Propaganda mill at full tilt

A woman carries part of a door at a relocation site in Trapeang Anch Chanh village for evictees from areas that have been affected by Cambodia’s railway rehabilitation project. Photograph: Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_phYTHihU

Monday, 02 July 2012
Natalie Bugalski
The Phnom Penh Post

This Potemkin village video is an appalling use of public funds to whitewash human-rights violations that have been inflicted on some of Cambodia’s poorest families by a grossly mismanaged development project financed by an institution with a professed mandate to fight poverty in Asia.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has posted a short video on its website about the resettlement impacts of the Cambodian railway rehabilitation project it is financing.

Rattling off numerous improvements to people’s living conditions, the three-minute video portrays the resettlement process as a resounding success, benefiting poor Cambodian families who are now, or will be, better off than they were before the railway project came along.

Although the soothing voice of the narrator fleetingly mentions that there have been a few criticisms and grievances, the Asian Development Bank’s country director for Cambodia quickly assures the audience that the ADB is working with the Cambodian government to ensure all the remaining grievances are addressed.

This is a piece of propaganda that would make Goebbels blush.

STT releases “Losing the Plot” – a new report on household debt in railways relocation sites

https://www.box.com/s/a8fa2eb13bd74317b2d6

Media Statement
Jun. 19, 2012
Originally posted at:  http://cambodiatrainspotter.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/stt-releases-losing-the-plot-a-new-report-on-household-debt-in-railways-relocation-sites/

Local urban NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) has released a new report entitled Losing the Plot: Rapid Assessment of Household Debt in Trapeang Anhchanh. Based on interviews with 12 households relocated to Trapeang Anhchanh site as part of the ADB and AusAID-funded railways rehabilitation, the report sheds light on one of the most tragic outcomes of what has been presented as an aid project: the unmanageable debts taken on by relocated households.

Envisioned as a prelude to a more comprehensive study on the situation in Trapeang Anchanh, the rapid assessment shows how the railways project continues to be in violation of the ADB’s Involuntary Resettlement Policy, as well as AusAID’s guidelines on resettlement – relocated households are not at the same, or a better, living standard compared to pre-project levels.

Instead, the report shows how the combined effects of inadequate compensation, a dearth of practical advice, reduced incomes resulting from lack of income-generating opportunities, and unsustainable and spiraling levels of debt mean that just eight months after resettlement, households in Trapeang Anhchanh are severely overdue with their interest repayments. Having used their plots as collateral for the loans, several households are on the verge of losing their homes and their land.

Cambodian women earn $0.75 a day ... with the exception of one who earns millions a day

ស្ត្រីខ្មែ​ររកចំណូលបា​ន ៧៥សេនដុល្លា​រក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ... 

 ខណៈដែល​ជំទាវស្រីធុំ រកប្រាក់រាប់លាន ​ដុល្លារ​ ចួលក្នុង​មួយថ្ងៃ​ ចាយ តចៅ

ស្ត្រី​កម្ពុជា​រកចំណូលបាន ៧៥​សេន​ដុល្លារ ខណៈដែល​បុរស​រកចំណូលបាន ១​ដុល្លារ​ក្នុង​មួយថ្ងៃ​

ថ្ងៃទី 18 មិថុនា 2012
ដោយ: រតនា
Cambodia Express News

ភ្នំពេញ: ​លោក អេ​ន​ឌ្រូ​វ ម៉េ​សុន អ្នកដឹកនាំ​សរសេរ​របាយការណ៍ នៃ​ធនាគារពិភពលោក បាន​និយាយថា ដូច​ខ្ញុំ​បានធ្វើ​បទ​បង្ហាញថា ប្រទេសមួយ​ចំនួន​ក្នុង​តំបន់ (​អាស៊ី​) នៅតែ​ប្រឈម​នឹង​បញ្ហា​យែ​ន​ឌ័​រ និង​ការអប់រំ​ជា​មូលដ្ឋាន ហើយ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា គឺជា​ប្រទេសមួយ​ក្នុងចំណោម​នោះ​។ លោក​បានលើកឡើង​បែបនេះ នៅក្នុង​សន្និសីទកាសែត​វីដេអូ​ខ​ន​ហ្វឺ​រឹន​ពី​ទីក្រុង​បាងកក ប្រទេស​ថៃ ជាមួយ​ធនាគារពិភពលោក​ប្រចាំ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា កាលពី​វេលា​ម៉ោង ១១ ដល់​ម៉ោង ១២ ថ្ងៃត្រង់ នា​ថ្ងៃទី​១៨ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២​។​

