SRP lawyer feared arrested

Meas Sokchea 
Friday, 30 December 2011 

Photo by: Pha Lina

SRP politician Mu Sochua speaks outside the Kandal provincial court yesterday.

Opposition Sam Rainsy Party legis-lators expressed concern yesterday about their lawyer, Choung Choungy, who appears to be missing, amid claims that he was arrested by police while travelling to Kampong Chhnang province to defend a client.

SRP legislator Mu Sochua said the party had heard Choung Choungy had been arrested, but his whereabouts were unknown.

“A [United Nations] official based in Cambodia told me 40 minutes ago that Choung Choungy had been seen at the Ministry of Interior,”  she told reporters outside the Kandal provincial court.

Mu Sochua told the Post  the party was concerned for Choung Choungy’s safety and had contacted the UN Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Phnom Penh to try to ascertain his whereabouts.

“The UN confirmed to us they had reports that [Choung Choungy] had been seen at the Ministry of Interior at 1pm,” Mu Sochua said.

“Since 1pm, no one has been able to contact him, and no one knows where he is.”

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said he did not know where Choung Choungy was. He added that police never arrested people without a warrant.

Kandal provincial court judge Sin Virak told the Post that he had not issued a warrant for Choung Choungy’s arrest.

A lawyer and friend of Choung Choungy who declined to be named quoted Choung Choungy’s niece as saying that police were foll-owing the lawyer to Kampong Chhnang province in order to arrest him.

When contacted yesterday, Choung Choungy’s niece, who identified herself as Theary, said her uncle had been arrested on the way to Kampong Chhnang province.

“He called me to say that they were following to arrest him on the way to Kampong Chhnang,” she said.

“I don’t know whether he was arrested at any spot . . . because he did not have the opportunity to say.”

Choung Choungy was charged with aiding and abetting the escape of his client Meas Peng, deputy chief of Kien Svay district’s Banteay Dek commune, from prison on September 23 and was summonsed to Kandal provincial court this week for questioning.

Choung Choungy has claimed that Meas Peng was arrested without a warrant.

The Cambodian Bar Association has not yet appointed Choung Choungy a lawyer, and could not be reached by the Post for comment yesterday.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក
legis-lators ​                 អ្នកតំណាងរាស្រ្ត
expressed concern      បានបង្ហាញពីការព្រួយបារម្ភ
appears to be missing  ទំនងជាបាត់ខ្លួន
whereabouts                  នៅទីកនែ្លងណានោះទេ
based in                         ដែលមានមូលដ្ឋាន
Ministry of Interior      ក្រសួងមហាផៃ្ទ
the High Commissioner of Human Right   គណកម្មាធិការសិទ្ធមនុស្សជាន់ខ្ពស់
ascertain                       សា្វងរកឲ្យឃើញ  
without a warrant       ​  គ្មានដីការចាប់ខ្លួន
quoted                           បានដកស្រង់ពាក្យសំដី
any spot                         នៅត្រង់ចំនុចណាទេ
abetting                          ការញុះញុង
was summonsed            បានកោះហៅ

Refferece

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011123053702/National-news/srp-lawyer-feared-arrested.html

Monk defrocked on controversial charge

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 
Thursday, 29 December 2011 

A buddist monk who avoided arrest and defrocking in October when some 500 villagers rallied to his side, was taken into custody and defrocked yesterday over the alleged theft of $200 from his pagoda, Battambang police said.

Battambang Provincial Police deputy chief Cheth Vanny said that Kroeung Vary, 26, was the first-deputy chief of Wat Bay Tamram pagoda in Banon district, but had been accused of stealing $200 from the pagoda’s chief earlier this year.

“Kroeung Vary was defrocked and fired from his monkhood because he stole money from his Buddhist chief in the pagoda,” Cheth Vanny told the Post.

“He is now being detained at the provincial police station for further investigation.”

Cheth Vanny added that three other associates of Kroeung Vary were also detained yesterday because they tried to intervene and prevent police forces from defrocking and arresting their friend.

In October, about 500 villagers from two communes in Banan district blocked an attempted police defrocking of Kroeung Vary when he was initially accused of stealing money from the pagoda box.

Kroeung Vary could not be contacted by the Post yesterday for comment, but denied the allegations in October, telling the Post: “I have never kept that money for myself.”

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

defrocking                              ចាប់ផ្សឹក
rallied                                    បានមកប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នា
taken into custody              ​   បានចាប់គាត់ឃុំឃាំង
the first-deputy chief             គ្រូសូត្រស្តាំ
fired from his monkhood       ចាប់ផ្សឹក   

the pagoda box                       ប្រអប់ពុទ្ធបូជា

 

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122953678/National-news/monk-defrocked-on-controversial-charge.html

Diamond Island bridge to be removed

Mom Kunthear 
Wednesday, 28 December 2011 

Photo by: Will Baxter

Construction workers dismantle a railing yesterday on a bridge to Diamond Island, which was the site of a deadly stampede in November 2010 during the water festival.

The Diamond Island Bridge, where 353 people lost their lives in a stampede during Cambodia’s Water Festival in November last year, will be taken apart and removed within two months, a worker said yesterday.

The man, who did not want to be named, is part of a group from Workers from Asian Construction Corporation Company that has been clearing cement from the bridge’s poles in recent days in preparation to take them out.

The bridge could be gone within a month, but it was more likely that it would take two months to take it down, he said.

