កម្ពុជា​សម្លឹង​មើល​ការ​បង្កើត​តុលាការ​ពាណិជ្ជ​កម្ម សម្រួល​ដល់​ការ​វិនិយោគ

TUESDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2013 លាង ផាន់ណារ៉ា From the phnom penh post

ភ្នំពេញៈ មន្ត្រី​នៃ​ទីស្តី​ការ​គណៈ​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​កំពុង​សម្លឹង​មើល​ការ​បង្កើត តុលាការ​ផ្នែក​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម នា​ពេល​ខាង​មុខ​ដើម្បី​ជួយ​សម្រួល ដល់​អ្នក​វិនិយោគ​ទាំង​អស់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ក្នុង​ការ​ដោះ​ស្រាយ​វិវាទ​ផ្នែក​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ដោយសារ​កម្ពុជា​កំពុង​តែ​មាន​កំណើន​វិនិយោគ​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន​ឡើង។

នៅ​ក្នុង​ជំនួប​ពិភាក្សា​ការងារ​រវាង​ឧបនាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​សុខ អាន រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​នៃ​ទីស្តី​ការ​គណៈ​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី និង​ជា​ប្រធាន​កំណែ​ទម្រង់​ប្រព័ន្ធ​ច្បាប់ និង​តុលាការ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ជាមួយ​នឹង​លោក ជេមន៍ សឿហ្គា​ណាត ប្រធាន​គណៈ​មេធាវី​អាមេរិក នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ ទី​១៩ ខែ​កុម្ភៈ​នេះ លោក ឯក ថា អ្នក​នាំ​ពាក្យ​អង្គភាព​ព័ត៌មាន និង​ប្រតិកម្ម​រហ័ស​នៃ​ទីស្តី​ការ​គណៈ​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​បាន​ដក​ស្រង់​ប្រសាសន៍ ឧបនាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​សុខ អាន​ថា វិស័យ​ច្បាប់​កម្ពុជា​មាន​ការ​រីក​ចម្រើន​ខ្លាំង នឹង​កម្ពុជា​កំពុង​សម្លឹង​មើល​ការ​បង្កើត​នូវ​តុលាការ​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម នា​ពេល​ខាង​មុខ ដើម្បី​ដោះ​ស្រាយ​វិវាទ​ផ្នែក​ជំនួញ។

លោក​ឯក ថា បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ទៀត​ថា ​​លោក ជេមន៍ សឿហ្គា​ណាត ប្រធាន​គណៈ​មេធាវី​អាមេរិក​បាន​សម្តែង​ការ​ស្វាគមន៍​ចំពោះ​គោល​ជំហរ​របស់​កម្ពុជា ក្នុង​ការ​បង្កើត​ឲ្យ​មាន​តុលាការ​នេះ និង​លោក​ក៏​បាន​ស្វាគមន៍​ចំពោះ​ដំណើរ​ការ​រីក​ចម្រើន នៃ​រាជ​បណ្ឌិត​សភា​វិជ្ជា​ជីវៈ​តុលា​ការ ដែល​ជា​ស្ថាប័ន​ជួយ​បណ្តុះ​បណ្តាល​ផ្នែក​ចៅក្រម ព្រះ​រាជ​អាជ្ញារ ក្រឡា​បញ្ជីរផងដែរ។

លោកឯក ថា បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ទៀត​ថា លោក​ឧបនាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​សុខ អាន ចង់​មាន កិច្ច​សហ​ប្រតិបត្តិ​ការ​ឲ្យ​កាន់​តែ​ប្រសើរ​ឡើង​រវាង រាជ​បណ្ឌិត​សភា​វិជ្ជា​ជីវៈ​តុលា​ការ​និង​គណៈ​មេធាវី​អាមេរិក ដូចជា ដំណើរ​ផ្លាស់​ប្តូរ​ទស្សន​កិច្ច​ការងារ​ជា​ដើម។

ឆ្លើយ​តប​នឹង​បញ្ហា​នេះ លោក ជេមន៍ សឿហ្គា​ណាត ក៏​បាន​និយាយ​ដែរ​ថា លោក​នឹងពិនិត្យ​មើល​អ្វី​ដែល​ខាង​ភាគី​គណៈ​មេធាវី​អាមេរិក​អាច​ជួយ​ដល់​ប្រព័ន្ធ​ច្បាប់​កម្ពុជា នូវ​អ្វី​ដែល​ខ្វះ​ខាត នា​ពេល​មុខថែមទៀត។

