Monday, September 28, 2009

Rubber tappers in the day, sex workers at night

"If you promise to give me a place to stay, food to eat and opportunity to go to school, then I would gladly return home.

"I do not want to live in hardship, life here is difficult but it is much worse back in my homeland", said Cham, a 12-year-old Cambodian boy during an operation by the authorities to weed out illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Cham was among the thousands of foreign children smuggled into Malaysia, either to work or seek temporary refuge before being shipped to other countries.

Cham's case was nothing new as Malaysia has been known to be used as a transit point for human trafficking.

History had shown that Malaysia was the destination of people including traders from other countries. The foreign merchants came here to trade in almost anything including raw materials like rubber, tin and palm oil.

This is so as Malaysia is located right in the centre of Southeast Asia, on one half is the mainland countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and the other half being Brunei, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Timor Leste.

Tenaganita Anti-Human Trafficking coordinator Aegile Fernandez (left) said due to this fact, it was no surprise that Malaysia became the haven for human traffickers who used the country as a staging point before relocating their 'merchandise' elsewhere.

Tenaganita is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is actively involved in monitoring human trafficking activities.

She said the human traffickers also promised the syndicates' victims that Malaysia, a prosperous and peaceful country, was the 'haven' that they were looking for.

Illegal immigrants

Human trafficking is closely related to the illegal immigrants' issue.

Most of these illegal immigrants came to Malaysia after being offered 'lucrative' jobs by those who brought them into the country.

However when these foreigners, most of them who came from Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia, failed to get the jobs promised, they became the pawns of human trafficking.

According to Tenaganita statistics, the demand for children and women to be made workers and also for the flesh trade was on the rise.

The statistics showed that from May 1, 2004 until May this year, 117 foreign children and women were involved in modern day human slavery in this country.

"Among the victims were children as young as 12-years-old and women who were senior citizens. Some were lured by the promise of good wages and legal employment but the actual fact was that they were victims of human trafficking", said Fernandez.

Modern day slaves


It is common knowledge that some of these immigrants came to this country voluntarily to seek a better life as compared to that in their homeland.

Fernandez said for the foreign women, they needed food, accommodation and money while the modern day slaves (children) sought a shelter, education and food.

She said the immigrants were not able to obtain these basic necessities back in their home countries and that was the main reason why they had to migrate abroad to look for better life and money.

Hence, they easily became the prey of human traffickers who promised what they had dreamt of.

"The human traffickers also promised things like beautiful clothes and the likes, money that could be sent home, cars and others to camouflage their real intentions," she said.


Fernandez said the victims were then swayed by the offer of a good life in foreign land.

There were also women who followed their boyfriends for love, money and comfortable life abroad, she said.

"Unfortunately it was too late for these women when they found out later that they were tricked into white slavery," said Fernandez, adding that Malaysian women should also be aware of a similar tactic by foreign men.

Guise for human trafficking

There are several guises used by the human traffickers to deceive their victims.

They used the 'female order bride' tag for women who were smuggled into the country to work almost round-the-clock in order to pay back the money owed to the syndicates.

"In the morning the women worked as rubber tappers. In the afternoon they became part-time maids like washing clothes, cleaning up the house and cooking food. At night they were in the flesh trade," said Fernandez.

The term 'cash and carry' refers to full-time prostitutes.. Locals and tourists would pick the women of their choice from catalogues provided by cab drivers.

The clients would then be brought to the rendezvous with the prostitutes and paid after 'services rendered'.
As for 'fisherman stowes', these are men from Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia who were forced to work on fishing trawlers off the coast of Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.

Fernandez said most of these modern day slaves were given only three days leave within a month. They worked round-the-clock and if they fell sick, they were deprived of adequate medical attention.

Those who got badly sick and died were simply thrown overboard, she said.

Severe mental trauma

Due to the severe mental trauma that they faced, many of the victims of human trafficking resorted to committing suicide.

Fernandez said most of the victims that were mentally traumatised were women and children and they were difficult to be treated.

"There was one case, where a woman was forced into white slavery. She experienced severe mental trauma and had tried to escape. As a result she felt dirty and bathed herself often. She also kept away from others and the outside world," said Fernandez.

"Her ordeal began when she was 12 years old when she came from Cambodia to Malaysia and later moved to England.

"She had attempted to escape from the clutches of the syndicate but failed. As punishment, she was stripped naked and hung upside down while her fingers were inserted into live electric sockets," said Fernandez.

Tenaganita managed to rescue her when she was 16 years old. But then she had already contracted HIV and now she is in a shelter home.

Fernandez said the victim was so traumatised and had contemplated suicide. She also refused to meet her parents and undergo medical examination. She became a recluse..

According to Fernandez, victims of the syndicates were forced to consume heroin or cocaine during the day to make them asleep. At night they were forced to take ecstasy to entertain clients.

She said neighbours should not simply ignore anything suspicious that happened within their surroundings.

"They should instead be inquisitive and nosey apart from calling in the authorities if they witnessed anything suspicious," she added.


Kenneth Stephen Perkins
Mobile Phone 0164161782

Viettel prospers in Cambodia marke


HA NOI — Viet Nam’s Military Telecom Corporation (Viettel) is now the largest telecommunications service provider in Cambodia, after launching its Metfone mobile service network in the Kingdom six months ago.

Metfone currently accounts for 60 per cent of all ADSL services and 50 per cent of the fixed phone market. It has 2 million mobile subscribers, ranking second among nine mobile service providers in Cambodia.

To facilitate the Cambodian people’s access to fundamental telecommunications services, Metfone has reduced its mobile service charges from 11 cents per minute to 9 cents per minute, and expects to adjust it down even further in the near future.

Additionally, Metfone is the sole provider of all telecommunications services in Cambodia, with its product distribution network covering even the most remote and isolated communes. It is also the sole provider of wireless fixed phone services, with nearly 20,000 subscribers in the country.

Along with business development in Cambodia, Viettel has invested US$5 million to carry out a three-year programme to introduce the internet to schools, subsidised 50 per cent of wireless fixed and mobile phone charges for poor people and sponsored an online television system, connecting the Government to localities across the country.

Metfone is expected to earn revenue of $50 million this year and provide 3G services in Cambodia early next year.

Metfone is also expected to have 2.6 million mobile subscribers and 3,000 transceiver stations covering all 24 provinces and cities of Cambodia, and the ability to provide affordable, high-quality services for customers by 2010. — VNS

Saturday, September 26, 2009

ការ​​អប់រំ​កូន​តាម​ផ្ទះ​​គឺ​​ជា​គ្រឹះ​ដ៏​រឹងមាំ ​សម្រាប់​ការ​ចូល​រៀន​នៅ​បឋម​សិក្សា

អត្ថបទ​របស់ "អំពី​ស្ត្រី"​៖

ក្នុង​ទឹក​​មុខ​ញញឹម​ញញែម​​​ កុមារា​ អាយុ​៦​ឆ្នាំ​ដែល​កំពុង​លេង​ បាន​រត់​ចេញ​ពី​ក្រុម​មិត្ត​ភក្ដិ​នៅ​ក្នុង​សាលារៀន​ទៅ​កាន់​គ្រូ​របស់​គេ។ កុមារា​នោះ​ឈ្មោះ​ ឆាយ​ ឌីណា។ ឌីណា​​បាន​និយាយ​ថា​​ "នៅ​ពេល​​ខ្ញុំ​ធំ​ឡើង​ ខ្ញុំ​ចង់​ធ្វើ​ជា​អ្នក​ជំនាញ​ផ្នែក​កុំព្យូទ័រ​ និង​ជា​អ្នក​វិស្វករ​​ស៊ីវិល​ម្នាក់"។
កុមារា​ឌី​ រស់នៅ​ភូមិ​ក្ដី​បឹង​ ស្រុក​កំពង់សៀម​ ខេត្ត​កំពង់ចាម។ ឌី​ គឺ​ជា​កុមារា​​ម្នាក់​ក្នុង​ចំណោម​កុមារ​នៅ​ខេត្ត​កំពង់ចាម​​ដទៃ​ទៀត​​ដែល​ បាន​ចូល​រួម​ក្នុង​កម្មវិធី​ការ​អប់រំ​កូន​តាម​ផ្ទះ​របស់​អង្គការ​ន័រវេស្ស៍ ​សង្គ្រោះ​កុមារ។ នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​សិក្សា​២០០៨-២០០៩​នេះ​ ឌី​បាន​ចូល​រៀន​ថ្នាក់​ទី​១​ នៅ​សាលារៀន​បឋម​សិក្សា​វិហារ​ធំ។

លោកស្រី​ លឹម​ គីមស្រេង​ គឺ​ជា​​គ្រូ​របស់​ឌី​ បាន​និយាយ​ថា​ ឌី​ មក​រៀន​ទៀងទាត់​ ហើយ​រៀន​ពូកែ​​ទៀត​ផង។ អ្នក​​គ្រូ​​បាន​បន្ត​ទៀត​ថា​ ឌី​ពូកែ​អក្សរ​ និង​លេខ​ ហើយ​ទទួល​បាន​លេខ​១​រៀងរាល់​ខែ។ អ្នក​គ្រូ​បាន​និយាយ​ថា​ "កុមារ​ដែល​បាន​រៀន​តាម​កម្មវិធី​អប់រំ​កូន​តូច​តាម​ផ្ទះ​ ឬ​បាន​ចូល​រៀន​មត្តេយ្យ​ គឺ​រៀន​​ឆាប់​ចាប់​បាន​ជាង​​កុមារ​ដែល​មិន​បាន​ទទួល​បាន​សេវា​ទាំង​នោះ"។ អ្នក​គ្រូ​បាន​បន្ថែម​ទៀត​​ថា​ កុមារ​ទាំង​នោះ​មាន​ទម្លាប់​ល្អ​ និង​មាន​ទំនុក​ចិត្ត​លើ​ខ្លួន​​​ឯង។