“If we do it as fast as we can, we will spend one month demolishing it, but we will spend two months to completely dismantle it,” he said.

“I don’t know why it is being taken apart,” the worker said.

Touch Samnang, Diamond Island project manager for Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation, said there was no point keeping the bridge where it was because people were increasingly using the two newly constructed bridges nearby to travel to and from the island.

“We tried to close this bridge for a while and saw that two bridges were enough to prevent traffic jams,” he said.

“We will [dismantle] this bridge to move it to a new place nearby,” he added.

Nget Pov, 56, who lost two daughters and one granddaughter in the bridge tragedy, said she did not want the bridge to be taken down.

“They should keep this bridge forever for children or relatives of the victims to see and remind them that on this bridge their mother or father died,” she said.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

a stampede​                                       ការរត់ជាន់គ្នា
will be taken apart                           នឹងត្រូវបានបំបែក
removed                                            រុសរើ
Asian Construction Corporation Company       ក្រុមហុ៏ន ប្រតិបត្តិការសា្ថបនា អាស៏ាន

cement                                              សីម៉ង

preparation                                       ​ជាការត្រៀមលក្ខណ
demolishing​,  dismantle                    រុសរើ

travel to and from                             ធ្វើដំណើរទៅមក


 

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122853654/National-news/koh-pich-bridge-to-be-removed.html

Beaten sex workers fear court

Khoun Leakhana 
Tuesday, 27 December 2011 

Photo by: Sovan Philong

Sex workers wait for clients near Wat Phnom in downtown Phnom Penh in March 2009.

More than 100 sex workers have filed complaints with the Cambodian Prostitute Union alleging police brutality, but only one has dared file a complaint to police, unionists said yesterday.

The Cambodian Prostitute Union’s Chan Lina said the reason sex workers do not feel they can file a complaint outlining their physical and sexual assault by judicial and police officers is because they fear facing the court to testify.

“They don’t even believe in the court system,” Chan Lina said. “It is difficult for us to seek intervention to help these victims of violence because many of them dare not file a complaint against a local police officer.

“The women fear losing their jobs, because police who commit the offences are the ones who control the area,” she said, adding that the union only ever received verbal complaints.

Chan Lina said there was a culture of impunity among judicial and police officers charged with implementing the anti-human trafficking law.

The anti-human trafficking law targets sex workers for solicitation, making street-based sex work a dangerous employment for women who will often tolerate brutality to avoid being arrested.

The only sex worker to have filed a criminal complaint against law enforcement officers alleged two police officers who patrolled the area where she worked had beaten and attempted to rape her.

The 33-year-old sex worker from Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district told the Post that in November she was waiting for a client on street 270 when two police officers on motorbikes chased down five women also working on the street and beat them.

The worker said she witnessed the women take money out of their purses to bribe the police officers, who then turned to arrest her.

“One of the police officers asked me for money and [attempted to force] me to have sex with him, but I escaped to hide in a house nearby,” she said yesterday. “But he took me out and slapped me and beat me with his walkie-talkie.”

Chan Sahut, deputy police chief of Russey Keo district, said he had not yet received the information about the woman’s complaint.

“Victims should file complaints with our office to get intervention,” Chan Sahut said. “If we find police officers commit crimes like this, we will take legal measures against the bad police officers.”

Director of legislation at the Ministry of Interior, Neak Yutha, said he frequently heard of sex workers accusing police of brutality and extortion.

“The law on anti-human trafficking in our country does not order police to use violence or beat sex workers,” he said. “Any time this happens, it is an individual issue.”

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

filed complaints​                                  ដាក់ពាក្យបណ្តឹង
Prostitute                                            ស្រីខូច
brutality                                               អំពើហឹង្សា
outlining                                              រៀបរាប់
sexual assault                                     រំលោភបំពានផ្លូវភេទ

testify                                                  ដោះស្រាយ

commit the offences                           ប្រព្រឹត្តបទល្មើស
impunity                                             ​ ការគ្មានដាក់ទោស

the anti-human trafficking law           អំពើប្រឆាំងនឹងការជួញដូរមនុស្សខុសច្បាប់
solicitation                                          ការអង្គាស
patrolled                                             បានយាមលបាទ

chased down                                        ដេញចាប់

purses                                                  ការបូប
bribe                                                     សូកប៉ាន់

walkie-talkie                                        ឯកូម

extortion                                              ចាប់ចំរិតទាលុយ

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122753631/National-news/beaten-sex-workers-fear-court.html

Mine accident claims eight lives

Kim Yuthana 
Monday, 26 December 2011 

Photo Supplied

Mourners sit during a funeral near the coffins of eight miners who died during an accident on Friday at a gold mine in Kratie province.

The bodies of eight miners – including three brothers from one family and two from another – were pulled from a gold mine in Kratie province yesterday after an explosion caused a mudslide and flooded the 300-metre deep mine hole on Friday.

Police said the amount of water that needed to be pumped out of the mine, at O’Tron in Sretreng village, Kbal Damrei commune, Sambor district, had thwarted rescue attempts.

Rescuers had worked from Friday and recovered seven of the bodies about 3am yesterday and the eighth about midday.

The eight Cambodian men, employed by Chinese company Xing Wyan Kann Yeak, were brothers Lai Phanna, 35, Lai Phanny, 32, and Lai Pisey, 19, from Kratie province; a 38-year-old man known as Chet, from Kampong Thom province; brothers Pav Oeung, 20, and Pav Oeun, 23, from Kandal; and  Touch Ran, 35, and Mao Math, 22, from Prey Veng province.

