Germany Triples its Pledge

Much like Japan's example, Germany will boost its original contribute to the UN-backed trial of Cambodia's surviving Khmer Rouge leaders. It is adding a further $1.9 million to boost its pledge to $2.9 million.

Link

Neeson's Tale of Two Cities

A three-day stopover in Phnom Penh prompted Scottish-born, Australian-bred Scott Neeson to give up a high-paying job promoting Hollywood mega-movies and instead into offer support in founding the Cambodian Children's Fund.

"Scott is doing it, he's living there. He goes out to the dumps, he takes the (children) off the streets and gives them a new chance at life. The turnaround is just remarkable. That's why he's doing it."
And he's discovered the hard way that it's much easier to promote a studio blockbuster overseas than a nonprofit organization domestically.

The Los Angeles Times has the full story here.

Link

Sihanouk Quits Website

The Voice of America reports that former King Norodom Sihanouk has blamed illness for his decision to stop posting personal comments related to politics.

Am I imagining this, or has his majesty previously made a similar promise to refrain from making comments on his personal website?

At ay rate, his communiques will be missed.

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Slim Pickings

Friday's post mentioned our walk through a village at sunset.

Unfortunately the shutter speed on our camera was not up to the task - and had great difficulty dealing with the fading light and/or my jerky hand movement.

We have slim picking - but here is another shot. One grabbed moments after the herd scene.


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Herd: the Word on the Street

Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

It is a shocking picture - but it does make us laugh. There is something almost comically sinister with the glint in these cows' eyes.

On the journey back from Sambor Prei Kuk we stopped in a small village to talk along the street and soak in the atmosphere. It was approaching twilight, so the flash on our camera was acting a tad erratic.

With a herd of cattle stomping directly at us, we grabbed a few shots as angry cows races past. The reflection of our flash in their eyes gives these pictures a surreal finish.

Any similarity to this other herd is purely co-incidental.

Norodom in Transit

Former King Norodom Sihanouk can still muster media attention.

Donor Portion Diverted

More details about on Tuesday's coverage concerning Japan's help in restarting the stalled tribunal.

The proposal is to use Japanese government funding that was previously earmarked to a bilateral aid program, diverting it instead to cover Cambodia's $12 million shortfall in its share of the $56 million needed for the tribunal.

Link

Bringing Up the Rear

We seem to be getting a little behind in picture posting. So here is one last shot from the tail-end of our trip to Sambor Prei Kuk.

If we have our bearing right in terms of matching guidebook details to this picture, then this was shot looking out from the carved lintels of Prasat Tao (the 'Lion Temple').

Impressive guardian lions stand silent watch outside this impressive tower - the only one still intact amongst the central group.



Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Note the hefty hindquarters and bared teeth [of the stone lion, I hasten to add]. They are offset by the ringlets that formed its mane.

Those Who Are Nibbling

Julio A. Jeldres, the private secretary to King Norodom Sihanouk from 1982-1991 and now his official biographer, offers a delightful fresh insight to the old problem of border recognition.

An ancient Khmer prediction suggested in olden days that the Khmers would have to choose one day between being eaten by the tigers or swallowed by crocodiles.

Link

EC Tackles Poverty

The European Commission this week extended its aid program to Cambodia in a two-prong approach.

It has pledged $US 35 million for economic development, social sector support and good governance; and a further $US 30 million spent on upgrading road and irrigation systems to alleviate long-term poverty in Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Siem Reap.

Link

Alas, Sweet Cucumber

It vanished, overnight.

If only we had found the time to explore it more fully. But its regular and informative updates had lulled us into thinking a false sense of security. We had thought it might be around for some time.

Guy's year-long journal is now kaput as he moves away from Cambodia to pursue fresh projects. We wish him luck.

What a shame the content has so quickly disappeared. It was one of the better Cambodia-based weblogs on offer - and its back pages contained many gems.

