Archive for August 8th, 2009

Government Officials Rejected a Joint Statement of Civil Society Organizations on Mu Sochua’s Case – Saturday, 8.8.2009

Posted on 8 August 2009. Filed under: Week 624 |

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 624

“After the Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued a verdict on 4 August 2009, announcing that the Sam Rainsy Party deputy secretary-general and parliamentarian from Kampot, Ms. Mu Sochua, lost the defamation case where the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen, had sued her, there was a strong reaction from civil society organizations against this verdict. However, the government totally rejects this joint statement where they had expressed their reaction.

“The spokesperson of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Phay Siphan, told Deum Ampil by phone on Friday, ‘I have no reaction, but I regret that these civil society organizations do not accept for themselves a the state of law, because the Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided already and the civil society’s statement is clearly political.’

“Mr. Phay Siphan added, ‘If Ms. Mu Sochua does not agree with the verdict of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, she has the right to appeal. No country has issued statement against this court verdict.

“The Human Rights Action Committee, which is a league of 21 non-government organizations, and the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, released a joint statement on 5 August 2009, saying that they regret the verdict of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in the morning of 4 August 2009, ordering Ms. Mu Sochua to pay a fine and to compensate Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen.

“In the statement, they noted, ‘The Phnom Penh Municipal Court did not talk and ask in detail about facts, but just mentioned the complaint of the prime minister as the basis for its hearing, and in reality, the hearing did not pay attention on Ms. Mu Sochua’s case, especially to the reason why Ms. Mu Sochua held a press conference at [the Sam Rainsy Party] headquarters [which was used as the basis for the defamation suit against her].

“Civil society organizations ask the court to be independent, neutral, and non-biased in holding its hearings, and to reform itself soon, so that it does not become a tool of the powerful, and they requested the Cambodian courts to pay more attention to the rights and freedoms, as stated in the Constitution and other human rights treaties.

“It should be remembered that a judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered Ms. Mu Sochua on 4 August 2009 to pay Riel 8.5 million [approx. US$2,100] to the state, and to pay a compensation of Riel 8 million [approx. US$2,000] to the Prime Minister for defamation, a court case which had extended over almost 4 months. After the verdict was issued, Ms. Mu Sochua appealed on 5 August 2009.” Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #257, 8.8.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 8 August 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #257, 8.8.2009

Confirmed Cases of A/H1N1 Flu in Cambodia Increased to 24
Schools in Hanoi Are Closed because of A/H1N1 Infections [so far, there have been 1,000 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 in Vietnam]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2017, 8.8.2009

The Appeals Court Summoned Mu Sochua to Appear on 18 August 2009
[President of the Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers] Chea Money Asks to Call [former Phnom Penh police chief, now jailed at the Prey Sar Prison] Heng Pov as Witness related to the Murder of [his older brother] Chea Vichea [when the appeals court meets to deal with the appeals of Boun Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #464, 8.8.2009

The Appeals Court Will Hear Boun Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun [who were released on bail] on 17 August 2009 [over the murder of Mr. Chea Vichea]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6723, 8-9.8.2009

Water at the Upper Mekong River Recedes a Little Bit; Three People Died, Drowning on the Same Day in Kratie
The Russey Keo Authorities Intercepted More Than Six Tonnes of Illegal No-Quality Chicken Meat [Phnom Penh]
[President of the USA] Obama Announced US$2.4 Billion Support for the Development of Electric Cars, and Plans to Increase the Tax on the Rich [in America]
The Strike [of garment workers] at the Suit Way Factory Ended after There Was Agreement on Three Points [first, the factory owner released the-last-month salaries of the workers; second, the factory will have to suspend its work for two months, during which the factory agreed to offer US$12 to each worker per month; and third, the owner promised to reopen the factory in October]

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Electricity Use in Cambodia Does Not Yet Meet Proper Standards – Friday, 7.8.2009

Posted on 8 August 2009. Filed under: Week 624 |

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 624

“Phnom Penh: Nowadays, electricity use and management in Cambodia, by both the state and the private sector, is not yet up to international standards.

