VELLUDOS (video)

Chinese PM vows to jointly tackle int'l financial crisis with Cambodia

CHENGDU, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has pledged to work along with Cambodia in tackling the international financial crisis and provide affordable assistance to the Southeast Asian country.

China and Cambodia are partners of comprehensive cooperation and have supported each other in bilateral and multilateral fields, Wen told his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen Friday in a meeting following the opening ceremony of an international trade fair in the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Confronted with the global financial crisis, China will spare no effort in its cooperation with Cambodia and will jointly overcome the difficulties, Wen said, pledging to boost bilateral trade and implement infrastructure construction projects funded by China in Cambodia.

Hun Sen appreciated China's assistance, saying it has brought about benefits for numerous Cambodians and asked China to continue participation in the country's economic progress.

The Cambodian government and its people cherish their friendship and cooperation with China, he said, vowing to enhance cultural, social and youth exchanges with China.

Why bother to appeal to the Supreme court when the outcome is known in advance: Mu Sochua

Mu Sochua decides to drop lawsuit case against Hun Xen

Friday, October 16, 2009
Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Kampot SRP MP Mu Sochua had decided to drop her lawsuit against Hun Xen after the Appeal court decided to toss her defamation and curse lawsuit against Hun Xen.

In an interview, Mrs. Mu Sochua said that she will not appeal her lawsuit case against Hun Xen to the Supreme court. The Appeal court decision to toss her case shows the court inequity. Mrs Mu Sochua added that if she pursues her case to the Supreme court, the decision will still remain the same.

Mrs. Mu Sochua made this decision shortly after Uk Savuth, the prosecutor of the Appeal court maintained the decision handed down by the Phnom Penh municipal court, i.e. her lawsuit against Hun Xen was dropped by the court.

In June 2009, the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court considered Mrs. Mu Sochua’s accusation as being unacceptable. Therefore, the court decided to drop her lawsuit case against Hun Xen.

Mrs. Mu Sochua’s lawsuit led to a countersuit by Hun Xen who accused her of defamation. The reason Hun Xen accused her of defamation was because Mrs. Mu Sochua claimed that Hun Xen defamed and cursed her in his speech in Kampot on 04 April 2009. Hun Xen strongly criticized a “Cheung Khlang” (thug) woman who is very good at protesting land issues in Kampot province.

At the end, on 04 August 2009, the Phnom Penh municipal court decided that she lost her case against Hun Xen and it ordered her to pay a 16.5 million riels ($4,100) fine.

Media Mogul Hun Mana offered 80% of Kampuchea Thmei ownership … for free (sic!)

Media mogul Hun Mana, scion of the top food chain of Cambodia's Family Trees (aka “Family of the Thieves of the Nation” in Khmer) (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Friday, October 16, 2009
KI-Media

Try Heng, the owner of the Kampuchea Thmei, one of Cambodia’s largest newspapers, announced that Hun Mana, Hun Sen’s daughter and director-general of Bayon TV and radio, is set to take control of the Kampuchea Thmei.

The Cambodia Daily reported that, according to Try Heng, Hun Mana will receive 80% of the newspaper revenues. Try Heng also claimed that he offered the majority ownership of the newspaper to the PM’s daughter “without her paying any money for the privilege” (i.e., free of charge?). “The reason she wants to have shares is because she loves Kampuchea Thmei,” Try Heng was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying.

In its September 16-30 edition, the Free Press Magazine online reported that the 80% control of the Kampuchea Thmei in fact came at a cost of $750,000 to Cambodia’s media mogul Hun Mana. Needless to say that with her family sitting at the top of food chain in Cambodia’s Family Trees (also known as “Family of the Thieves of the Nation” in Khmer), the ¾ million dollar cost to acquire the interest in the Kampuchea Thmei must have been chump change that can be characterized as “nearly free.”

In any case, we pray that deforestation in Cambodia is not accelerated by Hun Mana’s takeover of this daily newspaper, because, as we all know, large publication requires large amount of papers, and papers are produced from wood pulp obtained from cut down trees (thus our concerns).

On the other hand, Moeun Chhean Naridh, the director of the Cambodia Institute for Media Studies, indicated that the takeover of the Kampuchea Thmei by Hun Mana is a legitimate cause of concerns because sensitive information on government officials could be self-censored by employees working for the perpetual prime minister’s daughter. He cited Bayon TV news coverage as example of “very biased” report.

