Khmer Rouge Tribunal to begin hearings in mid-February

Theary Seng

January 21, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's UN-backed Khmer Rouge Tribunal has officially set February 17th as the start date for the long-awaited trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders accused of atrocities in the 1970s. Former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav - better known as Duch - will be the first person to appear on charges of crimes against humanity, breaches of the Geneva Convention and pre-meditated murder and torture. Aged 66, Duch was prison chief at the infamous Tuol Sleng jail, a former school transformed into a torture centre during Khmer Rouge rule between 1975 and 1979.

Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Theary C. Seng, executive director of Center for Social Development

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)
SENG: This is definitely a good starting point, justice must be seen to be done. We have been waiting for 30 years now where a trial has not been had, so this is the beginning of the justice process and it's a very, very visible beginning. As you know, a trial is a visible symbol of justice and the anticipation, the waiting, the expectations, are being merged and all eyes are being pointed to this trial that is set for February 17th.

LAM: I understand that Duch has also pleaded guilty, that there is much evidence weighed against him?

SENG: Yes, Duch is also a good starting point, because a trial is based on evidence. After 30 years, a lot of evidence has been lost, but with regards to Duch, he kept a very, very meticulous record of all the executions, at least 16,000 were believed to have been killed at his command. There are witnesses, there are piles and mounds of documentary evidence. So this is a clear cut case and so it makes it a better beginning and a more visible beginning, an easier case I think than the other four senior leaders who are also currently under detention at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.

LAM: And Theary, the tribunal of course as a symbolic reconciliation with Cambodia's painful past and yet despite the limited time and resources, many people feel that the hearing should be broadened to try more former perpetrators?

SENG: Millions died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. To try to prosecute only five, beginning with Duch now, being the only one considered most responsible and the other being considered senior leaders is not enough. I understand that hundreds if not thousands could potentially be prosecuted for the mass crimes that occurred in the 1970s and taking into, and taking the lives of at least two million Cambodians, including those are my parents. But Duch should not be the only scapegoat. He should not be made a scapegoat. So if hundreds-and-thousands are not realistic, well five is not enough either. There is currently now a discussion to possibly prosecute another six. This is being forwarded by the international co-prosecutor. I think this is a very realistic number, and to have an additional six prosecutions. I think it will bring greater peace to the Cambodians have been waiting for peace and justice.

LAM: And yet I understand that there is some reluctance in certain quarters within Cambodia, to broaden the tribunal. Is there a political dimension to this reluctance?

SENG: So this is the problem, if evidence and justice is leading the prosecution, even if it is five or six or seven. I think Cambodians will be satisfied, but when there are other elements outside of evidence, outside of justice for the victims, factors such as political considerations, then it becomes really problematic and it's then it could potentially led to these trials to become shams, and this is sometimes better than not having a trial. So yes there are political considerations that should not be in this court. As you know the current government are comprised of former Khmer Rouge soldiers, so they don't want these issues to surface into the public arena, especially under the glare of international and national attention. So we believe that there are political considerations, that should not be in the vicinity of this Khmer Rouge Tribunal. It should be based on evidence, it should be based on justice for the victims.http://ki-media.blogspot.com

New Species Hotspot In Remote Cambodian Mekong

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2009) — Cantor’s Giant softshell turtle, thought to be extinct in Cambodia since 2003 has been rediscovered in a section of the Mekong River almost untouched by humans.

The discovery was one of a raft of species new to the region, 24 in all, and a previously unknown “corpse plant” notable for emitting an odour of decaying flesh.

The study area is home to a near-pristine region of tall riverine forests, waterways and island archipaelagos, and is described by scientists as including one of the last suitable freshwater habitat for the critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin.

The findings are the result of a series of surveys jointly conducted by WWF Cambodia, the Fisheries Administration (FiA) and Forestry Administration (FA) of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in 2006/7.

The most exciting area surveyed was a 55 kilometre stretch of river located in north-eastern Cambodia, referred to as the “Central Section”, which is a sanctuary for many vulnerable fauna populations, 36 of which are listed as threatened under the IUCN Red List.

