Baby Hor: ...special provisions have been made to provide land to assist particularly vulnerable groups ... and the poor

Forced eviction in Dey Krahorm: An example of what Mr. Hor 5 Bora calls: "...special provisions have been made to provide land to assist particularly vulnerable groups within Cambodian society including disabled soldiers, the families of deceased soldiers - and the poor". Coincidentally, Mr. Hor conveniently failed to mention the title of the BBC's article: "Cambodia: A land up for sale?", could it be that Cambodia is no longer a land for sale ... because, everything that can be sold had been carted off already

Response to The BBC World Service August 13, 2009

Click here to read the BBC's article
Cambodia: A land up for sale?

Mr Andrew Whitehead
Acting Editor, News & Current Affairs
BBC World Service
Bush House
Strand
London WC2B 4PH

Dear Mr Whitehead,

I was concerned to receive the transcript of Robert Walker’s report from Cambodia produced for the “Assignment” programme broadcast on the BBC World Service.

I found his report to be somewhat unbalanced and at variance with the BBC’s worldwide reputation for independence and impartiality. Certainly it will have done little to enhance the reputation of your organisation, particularly in Asia.

I, of course, acknowledge that Mr Walker quotes Phay Siphan, a spokesman for the Royal Cambodian Government’s Council of Ministers. But his comments are restricted to a couple of sentences and appear to have been inserted, rather calculatingly, to give the impression of a balanced report; when the reality is, it is extremely one-sided.

I was also disturbed that the BBC should give further publicity and credence to the pressure group Global Witness which seems intent on waging relentless and increasinglymalicious campaigns to try and discredit legitimatelyelected governments, particularly in southeast Asia and Africa.

On the specific issue of land management within Cambodia, the Royal Government of Cambodia has always been happy to acknowledge its reliance on foreign investors; believing this to be the most rapid and effective way of generating sustained economic growth which will allow Cambodia to become a significant power within the region, from which all its people will benefit.

However, that does not mean that the Cambodian Government has turned a blind eye to the tactics used by some foreign companies. All applications to buy land are carefully scrutinised by an independent body, the Cambodian Investment Board, which is committed to ensuring the rights of all Cambodian people.

The land policy of Cambodia commits the government to “administer, manage and distribute land in an equitable, transparent, efficient and sustainable way” with the aim of achieving the national goals of alleviating poverty, ensuring food security and natural resources; the protection of the environment, national defence and the development of a market economy.

You should be aware that special provisions have been made to provide land to assist particularly vulnerable groups within Cambodian society including disabled soldiers, the families of deceased soldiers - and the poor.

In closing, I wish it to be known that I am happy to be interviewed on radio (or television) at any time to support and defend the policies and track record of the Royal Cambodian Government and to counteract inaccurate and damaging allegations made by organisations such as Global Witness.

With kind regards

Hor Nambora
Ambassador of Cambodia to the Court of St James’s
London, United Kingdom