NagaWorld Strike Grinds On, Le Royal Revisited, Land Protests Intensify
Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, March 25, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.
LAND GRABS: Hundreds of local people are fighting for their land in disputes with wealthy officials that reach from Mondulkiri to Koh Kong. Authorities are struggling to keep up.
GET RIEL: The central bank is doubling down on the national currency, possibly ending a love affair with the American dollar that dates back several decades. About time, economists say.
KAMPOT PORT: It cost $8 million and many hope it will transform the once-sleepy town into a global destination. The Kampot International Tourism Port is nearly ready to open.
THE LEDE
Faint Praise
Two important allies held back from criticizing Cambodia’s democratic backsliding — but offered only tepid support for the prospects of free and fair elections.
Japan supported the Kingdom’s efforts to “promote” democracy and the rule of law, and stayed quiet on the yearslong clampdown on political opposition. Australia said it saw efforts worth encouraging — like allowing all candidates to speak without fear of arrest or intimidation.
Upcoming commune elections are widely expected to cement the ruling CPP’s iron grip on power. The takeaway: Major powers appear closer than ever to accepting Cambodia as a one-party state.
Protest Gamble
Any hope for a quick resolution to the NagaWorld labor dispute evaporated in the summer heat.
Union president Chhim Sithar, freshly released from jail, accused casino management of stonewalling on key demands and refused to attend the final day of last-ditch talks. The government said the courts would enforce a decision if the two sides could not reach a settlement.
They relented after talks failed, however, and scheduled another session for Tuesday.
Unbowed rank-and-file union members continued daily protests outside the casino and promised to picket until the end.
War Pose
“We do not support any invasion from one country to another country — this is our absolute stance.” That was Hun Sen reaffirming Cambodia’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Strongman, ever the shrewd pragmatist, is trying to have it both ways. The Kingdom co-sponsored a U.N. resolution condemning the assault, but it has also worked hard to avoid criticizing Russia by name. Cambodia maintains strong ties with Moscow, and even stronger bonds with Beijing, a steadfast Russian ally.
TALKING POINTS
Murder Charges
A French court ordered two of Hun Sen’s closest allies to stand trial for their role in a 1997 grenade attack on a Sam Rainsy rally that killed 16 and injured more than 100. The former commanders in the prime minister’s infamous bodyguard unit are accused of orchestrating the assault.
War Hotel
The Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh was a haven for journalists during Cambodia’s civil war. Called the Hotel Le Phnom at the time, it was the capital’s first de facto foreign correspondents club. Al Jazeera spoke to Jon Swain, Roland Neveu, Jim Laurie and others about the hotel’s remarkable legacy.
Land Battles
Cambodia’s land conflicts are piling up faster than authorities can deal with them. Protests by nearly 700 people, from Mondulkiri to Koh Kong, include locals who accuse rich officials of taking their land and police for doing the tycoons’ bidding.
Riel Love
The Kingdom’s romance with the greenback is growing cold. The National Bank of Cambodia used Riel Day 2022 to encourage the public to ditch U.S. dollars and embrace the riel. It’s a trend likely to grow: $5 and $10 notes are already fading away.
Raid Redux
A joint Cambodian-Thai police raid on a suspected phone-scamming operation in Sihanoukville led to more than 60 arrests. Police detained two Taiwanese citizens suspected of running the gang. Authorities said five workers had been duped by traffickers, but others would be prosecuted.
Pricey Port
Kampot is days away from finalizing an ambitious $8 million sea port that officials believe will attract tourists. The Kampot International Tourism Port will open soon, with the prime minister on hand for the ceremony.
Sporting Life
Cambodia will hold its third National Games in November, crowning champions in nearly 40 sports, including Paralympic events. Most events are planned for the new $160 million Morodok Techo National Stadium. The bi-annual competition was last held in 2018.
BACKPAGES: From The Cambodia Daily Vault
Rithy Panh Scours Memories in Search of Truth
March 25, 2002
Filmmaker Rithy Panh is making a documentary he sometimes thinks will never be finished. He’s been working on it for nearly a decade. It drains and exhausts him, but he will not give it up.
King Issues Letter Repeating Denial of KR Ties
March 22, 2002
King Norodom Sihanouk on Thursday denied again having any involvement in the Khmer Rouge regime and blamed the US-backed Lon Nol government for “making mistakes” and inciting the brutal regime that took the lives of more than 1 million people.
Nuon Chea Celebrates Marriage of Daughter
March 18, 2002
Pailin – More than 200 friends and relatives helped former Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea celebrate his adopted daughter’s marriage here on Saturday.
WEEKEND READS
‘Troubling the Water’ author chronicles the fate of the Tonle Sap
Abby Seiff discusses the devastation of Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake and the impact on the communities who rely on it for their livelihood in her latest book.