Kratie provincial police chief Chuong Seang Hak said explosives used to break rock had detonated close to a water source. “It was an accident,” he said.

Chuong Seang Hak expressed sorry for the workers’ deaths and said the victims’ bodies had been handed over to their families at the scene.

“We tried very hard to search for all the bodies,” he said.

The company had paid a total of US$13,000 in compensation to each family, he said.

Sok Kiri Rattanak, director of Kratie’s Department of Industry, Mines and Energy, said the ministry would make a decision over whether the company could continue its exploration and whether legal action would be taken.

Xing Wyan Kann Yeak Company, which has been licensed to operate in Cambodia since 2008, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

Mine​                                      អណ្តូងរ៉ែ
were pulled from                   ស្រយកពី
an explosion                           ការបំផ្ទុះ
a mudslide                              បាក់ដី
the amount of water               បរិមាណទឹក
to be pumped out                    ដែលត្រូវការបូមចេញ

thwarted                                  ពិបាក

Rescuers                                 អ្នកជួយសង្គ្រោះ
explosives                               ក្រាប់រំសាវ

detonated                                ដាក់បំផ្ទុះ

had been handed over            បានប្រគល់ជូន
the scene                                 កនែ្លងកើតហេតុ
compensation                          បាក់សំណង់

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122653615/National-news/mine-accident-claims-eight-lives.html

Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw troops from around disputed temple

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 22, 2011 -- Updated 1147 GMT (1947 HKT)

(CNN) -- Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to withdraw their troops from the area surrounding a disputed border temple, the official Thai news agency MCOT reported.
The two countries reached a deal to implement an order by the International Court of Justice to put in place a "provisional demilitarized zone" around the Preah Vihear temple, MCOT cited Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh as saying at a news conference on Wednesday.
Thai and Cambodian troops had clashed in the area around the temple earlier this year, displacing thousands of people on both sides and causing at least 20 deaths.
A joint working group will be set up to discuss the rules governing the demilitarized zone, Banh said after meeting with the Thai defense minister, General Yutthasak Sasiprapa, in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.
The troop withdrawals, to be carried out as soon as possible, will be supervised by observers from Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Banh said.
Cambodia had asked the International Court of Justice, the United Nation's highest court, to intervene and order Thai troops out of the area.
The court, instead, ruled in July that both sides must withdraw their troops to avoid more casualties.
The 11th century temple sits atop a cliff on Cambodian soil but has its most accessible entrance on the Thai side. The two countries differ on whether some territory around the temple forms part of Thailand or Cambodia.
The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962. Thailand claims, however, that the 1.8 square mile (4.6 sq. km) area around it was never fully demarcated.
Thailand says the dispute arose from the fact that the Cambodian government used a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia -- a map that places the temple and surrounding area in Cambodian territory.
In 2008, the United Nations approved Cambodia's application to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site -- a place the U.N. says has outstanding universal value.

ប្រែពាក្យបាក

implement                                    អនុវត្ត
provisional demilitarized zone    តំបនព្រៃស
Cambodian Defense Minister    ក្រសួងការពាជាតិកម្ពុជា
had clashed                                  បានបាស់ទង្គិច

causing                                         បណ្តាលអោយ
Thai defense minister                  ក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃថៃ
supervised                                     ត្រួតពិនិត្យ
observers                                       អ្នកសើបអង្កេត
casualties                                       ​ការសំលាប់រងគៀស
sits atop a cliff                                ស្ថិតនៅលើជំរាលភ្នំ
accessible entrance                        ច្រក់ចូល
differ on                                           ខ្វែងគំនិតគ្នា
awarded                                           បានសំរេចឲ្យ
demarcated                                      បានបោះបង្គោល
French occupation of Cambodia      បារាំងគ្រប់គ្រងកម្ពុជា

outstanding  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​                                     វិសេសវិសាល


Refference

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/22/world/asia/thailand-cambodia-temple-dispute/index.html

Shot villagers call for arrest

May Titthara with additional reporting by Shane Worrell 
Friday, 23 December 2011 

Photo Supplied

One of three protesters who was shot in Battambang province earlier this month is helped to the hospital.

Three villagers shot in a clash with security guards during a land protest on December 12 have written to their provincial court demanding the arrest of one of the alleged gunmen.

Soeng Heang, 34, Chot Kun, 52, and Chhoeung Neang, 28, from Chakrei commune in Battambang province’s Phnom Proek district, lodged a complaint to the provincial court and human-rights group Adhoc calling for the arrest of military police official Lieutenant-Colonel Chan Ny.

The men claim Chan Ny, a security guard hired by the developer Suon Mean Sambath Company, was one of the security guards who opened fire on them with AK-47s after they protested against having their cameras confiscated while off-icials measured land.

Chot Kun said the shooting had yet to be investigated.

“I just want the man who shot me to go to prison,” he said.

Suon Mean, owner of the Suon Mean Sambath Company, said Chan Ny, who could not be reached for comment, was recovering in hospital in Vietnam because villagers had attacked him and injured his eye.

“We will file a complaint on villagers too, because villagers used violence on him. He only opened fire to protect company officials,” he said.

Adhoc provincial co-ordinator Yin Mengly said he had received the villagers’ complaint and would write a letter to the provincial prosecutor urging him to investigate the case.

“The court has to find the offenders and sentence them accordingly – they can’t just be allowed to shoot freely.”

