Brad AdamsThursday, 30 April 2009
Written by Tom Hunter
The Phnom Penh Post
THE biannual meeting of donors and government officials is nothing more than a "talk fest that has achieved virtually nothing over the past 15 years", one rights group official said, as others agreed and cited glacial progress towards vital reforms in areas such as corruption and responsible governance that is, they claim, threatening to derail the Kingdom's overall development progress.
"We can expect the same old recycled statements from donors this year, followed by the same old promises by the government that will not be worth the paper they are printed on," Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said by email Wednesday.
At the Government Donor Coordination Committee (GDCC) meeting Tuesday, donors noted that in areas such as land rights, corruption and freedom of information, significant progress had not been forthcoming - concerns they have voiced at every similar meeting for the last decade.
In a statement similar to many released at previous meetings, development partners "urged that the four fundamental laws - relating to good governance and corruption - be submitted to the National Assembly for enactment as expeditiously as possible".
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith defended the forum Tuesday.
"These are big laws, and the government needs more time to workshop in order to stream knowledge to both civil and public servants," he said.
But Chhith Sam Ath, executive director of NGO Forum Cambodia, said that it was only the political will of the government that was impeding reform.
"In my view, the level of concern from the donors has not changed between Tuesday's GDCC meeting and the ones held in previous years," he said.
Adams said donors as well as government officials bore responsibility for the lack of progress on these issues, saying they have "never acted in a truly coordinated way to put real pressure on the government to engage in necessary reforms".
"We can expect the same old recycled statements from donors this year, followed by the same old promises by the government that will not be worth the paper they are printed on," Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said by email Wednesday.
At the Government Donor Coordination Committee (GDCC) meeting Tuesday, donors noted that in areas such as land rights, corruption and freedom of information, significant progress had not been forthcoming - concerns they have voiced at every similar meeting for the last decade.
In a statement similar to many released at previous meetings, development partners "urged that the four fundamental laws - relating to good governance and corruption - be submitted to the National Assembly for enactment as expeditiously as possible".
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith defended the forum Tuesday.
"These are big laws, and the government needs more time to workshop in order to stream knowledge to both civil and public servants," he said.
But Chhith Sam Ath, executive director of NGO Forum Cambodia, said that it was only the political will of the government that was impeding reform.
"In my view, the level of concern from the donors has not changed between Tuesday's GDCC meeting and the ones held in previous years," he said.
Adams said donors as well as government officials bore responsibility for the lack of progress on these issues, saying they have "never acted in a truly coordinated way to put real pressure on the government to engage in necessary reforms".
20 comments:
Why the hell on earth we still give the money to this low life uneducated PM?????
Why???
Did you see all those innocent Khmer suffer? They never receive any supplement or any money from the government to build or rebuild their life. They've been left on their own to survive.
If the the Donors countries didn't see this I must said you all are educated and have been fool by HUN SEN big time.
Stop giving them the money!!!
Kasit,
11:42 PM ,I agree with you!!!You are right!!!
The dictator Hun Xen was never in the school and he is the agressor,He is living in luxus life on the 50% under poor.
Hun Xen kills all khmer nation for youn Hanoi.
11:42 PM
Hope you understood well about business corruption. We all are talking only the Cambodian government, but we forget other people, who also connected with the problem. Did all of you know the word commission ?
Doesn't matter, since 1991 billions of Dollars $$$$$ were pouring in Cambodia. And now where did the money go?
US, France and Japan, they are shook their head. Especially the Japanese. They shock because Cambodia is a poor country and the high ranking official are driving nice car (lexus) and own a lot of lands.
The poor are getting poorer.
The way Cambodia system is not functioning just because a small example here.
Example,
Sok An, he put all his family members to work all kind of government work and almost all of those have not qualifications or technique and ability. Most of those government have no formal of education.
They put someone that have no skill and experience at all to work. How can this progress? We have thousand of newly graduates and have no job. They ended up back to the country side.
How can we advance our prosperity since most of Sok An family members holding the job.
HUN SEN needs to put those educated one to fuel the country.
We in need of human resource.
Khmer,
can't blame cambodia for beign spoiled, you know. it's like a parent spoiling his brat child; that's what donors are doing to cambodia. i would prefer donors shows a firm or stern disciplining a child that is cambodia, especially in good governance and national bureaucratic reforms, etc... god bless cambodia.
12:25AM are you a Neukmam PhD too?
Corruption is corruption, crime is crime; That why we have MP ( the lawmaker) to make rules and laws. Ang Goverment to enforce the laws!
The PM is the head of the group who responcible for everything in the country!
You communist PhD may know the word COMMISSION do you know the words TAX and CONTROLE?
Ah Xen if he so stupid he should resigne!!!!!!!!!!! if not to make people hate to his great grand children and relatives!!!!!
That is right! Hun Sen is the head of the government, if he doesn't know which and what department is corrupted then he is a big fool.
If I were Hun Sen, I ought to step down and let someone who is capable to lead the country. I am sure there are thousand of people out there have higher education.
Hun Sen needs to get rid of his corruption officials. Or he will face too many mismanagement in the future.
Down Hun Sen!
I am up to raise my hand for HUN SEN to be removed.
We don't want this low life PM.
KhmerAranh,
i believe donor nations have influence on cambodia. please, donors, make demand for cambodian gov't to pass the crucial anti-corruption law as soon as possible without anymore hesitation. thank you for your influence.
As long as Mr. Hun Sen and his CPP club are in power, there will be no anti-corruptin law. Can anyone poit out to me when you've ever seen "thieves writing a law against Thievry"...
Hun Sen needs to be removed by People's Power in near future/
Thai have influence us a lot to stage a demonstration against the head of state when he/she fails to deal with it.
If you incapable to take control we have someone else new to take lead.
Down Hun Sen!!!
Brad Adams,
I am really admire you for being a critic against this MF HUN SEN.
He was a junior KR officer.
KhmerJeayden,
hey, have you ever heard of reformed? reformed means people or other methods have changed for the better of all people, you know!thank you.
yes, reformed, cambodia is much better now than during the KR dark ages, you know. we all agree this, just look at cambodia now and during the KR, which one would you prefer, then or now? i prefer now, unless you blind or something! god bless cambodia.
REFORM FOR THE WIN!!!
There is one three star general whose wife is colonel and his son is captain.The colonel never serve one second in the military and neither his son.Mother and son enrolled in the military just to get salaries and that it.Hey,it happen only in Cambodia.My home sweet home.
KHMER KILO LEK # 6.
“Madness means repeatedly doing the same thing, expecting a different result”.
We, the donors and the HUN Sen Government are also mad.
L. Khon
4:18am, that's nothing new! it's been like that since the dark ages! cambodia society is now more advanced than that time, you know. thank you and god bless cambodia.
let's praise for the better.
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