REAKSMEY KONGKEA

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA About 100 archers, of which 10 female archers from 12 Archery Clubs and associations have attended the Nationwide Archery Competitions held during five days from the 13th to the 17th of October 2009 at the National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The competition was organized by The Cambodian Archery Federation (CAF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS). Kong Diep, CAF’s Deputy Secretary General, said that this year’s competition marked the 9th time that the best of Cambodia’s archers demonstrated their progress to compete in a nationwide archery competition. The main purpose of the competition is selected the most qualified archers for archery champions and prepare for the future international competitions. Another objective of the competition is to promote and preserve the noble art of archery which is a Cambodian sport described in the “Rajamanak or Ream Ke Story” for the future generations. Im Vannara, a Competing Archery organiz...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The French Cultural Center (FCC) has organized the Louis Braille Exhibition, and Dance (Roam) festival in Phnom Penh to promote good relations and cooperation between Cambodia and France. The Louis Braille Exhibition was opened on the 15th of October at the FCC, and the Dance Festival was organized from October 16-17, at Chenla Theatre in Phnom Penh. Alain Arnaudet, Director of the French Cultural Center, said the exhibition has been curate by Erin Gleeson and Roam is jointly organized by the FCC and Amrita Performing Arts in order to promote the traditional culture and cooperation between the two countries in the future. “These exhibitions show to people that we can be creative and make art using objects of daily life like plastic bottles. We can create art out of everything,” he said. The FCC director pointed out that dancers and Visual Artist are very creative in the country and this is the FCC duty to give Cambodian people the opportunity to show their tale...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA One of The University of Cambodia’s “Samdech Hun Sen – Handa National Scholarships 2008”students, Keo Bun Theng, 19, has provided an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly, telling about his learning experience to winning three scholarship. Bun Theng is the oldest son of four brothers in the family, and they are now living in Lovea Em district, Kandal province where he was born in 1991. His father is working as Director with the Hun Sen Lovea Em High School located in Lovea Em district and his mother is a grocery vendor. Bun Theng is now studying International Relations (IR) at The University of Cambodia (UC), studying Laws at the Royal University of LAW and Economic Sciences (RULE) and studying English Literature at the Cambodian Mekong University (CMU) in Phnom Penh. He passed the scholarships exams offered by UC, RULE and CMU in 2008. “I am very happy because I won three scholarship exams offered by the UC, RULE and CMU in 2008,” he said. “I think that I a...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Russian Week of Cinema will be conducted for five days from the 20th to the 24th of October 2009 in Phnom Penh, aiming to exchange and promote the culture and good relation between the two countries. The Russian Week of Cinema is organized by the Russian Ministry of Culture and Stellar Film Company, in collaboration with Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Cambodia and Russian Correspondent Office in charge of International Humanitarian Cooperation for Cambodia. The cinema festival will be presided over by the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Him Chhem and Russian Ambassador to Cambodia. Dilyara Ravilova Borovik, First Secretary of the Russian Federation Embassy in Cambodia, said that it is the second time that the Embassy of the Russian Federation has organized the cinema festival in Cambodia. She said the purpose of the festival is to promote good friendship and exchange the cultures between the Kingdom o...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA IBM, American international Company has introduced the latest technologies and business solutions to help organizations in Cambodia to build a smarter business in the current economic downturn. The solutions bases on continuous innovations of IBM systems X, Blade center, Storage, and best global industry frameworks from IBM Software to support Cambodia’s growing business. The introduction of the IBM’s latest technologies and business solutions was made during a press conference on October 14, organized by the IBM at the Naga World Hotel in Phnom Penh. Leon Wee, Country Manager of Software Group, IBM Vietnam, said that it was the first time his company entered the Cambodian market. “The global market place is reshaping; and organizations around the world are changing accordingly to play in their new roles. This gives a great opportunity for sectors and business to move ahead by using the most advanced technologies and the best business solutions, which IT now pl...