លោក​ កាង វ៉ាន់នី​ នាយក​សាលា​បឋម​សិក្សា​វិហារ​ធំ​ បាន​មាន​​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា​ ក្នុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៨-២០០៩​នេះ​ សាលា​លោក​គ្រូ​ទទួល​បាន​សិស្ស​៤០​នាក់​ដែល​បាន​ឆ្លង​កាត់​កម្មវិធី​​អប់រំ​ កុមារ​តូច​តាម​ផ្ទះ។ លោក​នាយករង​បន្ថែម​ថា​​ "លោក​គ្រូ​ អ្នកគ្រូ​សាលា​ខ្ញុំ​ដណ្ដើម​គ្នា​យក​កុមារ​ទាំង​នោះ​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​ពួក​គាត់​គិត​ថា​ កុមារ​ទាំង​នោះ​ គឺ​ជា​សិស្ស​ពូកែ​ និង​មាន​ការ​លូតលាស់​រាងកាយ​ល្អ"។

អ្នកស្រី​ វ៉ា​ ញឹម​ ម្ដាយ​របស់​ឌី​ បាន​និយាយ​ថា​ គាត់​នៅ​តែ​បន្ត​អនុវត្ត​កម្មវិធី​អប់រំ​កុមារ​តូច​ជា​មួយឌី​ ទោះ​ជា​ឌី​បាន​​ចូល​រៀន​សាលា​បឋម​សិក្សា​ហើយ​ក៏​ដោយ​ ដោយសារ​តែ​គាត់​សង្ឃឹម​ថា​ កម្មវិធី​នេះ​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​កូន​គាត់​មាន​អនាគត​ល្អ។ អ្នកស្រី​បាន​បន្ត​ថា​​ "ខ្ញុំ​មាន​មោទនភាព​ចំពោះ​ឌី​ណាស់។គេ​ធ្វើ​​អ្វី​ៗ​បាន​ច្រើន​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​ខ្ញុំ​ព្យាយាម​​អនុវត្ត​កម្មវិធី​អប់រំ​កុមារ​តូច​តាម​ផ្ទះ​ជាង​ គេ"។

អង្គការ​ន័រវេស្ស៍​សង្គ្រោះ​កុមារ​​បាន​អនុវត្ត​កម្មវិធី​អប់រំ​កុមារ​នៅ ​តាម​ផ្ទះ​នៅ​ខេត្ត​កំពង់ចាម​ អស់​រយៈពេល​ជាង​៨​ឆ្នាំ​ហើយ។ កម្មវិធី​នេះ​ មាន​គោល​បំណង​​អប់រំ​ឪពុកម្ដាយ​ និង​អាណាព្យាបាល​ពី​របៀប​ថែទាំ​ និង​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កុមារ​ចាប់​តាំង​ពី​កើត​រហូត​ដល់​អាយុ​៦​ឆ្នាំ។ កម្មវិធី​នេះ​បង្កើត​ឡើង​ដើម្បី​ឆ្លើយ​តប​នឹង​តម្រូវ​ការ​របស់​កុមារ​​ដែល​ មាន​អាយុ​តិច​ជាង​៦​ឆ្នាំ​ភាគច្រើន​​ដែល​គ្មាន​ឱកាស​បាន​ចូល​រៀន​សាលា​ មត្តេយ្យ​មុន​​ពួក​គេ​ចូល​រៀន​សាលា​បឋមសិក្សា។ ជា​​លទ្ធផល​កុមារ​ដែល​បាន​ទទួល​សេវា​នេះ​រៀន​ពូកែ​នៅ​សាលា​បឋមសិក្សា៕

ពេល​វេលា និង​មិត្ត​ភ័ក្តិ

ដាឡៃ ឡាម៉ាមិត្ត​​ភ័ក្ដិ​ចាស់​បាត់​​ទៅ យើង​មាន​មិ​ត្ត​ថ្មី។ វា​មិន​ខុស​អ្វី​ពីពេល​វេលាឡើយគឺ​ ថ្ងៃ​ចាស់​កន្លង​ទៅ​ ថ្ងៃ​ថ្មី​ក៏មក​ដល់។ អ្វី​ដែល​សំខាន់គឺ​​ ត្រូវ​ចេះ​ធ្វើ​​ឲ្យ​​មិត្ត​ភ័ក្តិ និង​ពេល​វេលា​នោះ​មាន​​តម្លៃ។ 

តម្លៃ​នៃ​គុណ​ធម៌

ទោះ​កិត្តិ​យស​ក្ដី ទោះ​ភោគ​ទ្រព្យ​ក្ដី ទោះ​កេរ្តិ៍​​ឈ្មោះ​ក្ដី ទោះ​ជាមាន​ចំណេញ​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន​ក្ដី ក៏មិន​អាច​នាំ​បុគ្គល​​ដែល​មាន ​គុណ​ធម៌​ខ្ពស់ មាន​គតិ​បណ្ឌិត គោ​រព​សច្ច​ធម៌ មាន​ព្រលឹង​បរិសុទ្ធ​ថ្លៃ​ថ្នូរ ឲ្យ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​​អំពើ​អ្វីៗ ​ដែល​ជាការ​ផ្ទុយ ទាស់​នឹង​សតិ សម្បជញ្ញៈ គុណ​ធម៌ ព្រះ​ធម៌​បាន​ឡើយ។

ជីវិត​ដែល​មាន​ឥស្សរភាព មាន​សេរី​ភាព គឺ​ជា​ជីវិត​ដែល​បាន​ប្រយុទ្ធ​ច្បាំង​ឈ្នះ អាត្មា​ខ្លួន​ឯង​ កាច់​បំបាក់​ច្រវាក់​ចំណង ចំណង់ តណ្ហា និងឧបាទាន!

កាន់​តែ​ចង់...កាន់​តែ​ប្រាថ្នា កាន់តែ​ចង់...​ កាន់​តែ​ជោរ កាន់តែ​ចង់ ... កាន់​តែ​អួត កាន់តែ​ចង់​ ... កាន់​តែ​ឈឺចាប់ កាន់​តែ​ចង់ ... កាន់តែខ្វះ​ណាស់ កាន់​តែ​ចង់ ... កាន់​តែ​វង្វេង​ ដូច្នេះ ​បើចង់​គ្រប់ ត្រូវ​ទប់​ចង់!

សមត្ថភាព​​ តម្លៃ​ជីវិត​ និង​សេចក្ដី​ថ្លៃ​ថ្នូរ​ ពិត​ប្រាកដ​របស់​មនុស្ស​ត្រូវ​វាស់​ដោយ​ "គុណធម៌" មិន​មែន​ដោយ​សារ​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ មាស ប្រាក់​ ធនធាន ឬ​យស​ស័ក្តិ​ដែល​មាន​ទាំង​ស្រុង​នោះ​ទ!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Future is TV-shaped, says Intel

By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, San Francisc

The world's biggest chip maker predicts that by 2015 there will be 12 billion devices capable of connecting to 500 billion hours of TV and video content.

Intel said its vision of TV everywhere will be more personal, social, ubiquitous and informative.
"TV is out of the box and off the wall," Intel's chief technology officer Justin Rattner told BBC News.

"TV will remain at the centre of our lives and you will be able to watch what you want where you want.

"We are talking about more than one TV capable device for every man and woman on the planet. People are going to feel connected to the screen in ways they haven't in the past," said Mr Rattner.
Intel's developer forum in San Francisco was told that the success of TV is down to the fact there are a growing number of ways to consume content.

Today that includes everything from the traditional box in the corner of the living room to smartphones, laptops, netbooks, desktops and mobile internet devices.
Attendees were also told to get set for an explosion of content by Cisco's vice president of video product strategy, Malachy Moynihan.

"We are seeing an amazing move of video to IP (internet) networks. By 2013 90% of all IP traffic will be video. 60% of all video will be consumed by consumers over IP networks," said Mr Moynihan.

"Infinite choice"

At the conference, developers were told by Intel's digital home group boss Eric Kim "keep it simple and easy".

"Don't make my TV act like a PC. This is what we hear consistently from the consumer. The key challenge is how to bring the power and richness of the internet but keep it TV simple," said Mr Kim.

During the event, Mr Kim told developers "you now have the power to build the best of all possible worlds" after he had unveiled the company's Atom CE4100 system-on-a-chip (SoC) to bring internet content and services to digital TV's, DVD players and advanced set top boxes.

Codenamed Sodaville, it is the first 45 nanometer manufactured consumer electronics SoC based on Intel architecture.

The audience heard from a number of speakers on what promises to be a new kind of TV experience as broadcast content, video content, internet content and personal content is all blended together.
Eric Huggers who is behind the success of the BBC's iPlayer said "it's about unlocking a whole raft of new capabilities and services.

Think of TV as an opportunity to give consumers a gateway to infinite choice," he added in a video presentation.

"IMAX quality"

When it comes to technology that looks like gaining ground, Mr Rattner spotlighted 3 dimensional (3-D) TV.

"It seems like there is an announcement every week on 3-D," he told developers.

The Intel cto said he had planned to use a high-definition TV during his presentation but changed his mind when he heard about a Silicon Valley start up called HDI.

HDI is claiming a world first with the launch of its 100 inch 3-D laser set earlier this month.

HDI said its TV delivers the quality of IMAX to the living room with 1000 frames per second compared to the standard 240 frames per second.

The big manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic have announced plans to release 3-D TV sets next year, while Samsung and Mitsubishi have recently released their products.

At a consumer electronics show in Berlin, Sony's chief executive office Howard Stringer said "3-D is clearly on the way to the mass market. The train is on the track and Sony is ready to drive it home."
Screen Digest is forecasting 1.2 million 3-D capable sets in American homes by the end of next year.

That figure is expected to rise to 9.7 million, or 8% of households, by 2013.

"Fading fast"

Another highlight of Mr Rattner's presentation was a live 3-D broadcast. While he was inside the auditorium, Mr Rattner spoke to a 3-D version of Howard Postley, the cto of 3ality Digital who was outside in the hallway.

The two men talked about a new high speed optical technology from Intel codenamed Light Peak aimed at improving bandwidth and flexibility while significantly reducing the complexity and cost of digital downloads.

The conference was told that 50 copper-based cables on the set of a 3-D shoot today may one day be replaced with a single optical cable with Light Peak technology.

Intel hopes to have the product ready to ship next year.

The overall 3-D market is expected to grow to an estimated $25 Bn by 2012 according to the research firm Piper-Jaffray.

