Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Aid Money Urged for Development

Kuoy minority community representatives, from left: Sok Heng, of Oddar Meanchey, and Ruos Han, of Kratie province

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original from Washigton
16 December 2008


The $1 billion in foreign aid promised to Cambodia earlier this month should go into the hands of the people and their communities, addressing government policies, a community leader said Monday.

Poverty reduction is not what the government’s policy is,” said Sok Heng, a minority representative from Oddar Meanchey province, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

Joined by Ruos Han, a Kuoy minority from Kratie province, Sok Heng urged the government to undertake better studies of land and forest concessions before handing them over to private businesses.

Land theft and disputes have emerged as a continuous problem in Cambodia in recent years, with minority groups especially hard hit, and both men urged the government Monday to use the foreign aid to develop communities to help alleviate it.

“Where more development occurs, that’s where people are facing difficulties,” Sok Heng said.

“Without the preservation of our natural resources, our minority community cannot survive,” Ruos Han said. Without such resources, minorities have a very difficult time surviving, because they don’t engage in typical businesses, he said.

After nearly 15 years of development, Cambodia remains heavily reliant on foreign aid for its operations, and donor countries and agencies were especially forthcoming with funding this year.

Both men said Tuesday that money does not reach its targets and is often hard to track. Money for infrastructure, schools, clinics, seed, canals and other agriculture was needed, they said.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen's gov.t need to treat their governing mentality particuly the negative mindset, attitude and their leadership which largely leave legacy for the country as a whole.

First, Hun Sen must cure himself and his cronies the like from life-long power-holding. The obsession of power believed by Hun Sen and holding the fate of country as his hostage, as well as complicate and deepen the existing problems in Khmer society like: corruption, the mis-conduct by high-ranking officials without punishment (better known as impunity culture), enlarge the house of gov.t and not to mention about useless, inefficient, ignorant civil servants just to waste the national buget and worsen the people's poverty.

-Second Hun sen must realize that he is not destined to rule forever or should he hold the fate of the nation as his hostage(let the country become extinct with his collapse)--that's obsolutely not the leadership styles or legacy that Hun sen should leave the next khmer generation suffer from this ignorant, unpreferable mindset and leadership attitude. So train, offer equal share and let every citizen share their contribution for the country's progress should be the gov.t's agendaS(YET WHAT KHMER SEE AND REALIZE ARE HUN SEN WITH HIS ARROGANCE, PRIDE AND IGNORANCE--LET THE COUNTRY SLIP INTO CASTASTROHPES OR EVEN EXTINCTION).

-Third Hun sen must pave the path for the country's existence and progress after his reign. What is wrong is that he believes he hold the country for his life-long(THAT'S STUPID ABSOLUTELY). Enact Anti-corruption law and demand all his officers obey and implement the laws while Hun sen is still in office. That's will be remembered in history and will last forever, BUT NOT WITH THE NAME AS A TRAITOR OR PUPPET SERVING YOUN OR CHINA'S COUNTRY.

THANK YOU.

P.S: khmers oversea should realize now whether the gov.t has willingness and show real determination and effort to veer the country for positive, lasting progress--or else they must not support the gov.t anymore!!!khmers give the gov.t long long time already and there should be NO MORE TIME WASTED!!!

Anonymous said...

Another cambodian movie star rising?? wow, this guy looke alike kongsomoeun kdorkorng??