LES 6
COMMANDEMENTS		 camboDIATRIBE THE 6
COMMANDMENTS


Ron Abney back in Cambodia (2004-Nov-19)
Political warhorse no stranger to hardball democracy
         "The people with the power kill the people who don't have the power. That's the lesson I learned that [1997] day, that's the reason you do this work. It's not that you fall in love with some resistance movement. It's not a Che Guevara romantic involvement," said Ron Abney, now 63. Sitting in his Phnom Penh office, the interior dimmed by smoked glass and bars on the windows that were installed in response to regular telephone threats to staff, Abney is back in his old job while IRI finds a new country director to replace Jackson Cox, who left to help shape democracy in Iraq. Abney says he's happy to return to Cambodia, despite the painful memories. "I work on Cambodia every day," said Abney, even when he's at home at his rural property in Georgia in the United States. (...) "If anybody believes that they [the CPP] have an internal democracy, I think they're smoking something they sell down at the Central Market," said Abney in the affable way that endears him even to those who question the work of IRI.
         "Our programs now exclusively, in the party training part of it, are for Rainsy's party." He rejects outright any claims that IRI contributes funds directly to the cash-strapped opposition, saying the provision of IRI-branded pencils and notepads at training sessions and a per diem of $1 or $2 to cover food for participants are the limit to their material assistance. (...) This year IRI will spend about $450,000 training the SRP. That money goes mostly to paying the trainers as well as expenses, such as renting meeting space at provincial hotels, says Abney. (...) About $900,000 goes to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, led by Kem Sokha. The rest of IRI's total budget of $2.5 million, granted by the US Agency for International Development, funds training for commune chiefs and the Youth Council of Cambodia, which promotes democratic ideals to young people.
         There was a time last year, after the formation of the "Alliance of Democrats" between SRP and Funcinpec, that IRI was forced to consider widening its embrace of opposition parties. In October 2003, a meeting was arranged between Ron Abney and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, Funcinpec president, at his house just outside Phnom Penh. (...) Abney says he returned to Washington hopeful that the Alliance might bring together the reformist SRP and royalist Funcinpec (...) Abney believes Ranariddh "lost his place at the table" of serious political discussion as a result of betraying the Alliance of Democrats, but says he remains open to approaches from even the most unlikely political allies. "There is a split within the CPP, there is a moderate wing, and God bless 'em. If the moderate wing of the CPP came to us and said we want to form a moderate CPP II, we'd probably work with them." (...)
         Ron Abney is involved in an orphanage caring for 128 Cambodian children and still receives tidbits of information about the 1997 grenade attack, like the photo taken 30 seconds before the first blast that just surfaced and was emailed to him by friends who continue the investigation. "There's a lot of information that's out there on the grenade attacks that will one day become public, I hope." And then, Abney will be calling the FBI to claim back his shrapnel fragment, a tangible reminder of his involvement in Cambodia's tough struggle towards democracy.   [ more details in Phnom Penh Post ]

Welcome to VOICE OF DEMOCRACY
(2004-Nov-16)

Welcome to the voice of Cambodian Center for Human Rights led by Mr Kem Sokha, broadcast by Sambok Khmum FM 105 and by Radio FM 90. Cette organisation appelle à la croisade populaire pour le Droit, la Liberté et la Démocratie. Ses slogans : Oser Pour Changer ; Défendre Son Droit C'est Défendre Sa Vie.

