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No deal, no return, Rainsy says

A journalist poses a question to opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who spoke to reporters on Thursday via video link from France, where he is in self-imposed exile. Sam Rainsy said during the press conference that he would not return to Cambodia unless a “political compromise” is reached with the government. (Photo by: Pha Lina)

Friday, 26 March 2010
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

OPPOSITION leader Sam Rainsy said during a video conference Thursday that he would not return to Cambodia in the absence of a “political compromise”, something the ruling Cambodian People’s Party has already come out against.

Speaking to reporters from France, where he is living in self-imposed exile, Sam Rainsy said he would not appear for court hearings stemming from charges filed against him in Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The court charged him earlier this month with falsifying public documents and spreading disinformation. He faces up to 18 years in prison if convicted.

“We will not go to play with the puppet court,” he said. “I must keep my freedom to do research.”

He was referring to his research into Vietnamese border incursions, which he discussed at length again on Thursday. The opposition leader has been sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for his role in uprooting border posts in Svay Rieng province in October, and the most recent charges were prompted by the release of maps his party said offered “unprecedented evidence” of Vietnamese border incursions.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said last month that there would be no compromise for Sam Rainsy, and that the opposition leader would not be able to participate in elections scheduled for 2013.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan reiterated that position on Thursday, saying that Sam Rainsy would be tried in accordance with the law.

“He destroyed public property and spread disinformation,” Phay Siphan said.

“He must resolve this problem. I won’t speak about a political compromise. We must take the law as the highest authority,” he added.

Choung Chou Ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defence lawyer, said Thursday that his client had not received any recent summons from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Government lawyer Ky Tech said he had been summoned to answer additional questions about the complaint against Sam Rainsy, but that he did not know when a hearing would be held.

Cambodian vigilante mob kills two bandits: police

Angry Cambodian villagers attack three alleged bandits
One of the thieves who was still alive (Photo: DAP news)

PHNOM PENH, March 26 (AFP) - A mob of about 400 Cambodians armed with stones, iron bars and wooden sticks, attacked three alleged bandits being held by police, killing two of them, police said Friday.

The incident took place on Thursday night after the three men allegedly used a gun to rob two sisters of their motorcycle on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, said Born Sam Art, police chief of Dangkao district.

He said the women called the police, who engaged in a brief gunfight with the alleged robbers before arresting them.

But about 400 villagers from three nearby communes then "grabbed the robbers from police and attacked them with stones, iron bars, and wooden sticks," Born Sam Art told AFP.

He said two of the bandits were killed on the spot while a third remained critically injured. Police fired warning shots to disperse the vigilante group.

In a bizarre twist, the injured criminal was initially thought to be dead and taken away with the two other bodies, but awoke as Buddhist laymen were preparing to cremate them, Born Sam Art said.

Angry mobs often attempt to take justice into their own hands in Cambodia, where the judicial system is widely believed to be weak and corrupt.

Angry village mob in Cambodia kills suspected bike thieves

The throng of about 400 villagers was so frenzied that police got scared, chief says


An angry village mob in Cambodia armed with bamboo sticks and stones beat to death two suspected robbers, dragging them away from police who had arrested them for stealing a motorcycle, police said Friday.

The throng of about 400 villagers was so frenzied that police got scared, said Maj. Bonn Sam Ath, a police chief in the district of Dangkor, on the western outskirts of the capital.

“The villagers threatened to attack us if we refused to hand over the suspects to them,” Bonn Sam Ath said. “We had no choice. They would have beaten us too if we protected the suspects.”

The men were among three people arrested Thursday for allegedly stealing a motorcycle from two sisters, who were riding it when attackers hit them over the head with pistols. The women were hospitalized in critical condition.

Word spread through the village that police had detained suspects, prompting a crowd led by relatives of the victims to await their arrival near the police station, said Bonn Sam Ath, adding that police initially tried to protect the suspects.

The third suspected robber survived by pretending he was dead, he said. Police do not plan to press charges because they do not know which members of the mob were responsible for the murders, he added.

Mob killings are not uncommon in rural Cambodia, where police are often seen as corrupt and villagers take justice into their own hands.

