‘Language’ holds up South China Sea pact

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Bridget Di Certo and Cheang Sokha

 

The world is watching ASEAN foreign ministers as they scramble to reach a consensus on a regional Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, officials at the summit in Phnom Penh acknowledged yesterday.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said that consensus among ASEAN members was a “work in progress”. “We are getting there,” he said.

The major hold-up is “agreement on language,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn said at a press conference yesterday evening.

“The foreign ministers are working on their joint communiqué, but are working on agreement on the language.”

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said ASEAN discussions on the CoC were already having a “calming affect” on the international community.

“The fact that they are all committed to work on the code of conduct seriously in good faith . . . we have already achieved a milestone,” Pitsuwan said. “Earlier on, there was a reluctance on some parties to engage or not to engage and to engage … informally or engage periodically.”

Earlier in the week, ASEAN officials announced that officials had already drafted key elements of the CoC and these elements would then be taken to informal discussion with China.

However, China’s Vice Foreign Minister, Fu Ying, told reporters that there had been a “suggestion” from ASEAN ministers to launch discussions with China on the Code.

“The Chinese minister would like to give a serious consideration of the proposals for exploring the possibilities of a discussion of CoC,” Ying said, stressing that engagement would hinge on all members of ASEAN obeying and implementing the current Declaration of Conduct.

The politics of gender in Cambodia

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Xiaoqing Pi

 

 Twenty-eight-year-old Tek Nim, a Sam Rainsy Party member and newly elected commune chief in Omlaing commune, in Kampong Speu province’s Thpong district, poses for a photograph. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

 

 Pich Srey Pho’s involvement in politics may have contributed to the demise of her marriage, but that hasn’t stopped her from encouraging other women to follow in her footsteps and become a commune council member.

Pich Srey Pho, who represents the Cambodian People’s Party in Pursat, said cultural stereotyping was hindering women’s involvement in politics.

“My husband asked me to stay at home,” she said.

Pich Srey Pho didn’t – she went out to campaign instead – and is now divorced.

Because of such gender barriers, parties need to make more effort to promote women’s involvement in politics, party representatives and NGOs said in a meeting yesterday.

The Cambodian Millennium Development Goals include a target for 25 per cent of commune seats to be filled by women by 2015. Less than 18 per cent went to women at this year’s commune election.

“Our society has not seen the benefits of women participating in politics,” said Ros Sopheap, executive director of the NGO Gender and Development for Cambodia.

Women have proved themselves in fields such as education and many have the potential to make a difference in politics, she said.

At just 28, Tek Nim, the newly elected Omlaing commune chief in Kampong Speu province’s Thpong district, is an example.

“I didn’t pay attention to politics,” she said. “But then we were faced with land grabbing.” She joined the Sam Rainsy Party and won her seat last month.

Twenty-one per cent of the CPP’s commune council members are women – the highest among all parties.

Pich Srey Pho attributes her party’s success to its women’s communications skills and transparency. Both Funcinpec and the Human Rights Party believe CPP leads simply because it has more resources.

What the parties can agree on is that the perception politics is “unwomanly” is something that needs changing.

A good start would be to pay women politicians more, Pich Srey Pho said, as many were getting less than most husbands can offer to keep their wives at home.

កៅ គឹមហួនៈ កិច្ចប្រជុំកំពូលវេទិកាតំបន់អាស៊ី ARF ផ្តោតជាសំខាន់លើបញ្ហា៦

 Thursday, 12 July 2012 19:58 ដោយៈ សយ សុភា-បាន ចក់

ភ្នំពេញ៖ លោក កៅ គឹមហួន រដ្ឋលេខាធិការក្រសួង ការបរទេសកម្ពុជា និងជាអ្នកនាំពាក្យ កិច្ចប្រជុំកំពូលវេទិកាតំបន់ អាស៊ី ហៅកាត់ថា ARF បានថ្លែងឱ្យដឹងក្រោយពីកិច្ចប្រជុំចង្អៀត និងកិច្ចប្រជុំពេញអង្គ ដោយបានសង្កត់ធ្ងន់លើបញ្ហាតំបន់ និងអន្តរជាតិ ជាពិសេសបញ្ហា សន្តិសុខពិភពលោក។

ថ្លែងប្រាប់នៅក្នុងសន្និសីទសារព័ត៌មានក្រោយកិច្ចប្រជុំ នៅថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ទី១២ ខែកក្កដា ឆ្នាំ២០០១២ ឱ្យដឹងថា កិច្ចប្រជុំនោះ ផ្តោតជាសំខាន់លើបញ្ហាចំនួន៦៖

១. រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេស នៃ ARF បានស្វាគមន៍ការកែទម្រង់នៅក្នុងប្រទេសមីយ៉ាន់ម៉ា និងបាន អំពាវនាវឱ្យបន្ត ការលើកលែងការដាក់ទណ្ឌកម្ម។

២. រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេស នៃ ARF បូករូមទាំង EU (សហគមន៍អឺរ៉ុប) បានគាំទ្រតួនាទីស្នូលរបស់ អាស៊ាន នៅក្នុង តំបន់ និងចង់បន្តឱ្យអាស៊ាន។

៣. ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងបញ្ហាកូរ៉េខាងជើង រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេសនៃ ARFបានស្នើឱ្យគ្រប់ភាគីពាក់ ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ គោរព សេចក្តីសម្រេចរបស់ក្រុមប្រឹក្សាសន្តិសុខអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ និងបង្កលក្ខណៈងាយស្រួលឱ្យមានសន្តិភាព និងការចរចារ៦ភាគីឡើងវិញផងដែរ។

៤. ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងបញ្ហាសមុទ្រចិនខាងត្បូង រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេស នៃ ARF ក៏បានអំពាវនាវឱ្យភាគី ពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ គោរពសន្ធិសញ្ញាស្តីពីមិត្តនៅអាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍ និងឯកសារគោលមួយចំនួនដូច ជាច្បាប់អន្តរជាតិ និងច្បាប់ សមុទ្ររបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ និងសេរីភាពនៃនាវាចរណ៍។

៥. រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេសនៃ ARF ក៏បានផ្លាស់ប្តូរទស្សនៈយោបល់ស្តី ពីបញ្ហាអន្តរជាតិនានាផងដែរ។

៦. រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីការបរទេសនៃ ARF ក៏ផ្តោតជាសំខាន់នៃគ្រោះមហន្តរាយធម្មជាតិផងដែរដើម្បីធ្វើយ៉ាង ធានាថា វេទិកាតំបន់អាស៊ី ចូលរូមចំណែកដោះស្រាយ ក៏ដូចជាឆ្លើយតបទៅគ្រោះមហន្តរាយតំបន់ នោះក៏ព្រោះតែតំបន់ អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍នេះ ជាតំបន់ងាយរងគ្រោះជាងគេ៕

Prime Minister Hun Sen's Message in the World People Day

A quick study Bogus degrees from non-existent colleges cause headaches for employers in China

Jul 7th 2012 | BEIJING | from the print edition 

ALMOST 7m students are graduating from Chinese universities this summer, and there is plenty of pressure to turn newly minted qualifications into well-paid jobs. The competition is increased by the ease with which almost anyone in China can buy a fake degree.

On July 3rd a former Ministry of Education official went on trial in Beijing charged with swindling students who hoped to study in America. The man, and three others, are alleged to have posed as agents for a non-existent American college called “Nation University”.

As well as ripping off aspiring students, Chinese crooks also cater to businessmen who want to plump up their CVs. In April nine people stood trial in the capital charged with selling fake degree certificates from non-existent American colleges. They charged up to 190,000 yuan ($30,000) each, selling the diplomas mainly to corporate executives. The businessmen paid up, went to a few classes and received the diplomas, with no exam required.

For those who cannot afford a degree from a fake foreign university, more than 100 fake Chinese universities now offer diplomas for sale. Many of them have websites and use names similar to those of real colleges. Some even use doctored photographs to advertise their qualifications: one image online shows a group of students said to be from the non-existent Wuhan University of Industry and Commerce standing in Tiananmen Square—the original photograph shows the same group under a banner proclaiming who they really are: students from the Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology.

In one case that came to light in June a group of 68 students had been paying to attend class at what they thought was a programme affiliated with the Shandong Institute of Light Industry. After four years they found out that everything about the programme had been a scam (even though the institute was real), and that the man behind the scheme had vanished.

Xiong Bingqi of Shanghai’s (genuine) Jiaotong University says the problem is a lack of government regulation. Slowly, though, computerised anti-fraud systems are being introduced to stop those with dubious certificates from landing government jobs. A growing number of foreign and Chinese companies now check the authenticity of diplomas as well. The Beijing case in April came to light after one victim’s certificate for a PhD in business administration from Abraham Lincoln University failed to pass an authenticity test. She alerted police.