“Unlike many other mainstream sections of the Mekong in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, this particular part of the river remains relatively untouched by human activities,” said Richard Zanre, WWF Freshwater Program Manager. This region, he added, used to be one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge and was off-limits to local and foreign agencies until as late as 1998.

However, the “Central Section” is rapidly shrinking. Cambodia’s new era of peace is leading to migration of communities to areas previously off-limits due to security concerns.

Unregulated hunting, fishing and logging are the greatest threats to the area as the number of settlers to the region has increased rapidly in the previous decade. Local communities are already reporting that catches of fish, turtles, large mammals and lizards are already declining.

Future threats may arise from further infrastructural development of the region, such as dam and road construction. Two dams have been proposed in the study area, just outside the Central Section, and would massively disrupt the delicately balanced ecosystems in the area.

Like many developing countries, Cambodia must balance the needs of a growing population with conservation. Fortunately, the government is sympathetic to these concerns;

“The Royal Government of Cambodia recognises the importance of maintaining the Mekong’s resources for biodiversity, national food security and development, and reflect this need in the targets of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of 2002 and Cambodia’s Millennium Development Goals,” said Seng Teak, WWF Country Director.

“Documenting Mekong’s biodiversity and natural resources is a critical first step is to preserving them.”

Having worked with the government closely on these surveys, WWF Cambodia has sought to get the “Central Section” designated as a special management site, ensuring that the region’s plant and animal life are integrated into the governments national biodiversity strategy and afforded adequate protection.

WWF would like to see all lands in the central section divided into two zones – one a protective zone, and the other a multiple use zone that would help to support livelihoods of local communities.

Coming so shortly after the discovery of over one thousand new species in the Mekong River basin from 1997 to 2007, this study has proved the value of protecting the region, while also serving as an important contribution to the mapping of Cambodia’s biological diversity, key to the formulating of effective management programs in the area.

Two Adolescents Sentenced to 5 Years each in Prison for Stealing Electric Wire(finish)

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Phnom Penh Municipal Supreme Court on Monday sentenced two men to five years each in prison under the charge with committing robbery. A 20-year-old Kang Vannara and his 19-year-old roommate Chhuon Boran were arrested at around 7 A.M. in Aug 2008 after police had found three circles of the electrical wire and wire cutters in the toilet of their rental room in Phnom Penh’s Dang Kor district. However, the two stealers ruled out the accusation when being questioned in the court room. Nonetheless, while being under the police custody, they confessed that they had stolen the electrical wire. “If I did not accept the thievery, the police officers would torture us,” Kang Vannara said in front of the three judges. And they did not know how the electric wire managed to be in his room, Chhuon Boran said.
Chhuon Boran also confirmed that at the night he, together with his friend Kang Vannara, had accompanied (on walk) his girlfriend, who is a karaoke girl, to Suon Bopha restaurant, her work place. Speaking in anonymousness, a lawyer said most of his clients always assert that they are forced to acknowledge the crimes after they are taken into police custody. According to a complaint against them, an eyewitness Aom Divorn said confirmed that a around 3 A.M. on Aug 6, the electricity at his house went away. Therefore, he suspected that someone had cut the wire secretarially. He, along with his smaller brother, came out and checked on the wire, seeing two people dragging the stolen wire into the offender’s room in Kbal Domrey village, Khan Dangkor’s Kakab commune. Due to the darkness, the eyewitness could not recognize them. He instantly informed the local police to intervene. Kang Vannara and Chhuon Boran’s lawyer said that his clients were framed. Further more, the eyewitness just saw the stealers in the darkness. Hence, “one should not conclude that the two stealers are his clients,” he said. According to these reasons, the defense lawyer asked that the judge withdraw the charge against his clients and release them. According to Cambodian Law, a thievery which is committed by two stealers up is considered as a robbery, so they have to face criminal law.

