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The sad song of Sinn Sisamouth

December 05, 2008
By D. Allan Kerr
the_culling@hotmail.com
Portsmouth Herald News (New Hampshire, USA)

Here we are again, celebrating the season of peace and thanksgiving, counting our blessings and spreading joy to the world. It’s a time to reflect on – well, hell, you know how it goes by now.
This is that time of year when people tell us how lucky we are to live in the greatest, most freedom-loving country in the history of mankind. It’s when we’re encouraged to remember those less fortunate than us – the poor, the oppressed, the fearful and the damned. So in that spirit, here we go again:
I currently work with some fine outstanding American citizens who happen to be of Cambodian origin. The other day they brought in a CD of Cambodian music, mostly from previous decades. It was pretty catchy stuff, more modern than I had expected but also with what sounded like more traditional native influences. I was struck by the stylings of one guy in particular. He would croon a heart-ripping ballad in one number and then deliver a rousing rocker in the next; as warm and familiar as your grandfather’s sweater one moment and then as fresh as last week’s Top 40.
This man was the most famous singer of their old country, my co-workers said. Was he still around, I asked. No, they said – he had passed away. Then a bit later they elaborated – he had actually been exterminated by the Khmer Rouge back in the 1970s.
In fact, they said, the famous singer had been brought in by leaders of the Khmer Rouge and asked to compose a song celebrating their ascendancy. When he finished the song and then performed it, he was promptly executed.
In my homegrown American naivete I was kind of stunned by this. I asked one of my younger colleagues what artist in the United States had a comparable status. Elvis Presley, he said. I think I blinked and did a kind of double-take.
“So if our government had executed Elvis, that would have had the same kind of impact here as when this guy was killed in Cambodia?” I asked.
“That’s right.”
“Wow.”
The artist in question was Sinn Sisamouth. I of course had never heard of him, but in Cambodian culture he is indeed considered a giant. And as we continued listening to the CD, my co-workers pointed out that several of the other singers we heard had also been murdered by the Khmer Rouge. One of them, a female artist named Ros Sereysothear, performed many duets with Sinn.
Knowing this totally changed the listening experience for me. The more melancholic songs were suddenly swathed in tragedy, while the rollicking uptempo tunes took on an epic poignancy. It was almost unsettling, listening to the music of these doomed artists who at the time had no way of knowing what was to befall them. In essence, they were singing their own death song.
Sure, we have our Kurt Cobains and Janis Joplins and Jimi Hendrixes, but these foreign superstars were the first I knew of who had died BECAUSE of the music they created. Our tragic artist-heroes tend to fall victim to their own excesses.
I’ve since researched Sinn Sisamouth a bit. I learned that as a singer and song-writer he helped usher in a whole new modern culture for his country, developing an innovative style that combined rock-n-roll with the more traditional classics of his heritage. He wrote more than a thousand songs over his career and is perhaps most beloved for his odes to the ecstasies and agonies of love. Classic hits like “Champa Battambong” have become part of Cambodia’s heritage. But to this day there is no clear evidence as to how his life came to an end.
During the dark and bloody days of the Khmer Rouge, vanishings were not uncommon and the infamous “Killing Fields” were put to frequent use. Led by the notorious madman Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge essentially sought to develop a society of farmers and laborers, and so proceeded to eliminate urban dwellers, intellectuals, capitalists, artists and so on. The regime is believed to have wiped out anywhere from 800,000 to 2 million people in the 1970s, or roughly one-fifth of the country’s population.
Just about every atrocity you can imagine has been attributed to Pol Pot’s followers, including the use of children to implement torture and executions. Celebrities made easy targets. While the scenario described to me of Sinn Sisamouth’s death has been widely circulated, there are other reports that he was in fact tortured, and that his famous tongue was cut out.
Another story suggests that it was he who asked to sing a song to his executioners, and performed a musical plea for justice. But his audience, consisting of ignorant barbaric rustics, was unmoved, and shot him anyway. By all accounts it seems he had too sweet a soul to survive this brutal era. Sinn was only 40 years old when he is believed to have died.
His old singing partner Ros Sereysothear also vanished during the regime. One rumor maintains that Pol Pot forced her to marry one of his assistants, who routinely abused her. Others imply that she died in a labor camp or was executed.
Yeah, I know – not exactly a storyin keeping with the holiday spirit. But Americans taking their liberty for granted is a well-worn cliché by now, and all too often it takes stories like these to sort of snap us into reality. We live in a country where singers, poets, artists, writers and moose hunters are free to express their thoughts and feelings through their talents and creativity without fear of imprisonment or torture. Think about how lucky we are.
The simple shock we experience when hearing tragic tales like the fate of Sinn Sisamouth – and the songs haunting us afterward in a foreign tongue -- remind us how alien such circumstances may be for most of us.
LOSER OF THE WEEK: Then on the other extreme we have Stephon Marbury, the $22 million-dollar point guard for the New York Knickerbockers. Here’s a man who has made an absolute fortune playing a game, and when asked to suit up to help out his teammates, he refused.
There’s a reason Marbury has never won an NBA championship. There’s a reason Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Marbury’s ex-teammate Kevin Garnett have. Chances are, Marbury will never figure that out in time to actually call himself a winner.
D. Allan Kerr has never understood how despots like Pol Pot can finish out their lives without ever having to face the consequences of their horrific actions. Kerr may be reached at the_culling@hotmail.com.