"The old TV world is fading fast and the future is here," said Mr Rattner.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Japanese in Cambodia Facing New Government

,
09 September 2009


Japanese diplomats, businessmen and employees congratulated the win of Japan’s opposition in recent elections, which broke half a century of ruling party rule, but some were wary the new party would make many changes.

The Democratic Party of Japan defeated the Liberal Democratic Party in Aug. 30 polls with a landslide win that made it the largest party in the lower house of parliament, with 308 of 480 seats.

Yano Tusi, owner of Ko Ko Ro restaurant in Phnom Penh, laughed happily when he was asked about his new government.

“Before, [the ruling party] worked for the rich people,” he said. “Rich people became richer, poor people became poorer. But now maybe [the opposition] will work for the poor.”

Japan’s next prime minister will be the DPJ’s president, Yuko Hatoyama, who is expected to be formally voted in on Sept. 16 and to name his cabinet in the days that follow.

Hatoyama had a chance to overthrown his strong competitor, the former premier Taro Aso, and the ruling party, because the opposition vowed to recover nearly $98 billion in “wasteful spending” through reductions in civil-servant and personnel costs and the upkeep of government offices over the next four years.

The DPJ also promised free high school education, free highways, a four-year freeze on the consumption tax, which is currently at 5 percent, and the creation of jobs in the private and agricultural sectors.

“I hope it is good,” said Sathol Miura, president of the Japanese Travel Agency APEX, in Phnom Penh. “It will make changes in the economy to create jobs and tourism.”

Japan’s economy has fallen sharply in the last decade, bringing worries that it could lose its place as the second-largest in the world. Many Japanese lost faith in the ruling party after its officials faced internal scandals and failed to expand the job market and national economy.

However, not everyone is convinced the DPJ can turn things around.

“It’s a hard experience to change for the new party,” said Hiroobu Kurata, president of Kurata Pepper. “I can’t say the policy is good. I can only hope that it will be changed, but if they change all the policies, some projects might be broken.”

Yamasaki Yuki, a Japanese-Khmer translator, said she didn’t hold too much hope for the new party, as it contains parts of the old.

“I suspect that it is not so good because the new party and the old one is the same,” she said. “I’m not really satisfied with these two big parties.”

Hatoyoma, 62, finished his PhD in engineering at Stanford University. He was born into a wealthy political family. His grandfather, Ichiro Hatoyama, was the ruling LDP’s first former Japanese prime minister. He began his political career in 1983 with the ruling party and later lead his own party, the DPJ.

Japan is Cambodia’s biggest donor. According to a report provided by the Japanese Embassy, some 830 Japanese nationals now live in the country. They work in tourism, hotels, restaurants, embassies and NGOs. Some are students.

Prime Minister Hun Sen recently congratulated the success of the DPJ and said he expected bilateral relations between the two countries would strengthen.

Vietnam To Plant 100,000 Hectares of Rubber

,
22 September 2009

The governments of Cambodian and Vietnam signed an agreement Tuesday allowing the development of 100,000 hectares of rubber plantations in five provinces, which will add to the 400 Vietnamese companies already operating here.

The new concessions would come into effect by 2015, according to the agreement, signed Tuesday between Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun and his counterpart, Cao Duch Phat.

“This [agreement] will create more jobs for local people and thus alleviate poverty,” Chan Sarun told reporters following a signing ceremony in Phnom Penh. “Our [Cambodian] people in remote areas, who used to depend on forests, will become rubber processors.”

Cao said the agreement would serve as a basis for other rubber companies to follow in the future. Vietnamese companies planted 10,000 hectares in Cambodia this year and are preparing to plant another 20,000 in 2010; 30,000 the year after; and 40,000 the year after that.
Seven Vietnamese companies are operating in five Cambodian provinces: Ratanakkiri, Mondolkiri, Kratie, Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear.

“We will have leased all 100,000 hectares of land to Vietnamese companies by 2012, three years before our plan,” Chan Sarun said, explaining that Vietnam plans to send more rubber companies to Cambodia.

The two ministers also said a rubber processing factory would be set up in Cambodia by 2012. Rubber and timber are Cambodia’s biggest exports to Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency reported. 

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

គុណធម៌ និង​សីលធម៌

មាន​តែ​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ មាស​ប្រាក់​ យសស័ក្តិ អំណាច​ ដោយ​គ្មាន​សីលធម៌ និង​គុណធម៌​ នឹង​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​​បុគ្គល​មាន​ភាព​ភ្លើត​ភ្លើន មាន​តែ​អំនួត មានជំនោរ ប្រកាន់​ខ្លួន លើក​តម្កើង​ខ្លួន មាន​ប្រមាថ (មើល​ងាយ​អ្នក​ដទៃ) និង​​ប្រមាទ​​ (មើល​ងាយ​ខ្លួនឯង) ពុំ​អាច​ទទួល​បាន​នូវ​​ការគោរព ស្រឡាញ់​ដោយ​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​ឡើយ។

មាន​ព្រះធម៌ មាន​សីលធម៌ មាន​គុណធម៌ល្អបរិសុទ្ធ (មេត្តា ករុណា មុទិតា ឧបេក្ខា) នាំ​ឲ្យ​មនុស្ស​សុភាព​រាប​សា ទន់​ភ្លន់​ រឹង​ប៉ឹង នឹងន រស់​នៅ​សាមញ្ញ ទទួល​បាន​នូវ​ការគោរព ស្រឡាញ់​រាប់​អាន​ ពិត​ប្រាកដ។

ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​គេ​ខ្លាច និងធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​គេ​គោរព​​ ពុំ​មាន​ន័យ​ដូចគ្នាទេ។

ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​គេ​ខ្លាច​ដោយ​អំណាច​យស់​ស័ក្ដិ មាស​ប្រាក់ ​ដោយ​សេចក្ដី​ល្ងង់​ខ្លៅ ពុំ​មែន​ជាសញ្ញាណ​នៃ​គតិ​បណ្ឌិត​ឡើយ ហើយ​ក៏​ពុំ​មែន​ជា​ប្រការ​ចាំ​បាច់​ដែរ។

ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​គេគោរព​ស្រឡាញ់ ដោយ​មាន​គតិ​បណ្ឌិត មាន​ភាព​សុចរិត​នៃ​ជីវិត មាន​សេចក្ដី​បរិសុទ្ធ ដោយ​សីល​ធម៌ និង​គុណធម៌ ទើប​ជាការ​ប្រសើរ​ និង​ចាំបាច់។

Yahoo's new web portal goes live

By Tim Weber
Business editor, BBC News website

Internet giant Yahoo has relaunched its web portal, supported by a $100m global advertising campaign.

The company hopes the website refresh will boost both traffic and revenues.
Yahoo will also open its home page to rivals, allowing users to integrate third-party web services like Facebook or Hotmail into its portal.


Yahoo has been struggling to turn its position as the world's most popular website into profits. The portal is the first move of new boss Carol Bartz.

From openness to profit
When Yahoo first announced its relaunch plans, many analysts derided the idea, arguing that most web users now ignore portals and use search engines to go directly to the page they want.

However, the vast majority of Yahoo's customers still go to the portal first, insists Yahoo's senior vice-president for Europe, Rich Riley. That also makes it the most attractive place for Yahoo to sell advertisements.

"Frontpage adverts are incredibly powerful," said Mr Riley, and can cost millions of dollar for a single day of global advertising.

At the same time, Yahoo believes that a new openness to rival brands will actually increase its profits.
The new "customisable applications" allow users to see a snapshot of their favourite websites and services within the Yahoo portal - whether it is a social networking site, a rival web mail service, or their favourite website.

This is supposed to make the Yahoo portal "stickier" and the centre of web users' internet experience.
Fittingly, the advertising campaign has the catch phrase "It's Y!ou", featuring the exclamation mark that is part of the Yahoo brand.

"The [new] home page is a powerful way to get a view into your life on the internet," said Mr Riley, quoting surveys that suggest that 60% of Yahoo users in the UK want a one-stop shop to organise their life on the internet.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, a majority of users have already been testing the new website, but from 23 September the new look will be the default worldwide.

"We expect more traffic, the number of unique users to go up... an increase in audience engagement and more repeat visits," which in turn will drive advertising income, said Mr Riley.

Partnerships

The new portal, however, also has an unprecedented number of links to non-Yahoo websites, potentially taking traffic away from Yahoo's sprawling network of news, weather, finance, email, messaging, and picture services and more.

In the UK, for example, the Yahoo website features top headlines from the Telegraph, Guardian and Daily Mail newspapers.

Since the beta version of the Yahoo website was launched in the UK, Yahoo has become the second-largest source of online traffic to the newspaper's website, said Mr Riley.
Yahoo is getting a share of the advertising revenue generated by this traffic to partners.

Ten focus markets

The $100m advertising campaign accompanying the relaunch is global, but will focus on 10 key markets: United States, United Kingdom, India, France, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Canada.

The strong emphasis on emerging markets reflects Yahoo's belief that it is "where the next billion people are coming online", according to Mr Riley.

The portal's relaunch is accompanied by an overhaul of the user interface of Yahoo's search engine, which does not yet profit from Microsoft's new search engine Bing.

The results page of Yahoo's search engine will show not just the usual list of search results and sponsored links, but also a left-hand navigation that helps users to narrow down their search further.
In July, Microsoft and Yahoo agreed a deal that will see Yahoo's websites use both Microsoft's search technology and search advertising.

Yahoo in turn will become the sales team for banner advertising for both companies. However, the deal still awaits regulatory approval and is not expected to be finalised before spring 2010.

Unlike rival and erstwhile suitor Google, Yahoo has been struggling to turn its dominant position on the web into comparable profits.

During the three months to June, Yahoo made a mere $141m profit on revenues of $1.57bn.
The change of direction is driven by new chief executive Carol Bartz, who replaced co-founder Jerry Yang in January this year.

Cambodia Criticized for Curtailing Freedom of Expression

,
22 September 2009


Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy (file photo)

Cambodia has been accused of silencing critics with lawsuits, jail time, and assassinations. Cambodia's opposition leader says the crackdown is the government's attempt to deal with what he claims is a growing discontent over the economy and who benefits from economic growth.

At a panel discussion Tuesday at the Bangkok press club, the Cambodian government was accused of doing everything in its power to muzzle voices critical of its policies.

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy says grassroots activists, politicians, and village leaders have been killed, jailed, and forced into hiding for disagreeing with the ruling party.

