Japan provides $16m demining equip to Cambodia

2012-02-16
Xinhua

PHNOM PENH - The government of Japan on Thursday provided Cambodia equipment and supplies for demining operations in equivalent to $16 million, marking the sixth phase of Japanese grant to the country's demining sector over the past decade.

The donation included heavy and light demining machines, vehicles, detectors, tents, tools, equipment and other apparatus, according to a press release from Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC).

The handover ceremony was held at CMAC demining unit in Siem Reap province with the participation by Sok An, deputy prime minister and minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, and Joe Nakano, Japanese vice minister of foreign affairs, said the press release.

Cambodia gets library for kids [from residents of Hiroshima]

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010

PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) - A facility established in the Cambodian capital by residents of Hiroshima to facilitate peaceful exchanges opened a children's library Sunday.

Hidetoshi Ito, general manager of Hiroshima House located in central Phnom Penh, said about 210 illustrated children's books, mostly of Japanese folktales, have been translated into Cambodia's Khmer language since last November by some 38 Cambodian students studying Japanese.

The number of donated books will increase over time to around 500, Ito said.

Among the 100 or so people who attended the opening ceremony were Takashi Hiraoka, a former mayor of Hiroshima, and Katsuhiro Shinohara, a former Japanese ambassador to Cambodia.

Hiraoka, now director general of the Association for Exchange between Hiroshima Citizens and Cambodia, said at the ceremony that Cambodia's future depends on its children and "reading is really important" for them to acquire deep knowledge and contribute to the country's development.

Shinohara, who speaks fluent Khmer, said he was happy to witness the opening of the library, which Cambodian children can use to absorb more knowledge after their regular school hours.

Hiroshima House is located near the Royal Palace in a monastery complex that serves as the headquarters of Cambodia's Theravada Buddhism.

Designed for multifunctional use, including for language teaching and educational exhibitions, the five-story building was constructed bit by bit by Hiroshima volunteers visiting the country between 1995 and 2006, when it was completed.

In addition to providing lodging and various courses for Cambodians, the facility has a museum and a Japanese library.

Demining equipments donated by Japan

A Cambodian deminer shows demining equipments during a hand-over ceremony of them from Japanese government in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that some 670 square kilometers of the country's land are still cover by landmine and would take several years to be removal. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A Cambodian deminer tries out demining equipments during a hand-over ceremony of them from Japanese government in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that some 670 square kilometers of the country's land are still cover by landmine and would take several years to be removal. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodia deminers try out demining equipments during a hand-over ceremony of them from Japanese government in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that some 670 square kilometers of the country's land are still cover by landmine and would take several years to be removal. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Sacrava's Political Carton: The Corrupt-Beast

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

Cambodian Side of Tribunal Receives Funding

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
01 May 2009

The Japanese government on Thursday announced a funding infusion of $4.1 million to the beleaguered Cambodian side of the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal, providing enough for staff salaries for the months of April and May as the court undertakes its first trial.

Many donors have proven reluctant to fund the Cambodian side of the court, which they say has not fully addressed allegations of corruption.

But the bilateral donation from Japan will ensure the tribunal can proceed with the trial of Duch, former chief of Tuol Sleng prison, who has been in court since March 30 facing atrocity crimes charges.

UN and Cambodian negotiators failed to reach an agreement in April on how allegations of kickbacks and other corruption should be handled, with the UN side maintaining the importance of anonymity in complaints.

The UNDP, which handles funding for the court, has refused to release money from donors until the allegations are dealt with.

That has led to a critical shortage in the Cambodian budget at the court, with Japan giving $200,000 in March to help pay staff salaries.

This week’s $4.1 million “will cover the shortfall of the Cambodian side of the ECCC’s operational costs,” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement, referring to the tribunal by its initials, for Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath declined to comment on the funding, but he confirmed that staff have been told their April and May salaries will be received in the third or fourth week of May.

Observers say that despite the corruption allegations, international donors are loath to see the special court fail, especially now that Duch is on trial.

Both France and Japan have praised the progress of the court and have urged the UN and Cambodia to reach agreement on handling corruption.

For now, the two sides are implementing a parallel structure, where complaints on the Cambodian side move through Cambodian channels, and the UN handles complaints made on its side.

$4 million from Japan to sustain corruption at the Cambodian side of the ECCC

Japan donates $4 million to Khmer Rouge tribunal

Friday, May 01, 2009
By SOPHENG CHEANG

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Japan has donated $4.17 million to the U.N.-backed genocide tribunal trying former Khmer Rouge leaders on war crimes charges, just as the troubled court was running out of funding, a court official said Friday.

The money will be used to offset a salary shortfall for 251 court staffers until at least the end of the year, tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said. The court has been troubled by political wrangling and allegations that some Cambodian officials were demanding kickbacks from people trying to secure jobs with it.

The tribunal is tasked with seeking justice for atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge during their four years in power in the late 1970s. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died under the radically communist regime from forced labor, starvation, medical neglect and executions.

"The donation arrived on time since the Cambodian side of the court was running out of budget. We really appreciate what the Japanese government has done," Reach Sambath said.