Elephant Walk a worthwhile venture

The Elephant Walk's decor is characterized by warm, welcoming lighting, simple decor and cozy settings. (Media Credit: Max Breistein Matza)

1/20/09
By Njideka Orjiako
The Justice (Massachusetts, USA)

Cambodian-French cuisine. If this combination sounds like heaven to you, then welcome to my world. The chance to savor two completely different cultural dishes in one meal had my taste buds zinging before I, a lover of ethnic food, even sat down. The destination for this meal? That would be The Elephant Walk, a Cambodian-French restaurant on Main Street in Waltham that would be a welcome change for students who are bold, bored or both and are looking to deviate from the usual Moody Street eateries. The warmly lit restaurant is cozy and casually elegant, with a simple decor that is more Western than Cambodian. But although the restaurant is not fancy, the food is; while the eclectic pairing of Asian and European food under one roof might seem surprising or odd without prior knowledge of Cambodia's French colonial past, it makes for a very interesting meal.

The Elephant Walk's menu is divided into sections, with separate areas devoted to original French (dishes prepared according to their chef's interpretation of French cuisine), traditional Cambodian (authentic recipes) and original Cambodian food (dishes inspired by Cambodian traditions)-the restaurant strives for authenticity in its recipes. I sampled both cuisines, first starting with the Crêpe de Canard aux Poires appetizer, a French dish consisting of a savory crêpe filled with braised duck, diced pears and scallions, with crème fraiche and a balsamic vinegar reduction as sauces. The presentation was so good it made my dinner dates jealous. Then, I ordered an original Cambodian dish called crevettes amrita for my entrée, which was a dish of sautéed shrimp with a colorful array of vegetables in a Cambodian satay sauce, served with white rice.

Although the dishes were skillfully prepared, some subtleties in flavor were lost in the shuffle. For instance, the pear in the crepe dish was diced very finely and did not really add much to the dish, as its flavor was masked by the sauces. Also, the shrimp entrée claimed to contain up to eight spices, including cumin, cardamom, galangal and star anise. However, the sugary satay sauce took center stage over the exotic spices I had looked forward to tasting. Moreover, while I like to think my dishes were such outstanding choices to have won my friends' attention, it could also just have been that their choice of saucisse grillée et ragout d'edamame was underwhelming, being a drab, brown dish of pork, rice and edamame that left them the small satisfaction of tasting better than it looked. Another friend ordered a calamari dish that she enjoyed, though, so in general, I think the dishes scored well.

Overall, my experience at The Elephant Walk was very pleasant. I enjoyed the food, the warm atmosphere and the full and lively crowd of Saturday night diners (I recommend booking a reservation to avoid the wait). Our waiter was friendly and polite, leaving my table eager to tip him well. I recommend The Elephant Walk highly-it makes an excellent choice for when you want to feel a little high-class. On the other hand, the prices encourage the high-class feeling, because although items generally don't cost more than $20 each, cheap, delicious food is available close by. Whatever the cost, the food is good, and the menu offers gluten-free and vegetarian options as well. I wish there were more actual Cambodian-French fusion dishes on the menu, though; the proprietors try to keep the two culinary genres separate so as to preserve traditional recipes. For this reason, they don't make food concessions for customers outside of changing the cut of your poultry and meat.

So, if you've never been to this locale, then consider The Elephant Walk for your next restaurant venture. Given a chance, this once-unexplored Waltham eatery could make your list of go-to, familiar favorites, and the food heaven you've been searching for could be waiting in the form of a tasty, East-meets-West meal.

Tribunal Calls for More Victims to File

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
20 January 2009

Khmer Rouge tribunal officials on Tuesday called for more people to come forward to file complaints against jailed Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch.

The call, from the tribunals Victims Unit, comes as Duch, also known as Kaing Kek Iev, prepares for the initial hearing of his trial on Feb. 17.
Trial Chamber judges on Monday decided victims would be able to continue to file complaints to the Victims Unit in Duch’s case up until Feb. 2.

In order to encourage more complaints the Victims Unit said her unit would work during weekends, the unit’s director, Keat Bophal, said.

“We will have a team working Saturday and Sunday to provide a facility to victims who want assistance in the process,” she said.

