Friday, February 18, 2011

KI Media

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KI Media

Speak Truth To Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark - the Play by Ariel Dorfman - FREE ADMISSION but come early!

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:58 PM PST

CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education is proud to present Speak Truth To Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark, a play by Ariel Dorfman based on Kerry Kennedy's book Speak Truth To Power, as part of the 2-day launching events in Phnom Penh of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights' project by the same name, with performance by the Phnom Penh Players with introduction by Ms. Kennedy.  This coming THURSDAY, 24 February 2011 at PUC Auditorium (Norodom Blvd.).  FREE ADMISSION, on a first-come-first-served basis. So, COME EARLY!

-  Theary C. Seng, CIVICUS Cambodia founding president, Phnom Penh

Military chiefs may hold ceasefire talks [-Let the soldiers talk peace?]

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:55 PM PST

19/02/2011
WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post

Thai and Cambodian military leaders may launch ceasefire talks amid the current diplomatic stalemate.

Negotiations may start this weekend or after Tuesday's meeting of Asean foreign ministers in Indonesia, said 2nd Army commander Thawatchai Samutsakhon yesterday.

He is coordinating with Lt Gen Chea Mon, chief of the Cambodian 4th Region Army, about the prospect of talks.

The United Nations Security Council has recommended a permanent ceasefire after hearing both sides of the story on Monday following a series of border clashes. It has also called for Asean's engagement in the dispute.


On Thursday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said his government would urge Thailand to agree to a peace deal during the foreign ministers' meeting. He said the agreement should be signed by the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers and witnessed by Asean.

But Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected Cambodia's proposal, saying it was too early to talk about such a move.

Mr Abhisit said the two countries must hold talks and that Asean could act only as a facilitator. Asean was not in a position to become involved in such matters of conflict.

According to Lt Gen Thawatchai, the planned talks with Lt Gen Chea Mon appear less formal. "We [Thai and Cambodian military] usually talk. This is not the talks. The talks must come from policy," he said.

After fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province earlier this month, military leaders from both sides reportedly rushed to hold talks in an effort to end hostilities. Sporadic exchanges of fire have continued, especially on Phu Makhua mountain.

Lt Gen Thawatchai said the army was prepared for any situation and troops were helping provincial authorities to build bunkers in border villages vulnerable to skirmishes.

An army source said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had talked with his Cambodian counterpart Teah Banh about calling a ceasefire.

According to the source, the Cambodian defence minister agrees with the ceasefire but admits that troops at the border may not be aware of the efforts.

Cambodian troops, he said, appear bent on seizing as much as possible of the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area adjoining the Preah Vihear temple.

Hun Sen playing high stakes game [-So does Abishit!]

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:51 PM PST

19/02/2011
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

The government was hardly taken by surprise when Cambodia resorted to citing the International Court of Justice's 1962 ruling on ownership of Preah Vihear as the border dispute between the two sides unfolded this week.

[KI-Media Note: The above statement is misleading. On 15 Feb 2011, Kasit Piromya said that Thailand was ready to defend the case at the ICJ, one day after the UNSC meeting. Therefore, Thailand knew what was coming.]

The ICJ ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but did not determine who owned the 4.6 square kilometres of surrounding land.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong raised the 1962 verdict at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York on Monday.

In the last paragraph of his statement, Hor Namhong said the UNSC may refer to the ICJ for interpretation of its judgement according to Article 96.1 of the UN Charter, because the 1962 ruling - and its misinterpretation - is the root cause of the conflict.


The UNSC, however, did not look closely into the ICJ's decision, instead calling for the two countries to agree to a permanent ceasefire and to allow Asean to mediate the matter.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday that his government would ask the ICJ to rule on the matter again.

Phnom Penh is adamant that bilateral negotiations are not the answer to the dispute and will try all means to avoid them. It prefers to take the matter back to court, because it has won there before.

Cambodia is also aware that Thailand does not favour outsiders getting involved in the border row - which is perhaps why Phnom Penh is proposing signing a peace deal witnessed by other Asean member countries.

Thailand is unlikely to agree, so the meeting of all 10 Asean foreign ministers in Jakarta on Feb 22 looks unlikely to result in a solution.

In taking the case back to the ICJ, Phnom Penh is prepared to hire lawyers who have experience fighting border disputes before the international court. But Thailand is confident it will be able to better defend itself this time if the matter does go to the ICJ.

Bangkok believes the ICJ will not hand a repeat victory to Cambodia simply on the basis of its 1962 ruling.

That the dispute has carried on ever since highlights its complexity.

If this assumption is true, the ICJ might defer its authority to the two countries to reach their own settlement, which would back up Thailand's position that no one knows the problems on the border better than those involved in the dispute: itself, and Cambodia.

Abhisit, wake up and accept Asean's help [-Thai opinion]

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:45 PM PST

(Photo: Reuters)
February 19, 2011
Songdej Praditsmanont
Bangkok
The Nation
Opinion

When two neighbours quarrel to the extent of having to use firearms, common sense tells me that both parties cannot sit down and negotiate on their own.

One has to call police to resolve the issue. I give the benefit of the doubt to the Foreign Ministry and PM Abhisit Vejjajiva for knowing best in not giving importance to Cambodia internationally and regionally. But I now start to doubt the government's tactic in declining the offer of help from Asean when it should be beneficial to us to allow others to see the other side of our opponent.

Furthermore, I am also puzzled by a man who has called Hun Sen a ruffian, then having the audacity to shake his hand afterward. He is supposed to talk sense with Hun Sen. In this latest flare-up he called Hun Sen a delinquent and blamed Russia, France and India for taking sides. He is now still our representative in resolving our issues with Hun Sen. I have to admit that either I am in the wrong universe or PM Abhisit and the Foreign Ministry are outside this orbit.

Cambodia makes border mountain a strategic point [-It's on Cambodian land anyway!]

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:42 PM PST

February 19, 2011
The Nation

Phu Makhua has caught the media limelight since it became a clash point between Thai and Cambodian soldiers early this month.

The border skirmishes caused casualties and sent thousands of people fleeing for safety.

Locals along the borderline have known the Phu Makhua very well.

It is a mountain full of stripe eggplant during rainy season. The plant, known as "makhua lai" in Thai, has given the mountain its name.


Phu Makhua is located in a disputed area near Wat Keow Sikha Kiri Svara and the Preah Vihear Temple. Thai rangers used to have a base on Phu Makhua but abandoned it about a decade ago for unknown reasons.

