Sunday, July 15, 2007
By Ratha Visal
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
An official of the Khmer Leu Association in Ratanakiri province claimed that, currently, ethnic minorities in almost all communes in the province are facing famine due to lack of rice for daily consumption.
Mrs Dam Chanthy, President of the Khmer Leu Association, said that her organization completed a survey on Friday on the group of villager families who no longer have rice to eat, however, she said that the total number of families who lack rice has not been tallied yet. Nevertheless, she said that about 70% of ethnic minority families are facing daily rice shortage.
Dam Chanthy said: “I am only reporting the information to the government and its partners, because I surveyed poor families, widower households, they just don’t have (rice to eat).”
During the 2006 rainy season, a lot of rains fell during the beginning of the rainy season, but at the end of the season, there was a shortage of rain water, several thousands of hectares of rice crops were damaged due to rot, insects infection, and the rice crop was damaged due to lack of water.
Em Sovann, the second councilor of the Nhang commune, Andoung Meas district, confirmed that since May, the villagers’ leftover rice was all depleted, and 90% of the more than 3,000 families of villagers living in this commune, are currently forced to eat potatoes , corn, or bamboo shoots instead.
Em Sovann said: “In some homes, when I went in, all that I saw was only boiled bamboo shoots, they don’t have anything else to eat at all. I feel really sorry for them.”
The Department of agriculture of the Ratanakiri province, said that there are 4 districts where the villagers have a more severe rice shortage. An anonymous provincial official said that based on the (survey) number, there is a shortage of about 1,000 tons of rice to help fulfill the need of ethnic minority villagers.
Muong Poy, the Ratanakiri provincial governor, confirmed that he received the report from a number of communes regarding the shortage of foods faced daily by ethnic minority villagers. He said that the province does not have sufficient food to distribute to the needy people, but he said that foods were distributed to those who have urgent need.
Muong Poy said: “We are discussing with involved organizations to help fill the shortage temporarily only, to give out sufficient food, we don’t have the ability to do that at all.”
According to survey in the villages made the Khmer Leu Association, it was found that the communes which are currently facing food shortage are: Sesan, Ya Tung, Nhang, Ta Lav, Kachong, Ta Veng and Cha Ung communes.
Nevertheless, the Khmer Leu Association confirmed that it will seek partner NGOs, and International charity groups to help provide food to help ease the famine faced by the villagers.
Mrs Dam Chanthy, President of the Khmer Leu Association, said that her organization completed a survey on Friday on the group of villager families who no longer have rice to eat, however, she said that the total number of families who lack rice has not been tallied yet. Nevertheless, she said that about 70% of ethnic minority families are facing daily rice shortage.
Dam Chanthy said: “I am only reporting the information to the government and its partners, because I surveyed poor families, widower households, they just don’t have (rice to eat).”
During the 2006 rainy season, a lot of rains fell during the beginning of the rainy season, but at the end of the season, there was a shortage of rain water, several thousands of hectares of rice crops were damaged due to rot, insects infection, and the rice crop was damaged due to lack of water.
Em Sovann, the second councilor of the Nhang commune, Andoung Meas district, confirmed that since May, the villagers’ leftover rice was all depleted, and 90% of the more than 3,000 families of villagers living in this commune, are currently forced to eat potatoes , corn, or bamboo shoots instead.
Em Sovann said: “In some homes, when I went in, all that I saw was only boiled bamboo shoots, they don’t have anything else to eat at all. I feel really sorry for them.”
The Department of agriculture of the Ratanakiri province, said that there are 4 districts where the villagers have a more severe rice shortage. An anonymous provincial official said that based on the (survey) number, there is a shortage of about 1,000 tons of rice to help fulfill the need of ethnic minority villagers.
Muong Poy, the Ratanakiri provincial governor, confirmed that he received the report from a number of communes regarding the shortage of foods faced daily by ethnic minority villagers. He said that the province does not have sufficient food to distribute to the needy people, but he said that foods were distributed to those who have urgent need.
Muong Poy said: “We are discussing with involved organizations to help fill the shortage temporarily only, to give out sufficient food, we don’t have the ability to do that at all.”
According to survey in the villages made the Khmer Leu Association, it was found that the communes which are currently facing food shortage are: Sesan, Ya Tung, Nhang, Ta Lav, Kachong, Ta Veng and Cha Ung communes.
Nevertheless, the Khmer Leu Association confirmed that it will seek partner NGOs, and International charity groups to help provide food to help ease the famine faced by the villagers.
3 comments:
Can the Phnom Penh government know what to do?
Since rice is hard to find, can the farmers plant potatoes and other high protein instead?
Bun Rany Hun Sen is just worrying in
http://hunsenmafia.alkablog.com
http://hunsenmafia.blog.com
http://blogbykhmer.blogspot.com
http://hengpoev.alkablog.com
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