UN Should Create Top Post to Aid Khmer Rouge Tribunal: OSJI

Source: Open Society Justice Initiative

Corruption and Budget Questions Demand Donor, UN Attention

New York—Political interference, corruption, and funding shortfalls may cripple the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, states a report released today by the Open Society Justice Initiative. The organization calls for increased engagement from the United Nations and donor countries.

"The court has made substantial progress to date, but its future is uncertain," said Open Society Justice Initiative Executive Director James A. Goldston. "Appointing a permanent senior advisor at the UN assistant secretary-general level would provide critical leadership and oversight to help the court achieve its mission."

The report criticizes ongoing political interference with the judicial process, notes weaknesses in existing mechanisms to curb corruption, and calls attention to impending budget shortfalls. It recommends that senior officials of the Court, the UN, and the Cambodian government publicly reaffirm the importance of judicial independence, establish effective whistleblower and witness protection measures, and require periodic public progress reports from the independent counselor in charge of corruption complaints. It also calls on the US and the EU to increase funding.

"A court with secure and adequate funding is in a much stronger position to operate with independence and integrity," said Goldston. "Donors need to ensure that the tribunal has the funding it needs, while also maintaining pressure on the government of Cambodia to let justice run its course."

The court is currently seeking donor contributions to meet budget demands for 2010 and 2011. With Japan planning to decrease its funding levels, other countries will need to bridge the gap in order to cover basic operating costs, as well as to improve outreach programs and bolster anticorruption mechanisms.

Recent Developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia: March 2010 is the latest in a series of regular Justice Initiative publications offering news, analysis, and recommendations on the tribunal

Villagers in Rattanakiri protested against a Vietnamese company for grabbing their lands

Hundreds of villagers from Lumchor commune in O'Yadao district of Rattanakiri province claimed a Vietnamese company is continuing to bulldoze their lands and intransigently refusing to pay any compensation to them, reports Radio Free Asia.

Villagers said as of 25th March, the Vietnamese mining company named Hang An Rattanakiri, has used heavy machinery to bulldoze their rice fields and vegetable gardens without paying any compensation for the damges to their lands and crops.

The villagers claimed that Hang An Rattanakiri had used 4 bulldozers and 10 Vietnamese workers to bulldoze their lands since the beginning of January. On 14th January, 50 villagers had chased them out from the village and confiscated the company's machinery, but it returned later.

Villagers said the company's machinery had been actively digging and bulldozing their vegetable gardens and rice fields up until today. "They dig in the vegetable farms and in the forests. They dig illegally even in the forests and they have dug 6 metres deep inside the ground and all the lands have been destroyed", said a villager.

Mr. Sev Thven, chief of Lumchor commune, said Hang An Rattanakiri, had received a mining licence from the Ministry of Mining and Energy to explore for minierals in O'Yadoa from 2010 to 2011.

Hem Vanthorn, director of Office of Mining in Rattanakiri, said any companies that receive permits from the Ministry of Mining and Energy have every right to conduct their explorations on the concessions granted to them. However, he said the companies must consult the villagers if their lands have been impacted.

A week ago, hundreds of villagers in Kampong Speu rose up, rioted and burned down offices of a Sugar Firm owned by Senator Ly Yong Phat, a senator from the ruling Cambodian People's Party, they accused of grabbing their lands.

Thai Defence Minister: Security Law may be imposed at Mekong Summit venue

BANGKOK, March 25 (TNA) - A stringent security law may be imposed at the venue of the Mekong Summit which Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will attend next month, said Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.

Cambodia's Foreign Ministry said Hun Sen would attend the First Mekong River Commission Summit on April 4-5, accompanied by Foreign Minister Hor.
Namhong and other top officials.

Gen Prawit said security will be tightened when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attends the summit, involving Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, in the resort town of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan, southwest of Bangkok. The meeting is scheduled for April 2-5.

The Thai defence minister said that he would oversee security measures at the venue himself, with Internal Security Act may be imposed only at areas.
around the meeting venue.

It will be Hun Sen's first visit to Thailand since the two neighbouring countries downgraded ties and recalled their ambassadors in November after the Cambodian leader appointed ousted former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser.

