Lakeside women turn entrepreneurs Written by Khouth Sophakchakrya Friday, 30 December 2011 12:01
Photo by: Touch Yin Vannith Boeung Kak lakeside resident Tol Srey Pau makes a purse at the home of community representative Tep Vanny yesterday. Many women living in communities around the capital’s Boeung Kak lake who have lost employment after spending years shielding their homes from the impact of a real estate development have begun creating handicrafts in order to support their families. About 30 women divided into four groups arrive daily to work in shifts on seven sewing machines in the house of former Village 22 representat-ive Tep Vanny, producing handbags for sale. “We are hopeful and confident that our houses will not be lost. That is why we initiated to create some jobs for income,� Tep Vanny told the Post yesterday. In 2007, local firm Shukaku Inc was granted a 99-year lease on 133 hectares of land around the lake for a real-estate development project. After years of protests by residents, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced in August that a 12.44-hectare onsite area would be set aside for families that had refused compensation. Local officials have recently begun issuing land titles to hundreds of remaining families, but some say they remain excluded from the resettlement deal. Sia Phearum, secretariat director of Housing Rights Task Force, said HRTF, a charity in New Zealand, along with German development agency GIZ, had provided seven sewing machines worth a total of US$2,000, and another charity had recently donated $1,200 for more machines.
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Lakeside women turn entrepreneurs Written by Khouth Sophakchakrya Friday, 30 December 2011 12:01
Representatives from GIZ could not be reached by the Post for comment.
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Land conflict: Villagers say police razed their homes Written by Phak Seangly Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
More than 100 families had their homes in Preah Vihear province’s Choam Ksan district dismantled by a roughly 300-strong force of armed soldiers and military police officials over the weekend, villagers said yesterday, with only about 30 homes left standing. Phan Poeun, a representative of families in Kantuot commune’s Svay Chrum village, claimed that on Friday officials had begun to disassemble the families’ homes and ordered villagers to accept 2 million riel in compensation (US$495) in exchange for relocation. “The armed forces surrounded our homes and threatened to burn our homes down if we declined to dismantle,” he said. The families, who claim to have lived on the land for more than 10 years, were ordered last month to leave their homes and resettle in Samdech Techo village in order to make way for construction of a provincial office. Provincial governor Om Mara yesterday declined to specify the number of officials present at the eviction and denied they had delivered threats. “Our forces have been there to help our villagers to dismantle and transport their households to the new location, not mistreat the villagers,” he said, adding that only 75 families had been living in the village.
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NGOs want pardoned pedophile deported Written by Vincent MacIsaac Monday, 02 January 2012 12:02
Convicted pedophile Alexander Trofimov (right), former chairman of the Koh Pous Investment Company, is escorted by a prison security official after a session at the appeal court in Phnom Penh in June 2010. Reuters National and international NGOs have petitioned Minister of Interior Sar Kheng to have serial pedophile Alexander Trofimov deported from Cambodia, noting that a repeat offence is likely for criminals of his type. “We fear that Alexander Trofimov will again abuse children as he did after escaping his past in Russia,” reads the petition signed by 14 NGOs, including World Vision, Save the Children, Licadho and Action Pour les Enfants. It was delivered to the ministry on Friday. Trofimov, is known on “Interpol’s wanted list as Stanislav Molodyakov” and is “reported to have raped six girls aged nine [to] 10 years in Russia”, the petition said, adding that a request to extradite him to Russia had been ignored. He was released from Preah Sihanouk provincial prison by royal pardon on December 20 after
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NGOs want pardoned pedophile deported Written by Vincent MacIsaac Monday, 02 January 2012 12:02
serving slightly more than four years of an eight-year sentence for sex crimes against 17 girls. Prior to his arrest, Trofimov had led a US$300 million project to turn Snake Island into a luxury tourism resort, complete with a bridge linking it to Sihanoukville. “Trofimov seems to have been granted special favours, ranging from consolidation of his sentence, being kept in a special comfortable prison room, frequently allowed to go out of prison, reduction of sentence granted once per year and royal pardon,” the petition said. Two other pedophiles were released by royal pardons last month. German national Alexander Watrin – who had been convicted of sex crimes against four boys – was freed from Preah Sihanouk provincial prison on December 20. Three days later, Dutch national Rene Paul Martin Aubel was freed from Prey Sar prison. He had been serving a 10-year sentence for sex crimes against six boys in 2005. Trofimov is considered the most dangerous of the three because of the number of his victims and the apparent unwillingness of Cambodian authorities to hold him accountable. Between 2004 and his arrest in 2007, “he lured, tricked and procured at least 21 under-age girls from seven brokers for sexual abuse”, the petition said. “Allowing Trofimov to remain free … leaves victims and their families living in a long-term, highly traumatic situation, where they … are unable to recover from the abuses committed against them,” it said. Interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said yesterday he had not heard of the petition. The Post will publish it in its entirety tomorrow.