Cambodian troops have clearly marked Phu Makhua as a strategic location. This explains why Cambodia has installed iron ladders with more than 900 steps for its troops to climb up to the top of Phu Makhua. Cambodia has also constructed a system for two makeshift cable cars for the purpose of carrying its troops and military supplies up to the mountaintop.

The cable-car system is on a spot known among Thai soldiers as "hua doh". Thai villagers have called the spot "pa lan tham phra" because it is a quite spacious stone yard.

Presently, some 1,600 troops from a Cambodia's special-warfare unit are now deployed at Phu Makhua. This is in addition to a military unit widely known as Hun Sen's loyal bodyguards. Members of this unit are war orphans supported by Hun Sen. They are thus very loyal to Hun Sen and his family. This unit is now under the supervision of Hun Sen's beloved son, Hun Manet.

These soldiers are on top of troops positioned on the frontline.

Cambodia, moreover, is now clearing way for its plan to construct a road that will run from Komui village of Cambodia's Preah Vihear province to Phu Makhua, and to the Preah Vihear Temple.

The construction of the road is now 70-per-cent complete.

The new road is clearly a strategic route for military operations. Many of Cambodia's military bases will enjoy access to this road.

The road is also part of Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear Temple complex, which it hopes the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) will approve.

The management plan follows the Unesco decision to inscribe the ancient Hindu temple as a world-heritage site in Cambodia three years ago.

Since Cambodia unilaterally sought the inscription, border tension has intensified. Thailand has now objected to the management plan proposed by Cambodia with the argument that some parts of the Preah Vihear complex are located on Thai soil.

Bahrain royal family orders army to turn on the people

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:31 PM PST

Sixty hurt as Bahrain troops fire on protesters: Protesters run for shelter after Bahraini security forces opened fire at protesters marching towards the Pearl Square in capital Manama February 18, 2011. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Bahraini protesters face off against army tanks after some shots were thought to have been fired, according to some demonstrators, near the Pearl roundabout Friday, Feb. 18, 2011, in Manama, Bahrain. Several prayed then sat down and shouted 'peaceful, peaceful'. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

Bahrain's ruling family has defied mounting international criticism by ordering the army to turn on its people for the first time since pro-reform demonstrations erupted five days ago. 


18 Feb 2011
By Adrian Blomfield in Manama
The Telegraph (UK)

As protesters attempted to converge on Pearl Roundabout, a landmark in the capital Manama that has become the principal rallying point of the uprising, soldiers stationed in a nearby skyscraper opened fire.

Since they took to the streets, Bahrain's protesters have come to expect violence and even death at the hands of the kingdom's security forces. At least five people were killed before yesterday's protests.

But this was on a different scale of magnitude.

As they drew near, they were met first with tear gas and then with bursts of live ammunition.

Many fled the first salvoes, scrambling down empty streets as the shots rang out behind them.

As they ran, terror and disbelief flashed across their faces. One man shouted: "They are killing our people! They are killing our people."


Cowering behind a wall, a woman wept, her body shaking in fear.

But many refused to run, initially at least, determined to defy the violence being visited upon them. Some held their hands in the air and shouted "Peaceful! Peaceful!".

The shooting resumed. One man crumpled to the ground, blood pouring from his leg; nearby a second was also felled. A scream went up: "live ammunition!"

As security forces then began to fire anti-air craft guns over their heads and the air filled with tear gas, the protesters' will finally broke.

But even as they fled in headlong panic, a helicopter sprayed gunfire at them and more fell. Paramedics from ambulances that had rushed to the scene darted forward to help the wounded, but they too were shot at. Several were detained and at least one ambulance was impounded.

Doctors at the nearby Salmaniyah hospital said they had received 32 wounded people, nine of whom were in a critical condition. There were unconfirmed reports of two deaths at Pearl Roundabout, but witnesses said the bodies had been seized by the army.

Those caught up in the violence were mourners, returning from funerals of three people killed before dawn the previous day when police opened fire on protesters, many of whom were asleep, in a successful bid to regain control of Pearl Roundabout.

Thousands thronged the body of Ali Ahmad al-Moumen as it was born aloft down the streets of Sitra, a poor Shia village near Manama.

Despite the violence, many said the death of Moumen and other protesters had only increased their determination to press ahead with the protests.

"The regime has failed to stop us," Abdulwahab Hussein, a senior Shia Muslim leader, told the crowd. "Their action shows that they are strong and we are weak."

Most of the protesters are members of Bahrain's long-marginalised Shia majority.

They say they are not demanding the abdication of Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Sunni king, but they are calling for a constitutional monarchy that would treat the Shia fairly and make them equal subjects in his kingdom.

But they are demanding the resignation of his uncle Khalifa bin Sulman Al Khalifa, who has served as prime minister for 39 years.

During his rule, the protesters say, the Shia have been turned into second class citizens, deprived of jobs in the army, police force and government while Sunnis from abroad have been given Bahraini citizenship to alter the kingdom's demographic balance.

Government officials in Bahrain have warned that the Shia opposition is controlled by Iran, which seeks to use the kingdom to establish a foothold on the Arabian peninsula.

Protesters insist that they have no love for Iran and are only seeking justice for themselves.

Thailand intends NO peace with Cambodia

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 11:37 AM PST

Feb 18, 2011
The Voice of Russia

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva intends no ceasefire talks with Cambodia.

"It's not us who started this conflict, and it's not us who must stop it," he said in an interview to The Bangkok Press newspaper.

The armed conflict between Cambodia and Thailand was caused by a dispute over a piece of land where an ancient Hindu temple Preah Vihear stands.

12 people have already been killed in fire exchanges.

On Thursday, Cambodia suggested signing a peace deal, with ASEAN as mediators. Thailand, however, insists on direct talks.

Eco-holiday in Cambodia

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 10:19 AM PST

18 Feb 2011
The Guardian, London
By Jane Dunford
(Photo: Bloomberg)

Besides the country's beaches and temples, Cambodia also offers alternative options for tourists, such as a luxury waterborne ecolodge deep in pristine rainforest

It's pitch black as I set off tentatively in my kayak, the starless sky merging seamlessly into the inky river. The only sound is of my paddle in the water and a faint chirping of cicadas. Suddenly the darkness is broken — a tree decorated in a thousand fairy lights is frantically flickering on the riverbank.

"It's the firefly disco," says Chilly, my guide, pointing at the twinkling display.

I am, it's fair to say, in the middle of nowhere. This is the Tatai river, east of Koh Kong, in the southern reaches of Cambodia's Cardamom mountains. Half-way between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, this is a pristine area of rainforest and coastal mangroves that barely features on the tourist trail.

What's more I'm camping — though it's not exactly pop-up tent and baked beans. I'm staying at the Four Rivers Floating Lodge, which takes glamping to a whole new extreme.