The Cambodian government also refused the Thai government's request to extradite Thaksin to serve a two-year jail term for violating conflict of interest laws in helping his wife purchase a plot of prime Bangkok land at a lower than market price while he was in office.

The fugitive ex-premier now lives abroad, mostly in Dubai. He frequently addresses his red-shirted supporters via video link. The demonstrators have been encamped at Bangkok's Phan Fah Bridge for more than a week to pressure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve parliament.

The Thai defence minister called on the Red Shirts not to rally at the meeting venue.

He added that the number of soldiers to be deployed and security measures will be discussed later by the top military brass.

China reveals Mekong data in boost for drought response

China has agreed to provide information on Mekong water levels with the lower basin countries

BANGKOK — China has agreed to provide information on Mekong water levels in a major boost for efforts to respond to an alarming decline in the river's flow, authorities said Thursday.

Activists in Thailand have said that Chinese dams are responsible for record-low levels on the critical waterway, but poor rainfall in the region has also been identified as a factor.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) said that China would share data from its upstream monitoring stations on the Mekong -- on which more than 60 million people depend for drinking water, transport, irrigation and fishing.

"This is very positive news, as it shows that China is willing to engage with lower basin countries," MRC secretariat chief Jeremy Bird said in a statement.

"It will clear ambiguity on this issue and further build the trust necessary to jointly address other critical issues facing the basin, such as food security and climate change," he added.

The move comes ahead of a four-nation summit hosted by Thailand next month to discuss management of the Mekong which is suffering from the lowest water levels for 20 years.

The leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will meet in the resort town of Hua Hin south of Bangkok.

Southeast Asia Drought Triggers Debate Over Region's Water Resources

The Dachaoshan dam in Dachaoshan, Yunnan province, China, which is located on the upper Mekong River, 28 Aug 2001

A drought across southern China and Southeast Asia has brought the Mekong River to its lowest level in 50 years. The drought has led to debate over the vital resource and the effects that economic development, especially dam construction, may have on the river flow.

In northern Thailand, the wide Mekong River is known as Mother River. It travels from headwaters in the Tibetan plains over 4,000 kilometers to the South China Sea.

But this year, the river has fallen to its lowest level in decades.

Julian Wright manages a guest house on the Mekong River's banks at Khon Kaen in northern Thailand. Wright says there are more sand banks visible in the river than in past years.

"I couldn't pronounce it being absolutely the lowest but it's certainly the lowest I've ever seen. The hopper that collects water from the town might find itself beached, then we might find we have a running water problem," he said.

The Mekong runs through China's southern Yunnan Province, through parts of Burma, Thailand and Laos, and then moves through Cambodia and Vietnam before reaching the sea.

Severe water shortages

This year, the dry season in Southeast Asia has been far drier than normal. And the southern Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan are suffering a severe drought. Over 20 million people face water shortages with some 6.5 million hectares of crops affected.

"This is a one in 50-year occurrence - with a return period of 50 years - so it's quite severe," says Ian Makin, an engineer and senior water resources management specialist with the Asian Development Bank. "Now the problem comes is that in the dry season most people that are cropping in the Mekong Basin are using pumps and when the water level drops further than normal they can't let water out into their fields and they're struggling to keep the crop alive."

In towns, water resource officials have asked communities to conserve water. Barges and ferries normally plying the river have been forced to halt services, because in some areas, the river is nearly dry. And in low-lying areas in Vietnam's fertile Mekong delta, the drought means salty ocean water can move onto farm land, damaging the soil.

Damming the Mekong River

Environmental and rights organizations in Thailand say dams on waterways in southern China contribute to the river's low levels.

The Save the Mekong Coalition, an alliance of environmental groups, criticizes China's management of the river and dams built in China.

"It's not a natural drought - but it's also the impact from the large scale infrastructure which is the dam upstream and the fishermen and farmers have been suffering from the change of the eco-system of the Mekong River very much. And they suspect that this is because of the way the damming upstream controls the water flow," said Pianporn Deetes, a coalition spokeswoman.

