Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Hor Dynasty

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

CAMBODIA: The Emperor wears no clothes

The Samdach wears no clothes

Long Panha (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

July 16, 2012
Contributors: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Asian Human Rights Commission

It was not in my schedule to write an article for publication today. But I sensed anticipation by some readers – and perhaps by the Phnom Penh regime itself. To Cambodians cowed by authorities, this article stands to remind that rights and justice are worth fighting for, and dictators must know it is human nature to yearn for civil rights and freedom.

Following publication of my article, "Respect Ideals and Concepts, not Arbitrary Leaders," in this space on July 1, an open letter – marked For Publication – from the Kingdom of Cambodia's Ambassador for the United Kingdom Hor Nambora arrived in my e-mail box. AHRC published the letter along with editorial comment supportive of democratic ideals. Personally, I thought it a bit odd that the Ambassador for the United Kingdom sent me the open letter, rather than Hem Heng, Ambassador to the United States, where I reside.

But the young Hor, son of Hun Sen's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, is Hun Sen's elite diplomat: A holder of a doctorate degree from Budapest; advisor to the Cambodian government with rank of Minister; and Hun Sen's special envoy to promote Cambodia's candidacy to the United Nations Security Council for 2013-2014.

Claiming "it difficult to take seriously someone" like me who "snaps rudely from the sidelines," he wrote painstakingly, "One can only hope that you stop writing such virulent criticisms of the democratically-elected government of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and those organisations such as the Asian Human Rights Commission will stop pandering to you."

The open letter is an indication that my decades-long advocacy for open, fair and free elections in Cambodia, described in my essays published here and elsewhere, has irritated some officials of the Cambodian dictatorship. The bombastic rhetoric of Ambassador Hor is consistent with the present elite's authoritarian strand, the a'tma anh (the I-ism) that demands complete obedience, as did Pol Pot's Angkar-on-High. Yet, Cambodia endorsed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and integrated its principles into her Constitution.

Dr Gaffar Peang-Meth hits Hun Xen's regime where it hurts the most: The dog unleashes its howling pain

An Open Letter to Dr Gaffar Peang Meth

02 July 2012

Dr Gaffar Peang-Meth
C/o Asian Human Rights Commission
Unit 701A, Westley Square
48 Hoi Yuen Road
Kwun Tong, KLN
Hong Kong, China

Dear Dr Peang-Meth,

I am responding to your article, Cambodia: Respect ideals and concepts, published by the Asian Human Rights Commission.

I cannot imagine why a normally-respected body such as the AHRC should have chosen to publish your rambling, pretentious, largely irrelevant and clearly politically-motivated article.

I also find it difficult to take seriously someone like yourself who once had such strong associations with Cambodia and yet has chosen not to engage himself in the country's democratic process but to snap rudely from the sidelines, from a position of comfortable exile in the United States.

It is rather ironic that you should choose to quote the words of the Lord Buddha saying: "Do not depend on others. No-one saves us but ourselves. We ourselves must walk the path." This from somebody who deserted his countrymen long ago; first to lecture at the University of Guam and now posing as a serious political analyst producing attention-seeking articles for those misguided enough to want to publish them.

The AHRC has also done itself no credit; publishing your latest article and yet at the same time cravenly protesting that it does not necessarily share your views. In which case, one has to ask: why has it provided you with a high-profile platform and the attendant publicity? The AHRC is not a magazine or newspaper seeking to present its public with the widest possible cross-section of views. It is a regional non-governmental organisation with its own very narrow perspective and agenda - which your views seem to admirably compliment.

One can only hope that you will stop writing such virulent criticisms of the democratically-elected government of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and those organisations such as the Asian Human Rights Commission will stop pandering to you.

In the interests of balance I will be asking the AHRC to post this letter within the "Views & Opinions" section of its website.

Yours sincerely,

Hor Nam Bora

Ambassador of Cambodia

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Hye-Hor 5 Bora

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

ថាហើយថាទៀត! នេះជា រដូវ ស្កែប៊ុនចឺងភូស នៅសុកស្មែរ!

រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ច្រានចោល ការលើកឡើង របស់ ប្រេន អាដាម

Friday, 08 June 2012
ដោយៈ ឃួន វាយោ
Cambodia Express News

ភ្នំពេញ៖ នៅព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី៨ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០១២នេះ លោក កែវ រ៉េមី អនុប្រធានអង្គភាពព័ត៌មាន និង ប្រតិកម្មរហ័សរបស់ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្រ្តី បានធ្វើសន្និសីទការសែទមួយ ដោយបាន ច្រានចោល ការលើកឡើងរបស់ លោក ប្រេន អាដាម ដែលបានចោទប្រកាន់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាថា បានកាន់ អំណាចផ្តាច់ការ។

លោក កែវ រ៉េមី មានប្រសាសន៍បែបនេះ នៅក្នុងសន្និសីទកាសែតមួយ ដែលរៀបចំឡើងនៅ ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្រ្តីថា ការចោទប្រកាន់របស់លោក អាដាមនេះ ធ្វើឡើងគ្រាន់តែជាការ សងសឹកតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដើម្បីឲ្យកម្ពុជាវឹកវរទៅរកភាពអន្តរាយ។

ឯកអគ្គរាជទូតខ្មែរប្រចាំនៅចក្រភព អង់គ្លេស នៅថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ ទី០៧ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០១២ បានបញ្ចេញ ប្រតិកម្មថ្កោលទោសអត្ថបទមួយរបស់ លោក ប្រេន អាដាម ប្រធានអង្គការឃ្លាំមើលសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ដែលបានរិះគន់ ឥតសំចៃមកលើប្រមុខរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ជាពិសេសឆន្ទៈរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជា ដែលបានបោះ ឆ្នោតជូនគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា នាការបោះឆ្នោតក្រុមប្រឹក្សាឃុំ-សង្កាត់ ៣ មិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០១២។

Nepotism and cronyism in Scambodia

Then-Prince Sihanouk (L) and Future-dictator Hun Xen (R)

With some luck, a teacher in Cambodia can supplement his low salary with a second income as a motodoop in order to feed his family (Photo: John Vink/Magnum)

Thursday, October 20, 2011
Op-Ed by Pissed off

Qualification for and obtaining a top job based on education in Cambodia is a wishful thinking, especially under the current regime. You will be used for your knowledge and experiences as long as you don't interfere with the flow and the interests of the elite or into garbage and possibly incinerator shall you be tossed!

Family tie is a unervisal characteristic of human being and is not special in any race. Cambodian family tie is not any more special or better than that of any race under the sky.

Giving jobs to your own family members without open and fair competition based on qualification is nepotism and it is blatantly everywhere in Cambodia and some undemocratic countries from top to bottom.

The case of Hor Nam Hong and his sons is a blatant example of nepotism. Norodom Arun Reaksmey's case is an example of cronyism or political favoritism, i.e. you scratch my back well, I will scratch yours. Keep scratching my back, buddy and don't worry about the state of the nation and thus her people, I will remember to scratch yours when one of my hand is free or when I have a moisturizing lotion to go with it.

Cambodian diplomat slams BBC Radio 4

Hor 5 Bora (aka Baby Hor)

Jan 19, 2011
By Tharum Bun
AsianCorrespondent.com

An edition of the BBC’s Crossing Continents with the title ‘Cambodia: Country for Sale‘ has prompted a letter from the UK’s Ambassador of Cambodia, who wrote last week that “reporter Mukul Devichand appeared to be pursuing a very clear agenda; the intention being to discredit the Royal Government of Cambodia and sully its reputation.”

Ambassador Hor Nambora’s letter came just a day after the BBC radio documentary series ran the story that explains “why global investors are suddenly fighting to snap up cheap fertile paddy fields from poor villagers, who claim they are being exploited and intimidated.”

Crossing Continents reporter Mukul Devichand reported:

Journalistically, this is the most difficult part of the assignment. While there are no end of non-governmental organisations eager to take us to villages where they claim there was wrongdoing, the business community – perhaps understandably – are wary of foreign reporters.