The brilliant idea of Romanian owner Valentin Pawlik, the entire resort is waterborne. You get here by boat, arriving at one of a series of floating wooden platforms. A central pontoon houses bar, restaurant and library. There are 12 huge and super-luxurious South African safari tents (six more are planned), with private decks and sunloungers, double-sinked en suite bathrooms, and flatscreen TVs and DVD players that seem a tad incongruous in the heart of the jungle. But, hey, this is wilderness in style.

It's all very eco-friendly too — largely solar-powered, and staffed mostly by locals — so you needn't have a guilty conscience. Move it away and there'd be little sign that it had ever existed.

Leaving the fireflies to party I paddle slowly back home and feast on spicy shrimp and freshwater fish with coconut, cooked in banana leaves, before heading for a blissful night's rest, lulled to sleep by the gentle bobbing of the water.

Most visitors to Cambodia flock to the revitalized capital of Phnom Penh further east, and the temples around Siem Reap in the north. This coastal region, part of the Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, is home to some of the country's most impressive natural sights. The long civil war kept developers and loggers at bay, and the potential for ecotourism is huge (although the threat of hydroelectric power plants looms).

Four Rivers, with its gorgeous setting on a bend in the river, is magical at all times of day — misty in the morning, glowing at sunset and prettily lit up after dark — and as tranquil a place as you could wish for. I spend much of my time here kayaking through the mangrove maze (spotting those fireflies, and watching monkeys gather at the water's edge at dusk), swimming in the river from steps outside my tent (a pool is planned) and visiting waterfalls, where the pounding torrent gives a great back massage.

There are excursions into the jungle, led by a former poacher, to spot wildlife and to visit villages and fruit plantations. (Overnight camping is a new option too). As I'm here at the end of the rainy season, when leeches and mud make trekking treacherous, we take a boat downstream instead. Thick mangrove forests line the banks, and dolphins can sometimes be spied in the estuary opening on to the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Kong island appears on the horizon, an as yet undeveloped paradise with pristine beaches and untouched rainforest.

We stop at Koh Sra Lau, an island with one tiny fishing village, and wander around while women sit mending nets and offer us fried fish with tamarind sauce and papaya. There's no tourist fatigue here, just friendly welcomes. A little boy grabs my hand and leads me to the village school, where children proudly sweep the classroom before the teachers appear.

I'm keen to explore more, so the next day head to Chi Phat village, and a community-based project started by conservation charity Wildlife Alliance in the Southern Cardamoms Protected Forest. It aims to preserve the rainforest by helping villagers earn a living from ecotourism, instead of illegal logging or hunting endangered animals, and giving tourists a unique green adventure. It's a winding bus journey down to the port town of Andoung Tuek and a two-hour boat ride along Phipot river to the village. There are several guesthouses, but I choose a homestay on the outskirts of town with Chou and her young family, who sit underneath the stilted wooden house, a cow curled at their feet like a pet dog. A far cry from the luxuries of Four Rivers it may be, but it's clean, comfortable and a great way to see everyday village life.

Chi Phat is all about outdoor adventure: You can trek or cycle into jungle and mountains for days at a time, sleeping in hammocks or rustic campsites, go birdwatching, take boat trips or check out the nearby bat caves and an area dotted with mysterious ancient burial jars. I sign up for a 28km mountain bike tour to O'Malu waterfall. Crossing grassy plains and traditional farmland, we follow Lucky — a 23-year-old from the village who's been trained in everything from bike maintenance to wildlife spotting — up steep paths through the tangled jungle, with gibbons calling high overhead. It's a challenging ride in parts (yep, I end up on my bum in a puddle at one point) but jumping into the cool pool at the base of the waterfall is a great reward.

There's no one else around as we tuck into lunch, sitting on rocks in the sunshine, surrounded by rainforest, the waterfall roaring. Marvelous though the sights of Angkor Wat and the buzz of Phnom Penh are, I can't help thinking that it's Cambodia's more remote natural attractions that offer the best adventure — and one it would be a shame to miss.

Thai Patriots Network sacks legal advisor for Veera, Ratree

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:25 AM PST

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (MCOT online news) -- The Thai Patriots Network (TPN) has sacked Nathaporn Toprayoon as its legal advisor overseeing the cases of two Thais --Veera Somkwamkid, a key network activist and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, both jailed in Cambodia--and network representatives will visit them in prison to ask for their final decision on appeal attempt, according to leading TPN activist Chaiwat Sinsuwong.

Mr Nathaporn said Thursday that he has received a request from the families of Mr Veera, network coordinator, and Ms Ratree, asking the network to drop the plan to appeal their cases and submit a request seeking an intervention from international organisations in the case.

He said their families were worried about their living circumstances in the Cambodian prison and wanted them back to Thailand as soon as possible so that they would ask the Thai government to seek a royal pardon from the Cambodian king.


Mr Chaiwat said his group had not yet been told by the prisoners' families that the two would not appeal their verdicts and would seek a royal pardon from the Cambodian king instead.

TPN members have not yet met the two, but will stick to their principle, which is to help them in fighting the case, Mr Chaiwat said.

Mr Chaiwat said his group had contacted the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh asking it to facilitate TPN leaders meeting with the two on Feb 25 and to "respect their decisions."

The Cambodian court on Feb 1 ruled that the two were guilty of espionage, illegal entry and trespassing in a military zone. They were sentenced to an eight-year jail term and a 1.8 million riel (US$450) fine for Mr Veera and a six-year jail term and a 1.2 million riel (US$300) fine for Ms Ratree.

An appeal could be filed within 30 days.

Mr Chaiwat said the TPN committee stripped Mr Nathaporn of his role as legal advisor after the group found that they "couldn't work well with each other," and gave no further details.

Meanwhile, Mr Nathaporn said in an telephone interview that he actually has not been officially appointed by TPN as the network's legal adviser.

Mr Nathaporn said he volunteered to help in the cases of Mr Veera and Ms Ratree because he knew Mr Veera personally.

He said the TPN has no right to dismiss him as part of the legal advisory team as he was not appointed and has never attended network meeting except in Mr Veera's case that he join the two or three meetings.

He said it was unfair to eject him just because he told a truth different from the network's ideals.

Mr Nathaporn added that Mr Veera and Mr Ratree had signed letters giving power of attorney naming him as their proxy in legal matters related to the case so that only two of them have rights to dismiss him

Mr Veera and Ms Ratree's families were scheduled to hold a press briefing on Saturday over the matter, but time and place would announce later.

