Hun Xen's travesty of justice in Cambodia - By Anonymous

Sinatoon Political Cartoon: Cambodia with Yuon Justice

Cartoon by V. Sina

Court Upholds Charges Against Angkor Lighting Critic

Moeung Son (Photo: DAP-news)

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 24 May 2011

The Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a guilty verdict for a man accused of disinformation, following public remarks critical of a lighting project at Angkor Wat, but reduced the charges against him.

Moeung Sonn, who has fled the country, is facing a two-year prison sentence following a suit brought by the government in 2009. He had disseminated public remarks claiming the Apsara Authority was potentially damaging Angkor Wat by installing a lighting system around the temple.

Apsara officials denied the lights, which have since been taken down, posed a threat to the temple.

Moeung Son's invitation to the public

Moeung Sonn (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Dear Sir, Madam

I invite you to attend the verdict of the sentence of May 6th, 2011 which will take place

May 24th, 2011 at 2.00PM

At the Court of Appeal in Phnom Penh

On the affair of the lightings in temples of Angkor. This verdict is the most important for the image of the justice as well as for the right of the freedom of expression in Cambodia. It is my last chance to return to my homeland.

Thank you in advance for your presence.

Contact: Moeung Sonn H/P Thailand +6684 7083 055

----------------

Je vous invite à assister au verdict du jugement du 6 mai 2011 qui aura lieu

le 24 mai 2011

à la court d'appel de Phnom Penh

sur l'affaire des éclairages au temples d'Angkor. Cet verdict est le plus important pour l'image de la justice ainsi que pour le droit de la liberté d'expression au Cambodge. C'est ma dernière chance de retourner dans mon pays natal.

merci d'avance pour votre présence.

Moeung Sonn

http://www.box.net/shared/5nrb3crnm8

Letter to Khmer World Radio regarding Khmer Surin

Thank you note from Mr. Bunthan Eang to Mr. Moeung Son regarding Khmer Surin issue

Bunthan Eang

Dear Mr. Son Moeung,

Thank you for your response. You already made decision to resign from your "Presidency", and has planned to return to France. The rain is over. Après la pluie, c'est le beau temps.

SKSC has a long term plan to support Mr. Cheymongkol and his associates for Teaching and Preserving Khmer Culture. It is just the beginning. We have a long way to go.

Regarding all expenses, all donors know how to follow up their donations. We are grateful to have Mr. Cheymongkol who has sacrificed to hold on his program from grass root.

SKSC believes that without financial support, it will be very difficult to keep the program alive. Therefore, patience, determination, and right approach are the steps toward progress and harmony.

I may let you know that I am a retired educator. I hope that SKSC, all supports inside and outside the country, and I can use combined experience to help Mr. Cheymongkol and his associates without making any bad reputation and disadvantage.

Sincerely yours,

Bunthan Eang

SKSC

(562) 200-8379

eangb@yahoo.com

www.apsarakhmer.org

----------------

M. Son Moeung,

Je vous remercie pour votre réponse. Vous avez déjà pris la décision de démissionner de votre «présidence», et a prévu de rentrer en France. La pluie est finie. Après la pluie, C'est beau le temps.

SKSC a un plan à long terme pour appuyer M. Cheymongkol et ses associés pour l'enseignement et la préservation de la culture khmère. Il n'est que le début. Nous avons un long chemin à parcourir.

En ce qui concerne toutes les dépenses, tous les donateurs savent comment le suivi de leurs dons. Nous sommes heureux d'avoir M. Cheymongkol qui a sacrifié à tenir sur son programme à partir de la base. SKSC estime que sans le soutien financier, il sera très difficile de maintenir le programme. Par conséquent, la patience, la détermination et la bonne approche sont les étapes vers le progrès et l'harmonie. .

Je peux vous dire que je suis un éducateur à la retraite. J'espère que SKSC et moi, nous pouvons utiliser l'expérience combinées à l'aide de M. Cheymongkol et ses collaborateurs sans faire de mauvaise réputation et le désavantage.