Ouch Leng, head of Adhoc’s land program, said provincial governments had a responsibility to resolve similar disputes before they descended into violence.

“However, there has been an increase in action taken by the court against villagers recently,” he said.

“This is because [authorities] rarely investigate and learn the background of the case . . . they act after listening to the complaints of the powerful and rich companies.”

On May 24, the government granted about 4,000 hectares of the Roneam Donsam wildlife sanctuary, in Sampov Loun and Phnom Proek districts, to the Suon Mean Sambath Company to be developed as an agricultural site.

The land, home to more than 1000 families, had been reclassified as public land just a short time before the government awarded it to the Suon Mean Sambath Company.

Provincial court director  Yov Naroth could not be reached for comment.

ប្រែពាក្យបាក

security guards                                  អ្នកសន្តិសុខ
lodged a complaint                            ដាក់ពាក្យបណ្តឹង
military police official Lieutenant-Colonel        មន្រ្តីកងរាជអាវុធហាតវិរសនីឯក
opened fire on                                    បាញ់ទៅលើ
measured land                                    វាស់វែងដី
offenders                                            ជនល្មើស
sentence                                             កាត់ទោស

descended                                         ​ បាន ឈានទៅរក    

wildlife sanctuary                              ជំរកសត្វព្រៃ
reclassified                                        ​​​ អះអាងម្តងទៀត

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122353580/National-news/shot-villagers-call-for-arrest.html

Alleged Laos loggers detained in Kingdom

Tep Nimol 
Friday, 23 December 2011

Police in Stung Treng province detained 11 Laotian men on Wednesday as they were logging luxury wood on Cambodian territory, officials said.

Provincial police chief EK Sivandon said police had arr-ested the men when they were logging about two kilometres inside the Cambodian border at  border poles 45 and 46 in Boeung Kduoch point, in Siem Pang district’s Prek Meas commune.

Police had also confiscated four home-made tractors, one chainsaw, a motorbike and four logs of luxury wood, he said.

“Those Laotians did not lose their way. They intended to cross the border into Cambodia to cut luxury logs, because we confiscated their machines,” Ek Sivandon said.

Yesterday, police had still not provided information about the detention of the men to Lao authorities, he said, adding that the loggers were still being questioned and police would soon send legal documents to the court about their alleged crimes.

However, Stung Treng provincial governor Loy Sophat said that, in principle, Cambodia had a memorandum of understanding with Laos and both sides had agreed to negotiate with each other.

Laos’s Champasak province would be required to make an agreement with Cambodia before the 11 men were repatriated, Loy Sophat said.

“We have no case to send Laotians to a court, because Cambodia and Laos have an MOU,” he said.

On December 15, authorities in Laos’s Champasak province arrested 28 Cambodian villagers who were between two and four kilometres inside the Laos border. Later that day, Stung Treng provincial authorities began negotiating with Laotian authorities to get them back.

Loy Sophat said the two countries would negotiate individual repatriation agreements separately for each group of detainees rather than a direct exchange.

“It is a good tendency of Cambodia and Lao [relations] that they always implement negotiation to return people who cross borders illegally,”  Ho Sam Ol, provincial monitor for the human-rights group Adhoc, said.

About 70 per cent of villagers in Siem Pang district had illegally crossed the border into Laos, far more than the number of Laotians illegally entering Cambodia, he said.

“Laotian authorities rarely shoot Cambodian people, but the Thais do. Laos fines them a small amount of money before Cambodians ask to be released,” Ho Sam Ol said.

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122353579/National-news/alleged-laos-loggers-detained-in-kingdom.html

Fishermen await repatriation

Sen David and David Boyle 
Thursday, 22 December 2011 

Fishing boats docked at a port in southern Thailand, where trafficked Cambodian fishermen are frequently put on fishing trawlers. Reuters

A GROUP of six Cambodian men who were trafficked onto Thai fishing boats have been detained in Indonesia and are awaiting repatriation, Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said yesterday.

Cambodian embassy officials in Indonesia had met with the men, who were being held on the island of Ambon, and assessed they were victims of human trafficking, Koy Kuong said.

“Now the Cambodian embassy in Jakarta is working closely with the concerned parties like the Indonesian authorities, the [International Organisation for Migration] and others to assist them to come back home as soon as possible,” he said.

On Tuesday, the news website antaranews reported that Ambon immigration office spokesman Enang Supriyadi had said the men had reluctantly handed themselves in to immigration officials on Saturday, after being dismissed from a Thai fishing boat several weeks prior.

The men were being held in a detention facility in Ambon City, because they did not possess legal immigration documents, antaranews reported Enang Supriyadi as saying.

Last month, 65 Cambodian men were rescued in Indonesia after reportedly suffering abuse as forced labourers on Thai fishing boats. All but five of the men have since been repatriated.

Yesterday, deputy director of the Interior Ministry’s anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection police department, Chiv Phally, said police had identified brokers responsible for trafficking some of the men.

“After investigating for a few weeks, we now know the identity of the brokers, but we cannot release [this information]. We’re afraid they will escape,” he said.

The remaining five Cambodian men who had yet to be repatriated will be brought home early next month, he said.

“IOM and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are preparing documents to facilitate [their] return. IOM told me that they are checking for money to pay for their return,” he said.

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122253563/National-news/fishermen-await-repatriation.html

Preah Vihear villagers say they will not move

Phak Seangly 

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Villagers will defy a third order to vacate their houses in Preah Vihear province to make way for a government office and told the Post yesterday that forced removal would result in violent clashes.