Manhattan College offers Cambodian girl in need a math scholarship

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:22 AM PST

Manhattan College Prof. Helene Tyler, center in photo taken at Phnom Penh airport, rallied to have 18-year-old Kimsy Tor brought over to New York on a full scholarship after teaching her during a math class.
Friday, February 18th 2011
BY Corinne Lestch
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Manhattan College Professor Helene Tyler was teaching an advanced math course in Cambodia last month when a young woman, bright beyond her years, immediately caught her eye.

All of the students in the class had at least four more years of education than Kimsy Tor, 18, one of six children from a poor family.

But "she just threw herself into it and learned like I rarely see," said Tyler.

In the weeks since Tyler returned home, the professor has been quietly rallying to have Tor enrolled in Manhattan on a full scholarship.

Thursday, the Riverdale college's admissions department told Tyler that Tor has been accepted to study mathematics this September.


"Knowing how much she loves to learn, I'm just so excited that she now has this opportunity," said a choked-up Tyler.

She immediately sent Tor an email with the good news - even though it was 2:30 a.m. in Cambodia.

"Her background and interest in pursuing the type of educational opportunity we have at Manhattan is very consistent with our mission," said William Bisset, vice president of enrollment. "She's an extraordinary student."

It wouldn't have happened had not all the celestial charts and graphs been aligned, said Tyler.
She visited the Southeast Asian nation last month to voluntarily teach at the local university in Phnom Penh.

In a strategic move, the Cambodian education minister planted Tor, a recent high school graduate, in Tyler's master's course.

"It was a well-conceived plan," Tyler said with a laugh.

During the span of the four-week course, Tyler realized Tor belonged with the older students.

Tyler noticed Tor's attentiveness right away, and said she began talking to her during class breaks. The education minister organized a trip for them to a wildlife preserve, and Tyler could tell that Tor would be able to handle the pressure of leaving her family and culture.

Tyler learned that Tor is an avid Jane Austen reader and tennis player. Her parents, though considered middle-class by Cambodian standards, are poor tailors who make traditional wedding outfits.

Since the brutal Khmer Rouge rule ended in the late 1970s, Cambodians have suffered economically and academically. About one-third of the people live below the poverty line and are illiterate.

According to the education minister, Chan Roath, there are only four resident citizens who hold doctorate degrees in mathematics.

Tyler said that although she is excited that Tor will be able to broaden her horizons, the issue of money still looms.

"Now the big task is for \[Manhattan\] to secure the necessary funds through whatever available scholarship resources there are," she said. "She'd need everything - full tuition, room and board, books, a plane ticket."

Bisset said Tor definitely qualifies for merit-based scholarships.

Tyler said the hardships people like Tor have faced make the possibility of studying here a rare opportunity.

"Investing today for the future is part of the American psyche, but it's not part of the Cambodian psyche," she said.

"So seeing it from someone over there was just unusual and a bit more inspiring."

Cambodia terror trial sentences criticised

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:17 AM PST

Friday, February 18, 2011
By Alma Mistry
Radio Australia

Cambodia's justice system is being criticised after three foreign nationals were sentenced to eight years in jail under anti-terrorism laws.

Last year, Cambodian police arrested three men who allegedly sent a letter to the Australian, British and American embassies in Phnom Penh, threatening a terrorist attack.

Further investigation indicates the letter warned the embassies about four refugees from India and Burma, accusing them of links to Al Qaeda, and said they were planning an attack on the embassies.

Six signatures - with first names only - ended the letter.


Last April, police arrested and charged three of the supposed letter writers under anti-terrorism laws.

They are two Bangladeshi nationals and a Nepalese man. All worked in the capital's small but busy South Asian restaurant scene.

Experts say the case against the three relied only on the letter and no firm evidence linking the men to any crimes was produced.

The men say they will appeal against the sentence, which has been questioned by the Bangladeshi embassy and experts who say it is inconsistent with universal principles of justice.

Journalist Adam Miller covered the story for the English-language daily Phnom Penh Post.

"A personal dispute in the South Asian restaurant scene... seems to have led to this letter being written, but there's no evidence linking them to anything," he told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program.

Mr Miller said one man denied writing the letter.

But police said a handwriting analysis matched two men's signatures to the letter and the name of the third was found on one of the other's mobile phones.

Judge Sin Visal, in his judgement on Thursday, said the letter was strong evidence.

"He basically said that the letter alone was enough to prove that these guys had ties to terrorists and that they were convicted purely on that basis," Mr Miller said.

Opposition MP and member for Phnom Penh, Son Chhay, says he was shocked by the verdict. He says the case is a disturbing example of justice in Cambodia.

"We do not trust our courts. We believe in many cases the court hardly investigates the case," he said.

"Usually they just get evidence from the police and then based on that they will give a verdict.

"Many cases are based on corruption and also the influence of the government."

A Cambodian government spokesman said he was unaware of the case and declined to comment.

Indonesia reiterates need for peaceful resolution of Thai-Cambodia row

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:10 AM PST

TOKYO, Feb. 18 (Kyodo)—Visiting Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Friday that Cambodia and Thailand must jointly reiterate their commitment not to use force amid ongoing border skirmishes.

Speaking at a news conference at the Japan National Press Club, Natalegawa said Thailand and Cambodia must "reinforce or reiterate the commitments that the two sides have repeatedly made that they will not wish to resort to the use of force in solving the problem between them."

"Given the nature of the two countries today, I feel that this commitment must be made together, rather than simply made separately," he said.

The remarks came ahead of a meeting in Jakarta next Tuesday that will bring together the foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to discuss the dispute between the two countries. Indonesia currently holds the rotating chair of ASEAN.


Natalegawa visited Phnom Penh and Bangkok earlier this month in a bid to mediate in the conflict. The U.N. Security Council expressed "grave concern" Monday over the border skirmishes and called on both sides to establish a "permanent" cease-fire.

The Indonesian foreign minister added that work must be done on "how to compromise the two extreme ideas" to resolve the issue, one being to deploy a multilateral framework involving a third party and the other being for bilateral negotiations.

"Gone are the days when ASEAN swept things under the carpet, not addressing issues head-on. This time around we wish to confront issues head-on to bring peace and harmony whenever there are difficulties between ASEAN states as we are doing between Cambodia and Thailand," he said.

BusinessCommerceDespite clashes, Thailand and Cambodia to hold business summit

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:06 AM PST

February 18, 2011
Thailand Business News

Despite an ongoing border conflict which has caused bloody fighting sporadically along their frontier, Thailand and Cambodia have held their first ever business summit in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.

Thailand's Chamber of Commerce also suggested the creation of business information centres in border areas to aid economic development. The centres – termed SME clinics – would boost economic cooperation, said Thai Board of Trade Vice Chairman Niyon Wairatpining.