Veuillez agréer,

Bunthan Eang

SKSC

(562) 200-8379

eangb@yahoo.com

www.apsarakhmer.org

Clarification from the S'rin Language and Culture Association regarding Mr. Moeung Son

Click on the statement in Khmer to zoom in

Mr. Chey Mongkol teaching Khmer language in S'rin (Photo: http://picasaweb.google.co.th/khmersurin)

Do Not Break Up Khmer [Unity] - A statement by Mr. Chey Mongkol from Srin

The following is a statement issued by Mr. Chey Mongkol of the Srin [Surin] Language and Culture Association in Thailand explaining the reason why he refuses to join the alliance set up by Moeung Son, the president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation. The actions taken by Mr. Moeung Son's group led to an infinite delay in the funding provided by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) to Khmer Srin associations. Furthermore, Mr. Moeung Son would like to establish his base in Wat Svay Pagoda, a center that Mr. Chey Mongkol's Association is already providing Khmer language teaching on a yearly basis. Mr. Chey Mongkol would rather see Mr. Moeng Son starting his activities in an area where Khmer language teaching is not available yet. While Mr. Chey Mongkol refuses to join Mr. Moeung Son's group, he clearly stated that he is not preventing the latter from performing its activities in Srin, however, Mr. Moeung Son must clearly understand the needs and the requirements faced by the local Khmer Srin people and he must not impose his outside views that could seriously affect the wellbeing of Khmer Srin.

Click on the statement in Khmer to zoom in

SKSC Statement

Chhey Mongkol asks Moeung Son not to meddle Khmer Surin's effort to teach Khmer language

Mr. Chey Mongkol

KI-Media Note: On 02 October 2010, Mr. Chhay Mongkol wrote a letter to Moeung Son, the president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation, not to meddle in effort initiated by Khmer Surin, such as that of Mr. Chhay Mongkol, to bring Khmer language education to Surin province. Mr. Chhay Mongkol is concerned that Moeung Son’s intention is not necessarily to teach Khmer Surin, but rather to form some sort of movement due to his sentencing by the Hun Xen regime for criticizing the lighting of Ankor Wat temple. Mr. Moeung Son who escaped to France prior to his conviction, has traveled extensively to seek support to have his case overturned. Mr. Moeung Son’s latest attempt to insert himself in the education of Khmer language in Surin is rightfully viewed with suspicion by Khmer Surin who had put tremendous effort in bringing Khmer language back to Surin as they are concerned that Mr. Moeung Son’s intention could undermine their effort.

The following is Mr. Chhay Mongkol's letter to Moeung Son:

Click on the letter in Khmer to zoom in

In response to Mr. Chhay Mongkol's letter, Moeung Son sent over the following invitation and explanation in Khmer. He also wrote in his email to Mr. Chhay Mongkol:

Dear lok khmuy Mongkul

I hope that you'are not unhappy about my letter in file attached, I consider that you are as my son, so I want that you understand my feeling in favor of your work for social education to the Surin people.

After you read my explanation, I hope that you joint our meeting on 08-10-2010 Wat Svay.

Please check our letter invitation in the attached file.

Invitation to a meeting in Wat Svay:



Moeung Son's explanation letter to Chhay Mongkol:

Rights group condemns Cambodian "crackdown'

Jul 15, 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - A US-based human rights group on Wednesday demanded Cambodia's leaders end what it called a campaign of 'harassment, threats, and unwarranted legal action' against government critics following a spate of court rulings apparently aimed at limiting free speech.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) had filed nine defamation and disinformation suits this year against journalists, opposition party members and civil society leaders.

'The Cambodian government is imposing its most serious crackdown on freedom of expression in recent years,' the group's director, Brad Adams, said in a statement. 'Once again, Hun Sen is showing his true stripes by harassing and threatening to imprison peaceful critics of his increasingly authoritarian government.'