In the 13-January response to the BBC Radio 4 Controller Gwyneth Williams, the Cambodian envoy said

In his article to complement the programme which appeared on several BBC websites, Mr Devichand’s argument that Cambodia is a “Country for Sale” seemed to bear an uncomfortable similarity to the ferocious and malicious allegations made against the Cambodian Government in recent years by the international pressure group, Global Witness.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: New Products

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Baby Hor's Response to Zazzle Inc. on misuse of coat of arms December 7, 2010

Response to Zazzle Inc. on misuse of coat of arms December 7, 2010

Mr Michael Karns
Zazzle.com Inc.
Redwood City, California
USA
(650) 261-3337
mkarns@zazzle.com

Cc: Lawrence Smalheiser
Trainer Communications
(925) 271-8211
zazzle@trainercomm.com
zazzle@zazzle.co.uk
development@zazzle.co.uk

Dear Mr Karns,

I am writing to protest in the strongest terms about your company's offensive misuse of the Cambodian coat of arms.

On the Zazzle website, you are currently offering your customers this revered emblem as one of the designs they can choose to appear on a pair of Pro-Keds Hi-Top shoes. This is completely unacceptable. Depicting the Cambodian coat of arms on any sort of footwear is regarded in my country as beeing deeply insulting to the King, the Government and the Cambodian people and has prompted considerable anger and offence.

It's similar, I would suggest, to the reaction one might expect in the United Stated if the the U.S flag was burned or otherwise besmirched.

While I am prepared to accept that this mistake was made inadvertently and that your company did not realise what great damage would be caused, now that you have been aware of the seriousness of the situation, I would insist that you immediately withdraw this item from sale.

I would also wish to see the cacellation of any orders already taken for this design and for your company to give an undertaking that it will refrain from misusing the Cambodian coat of arms at any time in the future. Indeed, Cambodian law prohibits the unauthorized use of the Cambodian flag and Cambodian coat of arms for business purposes and any further infringement could see your company subjected to public prosecution.

Yours Sincerely,

Hor Nambora

Ambassador of Cambodia to the Court of St James’s

London, United Kingdom
-------
KI-Media Note: Words underscored above contain typos pointed by KI-Media readers. It should be noted that Zazzle sells shoes bearing more than just Cambodia's royal coat of arms, the pair of sneakers below shows a picture of Sunset on Angkor Wat. While in Cambodia and in Asia, such display is an insult, in the west, such display is in fact used as advertisement also. Something to think about!

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Undiplomatic Hyena

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Trade union told to go to the moon by [Cambodian] Embassy official

A trade union leader claims he was told to go to the moon by a Cambodian Embassy official after he asked about human rights abuses.

Further undiplomatic saga from Hor 5 Bora's embassy in the UK: Like foulmouth boss (Hun Xen), like foulmouth minion (Hor 5 Bora)

Hor 5 Bora, Hun Xen's Cambodia undiplomatic ambassador to the UK

Trade union told to go to the moon by [Cambodian] Embassy official

A trade union leader claims he was told to go to the moon by a Cambodian Embassy official after he asked about human rights abuses.

07 Oct 2010

The Telegraph (UK)

"Please report to your clown boss to stop this childish game and stop this circus at once? Thank you." - Email answer from Cambodian embassy in the UK

"please go to the moon and stay there until you get an answer. Cambodia is not part of the British Empire" - Email answer from Cambodian embassy in the UK

Ben Rickman, secretary at Brent Trade Union Councils, emailed the embassy in Brondesbury Park, Willesden, north London, via the Amnesty UK website.

Mr Rickman outlined his dismay over union chiefs being targeted as they organised national strikes in protest over poor working conditions in the South East Asian country.

But he was shocked to receive a distinctly undiplomatic response from the embassy's official email address.

Signed the Webmaster, the email said: "It is none of your business!"

"Please report to your clown boss to stop this childish game and stop this circus at once? Thank you."

Mr Rickman replied saying "this is not a childish game and I will not stop until I get a sensible answer".

Two hours later he got a second email saying "please go to the moon and stay there until you get an answer. Cambodia is not part of the British Empire".