Such cases have not stopped the fraudsters, and would-be students are still trying to buy their way to a better career. A diploma can make all the difference in the modern Chinese job hunt. In some cases fee-paying students know they are matriculating with a fake university but see it as an easy way to obtain a diploma. You can buy everything else in China, so why not academic qualifications?
“Chinese people pay more attention to having a diploma than they do to having a real education,” says Mr Xiong. “A diploma is worth actual money, whereas an education is not.”

from the print edition | China

Maritime Dispute between Cambodia and Thailand and International Jurisprudence

HE Hang Chuon Naron
Permanent Vice-Chairman
Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC)

Date: 25 July 2012 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Place: Executive Seminar Room, Block B, NUS Bukit Timah Campus

FREE ADMISSION

Introduction

In the 1950s, Cambodia has stepped up efforts to establish her maritime boundaries by adopting a system of straight baselines in 1957. After ratifying the 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea, Cambodia expanded its territorial sea and adopted a line perpendicular to the general direction of the coasts as her lateral limit with Thailand. Thailand did not protest Cambodia’s unilateral act.

However, in response to Cambodia’s adoption of the limits of her continental shelf by a decree dated 1 January 1972, Thailand adopted a declaration dated 18 May 1973 to establish the outer limits of her continental shelf, thus creating an Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) between Cambodia and Thailand. Cambodia’s lateral limit claims are based on the French-Siamese Treaty of 23 March 1907, which states that: “The border between French Indochina (Cambodia) and Siam (Thailand) commences in the sea from a point situated in front of the highest point of the Koh Kut island”. Thailand claims appeared to be based on the Land Projection Theory. An MOU was signed on 18 June 2001 to confirm this OCA.

Cambodia and Thailand are “obliged to settle their international disputes by peaceful means” and are bound by “the obligation to negotiate, in good faith”. In this regard, jurisprudence has played a leading role in establishing rules that define the rights of coastal States to share maritime space through delimitation.

In case that the dispute would be submitted to the ICJ, what rules will be used for delimitation? The latter should take into account all relevant circumstances. Cambodia is disadvantaged by its coastal geography. The most prominent geographical feature of the Cambodian coast is the marked concavity of her coastlines. Cambodia is squeezed between Thailand and Vietnam in the same way like Germany, squeezed between Denmark and the Netherlands in the North Sea Continental Shelf Case. Thus, the effect of the use of the equidistance method is to “cut off” Cambodia from the further areas of the continental shelf. It is the search for equitable results that guides this research project.

About the Speaker

His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron is currently the Permanent Vice-Chairman of the Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC), a government think tank, and the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He holds Masters and Ph.D. degrees in International Economics from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (1982-1991), and an Advanced Diploma in Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), United Kingdom, and the Malaysian Insurance Institute (MII). He is an associate of the CII and the MII. He studied during 2010-2012 for a Master degree in international and comparative law at the Royal University of Law and Economics, a joint Master’s Degree of Law program with the University of Lyon 2 and the University of Nice-Antipolis, France (Master’s Thesis: Maritime Dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand and the International Jurisprudence).

He worked in various diplomatic missions and research institutions as a political and economic analyst. Since 1999, he held various positions at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, such as Research Coordinator of the Economic Advisory Team and First Deputy Director of Budget and Financial Affairs Department. Then he was appointed Deputy Secretary General in charge of Policies, including economic, fiscal and financial policies, ASEAN, financial industry, economic analysis as well as responsible for coordination with the IMF and the World Bank. He held the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Finance from 2004 to 2010. He represented Cambodia at the ASEAN and ASEAN+3 Deputies’ Finance and Central Bank Meetings.

He represents Cambodia at the Meetings of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors during Cambodian chairmanship of ASEAN. He also coordinates the policy dialogues between the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. In his capacity as the Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC), the policy think tank for the Prime Minister, he has contributed to policy papers of the Royal Government of Cambodia, and has accompanied the Prime Minister in many international conferences, such as the UN General Assembly, the Non-Alignment Movement, the ASEAN Summit, the East Asian Summit and other international fora. He is author of a number of government policy papers and books on Cambodian economy and public finance. His book “Cambodian Economy: Charting the Course of a Brighter Future” was recently published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS).

អ.ស.ប សុំអភ័យទោសចំពោះកំហុសខ្លួនក្នុងការចងទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជាពុំត្រឹមត្រូវ

ការ​សិក្សា​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​កាន់​តែ​ពិបាក​រកកា​រងារ​ធ្វើ!