Documentary details violence against women

Thursday, 15 October 2009
Written by Kelcie Moseley
The Argonaut (U. of Idaho newspaper)

Imagine yourself at 16 — barely settling into middle school or high school and oblivious to most of the world around you. Now imagine you were told you were being given a recording contract with a fairly well-known record label, and you’d be able to do what you always dreamed of doing: singing. Life is going well, and people begin to recognize you for your beauty and your voice. Then suddenly a man falls in love with you, but not just any man — a much older, powerful man, one who is important and noticeable throughout the country. And with that power, he coerces you into staying with him, though you do not love him. He threatens you if you say you want to leave and keeps a gun around to make sure you don’t try. So you stay.

But it’s not long before you find out he’s a married man. And one day, with no warning, his wife — whom you’ve never met — grabs you on the street by the hair, beats you and throws a liter of acid over your face and body.

The life you knew is instantly taken away, and the people who were responsible are never brought to justice.

This is the story of Tat Marina, a Cambodian woman who was allegedly attacked by Undersecretary of State Svay Sitha’s wife in 1999. Ten years and 25 surgeries later, Marina’s appearance is still a shadow of her former self. She was lucky enough to be granted juvenile amnesty in the U.S. after she was attacked, but every morning she literally draws most of her features onto her face in eyeliner, eyebrow pencil and lip liner.

Marina wears hoods to cover her face in public, and she lives in a constant state of fear for her family, who were still living in Cambodia at the time of the film, and were threatened many times by Sitha.

“Finding Face” does not play soft with its audience. Most of the film speaks for itself through Marina’s testimonial, in addition to her family’s, but the filmmakers also let the audience watch as Marina’s family sees her on film for the first time since she was attacked. Their reaction to her appearance — which they had assumed would be closer to her former self — is one of the most heartbreaking moments of the film.

Documentaries like this one are vitally important to see, even if it’s hard to watch. Not only does it illustrate the horror Marina and her family went through, but it also profiles several other women who were attacked with acid and were not as lucky as Marina.

Their appearances are much worse than hers, but their courage is astounding. One woman whose eyes are sealed shut and has burns across her face and down her neck said she actually feels more comfortable with herself than she did before she was attacked. She said she wants people to see what happened to her to raise awareness about the growing problem of acid attacks.

“Finding Face” brings this disturbing crime that is on the rise into harsh focus. They point out the highest rates of acid attacks are in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the United Kingdom and the U.S. — proving this is not just a third-world country issue.

The film accomplishes everything it set out to do and more – getting people talking about an issue largely ignored before, telling a powerful story of injustice, human rights violations and gender-based violence.

“Finding Face” is a film the viewer will never forget.

New wave of evictions in Phnom Penh

30 families had to witness the demolition of their homes (Photo: Jerome Becquet, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

Thursday 15 October 2009
By Jerome Becquet and Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French

On Thursday 15 October morning, an area of Russei Keo district along the Tonle Sap River, 30 families were evicted from their homes which were later destroyed.

Once you cross the Japanese bridge at the exit of Phnom Penh in the direction of Kampong Cham, a troubling scene is attracting a large crowd of onlookers. In fact, the cops were directing a demolition gang busy at work. Distinguishable by their bright green T-shirts, the demo workers went on from one house to another, tearing out the tin roof, emptying the houses of all the furniture before loading them into moving trailer trucks.

70-year-old Phalhiot live here for the past 15 years. His family is respected by the authority, nevertheless, he couldn’t believe what he saw: “We negotiated with the city hall twice. They proposed to give us a 32-square-meter plot located next to the purification station in Meanchey district, in exchange for the plot of land that my family is living on right now. Our plot here is about 3 times larger than the one proposed to us,” he said with indignation.

Nevertheless, Phalhiot is one of the privileged residents because he was able to take down his house to rebuild it elsewhere. Meanwhile, several others did not have this opportunity. Phirom is among the unlucky ones: “They destroyed my wooden house with a bulldozer. Everything went by very quickly. Nobody listened to my complaints about my rights for relocation. I no longer have a roof to live under.”

According to a representative of the authority, 10 families out of the total of 30 families involved accepted the relocation proposal. “There were 5 warnings, and the eviction ultimatum was set on 7 October, it has been extended by one week,” he claimed. According to the latter, the cops intervened today because the road widening project must start as soon as possible to make way for a round-about.

