The General Public Criticized the Action of the Authorities to Arrest Children Selling Newspapers at Traffic Lights, Saying if They Cannot Help Those Children with Anything, They Should Not Destroy Their Rice Pots – Monday, 2.8.2010
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 676
“Homeless and poor children and orphans in Phnom Penh do different things to earn their living. Some steal, as they are too poor and cannot find enough food to eat. Some beg to survive, though it affects the social atmosphere.
“But after one year of being restricted, while receiving general education, many of these homeless and poor children and orphans turn to take up appropriate and honorable jobs again in the city by selling newspapers and flowers at traffic lights and along congested roads in Phnom Penh. These small jobs allow these homeless and otherwise inactive Khmer children to get away from misery and poverty and have better living conditions, where they can buy enough food to eat, which is welcome. Even travelers are pleased with those jobs of the children. They help to buy newspapers and flowers, and often they give them extra tips, as they see that these children can create honest jobs on their own. Compared with previous years, often many beggars were found at traffic lights, taking away the attention from the traffic lights.
“But it is regrettable and disgusting, that within the week, police tried to chase the children away who sell newspapers along the roads and at traffic lights, as if they were thieves. It is not known whether police received orders and from whom. These acts of the police make the children to live in fear. Some were sitting at the roadside, holding their newspapers and flowers and cried and felt hopeless for their lives, that just had started with some new light. The general public traveling along these roads condemned such bad actions. Some said that if the authorities cannot assist the children with anything, they should let them have their rice pots.
“In the heavenly modern cities of Singapore, Prey Nokor [Ho Chi Minh City], Bangkok, or Kuala Lumpur, in those highly developed cities, there are people selling things or distributing commercial advertisement at traffic lights. Why is it so different in Phnom Penh, which is heading toward modernity?
“What the authorities do is not different from just taking away the rice pots of those homeless and poor children, many are also orphans, and it is like pushing them back to return to their previous way of living.” Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #7023, 2.8.2010
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 2 August 2010
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2316, 1-2.8.2010
- The Prime Minister Dismissed Information Published by The Cambodia Daily [on 30 July 2010, saying that there is a casino allowed to be operated by the Korean company Intercity Group in Siem Reap, and he suggested that the paper should correct this information]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #7023, 2.8.2010
- The General Public Criticized the Action of the Authorities to Arrest Children Selling Newspapers at Traffic Lights, Saying if They Cannot Help Those Children with Anything, They Should Not Destroy Their Rice Pots
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.17, #3947, 2.8.2010
- Human Rights Officials [of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association – ADHOC] and [Sam Rainsy Party] Parliamentarians Called for the Release of Twelve Citizens in the Chi Kraeng District Who Will Be Sentenced This Morning [over different accusations, when they protested over a land dispute in 2009 – Siem Reap]
- Cambodian and Yuon [Vietnamese] Officials Suggest a Meetings to Be Organized Every Two Years to Monitor the Application of Existing Agreements, while the Sam Rainsy Party Warned They Will Review the Border Agreements if They Win the Elections
Nokor Wat, Vol.1, #19, 1-2.8.2010
- A Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Mr. Pham Gia Khiem [Phạm Gia Khiêm] Will Visit Cambodia [from 2 to 5 August 2010 to talk about cooperation between both countries in the border provinces]
- Cambodia Faces Many Challenges to Adjust to as a Member of the World Trade Organization [for example, some kind of food export is not possible as Cambodia cannot assure safe and sanitary processes of food production according to international standards, according to a secretary of state of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Hem Sithon]
Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #227, 2.8.2010
- Cambodia Drafts a Royal Decree about Regulations for Military Reservists
- A Canadian Man Was Found Guilty of Having Sex with [Cambodian underage] Girls [and was sentenced to 11 years in prison]
- The Government Will Spend US$1.5 Million on Tuberculosis Research [its prevalence in Cambodia; Cambodia is among the 22 countries with the highest prevalence of tuberculosis in the world]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5265, 1-2.8.2010
- Civil Society Official [Mr. Chan Soveth, a senior investigating official of ADHOC] Said that within the First Six Months of 2010, Land Disputes Declined [there were 86 land dispute cases, where 40 cases were big, between citizens and companies and military officials; compared with the same period in 2009, there were 200 land disputes]
