Social development
CNRP to file lawsuit against deputy governor
Officials from the opposition CNRP announced Tuesday that they will file lawsuits against deputy Daun Penh district governor Sok Penhvuth, who on Monday ordered district security guards to attack a small and peaceful group of CNRP supporters near Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park. Speaking at a press ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cnrp-to-file-lawsuit-against-deputy-governor-57086/
Two flee summons in long-running dispute
Two villagers in Kampong Chhnang province’s Kampong Trolach district have fled their homes for safety reasons after getting an alarming summons from police in response to their refusal to accept relocation money from KDC International Company, which has been feuding with locals over land for ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/two-flee-summons-long-running-dispute
IFC investigates over ‘land-grabbing link’
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched an internal investigation into a complaint lodged against the institution for investing in a Vietnamese rubber firm accused of illegal logging and land grabbing in Ratanakkiri, an NGO and villager said yesterday. Earlier this month, representatives of the IFC’s ...
Amelia Woodside
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ifc-investigates-over-%E2%80%98land-grabbing-link%E2%80%99
Sacked bus drivers petition Labor Minster
A group of bus drivers and representatives of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) on Tuesday submitted a petition to Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng to intervene in their dispute with the Sorya Bus Transportation Company. At least eight drivers were fired last week shortly after they ...
Ben Sokhean and Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sacked-bus-drivers-petition-labor-minster-57092/
Old problems persist in new NGO draft law
The latest version of the government’s draft law on NGOs, which was approved by the Council of Ministers in January, is identical to an earlier version made available to civil society in 2011, with several outstanding concerns still intact, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights ...
Stuart White
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/old-problems-persist-new-ngo-draft-law
Clock ticks on C.CAWDU bail bid
Embattled union leader Ath Thorn yesterday said that he had begun a fundraising effort, trying to come up with $25,000 in bail money by the end of the week. Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (C.CAWDU), said union members would begin ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/clock-ticks-ccawdu-bail-bid
Criticism is sour grapes, says minister
The justice minister yesterday defended three long-awaited laws on judicial reform which were approved by the Council of Ministers last week in a move slammed by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) as lacking transparency. Minister of Justice Ang Vong Vathana said that the “three ...
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/criticism-sour-grapes-says-minister
Military cop investigated for alleged forest clearing
A deputy district military police chief in Kampong Thom’s Santuk district is under scrutiny for allegedly clearing up to seven hectares of community forest land for personal gain, and district officials are investigating the case with the aim of presenting it at the provincial court ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/military-cop-investigated-alleged-forest-clearing
Stay-at-home strike a bust as workers return to factories
The vast majority of the country’s 600,000-strong garment factory workforce appeared to be back on the job Monday despite a call from unions to continue a stay-at-home strike until Tuesday. Eight unions had spent weeks urging workers to stay home after the Khmer New Year from ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/stay-at-home-strike-a-bust-as-workers-return-to-factories-56888/
UN concerned about detainees’ presence at trials
The U.N.’s human rights office in Cambodia expressed concern Monday that 22 detained protesters may not be allowed to attend their trials on Friday, while the government insisted that the prisoners will be transported to the court. Two minors were arrested for intentional violence for their ...
Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-concerned-about-detainees-presence-at-trials-56914/
Unrest among disabled security guards at SL Garment Factory
A team of disabled security guards hired to protect the embattled SL Garment Factory in Phnom Penh is seeking the formalization of their employment and an end to what they claim is the factory’s exploitation of their impairments. In November—at the height of an occasionally violent, ...
Sek Odom and Matt Blomberg
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unrest-among-disabled-security-guards-at-sl-garment-factory-56892/
Borei Keila activists go to PP court
Seven Borei Keila community activists were summonsed to Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday to back up a complaint they filed accusing high-ranking Prampi Makara district officials of assault for their role in the violent dispersal of demonstrators in February. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/borei-keila-activists-go-pp-court
Seven injured as Opposition leader attempts to enter Freedom Park
Seven people were injured Monday when opposition lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua clashed with security forces outside Freedom Park in the Phnom Penh. Mu Sochua is leading a non-violent campaign by attempting to enter the park in protest of the government’s current ban on public gatherings. ...