មន្ត្រី​អ្នក​នាំ​ពាក្យ​នេះ ក៏​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា កម្ពុជា​បាន​បញ្ជូន​មេធាវី ចំនួន ១៨​នាក់​ទៅ​រៀន​នៅ​ឯ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស​ផ្នែក​តុលាការ​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ដែល​នឹង​អាច​ក្លាយ​ជា​ចៅក្រម​ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម​នា​ពេល​ខាង​មុខ។

Women's political representation still low in Cambodia

Last Updated on 08 February 2013 By Chhay Channyda From The Phnom Penh Post

Boosting female political representation at July’s national election was the topic of a round-table discussion attended by dozens of political-party representatives, though none from the ruling party, in Phnom Penh yesterday.
Civil-society groups are pushing for women to account for 30 per cent of successful candidates at the poll come July, while the government has long been party to a 2015 UN millennium development goal of 25 per cent of candidates at the commune level and 30 per cent in the National Assembly.
Cambodian Center for Human Rights president Ou Virak said that although women were increasingly succeeding in business, those interested in politics faced a raft of obstacles, particularly social and family factors.
Virak urged political parties to make the effort to improve female participation.
“Parties always vow to promote women, but they... don’t have any real political incentive, for example, by having quotas for women in politics or by putting women candidates at the top of their priority lists,” he said.
Sonket Sereyleak, co-ordinator for education and gender programs at the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said parties and the government could do more to lift female participation.
“The government has appealed to promote women in politics, but it’s just a verbal promise. It’s not written into election law,” he said.
“Political parties also have no policy to increase their percentage of women. They must encourage their female members to join politics.”
Mu Sochua, of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, said her party would not have a self-imposed female quota in the upcoming election, but many of its policies involved and benefited women.
National Election Committee secretary-general Tep Nytha said he supported the idea, but the NEC was bound by election law and political parties were interested only in gaining ballots.
“We encourage parties to have more female candidates, even though there is no law requiring them to do so,” he said.
“But I think each party cares only about results. If they have capable candidates, male or female, they will win.”
Fewer than 20 per cent of commune councillors are women, including 95 commune chiefs.

Last days of a valley damned

Last Updated on 08 February 2013 By May Titthara, David Boyle and Danson Cheong From The Phnom Penh Post

Prom Rin smokes in the jungle on land a Chinese firm has been surveying for a proposed dam in the Areng Valley. Photograph: Will Baxter/Phnom Penh Post

 

Yong Yim’s voice rises to a high-pitched quiver when she talks about a planned dam in the Areng Valley that would inundate land her family has inhabited for hundreds of years to form what amounts to a giant battery.

“Sometimes I am crying, because I will miss my homeland and my ancestors’ farmland,” she says, spitting out chunks of betel nut.

The trees and shrubs that flourish in this haven between peaks of the Cardamom Mountains now bear an ominous token: red demarcation ribbons posted by Chinese engineers a few weeks ago.

Yim, 65, was born here among a cluster of villages populated by 380 families. Most say they are Chong and Phor ethnic minorities, who fall under the umbrella identity of the Khmer Daeum — literally “original Khmers”.

The Khmer Daeum are so isolated they still speak a dialect believed to have derived from ancient Khmer that has been preserved since their ancestors fled from Thai invaders to the isolated Cardamoms hundreds of years ago.

Now they are staring at forced relocation again, their ancestral homelands all but doomed to become yet another area on the fringes of the Central Cardamom Protected Forest (CCPF) to be devastated by the effects of hydropower dams. To date, there are three dam projects, some with multiple stations, under way on the boundaries of the CCPF.

Lee, an engineer working on one of those projects, the Stung Tatai, told the Post late last month plans to begin construction of the bitterly op­posed Cheay Areng dam were moving ahead rapidly.

“I spoke with the project leader of the Cheay Areng dam recently, and he said that next month [February] representatives from the company will meet with the Cambodian government to discuss the project,” Lee, who spoke on the condition his full name would not be printed, said.

 “If all goes well, construction could start as soon as July.”

Lee said a feasibility study for the once-abandoned Cheay Areng dam had recently been completed by China Guodian Corporation, the huge, state-owned firm that took over the project after China Southern Power Grid pulled out of the project in 2010.

The details of that study, Lee said, were scarce, and he had not investigated too much because matters here with the government could be “complicated”.

Repeated requests for comment from China Guodian Corporation went unanswered and the company hung up on reporters when reached by phone.