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Suspended NGO is back Written by Bridget Di Certo Monday, 02 January 2012 12:02
Photo by: Will Baxter A woman cycles by the new office for NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut yesterday in Phnom Penh. The controversial suspension of local urban land rights NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut expired yesterday, and the group said it will be business as usual from now on. STT was suspended from operating for five months in early August after releasing a report in July that was critical of Cambodia’s railway rehabilitation project, which is being funded by the Asia Development Bank and AusAID. “As far as we are concerned, we are back in business,” STT adviser Hallan Goad told the Post yesterday. “The notice we got from the Ministry of Interior was that there was a five-month suspension, and the five months expires today.” To mark the occasion, STT announced the location of their new offices yesterday – a clear message to the government that the group would be resuming full operations. STT program coordinator Ee Sarom told the Post by email that the group would be continuing all their projects into 2012. “We consider our suspension illegal and have called for it to be voided,” Ee Sarom said. “The Ministry of Interior has been informed of our move as per regulations.” The Ministry of Interior initially cited the reason for suspending STT as their failure to comply with procedural requirements, including registering the address of the NGO and submitting bylaws and organisational structure documentation. “We never really saw ourselves as suspended; we have been continuing with our work,” Goad
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Suspended NGO is back Written by Bridget Di Certo Monday, 02 January 2012 12:02
said. “We never received any clarification from the Ministry of Interior about what the suspension meant.” Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak yesterday said he didn’t know when the suspension of STT would be officially lifted or what procedures were required for the group to resume operations, and directed inquiries to Secretary of State Nuth Sa An, who could not be reached for comment. In its July report, STT had accused the government of creating a system to downgrade the property value of the homes of those communities that would be affected or evicted as part of the nationwide railway rehabilitation project. Advocacy group Bridges Across Borders and NGO Forum, which represents 88 NGOs, were also both issued with “warning letters” by the government over their advocacy work with railway residents who would be adversely affected by the government’s revamp. At the time, STT director Ee Sarom told the Post that officials from the Ministry of Interior had said during meetings that the NGO’s suspension last month was “directly related” to its work with residents affected by the railway project. Government spokesman Phay Siphan could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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Flooding
disaster
Torrential rainfall during this year’s rainy season caused the worst flooding to hit the Kingdom in decades. Flooding began in the upper Mekong in mid-July then expanded to provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake in September and October. About 250 people were killed, more than 250,000 were displaced, more than 1.6 million people were directly affected and at least 10 per cent of the nation’s rice fields were ruined or damaged. Although the government did not declare a national emergency, aid workers say villages in some provinces will take two to three years to recover. Government officials expect to spend nearly US$200 million to repair infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schools. Climate change experts believe that such disasters will increase in frequency and severity. This will require improved flood management, enhanced early warning and detection systems, and the implementation of risk reduction strategies, they say. Firefight
at
Preah
Vihear
Since the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that the Preah Vihear temple, situated along the Thai-Cambodian border, belonged to Cambodia, the two neighbours have frequently bickered over the rights to the Hindu shrine. In early 2011, bickering turned to artillery fire as fighting between the two countries erupted near the UNESCO world heritage site, displacing tens of thousands of villagers and leaving at least 28 dead. In July, the ICJ intervened, establishing a provisional demilitarised zone around the area and ordering the deployment of independent border observers from Indonesia. Meanwhile, the July election of the Puea Thai party in Thailand was seen as a positive sign that an agreement between the two countries might be reached. At a General Border Committee meeting on December 22, both countries agreed to withdraw troops from the disputed territory, however, to this date, no definitive timeline for withdrawal has been established. Khmer
Rouge
tribunal
November marked the opening of one of the most complex international trials in recent memory, when Case 002, against the surviving senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime, got under way. Earlier in the year, the court was rocked by the shock resignation of German investigating judge Siegfried Blunk, who cited perceptions of government interference and corruption as his motivation. Days before Case 002 began, former social action minister Ieng Thirith was declared unfit to stand trial as she most likely suffers from Alzheimer’s. Judges ordered her conditional release; however, this decision was later reversed. The three leaders charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions are ex-president Khieu Samphan, former foreign affairs minister Ieng Sary and one-time chief ideologue Nuon Chea, known as “Brother Number 2”. Maid
abuse
A reported nine domestic migrant workers died in Malaysia this year, revealing the dark underbelly of an industry rife with serious rights abuses, including slave labour working conditions, debt bondage and torture. As these cases began to emerge, and as a handful of labour-recruitment firms were raided and found to be recruiting underage workers and at times, forcibly detaining them, Prime Minister Hun Sen attempted to crack down on the industry by issuing a directive in October that prevented recruitment firms from sending domestic workers to Malaysia. A loophole in the ban, however, exempted trainees with existing contracts and travel documents. And while the Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies pledged to regulate itself and avoid exploiting the loophole, many firms flouted the measure. Rights workers and lawmakers are now calling for stricter regulations of the industry and a bilateral agreement with Malaysia that would guarantee the protection of workers. Boeung
Kak
lake
On August 11, Prime Minister Hun Sen signed a sub-decree that set aside 12.44 hectares of land around Boeung Kak lake for the onsite relocation of families who remained living at the lakeside, following a funding freeze on new country projects by the World Bank. It was thought that the sub-decree would spell the beginning of the end of a land dispute more than four years in the making. In 2007, local firm Shukaku Inc – owned by ruling party senator Lao Meng Khin – was granted a 99-year lease to develop 133 hectares of land around the lake in the capital’s Daun Penh district. Rights groups estimated that the project would ultimately displace about 4,000 families, and years of protests by affected residents ensued. Following the premier’s announcement of the resettlement deal, a bloody forced eviction in September left eight families without homes, several people injured, and one young activist beaten into unconsciousness. In December, the government finally began issuing land titles to families, leaving many hopeful that 2012 could be the last chapter in this long-running land dispute. Factory
faintings
More than a dozen mass fainting incidents at garment and footwear factories raised questions about working conditions for the nearly 400,000 workers responsible for about 85 per cent of the Kingdom’s exports. More than 1,500 workers were reported to have fainted in the incidents, which sparked investigations by the labour ministry, the International Labor Organisation and brand name manufacturers such as Adidas and H&M. The investigations found numerous causes for the fainting incidents, ranging from poor ventilation and toxic chemicals to “mass psychogenic illness” and unhealthy lifestyles. Union leaders, however, pointed to low wages and excessive overtime, explaining that the workers, primarily young women from villages, were supporting entire families on a basic wage of US$61 a month. In November, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the workers would receive a health bonus of $5 a month
beginning
this
month.
