Friday 28 February 2014

Former Australian foreign minister accuses Hun Sen as the world's most corrupt leader អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសអូស្ត្រាលីចោទលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ថាជាមេដឹកនាំពុករលួយស្ទើរផុតលេខ

ដោយ ជុន ច័ន្ទបុត្រ 2014-02-27. Read in English here.

ស្ដាប់ ឬ ទាញយកសំឡេង

អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសអូស្ត្រាលី និងជាស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពទីក្រុងប៉ារីស លោក ហ្គារ៉េត អេវ៉ាន (Gareth Evans)។

Photo courtesy of gevans.org

អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសអូស្ត្រាលី និងជាស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពទីក្រុងប៉ារីស មានប្រសាសន៍ថា លោកទ្រាំលែងបាននឹង លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ទៀតហើយ។ នៅក្នុងបទនិពន្ធរបស់លោកមួយ ដែលចុះផ្សាយលើទំព័រទស្សនៈពិភពលោក កាលពីថ្ងៃទី២៦ កុម្ភៈ នេះ លោក ហ្គារ៉េត អេវ៉ាន (Gareth Evans) ប្រើសម្ដីធ្ងន់ៗចោទ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ថាជាមេដឹកនាំផ្តាច់ការ មេដឹកនាំពុករលួយស្ទើរផុតលេខ ហើយលោកអំពាវនាវអោយសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិ បកអាក្រាតអំពើទាំងនោះដោយចេញមុខ និងអោយបើកការស៊ើបអង្កេតទៅលើអំពើរំលោភបំពានទាំងអំបាលម៉ានពីសំណាក់ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន និងដៃជើងរបស់ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន។

លោក ជុន ច័ន្ទបុត្រ សូមប្រែសម្រួលអត្ថបទនេះទាំងស្រុងជូនលោកអ្នកនាងដូចតទៅ៖

រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា បានគេចខ្លួនរួចទៀតហើយពីការសម្លាប់មនុស្ស។ នោះមិនមែនជាអំពើប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍ដូចដែលបានបង្កឡើងដោយពួកខ្មែរក្រហម នៅទសវត្ស៧០ នោះទេ។ ហើយក៏មិនមែនដូចការសម្លាប់មនុស្សដែលកំពុងតែកើតមានដូចនៅប្រទេសស៊ីរី ឬក៏ដូចអ្វីដែលកើតឡើងនៅប្រទេសអ៊ុយក្រែន វេណេហ្ស៊ុយអេឡា ថៃ បង់ក្លាដេស ដែលយើងឃើញលើទំព័រសារព័ត៌មាននាពេលថ្មីៗនោះទេ។ តែទោះជាទម្រង់ណាក៏ដោយ ការសម្លាប់មនុស្ស គឺជាការសម្លាប់មនុស្ស ពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជា ត្រូវក្រុមប្រដាប់អាវុធតម្រង់ចុងកាណុងបាញ់សម្លាប់តែម្តង។

កាលពីថ្ងៃទី៣ ខែមករា កន្លងទៅនេះ កម្មកររោងចក្រកាត់ដេរ ៥នាក់ ត្រូវគេបាញ់សម្លាប់នៅពេលដែលពួកគាត់ធ្វើបាតុកម្មទាមទារប្រាក់ខែ ដែលអាចអោយពួកគាត់អាចរស់នៅសមរម្យបាន។ មនុស្សជាច្រើនទៀតរងរបួស ដោយសារគ្រាប់កាំភ្លើង និងដោយសារការវាយដំ។ ជាង ២០នាក់ទៀត ត្រូវគេចាប់ដាក់គុកដោយមិនមានការកាត់ក្តី។ ហើយអំពើនេះ កើតឡើងបន្ទាប់ពីមានការបង្ក្រាបបង្ហូរឈាមទៅលើអ្នកធ្វើបាតុកម្មចំពោះការបោះឆ្នោត ដែលពោរពេញទៅដោយភាពមិនប្រក្រតី ហើយដែលលោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ពីខាងគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ដែលជាអ្នកបានគ្របដណ្ដប់ជីវភាពនយោបាយកម្ពុជា អស់ជាង ៣០ឆ្នាំមកហើយនោះ ឈ្នះជាថ្មីម្តងទៀត។

