The Phnom Penh Post - ENGLISH: “Get ready to relocate” plus 9 more

They're not going there to study the effects of the dams, but to tell the villagers to get ready to relocate.

South African Ambassador Robina Marks last night compared Cambodia's past and contemporary political struggles with those of her homeland, at a ceremony to mark the passing of Nelson Mandela.

At Raffles Hotel Le Royal, dozens of dignitaries, mostly ambassadors and diplomats, paid their respects to South Africa's first black president, who led the struggle against segregation and apartheid.

The hour-long ceremony was comprised of a short documentary about Mandela's life, a video statement from American novelist Maya Angelou and speeches from Marks and other guests.

"Like South Africa, Cambodia comes from a very difficult history as it tries to weave together a society that can come to terms with that history," the ambassador said in an interview.

"[Cambodia] is also trying to identify for itself what it is that will contribute to nation building and towards the full human rights that every Cambodian deserves and should expect."

Of Mandela, Marks, who is based in Bangkok but serves as ambassador to Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar said: "We don't own him as a country; we share him with the whole world."

Ouch Borith, secretary of state for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed "heartfelt condolences" on behalf of the Cambodian people at the memorial. "For his legacy, we must all try to live a meaningful life and work for the betterment of all," he said.

On the second day of the opposition party's planned daily protest in Phnom Penh, Marks said Mandela's emphasis on peaceful reconciliation between adversaries carries particular relevance in the region now due to political unrest here and in Thailand.

Of the anti-government protests that have taken place in Bangkok since the last week of November she said: "It was very interesting to us because [Mandela's death] took place against the backdrop of some turbulence.

Democracy is very loud, again of course in Cambodia."

Marks, who met Mandela on several occasions, said he was as impressive in person as he was in the media.

"He was a wonderful man, a huge personality, a presence which was enormous, and a presence that even though it is not manifested physically anymore, it is a presence that will continue."

Marks said that Mandela could tie the tongues of otherwise articulate adults. Of her first meeting with him she said she "became an awkward teenage girl again".

"I blushed, I stammered, I became my worst self. But he was gracious enough to recognise that he has that kind of persona that has that kind of effect on grown men and women, and he was gracious enough to allow me to compose myself and proceed with what I wanted to say."

She said Mandela's broad appeal was apparent on the day he died when Thailand-based South African expatriates, who are mostly white, came to the embassy to grieve.

"From the moment that our mission doors opened in Bangkok, the very first woman I received was a white woman, who just burst into tears and cried copiously and expressed her sense of sorrow. He's not seen as a leader for black people only. He is seen as the leader for white South Africans as well. And that is part of the miracle for us."

Cambodia failed to add any medals yesterday at the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar, with its tally currently standing at four golds, seven silvers and 12 bronzes to occupy eighth place in the 11-nation medal table.

Thailand broke away from its rivals at the top with 55 golds, while hosts Myanmar and Vietnam were both on 39 golds. East Timor continued to plod on with just a single bronze to its name.

The men's marathon, which started and finished in Naypyidaw's Wunna Theikdi Stadium yesterday, almost saw controversial Japanese-born runner Kuniaki Takizaki grab a podium place.

The 36-year-old, who is better known in Japan as TV comic Neko Hiroshi, came home in 2 hours, 32 minutes and 54 seconds to take fourth – two and a half minutes off the pace of third-placed Eric Panique of the Philippines.

Singapore's Ying Ren Mok won old with a time of 2:28:36, with Thaung Aye of Myanmar collecting silver by crossing the line in 2:29:50.

Takizaki was slammed by the Japanese media last year for his pursuit of a place in the London Olympics marathon. Despite being granted Cambodian citizenship in October 2011 and the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia giving him the nod for a wildcard ahead of local long- distance legend Hem Bunting, the International Association of Athletics Federations ruled Takizaki ineligible to compete in London.

