The Phnom Penh Post - ENGLISH: “Farm animals floating” plus 9 more

When I came out here in the morning, it was up to my neck. It came so fast that we had no time to prepare – we saw our farm animals floating on the water.

The National Election Committee has requested the government level "administrative punishment" against two local authorities and a pair of school administrators who violated electoral procedures, including faking election documents, according to a statement released yesterday.

In a letter to the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the NEC alleges that the deputy chief of Kohe village in Kampong Cham's Prek Koy commune promised gifts to CPP voters, while the commune chief in Siem Reap's Svay Dangkum commune faked voter documents.

The NEC also cited the vice principal of Kdol Tahen primary school in Battambang's Bavel district and the principal of Khum Takok primary school located in Siem Reap's Sotr Nikum district as, "allow[ing] a political party to campaign in public school compounds."

"Now that [the election] is finished, we can urge ministries … to follow the law," said Tep Nytha, secretary general of the NEC.

Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told the Post yesterday that he had not yet received the NEC's letter, but that the ministry would investigate the charges and take administrative action if necessary.

"Administrative punishments could include rebukes, withholding promotion or salary … and could lead to dismissal," he said, adding that he was not familiar with the specifics in the NEC's letter.

Sok Kimseng, deputy chief of the CNRP working group in Siem Reap, filed the case against the Svay Dangkum commune chief, alleging that official forged public documents by including fake names and pictures for CPP voters while losing the names of real voters.

"In the case of the commune chief, he has committed an administrative and a criminal offense by faking public documents, and [we] would like the ministry to apply strict punishment," Sok Kimseng said.

According to the ministry spokesman, faking public documents can incur between six months and five years imprisonment.

A long-abandoned Pepsi bottling factory that became a part of the tourist trail in Battambang province has been razed to make way for a water-treatment facility, according to officials.

Ek Sonn Chan, secretary of state at the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Industry, said the Japanese International Cooperation Agency is funding the project.

"We got the grant from the Japanese government via JICA here to build the water treatment facility because we want to have a clean-water system in Battambang province," he said.

Mak Sinnara, deputy director of Battambang's provincial tourism department, confirmed plans for the demolition, which seems to have started earlier this month.

On June 19, JICA signed off on a $33.5 million water-supply-system project in Kampong Cham and Battambang provinces, where the agency says about 30 per cent of residents have access to clean drinking water due to insufficient production capacities in existing facilities, among other factors.

The 1960s-era Pepsi plant on the edge of Battambang town was in operation during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum administration of then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Bottling continued after Sihanouk was overthrown in 1970 and is thought to have ceased only when the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975. The building remained long after the regime fell and became a tourist draw.

In Cambodia, Pepsi is now produced by Cambrew, maker of Angkor beer.

Though eight victims shot during a brutal police crackdown on Sunday night were compensated by King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday, an investigation into the incident has still not been launched.

When Oun Sokheang, 27, was shot in the leg, he was sent for surgery at Calmette Hospital despite being unable to pay for the operation, his wife, Sun Phanna, said.

"The King donated a blanket, mosquito net, a scarf, sarong and an envelope with $1,000," Phanna said, adding that it was delivered by a royal officer.

Neang Ratana, 31, is also recovering at Calmette after being shot in the throat on his way home from work at a construction site, his wife, Chin Chanthy, told the Post yesterday.

"My husband has regained consciousness and can take some boiled rice after doctors operated on his wound," she said, adding that he was recovering in a building beside the hospital for patients unable to pay for medical care following his operation.

Both women expressed gratitude for the King's donation and another $500 raised by local NGOs.

"Before I went to the hospital, I wanted to file a complaint with the [Phnom Penh] court, demanding compensation for the hospital fees, but now I won't, because the King supported us along with other NGOs and generous people," Chanthy said.

Sixteen-year-old Buth Sothy, who sustained a bullet wound in the shoulder, was the only victim at Calmette not to receive $1,000, but was told by the hospital's administrative staff that his medical bills had been covered.

CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap yesterday cited the ongoing conversations between the two political parties as the primary reason why an investigation into excessive force by police has yet to be launched.

"An investigation into the military police response will happen in a few days," Yeap said.

National Military Police spokesman Kheng Tito confirmed an investigation was not yet under way, but declined to comment on whether the investigation would be independent or conducted by the ruling party.

Opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua, meanwhile, echoed calls for an independent and impartial investigation into the excessive use of force by security forces against civilians made by a slew of human rights watchdogs this week.

"Sunday's incident shows yet again the incompetence of police. We're talking about 1,000 military men chasing down civilians and children; we're lucky it wasn't far worse. The government may conduct an investigation, but it will never be independent [of CPP influence]," Sochua said, adding that the CNRP would fully support any independent and transparent investigation.

In a statement released yesterday, Human Rights Watch, which said at least 24 were injured, called on the government to publicly order security forces to abide by international standards on the use of force and firearms.

Firing live ammunition at unarmed people at night constitutes excessive force, HRW Asia director Brad Adams said in the statement.

A conservation group yesterday accused a military commander in Kampong Speu of smuggling two tonnes of illegally cut rosewood to Vietnam on Monday night.

Chea Hean, director of the Natural Resources and Wildlife Preservation Organisation, said the commander had cut the timber in the protected Oral Sanctuary, in Oral district.

"It was taken past the sanctuary checkpoints, but no one caught it," he said. "At midnight on Monday, the timber was sent to Vietnam."

Hean said he alerted district governor Chem Sarim, provincial environment department deputy director Nov Nak, forestry officials and police, but none had acted. "I told them so they could intervene."

Kaig Chansema, district forestry administrative director, said the incident had taken place outside his area, while district governor Chem Sarim said he had received a tip-off but patrolling police had found nothing.

A recent Post story showed a recent crackdown on illegal logging has resulted in only one arrest.

In an apparent bid to reassure jittery visitors watching the country's political scene, the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) said in a statement yesterday that post-election tensions would not harm tourists.

Addressing its members – tour operators and travel agencies – as well as national and international tourists, CATA first provides a vague summary of the July 28 election results, which awarded a victory to the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

The statement then stresses the "massive non-violent demonstrations" by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which wrapped up a three-day sit-in at Freedom Park yesterday. The CNRP has alleged voter fraud and demanded an investigation. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Prime Minister Hun Sen have since met for talks on how to end the stalemate.

The association said tourists were not at risk since the sit-in "complies with democratic expression: peaceful, non-violent, held at a certain area, and authorities are helping to maintain order".

"It is still safe for tourists to come and visit Cambodia, especially Phnom Penh," Ang Kim Eang, CATA president said yesterday in an interview.

Nowhere does it mention that authorities discovered and safely disposed of an explosive device outside the National Assembly and three M79 shells near Freedom Park on Friday.

There is no reference to Sunday's clashes on riverside between protesters and police, and a violent altercation on the Kbal Thnal overpass in south Phnom Penh later that night, which resulted in one man shot dead and others seriously injured.

Several embassies have also cautioned their citizens to remain vigilant and avoid straying too near the protest area.

Eang said the incidents on Sunday happened outside of the opposition party's official protest area in Freedom Park.

"This morning I tried to go around Phnom Penh myself, to the National Museum, to the Royal Palace; I didn't see any difficulty, I didn't see any dangers for tourists," he said.

On Sunday and parts of Monday, tourists had to wend their way through razor-wire installations and security barricades around the capital.

One of them, Patricia Berlmal, 39, had just arrived from Barcelona. She said she was unaware demonstrations would be happening.

"I would've changed my trip and waited until after the demonstrations were over to come," Berlmal said.

Barricades had prevented tuk-tuks from passing through Sihanouk Boulevard, forcing her to walk to the museum. She felt that had exposed her to a higher chance of pick-pocketing and purse snatching.

Tourism is one of the driving factors of Cambodia's growing economy, contributing 12 per cent to the country's GDP last year. Ministry of Tourism statistics show that 2.4 million international tourists visited Cambodia in the first seven months of this year, a 19 per cent year-on-year increase.

Kong Sopearak, director of the statistics department at the Ministry of Tourism, said this week that tourists are still arriving at a steady pace. He said the difficulties in reaching parts of the city only lasted for a short while in small parts of Phnom Penh.

"I don't think it is affecting the arrival of tourists or the tourism sector," Phearak said. "Until now, everything in the tourism sector is good, and we don't have any tourists cancelling their plans to come."

Eang, the CATA president, said yesterday that although there were no cancellations in existing bookings, potential visitors planning new bookings for arrivals in September or October might consider delaying their trip.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HOR KIMSAY

Australian green energy company Star 8 has designed a solar-powered tuk-tuk and is in the process of building a factory in Cambodia to make the vehicles, according to a report in Australian newspaper The Age.

