Weather: Unusual cold season

The ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology distributed a communiqué on Thursday 15 Jan, indicating the current weather condition in the kingdom.

According to this communiqué, because of a persistent high pressure zone and wind blowing from Siberia, a cold weather is settling in during the past few days. This condition will last at least until 19 Jan.

The department of meteorology distinguishes 4 zones: in the mountain area, the temperature will hover between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius. In Preah Vihear, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung treng, Oddar Meanchey, Pursat, Battambang and Pailin, temperature will vary between 12 and 15 degrees. In Phnom Penh and the surrounding provinces, i.e. Kandal, Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kampong Cham and Kratie, the temperature is expected to range between 15 and 18 degrees. Finally, along the coastline areas of Koh Kong, Kampot, Sihanoukville will be less affected by the cold snap, with temperature ranging between 19 and 21 degrees.

Set Vannareth, the director of the department of meteorology, announced that “these are not unusual temperatures when compared to the previous year, however, the cold season lasts longer. Cambodians must take care of their health given this weather forecast.”

Opposition parties sign pact to align under one name

Parties say the new Democratic Movement for Change will merge goals and platforms but preserve individual identities.

SAM Rainsy Party President Sam Rainsy and Human Rights Party President Kem Sokha Thursday signed an agreement to align under the name Democratic Movement for Change (DMC), with the objective of providing stronger oppostion to the ruling Cambodian People's Party. However, both parties have refused to confirm they will merge into one political party.

"We have worked together for a long time, and we realised the political trend in the world is moving towards change, such as in the US with [President-elect Barack] Obama. Therefore, in order to make a change, we have to gather all the democrats for unification," Sam Rainsy told the Post.

Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha said experts from each party would continue to study technical planning issues and devise a joint platform in hopes of making the DMC internally a stronger union and externally more interesting to eligible voters.

"One party is stronger than two under a political alliance. "

Kem Sokha said about 50 percent of the 8.12 million eligible voters in Cambodia would not cast their ballot for the CPP in the 2012 elections - and the alliance was hoping to draw all those votes behind it.

Last year, of the 6.01 million people who cast their votes in the national election, the CPP received the support of 3.48 million, the SRP snagged 1.31 million votes and the HRP won 397,816 votes.

"Eligible voters demand us to unite," said Kem Sokha. "Now it is time to give a choice to people who want to make a change."

He added: "We hope that our movement will encourage eligible voters who have lost faith to come back to politics."

Handle with care
Koul Panha, executive director of election monitoring at the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel) told the Post Thursday the merging of the opposition parties will gain voters' interest, but they need to work together carefully. Otherwise, the union could easily fall apart.

"I think that one political organisation would be able to change the result in future elections," Panha said. "One party is stronger than two under a political alliance."

The SRP and HRP have committed to making one list of candidates for the next commune elections, scheduled for 2012, and the national elections in 2013.

But National Election Committee Chairman Im Suosdey said the political alliance comprised two political parties and was not legally capable of making one united list of candidates.

"Within the legal processes we have, a list of the party's candidates has to come from one [single] political party. They cannot make a list of candidates from two parties," Im Suosdey said.

Thailand talks of a preparation for negotiations of Preah Vihear issues

Thai media reported on the 9th of January that Thai PM, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured), has said that Thailand is ready to talk with PM Hun Sen about the Preah Vihear issues. He said that the negotiations methods have already been put in place and the frameworks of the negotiations that the parliament has ratified are still in the hands of the Khmer-Thai Boundary Commission and the agreements have not been passed to the parliament for approval yet.

PM Abhisit reinterated his position regarding the Preah Vihear issues by saying that his position remained the same as when he was the leader of the opposition party, that is to respect the decision of the International Court of Justice which adjudicated to give ownership of the temple to Cambodia. He said that border issues will be negotiated by using the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2000 as a base.

Mr. Abhisit made this statement in fronts of many officials who were involved with the border issues in the past that when he was the leader of the opposition party he had put forward a proposal to remove only the foreign minister from his post, but other MPs had put forward a proposal to remove the whole of the government cabinet. So the proposals were passed on to the Defence and Anti-corruption Commission for investigation on other cabinet ministers and seek their removals if they are found to be involved (in the corruption regarding the Preah Vihear issues).

America provides financial aid to the Cambodian army

The United States plans to provide $634,000 in financial aid to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) for the financial year 2009. This financial aid is aimed at strengthening the capability of the RCAF in combating crimes such as drug trafficking, drug productions and human trafficking.