ការសម្លាប់មនុស្សនាពេលថ្មីៗនេះ ធ្វើអោយគេនឹកឃើញឡើងវិញនូវបែបផែនសម្លាប់មនុស្សពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងអំពើហិង្សានយោបាយ ដែលកើតឡើងញឹកញាប់ពេកណាស់នៅកម្ពុជា នៅរាល់ដំណាក់កាលសំខាន់ៗមួយចំនួន ក្នុងប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្ររបស់ប្រទេសនេះ។ ទោះបីជាក្រោយពីមានកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពទីក្រុងប៉ារីស ឆ្នាំ១៩៩១ ដែលមិនគ្រាន់តែមានគោលបំណងនាំសន្តិភាពដល់កម្ពុជា ទេ តែនាំមកនូវលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និងការគោរពសិទ្ធិមនុស្សជូនប្រជាជាតិមួយ ដែលរងទុក្ខវេទនាជាយូរមកហើយនោះផងដែរ។ គ្មានប្រទេសណាមួយនៅលើពិភពលោកយើងនេះ សមនឹងទទួលបានចំណុចទាំងបីនេះដូចជាប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ដែលធ្លាប់ហែកហួរអស់រយៈពេលពីរទសវត្ស ដោយសារការទម្លាក់គ្រប់បែកអាមេរិកាំង ដោយសារសង្គ្រាមស៊ីវិល ដោយសារការប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍នៃរបបដ៏ព្រៃផ្សៃនៃពួកខ្មែរក្រហម ដោយសារការឈ្លានពានរបស់វៀតណាម ហើយនិងដោយសារសង្គ្រាមស៊ីវិលជាថ្មីម្តងទៀត ដែលជាលទ្ធផលបានសម្លាប់មនុស្សប្រមាណ ២លាននាក់នោះទេ។

ដោយ៖ ណុល ដារ៉ា | ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី28 ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ2014, VOD. Read in English here.

ស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងទីក្រុងប៉ារីស អំពាវនាវឲ្យសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិដាក់ទណ្ឌកម្មលើរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា

លោក ហ្គារ៉េត អ៊ីវ៉ាន អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងការបរទេសអូស្ត្រាលី ដែលជាស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពក្រុងប៉ារីស (រូបថតពី៖ yourcommonwealth.org) Prof. Gareth Evans, former Australian foreign minister and the architect of the Paris Peace Accords.

ស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងទីក្រុងប៉ារីស អំពាវនាវឲ្យសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិដាក់ទណ្ឌកម្មលើរដ្ឋាភិបាល ដែលដឹកនាំដោយគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ចំពោះបទរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ និងប្រាសចាកគន្លងប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ។

លោក ហ្គារ៉េត អ៊ីវ៉ាន អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងការបរទេសអូស្ត្រាលី ដែលជាស្ថាបនិកកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពក្រុងប៉ារីស កាលពីថ្ងៃ២៦ ខែកុម្ភៈ បានសរសេរនៅលើគេហទំព័រ Project Syndicate ថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាមិនទទួលខុសត្រូវ ចំពោះការសម្លាប់មនុស្ស។ អត្ថបទរបស់លោកលោកបន្តថា ការសម្លាប់មនុស្សនេះមិនដូចករណីសម្លាប់ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ក្នុងទសវត្សរ៍៧០ ដោយពួកខ្មែរក្រហមទេ ប៉ុន្តែគឺជាការសម្លាប់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ដោយគិតទុកជាមុន ពីសំណាក់កងកម្លាំងសន្តិសុខរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាល។

ក្នុងអត្ថបទរបស់លោក ក្រៅពីព្រឹត្តិការណ៍បង្ក្រាបបាតុកម្មរបស់កម្មករទាមទារប្រាក់ខែសមរម្យ ១៦០ដុល្លារ នៅថ្ងៃទី៣ ខែមករា ដើមឆ្នាំនេះ បណ្ដាលឲ្យមនុស្សស្លាប់៥នាក់ រងរបួសប្រមាណ៤០នាក់ និងចាប់ខ្លួនជាង២០នាក់ ក៏មាននិយាយទៅដល់ការវាយប្រហារដោយគ្រាប់បែក ទៅលើបាតុកម្មដឹកនាំដោយលោកសម រង្ស៊ី កាលពីខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧ បណ្ដាលឲ្យស្លាប់មនុស្ស១៦នាក់ និងរងរបួសជាង១០០នាក់ផងដែរ។ លោកបន្ថែមថា លោកគ្មានសង្ឃឹមលើរដ្ឋាភិបាលដែលដឹកនាំដោយគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ក្នុងការការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យនៅក្នុងប្រទេសនេះទេ។