www.vodnews.org

The mafia consolidates its grip on Cambodia (2004-Nov-14)
         K.I. : The regional mafia finds many ways to preserve and consolidate its grip on Cambodia. Through corruption of political leaders from the ruling CPP and Funcinpec, it has secured influential/strategic positions for the organized crime. The Cambodian-Thai mafia is represented by Ly Yong Phat, also known as Phat Suphapha on his Thai passport. Ly Yong Phat, also known as the "King of Koh Kong", is notoriously engaged in smuggling, casinos, and money laundering. Following a severe crackdown on the mafia by the Thai authorities, illicit drug trafficking and manufacturing (amphetamines and methamphetamines) activities are thriving in Cambodia, along the border with Thailand.
         Already in a long-time symbiotic relationship with the CPP, the mafia has, over a more recent period of time, successfully infiltrated Funcinpec (KI, 03 August 2004: "Prince Ranariddh receiving extra cash"). While most Funcinpec-affilialed provincial or municipal Governors have been recently dismissed, demoted or transferred, Say Hak, one of Ly Yong Phat's relatives and close associates, has just been re-appointed Governor of the port city of Sihanoukville, a key position to oversee illegal activities including drug trafficking. New evidence of drug trafficking activities through Sihanoukville has been made available to Interpol and the DEA.
         On 6 March 2004, Ly Yong Phat and Say Hak were seen in Bangkok escorting Prince Norodom Ranariddh from the airport to the latter's luxurious residence at the "All Seasons Place" compound, on Wireless Road.

A new Asian "Co-Prosperity Sphere" ? (2004-Nov-14)
Hun Sen met with Burmese leaders in China
         K.I. : When he was discretely in China earlier this month, Prime Minister Hun Sen met with some top leaders from Burma who had been also discretely invited by the Chinese leadership. China seems to follow in Cambodia the same strategy she has been following for many years already in Burma, which consists in encouraging and supporting the authoritarian regime in place, promoting "Asian values" (economic development first, democracy and human rights later), countering Western influences and pressure by promoting solidarity among Asian countries sharing the same philosophy (as during the preparations for the last ASEM meeting in Hanoi), gaining access to the Southern seas (Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand), increasing Beijing's economic weight in Southeast Asia through all sorts of investments and joint-ventures (including dubious ones such as those related to deforestation), and eventually building a new Asian "Co-Prosperity Sphere" à la chinoise.


Lettre des Eaux et Forêts de Kampong Cham (2004-Nov-09)
Province de Kampong Cham : Dans l'Empire de Kampong Cham, les infractions forestières se font jour et nuit, par voie terrestre comme fluviale, à tel point que, disent les habitants, l'administration forestière ne les voit plus. Koh Santepheap a demandé par téléphone des explications à un fonctionnaire des Eaux et Forêts mais ce dernier nous a dit de parler à son supérieur car on a interdit aux subalternes de communiquer avec la presse. En même temps, la rédaction de Koh Santepheap a reçu une lettre demandant l'anonymat, disant comme suit : << Maintenant le transport illégal du bois dans la province se multiplie mais dans le silence. Si les autorités supérieures continuent de fermer les yeux et se boucher les oreilles, la centaine et quelques cadres de district feront une révolte qui secouera Kampong Cham! Le district Kampong Cham n'applique pas


l'avis 509 du ministère de l'Agriculture qui interdit aux districts d'installer des postes de contrôle pour prélever des taxes de la population. Nous nous demandons pourquoi le scandale dans le district forestier de Kampong Cham continue de plus belle, les lions dévorent leur part de lion, les charognards lécheurs reçoivent leurs miettes, les sérieux et honnêtes sont assurés de crever de faim. Les autorités supérieures doivent règler cette affaire une fois pour toute et empêcher une poignée d'individus de salir toute notre entité. Ceci est une honte devant nos prédécesseurs Mé Prey! Nous continuerons, monsieur le directeur, de vous donner des informations. Signés: Fonctionnaires des Eaux et Forêts. >> [Koh Santepheap]

LES SIX
COMMANDEMENTS		 REFORMING
OUR BUDDHISM		 GRAMMAIRE
KHMÈRE		 NOVEL
(Author)		 CAMBODIATRIBE
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 		     COURRI@L 2004
 		    
PEN Nearovi, Montréal, Québec, Canada
(nearovi@sympatico.ca)