DJ Ano appears live on TV3, fresh-faced and injury-free

A healthy, happy DJ Ano appears on TV3 on Wednesday. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)

Thursday, 20 November 2008
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Her appearance dispells more than a week of gruesome reports about an alleged razor attack by a government official's jealous wife
TELEVISION presenter DJ Ano on Wednesday put to rest more than a week of rumours that she had been attacked with razors by the wife of a high-ranking government official and had fled to Vietnam to recover from her injuries.
The TV3 presenter, whose real name is Suon Pheakdei, appeared live on her network in full health and showing no signs of the alleged 83 razor cuts that had formed the substance of the lurid rumours.
In addition to refuting stories of the attack, which began circulating more than a week ago when she failed to turn up for work, Ano said she has asked for a police investigation to determine who might be responsible for spreading false information about her.
"I will file a complaint against those who started the rumours," she said. "When I heard the information about me, I had no idea what to do."
Kha Puon Keomony, director general of TV3, said Ano had taken time off from work to visit relatives abroad but that at her request, he had not released the information to the media.
"I didn't tell anyone," he said. "She asked me not to speak about her.

Day 1 of Bon Om Touk (Boat Race Festival)

Boat rowers practise for the annual Water Festival boat race on the Mekong river in Phnom Penh November 10, 2008. About 29,000 oarsmen in more than 420 boats will compete in the three-day race from November 11 to 13. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Boat rowers practise for the annual Water Festival boat race on the Mekong river in Phnom Penh November 10, 2008. About 29,000 oarsmen in more than 420 boats will compete in the three-day race from November 11 to 13. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A boat captain prays before the start of a race on the first day of the annual water festival on the Mekong river in Phnom Penh November 11, 2008. About 29,000 oarsmen in more than 420 boats will compete in boat races during the three-day festival from November 11 to 13. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A Buddhist monk blesses boat rowers before the start of a race on the first day of the annual water festival on the Mekong river in Phnom Penh November 11, 2008. About 29,000 oarsmen in more than 420 boats will compete in boat races during the three-day festival from November 11 to 13. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Boat rowers prepare for a race on the first day of the annual water festival on the Mekong river in Phnom Penh November 11, 2008. About 29,000 oarsmen in more than 420 boats will compete in boat races during the three-day festival from November 11 to 13. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Hok Lundy’s chopper hit by lightning: Hun Sen's favorite curse bounced back on his close henchman?

Top cop died in helicopter crash in Svay Rieng province
09 Nov 2008
By Chivita and Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Four-star general and national police commissioner Hok Lundy died in a helicopter crash in the evening of 09 November 2008 in Svay Rieng province.
Four passengers were on the private helicopter trip from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng, including General Sok Saem, deputy army commander, and two pilots. All four died in the crash. The following is the report provided by Sok Serey based on questions asked by Chivita.
Chivita: We learned that police commissioner Hok Lundy died from the helicopter crash, how much can you confirm it?
Sok Serey: I received the official confirmation from Mr. Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, at about 10:30 PM (Cambodia time). Mr. Khieu Kanharith confirmed that 4-star general Hok Lundy died during the helicopter crash incident while traveling from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng during a private trip in a private helicopter.
Chivita: Do you know where for sure the crash took place, and how was the crash?
Sok Serey: The source from whom I received the latest news indicated that the crash was in Bavet district, Svay Rieng province, near the plane landing zone in Bavet district, Svay Rieng province.
Chivita: How did the helicopter crash? What about the remains?
Sok Serey: According to a police official from the Khan 07 Makara, who was stationed at General Hok Lundy’s home, he claimed that the helicopter was about to land, but it was hit by lightning and the helicopter exploded into pieces. Hok Lundy’s remain is not in one piece anymore, it was blown into pieces because the helicopter was shattered into pieces after the lightning hit it before landing.
The remains of the 4 passengers included: the two pilots, General Sok Saem, and General Hok Lundy. Hok Lundy’s body was transported from Svay rieng to Neak Loeung in direction to his home in Phnom Penh.
Chivita: Regarding the timing, can you tell us when the crash took place?
Sok Serey: According to a source close to the case, he claimed that it took place past 7PM (Cambodia time).
Chivita: Did PM Hun Sen react or say anything about Hok Lundy’s death?
Sok Serey: Up until now, I followed news on all TV and radio stations in Cambodia, but there is no statement from PM Hun Sen yet. There is no statement issued by high ranking government officials either, but what is known is that there is an upheaval among mid-level police officers and district police officers who held meetings about the reception of Hok Lundy’s body which is transported from Svay Rieng to Phnom Penh.
Chivita: What about the remains of General Sok Saem and the two pilots?
Sok Serey: My source did not say anything about the other passengers involved in the accident, he only said that Hok Lundy’s remain is currently being brought over. The source seems to indicate that the other remains may be transported back together.
Chivita: In the plane, was there any relative of Mr. Hok Lundy?
Sok Serey: There is no official source indicating whether Mr. Hok Lundy’s relatives were traveling with him.