Moek
Dara
trial
Stock
market
debut
draft
law
The Anti-Corruption Unit’s highest-profile case to date unfolded in 2011, beginning with the January arrest of Moek Dara, then-secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, and six of his associates. The former drug czar was arrested based on testimony from provincial police chiefs in Banteay Meanchey, who had also been apprehended. The disgraced former threestar general stands accused of taking bribes of as much as US$140,000 in exchange for releasing dealers from prison and pocketing drugs from raids. A verdict in the trial, which commenced in November and wrapped up two weeks ago, is expected in January. Rights workers welcomed the arrests, which they hope are a sign of the potential of the year-old ACU in combating corruption. After years of planning and delays, the Cambodian Stock Exchange launched in mid-July, giving the Kingdom the distinction of hosting one of the world’s tiniest stock exchanges. Government officials, academics and investors praise the bourse as a way to improve accounting standards and financial transparency, while boosting the country’s economic growth. However, despite these lofty expectations, not a single company has yet been listed, mostly because of the challenge of complying with the exchange’s necessary accounting standards. Officials expect three state-owned entities to list shortly – Telecom Cambodia, Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, and the Phnom Penh Water Supply – but they have been repeating that since July, with little to show. Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said in October that he expects stocks to begin trading in early 2012, but given the delays that have plagued the bourse thus far, this prediction warrants a fair amount of scepticism. NGO
Prime Minister Hun Sen ended 2011 affirming his commitment to a draft law aimed at regulating associations and NGOs. The premier said he was willing to wait until 2014 to pass the law, if that was what was needed to reach a consensus on the controversial legislation. First circulated last December, the draft law has undergone multiple revisions over the past 12 months, and drawn sharp criticism from domestic and international observers concerned about the law’s registration requirements, appeals avenues and the government’s ability to use it to shut down associations and NGOs. The fourth generation of the law was introduced last month and while markedly different than its predecessors, civil society organizations remain unsatisfied. Of chief concern is that the law still effectively mandates registration for NGOs and associations, despite the fact that a Ministry of Interior official announced in September that registration would not be compulsory.
Chea
Sim
adviser
arrests
Scandal rocked Senate President Chea Sim’s office when four advisers were arrested in September for using their close connections with the senator to defraud at least 51 companies on phony humanitarian and infrastructure projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The four high-ranking officials – protocol chief Pheng Kunthea Borey, Lieutenant General Ponlok Ho, Police Lieutenant General Chan Kosal and former Cabinet member Khieu Bora – were tried last month and each sentenced to jail terms of between three and four years, despite denying any allegations of wrongdoing. Some opposition observers believe the case is really a political purge of disloyal factions within the CPP, of which Chea Sim is a member.
Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
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Taking a look back at the year in news Written by Kristin Lynch and Post Staff Monday, 02 January 2012 12:01
Flooding disaster Torrential decades. 250,000 cent declare years infrastructure, disasters enhanced strategies, Tonle to the a recover. were will Flooding national Sap rainfall early they nation’s increase displaced, including Lake say. warning during Government emergency, began rice in in September fields roads, this and frequency more in the year’s detection were officials bridges than aid upper and workers rainy ruined 1.6 Mekong expect October. systems, and million severity. season or say schools. damaged. to people villages in About and spend caused This mid-July Climate the will were 250 nearly in Although the implementation require some then people directly worst change US$200 expanded provinces the improved flooding were affected experts government million killed, of will to to risk flood and believe provinces hit to take more reduction the repair at management, did two least than Kingdom that not to around 10 such three per in Firefight at Preah Vihear Since the bickered fighting tens establishing independent party might agreed timeline Thai-Cambodian of in be the thousands to between Thailand for over reached. 1962 withdraw withdrawal a border the provisional International the was rights of At troops observers two villagers border, a seen has General to countries demilitarised from the been as Court belonged and Hindu a from the Border positive established. leaving erupted of disputed Indonesia. shrine. Justice to zone Committee sign Cambodia, at near In least around territory, ruling that early Meanwhile, the an 28 meeting that UNESCO the 2011, agreement dead. however, area two bickering the Preah In on neighbours and July, world December July to between ordering this Vihear the election heritage turned date, ICJ have temple, the 22, the intervened, to no of site, two both artillery frequently the deployment definitive situated countries displacing Puea countries fire Thai as along of Khmer Rouge tribunal November when way. judge motivation. declared conditional genocide, ex-president ideologue Earlier Case Siegfried unfit crimes Nuon marked release; Days 002, in Khieu to the Blunk, Chea, stand against before against year, the Samphan, however, who trial opening known the Case the humanity as cited court surviving this she 002 as former of perceptions “Brother was decision one most began, and foreign senior rocked of grave likely the Number former was most leaders affairs of suffers by breaches later government social complex 2”. minister shock reversed. from of the action of Alzheimer’s. resignation Khmer international interference Ieng Geneva minister The Sary Rouge three and of Conventions Ieng Judges trials and leaders German regime, one-time Thirith corruption in ordered recent charged investigating got was are chief under memory, her as with his Maid abuse A underbelly conditions, labour-recruitment forcibly issuing Malaysia. documents. itself lawmakers Malaysia reported and a detaining that directive avoid A of nine are debt loophole And an would now exploiting domestic bondage industry while them, in firms calling guarantee October in the the Prime were rife migrant the and Association for ban, with that loophole, raided torture. stricter Minister the however, serious workers prevented protection and regulations As Hun many Cambodian found these rights died exempted Sen recruitment firms of cases to abuses, workers. attempted of Malaysia be flouted the trainees recruiting Recruitment began industry including firms the to this to crack with from measure. underage year, emerge, and slave Agencies existing sending down a revealing bilateral labour Rights and workers on contracts domestic pledged the as working the agreement workers a industry handful and dark and to workers at regulate and times, travel by of with to Boeung Kak lake On land lakeside, in was Daun 4,000 announcement without December, that the August the 2012 granted around Penh making. families, homes, sub-decree following could 11, the district. Boeung a In 99-year Prime and government of several be 2007, the awithin years Rights would funding Kak Minister resettlement last lease local people lake of spell groups chapter finally protests firm freeze to Hun for injured, develop Shukaku the estimated began Sen deal, in beginning on by onsite this new and signed affected 133 a issuing long-running bloody Inc one country relocation hectares that of – a young owned residents the sub-decree land the forced projects end project titles of of activist land by land eviction of families ruling ensued. a dispute. by would that land around families, beaten the party in set who dispute ultimately World Following September aside the into remained senator leaving lake Bank. more unconsciousness. 