Hem Bunting set a personal best of 2:23:29 at the Paris marathon in April 2012 but has remained out of favour with the Khmer Amateur Athletics Federation and the NOCC.

Across town at the Wunna Theikdi Swimming Pool, the Cambodian contingent concluded a challenging competition in which they failed to come close to a medal.

In the men's 200m freestyle heats yesterday, Maximov Chamraen Youri was nearly 17 seconds off the best time of 1 minute 57.10 seconds posted by Malaysia's Daniel Bego.

Hem Thon Vithiny and Seng Samphors were marginally better than last-placed Veomany Siriphone of Laos in the women's 50m freestyle heats but still well off the qualifying mark.

The Cambodian women's hockey team lost 15-0 to Indonesia yesterday at the Yangon Hockey Field, which was at least an improvement on their previous two obliterations by Thailand and Malaysia in the tournament.

Hopes for more medals – and reaching the NOCC's target of 10 golds in Myanmar – now rest on the shoulders of the remaining petanque players and the martial arts squads.

The men's and women's shooting and mixed doubles will wrap up today at the Petanque Arena in Naypyidaw. Shorinji Kempo starts today, vovinam and judo tomorrow, and taekwondo on Thursday, with all four disciplines expected to yield glory for the Kingdom.

Philippines protests lost gold
Meanwhile, the Philippines said yesterday it had protested a decision by officials at the SEA Games to strip a Filipina swimmer of her gold medal, the latest controversy surrounding the games.

The move comes after the Philippines questioned the huge number of obscure sports at the Myanmar games which seem designed to ensure that the host countries and its allies reap the most medals.

The Philippine Olympic Committee said it had sent a letter asking that swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi be given back her gold. Alkhaldi, 20, won the 100m freestyle last Thursday, but it was quickly taken back after Thailand protested, saying there had been a "false start". AFP

Cambodia managed to salvage a point from the 27th SEA Games group stage with a 0-0 draw against Thailand yesterday at Yangon's Thuwunna YTC Stadium.

The Thais had already booked their place in Thursday's semi-finals and Cambodia knew they were to finish bottom of Group B, but they at least avoiding a repeat of the 2011 tournament in Indonesia when they came home without a point.

Today's Group A clash at 4:30pm Cambodian time at Naypyidaw's Zaya Thiri Stadium between Vietnam and Malaysia is crucial to see who will join Singapore in the next phase.

Vietnam need to win to inflict a surprise elimination on the reigning champions. The 7:15pm kickoff between Laos and Brunei will decide who ends up fourth or fifth in the group.

Another gameweek, another sensational performance from Luis Suarez. If it's all getting a bit too predictable, it's a wonder why 56.1 per cent of fantasy managers worldwide have not opted to field the Liverpool striker.

Suarez surged yet further ahead in the overall charts with a 22-point haul thanks to his hand in all five of the Reds' goals against a hapless Spurs side on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Uruguayan notched a double and set up three more to take his total 136 points this season, at an incredible average of 12.36 points per game. It was also his third straight week as the pride of the Dream team, an unparalleled achievement.

The player closest to Suarez's score was Man City's new Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, who's brace netted him 15 points.

The Cellcard Fantasy League was understandably awash with teams boasting Suarez as captain for high tallies, but only one managed to reach the magical mark of 100 points.

Rithea Kimsour's CBS FC was that team, getting to three digits with huge help from skipper Suarez as well as West Ham keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen (11 points) and Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross (9).

Interestingly, Kimsour called in Suarez as his only transfer of the round, swapping out Man City hitman Sergio Aguero. Kimsour will collect a $20 phone voucher and T-shirt from sponsors Cellcard for his triumph.

The Cellcard Fantasy Facebook competition yielded another rollover to the following week with none able to predict the remarkable 6-3 win for Man City over Arsenal (although Lily Sakura came agonisingly close with a guess of 6-2).