The National Authority for Preah Vihear yesterday ordered 132 families in Svay Chum village, Kantuot commune, Choam Ksan district, to leave their houses by next Wednesday.

Lor Chan, a coordinator for human rights group Adhoc, said the villagers had been told on December 15 to resettle in Samdech Techo natural village, but had refused to leave their homes.

An initial order to leave – coming after a new royal decree dated December 10, 2011 – had also been defied because the decree was not legitimate, he said.

“The new royal decree to which the National Authority for Preah Vihear referred to was not signed by the King and was not copied to the Prime Minister,” Lor Chan said.

Village representative Phan Phoeun said the families stood firm in opposition to their eviction as they believed they had the right to stay.

“We have lived in the village more than 10 years, growing all kinds of fruit crops. The new place, a remote area in the forest far from the national road, is very difficult to live in,” Phan Phoeun said.

Svay Chrum villager Sao Yath said all villagers had submitted a letter to the provincial court on Monday calling for urgent intervention. “If there is [forced] removal, there will be a violent clash. The villagers will protest without withdrawal. Some who went to live in the new area came back because it was very hard,” he said.

Hang Soth, the general director for the National Authority for Preah Vihear, said the decision to resettle Samdech Techo had been made according to a request from UNESCO and the royal decree.

“The authority needs the Svay Chum village area to build an office and a tree seedling ground,” he said.

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122153527/National-news/preah-vihear-villagers-say-they-will-not-move.html

GBC adjusts timeline for Preah Vihear talks

Vong Sokheng 

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

High-ranking military officials from Cambodia and Thailand would today discuss withdrawing troops from the demilitarised zone around Preah Vihear temple, but it would be up to defence ministers to set a time frame for the exit, a general told the Post yesterday.

General Neang Phat, secretary of state at Cambodia’s  Ministry of Defence, is chairing the two-day joint secretariat meeting of the Cambodia-Thai General Border Committee, which began yesterday.

The meeting was designed to review progress reports on border relations and co-operation between the two countries and to serve as preparat-ion for tomorrow’s meeting of the eighth GBC, he said.

“We will also talk about setting a time frame for troop redeployment from the provisional demilitarised zone near the Preah Vihear temple to comply with the order of the ICJ [which was delivered on July 18],” Neang Phat said.

“However, the actual time frame will be decided by the two countries’ defence ministers,” he said.

The meeting’s  co-chairman, General Voravit Darunchoo, director of Thailand’s border affairs department of the Supreme Commander Headquarters, said the two countries would continue a smooth cooperation along the border for the interest of both countries’ military and people.

“I think  the most important thing now is that we have to have goodwill towards each other, with a mutual understanding,” General Voravit Darunchoo said.

“I hope there will be a successful outcome from a plan that we will set up to bring full security and stability and better living conditions to our people along the border.”

On July 18, the International Court of Justice ordered Cambodia and Thailand to withdraw its troops stationed along the border from the 17.3 square kilometre area surrounding Preah Vihear temple following deadly clashes along the border that killed at least 10 people and displaced thousands of villagers.

Troops on both sides have been positioned along the border near Preah Vihear temple since July, 2008 after the temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Refference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011122053510/National-news/gbc-adjusts-timeline-for-preah-vihear-talks.html

Hearing in long land dispute

 Khoun Leakhana
Monday, 05 December 2011 

  
 About 160 families from Kampong Thom province will travel to their district hall today to try to resolve a land dispute that has burdened them for five years.

Lawmakers and representatives of civil society organisations will join the families from Santuk district’s Samlieng village to hear authorities announce a resolution to a dispute involving more than 400 hectares of land, which were declared part of a social land concession in 2006.  

According to an invitation letter from Santuk district hall dated November 8, the villagers living on the disputed land must attend today’s hearing or else be considered as having no right to claim they lived on the land. Neth Sao, 58, a representative of villagers living on the land, said the villagers would demand the governor put an end to the dispute. He said the villagers had settled on the land in 1980, and village-commune officials had recognized them as the owners until the Ministry of Agriculture confiscated the land in 2006.

Neth Sao said that until April 2 last year, authorities had ordered their subordinates to bulldoze the villagers’ crops.

“We would request the officials of the district hall abide by two conditions: One, they must not confiscate our land and turn the land into concession land and, two, make the land which is exchanged between authorities and villagers recognized by law,” he said.

Santuk district governor Sorm Vann Than said he had urged the villagers to show only their names and land titles today.

“The land is a concession land for soldiers, but previously, the confiscation of the land in the area from the villagers for a few military families was made because there was controversy with the villagers living there, so the district started resolving the case step by step,” he said.

