The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 528
“Phnom Penh: The head of the Royal Government of Cambodia Samdech Hun Sen acknowledged that – though Cambodia had an increase of more than 10% in its gross domestic product for years in a row – the economy and the living standard of the people in rural areas are still facing problems, because of the weakness of the economic infrastructure, which are of concern for the Royal Government of Cambodia.
“Samdech Hun Sen said so at a ceremony commemorating the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the launch of the United Nations Development Program’s [UNDP’s] Cambodia Human Development Report 2007 under the theme ‘Expanding Choices for Rural Cambodia,’ which was held at the Inter-Continental Hotel on the morning of 4 October 2007.
“Samdech Hun Sen said that we must clearly see geographical differences, there are areas rich in natural resources, and compare which situation is better than another, see their specialties, and consider the demographic situation of rural areas. Regarding these elements, the Royal Government is doing its best to improve the transportation infrastructure, work on the reconstruction and new constructions of irrigation systems, promote land management reform, granting loans, providing information and education for farmers, especially for the settlement of problems faced in infrastructure development, in order to push markets to be more effective to improve the living standard of the people in rural areas.
“Samdech also gave his opinion for expanding choices for rural people, by saying that, first, there must be an inflow of resources into rural areas. Second, fair and effective land management has to be promoted (Samdech Hun Sen noticed that land disputes spread due to the high price of land in the last few years). Third, education and human resources development are crucial, so that labor will have sufficient education and the necessary motivation in order to support the Cambodian economy, which is then progressing.
“Samdech Hun Sen noticed that in the process of human resources development, poverty and the lack of general resources are the main obstacles preventing improvement in the results of education in Cambodia, especially in rural areas, and the promotion, the achievement, and the quality control of education on all levels, which are life or death factors for the future development of Cambodia. Fourth, it is necessary to motivate the private sector for the development of the rural economy, and Fifth, it is necessary to promote the growth of of a wide and sustainable basis in rural areas.
“Samdech Prime Minister added that the Royal Government pays strong attention to the findings and the conclusions of the Human Development Report 2007.
“It should be remembered that this report provides a variety of views on key issues, related to growth in the rural sector, looking at equity and sustainability by combining land ownership issues, agriculture, energy, social services, and governance. The report also provides important views and an analysis on key issues that Cambodian people face, including studies about some negative impacts of rural development activities on the citizens. This report also considers suggestions for reforms that could be conducted in order to guarantee a firmer rural economy.
“Mr. Chhay Than, Senior Minister and Minister of Planning, said, ‘We hope this report will contribute to the arrangement and policy implementation in the important field of human development in Cambodian rural areas.’
“Mr. Douglas Gardner, UN Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Cambodia, said, ‘Rural development is an extremely pertinent issue, particularly as three out of four Cambodians work in agriculture.’ Another key problem faced at this time is what should be done in order to guarantee that the benefits of economic growth will reach 75% of the Cambodian people in rural areas.
“Mr. Gardner went on to say, ‘the gap between Cambodia’s urban areas and the rural poor continues to grow, and needs to be tackled with vigor and urgency.’ Poverty in rural areas is approximately 39%, compared to 5% in Phnom Penh.
“The report is fully aligned with the National Strategic Development Plan and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, and exemplifies the Royal Government of Cambodia’s firm commitment to improving the lives of its citizens.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4407, 5.10.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 5 October 2007
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1462, 5.10.2007
- 20 Landmines Left Since Wartime Are Found Beneath a Bridge [Pailin]
- Pikes Are Smuggled from Thailand to Cambodia
- Burmese Monks Start to Escape from Rangoon [after cruel suppression by military regime on demonstrators demanding democracy]
- Burma Releases a Journalist after Detaining Him for Six Days [over demonstrations]
Khmer Amatak, Vol.8, #522, 5.10.2007
- Prime Minister Hun Sen Who Has Sraeng Skin Disease Sells Medicines for Skin Disease Treatment [mocking Prime Minister Hun Sen who advises Burmese leaders not to use violence against demonstrators]
- Samdech Krom Preah’s Lawsuit [over sale of Funcinpec headquarters] Tells Khmers that It Is Time to Vote to Change Leaders and Courts [their judgment is unjust]
- Education System in Cambodia Is Weak Because Teachers’ Salaries Are Too Low
- 28 Years Have Passed, Cambodia Under Hun Sen’s Leadership Still Has Name as a Beggar
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.1, #39, 5-6.10.2007
- Rong Chhun [president of Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association]: To Respond to Teachers’ Day [5 October], Government Must Also Care about Pay Rise
- Hun Sen Says Land Disputes Caused by High Price of Land
- Keat Chhon Says Cambodian People’s Party Government Cannot Reduce Gasoline Price [he said that gasoline price in France also goes up]
Khmer Mekong, Vol.5, #303, 5-7.10.2007
- Samdech Euv [the Father King] Sends Message to Compatriots, Saying that He Did Not Collude with Khmer Rouge and He Did Not Evacuate People from Phnom Penh
- Former Khmer Rouge Leader Cursed by His Mother [his mother had cursed him to suffer from his sins until his next birth for bringing the Khmer Rouge regime to Cambodia]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6162, 5.10.2007
- Samdech Prime Minister Recalls Good Partner; While There Was a Political Standoff, UNDP Was Not Pessimistic
- Plan to Create Green Urban Belt and Natural Village in Siem Reap
- Nearly 50 People Entered Rubber Plantation [to scavenge waste rubber]; Security Guards Fired Two Bullets, People Ran Away and Two of Them Drowned in Canal [Tboung Khmum, Kompong Cham]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3281, 5.10.2007
- Corruption and Bad Governance Cause Bigger Gap between the Rich and the Poor
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4407, 5.10.2007
- Samdech Hun Sen: ‘Economy and Living Standard of People in Rural Areas Are Still a Problem
- Chea Chanboribo [former Secretary of State of Information] Is Used to Attract Krom Preah to Join Funcinpec
- Mr. Puth Chendarith [former Kampot Governor, Funcinpec] Gets a Sentence of Two Years’ Imprisonment, Suspended for Five Years, and Gets Fined to Pay Riel 15 Million [approx. US$3,750, over a land issue]
- Cambodia Optimistic about Khmer UNICODE Standardization [for writing in Khmer on computers]
- Number of Japanese Tourists Ranked Second in Cambodia [after South Korean tourists]
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #3156, 5.10.2007
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Officials Say Cambodia Cannot Prevent Drugs because of Corruption
- From Next Month on, One Motorcycle Driving Licenses Will Cost US$30
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #522, 5.10.2007
- Cambodian People’s Party Commune Council Members in Kampot Sell 400 Hectares of Public Land to a Private Company
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