If, like us, you long for even a small serving of Sweet Cucumber, then help yourself to this serving of leftovers (from late 2004).

Link

Japan Rescues Stalled Trial

ABC Radio Australia reports that Japan has agreed to pick up Cambodia's tab.

The generosity of neighbours clears the financial hurdle as Japan "ups the ante" in its pledge to be a major financial supporter for the Khmer Rouge trial.

"The budget is not a question any more," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters.

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Toons on the Tiny Screen

It amazes Tan and Trev how many televisions can be found throughout Cambodia - even in remote villages where mains electricity has not yet been supplied.

Big, bulky car batteries are a common source of power out in rural Cambodia. Here a home might be limited to a few hours of an electric light and a television in the evening - with the batteries carted off to a central point for recharging during the day.

If electricity is in short supply, what would you elect to watch?

Disney is making an early ploy to stake out new markets with the entry of Disney Channels into Cambodia this month.

Link

Border Creep

Cambodia's history of concerns has been chronicled earlier, but today's coverage suggests that the Supreme National Council on Border Affairs only has advisory powers.

The council has been listening to Cambodian villagers tell how border lines have been creeping.

"Reports come mostly from the Thai and Vietnamese borders, the big
countries. Vietnam has gone in 15 kilometres since 1997. Our villagers are now
in Vietnam."

Link

And Then There Were Seven

Three alleged accomplices now brings the tally to seven men charged for this week's school assault.

Grudge Theory Grows

It began with a slap. According to ABC Asia Pacific the drama can be traced back to one person getting their face slapped. Incredible.

More arrests likely with perhaps two more people involved in the siege according to interviews given to 7Days.

Meanwhile the stunned family of Maxim Michalik are left to pick up the pieces of their lives.

More coverage:
Questioning of Cambodia suspects extended
Revenge plot led to fatal school siege in Cambodia
Cambodia siege: Brit girl's family speaks
Police to determine if others involved

Lucky Omen Set Free

As an update to this item from earlier in the week, comes news that the rare catfish have been successfully released into Cambodia's Mekong River.

Calling the rare fish "an omen of luck and prosperity," their owner, Ing
Vannath, said he wanted to repay that good fortune "by returning them to their
natural habitat to allow them the chance to swim freely," according to a
statement from the World Wildlife Fund.

Link

Grudge or Money?

Revenge, not money, is now being pushed as a key motive in this week's school siege.

There are also some reports claiming that the dead Canadian child may have fallen victim to cross-fire (although this counter-claim is not being given much coverage).

But we wonder how much spin-doctoring is now being done to this story.

Are we hearing other versions in order to blur the prospect of copy-cat attempts? Might there be a deliberate attempt to downplay the "money" angle? Or perhaps the story might now be doctored to help allay the fears of potential tourists, and the dollars they'll bring.

More coverage:

• The Guardian
• Belfast Telegraph
• CTV.ca
• Iol
• People's Daily online
• Globe and Mail
• Metro
• WBOC
• KansasCity.com
• Aljazeera.Net
• Evening Star
• MediaCorp News

Poor Coverage by Some

Still further samples from the world coverage:

• Boy killed in standoff at Cambodian school
• Hostage-taking in Cambodia ends, one student dead
• Child dies in Cambodia school siege
• Child killed as Cambodian school siege ends
• Armed men storm Cambodia school
• Cambodia: Paco Rusconi, 3 year old Italian Hostage
• Child shot in Cambodia was born in B.C.
• Google updates and Yahoo updates

When read in isolation, the attempts of any one country's media to "localise" the event doesn't seems unnatural.

It is not uncommon to find stories structured to answer questions about who might we know from "our country" that could be caught up in this tragedy. The media generally seeks to find how best to bring the relevance of this story to its readers, listeners or viewers. That's logical. That's relevant. That's realistic.

But when read in bulk like this, the coverage from some countries is embarrassing. A few stories border on tasteless when conveyed in terms of: X number dead or injured, but none from "our country".