The group's demand came a day after Moeung Sonn, president of the non-profit Khmer Civilization Foundation, was sentenced in absentia to two years prison for disinformation, after he accused the government of damaging the historic Angkor Wat temple by installing lighting fixtures in the building's walls.

Moeung Sonn was in France at the time of the ruling.

Last week the publishers of Moneaksekar Khmer, an opposition-affiliated newspaper, closed operations after being threatened with legal action and forced to apologize for recent criticism of government officials, the statement said.

Two opposition lawmakers are expected to face trial for defamation in coming weeks after the CPP-dominated legislature voted to strip the pair of their parliamentary immunity.

Phay Siphan, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the Human Rights Watch statement was based on 'uninformed observations' about Cambodia's media and legal system and 'did not tell the whole story.'

'I appreciate their concern about freedom of speech, but they incorrectly mixed defamation with the other cases, which relate to misinformation and national security,' he said. 'The rule of law requires that the government can take people to court to judge whether they are right or wrong.'

Reality off the rails in Phnom Penh [-Phnom Penh is in complete denial]

Muzzled opposition in front of the National Assembly (Photo: SRP)

Jun 26, 2009
By Sam Campbell
Asia Times (Hong Kong)

PHNOM PENH - Science fiction author Philip K Dick once explained reality as "that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away". As sensible as this may sound, it is a definition unlikely to take hold in Cambodia, where recent events have shown the government's tendency to obstinately dismiss anything but the most convenient information.

The denials have come from the highest ranks of government to the lowest rungs of social entertainment and conscripted the judicial system to fend off criticism. Experts and economists say the government backlash risks driving away the vital foreign investment and international aid the country now desperately needs to keep the economy afloat.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have both predicted a 0.5% contraction in Cambodia's 2009 gross domestic product (GDP), while the independent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) estimated an even sharper 3% drop. The government sees things differently and announced last month a beaming 6% GDP growth projection, down only slightly from its 7% projection in April.

That optimistic spin, economists and experts say, is totally out of whack with Cambodia's on-the-ground economic realities, as well as regional and global trends. The crucial garment industry, usually the country's main export engine, saw exports plummet 25% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2009. The foreign revenue-generating tourism sector is equally troubled, with air arrivals in the first four months of 2009 down 16% over the same period last year.

The kingdom's rapid economic growth - GDP increases were measured in double digits for several years - seems to have made officials reluctant to concede that the downturn is having serious effects in Cambodia.

Indeed, Prime Minister Hun Sen's economic lieutenants have been slow to acknowledge the impact of the global crisis on Cambodia's until recently rising fortunes, opting instead to discredit or clamp down on critical news and assessments.

Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said in early June that a US$6.6 million training program and a $1 million micro-loans program would be adequate to mitigate the 60,000 garment factory workers who recently lost their jobs - a claim greeted with skepticism from economic analysts. Keat Chhon did not respond to an Asia Times Online request for an interview about the programs.

Hun Sen has responded to downcast projections with a characteristic sharp tongue. When the EIU this year rated Cambodia among global countries at high risk of political instability due to the economic crisis, the strongman leader questioned the report's "political orientation" and said the experts that compiled it wore "glasses with prescriptions too strong for their eyes".

In an April 6 speech, the premier went further, claiming that the report was "a political attempt to stop the flow of investments". Meanwhile, Cambodia's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hor Nambora, dismissed the report as based on "sketchy and unconvincing" evidence. In a letter to the EIU, he called the report "perverse" and "insulting".

"Your scare-mongering allegations are highly dangerous, as they could be construed as actively inciting unrest," wrote Hor Nambora, son of Cambodia's veteran Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. "They also happen to be a gross distortion and misrepresentation of Cambodia's true position, and there can be no justification for these claims."

He also upbraided the EIU for having "arrogantly dismissed" Hun Sen's vow that Cambodia would maintain its economic growth this year: "You seem to have ignored this reassurance from the highest possible level, preferring to rely on your own evidence."

