Friday, 28 August 2009
By Vong Sokheng
Phnom Penh Post
THE Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation has announced a plan to open two temporary holding centres for Cambodians deported from Thailand and Vietnam.
In remarks at the ministry Wednesday, Ith Sam Heng said the government would set up centres in Poipet and Svay Rieng.
"We are conducting the appropriate studies before selecting locations for the temporary centres, which will give an opportunity to people kicked out of Thailand and Vietnam to have somewhere to stay before contacting their families," he said.
Ith Sam Heng could not be reached Thursday to elaborate on plans for the centres, and several secretaries of state at the ministry declined to comment.
Ou Virak (pictured), president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said he approved of the idea of the centres but said they should be operated in a transparent manner to ensure that people who are held there are not subject to rights abuses.
But Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said he did not believe government money should be spent on the centres, arguing that there were not enough Cambodians deported each year to justify the expense.
Ith Sam Heng said in his remarks Wednesday that roughly 1,000 people could benefit from the holding centres each year.
Rong Chhun also called on the government to create more jobs in Cambodia so people would not feel compelled to move out of the country.
By Vong Sokheng
Phnom Penh Post
THE Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation has announced a plan to open two temporary holding centres for Cambodians deported from Thailand and Vietnam.
In remarks at the ministry Wednesday, Ith Sam Heng said the government would set up centres in Poipet and Svay Rieng.
"We are conducting the appropriate studies before selecting locations for the temporary centres, which will give an opportunity to people kicked out of Thailand and Vietnam to have somewhere to stay before contacting their families," he said.
WE ARE CONDUCTING ... STUDIES BEFORE SELECTING LOCATIONS FOR ... THE ...CENTRES.
Ith Sam Heng could not be reached Thursday to elaborate on plans for the centres, and several secretaries of state at the ministry declined to comment.
Ou Virak (pictured), president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said he approved of the idea of the centres but said they should be operated in a transparent manner to ensure that people who are held there are not subject to rights abuses.
But Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said he did not believe government money should be spent on the centres, arguing that there were not enough Cambodians deported each year to justify the expense.
Ith Sam Heng said in his remarks Wednesday that roughly 1,000 people could benefit from the holding centres each year.
Rong Chhun also called on the government to create more jobs in Cambodia so people would not feel compelled to move out of the country.
3 comments:
What are these holding centres for? Are they to detain illegal immigrants being returned to Cambodia? Why can't these people simply go home? Do other illegal immigrants returning to their home country get detained?? As far as I'm aware illegal immigrants returned to African countries are free to try to get across borders as soon as they have the money. It strikes me that such centres will be a waste of time and money and will simply prove to many that getting out of Cambodia is the best option.
It is striking as quite odd that Khmers are being kicked out left and right from thailand and vietnam, especially vietnam (scratching my head). How about hundreds of thousands of viets living illegally in Cambodia are not being sent back. It's a sensitive issue for the current Cambodian government, but got the ask "Why?"
31 August 2009 7:55 AM, Cambodian govt. doesn't care about illegal immigration, they only care about their power and money.
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