Naroth, an investigator for Licadho, stressed that these new evictions – which are taking place after the recent evictions in Oddar Meanchey and Ratanakiri – are adding more fuels to the current land dispute chapter that is highly criticized by the civil society.

2009 Cambodia flooding: CWS emergency appeal

15 Oct 2009
Source: Church World Service (CWS)

SITUATION:

The effects of Typhoon Ketsana on Cambodia exacerbated an already serious flooding situation in the country; at least 14 people died in flooding caused when the typhoon hit Cambodia on Sept. 29. (The storm also badly affected Vietnam and the Philippines; a separate appeal for the Philippines, Appeal # 6537, was issued Oct. 8.)

In Kompong Thom Province, where CWS works, 10,684 families in 254 villages were affected. The damage was widespread: 14,862 hectors of paddy rice were completely destroyed, and 34,078 meters of road cut off. At least 98 houses and public buildings were completely destroyed and another 430 houses and public buildings were badly damaged.

CWS was part of a multi-agency coalition that assessed damage in late September and early October both from flooding prior to the typhoon and flooding caused by Ketsana.

CWS RESPONSE:

Initial CWS relief assistance included food distribution to 112 families of such items as rice and canned fish. In the next phase, CWS plans to assist 3,841 affected families, or 19,435 persons, with adequate and appropriate food and non-food items, and later, working to provide longer-term food security, as well as access to clean water, and improved sanitation and hygiene facilities. The focus will be on 41 villages in Kompong Thom Province. Twenty-one villages will be assisted directly by CWS Cambodia and 20 villages will receive assistance implemented through CWS partners.

Through January, CWS will distribute the following to the 3,841 families. Food items (totals): White rice - 100 metric tons; canned fish:- 2,000 packs; vegetable oil - 2,749 litres; iodine salt - 2,749 kg; fish sauce - 2,749 bottles; soya sauce - 2,749 bottles; dry salt fish - 2,000 kg. Non-food items to be distributed include mosquito nets - 200; water containers - 500; water purification materials - 1,590; detergent - 1,590 packages; scarves - 1,590 pieces; blankets - 100; sarongs - 100; medicine packages - 100 sets; plastic sheeting - 100; construction material packages - 100 sets.

The second, early recovery stage, through October 2010, will consist of promoting food security and livelihood for the villages. This includes provision of rice seed - 23 metric tons; vegetable seed - 2.75 metric tons; water pumping machines - 16 sets; training to the most affected households on rice production, home gardening, animal raising; support for veterinary services for animal treatments; and raising awareness on sanitation and hygiene to 41 targeted villages. As well, support capacity building efforts that include disaster management trainings for the 41 villages.

Finally, reconstruction efforts will include providing 85 hand pump wells; 85 open wells; 165 household latrines; repair or rehabilitate 2,500 meters of canals or dams, 2,000 meters of village roads; three bridges; and 20 sites where water gates and culverts were damaged.

BUDGET includes $373,177 in direct assistance, including $176,463 for crisis phase assistance (food and non-food items, shelter, etc.) and $196,714 in post-crisis assistance measures, such as food security and livelihood efforts and reconstruction work.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Please designate: 2009 Cambodia Flooding (#699-O).

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts:
(212) 870-3151
Program Director: dderr@churchworldservice.org

Human rights groups call for action on Cambodian evictions

October 16, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

Forced land evictions in Cambodia are increasing in frequency, most taking place in the name of development.

In the latest incident in the country's north-west, more than 100 families were driven off their land and left destitute.

Presenter: Richard Ewart
Speakers: Naly Pilorge, Director of Cambodian human rights group, LICADHO; Sarah Marland, Amnesty International

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

Thailand's response to You Ay: A figurefinger pointing game [-Siem min choal kbuon!!!]

With reference to Cambodian Ambassador You Ay's letter ("From Cambodia with clarity," Post bag, Oct 13), the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state for the record a couple of pertinent points as follows:

1. The issue of the temple of Phra Viharn is a complicated one with a history going back a long time. The situation, however, worsened following its inscription on the World Heritage List in 2008, despite unresolved negotiations on the encroachment of the land boundary in the area adjacent to the temple.

Thailand did not initiate the problem, nor did it try to exploit extreme nationalist sentiment in order to make political gains. (sic!)