Comedic criticism

The government's protestations peaked in early June following a May 30 concert organized by rights organizations to bring attention to the thorny issue of corruption.

At the so-called "Clean Hands Concert", newly appointed United States ambassador Carol Rodley called corruption one of the main obstacles to socio-economic development in the country, claiming the scourge "costs Cambodia up to $500 million per year in terms of forgone state revenue that could otherwise be spent on public services in education and health care and jobs for Cambodian youth".

She claimed that the sum was "equivalent to the cost of constructing 20,000 six-room school buildings or the ability to pay every civil servant in Cambodia an additional US$260 per month". Her arithmetic, however, was not well received by the government.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia absolutely refutes the politically motivated and unsubstantiated allegation made by the United States diplomat in contradiction of the good relations between Cambodia and the United States Government," read a stern letter the Cambodian Foreign Ministry sent to the US Embassy.

Cambodia's UK ambassador Hor Nambora again entered the fray, saying Rodley seemed to have allied herself "with the discredited views of the international pressure group Global Witness which continually engages in virulent and malicious campaigns against the Royal Government of Cambodia". Global Witness has long been an irritating antagonist to Hun Sen's administration, once labeling its leaders as a "kleptocratic elite".

Pointing to a conspiracy to undermine the government is becoming a common theme when responding to critics of the government. The eventual aims of this unnamed group of conspirators - which encompasses such diverse organizations as environmental watchdogs like Global Witness, economic think-tanks such as the EIU and human-rights groups - is unclear.

One conspiracy theory was put forth publicly by Chy Koy, a performer with the popular Koy comedy troupe. Although Koy had performed at the Clean Hands anti-graft concert, he appeared on June 6 on a Cambodian People's Party-owned television station to ridicule anti-corruption NGOs (non-governmental organizations) as money hungry fabricators of non-existent corruption.

"Some NGOs accuse the government of being corrupt without thinking about its achievements," he explained to the local press after the parody. "You can say that the government is corrupt if nothing had developed in our country, but the government is working and everything is developing." Although Cambodia is officially one of the world's least-developed countries, the comedian claimed: "Now we have everything. Some families have two SUVs, some have three."

The Koy performance was followed - again on CPP-controlled TV - on June 13 by the Krem comedy troupe, which portrayed NGOs and journalists as conspiring to stage fake forced evictions - another bete noir of the Cambodian government. The well-documented and sometimes violent evictions of impoverished communities, according to Krem's sketch, are merely an invented tool to enable greedy foreigners to indulge their appetites for luxury hotels and local women.

With official denials and social satire fending off criticism on one front, another battle was playing out in a very different sphere: home decoration.

In what many viewed as one of the most peculiar assaults on free speech so far this year, Soung Sophorn, a 22-year-old law student, was fined $1,250 after being convicted of defamation. Oddly, the medium for the defamation was graffiti, and the slogans "Against dictatorial policy", "People suffer because the government bows down to the company", and "Stop Evictions" in English, had been sprayed on June 1 on the side of Soung Sophorn's own home.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth told local media that Soung Sophorn, a member of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and a vocal critic of evictions, was convicted because, "He can insult any individual or company but not the government." Prior to the three-day arrest and conviction process, Soung Sophorn had been summoned to the headquarters of local developer Shukaku Inc, the company responsible for the looming eviction of Soung Sophorn's community, for his opinionated house painting.

Private developer Shukaku's 99-year, $79 million lease to develop 133 hectares of state land where 4,000 mainly poor families live, including the area adjacent to the Boeung Kak backpacker ghetto, has provoked a steady stream of censure from foreign diplomats and rights organizations. According to local reports, the company and its owner, CPP Senator Lao Meng Kim, have steadfastly refused to engage with civil society or the media.

Disorienting defamation

Meanwhile, an ongoing dispute between opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) parliamentarian Mu Sochua and Hun Sen typifies a flurry of tit-for-tat lawsuits that also represents a clear threat to democratic debate. For years, the CPP has used out-dated defamation laws to muzzle critics, among then union leaders, journalists and opposition leaders.

