PM Urges Military Reform, Brilliant City Goes Bust, Elephants Emerge in Mondulkiri
Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, April 26, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.
FINAL CUT: The Ministry of Information has called for an end to sloppy and inappropriate reporting, and has set out to establish a code of journalism ethics. The irony was not lost on observers.
GOOD FIGHT: Cambodia called on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, Theary Seng, the Khmer-American activist, and Chhim Sithar, the union leader, remain in women’s prisons in Cambodia.
NEVER FORGET: Wild Asian elephants are popping up in Mondulkiri in increasingly robust herds, some reaching 20 pachyderms. The new arrivals need food and water, and experts are doing what they can.
THE LEDE
Big Brother
Open arms, open agreements and the biggest open checkbook in the world.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi came bearing gifts and brotherly love on a three-day charm offensive that will help set Cambodia’s diplomatic stance in Southeast Asia for years to come.
Beijing pledged full-throttle economic support for the Kingdom. Cambodia agreed to toe China’s hard line on Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang and the South China Sea.
The alliance is Asia’s most quasi-cozy relationship of convenience — but at what cost? China’s moves often leave Cambodia exposed, and in ASEAN’s view, the Kingdom may soon be sitting alone.
Friendly Fire
The Hun family’s father-son power duo came out guns blazing, making at least one pronouncement that could have serious repercussions for the Kingdom’s military establishment.
Unfortunately, the Strongman and his son, the prime minister, were firing in opposite directions.
First, Hun Manet blasted the structure of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, posing the elephant-in-the-room question: “People often ask why there are so many military officers.” (Most RCAF officers had fought in past conflicts, he answered, and promised reform.)
Just days later, Hun Sen was telling war stories as two of his former comrades were promoted to four-star generals — alongside 13 new brigadier generals.
Home Alone
Welcome to Borey Brilliant City, leave your money at the door.
An ugly and increasingly frequent trend is playing out in Siem Reap province, where authorities arrested a crooked land baron and her cronies for bilking hundreds of millions of dollars from more than 5,000 so-called investors.
The initial swindle was a Ponzi scheme, promising healthy monthly payouts on property investments that reached a combined total of $300 million, according to local media. When the company went broke, the payments stopped, and angry victims stormed City Hall.
Remember the name — Brilliant City is the new poster child for the dark side of the property bubble. It will not be the last land scam.
TALKING POINTS
Last Chapter
Sambo Manara, the nationally revered history professor known for his lifelong commitment to the Kingdom’s education system, died at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer. The Royal University lecturer was known to live by the mantra, “One must not be a social burden; one must live to help society” — and he inspired generations of students to follow his path.
Rights Turn
Cambodia urged the junta in Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi and allow her return to politics, calling the democracy icon an invaluable part of the reconciliation process. The call comes even as the government turns its back on democracy activists at home.
Vital Signs
Healthy citizens equal a healthy workforce, which leads to national economic development. Those were Hun Manet's words as he earmarked $170 million to improve health clinics across the Kingdom. The three-year campaign is meant to provide modern equipment and 24/7 emergency service, among other improvements.
Role Model
Chhim Sithar, the imprisoned NagaWorld union boss, was awarded the prestigious Per Anger prize, granted by the Swedish government for outstanding work in the promotion of human rights. She was sentenced in May to two years in prison for leading protests against the billion-dollar casino. The Supreme Court starts reviewing her case today.
Hard Time
Theary Seng, the imprisoned Khmer-American lawyer, was hospitalized after a hunger strike that lasted 10 days in protest of the detention of dozens of other political prisoners. Her condition prompted another visit from U.S. Ambassador Patrick Murphy, who reiterated calls for her release.
Rescue Squad
Labor officials are investigating the mistreatment of 78 female workers employed in Saudi Arabia. The group alerted officials to their plight with a Facebook video, after days of complaints to official channels went unanswered.
Growth Spurt
A record number of wild elephants have been spotted in Mondulkiri. Researchers have documented five herds this year, compared to only three last year, with herd sizes up to 20 elephants. Authorities set up food and water stations, as scorching temperatures and habitat destruction force the herds into new territory.
Last Look
The Ministry of Information has set about to produce a charter for a "unified code of ethics" in all domestic journalism, denouncing the negative impact of "inappropriate content" on the Kingdom's values. Critics said the charter was just an attempt to muzzle what's left of press freedom.
BACKPAGES: From the Cambodia Daily Vault
Jackie Chan Comes to Fight Mines and AIDS
April 27, 2004
Action film star Jackie Chan, the UN Children’s Fund’s newly appointed goodwill ambassador, said Monday that he came to Cambodia to learn how he could help the country in its fight against land mines and AIDS.
PM Brings Home Aid From China
April 26, 2004
Prime Minister Hun Sen and his delegation returned to Cambodia on Sunday after a six-day visit to China, bringing back promises of tall buildings, new government buildings and plenty of business.
US Citizen Dead in Koh Kong Murder Mystery
April 20, 2004
A British man accused of axing to death a US citizen last year has given conflicting testimonies to provincial police, including a version in which he delivered a package to an unidentified man at Koh Kong’s sleepy provincial airport, according to police records.
WEEKEND READING
How microloans exacerbate deforestation in Cambodia
Cambodia’s reliance on microloans, long touted as a way to reduce poverty, belies concerns over debt-fuelled deforestation.
Ask a Local: Rotanak Ros's tasty guide to Phnom Penh
The chef shares her recipe for a foodie dive into the Cambodian capital.
Photos: Wang Yi, Kleinschmidt /MSC, WikiMedia. Sambo Manara, WikiMedia.
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