12.44 displace the in many Lao left than the It living premier’s hectares was eight Meng capital’s hopeful four at about thought families the Khin years In – Factory faintings Sen More about Kingdom’s which brand causes psychogenic and supporting excessive announced than working sparked name for a the exports. entire dozen manufacturers illness” conditions fainting overtime, investigations the families mass More workers and incidents, explaining unhealthy for fainting than on such the would a by 1,500 basic the nearly ranging as incidents receive that lifestyles. labour Adidas wage workers 400,000 the from of at ministry, a and workers, health US$61 were garment Union poor H&M. workers reported ventilation bonus leaders, a primarily The and month. International responsible of footwear investigations to however, $5 young and In have a November, month toxic fainted factories for women Labor pointed chemicals about beginning found Organisation in Prime from raised the 85 to low per incidents, villages, to Minister this questions “mass wages cent month. and of were Hun the Moek Dara trial The January Drugs, provincial former exchange workers combating Anti-Corruption commenced three-star and welcomed arrest police for six corruption. releasing of chiefs general Moek his in Unit’s associates. November arrests, in dealers Dara, stands Banteay highest-profile then-secretary-general which from and accused The Meanchey, prison wrapped former they case of hope and taking drug who up to pocketing are date two czar had bribes a of weeks sign unfolded was also the of drugs arrested National been as ago, the much in from potential is apprehended. 2011, expected based Authority as raids. beginning US$140,000 of on A verdict for testimony January. The year-old Combating with disgraced in in the from ACU Rights Stock market debut After giving Government accounting However, because Officials Autonomous since he bourse expects years July, the thus expect of despite Kingdom with standards stocks far, officials, Port, planning challenge little three this these to and the to prediction begin state-owned academics and show. the and distinction lofty financial Phnom trading delays, complying expectations, Minister warrants and of entities Penh in the transparency, hosting early investors of with Cambodian a Economy Water fair to 2012, not the one list amount Supply praise exchange’s shortly single but of while and Stock the given the – Finance company world’s boosting – scepticism. but Telecom Exchange bourse the necessary they delays tiniest Keat the has have as Cambodia, launched a country’s Chhon yet stock that way accounting been been have to exchanges. said repeating improve economic in Sihanoukville listed, plagued mid-July, in standards. October mostly that growth. that NGO draft law Prime last drawn registration associations markedly concern the compulsory. fact December, was Minister sharp that is what different that requirements, a criticism and Ministry was Hun the the NGOs. than needed law draft Sen from of still its ended law The Interior appeals predecessors, domestic effectively to has premier fourth reach 2011 official undergone avenues generation a and affirming mandates said consensus announced international civil he and multiple society was his of registration the on the commitment willing in government’s the revisions organizations law observers September controversial to was wait for introduced over to NGOs until concerned a that ability draft remain the 2014 legislation. and registration past law to last associations, to unsatisfied. use about 12 aimed pass month months, itnumerous First to the would the at shut and regulating law’s circulated law, Of and despite not down while chief iftrial, be Chea Sim adviser arrests Scandal September on four Police month allegations of disloyal phony high-ranking Lieutenant and rocked humanitarian factions each of for wrongdoing. using Senate sentenced officials General their and President the – close Chan Some protocol to infrastructure CPP, jail connections Kosal opposition terms Chea of chief which and of Sim’s Pheng projects between former Chea observers with office Kunthea the Sim totaling Cabinet three when senator is believe a and Borey, hundreds four member. member to four the advisers defraud Lieutenant case years, Khieu of millions is were at despite really Bora least General arrested of – 51 a denying dollars. were political companies Ponlok in tried The any purge last Ho,
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Unions push for solidarity Written by Mom Kunthear and Vincent MacIsaac Friday, 30 December 2011 12:01
Photo by: Will Baxter Garment-factory workers eat noodles after working an overtime shift at the Vattanac Industrial Park, in Phnom Penh, in September. Cambodia's largest and most independent confederation of unions yesterday released its first solidarity video to rounds of applause and cheers from about 400 labour activists, on the first day of a two-day gathering designed to kick-start a process of uniting the Kingdom’s fragmented labour movement. Labour activists from the Cambodian Labour Confederation’s seven federations and associations are aiming to extend the minimum wage beyond the garment industry and curb the widespread use of short-term contracts in that industry, they said. “When the small fish do not unite, the big fish can kill easily, but if the small fish unite, they will win,” Cambodian Labour Confederation president Ath Thorn said. The animated video begins with a shark hunting scattered fish, followed by the slogan “No unity, no success”. The scattered fish subsequently merge into the shape of one large fish and turn on the shark, which then swims away and the slogan “Unity is success” appears. “The small fish are the unions, and the shark is their obstacle,” Ath Thorn said, adding that the CLC, which has affiliate members in every sector, is looking to expand. Although there are more than 2,000 unions registered in Cambodia, only about 400 are active, and many of these are affiliated with companies or political parties, he said. Chea Vireak, a representative of a small union, agreed there was a need for unions to work together. “It is easy for workers to demand wages from employers or the government, but they need power to resolve disputes,” he said.
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Unions push for solidarity Written by Mom Kunthear and Vincent MacIsaac Friday, 30 December 2011 12:01
David Welsh, country director of the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity, said the labour movement was particularly weak in the garment sector because it had so many unions and little coordination between them. Greater unity was required for organising and collective bargaining in that sector, especially ahead of the introduction of new legislation on unions, Welsh said. Ath Thorn said it was critical for unions to be independent. “A union that is managed by employers or political parties uses workers as equipment,� he explained, adding that unions should be strong enough that political parties and government officials listen to them and respect their members’ rights and requests. As well as aiming to have the minimum wage in the garment sector, US$61 a month, extended to other sectors, the CLC is taking aim at the widespread use of short-term contracts, which union leaders said were exposing garment workers to mistreatment and undermining their ability to unionise. They were also harming the health of pregnant women, new mothers and infants because some companies were using short-term contracts to weed pregnant women out of their factories to avoid paying maternity leave, they said.
