CAMBODIA: The country must not repeat Burma's mistake — Asian Human Rights Commission

CAMBODIA: The country must not repeat Burma's mistake — Asian Human Rights Commission

CAMBODIA: The country must not repeat Burma's mistake

Contributors: Ou Ritthy

Many opposition politicians, NGO personnel, students, researchers, taxi drivers, vendors and city dwellers expected US president Barack Obama, who attended the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, to push the Cambodian government to better respect human rights and democratic principles, especially free and fair elections in the Kingdom. They hoped for a US pressure to release political prisoners, notably Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando, land-dispute protestors, and to allow opposition leader Sam Rainsy in self-exiled in Paris, to return to Cambodia to participate in the 2013 election.

Many opposition politicians, NGO personnel, students, researchers, taxi drivers, vendors and city dwellers expected US president Barack Obama, who attended the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, to push the Cambodian government to better respect human rights and democratic principles, especially free and fair elections in the Kingdom. They hoped for a US pressure to release political prisoners, notably Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando, land-dispute protestors, and to allow opposition leader Sam Rainsy in self-exiled in Paris, to return to Cambodia to participate in the 2013 election.

Sadly, even before President Obama's visit, indications were clear that Phnom Penh had no genuine intention to stop its rights violations, embrace the rule of law, or combat rampant corruption.

Cambodia's minister of information and government spokesman declared publicly that Obama is not Premier Hun Sen's boss or Cambodian government's guru. Such unwelcome and fighting words stand opposite of the Cambodian people's culture of warmth and generosity toward all.

In Burma, thousands of Burmese wearing T-shirts with Obama's portraits lined up the streets, and democracy icon Aug Sann Suu Kyi and reform-minded dictator president Thein Sein, welcomed the US president. Hundreds of students listened to Obama's speech at Rangoon University. In Cambodia, eight citizens were arrested for displaying Obama's portrait and an SOS message on the roofs of their homes. The citizens were facing eviction from their homes at Thmar Kaul village. Worse, people weren't allowed to line up along the Russian Boulevard to welcome Obama. The government said this was due to security reason and traffic congestion. 

Though the US President made no public announcement, in a face-to-face meeting with Premier Hun Sen, President Obama raised several issues as suggested by US republican senators and other national and international rights groups. Impressively, Obama raised concerns over political prisoners and did mention Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando. But Premier Hun Sen replied there is no political prisoner in Cambodia, only politicians with criminal offences.

U.S. deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes described the private Obama-Hun Sen meeting as "tense." The Daily Mail reported Cambodia's First Lady Bun Rany Hun Sen was disrespectful of President Obama when she used the Khmer sampeah at chest level reserved for greeting a low level person.

Many Cambodians looked at the White House's photo album of 41 photos of President Obama's visit to ASEAN countries: No photo of Premier Hun Sen whose name was misspelled.

While Obama was in Phnom Penh, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged a $300-$500 yearly loan to Cambodia. Premier Hun Sen was hugely complementing China's support and generosity. Why should there be a surprise when the 21st ASEAN Summit failed to produce a joint resolution, except in economics and trade? Unhappy, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, four claimant countries in dispute with China over the South China Sea, decided to meet in Manila on 12 December to discuss the issue without China.

The summit was a shining opportunity for Cambodia as chair of ASEAN to perform impartially, conforming to Article 1 of the country's Constitution: The Kingdom of Cambodia shall be independent, sovereign, peaceful, permanently neutral and non-aligned country.

Cambodia should have demonstrated respect for ASEAN member states' national interests to contribute toward the building of a more cohesive 2015 ASEAN Community. Facing US "pivot" or "rebalancing strategy" in Asia, especially South East Asia, ASEAN member states need to be united and protect each other's national interests, rather than siding with China or the US, to avoid jeopardizing ASEAN prosperity and harmony and endangering the region's peace.

Presently among ASEAN member states, Burma is on the road to reforms as she gradually breaks away from China, but Cambodia remains a subordinate to China, which finds Cambodia's vital geostrategic location to serve Beijing's national security in region. Beijing also needs Cambodia's natural resources for China's economic miracle.

On the other hand, Cambodia sees China as a vast dependable source of aid and loan, supposedly without strings; a huge market for Cambodia's economic growth; a super military power that can help Phnom Penh to have some influence, and undermine threats from neighboring countries. Cambodia sees China as her strong supporter on international stage.

But I am not convinced that Chinese aid and loan have no strings attached. As a saying goes, "there is no free lunch in the world". China needs Cambodia as a faithful subordinate to support and protect Beijing's national interests.

Geopolitically speaking, Cambodia's special strategic location is most desirable for China. In case of conflict with Vietnam, the S-shaped Vietnam can be easily attacked by land from Cambodia. Through water, China can use Sihanoukville, Kampong Som, Kompot and Koh Kong, and can straightforwardly access the Gulf of Thailand, the Straits of Malacca, and the Indian Ocean.