2. As for the allegation that Thai troops caused the destruction of the Cambodian market and the Cambodian side demanded compensation for the affected people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already officially informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia by a diplomatic note dated Aug 10, 2009, clarifying that the said incidents were triggered by Cambodian soldiers' assault on Thai troops, forcing the latter to take defensive action and leading to the exchange of fire between the soldiers of both sides. The Ministry wishes to reiterate that the whole incident took place at the market and Cambodian community in the area adjacent to the temple of Phra Viharn, which are situated within the territory of Thailand.

I hope this letter will help promote a better understanding of this delicate issue.

THANI THONGPHAKDI
Deputy Director-General, Department of Information,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Cheam Yeap lecturing the 4 US Congressmen who sponsored US Congress Resolution 820

CPP Cheam Yeap (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

14 October 2009
By Sopheap
Excerpt from Khmer Express News
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

CPP MP Cheam Yeap, the chairman of the National Assembly commission for economy and finance, said that he thanked the 4 US Congressmen who are concerned about the people of Cambodia more so than the Cambodian MPs and government. However, Cheam Yeap said that this condemnation cannot be accepted. The reason for this non-acceptance stems from the fact that [, for example,] regarding the accusation of threat, [Cheam Yeap is wondering] what action shows this threat against the opposition politicians in Cambodia? Cheam Yeap added: “As far as I know, a number of these gentlemen [US Congressmen] never even travel to Cambodia, therefore, they just listened to reports provided by individuals or the opposition party – because the opposition consider the US Congressmen as their parents and it reported everything [to these US Congressmen] in the past.” (sic!)

Cheam Yeap added that he believes that some of the points raised by the resolution indeed happen, but there were reasons for those. Furthermore, the opposition party and the CPP party are preserving and defending the honor, the amicability, the confidence and the votes cast by all the people in the country. “We see that the election victory stems from the people loving [us] and our historical achievements under the special leadership of Samdach Akkok Moha Sena Bat Dey Dek Cho Hun Xen, the prime minister, i.e., he turned Cambodia from a killing field into the current felicitous condition,” Cheam Yeap said.

Cheam Yeap added also: “Let me reply to this resolution submitted by the 4 (US) congressmen, please weigh in properly, don’t just listen to one side and then go on to provide an evaluation, it is not right. Put both of them on the scale, i.e. ask the ruling party, take the idea from the international committee to ask clearly about the information, then you can weigh in for the evaluation. Listening to the opposition report based on what they see, everything is bad, there is nothing good, i.e. [in] Cambodia, as soon as you open your eyes, everything is dark.”
-----
KI-Media Note: In case Mr. Cheam Yeap had not properly read the US Congress Resolution 820 yet, we would like to inform him that the US Congressmen who sponsored this resolution also based their judgments on reports provided by Global Witness and Human Rights Watch, as well as the reports provided by Prof. Yash Ghai. But, of course, as His Excellency Cheam Yeap stated himself: in Cambodia, everything is dark, therefore, the chance of Mr. Cheam Yeap noting any of these reports criticizing the CPP regime is next to nothing.

King Ta’s death wish: An open letter by one KI-Media Reader to Samdech Ta

Click on the letter in Khmer to zoom in

Thursday, October 15, 2009
Open Letter to King Ta Norodom Sihanouk by Khemarak Botra
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The only person who sometimes wishes to become a ghost and sometimes wishes to die is Samdech Ta. Samdech Ta used to boast that he is clever, that he is a man full of experiences. I would like to inform Samdech Ta that his experiences are wrong experiences, there were experiences cheated by the Yuons, they were experiences of destruction of Cambodia and her people. Because of such experiences, Cambodia and Cambodians are currently living in such misery. With his cleverness, when the Khmeng Wat (kids living in the pagoda) hit his head, not only he does not dare fight them back, but he even praises them for providing justice to him. This is called cheap cleverness.

When I see the pictures (above), I want KI-Media to help me ask Samdech Ta how grateful are we to the Yuons for the King of the Khmer land to burn incense and bow in respect like this?

My other question is: If Samdech Ta indeed has a death wish, why does he keep on seeking [medical help] from Chinese doctors? Why wouldn’t he let his disease kill him?

I see that Samdech Ta likes to write in French very much. Did Samdech Ta ever hear the French saying: “Il faut tourner sa langue 100 fois dans sa bouche avant de parler” [Turn the tongue 100 times in the mouth before speaking – Think before you speak]?