He says the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen is attempting to silence growing discontent over land confiscation and most Cambodians not benefiting from the growing economy.

Sam Rainsy says part of the problem is that many of Cambodia's leaders like Hun Sen are former Khmer Rouge, the brutal communist government that ruled in the 1970s and was responsible for the deaths of up to two million Cambodians.

"They still have the Khmer Rouge mentality," he said. "They do not tolerate critics and they are paranoid. They see enemies everywhere around them and they take preemptive moves to eliminate their enemies or potential enemies by killing them, by silencing them."

Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists Vice President Duong Hak Samrithy says recent defamation lawsuits against outspoken media by Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party shows a clear pattern of intolerance. He says journalists have also been targets of violence that he linked to the government.

"Until now, about, around 10 journalists has been assassinated," said Samrithy. "But, there is no clue, no lead has been declared by the police, even a single case. So, you can say this is a clear attempt of the CPP to silence the opposition press."

Duong Hak Samrithy says international donors, who keep Cambodia's government running, should use their leverage to pressure the government on rights issues.

But a lecturer in International Relations at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, Puangthong Pawakapan, says major donors like Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are showing little willingness to pressure Phnom Penh.

"The task, while we cannot hope much from the governments of these countries, the donors and ASEAN, and the major investors, I think, the task will be left on the international NGOs and local NGOs inside Cambodia," said Puangthong.

The panel was organized by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, a non-profit rights group based in Bangkok that campaigns for press freedom in Southeast Asia.  
 

Cambodia, Vietnam sign MOU of rubber investment cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Vietnam on Tuesday signed a MOU of rubber investment cooperation to expand area of rubber plantation of Vietnamese companies in Cambodia.
    
The agreement was signed in Phnom Penh by Chan Sarun, Cambodian minister of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, and Cao Duc Phat, visiting Vietnamese minister of rural development and agriculture.
    
According to this bilateral agreement, Vietnamese companies will plant rubber crops in 100,000 hectares of land in Cambodia, Chan Sarun told reporters after the signing ceremony.
    
The Vietnamese companies have already invested in rubber plantations in Cambodia, but through the agreement, they will be able to plant more rubber crops, he said.
    
According to the agreement, the Vietnamese side will also build a refinery factory of rubber products in Cambodia, he said.
    
"The agreement will also provide opportunity for local people to sell their rubber products to Vietnamese companies and it will offer more jobs for local poor people," he added.
    
"So far, our local people and local private companies have planted rubber crops on 100,000 hectares of land," he said, adding that Vietnamese companies already got the economic concession land for planting the rubber crops.
    
"Through the MOU we will also strengthen the bilateral cooperation on other fields like fighting against communicable diseases and other things including bird flu and swine flu, and encourage investing more on other agro-industrial crops."
    
This investment will help to push economic development and social affairs in the country, he said, adding that Vietnamese side also will help train human resources for Cambodia.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Development bank predicts Cambodian economy to shrink this year

Phnom Penh - The Asian Development Bank has revised downward its prediction for Cambodia's gross domestic product this year, saying it now expects the kingdom's economy to shrink 1.5 per cent.

It had previously forecast modest growth for 2009.
  
In its update released Tuesday, the bank blamed worse-than-expected garment export figures, less construction activity and fewer tourism arrivals. Along with agriculture, these sectors make up the four pillars of Cambodia's economy.
  
However, the bank said it expected matters would improve next year, albeit at a much lower rate than the double-digit annual growth the country has enjoyed for much of this decade.
  
'Growth is projected to resume in 2010 at about 3.5 per cent as a gradual recovery in the global economy stimulates clothing exports and tourism,' the bank's Asian Development Outlook 2009 Update said. 'That should provide support for growth in incomes and consumption.'
  
The bank said the decline in construction was because of falling foreign direct investment in the sector, particularly from South Korea.
  
South Korean companies have invested heavily in Cambodia's property sector in recent years, helping to propel land prices to record highs and creating a bubble that burst last year.
  
The bank noted that local inflation had dropped faster than expected and ascribed the trend to lower food and oil prices internationally.
  
'The inflation rate for 2009 is now forecast at just 0.8 per cent, revised down,' the bank said. 'It is expected to quicken to about 5 per cent in 2010, reflecting higher prices for imported oil and the improvement in domestic demand.'
  
Tourism numbers were down 3 per cent through April although the bank said it expected arrivals to pick up later in 2009 in line with predictions from Cambodia's Tourism Ministry.
  
Imports dropped by 18.1 per cent in the first half of 2009 with exports down 10.3 per cent although the bank said the rate of decline in exports could slow.

កម្ពុជា​ប្រារព្ធ​ទិវា​សន្តិភាព​ពិភពលោក ថ្ងៃ​២១ កញ្ញា

នៅ​ឯ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ​កាល​ពី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​ច័ន្ទ​នេះ មនុស្ស​ម្នា​រាប់​រយ​នាក់​បាន​ចូលរួម​អបអរ​សាទរ​ទិវា​សន្តិភាព​ពិភពលោក ២១ កញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ​២០០៩។

សូមចុច​ទីនេះ ដើម្បី​អានព័ត៌មានលម្អិត​​នៅ​គេហទំព័រវិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី។ ​ 

Telecom Industry Booming, as Competition Rises

,
21 September 2009

Advertisements for every mobile phone network in Cambodia can be seen in newspapers, on television, on the street and in supermarkets. Companies are reducing prices, giving away air time and, in some cases, giving away phones.

Nine companies in fact are fighting for customers in the most competitive environment in a decade.

Gary Foo, chief of marketing manager of Hello, which is owned by Malaysia’s Axiata Group, said his company was facing its toughest competition since it arrived in 1997.]
It is one of the most competitive markets in the world, actually, just because of the fact that there are too many players in the market,” he said. That has led led to a slowdown in new subscribers, he said. 

Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Mobile, which is invested in by Russia’s Timeturn holdings, said the market is competitive but still potentially alluring. 

“At the present moment, the market is giving enough room to grow,” he said. “A lot of people are using more than one sim card. They are even using more than three sim cards. Especially the young people: they have plenty of choices, and they are jumping from one to another operator.” 

Consumers are benefiting from the increase in competition. For example, Smart Mobile responded to the new environment by offering two hours of free talking each day, and by putting a game room and restaurant at the company’s office center. The government gets a piece too. 

Telecom investment increased from $30 million in mid-2008 to $234 million in mid-2009, according to figures from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. The investment brings some $30 million dollar annually to Cambodia’s government. 

Prior to 2008, only four mobile phone operators existed in Cambodia: Khmer Royal Group’s Mobitel, Thai Shin Satellite’s Mfone, Axiata’s Hello, and Applifone’s Star-Cell.

One year later, five more players entered, Cube, owned by Cambodian-Israeli Cambodia Advance Communication; Excell, owned by Cambodia’s GT-TELL; Metfone, owned by Vietnamese’s Viettle; Smart Mobile’s Latelz and Beeline, with investment from Russia’s VimpelCom. 

That’s nine mobile phone operators for 14 million people, compared to China’s three state-run companies for 1.3 billion people, or four companies each in Vietnam and Thailand, which have, respectively, 80 million and 60 million people.

(More than 4 million Cambodians use mobile phones, an increase of 1 million in the past year alone.) 

However, without a telecommunications law, a tough competitive market has led to disputes. Beeline, for example, was accused of violating pricing regulations by Mobitel and others.

The competition “will bring the prices down, and users will have m ore choices from that,” said Sarak Khan, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication.

The ministry has created a special team, which is preparing new regulations to ensure fair competition, he said. 

Simon Perkins, CEO of Beeline, said mobile operators have to look at their finances in order to survive in this environment, and some companies will likely not make it. 

“Some people entering the market, trying to compete and to survive, they don’t often succeed, because they face stronger opponents,” he said. “It is a natural way for some companies to go into bankruptcy.” 

Sam Kong Kea, corporate affairs officer of Star-Cell, agreed. He said companies are now hardly generating revenue and only huge financial operators will be able to survive this market.

 

Prayer and Pedaling on Day of Peace

,
21 September 2009

A dozen local organizations called on Monday for peaceful resolution to the prolonged border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, marking the International Day of Peace Monday.

A hundred participants, ranging from monks to rights workers prayed for peace before the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, while others rode bicycles through the capital in matching peace T-shirts.

Nearly 300 people participated, coming from universities, schools and NGOs, in a ride that started from the National Assembly building, continued to Wat Phnom and finally stopped at the famous spiritual sanctuary of Dorng Keu in front of the Royal Palace.

Before the end of event, about 100 participants sat down with Buddhist monks and nuns and prayed for world peace.

Prok Vanny, one of the organizers, said the day was meant to disseminate awareness to people and spread a message of peace.

But Monday's day of peace came following a tumultuous weekend at the border, where tension remains high over Preah Vihear temple and disputed border territory nearby.
Ream Rathamony, vice president of the Youth Resource Development Program, said he still was worried Cambodia would not avoid conflict with Thailand again over the temple, and he appealed to the two countries to avoid armed conflict.

"We suffered civil war for nearly 30 years, and many women and children became widows and orphans after the war," he said, adding that he did not want to see war again.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the Cambodian government has clung to keeping peace so that it has chance to develop the country.

During his visit to Cambodia in June, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed to avoid armed clashes with Cambodia over the border issue.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Vietnam goods popularity soars at new Cambodia border crossing

While duty-free shops at most border crossing points with Cambodia are full of imported goods, the Tinh Bien border gate economic zone in the southwestern province of An Giang stocks mostly Vietnamese high-quality goods.



Cambodian shoppers at a duty-free shop on the Vietnamese border. The Tinh Bien border gate economic zone in An Giang Province stocks mostly Vietnamese high-quality goods and has been doing roaring business since opening on August 22 (Photo: TT)
Since opening on August 22, trade has been flourishing here with large volumes of goods exported to Cambodia every day.

It sells a range of Vietnamese goods, including food, cosmetics, clothes, household appliances, and furniture.

Thousands of shoppers flock to Tinh Bien daily, mostly from the Cambodian side.

Many of them say they used to buy Chinese and Thai products but have now switched to Vietnamese after many supermarkets opened along the Vietnamese side.

Many Cambodian retailers come to buy goods in large quantities to sell in remote parts of their country.

