strangio Asia Times
PHNOM PENH - On the morning of May 12, Cambodia's local newspapers ran photos of a bedraggled figure being escorted from a small courthouse. The man, who wore a crumpled green shirt and clutched a water bottle as he leant on the shoulder of a security guard, was Top Chan Sereyvuth, a former prosecutor at the Pursat provincial court in the country's west. During his trial, it was alleged he had ordered subordinates to extort money from a man found transporting wood through his province - just one in a long line of corrupt dealings. On May 11, judges at the court found him guilty on corruption charges and handed him a 19-year jail term. Two of his bodyguards were also sent down for 15 and 16 years respectively. The Cambodian government welcomed Sereyvuth's conviction as the first high-profile case to be brought by its new Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), formed last year following the passage of long-awaited anti-graft legislation. While observers were initially divided about the government's commitment to fighting corruption, the ACU has so far netted some big fish. In January, Sereyvuth was joined in custody by Moek Dara, secretary general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), and Hun Hean, the police chief of Banteay Meanchey province in northwest Cambodia . Observers began to speak of a coordinated crackdown. "Our government has made a strong effort to crack down on all bad activity," said Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Council of Ministers. "Everyone has to be behind one regulation together, no matter the color of their party, no matter what their position." Moek Dara is accused of leading a ring of corrupt officials involved in extortion and drug trafficking. Hun Hean and his deputy Chhieng Son are also being held on drug charges. By any assessment, action against corruption in Cambodia is long overdue. In its 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index, global graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Cambodia 154th out of 178 countries for public sector corruption. Bribe-taking permeates daily life at every level, from the school system where children are known to pay small sums to teachers in order to attend class, to the emergency rooms where patients have reportedly died because their family lacked sufficient "tea money" for medical staff. Still, there are questions about the motives behind the ACU's recent series of arrests. Some observers see the crackdown as a sop to foreign donors who historically have provided well over half of the Cambodian government's annual budget. Since the early 1990s, anti-corruption measures have been a perennial demand of the country's international backers but the passage of an anti-graft law only took place in March 2010. "Donors have failed to hold a small corrupt elite to account," said George Boden, a campaigner for international graft watchdog Global Witness. "Donors should ensure that central government does not exert an undue influence over the anti-corruption agencies, that all credible allegations of corruption are investigated and that whistleblowers are given the protection that they deserve." Factional divides Another view is that the arrests have followed factional fault lines within the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and that Prime Minister Hun Sen is using corruption as a pretext to eliminate rivals and shore up his patronage networks. "Corruption is their way of controlling people. Why should they want to eradicate it?" said Son Soubert, a high privy councilor to King Norodom Sihamoni and outspoken government critic. He said the prosecutions were clearly being directed at those who are politically out of favor. "Those who are close to the prominent officials are sure to be protected," he said. "This is the system." Carl Thayer, a professor at the Australian Defense Force Academy in Sydney, said the CPP has long been plagued by factional divisions, including between a group loyal to Hun Sen and another linked to aging CPP President and Senate President Chea Sim. He said that until recently the two factions had reached a stable modus vivendi, but since the defeat of its long-time royalist foe Funcinpec in the 2008 national election, the CPP has begun to rearrange itself along factional fault lines. Jockeying reached a high water mark in early 2009, when General Ke Kim Yan, thought to be a Chea Sim loyalist, was removed as head of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). His replacement, General Pol Saroeun, has been a staunch Hun Sen supporter since 1978 when he joined the Cambodian strongman in a revolt against Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot. At the time, observers said the replacement of Ke Kim Yan - as well as the appointment of seven new deputy commanders-in-chief, all thought to be Hun Sen loyalists - had consolidated the premier's control over the upper echelons of the armed forces. Similarly, Son Soubert said those arrested in the recent crackdown have links to the faction of Chea Sim and Interior Minister Sar Kheng, who has close family links to the senate president. Moek Dara served under Ke Kim Yan in the latter's current appointment as chairman of the NACD, which falls under Sar Kheng's Interior Ministry. Meanwhile, other arrests - including that of Banteay Meanchey police chief Hun Hean, who also answers to the Interior Minister - were made in the west of the country, a traditional stronghold of the Chea Sim/Sar Kheng faction. "[Sar Kheng's] constituency is very strong in Battambang, and in Banteay Meanchey too," Son Soubert said, adding that Ke Kim Yan hailed from the same region. Son Soubert said the recent arrests, far from being salvos of a genuine crackdown, were ultimately little different from the case of Heng Pov, the feared former Phnom Penh police chief who was arrested in 2006 and is currently serving over 90 years in prison on a