ដោយ គី សុខលីម

និស្សិត​ខ្មែរ​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​អនុបណ្ឌិត​និង​បណ្ឌិត​កាន់តែ​ច្រើន​ឡើង។ ការ​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​គឺ​ជា​រឿង​ល្អ​ប៉ុន្តែ​ផ្ទុយ​ទៅ​វិញ ប្រការ​នេះ​ក៏​ជា​ការ​ប្រឈម​​របស់​សង្គម​និង​របស់​បុគ្គ​ល​អ្នក​រៀន​ខ្លួន​ ឯង​ដែរ។ តើ​មូលហេតុ​អ្វី​បាន​ជា​អ្នកសិក្សា​ចង់​បន្ត​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​​ជាន់​​ ខ្ពស់​​នេះ?

ក្រោយ​ពី​ការ​ដួល​រំលំ​នៃ​របប​ប៉ុលពត​អាវខ្មៅ​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​១៩៧៩ ​ចំនួន​អ្នក​ចេះ​ដឹង​ខ្មែរ​នៅ​សល់​តិចតួច​បំផុត​ដើម្បី​កសាង​ប្រទេស​ជាតិ​ ឡើង​វិញ។ កាលនោះ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​សម័យ​រដ្ឋ​កម្ពុជា​តែងតែ​ប្រកាន់​យក​ទ្រឹស្តី​អ្នកចេះ​ច្រើន​ បង្រៀន​អ្នកចេះ​តិច។

ទ្រឹស្តី​មួយ​នេះ​បាន​ចូលរួម​លើក​ទឹក​ចិត្ត​ប្រជាជន​ខ្មែរ​អោយ​ខិតខំ​ សម្ភី​សិក្សា​កាន់តែ​ខ្លាំង​ឡើង។ ៣០​ឆ្នាំ​ក្រោយ​មក និសិ្សត​ច្រើន​ម៉ឺន​នាក់​បាន​ចេញ​ពី​សាកល​វិទ្យាល័យ​ជា​រៀងរាល់​ឆ្នាំ។
បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​មិនខ្វះ​ទៀត​ឡើយ​ចំនួន​និសិ្សត​ទទួល​បាន​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ បរិញ្ញាប័ត្រ​​ប៉ុន្តែ​ប្រទេស​ក្រីក្រ​មួយ​នេះ​កំពុង​ប្រឈម​នឹង​កង្វះ​ ការងារ​សមរម្យ​សម្រាប់​និសិ្សត​ទាំងនោះ​ទៅវិញ​។ បញ្ហា​ប៉ុស្តិ៍​ការងារ​ជារឿង​ឈឺ​ក្បាល​មួយ​។ ប៉ុន្តែ​បញ្ហា​មួយ​ទៀត​ដែល​អ្នក​ជំនាញ​មួយ​ចំនួន​កំពុង​តែ​បារម្ភ​ដែរ​នោះ​ គឺ​រឿង​និស្សិត​មួយ​ចំនួន​ធំ​បាន​នាំគ្នា​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​កាន់តែ​ខ្ពស់​ ឡើងៗ។
បើ​ផ្អែក​លើ​ការ​កត់​សម្គាល់ជាក់ស្តែង និស្សិត​កាន់តែ​ច្រើន​ឡើង​នាំគ្នា​​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​អនុបណ្ឌិត​ឬ​សញ្ញា​ ថ្នាក់​បណ្ឌិត។ មិនមែន​តែ​និស្សិត​ទេ​ដែល​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​​ពីរ​ប្រភេទ​នេះ​ប៉ុន្តែ​អ្នក​ កំពុង​ធ្វើ​ការ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ក៏​ខិតខំ​ប្រឹង​រៀន​បន្ត​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ខ្ពស់​ផុត ​លេខ​នេះ​ដែរ។
តើ​មូលហេតុ​អ្វី​បាន​ជា​មាន​និន្នាការ​រៀន​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​នេះ? តើ​កា​រសិក្សា​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​កាន់​តែ​ល្អ​​ឬ​រៀន​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​កាន់​តែ​ លំបាក?
សម្រាប់​សំណួរ​ទី​មួយ​នេះ គេ​មិន​មាន​ការ​លំបាក​ក្នុង​ការ​ឆ្លើយ​ទេ​ពីព្រោះ​ជា​ក្រឹត្យ​ក្រម​ សត្យានុម័ត នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​មនុស្ស​មាន​ឳកាស​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន​ មាន​ជីវភាព​កាន់តែ​ធូរធារ ពួកគេ​​​ចង់​តោង​ចាប់​យក​ការ​សិក្សា​កាន់តែ​ខ្ពស់។ ការ​សិក្សា​កាន់តែ​ខ្ពស់​ធ្វើ​អោយ​មនុស្ស​មាន​ការ​ពិចារណា​កាន់​តែ​ជ្រៅ។ ការ​ពិចារណា​កាន់​ជ្រៅ​អាច​ជំរុញ​អោយ​មនុស្ស​មាន​លទ្ធភាព​ទទួល​បាន​ជ័យ​ជំនះ ​ក្នុង​ជីវិត​កាន់តែ​​ច្រើន។ នេះ​គឺ​ជាហេតុផល​ទី​មួយ។