At Tinh Bien, Vietnamese shoppers can buy duty-free goods worth up to VND500,000 a day.

Nguyen Minh Tri, head of the An Giang border gate economic zone’s management, said the zone has an average daily turnover of VND1 billion, and three times that on weekends. 

Many of the supermarkets at the zone regularly order large quantities of goods and ask to be their distributors in Cambodia.

Nguyen Thi Hong, deputy chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said Cambodia is a promising market.

The city is promoting its relations with An Giang and Tay Ninh Provinces to build warehouses there to facilitate export of its goods to Cambodia.

Trade between the two countries has risen by 37 percent in the five years to 2008.

Official agencies forecast it to reach US$2.31 billion in 2010 and US$6.55 billion in 2015.

More than 150 Vietnamese firms have established branches and shops in Cambodia.

Vuong Dinh Ngan, deputy head of the Trade Promotion Department under the Industry and Trade Ministry, said the zone is not only a place for duty-free shops but also a place for local producers to introduce their products and establish relations with Cambodian importers.

Cambodia Marks International Day of Peace

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 300 people from schools, universities, pogodas and NGOs as well as other international and social groups gathered in downtown of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh Monday to mark the International Day of Peace.

The "peace biking" celebration to mark Peace Day started from National Assembly to Wat Phnom and finally stopped in front of the Royal Palace. And before the end of the event, all marchers prayed at the famous spiritual sanctuary of Dorng Keu in front of the Royal Palace to beg for peace for all people around the world and at the same time, the Khmer Buddhist monks chanted Dharma for peace and non-violence for this day.

"We also appealed to our leader and world leaders to support and respect the peace principles in solving the conflict matters even in internal affairs or with neighboring countries," said a joint statement from the event organizer.

Prok Vanny, representative of the event organizer for the peace working group in Cambodia said that "today we all celebrated the world peace day. And we want to raise awareness for peace for all people and spread peace message for all Cambodians."

"We also want to contribute in building and keeping peace in Khmer society as whole, and also building peace for lovely world and peace for all," she added.

"We have to cooperate each other to work for peace, and our message for this year is that we have to strengthen peace ideas, and reduce the tension, solve the conflict with peace deal, terminate all violence and disputes in the whole world. And today is the day of no violence, and stop all armed clashes in the world."

The International Day of Peace was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

In 2002. the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

ផ​លប៉ះ​ពា​ល់​នៃថ្នាំគី​មីពុ​ល​កសិ​ក​ម្ម​​លើ​​ប​រិស្ថាន

អំបាញ់​មិញ​នេះ​ជា​ប្រសាសន៍​លោក​បណ្ឌិត​យ៉ង់ សាំង​កុមារ នាយក​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សិក្សា​និង​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កសិកម្ម​កម្ពុជា នៅ​ក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ​។ ហើយ​ខ្ញុំសូ លឹម​សេង​ សូម​ស្វាគមន៍​មិត្ត​ អ្នក​ស្តាប់​ទាំង​អស់​នៅ​ក្នុង​​នាទី​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​ជ​ន​បទ​និង​បរិស្ថាន​នៃ​វិទ្យុ​អូស្រ្តា​លី​នៅ​ពេល​នេះ​។

ប្រជាកសិករខ្មែរ​ជា​ច្រើន​ជា​ពិសេស​អ្នក​ប្រកប​មុខ​របរ​ធ្វើ​ស្រែ​ចម្ការ​ដាំ​បន្លែ​និង​ដំ​ណាំ​ផ្សេង​ៗ​សម្រាប់​​លក់ ឬ​បរិភោគ និយម​ប្រើ​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម​ពី​ទី​ផ្សារ​ជា​វិធី​ការពារ​ដំណាំ​របស់​ខ្លួន​។ កសិករ​ជា​ច្រើន បាន​ប្រើ​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម​​​ដោយ​មិន​ដឹង​ថា​វា​ត្រូវ​នឹង​សត្វ​ល្អិត​ ឬ​ជំងឺ​អ្វី​នោះ​ទេ ដោយ​ចេះ​តែ​ប្រើ​ស្មាន​ៗ ហើយ​នៅ​ពេល​ប្រើ​ប្រាស់​ទៀត​សោត​ហាក់​ដូច​មិន​សូវ​បារម្ភ ខ្វាយ​ខ្វល់​អំពី​សុខ​ភាព​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន​ទេ។

ការ​យល់​ច្រឡំ និង​កង្វះ​ខាត​​ការយល់​ដឹង​អំពី​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម និង​បញ្ហា​របស់​វា​នេះ នាំ​មក​ផល​វិបាក​ជា​ច្រើន​ដល់​ប្រជា​កសិករ អ្នក​បរិភោគ​បរិស្ថាន​និង​សង្គម​មនុស្ស​ទាំង​មូល​។

បាទ មិត្ត​អ្នក​ស្តាប់​ជា​ទី​មេត្រី ដើម្បី​ជា​ជំនួយ​ និង​បង្កើន​នូវ​ការ​យល់​ដឹង​អំពី​​ថ្នាំ​​ពុល​​គីមី​កសិកម្ម​​​​និង​​​បញ្ហា​​​របស់​​​វា​​​នេះ​​នាទី​​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​​ជន​​បទ និង​​បរិស្ថាន នៅ​​ថ្ងៃ​​នេះ​​នឹង​​ជម្រាបអំពិ​​ឥទ្ធិពល​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម​ទៅ​លើ​បរិស្ថាន​តាម​រយៈ​ការ​បក​ស្រាយ​ពន្យល់​របស់​លោក​បណ្ឌិត​​យ៉ង​​សាំង​កុមារ​​ប្រធាន​មជ្ឈ​មណ្ឌល​សិក្សា និង​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កសិកម្មកម្ពុជា​នៅ​ ក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ​។

ដូច​​ដែល​​យើង​ដឹង​រួច​មក​ហើយ​ថា ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម មិន​គ្រាន់​តែ​ប៉ះ​ពាល់​ដល់​រាង កាយ​និង​សុខ​ភាព​មនុស្ស​យើង​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ​ទេ ប៉ុន្តែ​ថែម​ទាំង​ប៉ះ​ពាល់​ទៅ​ដល់​បរិស្ថាន​ទៀត​ផង​​។ លោក បណ្ឌិត​យ៉ង សាំងកុមារ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា​ឥទ្ធិ​ពល​មិន​ល្អ​របស់​​ថ្នាំ​​គីមី​​ពុល​​កសិកម្ម ទៅ​លើ​បរិស្ថាន​មាន​ដូច​ជា​ការ​នាំ​មក​នូវ​ភាព​កខ្វក់​ទឹក ការ​សម្លាប់​​សត្វ​​មាន​ប្រយោជន៍​ផ្សេង​ៗ បង្ក​ឲ្យ​សត្វ​ល្អិត​ចង្រៃ​មាន​ភាព​ស៊ាំ​ទៅ​នឹង​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​ ព្រម​​ទាំង​​ការ​បន្សល់​ទុក​នូវ​កាក​សំណល់​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​ក្នុង​បរិស្ថាន​ធម្ម​ជាតិ​ក្នុង​រយៈ​យូរ​អង្វែង​។

សំឡេង​​បណ្ឌិត​​យ៉ង ​សាំង កុមារ៖ លោក​បណ្ឌិត​យ៉ង សាំង​កុមារ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា លើស​ពីនេះ​ថ្នាំ​គីមី​ពុល​កសិកម្ម​សម្លាប់​ដល់​សត្វ​មាន​ប្រយោជន៍​ទៀត​ផង​ដូចជា​ ឃ្មុំ ឪម៉ាល់​ជា​ដើម​ដែល​ជា​សត្វ​មាន​ប្រយោជន៍សំខាន់​ណាស់​ក្នុង​ការ​ពាំ​លម្អង​ផ្កា​ពី​ផ្កា​ឈ្មោល​មក​ផ្កា​ញី​ដែល​អាច​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ផ្លែ​ផ្កា​បាន​៕

រយៈពេល៖ ៨នាទី​៥៩​វិនាទី
វាគ្មិន៖ បណ្ធិត​​​យ៉ង​​សាំង​កុមារ នាយក​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលសិក្សានិង​ អភិវឌ្ឍន៍កសិកម្ម កម្ពុជា
អ្នកផលិត៖ សូ លឹមសេង

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Solve Cambodia's Land Crisis in Courts, Not with Bullets


by Sara Colm, September 12, 2009
Published in The Nation

Phnom Penh-When police opened fire on unarmed farmers protesting confiscation of their land in Siem Reap province on March 22 this year, four villagers were seriously wounded. Luon Men - shot in both thighs - will probably be disabled for life. 

Almost six months later, Men's uncle is still pressing officials to explain why not a single charge has been filed against the police who fired on the farmers, or those who ordered them to shoot.

"Soldiers and police should use their guns to protect people, not shoot them," Men's uncle - a Buddhist monk named Venerable Luon Savath - told me recently. Photographs and video footage that Venerable Savath and others compiled on the incident appear to show dazed and stunned farmers - some with gashes and gaping wounds - tied to poles after the shooting, which took place in the presence of provincial officials.
 
According to eyewitnesses, the police said immediately after the shooting it was legal to shoot the farmers as long as they aimed below the waist.
Instead of investigating the police who shot the protesters, authorities arrested and jailed eleven of the farmers, who now await trial on robbery charges. This week the provincial court summoned for questioning three of the farmers who were shot - including one still in hospital, who had to be transported from there to court.

The wounded men now face possible defamation charges, for daring to file a complaint about the incident with the Ministry of Justice. Such is the nature of "justice" in Cambodia.

Lawsuits against government critics are the latest in a series of well-worn - and abused - "legal" tactics used by officials and powerful people in Cambodia to silence dissent. Violence is the other tool.

While the crackdown in Siem Reap was one of the most violent confrontations in a land dispute in Cambodia so far this year, it is no isolated incident.

Cambodians across the country are increasingly losing their homes, land, and natural resources on which their livelihoods depend to make way for commercial development, agri-business plantations, hydro-electricity dams, and mining concessions. In Phnom Penh alone, at least 30,000 urban poor have been forced from their homes in recent years. More than 150,000 people nationwide are at risk of losing their land and their homes.