The filing of complaints at this stage is important for people who want make a claim for compensation and participate in the procedures of the court, Keat Bophal said.

As Duch’s initial hearing approaches, the Victims Unit has so far received more than 100 complaints, more than 70 of which are from civil parties.

More than 20 are simple complaints from people who have signed on as a civil party. (Civil parties have lawyers and participate in the entire process of the tribunal.)

Hong Kim Suon, a lawyer for civil parties, said Tuesday the preparation of the Victims Unit was good, but its outreach was still lacking.

People can only file complaints if they understand the procedure, he said.

“Participation in the civil party proceedings is not only for justice, but also to remind victims who have died already that we are struggling for their justice,” he said.

Safety in Recent Culling, But Big Losses Too

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
20 January 2009

The slaughter of chickens and ducks suspected of carrying avian influenza late last month may have helped control the spread of the disease, but for Mil Vattana, who sat forlorn before an empty chicken pen one recent morning, the loss was huge.

Around 300 of his chickens and ducks were culled Dec. 17 near his Kraing Chek village, Kandal province, following the discovery of bird flu in the area’s poultry. More than half of those were prized fighting cocks, worth up to $350 apiece.

“One hundred and sixty-eight fighting cocks cost more than $40,000, and the more than 100 normal chickens and ducks cost around $500,” Mil Vattana, 47, a former soldier and military trainer, said.

Health and agricultural officials ordered the Kandal province culling of more than 450 after one man fell ill with the disease in December and more of the virus was found in birds. The man survived, but his illness renewed concerns of the spread of the virus.

The slaughter affected all aspects of his business, Mil Vattana said, but he added that it was “a good way to prevent the bird flu, because human life is more important than those birds.”

“If I oppose the order to slaughter, I’m afraid the bird flu would affect my wife and my young child, who stay close to the chicken pen,” he said.

The area surrounding Mil Vattana’s commune is filled with underbrush and natural ponds and lakes, which make good habitat for many types of wild birds, which can also carry the virus. At the end of the year, during December, the wild birds often stop near the commune, making them potential vectors for bird flu from local poultry, according to commune veterinarian Dy Soeum.

The H5N1 virus, known as bird flu or avian influenza, is transferred from bird to bird and from bird to human. Health experts are worried that the virus could mutate and begin spreading from human to human, potentially creating a global pandemic.

Near Mil Vattana’s village, officials say around $100,000 has been spent culling birds and distributing a poultry vaccine. People will not be allowed to raise chickens or ducks in the area for six months, in hopes of containing the spread of the disease.

Roth Thida, 73, said her 50 chickens were also killed in the process.

“It is a key way to resolve the whole problem of bird flu, to free the people of my village from the deadly danger,” she said. “I agreed with the veterinarian to kill my chickens, for the protection of the people around my home.”

“My family had good luck,” said Din Rithy, a 29-year-old whose chicken pen was destroyed and 80 chickens killed in the culling. “We lost our money for raising the chickens, but [the culling] provided safety to my family and community.”

Din Rithy said he would continue to raise chickens to support his family after the six month ban. The local veterinarian had sprayed a vaccine around his house and village, he said, “so I think the virus has died.”

Uncertainty For Asean Press In Coming Months

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The months ahead will hold much peril and uncertainty for members of the press in Southeast Asia, with the years 2009 and 2010 expected to be highly charged due to national election seasons for most countries in the region.
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) said that even without the chaos and violence, attendant to electoral exercises in countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, the unpredictability of the contests and inevitability of uncertainty would give the region's journalists, not only compelling stories and issues to follow, but also dangerous times and situations to navigate.

In its 'Looking back, looking ahead: The state of the press in Southeast Asia' report released today, the Bangkok-based Seapa said the coming months would also be a crucial period for Asean itself, in particular with respect to how the regional body proves and demonstrates the value of a new charter that came into force last month.

It said that despite visions for a single free trade area by 2015, strengthening democracy, enhancing good governance and the rule of law and promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, the region's press must note for itself that "press freedom" was not even mentioned in the Asean Charter, nor, for that matter, "free expression".