In conclusion, when Samdech Ta passed away as he wishes, let them not bring your remain back to Cambodia, let them just incinerate you in China. If there is an afterlife, may Samdech Ta be born as Yuon or Chinese, let you not be born as Cambodian because otherwise, Cambodia and Cambodians will never be able to get out of the current misery.

CCHR Welcomes the Intervention of King Sihamoni in the Case of Judge Thor Saron

Cambodian Center for Human Rigths

Press Release
Phnom Penh – 14 October 2009

THE CCHR WELCOMES THE INTERVENTION OF HIS MAJESTY KING NORODOM SIHAMOUNI IN THE CASE OF JUDGE THOR SARON

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) today welcomes the intervention of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamouni in the case of Judge Thor Saron following a letter sent by the CCHR – dated 10 September 2009– to His Majesty outlining our concerns in relation to alleged misconduct on the part of Judge Thor Saron and respectfully requesting the Judge’s investigation by the Supreme Council of Magistracy. On Tuesday 13 October 2009, the CCHR was given a copy of a letter dated 24 September 2009, signed by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamouni and sent to Justice Minister and member of the Supreme Council of Magistracy – Ang Vong Vathana – forwarding the CCHR request to the Minister and requesting the Minister to initiate an investigation into the alleged misconduct of Judge Thor Saron throughout his investigation of a land dispute in Ratanakkiri Province between indigenous Tumpuon villagers and a private company – the DM Group.

As a result of the intervention of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamouni – Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana stated in the National Assembly on Monday 12 October that an investigation into had been ordered into various alleged improprieties on the part of Judge Thor Saron. Today – 14 October 2009 – however, a Justice Ministry spokesman – Bunyan Narin – was quoted in the Cambodia Daily to the effect that the investigation into Judge Thor Saron was yet to start as the Justice Minister was yet to sign off on the letter of the inspection secretariat seeking the investigation of the Judge. The CCHR therefore encourages the Justice Minister to sign off on the letter of the inspection secretariat so that the investigation can get underway immediately.

The CCHR also notes that on 13 October 2009, Judge Thor Saron was cited in the Phnom Penh Post to the effect that he and a Prosecutor of the Ratanakkiri Provincial Court had used a pick-up truck previously confiscated by the Court as evidence in a murder case. Accordingly, the CCHR urges the extension of any investigation into the usage of the pick-up truck to include any individuals alleged to have been involved.

On 12 October 2009, the CCHR wrote letters to His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouni and Dith Munty of the Supreme Council of Magistracy supporting our previous letter to the His Majesty the King and outlining additional concerns that have since arisen in relation to Judge Thor Saron. The CCHR is hopeful that the developments of the previous two days in relation to the case of Judge Thor Saron represents a watershed in Cambodia whereby the actions of delinquent judges will no longer be permitted to go unpunished.

For more information, please contact:
Mr. Ou Virak, President, CCHR
Tel: +855 12 404051
email: ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org

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French Judge Under Fire For Alleged Krouge Investigation Bias

PHNOM PENH, Oct 12, 2009 (AFP) - A second lawyer for a former Khmer Rouge leader said Monday he will seek the removal of the French investigating judge at Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes court, adding to allegations of bias.

Sa Sovan, who is defending former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan, said he would file a motion later on Monday or Tuesday to seek the removal of judge Marcel Lemonde for bias in the investigation of his client.

The move follows a similar motion filed last week by the defence team for former Khmer Rouge foreign minister Ieng Sary, demanding Lemonde be disqualified from the war crimes court for bias.

"I will file a motion to have such a judge removed because he did not respect the neutrality in the investigation," said Sa Sovan at the tribunalset up to try leaders of the brutal late-1970s regime.

The motions are based on a sworn statement by Lemonde's former chief of intelligence and analysis, alleging the investigating judge told subordinates to favour evidence showing suspects' guilt over evidence of their innocence.

"It is unjust, and I am afraid that this will affect my client," Sa Sovan told AFP, adding that both "black and white" evidence about his client's role in the regime had to be investigated.

Under the Khmer Rouge court's regulations, investigating judges are required to be impartial while researching allegations made by prosecutors.Defence teams are not permitted to make their own investigations.

Speaking on Lemonde's behalf, court spokesman Lars Olsen told AFP Monday that the judge was "not interested in commenting on the allegations" but would provide "necessary information" about the issue to the court.