battery of charges including murder, counterfeiting, extortion and kidnapping. Like Heng Pov, he said, the other officials simply fell victim to political in-fighting. Others said the selective nature of the crackdown was clear in the nature of the asset declarations, a new legal requirement for every senior official. Opposition Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said officials' families were not required to file declarations, making it easy to conceal ill-gotten gains, and that the declarations remained confidential. "We want asset declarations to be disclosed publicly, so everyone can know," he said. "The government has no political will to curb corruption at all. They do not want real change." On April 1, Hun Sen declared his own personal assets, announcing publicly that he earned a personal salary of 4.6 million riels ($1,450) per month and that his other work costs were covered by the state. "My salary is enough for me to survive," said the premier, a multi-millionaire who owns a lavish mansion overlooking Phnom Penh's Independence Monument . Son Soubert described the publicity stunt as a "joke". Government officials, meanwhile, have rejected any suggestion of rifts within the CPP. Phay Siphan said the claims were "baseless" and added that while there were challenges, the government was making strides towards "eradicating" corrupt activities. But Boden of Global Witness said he was not surprised by such allegations. His environmental watchdog organization, which has released a series of reports alleging high-level corruption in Cambodia's extractive resources sector, had "serious concerns" about the new anti-graft unit. "In particular we are concerned about the undue executive control over the make up and functioning of the anti-corruption bodies in Cambodia," Boden said. "Whilst the Anti-Corruption Unit has brought forward some prosecutions against senior government officials we have not seen prosecutions taken against the numerous politicians and military elites named in our reports in association with corrupt practices in Cambodia ." Sebastian Strangio is a journalist based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He can be reached at sebastian.strangio@gmail.com.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Thank you note from SRP Montreal Posted: 10 Jun 2011 10:53 PM PDT
Dear Compatriots, We wish to convey our deepest thanks to each and everyone of our friends and supporters of Sam Rainsy Party who took the time to attend our Bonn Sangkrous Jeat with H.E Sam Rainsy and MP Tioulong Saumara in Montreal on 05 June 2011. Your participation and generous contribution to the cause of our nation help make our ceremony truely a successful, grace in large part to you for your utmost understanding and on-going supports. We could not have achieved so much without your kind supports and understanding of our country's needs and priorities. On behalf of Sam Rainsy Party Montreal, Once again thank you for your participation. With Love and solidarity to all Khmer Compatriots! Thank you. _________________________________ SAM RAINSY PARTY OF MONTREAL INTEGRITY - HONESTY - JUSTICE Email: mapretty@videotron.ca Website: http://www.samrainsyparty.org  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 10 Jun 2011 10:11 PM PDT | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 10 Jun 2011 09:52 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVUziMc1os&feature=channel_video_title  | ||||||||||||||||
| Khmer Kampuchea Krom commemorates loss of Kampuchea Krom Posted: 10 Jun 2011 09:49 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZNt84lvKMo&feature=youtu.be  | ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 10 Jun 2011 09:44 PM PDT  BANGKOK, June 10, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand has arrested three men on suspicion of spying near its disputed border with Cambodia, accusing its neighbour Friday of 'violating' its territory. One Thai, one Cambodian and a Vietnamese man were picked up in Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province on Tuesday evening carrying maps with military facilities marked on them, police said. Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a bitter dispute over their shared border that has seen 28 people killed in two outbreaks of fierce fighting this year, and the row has since moved to the United Nations' highest court. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the alleged spying activities were unacceptable. "I am confident this information benefits us because foreign countries can see that the Cambodian government is violating Thai territory," Abhisit told reporters while campaigning in Bangkok for next month's election. The suspects have denied they were spying in the area, the police officer who made the arrest told AFP. Police said they confiscated both Thai and Cambodian maps and mobile phones. The three are being held in prison and the Vietnamese and Cambodian nationals have requested consular assistance, police added. Cambodia last month launched a legal bid at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague seeking to force Thailand to pull troops from a disputed strip of land near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple. The court ruled in 1962 that the temple itself belonged to Cambodia but both Phnom Penh and Bangkok claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) patch of nearby territory. Cambodia in April asked the ICJ to clarify its initial ruling.