Through solar panels on the rooftop, power is sent to one battery for running the engine, and another in storage that can also be used to power household generators, the Fairfax-owned newspaper reported.

The vehicles' makers said the tuk-tuks will cost between A$2,000 (US$1,865) and A$3,000. A full charge can cover 120 kilometres and can reach a top speed of 50 kilometres per hour.

Star 8 director Jacob Maimon was quoted as saying that the vehicle will cost "next to nothing to run" and could also provide an opportunity for an alternative energy source.

Maimon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The company reportedly has signs of interest from Bangladesh, China, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam.

While the solar-powered tuk-tuk may be a first for Cambodia, renewable energy is one of the country's fastest-growing industries.

The Royal University of Phnom Penh launched its first renewable energy course last year, recognising the need to prepare students for rising demand in the sector.

Dear Editor,

In light of the July 28 election chicanery orchestrated by the ruling party, one has to wonder if donor agencies such as USAID will re-think their role within Cambodia.

According to most recent version of the USAID-funded document Demographic Health Survey (2010), "Three additional free and fair elections took place in 1998, 2003, and 2008. Now Cambodia is stable and well on its way to democracy and a promising future."

One has to wonder if they are talking about the same Cambodia the rest of the world knows. If a complete lack of transparency and accountability, nepotism, human rights violations, land grabbing and now blatantly rigged elections are USAID's definition of "democracy and a promising future", they need to re-take a basic high school class in civics.

Pandering to a morally bankrupt regime in order to maintain a presence in the country only serves to further validate the ruling party's unapologetically corrupt practices and continues the flow of US taxpayer dollars into a black hole.

In the meantime, it's business as usual for the ruling party, as they are further enabled by the free-flow of money to projects that any government with a social conscious would tend to themselves. Par for the course, the vast majority of Cambodian citizens, particularly those in rural areas, continue to suffer.

Rates of childhood stunting due to malnutrition hover unchanged at 40 per cent since first monitored in 2000, while the waistlines of Cambodia's politically connected continue to burgeon.

It's time for foreign governments and responsible agencies to call a spade a spade and hold the ruling party responsible for their rapacious behaviour and disregard of the will of their own people.

USAID has the opportunity to set an example and follow the lead of lawmakers in Washington, DC, who are calling for the United States to cut off aid to Cambodia.

Donor agencies would do well to consider a quote from Dr Martin Luther King Jr: "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people."

Christopher Hilleary
Pharm.D.
Managing Director,
PharmASEAN Advisory Group

Dear Editor,

After many years of awaiting the trials of senior Khmer Rouge leaders, Cambodian survivors are now watching as their hopes of justice slip away.

Repeated funding crises and political impasses between the United Nations and Cambodian government have led to trials that took too long to begin and have taken too long to complete.

The latest crisis involves another strike by unpaid Cambodian staffers. UN officials point to Cambodia's obligation to finance most of its side of the court.

Cambodian officials reply that they require donor support to meet those obligations. In the meantime, the tribunal's work stalls again, frustrating the legitimate expectations that millions of victims invested in the process.

While both the United Nations and Cambodian government have been keen to emphasise one another's obligations, they would do well to recall that they committed jointly to pursue the interest of justice for victims of the Khmer Rouge era. Both sides must contribute to overcome the current impasse and see Case 002 to fruition.

If the tribunal fails due to funding shortfalls, most Cambodian observers will hold both the United Nations and Cambodian government responsible.

If the tribunal comes to a strong conclusion, most Cambodians will give both sides credit. Signs of renewed commitment by both sides will help restore public confidence in an ailing process, which will generate momentum for further contributions by both the national authorities and foreign donors. Both UN and Cambodian leaders owe it to the Cambodian people not to miss that opportunity.

Youk Chhang
Director,
Documentation Center of Cambodia

The Ministry of Interior Sport Club will host a two-day badminton competition at the Department of Logistics, located to the south of the Royal Palace, this weekend with entrance restricted to veteran players.

According to Chea Bunheng, general secretary of the Ministry's Sports Club, 50 participants from 20 clubs have already signed up to compete across three age categories – over 45s, over 50s and over 55s.

"We could host this friendly competition due to support from the Ministry's Sport Club [as well as] Sar Kheng, the Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister," added Chea Bunheng. Winners of each division will receive sport shoes, kit and rackets.