“A Secretary of State of the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Mr. Ith Prang, said during the closing of a workshop at the Phnom Penh Hotel on 6 August 2009, ‘The ministry and the Royal Government of Cambodia intend to manage electricity use both in the state and in the private sector to meet standards like in modern countries such as America, Canada, China, Japan, and Russia. Therefore, from now on, we have to strengthen and study also hydro-electricity standards at the present time, so that they comply with international standards.’

“Mr. Ith Prang added that now, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is drafting detailed electrical technical standard recommendations for the field of civil construction, and also for electrical technology and for hydro-electric establishments in Cambodia.’

“According to the Deputy Director of the Department of Energy of the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Mr. Bun Narith, at present, the management and the usage of electricity in Cambodia do not follow proper standards, including the general use of energy, the connection of electricity from place to place, the building of different construction elements along the roads where electric posts are planted etc… ‘These are problems that we need to improve in the future.’

“The head of the Department of Hydro-Electricity of the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Mr. Much Chhun Hon, said that care has to be taken so that the production, dispatch, distribution, and use of electricity are effective and safe, and the means for these activities, including all tools and materials, must be handled under real, proper standards, both in state and in private services.” Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #256, 7.8.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 7 August 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #256, 7.8.2009

The Ministry of Information Asked [foreign-language and Khmer newspapers and magazines] to Use the Wording “Khmer temple Preah Vihear”
Confirmed A/H1N1 Flu Cases Increase to 22 in Cambodia
Electricity Use in Cambodia Does Not Yet Meet Proper Standards

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2016, 7.8.2009

[Two] Siamese [Thai] Parliament Members Sue [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit Vejjajiva over the Sea Border with Cambodia [for not reacting when Cambodia agreed with the Total petroleum company about investments of the Total petroleum company to explore oil] – [Like in July 2008, the Thai parliament monitored the activities of the administration, so the minister of foreign affairs had to resign, as it was proven that he had acted without getting the agreement of the parliament]
Civil Society [the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association] Supports the Prime Minister over Criticism that the Government Is a Dictatorship [a senior ADHOC staff said: No, it is a constitutional monarchy]
Investment Projects of the GMG Company of South Korea [to invest in the media, to create an art university, and to develop Special Economic Zones] Is Welcome [by the government]
[More than 800] Workers of the Suit Way Garment Factory Strike to Demand Their Salaries, after Knowing that the Owner of the factory Had Ran Away [Phnom Penh]
Police Raided the Iris Bar and Arrested the Korean Owner and 29 Sex Workers [Phnom Penh]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #463, 7.8.2009

[Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian and spokesperson] Mr. Yim Sovann Said that Mr. Hun Sen Creates a New Obstacle for the Freedom of Expression [Prime Minister Hun Sen recently warned to take legal action against those calling the government a dictatorial regime]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6722, 7.8.2009

Siam [Thailand] Sent Again a Letter Protesting that Cambodia Should not Reconstruct a Market at the Preah Vihear Temple [without mutual agreement]
ASEAN Recognizes only 180 Cambodian Engineers [as properly qualified] among the 10,000 Engineers in Cambodia

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4966, 7.8.2009

Cambodia Will Establish an Electricity Plant Powered by Coal Soon [in Sihanoukville with an investment of approx. US$160 million, by the Malaysian company Leader Universal Holdings Berhad]
Cambodia and Thailand Agreed to Lift Visas by 2010
About Ten Monks Changed Their Monk’s Robes and Had a Party, Assaulted People, and Extorted Money from Passers-By; Police Have Arrested Seven of Them [Battambang]
Understanding and Studying Khmer Culture and History through a website: http://www.smartcambodia.com [this website is created by Mekong.Ads, a business unit of Smart International Consulting, and Dr. Michel Tranet]

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.

And please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.

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