Amnesty UK confirmed the response came from the embassy's email address but didn't want to comment further in case they deflected attention from serious human rights issues.

A Cambodian Embassy spokesman said he had no record of the emails sent.

John Tymon, chairman of Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group, said: "We will allow the Cambodian Embassy 14 days to give us written assurances over the safety of the union leaders or we will have to escalate our protests accordingly."

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Thieves

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Ambassador Withdraws Global Witness Debate Challenge

Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer
Washington, D.C Monday, 24 May 2010

“If we look at the website of the Ministry of Economics and Finance, in the natural resource revenues section, there is no revenue from the sand trade, while sand is being traded to Singapore. Therefore, if there is such a trade, the ministry should include the revenue from sand trade in Koh Kong in its Web page.”

Cambodian officials in London have baulked at their challenge to openly debate environmental watchdog Global Witness, which recently warned of damaging coastal sand dredging.

Cambodian Ambassador to the UK Hor Nambora issued an open challenge for a debate in April, saying, it was “time Global Witness was stopped in its tracks and forced to explain and justify its campaign of smear and hatred against the Cambodian government and the Cambodian people.”

UK-based Global Witness, which is an internationally recognized environmental monitoring group, accepted the offer last week.

However, in a May 21 letter to Global Witness Director Simon Taylor, Hor Nambora now says he will not enter a debate, claiming the group has a “hidden agenda” to discredit the Cambodian government.

Global Witness has continually rankled leaders in Phnom Penh with heavily researched reports on timber, oil and mining, and the senior officials and businessmen who run the industries. Its reports are banned in Cambodia, which the group says is being hurt by a kleptocratic elite close to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

In a May report, Global Witness criticized the alleged sale of dredged sand from Cambodia’s coastal zones for sale to Singapore, despite a ban by Hun Sen. That report sparked the latest round of challenges from the Cambodian government. The Cambodian Embassy in London called that report “cheap and rubbish.”

In his letter, the ambassador said Global Witness suffers from “epilepsy and other mental disabilities.”

Mam Sambath, chairman of the group Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency, who was on his way to attend oil giant Chevron’s annual meeting in Texas, said he supported public debate on Cambodia’s natural resources.

“If we look at the website of the Ministry of Economics and Finance, in the natural resource revenues section, there is no revenue from the sand trade, while sand is being traded to Singapore,” he said. “Therefore, if there is such a trade, the ministry should include the revenue from sand trade in Koh Kong in its Web page.”

Baby Hor's school of undiplomatic diplomacy

Cambodian Embassy withdraws offer of public debate

Press Release – 24/05/2010

Global Witness is disappointed, but not entirely surprised, to hear that the Cambodian Embassy has withdrawn its offer for a public debate with us. We had responded to their proposal in good faith and saw this as an opportunity for sensible and necessary discussion about issues of public interest. However, it seems they are continuing their policy of opacity in natural resource management, which they appear to be unable to defend or to justify in public. We therefore hope that Cambodia's international donors will be bringing up issues of accountability, transparency and corruption at the forthcoming government-donor meeting in early June.

Click on the letter to zoom in

Not a grain of courage to debate Global Witness as he boasted: Hor 5 Bora

Hor 5 Bora will not debate Global Witness

22 May 2010
Pin Sisovann, VOA
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On 19 May 2010, Global Witness issued a reply letter to the invitation made by the Cambodian embassy in the UK to hold a public debate on the destruction of natural resources in Cambodia.

The Cambodian embassy in the UK issued a communiqué in English on 30 April 2010 in which it quoted Hor 5 Bora as stating: “Global Witness is in danger of losing all credibility as it continues to pursue a ferocious politically-motivated campaign against the Cambodian government.”