A military policeman discharges a rifle along Veng Sreng Boulevard in Phnom Penh during protests Jan 3 that turned fatal. POST STAFF

Fri, 28 February 2014 Phnom Penh Post,
By Gareth Evans

Cambodia's government has been getting away with murder. Not the kind of genocidal slaughter conducted by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.

Nor the scale of killing that has been roiling Syria, or that has put Ukraine, Venezuela, Thailand and Bangladesh in the global headlines of late. But murder nonetheless, with Cambodian citizens deliberately targeted by their country’s security forces.

On January 3, five striking garment workers were shot dead in Phnom Penh while peacefully demanding a minimum livable wage. Many others were severely injured by gunfire and beatings.

More than 20 have been detained without trial. This followed deadly violence against unarmed demonstrators protesting against last year’s deeply flawed national election, won, yet again, by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party, which has dominated political life for more than three decades.

The recent killings repeat a pattern of political violence that has recurred all too often at crucial moments in Cambodia’s history – even after the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, which were intended to bring not only peace, but also democracy and human-rights protection to the country’s long-suffering people.

No country in the world deserved all three more, ravaged as it was for two decades by massive United States bombing, civil war, a genocidal reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge, invasion by Vietnam and more civil war – with some two million dead as a result.

Hopes were high that Cambodia had been set on a transformative path by the success of the United Nations peace plan, the huge peacekeeping operation that followed and the remarkably peaceful election of 1993 (in all of which Australia played a leading role during my time as Foreign Minister).

In some respects, those hopes have been realised. The Khmer Rouge did wither away, and with it the lingering threat of renewed civil war. The Cambodian economy – strongly supported in recent years by aid and investment from China – has grown steadily (though it lags behind most of its regional neighbours, and concerns about corruption and political instability are preventing it from reaching its full potential).

But Cambodia’s record on democracy and human rights since the Paris Peace Agreements has not been a good one. A grenade attack on an opposition rally led by Sam Rainsy in March 1997 killed 16 people and injured more than 100.

Forces will back us: Rainsy [Rainsy says the Cambodian army will back the opposition. Is it a wishful thinking?]

Thu, 27 February 2014

May Titthara and Kevin Ponniah

The Phnom Penh Post

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/sites/default/files/styles/full-screen_watermarked/public/field/image/2-CPP-at-CNRP-rally.jpg?itok=sIcSqRHk

A CPP supporter holds a placard while authorities stand in front of a CNRP office where a group of opposition supporters gathered in Kampong Cham province in January. Koam Chanrasmey

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy yesterday claimed that if Prime Minister Hun Sen tries to use authorities to quash future opposition-led protests, the armed forces and police would disobey the government’s orders and join the protesters, as has occurred during the recent political upheaval in Ukraine.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party leader’s comments came a day after the premier lifted a ban on pubic assembly but said that any CNRP demonstrations would be met with counter-demonstrations by the ruling party as both parties share “equal rights”.

“Two million people will join the protest [here] as in Ukraine, and the armed forces will not open fire on villagers; in the end, they will join us,” Rainsy said at a public forum in Kandal province.

The opposition leader said that Cambodian People’s Party protesters – who he described as “gangsters” – were usually protected by state security forces.

Speaking with the Post later, Rainsy added that despite his party previously calling for an improvement in the political environment before top-level negotiations could take place, he was unconvinced that Hun Sen was being “conciliatory” by lifting the protest ban.

“This is an intimidation, not a conciliatory move, by saying the CPP would demonstrate alongside the CNRP. This is a threat rather than [a move] towards appeasement,” he said. “There [will be] no effective liberty to protest, because the CPP, according to Hun Sen’s appeal, will hold a parallel meeting … so this will lead to a clash.”

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak yesterday rejected Rainsy’s claims that authorities would join protesters.

“We know what he said, but it will not happen.… He always says this [kind of thing].”

Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said that Cambodia could not be compared to Ukraine, because anti-government protests here had been instigated by a political party that lost an election.

“We banned protests temporarily, because the CNRP protests had violated the Cambodian constitution [every day], so we had to protect it, otherwise it would have been bigger and bigger and we would not have been able to control it.”

Kem Sokha and CNRP delegates visit Vorn Pov and 20 other political prisoners 28/2/14

Finally, CNRP leaders were allowed to visit Mr. Vorn Pov and 20 other heroes in prison (Correctional Center No. 3) in Kampong Cham.

Correctional Center No. 3 - February 28, 2014

H.E. Kem Sokha and CNRP delegates have visited our heroic demonstrators such as Mr. Vorn Pov who were arrested by Hun Sen's illegal government at Correctional Center No. 3 aka M3 in Trapang Plong. He has given financial support to those heroic demonstrators, asked them about their health, and listened to their requests. And he has encouraged all of them to be spiritually strong. He will try his best until our freedom is materialized.

មណ្ឌលអប់រំកែប្រែទី៣ ថ្ងៃទី២៨ កុម្ភៈ២០១៤

លោក កឹម សុខា បានទៅជួបវីរៈបាតុករដូចជា លោក វ៉ន់ ពៅ ដែលរដ្ឋាភិបាលលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ចាប់ឃុំឃាំងនៅមណ្ឌលអប់រំកែប្រែទី៣ ហៅ ម៣ ត្រពាំងផ្លុង។ លោកបានផ្ដល់ជាថវិកាជូនវីរៈបាតុករ សាកសួរបញ្ហាសុខភាពរបស់ពួកគាត់ និងស្ដាប់សំណូមពររបស់ពួកគាត់។ ហើយលោកក៏បានលើកទឹកចិត្តវីរៈបាតុករឲ្យពង្រឹងស្មារតីរឹងប៉ឹងឡើង។ លោកនឹងព្យាយាមរហូតទាល់តែទាមទារឲ្យលោកមានសេរីភាពវិញ!

Post by Kem Sokha.

Post by I Love Cambodia Hot News II.

Watch all our heroes: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=840050679345566&set=vb.142178602466114&type=2&theater

Watch more: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=840066589343975&set=vb.142178602466114&type=2&theater
Find out more: https://www.facebook.com/kemsokha

Cambodia ‘getting away with murder’: ex-Oz minister

Gareth Evans. Photo: Andrew Meares

Fri, 28 February 2014

Kevin Ponniah

Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans has said Cambodian political leaders should be “named, shamed, investigated and sanctioned” by the international community in unprecedented public criticism by the one of the architects of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.

In an opinion piece published in today's Post, Evans says the behaviour of the administration led by Prime Minister Hun Sen “has now moved beyond the civilised pale”.

“Cambodia’s government has been getting away with murder,” Evans writes, adding that the response of the international community in the post-election period, marked by mass protests before a violent crackdown by authorities last month that left several dead, was “muted”.

“Australia’s statements have been typical – falling over backward to avoid giving offence, and too anxious to balance criticism with praise,” he says, adding that a recent meeting between Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop and Hun Sen saw “no robust critique” delivered.

“There is a place for quiet diplomacy that relies on genuine engagement to encourage significant behavioral change. But when states behave badly enough for long enough, loud megaphones can also be in order.

“I know Hun Sen and worked well with him in the past. I have resisted strong public criticism until now, because I thought there was hope for both him and his government.… [But] it is time for Cambodia’s political leaders to be named, shamed, investigated and sanctioned by the international community,” he writes.

Son Soubert, who first worked with Evans in the lead-up to the Paris accords, to which the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front, led by his father, Son Sann, was a signatory, praised Evans’ decision to speak out.

“I really support his views and his courage to stand up for the Cambodian people … he knows quite well that [Hun Sen] will never change,” the former constitutional council member and current Human Rights Party president said.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan yesterday said that on the contrary to Evans’ call, foreign governments should engage to help Cambodians “transition” and make their own democratic choices.

He added that Evans should examine what has recently occurred in Cambodia beyond media reports.

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- When the opposition leader Sam Rainsy, a Cambodian-French politician, started his Facebook page three months before the last July 2013 election, he may have thought that Facebook could be an effective communication tool for him to spread his political messages to the Cambodian voters, especially the young ones.

