Irregularities in food aid

Protesters in Sisophon (Photo: DR, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

04 Nov 2008
By Ung Chansophea
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Rice distributions to needy people sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) raise waves of indignation in the provinces of Pursat and Oddar Meanchey.

According to Kuoy Kakada, an investigator for Licadho in Pursat who was reached by phone, almost 220 people traveled on Tuesday 04 November to the Thnot Chum commune office, Krakor district, Pursat province, to protest against the corruption which affects the distribution of rice in the Phum Thmei village. Kuoy Kakada traveled to the village and he noted that “the neediest people did not receive anything, whereas families owning oxen and motorized tillers, i.e. relatively well off, received rice rations. The latter are very close to the village chief and some receive 2 or 3 portions!” The interim district governor promised the demonstrators that new distributions will take place for them. The protestors then left to go home without being really convinced by these promises. In this village, villagers who lived there the longest were brushed off whereas those who recently arrived were not.

When asked over the phone, a representative of the protesters testified: “I am not certain that I will receive rice. We are in between seasons, and we don’t have any more rice stock. In some homes, they don’t even have one cup of rice in reserve.”

Ly Ponn, the Krakor interim district governor, said that “the distribution of rice went well. The village chiefs have followed well the directives given by the National Authority for the Prevention of Natural Disasters. It was the poor who received the rice. There was no diversion in favor of the village chiefs’ families. The latter have registered their houses in advance for the need.”

On that same day, in the province of Oddar Meanchey, 85 families from the Kon Kreal commune went to demonstrate in front of the provincial governor office in Samrong. Their demands were the same as those villagers from Pursat. Yen, a 60-year-old widow living alone complained that she did not receive anything. “Some had their names registered on the list of those who should receive aid, but they were not called in during the distribution. Others received only 3 to 4 kilos of rice, it’s not normal,” she accused.

According to Srey Naren, an Adhoc investigator in the province, “the authorities simply replied that it is now too late, therefore, the villagers are ready to continue their protest tomorrow.”

Hundreds Protest Unfair Rice Distribution

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
03 November 2008

Hundreds of families from Banteay Meanchey and Pursat provinces protested Monday against unfair distribution of millions of dollars in emergency food aid.

“It is hurtful when we are the real poor and we cannot get rice aid,” said Prak Chuop, a villager in Bantey Meanchey, who joined other protesters in front of provincial headquarters.

Local authorities have been handing out rice, rice seed, fertilizer, in both provinces since Oct. 30, part of a $40 million aid package meant to offset the costs of inflation.

The ADB provided $35 million, with the government matching $5 million.

But villagers now say they aid is not reaching the most desperate.

“When I saw [the family of the village chief] going in a group, I asked them where they were going. They said, ‘To a meeting,’ but when they came back, they carried between six and 10 bags of rice,” said Ok Nonn, a protester from Pursat, where around 200 villager sat in protest at the headquarters of Thnoth Chum commune, Krakor district. “But we were not told.”

The ADB expects to distribute 120,000 tons of milled rice to 340,000 people in 200 communes for the emergency aid.

Under the ADB plan, each member of a family should receive one 35-kilogram bag of rice, but monitors for the rights group Adhoc said they received complaints from more than 200 villagers in Banteay Meanchey of much less.

“Some families received only 35 kilograms of rice [total], and some others received only 30 cans of rice,” said Sum Chankea, provincial coordinator of Adhoc in Banteay Meanchey. Thirty cans make about 7 kilograms of rice.

Long Piseth, project officer of the ADB, said he recognized the possibility of the problem. The emergency assistance was prepared in only three weeks, he said. The ADB has received 33 complaints on its hotline since the beginning of distribution, he said.

The government is responsible for unfair distribution, but the ADB will also consider how it can help the poor who missed the emergency aid, Long Piseth said.

“If we run out of emergency rice, we will take action at the end of distribution, when we have received other reports from [our] NGO monitors,” he said.

For those who miss the emergency rice, the ADB could provide rice under its “food-for-work” program or sell rice seeds at low cost, Long Piseth said.

Vorng Sandap, deputy secretary-general for the Ministry of Finance, who is in charge of the aid distribution, said Monday that the poorest people would be ensured rice under the food-for-work program.

“But it is too early to predict our actions against authorities, because the program is not finished yet,” he said.

Banteay Meanchey: Protest against rice distribution

03 November 2008
By Ung Chansophea
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

People living in the western province of Banteay Meanchey demonstrated to denounce the irregularities involved in the distribution of rice provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Accusations were made against the corruption by the local authorities.

Dozens of villagers from Punley commune, Phnom Srok district, held a demonstration in the morning of Monday 03 November to protest against irregularities which took place during the distribution of rice provided by the ADB. The villagers have directly accused the local authorities of embezzling a portion of the rice for themselves. The poorest villagers should have received 35 kg of rice each, but some families did not receive something at all. “Rice was not distributed to those who should receive it, but it went to families and clan members who are already rich,” the demonstrators accused.

Chhean Huot, the communal secretary, recognizes that aid embezzlement problem took place. Because of the demonstration, the Punley deputy village chief was questioned by the district governor and he would be dismissed, according to a rumor among the protesters. But, when reached over the phone, Kheuv Samphov, the Punley commune chief, rejected these rumors and replied that the deputy village chief was not dismissed. He also said that there was no problem in the distribution of rice. “There are political leaders behind this demonstration, in fact, in the village, the rich people are them because they own motorized tillers. They want to spread disorder by going against the authorities. This also happened in the neighboring village of Ta Vorng. In reality, the rice distribution went well, and only 5 to 10 villagers who have enough to live did not receive the distribution,” he explained.

The commune chief also complained about the trouble caused by these demonstrations which were heard all the way to the provincial governor. “But, we are currently resolving this problem,” he assured. Ung Oeung, the provincial governor, could not be reached about this issue. Last weekend, demonstrations were held for the same reason in the Ta Vorng village.

The ADB announced on Wednesday 08 October, the release of $35 million for urgent food aid in 7 provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang and Odday Meanchey. Surprisingly, Battambang, the first rice exporter of the kingdom, also receives this aid. Some poor districts in Phnom Penh also benefit from this program. The Cambodian government promised to contribute an additional $8.08 million for this aid.