While Cambodia has faithfully opted for a One-China Policy, this policy has broadened its scope beyond Taiwan. Cambodia has supported China in almost all aspects of Chinese domestic and foreign policies. Thus, Cambodia forcibly deported 20 Uighur ethic asylum-seekers to China; pays no attention to the devastation, and suffering of Cambodian citizens, along the Mekong as a result of Chinese hydropower dams built in Yunnan province and on the Upper Mekong Basin; Cambodia supports China on the South China Sea dispute; and Phnom Penh ignores Chinese rights abuses.

A disadvantage of being too close to China is that it makes Cambodia's human rights and fledgling democracy worse. China is not interested in these matters so long as Cambodia serves China's interests.

As an impartial judiciary and the rule of law do not exist in Cambodia, a foreign direct investment (FDI) cannot be established. Democratic countries like Japan, America, Canada, Australia and the EU do not want to risk greater investments in Cambodia. Yet, many Chinese and Vietnamese people are in Cambodia, along with their investments.

Since 2006, Chinese companies have invested $8.2 billion; Vietnam has invested over $2 billion, according to the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Economic Co-operation Development Association. Conflicts with the local people have occurred due to land conflicts and environment issues, and the failure to respect the local people's rights.

As long as Cambodia is attached to China, Cambodia remains authoritarian. Burma's four decades of military rule witnessed Burma's violations of human rights, and a dictatorship ruled by military junta. Burma relied on China in many respects. For the Cambodian government, please don't do what Burma did!        

US President Thomas Jefferson said, public debt is the greatest of dangers to nation. Look! Cambodia has been heavily indebted to China and is trapped in indebtedness, with a long-term impact on Cambodian young generation.

As the US rearranges its 'pivot' in Asia, Cambodia has become an arena for US-China competition, geopolitically and ideologically.

Historically, Cambodia endured a bitter lesson when the US and the Soviet Union fought their proxy war in Indochina in the 1960s. We must work to remain non-aligned and balance the interests of today's super powers, the US and China. Plus, being so cohesively attached to China creates problems for ASEAN member states' team spirit and trustworthiness, making a commitment to ASEAN prosperity and harmony doubtful.

A colleague asked me if our government is not allied with China, where would Cambodia get money to run the government and to use for development. I replied, "I see many doable mechanisms to avoid being a Chinese subordinate".

The government needs to have a transparent and accountable tax policy. Tax the rich and wealthy classes who possess a large number of hectares of land, buildings, luxurious cars, lucrative private-sector businesses, land concessions, casinos and other alcohol-producing companies. And gradually government should also tax the middle class.

According to Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index in 2012, Cambodia was ranked 157/176 countries and scored: 22/100: corruption leads to many chronically critical social, economic, legal and political issues.

To avoid too much loans for national development, the government must fight corruption genuinely. In Cambodia, corruption is rampant in all levels of society. The jailed owner of Beehive Radio and president of the Democrats Association, Mam Sonando, once said he would give $100 to anyone who knows of any government ministry that is not corrupt. In an interview with the VOA in Khmer, Preab Kol, Executive Director of Transparency International in Cambodia, affirmed there are not enough prisons in Cambodia for the corrupt to stay in if they were arrested.

Establishing a transparent and trustworthy policy to fight corruption is a must. But make sure to avoid applying anti-corruption law discriminately.

The government must reduce the large number of advisors, undersecretaries and secretaries of state and council ministers. This will save a lot of money for the national budget. Then the government can use the money to develop prioritized sectors.            

Last but not least, Cambodia is rich in natural wealth. We have all kinds of trees, fishes, oil, minerals and others. They are priceless renewable and sustainable sources of economic development. Through effective and efficient management, we avoid loans from abroad.

The groundwork of any country's economic success comprises of an educated, healthy and employable citizens. To reach this goal, Cambodia needs to focus on agriculture and education.

The government needs a specific and long-term development plan on agriculture, industry and service. Cambodia needs to focus on agriculture for food grain sufficiency and on a basic principle of income for each household. Agriculture sector helps make strong economic households nationwide. It is imperative to focus on agriculture and to jump to industry and service.

Take one example. After independence in 1947, India was poor and lacked food grain supply for her people. In the late 1960s, the government started paying serious attention to agriculture by initiating what was called Green Revolution. Thanks to the Green Revolution, the government built a solid foundation of micro economy, generated income for the people, and India took another step toward industry and service sectors. Presently, the Indian people are thankful to the Green Revolution, which made India's industry and service booming. Basically, India has become food sufficient and the world's leading rice exporting country! Owing to the long-term impact of the Green Revolution, India's service sector is becoming the world's largest software exporting country to the US, Japan, Canada and the EU. An economic super power has been born.

Back to Cambodia, at the peak of the Arab spring, many Cambodians including a leader of opposition party flirted with Arab-style revolution as a mean to topple Premier Hun Sen and his one-party system in Cambodia. I begged to differ. I want no bloody revolution.

But I strongly wish to see Green Revolution in my country. Whenever I speak and write, I choose the peaceful approach to insist that my government should spend a large portion of the national budget on agriculture and education as the only way for poverty eradication and for sound industry and service sectors in the future.

Green revolution cultivates rice, provides high-yield seeds, doubles crops existing farmland and irrigation facilities. It also renovates the agro-industrial products like coffee, rubber plantation, cashews, cassava, silk, corn and food processing among others. Basically, it transforms the traditional and extensive agriculture to intensive and commercial agriculture with the help of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives.

