sVar Kim Hong: Border planting could encroach into Cambodia by 15 km and into Vietnam by 15 km (sic!)

sVar Kim Hong

01 Dec 2010
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

During a press conference to announce the bidding for the printing of border maps between Cambodia and Vietnam – the delimitation of which is not even completed yet – Var Kim Hong told reporters that that the planting of border posts at certain locations encroaches into Cambodian territories, and in some other locations, they encroach into Vietnam, these encroachments could be as much as 15 km. Var Kim Hong, the chairman of the government border committee, did not indicate why these encroachments take place, he only said that this is a technical issue.

In the morning of 01 December 2010, Var Kim Hong said that the planting of border posts delimiting Cambodia and Vietnam is only 61% complete, i.e. about 200 of the 370 posts have been installed. The bidding price for the printing of border maps between the two countries ranges between $1.5 million and $4.5 million.

According to Var Kim Hong, there are 5 foreign companies – French, Japanese, Korean and American – that are participating in the bidding. However, the border committee from the two countries, the Vietnamese member of which is Nguyen Mong Hao, did not decide which company to select yet. Var Kim Hong said that he wants to see the printing of the new maps to take place soon, i.e. no longer than 2 weeks from now. He said that there is no complication because the planting of border posts is done according to plan already agreed upon, and that it will be completed in 2012.

It is not known for sure whether the newly printed border maps will be deposited at the UN to replace the old border maps which was deposited by the Sihanouk regime in 1964 or not. According to Var Kim Hong, the planting of border posts was performed by the Khmer-Yuon border commission, along the 1,270-km-long border extending from Ratanakiri down to Kampot province, along the Gulf of Siam.

Nevertheless, this morning, the Cambodian public, as well as civil society organizations have expressed their surprise and concern to learn that the encroachment into Cambodian territories could be as deep as 15 km.

They are also wondering why when the encroachments are made into the Yuon territory, there is no information about them. This shows that Cambodia could lose up to 15 km of territory to Vietnam from this border post planting.

Stampede victims in Cambodia receive donation from [Hun Mana's Bayon ] TV funds

Hun Mana, Hun Xen's daughter and owner of Bayon TV

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Families of 83 victims of stampede accident who originally lived in Phnom Penh received donations from TV funds on Wednesday.

The distribution of the donations by generous people across the country and abroad collected by Bayon Television, was presented by Hun Mana, director general of Bayon Television and a daughter of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Other government officials who also presented the gift on behalf of the prime minister included Kep Chuptema, governor of Phnom Penh.

Each of the 83 victims in Phnom Penh received 7 million riel ( about 1,700 U.S. dollars), and additional 3,561 U.S. dollars.

The distribution of the donations in cash was the first time in a series of distributions around the country until all 351 victims by the accident receive them.

Similar fund is being collected by Cambodian Television Network (CTN).

Prime Minister Hun Sen said each victim might receive about 12, 000 U.S. dollars through donations from all sources including the 5 million riel (about 1,200 U.S. dollars) provided by the government.

A total of 351 people died and 395 others were injured by the stampede which occurred on Nov. 22 at Diamond Island Bridge in Phnom Penh on the last day of a three-day water festival in the country.

CCHR's 22/11 Justice Fund (Khmer version)

CCHRs' 22/11 Justice Fund (English version)

Click to Read More...

Cambodia's new anti-corruption unit names first suspect

ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's new Anti-Corruption Unit has named its first suspect, a prosecutor of a provincial court, in what many see as the first test of the much-criticised unit.

Police arrested the official and two of his bodyguards on Monday morning in Pursat province. The exact reasons for his arrest are unclear, but local human rights workers say he's notorious for corruption and for shooting up a restaurant three years ago.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane

Speakers: Keo Remy, spokesman Cambodia's Anti-Corruption Unit; Nget Theavy, Pursat province coordinator, human rights group ADHOC; Son Chhay, MP opposition Sam Rainsy Party; Thun Saray, director, ADHOC

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

COCHRANE: When Cambodia's Anti-Corruption Unit was formed three months ago, many critics of the government predicted it would be a toothless tiger, a way to be seen as tackling corruption while carefully managing who is targeted.

So when Om Yentieng, the head of the unit and advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen, personally led police to the house of its first suspect, it was clearly a declaration of intent.

Spokesman for the Unit, Keo Remy, says there has been a positive response to the Unit's first arrest.

REMY: Yeah we got support, more support from the people. From Phnom Penh and in the civil servants, military police and sometime from everywhere they call me and they're very happy. Even in the Office of the Council of Minister they appreciate that.

COCHRANE: This year, Cambodia ranked 154 out of 178 countries on Transparency International's corruption index.

In April, the Government passed an anti-corruption law that had been 15 years in the making and created the Anti-Corruption Unit headed by the Prime Minister's advisor.

The Unit's first case involves Top Chan Sereyvuth, a local court official who's well known to Nget Theavy... the Pursat province coordinator for human rights group ADHOC.

NGET: There are many stories about him. He used to shoot his gun at people, threaten people and conduct illegal business.

COCHRANE: In 2007, the Asian Human Rights Commission reported that a journalist was assaulted by military police after investigating allegations Mr Top had fired five rounds into a restaurant after becoming intoxicated.

Last year, local media reported his involvement in a long-running land dispute that was moved to the Pursat court from another province where Mr Top had previously worked as a judge.

Keo Remy from the Anti-Corruption Unit, didn't say exactly what charges would be used against Top Chan Sereyvuth but he said there were plenty to choose from.

KEO: Sometimes he used his bodyguards and brother in law to be police justice to arrest someone in Pursat province and the other case that involves with corruption case. Most of the people in the province they want to see the judge in the province to punish that guy.

COCHRANE: Son Chhay, an MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said the case will be a test of the government's resolve on corruption.

SON: To have this guy arrested is quite a surprising thing. We hope that it will be the genuine one, not the political one. The government should not hide any evidence, any information regarding to this particular prosecutor.

COCHRANE: Son Chhay said the opposition had been concerned about the recruitment of staff to the Anti-Corruption Unit, alleging family and friends of senior officials had been hired in a way that didn't bode well for transparency.

But Thun Saray, the head of human rights group ADHOC welcomed the arrests as a good first step.

THUN: In the first instance we cannot do everyone. But this kind of medium fish, we can have some hope the big fish also should be scared to do the corruption acts. And the small fish, they also worry about their safety if the Anti-Corruption committee try to work effectively.

COCHRANE: Spokesman for Cambodia's Anti-Corruption Unit, Keo Remy, says this first arrest is just the start.

REMY: It's not only one. It's not the first time. There's going to be more.

Welcome Dinner for Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy's Visit to Australia

On 27 November 2010, 400 people attended a dinner to welcome the visit of opposition leader Sam Rainsy's visit to Sydney, Australia. Each of the guests paid $35 to attend this welcoming event.

LGBT-Human Rights Event!