Sad End to School Held Captive

This is terrible news to close the chapter on yesterday's events. It is hard to believe that children so young could be subjected to such terror.

Other coverage:

• Boy Killed in Cambodia Hostage Standoff
• Canadian Child Killed, CNN Says
• Cambodian school siege ends, one child dead
• 1 child killed, 4 hostage-takers captured in Cambodia

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Turtle Warning

I never realised that turtles could be a health hazard. But eating a giant sea turtle has killed four people and left 60 ill in a village off the coast of southwestern Sihanoukville.

Link

'Brother' Denies Genocide

Nuon Chea, "Brother Number Two", has astonishingly denied Cambodia's killing fields ever happened.

"It didn't happen when we [the Khmer Rouge] were in power. It could have just been made up."

This is a markedly different version of what he reported to have said earlier this year and certainly a different approach to the media than what he displayed here.

Link

School Held Captive

Six masked men, some armed with shotguns, took 70 students and teachers hostage at an international school in north western Cambodia earlier today.
So far, 30 of the hostages have been released.

Link

Brit Part of Crackdown

A British man aged 24 is said in the U.K. media to be the first Westerner to be arrested on child sex charges in Cambodia since January. Although earlier reports here would suggest that crackdown on such behaviour has already netted a few people.

He is one of at least 22 foreigners that have been jailed in Cambodia or deported to face trial for paedophilia since 2003.

Link

King of the River Returns

Four giant catfish are being released to the Mekong River in an effort to try to boost numbers of the species thought to be on the verge of extinction.

The Mekong giant catfish -- known among Cambodians as "the king of fish" -- can grow to nearly 10 feet long and a weight of 660 pounds.

Link

Crackdown of Paedophiles

One piece of advertising seen repeatedly around the country reads: "Abuse a child in this country, go to jail in yours." While alerting people to the 24 hour hotline (003) 720-555, authorities are also warning about the dangers of child sex tourism.

It is heartening to learn that results are being achieved: and that action does follow words. According to this BBC report, seven foreign paedophiles have been arrested in the past year-and-a-half.

Link

Room With A View

Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

This was the view from our room at Kampong Cham.

To the left of the front gate, our group later relaxed down by the Mekong with a cold drink to watch the sunset.

To the right (just visible over the top of the trees) is the new Japanese Friendship bridge.

Undies Where or Underwear?

Oil smeared robbers are proving to be a slippery pair to catch. Two unidentified, underwear-clad burglars are reportedly raiding homes in the southern province of Takeo.

They apparently wear only underwear in an attempt to make themselves harder to identify.

Harder to identify? What, are they wearing the undies on their heads like a bankrobber would wear a stocking to hide his face?

Link

Tax Link in Coup Case

Court update: Prosecutors allege that tax rebates defrauding the U.S. government are pivotal in a case against Yasith Chhun, 48.

Link

Fresh Start on Border Talks

Phnom Penh has now reopened the Preah Vihear checkpoint to allow tourist access ahead of Thailand's defence minister embarking on a two-day visit to Cambodia to discuss a range of border issues with the Cambodian government.

Link

Call for No Cambodian Funding

It was noted here yesterday that the Opposition members of the Cambodian Parliament called on ordinary citizens to each contibute a US$1 to fund the Khmer Rouge trials.

Today analysts are dismayed at the counter-claim of Prime Minister Hun Sen when telling people not to bother.

"I think Cambodians should keep that money to support themselves rather than giving it for the court to try the Khmer Rouge," Hun Sen told reporters.

"Or they could spend the money to buy food and make offerings to the spirits of their parents who were brutally killed by Pol Pot's group. That is better," he said.

Meanwhile there is a report today that ex-Khmer Rouge leader, Nuon Chea, staged an illness earlier this week to avoid media attention during Monday's visit by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni to Pailin.

