DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Asian youth gather in Cambodia to discuss peace, development” plus 3 more

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The 2013 Asian Youth Forum opened here on Friday to exchange views on strengthening peace, stability and development through education, announced Hun Many, President of Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia.

The two-day forum brought together youth delegates from 22 countries of the Asian Youth Council, including Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Brunei, South Korea and Mongolia, he said.

"They would discuss challenges, share experiences and reflect their commitments to a significant and proactive role in building a culture of peace and development in the region in particular and the world at large," said Hun Many, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the forum provided a rare opportunity for Cambodian youth to share views on strengthening peace, stability and development in the region and the world, as well as share experiences and create regional network.

"I am really proud of Asian youth who are dynamically working together for the cause of peace, development and prosperity in each country, the region and the world," the premier said.

"This is the real spirit of cooperation and partnership that must take root among youth, the core force of development in the future."

He said the forum, held under the theme "Youth and Peace: Strengthening Peace, Stability and Development through Education", was right and timely in the context that the possibility of turmoil and civil war were threatening many countries and regions.

The recent experiences of Arab Spring and the ongoing civil wars in some countries would remind every youth to always remember their obligation and significance in protecting and maintaining the tree of peace, he added.

"Careless acceptance of irresponsible rhetoric and political propaganda from outside may bring about great danger to the whole society for the long term," the premier advised.

The forum was also attended by Dato' Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo, President of the Asian Youth Council. At the end of the forum, the Asian Youth Council will adopt a Joint Declaration and present it to the Minister of Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Lending at Cambodia's commercial banks grew by 5 percent and deposit increased by 3 percent in the first quarter of this year, a report from the National Bank of Cambodia showed Thursday.

The report said that the kingdom's 33 commercial banks had lent a total of 6.1 billion U.S. dollars to customers by the end of March this year, up 5 percent from 5.79 billion U.S. dollars at the end of last year.

It said that about 32 percent of the loans went to trade sector, 10 percent to agriculture, 9 percent to manufacturing, 8 percent to construction, 6 percent to hotels and restaurants, 6 percent to mortgages and the remaining percentage went to financial institutions, real estate and personal borrowing.

On the deposit side, the report said that by March this year, the banks had received a total deposit of 6.29 billion U.S. dollars, up 3 percent from 6.09 billion U.S. dollars at the end of last year.

Nguon Sokha, director general of the National Bank of Cambodia, attributed the increases in loan and deposit to good economic situation in combination with stronger pbulic confidence in the banking industry.

"We project that for the whole year of 2013, the lending will grow around 32 percent and the deposit will be up about 30 percent, " she told Xinhua over telephone.

"The central bank will continue to strengthen the supervision of the commercial banks in order to ensure financial stability."

Cambodia has the population of about 14.5 million. Its banking sector has been serving about 1.6 million borrowers and 1.9 million depositors, said the central bank.

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that mass protests could break out nationwide if Kem Sokha, vice president of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, did not apologize for his denial of the existence of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison during the Democratic Kampuchea, or Khmer Rouge regime, from 1975-1979.

"Large scale demonstration can happen not only in Phnom Penh, but also in provinces, where Kem Sokha is present," the premier said during the inauguration of new achievements at a Buddhist pagoda in eastern Kampong Cham province.

"He (Kem Sokha) spoke without responsibility," Hun Sen said, adding that this was the individual conflict between Kem Sokha and Cambodian people, not the conflict between the ruling Cambodian People's Party and the opposition party.

"I'd like to suggest that if there are protests against him, all protests must be non-violent in order to maintain dignity and public order," he said.

Kem Sokha left Cambodia for the United States on Wednesday.

"The protest can be held when Kem Sokha returns to Cambodia," Hun Sen said.

Chhum Mey, president of the Victims Association of Democratic Kampuchea and one of the survivors from the Tuol Sleng prison, said Thursday that the association had set the deadline on June 3 for Kem Sokha to apologize for his denial of the existence of the Tuol Sleng prison.

"When the deadline comes and Kem Sokha has not come to the former Tuol Sleng prison for apology, we will stage a mass protest against him," he told Xinhua over telephone, adding that the protest date had not been determined yet.

He said Kem Sokha's remarks insulted people who lost lives at the prison and elsewhere in the country during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Phnom Penh's former Tuol Sleng prison was a main torture center during the regime, and around 14,000 people were killed at the center.

In February last year, the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) sentenced ex-chief of Tuol Sleng prison Kaing Guek Eav to life in prison for overseeing the deaths.

The apology demand was made after Kem Sokha said that the Tuol Sleng prison was an artifactial killing place displayed for photographs.

"If this place (Tuol Sleng prison) was truly Khmer Rouge, they would have demolished it before they left, not kept it to show everyone," Kem Sokha said in a short audio recording circulated by the government.

"If the Khmer Rouge killed a lot of people, they would not be stupid to keep it to show to everyone, they would destroy it to eliminate evidence. I believe that it was just staged," he said at his party's public forum.

However, the Cambodia National Rescue Party issued a statement earlier this week, stating that Kem Sokha has never denied the genocide, the tortures and the killings of Cambodian people such as that in Tuol Sleng prison, committed by the Khmer Rouge.

"A small part of Kem Sokha's speech has been recently picked up and twisted by a group of people to provide misinterpretation on the meaning of the speech," the statement said. "This manipulation is politically motivated as the general election is approaching."

Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28.

Eight parties will run in the election, according to the National Election Committee. Three major parties, among them, are the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Analysts predict that Hun Sen's party will definitely win a landslide victory in the upcoming polls.