Previous studies conducted for the firm China Southern Power Grid, which dumped the project because they deemed it unfeasible, suggest that a 109-megawatt dam would be fed by a 20,000-hectare reservoir.

Roughly 10,000 hectares of this reservoir would cover forest directly within the CCPF, the largest single encroachment to date on what is one of Cambodia’s last remaining well-protected conservation zones. The remaining 10,000 hectares of the reservoir would inundate the forest homelands of the Khmer Daeum.

But despite the massive impact, the energy output would be strikingly small.

Tracey Farrell, senior technical director for Conservation International-Cambodia, which supports conservation programs in the CCPF, said in an email that a previous environmental impact assessment had found that the dam “failed to meet the minimum power density ratio of more than 100 watts/m2 of surface area of the reservoir”.

Bird flu prevention in Cambodia ramps up

Last Updated on 07 February 2013 By Mom Kunthear From The Phnom Penh Post

Chickens huddle together at O’Russey market in Phnom Penh in late January 2013. Photograph: Vireak Mai/Phnom Penh Post

 

Following four fatalities last month from bird flu, authorities across the country are scaling up efforts to fend off the virus ahead of the Lunar New Year, which annually sees a dramatic increase in the transportation and sale of poultry, health officials said yesterday.
Officials were spraying disinfectants in areas where poultry is kept and educating residents about how to keep from contracting the virus, said Ngan Nany, Kampong Chhnang province’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department director.
“Officials will inspect poultry transported from outside the province or district and spray them to kill the virus before allowing them inside, where they will have to keep them separate from the poultry already there,” Nany said.
Villagers had been instructed to immediately report any suspected cases of bird flu to the local government and health offices, he said.
The Ministry of Health would remind officials to do such preventative work each year before Lunar New Year, he said.

Cambodia's government takes back land

Last Updated on 07 February 2013 By May Titthara and Shane Worrell From The Phnom Penh Post

A security guard employed by the TTY Company takes aim at villagers with an assault rifle during a shooting incident in Kratie province last January 2013. Photograph supplied

 

The government has slashed about 250,000 hectares of land from 79 economic land concessions (ELCs), forest concessions and wildlife protection concessions and will return it, replete with land titles, to “poor people”, January’s Royal Book says.
The publication, issued on January 17 and obtained yesterday, says the government has asked King Norodom Sihamoni to issue a sub-decree reclaiming the land in 19 provinces from 37 companies including Pheapimex, Casotim and TTY, which are locked in disputes with villagers.
“This is about giving land back to the people,” a line from the Royal Book states, echoing recent statements by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
“It is a new activity within an old government policy.”
The requests, which were made between last July and January, comprise 37 economic land concessions, 36 concessions in state forests and  six in wildlife-protection areas, the Royal Book adds.
After a string of protests, including one in which TTY-hired guards shot four villagers, Hun Sen placed a moratorium on the granting of land concessions last May, although some continued to be granted because of a clause that allowed concessions already in the works to proceed.
Hun Sen deployed thousands of volunteer students to measure land across the country last June. His government has since issued more than 110,000 land certificates to villagers.
It is unclear how many people will benefit from the land returns, but Kuch Veng, a representative of Kbal Trach commune, in Pursat province’s Krakor district, said student volunteers had already issued land titles to villagers in a dispute with Pheapimex, a company owned by Choeung Sopheap, the wife of Cambodian People’s Party senator Lao Meng Khin.

Hospitality sector booked out for Lunar New Year

Last Updated on 08 February 2013 By Rann Reuy From The Phnom Penh Post

Red Lunar New Year lanterns are displayed for sale at O’Russey market in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post

When Chinese and Vietnamese tourists will flock into Cambodia’s Siem Reap province for Lunar New Year, heightened demand for accommodation may make things tough, insiders say.
Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said that while many Chinese and Vietnamese tourists will enjoy their holidays in Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat, others may find that all the hotels and guesthouses are booked out.
Kim Eang also said that he had received information about an increase in charter flights from China and South Korea.
 “With so many tourists, it can be difficult to find accommodation [in Siem Reap],” he said.
“In February and early March, hotel rooms in Siem Reap are difficult to find.
“When Chinese tourists arrive at Angkor, they love it. It is different from 10 or 20 years ago, when they lacked news and broadcast services. Now there are more broadcasts and prints about Angkor in their media.”
Sinan Thourn, chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), said there were some European tourists unable to visit Cambodia during Lunar New Year, when most Chinese and Vietnamese tourists visit
Angkor.