China has completed the Xiaowan hydroelectric dam, the second largest hydro-electric station in the country, on the upper reaches of the Mekong. Eight others are being built in Yunnan Province.

Jeremy Bird heads the Mekong River Commission, made up of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. He dismisses concerns about the dams and blames the drought for the low water levels.

"Looking at the flow records that we have, we see no reason to suggest any operation of those projects upstream has made the situation worse. In fact, there's some evidence to suggest that if those dams had not been in place then the lower water levels may have been experienced even earlier in January," said Bird.

Possible water conflicts

Sensitivities over the Mekong's flows have led to talks between China and Thailand on how the dams may affect water levels. Chinese officials reject claims the dams contribute to low water levels.

Early next month, China will attend a summit of leaders from Mekong River nations in Bangkok. The leaders hope to find ways to better manage the river.

There are fears that rising populations will mean increased use of the Mekong for drinking water, farming, fishing and transportation. Smith Dhanrmasaroja, head of Thailand's National Disaster Warning Center, thinks Southeast Asia may eventually face conflicts over water.

"Of course they will fight. Each country they will fight for water. We will have a war, a water war in this region and people when they need to water to drink you know they will fight for everything. So conflict between Lao, Thai, Myanmar, Kampuchea (Cambodia), that thing is going to happen - we will wait and see," he said.

In a report released this week, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific expressed similar concerns about water security in the region.

The report warns that water shortages in the region are likely to be exacerbated by climate change.

Wholesale 99-year lease of Koh Rong to Kith Meng, one of Hun Xen's cronies

Hun Xen's crony Kith Meng

Environmental Survey To Prepare Cambodia's ‘Koh Rong' Island For High-End Tourism

PRESS RELEASE

(Bangkok - March 25, 2010) - Global integrated design and engineering consultancy firm Scott Wilson Group plc. has been appointed by The Royal Group of Cambodia to conduct an Environmental Evaluation and Social Impact Analysis of the Cambodian island of Koh Rong, laying the groundwork for Asia's first environmentally planned resort island.

In addition Scott Wilson has been appointed to develop the infrastructure on Koh Rong including road network, marina, international airport and utility services to jump start tourist development which places the beaches of Koh Rong within a travel time of 3 hours from Hong Kong and Singapore.

With over 80 offices worldwide, Scott Wilson offers strategic consultancy and multi-disciplinary professional services in buildings & infrastructure, environment & natural resources and roads sectors.

Koh Rong developer, The Royal Group, is headed by Chairman Kith Meng, one of Cambodia's most prominent tycoons, with interests extending to Cambodia's railways and ANZ Bank in Cambodia.

The Koh Rong archipelago, 30 minutes by boat from the coastal town of Sihanoukville, is being billed as the "next Asian Riviera" - following Phuket, Koh Samui and Bali.

Koh Rong covers 80 sq. kms, with a population of just 1,500 in small fishing villages. The island is known amongst off-the-beaten-track travelers for its pure white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and remains virtually untouched.

The Royal Group, one of Cambodia's most dynamic and diversified business conglomerate with substantial interests in property and infrastructure development, has been granted a 99-year lease by the Cambodian government to develop Koh Rong as the "first environmentally planned resort island in Asia".

The Royal Group is committed to sustainable development of Koh Rong, ensuring that the impacts on the environment are minimized and positive environmental benefits are realized throughout the development phases of the island. Most importantly the development objectives are that Koh Rong must stay a ‘Paradise Forever'.

The study will identify environmentally sensitive areas and draw recommendations for developing the pristine Cambodian island of Koh Rong for international tourism and real estate development. The study will be followed by detailed Environmental Impact Studies for the unique marine resources (Coral Reefs, Mangroves, Fisheries) as well as the island's flora and fauna. A crucial element of this will be monitoring developments and their impacts on the environment and local communities. Re-forestation, marine resource protection, waste management, poverty alleviation and employment creation for the local community are key elements of the development program.

Heading the social impact studies and infrastructure planning and development for Scott Wilson is Lauri Van Run, General Manager of the leading global design and engineering consultancy's Malaysia office. Lauri has been working with Scott Wilson since 1991 and has over 20 years experience as project manager of large infrastructure development projects, particularly in the planning, design and construction of multidisciplinary projects such as airports. Prior to joining Scott Wilson Lauri spent five years with the United Nations.