​លោក អេ​ន​ឌ្រូ​វ ម៉េ​សុន (Andrew Mason) បាន​លើក​ឧទាហរណ៍​នៅក្នុង​កម្រិត​មធ្យមសិក្សា យើង​បាន​ឃើញថា មានតែ​យុវនារី​ចំនួន ៨៥ ភាគរយ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ បាន​ចូលរៀន បើ​ធៀប​នឹង​ចំនួន​យុវជន ដូច្នេះ​នៅមាន​គម្លាត​នៃ​ការអប់រំ​ដែល​ត្រូវបំពេញ​។

Planning failures derail aid project

Link: Cambodians ride a bamboo train on a reopened a stretch of line. Photo: Reuters

June 17, 2012
Philip Heijmans and Tom Hyland
WA Today (Australia)

''In order to physically build the railway, more households may be affected and additional resettlement may be required''

AN AUSTRALIAN-funded rail project in Cambodia has been marred by poor construction, botched surveys leading to the evictions of families, infighting between contractors, delays and cost overruns, a leaked official report shows.

It also reveals that workers on the project endure unsafe working conditions without proper accommodation, clean water or hygienic toilets.

The disruption is exposed in a report by the international consortium funding the $143 million project - Australia's international aid agency AusAID and the Asian Development Bank.

Australia has pledged $26 million to the project, which is already at the centre of controversy over the resettlement of thousands of people forced to move by construction work.

ADB Institute Opens Developing Asia Journalism Awards Competition

TOKYO (31 May 2012) - The Asian Development Bank Institute today opened the 2012 Developing Asia Journalism Awards (DAJA) competition with a call for submissions of articles by journalists working in developing Asia and the Pacific.

"The DAJA competition is a unique opportunity to highlight the significant contribution of journalism and individual journalists to the development process in Asia," said Masahiro Kawai, Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute, in opening the competition.

"Asian economies are changing rapidly," he said. "By providing clear and well-informed news reporting and analysis journalists play an important role in every society by helping the public better understand the issues and events shaping their future."

DAJA 2012 will focus on a critical question facing Asia and the Pacific: "Green Growth – or Growth versus Green?"

Strict Policies Needed to Stop Land Grabs: Advocate

In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, a service train operated by Toll Royal Cambodia passes over a river, just south of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. An Australian joint venture has a 30-year lease to upgrade and operate Cambodia's railway, part of the Cambodian government's efforts to spur the economy and link up with the other economies of the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia. (Photo: AP)

Monday, 23 April 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“The government, before borrowing from the World Bank or ADB, should apply the policies.”

Eang Vuthy, a housing rights advocate at Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, says donors like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank need to be more strict in their policies if land grabs are to be curbed in Cambodia.

He and other land rights activists are currently in Washington, meeting with donors and US officials in an effort to allay the impacts of development on Cambodia’s poor. The World Bank is holding an annual meeting and the ABD is currently reviewing its policies on projects.

The World Bank has been critical of its own programs in Cambodia and has frozen funding to the country pending better protections of land rights. And the ADB recently underwent intense scrutiny for a railway project that displaced many families who later complained of poor living conditions at resettlement sites.

“They [ADB] told us to create a joint savings group to help ourselves. Right now, we do not have enough money for food, so how can we save?”: How callous can the ADB be?

ADB petition response provokes villagers

Thursday, 19 April 2012
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Cassandra Yeap
The Phnom Penh Post

The Asian Development Bank has responded to a petition filed by Phnom Penh evictees of the national railway rehabilitation project, a bank spokesperson said yesterday.

ADB operations coordinator Mao Ouk said the bank had raised the issues, which include infrastructure concerns and help with their livelihoods, with the Inter-ministerial Resettlement Committee and that the government was in the process of implementing an “expanded income restoration programme” that involved self-help groups and community credit schemes.

But villager representative Ros Bopha said that a letter received from the ADB on April 12 provided the “opposite” of what they were asking.

Railway evictees step up fight

Evictees strike in front of ADB in Phnom Penh. Photo by Heng Chivoan

Monday, 09 April 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

Evictees of the national railway rehabilitation project are stepping up pressure on the Asian Development Bank, submitting a petition to the funder today about violence at the relocation site a week after a similar complaint on livelihoods was filed.

Ros Bopha, representative of about 160 families relocated to Por Sen Chey district’s Trapaing Anchang village, said clashes on Thursday between residents of the area and the evictees had injured nine – two seriously.

Village chief Chan Sinara had been angered when evictees invited doctors from rights group Licadho without informing him, she said.

He had banned the doctors from visiting villagers and used inappropriate words towards Ros Bopha, she added.

