Forest in Cambodia

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Village patrols seize land-clearing tools

Last Updated on 06 May 2013 By Phak Seangly and May Titthara The Phnom Penh Post
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Members of a village patrol stand with a confiscated chainsaw and logs in Prey Lang forest last week. Photograph: Photo Supplied/Phnom Penh Post

Jarai villagers in Ratanakkiri’s O’Yadav district escalated the defense of their protected land this weekend, confiscating the keys and batteries of bulldozers owned by the Vietnamese company they claim has been illegally clearing the area, community leaders said yesterday.

The move comes after a number of protests in recent weeks at two villages in the district against a firm known as Company 72 that is working in an economic land concession area granted to conglomerate Men Sarun Co, Ltd.

Rocham Kham, a member of the forest preservation community of Paknhai commune’s Lom village, said that 30 villagers were patrolling the forest on Saturday when they came across seven vehicles razing their farmland.

“We asked them to stop and they stopped, but then they started again when we left. So we took away the keys and batteries to solve that problem,” he said. “We try to protect the forest land every day or our next generations will have no land.”

Flooded forest gets protection

Last Updated on 07 May 2013 By Kevin Ponniah THe Phnom Penh Post
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An aerial view shows part of the Mekong Flooded Forest, an area described as a ‘treasure trove’ of biodiversity and home to several endangered species such as the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin. Photo by Adam Oswell/WWF

A Northeastern section of the Mekong River that is home to a number of endangered species has been designated a conservation site by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

A prakas issued by Minister Chan Sarun on April 23 officially declared a 56-kilometre section of the Mekong mainstream between Kratie and Stung Treng towns, known as the Mekong Flooded Forest, as a “management and conservation site for biodiversity and fisheries resources”.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the area supports a range of species that have “virtually disappeared” from the region, including the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin and the Cantor’s giant softshell turtle.

Koh Kong land reps descend on PM

Last Updated on 07 May 2013 By May Titthara The Phnom Penh Post
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Police block a march yesterday by Koh Kong villagers who travelled to Phnom Penh in an attempt to draw attention to their land disputes. Photograph: Vireak Mai/Phnom Penh Post

About 70 representatives from five communities locked in land disputes in Koh Kong province protested in Phnom Penh yesterday, but were thwarted in their efforts as they called on Prime Minister Hun Sen to deploy his army of youths to measure their land and issue titles.

Three of the communities represented are in dispute with Chinese company Union Development Group, which received 36,000 hectares in economic land concessions (ELCs) in 2008 and about 9,000 more in 2011.

The total size of the concessions breaches the Land Law, under which a company is allowed to possess up to 10,000 hectares of ELC land.

As a result of the concessions, more than 1,100 families across Botom Sakor and Kiri Sakor districts are being evicted.

The other two communities represented at yesterday’s protest are in dispute with Heng Huy Agriculture Company in Sre Ambel district.

អភិបាលរាជធានីថ្មីសន្យាដោះស្រាយដីបឹងកក់បុរីកីឡា

TUESDAY, 07 MAY 2013 ឃុត សុភចរិយា The Phnom Penh Post
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ក្រុមអ្នកភូមិរងគ្រោះដោយជម្លោះដីធ្លី នៅមុខក្រសួងយុត្តិធម៌កាលពីម្សិលមិញ។ រូបថត ជីវ័ន

ភ្នំពេញៈ លោក ប៉ា សុជាតិវង្ស អភិបាលរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដែលទើបនឹងតែងតាំងថ្មីបានសន្យានៅចំពោះមុខតំណាងអ្នកភូមិបឹងកក់ និងបុរីកីឡានៅក្នុងជំនួបខ្លីមួយ កាលពីម្សិលមិញថា នឹងជួយដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាដីធ្លី និងលំនៅដ្ឋានដ៏រ៉ាំរ៉ៃ របស់ពលរដ្ឋទាំងនេះឲ្យចប់ក្នុងពេលឆាប់ៗ តាមដែលអាចធ្វើទៅបាន។