In the same communiqué, Hor 5 Bora stressed: “It’s time Global Witness was stopped in its tracks and forced to explain and justify its campaign of smear and hatred against the Cambodian Government and the Cambodian People.” In that communiqué, he invited Global Witness to debate in London or anywhere else. Following the positive reply from Global Witness to the debate challenge, which Global Witness set the date to 17 June 2010, the Cambodian embassy in London issued a letter dated 21 May 2010, rejecting the public debate, stating that Global Witness is politically motivated and that it has a hidden agenda to destroy the legal government of PM Hun Xen. He also indicated that Global Witness is losing its honor and that it serves as a political tool to the opposition party in Cambodia. The letters indicated that, because Global Witness’ leaders and attackers are affected by “chhkuot chrouk” (crazy like a pig) and mental problems, thus, it is a good thing that Cambodian officials and representatives do not participate in this debate.

Global Witness is an organization that protects the environment all over the world and it focused its works in numerous countries. International researchers consider Global Witness as an organization that widely understands about the environment and what it is undertaking. Global Witness does not just criticize Hun Xen’s government alone, any government or companies in the world that affects the environment come under its criticisms also. For example, on 20 May, Global Witness issued a report exposing Goldman Sachs bank backing oil deals in Angola by the US company Cobalt International Ebergy, in spite of the fact that Goldman Sachs knows that its partner’s action could face corruption charge in the US.

Mam Sambath, President of the Revenue Transparency Alliance who is currently traveling to the US to participate in Chevron’s yearly meeting, said that he strongly supports the idea of holding a public debate on the destruction of natural resources in Cambodia, because such debate could help bring transparency in the administration of the country’s natural resources. He indicated that he regrets to see the debate being cancelled. He added: “I believe that if this debate can be held, it would be very good because it will show the information that we have not received yet, and it will be wide open to the public. If we look at information posted on the Internet about revenues from oil and gas, from mining to the ministry of Economy and Finance, there is no indication on revenues from sand dredging even though the sand trade already took place in Koh Kong that led to the export to Singapore. Therefore, if such mining operation takes place, the government should receive income from sand dredging in Koh Kong province, and the ministry of Economy and Finance should post this information on its website.”

At the beginning of May, Global Witness issued a report on the export of several millions of tons of sand from Koh Kong to sell in Singapore that will seriously damage the environment. Global Witness reported that while the government issued a ban on sand export, cronies of the regime received license to export sand to Singapore. Global Witness estimates that the sale of sand from Koh Kong province alone brings in US$248 million per year based on the sand price in Singapore. However, the Cambodian embassy in the UK rejected the Global Witness report, calling it cheap and rubbish, devoid of truth, and that it was aimed at dishonoring Hun Xen’s regime.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Words of Diplomat Hor 5 Bora

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Baby Hor barking at Global Witness again to defend his masters

May 11, 2010
2010 Media Releases
Source: Ambassador's Media Release Cambodian Embassy in the UK

Not a grain of truth in sand export claims, says Cambodian Government (sic!)

The Royal Government of Cambodia has reacted angrily to malicious and misleading claims by an international trouble maker that sand-dredging operations in Cambodia are causing widespread environmental damage.

A cheap and rubbish report from Global Witness claims that Cambodia is exporting vast amounts of sand to Singapore to help the city-state dramatically increase its landmass; and that the dredging is posing a huge risk to Cambodia’s coastline, threatening fish stocks, local livelihoods and endangered species. The claims has been also strongly denied and rejected by the Government of Singapore.

But Cambodian Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Samdech Hun Sen, had announced a blanket ban on sand exports last year. “There is also a ban on sand-dredging near islands and eco-tourism areas, deep water regions and in zones with large numbers of fish stock.”

A small amount of dredging was permitted to serve local demand and allow the passage of ships through over-silted areas, he said.

Global Witness has also claimed that two Cambodian senators, Mong Reththy and Ly Yong Plat have secretly been awarded sand extradition licences.

But Mr Reththy has responded by openly acknowledging he has a licence to export sand. But he denied shipments had ever been made to Singapore. “For a start it’s not the sort of sand that meets Singapore’s standards. But in any case, I have not sold any sand, not even one kilogramme. I don’t know where Global Witness gets its information from.”

Pech Siyon, the Director of the Cambodian government’s Department of Industry, Energy and Mines in the southwest province of Koh Kong, said sand-dredging operations in his region had stopped since the Prime Minister’s ban on sand exports.

Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith dismissed the Global Witness report as politically motivated. “Their reports are always exaggerated far beyond the imagination and attack the Cambodian Government in order to try and bring political benefit to one of the smaller opposition parties,” he said.

Is Cambodia Dredging its Rivers to Death?

A worker sits on a pile of sand on a construction site in Singapore in February 2007 (Nicky Loh / Reuters)

Saturday, May. 15, 2010
By Christopher Shay
Time Magazine (USA)

Paul Ferber was scuba diving in Cambodia's Sre Ambil River shortly after ships had finished dredging the area. As director of Marine Conservation Cambodia, Ferber was used to seeing the Cambodian estuaries teeming with marine life. He was shocked: Over 15 kilometers of river, he saw exactly one fish and two shrimp. "It was crazy to dive and see nothing," he says.

This isn't just happening to Cambodian rivers. Cambodian fishermen say fish stocks have plummeted off the coast of the province of Koh Kong, and that they now need to travel further and further to feed their families. Residents say the timing of these changes points to one main culprit: the sand industry, for which dredgers suck up more than 25,000 tons of Cambodian sand a day to export primarily to Singapore, according to a report released this week by Global Witness, a London-based environmental watchdog.

Along the Kampot River in February, angry residents destroyed nearby dredging equipment after a collapsing riverbank threatened their village. Mu Sochua, an opposition party parliamentarian, said the villagers had already tried pressuring their provincial leaders and sending letters to the Prime Minister and that the villagers "had no other choice." Phay Siphan, a spokesman from the Cambodian Council of Ministers, dismissed Mu's complaints, saying, "From my experience, the opposition party never does the job. They sit down and wait to hear from outside reporters and then take the opportunity to insult the government."

Cambodia does regulate its sand exports — at least on paper. After a host of protests and a raft of bad press, the Cambodian government banned the export of river sand a year ago. But the Global Witness report claims that dredging operations have actually expanded since then and that the dredging of river sand continues unabated. A search of alibaba.com, a Chinese business-to-business e-commerce site, still reveals a number of companies purporting to sell Cambodian river sand.

This booming Cambodian trade, according to the report, is fueled by Singapore's voracious appetite for sand. Since splitting off from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore has become one of the world's wealthiest countries, and as its importance has grown, so, too, has the country. According to Global Witness, since the 1960s, the island of Singapore has increased its size by 22%, or 130 square kilometers (50 miles), and the country has plans to expand at least another 50 square kilometers (20 miles). This has made Singapore one of the world's biggest importers of sand. After Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam limited or banned sand exports because of the environmental impact of dredging, Singapore has increasingly relied on Cambodia, the report says.

The result has been "ecologically and socially devastating," says the Global Witness report. The NGO accuses Singapore of "hypocrisy on a grand scale" for presenting itself as a leader on green issues — even hosting the World Cities Summit with the theme of "Liveable and Sustainable Cities of the Future" — while burying its head in the sand, so to speak, and ignoring the environmental consequences in Cambodia. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Singaporean Ministry of National Development countered, "The report suggests that the Singapore government seeks to import sand without due regard to the laws or environmental impact of the source country, in this case, Cambodia. This is not true. We are committed to the protection of the global environment, and we do not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand." The statement added that sand is supplied by private entities that are contractually obliged not to cause adverse impact to the environment of the source country and must comply with its laws.

Dredging picked up in Cambodia after Indonesia abruptly banned sand exports in 2007. Prior to the ban, more than 275,000 tons of sand were being exported every month from Indonesia's Riau Islands, according to the Global Witness report, and two islands — Nipah and Sebaik — nearly vanished because of extensive dredging. The Indonesian government had to go back and fill in Nipah in order to save the island, which helps determine Indonesia's maritime border with Singapore. Even with the bans and export restrictions, sand remains big business in the region. Sand smuggling has become a problem in Indonesia with more than an estimated 300 million cubic meters of sand being exported illegally every year, according to the Telegraph. In Malaysia, 34 government officials were arrested in a sex-for-sand scandal in January, where officials allegedly received bribes and sexual favors to help smuggle the sand out of the country.

