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| IRI's Cambodia country director John Willis, who says a new survey shows around three-quarters of Cambodians are satisfied with the direction the country is taking (Photo: VOA photo - R. Carmichael) |
Robert Carmichael, VOA
Phnom Penh 21 January 2011
A new survey by the International Republican Institute, a U.S. organization, says three-quarters of Cambodians are satisfied with the direction their country is taking. Those who disagree say corruption is their key complaint.
The survey by the International Republican Institute - or IRI - found that 76 percent of Cambodians said they were satisfied with the way things are going.
They cited infrastructure improvements such as better roads, schools and health clinics.
The IRI, which works to advance democracy, released the results in Phnom Penh on Friday.
"This is a bit of a decline from a peak of 82 percent direction two years ago, but still pretty high by worldwide standards," said John Willis, the country head for the IRI, which is funded largely by grants from the United States government.
Willis notes that nearly a quarter of respondents think Cambodia is headed in the wrong direction.
"And people who say the country’s moving in the wrong direction, which was 23 percent, overwhelmingly they are likely to say it’s corruption - that’s their number one response - followed by jobs, poverty, inflation," he said.
IRI carried out the survey in mid-2010, questioning 2,000 adults.
The survey also found that Cambodians think the biggest issue the country faces is its efforts to set its borders with Thailand and Vietnam.
Cambodia is working with both nations to agree on thousands of kilometers of borders. Tensions with Thailand over the subject have been high in recent years, and soldiers from both sides have died in border clashes.
Some farmers complained they are losing land to Vietnam, a charge that stings the government in Phnom Penh, which has close ties to Hanoi.
"It was an open-ended question - we just asked what’s the biggest issue facing the country in your opinion? We didn’t lead them by the nose toward any kinds of responses. So freely chosen, over a third of the people said: It’s a border issue," he said.
The survey also asked people about land ownership, an important topic in country with a largely rural population.
Half of the rural respondents say they own less than a hectare of land, and most lack sufficient irrigation for their crops.
Seven percent said someone had tried to steal their land in the past three years. Many landowners and rights groups say the rich and powerful often force farmers off land to make way for development.
A government spokesman was not available to comment on the survey, but human rights groups regularly complain that the country is heading in the wrong direction.
They say the government is intolerant of criticism, and uses court cases and threats to cow its critics.
The IRI findings suggest those concerns resonate less - at least for now - with many Cambodians who are trying to eke out a living on the land.
41 comments:
It is the survey. I think all political parties have to study the result seriously. Kem Sokha, and Nuth Romdoul were quoted in RFA criticizing IRI over the finding. It is very unfortunate for them. They should understand that it is the people opinion. People opinion depends on many factors like their education background, general knowledge, media, society, friends and family and political affiliation.
While Cheam Yeab, he thinks that IRI gave the point (76%) to government that it is going on the right track. He should know that it is cambodian people judgment, not IRI. It is really a success for the government to have that high positive opinion from the people.
In this case the Opposition parties need to work harder to give their messages and show negative aspects of the government in order to change people opinion. It is a normal practice in democratic system.
AFTER Hun Xen destroy all opposition in Cambodia then the survey would say
"100% of Cambodian says country moving in right direction "
And that would be thrue, right than Hun Xen would joint Sadam Husen!
វាមានតែអាបក្សប្រឆាំងទេដែលថាប្រទេសខ្មែរ
មិនមានការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍។
Useless, Baseless, wasted time and money Survey!
International Republican Institute need to survey the USA
យើងត្រូវតែនាំគ្នានិយាយពីអំពើក្បត់ជាតិនឹងអំពើអាក្រក់
របស់មេដឹកនាំកម្ពុជា ទាំងយប់ ទាំងថ្ងៃ មានដូចជា ៖
ពួកអាឆ្កែកញ្ជះយួន ហ៊ុន សែន, ហេងសំ រិន, ជាស៊ីម,
សុខ អាន, ហោ ណាំហុង, ឱម យិនទៀង, ចៀម យីប,
វ៉ា គិម ហុង, ស ខេង, ងួន ញ៉ឹល ។ល។ និង ។ល។
និយាយហើយនិយាយទៀតដើម្បីអោយជាតិ និងអន្តរជាតិ
ដឹងឮ ទូទាំងពិភពលោក។
អោយពួកវាស្អុយឈ្មោះ ស្អុយត្រកូលរាប់ម៉ឺនសែន ឆ្នាំ...!