Mr. John Johnson, spokesman for the U.S embassy in Phnom Penh, said on the afternoon of the 9th January that the U.S hopes to provide $575,000 in aid for the overseas deployments of the RCAF and $60,000 for the training in prepartion for the international missions of the Cambodian armed forces.

Mr. Johnson said that the RCAF needs assistance for the building of its capability to combate crimes of a serious nature such as drug trafficking, drug productions and human trafficking. He also said that the RCAF had also contributed in the international peacekeeping missions, especially in the field of de-mining.

In the 2008 financial year, the United States has provided $7 million in military aid and $60 million in development aid to Cambodia.

ប្រវត្តិក្រុងប៉ៃលិន

កាលបរិច្ឆេទចេញផ្សាយៈ ២១-០១-២០០២

ដោយៈ មន្ទីរធម្មការ និង សាសនា ក្រុងប៉ៃលិន

ប្រភពៈ មន្ទីរធម្មការ និង សាសនា ក្រុងប៉ៃលិន

ដកងស្រង់ៈ សៀវភៅប្រជុំរឿងព្រេងខ្មែរ ភាគ ៦ និង ឯកសារទាក់ទងនឹងភ្នំបោះពុម្ព


ដោយសាសនបណ្ឌិត និងដោយក្រសួងវប្បធម៌ និង វិចិត្រសិល្បៈ ព.ស ២៥៣៨ ។ តាមអ្នក ស្រុកអោយការមកថា ប៉ៃលិន នេះមកពិពាក្យថា ភេលេង ព្រោះមានរឿងដើមបញ្ជាក់ផងដែរថាៈ កាល នោះ នៅសត្សវត្យទី ១៩ មានអ្នកប្រមាញ់ដេញតាមដានសត្វព្រៃ ចេះតែឆ្ងាយទៅៗរហូតដល់ភូមិភាគប៉ៃលិន សព្វថ្ងៃនេះ ។ ដែលគ្រានោះនៅព្រៃស្រោង មានវាលចន្លោះខ្លះតែត្រង់ប្រឡាយទឹកដែលហៅថា អូរ មានអុរទុង ជាដើម ។ ក្បែរមាត់អូរនេះអ្នកប្រមាញ់បានប្រទះឃើញសត្វភេកំពុងហែលទឹក លុះឃើញមកដល់ក៏រត់អស់ ។ អ្នកប្រមាញ់បានចូលទៅមើលត្រង់កន្លែងភេប្រលែងគ្នាលែងនោះ ឃើញដុំថ្មតូចៗមានពន្លឺផ្លេកៗ ក៏នាំគ្នារើស យកម្នាក់មួយដុំៗទុកយកទៅបង្ហាញញាតិមិត្តឯស្រុកខ្លួនវិញ ។ លុះទៅដល់ស្រុកមានអ្នកស្រុកខ្លះ (តាមនិយាយ ថា ពួកកូឡាដែលមករស់នៅក្នុងខេត្តច័ន្ធប៊ុន ស្រុកសៀម) ស្គាល់ថា ថ្មនេះមានតម្លៃ គេក៏យកទៅវាយបំបែក រួច ច្នៃជាត្បូងឡើងក៏ឃើញថាមានទឹកល្អ ។ កាលបើដូច្នោះ គេក៏នាំគ្នាទៅសួទិញពីពួកប្រមាញ់នោះទៀត ។ ពួក ប្រមាញ់យល់ថា ជាផ្លូវរកស៊ីមួយ ហើយព្យាយាមឆ្ពោះទៅយកថ្មនេះពីកន្លែងមុនជាញឹកញាប់ ។ដោយមានការ ទៅមកញឹកញាប់នេះហើយ ទើបអ្នកទាំងនោះសន្មត់ឈ្មោះត្រង់ទីកន្លែងនោះថា «កន្លែងភេលេង» យកតាម ហេតុការណ៍ដែលគាត់ប្រទះឃើញជាលើកដំបូងនោះទៅ ។ ប៉ុន្តែដោយហេតុពួកអស់ទាំងនោះនៅស្រុកសៀមក៏ អានពាក្យក្លាយទៅតាមសម្លេងសៀមបន្តិចទៅគឺ «ភេ» ទៅជា «ផេ» ឯ «លេង» ទៅជា «ឡេន ឬ ឡិន» ដូច្នេះទៅ ជា «ផេលិន» ។