Sihanouk’s ashes enter the Royal Palace

Last Updated on 08 February 2013 By May Titthara and Shane Worrell From The Phnom Penh Post

King Norodom Sihamoni (seated, L) and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath take part in yesterday's ceremony, Thursday, Feb. 07, 2013. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Seven days of mourning for King Father Norodom Sihanouk ended yesterday with the last of his remains being transported aboard a float to the Royal Palace, where his family will decide on a precise final resting place.
After scores of monks performed one final ceremony in the morning, King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath boarded a golden float – in the shape of a giant bird – holding the last of Sihanouk’s ashes in three urns, two gold and one crystal.
In the presence of other members of the royal family and government officials, the float made its way from the Veal Preah Meru crematorium to the Royal Palace at about 7:30am.
“It was more than rituals for us,” Prince Sisowath Thomico, a former aide to the King Father, said of the funeral ceremonies that began last Friday with a procession through Phnom Penh. “It was the last goodbye.”
Some of Sihanouk’s ashes were spread at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers on Tuesday, the morning after his cremation.
For now, the King Father’s final remains will stay in the Throne Hall until a decision is made about whether to build a stupa for him, Thomico said.
“The King Father wrote a few years ago that he wanted his remains placed in the stupa of his daughter,” he said, referring to Kantha Bopha, who died in 1952, aged 3, and who is honoured at the Silver Pagoda.

Prince Thomico said he had only one regret about the organisation of the past week’s ceremonies.
“Because the priority was given to security, the crowds of people were not allowed to come close to pay their respects – that is my one regret.”

Imprisoned Sonando nominated for rights award

Last Updated on 07 February 2013 By Joe Freeman From The Phnom Penh Post

Beehive Radio director Mam Sondando (R) waves as he arrives at the municipal court in Phnom Penh in 2012. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Imprisoned activist and former Beehive independent radio director Mam Sonando has been nominated for an international human rights award.
Front Line Defenders, an organisation based in Ireland that provides practical support to rights activists, has selected Sonando as a finalist for its eponymous award, which seeks to highlight the work of activists who put their lives at risk.
Sonando, who was convicted on October 1 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in co-writing a secessionist plot – charges widely believed to have been trumped up – is among six activists shortlisted for the award.
Also in the running are nominees from Uzbekistan, Mauritania, Iran, Kenya and Colombia. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony to take place in Dublin later this year.
The news isn’t causing too much of a stir among Sonando backers, who’ve had no shortage of support from outside Cambodia.
US President Barack Obama even expressed his concern when he met with Prime Minister Hun Sen during the ASEAN Summit in November.
Huon Pannary, secretary for Sonando’s Association of Democrats group, said winning the award could be an honour for Sonando − and his first such honor since the October conviction − but that they have little impact on his actual case.
“I know the government doesn’t care.”
Pannary said Sonando, who is turning 72 next week and has been in Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh more than 200 days, is suffering from lack of sleep and still has an ache in one of his wisdom teeth.
“He’s had a toothache for a month already; he’s requested for a dentist, but no response from the government. One private doctor came to the prison and said he didn’t have the equipment,” she said.
In its statement announcing the finalists, Front Line Defenders described Sonando as someone who “has devoted his life to helping the poor and disenfranchised of Cambodia, fighting for their rights”.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers Press and Quick Reaction Unit, could not be reached.

Charges against Adhoc investigator dropped

Last Updated on 08 February 2013 By Abby Seiff From Phnom Penh Post

Chan Soveth pictured outside the Phnom Penh court, Dec. 24, 2012. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

 

Charges against rights investigator Chan Soveth were dropped today, six months after the highly controversial accusation of assisting a ringleader of the so-called Kratie secession was levied.

“I got the information letter this morning in my office. The letter said that in the case of Mr Chan Soveth, the judge decided to drop the charge,” said Soveth’s lawyer, Sam Sok Oeun.

In late December, the senior Adhoc investigator appeared for questioning at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on the charge of assisting a perpetrator. 

The rights worker stood accused of aiding Ma Chhang, one of five men whom the government said masterminded a separatist movement in remote Pro Ma village.

One day after security forces stormed in to disband the movement – shooting dead a 14-year old girl in the process and driving out hundreds embroiled in a long-standing land dispute with rubber concessionaire Casotim – officials named Chhang and four others as ringleaders.