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Chaos blurs hunt for pedo Written by Vincent MacIsaac and Vong Sokheng with additional reporting by May Titthara Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:02
Photo Supplied Convicted pedophile Alexander Trofimov (right) poses with a young unidentified girl in this undated photograph. Serial pedophile Alexander Trofimov’s whereabouts remain a matter of speculation or denial, with provincial police in Preah Sihanouk saying they lost track of him the day after Christmas, national police saying they are not even looking for him, border police requesting photographs and government spokesmen either saying they know nothing or offering hunches. Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak told the Post yesterday that he did not know whether the recently released Russian national – who is wanted in his home country for alleged sex crimes against six girls aged nine and 10 – was still in Cambodia or had left for another country. “I am not sure about Trofimov’s whereabouts. He may be in the country or out of the country. We have searched for Trofimov’s name [on records at immigration checkpoints], but it has not shown up,” he said. The man also known as Stanislav Molodyakov on Interpol’s list of wanted criminals in Russia might have changed his name again and left the country, Khieu Sopheak said, adding that this was personal speculation. Other government spokesmen said they were completely in the dark as to Trofimov’s whereabouts, and had not been briefed on how to respond to questions from reporters. Preah Sihanouk police chief Tak Vanntha said his officers had not seen the former chairman of Koh Pous (Snake Island) Investment Group since December 26, but added that they were still trying to locate him. “We are afraid that he will cross to Vietnam, so we checked with police at two border
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Chaos blurs hunt for pedo Written by Vincent MacIsaac and Vong Sokheng with additional reporting by May Titthara Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:02
checkpoints, Bavet and Tieng Yang,” Tak Vanntha said. “We did not receive any reply [from the border police] yet,” he said at about 5pm yesterday. Tak Vanntha appeared to be unaware that the interior ministry had already checked. The ministry has also requested recent photographs of Trofimov to forward to police officials at border checkpoints, indicating neither of his two names were on lists of those departing the country, sources said. National Police Chief General Pin Piseth referred questions to the force’s spokesman Kirth Chantharith, who said police were not even looking for Trofimov. “I don’t know Trofimov’s whereabouts,” he said. “Trofimov is free to stay in Cambodia, and he has no obligation to inform the police. If his visa is valid, he is free to stay,” he added. Meanwhile, investigators with child-protection NGOs continue to monitor a villa in Sihanoukville where they suspect Trofimov has been living since Saturday, following reports last week that he had been residing in a separate villa near a primary school behind Sokha beach. The new villa is located near a guesthouse where German pedophile Alexander Wartin has been residing since his release from the same prison as Trofimov on December 20. Both men were released from Preah Sihanouk provincial prison after receiving royal pardons on December 20. Three days later, Dutch pedophile Rene Paul Martin Aubel was freed from Prey Sar prison, where he had been serving a 10-year sentence for sex crimes against six boys in 2005. Aubel, who also received a royal pardon, remains in Phnom Penh, but he changed guesthouses over the weekend, according to investigators who are monitoring him around the clock. Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, described the pedophile pardons as “symbolic of many problems in Cambodia”, including the lack of a functioning judiciary and a culture of impunity. “This case shows the chaos that results from [Prime Minister] Hun Sen’s attempt to concentrate power in his office,” he said, pointing to a “leadership vacuum” that had undermined chains of command within ministries and governmental agencies. “You can’t outsource pedophiles,” Ou Virak said. “Whether Trofimov is raping children in Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam, the [Cambodian] government is to blame.” He said Trofimov was likely still here. “Who else would want him? He has a lot of money and a protective ring around him in Sihanoukville. Money goes further in Cambodia. You can buy freedom [here],” he explained. Samleang Seila, director of Action Pour les Enfants, said APLE and other child protection NGOs would seek further information from the interior ministry today about Trofimov, after submitting a
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Chaos blurs hunt for pedo Written by Vincent MacIsaac and Vong Sokheng with additional reporting by May Titthara Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:02
petition to the ministry on Friday calling for his deportation.
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Chea Sim advisers to appeal Written by Buth Reaksmey Kongkea Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:01
Photo by: Hong Menea Pheng Kunthea Borey, former protocol chief for Senate President Chea Sim, speaks to reporters outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court after being sentenced to four years in jail last month. Four former high-ranking associates of Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim this week will appeal their convictions for serious fraud as they all maintain their innocence, their lawyers said yesterday. Lawyers for the four say the sentences, which range from three to fours years each, are an injustice to their clients, who were convicted on weak evidence. Muong Sokun, attorney for former Chea Sim Protocol Chief Pheng Kunthea, said his high-profile client refused to accept her conviction. “I think the verdict against her is unjust,” Muong Sokun told the Post yesterday. “To find justice for her, I will be going to meet her and appeal to the Court of Appeal on January 5.” Muong Sokun also said the 56-year-old socialite has fallen seriously ill in Prey Sar prison, where she is now detained. Pheng Kunthea Borey, whose reputation has been seriously tarnished by the conviction, is suffering from mental exhaustion and paranoia as well as high blood pressure, her lawyer said. Last month, Pheng Kunthea Borey, former Chea Sim advisers Chan Kosal and Ponlork Ho, and cabinet member Khieu Bora were charged with serious fraud. Ponlork Ho, an American-Cambodian, was also charged with impersonating a three-star general. Ponlork Ho’s defence lawyer Thong Chan Rithy also told the Post his client planned to submit an appeal this week. “There was no evidence to press such a serious sentence on my client,” Thong Chan Rithy
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Chea Sim advisers to appeal Written by Buth Reaksmey Kongkea Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:01
said. “To find justice for him and oppose Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s decision, I will appeal the conviction.” Similarly, Chan Kosal and Khieu Bora’s lawyer, Tep Money Cheath, said there was never any real evidence or proof against his clients that they had committed the crimes and that he will also lodge an appeal on January 5. None of the 51 companies that were allegedly scammed by the high-ranking bureaucrats have lodged complaints or filed documentation to back up the charges against the foursome. A fifth man, Malaysian national Joe Harry Mahady, also known as “Dino”, was also sentenced to four years imprisonment in absentia for his involvement in the alleged crimes. All four Cambodians claim Mahady, who apparently fled the country in September, duped them and that they had not knowingly been involved in any scams of their own volition.
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Companies granted wildlife land Written by May Titthara Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:01
Unnamed companies were last month granted more than 26,000 hectares of land in two wildlife sanctuaries for agro-industry projects, the latest Royal Book reveals. According to the publication, which lists all sub-decrees issued by the government, Prime Minister Hun Sen last month signed over 25,729 hectares of land in the Kulen Prumtep Wildlife Sanctuary protection area in Preah Vihear, Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey, and 760 hectares of land in the Boeung Per Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom. Von Theoun, director of the Boeung Per Wildlife Sanctuary, said 14 companies were already developing about 150,000 hectares in the area. The government had provided the latest land as economic land concession, but had not allowed the conservation area to be developed, he said.