Tourism is the main source of Cambodian economy. But tourism in Cambodia is just "cultural tourism" that depended only on temples like Angkor Wat and other cultural heritages. In this context, through Green Revolution, the Cambodian government could link up with tourism, and develop 'agri-tourism.' Through cultural tourism and agri-tourism, Cambodia would attract many more tourists than ever before.

Unfortunately, the projected 2013 national budget reveals Cambodia would spend only $35.3 million for agriculture sector, or one percent of the $3 billion budget; and only about $280 million for education sector.

Without paying attention to Cambodia's agriculture sector, more than 80% of Cambodian population will never be prosperous and can never break away from chronic poverty. The large number of Cambodian laborers will keep migrating to other countries like Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and others for work.

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The AHRC is not responsible for the views shared in this article, which do not necessarily reflect its own.

About the Author:

Ou Ritthy is a graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fergusson College, Pune University, India (2008-2011). He can be reached at ouritthy@socialworker.net / Twitter: @ritthyou.

CAMBODIA: Cambodian activists must believe in individuals’ capacity to accomplish the impossible — Asian Human Rights Commission

CAMBODIA: Cambodian activists must believe in individuals’ capacity to accomplish the impossible — Asian Human Rights Commission

Last week, a young political science graduate from a foreign university vented his frustrations in an e-mail from Cambodia at many Cambodian compatriots who don’t like to read. If they don’t read, they don’t learn. And if reading articles is painful, they certainly won’t read an entire book!

Initially, I planned to write about US President Barack Obama's visit to Cambodia, during which he reportedly spoke forcefully to Cambodian premier Hun Sen regarding the administration's abysmal record of human rights violations. But e-mails from Cambodians in the country and abroad reoriented my focus, hence, today's article.

Don't like to read

Last week, a young political science graduate from a foreign university vented his frustrations in an e-mail from Cambodia at many Cambodian compatriots who don't like to read. If they don't read, they don't learn. And if reading articles is painful, they certainly won't read an entire book!

He observed with frustration that there is no learning without reading, and life is not meaningful if one has no basis to compare, to understand, to improve. He dismissed suggestions that there is a dearth of reading material available in Cambodia. Cambodia, he said, lacks people who want to read.  Across the oceans I can sense his irritation– vexations of a young man who has put hours of hard work into a second language, to earn a degree from a reputable university. Now, back in his homeland, he is working to sensitize his relatives, friends, and colleagues to value education as a key to personal and national development. I have never met this young man. He sought me out through the Internet when he was a student. We discussed political socialization and political culture as he considered ways to bring about change to Cambodia's status quo and to better serve society.

Still young, must think of living longer

A few days ago, he wrote about the low price growers received for their rice harvest. This has negatively affected his parents' livelihood. As a result he may have to forego advanced studies and continue working so that his four siblings may finish their education in Cambodia.

Nevertheless, this young man remains committed to improving governance in Cambodia. To that end, he attended a recent workshop in Phnom Penh on the topic of governance and reform. He was disheartened by this meeting of "civil servants, military, police and royal armed forces" personnel. They rejected the need for adherence to the rule of law by a politically impartial police and military, blindly citing the regime's party line in support of that position. During the coffee break, some told him that he is an "extremist," that he is still "too young and still has a long time to live"; they advised him to be careful and live longer!

I have been made aware of this kind of threat and intimidation before – orchestrated accidents that take lives. Some incidents like the story of an armored vehicle from a security unit deliberately hitting a driver who had exited his vehicle at a security checkpoint.  The driver was hospitalized for three months as a result.  Other Cambodians relate stories of food poisoning and break-ins, among other violations.

Human Rights Watch published a 68-page report, Tell Them That I Want to Kill Them: Two Decades of Impunity in Hun Sen's Cambodia. It describes cases of unsolved killings of more than 300 political activists, journalists, opposition politicians, among others by Hun Sen's security forces since the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements. It identifies many senior Cambodian government officials involved in serious abuses and their current positions in the administration.

The report's title is said to be a quote from the then deputy-chief of Hun Sen's bodyguard, Hing Bun Heang. He answered a journalist's question about his reported role in the killing of 16 people in the 1997 hand grenade attack that wounded Sam Rainsy. Heang was promoted to lieutenant-general and is currently deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

The report was released before Obama's trip to Cambodia. It called for systemic reforms.

Dislike politics, Love 'Thveu Bon'

At about the same time as my recent correspondence with the young graduate, an e-mail from a leader of a Cambodian non-governmental organization asked for my thoughts on an attitude she found to be prevalent among Khmers inside and outside the country. She wrote, many Khmers profess to dislike politics, an involvement they see as "scary." She said they prefer Thveu Bon, engaging in a religious ceremony to earn merit in this life in order to cross into a "beautiful next life"; and that the hardships and sufferings of the people are a product of karma that sufferers must endure. This way of thinking is, she asserts, an impediment to the creation of a dynamic society of citizens engaged in improving circumstances for everyone.