ជូង ជូងី៖ រាស្ត្រ​ធ្វើ​ខុស​តុលាការ​ដាក់​ទោស បើ​មន្ត្រី​តុលាការ​ធ្វើ​ខុស​វិញ​ម៉េច​បាន​គ្មាន​យន្ត​ការ​ដាក់​ទោស

លោកមេ​ធាវី ជូង ជូងី ពេលផ្ដល់បទសម្ភាស​ដល់កាសែតភ្នំពេញ​ ប៉ុស្ដិ៍។ រូប សារុំ​

Friday, 08 February 2013 គឹម​ សា​រុំ​ From The Phnom Penh Post
លោក មេធាវី ជូង ជូងី កើត​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​១៩៦៩​ ជា​កូន​អ្នក​ចម្ការ រស់​នៅ​ស្រុក​ខ្សាច់​កណ្តាល​ ខេត្ត​កណ្តាល​។ លោក​ជា​កូន​ប្រុស​ពៅ​ក្នុង​ចំណោម​បង​ប្អូន​ប្រុស​ស្រី​៩​នាក់​។ ​លោក​បាន​បញ្ចប់​បរិញ្ញាបត្រ​រូបវិទ្យា​ឆ្នាំ​១៩៩១-១៩៩៥ ​និង​បញ្ចប់​បរិញ្ញាបត្រ​ច្បាប់​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​១៩៩៩ ហើយ​លោក​បាន​ក្លាយ​ជា​មេធាវី​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៣ បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​បញ្ចប់​ការ​សិក្សា​សាលា​មេធាវី​រយៈ​ពេល​១​ឆ្នាំ។ បច្ចុប្បន្ន​លោក​ជា​សមាជិក​ក្នុង​ក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សា​គណៈ​មេធាវី​កម្ពុជា​។​

ក្នុង អាជីព​ជា​មេធាវី​ លោក ជូង ជូងី ភាគ​ច្រើន​ការ​ពារ​រឿង​ក្តី ឲ្យ​អ្នក​ក្រីក្រ ដែល​តំណាង​ឲ្យ​កូន​ក្តី​ចាប់​ពី​ជាង​៩០​គ្រួសារ រហូត​ ដល់​ជាង​៤​ពាន់​គ្រួសារ​។ ដូច​ជា​ទំនាស់​ដី​ធ្លី​នៅ​បឹងកក់ ការពារ​ក្តី​ឲ្យ​អ្នក​តំណាង​រាស្រ្ត និង​សកម្មជន​នយោបាយ​មក​ពី​គណ​បក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​ ពិសេស​ការ​ពារ​ក្តី​ឲ្យ​លោក​សមរង្ស៊ី​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​រឿង​ដក ​បង្គោល​ព្រំដែន​នៅ​ស្វាយ​រៀង​ បទចោទ​ក្លែង​បន្លំ​ឯកសារ ​និង​ផ្តល់​ព័ត៌មាន​មិន​ពិត​ ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​លោក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​ការ​បរទេស​ ហោ ណាំហុង។

ខាង ក្រោម​នេះ​ជា​បទ​សម្ភាស ផ្ទាល់​ជាមួយ​លោក ជូង ជូងី ជុំ​វិញ​បទពិសោធ​ក្នុង​អាជីព​ជា​មេធាវី ដែល​លោក​បាន​ឆ្លង​កាត់​ជាច្រើន​ឆ្នាំ​កន្លង​មក ៖

រាល់​រឿង​ក្តី​ដែល​លោក​បាន​ការពារ​សុទ្ធ​តែ​ជា​បញ្ហា​ប្រឈម​នឹង​សុវត្ថិភាព តើ​នេះ​ជា​ចំណូល​ចិត្ត​របស់​លោកឬ?

រឿង ​នេះ​បើ​និយាយ​ពី​ចំណូល​ចិត្ត​គឺ​គ្មាន​ទេ ​តែ​វា​ជា​មន​សិការ​ ជា​ឆន្ទៈ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ ព្រោះ​រឿង​ក្តី​ដែល​ខ្ញុំ​កាន់​ សុទ្ធ​តែ​ប្រឈម​នឹង​អ្នក​កាន់​អំណាច ​តែ​ខ្ញុំ​យល់​ថា ​គួរ​តែ​ជួយ​ការ​ពារ​ឲ្យ​កូន​ក្តី​។​ខ្ញុំ​យល់​ថា តួនាទី​ជា​មេធាវី​សំខាន់​ គឺ​ជួយ​ការពារ​ខាង​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់​ធ្វើ​យ៉ាង​ណា​ឲ្យ​មាន​យុត្តិធម៌​ និង​មាន​លំនឹង​នៅ​ក្នុង​សង្គម​របស់​យើង​។