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Fee dispute: Complaints over tourist site charge Written by Meas Sokchea Tuesday, 03 January 2012 12:01
Fee dispute Residents in Kampong Thom province have complained to provincial council members that a private firm has been charging fees to visit Stung Chinith tourist site at the One Makara dam, which was constructed during the Khmer Rouge era, officials said yesterday. Baray district governor Hak Muyseng and provincial council president Nam Tom claimed that provincial governor Chhun Chhorn granted the firm a licence to charge fees. “The province issued a licence for [the firm],” Hak Muyseng said. Nam Tom said that legally the governor must discuss investment projects with provincial council members. Villagers in the district’s Balaing commune claimed that an investor named Pen Vanny obtained a licence four to five months ago, charging 1,000 riel (US$0.25) entry per person. Chhun Chhorn dismissed the allegations, claiming that the Tourism Ministry had granted the firm a licence. However, Tourism Minister Thong Khon denied the ministry had issued the licence. “Providing [a licence] to any company is up to the province and district,” he said. Contact details for Pen Vanny were not available.
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Families trucked out Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Kim Yuthana with additional reporting by Mary Kozlovski Thursday, 05 January 2012
One of eight residents detained following their arrest during a violent eviction at Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila community on Tuesday has been charged with intentional violence and obstructing public officials, the residents’ lawyer said, while some families whose homes were demolished were moved to resettlement areas. On Tuesday, more than 100 police, military police, guards and workers hired by developer Phan Imex demolished some 200 homes in the Borei Keila community. During the clash, police fired tear gas at residents, who threw bricks, branches, logs and bottles at them. At least 10 people – including villagers and officials – sustained injuries. A municipal official told the Post on Tuesday that 30 officials had been injured. Chin Lida, a lawyer from rights group Licadho representing eight residents detained following the protest, told the Post that one resident had been charged and lawyer Suong Sophal had filed a complaint against villagers to the municipal court on behalf of Phnom Penh Municipality. “I requested the court and prosecutor to release my clients,” he said, adding that all villagers remained in custody at the municipal police station. Kiet Chhe, deputy municipal administration chief, declined to comment yesterday, while deputy municipal police chief Phoung Malay could not be reached. Suong Sophal also declined to comment. Phan Imex signed a contract with the government in 2003, agreeing to construct 10 buildings on two hectares of land to house 1,776 families in the community, in exchange for development rights to 2.6 hectares. The company has constructed only eight of the buildings, leaving almost 400 families in limbo. In June, the Post obtained a letter penned by Phan Imex owner Suy Sophan to Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2010, requesting permission to forego
construction of the two buildings and asking that the firm be granted the remaining land. Suy Sophan could not be reached for comment yesterday. The exact number of families moved to two resettlement areas in the wake of the eviction yesterday – one in Tuol Sambo in Phnom Penh and the other in Phnom Bat in Oudong district across Kandal and Kampong Speu provinces – remains unclear. Phan Imex representative Phon Moy said yesterday that each family that moved to Phnom Bat would receive between 500,000 riel (US$124 ) to 1 million riel ($248) and a 5m x 12m plot of land, and families that moved to Tuol Sambo would receive the same amount of money and a house 3.5m x 5.5m in dimensions. Phon Moy said that the firm would also provide each family with 50 kilograms of rice. However, at Tuol Sambo village, 34-year-old resident Noun Phon told the Post that, so far, about 20 families had been sent to the village and that the company had given her family $100 and 30 kilograms of rice. “They do not have houses to give us to live in, they told us to make the tent to live in temporarily,” she said. After arriving at Tuol Sambo, 45-year-old Khan Samoeun said that she was unsure whether she would receive land from the company in Tuol Sambo, where evictees were now living in tents. “The company has yet to build homes for villagers, and told us to wait,” she said. “When we left Borei Keila, the company gave us 400,000 riel ($99) and 20 kilograms of rice, with promises that they would give us a house, but there is no formal document,” Khan Samoeun added. “That is why we are afraid that the company will leave us here to live in the air.” Tuol Sambo village chief Khum Khoeun said he was unsure how many families would be relocated to the village, but so far, 36 families had
arrived. “The company has told me that they will build new houses at 14 different plots of land,” he said. SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua, who was attempting to facilitate negotiations between Phan Imex and the families, visited the site yesterday morning and later joined about 50 residents who gathered outside the United States embassy in the evening to seek assistance. Mu Sochua said later that the residents had returned to Borei Keila, but would return to the US embassy today. Civil society groups have also condemned the use of violence during the eviction, and called on the company to honour the contract.
FORMER BOREI KEILA RESIDENT YIM MADY, 42, CARRIES HER CHILD YESTERDAY PAST DEBRIS FROM HOMES DEMOLISHED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE COMMUNITY ON TUESDAY. HENG CHIVOAN
A BOY EVICTED ON TUESDAY FROM THE BOREI KEILA COMMUNITY CARRIES HIS POSSESSIONS AT A RELOCATION SITE AT TUOL SAMBO YESTERDAY. PHA LINA
FORMER BOREI KEILA RESIDENTS SEARCHED YESTERDAY THROUGH BRICKS AND DEBRIS FOR THEIR POSSESSIONS AT THE SITE OF TUESDAY’S EVICTION. MAI VIREAK
KRT visits top 100,000 mark Written by Bridget Di Certo Thursday, 05 January 2012 12:01
Photo by: Heng Chivoan Student visitors enter the ECCC before a hearing in December. More than 100,000 people had visited the Khmer Rouge tribunal in Phnom Penh’s Chaom Chau district since the first trial began in February, 2009, court officials said yesterday. A total of 111,543 people had visited the ECCC between February 16, 2009, and December 31, 2011, a statement from the court said. “This is massive participation from the Cambodian people,” tribunal press officer Neth Pheaktra said. “It is unprecedented, especially if you compare the numbers to other international courts like the [International Criminal Court].” A large number of the visitors to the court came through the tribunal’s Study Tour Program, which is part of the successful Outreach program at the court, officials said. As part of the program, the court provides free transport for villagers in the provinces to come to Phnom Penh, see the court and meet with court officials to learn about its work. “Villagers also get an opportunity to see S-21 and Choeung Ek and understand the history of the Khmer Rouge regime and the procedures at the court to bring justice to victims,” Neth Pheaktra said. “They also receive a booklet and other printed information about the court and the defendants that they can then take back . . . and share their learning with other older and younger villagers.” Prime Minister Hun Sen drafted the foreword to the booklet, in which he applauds the work of the court and the importance of bringing senior Khmer Rouge leaders to justice.