Chhim Savuth, public forum project coordinator of Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said he was prepared to intervene for the villagers, but would wait for a resolution from the authorities after the meeting.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

district hall​​​​     ​                       សាលាស្រុក

burdened ​​​​​​                              ធើ្វឲ្យពួកគេលំបាក

Lawmaker    ​                         អ្នកដំណាងរាស្ត្រ

civil society organization      អង្គការសង្គមសីវិល

authorities                             អញ្ញាធរ

a social land concession       ដីសម្បទាសេដ្ឋកិច្ច

invitation letter  ​                   លិខិតអញ្ជើញ

attend today’s hearing         ចូលរួមសាវនាការថៃ្ងនេះ

having no right to claim       គ្មានសិទ្ចិចំពោះការអះអាង

demand   ទាមទា

put an end​  បញ្ចប់

settled on  បានតាំងទីលំនៅលើ

village-commune officials  មន្ត្រីភូមិឃុំ

Ministry of Agriculture  ក្រសួងកសិកម្ម

confiscated   ដកហូត

subordinates  ​កូនចៅ

bulldoze    ឈោះឆាយ

abide by  គោរព

concession land ​ ដីសម្បទា

controversy​​    ជំរូងជំរះគា្ន

public forum project coordinator of Cambodian Center for Human Rights   អ្នកសំរប់សំរួលគំរូងវាទិកាសាធារណនៃមច្ឆមណ្ឌលសិទ្ធមនុស្សកម្ពុជា
intervene for  ធើ្វអន្តរាគម

 

Reference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011120553150/National-news/hearing-in-long-land-dispute.html

Man sought in murder of wife, sister-in-law

Mom Kunthear 

Monday, 12 December 2011 

Share3

A woman and her sister were stabbed to death on Thursday in Kampong Cham province’s Tbong Khmum district, officials said yesterday, in a drunken act of domestic violence that also left the woman’s stepdaughter and nephew with serious injuries.

District police chief Meung Rai Ya said police were searching for a 47-year-old man who fled after killing his wife, Sa Pov, 44, when she tried to protect her 18-year-old daughter after he yanked the girl’s head by her hair when she refused to cook for him.

He said Sa Pov’s sister, Sa Puth Tamas, 53, was stabbed and her daughter and 15-year-old nephew were seriously injured.

“We always educate people against domestic violence, but it continues to occur in drunken situations,” he said, adding that it was the second case of fatality arising from domestic violence in the district so far this year.

Provincial Adhoc coordinator Phoung Sothea said that while local authorities could not be blamed in this case, they were often careless in investigating domestic violence.

“Sometimes, police think that it’s the same case again and again, and do not particularly care to investigate,” he said, adding that family members sometimes chose not to file complaints.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក
were stabbed​​​    ​​​​​​                  បានចាក់
domestic violence              អំពើហឹង្សាក្នុងគ្រួសារ
stepdaughter                      កូនស្រីចុង
District police chief            ប្រធានប៉ូលិសស្រុក
yanked the girl’s head by her hair   ទាញកន្រ្តាក់សក់ក្បាលរបស់នាង
fatality                                 ស្លាប់
so far                                    រហូតមក
Provincial Adhoc coordinator   មន្រ្តីអ្នកសំរប់សំរួលប្រចាំខេត្តដែលមកពីអង្គការសិទ្ធមនិស្ស អាដហុក
chose not to file complaints.  មិនដាក់ពាក្យប្តឹង

 Reference
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011121253304/National-news/man-sought-in-murder-of-wife-sister-in-law.html

I was paid $50 to help frame monk: woman

Mom Kunthear

Friday, 16 December 2011

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A woman has claimed she accepted money to enter a chief monk’s room at Brasat Meanchey pagoda in Takeo province’s Bati district – an act that led to his defrocking amid accusations he had invited her in.

A day after more than 2,000 villagers from eight villages in Takeo province’s Bati district sent a letter asking Prime Minister Hun Sen to intervene to reinstate the monk, Chheng Phally yesterday said she was paid 200,000 riels (US$50) to enter the monk’s room.

“The monks and pagoda committees gave me US$50 for doing that. I didn’t want to do that, but they forced me and threatened to take the money back if I didn’t do it,” she said, adding that by this stage, she had bought food with the money because she was poor.

“I went to the monk’s house and sat on the bed, and then one more monk locked the door to keep me in the monk’s house and they told me not to go out,” she said.

Theam Seng Ky, 41, did not know she was in his room until the villagers and authorities arrived and asked him if anyone was inside, she said.

“I begged them not to defrock him, I am happy to go to jail, but they did not listen to me. I regret what I did.”

Chou Chorn, a layman of Brasat Meanchey pagoda, said he didn’t believe Theam Seng Ky had taken a woman to his room.

“It is unfair for our chief monk because he did not do this bad thing,” he said.

Theam Seng Ky maintained he had been framed.

“Monks and pagoda committees do not want me to be the monk leader in the pagoda anymore. That’s why they hired a woman to enter my house and then accused me of sleeping with the woman,” he said.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក
led to           បណ្តាលឲ្យ
defrocking amid accusations   បានចាប់ផ្សឹកចោទប្រកាន់ពិបទ
reinstate  =  restore   ឲ្យនៅជាសង្ឃវិញ  
locked the door​​         ចាក់សោទ្វារ
regret                         សោកស្តាយ
a layman                    លោកអាចារ្យ

Reference
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011121653451/National-news/i-was-paid-50-to-help-frame-monk-woman.html

Immunity suspension looms [for SRP MP Chan Cheng]

Friday, December 16, 2011

Friday, 16 December 2011
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

The National Assembly would suspend the immunity of an opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian during a session next Tuesday, senior ruling party lawmaker Cheam Yeap said yesterday.

The suspension of the immunity of SRP lawmaker Chan Cheng, who is accused of helping another party member escape from prison in Kandal province, was added to next week’s agenda during a National Assembly permanent committee meeting yesterday.

“I would like to inform that what was stated in the agenda we have approved according to all procedures, such as a request to suspend Excellency Chan Cheng’s parliamentary immunity from Kandal provincial court,” Cheam Yeap said yesterday.

