The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 500
“Phnom Penh: Because the war disabled used to serve the interests of the country and dared to sacrifice their lives for the citizens, the Royal Government of Cambodia, led by Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen, never ignores them and often pays attention to them through Mr. Tea Banh, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, who prepared a policy of subsidies for the Cambodian war disabled, and then transferred this system to the Ministry of Social Work, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, to get further assistance and to implement it. However, the disabled people’s livelihood is still difficult, because they cannot get employment to earn their living like other normal people do. Therefore, their living depends totally on a small amount of money based on the system of subsidies from the Royal Government of Cambodia, which they receive irregularly. Because they receive their subsidy only irregularly, a number of the disabled people had to borrow money in order to solve their daily needs, even though they are always at the losing end.
“Having seen these difficulties of the disabled, the Ministry of Social Work, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation sought a way and issued the Circular No.007, dated 10 September 2006, announcing that veterans, who want to borrow money through the system of subsidies, are required to register their names at the municipal or provincial Departments of Social Work, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, to fill out forms, requesting to borrow money officially from the system of subsidies.
“The municipal and provincial Departments of Social Work, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation had to hurry to find out who is a member of the veterans’ community, and to create a veterans’ solidarity chest, to overcome their difficulties. Just having heard of this circular, all of the disabled people were immediately so happy as if they would go to heaven, because the creation of veterans’ solidarity chests in cities and provinces would enable them to live appropriately. But it seemed to have been a happy attraction for the disabled only for a while, and at the end, they were sad instead. Moreover, they suffered much more than before, because the solidarity chests had not yet been created at every department, though the government had stated that this would happen.
“An old man who had a handicapped leg, said, on condition of anonymity, that he and other disabled people in Preah Vihear had not received the January 2007 money through the system of subsidies. Even though this month [March] nearly finishes, no one dares to borrow as before, because they are afraid of the Ministry’s circular. In a number of provinces such as Takeo, the disabled people did not even receive the subsidy for January 2007. They complain that the Ministry did not actively encourage the creation of veterans’ solidarity chests in many cities and provinces with transparency and effectiveness.
“All the disabled people would like to request the Ministry of Social Work, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation to encourage action, so that veterans’ solidarity chests really materialize. Even though the solidarity chests are not yet created all over the country, they would like to have at least one or two departments which have solidarity chests, regardless whether they are in a city or in a province, so that they can depend on these departments to seek aid when they meet financial difficulties.
“The disabled people’s satisfaction about the information on the creation of solidarity chests was replaced by their sufferings, because the chests seems not to be working effectively and transparently.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1295, 20.3.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
Apyea Kret, Vol.6, #57, 19.3.2007
- H.E Keo Remy Requests Vietnamese Assembly To Help Resolve The Problems Of Khmer Krom Rights
Kampucheabot, Vol.11, #243, 19-20.3.2007
- Samdech Chea Sim: The Cambodian People’s Party Will Rule For Hundreds Of Years; Samdech Hun Sen Will Continue To Be Prime Minister For Many More Mandates
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1295, 20.3.2007
- The Disabled And Veterans Criticize The Creation Of Solidarity Chests
- The US Ambassador Expresses His Views About The Trial Of Prince Ranariddh, The Election, And The Oil Resources
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5995, 20.3.2007
- Surprising Information About An Insult: Samdech Euv [the Father King] And Samdech Mae [the Queen of the retired Father King] Sue the Sralanh Khmer Newspaper
Meatophum, Vol.51, #635, 20.3.2007
- Preah Moha Ghosananda Was Give The Title Of Great Spiritual Leader After His Death
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4240, 20.3.2007
- Unexpected Rain And Storm Destroyed 16 Houses; Lightning Strikes Killed Two People [Battambang Province]
- Cambodia Will Host A Meeting Of ASEAN And European Officials In 2009
- Poverty Reduction Fund Of Phnom Penh City Residents Reaches The Amount Of Riel 4.589 Billion (approx. US$1.2 million)
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #2995, 20.3.2007
- Pov Panhapich Situation Has Improved, But She Is Seeking Help From Generous People; Police Have No Clue For Finding Murderer