"Presently new investors, particularly SMEs, are afraid to invest into neighbouring countries, because of a lack of information [needed] for decision making," he said yesterday. Cambodia Chamber of Commerce
Deputy Director, Sorn Sokna, said the suggestion could boost trade an added that the chamber already had some provincial representative offices.


"We have around 150,000 SMEs looking to put investment into neighbouring countries – if we have SME clinics, they can access information and seek partners," he said.

"I will set up more offices along the border to ease the situation [of a lack of information]," he said.

Sorn Sokna said the next step would be to ensure there was an easy way to set up the project. Niyon Wairatpining recommended Cambodia set up the clinics through the Ministry of Commerce.

Observers See Limited Role for Asean in Dispute

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:02 AM PST

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Friday, 18 February 2011
"I see Asean not as a facilitator, but only as an organizer for us to meet."
With the UN Security Council this week urging Asean mediation in the Thai-Cambodian border dispute, political observers are skeptical the regional body will be able to help.

Cambodia addressed the Security Council on Monday along with Thailand, and the international body urged a ceasefire and a multi-party solution.

That could be difficult, analysts say, especially because Thailand has maintained it wants two-way talks.

Asean foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Jakarta on Tuesday, and that could provide a useful venue, even if Asean cannot resolve the dispute, said Kem Sokha, head of the minority opposition Human Rights Party.


"I see Asean not as a facilitator, but only as an organizer for us to meet," Kem Sokha said.

However, he said that without a third-party mediator, the status quo will likely remain.

Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in a longstanding border standoff that erupted in deadly clashes earlier this month. Each side has blamed to other for provoking the fighting, and Cambodia claims Preah Vihear temple was damaged by Thai artillery fire.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday he wants a ceasefire to be signed at the Asean meeting Tuesday, with Asean foreign ministers as witnesses. Meanwhile, both sides reported isolated incidents of small arms fire along the border this week.

Cambodia would like to see Asean monitors along the border, even if it means hosting them unilaterally, Hun Sen said.

Asean's ability to resolve the dispute remains in question, said Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

"There are different political tendencies, different interests," among the members, he said. "So in our view it's difficult to depend on Asean to negotiate this issue."

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the ongoing dispute is a regional issue warranting Asean attention.

In Northern Preah Vihear, Lao Is a Way of Life

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:37 AM PST

Kampong Sra Lao II consists of four villages with more than 380 families, nearly 2,000 people living along the Mekong. (Photo: AP)

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Friday, 18 February 2011
"Every village in the commune is accustomed to Lao, every household, every person, speaks that language."
In a remote corner of Preah Vihear province, an identity shift is underway. Here on the border, where the Mekong river spills over rocky falls from Laos into Cambodia, a younger generation is increasingly adopting a Lao way of life.

"Their parents only speak Lao with them," said Neang Phann, an eldery villager in Kampong Sra Lao II commune, in Chaep district. "Some parents aren't even able to speak Khmer."

In a village 100 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Neang Phann sat on the wooden stairs of a stilt house, surrounded by grandchildren who were likely unable to understand what she was saying.


"Even though I try to use Khmer with my grandchildren," she said, "they don't follow me."

Kampong Sra Lao II consists of four villages with more than 380 families, nearly 2,000 people living along the Mekong.

For decades, Cambodians here have been much more isolated from their fellow countrymen than from their Lao neighbors to the north. Goods and services are exchanged across the border, as are nuptials.

That has meant heavy influence of Lao culture and language, from weddings and funerals to house styles and currency.

Lao has become the lingua franca of the area, said Thou Ham, a 42-year-old farmer and deputy village chief. "It has already become a habit," he said. "Every village in the commune is accustomed to Lao, every household, every person, speaks that language."

"I do it with my kids," he admitted. "They don't like me speaking Khmer."

Each of the four villages has a primary school, but classes are irregular due to a shortage of teachers. Technically, Khmer literacy is a requirement, but Lao is more commonly spoken in everyday life.

That has Khuon Pann, the deputy commune chief, worried.

"If our people continue to speak Lao, this area will become part of Laos," he said. "We're losing both our family name and our identity now. So we'll become Laotians."

Chaep District Governor Ung Vuthy says the government is planning to build a road to connect the area to the province and to bring in Khmer concerts and cultural forums.

"We can no longer keep them quietly isolated," he said. "Otherwise, it will be more difficult for us in the future."

Cambodia Denies Ordering Websites Blocked

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:26 AM PST

Robert Carmichael, Voice of America
Phnom Penh February 18, 2011

For the past few weeks, several websites critical of the Cambodian government have been unavailable through a number of Internet service providers, or ISPs. Although the government has denied ordering the sites censored, a leaked memo indicates it indeed ordered access cut.

The Phnom Penh Post newspaper this week published extracts from leaked minutes of a meeting at which the minister for post and telecommunications asked Internet service providers to block access to critical sites.

The Post also ran extracts from an e-mail sent by a senior ministry official congratulating 10 ISPs for helping to block the websites, and admonishing three others for not doing so.

Human rights group LICADHO, which issues an annual report assessing Cambodia's media, objects to the web censorship.


LICADHO consultant Mathieu Pellerin says the revelation of state censorship is significant.

"Beginning to censor the Internet is basically censoring the last unregulated space for Cambodians to express themselves and reach information that would otherwise not be accessible to them," said Pellerin. It is an important milestone in the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and access to information."

Cambodia's press technically is free, but every television station is pro-government as are most radio stations. The government uses the threat of criminal defamation charges to curtail criticism.

Internet service provider EZECOM, one of the biggest here, said for weeks that the government had not told it to block sites, and that it had not blocked any.

But EZECOM was one of the 10 ISPs praised in the official's e-mail for blocking a number of sites, including KI-Media.

EZECOM's chief operating officer would not comment on the Post's reports.

The half-dozen or so blocked websites are often critical of the ruling party. Prime Minister Hun Sen is listed on the KI-Media website, for instance, in a column titled "Traitors""

The site shows exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy in its "Heroes" column.

KI-Media often runs articles critical of the ruling party and its supporters.

LICADHO's Pellerin says because Cambodia's Internet market is small, the effect of barring access to these websites is more significant than it might seem.

"And so you don't have as many sites as you would have in other countries, so few sites but in a smaller pool of sites affects quite a lot of viewers, and these sites that have been censored were quite popular with the Cambodian community," he added.

The minister for post and telecommunications said on Thursday that there was no policy to block access to websites.

President Obama Quotes Robert F. Kennedy in 2011 State of the Union Address

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:13 AM PST



The future is not a gift.