The election result proved that the opposition leader is absolutely right by choosing the social media to promote himself and spread political messages in Cambodia where the ruling Cambodian People’s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen still dominates the traditional media such as newspapers, radio stations and television stations.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party won 55 seats out of 123 seats in the National Assembly. That is a big jump from 29 seats, the Sam Rainsy and the Human Rights Party, which formed the CNRP, won in the 2008 elections.

Sam Rainsy even claimed that if there were no election frauds, CNRP may have won seats more than enough to form a new government.

The opposition leader Sam Rainsy now claimed that his Facebook page is the most popular page in Cambodia, having 440, 000 fans, who like the page.

Everyday, Sam Rainsy, with the help from his assistants, posted his daily activities, political messages, and news stories which are in favor of the CNRP.

Even though the majority of traditional media are in favor of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, the social media ends the media monopoly by the CPP which has ruled Cambodia over three decades since the South East Asian country was liberated from the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.

Because of the impact of social media, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s power is shaky for the first time. After the election’s result was announced, Hun Sen, one of the Asian longest-serving leaders, acknowledged that the CPP still has some weakness, prompting him to announce extensive and deep reforms.

Rare statue unearthed by Chinese developer

Fri, 28 February 2014

Sen David

A Chinese-owned company in Preah Vihear’s Tbeng Meanchey district stumbled across an 8th-century sandstone carving of the Buddha while excavating land there on Wednesday, the provincial culture department said yesterday.

Oug Vireak, a deputy with the culture department, said the firm Lan Feng had been bulldozing a two-metre-deep hole in the vicinity of the Yeak Phlok temple when they uncovered the pre-Angkorian relic, which measures 60 centimetres by 60 centimetres at the base and weighs some 50 kilograms.

“We came to investigate in the area, and we were able to confirm that it is a kind of sandstone [statue] which was made in the 8th century at the Yeak Phlok temple area,” Vireak said. “Now we are keeping it at the company before transferring it to the culture department.”

Moa Ri, director of the culture department’s heritage office, said that officials had requested that Lan Feng temporarily stop bulldozing in the area until experts are able to examine it further, noting that more antiquities could be buried there.

“The villagers gathered in this area and want to dig in it, but we could not allow them to,” he said. “We are afraid of them affecting the antiquities in the area. They are state property. No one can take them to another place or sell it.”

Ri also said that the company must notify culture authorities when they discover such archaeological artefacts.

Villagers have accused Lan Feng of clearing land without regard to the boundaries of their 9,000-hectare concession, and of failing to consider the concession’s impact on locals.

Yesterday, ethnic villager Phan Sokhet, 25, said that some 100 villagers had gathered to watch over the area overnight to ensure that the company did not abscond with any other still-buried relics.

“We are afraid the company would not report it to the authorities if they found some antiques, or would keep it secret,” he said. “That’s why we came to sleep here and keep watch. One worker from the company told us [about the statue]; that’s how we knew about it.”

Professor Gareth Evans

BY ALEX WILLEMYNS | the cambodia daily, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Gareth Evans, the former Australian foreign minister who played a key role in the political settlement that ended Cambodia’s civil war, has called for sanctions against the CPP government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which he says has been “getting away with murder.”

Mr. Evans was appointed Australian foreign minister in September 1988, only two months after the first meeting between Mr. Hun Sen’s Soviet-backed regime and the U.S.-backed resistance led by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and he was the first international figure to formally propose reunification of the country under the auspices of the U.N., which would come to pass in 1993.

Writing an opinion column on Wednesday for Project Syndicate, which claims syndication in more than 400 newspapers, Mr. Evans, who has maintained a close friendship with Mr. Hun Sen’s government since the peace process of the 1980s and early 1990s, said he has lost hope that the ruling party is interested in protecting human rights or liberal democracy in the country.

“Cambodia’s government has been getting away with murder,” Mr. Evans writes, before describing the onslaught by military police who shot dead five protesting garment workers and imprisoned more than 20 last month.

Mr. Evans—who was in 1994 described as “the father of Cambodia” by Chheang Vun, a senior lawmaker from the ruling CPP—states that the recent killings form part of a “pattern” of strategic violence used by the government—with international impunity—when its power is threatened.