សម្រាប់​ហេតុផល​ទី​២​វិញ​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​មើល​ឃើញ​ថា វា​ទាក់ទង​ទៅ​នឹង​កិត្តិយស​ច្រើន​ជាង មានន័យថា អ្នកខ្លះ​ចង់​រៀន​បន្ត​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​អនុបណ្ឌិត​ឬ​បណ្ឌិត​គឺ​ដោយសារ​តែ​ ពួកគេ​​ចង់​អោយ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​ជុំវិញ​ខ្លួន​ឬ​សង្គម​អោយ​តម្លៃ​ទៅ​លើ​ពួកគេ។ អ្នកខ្លះ​ទៀត សុខចិត្ត​បន្ត​ការ​សិក្សា​យក​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​​គឺ​ដោយសារ​តែ​ពួកគេ​​ មាន​តួនាទី​តំណែង​ខ្ពង់ខ្ពស់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ជួរ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល។ នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ពួកគេ​មាន​តំណែង​ខ្ពស់​ហើយ ដូច្នេះ ពួកគេ​ត្រូវ​តែ​ខិតខំ​ប្រឹងប្រែង​រៀន​បន្ត​ទៀត​​ដើម្បី​អោយ​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ ស័ក្តិសម​នឹង​តំណែង​របស់​ពួកគេ​។ មាន​តំណែង​ខ្ពស់​ មាន​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ខ្ពស់​ ពួកគេ​អាច​ចៀសផុត​ពី​ការ​រិះគន់​របស់​មនុស្ស​នៅ​ក្រោម​បង្រ្គាប់។ រីឯ​ចំណុច​ទី​៣​វិញ អ្នកសិក្សា​ដែល​ប្រាថ្នា​ចង់​បាន​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ជាន់ខ្ពស់​ពីព្រោះ​ពួកគេ​រំពឹង ​ថា រៀន​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​ទទួល​បាន​ប្រាក់ខែ​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន។

ងាក​មក​ឆ្លើយ​ទៅ​នឹង​សំណួរ​ដែល​សួរ​ថា តើ​រៀន​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​កាន់​តែ​ល្អ​ឬ​រៀន​កាន់​តែ​ខ្ពស់​កាន់តែ​លំបាក​ទៅ​វិញ ​នោះ? អ្នក​ជំនាញ​សង្គម​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​មួយ​ចំនួន​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​ថា ជារួម ​រៀនតែ​កាន់​ខ្ពស់​គឺ​ជា​ប្រការ​ល្អ​សម្រាប់​ជីវិត​របស់​បុគ្គល​ខ្លួន​ឯង​ និង​សម្រាប់​សង្គម​ជាតិ​ទាំង​មូល។ ប៉ុន្តែ ពេល​ខ្លះ និស្សិត​ខ្លួន​ឯង​ប្រឈម​នឹង​ការ​លំបាក​ក្នុង​ការ​រក​ការងារ​ធ្វើ​ទៅ​វិញ​ទេ នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ខ្លួន​រៀន​កាន់តែ​ខ្ពស់​ពេក​នោះ​ពីព្រោះ​ទីផ្សារ​មិនហ៊ា​នអោយ​ តម្លៃ​ប្រាក់ខែ​ខ្ពស់​ទេ។ ម្យ៉ាងវិញ​ទៀត ប៉ុស្តិ៍​ការងារ​សម្រាប់​អ្នកមាន​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ខ្ពស់​ក៏​មាន​មិន​ច្រើន​ដែរ។

