By Prak Chan Thul and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The National Assembly will debate and likely approve a controversial new draft law today establishing compulsory military conscription to bolster the already bloated ranks of RCAF, officials said Thursday.
The chairman of the National Assembly's Defense Commission, SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann, and commission member SRP lawmaker Chrea Sochenda, said they would boycott the vote, which they branded unnecessary and open to abuse.
The draft "Law on Military Duty" states that all Cambodia citizens aged between 18 and 30 must fulfill military duty according to the requirements of the Ministry of Defense. This mandatory service applies only to men however, and joining RCAF will remain voluntary for women aged 18 to 30.
One senior defense official said the government expects to recruit between 3,000 and 5,000 new soldiers next year.
The annual quota of recruits and how these they will be chosen is not specified in the law, prompting critics to fear the process will be open to abuse by unscrupulous officials seeking to extort money from those willing to pay to avoid military duty.
The law states that those already working in the private sector can apply for deferrals, but only up to three years, and that monks and other religious leaders will not be considered for draft.
Failure to show up for duty will result in a one year prison term during peacetime and three years during war. Conscripts will serve 18 months in the armed forces and then be on reserve status, the length of which will also be set by a future royal decree.
"I am worried that there would be corruption and injustice," Yim Sovann said. "It opens up the chance of threatening people to fulfill the duty as soldiers."
Yim Sovann said the defense commission's deputy chairman, CPP lawmaker Pal Sam Oeun, will present the law in parliament. Yim Sovann said he will boycott the meeting and claimed that only CPP lawmakers will vote for the law.
Former defense commission chairman and Funcinpec lawmaker Monh Sophan said the law is unnecessary.
"It is not a necessity," Monh Sophan said. "We are not yet in a situation where we are preparing for war."
Defense Minister Tea Banh said the draft would not work if it were made purely voluntary.
"No law would work [if it was] voluntary," he said.
Defense Ministry Secretary of State Hak Savuth said 3,000 to 5,000 troops would be recruited next year to add to a current total uniformed force of around 110,000 soldiers.
"If it were voluntary, the children of the senior [officials] and rich people would not volunteer, only the poor children would volunteer," Hak Savuth said. "The law is for everyone," he added.
He said that any corruption in the recruitment process would be dealt with. "There is punishment for people who avoid their duty and the people who conspired with them."
Chea Vannath, former director of the Center for Social Development, said the draft may offer young people the chance to become more disciplined and get mentally and physically fit. Officials have said they want the draft to create jobs for the young, she said. But she added that it would be preferable for the government to reform and fight corruption, so the young can find better paying jobs in the private sector instead.
The chairman of the National Assembly's Defense Commission, SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann, and commission member SRP lawmaker Chrea Sochenda, said they would boycott the vote, which they branded unnecessary and open to abuse.
The draft "Law on Military Duty" states that all Cambodia citizens aged between 18 and 30 must fulfill military duty according to the requirements of the Ministry of Defense. This mandatory service applies only to men however, and joining RCAF will remain voluntary for women aged 18 to 30.
One senior defense official said the government expects to recruit between 3,000 and 5,000 new soldiers next year.
The annual quota of recruits and how these they will be chosen is not specified in the law, prompting critics to fear the process will be open to abuse by unscrupulous officials seeking to extort money from those willing to pay to avoid military duty.
The law states that those already working in the private sector can apply for deferrals, but only up to three years, and that monks and other religious leaders will not be considered for draft.
Failure to show up for duty will result in a one year prison term during peacetime and three years during war. Conscripts will serve 18 months in the armed forces and then be on reserve status, the length of which will also be set by a future royal decree.
"I am worried that there would be corruption and injustice," Yim Sovann said. "It opens up the chance of threatening people to fulfill the duty as soldiers."
Yim Sovann said the defense commission's deputy chairman, CPP lawmaker Pal Sam Oeun, will present the law in parliament. Yim Sovann said he will boycott the meeting and claimed that only CPP lawmakers will vote for the law.
Former defense commission chairman and Funcinpec lawmaker Monh Sophan said the law is unnecessary.
"It is not a necessity," Monh Sophan said. "We are not yet in a situation where we are preparing for war."
Defense Minister Tea Banh said the draft would not work if it were made purely voluntary.
"No law would work [if it was] voluntary," he said.
Defense Ministry Secretary of State Hak Savuth said 3,000 to 5,000 troops would be recruited next year to add to a current total uniformed force of around 110,000 soldiers.
"If it were voluntary, the children of the senior [officials] and rich people would not volunteer, only the poor children would volunteer," Hak Savuth said. "The law is for everyone," he added.
He said that any corruption in the recruitment process would be dealt with. "There is punishment for people who avoid their duty and the people who conspired with them."
Chea Vannath, former director of the Center for Social Development, said the draft may offer young people the chance to become more disciplined and get mentally and physically fit. Officials have said they want the draft to create jobs for the young, she said. But she added that it would be preferable for the government to reform and fight corruption, so the young can find better paying jobs in the private sector instead.
4 comments:
Mandatory military service is a very good idea as it will instill much-needed discipline and self-control in Cambodian youth.
the matter is how and when to youth have to serve in military. if men are studying or workig with private companies wich are the main force for the development of economy, will they be forced to join military service? I hope that govenment will consider about this. Educated young men join the military will contribute to the neutrality of armed forces because they will not blindly listen to their leaders who receive political influence. Let's see our youth develop democracy in our society by neutralising armed forces first. The democracy-hungry youth will replace all order-only-listening soldiers. It is the right time to integrate democratic forces in this sector now.
I don't support this law completely. If there come to war with any country, we will not win anyway.
Why border to require every young man to joint the military. How many young men between the ages of 18-30 in 14 million people? Does the government have the budget for it?
I think Cambodia needs only small arm force and National Guard to protect people when the Mother Nature hits.
The stupid Cambodian military law is only to protect the Vietcong from being attack by the Cambodian army! Cambodian people need to understand that many of the current Cambodian military personnel were trained in Vietname!
2008 is approaching fast and there could be a new government in place(not AH HUN SEN government!)that is not very favorable toward Hanio! So it is very important that all Vietcong trained Cambodian army must stand by!
I doubt very much that all Cambodian army who got their training in Vietname will not attack any Vietcong because these Cambodian army were trained to look at the Vietcong as their brother and sister!
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