In Phnom Penh, Hok Lundy’s funeral held under tight surveillance

Hok Lundy's funeral (Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

10 Nov 2008
By Pen Bona
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Hok Lundy’s funeral was held on Monday 10 November in his house in Phnom Penh, located near the ministry of National Defense. An important security force was deployed for the occasion.
Several high ranking government officials as well as numerous police officers participated in this religious ceremony. General Sok Phal, the deputy national police commissioner, told reporters that Hok Lundy’s remain will be sent back to Bavet, Svay Rieng, for burial. “The burial date is not set yet. His family would consult a Chinese astrologer to choose the date,” said the No. 2 top cop. According to Sok Phal, the funeral procession will be held in great pomp in respect of Hok Lundy’s high rank.
Cambodia top cop found his demise in the evening of 09 November during a helicopter crash. The accident occurred at about 8PM, in the southeast of the kingdom, at about 80 km from Phnom Penh. Three other passengers, including General Sok Saem, deputy RAFC commander, and two pilots also died in the accident. The top cop left Phnom Penh at 7PM to travel to Svay Rieng, his birth province. “He had a special mission to accomplish in this province,” Sok Phal said while adding that Hok Lundy’s body was found lying about 5-meter away from the helicopter. He did not seem to have any injuries. The helicopter belonged to Sokha Helicopters, a private company owned by Sokimex which recently invested in 9 new helicopters including 2 Ecureuils (French Squirrel type helicopter) built by Eurocopter and a Robinson R44.
Although the cause of the accident is still unknown, heavy rain in the region during the accident could be the origin.
Nevertheless, an anonymous source who was present on the spot of the accident, indicated that the helicopter landed normally, but that it exploded once it touched the ground. This information still needs to be confirmed.
According to Khieu Kanharith, minister of Information and government spokesman, who was reached by Cambodge Soir Hebdo, experts were immediately dispatched to the spot to investigate the cause of the accident. “We are waiting for the official report from these experts in order to come up with the preliminary findings,” Sok Phal indicated.

09 Nov: Cambodia celebrates independence from France

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni greets officials during the Independence Day celebrations in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is seen during the Independence Day celebrations in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni greets well-wishers as he presides over the country's 55th independence anniversary from France in front of Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni (L) watches the procession during the Independence Day celebrations in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodian flag-bearers march in front of the royal palace during the Independence Day celebrations in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodians march alongside a car decorated as a dove in front of the royal palace during the Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodians march alongside a car decorated as a dove in front of the royal palace during the Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh November 9, 2008. Cambodia celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Khmer "Maysak" may flood Vietnam and put its coffee harvest at risk

Fri Nov 7, 2008
Flood-hit Vietnam on storm alert, coffee at risk

HANOI (Reuters) - A tropical storm developing west of the Philippines could bring rain to disrupt Vietnam's coffee harvesting by early next week if it lands on the central coast, a storm-tracking website showed on Friday.
Tropical storm Twenty Four, or Maysak, is forecast to arrive in the province of Binh Dinh, to the east of Vietnam's Central Highlands coffee belt, the Tropical Storm Risk (www.tropicalstormrisk.com) site showed.
The storm, named after a tree in Cambodia's Khmer language, could cause sea swells and dump heavy rain on Vietnam's central coast over the next 72 hours, the national weather centre said in a storm bulletin on Friday.
Rain during the coffee harvest could halt the process, expected to peak late next week, and may also prevent farmers from drying beans outdoors, thus delaying delivery to port.
If they are unable to dry coffee cherries in the sun, farmers often have to switch to dryers, which raises the ratio of black beans and destroys the taste, both of which are problems if the beans are meant for export.
While floodwaters are receding, 17 northern and central provinces and Hanoi are coping with the aftermath of flooding from heavy rain that killed 93 people. Hanoi reported 22 deaths from the worst inundations in more than three decades, officials said.
On Friday the government urged fishing boats now at sea to take shelter. It also told oil and gas project developers to take precautions to ensure the safety of their rigs and equipment.
"Food reserves, drinking water, essential items for 15 days of use in areas vulnerable to floods should be prepared," the government told local authorities in Danang city, Ho Chi Minh City and 19 central and southern provinces.
Vietnam's main agricultural areas, including the Central Highlands coffee belt and the Mekong Delta rice basket, were not affected by the floods that struck Hanoi and other northern and central provinces.