It is an achievement.

- Robert F. Kennedy

My Rights, My Responsibility (ICCPR) Series

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:09 AM PST

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Ratified, acceded by UN General Assembly in December 1966, entry into force March 1976. Cambodia ratified the ICCPR (thus, a part of Cambodia's body of laws) and is obligated to submit regular reports to the United Nations.

PART IV
Article 38

Every member of the [Human Rights] Committee shall, before taking up his duties, make a solemn declaration in open committee that he will perform his functions impartially and conscientiously.

My Rights, My Responsibility (Constitution) Series

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:02 AM PST

Constitution of Cambodia (Sept. 1993)

CHAPTER V: ECONOMY
Article 63

The State shall respect market management in order to guarantee a better standard of living for the people.

Internet freedom is critical

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:31 AM PST

Friday 18 February 2011
US Ambassador Carol A Rodley
The Phnom Penh Post
Opinion
Arresting bloggers, prying into the peaceful activities of citizens and limiting or closing off access to information does not make a society more secure for the long term. Silencing ideas does not make them go away. Second, we must protect both transparency and confidentiality. Transparency is critical. We can and should give citizens information about their governments.
Just over a year ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a global commitment to internet freedom. She has now addressed the issue again in a major speech on the subject.

Based on the universal human rights framework, internet freedom – or as Secretary Clinton deemed, the freedom to connect – applies the freedoms of assembly, expression and association to cyberspace.

Today, as we look around at world events, this commitment is more important than ever. By preserving these rights in the digital era, we preserve the promise and the possibility of the internet as a platform for ideas, innovation, connection and economic growth.

Against the backdrop of Egypt and the largest internet shutdown of our time, we have heard numerous calls to honour the freedom to connect, in particular to seek and share information over the internet, from President Obama and Secretary Clinton as well as leaders around the world.

The internet has become the public sphere of the 21st century – it is the global town square. Here in Cambodia, the government has repeatedly stated its commitment to internet freedom. Internet use in Cambodia has risen over 1,700 percent in 10 years, with over 170,000 users now online. Internet cafes have sprouted up in all the major cities.


And the fact that the Cambodian economy has grown so quickly during that same period is no coincidence. As people gain economic security they seek additional opportunities to connect with each other, and ensuring those opportunities are available will contribute to further growth.

Cambodians and people around the world come together every day on the internet to connect to one another, sample a universe of news and information, or make their voices heard. And through this discourse, be it online or in person, new dimensions of debates that we have been having for centuries emerge: how best to govern, administer justice, pursue prosperity and create the conditions for long-term progress, both within and across borders.

The connectivity that the digital age fosters has only added new urgency to how we address these age-old issues. The choices governments make today will determine the face of the internet in the future and they will not be easily made.

The choices we face are familiar, but the space in which we confront them is not. How do we protect: liberty and security? Transparency and confidentiality? Freedom of expression, while fostering tolerance and harmony?

First, too often liberty and security are seen as mutually exclusive, but we must have both to have either, both online and offline. We are reminded daily of both the promise and the peril of the information age.
We must have enough security to enable our freedoms, but not so much as to endanger them. In the balance between liberty and security, the fulcrum is the rule of law.

Our allegiance to it does not vanish in cyberspace. Neither does our commitment to civil liberties. The United States is equally determined to track and stop terrorists and criminal activity online and offline. In both spheres, we pursue this goal in accordance with our values. It is no secret that "security" is something invoked as a justification for limiting internet freedom.

Arresting bloggers, prying into the peaceful activities of citizens and limiting or closing off access to information does not make a society more secure for the long term. Silencing ideas does not make them go away. Second, we must protect both transparency and confidentiality. Transparency is critical. We can and should give citizens information about their governments.

But confidentiality is also paramount. It protects the ability of organisations and governments to carry out their missions and best serve the public interest. Governments do have a higher standard to meet when invoking confidentiality, because they serve the public. But all governments require some degree of confidentiality when dealing with matters such as public safety and national security.

For example, it would not be sensible to publish on the internet details of sensitive negotiations between countries on how to locate and dispose of nuclear materials or how to combat the violence of drug trafficking networks.

Third, we must seek to protect free expression while at the same time fostering tolerance. Just like a town square, the internet is home to every kind of speech: false, offensive, constructive and innovative. With an online population of more than 2 billion people that is rapidly growing, the diversity of speech online will only proliferate.

As stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all people have the right to freedom of expression. The challenge is to support freedom of expression online while emphasising the importance of tolerance, respectful discourse and peace. We believe the best way to do this is to promote more speech, not to limit it. Exposing and challenging offensive speech, rather than suppressing it, allows for public scrutiny and response. In the marketplace of ideas, those ideas with merit will become stronger and those without merit will in time fade away.

The principles of internet freedom are rooted in the openness of the platform, the internet should remain an engine of ideas, innovation and economic growth. Open markets for new products and services catalyze entrepreneurship, innovation and investment. We have seen the benefits of investment and innovation in the global internet marketplace flow to those nations that make openness the hallmark of their internet policy.

As we move forward and the universal town square of the internet continues to flourish, we are confident that we can protect and advance the principles of liberty and security; transparency and confidentiality; and free speech and tolerance. Together they comprise the foundation of a free and open internet.

Are Cambodians Really Free, and when Is Government Censorship Okay?

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:17 AM PST


Friday, February 18, 2011
Opinion by Keo Cham

I Disagree

To those who believe that freedom must have a limit, that expressions must not harm, and that words must not destroy; I completely supports your views, and humbly submit my freedom for the sake of these noble principles.

But to those who believe that freedom should be curved and that governments should have the responsibility to act as moral police to ensure that expressions do not "libel", "slander", "falsify" or "destabilize", I must respectfully, disagree.

What is the difference? One, we should know and distinguish in our minds that the limitations of freedom and the enforcements of it's limits are not the same. The jurisdiction of enforcement on the limitations of our freedoms does not fall to the governments, its responsibilities lies in the desire and aspirations of our society and the people.

Laws are created to protect society and the people within it; they are not tools to immortalized an institution, or a small clique of people.


While I disagree with my fellow homeland Cambodians about what freedom means, I can understand and do sympathize for them. Cambodians, I believe still have a lot to learn about freedoms, and specifically, freedom of expressions.

We know that our environments shapes our thoughts and frames our worldview. Given this axiom, it is not hard to understand why so many Cambodians who never left Cambodia can develop such a restrictive attitude and narrow definition for freedoms.

For their whole life they have always been accustomed to being told what they can do and what they cannot do. No one truly experiences freedom in Cambodia, only the freedoms sanctioned by Mr. Hun Sen's ruling party.