Link

Call for Cambodian Funding

Ethnic Khmers living overseas are being urged to dig deep as Cambodia's leading opposition party
makes an appeal for help in financing the long-awaited Khmer Rouge tribunal.

“It seems that everyone has been contributing to fund the Khmer Rouge tribunal except the Cambodian people themselves, here and abroad,” Ung Bun-ang, a spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy party, said in a statement yesterday.

Link

Floods and Forward Planning

A US$500,000 grant means people in the lower Mekong River basin Cambodian provinces - Kampong Cham, Kandal, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, and Takeo - will benefit from risk-reduction training to guard against floods, droughts, and the incidence of poverty.

Link

Skoun Snack and Spider Shake

What a shame Tan and Trev don't speek Norwegian. According to our site referral records, a good number of visitors ave been finding their way here from the May 27 post of moderator Kjeks at IT Avisen.

(Can anyone translate this for us?)

At a guess, the crew there seems to be discussing the merits of spider munching and our visit to Skoun.

Fried spider is one thing, but the graphic step-by-step guide to making a spider thickshake is just gross. Warning: this is not for the squeamish.

Link

Thousands Greet New Monarch

Although having newly stepping up to the throne, King Norodom Sihamoni, 51, appears to have strong backing from his people. ABC this week reports, about 10,000 turned out to greet the monarch on his first royal visit to Pailin, a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge.

Thousands of former soldiers from Cambodia's ultra-communist Khmer Rouge turned out in their one-time stronghold to welcome the country's new king, who was under house arrest during the genocidal regime's rule.

And from the looks of this site, it seemes likely that the new king will follow his father's lead in using the Web to help in self promotion.

Link

1,949 Monks Mark 1949

1,949 saffron-robed monks were part of a Cambodian ceremony mourning the loss of Kampuchea Krom (Lower Cambodia) 56 years ago to Vietnam, reports the Taipei Times.

Why so many? The number 1949 also represents the year of agreement when France signed over this region which is home to about 12 million ethnic Khmers. This same land mass was later a goal when Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge launched cross-border incursions in the 1970s and declared its aim to reclaim Kampuchea Krom.

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Aussie Aid to Help Remove Mines

Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, Lisa Filipetto, has announced that her country will provide about $US1.2 million dollars to Cambodia to counter the effects of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), according to a report in the China View (Xinhuanet.

More than $750,000 dollars will support the Cambodian Mine Action Center, the national de-mining agency.

Link

Another Peek at Sambor Prei Kuk

Tan and Trev today continues its recollection of their trip to Sambor Prei Kuk [alternatively: Sambor Prey Kok] with this selection of images.


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Our guide told us these are some of the oldest structures in the Cambodia. Sambor Prei Kuk ('hillock in the forest of Sambor') was once the capital. The site was chosen by King Isanavarman I as the capital city of the Chenla Kingdom in the seventh century and was known as Isanapura.


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Our guide also told us that some of the oldest temples here are dedicated to Shiva. Many of these ancient buildings were surprisingly well preserved, while others were little more than tangled tree roots supporting slim brickwork.


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

We are told that there are more than 170 structures left spread across this site; some having fallen into ruin or suffered from vandalism, but a remarkable number given the the region's old and violent history.

The site, now a forest, was cleared and studied by the French experts in the 1960s. During that era, well-heeled tourists would visit en route to Angkor.

Later the site was virtually off limits due to civil war and the presence of the Khmer Rouge. So we consider ourselves fortunate to come at a time of improved security so that there is now again access to these rare ruins,


Copyright Tan and Trev 2005



Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Interview with de-miner Aki Ra

Noy Thrupkaew provides this insightful piece on the Cambodian Landmine Museum, Prevention, and Rehabilitation Center - and the work of Aki Ra in clearing landmines (as previously covered here at Tan and Trev).