Misdirected political socialization, a stagnant political culture, and the unavailability of high quality education are among the elements that cause such beliefs and behaviors to proliferate.

Politics

Those who profess to dislike politics have themselves practiced politics throughout their lives. We all exercise political skills on a daily basis as we navigate through life.

In China, early Chinese settlers practiced politics 350,000 years ago! They migrated, organized, worked together, planned, and made decisions. This included the use of psychological and physical power, the development of effective procedures on the best ways to attain objectives and goals to keep their settlements safe and prosperous. Each person, each group, seeks to maximize his/her or its interests as s/he defines them. In general, the human person develops interests comprising good health, the meeting of economic needs, and a degree of contentment in life.

Politics refers to human activities in their interpersonal relationships to achieve targeted objectives and goals. There are family politics, peer group politics, office politics, pagoda politics, community politics, national politics and world politics.

When Cambodians, like many a people, say they "hate" politics, they usually mean the politics of government: They don't like demagoguery, demonization of opponents, corruption, cruelty, the accumulation of power, or the trampling of the rights of the less-privileged.

But didn't Lord Buddha teach against the "evils of the tongue" that humans practice? Didn't Buddha teach mankind to do all good, avoid all evil, and purify the mind?

There is an old saying, "You get the government you deserve." It means in a democracy, citizens can take actions to elect candidates they deem best to form a government to serve them, or citizens can remain inactive and get a government that doesn't serve them well.

Classical Greeks used the term politikos to describe the relationships between the citizens and their city state. In the 5th century, Athens emerged as the world's first democracy: demos means people, kratia means government – demokratia, a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Athens was built on the principle that citizens' free and well-informed participation in Athens' affairs was an honor and the duty of every citizen.

But as my young correspondent noted, without reading one does not learn about his/her own and his/her government's rights and duties.

It is worth recalling that when the French General, Charles de Gaulle entered politics, he declared, "I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."

How "serious a matter" is politics? According to China's Mao Tse-tung, "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed." For England's Winston Churchill, "In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times."

More than 2,000 years ago, Greek philosopher Plato (428B.C.-347B.C.) warned that, we would end up "being governed by those who are less intelligent" or "inferior" to ourselves if we refuse to participate in politics.

"Thveu Bon" for Next Life

I have written a great deal about politics and the teachings of Buddha. But learning requires a desire to both learn and unlearn. Without the motivation to learn, as the Khmer saying goes, Doch chak toek leu kbal tia – literally, it's like pouring water on a duck's head.

A former Khmer Buddhist monk, Bouawat Sithi, a graduate of Thailand's Djittabhawan College, affirmed time and again that Lord Buddha never taught humankind to believe in fate, but "to believe in our own action (karma)." He lamented that Buddha's teaching has been incorrectly taught and understood. This has led to the situation where many Cambodians have been overwhelmed with "egoism, anger, greed, delusion, desire, craving, hate and aversion."

"Nothing is permanent," Lord Buddha says, and he preaches, "Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most." "I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done," Buddha says, and "We are what we think, with our thought we make the world." Men and women are masters of their own destiny.  We should be self-reliant and take responsibility for our own lives, Buddha urges, and "work out your own salvation."

Believe in ourselves?

In my last article I quoted from Cambodian Ou Ritthy's article, published by AHRC, about the Cambodians' habit of relying on foreigners to help solve problems. Politicians sit and talk "only when foreigners act as mediators," the government releases rights activists "only after foreigners . . . intervene." "Can't we, Cambodians, take these actions ourselves?" Ritthy asked.

Last week, Cambodian Pong Pheakdey Boramy's writing in Facebook and communication posted on the Internet, spoke of Cambodians' excitement to see President Obama. "He came, he came out of his airplane"! Boramy wrote: "What I learned is we actually do not rely and trust in ourselves . . . we do not trust ourselves but Obama . . . to help our country."

"Why do we not choose to be ourselves, to believe in ourselves?" Boramy asked. He referenced the Phnom Penh Post and other media outlets that reported "how people felt very disappointed when Obama did not say a word to give them (a) stimulus" upon departing from Cambodia.

In spite of the enormous problems that emanate from Cambodians' attitudes toward change, and from the lack of a broad-based quality education system, I conclude this article not pessimistically but positively because Cambodians have come a long way. Now there are increasing numbers who ask questions.  As we know, this is the first step in developing the capacity to think critically, analyze, and take action.  A questing mind is being developed.  It is late, yes, but better late than never.

The road ahead is still long and unknown. But if nothing is possible without human engagement, so I would like to think that nothing is impossible when men and women become engaged and develop the will and the imaginative creativity to achieve a goal.

……………..

The AHRC is not responsible for the views shared in this article, which do not necessarily reflect its own.
About the Author:Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. He currently lives in the United States. He can be reached at peangmeth@gmail.com.

ADB Links Corruption, Political Culture

By Colin Meyn - December 10, 2012

The government is beset with high-level corruption, a lack of transparency in public procurements, poor auditing practices and political interference in the country’s main anti-corruption body, a report produced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sent to the media yesterday states.