Mr. Hun Sen's freedom comes with many caveats and strings attached, and over time --30 long years, the Cambodian people have become habituated to it and willfully relinquished their birth rights to free conscious, free thoughts, and the freedom to disemniate those thoughts through vocal or expressive opinions ---whether they may manifest in the form of media, academic publications, or public assemblies.

The Habituated Resignation of Khmers: Bound by Choice

The Cambodians have fait acompli relinquished their own freedoms, and they do so willingly for a small group of people, who claims to represents and speak for the thoughts and opinions of more than 14 million souls and individuals.

Habituated resignation- this is the only way I can explain the state of the Cambodians' apathy and even some's support of Mr. Hun Sen's policies. Otherwise, how else could you explain, in a "free" and "democractic" society, a group of people so willing to stand by a government who:

Shuts up journalist with defamation law suits; ban documentaries; shunned artists; blacklist cartoonist; beats up landless victims; evict thousands from their homes; and "provide coffins" to any Khmers who vocally speaks up against the oppressions of their own people in Vietnam?

Have we forgotten that a former abbot of Phnom Denh pagoda was allowed to be kidnapped and humiliated by a foreign country, while helping refugees in his own Cambodia?

Have we forgotten that two innocent men were framed and jailed over 2 years for the murder of a union leader whose only crime was to encouraged fair treatments and wage for the sweat works of our Cambodian women and factory workers?

Are these the limits of our freedoms that we Cambodians must lowered ourselves to accept?

No one should die because they believed differently from you. No one should be jailed because they are honest about their feelings. No one should be imprisoned because they shared an article that does not agree to your taste - And yes, it does not matter if they shared it with a few private colleagues, or a campus full of citizens.

My fellow homeland Cambodians, wakeup and see the change in the world. Ask yourself if freedom truly exist for you if you have to ask permissions to do everything else that others in the world so freely enjoy and take for granted. Such things if I must spell it out again, are independent press, assemblies, free critiques of their governments, free complaints of their disastifactions, and vocal expressions of their dislikes for a public institution or figure. Such are the freedoms that we take for granted sometimes but dearly enjoy here in a democratic country in the west. Is that what you have in Cambodia?

The Role of Censorship

Freedom should only be denied when the acts carries a threat of existence to a group, a person, or a nation - but it should never be denied based on the fear that it could "destabilized" an institution, such as:

The Church, The State Religion, The State Party, or any Political Entity such as a particular regime.

Any government that seeks to ban or control freedom of expression through:

A.) Curbing protests and building of "freedom" squares or parks

B.) Destroying public screenings of documentaries

C.) Arresting leaflets distributors of opposing views

D.) Threatening defamation lawsuits against whistle blowers or journalists

The authority do not take this actions because these are a threat to our existence, a threat to our safety, or a threat to the continuation of our nation. Our nation is over 2 thousand years old, and will continue to exist, whether the CPP is at the helm or not. The Cambodians should take pride in the ancientness of our culture, and take comfort that the fall of Mr. Hun Sen, by their will whether through legal or popular means does not spell the destruction of our resilient nation.

Mr. Hun Sen's government take the actions mentioned above not for the sake of maintaining your freedom, but for the sake of maintaining their power over you, and for the sake of maintaining the survival of their institution- the CPP. An institution is not a person, or a group of people, they can change and sometimes completely disappear. Criticizing such instutions therefore does not constitute a threat to any individual or harming of any group. Even slandering, or libeling them in my opinions are perfectly within the domains of freedom that any future Cambodian government must protect.

The job of a working democratic Cambodian government should be to protect our freedoms, but never to limit it. That jurisdictions falls to the people. They will decide where the limits of their freedom lies. Institutions, parties, and even philosophy and religions change. But these changes reflect the people's desire for the development of their human potentials, and therefore should not be obstructed by the government via the excuse of "protecting" freedom or maintaining "stability". Stability of what? stability of their power over you! Stability of their own regime! How the people manifest their desires, is important to their progress. If they are kept silent, they will never achieve those aspirations.

If a government stands in the way of the people's aspiration, should you throw your support behind them, so you can be bound too by their definitions of freedom? I don't know for you, but for me, No Thanks!

Final words to my Khmer government and people:

(This opinion is in no way to interpret that I am in disagreement with our government on the current Thai Khmer situation, KHMERS are UNITED on this issue -- pressed on harder!)

Censorship is bad business

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:09 AM PST


Ask the guy below, he knows


Friday, 18 February 2011
Steve Finch
The Phnom Penh Post

IT goes without saying that increasing government efforts to block internet access to certain websites represent a serious affront on freedom of speech in Cambodia.

From a business perspective, the move marks the latest blow for a beleaguered telecommunications and internet industry which in recent years has suffered repeatedly from incompetence and ill-advised state intrusion.

Failure by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to mediate on pricing and connectivity in the mobile phone sector left companies in a state of confusion in 2009, sapping confidence in the government's ability to regulate.


Then last year a number of internet service providers revealed they had stalled plans to roll-out WiMax internet after the government issued multiple licences on the same bandwidth, thereby threatening millions of dollars worth of investments while slowing down the expansion of internet connectivity in Cambodia.

In recent weeks some of the same companies have faced a difficult choice on censorship that creates an altogether new set of problems for ISPs.

They must decide between restricting customer access to a list of websites detailed by the government – thereby undermining their own services – or face the very real danger of unspecified retribution.

Although the Telecommunications Minister So Khun has said that the government has no policy to censor websites, ISPs received an email from MPTC leaked to The Post this week stating "cooperation [over blocking websites] is your own responsibility".

Companies would interpret it in the way in which it was likely intended, in that companies that fail to abide by the new, unspecified rules could face negative repercussions.

The government's low tolerance for criticism means foreign investors in technology will likely ask themselves yet again: 'Is Cambodia worth it?'

If you offer too many mobile licences, sell off overlapping licences for bandwidth and then decide to meddle in ISP content, the net result is an investment climate of uncertainty.

Cambodia cannot follow the same road to online censorship as China if it wishes to develop the technology industry.

Google only stayed in China because it realised the world's most populous nation was too good a market opportunity to ignore, while Beijing knew it could live without the US search engine company because the likes of Chinese firm Baidu.com were already supplying capital and expertise.

Neither scenario is true in Cambodia even if it remains to be seen whether technology firms here have the moral backbone Google claims to have. . If the government does not stop undermining technology investments then foreign firms may simply walk away – losing a tiny market like Cambodia where incomes remain low is not like losing China.

At the same time the government must realise its leverage in forcing firms to censor is inferior to that in China's case given IT expertise and capital to develop a flourishing technology sector is lacking here.