HoonXen' regime is Pol Pot ver2.0
It's really too funny as statistics.
The Khmer people do not dare tell the truth.
Personally, I doubt this statistic.
Are we sure that John Willis not sleeping with the dictator Hun Sen's women in order to put "sugar on a rotten cake" for dictator Hun Sen publicly here?
The truth is what happening on dirt grounds and in sweatshops, and not in the high-rise and air-conditioned buildings that Mr. John Willis is working from.
Going extreme well for the rich, corrupt and powerful, but dirt poor for the sick and helpless---big picture of Cambodia today.
KHMER Angkor.
ah chhkuot, ah lob, ah lngi lngeu, ah tralaok, ah tra ngaol, ah khmean tra cheak, ah khmean phnek, ah phleu teub ning ngeub mok pi na ban chea min deung tha ah srok khmer mean ah kbot cheat tveu bab reas. ah haeng bae chea tha reas pinh chet tov vinh, ah lob john willis.
Did Mr John Willis and his team survey Cambodian at the bars, kareoke clubs or from his Vietmanese girls that he sleep with? Or maybe this survey results paid by the goverment that Mr Willis can not refused?
Because I surveys just my family, relatives, and friends in Cambodia, almost 99% said we are getting poorer and no jobs. Or maybe they lied to me, I'm confused.
Majority of ordinary cambodian people(exclude 5% Cambodian elite class and richists) are sick and tired of politic. And all they want is to make their daily life to have end meet. Many of them want to make sure the families have foods on mate or tables, children can go to schools, having some money cushion away when they are sick. Overall They don't want war again. Most of them know that they vote for Hun Sen because if he was not elected he will creat war and bloodshed.
Speaking about democracy and the government's affairs are less important. Only some people who have had their lands and rights stepped on, feeling disfranchised with the government. Others thinking about freedom of speech, corruption, and borders issues are unhappy with things are being done in Phnom penh right now.
It will take the generation X-Y+2=X of Cambodians to understand and be able to question the direction of the government, by that time Hun Sen and his generation are not here to answer their questions.
Some of 5% of the elit class get sick of kissing ass too!!!!!! Some would become the leader of change, soon!
How can righth direction be dictated by DICKhead?
Yeas you head it right to lost land, house, job!
Yeas you head ite right to be jailed, shoot at, beatten up, killed.
Yeas you go right to trafic drug, and children!
Yeas you have right to commited suicide on a bridge!
Oh shit, then all my friends and families are lying to me too they keep asking me to send them money because they told me that they living under $1 a day and don't have faith in their govrnment.
After all these years I believed them. So, they are happy after all. Great IRI, I need the truth. Now I don't believe my family any more. Thanks again IRI, now I can keep my money for my own family here in the US. Oh dude, you should of post this survey along time ago.
iri survey only who love dictator that why get good percent. This iri is unfair. iri should survey who love democracy, too.
it's a good approach by doing national survey on the country, however, is it biased in tone? that's another issue! when bias is reveal, it is no justice, you know! we all know that there are a lot of biased people out there toward my country cambodia! so, of course, people who find it biased will always fight back, you know!
i think in order to avoid bias view, one has to include both sides of the story in public and then let the public judge for themselves. that's better, you know! but if you have people in the dark, then it becomes biased opinions, really!
i can accept constructive criticism, but i can't stand demeaning and degrading remarks, especially on a person's god given character, personality and other personal thing that has nothing to do with his/her job, etc... definitely not jealousy!
in other words, no personal attack, ok! job or work related attack only, ok! who gives a rat's ass what you do at the end of your work day, just don't bring the garbage to work with you the next day! that's all!
12:29 seemed to hit the right note in describing the real situation. We all in deed know this survey presents a lack in credibility. We do not need such a survey to know how Cambodia is led and governed. One can easily measure the rate of development by just traveling around the country seeing in person the images of despair, desperation, poverty, and oppression. Only a naive person will agree that the road construction and high rise buildings are the indicators of growth. A wise person can easily see the debts that the government has accumulated into the billions of US dollars. It is petrifying to think in these terms because Khmer children will have to bear the burden of repaying the national debts to foreigners for many generations. The top 5%, the so-called Khmer elites, do not care about this at all. They are just grabbing what they can for themselves. These people are narcissistic. All they care about is their own families and friends, not the nation as a whole.