In a 66-page report that looks at how the government is managing its finances and fighting corruption, the ADB says that many of the country’s laws on public finances are simply not being implemented and that public procurement of goods and services needs to be improved at all levels of government, especially at a national level.

“Most aspects of governance need to recognize ongoing informal links between the dominant political party, medium-sized and large-sized businesses, and senior levels of government,” the ADB report, which was originally published in January, says.

“Furthermore, there is a limited tradition of accountability for performance through either financial oversight or political mechanisms.”

“Much of the public sector leakage that occurs in Cambodia is thought to occur in and around the systems applied in both domestically and externally financed procurement. Significant leakage is also thought to occur after the awarding of contracts, suggesting that contract management by executing agencies is weak and that penalties are seldom enforced,” the report continues.

The report also says that while corruption at lower levels of government appears to be decreasing, there is no such sign of such stabilization at higher levels of government.

“Corruption at all levels has long been regarded as the main area of concern for improving the business environment and overall governance in Cambodia, and this remains the case,” the report states.
The ADB also found that the main corruption risks likely to be experienced in the future by the government include “major challenges in building capacities in the new [Anti-Corruption Unit];” and “cultural constraints to questioning authority.”

“Though their ratings [in surveys of public opinion] have improved, the police, judges and courts, public registry, taxation, and customs, as well as the education system, continue to be perceived as the most corrupt institutions,” the report states.

Although the report notes that significant efforts have been made in the drafting of anti-corruption policy and the formation of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), the ACU “has many challenges to overcome and it remains to be seen if it can become administratively and operationally effective.”

On the government’s management of finances, the ADB said that positive strides have been made in the past decade, but that progress in areas crucial to building investor confidence is still lacking. For example, the procurement process for government-funded projects still lacks transparency and regulations around procurement are insufficient and poorly enforced.

One reason for this is the fact that the Ministry of Economy and Finance acts as both a regulator and monitor in government procurement transactions.

“The need for greater transparency in public procurement is a common perception in Cambodia,” the report states.

“Also, there are suspicions (as yet not acted on) that some executing agency senior officials control some local consulting firms, who then tie up with foreign consulting firms when bidding on projects.”
The report also cites limited transparency in public projects due to few audits being carried out by the National Audit Authority (NAA).

“[O]nly around 50 percent of central government entities are covered by an external audit and the breadth of audit work undertaken within entities is limited.”

Still, the report says that the NAA “has made solid progress in recent years and, given its important strategic role in monitoring and managing governance risks, further ADB support in the years ahead is warranted.”
Vice president of the National Assembly Ngoun Nhel and Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Finance Suong Mengkea both declined to comment on the ADB’s findings. Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan referred questions to the Ministry of Finance.

Peter Brimble, country director for the ADB in Cambodia, said the report was meant as an indicator of where the country stands regarding financial management and where resources should be allocated as the country’s partnership with the ADB moves forward.

“No one is denying the need for major civil service reform,” Mr. Brimble said.
“The message is that we want to work with the government and strengthen country systems to go ahead in our partnership,” he added.

Mr. Brimble also noted that indicators of investor confidence in the country are improving despite the concerns over how the government handles its finances.

For instance, a January report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that Cambodia’s debt distress level would be upgraded from moderate risk to low risk. Still, the IMF report also noted that for confidence in Cambodia to continue to grow, improvements had to be made to the country’s borrowing strategy and financial management systems.

A report released last week by Transparency International (T.I.), also concluded that Cambodia’s government has done little to shake its reputation for corruption.

In T.I.’s 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index, Cambodia ranked 157th among 176 countries and territories listed, with a score of just 22 out of 100—a slight improvement on last year’s ranking of 164.

(Additional reporting by Phorn Bopha)

© 2012, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

UN Says Information Ministry Decided to Halt Equity Weekly

By Denise Hruby and Kuch Naren - December 10, 2012

The U.N. Development Program (UNDP) said last month’s suspension of the “Equity Weekly” television program was uniquely due to a decision made by the Ministry of Information after the show aired a feature on economic land concessions in Ratanakkiri province.


“[T]he suspension was initially suggested by the Ministry of Information and agreed to by UNDP Cambodia,” a UNDP spokesperson said in an email.

“Equity Weekly,” which is broadcast every Sunday on the state-run channel TVK, funded by UNDP and aims at promoting good governance through investigative journalism, was taken off the air after the station received a complaint from the Ministry of Information announcing its displeasure over archive footage showing images of logging in the country.

“The decision was taken following a technical error in the identity of a portion of the footage used in a story related to the [Virachey] National Park in Ratanakkiri province. That portion of the footage was an archive but was not properly identified as such, which resulted in a misunderstanding,” the UNDP spokesperson said.

Environment Minister Mok Mareth confirmed that a letter he had sent to the Information Ministry had brought about the popular show’s suspension from broadcast.

“Yes, because if there’s wrong information, [there’s] no show,” Mr. Mareth said. “I wrote down the mistakes and sent it to the Ministry of Information,” which then informed TVK’s “Equity Weekly.”

Asked to comment on the government’s suspension of the show, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith referred a reporter to a letter his ministry had written to the UNDP.