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has presented their “Final Report on the Policy and Strategy for Rural Development for Cambodia”, aiming to promote development and progress in Cambodia in rural areas. The presentation of the report was held at the Ministry of Rural Development, under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhayly, and Chea Sophara, Minister of Rural Development, and Lee Kyung-Soo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister Chhayly said this final report is very important because it will enhance rural development, contributing poverty reduction and improvement of living standard for rural people in Cambodia in future. He said the Royal Government of Cambodia in the fourth mandate under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has the main duties in continuing and carrying out the Cambodian government’s third mandate to respond and implement the first phase and second phase of ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has presented their “Final Report on the Policy and Strategy for Rural Development for Cambodia”, aiming to promote development and progress in Cambodia in rural areas. The presentation of the report was held at the Ministry of Rural Development, under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhayly, and Chea Sophara, Minister of Rural Development, and Lee Kyung-Soo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister Chhayly said this final report is very important because it will enhance rural development, contributing poverty reduction and improvement of living standard for rural people in Cambodia in future. He said the Royal Government of Cambodia in the fourth mandate under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has the main duties in continuing and carrying out the Cambodian government’s third mandate to respond and implement the first phase and second phase of ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has presented their “Final Report on the Policy and Strategy for Rural Development for Cambodia”, aiming to promote development and progress in Cambodia in rural areas. The presentation of the report was held at the Ministry of Rural Development, under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhayly, and Chea Sophara, Minister of Rural Development, and Lee Kyung-Soo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister Chhayly said this final report is very important because it will enhance rural development, contributing poverty reduction and improvement of living standard for rural people in Cambodia in future. He said the Royal Government of Cambodia in the fourth mandate under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has the main duties in continuing and carrying out the Cambodian government’s third mandate to respond and implement the first phase and second phase of ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Cambodia is going to send Sok Sopheak, to the First World Bodybuilding and Physiques Sports Education (WBPF) Men’s World Body Building Championship. The world competition will be organized by WBPF and scheduled to be held from the 3rd to the 8th of November in Dubai, in UAE. There are over 30 countries in the world will send contestants to the competition. “This is the first time for CBBF to send Sok Sopheak to join the World Bodybuilding Championship,” said Kong Phalla, Executive Member of the Cambodian Body Building Federation (CBBF). Phalla said the main purpose of his participation is competing with other participated athletes from other countries in order to win a medal for the Kingdom of Cambodia. He pointed out that Sok Sopheak is the only qualified lower weight body building trainee and capable young Cambodian in Cambodia. He has attended many competitions, both local and international tournaments, and as result, he won many medals. “I think that Sok So...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Royal Government of Cambodia has confirmed that civil servants’ salaries, especially for teachers, have been steadily increasing every year. This announcement was made publicly by Ngo Hongly, Secretary General of the Council for Administrative Reforms in the Council of Ministers during a press conference at his office on October 5. The Secretary General Hongly said that since 2001, the government has increased civil servants’ salaries five times with five percent each year in order to improve their living-conditions. He said that the Royal Government of Cambodia has also increased the salary of all government’s staffs including teachers, police men and military forces with 20 percent. “The government has a clear responsibility to increase salaries for civil servants. In early October 2001, the basic salary of a Cambodian civil servant was only 81,100 riel (about US$19.5) per month but in early July 2009, the salary has been increased up to 339,040 riel (abo...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Royal Government of Cambodia has confirmed that civil servants’ salaries, especially for teachers, have been steadily increasing every year. This announcement was made publicly by Ngo Hongly, Secretary General of the Council for Administrative Reforms in the Council of Ministers during a press conference at his office on October 5. The Secretary General Hongly said that since 2001, the government has increased civil servants’ salaries five times with five percent each year in order to improve their living-conditions. He said that the Royal Government of Cambodia has also increased the salary of all government’s staffs including teachers, police men and military forces with 20 percent. “The government has a clear responsibility to increase salaries for civil servants. In early October 2001, the basic salary of a Cambodian civil servant was only 81,100 riel (about US$19.5) per month but in early July 2009, the salary has been increased up to 339,040 riel (abo...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Royal Government of Cambodia has confirmed that civil servants’ salaries, especially for teachers, have been steadily increasing every year. This announcement was made publicly by Ngo Hongly, Secretary General of the Council for Administrative Reforms in the Council of Ministers during a press conference at his office on October 5. The Secretary General Hongly said that since 2001, the government has increased civil servants’ salaries five times with five percent each year in order to improve their living-conditions. He said that the Royal Government of Cambodia has also increased the salary of all government’s staffs including teachers, police men and military forces with 20 percent. “The government has a clear responsibility to increase salaries for civil servants. In early October 2001, the basic salary of a Cambodian civil servant was only 81,100 riel (about US$19.5) per month but in early July 2009, the salary has been increased up to 339,040 riel (abo...