According a lawsuit filed by Mu Sochua on April 27, the premier allegedly made defamatory comments in an April 4 speech; the only compensation sought was an apology. The lawsuit claims that Hun Sen defamed Mu Sochua by referring to a female parliamentarian from Kampot province who embraced a general and then later complained that the buttons of her shirt had come undone. Mu Sochua, the only female MP from Kampot province, had complained of voter irregularities and physical intimidation from CPP officials during the run-up to the 2008 national assembly elections.

Mu Sochua's case was dismissed on June 10, but the premier struck back with a counter defamation case against Mu Sochua that is ongoing. Kong Sam Onn, the lawyer representing Mu Sochua, is also being sued for having held a press conference where he had allegedly defamed the prime minister by claiming that the prime minister had defamed his client. The Cambodian Bar Association has begun an investigation into this alleged ethical misconduct of speaking publicly about a case.

The National Assembly voted on June 22 to lift Mu Sochua's parliamentary immunity, leaving her open to criminal prosecution. Hun Sen noted on June 17 that the two-thirds parliamentary majority required to strip immunity would also be needed to reinstate it. He also used the opportunity to threaten further lawsuits against interfering NGOs.

Even nationalists cannot safely criticize, as Moeung Sonn, a local tour operator and president of the Khmer Civilization Foundation, found out. Moeung Sonn was slapped with a $2,400 lawsuit by the government after he claimed at a press conference that the installation of new lights at Angkor Wat might have damaged the legendary temple. Moeung Sonn, a vocal supporter of the government on cultural and territorial issues, and a significant donor to Cambodian soldiers stationed around disputed zones near Preah Vihear, has fled to France to avoid arrest.

While later information suggests that the light installation has done no damage to the ancient structure, draconian reactions to well-meaning comments suggest that dissenting voices will no longer be allowed.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, SRP parliamentarian Ho Vann (also stripped of his parliamentary immunity) and Hang Chakra, editor-in-chief of Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, are also facing defamation suits.

Cambodia doth protest too much

The increasing trend toward intolerance has not gone unnoticed. A June 15 statement from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia cautioned, "Pursuing the current complaints may reverse the course of the still fragile democratic development process in Cambodia."

"This recent surge in the use of criminal defamation and disinformation lawsuits filed mostly against politicians, journalists and other persons expressing their views in a peaceful manner on matters of public interest threatens to inhibit what should be a free debate and exchange of ideas and views on these matters," the UNOHCHR wrote.

The group also warned that stifling freedom of expression through such means "is a serious threat to democratic development which may undermine the efforts of the past 16 years to rebuild a tolerant and pluralistic environment in Cambodia". The same day, US rights advocacy Human Rights Watch appealed for the CPP to halt "threats, harassment and spurious legal action against members of parliament and lawyers defending free expression".

The crackdown on political opposition is all the more perplexing, given that the CPP, with 90 of 123 seats, is in firm control of the National Assembly. A showing of 58% in the generally free and fair 2008 parliamentary elections, the biggest margin ever for a National Assembly election, shows widespread support for the CPP.

Some analysts believe that by persecuting a mostly fractured and generally powerless opposition, the government risks making martyrs of otherwise unremarkable politicians. Perhaps more significantly, Hun Sen risks further alienating the Western donor nations and the foreign business community that in recent years have contributed largely to Cambodia’s economic progress.

The US, a major donor and significant provider of aid and technical assistance, not to mention one of the kingdom's biggest export markets, has been critical of the recent turn of events.

"It appears that the courts are being used to silence critics of the government," US Embassy spokesman John Johnson told Asia Times Online. "Free speech and freedom of the press are fundamental rights in democracies throughout the world, and public figures and politicians should be prepared to receive both praise and criticism from the people they govern as part of the democratic process."

It's a democratic reality Hun Sen's government seems reluctant to face.

