Japan to provide $9.5 mln food aid to Philippines

MANILA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Japan will provide an emergency food aid amounting to 9.5 million U.S. dollars to the thousands of war-displaced persons in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao, its embassy in Manila said on Sunday.

The assistance will cover the distribution of 7,500 metric tons of rice to affected civilians through the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP).

"Japan sincerely hopes that this emergency food aid through the WFP would help mitigating the current humanitarian crisis in Mindanao and strongly expects a cease-fire and the immediate resumption of peace talks between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)," the embassy said in a statement.

The 12,000-strong MILF, which used to be a part of a larger separatist group that signed a peace deal with the government in 1996, had been battling for self-rule in Mindanao since 1978.

After the aborted signing of an expanded Muslim homeland deal with the Philippine government in August 2008, MILF rebels forcibly occupied some Mindanao towns, killed civilians and looted and burned their homes. More than half a million of people have been affected by the conflict since government troops launched a military offensive against the rebels afterwards.

"Earlier in 2006, Japan had provided food aid amounting to 280 million yen or approximately 2.8 million U.S. dollars for the displaced in the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao also through the WFP. This time, the aid will be substantially larger in its scale," the embassy said.

Recently, the Philippine government has announced it is ready to resume talks with the Muslim rebels, but the displaced are still afraid to go back home for fear of the unstable situation in the south.

Slideshow of the violent eviction in Dey Kraham

Slideshow of the violent eviction in Dey Kraham

25 Jan 2009
By John Vink/Magnum
Ka-set

“My mother … she wants to die, my father, he wants to die too, he wants to live in his house. I don’t know where I can go, I don’t know what I can do. Why the government do like this? What do they think? What are they thinking? Why they do like this? We live here for a long time…” – Evicted resident from Dey Kraham

Click here to watch the slideshow with sound on the final eviction of Dey Kraham. Photos and sound by John Vink/Magnum from..http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6299094215254139295

Chinese New Year boosts sales of chicken

Chicken sales is in full speed at the Olympic Market (Photo: Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

25 Jan 2009
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Chicken is the most sold meat, even more than pork, during the Chinese New year celebration between 26 and 28 January. Each Sino-Khmer family from Phnom Penh buys between 5 to 10 kilos of chicken to offer to the spirit of their ancestors. The Chinese New Year starts on 25 January.
Muoyeka, a Sino-Khmer from Phnom Penh, estimated that his family will spend upward $100 for the Chinese New Year. This budget includes the purchase of prayer objects, chicken and drinks. “This festival is very important, so we are making the necessary effort to pay for it, just like other Sino-Khmer families,” Muoyeka indicated.

Among the shopkeepers, everybody is taking advantage of the situation: even fruit and vegetable sellers are now offering chicken for sale to earn some extra money before the holidays.

Ouk Moeun, a chicken seller from Kandal province, indicated that he reserved about one ton (1,000 kilos) of chicken for sale during the Chinese New year. One kilo of chicken normally costs 16,000 riels ($4), but the price increases during this period to no less than 25,000 riels ($6.25) per kilo. Each shopkeeper sells between 30 to 50 chicken daily in the average.

Thai Foreign Minister kicks off visit to Cambodia

BANGKOK, Jan 25 (TNA) – Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya began his first official visit to Cambodia on Sunday at the invitation of his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong.

During the two-day visit Sunday and Monday, Mr. Kasit will have an audience with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, pay courtesy calls on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as leaders Chea Sim, President of the Senate and Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly, and have a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Hor Namhong, who is also deputy prime minister.
The main purpose of the Thai minister's visit is to introduce himself on the basis of customary practice and become acquainted with Cambodia's top leaders after assuming the office of minister of foreign affairs of Thailand.

Moreover, Mr. Kasit will also take this occasion to meet and discuss with his Cambodian counterpart to expedite cooperation at both bilateral and multi-lateral levels, which would be beneficial to both sides' efforts to strengthen their cordial relations and the promotion of mutual understanding between the two countries and peoples.

Impact of More Tribunal Indictments Surveyed

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
24 January 2009

While national and international prosecutors remain at odds over further indictments of Khmer Rouge leaders, the Documentation Center of Cambodia last week began a survey among Cambodians to find out what they think.
The survey, which will last one month, asks seven questions of ordinary citizens related to their general knowledge of the ongoing Khmer Rouge tribunal and whether they feel it should indict more cadre of the regime.

“The stance of DC-CAM is to allow victims to play a role and show their decision on whether the tribunal should try five persons or more than five persons, and then we allow them an expression of their views,” said Chy Terith, team leader of the center’s Victims Participation Project. “The outcome of the survey will be published publicly and submitted to the [tribunal] also. It is a voice from victims for the tribunal.”

