The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 495, Wednesday, 14.2.2007
“It has been over a month that the deadline of the promise of the Hun Sen government had expired, which had claimed that it would be able to create an anti-corruption law, that representatives of the Royal Government of Cambodia and donor countries that had criticized the Hun Sen’s government for failing to keep its promise, had met.
“On 12 February 2007, diplomats and representative of donor countries expressed their disappointment in the Hun Sen government and the Cambodian People Party who had not fulfilled their own promise to create an anti-corruption law. The reaction of the diplomats was expressed during a closed-door meeting with representatives of the government.
“Mr. Joseph A. Mussomeli , the US Ambassador to Cambodia, spoke about the disappointment of donor countries, as the Cambodian government has so far not created an anti-corruption law. He asked when the Cambodian government would form the anti-corruption law which is so necessary. On the other side, [the Minister of Economy and Finance] Keat Chhon made excuses about other laws.
“The Prime Minister of the Cambodian government had promised to the international donor countries that Cambodia would finish an anti-corruption law by December 2006. But the promised time passed by, and the Cambodian leaders had not yet created the law as previously promised.
“The representatives of donor countries closely questioned the representatives of the Hun Sen government also concerning the necessity of the reforms of the public administration system, the judicial system, and the settlement of land disputes for poor victims.
“To veil his promise of many times and many years, the Cambodian leader used a new pretext to respond on the slowness of creating this law.
“Prime Minister Hun Sen used a pretext to explain that Cambodia had not yet been able to make the anti-corruption law, because it has to finalize the criminal and civil law first, in order to smoothly implement the anti-corruption law when that law is put into use.
“Heng Samrin, the less capable president of the National Assembly – the institution which always follows the government, made the same excuse. Heng Samrin said that the reason for the slowness of forming the anti-corruption law was the need to lay out the criminal and civil law in advance.
“Ms. Chea Vannath, the former director of the Center for Social Development, said that the absence of this law makes donors and international investors lose their belief and their confidence in the government. She added that the necessity for the anti-corruption law requires that it should be made immediately. She also repeatedly spoke about the transparency of the judicial system reform management as well.
“The representatives of embassies and of international donor countries as well as institutions for cooperation with Cambodia showed their disappointment. It is known that the donors continuously still monitor the performance of Cambodian leaders. And this is not the first time that donors have expressed such disappointment.
“During the international conference against corruption, held in the Intercontinental Hotel on 21-22 August 2001 , diplomats had criticized the corruption in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen and top government officials
“Mr. Ken Wiedemann, former US Ambassador to Cambodia, criticized the Cambodian leader directly ‘The donors are not stupid, and they are not ignorant; they know that some Cambodian leaders are shamelessly corrupt.’
“According to investigations of international donor agencies, corruption in Cambodia makes this poor country lose over $350 millions each year. The agency US Aid had also spoken about this matter.
“A former US Secretary of State, who observed Cambodia, quoted as his source donor agencies from all over the world in Cambodia, which say that every year, corruption among the Cambodian authorities and officials makes the country lose the $500 millions to $1 billions.
“This large amount of money is needed for Cambodia, the poor country which lives depending on assistances and loans from foreign countries amounting of approximately $500 millions each year.” Khmer Amatak, Vol.8, #453, 14.2.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Cheat Sachak, Vol.4, #41, 13-23.2.2007
- Is China Concerned about America for Cambodia? [US battle ship visiting Cambodia is evidence of US has influence in Asia. China is a great power in the region and trying to be great power in the world too.]
Deum Ampil, Vol.2, #9, 14-20.2.2007
- Oknha Osman Hasan [an adviser of the Prime Minister] Has a Role as a Member of the Royal Government, Using Leaflets to Attack Officials [can lead to warning and loss of position]
- Cambodia Will Develop 61 Islands to Attract International Tourists [Mr. Thoang Khun, the secretary of state of the ministry of tourism claimed that these islands would be developed to expand the market of tourism]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1269, 14.2.2007
- University in France States that Samdech Krom Preah Is Busy to Be Examiner [of French students in Aix-en-Provence]; He Cannot Appear in the Court as Summoned
- Her Excellency Anny Sok An [third deputy director of the Cambodian Red Cross] Gave an Audience and Received Gifts from Generous People Twice [to help the poor and victims through the Red Cross: cash and goods]
Khmer Amatak, Vol.8, #453, 14.2.2007
- Donors Are Disappointed in Hun Sen Who Failed to Keep His Promise to Create an Anti-Corruption Law
- Two Okhnas [Depo and Osman Hasan], Both Supporting the Cambodian People’s Party Do Not Trust Each Other; What Does Hun Sen Think?
- Samdech Chakrapong Wants to Allow the [US based] National Democratic Institute to Help Make the National Election Committee Become as Neutral as in Other Countries
Koh Santepheap, Vol. 40, #5966, 14.2.2007
- The Father King’s Message from Beijing Extends His Thanks to Some Members of the Royal Families for Their Opinions, also of Attacking Him
- Blood Sisters [Ngoun Pheap, 41, and Ngoun Theoun, 43, in Pursat] Take the Same One Husband [Chhean Truncheon, 51] and Share Him Each One Week. Both of Them Have 25 Children All Together]
- The International Workshop [on 7-8 February held by the ILO, UN Higher Commissioner Office in charge of human rights, and NGO Forum of Cambodia Discovers that Ethnic Minorities Are Facing the Loss of Land
- Japanese Assistance for Flood Protection Project Around Phnom Penh [agreement signed at municipality on the research project for flood protection]
Reach Seima, Vol. 02, #152, 14.2.2007
- Cambodia Loses $70 Million Each Year Because of Tobacco [Cambodia has the highest rate of smokers in Asia. 54% of the male and 7% of the female population are smokers]
Rasmei Angkor, Vol.14, #1147, 14.2.2007
- Heng Pov’s Wife Should Learn from Cheam Channy’s Wife [when the Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Cheam Channy was in prison. his young wife who is intelligent turned to the government leaders to help her husband and did not blame the police]
Samleng Yuvachun, Vol. 14, # 2969, 14.2.2007
- The Court Summoned Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh and Samdech Norodom Sirivudh to Appear in Court on 15 February Over the Sale of the [Funcinpec] Headquarters
- Kep Chuktema [Phnom Penh Governor] Forgets the Prime Minister’s Recommendation “Develop the Western Bank of the River but Do Not Forget the Eastern Bank” [constructions located on Chroy Chongva were abandoned]
- The Benefits of the Khmer Rouge Trial [this trial will be a lesson for present and future leaders to avoid genocide]
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #331, 14.2.2007
- The Royal Government Fines the Pannasastra University $3,000 for Not Respecting the 7 January Day [by holding normal classes on the national holiday commemorating 7 January 1979, when the Khmer Rouge regime was deposed by Vietnamese military action]
- The Royal Government of Cambodia Has a Principle Not to Allow Khmers from Kampuchea Krom to Enter Cambodia [without proper documentation – more than 30 Khmers from Kampuchea Krom, who attempted to cross the border to Cambodia, were detained by the Khmer authorities over night and then sent back, after conflicts with the Vietnamese authorities in An Giang Province]
