SRP TO CELEBRATE 9TH ANNIVERSARY (2004-Nov-23)

in Cambodia. The Celebration will begin with SRP members and guests arriving from 7:30 am and end at 11 am. [Sam Rainsy Party]

Peter Leuprecht vs Hun Sen (2004-Nov-19)
         Phnom Penh Post : Prime Minister Hun Sen told a visiting United Nations human rights observer that impunity doesn't exist in Cambodia, and that he continues to see the UN special representative as a "prosecutor" opposed to the economic development of the country. Peter Leuprecht, special representative to the UN Secretary General on human rights in Cambodia, concluded his 11th visit on November 14 after meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni, politicians, diplomats, donors, NGOs, trade unionists and members of the community. His assessment of Cambodia's human rights situation was wide-ranging and grim. "Where there is progress I try to show it ... but the trouble is that the basic issues that plague Cambodian society -poverty, violence, corruption and lawlessness- there're still here," said Leuprecht.
         "On impunity, the Prime Minister seems to say that it doesn't exist," Leuprecht told the Post. "But of course it does exist and I don't think you solve any problem by saying the problem doesn't exist." "I believe that we have to look at impunity as a system related to the structures of power in the country," he said later at a press conference. (...) Leuprecht said his talk with Hun Sen was not "one of the most constructive meetings" they have held, with the PM still seeing the UN special representative as a "prosecutor", a label he first used in 2000 when Leuprecht started the job. (...)
         Leuprecht called for better coordination amongst donors but said the government had a responsibility to live up to what they promise the international community. "I think the donors should be serious when they fix benchmarks, and once they fix the benchmarks, the most normal thing is to check whether it has been met," he said. "On the other hand, I tell the government it must understand that donors want to see results when they pour this money into Cambodia." Leuprecht was "confident" that the international community would fund a Khmer Rouge Trial and he had urged diplomats and donors to support a "long overdue" justice.

DEFORESTATION DESTROYING CAMBODIA’S ECOSYSTEM (2004-Nov-18)
         Asia Security Monitor : Cambodia is suffering from a devastating drought that has resulted from the massive deforestation caused by unchecked government corruption, reports the Cambodia Daily.  Since Hun Sen was appointed prime minister in 1985 Cambodia's forest cover has dwindled from approximately 70 percent to less than 35 percent. Over the same period of time, Cambodia has been suffering from a series of unprecedented floods and droughts. Many independent observers, including King Norodom Sihanouk, have blamed it on deforestation.  Sihanouk wrote: "In the present times, we clearly see the devastating results for our country, our agriculture, our farmers caused by the continuous and unstoppable destruction of our forest, which is a major cause for the catastrophic droughts and floods that destroy our country and the livelihoods of our people who find themselves plunged into misery."

Kampot corral, Cambodian cowboys, Vietnamese dealers (2004-Nov-12) Thank to Hwys 3 and 31 renovation, Kampot province has become a busy gateway for cattle export to Vietnam. Livestock includes local oxen and buffaloes as well as cows from Thailand. Recently provincial authorities have forbidden illegal cattle export to Vietnam. But there have been two groups of officials: the ones who make the arrest and others who pocket the bribe. The two fight one another when the money is not "fairly" shared. On November 9, ten trucks "the size of train wagon" brought in dozens of cows within the morning hours and were greeted by a crowd of Vietnamese buyers. This has been happening for two years now. A number of cows from Thailand died in the trucks, no veterinarian looked at them,

dealers sold cheaply the dead beasts to locals around who cut in pieces the meat ... for cooking.

LES SIX COMMANDEMENTS

REFORMING OUR BUDDHISM

GRAMMAIRE KHMÈRE

NOVEL (Author)

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

FRAN-GLO-GIBWÉ

CAMBODIATRIBE

GOD vs BUDDHA

COURRI@L 2004

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