BY BUTH REWAKSMEY KONGKEA The German Embassy in collaboration with the Goethe Institute and Meta House have organized the German Week of Film from the 5th to the 11th of October 2009. The Week consists of screenings at Lux Cinema and Meta House in Phnom Penh. A total of 10 German films will be showed. The movies screened at Lux Cinema will be subtitled in Khmer. It will be the first time ever for German movies to be showed in Khmer. Toyland The Lives of Others and The Educators are all subtitled so that all Cambodians will be able to enjoy the German films. The film week marks the 60th Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany. On the 3rd of October, German celebrated its National Day, on the 9th of November the fall of the Berlin Wall is celebrated. This event paved the way for the peaceful unification of East and West Germany. Frank M. Mann, German Ambassador said during his opening speech: “These are events which we would like to celebrate with our friends all over the world a...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Under Japan’s Economic Cooperation Framework, the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security “KUSANONE” and the Grand Assistance for Japanese NGOs projects, the Government of Japan have provided US$1,481,740 to Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) and Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS). The ceremony was held at the Embassy of Japan in Phnom Penh on October 8, signed by Kuroki Masafumi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia and Heng Rattana, Director General of the CMAC, and Koga Hidemastsu, Resident Representative of JMAS. Masafumi said the humanitarian assistance aimed to protect vulnerable individuals from such factors as poverty and misfortunes that directly threaten their lives, livelihood, and dignity, as well as at the promoting self-reliance of local communities. “I believe that these two projects will contribute to reduce mines casualties as well as to clear all mines and other UXOs in Cambodia,” he said. Heng Ratana, CMAC’s Director-General, said that t...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Under Japan’s Economic Cooperation Framework, the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security “KUSANONE” and the Grand Assistance for Japanese NGOs projects, the Government of Japan have provided US$1,481,740 to Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) and Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS). The ceremony was held at the Embassy of Japan in Phnom Penh on October 8, signed by Kuroki Masafumi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia and Heng Rattana, Director General of the CMAC, and Koga Hidemastsu, Resident Representative of JMAS. Masafumi said the humanitarian assistance aimed to protect vulnerable individuals from such factors as poverty and misfortunes that directly threaten their lives, livelihood, and dignity, as well as at the promoting self-reliance of local communities. “I believe that these two projects will contribute to reduce mines casualties as well as to clear all mines and other UXOs in Cambodia,” he said. Heng Ratana, CMAC’s Director-General, said that t...

BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The University of Cambodia (UC) has handed over certificates for the UC’s 5th student promotion for student who have successful completed their studies in the 2008-2009 academic year. The ceremony was held on October 9, presided over by Dr. Haruhisa Handa, Advisor to the Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, President and Foundation of International Foundation for Arts and Culture in Tokyo, Japan, and Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Personal Advisor to the Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and President of UC, Prum Sokha, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Interior; Ly Somony, Under Secretary of State of Ministry of Education Youth and Sport. A total of 111 UC students , 43 of them female have received certificates. They are 19 Masters graduated, 87 Bachelor Degree graduated including 34 female graduated, and 5 associated degree graduated including 2 female graduated. Dr. Haruhisa Handa said that...