UNESCO Begins Demarcating Preah Vihear Temple

PHNOM PENH, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- A UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) delegation has begun marking out the boundary of the Preah Vihear temple, said China's Xinhua news agency quoting national media reports Friday.
The Preah Vihear temple was listed as a World Heritage site in July and has since been at the centre of a border dispute between Cambodia, which owns the monument, and Thailand, where nationalists claim the 11th-century ruins were unfairly taken from the Thais.
Both sides have faced off over contested territory near the temple and elsewhere along the border, with troops opening fire on each other last month in a brief clash that left at least four soldiers dead.
Although the border has remained quiet since then, tensions remain high and Cambodian military officials said they would protect the UNESCO team.
"We are ready to provide security for the delegation when they post markers at the temple," Brigade 12 commander Srey Doek was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.
"Security is good and well-organized," he added.
Meas Yoeun, deputy military commander of Preah Vihear province, said that after the UNESCO had demarcated the temple border, troops guarding it would be withdrawn to another site.
"We will remove (the troops), but we are waiting for orders from higher levels," he said.
He added that both Cambodian and Thai soldiers at the front line are considering declaring the demarcated area a protected zone after the departure of the UNESCO team.

Thai PM considers resigning in wake of protests

Somchai Wongsawat has only held the job for just over three weeks

Sunday, October 12, 2008

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's embattled prime minister indicated on Saturday that he may resign in the wake of fierce anti-government protests earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds injured.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who has held the job for little more than three weeks, said he was considering his position as protesters against him and his administration prepared for another mass rally.
Asked if he would resign or dissolve parliament, Somchai told reporters: "It's the issue that I must consider, what's best in both the short and long term. I'm not attached to the idea of being prime minister.
"I have to study the pros and cons of each scenario, such as dissolving the House or resignation," he said.
Somchai is struggling to govern Thailand amid political protests that show no signs of abating.
On Friday his spokesman insisted he would not quit, but senior military leaders -- influential in coup-prone Thailand -- have put pressure on the premier to solve the crisis quickly.
Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara, the kingdom's highest-ranking military officer, said on Saturday he had consulted the heads of the army, navy and air force, which he oversees.
"We have held consultations between the three armed forces. I have told the government to solve the problem," Songkitti told reporters.
"As of now there is no coup, it's not time for the military to come out," said Songkitti, whose role is largely ceremonial.
Somchai insisted there was no rift between himself and the military. "I am still talking with them, there is no conflict," he said.
On Tuesday, police fired tear gas at demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The People's Alliance for Democracy claims the current government is running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was toppled in a September 2006 coup following other PAD protests.
Thousands of the group's supporters marched to parliament late Monday where Somchai -- Thaksin's brother-in-law -- was delivering his first policy address the next day.
Bloody clashes that followed on Tuesday between the protesters and police left two dead and at least 478 people injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.
Somchai has since announced an independent investigation into the incident, but the PAD on Friday said it would hold further rallies on October 13.
On Saturday, the premier called on the PAD to reconsider the protest.
"Our country is in turmoil -- is this only the government's fault?" Somchai said.
"I want to ask protesters not to create more disturbance, I am ready to talk. They (protesters) are Thai so we speak the same language."
Thai society is bitterly divided between supporters of the populist government, mostly the rural poor, and the country's royalist elite who form the mainstay of support for the anti-government protesters.

Khmer demonstration in front of Thai embassy in Vienna, Austria, on 10 october 2008

Cambodia's Prince Ranariddh returns home [-Dr. Lao Mong Hay: Like father like son?]

Ranariddh praying at a pagoda in Siem Reap upon his arrival (Photo: Frédéric Amat, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