“As for the letter, we unfortunately are unable to share with you as it is a formal correspondence addressed to UNDP specifically,” the UNDP spokesperson said.

On November 11, the last time “Equity Weekly” was broadcast, the host, Khem Vuthy, spent almost 25 minutes apologizing for the report made on September 30, which discussed the impacts of 50,000 hectares of economic land concessions used for rubber plantations in the Virachey National Park in Ratanakkiri—a province beset by land disputes and logging.

Ouy Bounmy, “Equity Weekly’s” senior producer, said that after the broadcast, he had to meet with Minister of Information Mr. Kanharith.

“Now it is just suspended. We are under discussion to improve reporting skills, because we don’t want to make or repeat the same mistakes again,” he said.

Spokesman for the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan said he did not believe that the show was suspended for its investigative journalism.

“This is not the government’s attitude. I know [Mr. Kanharith] very well and he wants to maintain different voices to be heard. There is no attitude to block free flow of ideas.”

© 2012, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

TV Program Halted After Government Criticism

By Denise Hruby and Kuch Naren - December 9, 2012

The U.N.-funded television program “Equity Weekly,” whose stated aim is to promote good governance through short investigative journalism pieces broadcast on state-run TVK, was suspended last month, the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) said.


The suspension of the popular show followed criticism from the government over the content of a recent feature on economic land concessions.

“It was a joint decision between the Ministry of Information and UNDP to temporarily suspend the ‘Equity Weekly’ show,” a spokesperson from the UNDP said in an email. “Several stories elicited strong reactions from the government and the general public.”

The UNDP did not say which stories in particular had spurred strong reaction from the government. The UNDP spokesperson said U.N. officials will be meeting with TVK soon to discuss the future of the program, funding for which will continue.

Broadcast for about 40 minutes every Sunday evening since 2007, “Equity Weekly’s” uncensored content is more hard-hitting by far than TVK’s closely vetted news content.

In their final broadcast, the host of “Equity Weekly,” Khem Vuthy, spent 25 minutes apologizing for a report made on September 30, which discussed the positive and negative effects of 50,000 hectares of economic land concessions shared by at least six private companies in the Virachey National Park in Ratanakkiri province.

“We would like to start the show with a correction. On our show aired on September 30, during our story about the alleged land concessions in the [Virachey] National Park, we failed to notify the viewers on the screen that some of the video used was archive footage from a different location,” Mr. Vuthy said.
“This was an unintentional error from our part and we apologize to all our viewers for the misunderstanding and confusion that this may have caused.”

Conservationists and human rights groups have strongly criticized the recent surge in land concessions in Ratanakkiri and elsewhere, saying that some plantations cut deep into Cambodia’s remaining pristine forests, while they also affect local farmland and the forest-based livelihoods of indigenous people.
During the last episode of the show on November 11, the host also announced that the Ministry of Information had sent TVK a five-page letter with a complaint from the Ministry of Environment over the Virachey National Park land concessions program.

“[It’s] an appropriate time to review [‘Equity Weekly’] and try to set new objectives to adapt to the fast changing media landscape in Cambodia. The UNDP has suggested to have a joint review taskforce between UNDP and TVK teams to review the production process and explore the best possible ways to move forward,” the UNDP spokesperson added.

A source working for the TV show, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity surrounding the show’s suspension, said that the contract between The UNDP and TVK to produce “Equity Weekly” programs runs until April 2013 and that staff will continue getting paid until then.
TVK Director-General Kem Gunawadh said that he had no knowledge of the matter.

“I did not hear about it yet because I received no information from [the] Ministry of Information,” he said.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith could not be contacted for comment.

Ouy Bounmy, a senior producer for “Equity Weekly,” said the decision to cut the program had been made due to a scheduled break during the Asean Summit last month, as well as financial problems. He also said the suspension would only be temporary.

“[The suspension] is about funding shortage and we will resume in the next two weeks.”
Brian Lund, director of Oxfam America’s East Asia regional office, which is part of Oxfam International and also funds “Equity Weekly” alongside the UNDP, said he did not want to comment on the programming controversy.

“We are still supporting ‘Equity [Weekly]’ until April next year and probably beyond that because it is a valuable platform,” Mr. Lund said.

© 2012, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

EU Ambassador Says Listen to Envoy’s Advice

By The Cambodia Daily - December 11, 2012

The European Union’s ambassador to Cambodia yesterday urged the government to heed the advice of the U.N.’s visiting human rights envoy, who has come under increasing rebuke from officials for his unflattering reports.


Addressing a crowd of about 3,000, mostly garment factory workers, at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park to mark International Human Rights Day, E.U. Ambassador Jean-Francois Cautain spoke up for the work of the U.N.’s local human rights office and of the U.N.’s human rights envoy to the country, Surya Subedi.
“We believe the work of this office has contributed tremendously to the promotion and protection of human rights,” Mr. Cautain said of the U.N.’s human rights office in Cambodia.

“Similarly, the work of the U.N. special rapporteur, professor Subedi, who is here…in Cambodia, provides a unique opportunity for the government of Cambodia to receive expert recommendations for improving human rights,” he continued.

