Preah Nimith Waterfall
Beloved writer Kong Bunchhoeun dies
Mon the 12th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 18, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Cambodian music, poetry, film and literature lovers are in mourning for the loss of Kong Bunchhoeun, who died yesterday aged 76. Photo supplied
Prolific Cambodian songwriter, poet, filmmaker and author Kong Bunchhoeun passed away yesterday in Norway at the age of 76. His death was announced by his family on Facebook.
Bunchhoeun composed over 200 songs during the 1960s and 1970s, writing for “Golden Age” greats, including Sinn Sisamouth. Most of his work centred on his hometown of Battambang, earning him the sobriquet “Master Poet of Songkae River”.
For most Cambodians, Bunchhoeun is most recognisable as a songwriter. “His loss is a great loss for Cambodia,” said Seng Dara, a music researcher and radio host. “He composed songs for so many singers: Ros Sereysothea, Pen Ron, So Saveurn, Eng Nary.”
But Bunchhoeun also wrote poems and novels, beginning when Cambodian literature flourished under the patronage of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk. He survived the Khmer Rouge regime in part by taking a writing hiatus, according to Heng Sreang, the director of PEN Cambodia.
Even today, there is “no real record” of how many novels he may have written, Sreang said. And while he often remained out of the public eye, he at times became vocal on the page.
Bunchhoeun’s most well-known work of literature, The Destiny of Tat Marina, published in 2000, is a loosely fictionalised account of his niece Tat Marina’s affair with Svay Sitha, an undersecretary of state at the Council of Ministers, and the subsequent acid attack that left her suffering ghastly wounds. Marina identified Sitha’s wife, Khourn Sophal, as her attacker.
An arrest warrant for Sophal was signed, but she was never arrested. Bunchhoeun saw Marina’s story as an opportunity to speak out. “By highlighting the case of Tat Marina, we can hold up a mirror to the ills affecting Cambodian society,” he told the Post at the time.
It was the last book that Bunchhoeun would publish in the Kingdom. After receiving death threats, he sought asylum in Thailand and later in Norway, according to Sreang.
Bunchhoeun continued writing in self-exile, publishing at least 10 books from abroad, said Vong Socheata, a devotee of Khmer literature who counts the writer among her favourites.
“Less well known to most Cambodians are his novels written in the 1990s and early 2000s, but people who love novels love his work,” she said. “He touches on everything: philosophy, psychology, history.”
In the wake of Bunchhoeun’s death, many fans took to social media to express their grief. Among them, on Twitter, was film director Rithy Panh. Bunchhoeun counted filmmaking among his many modes of expression, Panh said, and some of his early novels were made into films after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime.
“We have lost one of our greatest authors, a remarkable poet and songwriter – and maybe the last contemporary one,” Panh wrote in an email.
Heng Sreang, of PEN Cambodia, noted the irony that he died outside of his home country.
“The sad thing is that Cambodia did not and has not taken care of its great writers. We have few surviving talented people – with little care from the government,” he said.
So Phina, head of PEN Cambodia’s women writers committee, said she hoped Cambodian writers might draw inspiration from his work.
She highlighted a particular poem, Chivit Ney Chivit (Life of My Life): “In my whole life, I don’t want anything more than freedom to write,” it reads.
He is survived by his wife, Uch Kolab, and three children.
Additional reporting by Kong Meta.