Wednesday, October 01, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's Prince Norodom Ranariddh has returned from exile just days after being pardoned by the king over a fraud conviction. His political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen requested the amnesty.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Lao Mong Hay, senior researcher Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong.
COCHRANE: Prince Norodom Ranariddh wasted no time getting back to Cambodia, news of a royal pardon emerged Thursday and by Sunday Prince Ranariddh touched down in the temple town of Siem Reap. He had been staying in self-imposed exile in Malaysia, with his second wife and their young son, after being convicted in absentia last year of embezzling $3.6 million in a land deal. After his arrival back, Ranariddh told media he was grateful to his half-brother King Norodom Sihamoni and to Prime Minister Hun Sen, who requested the royal pardon. Ranariddh also said his political party - the Norodom Ranariddh Party would no longer be oppose the ruling Cambodian People's Party, saying they only wanted to serve the nation. However, Lao Mong Hay, a senior researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong, says Prince Ranariddh's return was made possible by him accepting the results of a national election in August. The poll was criticised by observers for irregularities and initially three opposition parties - including the Norodom Ranariddh Party rejected the outcome. Lao Mong Hay says a deal was done between Ranariddh and Hun Sen.
HAY: Ranariddh had changed his mind about the results of the election and abandoned the early sort of coalition with the other parties to denounce the results of the election. This is the price he paid to get Hun Sen to support a pardon for him.
COCHRANE: Neither Prince Ranariddh or the Cambodian government spokesperson could not be contacted to respond to the claims. But it's not the first time Ranariddh has fallen out with Hun Sen. Ranariddh won Cambodia's first election in 1993 but was ousted by Hun Sen in a coup four years later. More recently, Ranariddh was charged under a new monogomy law, which critics say was introduced specifically to target the prince, who has lived openly with his second wife, classical dancer Ouk Palla. Lao Mong Hay says Ranariddh has received special treatment, and says the royal demonstrates a tradition of impunity for the rich and powerful.
HAY: The deal struck between Hun Sen and Ranariddh undermined the rule of law, if any rule of law exists in Cambodia, in the sense that power prevailed over the rule of law.
COCHRANE: Ranariddh said he would give a full press conference later this week, but did indicate he might try to continue his political career. Lao Mong Hay says that although he is still seen as a representative of the much-loved monarchy by some sections of the public, Ranariddh's reputation may be sullied by the perception he is a playboy prince without any deep political convictions.
HAY: But I think to many he has been very much discredited by his mercurial style, a changing prince like his father in the past.
COCHRANE: While observers say Ranariddh's return wont significantly alter the political situation in Cambodia, there has been at least one change in his absence. His daughter, Princess Rattana Devi, has turned his villa in the capital of Phnom Penh into an upmarket French restaurant, so the prince is staying with his family in another residence in the north west town of Siem Reap.

Daily newspaper for 21-23 September 2008

Year 2, Issue 249,
21-23 September 2008

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Big Boss !!!

Oh Shit!

Noreen - Friend

Daily newspaper for 20 September 2008

Year 2, Issue 248,
20 September 2008

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Hun Sen greets Somchai, vows good relations

Sunday, September 21, 2008
TNA

 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday sent a congratulatory message to Somchai Wongsawat on his appointment as Thailand's new prime minister, saying that he hoped that the two neighbouring countries "will soon be able to peacefully and legally settle all the current border issues".
The message from the Cambodian leader said that Mr Hun Sen hoped the border problem could be solved "in the spirit of friendship and good neighbourliness".
"I look forward to working closely with Your Excellency to further promote the existing excellent bonds of amity and fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand for the mutual interests of both our peoples and for a stronger Asean family," the message said.
Mr Somchai was royally appointed as Thailand's 26th prime minister on Thursday.
According to the Thai foreign ministry, Mr Hun Sen also telephoned Mr Somchai on Thursday hours after his royal appointment as prime minister took place.
Both parties recalled their earlier meeting on May 14 this year during the opening ceremony of Route 48, a road in Cambodia, at a time when Mr Somchai was Thailand's deputy prime minister and education minister.
The two prime ministers emphasised the willingness of both governments to address outstanding issues between the neighbours by using existing bilateral mechanisms to further strengthen the friendly relations between their two countries whose histories and destinies have been linked from time immemorial.
The warm exchange was a change from Cambodian statements last week, when Mr Hun Sen and his spokesmen disparaged the Thai government, and questioned whether the country could serve as chairman of Asean.

Pchum Ben: the poor are getting richer

Beggars waiting to ask for some money on the first day of Pchum Ben festival at Langka Pagoda, Phnom Penh. According to Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, there are more beggars now than ever in the city. Many of them come from Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Province. The authorities have plans to move them out of sight soon. Source: Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, October 3-4, 2004

Believers are very generous during Pchum Ben

21-09-2008
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo in English
Click here to read the article in French

Is the festival of the death a lucrative business? This is certainly the hope of the poor who are begging in large numbers throughout the pagodas during this period.
Believers are very generous during Pchum BenWhile the ancestors, called “Brêts”, are authorised to return to Earth amongst the living, thanks to “Yama”, God of Death, the destitute people try to benefit from the believers’ generosity by visiting the pagodas in search of a few cents. Chouly, 63 years old and from Prey Veng province, settled in front of Wat Toul Tum Poung in Phnom Penh on the first day of Kan Ben, the ceremony preceding Pchum Ben.
“The faithful give me about 5000 riel per day, she explains, which allows me to feed my children.” A little further, Sina, 32 years old, says that the older ladies are the most generous ones. “They feel sorry for us, she says. And it’s true that for Buddhists, offering some money ensures a better situation in next life.” Some destitute people came with their children. They’re often the ones who look after the shoes of the believers at the entrance of the temples, which allows them to earn at least one hundred riel per pair. According to Kour Sopheap, deputy chief of the Koul Totoeung pagoda in Kandal province, beggars are considered as living “Brêts”. “During the festival of the death, says the monk, believers are more generous than usual.”
But it’s not all. In front of the pagodas, the poor sell incense, candles, cakes and also birds: all kinds of offerings used for ceremonies. “I’m poor, continues Sina. But I feel ashamed to beg, so I’m trying to do something else. This year I’m a money changer. For eight new notes of 100 riel, I can receive 1000 riel. It’s a business like any other, and it’s going well because the believers prefer to offer new notes to the pagoda. They believe that this will give them better karma.”
However, each year during Pchum Ben, the destitute come in larger numbers to the pagodas. An NGO member who wants to remain anonymous deplores that. According to him it’s a sign that Cambodia still is a poor country.