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KRT visits top 100,000 mark Written by Bridget Di Certo Thursday, 05 January 2012 12:01
The 500-seat public gallery was often not big enough to cater for all those who wished to participate in the proceedings, Neth Pheaktra said, and the court has had to arrange a “holding bay” where visitors can watch a live screening outside the courtroom. Youk Chhang, whose Documentation Centre of Cambodia frequently arranges for both victims and former cadres in the regime to attend the court, said public participation kept the court afloat. “Without a full public participation, the Court is meaningless,” Youk Chhang told the Post. “It has been stormy over at the ECCC, but it has not collapsed, and that is because people participated.”
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Trafficked teens go after broker Written by Sen David Thursday, 05 January 2012 12:02
Three teenage boys who were held as slaves on a Thai fishing boat for weeks have been returned to Cambodia and have filed a complaint with the Anti-Human Trafficking department in an attempt to seek out the broker who tricked them, Cambodian NGO Action Pour Les Enfants said yesterday. The teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were repatriated with assistance from APLE on December 31 after their ordeal. “From our research, we know that the boys were lured and cheated by masterminds to cross the border illegally in Thailand and then were tricked to work on a Thai fishing boat,” APLE country director Samleang Seila told the Post. “It is a serious labour abuse to have these boys trafficked under-age,” Samleang Seila said. “The victims crossed in the wilderness along the border at Poipet into Thailand where other brokers picked them up and took them to the fishing boat where they were held.” Samleang Seila said the boys were forced to perform hard labour and work overtime until Thai authorities rescued them. Human trafficking of young, and often under-age, males to fishing boats in Thailand made headlines last year as returnees described the horror and merciless conditions of their captivity aboard the boats. APLE often cooperated with Thai authorities to repatriate tricked and trafficked victims, Samleang Seila said. In this instance, on December 12, when the families of the boys reported them missing after they had disappeared three days earlier, APLE contacted the Thai Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to coordinate a rescue. Keo Thea, director of the municipal Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection office, declined to comment in detail about the complaint for fear the brokers would take flight or go into hiding. “We are investigating and we will continue our investigations until we catch the brokers,” Keo Thea said. Toek Salin, the 45-year-old father of one of the victims, said his son had been studying in grade 11 at school, but he had not realised his son had wanted to work. “We never allowed our son to work, just to study only, but then one day, he did not come home from school, and we had no idea where he was or what had happened,” Toek Salin said. Between December 6 and 12 last year, 60 Cambodian fishermen were rescued from boats in Indonesia and repatriated after being lured to Thailand supposedly to work in high-paying jobs. Instead, the fishermen were subjected to abusive working conditions on the boats and were not paid, the Post reported.
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Borei Keila 8 sent to Prey Sar Written by Khouth Sophak Chakrya with additional reporting by Mary Kolovski and Cassandra Yeap Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
Photo by: Heng Chivoan People evicted from Borei Keila sign a petition near the US embassy yesterday in Phnom Penh. Eight residents charged with intentional violence and obstructing public officials following their arrest during a violent eviction at Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila community this week have been sent to the capital’s Prey Sar prison, the residents’ lawyer said yesterday. Chin Lida, a lawyer with rights group Licadho, told the Post that he had asked the court for his clients to be released. Deputy municipal court prosecutor Meas Chanpiseth, who questioned the residents, declined to comment. The Post was unable to confirm by deadline whether two residents reportedly arrested late on Wednesday were being detained by authorities. On Tuesday, more than 200 homes were demolished by over 100 police, military police, guards and workers hired by private developer Phan Imex. Armed police fired tear gas at residents as they threw bricks and debris to prevent forces from entering the community. At least 10 people were injured. In 2003, Phan Imex agreed to build 10 buildings on two hectares of land for 1,776 families, in exchange for development rights to 2.6 hectares. The company constructed eight buildings before suspending construction 2010, leaving almost 400 families without housing. Families moved to resettlement sites in Tuol Sambo village in Phnom Penh’s outskirts and Phnom Bat village in Kandal province following the eviction, where some families had already relocated, told the Post they were living in tents and had received money from the company ranging from US$25 to $100 and 30 kilograms of rice. “[The company] has not provided the land for us yet because they just bulldozed the land [on
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Borei Keila 8 sent to Prey Sar Written by Khouth Sophak Chakrya with additional reporting by Mary Kolovski and Cassandra Yeap Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
Wednesday],” 24-year-old evictee Er Srey Pov said from Phnom Bat village. Phan Imex representative Phon Moy claimed yesterday that 20 families had moved to Tuol Sambo and 85 families to Phnom Bat, a figure that contrasted with previous company estimates. Phan Imex owner Suy Sophan could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, more than 60 residents submitted petitions to the US, French and British embassies yesterday, requesting intervention. US Embassy spokesman Sean MacIntosh said via email that the outcomes of confrontations at Borei Keila were “unfortunate”. “The United States remains concerned about the potential for unresolved land disputes that may lead to instability in Cambodia,” he said.
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KRT moves: Investigate judge: Ieng Sary team Written by Bridget Di Certo Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
KRT moves Ahead of the re-opening of hearings in the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s Case 002, former Khmer Rouge Foreign Affairs Minister Ieng Sary yesterday again called for an investigation of one of the judges and permission to be absent throughout proceedings. Lawyers for the 86-year-old alleged senior leader of the Khmer Rouge regime have previously claimed their client’s ill-health prevents him from being present in court and that forcing him to do so is a “fundamental breach of his human rights”. In a separate, simultaneously lodged appeal, the lawyers requested the Supreme Court Chamber conducted investigations into ex-parte meetings between New Zealand Trial Chamber Judge Silvia Cartwright and International Co-Prosecutor Andrew Cayley. An investigation is essential, Ieng Sary’s lawyers said, in determining whether Cartwright should be disqualified from the bench altogether.