"How it all plays out for press freedom, therefore, is uncertain. To be sure, 2008 saw a lot of promise for change on this front," added Seapa.

It cited examples like Singapore which promised to relax its Films Act, Laos' introduction of a new media law that promised to allow more private sector participation, Timor Leste's promises to decriminalise defamation and the Philippines' Supreme Court decision that didn't quite decriminalise libel, but it essentially encouraged lower courts to ignore options to imprison journalists over defamation.

"Meanwhile, changes in the political environments of Malaysia and Thailand have caused people to assume changes in the environments for media and press freedom," it said.

Seapa said following the March, 2008 election that saw opposition parties winning five states in Malaysia, there had been more freedom of expression, with opposition and bloggers invited to appear on state-run television while it's in the Internet where change was most palpable.

But it also pointed out that laws such as the Internal Security Act, the Sedition Act and the Official Secrets Act continued to loom large and define the larger environment for a suppressed media, still overwhelming even government's promises to promote and strengthen judicial independence.

Sepa said upcoming elections in the region were, but one factor that pulled for the status quo.

"From Timor Leste to Thailand, the agenda of recapturing "stability" was overwhelming, and in 2008, it was often used to rationalise a low prioritisation -- and even a sacrifice of -- the press freedom agenda," it said.

Cambodian casinos out of luck as revenues take a hit

Written by Kay Kimsong

Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Local casino operators report fewer gamblers on both the Thai and Vietnamese borders, with across-the-board cost cuts planned for this year. Photo by: Tracey Shelton A casino building at the Poipet border crossing. Gambling is down at both the Vietnamese and Thai border casinos. THE global economic crisis has hit Cambodia's gaming industry, with casinos on the Vietnamese and Thai borders announcing hefty cost cuts. The local downturn comes amidst a global gambling slowdown affecting casinos worldwide - Macau's gaming industry posted a US$300 million drop in revenues in the last three months of 2008, while US gambling hotspot Nevada reported a 65 percent plunge in takings last year.

Cambodia is particularly susceptible: With about 30 casinos, it has more gambling venues than any country in Southeast Asia. Traffic at the Thai border is down sharply with casinos taking a triple hit from the global economic crisis, recent border tensions and a falling Thai baht.

At the Kings Crown Casino and Hotel - with locations in Cambodia on both the Thai and Vietnamese borders - the number of visitors has dropped sharply, leading to losses of $620,000 in the last quarter of 2008, the company said.

The company says it is cutting the work week for its more than 2,000 employees, a move designed to trim costs, said Cambodian Peoples' Party Senator and casino owner Phu Kok An.

He told the Post that his company was negotiating with employees to reduce their working month from 30 to 15 days.

"We are not laying off workers but they will get 15 days' salary. If your salary is $200 per month, you will get $100."

The company currently spends $300,000 a month on salaries, he added.

The casino has outlets in Poipet on the Thai border and Chrey Thom district, Kandal province, close to Vietnam.

"We are not earning enough income to spend on staffing, water and electricity. When people earn less money, they gamble less," Phu Kok An said.

He said that the number of gamblers fell sharply but that the business would remain open.

we are not earning enough income to spend on staffing, water and electricity.


"We earned some profit in early 2008 but made losses over three months [in September, November and December 2008], we employ a lot of workers - we are overstaffed - and we're overspending," he said. But Vann Sitha, vice president of New World Casino-Hotel in Bavet on the Vietnam border, said his company does not plan to lay off any of its 700 employees or reduce working hours. Although some staff had resigned, it would continue to recruit, he added.

"Our casino management has never laid off staff, but some like to move from job to job seeking a better salary offer," he said, adding his business had been less affected by recent events given its location on the Vietnamese border as opposed to the troubled Thai side.

Phat Bun Hour, assistant to Koh Kong Casino owner Ly Yong Phat, also a CPP Senator, declined to comment.