លោក ពេជ្រ លឹមឃួន តំណាងពលរដ្ឋក្នុងសហគមន៍បុរីកីឡា បាននិយាយថា លោក ប៉ា សុជាតិវង្ស បានសន្យានៅចំពោះមុខរូបលោក និងអ្នកភូមិផ្សេងទៀតថា គាត់នឹងជួយដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាប្រឈមរបស់អ្នកភូមិឲ្យបានឆាប់តែស្នើឲ្យអ្នកភូមិត្រូវរក្សាភាពស្ងប់ស្ងាត់កុំដើរតវ៉ាតាមដងផ្លូវទៀតដែលនាំឲ្យខូចដល់សណ្ដាប់ធ្នាប់សាធារណៈ។ លោកលឹមឃួនថ្លែងថា៖«យើងពិតជារីករាយខ្លាំងណាស់ ព្រោះសេចក្ដីអះអាងរបស់គាត់គឺជាក្ដីសង្ឃឹមរបស់យើងខ្ញុំក្នុងការទទួលបានដំណោះស្រាយ»។ លោកបានបន្តថា ក្រោយពីលោក បានរៀបរាប់ពីបញ្ហាមួយចំនួន ដែលជាការរងទុក្ខវេទនារបស់អ្នកបុរីកីឡាក្រោយពីការបណ្តេញចេញ កាលពីថ្ងៃ០៣ មករា ឆ្នាំ ២០១២ ដូចជាបញ្ហាកង្វះស្បៀងអាហារ និងដំបូលតង់កៅស៊ូសម្រាប់ប្រក់ស្នាក់នៅ លោក ប៉ា សុជាតិវង្សបានឆ្លើយថា គាត់នឹងជួយដោះស្រាយបញ្ហានេះឲ្យបានឆាប់ដែលយ៉ាងយូរនៅសប្ដាហ៍ក្រោយ។

អ្នកស្រីឆាយ គឹមហ៊ន ដែលចូលរួមនៅក្នុងជំនួបដែរនោះ បាននិយាយថា អ្នកស្រី បានស្នើសុំឲ្យលោកអភិបាលរាជធានីថ្មី ជួយផ្ដល់ដំណោះស្រាយជូនពួកគាត់ឲ្យបានមុនពេលបោះឆ្នោតព្រោះខ្លាចមានការប្រែប្រួល។

៥សហគមន៍មកតវ៉ារឿងដីធ្លីដល់ផ្ទះនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី

TUESDAY, 07 MAY 2013 ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា The Phnom Penh Post

តំណាងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋប្រមាណ៧០នាក់មកពីសហគមន៍ជម្លោះដីធ្លីចំនួន៥ដាច់ដោយឡែកពីគ្នានៅក្នុងខេត្តកោះកុង ត្រូវបានកម្លាំងសមត្ថកិច្ចរុញច្រានយ៉ាងចាស់ដៃកាលពីថ្ងៃម្សិលមិញ នៅពេលពួកគេនាំគ្នាដើរនៅតាមដងវិថីព្រះនរោត្តមដើម្បីយកញត្តិជូនលោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីហ៊ុន សែន។ រូបថត ម៉ៃ វីរៈ

កោះកុងៈ តំណាងពលរដ្ឋប្រមាណជា៧០នាក់មកពីសហគមន៍ជម្លោះដីធ្លី៥ផ្សេងគ្នានៅក្នុងខេត្តកោះកុង បានលើកគ្នាឡើងមកភ្នំពេញដើម្បីដាក់ញត្តិសុំអន្តរាគមន៍ពីលោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ឲ្យក្រុមយុវជនស្ម័គ្រចិត្តវាស់វែងដីធ្លីនិងផ្តល់ប័ណ្ណកម្មសិទ្ធិជូនដល់ពួកគាត់។

តំណាងពលរដ្ឋ៧០នាក់ ក្នុងនោះចំនួនបីសហគមន៍មានជម្លោះដីធ្លីជាមួយក្រុមហ៊ុន Union Development Group Co., Ltd ដែលបានទទួលដីសម្បទានសេដ្ឋកិច្ច៣៦ពាន់ហិកតា ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០០៨ និងទទួលបានបន្ថែម៩.១០០ហិកតាទៀត នៅក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១១ បានធ្វើឲ្យប៉ះពាល់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋចំនួន១.១៤៣គ្រួសារត្រូវបណ្តេញចេញពីស្រុកពីរគឺស្រុកបទុមសាគរនិងស្រុកគិរីសាគរ ក្នុងនោះមានឃុំចំនួន៥ និង១១ ភូមិ។ ក្រុមហ៊ុននោះបានធ្វើឲ្យដីរបស់អ្នកភូមិចំនួន១ម៉ឺនហិកតាត្រូវបានបាត់បង់ផ្ទះសម្បែងប្រមាណ១.៥០០ខ្នង ត្រូវឈូសកម្ទេចសាលារៀនចំនួន២ កន្លែង និងវត្តចំនួនបីត្រូវរុះរើចេញផងដែរ។ រីឯពលរដ្ឋ២សហគមន៍ផ្សេងទៀតបានមានទំនាស់ដីធ្លីជាមួយលោក ហេង ហ៊ុយ ជាឈ្មួញរកស៊ីដីធ្លីដែលស្ថិតក្នុងឃុំជីខក្រោម ស្រុកស្រែអំបិល ខេត្តកោះកុង។

