Cambodian Muslims attend a ceremony at Cambodian People Party (CPP) headquarters in Phnom Penh, January 2007. Cambodian Muslims make up around one percent of the country's total population and have traditionally lived in tight-knit but poor fishing communities. (AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)24-May-2007
AFP
Britain will hand out hundreds of radios to Cambodia's Cham Muslim minority, partly in an attempt to combat militancy among some of the country's poorest people, the British embassy said Thursday.
The radio giveaway in rural Kompong Chhnang province is part of a larger effort begun last year to give Cambodian Muslims access to Cham-language programming on development, human rights, health and current affairs.
But "it also helps to engage the Muslim community throughout Cambodia and works to promote peace, democracy, human rights, and to combat terrorism," the embassy said in a statement received Thursday.
Cambodian Muslims make up around one percent of the country's total population and have traditionally lived in tight-knit but poor fishing communities.
While the government says it has no specific concerns that the Chams are leaning towards militancy, authorities claim to have exposed several groups plotting attacks in Cambodia, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.
Most recently, several Cambodians, including Muslims, were arrested for allegedly trying to create an armed force, while Bangkok periodically voices concerns that Cambodians are crossing the border to join the insurgency in southern Thailand.
The government has vigorously denied these accusations, saying Thai officials have never provided proof that Cambodians are involved in the troubled Thai south.
The radio giveaway in rural Kompong Chhnang province is part of a larger effort begun last year to give Cambodian Muslims access to Cham-language programming on development, human rights, health and current affairs.
But "it also helps to engage the Muslim community throughout Cambodia and works to promote peace, democracy, human rights, and to combat terrorism," the embassy said in a statement received Thursday.
Cambodian Muslims make up around one percent of the country's total population and have traditionally lived in tight-knit but poor fishing communities.
While the government says it has no specific concerns that the Chams are leaning towards militancy, authorities claim to have exposed several groups plotting attacks in Cambodia, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.
Most recently, several Cambodians, including Muslims, were arrested for allegedly trying to create an armed force, while Bangkok periodically voices concerns that Cambodians are crossing the border to join the insurgency in southern Thailand.
The government has vigorously denied these accusations, saying Thai officials have never provided proof that Cambodians are involved in the troubled Thai south.
8 comments:
Wish good luck to our Cham brother!
They are not Cham they are KHmer or Cambodian Islam or they are Khmer Islam ethnic Cham, but they are not Cham. Calling them Cham is Racist. They're born in Cambodia nearly 300 years since Yuan took Champa. Million of Cham were massacred by Yuan, and these people are Khmer Islam or Cambodian Muslims.
Stop your racial stereotype, please.
Okay, my Cham brother, remember to
use the radio to help fight
terrorist, not to assist terrorist.
Keep in mind that the radio are
monitored at all times.
Only Ah Yoan who do not want to be called of their own name. Because they ashame of their own history ( their parents were pirate and hour)
10:21 lol the British are trying to conduct espionage on Cambodia with this? LOL everyone knows that the radios will be bugged. And if Britain finds evidence of terrorism in Cambodia, they will work with Thailand, so Thailand can invade Cambodia.
Yep, hehehe, but they're only
fooling themselves.
that is good the end is comming!!!!
The end of what and when? Do you
mind?
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