Government officials have recently stepped up their public criticism of Mr. Subedi, who arrived here on Sunday for his eighth fact-finding mission since taking up the unpaid post in 2009.
At least two officials, including the head of the government’s Human Rights Committee, Om Yentieng, have accused the U.N. envoy of effectively working for the political opposition. In October, Mr. Hun Sen referred to the envoy’s last report on the government’s highly controversial economic land concessions as “flimsy.”
The E.U. is currently reviewing Mr. Subedi’s report on land evictions in order to decide whether or not to launch its own investigation into possible human rights violations committed by Cambodia vis-a-vis free trade rules with Europe.

Also present at yesterday’s demonstration was the U.S. Embassy’s charge d’affaires, Jeff Daigle, who reminded the crowd of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Cambodia last month, during which he pressed Mr. Hun Sen on the country’s deteriorating human rights record.
“Protecting human rights is essential to strong rule of law, civilian security, economic development and, ultimately, lasting peace,” Mr. Daigle said.

“This was a key message of President Obama during his visit to Cambodia last month, when he urged progress on these issues and stressed that the promise of Cambodia’s great people would only be realized when human rights are fully respected and all voices are heard,” Mr. Daigle added.
The U.S. president urged Mr. Hun Sen to create an independent election committee, let opposition parties work freely and release all political prisoners—including imprisoned radio station owner Mam Sonando.
Rights groups claim that the government has been regressing on its human rights record in recent years, increasingly using the police and courts to clamp down on dissenters and peaceful protesters.
In February, Bavet City governor Chhouk Bundith shot into a crowd of demonstrating garment workers, hitting three women, one through the lung. Though charged and implicated by eyewitnesses, the courts have made no attempt to arrest Mr. Bundith and could still drop the case.
Nuth Sokhorn, one of the women shot, allegedly by Mr. Bundith, reminded the crowds gathered at Freedom Park of the case.

“We are three women who were shot by Chhouk Bundith, who is still free. Please find justice for us,” she said, before breaking down in tears.
Thun Saray, president of local rights group Adhoc, said several government officials had been invited to the event, including Phnom Penh governor Kep Chuktema and Mr. Yentieng, but were told they would all be busy.

Police presence around the park was light. But just a few blocks away near the corner of Monivong and Russian boulevards, about 100 riot police officers blocked about as many anti-eviction activists from staging their own march to Mr. Hun Sen’s Peace Palace to deliver a petition requesting his help in their land disputes.
As the police confronted protesters, one police officer was seen knocking a female protester to the ground then kicking her in the abdomen. Once the protesters decided to disperse at about 10:30 a.m., police officers detained Nhep Ly, a community empowerment officer for the Housing Rights Task Force, for taking photographs.

Mr. Ly was taken to Srah Chak commune police headquarters in Daun Penh district but released soon after.
“The police accused me of taking pictures of the protest without asking permission in advance from authorities, but I told them that I just took pictures of the general activity like the other photographers,” he said after being released from custody.

Commune police chief Kan Vannak declined to comment on the violence and detention of Mr. Ly.
(Reporting by Aun Pheap, Khoun Narim, Phok Dorn and Zsombor Peter)

© 2012, The Cambodia Daily. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in print, electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.

Great Huangs of history

Wednesday, 05 December 2012

Stuart Alan Becker

 

The book The Great Dictionary of Famous Chinese (published in 1921), lists 613 Huangs.

Here follows a partial list of of famous Huangs, including some of the descendants of Huang Qiaoshan (871-953).

Xia dynasty (2205 BC-1766 BC)  Huang Yuan (Prime Minister)

Shang Dynasty (1766 BC-1122 BC)  Huang Yin (Yi Yin ) (Prime Minister)

Zhou Dynasty (1122BC- 256 BC)  Huang Xie Lord of Chunshen (Prime Minister of Chu) 314 BC-238 BC

Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC)  Huang Shigong (Strategist)

Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 9)  Huang Ba Duke of Jiancheng (Prime Minister) 130 BC-51 BC

Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220)  Huang Xiang (Famous Official) AD 53- AD117

Three Kingdoms Period (220-280)  Huang Zhong (General of Shu Han) AD220  Huang Gai (General of Wu)

Tang Dynasty (618-907) Huang Chao (Leader of Peasant Rebellion Army) ?-AD 884

Five Dynasties Period (907-960)  Huang Quan (Painter) c.903-965; Huang Jucai (Painter) 933-?