Sam Campbell is a reporter and editor based in Cambodia.

Moeun Sonn and SRP MP Son Chhay's letters to Hun Sen regarding the controversial lighting of Angkor Wat temple

Click on each page to zoom in

Angkor lights stir controversy

Lights are recessed into holes that tourism officials maintain were not drilled into the temple structure. (Photo Supplied)

Thursday, 28 May 2009
Written by Ros Dina
The Phnom Penh Post

A heritage specialist has requested intervention from the prime minister in a disagreement over light fixtures on temples at the Angkor Wat complex.

A HERITAGE advocate has sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen urging him to stop an ongoing light installation project at the Angkor Wat temple, saying equipping the 11-century World Heritage site with lights will have a negative effect on its ambiance.

"The illumination will disturb tourists and badly affect the beauty of the temples. By the law of the Apsara Authority, even villagers are not allowed to build new houses in the Angkor area, but it is regrettable that the area is now equipped with lights," Moeung Son, president of the Khmer Civilisation Foundation Organisation (KCF), said at a press conference Tuesday.

The project, which began late last year, was designed to encourage "night lighting" tours and prolong the stay of tourists in the area.

However, Moeung Son said it would also fail to do that.

"According my experience in the tourism sector, cultural tourists never watch temples at night. They are particularly interested in Khmer ancient building styles."

Ho Vandy, head of the permanent committee of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, also said that the lights would not increase tourist traffic to the site.

"Only about 20 or 30 tourists come to visit the temple or performances at night," Ho Vandy said.

Details of fixtures vague

Tourism officials have been vague about how the lights have been fixed to structures, saying they were put into "existing" holes in the temples.

The Ministry of Tourism and the Apsara Authority have maintained that the arrangement would help attract more visitors and consequently raise income in the tourism sector.

"I hope that the illumination will increase the number of tourists, and the Angkor Wat temple will become productive, bringing more income for Cambodia's economy. Moreover, the Angkor Wat area will look more active and lively," So Mara, a secretary of state at the Tourism Ministry, said Tuesday.

"Now we always tell visitors to get out when it's dark because we are afraid that they may fall down while walking in the dark. But when there are lights, visitors will have more time to walk around," he added.

Cambodia is still waiting for an answer from Thailand for compensation

A village tried to salvage his belongings in the rubble of the burnt market.

Source: Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization

Cambodian officials said that Cambodia is still waiting for an answer from Thailand in regard to a $2.1 million compensation it had lodged 0n 11th May against Thailand for the destruction of 264 stalls during the fighting on 3rd April, reports Radio Free Asia.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Cambodia wants to give Thailand time to think over the compensation claim, but he did not specify how long Cambodia can wait. He said: "Because we want to give them more time to think over among the Thai leadership first."

According to media reports, Thailand had already verbally rejected the compensation claim by stating that those stalls and market were built inside Thai territory.

But Mr. Var Kimhong, chairman of Cambodian Border Committee, claimed that those stalls were built inside Khmer territory. He said: "It is not very difficult to understand. The Thais claimed that the territory is theirs, but they have to show ownership documents to prove that that territory is theirs."

Mr. Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said that Cambodia's stance regarding border disputes with Thailand is very weak. He said: "(Our government's) stance is very, very weak. (The government) is very scared of Thailand."
Mr. Moeung Son, chairman of the Khmer Civilisation Foundation who lodged the same compensation claim on behalf on victims a few weeks before the government's claim, said that he will send another letter to the Thai embassy very soon to request for the payment of the compensation. He said if the Thai government refuses to pay, he will take the matter to the international stage or to the UN for help.

He said: "if they did not respond to our request one week before 7th July, the date of our anniversary celebration, we will absolutely make a complaint to the UN."

Cambodia claimed that during the armed clashes on 3rd April, Thai troops deliberately shelled the market and a village located near Preah Vihear temple, destroying 264 stalls and made 319 families homeless.