Damaged Soul.
WE CAN SEE IRI ALSO TRAPPED WITH TRAITOR THAT THEIR SNICKER TO PLAY OUR FOCUS TO SHOW THAT RECENTLY ADMINISTRATION HAD 76 POINT TO GOOD STEP FOR THE COUNTRY .THIS FINGER JUST TRY TO BE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH UNITED STATES AND CAMBODIA ,BUT WE ALL DO NOT FORGET THAT UNITED STATES WILL PULL OUT THE BAD ROOT OF HUN 'S ADMINISTRATION TO SHOW INTERNATIONAL. .
isn't this the reality in any developing countries? how else are people expect to have cambodia developed? don't tell me that cambodia should not develop at all because that is out of the question, ok! we want to modernize cambodia in many ways, ok! there's no such thing as do one thing and not the other, especially in development! who says you can't chew and walk at the same time, etc, you know! diversifying the cambodia economy in many ways is better than sit still and do nothing, really! if you wait too long, my country of cambodia will be behind in development compare to other countries in the region, really. and cambodia want like to sit and wait until the cow comes home, ok! that's not how it works there anymore, ok! i want a modernized, developed cambodia, you know! of course, we expect imperfect or some socio-economic inequality, etc, in the process of growth and development, etc... show me where there is development in any country that doesn't come with prices, etc! wake up, people! get with the program, ok! cambodia waits for no one!
in my openion, cambodia is heading direction to hell.
2:14AM! who pay for the price!@ Would Hun Xen like to pay as Tunesia, Iraq, or Hity?
i can accept constructive criticism, but i can't stand demeaning and degrading remarks, especially on a person's god given character, personality and other personal thing that has nothing to do with his/her job, etc... definitely not jealousy!
in other words, no personal attack, ok! job or work related attack only, ok! who gives a rat's ass what you do at the end of your work day, just don't bring the garbage to work with you the next day! that's all!
1:31 AM
AH kWack should leurn it from you by not attack UN personel of their nationality! and other about long time tourist or so fort!
Are you kidding me? Cambodian are not satisfied with politic, economic....why do you think many people wanted go out to the Western world. Why not John Willis try to live in Cambodia a few months w/ regular Khmer people. See how people work and live everyday. Cambodian government are soooo corrupted. Anybody that is willing to stand up to them will lose their life. Khmer are just to scare to speak out. They don't have freedom of speech. DO THE SURVEY AGAIN JOHN!
2:33 AM, you should learn your English first...Can you call yourself educated with your English dude?..
I agree with poster 10:34PM,
Sometime, you have to agree with report because they got that report from their survey.
Off course Cambodian population now are mostly made up of young people and they knew nothing of the 60'. Therefore, they have grown up with the development of the country. Opposition parties must try to sell their policies in which they could do far better in the same direction.
They can make better quality of roads, value of moneys, better hospital service, better public services, better education, better salary, better public security, better transportation system, Better response to land grabbed. They can manage better with fighting again corruption, Borders with neighbour. Better dialogue with all countries around the world especially the oustanding with China, Vietnam and Thailand.
For employment benefit, Cambodia cannot over look China to help them to solve unemployment problem.
Australia, NZ, USA, France, German, Greece, you can name it, all getting their employment for their export to China.
THe problem which Cambodia need many challenges are social injustice, Real Market economy, open opportunity for all people.
Areak Prey
i think it is better to work cooperative and find a common solution or a compromise. we are in it together as they say there are more to cambodia than just a handful of bickering politicians, etc, really! we are all khmers and if we can't work together for the common good of the country and our country, how are we expect others i.e. outsiders to do it for us. that will only encourage more corruption as some outsiders do not love cambodia nor want to see cambodia developed due to whatever reason they may have against cambodia, etc, you see! so, it is up to khmer people from all walks of life to stand up together, work cooperatively together for the common good of our nation of cambodia. if we won't wake up by now, when will we wake up? forever? we should all look at our common culture, common language, common tradition, common race of khmer, etc for strengthen in unity, for achievement in the name of khmer and our beloved country, etc. we should be selective and think and analyze so we can see and understand the more importance issues what need to be debate and worked out together, etc... we all should agree to disagree as in any situation. stop attacking each other as a result of personality, jealousy, greed, ignorance, etc... remember we all came from the same nation, the same national origin, and most importantly, we all shared the same country, the same khmer language, the same food, the same culture, tradition, heritage, etc... please i deplore to all khmer, wherever you may be to wake up and help to change and reform and educate one another to be civilized again, to develop into a prosperous nation again, to have a good standard of living for all, to have good healthcare system, good independent judicial system and teach each other to respect the law, to embrace the rule of law, etc... be proud of our country, our heritage, our language, our national origin as khmer people, etc, etc... god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people and citizens.