BY BUT H REAKSMEY KONGKEA The East and Southeast Asia Regional Consultation on Working with Boys and Men for Gender-Based Violence Prevention have conducted a three day seminar from the 28th to the 30th of September in Phnom Penh. The regional gender-based-violence was organized by the Gender and Development for Cambodia (GAD), Partners for Prevention and MenEngage to share promising practices and lesson learn on the engagement in gender equality and gender-based-violence prevention in the region. James Lang, Program Coordinator of the Partners for Prevention, said that globally as many as one in every three women is beaten, coerced into sex or bused in some way during their lifetimes. Most often, violence and abuse is perpetrated by a spouse of a male family member. Lang continued to say that gender-based-violence remains one of the most pervasive yet least recognized human-rights abuses in the world. He continued to say that the gender-based violence is present across all cultures an...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Taing Kim Srun, 23, is one of The University of Cambodia’s “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2008” students. He was born in 1986 in Tbong Khmum district, Kampong Cham province. As the youngest of the family with three older sisters he is living with his parents in Phnom Penh. Kim Srun is now studying Computer Sciences at The University of Cambodia (UC) and also studying English Literature at the Cambodian Mekong University (CMU) in Phnom Penh. He passed the scholarship exams offered by The University of Cambodia in 2008. Before applying for study with UC, he studied at the Hun Sen Takhmau High School in Kandal province and he earned a Baccalaureate in 2008. “I am very happy that I passed the scholarship of the University of Cambodia in 2008. Before the result was released I thought that I did not pass the scholarship and I that I had to pay for my bachelor degree study with UC,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly during an interview on September 30. H...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Taing Kim Srun, 23, is one of The University of Cambodia’s “Samdech Hun Sen-Handa National Scholarships 2008” students. He was born in 1986 in Tbong Khmum district, Kampong Cham province. As the youngest of the family with three older sisters he is living with his parents in Phnom Penh. Kim Srun is now studying Computer Sciences at The University of Cambodia (UC) and also studying English Literature at the Cambodian Mekong University (CMU) in Phnom Penh. He passed the scholarship exams offered by The University of Cambodia in 2008. Before applying for study with UC, he studied at the Hun Sen Takhmau High School in Kandal province and he earned a Baccalaureate in 2008. “I am very happy that I passed the scholarship of the University of Cambodia in 2008. Before the result was released I thought that I did not pass the scholarship and I that I had to pay for my bachelor degree study with UC,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly during an interview on September 30. H...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) has held a workshop, aiming to promulgate the policy and minimum standards for the protection of the rights of the victims of human trafficking in Cambodia. The workshop was held on September 28, sponsored by the Counter Trafficking in Person Project of The Asia Foundation (TAF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Ith Sam Heng, Minister of MoSVY, said that the main purpose of the establishment of the policy and the minimum standard for protection of the rights of human trafficking victims is to combat human trafficking, smuggling, labor and sex exploitation of women and children in Cambodia. He said that this policy will become the basic measure for all levels of Cambodian authorities in carrying out their duties. “This is the first step of the MoSVY’s basic policies for all Cambodian authorities in implementing their duties to ensure the people’s safety an...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Conference on Energy Development in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) has been conducted for two days on the 29th and the 30th of September in Phnom Penh. The two-day conference was organized by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and American Embassy to Cambodia, aiming to share ideas, expanding the GMS Market, and finding solutions for the development of the GMS energy sector. Carol A. Rodley, American Ambassador to Cambodia, said that the two-day conference included speakers from public and private sectors in the United States, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. She said the main objective of the conference will range from understanding energy policies and opportunities in member countries to a case study of energy trading in relationship to the expanding GMS market in the region as well as in the world. “I am pleased to be hosting the conference on energy development in the Greater Mekong Subregion fresh on the heels of Secretary...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has affirmed that the diplomatic relation and cooperation between Cambodia and the United States of America has been progressing. America has been providing aid to help every field in Cambodia but a major problem is that the Royal Government of Cambodia asked for America to cancel a debt, owed by the Government led by Lon Nol during 1970s. The Deputy Prime Minister Namhong made his statements while arriving at the Phnom Penh International Airport on October 1, returning from the participation of the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States, where he met with Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs. During a meeting with Her Excellency Hillary Clinton, Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong said that the Secretary of ...