Shockwaves of Cambodian temple dispute linger

April 30, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

A serious clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers near the Preah Vihear temple on the northern Cambodian border in early April resulted in the Thai Army shelling and destroying a civilian market and homes adjacent to the temple.

No civilians were hurt in the shelling but a Cambodian NGO has filed a 9 million US dollar claim against the Thai government on behalf of the 900 affected villagers. And a human rights NGO says Thailand's shelling of the market was a breach of the Geneva Conventions.

Presenter: Robert Carmichael
Speakers: Moeung Sonn, director of the Khmer Civilization Foundation; Rupert Abbott lawyer and director at the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

CARMICHAEL: The 900-year-old temple of Preah Vihear on the northern border of Cambodia is one of the country's most treasured possessions. Preah Vihear is also contentious - Thailand lost an international court case over ownership of the temple back in 1962. But demarcation of the 800-kilometre long border between the two nations still hasn't been agreed - and that includes the area around the Preah Vihear temple, which sits squarely on the contested border.

Over the past year tensions have risen and subsided as troops from both countries faced off there. In early April fighting broke out at Preah Vihear, and several Thai soldiers were killed and injured - the precise number isn't clear. But what is clear is that three rockets - seemingly fired by the Thai army - hit the local market where 260 families lived. The market and their homes were completely destroyed. The temple also suffered some damage. Moeung Sonn runs a local NGO called the Khmer Civilization Foundation. On behalf of the villagers, Moeung Sonn sent a compensation claim to the Thai government for nine million US dollars. He hasn't yet had a response from Bangkok.

Photographs on the wall of Moeung Sonn's office in Phnom Penh show the remains of the market - there isn't much, just a wreckage of scorched corrugated iron.

SONN: This area is protected by UNESCO.

CARMICHAEL: Because it is a World Heritage Site

SONN: Yes, World Heritage. So no reason Thais destroy this area.

CARMICHAEL: Moeung Sonn says the traders at the market had spent substantial sums building up their stocks ahead of the Cambodian New Year in mid-April when many Cambodians visit the temple. But before they could come, the market was shelled and the traders lost everything. Thus the claim.

So does Moeung Sonn think the villagers will get compensation from the Thai government?

SONN: I think the Thais will pay. I think the Cambodian government don't drop this matter because these rockets came from Thailand. And so no reason why [Thailand] don't pay to Cambodian villagers.

CARMICHAEL: But compensation is only one aspect of the shelling. British lawyer Rupert Abbott is a director at the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, a local NGO. Later this week his organisation will release a report on the incident and the applicability of international law to what happened.

Mr Abbott's report indicates that the Thai army's action did break international law.

ABBOTT: We do believe based on our investigations that Thailand has breached international humanitarian law. It's breached the Geneva Conventions. There were no soldiers in the village, it wasn't being used for military use - there were no weapons, no hardware, playing no military role. And it seemed that it was deliberately attacked. The three rockets fired all hit the market. It was then sprayed with machinegun fire when the civilians tried to put out the fire.

CARMICHAEL: Mr Abbott acknowledges that the Thai government might disagree with his report's findings, since it is based solely on Cambodian accounts.

ABBOTT: I am absolutely sure as you suggest that Thailand will dispute this account. We've been interviewing Cambodian villagers, and that's why a neutral organization like ASEAN needs to investigate this and get the Thai side of events.

CARMICHAEL: It isn't clear what Thailand thinks of all this since the spokesperson from the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh was unavailable for comment. But as far as the Cambodian government is concerned, says information minister Khieu Kanharith, the market had no military value - he believes the shelling was deliberate and a gross violation of international law. But he says bilateral talks are a better way to solve the issue than involving ASEAN.

As for compensation, Khieu Kanharith says Phnom Penh is in favour of Thailand making payments to the villagers. And although he hasn't heard anything yet from Bangkok, he expects some gesture will be forthcoming. In the meantime, and with the rainy season fast approaching, Phnom Penh has provided housing materials for the 900 affected people allowing them to rebuild their homes at a new site 20 kilometres away. The government will also rebuild the market.