"The master plan for Koh Rong presents perhaps a unique opportunity to create virtually from the beginning a truly ecologically sustainable large scale resort community," said Mr. Van Run.

Development of the pristine "eco-island" is being carefully planned to foster the natural environment and local communities while creating a "high-end" resort destination. A development plan that realises best real estate value in balance with environmental protection - one that results in minimum environmental and social impact is currently being developed by Scott Wilson together with Hong Kong-based MAP Architects.

Opportunities for local villagers including agricultural initiatives such as organic farming, waste management, environmental awareness, improved education and medical care for the community and a future hotel management school are high on the list of priorities. It is important to provide the local community with the opportunity for employment, skills training and improvement of their livelihoods. Initial consultations have been held with chiefs and village leaders.

Along with top-end resorts, two golf courses are planned.

Mr. Van Run said: "Koh Rong is an un-spoilt paradise of pristine beaches and spectacular natural forests. It offers a unique opportunity to create the ultimate ecologically managed island, with ecologically sustainable resorts with sound investment potential."

"The Koh Rong story is similar to that of Samui and Phuket 30 years ago," said Mr. David Simister, Chairman of CBRE Thailand, the exclusive advisor and sole agent for developing the island. "It is one of the last undiscovered paradises in South-East Asia with the potential to become the next Asian Riviera."

The new airport on will be the principal gateway to Cambodia's ‘Next Asian Riviera' and a critical catalyst for the island' development," he said.

Scale of wellbeing: A simple-minded view by KI-Media

Gallup: Only 3% have positive views of their present life situation ("thriving" in wellbeing) in Cambodia ... most likely they are the CPP leaders

Scale of wellbeing: A simple-minded view by KI-Media

Suffering:

Struggling:
Thriving:
Daily Experience: Forced evictions

Global Wellbeing Surveys Find Nations Worlds Apart

March 25, 2010
By Cynthia English
Gallup

Ten percent or lower are "thriving" in 41 of 155 countries or areas

Cambodia Survey Result:

• Thriving: 3%
• Struggling: 75%
• Suffering: 22%
• Daily Experience: 7.6

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup's global snapshot of wellbeing reveals a vast divide that underscores the diversity of economic development challenges around the world. The percentage who are "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in Togo.

Using data collected in 155 countries or areas since 2005, Gallup classifies respondents as "thriving," "struggling," or "suffering," according to how they rate their current and future lives on a ladder scale based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale.

Adults within each of the four major regions are often worlds apart in how they evaluate their lives. Africa has the lowest wellbeing; no country in this region has a thriving percentage higher than 25%. In fact, of the 41 countries where the thriving percentage is 10% or lower, more than half are in Africa. Conversely, in the Americas, where "thriving" is highest, the only countries with less than a quarter thriving are Cuba (24%) and Haiti (4%). "Thriving" in the Americas is highest in Costa Rica (63%) and Canada (62%), followed closely by Panama (58%), Brazil (58%), and the United States (57%).

There is a clear wellbeing divide between the wealthier countries of northern, western, and central Europe and some poorer countries within eastern and southern Europe. Self-reported wellbeing is lowest in Bulgaria (6%) and highest in Denmark (82%) and Finland (75%). In several of the largest European economies, like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, wellbeing falls roughly in the middle. Similar disparities are evident in Asia. Thriving is 60% or higher in New Zealand (63%), Israel (62%), and Australia (62%) and 10% or lower in 11 nations. Cambodia rounds out the bottom with 3% "thriving."

Read the complete findings from Gallup's Global Wellbeing report including data for all 155 countries.

For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact worldpollpartners@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.

Survey Methods

Using the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, Gallup measures life satisfaction by asking respondents to place the status of their lives on a "ladder" scale with steps numbered from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates the worst possible life and 10 the best possible life. Individuals who rate their current lives a "7" or higher AND their future an "8" or higher are "Thriving." Individuals are "Suffering" if they report their current AND future lives as a "4" and lower. All other individuals are "Struggling."