When communities seek information about land confiscations and peaceful resolution of land disputes, they are increasingly met with harassment, intimidation, arrest, and violent evictions.

Government officials often deploy heavily armed police and soldiers to force people off their land without court orders or any form of fair hearing for the own¬ers or occupiers of the land.

Authorities have arrested or jailed dozens of activists, often on spurious charges, for defending their land rights.

Most of the Siem Reap farmers driven from their land in March had farmed those fields since the late1980s. Under Cambodian law, this entitles them to the right to continue farming and eventually obtain title to the land.

Most farmers in Cambodia, however, have yet to obtain formal titles, which often require bribes or political connections. The people now claiming legal "ownership" are well-connected businessmen with the means to call on virtually every state mechanism for support: courts, district and provincial officials, and finally, police and soldiers.

Despite the government issuing more than one million land titles since 2002 in a World Bank-supported project, the vast majority of Cambodia's urban and rural poor have been excluded. A World Bank review of the US$24 million program, released this week, called on the government to remedy the fact that "some land areas have been excluded from titling without clear criteria or explanation provided to the local communities."

The urgency of Cambodia's land crisis prompted a rare public appeal recently from development partners. In July, the World Bank, the UN, the Asian Development Bank, the European Commission, the Swedish International Development Agency, and several embassies called on the government to stop forced evictions until fair and transparent land dispute and resettlement mechanisms are in place.

The Cambodian government has not only ignored such appeals, but rebuffed them. On Monday, the Cambodian government announced the termination of the World Bank's land-titling project. The reason, according to Prime Minister Hun Sen, was that the partnership with the World Bank was "difficult and complicated" and "had too many conditions".

The government appears to have become as impervious to the humanitarian appeals of its international donors as it is to the plight of its poorest citizens. But there is growing awareness among the poor of their rights under local and international law.

On Thursday [Sept 10], farmers representing tens of thousands of people nationwide gathered in Phnom Penh, seeking responses to land rights complaints they submitted a month ago. Many of these brave people will now face threats to their personal security, as well as spurious legal battles that could land them in prison.

Rather than filing lawsuits against or opening fire on land rights activists, the government should resolve these complaints.

Land disputes should be settled in an independent court, not by armed police and soldiers. Ownership should be determined by Cambodia's Land Law, rather than wealth and political connections. Until authorities can properly implement and respect Cambodia's Land Law, the government should enact a moratorium on forced evictions.

The government should also ensure the safety of peaceful land rights advocates such as Venerable Sovath, whose calls for justice have been met by threats and intimidation. Soldiers threatened to storm his temple to confiscate the video he compiled of the shooting episode and aftermath.

The Siem Reap crackdown caused villagers to go into hiding, fearful of being shot or arrested.

"Many farmers fled, leaving their cooking pots behind," Venerable Sovath told me. "All they had was fear, frustration, and empty stomachs. They struggled to hide from local authorities, police, and soldiers, who neither respect nor fear the law or human rights because they have power."

Unarmed farmers being shot, and city dwellers being forced from their homes at gunpoint, are grim reminders of the country's past under the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. This is not what international donors have in mind when they make annual pledges to cover more than half of Cambodia's national budget.

Venerable Sovath laments the difficulties faced by landless villages throughout Cambodia: "Now when farmers raise their voices about loss of their land, they are threatened, jailed, or brought to court and sued," he said.

In his home province of Siem Reap, the situation has turned grim." The farmers' paddy fields used to be busy," Venerable Savath said. "The sound was sweet and joyful with farmers singing, laughing and dancing to deal with the hard work. Now the fields are for weeping. They are griefstricken places. This is because the rich have collaborated with the powerful to take the land."

Sara Colm, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, has been working in Cambodia since 1992.
  

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

China becomes Cambodia's biggest development partner: PM


PHNOM PENH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that China became a biggest development partner that has assisted to build Cambodia's infrastructure. 

"China is a big country but they always respected us the small one. China has always followed our decision for constructing the infrastructure in Cambodia. That is the greatest value for us," he said while attending the closing ceremony of the Prek Kdam Bridge which is under preferential buyer's credit loan from China. 

"I have always told Chinese leadership that the assistance from China not only helps economic and social development in Cambodia but also helps Cambodia to strengthen the independence of Cambodian politics," he added.

He pointed out that "the good cooperation and relationship between the two countries also got the in-heritage from former king father Preah Norodom Sihanouk because former king exercised one china policy in years and I myself has been continuing to do it."
    
China has a special habit, he noted, which is that Chinese speak less but do a lot and it is good point, adding that "I could work with Chinese leaders. China always keeps quiet but they offered the assistance for us and do more for us, and their assistance is without conditions."
    
He also highlighted that he has worked with three Chinese prime ministers including Li Peng and Zhu Rongji and has been continuing to work with Prime Miniter Wen Jinbao. Moreover, he said "Chinese leaders' language are easy to understand because Chinese side has always said that assistance from them focus on the infrastructure projects on economic development effectively and helps poverty reduction in the country."
   
"I also thanked Chinese side that they considered me as their old friend. We have confidence each other in cooperation between the two countries," he said.
   
"We all thanked Chinese government and their people for their efforts which have contributed to develop Cambodia's infrastructure." He asked the Chinese ambassador who are in the presence to convey his words to the Chinese side.


Monday, September 14, 2009

គតិបណ្ឌិត

រ៉ូណាល់ រីហ្គែន៖ មាន​រូប​ភាព​មួយ មាន​តម្លៃ​ជាង​មាន​រូប​ភាព១.០០០​ដែល​គេមិន​មើល។ 

Ronald Reagan: One picture is worth 1,000 denials.
.....................................

គតិបណ្ឌិត

ព្រះពុទ្ធឱវាទ៖ តក់​ៗ​ពេញ​បំពង់។ 

 Buddha: A jug fills drop by drop.
.....................................

គតិបណ្ឌិត

បេនចាមិនរាល់​កំហឹង​ទាំង​អស់​មិន​ដែល​គ្មាន​​ហេតុផលនោះទេ​ ប៉ុន្តែ​វាកម្រណាស់ ដែល​កំហឹង​ទាំង​នោះមាន​ហេតុ​ផល​ល្អ​។ 
Benjamin Franklin: Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.

តើ​ "at the end" និង​"in the end" ខុស​គ្នាដូចម្ដេច?​​

ខ្ញុំ​ជឿថា ក្នុង​ចំណោម​អ្នក​រៀន​ភា​សា​អង់​គ្លេស​ ពិតជាមាន​អ្នកសួរ ​តើ ​​កន្សោម​ពាក្យ "at the end"​ និង "in the end" មានភាព​ខុស​គ្នា​ដូច​ម្ដេច?

ខ្ញុំ​លើក​យក​ កន្សោម​ពាក្យ​ទាំង​ពីរ​នេះ​មក​​ពន្យល់​ ក្នុង​គោលបំណងដើម្បីឲ្យ​អ្នក​រៀនភាសា​អង់​គ្លេស​​ដែល​មាន​ចម្ងល់​ដូច​ខាងលើ​បាន​យល់​ច្បាស់​និង​ចេះ​ប្រើ​វា​បាន​ត្រឹម​ត្រូវ។

ខ្ញុំ​សូម​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ពន្យល់អំពី "at the end" មុន​ ព្រោះ​វាមាន​ន័យ​ច្រើន។​ ពាក្យ​នេះ​អាច​សំដៅ​ដល់​​ ខាង​ចុង​នៃ​ទីតាំង​រូប​វន្ត​ណា​មួយ​ ដូច​ជា៖ "at the end of our street" ដែលមាន​ន័យថា "​នៅ​ខាង​ចុង​ផ្លូវ​របស់​យើង"។ វាក៏មាន​ន័យ​​សំដៅ​ដល់ ចុង​បញ្ចប់​​ក្នុង​ន័យ​ធៀប​ណា​មួយ​ ដូចជា៖ "at the end of the story" ដែល​មាន​ន័យ​ថា​ នៅ​ចុង​បញ្ចប់​នៃ​រឿង​និទាន ឬ "at the end of the movie" ដែល​មាន​ន័យថា នៅ​ចុង​បញ្ចប់​នៃ​​ខ្សែ​ភាពយន្ត​នោះ។​ ឃ្លា​ខាង​ក៏អាច​មាន​ន័យ​ថា នៅ​ចំណុច​បញ្ចប់​នៃ​រយៈ​​ពេលដែរ។ សូម​មើល​ឧទាហរណ៍​នៃ​ការ​ប្រើ​ខាង​ក្រោម​នេះ៖
The teacher set some homework at the end of the lesson. មាន​ន័យថា នៅ​ចុង​បញ្ចប់​នៃ​មេរៀន​ គ្រូ​ដាក់​លំហាត់​ខ្លះ​ឲ្យ​សិស្ស​ធ្វើ​នៅ​ផ្ទះ។ ​
I’m going on holiday at the end of the week. មាន​ន័យថា ខ្ញុំ​នឹងទៅ​ដើរ​លេង​ នៅ​ចុង​សប្ដាហ៍។

ខាង​លើ​នេះ​ជា​ឧទាហរណ៍​នៃ​ការប្រើ​ "at the end"​។ ចុះ​ កន្សោម​ពាក្យថា "in the end" វិញ​មាន​ន័យ​ និង​ត្រូវ​ប្រើរបៀបណា? ពិត​មែន​ហើយ! វាជាកន្សោម​ពាក្យដែល​ជា​កិរិយាស័ព្ទ​ពិសេស ដែល​មាន​ន័យ​ថា finally ជាភាសា​ខ្មែរ​មាន​ន័យថា "ទីបំផុត"។ សូម​មើល​ឧទាហរណ៍​ខាង​ក្រោមនេះ។

I complained about the pizza so, in the end, I didn’t have to pay for it. មានន័យថា ខ្ញុំ​បាន​តវ៉ា​អំពី​នំភីហ្សា​នោះ នៅទីបំផុត ខ្ញុំ​មិន​បានបង់​ថ្លៃ​ភីហ្សា​នោះទេ។ 

We waited for an hour and, in the end, we went without her. ខ្ញុំ​បាន​រង់​ចាំ​នាង អស់​រយៈ​ពេល​មួយ​ម៉ោង នៅ​ទីបំផុត យើង​បានទៅ​ចោល​នាង។ 

Well, I’m ‘at the end’ of my explanation now, so I hope you can successfully discriminate between the two phrases now!