Boat bound and fighting

2014-02-26 12:04 by David Boyle, Griff Tapper and May Titthara

Contact authors: David Boyle, Griff Tapper and May Titthara

Cambodian PM Lifts Protest Ban, Warns of Government 'Rallies'

A section of the group of rights advocates, land activists, monks, and CNRP members protesting outside Cambodia’s Supreme Court to demand the release of 21 protesters, Feb. 25, 2014.

RFA

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen moved Tuesday to lift a month-old ban on public protests by workers and opposition forces, but warned that government supporters have an equal right to rally, raising fears of violence if the two groups clash.

In January, Cambodian police fired on striking garment workers, leaving five dead in what rights groups described as the worst state violence against civilians in the country in years.

Authorities later instituted a ban on public gatherings, violently dispersing opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)-led protests that had been held alongside strikes by garment workers.

“If the opposition party has the right [to hold demonstrations], government supporters will also have that right,” Hun Sen said at the opening of a power plant in Sihanoukville, adding that police might find it “difficult” to keep the two groups apart.

Cambodian rights groups and opposition figures welcomed Hun Sen’s call to provincial authorities to lift the protest ban but voiced concern that rallies held at the same time by political opposition and government-backed groups could lead to violence.

“We must avoid violence and confrontation,” rights group Licadho senior investigator Am Sam Ath told RFA’s Khmer Service on Tuesday.

“The authorities must protect people equally and without favor toward any political party,” he said.

Official bias

Son Chhay, a senior member of the opposition CNRP, described Hun Sen’s warning of demonstrations by government supporters as proof of official bias toward the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

“The prime minister should look after the whole country, not just the ruling party. We must govern [Cambodia] according to democratic principles,” he said.

For Cambodia, an Oscar nod means much more than box-office gold

The nomination of Rithy Panh's 'The Missing Picture' as best foreign film has lifted the spirits of a nation.

One of the movies nominated for best foreign film this year is "The Missing Picture," by Cambodia's master filmmaker Rithy Panh. His movie tells the story of the unspeakable horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge and its leader, Pol Pot, who turned Cambodia into a mass labor camp. Panh's parents and brother were among the nearly 2 million people killed by the regime in less than four years. (Strand Releasing / February 26, 2014)

By Elizabeth BeckerThe Los Angeles Times

February 27, 2014

Being nominated for an Oscar is always a big deal, lifting someone's career or a movie's fortunes at the box office. In Cambodia, an Oscar nomination is proving to be a big deal for an entire nation, crystallizing how important reviving the arts has been for a country devastated by decades of war, genocide and corruption.

Panh's survival was remarkable. It is as if Anne Frank had lived through the Holocaust and been able to tell her own story in a film as writer and director. In "The Missing Picture," Panh uses clay figures set against archival films and photographs. Poignant, unexpected, Cambodian.

This nomination made history: the first time a Cambodian film has been nominated for an Oscar. It also broke open a breathing space for Cambodians fighting to recover their democracy.

The new year began with Cambodian police opening fire on unarmed garment workers, who were demonstrating to be paid $160 a month. By the end of the day, police had killed five people and injured many more. For good measure, the authoritarian government of Hun Sen put a ban on all demonstrations. Politics were getting ugly once again.

Then Hollywood intervened. News of the historic Oscar nomination was everywhere. Social media lit up. Cambodians were elated, sending messages thanking the film's director for lifting their spirits and saying they could finally be proud after years of "darkness and despair."

Darkness doesn't begin to describe Cambodia's slow recovery from the Khmer Rouge, the battle for control over Cambodia and the fatal compromise that allowed Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge officer, to share power even though he lost the election in 1993.

Cambodia Is a Deadly Political Mess That the World Completely Ignores

Friday marks six months since much maligned polls in Cambodia, where bloody crackdowns, racism and rampant human rights violations continue to define an increasingly fraught society

By Charlie Campbell @charliecamp6ellFeb. 28, 2014

TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP/Getty Images

Cambodian military police clash with protesters during a protest in Phnom Penh on January 27, 2014.

As Thailand teeters on the brink of a full-scale political meltdown, the simmering strife in neighboring Cambodia can be easy to miss. Yet six months after disputed elections, the situation remains grave, featuring the lethal suppression of peaceful protests and extra-judicial detentions.