Results are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted between 2005 and 2009 in 155 countries. For results based on the total samples, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranges from ±2.1 percentage points in China to ±5.8 percentage points in Zambia. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls

Rochester man creates school in Cambodia

Birth of an opportunity for Cambodian students

3/25/2010
Post-Bulletin (Rochester, Minnesota, USA)

Rochester resident Kim Sin closes his eyes and daydreams.

He remembers seeing the children in his native Cambodia, sifting through trash looking for a meal. But he envisions a place where the children can make a decent leaving and learn English, doing so with books donated by those in southeastern Minnesota.

The dream isn't too far from reality.

Sin, 33, and several friends have created a school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, that teaches English to about 200 people, from young children to 20-year-olds.

[Thai] Govt mulls invoking ISA in Hua Hin [for Mekong Summit]

The government is studying whether to enforce the Internal Security Act in the resort district of Hua Hin to secure the safety of leaders attending the Mekong summit next week.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday said he would consult all armed forces commanders about measures for the summit, including the ISA.

"I wanted to plead with all groups not to rally against the summit," the minister said.

The Mekong River Commission summit will take place from April 2 to 5. The commission is made up of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Burma and China have agreed to send observers to the meeting in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is due to attend the meeting in what will be his first visit to Thailand since the neighbours downgraded ties in a row over former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in November last year.

Cambodian cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan said Hun Sen would focus purely on the Mekong issue and there were "no plans at all" for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The leaders of all four countries would address the severe drought that has lowered levels on important waterways including the Mekong River.

Drought here in Thailand continues to affect Udon Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Trang.

In Udon Thani's Non Sa-at district, the Sokrang reservoir, which is the main source of tap water in the province, has dried up, posing the threat of a water shortage for 1,600 households in Non Sa-at and Nong Waeng districts.

The Kumphawapi Waterworks that supervises tap water production in Non Sa-at has decided to make tap water available only from 5am to 10am and from 3pm to 8pm.

In Prachuap Khiri Khan, tap water is no longer available in six villages in Bang Saphan Noi district. The Pak Phraek Tambon Administration Organisation has had to distribute up to 60,000 litres of water a day to houses in six villages, said Sathaphon Somchit, the Pak Pharek TAO president.

In Trang, drought has affected more than 22,000 families and almost 10,000 rai of farmland.

Therapy helps Khmer Rouge victims overcome pain

Monks in orange robes are reciting prayers. A group of men and women is sitting in front of them. Their heads are bowed and some are crying. They are in a temple in the Killing Fields, not far from the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.

17,000 were killed in this place alone under the Khmer Rouge regime that lasted from 1975 to 1979. Those praying survived. They are taking part in a therapy course that is run by the Transcultural Psycho-Social Organization Cambodia (TPO).

“It felt like I was in hell”

One of the participants, Sam Rithy, was arrested and tortured in prison. The Khmer Rouge, which wanted to establish a classless society, thought that he needed to be rid of his “bourgeois side” since he lived in the city.

“They hit me with a weapon until I was unconscious. They killed innocent children in jail and let children starve to death. It felt like I was in hell. I never thought I would survive,” he recalls.

The method that the TPO uses – Testimonial Therapy – was developed in Chile after the dictatorship fell. Participants work through their experiences of torture, war and human rights abuses, with qualified therapists.

Sleep problems and depression

Sam Rithy has problems sleeping and Im Sam At is depressed. The two are sitting in a cafe in Phnom Penh, speaking about their experiences. Im Sam At is massaging her forehead:

“I think about the past too much,” she says. “My husband was executed. I was a widow at 22. I lost my children and my mother. I feel very very lonely.”

It is part of the therapy to write down memories and try to piece fragments together. Participants then go back to the Killing Fields together but only after they have been “debriefed”, explains Sarat Youn, one of the TPO’s therapists.

“We tell them that this place is not a good place to visit and will remind them of really bad past experiences. We tell them that if they need to cry, they should. They should not keep it in but should release their pain.”