Song Dynasty (960-1279), Huang Tingjian (Poet and Calligrapher) 1045-1105

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)  Huang Daopo (female) (Weaver) c.1245-? ; Huang Gongwang (Painter) 1269-1354

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Huang Senping (Ong Sum Ping) (Noble of Sultanate of Brunei)  Huang Wan (Famous Scholar)  1477-1551; Huang Daozhou (Scholar, Painter and Patriot)  1585-1646 ; Huang Zongxi (Thinker) 1610-1695

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911); Huang Shen (Painter)  1687-1770; Huang Jingren (Poet)  1749-1783; Huang Yizhou (Classics Expert)  1828-1899; Huang Feihong (Wong Feihung) (Martial Artist & Physician) 1847-1924; Huang Zunxian (Poet and Statesman) 1848-1905

Modern Period (1911- Present) Huang Binhong (Painter) 1865-1955 ; Huang Xing 兴 (Revolutionary) 1874-1916 ; Huang Kan (Philologist) 1886-1935; Huang Kecheng (General of the China's People's Liberation Army) 1902-1986; Huang Zhou (Painter) b.1925; Huang Jiasi (Medical Expert) 1906-1984; Huang Ziqing, (Chemist) 1900-1982; Huang Jinhui (Wee Kim Wee)(Former President of Singapore) 1915- 2005; Huang Huahua (Present Governor of Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China) b.1946; Huang Gencheng (Wong Kan Seng) (Present Home Affairs Minister of Singapore) b.1946; Huang Jiading (Ong Ka Ting) (Former Housing and Local Government Minister of Malaysia); Huang Guangyu (Businessman) b.1969. The richest man in China according to Time magazine 30/04/2006.

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To contact the reporter on this story: Stuart Alan Becker at stuart.becker@gmail.com

Time to invest in people

Friday, 07 December 2012

Pamela Cox

 

For more than a decade, Cambodia has sustained impressive economic growth.

The World Bank expects real gross domestic product to increase by 6.6 per cent this year – a figure to be envied in today’s fragile global economy.

At this pace, Cambodia can rapidly become the industrialised and productive economy it aspires to be.

Is this the future that Cambodians can rightfully look forward to?

The answer is yes, but only if Cambodia invests in its most precious resource – its people – to enable each individual to realise his or her potential and productively contribute to the nation’s economy.

Until now, much of Cambodia’s investment has focused on infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing – priority areas during the early stages of the country’s economic development.

But with economic progress, it has become increasingly clear that these efforts are not enough to help the country achieve equitable, sustainable growth and, most important, reduce poverty.

Today, despite the nation’s economic achievements, roughly 20 per cent of Cambodians – that’s 2.8 million people – are still poor.

Nearly 40 per cent of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition, and 28 per cent in the same age group are underweight.

Over the past decade, workforce skills of adults improved at a slower rate than in other East Asia countries, and the proportion of skilled workers among earners stagnated.

When the economy is booming, it’s tempting to turn a blind eye to such statistics.

But for the sake of Cambodia’s future, these are the figures we must confront, and this is where the World Bank can help.

Ending poverty, and building shared prosperity, are central to the Bank’s mission. 

Investments in human development, particularly in the areas of health and education, need to be a priority in Cambodia to create opportunities for all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Interventions in these areas work hand in hand to build a country’s human-resources pool even before schooling begins.

Growing evidence shows the importance of adequate nutrition and health care during early childhood, to lay the foundation for intellectual progress and life-long learning.

The government has taken significant steps towards improving access as well as the quality of education, and 96 per cent of children aged six to 11 now go to primary school.

The average test performance of primary- and secondary-school students has improved, and higher-education enrolments increased fourfold between 2001 and 2011.

The World Bank is supporting health and education in Cambodia.

With the government and our development partners, we are financing health equity funds and school scholarships, having provided 2.5 million health-care treatments for poor people since 2009 and scholarships for 63,000 poor secondary-school students since 2005.

But much more needs to be done to improve the coverage, quality and governance of these sectors.

Although Cambodia’s economy is growing, employers report a mismatch between the skills university graduates bring to a job and the skills the labour market demands.

A recent World Bank study found that 22 per cent of foreign employers in Cambodia identify skills as a severe constraint to businesses.

This means many Cambodians earn less than they could if they had adequate education and skills.

For the country, this leads to lower productivity, limiting Cambodia’s potential to attract investment and improve living standards for all.

As a global knowledge and financial institution, the World Bank works with governments and a broad array of stakeholders gathering best practices and providing solutions for the most difficult development issues countries and communities face.

It draws from the knowledge and experience of other nations, and is able and ready to assist, inspire and inform Cambodia’s efforts to achieve its development goals.

In Indonesia, for example, the World Bank supported a social assistance program designed to address three lagging Millennium Development Goals – maternal health, child health and universal education – using a successful, community-driven approach.

Communities themselves took charge and allocated block grants targeting 12 health and education indicators, enabling 1.6 million women and children to receive nutrition counselling and support; helping 365,000 children receive immunisations; eliminating 185,000 cases of underweight children; and providing assistance to about 380,000 poor school students.

Tajikistan also has a high percentage of underweight children resulting from malnutrition exacerbated by the 2008 food-price shock.

The World Bank supported a community and basic health project to provide food packages and micro-nutrient supplements to about 50,000 women, infants and children.

By mid-2011, the project had trained 1,000 primary health workers and 300 community volunteers to deliver education on breast-feeding, good nutrition and the care of sick children.

Delivering these results requires a tremendous, co-ordinated effort by governments, donors, the private sector, civil society and others.

During my visit to Phnom Penh this week, I discussed with the government and our development partners how the World Bank can support Cambodia’s development strategy, to ensure all Cambodians can participate in, and benefit from, their country’s future prosperity.

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Pamela Cox is the World Bank vice-president for East Asia and the Pacific.