In Cambodia's Koh Kong province every month, dredgers extract more than 850,000 tons of sand, according to Global Witness, which valued a year's worth of Koh Kong sand at nearly $250 million on the market in Singapore. A Cambodian government-sponsored website claims that dredgers remove only between 40,000 and 60,000 tons of sand per month in Koh Kong, and that the sand mining operations "remain small-scale." Global Witness acknowledges their numbers are only estimates but stands by their claim that the numbers are far greater than the government is reporting.

Exact numbers are hard to come by since the wheeling and dealings of Cambodia's sand trade go on behind closed doors, Global Witness says. The report claims two Cambodian senators with close ties to both Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian military are at the center of this trade. In response to Global Witness, the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London released a May 11 statement slamming the study, calling it a "cheap and rubbish report" containing "malicious and misleading claims by an international troublemaker."

It isn't the first time Global Witness has picked a fight with Cambodia's ruling elite. After the release of a 2007 report alleging links between high-ranking members of the government and illegal logging, the Cambodian government denied all charges, the head of the Forestry Department called the report "laughable," and a provincial governor — who also happens to be the Prime Minister's brother — promised that if members of Global Witness ever set foot in Cambodia, "I will hit them until their heads are broken."

Dredging sucks up sand a few feet below the marine floor, disturbing the water. Even temporary increases in turbidity can interfere with spawning and suffocate coral reefs, according. Ferber from Marine Conservation Cambodia dove along a dredging pipe and told TIME the sea was thick with sediment. Overdredging in waterways can lower stream bottoms and disrupt the natural sedimentary processes, leading to the erosion of riverbanks. In Cambodia, the marine life is particularly rich; the seagrass beds of Kampot are the largest in the region and shelters endangered dugongs and dolphins. Chourn Bunnara, a program coordinator at the Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT), says he's seen dredging in only 10 meters of water that has "completely destroyed" an area, killing nearby mangroves and emptying the waters of fish.

Not everyone has given up on putting a stop to dredging in Cambodia. Chourn knows it will be difficult to end unsustainable sand dredging in Cambodia because of the "rich people and the power men behind it." But his organization, FACT, is nonetheless putting together a workshop in hopes of educating the country's politicians about the dangers of dredging. "We've learned about other countries and the negative impacts that happened there," he says. For her part, Mu says she won't stop fighting but admits, "Civil society has already done everything possible," and says Singapore needs to take more responsibility. Singapore "leads the world in good business that protects the environment." But, she adds, "any country that is part of this is part of the destruction of the environment."

Baby Hor embarks on a barking mission on behalf of Papa Hor's boss ... yet again

Ambassador Condemns Pressure Group: Smear Campaign

April 30, 2010
Source: Hor 5 Bora, Cambodian embassy in the UK

The Ambassador of Cambodia to the United Kingdom, Nambora Hor, says the pressure group Global Witness is in danger of losing all credibility as it continues to pursue a ferocious politically-motivated campaign against the Cambodian government.

“Global Witness is now a loose cannon spouting ever more irresponsible statements which shouldn’t be tolerated by the international community,” he said.

The Ambassador’s comments follow Global Witness questioning a US$28 million payment made to the Cambodian government by the French oil company, Total; Global Witness is demanding that the issue should be top of the agenda when the group of countries providing international aid to Cambodia meet in June.

Ambassador Hor said: “It’s time Global Witness was stopped in its tracks and forced to explain and justify its campaign of smear and hatred against the Cambodian Government and the Cambodian People.”

The Ambassador challenged the pressure group to a debate in London or elsewhere. “Global Witness should not be allowed to continue peddling persistent lies and misleading information about the lawfully-elected government of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The unsavoury tactics of this organisation need to be exposed for all to see.”

The Ambassador said he was confident all donor countries to Cambodia as well as other international partners would continue to support the political, economic, social and judicial reforms which had been positively implemented by the Government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

He said it was those countries providing financial backing to Global Witness which should cut their funding to the organisation with immediate effect. He also urged nations in the developing world to ban representatives of Global Witness from entering their countries.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Baby Hor 5 Bora

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)