Therefore, gameweek 17, which concludes with the epic London derby between Arsenal ands Chelsea, will offer up $30 in phone vouchers for the Facebook winner.

Cambodia and Japan upgraded their relationship to a "strategic partnership" during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Sunday, local and Japanese media have reported.

The leaders were meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo that celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations.

Japan also announced it will soon send election experts for a "study visit" to assist with electoral reform, state news agency AKP reported.

A memorandum of understanding between the defence ministries of both nations was also signed and according to the Japan Times, Abe pledged more than $133 million in new loans for infrastructural projects.

These projects include improving the stability of the power grid around Phnom Penh, improving irrigation facilities and building a highway linking the capital to Thailand, it reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kuoy Kong could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Thousands of demonstrators turned out at the capital's Freedom Park yesterday for the second day of anti-government protests this week.

After a few hundred activists and protesters spent the day in the park, entertained by singers and musicians, the crowd swelled to several thousand by late afternoon in anticipation of the arrival of Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha.

Following brief opening remarks, the two party chiefs led the crowd in a one-hour rally through the streets, for the first time calling on supporters to drive their motos or tuk-tuks rather than walk.

"Marching by riding motorbikes will prove that [demonstrators] demand a new election," Kem Sokha told reporters before the march. "This is the force of demands of the youth."

Along the way, demonstrators continued the refrain, "Hun Sen, step down", which was met with a varied response from the bemused tourists, frustrated commuters and largely supportive locals who lined the route.

Despite speculation from critics that the protest movement would run out of steam if daily demonstrations were called, enthusiasm to continue the rallies was high yesterday.

CNRP youth activists said they were confident that the movement would continue to draw increasing support.

"It's really sure that the protesters will come more and more, because the word will spread, especially on Saturday and Sunday, because people don't work," Choeng Rameth, 28, a CNRP youth activist from Kandal province, told the Post.

Another activist, Eng Ratanak, also from Kandal province, said that young people were no longer afraid of the authorities.

"We need time, time to heal. Only time will tell if this is a success or not. It's not like 1998. We are not worried about a crackdown anymore . . . We cannot live with this deadlock," he said. "In Thailand, they protest because they want Thaksin's relatives out of the country.

"We don't want Hun Sen out of the country, we just want rid of the corrupt dictatorship government."

Sann Seakkin, national head of the CNRP youth activists, told the Post that there was support for the protest movement from within the security forces.

"We have spies; we have a network in the CPP. We know especially about low-ranking officers. Look at the police.… They want change as well," he said.

The government has yet to move against the demonstrators, and rumours that police were en route to Freedom Park last night proved untrue at press time.

But it remains to be seen how the authorities will deal with what appears to be a movement that will not go away quietly.

"We cannot allow anyone or any group to abuse the public interests.… We will take appropriate action to respond to what is happening," Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said yesterday.

The Defence Support Section (DSS) at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal has appointed Cambodian co-lawyers to represent two suspects in Case 004, the court said yesterday.

The pair appears to be the only remaining suspects in cases 003 and 004 that to this point had not been appointed lawyers by the DSS.

Openly opposed by the government, cases 003 and 004 have been in the pipeline since 2009 and have attracted controversy for the apparent reluctance of Cambodian investigating judges to pursue the cases.

According to a court statement, Cambodian lawyers Bit Seanglim and So Mosseny have been assigned to represent the two suspects, whose identities officially remain confidential but are two of three former mid-ranking Khmer Rouge cadres fingered in Case 004 whose names have long been leaked alongside the suspects in Case 003.

The suspects in Case 004 are Ta An, Ta Tith and Im Chem, while Meas Muth is the only suspect remaining in Case 003 after fellow suspect Sou Met died in June.

Long Panhavuth, program officer at the Cambodia Justice Initiative, said the appointment of the lawyers was "significant" but called on the court to release more information about the case, including the status of the investigation, the suspects' identities and whether they have been charged.