long live viet nam.. good work hun sen and cpp
No to 3:32AM
You must understood about multie-party democracy system. In this system, there must be a larger opposition party to protect dictatorship. They don't allow opposition party to join ruling party at all. If they do, democracy system is in danger. In Cambodia, many Cambodian didn't understand about this system and have always think opposition parties are trouble maker and haven't valued to opposition party at all. Indeed, opposition party leader is a Stateman. He deserves to have high respect as high as Prime Minister. He is the alternative of the Leader of the country and deserves to earn more moneys, more protection from police than any Minister of the Government. In all State Denner, the Prime Minister should invite him to join with guest Leader. In civilised Nations, politicians are fighting with policies to gain the heart of their citizen.
I don't have personal problem with Hun sen and all his MP at all. But I am very critical with their policies such as
-Slavery salary to all public servant.
-No real market economy
-No real system for a Nation such as all National Institution shall be independent and strong and be vey reliable to all citizen
-Public security both personal safety and properties from land grabbed.
-Immigration
-Decarmation of borders post
-Education
-Public health
-Taxation
-Privated bodyguards
As I have said many time that Cambodia is still a Nation of anarchist where a Prime Minister has no propre madates and has ruled in every walk of life in the country.
Areak Prey
well, if they keep running and hiding in france and other overseas countries, can how khmer trust them, really! what if they are more corrupted than people in cambodia and stole the state funds and run away into hiding in foreign countries, how can we catch them? that's why khmer people can't trust them. maybe if they make cambodia their permanent home, etc, then of course, they will be invited to state dinner, participation in state affairs, etc, etc, you know! so, this way, they are really hypocrites, really! they need to reform themselves so cambodia can accept them, ok! that's all!
Hi! John Willis
What are you doing out there? where are your from? Real FROM USA, China,Russia or you have Vietnamese girl friends in Cambodia?
oh! come on! john I hope you not not blind or corruption like Hun Sen and henchman out there in Cambodia.
Rethink and do your best with the new deep survey again and again OK?
Don't be fucking like crazy in Cambodia OK?
I think you knew very well what is the real mean of IRI.
Spean TEP
I don't have much faith in the IRI survey because dirt poor Cambodian people still live in fear and they even afraid to tell the truth!
I believe only 50%
I'm sure that if the IRI were to conduct a survey in Tunisia today, it will find that 99.999% of Tunisians are still satisfied with Ben Ali's regime.
Bravo I-R-I?!?!
PS: When will you change your acronym from I-R-I to 0-R-U?
Who provides the funding and is a real survey conducted in Cambodia and how? This is just a crap service provided by IRI. Money should be spent on helping poor Cambodians instead of giving to IRI.
I always talk to Khmer opposition the beginning word Motherfucker of Khmer opposition because they always motherfucker with Cambodia country.
We all know that viet have taken controls of nation broadcasting and they all hire vietnamese to work and propaganda about Hun Xen built road , school and bridge and that brainwash people that are watching government control media, with majority of Cambodian people are not well educated and fall for Hun Viet propaganda. This is what really going behind closed door. So we need to do something about Hun media propaganda.
I bet that those 76% were either get paid buy Hun Sen village official, or those are not literature people that doesn't know that those bridges, schools and buildings will soon belong to Hanoi, or maybe they been watching government propaganda tv. They need to wake-up before it's too late.
IRI....
US Republicans believe in supporting governments that assist US military and corporations to rule the world
they claim they support Democracy but their track record is they support any government that will give them what they want, mostly dictators
and the support the US gives is military terrorist training to keep their favoured government in power
use logical thinking, it helps!
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