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Moek Dara jailed for life Written by Chhay Channyda Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
Photo by: Snorb Sophea Former anti-drug czar Moek Dara (centre) speaks to reporters outside Banteay Meanchey provincial court, where he was given a life sentence yesterday. Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court has handed down a life sentence to disgraced former anti-drug czar Moek Dara and fined him US$300,000 for conspiring with the criminals he was supposed to fight, court officials said yesterday. Phann Vanrath, deputy prosecutor at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court, said that the former secretary general for the National Anti-Drug Trafficking Department was found guilty of taking bribes and siphoning drugs from confiscation stockpiles. “This verdict provides justice to the country, because drug trafficking has a serious effect on society,” Phann Vanrath said. “We had more than 100 witnesses testifying, and we have enough evidence from investigation of Moek Dara and [his partner Chea Leng’s] office.” Chea Leng, the former Ministry of Interior anti-drug chief, was also sentenced to life in prison and fined $21,000 for his involvement in the corruption racket that was brought to the courts by the Anti-Corruption Unit in 2011. A second accomplice, Morn Doeun, who escaped capture and remains a fugitive, was sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison and a $34,000 fine. Moek Dara and Chea Leng were arrested in January last year after being incriminated by the testimony of convicted ex-Banteay Meanchey provincial police chief Hun Hean and his deputy, Chheang Son, who both received 4-year prison sentences in November for collecting more than $100,000 in bribes from arrested drug offenders.
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Moek Dara jailed for life Written by Chhay Channyda Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
After the announcement of the verdict, Moek Dara was escorted out of the court tightly gripping a wad of documents and a book, and told the press that he could not accept the decision against him. “I did not commit any crime like the accusation,” Moek Dara said. “I am wondering … it’s life imprisonment, sentencing me [as though] I am a mastermind in drug trafficking, but there is not even one pill of drug.” Moek Dara has pleaded innocent to all the charges against him throughout proceedings. “In my conscience, I would never have the idea to traffic drugs like this accusation,” he said, adding that he would consider an appeal. Under Cambodian law, Moek Dara has one month in which to lodge an appeal with the Appeals Court in Phnom Penh. Moek Dara’s defence lawyer, Ray Bunthoeun, told the press outside the court that the verdict was unjust and that he would discuss an appeal further. “It’s a serious decision,” Ray Bunthoeun said. “Since the beginning of the hearing, the questioning of him has produced no evidence at all.” Ray Bunthoeun was also outraged at the prison sentence. “Duch [former S-21 prison chief responsible for executing more than 12,000 people] has been put in jail only 19 years, but Moek Dara was a good official ... and has been put in jail based on only testimony from a convict, with no real documents,” Ray Bunthoeun said. Rights groups applauded the sentence as just and a good message to society. Cambodian Centre for Human Rights court monitor Nop Vireak said the trial was an example for other officials to steer clear of corruption. “Moek Dara and Chea Leng used public institutions to commit gross corruption and were charged with these offences and sentenced like criminals,” he said. However, while the sentencing of Moek Dara may be celebrated, the crackdown on corruption was far from comprehensive, Nop Vireak added. “It’s not a real law enforcement,” Nop Vireak said, because other conspiring witnesses who testified at court were not charged or sentenced. Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court also confiscated two plots of land belonging to Moek Dara and the entirety of his known bank account, a sum of $87,000.
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Preah Vihear villagers take case to PM Written by Phak Seangly Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
Nearly 70 villagers from Preah Vihear’s Choam Ksan district gathered in the capital yesterday and submitted a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen urging his intervention in a land dispute with provincial authorities. Last Friday, the National Authority of Preah Vihear began dismantling the homes of residents in Kantuot commune’s Svay Chrum village to make way for a government office. The residents have been forced to relocate to a nearby village they claim lacks infrastructure. Representative Phan Poeun said the villagers made stealth trips to the capital, careful not to draw the attention of provincial authorities. “We came secretly because if the authority found out, they would stop us and arrest us,” he said. The villagers gathered at Butom Votey pagoda yesterday and displayed 10 banners with photos of the authorities in question and the plea, “[we] ask Samdech Hun Sen and Bun Rany to grant us the right to live in Svay Chrum village forever”. Kong Chamroeun, a member of Hun Sen’s cabinet, accepted the letter and said that while he “forwarded it to the group who works on these cases,” he did not “know whether the letter has been read by them”. Preah Vihear provincial governor Om Mara, meanwhile, denied that the villagers were residents of Svay Chrum.
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Working conditions blamed as factory shut after fainting incident Written by Tep Nimol Friday, 06 January 2012 12:01
The ministry of Labour has temporarily suspended until Monday the operations of a garment factory in the capital’s Dangkor district where nearly two dozen workers fainted on Wednesday. An investigation into the causes of the fainting of 23 female workers at the Chim Ly garment factory on Wednesday revealed that poor working conditions were to blame. “Ventilation fans are not enough and they are demanding workers overdo overtime work,” Pok Vanthat, the Ministry of Labour’s health department director, said, adding that additional workers would fall sick if the company did not comply with the ministry’s suspension orders. The causes of Wednesday’s fainting, he said, were identical to those cited in a September mass fainting at the same factory, in which about 200 workers fell ill. Pok Vanthat outlined three directives that the ministry had issued to the factory: fix fans and clean air filters, repair water tanks to ensure clean water and ban the stacking of fabrics near fans. Ngam Kun, an administrator at the Chim Ly factory, did not say when the factory would fulfill these instructions, but said he would comply with a request from the union to allow workers that were not feeling well to stay home until Monday, without their pay being deducted. Ly Chheng Long, president of the Cambodian Labour Union Federation at the factory, said workers feared that if they did not go to work, their pay would be deducted. Maeve Galvin, an advocacy officer at the International Labour Organisation, said it was important to investigate the causes of these incidents, work towards solutions and keep in mind that the faintings had happened at only 12 or 13 of several hundred factories. “It’s still a new industry for Cambodia and what we are seeing now is that the first generation of Cambodian supervisors is taking over and communication between workers and management is improving as a result,” Galvin said.
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