"The public has the right to know where the cases are now. There are zero outreach programs for victim participation in [these cases]," he said.

Panhavuth added that if the appointed lawyers were subsequently recognised by the co-investigating judges it was important that they and the suspects be given access to the case file in order to ensure an "equality of arms".

A lack of access to the case file for defence lawyers and the suspects in cases 003 and 004 has been identified as a major issue as the investigations have proceeded.

Court spokesman Lars Olsen confirmed yesterday that four suspects in cases 003 and 004 had been appointed lawyers. Sou Met never had a lawyer, according to Panhavuth, which means that all remaining suspects in the cases have now been appointed lawyers by the DSS.

The government plans to extend the country's still-limited capacity to treat ailing prisoners by building more secure rooms inside provincial hospitals.

As part of the General Department of Prisons' 2014-2018 strategic plan, the Ministry of Interior hopes to have rooms specifically designated for prisoners in each of the 20 provinces with a municipal prison by 2018.

"We have prisons in 20 provinces but only have secure rooms [for prisoners] in five referral hospitals," Kuy Bunsorn, director general of the General Department of Prisons, said. "As a result, we must continue implementing the plan to form more secure rooms for the prisoners, separating them from the other patients to respect the detainees' rights."

Now, all municipal prisons are equipped with basic health centres, but for any serious illnesses inmates are supposed to be taken to referral hospitals, most of which lack secure and separate rooms to prevent escape during detainee treatment.

The ministry's 2018 goal follows a similar agenda outlined in the 2008-2013 strategic plan, which saw only slender gains in health services for prisoners, Bunsorn said.

"The new plan is to continue implementing what we have done previously."

Officials did not provide any specifics on how the new four-year plan could succeed where the last agenda came up short.

According to Ministry of Interior officials, the present objective is slated to begin with discussions among provincial and municipal health departments, along with provincial referral hospitals.

Officials declined to provide the budgetary details for the project.

Bunsorn also cast doubt on whether the full plan could be achieved by 2018, though he said the ministry would make "efforts" in the following years.

Am Sam Ath, a technical advisor to rights group Licadho, said more secure rooms in hospitals could improve prisoners' rights.

"What we see is that when the ill prisoners are kept with the normal patients in the hospitals they are handcuffed. This affects their rights," he said. But for the prison department, the issue at stake is more closely related to preventing detainee escapes during medical treatment.

Last month, a detainee escaped from a hospital in Koh Kong while seeking medical treatment for migraines.

Last year, three Battambang prisoners escaped from a low security room reserved for the sick, and a Preah Sihanouk inmate ran out of a hospital while guards were sleeping.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CHEANG SOKHA

Family members of a group of Cambodian workers arrested with fake passports in Thailand on Friday claimed yesterday they had got them through a recruitment agency in Cambodia – an allegation the company's president denied.

"I paid $500 to the agency for each of my sons," said Ngoun Srey of his two sons, aged 19 and 15, from Kandal province.

Srey alleged that the recruitment agency in question – Anny Rita Best Manpower – had given the 15-year-old a fake name and age to ensure he was eligible to work.

"The company changed the name of my 15-year-old son to Den Pitau, and his age to 18," Srey said.

Nai Hau was confused as to why his son, 22, was working illegally in Thailand, considering he had forked out a significant amount of money to the recruitment agency for a passport.

"I gave $500 to the company for the passport," he said. "So why are they accusing my son and others of working illegally?"

According to Hau, Anny Rita Best Manpower promised that the workers would receive consistent work and significant pay once they crossed the border.

"I won't allow my son to work abroad again. It's just that the brokers and the company persuaded me that there was plenty of work there and that he would be on a high salary," he said.

A man who identified himself as the company's president, but declined to give a name, denied the allegations yesterday.

"We don't make passports, we go through the authorities," he said. "We will investigate this case with diplomatic officials."