The RUFA buildings are currently surrounded by water (Photo: Cambodge Soir)29-10-2007
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Numerous complaints are heard from the users of the site hosting the new Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA or URBA in French): difficult access, lack of security, buildings not yet completed.
Located at the Russey Keo district, several kilometers away from Phnom Penh downtown, the road leading to the new RUFA campus is going from bad to worst, and meanwhile, the buildings are completely surrounded by water. These pitiful pictures contradict the claims made by Hem Chhin, the secretary of state of the ministry of culture, in November 2006. According to Hem Chhin, “this zone would be integrated with the city, for a nice future, because our ministry is afraid about the disappearance of our culture.”
One year later, during a meeting on the spot with some RUFA teachers and students, several problems were raised: lack of means to pay for gasoline, attacks by hoodlums, theft, bad conditions of study materials, etc… Some teachers and students, who prefer keeping their anonymity, said that that they are very unsatisfied with this situation. “The future here is like a utopian day, we must wait, maybe years, because I don’t see any progress, the high ranking officials close their eyes to our condition,” a theatre student deplored.
Closed windows, closed doors, the buildings are mainly abandoned to the silence. “I don’t blame my students for boycotting classes, because I understand their problems, the road is like the one leading to hell. Furthermore, the teachers who are already underpaid, must travel to here by paying from their own pocket,” a teacher complained.
Last year, RUFA officials, teachers and students were evicted from their former school located near the Japanese bridge. Now a private company is occupying this former location. In exchange, the company built new buildings in the middle of the countryside. RUFA officials complained that the new buildings are not built according to norms, and they fear for the definitive disappearance of RUFA which trains students to traditional Khmer arts.
Located at the Russey Keo district, several kilometers away from Phnom Penh downtown, the road leading to the new RUFA campus is going from bad to worst, and meanwhile, the buildings are completely surrounded by water. These pitiful pictures contradict the claims made by Hem Chhin, the secretary of state of the ministry of culture, in November 2006. According to Hem Chhin, “this zone would be integrated with the city, for a nice future, because our ministry is afraid about the disappearance of our culture.”
One year later, during a meeting on the spot with some RUFA teachers and students, several problems were raised: lack of means to pay for gasoline, attacks by hoodlums, theft, bad conditions of study materials, etc… Some teachers and students, who prefer keeping their anonymity, said that that they are very unsatisfied with this situation. “The future here is like a utopian day, we must wait, maybe years, because I don’t see any progress, the high ranking officials close their eyes to our condition,” a theatre student deplored.
Closed windows, closed doors, the buildings are mainly abandoned to the silence. “I don’t blame my students for boycotting classes, because I understand their problems, the road is like the one leading to hell. Furthermore, the teachers who are already underpaid, must travel to here by paying from their own pocket,” a teacher complained.
Last year, RUFA officials, teachers and students were evicted from their former school located near the Japanese bridge. Now a private company is occupying this former location. In exchange, the company built new buildings in the middle of the countryside. RUFA officials complained that the new buildings are not built according to norms, and they fear for the definitive disappearance of RUFA which trains students to traditional Khmer arts.