Bay Ben

Cambodian Buddhist followers hold cooked rice in preparation for throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian Buddhist followers carry cooked rice and candles before throwing those to offer to the spirits who died with no relative during Pchum Ben, or ancestors' day, celebrations on the 15th day of the 10th month in Khmer calendar on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Daily newspaper for 18 September 2008

Year 2, No. 246,
18 September 2008

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Daily newspaper for 17 September 2008

 

Year 2, No. 245,
17 September 2008

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Impunity reigns for armed, drunken men

A Phnom Penh beer garden - proprietors say that armed bodyguards pose a risk to staff and customers alike. (Eleanor Ainge Roy)

Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Written by Chrann Chamroeun and Eleanor Ainge Roy
The Phnom Penh Post

The fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman in a Kandal beer garden throws new light on the impunity of bodyguards
THE once-bustling Floating Beer Garden and Restaurant in Kandal province's Kien Svay district is now a quiet, dejected place. The road leading to the small establishment is muddy after the recent rains, and water drips from the low, over-hanging trees making the air rank and cloying.
Two weeks ago, the Floating Beer Garden was the site of a brutal shooting that left 21-year-old Sor Samphoa dead.
The alleged killer, an intoxicated Royal Cambodian Armed Forces major moonlighting as a bodyguard, has not faced any criminal charges.
"Sor Samphoa worked at a factory near Pochentong Airport, and she had never been to my restaurant before," said Leang Davy, owner of the Floating Beer Garden and Restaurant, talking about the night of the shooting.
"It was a fun night, lots of joking. It had just began to rain and Sor Samphoa said, ‘We need some plants to dispel the rain'," she said.
"The RCAF major was drunk, and he took out his gun and said, ‘No! You just need to shoot into the sky'," Leang Davy added.
"Everyone was laughing and playing around. He put his gun down on the table and it went off - shooting Sor Samphos. I was panic-struck and very, very scared."
Sor Samphos died that night, and her body was taken to a nearby pagoda.
The major was briefly arrested, but after paying the dead woman's family US$2,700 in compensation, he was released.
Leang Davy said she will now attempt to keep bodyguards out of her restaurant because she is wary of trouble.

"There are many instances ... when bodyguards have used their guns while drinking in groups in beer gardens and karaoke bars."

"All the businesses around here have suffered because of the shooting. I try to keep the bodyguards out, but sometimes they conceal their guns in their pockets. From now on I think I will just tell them that the bar is full," she said.
Continuing impunity?
Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, is not surprised at the light treatment received by the major.
"There are many instances I can recall when bodyguards have used their guns while drinking in groups at beer gardens or karaoke bars," he said.
"They are never held responsible before the law. They pay compensation, and then they are released as free men. As a result, the perpetrators are not afraid of the consequences of such a crime."
But Hin Bunheang, Prime Minister Hun Sen's chief of bodyguards, told the Post that he does "not excuse any bodyguards who use their guns in the wrong way to kill or injure people".
He added these people should be arrested and dealt with by the court system.
Ministry of Interior Under Secretary of State Srun Vong Vannak said that while he knows of bodyguards who use their guns recklessly, none of them are present in the ministry's forces, which are rigorously trained and disciplined.
None are allowed to keep their weapons after their missions.
"Our government and Hun Sen pay attention to protect the safety of the people by not allowing bodyguards to use their guns whenever they want," Srun Vong Vannak said. "If they do, they will be arrested and punished by law."
Troublesome clients
Despite such assurances, multiple Phnom Penh beer garden owners interviewed by the Post last week said that dealing with bodyguards is a delicate business because they have the potential to cause many problems for bar owners and are often aggressive or demanding.
"We have four security personnel who work here, and they check every person that comes in the door. But sometimes [the bodyguards] hide their guns, and we cannot demand to search every inch of them," said one beer garden owner who declined to be named.
"When a man like this comes in, we all know he is a risky customer, and we must treat him like a king. The staff here are like my family, and I am scared for them when someone like that is around," the owner added.
Cheng Solyda, 35, a local NGO worker who often goes to beer gardens with his co-workers and friends, said that when a bodyguard is present at a bar everyone becomes uncomfortable and scared. "The government must make more of an effort to crack down on illegal gun users and firmly punish those who do wrong. They are a serious threat to society."
Another beer garden owner said the worst violence tends to occur once customers have left the beer garden and are wandering the streets armed and drunk.
"It is a risk once my employees leave the beer garden," said the owner.
"But I can only try to protect them at work."
Am Sam Ath, a monitor at the Cambodian rights group Licadho, said cases of bodyguard impunity cannot continue to go unpunished.
"Civil compensation is good, but the persecutor must also stand before the courts, whether the murder was intentional or not," he said.