The donation comes as Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, is being tried by the tribunal for crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture.

The 66-year-old Duch (pronounced Doik) commanded the Phnom Penh prison, where as many as 16,000 men, women and children are believed to have been tortured before being sent to their deaths. Only a handful survived.

Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders, aging and infirm, are being held for trial on charges of crimes against humanity and war atrocities. The are likely to be tried in the next year or two.

The tribunal operates under the joint administration of Cambodia and the U.N., which have separate budgets. In January, Japan gave $21 million to the U.N. side of the operation.

In March, Japan donated $200,000 to the Cambodian side for that month's payroll.

"Japan places a great emphasis on the progress of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, as it believes that this process will promote peace, democracy, the rule of law and good governance in Cambodia," a statement from the Japanese Embassy said.

Japan helps Cambodia pay for Khmer Rouge trial

Friday, May 01, 2009
Australia Network News

The Japanese government says it will contribute more than 4-million US dollars in assistance to help Cambodia cover a shortfall of funds for the trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders.

The Japanese Embassy said the money was requested by Cambodia to help finance its share of the budget for the tribunal.

In a statement the embassy says it believes the legal process will promote peace, democracy, the rule of law and good governance in Cambodia.

Japan has so far contributed more than 20-million for the trials.

The court is currently hearing the case against former prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, the first of five Khmer Rouge figures detained by the tribunal to be tried.

Japan gives $21 million more to Khmer Rouge trial

Sun Jan 11, 2009

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Japan gave another $21 million to Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal Sunday and called on regional rival China to contribute as well despite Beijing's backing for Pol Pot's "Killing Fields" regime.

"The donor community as a whole should contribute to these kind of activities, including China," foreign ministry spokesman Takeshi Akamatsu told reporters in Phnom Penh after Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Tokyo's latest contribution doubles its overall funding to the court, which has indicted five of Pol Pot's top surviving henchmen on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It also takes funding for the $143 million trial budget to above $100 million.

The Khmer Rouge are blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people in their 1975-79 reign of terror. Many of their victims were tortured and executed. The rest died of disease, starvation or exhaustion.

Beijing, a major donor and investor in Cambodia, has pledged no money to the court, but has taken no active steps to block the trial.

(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Ed Cropley and Dean Yates)

Japan pledges more money for Khmer Rouge tribunal

Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Japan will give an additional $21 million to the Cambodian genocide tribunal trying the surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge, officials said Sunday.

The U.N.-backed tribunal is tasked with seeking justice for the atrocities committed by the communists during their four years in power in the late 1970s. The Khmer Rouge's radical policies caused an estimated 1.7 million deaths.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone pledged the money Sunday during a two-day visit to Cambodia, said Ieng Sophallet, a spokesman for Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The tribunal operates under both Cambodian and international law with Cambodian and foreign staff. It is under the joint administration of Cambodia and the U.N., which operate under separate budgets.

Japan's contribution is for the U.N. side of the operation.

The tribunal is mostly funded by donations from foreign donors and faces a budget crunch. The $56.3 million that was originally earmarked ran out because the tribunal had to recruit more staff and expand its work.

Japan is already the biggest contributor to the tribunal, having previously given more than $21 million for the U.N.'s operation. France, Germany and the United Kingdom are other big donors.

"Japan plays a very important role," said tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath. "The funds will be used transparently."

The pledge came two days after Cambodian judges denied paying kickbacks to government officials to secure jobs on the tribunal.

The judges were responding to a complaint filed by lawyers for Nuon Chea, one of five former senior Khmer Rouge leaders due to be tried by the tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity and other offenses. Allegations of corruption were first raised two years ago but were never publicly resolved.

The kickback dispute could further delay the tribunal's much-postponed first trial, which was slated to begin early this year.

Cambodia's genocide tribunal to get more Japan funding

Wednesday, June 18, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Japan has agreed to donate nearly $US3 million to Cambodia's genocide tribunal as it prepares to bring former Khmer Rouge leaders to trial.

A spokeswoman says the funding will go to the operations of the United Nations-backed court's administration office.

Court officials are also in New York this week seeking some $US100 million so the tribunal can continue operations.

They are set to meet potential donors on Friday.

Japan has already contributed more than $US21 million to the tribunal.

The radical Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, which ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, is blamed for the deaths of up to two million people by execution, starvation and excessive work.

Inauguration of an eye surgery building donated by Japan

Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The building of the eye care center, a donated aid from Japan, was inaugurated and officially opened on 24 December 2007, in Phnom Penh city. Professor Sea Huong, director of the Ang Duong Hospital, indicated that the inaugurated eye care building is an $89,852 donation aid from Japan. The building measures 12-by-16-meter and it has two stories. Sea Huong said that this is the second aid provided by Japan to the Preah Ang Duong Hospital. Noriyu Maruyama, the Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, declared that the eye care center of the Ang Duong hospital, provides an important help to relieve the patients’ hardship, and it will also provide eye care to patients from other hospitals, in addition to educating eye care to Cambodian and foreign students.