The government of strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen has endured for some three decades, engorged on rampant corruption and typified by gross human rights abuses. “For far too long, Hun Sen and his colleagues have been getting away with violence, human-rights abuses, corruption, and media and electoral manipulation without serious internal or external challenge,” former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans wrote in an op-ed yesterday.

Ominously, however, opposition attempts to oust Hun Sen have been increasingly marred by controversy and bloodshed.

Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won 68 out of 123 legislative seats at general elections on July 28. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) claims it was defrauded out of eight seats that would have swung the balance of power.

That the deck was stacked is undeniable; all major institutions including the military, police, judiciary, media and even the watchdog National Election Committee operate under the auspices of the CPP. Large numbers of opposition supporters were not included on voter lists.

“There are a lot of very specific systematic and institutional shortcomings in the way elections are administered,” says Laura Thornton, Cambodia director for the National Democratic Institute, who also cites engrained media bias and intimidation. According to a study released Friday by Harvard and Sydney University, Cambodia’s election ranked 69th out of 73 recently held worldwide.

Friday, 28 February 2014, 4:22 pm

Press Release: Asia Monitor Research Center

A WEEK THAT SHOOK CAMBODIA

Release of the Fact-finding Mission Report on the Violent Crackdown on Garment Workers in Cambodia (Dec 2013-Jan 2014)

The garment industry has been the chief engine of the Cambodian economy for the past two decades since its establishment in 1994. However, garment workers still account for a large part of the country's working poor. Workers are universally unhappy about the quality of life in general and the minimum wage in particular. To maintain basic livelihoods, they must work increasingly more over me, to the point of exhaustion and beyond as seen in the mass fainting at work of more than 4,000 garment workers in the past two years.

On December 24th 2013, despite the workers' demands to increase the minimum wage to US$ 160, the Royal Government of Cambodia announced its decision to increase the minimum wage from US$ 80 to only US$ 95 a month by April 2014. They also outlined a plan to increase the wages to US$ 160 by 2018. Representatives from six major labour federations and confederations rejected the decision and called for a general strike, demanding an immediate rise in the minimum wage to US$ 160, which was consistent with the Ministry of Labour's assessment of the minimum wage of US$ 157-177 a month to survive in Cambodia in 2013. The demonstrations started that same afternoon of December 24th and led to a massive protest by the majority of workers over the next few days.

The peaceful strike on December 29th was the largest protest. A major feature of this strike was that it was a 'self generated strike' by rank-and-file workers almost unanimously supporting the demand to raise the minimum wage. Employers and the government took increasingly aggressive steps to bring the strikes under control, but the strikes and mass rallies continued until December 31st. On December 31st, the Ministry of Labour announced a slightly modified proposal to increase the minimum wage to US$ 100 but protests continued; workers marched to the Council of Ministers where they were met with barbed wire roadblocks and riot police. Tensions were building between the workers and the authorities.

Cambodia's floating villages have adapted to the ebb and flow of Southeast Asia's largest lake for generations, but modernisation and a scarcity of fish are now threatening their traditional way of life.

PHOTOS

Cambodians sit in front of their shops at a floating village in Kampong Chhnang province, some 90km northeast of Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Cambodian students leave a school at a floating village in Kampong Chhnang province, some 90km northeast of Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

A Cambodian vendor sells noodles at a floating village in Kampong Chhnang province, some 90km northeast of Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

A Cambodian woman waters plants in front of her house at a floating village in Kampong Chhnang province, some 90km northeast of Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

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CHHNORK TROU, Cambodia: Cambodia's floating villages have adapted to the ebb and flow of Southeast Asia's largest lake for generations, but modernisation and a scarcity of fish are now threatening their traditional way of life.

Houses, schools, hairdressers and even dentists -- entire communities bob around on the Tonle Sap, whose waters rise and fall dramatically with the seasons.

The huge lake, nourished by the mighty Mekong river, is home to hundreds of thousands of people eking out a simple -- but for many rewarding -- existence.

"Life in the floating village is much better," said fisherman Sok Bunlim, who was born and raised in the lake community of Chhnork Trou, where fleets of canoes and small motorboats ferry people around.

The community of fishermen has been living atop the Tonle Sap since the time of their great grandparents, and many older residents cannot imagine any other life.

"If we move onto land, I wouldn't know how to plant rice. I wouldn't know how to plough. It is really hard," Bunlim, 62, told AFP while repairing his broken net.