Daily newspaper for 14-16 September 2008

Year 2, No. 244,
14-16 September 2008

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First day of Pchum Ben Festival in Cambodia

A woman lights incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

  Buddhists monks look on as people offer rice during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Women light incense during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A woman prays during the first day of the "Pchum Ben" festival, also known as "Festival of the Dead", at a temple in Phnom Penh, September 15, 2008. Cambodians throughout the country visit temples during the 15-day festival to offer prayers to loved ones who have passed away. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Voyage de bois

Daily newspaper for 13 September 2008

Year 2, No. 243,
13 September 2008

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Thaksin's reported investment in Koh Kong has led to a land-grabbing frenzy

Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra (Photo: Reuters)

Gold Rush Follows Thaksin
Sunday September 14, 2008
Bangkok Post

Thaksin Shinawatra's reported investment in Koh Kong has led to a land-grabbing frenzy, writes Piyaporn Wongruang and Nareerat Wiriyapong
Embattled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has packed up and moved to London, but Koh Kong residents like Kamnan Tit are hoping he returns and brings economic prosperity to the Cambodian province.
For the past few months, rumours of the ex-prime minister's possible involvement in a mega-tourism project in Koh Kong have fuelled a land grab and sent prices soaring, creating a buzz of activity in the once sleepy area.
''We heard the news that Mr Thaksin would come to invest in Koh Kong, so we even rushed to buy land on nearby Koh Kapi,'' said Kamnan Tit, who recently introduced the principle of sufficiency economy to his village of Peam Krasaob.
THE MEETING
Fueling the excitement was Mr Thaksin's meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Siem Reap golf course in early April this year.
The golf outing came shortly before former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama (also formerly Mr Thaksin's lawyer) showed up at the state opening ceremony for the upgraded Road No 48, which links Thailand's border town of Had Lek, in Trat province, with Koh Kong.
The road, about 150 kilometres long, was financed by the Thai government with a low-interest loan of about 500 million baht, plus another 300 million baht in aid for four connecting bridges.
The aim of the project is to improve access to inner Cambodia and connect Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam under the economic framework of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) scheme.
The White Paper produced by Thailand's foreign ministry noted that Mr Noppadon was there to discuss the heritage listing of the disputed Preah Vihear temple.
Speculation from many sources links the two incidents, in the belief that the people involved had compromised Thailand's interests in exchange for Mr Thaksin gaining a personal advantage.
According to several Thai agents, as well as officials working in foreign affairs, Mr Thaksin discussed the possibility of investing in a tourism-related project on Koh Kong with the Cambodian government during that period.
One high-ranking foreign affairs official, who was briefed by a source close to Hun Sen, said that a discussion had taken place, in which they agreed that the investment should go to Koh Kong.
An internal information analysis by one Thai foreign affairs unit noted that the targeted area for Mr Thaksin's investment would be the 10,000-hectare Koh Kong island, the biggest of 23 islands off Koh Kong province's coast.
It further noted that the Cambodian government had already approved the lease of the whole island for the development of hotels, casinos and other businesses to stimulate the tourism industry.
A road and a series of bridges are also planned to link the project to the mainland. Road No 48 will be 10 kilometres long and cut through the plots of some senior Cambodian military officials.
THE CONNECTION
''Khun Phat is among the people taking part in this project, and possibly Mr Thaksin too,'' said another high-ranking foreign affairs source.
''Some Cambodian senior military officials here said the land prices will increase if Mr Thaksin really invests there.''
Khun Phat is the owner of Koh Kong International Resort Club, near the border. A senator for the ruling Cambodian People's Party and widely known as the ''King of Koh Kong'', Khun Phat has been accused by international human rights groups of forcing locals off their land by getting police to use force against them.
Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh was quoted as saying during the opening of the road that Khun Phat ''was discussing the prospective investment in Koh Kong with Mr Thaksin''.
The defence minister also stated that Mr Thaksin was one person Hun Sen trusted and wished to invite to be an advisor on the development of Koh Kong, which the Cambodian government wants to turn into a special economic zone.
In a telephone interview, Khun Phat confirmed he is among the investors in the planned project. But he said it will be a joint investment between himself and a few European investors.
According to Khun Phat, these investors were introduced to him by Mr Thaksin. Khun Phat insisted Mr Thaksin will not invest in the project. He said he only introduced the investors.
''[Mr Thaksin] has a lot of friends,'' he said, adding that the project has received an unofficial green light from the Cambodian government.
They only need to discuss in detail what the project will look like, as well as how the benefits will be shared between the investors and the government.
''We are serious about this, but we have to wait for the new government first,'' said Khun Phat, who is known to be a close aide of Hun Sen.
After Mr Thaksin became Thailand's prime minister in 2001, he met Hun Sen at least eight times to discuss opportunities between the two countries.