Khmer Krom preparing to publish historical documents to distribute in annual Kampuchea Krom commemoration
ខ្មែរក្រោមរៀបចំបោះពុម្ពឯកសារប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រសម្រាប់ចែករំលែកក្នុងថ្ងៃខួបបាត់បង់ទឹកដី
ស្ដាប់ ឬទាញយកសំឡេង
http://www.rfa.org/…/kk-print-historical-doc-…/h041616yc.mp3
Sun the 11th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 17, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
ប្រភពព័ត៌មាន Courtesy RFA/Leng Maly
សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោម កំពុងរៀបចំបោះពុម្ពឯកសារប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រដែនដីកម្ពុជាក្រោម ដើម្បីចែកចាយទៅឲ្យពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរឲ្យទាន់ថ្ងៃខ្មែរក្រោមប្រារព្ធខួបបាត់បង់ទឹកដីកម្ពុជាក្រោម នៅថ្ងៃទី៤ ខែមិថុនា។ ឯកសារប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រទាំងនេះ ត្រូវបានសហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោម ទៅស្រាវជ្រាវយកមកពីប្រទេសបារាំង ទុកឲ្យកូនខ្មែរជំនាន់ក្រោយសិក្សា ក្រោយពីវៀតណាម អះអាងថា ដែនដីកម្ពុជាក្រោម គឺជាទឹកដីរបស់គេតាំងពីយូរយារណាស់មកហើយ។ (more…)
Kong Bunchhoeun passed away
លោកព្រឹទ្ធាចារ្យកវីដងស្ទឹងសង្កែ លោក គង្គ ប៊ុនឈឿន ទទួលមរណភាពក្នុងជន្មាយុ ៧៧ឆ្នាំ នៅក្នុងប្រទេសណ័រវេ ទ្វីបអឺរ៉ុប
The late and renowned Cambodian poet of Battambang province Mr. Kong Bunchhoeun passed away at age 77 in Norway, Europe
Sun the 11th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 17, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
លោក គង្គ ប៊ុនឈឿន Kong Bunchhoeun ប្រភព Sreang Heng
លោក គង្គ ប៊ុនឈឿន Kong Bunchhoeun ប្រភព Sreang Heng
លោក គង្គ ប៊ុនឈឿន Kong Bunchhoeun ប្រភព Sreang Heng
Dr. Lao Mong Hay visiting Kampuchea Krom
លោកបណ្ឌិត ឡៅ ម៉ុងហៃ អញ្ជើញទៅទស្សនាកម្ពុជាក្រោម
Thu the 8th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
ប្រភព ថាច់ យ៉ួង Courtesy Thạch Vuông
Vietnam Human Rights Report for 2015
របាយការណ៍ប្រចាំឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ស្ដីពី ការរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅវៀតណាមៈ ក្រសួងការបរទេសសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015
Thu the 8th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
Courtesy the U.S. Department of State
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an authoritarian state ruled by a single party, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and President Truong Tan Sang. The most recent National Assembly elections, held in 2011, were neither free nor fair, despite limited competition among CPV-vetted candidates. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces.
The government began implementing laws in accordance with constitutional amendments, including human rights-related articles, promulgated in January 2014. In November the National Assembly passed several laws affecting the rights of its citizens, including a new penal code, criminal procedure code, law on custody and temporary detention, civil code, and civil procedure code. The criminal procedure code and the custody law codified the presumption of innocence, placed the burden of proof in criminal proceedings on the state, recognized a limited right to remain silent in certain circumstances, and loosened regulations on the right to counsel. The penal code retained vague national security provisions and in some areas added new offenses criminalizing preparatory acts.
The most significant human rights problems in the country were severe government restrictions of citizens’ political rights, particularly their right to change their government through free and fair elections; limits on citizens’ civil liberties, including freedom of assembly, association, and expression; and inadequate protection of citizens’ due process rights, including protection against arbitrary detention.
Other human rights abuses included arbitrary and unlawful deprivation of life; police attacks and corporal punishment; arbitrary arrest and detention for political activities; continued police mistreatment of suspects during arrest and detention, including the use of lethal force and austere prison conditions; and denial of the right to a fair and expeditious trial. The judicial system was opaque and lacked independence, and political and economic influences regularly affected judicial outcomes. The government limited freedom of speech and suppressed dissent; exercised control over and censorship of the press; restricted internet freedom and freedom of religion; maintained often-heavy surveillance of activists; and continued to limit privacy rights and freedoms of assembly, association, and movement. The government continued to control registration of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) closely, including human rights organizations. Authorities restricted visits by human rights NGOs that did not agree to government oversight. Authorities and NGOs recorded higher numbers of human trafficking victims, possibly attributable to growing demand among neighboring countries as well as the country’s decision in 2012 to improve its efforts to track and investigate cases. The government maintained limits on workers’ rights to form and join independent unions and did not enforce safe and healthy working conditions adequately. Child labor persisted, especially in agricultural occupations.
The government sometimes took corrective action, including prosecutions, against officials who violated the law, and police officers sometimes acted with impunity. Police corruption persisted.