Chea Peng Chheang, secretary of state at the Ministry of Finance, is calculating the casino industry's total revenue for 2008, which he said will be completed this week. Revenues are expected to be lower than the $10 million generated in 2007.

Mobile growth stays strong

Written by Kay Kimsong

Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Phone companies say the Cambodian market is bullish. Photo by: Heng Chivoan A satellite dish in Phnom Penh. Mobile operators hope to expand service into Cambodia's largely untapped rural areas. Despite the economic downturn and concerns over corporate investment, local mobile phone operators say their expansion plans are on schedule for 2009 as the industry continues to grow. "Our expansion plans are on track," said Adam Cabot, CEO of Star-Cell. The company announced last year it was going to expand services to all of Cambodia's provinces for its 100,000 subscribers. "Yes, [the crisis] will have an effect, but it is hard to say how much. We are still maintaining our position and doing well," he said. The company would not comment on its earnings for 2008, but said it plans "a very aggressive program for 2009".

Rural market
Cambodia's low mobile penetration rate is a draw for many companies such as Vietnam-based mobile operator Viettel, which is launching a major drive to tap Cambodia's rural market and bring schools online. Hong Anh Xua, president of Viettel, could not be reached for comment on Monday, but Prime Minister Hun Sen's spokesman Eang Sophalleth said Viettel's rural expansion is part of the government's own plans to increase phone usage outside the capital.

The Cambodian government says private operators like Viettel are therefore providing an important service for rural areas.

"Samdech [Hun Sen] supports the investment because it has contributed to the development of our country," said Eang Sophalleth.

Cambodia's mobile market has grown rapidly in the past five years, and companies are scrambling to gain a foothold as phones and the internet gain popularity.

Domestic mobile-phone usage surged 49 percent in 2007 but the national penetration rate remains a low 17 percent. In contrast, neighbouring Vietnam saw 75 percent growth with a 33 percent penetration rate in the same year, said Budde Comm, an independent telecoms analyst.

SERVICES HAVE IMPROVED IN CAMBODIA WHILE PRICES HAVE DROPPED.


Internet access is available in all provinces, but the lack of a national fiber-optic cable network means that service is slow and unreliable. One major cable line runs through the Thai border to Vietnam from Kampong Cham province to Sihanouk province. A second cable links Cambodia to Vietnam and Laos. The ministry is working with the Lao government to connect the fibre-optic cable from across border to Cambodian provinces, which it hopes to compete by April.

"This is a free-market policy that will benefit the people and will attract more investors. Telecommunications services have improved in Cambodia while prices have dropped," said Eang Sophalleth.

So Khun, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, told the Post last Tuesday that the ministry welcomes new competitors in the phone market and that more companies will lead to cheaper services.

"I think the telecom business still has a lot of room to grow. There are still many Cambodians who do not have phone services, which is a big opportunity for new companies."

He said internet and phone service prices will drop once more competitors enter the marketplace.http://www.phnompenhpost.com

French jazzman combines cultures through music

Written by Brett Worthington

Tuesday, 20 January 2009

King of improvisation Louis Sclavis and Battambang's Phare Ponleu Selpak create music to accompany silent films at Wat Botum this evening. Photo by: © nicolas perrier Louis Sclavis. A diverse career Passersby at Wat Botum tonight might be surprised to hear the sounds of European jazz and traditional Cambodian music emanating from the temple gardens. Inside, renowned French jazz musician Louis Sclavis and a band of 10 young Cambodian instrumentalists from Phare Ponleu Selpak will be joining forces to produce a score to silent French films. Having played music for close to half a century, Louis Sclavis's diverse career has seen him create works ranging from solo projects to soundtracks for visual art. Last week, an exhibition of photographs taken with his mobile phone opened at the French Cultural Centre, and on Saturday he and Phare Ponleu Selpak performed an improvised concert with a traditional Cambodian dancer. This is the first time Louis Sclavis has been to Cambodia - he says he is looking forward to combining two unique cultures through music.