The tribunal is holding five aging former leaders of the regime: chief ideologue Nuon Chea, 84; nominal head Khieu Samphan, 76; foreign minister Ieng Sary, 84; social affairs minister Ieng Thirith, 67; and prison chief Kaing Kek Iev, 66.

The survey seeks to learn what the potential repercussions of further indictments—of up to 10 subordinates of the currently jailed leaders—would be.

“We will ask them also if the tribunal tries only five persons, will they have justice or not,” Chy Terith said.

The survey will be distributed by 15 survey team members in several provinces, as well as by e-mail. The survey will not be conducted in the former Khmer Rouge redoubts of Pailin and Anlong Veng.

International prosecutors at the tribunal have argued for more indictments, but national prosecutors disagree.

The decision on whether more will be arraigned must now be decided by Pre-Trial Chamber judges, who have not set a hearing, tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said.

It was “too early” to comment on the Documentation Center survey, he said, but “all kinds of evaluations will be taken under consideration by the courts.”

Contractors Claim Safety From Bird Flu, Recession

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
24 January 2009

Scores of families in Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, earn a living through contract poultry farming for a single private company, and many of them say they feel secure in their income and health of the birds.
“We don’t have to worry about the loss or about the bird flu virus,” said Pang Ith, a 35-year-old contract farmer. “But we are happy for getting $6,000 a year from the farm contract.”

Around 81 farming families earned about $364,500 in 2008 from contracts for C.P. Cambodia Co., LLC, a Thai company, which provides between 3,000 and 4,000 chicks per farm, along with food, vaccine and technical expertise, and pays between $500 to $750 for two-month-old birds.

Some of the chickens are sold on the Cambodian market, and others are taken back to Thailand for processing and sale there. Farmers here say they are protected from the economic crisis because C.P. Cambodia takes the risks. They also say the company ensures the birds are healthy.

“Each contract farm gets an income between $3,000 to $6,000 per year from raising chickens,” Heang Thu, chief veterinarian for C.P. Cambodia, said in a recent interview. “The farmers who have many hen houses are rich in the village, because they don’t face profit risks raising the chickens. The company is responsible for the loss when the chicken market is low.”

Those who have contract farms make a better living, acknowledged Noy Sy Nuon, chief of Damnak Ampil commune, who said 27 families in the commune work for the Thai company.

“Many farmers” had requested contracts with the company, Heang Thu said, but the company would not fill their requests for fear of dropping local chicken prices too far.

“The chicken market in Cambodia is too small,” he said. “If we enlarge or develop the contract farms more and more, we will lose profit. But if the government wants the farmers to have a job to do, the government should ban the import of chickens along the border. Every day, the cost of chickens in the market is low, because chicken imports are coming more and more to Cambodia, dropping prices.”

Chek Srey Him, a 38-year-old farmer in Pong Teuk village, said her yearly income was $5,400 per year from contracting, providing her a better living than before.

“I can send my two children to school, and they can learn English,” she said. “And I can buy some land for my children.”

Mean Reth, 37, in Tropaing Trach village, said contract farming provided him $3,000 per year. “This profit is better than if I farm rice or drive motorcycle taxis,” he said.

Ugly CPP truth revealed by Hun Sen: Ke Kim Yan involved in land issues - Did Hun Sen forget to look in the mirror?

Top Military Chief Sacked for Impropriety: Hun Sen

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
24 January 2009

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday said his decision to remove a top military chief from his position Thursday was due to “land issues” and a dereliction of duties.

Gen. Ke Kim Yan “was conducting his own business” instead of performing his duties as commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Hun Sen told a weekly Cabinet meeting.

Ke Kim Yan was backing the illegal purchase of land in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district, Kampot province’s Phnom Vor area and sites in the provinces of Banteay Meanchey and Stung Treng, Hun Sen said.

Ke Kim Yan could not be reached for comment Friday. He was removed from his post late Thursday by royal decree following the request of Hun Sen.

Replacing Ke Kim Yan is his deputy, Gen. Pol Saroeun. Also promoted to deputy commanders of RCAF by the royal decree are military intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Mol Roeup, military police commander Lt. Gen. Sao Sokha and the chief of Hun Sen's personal bodyguard unit, Lt. Gen. Hing Bun Heang, among others.

Pol Saroeun declined Friday to comment on the removal of Ke Kim Yan, saying it was an internal military matter.

It remained unclear Friday whether Ke Kim Yan would be given another command or remain in the army. Hun Sen told his Cabinet a new position had not yet been considered for the former chief.

The sacking comes as Cambodian continues a months-long military standoff with Thailand on the border of Preah Vihear province.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is scheduled for border talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, in Phnom Penh Sunday and Monday. Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the removal of Ke Kim Yan would not affect the talks.