អ្នកវិភាគ​សង្គម​ដដែល​បាន​បន្ត​ទៀត​ថា ក្រៅពី​បញ្ហា​ទីផ្សារ​ការងារ គុណភាព​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​នៅ​ចោទ​ជា​បញ្ហា​នៅ​ឡើយ មាន​ន័យ​ថា បរិមាណ​សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​មាន​ច្រើន​មែន​ប៉ុន្តែ​គុណភាព​មនុស្ស​ដែល​ទទួល​បាន​ សញ្ញាប័ត្រ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​នៅ​មាន​កម្រិត​ទាប​បើ​ប្រៀបធៀប​ទៅ​ការ​អប់រំ​ជា​មួយ​ ប្រទេស​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់។ គុណភាព​ទាប​នេះ​នឹង​ធ្វើ​អោយ​កម្លាំង​ពល​កម្ម​ខ្មែរ​មិន​អាច​ប្រកួត​ប្រជែង​ ជា​មួយ​កម្លាំង​ពលកម្ម​នៃ​បណ្តា​ប្រទេស​នៅ​តំបន់​អាស៊ាន​៕

PM insists worries about dam overblown

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

David Boyle

 

In February, Son Chhay wrote to the premier urging him to investigate illegal logging outside the legal clearing area slated for the Stung Tatai dam reservoir in Koh Kong province and the environmental destruction that would be wrought by the Stung Cheay Areng dam.

The 109-megawatt dam project in the Cheay Areng Valley is to be built by the Chinese state-owned firm Guodian Corporation at a cost of US$327 million.

In a reply dated June 11, the premier signalled the dam, which would flood thousands of hectares of protected forest in the Central and Southern Cardamoms, will go ahead despite the protestations from Son Chhay and conservationists.

Hun Sen wrote that “all kinds of experts” had visited the scene during a five-year social and environmental impact assessment completed in 2008 and determined ecological damage could be mitigated.

“But the government has noticed since the government began developing hydropower at Kamchay, Kirirom, Atai, Tatai, Lower Russey Chrum, Lower Sesan II and including Stung Cheay Areng, the opposition party never supports those projects,” Hun Sen wrote.

The premier wrote that 263 families that stood to lose their land would be compensated fairly in line with current market values.

Conservation groups have put the number of people set to be displaced at about 1,500 families and raised alarms that the project, which had been deemed unfeasible by a previous developer, will devastate one of Cambodia’s richest ecological sites for little gain.

Questions have also been raised as to why a subsequent SEIA approved in 2011, after the project changed hands, has not been made publicly available.

Son Chhay said yesterday the response indicated the prime minister had not made any independent investigation into concerns about the dam but simply taken the company’s word at face value.

Migrants to Korea jump

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

More Cambodian migrant workers headed to South Korea in the first half of this year than in all of 2011, data from the Ministry of Labour shows.

A suspension on Vietnamese migration, coupled with an improving Korean economy, primarily accounted for the jump, officials say.

More than 6,300 Cambodians migrated to the East Asian nation between January and June, against 4,957 for all of 2011.

“This year, we notice the agriculture sector has absorbed [Cambodians] very well,” Heng Sour, chief of overseas manpower at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, said. “If there wasn’t an increase in the [agriculture] sector, the number of our workers would have been the same as during the last period. The ban on Vietnamese also helped the increase.”

Cambodians were eager to work abroad for potentially higher salaries, Ya Navuth, executive director at Coordination of Action Research on Aids and Mobility (CARAM), said yesterday.

Working conditions in South Korea had gained recognition for being better than some of the destinations Cambodian migrants flocked to, such as Malaysia, he said.

“If there are enough jobs, people will go abroad to work – no question about it. Although there are more domestic jobs, many people don’t know about them. Low salaries here are also pushing them abroad to work," he said. “I never get complaints from Cambodians who go to work in Korea, compared with those who work in Thailand and Malaysia.”

Reports of abuse, death and the use of under-age Cambodians in Malaysia have rocked that country’s reputation as a place for migrants to safely earn higher wages.

Cambodia first sent workers to South Korea in 2002 and signed a memorandum of understanding on migrant exchange in 2007.

Cambodian migrants go to Korea under government-to-government deals. Unlike Malaysia, South Korea does not allow private companies to recruit labour.

There could soon be a slow-down in the number of Cambodia’s heading north, Heng Sour said.

The ban on Vietnamese workers was recently lifted and would cut into the Kingdom’s labour exports, he said.