The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 496
“Phnom Penh: Mr. Kem Sokha’s Cambodian Center for Human Rights asked citizens living in the Boeng Kak area to be silent for a while in order to wait and see the authorities’ position on providing a 99-year investment contract to a Korean company, whereas the Sam Rainsy Party declared a plan to demonstrate against this investment. Meanwhile, Sam Rainsy Party local activists agitated public opinion with reference to the cutoff of electricity and water supplies, which occurred in the Boeng Kak area a few days go. But in fact, things are not as the Sam Rainsy Party says.
“Mr. Sam Rainsy, the leader of the Sam Rainsy Party, threatened to organize a mass demonstration against the investment plan for the Boeng Kak area which covers over 130 hectares, claiming that this investment would displace more than 4,000 families residing in the area. The Sam Rainsy Party compared the Boeng Kak development project to what had occurred in the Dey Krahom and Sombok Chab areas of the Tonle Bassac quarters, displacing citizens and leaving some of them without getting any replacement land after they were relocated to the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Mr. Sam Rainsy said that the Sam Rainsy Party would organize a demonstration to demand that the government authorities develop this area in place; even if the investment project is given to a private company, it should have to prepare infrastructure for the citizens in the place where they are currently living, without relocation such as was enforced in the case of the Sombok Chab area.
“Early this week, Mr. Kem Sokha’s Cambodian Center for Human Rights held a public forum about the investment plans for the Boeng Kak area. Mr. Kem Sokha stated, in front of hundreds of citizens in the forum, that he had to listen and see the municipal authorities’ position on the development project before deciding whether or not to organize any demonstration. According to Mr. Kem Sokha, citizens in the area had to be closely united in selecting their representatives to hold discussions with the municipal authorities. Mr. Kem Sokha was concerned that if the citizens’ representatives were weak, their hearts would be “bought” by the municipal authorities and they would be ordered not to protest against the authorities.
“Mr. Mann Choeun, a Phnom Penh deputy governor, claimed that the development project is not to evict the citizens from their current residences. He claimed that the development project is aimed at development in place, allowing the citizens to live in their current residences without relocation. The deputy governor confirmed, ‘When this development project is implemented, Phnom Penh will be like a Pearl of a City in the area.’ He added that there is no plan to relocate the citizens to the outskirts, as some people said for their own political advantage. Therefore, he insisted that the citizens should cooperate with the authorities to make Phnom Penh become like a Pearl of a City.
“According to Boeng Kak local authorities, opposition party activists agitated to make the citizens concerned about this investment project. Recently, many reports claimed that electric power was cut off in some places of the Boeng Kak area, as well as the water supply. But according to some other sources, the power supplies had really been cut off occasionally in the Boeng Kak area, and this was not due to the development project. Power cutoffs usually occur during the dry season, but this does not happen every hour or every day.
“Mr. Sam Rainsy’s declaration of his willingness to help citizens in the Boeng Kak area caused criticism, because while citizens in this area maintained silence, this opposition party tried to cause new trouble. It is understood that this is an attempt by the Sam Rainsy Party to gain political advantages before the Commune Council Election, which is scheduled for the 1st April 2007. Even though the Sam Rainsy Party tries to incite, it is observed that the citizens in Boeng Kak area have much trust in their local authorities.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1275, 24.2.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 24 February 2007
Areyathor, Vol.13, #1216, 24-25.2.2007
- Singer Pov Panhapich Was Gunned Down with Two Shots on Friday 23 February 2007, and Sent to Vietnam for an Operation to Take Out Bullets; It Is Hoped She Will Survive
- One Supervisor of Chhay Huor II Hotel Was Arrested [charged with human trafficking and pimping]
Chakraval, Vol.15, #2652, 24.2.2007
- $56 Million Is Likely to Be Given to the Cambodian Government by the U.S. for the Year 2007 [stated by embassy officials]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6. #1275, 24.2.2007
- Sam Rainsy Party Incites People Over the Issue of Boeng Kak Land While Citizens Trust Municipal Authorities
- 61 Year-Old Man Raped His 13 Year-Old Niece [neighbors helped call police for intervention]
- 447 Villagers in Thma Kor Commune [Lvea Aem, Kandal] Received Assistance from a Delegation from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Inspection
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5975, 24.2.2007
- Samdech Prime Minister Reminds Authorities Again to Relentlessly Crack Down on Gangsters [Prime Minister scolded authorities that they only do their jobs when they are reminded]
- Military Police Cracks Down on Cock Fighting and Confiscates Motorbikes and Cars [in Sihanoukville]
- Most People in Oddar Meanchey [a province bordering on Thailand] Eat Vegetables Imported from Thailand
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3094, 24-25.2.2007
- Australia Will Help to Improve Democracy in Cambodia through Assistance and Cooperation [a promise by the visiting Australian Senate President Paul Calvert. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy informed the visitor about weaknesses in the human rights situation in Cambodia]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4220, 24.2.2007
- Samdech Hun Sen: Traffic Accidents Claim Three to Four Lives Every Day [he encouraged the Ministry of Interior to check all regulations and see if existing regulations still fit the current situation]
- Senior Minister Keat Chhon Announces Plan to Create Life Insurance Company [he said the ministry is preparing a contract with a foreign company; the insurance company will also operate a bond market]
- A Domestic Airline of Cambodia Plans to Fly from Siem Reap to Southern Laos [this area has many historical temples]
- Workshop on the Needs of Young Women Working as Beer Promotion Girls [workshop arranged by Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center. Girls working in this jobs are often viewed with contempt and abused by customers]
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #2975, 24.2.2007
- Many Judges Treat Defendants as if They Were Already Convicted Culprits before the Judgment [a guide on fair trials was published to help court officials]
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #337, 24.2.2007
- Hun Sen Said Oil Is a Blessing, Not a Curse; but the Head of the US Embassy [in Cambodia] Said It Is True Only if the Sources of Corruption Were Rooted Out [many ruling party members try to become members of the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority. The ambassador said if the roots of corruption were not taken out, oil could be a curse]
- Land Disputes Bring Down the Popularity of the Cambodian People’s Party
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