លោក រ៉ុង គី តំណាងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ៤០ គ្រួសារ មកពីភូមិចម្លងគោ ឃុំថ្មស ស្រុកបទុមសាគរបានឲ្យដឹងថា លោកមកទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញនេះដើម្បីដាក់ញតិ្តជូនលោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីសុំជួយអន្តរាគមន៍ដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាដីធ្លីហើយនិងសុំឲ្យក្រុមយុវជនស្ម័គ្រចិត្តចុះវាស់វែងដីធ្លីនិងចេញប័ណ្ណកម្មសិទ្ធិឲ្យប្រជាជនស្របច្បាប់ប៉ុន្តែត្រូវកម្លាំងប៉ូលិស ប៉េអឹម រារាំងនិងបញ្ជាឲ្យទៅជុំគ្នានៅដើមពោធិ៍មុខវត្តបទុមវតី ប៉ុន្តែពួកគាត់មិនព្រម។លោកបន្តទៀតថា៖«គេថាគេយកញតិ្តទៅដាក់ជំនួសតែពួកយើងមិនព្រមដោយខ្លាចគេយកទៅទុកចោលទៀតពីព្រោះអីគេមិនព្រមធ្វើកិច្ចសន្យាឲ្យពួកយើងទើបបណ្តាលឲ្យមានការរុញច្រានគ្នាមួយសន្ទុះ»។

ជំនួយនិងប្រាក់កម្ចីចិន

TUESDAY, 07 MAY 2013 ឆ.ចិន្តា The Phnom Penh Post
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ការដ្ឋានសង់ទំនប់វារីអគ្គិសនីស្ទឹងអាតៃ ក្នុងខេត្តពោធិ៍សាត់ ដែលប្រើប្រាស់ប្រាក់កម្ចីរបស់ចិន។ រូបថត ទិត្យថារ៉ា

ជូនចំពោះការីនិពន្ធ

នៅក្នុងអំឡុងពេលប៉ុន្មានឆ្នាំកន្លងមកនេះ យើងបានសង្កេតឃើញប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ទទួលយកជំនួយនិងប្រាក់កម្ចីពីប្រទេសចិនរាប់រយលានដុល្លារ។ នៅក្នុងទំហំទឹកប្រាក់ដែលចិនផ្តល់ឲ្យកម្ពុជានេះ ភាគច្រើនគឺជាប្រាក់កម្ចី។ ឯប្រាក់ជំនួយ គឺមានតិចតួចទេ ដាក់ភ្ជាប់ជាមួយនឹងប្រាក់កម្ចីប្រៀបដូចជាគេដាក់ផ្កាភ្ញីនៅលើចានម្ហូបអ៊ីចឹង។

ក្នុងនាមជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ យើងត្រេកអរណាស់ចំពោះអំពើសប្បុរសធម៌របស់ចិនមកលើកម្ពុជា។ ប៉ុន្តែ អ្វីដែលធ្វើឲ្យយើងអាក់អន់ចិត្តនោះ គឺលក្ខខណ្ឌ ឬក៏ទង្វើរបស់ប្រទេសចិន មកលើកម្ពុជាដែលជាកូនបំណុលរបស់ខ្លួន។ បើយើងធ្វើដំណើរជុំវិញស្រុកខ្មែរក្នុងពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ យើងនឹងសង្កេតឃើញថា ផ្លូវថ្នល់និងស្ពាន ដែលទើបនឹងបានសាងសង់រួច ឬក៏កំពុងសាងសង់ ភាគច្រើនគឺសាងសង់ឡើងដោយប្រើថវិកា ដែលបានមកពីការខ្ចីបុលលុយរបស់ចិន។ ភ្ជាប់ជាមួយនឹងបំណុលដ៏ច្រើនសន្ធឹកសន្ធាប់នេះ ចិនក៏បានបញ្ជូនមកកម្ពុជានូវក្រុមហ៊ុន និងបុគ្គលិកជនជាតិចិនជាច្រើនរយនាក់ផងដែរ។ បើយើងសង្កេតមើលក្រុមពលករ ដែលកំពុងសាងសង់ស្ពាន ជ្រោយចង្វារថ្មី និងកំណាត់ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ ៦ ពីគល់ស្ពានជ្រោយចង្វារភាគខាងកើត ទៅទល់នឹងថ្នល់កែង ព្រែកក្តាម យើងមើលឃើញថា បុគ្គលិកសាងសង់ស្ពាននិងផ្លូវនេះភាគច្រើនគឺជាជនជាតិចិន។

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Last Updated on 28 February 2013 By May Titthara From The Phnom Penh Post

Former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith, a suspect in a multiple-shooting case, leaves the Appeal Court in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Sitting directly opposite the three women he has been accused of shooting at a protest last year, former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith smiled as he finally appeared in court yesterday, 10 months after he was first charged with the crime that has drawn so much unwanted attention to Cambodia.