Chan Cheng is accused of conspiring to help SRP activist Meas Peng escape after she was arrested two months ago for allegedly inciting villagers to destroy private property during a land-dispute protest.

Meas Peng was released from prison after her lawyer successfully argued she had been detained without proper citation.

Ouk Kimsith, a prosecutor at Kandal Provincial Court, said he had asked the National Assembly to remove Chan Cheng’s immunity so that the court could question him following allegations outlined in a report by investigating judge Lim Sokunthat.

Yesterday, Chan Cheng said the planned suspension was worrying as he had done nothing wrong.

“I am very surprised about this, and I don’t think it should reach the agenda to suspend my immunity,” he said.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

would suspend the immunity​     គួរតែភ្យួរអភ័យឯកសិទ្ធ
an opposition Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian​​​    ដំណាងរាស្ត្រមកពីគណបក្សប្រឆាំងសមរង្សី

agenda​​​​​​        របៀបវេរ  
inform         ជំរាប

what was stated​  អ្វីដែលបានលើកទ្ឃើង 

Excellency   ឯកឧត្តម
conspiring to     ចូលរួមគំនិត
citation               លិខិតសំអាង
a prosecutor      ព្រះរាជ្យអជ្ញារ
outlined             ដែលបានព្រៀងទុក

Reference

http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2011/12/immunity-suspension-looms-for-srp-mp.html

SRP lawmaker to have immunity suspended

 Meas Sokchea

Thursday, 15 December 2011


The National Assembly will today suspend an opposition Sam Rainsy Party member’s parliamentary immunity on the basis of conducting “necessary questioning”, government officials said yesterday.

Cheam Yeap, senior lawmaker of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, told the Post the assembly would suspend Kandal province SRP lawmaker Chan Cheng’s immunity at the request of a court.

“Kandal provincial court has requested . . . to lift Excellency Chan Cheng’s immunity from Sam Rainsy Party in order for him to respond to questioning regarding a criminal complaint against him,” Cheam Yeap said.

The “criminal complaint” relates to a letter of accusation sent by Kandal provincial court investigating Judge Lim Sokutha to 11 state institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, alleging Chan Cheng was conspiring to break out an SRP activist from pre-trial detention in Kandal prison, SRP sources said.

The activist, Meas Peng, who is deputy chief of Sam Raongthom commune in Kandal, has been incarcerated for the past two months waiting to hear charges of incitement relating to a land dispute in Kien Svay district. Meas Peng allegedly incited protesters to engage in destruction of private property on the land villagers claim to still rightfully own.

Cheam Yeap said immunity suspension was not a very important issue and paved the way for the court to invite a parliamentarian for questioning.

“The court – or anyone – does not have rights to invite a [parliamentarian] to question while they have immunity,” he said.

“The immunity lifting is so that the court can invite him for questioning involving a lawsuit.”

Chan Cheng said the decision to lift his immunity was up to the assembly, but said he had not done anything illegal.

SRP issued a statement yesterday condemning the accusations of the Kandal investigating judge Lim Sokutha as false.

“The reason that Mr Lim Sokuntha sues parliamentarian Chan Cheng is to hide his professional mistake,” the statement read, adding that Lim Sokuntha imprisoned Meas Peng without citation and that this was revealed by Meas Peng’s lawyer Choung Choungy.

When contacted yesterday, Lim Sokuntha said he had not requested suspension of Chan Cheng’s immunity.

“I have not filed a complaint against him. I just reported to relevant institutions. I reported according to my skill and the legality I don’t know because I am not in charge of charging him,” he said, adding that any charging is up to the prosecutors.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក
in order for      ដើម្បី
criminal complaint   បណ្តឹងពិបទឧក្រិត
investigating            សើបអងេ្កត
state institutions     បានផ្ញើរទៅស្ថាបនរដ្ឋ
pre-trial detention   ការឃុំឃាំងមុនពេលកាត់ក្តី
has been incarcerated   ត្រូវបានឃុំខ្លួន
charges of incitement    ចោតប្រកាន់ពិបទញុះញុង
engage                            ជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធ
destruction                      បំផ្លិចបំផ្លាញ
paved the way                 ទ្រុសត្រាយផ្លូវ
is so that                         ​​​ ប្រយោជន៏ដើម្បី
a lawsuit                         ​​ ពាក្យបណ្តឹង
condemning                     ដោយថ្កោលទោស
is to hide                           បិទបាំង
was revealed                   លាតត្រដាង
in charge of charging him   ទទួលបន្ទុក



Reference

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011121553380/National-news/srp-lawmaker-to-have-immunity-suspended.html

Hun Sen puts onus on loggers

Add caption

Photo by: Pha Lina

Prime Minister Hun Sen.

 Meas Sokchea

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

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Nearly 30 Cambodians have been shot dead while illegally crossing the Thai border since 2008, with many headed there for the purpose of illegal logging. Yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said they have only themselves to blame.

Speaking at the opening of national road 62 in Preah Vihear province yesterday, Hun Sen called those crossing the border to illegally log “provokers” and said it was difficult to blame the soldiers who shot them. He also warned armed forces commanders and civilians involved in illegal logging, both in Cambodia and across the border, that the Anti-Corruption Unit would investigate them if they didn’t cease their activities.

“They have not only cut Khmer timber, [they] have also entered to cut Thai timber until [Thai soldiers] have shot and killed them. We must dare to admit that our Khmer entered to cut Thai timber,” Hun Sen said.

