LES 6
COMMANDEMENTS		 COURRI@L    2004 THE 6
COMMANDMENTS


14 Korean Firms Look For Joint Ventures in Cambodia
DECEMBER 16th, 2003


One of South Korean trade
representatives displayed products
at Inter Continental Hotel
Koh Santepheap : Fourteen different companies and corporations of South Korea Trade Association paid their two-day visit in the Capital city of Cambodia in an effort to look for joint ventures and business partners in the Southeast Asian Nation's developing country. The introduction and display of their products started Friday last week at Inter Continental Hotel. “It is the first time South Korea products have been displayed and sought for markets in Cambodia,” said a delegate. The business visitors said the items include consumer products needed for everyday life like electronic products, medical devices, water-proof sheets, spectacles' frame, construction materials, canned foods and male and female handbags. The companies are not only just to sell their products in Cambodian markets, but also wish to import fruits and cattle skin from Cambodia, according to a Cambodian Commerce official.
 

Patrimoine culturel mondial
17 DÉCEMBRE 2003

The Khmer Royal Ballet is recognized by UNESCO
as World Cultural Heritage
 
 

[Kohsantepheap in Khmer]
 

France Pledges More Assistance to Cambodia
DECEMBER 19th, 2003


Hun Sen (R) with French envoy
France is ready to proceed with its assistance to Cambodia, Thierry Dana, Director of Asia-Oceania Department of French Foreign Ministry assured Cambodian Prime Minister Thursday, praising the successful presence of Cambodia in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Thierry, who is on his state visit to strengthen the cooperation and relations for both countries, expressed his satisfactions over Cambodia's recent communal and parliamentary elections, which are running smoothly and acceptably, and bringing Cambodia and its people peace and development. French envoy also praises Cambodia for its presence in Asean and WTO. “French government and I realize that Cambodia is well known again through the Asean Summit and its economic integration into the world by entering WTO this year," said Thierry, during a courtesy call paid to Prime Minister Hun Sen that morning at his Phnom Penh residence.

"The achievements impressed France so much and we are ready to continue more development assistance to Cambodia," he said. Meanwhile, Hun Sen extended his deep gratitude toward French government and its people for their non-stop help to Cambodia. "It is France who helps build Cambodian peace through unforgettable Paris Peace Accord in 1991 and it has started providing assistances to Cambodia since 1993," Hun Sen recounted, adding that those build "a very strong relation between the two countries."
 

Chacun sur ses positions
19 DÉCEMBRE 2003

SOUVENIRS DE DÉCEMBRE
DECEMBER 21st, 2003

THE Christian presence in Phnom Penh was not only concentrated in the "French borough" around the Dohn Penh Hill and in the Phoum Katolik beside the power plant. When I was elementary school kid I used to walk from my then home -- behind the Prayuravongs Pagoda -- to my François Beaudoin school. On the way (the Blvd Doudart-Delagrée) there was a Christian mission called Krom Psay Damneng L' Aw (...? de la Bonne Nouvelle), not far from the bar Duch Nil, the restaurant Lap Chheung and the Langkaram Pagoda. Some evening the mission was full of Khmer attendees, true believers and people lured by the distribution of free gifts, particularly beautiful greeting cards at Christian holidays. Even when I got older and went to collège Yukanthor, the mission was still there and I've received from some friend splendid Christmas cards given away at the mission.

BUT the Christmas souvenir of the late-1950s Phnom Penh I want to tell you is the following : I, some family members and friends we wanted to see what it looked like, an evening of December 24th, in the Phoum Katolik at K.M.6. A lot of people of different origins were in the streets. Inside a church I saw for the first time statues of winged angels, the cross and the half-naked Christ crucified on it, and scented the good smell des encens et des bougies. It was rather scary. Less intimidating was la crèche de Noël where people lined up to kiss the foot of the Enfant-Jésus amidst statues of sheeps and put some money into the charity box. We got out of the church, crossed the garden and saw near the gate a respectable Khmer elder (50-60-year-old), dressed with Kho Chen Av Chen, assis sur le trottoir en position de prière (AngQouy Bot Cherng, Daï Sampeah, Tmich Pnaek). He was actually reciting non-stop prayer :

Passers-by stopped and put some money into the box in front of the elder. Vu des billets de 5 et de 10 riels in the box, I agreed that the elder was a clever guy who knew well the habit of the neighbourhood (generosity during Christmas period) ... and that Buddhists and Christians can really live together en coexistence pacifique.

N.B. : 1) L'évêque khmer en 1975 était Mgr Tep Satha In, l'un des favoris, dit-on, du Vatican.
2) Samdech Preah Dhamma Likhit Louis ÈM, enfant, était élève d'un séminaire des Jésuites, qui l'avaient prénommé (baptisé?) "Louis".

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year !



LES SIX
COMMANDEMENTS		 REFORMING
OUR BUDDHISM		 ROMAN
POLITIQUE		 DIEU vs
BOUDDHA		 GRAMMAR
Introduction		 COURRI@L 2004
(Previous)
PEN Nearovi, Montréal, Québec, Canada
(nearovi@sympatico.ca)