លុះសម័យបារាំងមកកាន់កាប់ទីកន្លែងតំបន់នេះ «គ.ស ១៩០៩» គេក៏សសេរឈ្មោះនេះជាអក្សររ៉ូម៉ាំងតាមសម្លេង ផង តាមរូបសាស្រ្តផងជា PHAI-LIN គឺ PH ជាអក្សរ ផ AI ជាស្រះ អេ L ជាអក្សរ ល I ជាស្រះ អិ ផ្សំនឹង N ជា អក្សរ ន ។ ចំណរតមក ដើម្បីកុំអោយពិបាកសសេរ គេក៏ភ្ជាប់លែងអោយមាន សហសញ្ញា ក៏ក្លាយទៅជា PHAILIN ហើយក្រោយមក ដោយបារាំងអានគ្មានអក្សរ H គេក៏លុបចោលទៅ នៅសល់តែ PAILIN ។
សេចក្តីអធិប្បាយមកនេះ មានទំនងជាដើមកំណើតស្រុក (Monographie) ជារឿងព្រេងដើម្បី ជាប្រយោជន៌ដល់ អ្នកស្រាវជ្រាវទៅពេលមុខទៀត ។ ការណ៍នេះ យើងសង្ឍឹមថាចេះចាំរឿងព្រេងនៅភូមិភាគនេះវែងឆ្ងាយទៅ ទៀត ក៏សូមបញ្ជូនមកអោយយើងផង ដើម្បីកែសម្រួលទៅលើកក្រាយទៀត ។

កម្ពុជាសង្ឃឹមថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលថ្មី​របស់ថៃ​ នឹងបន្តចរចា​រឿង​ព្រំដែន​

ប្រទេសថៃមានរដ្ឋាភិបាលថ្មីហើយ ដែលនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តីថ្មីចេញមកពីគណបក្សប្រឆំាង។
រដ្ឋាភិបាលក្រុងភ្នំពេញបានសម្តែងការស្វាគមន៍ ប្រសិនបើប្រទេសថៃអាចបញ្ចប់វិបត្តិផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់ខ្លួន។ បើទោះបីជាកន្លងមក គណបក្សប្រឆាំងធ្លាប់បានលើកយកបញ្ហាព្រំដែនព្រះវិហារទៅធ្វើជាប្រធានបទនយោបាយក៏ដោយ ក៏រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជានៅតែមិនបារម្ភអំពីដំណើរការចរចាលើវិបត្តិព្រំដែនរវាងប្រទេសទំាងពីរទេ។

ផ្ទុយទៅវិញ កិច្ចការចរចារនេះអាចនឹងមានដំណើរការទៅមុខលឿនជាងមុន ក៏អាចថាបាន។
កាលពីពេលដែលប្រទេសថៃត្រូវបានគ្រប់គ្រងដោយក្រុមបក្សពួករបស់អតីតនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីថាក់ស៊ីន ស៊ីណាវាត គឺក្រុមគណបក្សប្រឆាំងរបស់លោកអាហ៊ីស៊ីតដែលបានលើកយកបញ្ហាព្រំដែនមកធ្វើនយោបាយកម្មដើម្បីវាយប្រហាររដ្ឋាភិបាល។ ឥឡូវអ្នកដែលមានគំនិតតឹងតែងក្នុងសំណុំរឿងព្រំដែននេះ បានជាប់ឆ្នោតដឹកនាំរដ្ឋាភិបាលថៃនៅថ្ងៃទី១៥ធ្នូ២០០៨។
ដូច្នេះ តើការចរចាលើសំណុំរឿងព្រំដែនកម្ពុជា-ថៃនឹងប្រព្រឹត្តិទៅយ៉ាងណា?
សម្រាប់កម្ពុជា វានៅតែមិនមែនជារឿងគួរឲ្យព្រួយបារម្ភដដែល។
ថ្លែងជាលក្ខណៈការទូត លោកខៀវ កាញារីទ្ធ អ្នកនាំពាក្យរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលក្រុងភ្នំពេញបានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា គណបក្សណាឡើងកាន់អំណាចនៅប្រទេសថៃមិនសំខាន់ទេ សំខាន់គឺប្រទេសថៃអាចដោះស្រាយវិបត្តិផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់ខ្លួន ហើយអាចបន្តទំនាក់ទំនងទ្វេរភាគីក្នុងវិស័យការទូត និងវិស័យសេដ្ឋកិច្ចរវាងប្រទេសទាំងពីរ។អត្ថាធិប្បាយលើសំណុំរឿងព្រំដែន អ្នកនាំពាក្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាបានអះអាងយ៉ាងម៉ឺងម៉ាត់ថា នៅលើផ្លូវច្បាប់ កម្ពុជានៅតែឈ្នះលើប្រទេសថៃដដែល នេះបើទោះជាការដោះស្រាយអាចនឹងស៊ីពេលយូរបន្តិចយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ។
ថ្លែងលើសំណុំរឿងព្រំដែនដូចគ្នា អ្នកនាំពាក្យរបស់ក្រសួងការបរទេសខ្មែរលោកកុយ គួងបានបញ្ជាក់ថា កម្ពុជាសង្ឃឹមថាគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីថ្មីរបស់ប្រទេសថៃនឹងបន្តការចរចាវិបត្តិព្រំដែនជាមួយយន្តការដែលមានស្រាប់កន្លងមក។ លោកកុយ គួងយល់ស្របថា កន្លងមកគណបក្សប្រឆាំងរបស់ថៃបានបង្ហាញជំហរតឹងតែងនៅក្នុងបញ្ហាព្រំដែនកម្ពុជា-ថៃមែន។ ប៉ុន្តែលោកមិនគិតថា ជំហរនេះនឹងនៅតែមានបន្តទៅមុខទៀតនោះទេ។
អ្នកនាំពាក្យក្រសួងការបរទេសខ្មែរបានផ្តល់ការវិភាគថា អាចប្រើប្រាស់សំណុំរឿងព្រំដែនដើម្បីទាញយកផលចំណេញនយោបាយផ្ទៃក្នុងប្រទេសរបស់ខ្លួនតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ក៏ប៉ុន្តែក្នុងដំណែងជារដ្ឋាភិបាល ពួកគេអាចនឹងផ្លាស់ប្តូរជំហរនិងបត់បែនតាមស្ថានការណ៍៕

