Taiwanese Ministry of Interior Tells Cambodian Assembly that More Than 5,000 Khmer Women in Taiwan Face Difficulties
“The Taiwanese Ministry of Interior told the Khmer National Assembly that more than 5,000 Cambodian women, who are married to Taiwanese men, face difficulties because they are abandoned by their husbands. The difficulties of those women exist because of Mr. Hun Sen’s government, which maintains a One-China policy
“Mr. Lee Yi-Yang, a Secretary of State of the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior, wrote on 9 January 2007 to Mr. Son Chhay, the chairperson of the Fifth Commission [Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation, Propaganda and Information] of the National Assembly, saying that at present, more than 5,000 Khmer women, who are married to Taiwanese men and are living in Taiwan, are abandoned by their husbands, face difficulties, and have no money to return home.
“On 22 January Mr. Son Chhay wrote to Mr. Hor Namhong, a Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, about the situation of the women. Mr. Son Chhay stated in the letter, ‘I have recently received an e-mail from an official of the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior, telling me about the Khmer women who are married to Taiwanese men and are living with difficulties on the island. The official of the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior asked the Commission of the Cambodian National Assembly to help to seek ways to solve the problems of the Khmer women, most of whom are poor and abandoned by their husbands. Living in difficult situations, those Khmer women asked for social welfare assistance from the Taiwanese authorities, but their request was rejected due to reasons of national security. The reason being that Taiwan does not have official diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Cambodia for solving national issues.’
“The letter continued that to seek solutions for the problems of these Khmer women, the Taiwanese official asked for policy suggestions from Khmer officials, or as an alternataive he asked that Khmer officials could contact different organizations in Ho Chi Minh City (Prey Nokor), Vietnam. which are experienced in such work. The chairperson of the Fifth Commission of the National Assembly asked the Khmer Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide policy suggestions, or agree to a meeting any time to discuss possible solutions for the problem of these Khmer women.
“Mr. Son Chhay said, ‘More than 5,000 Khmer women, who married Taiwanese men, were just used as tools of passion for a short time and then abandoned. Those Khmer women are living by themselves, and it is difficult for them to find jobs, so some of them forced themselves to take Taiwanese nationality in order to get any social welfare money from the Taiwanese government.’
“The letter of the official of the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior presents the difficulties of their authorities when trying to help those Khmer women, because Taiwan does not have an office for solving such issues, as Cambodia applies a One-China policy.
“Mr. Son Chhay said, ‘Vietnam also supports a One-China policy like other countries, but it has a [Taiwanese] cultural office or a trade office for handling visas for traders and to solve other issues of people from both countries.’
“Before the bloodshed coup on 5-6 July 1997, Cambodia had a Taiwanese cultural office in Phnom Penh. After the coup, Mr. Hun Sen’s government closed the Taiwanese office, causing difficulties up to today.
“Mr. Son Chhay, stated, ‘We are worried about these Khmer citizens, because according to the constitution, Khmer citizens everywhere are to be assisted by the state. The case of more than 5,000 Khmer citizens in Taiwan is difficult to solve, because the two counties do not have offices to contact each other. Therefore, when the Taiwanese authorities need to clarify information in some documents which are forged, there is no way. How to punish the Taiwanese men who deceived Khmer women into being used for passion for a short time, we don’t know from whom to get any clarification. But the Government of Cambodia should pay attention and should try to solve this problem properly.’
“Mr. Son Chhay appeals to the Khmer government to take responsibility for the fate of more than 5,000 Khmer women because they are Khmer citizens, but now they face difficulties in Taiwan.
“Last year, Khmer monks living in Taiwan created an association in order to help protect the more than 5,000 Khmer women. However, the association could not help them in legal terms but only with charity for a short time.” Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #315, 26.1.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 26 January 2007
Areyathor, Vol.13, #1210, 26-27.1.2007
- Mr. Khek Vandy [Princess Bopha Devi’s husband] Should Explain Rather than Flee Abroad [over Royal Norodom and Sisowath lines]
Khmer Amatak, Vol.8, #446, 26.1.2007
- Charay Ethnic Minority Tribespeople, Whose Land Is Trickily Grabbed by [Minister of Economy and Finance] Keat Chhon’s Sister, Plan to Come to Phnom Penh [to seek a solution]
Khmer Mekong, Vol.5, #229, 25-27.1.2007
- Hun Sen [responding to reports saying there is an intention to overthrow the Royal Norodom line and replace it by the Sisowath line]: All Senior Dignitaries of the Sisowath Line Support Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni to Be the King
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5950, 26.1.2007
- European Commission Provides Euro 8.9 Million [approx US$11.5] for Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Development in Cambodia
- Hong Kong and Japan Are Job Market Destinations for Cambodian Laborers
- Man, Who Owes Debts, Kills His Wife, Wounds Daughter [beating her head with an ax], Then Hangs Himself [he is rescued and hospitalized – Puok, Siem Reap]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3072, 26.1.2007
- Anti-Corruption Law Won’t Be Adopted if Government Is Not Willing
- Hanoi Promises to Help Strengthen Cambodian Military Forces
- NGOs Ask Strongman [Hun Sen] to Take Back Land from Ms. Keat Kolny [Keat Chhon’s sister] and Give It to Ethnic Minority Tribespeople Urgently
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4195, 26.1.2007
- [Nhem En, former] Photographer of Tuol Sleng Prison Apologizes to Millions of Victims Who Died during Khmer Rouge Regime
- [South] Korea Affirms that It Will Accept Many Cambodian Laborers
Reach Seima, Vol.2, #139, 26.1.2007
- Cambodia Doesn’t Have Money to Create Its Own Companies
- Mr. Nhem En Doesn’t Dare to Show Photos of Senior Government Officials Who Worked with Pol Pot
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #315, 26.1.2007
- Taiwanese Ministry of Interior Tells Cambodian Assembly that More Than 5,000 Khmer Women in Taiwan Face Difficulties
- Global Witness Says Corruption in Wood Business Relates to Senior Government Officials