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/seven-injured-as-opposition-leader-attempts-to-enter-freedom-park-/1897755.html
Arrests after vendors rally in Sisophon
Three people were arrested in Banteay Meanchey province on Friday during a protest in which more than 400 vendors rallied against orders to move to new market sites. In what authorities said was an effort to “restore public order”, police and military forces were deployed to ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/arrests-after-vendors-rally-sisophon
To honour Chut Wutty
Nearly two years have passed since Cambodia’s leading forestry activist, Chut Wutty, was gunned down in the Cardamom Mountains. After a long wait, more than 100 activists, supporters and monks will finally make the pilgrimage on Saturday to the spot where he was killed to pay ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/honour-chut-wutty
Cambodian university wins prize for firefighting robots
Cambodia’s beleaguered fire department may have a future high-tech solution to its problems after a team of young scientists from Norton University competing in the 4th Malaysian International Robot Competitions (MIRoC) last week placed third in the Fire Fighting Robot category. The annual event, held this ...
Hay Pisey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodian-university-wins-prize-for-firefighting-robots-56792/
Low salaries stifle education reform efforts
Sao Sothy’s home is small and the furniture is sparse. There are no tables or chairs. In one room, there is a small bed, but her family of four sleeps on mats in the living room. Hanging on the otherwise bare walls is Ms. Sothy’s ...
Emily Wilkins and Sek Odom
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/low-salaries-stifle-education-reform-efforts-56752/
State violence against reporters condemned
The Club of Cambodian Journalists has condemned the alleged beating by military police of three journalists while were covering illegal logging and called for the government to open an investigation and take legal action. In a statement published on Friday, the CCJ voiced its concern for ...
May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/state-violence-against-reporters-condemned
Gates couple makes visit to Cambodia
The world’s wealthiest person, Bill Gates, and his wife, Melinda, made a brief appearance in the border town of Pailin on Saturday, where their foundation funds projects to combat drug-resistant malaria. According to staff at the Memoria Palace & Resort, the philanthropists met with health ministry ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/gates-couple-makes-visit-cambodia
Iffy factory supplying LA’s finest
A Phnom Penh-based factory supplying uniforms for police officers and firefighters in the US city of Los Angeles continues to break Cambodian labour laws, a report to be publicly released today says. Kin Tai Garment factory, a supplier to 5.11 Tactical – which sells the uniforms ...
Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/iffy-factory-supplying-la%E2%80%99s-finest
Uighurs ‘arrested’ at border
A group of 14 ethnic minority Uighurs, including six children, fleeing China were arrested on Saturday in the Thai border province of Sa Keo after Cambodian smugglers deserted them on Friday, Thai media reported yesterday. The five men, three women and six children who were apprehended ...
Amelia Woodside and Cheang Sokha
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/uighurs-%E2%80%98arrested%E2%80%99-border
Sorya bus drivers fired after wage strikes
At least eight bus drivers from Phnom Penh Sorya Transportation company were fired last week for leading a strike before Khmer New Year to demand higher wages, employees and union representatives said Sunday. About 80 drivers went on strike on April 3 demanding a $60 increase ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sorya-bus-drivers-fired-after-wage-strikes-56764/
Medical students, Gov’t tussle over new exam
About half of the University of Health Science’s class of 2014 risks not graduating this year, having refused to register for a new compulsory final exam. A 2007 sub-decree states that a national-level examination for medical students would be implemented from that academic year onwards. But ...
Sinary Sany
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/medical-students-govt-tussle-over-new-exam-56780/
Journalists covering logging denounce abuse
The Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) released a statement on Friday expressing concern over three recent cases of reporters facing harassment while attempting to document illegal logging in Preah Vihear, Pursat and Kompong Cham provinces. Sorn Mongkul, a reporter for Kampuchea Thmey newspaper based in Preah ...
Eang Mengleng
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/journalists-covering-logging-denounce-abuse-56775/