A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 25 November 2008

Officials in Banteay Meanchey Province raising money to help soldiers stationed in Preah Vihear


Cambodian troops based in Preah Vihear.

By Sophal Mony
Radio Free Asia
24th November, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Cambodian officials said that provincial authority of Banteay Meanchey province are collecting money to help buy food for the soldiers stationing in the Preah Vihear areas.

Mr. Ouk Ratanak, director of cabinet of Banteay Meanchey province, said that on the morning of Monday 24th November, village, commune and district officials were collecting money, material and food supplies from donors to give to the soldiers stationing in Preah Vihear. The collections started from last week.

Mr. Ouk Ratanak said: “We don’t bring the money to them. We will only bring material and food supplies to them. Our soldiers need more material and food supplies such as blankets to protect them from cold weather. We try to avoid giving them large sum of money because we are afraid that those money will not reach the ordinary soldiers.”

Governor of Puok District, Mr. Phan Saroeun, said that people in his district are enthusiastic about helping the soldiers who are protecting our territories. He said: “After we issued our (fundraising) plan, they support our plan 100%, they are very happy to help and they did help in the (fundraising) activities, they are happy to implement our plan and they are willing to contribute whatever they can.”

One Puok District councillor, Mr. Da Chhean, said that he has collected the money from some people, but some other people are still busy harvesting their rice. He said: “I am a councillor for Puok District and I have collected some money from some people. Some other people we have not collected from them yet because we cannot see them as they are busy harvesting their crops.”

Officials from Banteay Meanchey province said that all the material and food supplies donated by the people will be transported to the soldiers in Preah Vihear on 26th-27th of November.

Material and food supplies collected were: noodles, canned fish, dried fish, fish paste (prahok), fish sauce, soya sauce, clothes, blankets, flu medicines and medicines for malaria.

However, provincial officials cannot confirm the total amounts they have collected from the people, as the collection activities are still continuing.

Gen. Srey Doek, commander of Intervention Force of Division 12 based in Preah Vihear, said that the soldiers welcome all donations. He said: “We welcome and we accept all sorts of donations. These are voluntary contributions from the people which the soldiers appreciate very much.”

Please note that, this is the second time that the officials of Banteay Meanchey has organised the fundraising to help the soldiers in Preah Vihear. The first time they raised more than 100 million riels ($US25,000) for the soldiers based at Preah Vihear temple and Ta Moan temple in Oddor Meanchey province.//

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The govt. has allocated $250 million to military budget and next year will increase to $500 million. So where have all the money gone to? the govt. should feed and clothe the soldiers, not the poor people.