Read Full Report in PDF: Vietnam_Human_Rights_Reports_2015_USSDept
Cambodia Human Rights Report for 2015
របាយការណ៍ប្រចាំឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ស្ដីពី ការរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជាៈ ក្រសួងការបរទេសសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015
Thu the 8th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
Courtesy the U.S. Department of State
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliamentary form of government. In the most recent national elections in 2013, the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won a majority of the 123 National Assembly seats. International and local nongovernmental organization (NGO) observers assessed the election process suffered numerous flaws, including problems with the voter registry, unequal access to the media, and the issuance of an unusually large number of temporary official identification cards to voters. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces; however, there were frequent abuses by security forces.
The most significant human rights problems included a politicized and ineffective judiciary; growing restrictions on freedoms of speech, assembly, and association; and the use of violence and threatened imprisonment to intimidate the opposition.
Other human rights problems included continued prisoner abuse, restrictions on press freedom, failure to grant equal access and fair treatment to asylum seekers, pervasive corruption, and trafficking in persons.
The government prosecuted some officials who committed abuses, but impunity for corruption and most abuses persisted.
Read Full Report in PDF: Cambodia_Human_Rights_Reports_2015_USSDept
Untangling ASEAN’s Free-Trade Noodle Bowl
Southeast Asia needs to work together on free trade.
Tue the 6th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 12, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
Courtesy the National Interest, by Anant MishraYashvardhan Verma
“If ASEAN were one economy, it would be seventh-largest in the world—$2.4 trillion combined GDP in 2013,” Stephen Groff, vice president for operations at the Asian Development Bank, recently noted. “It could be fourth largest by 2050 if growth trends continue.” One of the key enablers of economic growth in the region is free-trade agreements (FTAs) among nations. Free-trade agreements are viewed as a way to attract foreign direct investment and provide greater economic growth to member nations. Reducing trade restrictions allows industries to tap into new markets, advance their reach and increase their consumer base.
Little promise in union law debate
មានកិច្ចសន្យាបន្ដិចប្ដួចនៅក្នុងការជជែកពិភាក្សាច្បាប់សហជីព សមាជិកព្រឹទ្ធសភាគណបក្សសមរង្ស៊ី លើកឡើង
Little promise in union law debate, says SRP senator
Following the National Assembly’s passage of the draft trade union law last week, the Senate is set to take up the law today, with the permanent committee scheduled to discuss it followed by a vote on Tuesday, said the Senate’s secretary-general Oum Sarith.
“I don’t know about the result of the vote, which depends on each senator’s vote during the session,” he added. You Seangheng, a Sam Rainsy Party senator, said opposition lawmakers will participate in the vote, but had little hope that the law will be amended.
“We know that we cannot revise the law to serve the interests of workers, but we still have to debate it,” Seangheng said.
Yang Sophorn, a prominent union leader, who was involved in the violent scuffles that preceded last Monday’s vote at the National Assembly, said she hoped that the Senate would consider changing the law to better match their demands.
OHCHR moved office
អាសយដ្ឋានថ្មីរបស់ការិយាល័យឧត្តមស្នងការទទួលបន្ទុកសិទ្ធិមនុស្សប្រចាំកម្ពុជា
Mon the 5th Waxing Moon of Citta B.E.2559, April 11, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
ភ្នំពេញ (០៤ មេសា ២០១៦) – ការិយាល័យឧត្តមស្នងការទទួលបន្ទុកសិទ្ធិមនុស្សប្រចាំកម្ពុជា (OHCHR-Cambodia) បានប្តូរទីតាំងរបស់ខ្លួនហើយ! បច្ចុប្បន្ន ការិយាល័យរបស់យើងស្ថិតនៅចុងភាគខាងត្បូងទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញ នៅតាមបណ្តោយផ្លូវ ២៧១ ដែលនៅក្បែរមហាវិថីព្រះមនុវង្ស តាមអាសយដ្ឋានខាងក្រោម៖
ផ្ទះលេខ ៤ ផ្លូវ ២៧១
ភូមិ ១ សង្កាត់ផ្សារដើមថ្កូវ
ខណ្ឌចំការមន រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ
New address for the office
Phnom Penh (04 April 2016) – OHCHR-Cambodia has moved offices! We are now located on the southern end of Phnom Penh, on Street 271 close to the junction with Monivong Blvd, at the following address:#4 Street 271,
Village 1, Sangkat Phsar Daeum Thkov,
Khan Chamkarmorn, Phnom Penh
សូមមើលផែនទីទីតាំងការិយាល័យរបស់យើងនៅទីនេះ។
Please see the map of our location here.
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