Religious ceremony helps release pain and suffering

In the final ceremony, the therapists read out the stories of each person. Sam Rithy seems calm and composed as Sarat Youn reads his story. He nods over and over again.

Sam Rithy then gives the document to the head monk, who blesses it. The monk then wraps a red band around Sam Rithy’s wrist.

Sarat Youn explains that the religious ceremony can help victims release their pain and find peace. The monks relieve the victims of suffering and memories that they have kept deep within themselves for years by taking the documents and blessing them.

Those who have gone through the therapy say that they feel more hope and energy afterwards.

Provincial hall and a government building hit as police investigating explosions say TNT devices used in attacks

More blasts rock Bangkok amid protests

Provincial hall and a government building hit as police investigating explosions say TNT devices used in attacks

Bangkok : Thailand said yesterday it would upgrade security measures after two more blasts hit government buildings, the latest in a string of minor attacks since anti-government protests erupted this month.

The rallies mounted by supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have been met with a heavy security deployment, including a lockdown on parliament that has triggered an opposition boycott.

Authorities said that the new blasts, which hit a provincial hall on Bangkok's northern outskirts and a government building west of the capital on Wednesday, had hit weak spots in the operation involving 50,000 personnel.

"We have to adjust our operation to curtail the attacks," Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters at parliament, adding that he had instructed officials to step up security measures.

Government in control

"Intelligence reports say they want to create unrest to show that the government cannot control the situation, but I want to reassure the Thai people that the government is in control," he said.

The blasts, which follow eight other minor explosions since the protests began on March 14, caused minor damage but no injuries.

Most of the incidents have involved grenades, but police investigating the provincial hall blast said they believed it was a TNT explosive device.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday extended a tough security law enacted for the demonstrations, applying it to Bangkok and nearby districts for an additional week as the red-shirted protesters vowed fresh actions.

Opposition Puea Thai lawmakers boycotted parliament for a second day yesterday to protest tight measures including concrete and razor-wie barricades surrounding the building and thousands of soldiers and police on duty.

The president of the upper house Senate, Prasobsuk Boondej, also criticised the military presence as an over-reaction and said some senators had problems entering the building.

Hun sen for summit

Cambodian leader Hun Sen will attend an April summit in Thailand, officials said yesterday, his first visit since the neighbours downgraded ties in a row over ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thailand and Cambodia recalled their ambassadors in November after Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser and refused Thai requests to extradite him.

Cambodian garment workers facing uphill battle in global downturn – UN

Garment workers going home on motorcycles in Cambodia [File Photo]

Source: UN News Centre

25 March 2010 – Even those Cambodian garment workers who were able to hold on to their jobs in the face of global economic challenges have not escaped the current downturn unscathed, a new survey led by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) has found.
Factory closures or cutbacks due to reduced orders forced many garment workers in the South-East Asian nation out of a job. One in 10 unemployed workers lost their positions two or more times last year, with most still looking for work.

A study assessing 1,200 employed and 800 unemployed workers in the capital, Phnom Penh, finds that many with work have had their salaries slashed and now feel as though they do not have enough money to cover remittances and basic needs such as food, health care and transport.

Many of those who lost their jobs but managed to find new ones are working under less favourable conditions, seeking assistance from trade unions for assistance on challenges such as asking for leave and late wage payments.

Even though laid-off workers have looked for jobs in other garment factories, only one third of them succeed in finding work.

Those looking outside the garment industry typically try to find jobs in the service sector to work as salespeople, tailors or food vendors.

Even though many would like to enroll in training programmes, the cannot, and the families of some workers, both employed and unemployed, have sent additional family members – mostly women – to find work to deal with the loss in income.

“The information we are gathering though the survey has been helpful in identifying action that can be taken by a range of stakeholders to help struggling workers, strengthen the garment sector, and better prepare the country to deal with future economic setbacks,” said Tuomo Poutiainen, chief technical adviser at ILO’s Better Factories Cambodia initiative.

Based on the survey results, ILO is calling for employment policies promoting productive employment, enhancing social protection and working with employers to be compliant with labour laws.

The study was commissioned by the ILO with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and was carried out by the Cambodia Institute of Development Study (CIDS).

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