In Cambodia's case, allowing companies to do the right thing will therefore not only result in human rights benefits. There are economic rewards too.

Why Now for Thai-Cambodia Row?

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:57 AM PST

February 18, 2011
By Mong Palatino
The Diplomat

The ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand can't just be about the Preah Vihear Temple—if the clashes really are motivated only by patriotic determination to defend ownership, then these two neighbours have gone mad.

The 'idiocy of the situation,' as described by Thailand-based twitter user @thaitvnews refers to the irony of two Buddhist countries fighting over a ruined 900-year-old Hindu temple. Let's also not forget that the contested territory on which the temple is located covers only about 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometres). It's therefore difficult to comprehend why two countries are ready to go to war, and risk dangerous instability in the region, over such a tiny piece of land.

But if it's not about the temple, then what are they fighting for?

My guess is that the real aim of both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is to strengthen their respective domestic leadership credentials. The border dispute, despite its unpleasant portrayal in the international press, serves the political interests of Sen and Vejjajiva. The two leaders seem to be basically using this 'patriotic war' to drum up civilian support for their governments. More specifically, they could be planning to project the image of a decisive leader ahead of elections—Thais go to the polls this year, and Cambodians next year.


The war could also be a pretext for requesting bigger military budgets this year, while also helping distract the public from their empty pockets and lack of freedoms.

Whatever the motivations, we shouldn't underestimate the power of nationalism. More Cambodians, for example, seem to be expressing anger in cyberspace these days, especially since their leaders reminded them that the Khmer Empire was once the oldest and largest in the region, but that centuries of war and invasion have trimmed the country to the size of the state of Missouri. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalists in Thailand are trying to prod the government to take over Cambodia's Angkor Wat in exchange for the Preah Vihear Temple.

Sen and Vejjajiva, who are supposed to be calming their citizens, are only encouraging more hatred by issuing bellicose political statements.

The United Nations is hesitant to intervene, while the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as expected, is powerless to implement a peaceful settlement of the issue. Still, they probably offer the best outside chance of preventing the tense situation on the border from deteriorating.

But more importantly, let's hope that the peace-loving citizens of Cambodia and Thailand reject the war rhetoric of the ultra nationalists in their own countries. They should realize that real patriotism isn't about supporting warmongers, but exposing the unpatriotic motives of their politicians.

Cambodia should follow UN Security Council statement

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:03 AM PST

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (MCOT online news) -- The Cambodian government should follow the earlier response of the United Nations Security Council on ways of ending an ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Friday.

Sidestepping journalists' query that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's remarks that his country might take the disputed border case before the International Court of Justice for clarification on its 1962 ruling, Mr Suthep said it is better for the Cambodian leader to follow the UN Security Council's ruling since Cambodia is the party who took the case to the world body.

The UN Security Council on Monday asked for a permanent ceasefire between the two countries and recommended that they negotiate an end to their dispute.


On Thursday, Mr Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh that Cambodia would urge Thailand to agree to a peace agreement during the Association of Southeast Asian foreign ministers' meeting to be held in Jakarta on Tuesday (Feb 22). He said the agreement should be signed by the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers and witnessed by ASEAN or the ASEAN chairman.

The Court in 1962 ruled that the 11th century Preah Vihear temple belongs to Phnom Penh, but both countries are in dispute over a 1.8-square-mile (4.6-square-kilometre) tract of land near the temple.

Reasoning that he would rather not criticise or comment on Mr Hun Sen's plan to take the case to the Court, Mr Suthep said any comment now would worsen the situation.

On two Thai nationals now imprisoned in Cambodia on charges of trespassing and spying who have chosen to seek a royal pardon from Cambodian king rather than making an appeal, Mr Suthep said the Thai government is trying by all means to assist them.

He said it is better to and see what the Cambodian government will do as Mr Hun Sen had said that the two must serve at least two-thirds of their sentences.

Veera Somkwamkid, a key activist of Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, were sentenced by the Phnom Penh court on Feb 1 to an eight-year jail term with a 1.8 million riel (US$450) fine and a six-year jail term with a 1.2 million riel ($300) fine respectively.

An appeal could be filed within 30 days while their legal adviser said Thursday that both had decided not to appeal.

Abhisit rejects Hun Sen's ceasefire plan [-Abishit tries to gain politically by keeping the border dispute alive?]

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 11:38 PM PST

18/02/2011
Bangkok Post and Agencies

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected Cambodia's proposal for the two countries to sign a ceasefire agreement.

The prime minister said it was too early to talk about such a move.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen proposed yesterday that Thailand and Cambodia sign a permanent ceasefire deal, witnessed by other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or the Asean chair, when Asean foreign ministers meet in Jakarta next Tuesday.

"We were not the ones that started the fight. It is still too soon to talk about signing any agreement," Mr Abhisit said.

"Thailand said from the beginning that we were not the first to open fire. We did what other countries would - that is, when we are fired at or attacked first, we fire back. We have the right to protect our sovereignty."


Mr Abhisit said the two countries in conflict must hold talks and Asean could act as a facilitator.

Asean is not in a position to be involved in the matters to be discussed by Thailand and Cambodia, he said, adding Hun Sen's proposal was still not clear.

The United Nations Security Council on Monday called for a permanent ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, and asked that they negotiate an end to their dispute.

Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh yesterday that Cambodia would urge Thailand to agree to a peace deal during the Asean meeting.

"During the upcoming Asean meeting, Cambodia will request that a ceasefire agreement be signed between the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers under the witness of Asean or the Asean chair," he said.

Cambodia planned to go to the International Court of Justice to seek a ruling on the disputed area, Hun Sen said.

Legal officials are preparing documents to bring the case back before the court to ask for a clarification concerning the disputed plot of land, he said.

"We will return to the court to have it resolved," Hun Sen said.

The two sides are at odds over a 4.6 square kilometre area near the Preah Vihear temple.

The ICJ ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of the land surrounding it.

Despite the border tensions, a meeting yesterday between Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwannakhiri and Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot in Phnom Penh was described as friendly.

Mr Trairong, who headed a Thai delegation to the first Thai-Cambodian business summit and the Thailand Trade Fair, said Hun Sen asked him to convey a message to Mr Abhisit that Cambodia intended to end the border conflict and to cooperate with Thailand on a joint demarcation effort.

The United Nations Security Council on Monday urged the two nations to establish a "permanent ceasefire" but did not endorse a Cambodian request to deploy UN peacekeepers in the contested area.

It did, however, express support for mediation efforts by Indonesia, the present chair of the 10-nation Asean group.

 

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