Railway evictees seek ADB aid

Evictees from a railway site in the capital deliver a petition to the ADB offices yesterday. Photo by Heng Chivoan

Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post

Families forced to move by the rehabilitation of the Phnom Penh stretch of the national railway petitioned the Asian Development Bank yesterday for help with their livelihoods.

About 50 people gathered outside the ADB’s office to submit a petition representing more than 160 families relocated to Por Senchey district’s Trapaing Anchang village.

Addressed to ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda, it asks for his intervention in creating jobs, providing more compensation and developing infrastructure at the relocation site.

The complaint adds to the woes of the US$143 million rehabilitation project that has been beset by delays and cries of inadequate compensation.

ADB chief hails Cambodia's strong growth, rapid development [... at what cost, STUPID Kuroda?]

ADB's Kuroda forgets that the strong economic growth and fast social development come with a heavy price to Cambodians: FORCED EVICTIONS abound under Hun Xen's regime!!!

PHNOM PENH, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda hailed Cambodia for its strong economic growth and fast social development when meeting with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday.

His said that Cambodia's 7 percent GDP growth last year was a remarkable amid the global economic uncertainties and European debt crisis.

On the ASEAN economic side, Kuroda said that the bloc's GDP was envisaged to see sustainable growth in coming years thanks to the bloc's financial cooperation and solidarity.

Cambodia's GDP had grown 7 percent last year, or 13 billion U.S. dollars. The country has forecast the same growth rate this year.

ADB President Kuroda To Address Asean Finance Ministers In Cambodia

MANILA, March 29 (Bernama) -- Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda will travel to Phnom Penh to address the 16th gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Finance Ministers Meeting on Friday.

Kuroda will brief the ministers on current ASEAN and global economic issues, the Manila-based ADB said in a statement here.

During his visit, Kuroda will also meet with the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as well as finance ministers from the region.

Report on rail project draws ire

An employee of Toll royal rides on a train near Phnom Penh Railway Station. Photo by Sovan Philong

Monday, 26 March 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

Rights groups yesterday blasted the Asian Development Bank for approving a report they say miscalculates the amount of money needed by families forced to relocate as a result of the rehabilitation of Cambodia’s national railway.

The criticisms were the latest of several issues to weigh on the rail project in recent weeks.

Thousands of families are in the process of moving from their homes to new settlements created by the Cambodian government as the country rebuilds its long-dilapidated railway system.

Rights groups, however, have said the resettlement project, administered by the Cambodian government but mainly funded by the ADB, provides payments to those families for lost land, houses and crops at six-year-old market rates without accounting for significant increases in inflation.

“The compensation was calculated in 2006, but most people moved in 2011,” Eang Vuthy, Development Watch program manager at Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, said yesterday when reached by phone.

Kingdom must diversify its economy, ADB says

Stephen Groff, a vice president at the Asian Development Bank, speaks to the Post earlier this week in Phnom Penh. (Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post)

Thursday, 23 February 2012
May Kunmakara
The Phnom Penh Post

Asian Development Bank vice president Stephen Groff, who started with the bank in October, sat down with Post reporter May Kunmakara yesterday to discuss the Cambodian economy, its investment environment, as well as the bank’s future in the country.

Cambodia has enjoyed rapid growth over the past decade. How is ADB targeting its grants and loans to ensure more equitable development?

I think when you have an economy that depends on the agricultural sector, there is a need to ensure that we strengthen the linkages between rural and urban areas. Our work also focuses on promoting education so that we can provide better employment opportunities for people living in both rural and urban areas. This is important for the economic growth that we see happening in Cambodia – to be more and more equitable.

Cambodia’s growth has relied on a handful of industries such as tourism, agriculture and garments. Where should investment be targeted to broaden the economic base?

Well, I agree. We need to see much more broadening and deepening of the economy. Much of the economy is largely focused on the agricultural sector and in manufacturing.

ADB Says ‘Green’ Development Key to Growth in Mekong Region

Monday, February 20th, 2012
Voice of America

A conference on the future of the Mekong region heard Monday that the management of food, water and energy resources will be the most critical developmental challenge in the next decade.

Stephen Groff, vice president of the Asian Development Bank, told the Greater Mekong Subregion conference that the challenge is to increase efficiencies in resource use while safeguarding environmental quality and creating jobs.

During the two-day conference, which opened in Bangkok Monday, policy-makers from Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam will meet with development partners, academics and private sector representatives to consider how best to balance economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Group Calls for Halt to Railway Development Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_phYTHihU

Friday, 17 February 2012
Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“The government should put a halt to the relocation of people until proper resettlement is in place.”