Lemonde is currently investigating the court's second case, against Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and his wife, former minister of social affairs Ieng Thirith, as well as Khmer Rouge ideologue Nuon Chea.

Final arguments in the court's first trial of prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, known by the alias Duch, are scheduled for late next month.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia between 1975-79, resulting in the deaths of up to two million people from starvation, overwork and torture.

Capsized ferry tragedy in Chhlong district, Kratie province: Our condolences to the victim families

Split between asean leaders and civil society groups widens

THAILAND'S LONG STANDING plan to institutionalise the interface between Asean leaders and representatives of the more than 70 Asean civil society organisations (CSO) are crumbling. The noble objective of establishing a people-oriented Asean community will remain a pipe dream for the time being.

Last week, at the Asean Joint Coordinating Meeting in Bangkok, aa land locked member proposed any such meeting in the future, including the forthcoming Cha-Am summit (15th Asean summit), should be optional.

Asean senior officials quickly took up Vientiane's idea which reflected readily the high anxiety held by their leaders since the historic event last February during the 14th Asean summit.

With strong support from the majority of Asean members, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand decided to go with the flow. After all, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak would not be able to make it to the scheduled meeting with the CSO. Without them, the numbers of Asean leaders attending the event could further dwindle.

It is highly likely new Asean members (Laos, Cambodia, Burma) would be abstaining given unpleasant encounters in the past. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who almost boycotted the function, was much disturbed by the way the first interface was conducted including the selection process of CSO representatives, especially from his own country. Hun Sen wanted to have his hand-picked CSO representative, not a person chosen among the group.

So too did Burma object to the CSO representative from the Burmese in exile. In the wee hours, to save the interface, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya decided to hold a separate meeting with the Burmese group led by Khin Omar, a coordinator of the Burmese Partnership Network and Cambodian representatives, and Pen Somony, programme coordinator for the Cambodia Volunteers for Civil Society.

The attitude of the incoming Asean chair, Vietnam, to the upcoming interface remained to be seen. Hanoi's absence would certainly spell a death knell to promotion of the nascent dialogue process. At first encounter, Vietnam was forthcoming.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made news headlines by welcoming the idea of listing the interface between the Asean leaders and civil society into the Asean framework. He pointed out there must be a guideline governing such relations as stated in the Asean Charter.

Both Brunei and Singapore are not enthusiastic about the interface as their authorities have constantly questioned the legitimacy of CSO representatives and their mandates as non-state actors. In the 13th Asean summit held in Singapore, there was no such interface, only the CSO reports sent to the leaders via chosen representatives. At earlier summits in Kuala Lumpur and Cebu, there were brief face-to-face meetings between the Asean leaders and CSO members.

At the first interface, the CSO called on the Asean leaders to treat them as partners and institutionalise the interface to ensure the full implementation of the Asean Charter and people-oriented community. They urged the leaders to view them as partners in the grouping's planned integration.

To prevent any possible embarrassment this time, all nominated CSO names must be submitted in advance for approval by Asean senior officials. Each country can only submit one delegate, not two as originally proposed by Thailand. The scheduled informal summits with representatives of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Asean Youth are less controversial and will proceed as planned.

The CSO, comprising more than 70 organisations based in Southeast Asia, will hold a two-day people's forum beginning Sunday in Bangkok to prepare its input for the Asean leaders during the interface. In past months, the CSO has been critical of the terms of reference of the Asean Inter-governmental Commission for Human Rights.

Asean-based human rights activists would like to see the Asean rights mechanism focus on protection as well as promotion and maintain the same universal standards. For instance, the Asean members rejected strongly the idea endorsed by the CSO for periodic review and reporting on the human rights situation in all member countries.

Some Asean senior officials have blamed the CSO for moving far too fast instead of taking an incremental step by step. After all, it would take a long lead time for the Asean leaders before they came to accept the CSO's regular presence and views. Quite a few criticised the host for failure to rein in the CSO during the first interface.

Sad but true, on 23rd October from 11.50 am to 12.20 pm, it is possible less than half the Asean leaders will be attending the scheduled 30-minute meeting with the selective CSO members unless there are seismic changes in the leaders' mindsets. If the other half does not show up, the future of interface is doomed. Vietnam, as the next Asean chair, will certainly work closely with its successor Brunei in 2011 and Cambodia in 2012 to clip the CSO's ever expanding wings of progressive ideas.