Bandith has kept a low profile since the three garment workers were shot in front of thousands at a protest outside the Kaoway Sports shoe factory in the town he then governed, and few expected him to actually appear at the Appeal Court yesterday.

Just under two months ago, it seemed Bandith would never see the inside of a courtroom when the Svay Rieng Provincial Court dropped its charge of causing “unintentional injury”. But an Appeal Court prosecutor later called for a re-investigation amid public outrage.

After deftly slipping past a press pack all but undetected, Bandith discreetly took his place yesterday and prepared to testify at what had been billed as an open session of court.

Hunger strike threatened at Kingsland

Last Updated on 28 February 2013 By Mom Kunthear From The Phnom Penh Post
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Workers protest yesterday outside the Kingsland Garment factory, which had produced undergarments for Walmart and H&M before it closed down. Photograph: Vireak Mai/Phnom Penh Post

Stranded workers at the closed-down Kingsland Garment factory said yesterday they would go on hunger strike today until Prime Minister Hun Sen and the global companies that had bought from the factory – Walmart and H&M – help resolve an outstanding $200,000 wage issue.

Or Sokuong, one of about 700 workers who lost their jobs when the Hong Kong-owned factory closed unannounced in late December, said the workers would begin fasting outside Kingsland, in the capital’s Meanchey district, where many have slept.

“We want to know whether they have pity for us or not,” she said. “We don’t have money to buy food, to support family and give to our parents anymore,” he said.

Walmart and H&M have both previously played down their responsibility to the workers – both claimed their orders finished before the factory closed – but will send representatives to meet tomorrow with government officials, representatives of the workers, who are not members of a union, and other groups including the Community Legal Education Center and Better Factories Cambodia.

Soun Sokhum, 51, who worked at Kingsland for 11 years, said she and her colleagues had been left with nothing and were struggling to – or couldn’t – pay their rent.

“I moved to live with my sister a month ago,” she said. “I worked to earn money for when I retired, but the factory’s closed and I haven’t been paid [seniority bonuses].”

Outbreak worst ever

Last Updated on 27 February 2013 By Mom Kunthear and Claire Slattery From The Phnom Penh Post
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These poultry were brought to sell at Ou Ruessey Market. Photograph: Vireak Mai/Phnom Penh Post

Less than two months after it began, the Kingdom’s current outbreak of bird flu has become the country’s largest on record.

Thirty-five-year-old Thoeun Doeun from Kampong Cham died on Monday at about 11pm, becoming the ninth known case and eighth death since the outbreak began. That matches the death toll and surpasses by one the number of cases reported in the entire 2011 outbreak, which spanned a period of approximately seven months.

Doeun, who is believed to have caught the H5N1 virus almost three weeks ago on February 6 after eating two infected ducks, went to the local health clinic with a fever and cough on February 13, was immediately transferred by ambulance to the provincial hospital and put in an isolation ward.

His condition deteriorated due to a secondary infection, and he was transferred last Friday to Phnom Penh’s Calmette Hospital, where he died.

The provincial health department’s director, Kim Soupirun, said test results sent to South Korea confirmed on Saturday the man had avian influenza.

But by the time he reached Calmette Hospital, “he could not be helped”, Soupirun said.

A Rapid Response Team was sent to the village immediately after the Doeun’s diagnosis, and more than 300 poultry have since been killed.

Trust-building lunch for defence ministers

Last Updated on 27 February 2013 By Vong Sokheng From The Phnom Penh Post
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Cambodian troops look out from a cliff near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple in 2010. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

In an effort to ease rising tensions along the border, Cambodian and Thai defence ministers held a “solidarity lunch” in front of the contested Preah Vihear temple site yesterday.

The bilateral military discussion came just days after Prime Minister Hun Sen unexpectedly warned that Thailand might use armed forces should the International Court of Justice in The Hague award Cambodia disputed territory surrounding the temple after hearings in April.

“It was a special bilateral military discussion, and we successfully cooled down fears of armed forces and tension, and we built trust with each other,” Cambodian Defense Minister General Tea Banh told reporters after the meeting.

Banh met with his Thai counterpart, Sukumpol Suwanatat, in front of the Preah Vihear temple for approximately an hour.

According to the Bangkok Post, the location of the meet didn’t sit well with the Thai Foreign Ministry, which argued that it could somehow put Thailand at a disadvantage in the legal dispute between the two countries.

After the meeting, however, Sukumpol said the location did not imply any implicit recognition that the area under dispute was part of Cambodia. Still, he said both sides vowed to respect the ICJ ruling later this year.