- Cambodian Army Commanders Inspect Troops at the Front Line, as Thailand Is Sending More Troops to Its Front Line near the Preah Vihear Temple
- Within the First Six Months of 2010, Cambodia Encountered a Trade Deficit of US$0.8 Billion [the export amounted to only US$2 billion, whereas the import was US$2.8 billion – according to the National Bank of Cambodia]
Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
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Voluntary and Charitable Donations – Sunday, 16.5.2010
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 664
In many societies it is usual that corporations, and rich and not so rich individuals make donations for causes they consider important for the public good. During the past week it was reported that more than US$7 million was collected as donations during the celebration of the Cambodia Red Cross and Red Crescent Society’s anniversary on 8 May; it is the largest humanitarian organization in Cambodia, having also individual Members, and Volunteers. This is an impressive organization which has collected an impressive sum. To see whether or not this is the beginning of a spirit of voluntarism in society, it would be good to know how much the same charitable donors are making available to lift up the economic situation of orphanages, to create and maintain scholarships for needy students from the provinces, to support organizations engaged in the promotion of awareness of the endangered environment and its protection, and many similar endeavors.
In many countries, the Red Cross is one not-for-profit NGO like any other NGO – it receives private and corporate donations, like other NGOs receiving private and corporate donations; often these are encouraged by special tax reduction or tax exemption regulations for supporting such causes for the public good. Over the years I became aware that many persons in Cambodia, dealing with foreign NGOs working in the country, are not aware that these depend to a more or less strong degree on regular private donation, often from people in the middle and lower income brackets in their countries, and not only on public money. But it seems to be hardly a usual feature that Cambodian NGOs, working for the public good, receive similar donations from those who have money, in Cambodia. If there are worthwhile examples, it would be good to have them reported more prominently, and not only for the Cambodian Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.
But whatever the source of such funds – it is usual that that they are accounted for regularly and publicly. One argument of the government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, why a special NGO law is necessary, was always that the finances of NGOs – as agencies handling social funds – have to be monitored publicly. Though NGOs have responded that they are subject to regular public audit already, and these audit reports have been available anyway, the request to make their financial records public was always among the main arguments to create such legislation.
Now it is all the more surprising, that the financial volume and the operating procedures of the Social Fund of the government, even it’s existence, referred to sometimes over the years, are not similarly transparent, and there are additional allegations that government representatives have received substantial monies, supposedly for a social fund, which cannot be found in any verifiable public financial record.
The present round of discussions was triggered by reports that an Australian mining company, which had operated for a limited period in Mondolkiri, is under corruption investigation at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, because it is also listed on stock exchanges in the USA. There are allegations that this may relate to payments to Cambodia. While the government was asked for precise, detailed information supported by documents, to be presented to the National Assembly, additional questions were added relating to payments from the French company Total. Some of the related, but not clarified pieces of information:
- The Indonesian company Medco Energi said they paid US$4.5 million into a government social fund.
- The Australian company BHP Billiton paid US$ 2.5 million as “tea money” – according to a statement by the Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology in the National Assembly.
- Payments of US$20 million by the French oil company Total, paid as a “signature bonus,” are not publicly traceable.
- In addition, some of the monies are said to have be designated to pay for specific activities in Mondolkiri or in Pursat etc., but different, related information, cannot be reconciled.
Now the Prime Minister gave the task to explain the situation to the National Assembly to two Deputy Prime Ministers, the Minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An, and the Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon. According to Mr. Phay Siphan, the spokesperson of the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister “said that all revenues must go to the national budget.” Obviously that is not what happened so far.
Interesting explanations and revelations relating to the past can be expected – combined with the hope that the order of the Prime Minister will be molded into clear administrative procedures for the future.
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