Modern life has not passed them by completely -- nowadays many people have stereo systems, televisions and small motorboats.

But they still mostly depend on fishing or rowing around the village in canoes to sell food to earn a living.

The Tonle Sap is a source of sustenance and survival for more than one million people living on or around the lake, which has at least 149 species of fish, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) says.

Is Geraldine Cox in bed with the Cambodian government?

Image via www.scv.org.au

BY NELSON ALCANTARA, ETN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | FEB 28, 2014

Cambodia’s prime minister, Hun Sen, has been giving Geraldine Cox, founder of one of Cambodia’s most busiest orphanages called Sunrise Children’s Village, some major attention. To the extent that the prime minister himself has given Cox land to build orphanages, which has become one of the major income generators for Cambodia’s economy.

Pre-2005, before orphanage tourism became a booming business model for the country’s travel and tourism industry, Cambodia attracted a little over a million tourists annually. However, the demand for “voluntourism” through orphanage tourism has helped catapult the annual number of tourists to 3.5 million in 2012 and climbing. Read the full article and watch the videos here.

Rainsy Tells Supporters to Heed Fall of Yanukovich

BY PHORN BOPHA February 27, 2014 The Cambodia Daily

A little over a month after supporters of Prime Minister Hun Sen forced the cancellation of an opposition party rally here, CNRP leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha returned to address followers and promise that the change that swept away Ukraine’s president would soon sweep over Cambodia.

Sam Rainsy compares Cambodia with Ukraine’s revolution

Published: 27-Feb-14 02:28PM

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- In one of the most attacking statements against the government led by Prime Minster Hun Sen, the opposition leader Sam Rainsy compared Cambodia with the Ukraine’s revolution, which swept away Ukraine’s President Yanukovych

"I guarantee that the next protest will not be joined by 200,000, but 2 millions," Sam Rainsy said, asking his supporters to be ready to make it 2 million.

“If we could gather two million protesters as many as Ukraine’s, the armed forces will not shoot at the protesters, but they [armed forces] will unite with the protesters,” Sam Rainsy told his hundreds of cheering supporters in Kandal province.

"Let the Cambodian People's Party sink, but we save all of Cambodian People,” said Sam Rainsy.

He added the Cambodian People's Party can not avoid this because it was time to its end.

Rainsy also attacked Prime Minister Hun Sen after he made a recent statement that there would be possibility that the CPP supporters will also hold protest.

Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that the CPP would also hold protest if the CNRP supporters remain staging the protest against the government.

A Change of Guard

Friday 28 February 2014

ដោយ៖ ណុល ដារ៉ា | ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី28 ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ2014, VOD. Read in English here.

Cambodia’s violent peace

Forces will back us: Rainsy [Rainsy says the Cambodian army will back the opposition. Is it a wishful thinking?]

Kem Sokha and CNRP delegates visit Vorn Pov and 20 other political prisoners 28/2/14

Cambodia ‘getting away with murder’: ex-Oz minister

Social Media revolutionizes Cambodia’s politics

Rare statue unearthed by Chinese developer

Gareth Evans Calls for Sanctions on Government

Boat bound and fighting

Cambodian PM Lifts Protest Ban, Warns of Government 'Rallies'

For Cambodia, an Oscar nod means much more than box-office gold

Cambodia Is a Deadly Political Mess That the World Completely Ignores

A WEEK THAT SHOOK CAMBODIA

Friday, 28 February 2014, 4:22 pm

Cambodia's floating villages face uncertain future

Cambodia's floating villages have adapted to the ebb and flow of Southeast Asia's largest lake for generations, but modernisation and a scarcity of fish are now threatening their traditional way of life.

Is Geraldine Cox in bed with the Cambodian government?

Rainsy Tells Supporters to Heed Fall of Yanukovich

Sam Rainsy compares Cambodia with Ukraine’s revolution

A Change of Guard

Friday 28 February 2014

ដោយ៖​ ណុល ដា​រ៉ា​ | ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី28 ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ2014, VOD. Read in English here.

Friday, 28 February 2014, 4:22 pm

Cambodia's floating villages have adapted to the ebb and flow of Southeast Asia's largest lake for generations, but modernisation and a scarcity of fish are now threatening their traditional way of life.

ដោយ៖ ណុល ដារ៉ា | ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី28 ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ2014, VOD. Read in English here.