ODC English Site
Sell-Off of Wildlife Areas Faster than Believed
500 sq km of land from three conservation areas have been granted by the Cambodian government to agribusiness companies. Prime Minister Hun Sen has approved 50,750 hectares, through nine concessions, to be granted areas of land that were previously conservation areas. Reththy Kiri Sakor Co. ...
Sugar concerns raised
Rights groups have alleged that villagers are being pushed off their land to make way for sugar plantations by companies such as LYP Group, owned by Senator Ly Young Phat. The issue was raised with the Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomuoja and the Minister for ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011070850275/National-news/sugar-concerns-raised.html
Unions unite on draft law
7 unions working together have said that they refuse to support a union law that has been drafted as the government has ignored their recommendations. The potential legislation is said to be prohibitively restrictive and the unions have said they will boycott by organizing peaceful ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011070850278/National-news/unions-unite-on-draft-law.html
Fishermen catch a rough deal
Fish yields have supposedly dropped by 20 to 30 percent according to fisherman, as a result of the destruction of natural marine environments such as mangroves and the increase in the number of people fishing. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries estimated the total number ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011070850280/National-news/fishermen-catch-a-rough-deal.html
Okvau resource’s value at centre of dispute
Gold in Mondolkiri is at the center of a dispute between OZ Minerals and Shin Ha Mining Co Ltd after an alleged breach in contract. OZ Minerals bought out Shin Ha Mining Co Ltd from their joint venture without paying the true value of the ...
Pesticide poisons scores
After the So Ngoun Company sprayed pesticides in Kampot province approximately 90 villagers have become ill. They are being treated for vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness after drinking contaminated water, as the pesticide flowed downstream after some rains. The pesticide was sprayed in order to rid ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011070750245/National-news/pesticide-poisons-scores.html
Concern grows over forest concession
Sixty community representatives from Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom provinces expressed concern yesterday over a string of recent economic land concessions granted within the bounds of the Boeung Per Wildlife Sanctuary. At a press conference held in Preah Vihear’s Rovieng district yesterday, they claimed the ...
More Concessions Granted in Protected Areas
Six additional economic land concessions have been granted, totaling 46,000 hectares in protected areas. As a means to spur agribusiness companies the concessions include two in Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary in Kompong Speu province. Prime Minister Hun Sen signed in the grants on June 3 ...
1,000 hectare land grab alleged
Villagers in Preah Sihanouk province have accused a businessman of bulldozing almost 1,000 hectares of their farm land in complaints filed to relevant authorities and the provincial court last week. Pin Lean Hun, a village representative, said yesterday rice paddies, vegetable patches and jackfruit trees ...
June Textile Reps Solicit Aid from UN Labor Org
Representatives of the former employees of the June Textile Factory in Phnom Penh on Friday wrote to the International Labor Organization asking for help after they claimed the factory failed to make severance payments won by an Arbitration Council decision two weeks ago. Mr ...
Documents revealed in massive fraud case
The documents concern a court case brought by representatives of Hong Kong-based Enviro Group Holdings Limited who are suing John Davies and Lim Lian Tho – both former company directors of Phnom Penh based subsidiary Enviro Corporation (Cambodia) Ltd – and Mark McCluskey, a lawyer ...
Cambodia to Cooperate with Korean Prosecutors
Following a meeting in Seoul yesterday, Cambodian officials have reportedly decided to cooperate with South Korean prosecutors in the investigation of Busan Savings Bank Group, where shareholders are suspected of illegally financing $365 million worth of investments in Cambodia, according to Yonhap News. Busan’s ...
OZ Knew of Gold at M'Kiri Site, Report Shows
OZ Minerals has details revealing the size of gold resources available at its Mondolkiri site and has had them for nearly a year. For withholding the information OZ Minerals could face legal action in Australia. Keo Seima, a partner organization was bought out in 2009 ...
(By Simon Marks, pg. 1)
City Hall bans June Textile rally
The president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions said yesterday that he would defy a municipal order banning employees from June Textile Factory from marching to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s house to seek resolution in a labour dispute. According to a report from a City ...
Arbitrators Now Express Support for Exams
Having completed their exams trainee arbitrators have applauded them as fair and transparent. 33 of the 45 candidates have successfully passed the exams. In December 2010 Prime Minister Hun Sen signed an order requiring arbitrator candidates to take an exam, after the establishment of the ...
Farmers Look to Cassava for Its High Prices
The number of farmers growing cassava in Cambodia has increased with the land dedicated to its cultivation having been doubled this year. Floods in Thailand resulted in a drop in availability increasing demand and as a result prices. 294,359 hectares of cassava have been planted ...