Defamation suit drags on

Hor Namhong contests statements by Sam Rainsy linking him to the Khmer Rouge detention center at Boeung Trabek in a French court last week

A FRENCH court last week heard arguments in a case filed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong accusing opposition leader Sam Rainsy of defamation and disinformation.

In his autobiography, Rooted in Stone, published in May, Sam Rainsy accuses Hor Namhong of heading the Boeung Trabek "re-education" camp, where former diplomats and government officials from the Lon Nol and Sihanouk regimes were detained, some on their way to gruesome deaths at the notorious Tuol Sleng prison.

"[T]he Foreign Affairs Minister could be a former collaborator of the Khmer Rouge regime suspected of having caused the death of many people, including members of the royal family," he wrote.

The court is scheduled to decide the case on January 27. Officials from neither side were available to comment on the court proceedings or the exact terms of the case.

Hor Namhong has enlisted as a legal precedent a 1991 defamation ruling by a French court against former king Norodom Sihanouk.

In 1989, Sihanouk was quoted in a French newspaper as saying: "Mr Hun Sen's team is made up of former arch-criminal Khmer Rouge officials. For instance, Hor Namhong, ex-commander of a Khmer Rouge concentration camp, is responsible for the death, after atrocious torture, of many former members of the anti-American resistance...."

Hor Namhong instead insists that he himself is a victim of the regime, having lost family members under its rule.

Nuance not the same

According to officials in his party, Sam Rainsy has distinguished his comments from those of the former king and argued that the legal precedent therefore does not apply.

Hor Namhong first filed the lawsuit in April at a court in Phnom Penh after the opposition leader alluded to Hor Namhong's involvement in the leadership of the Khmer Rouge in a speech at the Choeung Ek "killing fields", during a ceremony to mark the regime's seizure of power and to commemorate those who died under its rule.

Hor Namhong that month also filed a defamation suit against a pro-opposition journalist who had reported on Sam Rainsy's comments.

In May, a Phnom Penh court summoned Sam Rainsy to appear, but later shelved the case, awaiting the verdict from the French court case, which revolves around the more explicit comments Sam Rainsy made in his book.

Defamation and disinformation are misdemeanor offenses in Cambodia, each carrying a maximum prison sentence of six months and the possibility of a fine, according to Sok Sam Ouen, director of the Cambodian Defenders Project.

Hor Namhong told reporters in June that he filed the case in France, where Sam Rainsy holds a passport and where his book was published, because: "Some people claim the Cambodian courts are not independent, so I am taking legal action in France".

Hor Namhong has been linked to Boeung Trabek in past media reports, including a 2001 interview published by the Post in which Keo Bunthouk, then a Funcinpec senator, alleged Hor Namhong had been the "director" of the re-education camp.