Link

Grant to Clear Business Hurdles

The World Bank will give Cambodia a $10 million (euro8.1 million) grant to streamline opportunites for foreign investments and trade. Reduce corruption is seen key factor for helping businesses overcome obstacles. Details here, here and here.

One of the project components is to develop an electronic "single window" system that will enable exporters or importers to fulfill all trade regulatory requirements. Under the old program, more than six government ministries were involved in the export and import process _ which required dozens of documents handled manually.

History Lesson in Border Issues

Verghese Mathews offers a detailed account of the border concerns of former King, Norodom Sihanouk, and how disputes have been bubbling away for some time.

Link

Updates on Yasith's Arrest

A spokesman for the government in Phnom Penh says Cambodia strongly welcomes the arrest of Chhun Yasith, 48. As mentioned in Friday's post,
the California-based rebel leader was arrested for allegedly orchestrating a failed coup attempt in 2000.

Two further items here and here, serve as an update to Friday's post.

Crackdown on Sex Tourism

Donald Bakker, 41, became the first Canadian to be convicted under a federal law there designed to combat child sex tourism when he pleaded guilty this week. Reports on the case can be seen here and here.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a string of violent sex crimes he committed and videotaped which involved prostitutes in Vancouver and young girls in Cambodia.

Bonds That Tie

China is already Cambodia's largest investor, investing $217 million in several Cambodian industries. However a spiritual bonding for the two nations was denoted this week with a Chinese Buddhist delegation visiting Cambodia.

In this news report, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni is quoted as saying the exchange and cooperation between Buddhist circle of Cambodia and China have helped strengthen the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Link

U.S. and China as Bedfellows

The Voice of America provides this editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli says, "We will also continue to focus on the importance of and need for an independent judiciary in Cambodia. It is only through respect for the rule of law and the existence of effective democratic institutions that regimes like that of the Khmer Rouge will exist only in the sad annals of history."

Hence there is nothing here which hasn't already been covered in previous media watch posts at Tan and Trev.
But compare it with this piece from The Telegraph of Culcutta, India. According to it, critics say interference from China is whittling away the tribunal's power and credibility - but on matters that sound vaguely familiar.

To remove the trial’s credibility ... Beijing used its influence at the UN ... to reduce the role of international judges and give control of the tribunal to local Cambodian authorities.

How odd. As previously chronicled here, the U.S. too is lobbying for more a reduced level of involvement by international judges. Before providing further monies, it wants to ensure that the local authorities will meet international standards of justice.

Link

Coup Case Pending

A pending court case reported in the Los Angeles Times explains that one Californian will face a range of charges relating to plotting an attack on the Cambodian capital in 2000 in an attempt to overthrown the nation's leadership.

Link

DJ Head for Cambodia

Scottish radio DJ Julian Grant is trading his job on the Edinburgh airwaves to relocate to Cambodia and host an afternoon show on the English-speaking station Love FM.

It is certainly a sea-change.

"It's a different lifestyle, but a better lifestyle. The weather's miserable here and it's getting harder and harder to live in Britain - it's just too expensive."

Link

King of the Blogs

As Tan and Trev have previously noted time and again, Norodom Sihanouk blogs.

Here are two more articles from the world media that seem to be equally fascinated by the subject.

Life on the Streets

The most substantial court sentence ever given in South East Asia as punishment for engaging in human trafficking has lifted the veil on how prostitution networks work at the borders of Cambodia and Thailand.

In a conviction the United Nations has hailed as a breakthrough, a woman named Khun Thea was sentenced to 85 years in jail for luring Khmer girls into prostitution.

Link

$11.8m Hurdle Blocks Tribunal

The Cambodian Government this week asked for help to cover its share of the Khmer Rouge tribunal - again raising questions as to how the international community can push beyond the $43 million already secured to bridge the gap for the $56-million trial.

The tribunal process, an on-again, off-again effort by the government and United Nations that has been under way for nearly eight years, has hit another bump in the road.

Link