Observers have pointed out that the situation around the Preah Vihear temple often worsens when Thai political tensions rise - and Thai politics are still far from stable. It remains to be seen whether the events of early April mark the low point between Cambodia and Thailand over the border at the 900-year-old temple.

Preah Vihear villagers submit compensation claims to Thai embassy

Cambodian villagers sifting through the wreckage of their homes.

Reported by Khmerization

Cambodian villagers, whose homes were destroyed by Thai shells during armed clashes on 3rd April, through the Khmer Civilisation Foundation, had submitted their compensation claims to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, reports everyday.com.

Mr. Moeung Son, chairman of Khmer Civilisation Foundation, told reporters that he had submitted the compensation claims to the embassy on 23rd April for 261 families whose homes were destroyed by the Thai shells. He said: "If Thailand compensate them, our government does not need to spend money to help the victims, this is the first point. The second point is, what we want to see is our dignity and accountability of the Thai government in the respect of the sovereignty and the respect of human rights of a neighbouring country."

Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said that the Cambodian government also in the process of preparing the documents to evaluate the damages to villagers' properties caused by the Thai soldiers.

Ancient Temple Needs Protected: Expert

Banteay Chhmar temple Moeung Son, president of the Tourism Association of Cambodia.

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
09 March 2009

The listing of Banteay Chhmar temple, in Banteay Meanchey province, would likely bring an end to the destruction of the temple, a leading tourism operator said Thursday.

The temple near the Thai border was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, in the reign of Jayavarman VII, like Angkor Thom in the famous temple complex of Angkor Wat.

The temple’s artifacts are tempting to outside collectors, encouraging looting from those who need money, said Moeung Son, president of the Tourism Association of Cambodia.

“There will be no destruction, and it will be well maintained and renovated if we inscribe the temple as a [Unesco] World Heritage,” he said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The World Heritage classification of nearby Preah Vihear temple sparked protests in Bangkok and at the temple and led to a massive armed build-up between Thailand and Cambodia, creating a military deadlock that has continued since July 2008.

However, Moeung Son said similar problems would not arise at Banteay Chhmar temple, which clearly belonged to Cambodia, while the need to protect it was urgent.

“Banteay Chhmar temple is almost destroyed,” he said.

King Father Supports A Plan To Build A Hospital Near The Preah Vihear Temple

By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
11th July 2008
Translated by Khmerization

Ex-King Sihanouk (pictured) has given his support to the Khmer Civilisation Foundation to build a small hospital to provide free treatment to the guards and the people living in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple complex.

Mr Moeung Son, president of the Khmer Civilisation Foundation, who has led an 8-member delegation to have an audience with the ex-king in the Royal Palace on Wednesday has told Radio Free Asia on Thursday that: “We presented him with a drawing of the planned hospital that we have applied to the Preah Vihear Authority and I have already received a phone call from Mr. Ang Soth (Chairman of Preah Vihear Authority) that he has approved the plan. We want to support the achievement of the present government which has overcome many obstacles in its efforts to list the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.”

He said that the building of the hospital will cost about US$20,000 with the money that will come from private donors. The planned hospital will have 5 rooms which will be built close to the areas where the people live and the Foundation plans to request the government to provide the medicines needed for the free treatment. Mr Moeung Son said that he plans to lead a delegation to visit the area, after the ex-king and the Preah Vihear Authority had given their approval.

Deputy PM Hor Namhong has told the media on the issue of Preah Vihear on the 8th of July that: “The successful listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List is a victory for the present government. But more importantly, it is a victory for the Khmer civilisation.”

The World Heritage Committee has, on 7th of July, approved the listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site in its 32nd meeting in Quebec in Canada.

According to documents from the Royal Cambodian Academy, Preah Vihear temple, which was built in the 11th century, was judged to be belonged to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in The Hague on the 15th of June 1962.