Des Miracles Qui Rapportent ? (2004-Aug-22)          1) Miracle cow has thousands of Cambodians lining up for a lick        July 8 2004, AFP : PHUM TRAPEANG CHUM (Cambodia): Thousands of ill Cambodians are flocking to this northern village to be licked by a mystical cow named Preah who is curing their ailments, its owner has claimed. Farmer Puch Pich said up to 400 people have been turning up daily for the past fortnight to be slobbered over, after the 13-month-old white beast apparently cured his wife Kong Mich of a chronic illness. They have been braving Cambodia's notoriously bad rainy season roads to travel from around the kingdom, paying 500 Riel (13 cents) per person for four licks on the limb or body part of their choice.

Photo Everyday.com.kh

         "The cow won't lick people who don't put in their money... And if it doesn't think you believe in its powers, it won't lick you either," Puch Pich quipped. Ros Sath, 68, told AFP that before he underwent the unconventional treatment he could barely walk a few metres thanks to a stiff leg. "After the cow licked me four times I felt comfortable again and now I can walk 300 or 400 metres without getting exhausted," he said.The curative powers of Preah - which means ‘God in Khmer' - were revealed when Kong Mich took the animal out to graze, said Puch Pich, who has owned the $325 cow for five months. "The cow was always wanting to lick my wife's arms and legs and after two months, she completely recovered from an illness we'd spent a lot of money trying to fix," he said.

2) Bébé à queue poilue          Dans la province de Svay Rieng, Sokh Mao, 36 ans, vit dans un rêve un vieillard qui lui fit cadeau d'un petit singe en lui disant d'en bien prendre soin car le singe, en grandissant, lui rendra la pareille. Quelque sept mois après, ce 17 août, la femme donne naissance à un bébé qui porte une protubérance poilue au coccyx. Des gens accourent alors pour voir cette famille dont le mari et père, ouvrier de construction, est encore coincé au loin, son patron ne voulant pas encore lui donner son salaire.          Mais, miraculeusement, comme a dit le vieillard du rêve, le bébé commence à subvenir aux besoins de sa maman : il ne se laisse voir la "queue" de bonne grâce, sans pleurer à tout rompre, que si l'on verse chaque fois ... 100 riels comme frais de dérangement! Comme quoi, même dans ses imperfections, la nature fait bien les choses.

Phnom Penh vs Svay Rieng (2004-Aug-18)          Kep Chuktema's background - Information about current Phnom Penh Municipality governor Kep Chuktema:          - Former deputy chief of Hun Sen's bodyguards unit. He tried to kill CPP dissident Ung Phan in 1991. Seriously wounded, Ung Phan joined Funcinpec a few months later and was elected National Assembly member in 1993.          - Former deputy governor of Mondolkiri province.

         - Former governor of Takeo province.
         - Very close to National Police director Hok Lundy, who had been Svay Rieng provincial governor before Hun Neng. As Phnom Penh governor Kep Chuktema has been closely following Hok Lundy's instructions to repress anti-government demonstrations.
         Svay Rieng governor: a strategic position - The Svay Rieng provincial governor, who must be a staunch CPP supporter, must tactfully handle:
         - Vietnam's continuous encroachments on Cambodia's territory.
         - Large stretches of land along the border owned by CPP officials but leased to Vietnamese farmers.
         - Smuggling activities, which are an important source of revenue for the CPP.
         - Vietnamese immigrants, many of whom have been recently granted Cambodian citizenship. Besides, thousands of Vietnamese citizens living in Vietnam hold Cambodian citizenship and cross the border on election days to cast their ballots in Cambodia.
         Hun Neng to be appointed Phnom Penh governor - Prime Minister Hun Sen's eldest brother Hun Neng, currently Svay Rieng provincial governor, will replace Kep Chuktema as Phnom Penh Municipality governor in September or October this year. Kep Chuktema will take up the current position of Hun Neng. [K.I.]

LES SIX COMMANDEMENTS

REFORMING OUR BUDDHISM

GRAMMAIRE KHMÈRE

NOVEL (Author)

PHN@M-P@NH-P@TINS (Previous)

FRAN-GLO-GIBWÉ

CAMBODIATRIBE

GOD vs BUDDHA

PEN Nearovi, Montréal, Québec, Canada
(nearovi@sympatico.ca)