The Phnom Penh Post
Sanctuary bridge ‘Torched’
The burning of a bridge that provided access to the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratanakkiri is the handiwork of two oknhas and local environment officers, villagers have claimed. In a complaint to rights group Adhoc, members of the ethnic Lao community in Kon Mom district say ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sanctuary-bridge-%E2%80%98torched%E2%80%99
Social land concessions climb
More than 40 fresh land rows have emerged across the country – and many more could be going unreported, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) said yesterday. A study CCHR conducted into land conflicts between 2011 and 2013 has resulted in the rights group publishing ...
Shane Worrell
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/social-land-concessions-climb
British dignitary to meet with CPP, CNRP
British Secretary of State for Asia Hugo Swire was due to arrive in Cambodia last night for a two-day diplomatic visit to the country where he will meet Prime Minister Hun Sen as well as members of the opposition. ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/british-dignitary-meet-cpp-cnrp
‘Forced’ confessions have cops in hot seat
Five police from Phnom Penh’s Dangkor and Russey Keo districts could face charges for allegedly beating false confessions out of three suspects, a technique human rights observers say is pervasive in Cambodia. Judges and lawyers at Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday questioned the three Russey Keo ...
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea and Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/%E2%80%98forced%E2%80%99-confessions-have-cops-hot-seat
Politics not quite all in the family
Kem Sokhon, the brother of Cambodia National Rescue Party deputy president Kem Sokha, is continuing to progress through government ranks. Sokhon – who has been openly critical of his brother’s policies since defecting from the opposition – told the Post yesterday he is now an adviser to senior ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/politics-not-quite-all-family
Gov’t: village feedback to be used for reform
Hundreds of senior government officials will be dispatched to the provinces in the coming months to gauge public opinion on reforming state institutions. Almost 800 senior officials from all ministries will begin the project on February 15, state broadcaster TVK reported yesterday, following a meeting at ...
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/gov%E2%80%99t-village-feedback-be-used-reform
RFA, VOA accused of ‘Serving’ opposition
The government has slammed broadcasters Radio Free Asia and Voice of America as “political instruments serving the interests of the opposition party” and accused them of fabricating news in a speech delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on Tuesday. The US-government-funded broadcasters have been taken ...
Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rfa-voa-accused-%E2%80%98serving%E2%80%99-opposition
Right to strike ‘Fundamental’
A labour law expert from the International Labour Organization yesterday rejected claims made by Cambodian factories and employers associations that workers in the Kingdom have no fundamental right to strike. In a paid advertisement in the Post yesterday, the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) and ...
Shane Worrell and Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/right-strike-%E2%80%98fundamental%E2%80%99
NGOs say bank must remain to clean mess
Rights groups yesterday called on ANZ bank to help address alleged labour and environmental violations at Phnom Penh Sugar Company instead of walking away from the problem. A joint statement released yesterday by Equitable Cambodia and Inclusive Development International said it would be wrong for the ...
Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ngos-say-bank-must-remain-clean-mess
India urges more trade action
The Indian ambassador to Cambodia is calling on the government to reduce exorbitant shipping costs and take better advantage of a tariff scheme that India offers, two obstacles that the diplomat says are discouraging bilateral trade. Ambassador Dinesh Patnaik said on Tuesday that Indian businesses exporting ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/india-urges-more-trade-action
Video can’t be trusted: district gov
Video footage of Daun Penh district deputy governor Sok Penh Vuth bashing a defenceless man with a bullhorn on Monday has sparked outrage and demands for his ouster, but his boss told the Post yesterday that people shouldn’t be too hasty to judge, suggesting the footage may ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/video-can%E2%80%99t-be-trusted-district-gov
Chinese TV deal edged out Sonando: minister
Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando will not be granted a digital TV licence because up to 80 channels have been allocated to a Chinese state television network. Khieu Kanharith, the minister of information, said in an interview on TVK on Tuesday night that the allocation of ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chinese-tv-deal-edged-out-sonando-minister
Authorities break up gathering
Police and soldiers in Mondulkiri province broke up a gathering of ethnic minority villagers yesterday as they planned to hold prayers and call on the government to stop illegal logging. The ceremony, held in Mondulkiri province‘s Sen Monorom district, was to be attended by an estimated ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/authorities-break-gathering
March proceeds peacefully
Taking a markedly different approach from Monday’s violent breakup of a peaceful demonstration at Freedom Park, authorities yesterday stood back as about 100 activists marched around central Phnom Penh, delivering a petition to embassies and the United Nations. District security guards and riot police initially seemed ...