Bridges Across Borders says a project funded by the Asian Development Bank is displacing families to inadequate relocation sites and should be halted until proper sites can be found.

Cambodia’s railroads are in terrible condition, and renovation of rail lines could improve the movement of goods not only in the country but across the region.

However, thousands of families will be moved from their homes along the railway in the process.

Bridges Across Borders says the project is forcing families into deeper poverty, with some forced to take on debt from local money lenders in order to reconstruct their homes.

“The government should put a halt to the relocation of people until proper resettlement is in place,” said Eang Vuthy a project manager for Bridges Across Borders.

BABC: Rehabilita​tion of the Cambodian Railway is Impoverish​ing Affected Families

*PRESS RELEASE*

Rehabilitation of the Cambodian Railway is Impoverishing Affected Families

February 13, 2012

A problematic aid project in Cambodia has violated the rights of affected people and left many families mired in debt and deeper poverty, Bridges Across Borders Cambodia (BABC) said in a report released Monday.

The report, DERAILED , reviews the resettlement process and impacts of the Rehabilitation of the Cambodian Railway Project, which aims to restore the country's 650 kilometres of railway infrastructure.

The project, financed mainly by development assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Australia, stands to affect around 4164 families who live alongside the dilapidated railway tracks. At least 1200 families are required to relocate in order to make way for the project. A joint venture of the Australian firm Toll Holdings and the Cambodian firm Royal Group secured a 30-year concession to operate the refurbished railways.

BABC has closely monitored the resettlement process since early 2010 and interviewed more than 200 affected households to ascertain the extent to which the Railway Rehabilitation Project has complied with the ADB safeguard policy and international law obligations.

Forced eviction in Cambodia: Cambodian rail line to displace country's poor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U-85wXeM08

NGOs lobby to stop Cambodia implementing new law

The Cambodian government is pushing ahead with a new law to govern thousands of local and international NGOs which will allow it to shut them down at will. NGOs are lobbying the Australian Government to help stop the law from being implemented. The plea for help comes as the Cambodian government targets NGOs who have been advocating on behalf of people being moved to make way for a railway project that's partly funded by AusAID and run by Australian company Toll Holdings.

September 27, 2011

Zoe Daniel

ABC News (Australia)

Source: PM | Duration: 5min 44sec

MARK COLVIN: The Cambodian government is pushing ahead with a new law to govern thousands of local and international non government organisations, NGOs, which would allow it to shut them down at will.

NGOs are lobbying the Australian Government to help stop Cambodia implementing a law which they say will restrict their activities and freedom of speech.

The Cambodian government is currently targeting NGOs which have been speaking up for people being moved to make way for a railway project which is partly funded by AusAID and run by the Australian company Toll Holdings.

South East Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel reports.

ZOE DANIEL: Back in May residents living alongside a disused section of railway line in Phnom Penh told us how they were being treated by the Cambodian authorities if they rejected a few hundred dollars to move for its refurbishment.

ADB still puzzled by controversial letter

Friday, 23 September 2011
Vincent MacIsaac
The Phnom Penh Post

The Asian Development Bank has still not been able to “definitively confirm” the authenticity of a letter claiming that consultants working for it urged the government to crack down on NGOs critical of a project it is funding, although the letter is allegedly signed by a member of its own board of governors.

“Despite ADB’s best efforts, it has not been able to definitively confirm the letter’s authenticity,” it told the Post yesterday in response to questions about the content of discussions it said it had with “the highest levels of government” about the letter.

The letter, allegedly from Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon to Prime Minister Hun Sen, was leaked to news outlets earlier this week. It contains complaints from unnamed ADB consultants about NGOs critical of the resettlement impacts of the US$141 million railway rehabilitation project the ADB and AusAID are funding.

ADB denies meeting was critical of NGOs [-ADB in hot water???]

Thursday, 22 September 2011
Vincent MacIsaac
The Phnom Penh Post

The Asian Development Bank yesterday acknowledged that a meeting at the Ministry of Economy and Finance referred to in a letter that calling for a crackdown on NGOs critical of a railway project it is funding occurred, but said that it made no criticism of NGOs at the meeting.

“The only thing ADB has communicated to the highest levels of government and all other stakeholders about NGOs – at this meeting and at all other times – is that ADB feels that NGOs involved with the railway project have provided useful information that has helped address the needs of people affected by the project,” it said yesterday.

The June 9 meeting between the ADB’s director general for Southeast Asia and finance ministry officials is pointed to as one of two background references in a June 17 letter calling for a crackdown on NGOs that had been critical of the railway project. The letter is allegedly from Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon to Prime Minister Hun Sen.