Youth organizations gathered to voice their opposition to the new military draft law (Photo: RFA)Saturday-Sunday, August 12-13, 2006
Defense Ministry Defends Conscription Draft Law
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Ministry of Defense defended its controversial new military draft law before the National Assembly's defense commission on Friday and vowed to "demobilize" 7,000 ghost soldiers in order to pay for the conscription of thousands of young draftees.
Hak Savuth, the defense ministry secretary of state who presented the government's position on the law on Friday, said that 7,000 non-existent soldiers on the RCAF payroll would be removed this year and 30,000 elderly soldiers would be retired in 2007 to pay for the draft.
Commission chairman and Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann said that the Defense Ministry's plan would make the draft feasible.
"This is so the national budget would still work," he said.
Still at issue is whether the proposed 3,000 to 5,000 new recruits per year should be compulsory or voluntary.
Yim Sovann said that at the meeting he proposed voluntary recruitment capped at 10,000 recruits annually. In the draft law an estimated 3 million people aged 18 to 35 years would be eligible for one year mandatory-and low-paying-military service.
"I think that young people who have education, skills and human rights' knowledge can bring ideas to help clear the soldier's minds related to the respect for human rights," Yim Sovann said.
Hak Savuth said that he would present Yim Sovann's proposal to the government but that the conscription law must go forward.
"This law is required," he said. "We are having difficulties with the age of soldiers."
Also on Friday, 26 little-known youth organizations gathered to voice their opposition to the new law.
"There might be corruption, lack of transparency and injustice for the youth when this law is approved," the groups said in a statement.
"Youths will lose their studies and their jobs," Sorth Nimol, of the Khmer Youth Association, which claims 8,000 members, said. He added that the government should spend its budget on health, education and creating jobs rather than increasing an already bloated military.
Mak Sarath of the Youth Council of Cambodia said the government will not impose the law because in the next election 50 percent of voters will be aged 18 to 35.
Hak Savuth, the defense ministry secretary of state who presented the government's position on the law on Friday, said that 7,000 non-existent soldiers on the RCAF payroll would be removed this year and 30,000 elderly soldiers would be retired in 2007 to pay for the draft.
Commission chairman and Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann said that the Defense Ministry's plan would make the draft feasible.
"This is so the national budget would still work," he said.
Still at issue is whether the proposed 3,000 to 5,000 new recruits per year should be compulsory or voluntary.
Yim Sovann said that at the meeting he proposed voluntary recruitment capped at 10,000 recruits annually. In the draft law an estimated 3 million people aged 18 to 35 years would be eligible for one year mandatory-and low-paying-military service.
"I think that young people who have education, skills and human rights' knowledge can bring ideas to help clear the soldier's minds related to the respect for human rights," Yim Sovann said.
Hak Savuth said that he would present Yim Sovann's proposal to the government but that the conscription law must go forward.
"This law is required," he said. "We are having difficulties with the age of soldiers."
Also on Friday, 26 little-known youth organizations gathered to voice their opposition to the new law.
"There might be corruption, lack of transparency and injustice for the youth when this law is approved," the groups said in a statement.
"Youths will lose their studies and their jobs," Sorth Nimol, of the Khmer Youth Association, which claims 8,000 members, said. He added that the government should spend its budget on health, education and creating jobs rather than increasing an already bloated military.
Mak Sarath of the Youth Council of Cambodia said the government will not impose the law because in the next election 50 percent of voters will be aged 18 to 35.
2 comments:
The conscripts will more likely serve the interet of the rich and famous, especially when the chiefs run out of Indians to do their leg work.
It seems a waste of resources to maintain an armed force that has only been used for special groups interests, i.e. squashing political rivalries, evicting the weak and poor in land grabbing, killing their own citizens, etc... Even if a war breakout with any of the neighbours, the armed forces would not stand a chance.
The budget for the army should be directed to giving proper education to improve the Cambodian brain capability in legal and diplomatic areas, where all struggles should be fought. The border can be much better protected by intelligent and prosperous villagers in the border areas and intelligent lawyers.
BB
Shame on hun Sen. In the last 14 years, Hun Sen group has quietly stolen monies from Ghost soldiers.
Say: each of them earn US$20 per month, then, they have stolen
(20US X 7000)x 12 x 14years=US$23,520,000.00 from ghost soldiers That is a lot of monies.
Who has stolen this monies?
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