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Conversations with a sex worker [-The sordid story of a disgusting French pedophile] Posted: 10 Jun 2011 09:20 PM PDT June 11, 2011 Aneesa Alphonsu Free Malaysia Today A young Cambodian relates the appalling events that led her into prostitution. It was the sort of day that made you want to really seize all opportunities. There was a beautiful blue sky dotted with white wisps of clouds and the kind of sun benevolent enough not to burn your skin. It was 8am in Cambodia and the adventure at hand was a trip through Angkor Archaeological Park. My guide? A 22-year-old sex worker named Samnang, the Cambodian word for Good Fortune. "You can call me Sam," she said, smiling shyly. I had met Sam two days earlier, by accident, when I got lost meandering through the streets of Siem Reap. At first, she tried giving me directions, but when I failed to comprehend, mostly because I'm not good with maps, Sam offered to walk me back to where I was staying during my week-long visit. When we arrived, I asked Sam to have dinner with me, but she declined, saying she had to work. When I asked what she worked as, she explained in halting English that she was a sex worker. I tried to sound casual, telling her why I was in Cambodia and that I was looking for someone who could show me around. I asked if she would be interested. And so, two days later, on a gorgeous day in Siem Rep, Sam takes me on a journey very different from the one I had in mind. As we walk down Sivatha Road, we talk about our lives and I ask her if she would tell her story for me to share with others. She agrees but asks that no photographs be taken. We find a restaurant and seat ourselves for a meal. Spicy chicken rice at 8.30am is indeed the breakfast of champions. The Journey Begins Sam's life began as a rather happy one, but it quickly turned into a horrific series of events. Born in Vietnam, she went to Thailand when she was 17 in search of a better life. She found a job as a waitress. One day, she met a foreigner named Gerard who was very pleased to learn that she was a Vietnam native. He was a businessman who was enthusiastic about importing cheap scooters into Vietnam. After several lunches and dinners, Sam agreed to take Gerard to Vietnam to help him start his business. Felicitations of love followed soon after, and a promise of marriage was extended. One thing led to another and Sam found herself pregnant two months into the relationship. The business was also warming up. But Gerard's ardour toward her cooled drastically. "He began ignoring me and wasn't shy about doing it openly," she shares. Gerard also turned out to be a paedophile, having his way with many underage girls. "In Vietnam, if you have money, you can get away with anything; you just pay the police to keep them quiet," Sam says, frowning. I tell her that this happens around the world. Gerard left Sam in her third month of pregnancy. "I tried asking him to help me and the baby with some money, but he said it's not his problem anymore," she says, her voice thick with emotion. "He told me that I should get an abortion, which he was willing to pay for. I didn't want to do this and I had nowhere to go. One day, while I was looking for odd jobs, I met an old friend who was working as a seamstress. She took me in without question." On the Run Months later, Sam gave birth to a beautiful girl and named her Maelea, which means Flower Garland. Soon after this, she found a job as a cleaner and life seemed better for a while. About a year later, while she was out with her baby, Sam bumped into Gerard at the local market. The man who initially wanted to get rid of the baby now wanted her for himself when he saw how cute she was. "I refused of course," Sam says. "I knew what he did with the other young girls. I didn't trust him anymore and I was afraid that he would hurt my baby." But Gerard got his way through his connections and by using corrupt officials. But after a month, Sam got Maelea back with the help of a visiting social worker from the United States. "I cried for days after I saw what he had done to my baby. Her private parts were swollen and discoloured. She was only one year old." Sam's petite body shook with heavy sobs from this terrible memory. When confronted, Gerard rejected the accusations and threatened to hurt Sam and the baby if she continued to pester him. But he still wanted Maelea. "He would come to the house that I shared with my friend and send thugs over to threaten us. I was afraid for our safety and decided that I would leave and hide out in Cambodia." Starting Anew After a difficult journey, Sam found herself in a foreign country. She couldn't speak the language, and had a little child to feed. "I tried for three months to find a job. No one would hire me. I had to beg on the streets with my daughter in my arms. We were staying at bus stands and wherever else that we could find shelter. I thought that if feeding my daughter and providing her with a roof over her head meant that I had to sell my body, then it was a small price to pay." And so she turned to prostitution. "I will never forget the first time I did it. I just kept my mind on the food that I will be able to buy for my child and me. That made it easier. "I have been doing this for four years now and have met many women like me. In the early days, one of them told me that I would get used to it, that it would get easier. This is not true. I have never gotten used to it and I will not be doing this for much longer." There was conviction in her voice. Sam says she will give it another half a year. "What will my daughter think?" I am stumped for a reply. "Soon, she will be old enough to start asking me questions," she adds. Later, I ask her if she would ever tell Maelea of her past. Sam takes a long pause and says, "Right now, I don't know if I will. I want to be honest, but I also think that she doesn't have to know the ugly side of my life." I ask what she would like to do for a living. "I am saving some money to go back to school and study. I want to become a teacher." And then she asks shyly, "Do you think I can?" I am too overwhelmed to say anything and I nod my answer. At the time of writing, Sam has already started her classes. After so much misfortune, it does look like she is going to live up to the meaning of her name after all.  |
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