How did your trip to Phnom Penh come about?
I have a blog with my photographs, I am not a photographer, I am a musician, but I just take photos with my mobile phone. The French Cultural Centre saw my blog and photos and [they] wanted to do something with [my photos] mixed with my music. But I did not want to show my photos and play in front of them. [The French Cultural Centre] wanted me to meet local people, artists or photographers. So we decided to just make an exhibition of the photos and to do a concert with musicians from here. We [are doing] two concerts, the main concert is to a French silent film and [the other is] with musicians and a traditional Cambodian dancer.

Do you think people in Cambodia will be able to relate to your music?
For this special project I don't play only my music, I start mainly from Cambodian music because the musicians I work with play traditional music. We start from Cambodian songs and I try to do something different, to put in improvisation. I do not bring composition. I try to bring something different, to use the sound of instruments in different ways. I take a traditional [Cambodian] instrument and make it more European. What I try to do is make a bridge between France and Cambodia.

How do you rehearse for an improvised performance?
For the concert we can really improvise, for the movie you need to be more strict because [they are] very short movies so we have to decide exactly what [music] we will play for each movie. Because there is little chance to improvise, this is quite prepared.

You started playing the clarinet age nine, how did you choose this instrument?
When I was a child I wanted to play an instrument, it could have been anything. I went to a little music school in my town and there was only a clarinet teacher. I think it was a good choice because I still play the clarinet, but mainly bass clarinet.

Is your family very musical?
They like music very much. They always helped me to continue to play. When I decided to become a professional, I was quite young, like 18, and they always pushed me this way.

Is it true you believe musicians should not be restricted to one style of music?
Yes, yes. All the young musicians - especially jazz musicians - usually are very open to every kind of music and culture. Since the beginning, jazz is a mixture between cultures. For me, what is most important is the relationship between the people; I don't care if you play with fantastic musicians if you don't share anything. It's why I chose the young Khmer musicians [from Phare Ponleu Selpak] because they are very dynamic, they want to play and this is more important to me, more important than just the music.

Who do you expect will come and watch you play at Wat Botum this Tuesday?
I don't know, I think when you play at the French Cultural Centre, it is more French people, European people, but the silent movie and the concert [will take place] in the centre of town [Wat Botum], so it is for everybody. I think that when the French people come it is nice, but this is more for Cambodian people. Everything is for Cambodian people, but it is easier for them to go into town than it is for them to go to the French Cultural Centre.

Louis Sclavis and Phare Ponleu Selpak will perform at Wat Botum this evening at 6:30pm.
Louis Sclavis' exhibition of images taken with a cell phone camera will run at the French Cultural Centre until the middle of February.

Youth among ruins

Written by Kevin Britten

Friday, 16 January 2009

Teens might find Angkor Wat tedious, but the city can offer more compelling entertainment Photo by: KEVIN BRITTEN A teenager comes nose-to-nose with King Jayavarman VII at Bayon. For most normal teenagers, visiting 11th century Khmer ruins is not high on the list of vacation choices. But now, Siem Reap offers enough attractions in and around the temples to make the trip less painful for the adults accompanying the adolescents. Lets face it, old stuff can be very boring if you're not interested in the history or art of the period. Angkor Wat, despite its spectacular scale and beauty, is no exception to this. So how do you keep your teenage kids interested enough to make the trip fun for all? Well, the first stop has to be the viewing balloon near Angkor Wat. It's fun to be hoisted 180 metres off the ground whether you're interested in the ruins or not. The best panoramic photos of Angkor Wat can be taken from the air, and even the most boredom-prone teenagers will get a thrill from being suspended from a tethered balloon. Unlike parents, teenagers seldom suffer from vertigo. So witnessing their parents' visible fear at close hand is bound to add excitement to the experience.

A new quad-bike operator has recently set up shop in the town and has just imported some large, new quad-bikes. They enforce the helmet rule for all visitors, and designated riders accompany groups until they're clear of the built-up area. One-hour tours are not expensive and are a lot of fun, as the bikes are pretty powerful.

The crocodile farm right in the middle of town can seem boring until the crocs start to thrash about. Throw in a fish and these huge creatures spectacularly burst into life, snapping and fighting over the small fish that the farm sells.