មែន​ហើយ ឥឡូវនេះ​ការពន្យល់​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ដល់​ "ទីបញ្ចប់​" ហើយ ដូច្នេះ​ខ្ញុំ​សង្ឃឹម​ថា លោក​អ្នក​អាច​យល់​ច្បាស់​លាស់​ហើយ អំពី​ភាព​ខុស​គ្នា​រវាងកន្សោម​ពាក្យ​ទាំងពីរ​នេះ។ ​

Friday, September 11, 2009

គតិបណ្ឌិត

បេន​ចា​មិន៖ សេចក្ដី​សប្បាយ​​ចិត្ត​​ ធ្វើ​​ឲ្យ​​អ្នក​​ក្រ​មាន​ រីឯសេចក្ដីមិន​សប្បាយ​ចិត្ត​ ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន ក្រ។ 

Benjamin Franklin: Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
.....................................

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Victims of Cambodian forced evictions speak out


By Ek Madra, Thursday, September 10, 2009; 9:05 AM
Reuters 

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Some villagers are shot. Some are arrested. Others are forcibly taken from homes. That's the fate of growing numbers of Cambodians being forcibly evicted by authorities, witnesses said on Thursday. ... read more from Reuters. 

ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​សរសើរ​ដល់​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​វៀត​ថែលដែល​គាំ​ទ្រ​ខ្លួន

តាម​ប្រភព​ព័ត៌មាន​ពី​ វីអូវីញូស៍ (VOV News) បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹងថា៖ លោក​ឧប​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​ ទទួល​​បន្ទុក​​ទី​ស្ដីការ​​គណៈ​​រដ្ឋ​​មន្ត្រី​​នៃ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ លោក​សុខ អាន បាន​​បញ្ជាក់​​នា​​ពេល​​ថ្មីៗ​​នេះ​​អំពី​សកម្មភាព​នានានៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រះរាជាណា​ចក្រ​កម្ពុជា​ ​របស់​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​​ទូរគមនាគមន៍​ វៀត​ថែល (Viettel) ដែល​​គ្រប់​​គ្រង​​ដោយ​ទាហាន​​វៀត​ណាម​។
នៅក្នុង​ពិធីទទួល​លោក​ Hoang Anh Xuan ​អនុប្រធាន​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​វៀត​ថែល លោក​ឧប​នាយក​​រដ្ឋ​​មន្ត្រី​​បាន​​លើក​​ឡើង​​ថា ការ​តម្លើង​បណ្ដាញខ្សែកាប​ភ្ជាប់​រាជាធានី​ភ្នំពេញ​ទៅ​ខេត្ត​នានា​​ ពិតជា​បំពេញតម្រូវការ​វិស័យ​ទូរគមនាគមន៍​កាន់​តែ​ប្រសើរ​ នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា។
លោក​បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍ថា​ ​ក្នុង​ពេល​ឆាប់​ៗ​ខាង​មុខនេះ ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​វៀត​ថែល​នឹង​ជួយ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍ​ប្រព័ន្ធ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អេឡិច​ត្រូនិក ក្នុង​ការ​លើក​កម្ពស់​ជំនាញ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​រដ្ឋ និង​ក្នុង​ការកាត់​បន្ថយ​បែប​បទ​រដ្ឋបាល​ស្មុគ​ស្មាញ​ជាច្រើន។
ថ្លែង​នៅ​ឯ​ពិធី​ទទួលនោះ​ លោក Xuan បាន​បញ្ជាក់​អះអាង​ថា​ ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​វៀត​ថែល​​ នឹង​គោរព​ច្បាប់​ការងារ​ខ្មែរ​យ៉ាង​ខ្ជាប់​ខ្ជួន ដើម្បីរក្សា​កិច្ច​សហការ​​យូរ​អង្វែង​។ ការបោះទុន​មក​រក​ស៊ី​នៅ​ស្រុក​ខ្មែរ​មិន​មែន​ដើម្បី​តែ​រក​ប្រាក់​ចំណេញនោះទេ ប៉ុន្ដែ​​​ដើម្បី​​លើក​​កម្ពស់​មិត្ត​ភាព​​រវាង​​ប្រទេស​​វៀត​ណាម​ និង​កម្ពុជាទៀតផង។
លោក​ Xuan បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​បន្ថែម​ទៀតថា​ ក្រុមហ៊ុន​វៀត​ថែល​នឹង​ខិត​ខំប្រឹង​ប្រែង​យ៉ាង​​ខ្លាំង​​ ដើម្បី​ជួយ​​ប្រទេស​​កម្ពុជា​​ក្នុង​​ការ​​អភិវឌ្ឍ​​ប្រព័ន្ធ​​អេឡិច​​ត្រូនិក ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​ប្រជា​ពល​រដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​​មាន​​សេវា​កម្មទូរស័ព្ទ​ចល័ត​ក្នុង​​អត្រា​​តម្លៃ​​​ថោក​​បំផុត។

ស្ថានទូតកម្ពុជាប្រចាំសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក អះអាងថា ៖ ស្ថានភាព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ មាន​ការ​រីក​ចម្រីន​ជា​លំដាប់

ខាង​ក្រោម​នេះ​ជា​ សម្រង់​ព័ត៌មាន​ពីវិទ្យុអន្តរជាតិ​បារាំង​​ដែលបាន​ផ្សាយ​​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១០ ខែ​កញ្ញា​នេះ។  ដើម្បីអាន​ ឬស្ដាប់​ព័ត៌មាន​លម្អិត​ពី​វិទ្យុនេះ​ សូម​ចុចទីនេះ​
"នៅ​ក្នុង​សេចក្តី​ថ្លែង​ការណ៍​របស់​ខ្លួន​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី ៩ កញ្ញា​ ស្ថានទូត​ខ្មែរ​ប្រចាំ​ទីក្រុង វ៉ាស៊ីនតោន បាន​អះអាង​ពី​ដំណើរការ​យ៉ាង​រលូន​នៃ​ការ​អនុវត្តន៍​លទ្ធិ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និង​ការ​គោរព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​កម្ពុជា។ សេចក្តី​ថ្លែង​ការណ៍​នជ​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​មុន​ពេល​ដែល​តំណាង​រាស្ត្រ​គណៈបក្ស​ ប្រឆាំង​ និង​តំណាង​អង្គការ​ក្រៅ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ ផ្តល់​សក្ខីកម្ម​ចំពោះ​មុខ​គណៈ​កម្មាធិការ​សិទ្ធមនុស្ស ថាមឡានថូស (Tom Lantos) ដែល​ជា​ស្ថាប័ន​សភា​របស់​អាមេរិក​ ទទួល​បន្ទុក​ត្រួត​ពិនិត្យ​មើល​ស្ថានភាព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ ជុំ​វិញ​ពិភពលោក។ អ្នក​នាំពាក្យ​ក្រសួង​ការបរទេស​វាយ​តម្លៃជា​មុន​ថា​ អ្នក​ទាំង​នោះ​នឹង​មិន​និយាយ​អ្វី​ដែល​ស្ថិត​ក្នុង​ន័យ​រិះ​គន់​ស្ថាបនា​ ឡើយ។

គតិ​បណ្ឌិត

ព្រះពុទ្ធអប់រំសច្ចកិរិយា​ទាំង​បី​នេះ​ទៅ​មនុស្ស​គ្រប់​រូបៈ ចិត្ត​ល្អ ​សម្ដីមាន​មេត្តា និងការ​រស់​នៅ​ចេះយក​អាសាអ្នក​ដទៃ និង​សេច​ក្ដីករុណាជា​វត្ថុ​ដែល​ធ្វើឲ្យ​មនុស្ស​ជាតិ​មាន​ចិត្ត​ជ្រះថ្លា។​
ដាឡៃ​ឡាម៉ាយើង​អាច​រស់​នៅ​ដោយ​មិន​បាច់​មាន​សាសនា​និងសមាធិ​បាន ប៉ុន្តែ​យើង​​មិន​អាច​រស់​នៅ​ដោយ​គ្មាន​សេចក្ដីស្រឡាញ់​នោះទេ។
បិនចាមិន​ ហ្វ្រែន​ឃ្លីនមនុស្ស​ល្ងីល្ងើ​ចេះ ​ជាមនុស្ស​ដែល​មហិមា​ជាង​មនុស្ស​ល្ងង់​។​​  
Buddha: Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.
Dalai Lama: We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
Benjamin Franklin: A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

គតិបណ្ឌិត

ព្រះពុទ្ធបាត​ជើង​ដឹង​ថា​ជាបាត​ជើង​នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​បាត​ជើង​ប៉ះដី​ ។ 


សម្ដេច​ដា​ឡៃ​ឡាម៉ា ជួន​កាល​មនុស្ស​បង្កើតឲ្យមាន​ចំណាប់​អារម្ម​ជាឋាមវន្ត​​ដោយ​ការ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ និង​ជួន​កាល​គេបង្កើត​បាន​ទាំង​ភាព​ឧត្ដុង្គ​ឧត្តម​ផង​និង​ចំណាប់អារម្ម​ផង​ដោយ​រក្សា​ភាព​ស្ងៀម​ស្ងាត់។ ​


................................

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Going Digital: The Future of College Textbooks?

Sales of e-textbooks are expected to grow in the coming years. But experts say the popularity may be limited until more books are interactive. Second of two parts. Transcript of radio broadcast:03 September 2009

his is the VOA Special English Education Report.

The average college student in America spent an estimated seven hundred dollars on textbooks last year. The National Association of College Stores reported more than five billion dollars in sales of textbooks and course materials.

Association spokesman Charles Schmidt says electronic textbooks now represent just two to three percent of sales. But he says that is expected to reach ten to fifteen percent by two thousand twelve.

Online versions are now available for many of the most popular college textbooks. E-textbooks can cost half the price of a new print textbook. But students usually lose access after the end of the term. And the books cannot be placed on more than one device, so they are not easy to share.

So what do students think of e-textbooks? Administrators at Northwest Missouri State University wanted to find out. Earlier this year they tested them with five hundred students in twenty classes.