Sean Teehan and Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/march-proceeds-peacefully
Tours aimed at attracting workers
As cooks prepped for lunch yesterday at an outdoor cafeteria for workers employed by the Japanese-owned Taica factory, more than a dozen commune-level officials inspected the premises. Seemingly satisfied with the dining operation, they moved into a recreational room with a large, flat-screen television. Taica ...
Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/tours-aimed-attracting-workers
Cambodia’s aviation sector rapidly growing: report
Capitalising on booming travel from Vietnam and China, the domestic aviation sector has enjoyed 18 per cent passenger growth for the second year running, according to a new report, which describes Cambodia as having one of the fastest-growing markets in Southeast Asia. The report, by the ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodia%E2%80%99s-aviation-sector-rapidly-growing-report
Maids not heard from since 2011
Two sisters from Preah Vihear’s Kulen district hired to work in Malaysia as maids by Mey Yorn Services have not been heard from in more than two years, their mother said yesterday. Sok Noun, 45, hasn’t spoken to her daughters Bien Phok, 17, and Bien Phoun, ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/maids-not-heard-2011
Two thousand strike over factory firings
More than 2,000 garment workers at a Vattanac II Industrial Park protested in front of the complex, threatening to block National Road 3 and demanding the reinstatement of 11 union officials and the firing of the manager who allegedly dismissed them. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/two-thousand-strike-over-factory-firings
Man charged for firing slingshot at protesters
Two days after uniformed security personnel were recorded on video in Phnom Penh chasing and beating demonstrators at will, a man police say admitted to using a slingshot at the scene to “inflame protesters’ anger towards police” was charged in court. After two hours of questioning ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/man-charged-firing-slingshot-protesters
Witnesses speak for CC3 detainees
Four witnesses appeared at Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday to testify on behalf of 13 of the 23 men detained in Kampong Cham’s Correctional Centre 3 since crackdowns on striking garment workers at the beginning of this month, a lawyer representing the 13 said. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/witnesses-speak-cc3-detainees
CPP rally possible: Manith
Supporters of the Cambodian People’s Party might stage a rally in the capital following repeated requests by the “silent majority” to take to the streets since last year, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manith, said on Monday. “I’m sure you know that the minority always ...
Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cpp-rally-possible-manith
Union reps fired after strike
Despite Cambodia’s labour law forbidding employers from taking action against workers for engaging in union activity, more than 100 labour union representatives have been fired from at least 12 factories this month for encouraging workers to strike for a $160 monthly minimum wage. The firings came ...
Sean Teehan and Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/union-reps-fired-after-strike
CPP faithful ‘burning with hatred’ of CNRP
Ruling party supporters are “burning with hatred” towards the Cambodia National Rescue Party leadership and are ready to take to the streets, according to a Facebook post by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s second-eldest son, Hun Manith. Hun Manith, who is deputy head of the powerful ...
Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cpp-faithful-%E2%80%98burning-hatred%E2%80%99-cnrp
Poipet to see new economic zone
Japanese investors will put $56 million into a joint venture with local company Sanco Investment Group (SIG) to build a new special economic zone in Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town, officials said yesterday. Chhour Vichet, executive director of SIG, said Thailand’s labour shortage, Cambodia’s ongoing political ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/poipet-see-new-economic-zone