Hun Sen also warned his military men to perform good deeds for the sake of the nation and the people: Are the military men that bad?

Cambodian PM advises military to focus on human resource development

January 28, 2010
Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Thursday urged his military men at all levels, especially the leaders and commanders of the army, to focus on human resource development.

"We are aware that in early 21st century, technology has promoted infrastructure development at all sectors for humanity. However, compared to regional countries, Cambodia still has a big gap of human resource shortage that needs to be addressed," he said at the closing of the stocktaking workshop on the 5-Year Military Reform (2005-2009) and 5-Year Direction Setting (2010- 2014).

"Therefore, the Ministry of Defense and Commander-in-chief should continue to carry out 5-year armed forces reform by focusing on human resource development and promoting their capacity, so that our armed forces could stand equally with others in the region and in other developed countries," he said.

He said Cambodia has experienced many difficulties and enormous sacrifice, but has also successfully implemented "win-win policy" that brings to people and country peace, national conciliation, certain and full national unity.

While urging a continued strengthening on real human resources within the armed forces leadership, he also called for research studies to enhance the defense knowledge and other skills such as information technology as well as strengthening the international cooperation on military sector in both regional and global framework, aiming to develop and modernize the defense sector of Cambodia to be more competent and consistent with evolving situation and development of the nation and the world.

In his speech, Hun Sen also warned his military men to perform good deeds for the sake of the nation and the people.

Government Considers Reducing Military, Police [-Eliminating Brigade B-70 is essential!]

Brigade B-70: Several thousands troops just for the protection of one man!

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
26 October 2009

Cambodia is preparing to retired 3,000 soldiers this year, in a bid to continue the reform of its security forces, a senior official said Thursday.

“There has been some preparation, and there is the possibility we will do it this year,” Defense Minister Tea Banh told VOA Khmer.

Cambodia hopes to eventually reduce its forces from 200,000 to 80,000.

About 100,000 soldiers are ready to retire, Tea Banh said, but the government lacks the budget to fund their retirement.

Rank, title and other details for the retirees have not been publicly released.

An infantry officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said about 1,600 infantry personnel due to be retired, from either disability or age. About 20 military advisers are due to be retired soon, the official said.

The latest defense White Paper, published on the Ministry of Defense’s Web site, says the government has largely completely the demobilization of army personnel.

“Although 15,000 personnel, the number intended for demobilization in phase two, remain to be demobilized, the current figure represents a significant reduction compared to the approximately 165,000 personnel serving before1999,” according to the White Paper.

The five-year plan of the government calls for the demobilization of 30,000 soldiers, starting in May 2000, with a budget from donors of $45 million, but the plan was delayed until mid-2003.

Tea Banh said this year’s retirement is not budgeted through donor assistance.

The infantry officer said many soldiers want to retire, in exchange with an offer of land and money from the government.

In years past, Cambodia spent up to 30 percent of its budget for defense and national security. In 2009, defense was budgeted for $160 million of a total $1.8 billion.

Hun Sen warns his critics: Mr Hun Sen can you tell us something new?

Hun Sen warns his critics

27 June 2007
By Khim Sarang
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Prime Minister Hun Sen warned those who criticized the soldiers who support him that these soldiers may not be like the criticisms made against the humanitarian aids provided by Hun Sen.

Hun Sen said: “I am telling all these people (critics), if the soldiers and population can truly hear you, sometimes, they can show up at your home to look for you. What you are doing is preventing the humanitarian work of Mr Hun Sen.”

Nevertheless, opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that even though Hun Sen’s speech is a threat attempt, it is nothing more than a smokescreen, and that the police officers, the soldiers and other members of the armed forces are all victims.

Sam Rainsy said: “This threat attempt is a smokescreen that no one will pay attention to, because those who perpetrate corruption, they stole millions, tens of millions, hundred of millions of dollars from the state coffer. This is what we call corruption that leads the country to its ruin, just like the deforestation of tens of thousands of hectares of forest, the confiscation of tens of thousands of hectares of lands from the people, the stealing of state revenue by the millions of dollars, these are corruption. But our brothers and sisters who are police officers, soldiers, they receive too low salaries that they cannot live on, this forced them to earn money on the side so that they can live on a day-to-day basis, we don’t consider that as corruption.”