The university is unusual. It not only provides laptop computers to all seven thousand of its full-time students. It does not require students to buy their textbooks either. They rent them to save money. The school aims to save even more by moving to e-textbooks.

The students in the survey reported that downloading the books from the Internet was easy. They liked the idea of carrying lighter backpacks. And fifty-six percent said they were better able to find information.

But most found that using e-textbooks did not change their study habits. And sixty percent felt they read more when they were reading on paper. In all, almost half the students said they still liked physical textbooks better.

But the survey found that cost could be a big influence. Fifty-five percent said they would choose e-textbooks if using them meant their textbook rental fee would not increase.

Roger Von Holzen heads the Center for Information Technology in Education at Northwest Missouri State. He tells us that administrators are disappointed with the e-textbooks now available because the majority are not interactive.

He thinks growth will come when more digital books include video, activities, games and other ways to interact with the information. The technology is improving. But for now, most of the books are just words on a screen.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. What do you think of e-textbooks? Share your thoughts at voaspecialenglish.com, where you can also find our reports. I'm Steve Ember.

Poultry Farms With Unhappy Neighbors? Plant Some Trees

Scientists say just three rows of trees around chicken houses can reduce dust, ammonia and smells. Transcript of radio broadcast: 04 September 2009

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Planting trees around poultry farms can improve air and water quality -- and relations with neighbors. Research has shown that just three rows of trees near poultry houses can reduce the release of dust and ammonia. They can also reduce the strong smell of ammonia gas.

The trees capture dust, ammonia and odors in their leaves. They also provide shade from the sun, so they reduce cooling costs in summer. And they act as a windbreak, so they reduce heating costs in winter. Trees can also improve water quality around farms by removing pollutants from soil and groundwater.

Several years ago, people were objecting to the odor of poultry farms on the Delmarva Peninsula in the eastern United States. Delmarva is where the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia come together. Two thousand farms there can each house an average of seventy-five thousand chickens.

Traditionally the farms used windows to provide fresh air in the chicken houses. Farmers rarely planted trees or tall crops around the buildings, so there would be no barrier to the airflow.

But then farms began to use new ventilation systems. Instead of windows, the new systems used tunnel fans to circulate air. The fans directed airflow from the poultry houses toward the homes of neighbors.

Researchers led by George Malone at the University of Delaware began dealing with the problem in two thousand. They found that over a period of six years, planting three rows of trees reduced total dust and ammonia by more than half. And they found that odors were reduced by eighteen percent.

The scientists reported their findings in two thousand eight at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

For the first row nearest the fans, they generally suggested trees that lose their leaves in the fall or trees with waxy leaf surfaces. They suggested evergreen trees for the other two rows. Some trees work better than others. And what works in one area of the country may not work as well in others.

Farmers may think trees will take too long to grow and be effective. But some trees can grow quickly.

At least one-third of the Delmarva farms have planted trees, technically known as vegetative environmental buffers. The idea offers a way to cut pollution, save money and energy, and make the neighbors happy.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.

អ្នក​ភូមិ​នៅ​រតនគិរី​នាំ​គ្នា​ផ្ដិត​មេ​ដៃ​ស្នើ​សុំ​ការ​វិល​ត្រឡប់​នៃ​សកម្ម​ជន​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស

ដោយ រដ្ឋា វីសាល 2009-09-08

អ្នក​ភូមិ​ជាង ៥០០​នាក់ មក​ពី​ស្រុក​ចំនួន​៥ នៅ​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​រតនគិរី បាន​ផ្ដិត​មេដៃ​លើ​ញត្តិ​គាំទ្រ​និង​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​សកម្មជន​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​ មនុស្ស លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ បាន​មក​បំពេញ​ភារកិច្ច​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​នេះ​ដូច​ដើម ​វិញ។

ញត្តិ​គាំទ្រ​នេះ​បាន​ដាក់​ជូន​ការិយាល័យ​សមាគម​អាដហុក​ខេត្ត កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៦ កក្កដា ឆ្នាំ​២០០៩ និង​ចម្លង​ជូន​ខុទ្ទកាល័យ​សាលា​ខេត្ត​រតនគិរី អង្គការ​ក្រៅ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ជាតិ​និង​អន្តរជាតិ ខុទ្ទកាល័យ​លោក ហ៊ុន សែន នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ស្ថាប័ន​រដ្ឋសភា​និង​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា។

លោក ជុ សាវ៉ាត តំណាង​ឲ្យ​អ្នក​ភូមិ​ដែល​បាន​ផ្ដិត​មេដៃ​លើ​ញត្តិ​បញ្ជាក់​ពី​ការ​គាំទ្រ ៖ «គេ ​កក់​ក្ដៅ​លើ​គាត់ គាត់​ធ្វើការ​ល្អ ជួយ​ជន​ជាតិ​ភាគ​តិច​ទន់​ខ្សោយ ជួយ​ការពារ​ទឹក​ដី​ព្រៃ​ឈើ គាត់​ធ្វើ​អត់​មាន​ពុក​រលួយ អត់​មាន​ទេ បាន​គេ​ស្រលាញ់​គាត់»។

កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០០៩ លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ ត្រូវ​បាន​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ភារកិច្ច​ទៅ​កាន់​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ ជាមួយ​លោក ឆាយ ធី ជា​សហការី បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក ថោ សារ៉ន ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​តុលាការ​ខេត្ត​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះហៅ​លោក​ទៅ​សាកសួរ​ក្នុង​រឿង​ ក្ដី​ញុះញង់​អ្នក​ភូមិ​ប៉ាតាង​ឲ្យ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​បទ​ល្មើស។

លោក អ៊ិន គាត អគ្គនាយក​សមាគម​អាដហុក និង​ជា​ប្រធាន​ស្ដីទី មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា លោក​មិន​ទាន់​ទទួល​បាន​ញត្តិ​នោះ​នៅ​ឡើយ ក៏​ប៉ុន្តែ​ទទួល​ស្គាល់​ថា ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​តួនាទី​លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​មន្រ្តី​តុលាការ​ដែល​មិន​ចុះ​សម្រុង​ក្នុង​ការ​បំពេញ​ ភារកិច្ច​របស់​លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍។

លោក អ៊ិន គាត ថ្លែង​យ៉ាង​ដូច្នេះ ៖ «ទាក់ទង... លោក ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ ហើយ​តុលាការ​គេ​ទម្លាក់​បន្ទុក​អ៊ីចឹង យើង​ត្រូវ​ដក​ឃ្លា​ដើម្បី​យើង​រក​យុទ្ធសាស្រ្ដ​ដើម្បី​ជួយ​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​រង​ គ្រោះ​ពី​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស»។

លោក ថោ សារ៉ន ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​តុលាការ​ខេត្ត​រតនគិរី បដិសេធ​មិន​ធ្វើ​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​សេចក្ដី​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​របស់​លោក អ៊ិន គាត ទេ ៖ «នេះ​ជា​កិច្ចការ​ផ្ទៃ​ក្នុង​តុលាការ»។

លោក អ៊ូ វីរៈ ប្រធាន​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា អង្គការ​លោក​កំពុង​តែ​ចងក្រង​ឯកសារ​ពី​ភាព​មិន​ប្រក្រតី​របស់​លោក ថោ សារ៉ន ក្នុង​ការ​បំពេញ​ភារកិច្ច​របស់​ចៅក្រម ជា​ពិសេស​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​ទៅ​នឹង​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​តួនាទី​របស់​លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍។

លោក អ៊ូ វីរៈ ថ្លែង​យ៉ាង​ដូច្នេះ ៖ «អ្វី​ដែល​បាន​លើក​ឡើង​ជា​សាធារណៈ ​ដោយ​លោក​ចៅក្រម គឺ​វា​ខុស​សីលធម៌​និង​តួនាទី​របស់​ចៅក្រម​រួច​ទៅ​ហើយ ដូច្នេះ​វា​ទាក់ទង​លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍។ អ្វី​ដែល​បាន​លើក​ឡើង​ដោយ​លោក​ចៅក្រម យើង​ឃើញ​ថា មិន​ប្រក្រតី​ករណី​នេះ​យើង​ព្យាយាម​ធ្វើ​ម៉េច​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត»។

លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា លោក​មិន​បាន​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​អ្វី​ខុស​នោះ ក៏​ប៉ុន្តែ​ជា​បញ្ហា្ផ​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន​របស់​លោក ថោ សារ៉ន ដែល​ព្យាយាម​ពន្លាត​រឿង​ក្ដី​អ្នក​ភូមិ​ប៉ាតាង​ក្នុង​បំណង​ឲ្យ​លោក​ចាក​ចេញ​ ពី​ភារកិច្ច​ឃ្លាំមើល​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ដែល​កំពុង​កើត​មាន​ទៅ​លើ​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​នៅ​ភូមិ​ប៉ាតាង។

លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ដូច្នេះ​ថា ៖ «អ៊ីចឹង​រូបភាព​គំរាម​ កំហែង ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លើ​ខ្ញុំ ទី​១ គឺ​ញុះញង់​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​តវ៉ា​រឿង​ដី​ធ្លី ទី​២ គេ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​រហូត​ដល់​ទៅ​ភេរវកម្ម​ទៀត»។

លោក ប៉ាវ ហំផាន អភិបាល​ខេត្ត​រតនគិរី ធ្លាប់​បាន​ធ្វើ​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​ថា អាជ្ញាធរ​ខេត្ត​មិន​មាន​បញ្ហា​ល្អក់​កករ​ក្នុង​ការ​បំពេញ​ភារកិច្ច​របស់​លោក ប៉ែន ប៊ុណ្ណារ៍ ជា​មន្រ្តី​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​នោះ​ទេ។ តំណាង​អ្នក​ភូមិ​ខាង​លើ​បញ្ជាក់​ថា ការ​ផ្ដិត​មេ​ដៃ​គាំទ្រ​ដូច​គ្នា​នឹង​បន្ត​ធ្វើ​ចំពោះ​អ្នក​ភូមិ​ដោយ​ ស្ម័គ្រ​ចិត្ត​នៅ​ក្នុង​មូលដ្ឋាន​ភូមិ​ឃុំ​ស្រុក​មួយ​ចំនួន​ទៀត៕

Search

Shared News