“Sometimes they are provokers, and when [Thai soldiers] shoot, it is difficult to blame them, because [the victims] have gone to provoke".

Hun Sen said the loggers, especially the armed force commanders involved, had advanced skills when it came to felling trees and operating the heavy trucks required to move timber.

He said some loggers had even used Red Cross, RCAF and petroleum vehicles to transport luxury timber.

In a bid to crack down on Cambodian commanders involved in illegal logging, Hun Sen called on soldiers to give him the name of any commanders they knew to be logging, adding they could do so under the guaranteed safety of anonymity.

“Regarding these officials, the Anti-Corruption Unit must investigate, or they can request that I investigate,” he said.

Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said those who resort to crossing into Thailand to log are often unemployed and living in poverty, and it was the responsibility of Cambodia’s leaders to find justice for the victims.

“[A logger] goes to log because he is poor. He is poor because the leader makes him poor. The leader does not have the possibility to find a job for him, nor can he provide him with the farmland he needs to live,” Yim Sovann said.

“Just because they are guilty of illegal logging, it doesn’t mean they deserve to be shot. But the [Thai] soldiers have done this because they look down on Khmer and Khmer leaders.”

Chan Saveth, chief investigator at human rights group Adhoc, said the government had a duty to create more jobs for Cambodians to prevent them from risking their lives to log.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក
 puts onus                   ព្រមាន
loggers                       អ្នកកាប់ឈើ
provokers                  អ្នកបង្ករឿង
civilians                     មន្រ្តីសីវិល
timber                        ឈើ
felling trees​              ផ្តួលរលំឈើ
heavy trucks            រថយន្តធន់ធ្ងន់
had even used          ថែមទាំងប្រើបា្រស់
Red Cross               រថយន្ត កាដបាតក្រហម
RCAF                      រថយន្ត កងយុទ្ធពលខេមរភូមិន 
petroleum vehicles  រថយន្តប្រេងឥន្ធន
anonymity                 ការមិនចេញឈ្មោះ
farmland                   ដីស្រែ
risking their lives to log​    ប្រថុយជីវិតរបស់ពួកគេចូលទៅកាប់ឈើ

Reference
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011121453355/National-news/hun-sen-puts-onus-on-loggers.html

Koh Kong protest heats up

May Titthara

Wednesday, 07 December 2011

Phnom Penh Post

Photo by: May Titthara

A villager begs Koh Kong Deputy Provincial Governor Oun Chhaly (left) to help find a resolution to a dispute involving more than 1,000 families and the Chinese-owned company Union Development Group. Villagers blocked National Road 48 yesterday in Koh Kong province to draw attention to the case.

Following a seven-hour stand-off between villagers who blocked National Road No 48 in Koh Kong province yesterday and military police who threatened to drive their trucks over them, Kiri Sakor district governor Chheng Chhe promised to resign from his position if he was unable to resolve the land dispute that sparked the protest by February 1. 

“If I cannot find the resolution and provide two hectares of land [to each family facing relocation] by February 2012, I will resign from my job,” he said yesterday.  

The promise was made after about 200 villagers from two communes in two districts blocked the road at 6am to force authorities to resolve their dispute with a Chinese company that was given a 36,000 hectare economic land concession to develop a US$3.6 billion tourist project.

Union Development Group, which has an office in Phnom Penh, could not be reached for comment.

The villagers from Koh Sdach commune in Kiri Sakor district and Tham Sar commune in Botum Sakor district crowded together on the road when police attempted to drive their trucks through, following the failure of negotiations with the deputy governor of Kiri Sakor district. They had demanded an exact date for a resolution of the dispute.

Traffic had backed up for two kilometres on the road, and villagers threatened to set vehicles on fire if they tried to break through.

Prum San, 51, said the protesters felt they had no option after waiting more than a year for a resolution. “If the governor does not resolve the dispute by February, we will block the road again,” he said.

Sim Navy, 46, urged those who were inconvenienced to understand their desperation. “We are losing our homes and land forever,” she said. “Khmer people should help other Khmer people,” she said, adding that local authorities were threatening the villagers rather than helping them.

Luy Touch, 45, said they had hoped they would benefit from the development project, but the opposite had happened. “I am not afraid to die. I will fight back if police use violence, because they have abandoned us and treated us like animals. The only time they support us is when they want our votes in an election,” Luy Touch said.

Deputy provincial governor Oun Chhaly said he promised to immediately report their concerns to the government, but added that he could not promise results.

The concession was granted in 2008, and 1,143 families have been ordered to relocate. They say they were promised new houses, two hectares of land and land titles, but those who moved to the relocation site say they have small plots and no titles. Military police are also blocking access to villages where families have refused to move.

ប្រែពាក្យពិបាក

heats up                      កើតទើ្ឃងយ៉ាងក្តៅគគុក
stand-off​                     ជាប់គាំង
resign                          ចុះចេញ
sparked                       បង្កឲ្យមាន
Union Development Group   ក្រុមហុ៏នអភិវឍ្ឍន៏សហជិប
crowded                        បានប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នា
failure                            បរាជ័យ
backed up                     បានកកស្ទះ

inconvenienced             មិនសប្បាយចិត្ត
desperation                   ភាពអស់សង្ឃឹម

abandoned                     បោះបង់ចោល
small plots                      ដីតូច
blocking access              បិទច្រក់ចូល

Reference

http://camwatchblogs.blogspot.com/2011/12/koh-kong-protest-heats-up.html