There are crocs of all ages and sizes in separate pens, and there's a frisson of fear generated by being so close to something so deadly - and so hungry.

Pub Street is another place to take the kids in search of teenage fun.
Although most teenagers get no joy out of watching old people drink, the atmosphere in some of the bars - Angkor What?, for example, with loud music and big-screen TV - will entertain the young.

Lets face it, Old stuff can be very boring if you’re not interested in the history or art of the period.


The street is safe and clean enough during the day and late evening to let teens roam alone while the old folk relax at a nearby bar.

Shopping fun
Then there's the shopping. Siem Reap has good tourist-trinket shopping, and the new Night Market has all the normal range of kitsch with the advantage of being open in the cooler part of the day.

Plus, there's a comfortable, big round bar for parents to lurk in at a safe distance while shopping is done, and there are two fish massage places where you can get your feet nibbled smooth for only US$3 for 15 minutes.

Fish imported from Turkey do the work, and the favourite fodder of this species seem to be dead, flaking skin. For 15 minutes of cleansing and wriggling laughter, it's hard to beat.

The shops around the Old Market, which operate during the day, also have rich pickings for teens - particularly in the fashion bargains and oddball stuff departments.

The market itself only houses mainstream tourist kitsch, but the small boutiques are varied and plentiful, and you're never far from a bar or a restaurant.

The temples
So what of the temples themselves? The sheer size and scale of Angkor Wat itself means that there's plenty of walking and plenty to see.

Keep moving. Don't get too bogged down with all that carved-wall stuff from the Ramayana, and you'll be fine.
Above all, don't take a guide, as the chances are he or she will insist that you do the whole place. Get a feel for the temples, take some photos and move on.

Some of the best photos can be taken at the Elephant Terrace, Ta Phrom and the Bayon. Humorous photos are the way to go to amuse the young, with the best being the nose-to-nose at the Bayon.

With rates the way they are, it's crazy to stay in a hotel without a pool in Cambodia. For $30 a night for a single room, including taxes and breakfast, you can pick from a range of new and comfortable hotels to make up for anything that the adults in the group feel they've missed at the temples.

Of course, you may have kids who are seriously nerdy and have a genuine interest in Khmer art and architecture and history - unlikely, but possible.

For the rest of us, Siem Reap has now graduated to being a with-teens tourist destination.

Riverfront pavement cleared

Written by Tracey Shelton And sam rith

Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Municipal officials remove furniture, clothing racks in attempt to beautify capital. Photo by: Tracey Shelton Police and municipal officials move a potted plant off the riverside pavement on Monday. EARLY Sunday morning, as tourists dined at the Tonle Sap riverfront cafes and street-sellers pedalled their goods, a team of police began clearing the footpath of all chairs, tables, dining tourists, signs, motorbikes and ornaments. The move came three days after a warning notice was issued telling businesses to clear the street area in front of their properties. A police officer who did not wish to be named said the area was being cleared because it was a place tourists liked to walk.

"We have told [business owners] several times via letter and loudspeaker, but they have never listened, so we are now acting on our warnings," he said.

The reaction from business owners and tourists was mixed, with some welcoming the clearing of the sidewalks and others grumbling over the loss of shopfront seating areas.

"It's more beautiful for the tourists but not so good for my shop," said Siv Kheng, who runs a clothing store on the corner of Street 130.

"I'm not sure there is even room for my staff to fit inside now," she said.

For Australian tourist Matthew Bolton, who witnessed the upheaval from the (former) outdoor seating of Garden Bar in the Shade, the move was not necessarily a good thing.

"We came to Cambodia with an idea of embracing Khmer culture and to us the bustling, active streets are part of its character," he said.

But Bolton's 10-year-old son Bleys disagreed, saying the new look not only provides more space to walk but there are "less people to hassle you".

Phsar Kandal commune Chief Kong Rith said no fines had yet been issued for noncompliance, but he warned that failure to obey the directive would result in items being confiscated.