It was Mr Thaksin who proposed the Economic Cooperation Strategy in early 2003, which later turned into a new regional economic framework known as the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, or ACMECS, at the end of that year.
Under the framework, 46 common projects plus 224 bilateral projects were lined up for implementation over 10 years following the first declaration. These included Road No 48.
The road project came about after Mr Thaksin met Hun Sen during the GMS meeting on Nov 3, 2005.
According to the foreign ministry's letter to the secretariat of the cabinet, the foreign ministry of Thailand reasoned that Road No 48 would help improve the economy of both countries.
It would also help to elevate Thai-Cambodian relations, and was in line with Thailand's regional transport link strategy under the GMS.
As well as the road upgrade, other development projects, including the development of the linkage between tourism sites in Cambodia and Thailand, were also in the pipeline.
THE DOWNSIDE
Cambodia stands to gain a lot if these investments come true, and especially if Mr Thaksin is involved. However, there may be a downside as a consequence of the land grabs and speculation.
With rumours over Mr Thaksin's involvement buzzing around from Koh Kong to Phnom Penh, many local residents have been quick to buy up land with the hope of hitting the jackpot.
Land prices are indeed increasing, according to the president of Koh Kong Chamber of Commerce, Bun Tun.
He said land changes hands easily, sometimes even within a day, due to high prices offered for further land speculation. The price of a beachfront property, for instance, was once about US$5 per square metre. It has now increased to $150 per sq m, about 30 times the previous price.
Koh Kong, which is one of Cambodia's prime seaside cities, has about 1.2 million hectares of land and contains about 24,000 households.
Ever since the end of the Cambodian war in the late 1970s, the government has been trying to resurrect its economy through various means. The Koh Kong project is the latest of these efforts.
Besides relying on foreign aid for economic development, Cambodia, which had a per capita GDP of about $460 in 2006, relies heavily on foreign investment.
In 1994, Cambodia's new investment law was promulgated. The Council for the Development of Cambodia then approved more than $4.27 billion worth of foreign direct investment, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 2008 business report.
Available data, last updated in 1999, reveals more than 700 foreign projects were approved, with hotels and tourism being the most popular choices for foreign investors, making up nearly 45 per cent of all foreign investment projects.
To encourage investment, the government allowed all sectors of the economy to be opened to foreign investors. In 1999 a sub-decree placed investment restrictions on certain areas, including the media.
The allocation of land is a crucial part of investment. Although only Khmer legal entities and those of Khmer nationality have the right to own land outright, foreign investors are allowed to lease land for up to 70 years.
The primary concern among social advocates and activists in Cambodia is that the present land allocation system may not support sustainable land utilisation or prevent land conflicts arising as a result of new development projects.
The Asian Development Bank's 2004 environmental report noted that although the new Land Law is a landmark in the formal recognition of the land rights of ethnic minorities in Cambodia, enforcement, property rights definitions and titling remain a challenge.
At present, many locals are being evicted from their land, either forcefully or from the lure of attractive land prices.
A government-approved large-scale entertainment project on Koh Yor, which is also part of Koh Kong province, is already suffering a backlash.
''At present, investors are pouring in and land prices are skyrocketing, but it is the poor people or farmers who are lured to sell the land,'' said Bun Tun. ''They might get a lot of money at first, but they spend it without much thought. If this trend goes on, all the land could be sold out over the next five years, and we will end up with a lot more poor people here.''
What's more, a zoning map acquired by an agent source shows that a Cambodian military facility at the top end of the island will be moved down south to make way for planned development.
The island is now divided into zones, including one at the top end which is believed to be Khun Phat's stake.
OPPOSITION CLAIMS
Sam Rainsy, the leader of Cambodia's opposition Sam Rainsy party, claims there is an official document showing Mr Thaksin and Hun Sen's joint development plan for Koh Kong province. His party is preparing to ask the Cambodian parliament to provide a copy of the document.
Sam Rainsy claims the two met occasionally when Thailand's former prime minister made trips from Europe and Hong Kong to discuss and conclude the deal for the investment in Koh Kong.
Sam Rainsy claimed Mr Thaksin has an ulterior motive in building up his base and facilities in Koh Kong - his real intention is to continue his political activities in Thailand.
''Cambodia is the base for Mr Thaksin to get in touch with his supporters in Thailand,'' he said.
Mr Thaksin's close aides, including Pongthep Thepkanchana, his personal spokesman, as well as Mr Noppadon, could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand has launched an investigation into Thailand's financial assistance for Road No 48. According to a high-level source at the office, the cabinet's approval of the project bypassed certain state auditing procedures.
''The project involved state funds worth millions of baht, but it was not audited by a responsible agency. We want to learn what they based their decisions on,'' said the source.

Daily newspaper for 12 September 2008

Year 2, No. 242,
12 September 2008

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Daily newspaper for 11 September 2008

Year 2, No. 241,
11 September 2008

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