Endangered birds face extinction amid economic land concessions [-Soon, even Tuol Krasaing will be given out as land concession!]

Cambodia’s critically endangered national bird, the Giant Ibis, pictured in the remote Western Siem Pang forest in Stung Treng province. Photograph: Eleanor Briggs/Phnom Penh Post

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Rosa Ellen and Claire Knox
The Phnom Penh Post

Economic land concessions strewn over the remote Western Siem Pang forest, in Stung Treng province, are threatening the survival of Cambodia’s national bird, the giant ibis, a report reveals.

The forest, flanking the Kingdom’s border with Laos, is home to five critically endangered bird species, yet its ecosystem is in danger of devastation, according to a 10-year report from conservation group BirdLife International Cambodia, which documents the extent of the region’s biodiversity and its role in providing a crucial habitat for globally threatened species.

“You can see in my report all the species of birds that face extinction,” Bou Vorsak, program manager at the BirdLife International Cambodia Program, said.

Crackdown on illegal logging seizes major haul

Thursday, 16 August 2012
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post

Authorities in Stung Treng province have confiscated some 651 pieces of “luxury timber” from three communes in Se San district over the past week in an ongoing operation to crack down on illegal logging in the area, police said.

The goods were confiscated just as a local trader was preparing to export them, Orn Sam Ath, police chief of Se San district, said, but no arrests were made.

After the operation, police found an additional cache of timber sunken in a nearby canal, but officers could not recover all of it because of the water’s depth.

Land dispute puts couple before judge

Monday, 16 July 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

Council of Ministers legal adviser Meas Sokun and her husband, soldier Kuch Prisovan, were charged and sent for pre-trial detention on Saturday after they were arrested last week for allegedly interfering in the work of youth volunteers sent for land measurement in Stung Treng province, a military official said yesterday.

Sao Sarem, deputy provincial commander of military police, said: “Both were detained (on Saturday) and charged with intimidation and unlawful interference in the performance of public functions.”

He said the charge was based on articles 607 and 609 of Cambodia’s penal code.

Officials named after blocking volunteers

Friday, 13 July 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Authorities in Stung Treng province have released the names of five government officials whom they arrested on Tuesday in Samki commune for interfering with a corps of youth volunteers sent to measure land as part of the prime minister’s national initiative to grant property to Cambodians displaced by land disputes.

According to Sao Sarem, the deputy provincial commander of the military police, the officials are Meas Sokun, a legal adviser to the Cambodian People’s Party; Kuch Prisovan, her husband and a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces; Van San, an RCAF colonel; Meas Kearithy, an RCAF soldier; and military police officer Prak Sith.

Three of them were released yesterday due to their limited roles in the incident, he said.

“We currently only detained the couple Kuch Prisovan and Meas Sokun, who seriously insulted the student volunteers working on [the initiative] of the Premier Hun Sen, and their car contained loads of land dispute-related documents,” he said.

Interfering officials arrested

Youth volunteers board trucks before departing Phnom Penh last week to take part in a land measurement program organised by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 12 July 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

Military police in Stung Treng province arrested five government officials yesterday after they forcibly stopped student volunteers from measuring property lines as part of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s national initiative to help settle land disputes.

The volunteers, mostly university students, were measuring land for villagers in conflict with companies that had received economic land concessions in Samaki commune.

A deputy commander with the military police who didn’t want to be named said that five officials from the Ministry of National Defence and the Council of Ministers were arrested. He said some of them had positions as legal advisers to the government.

“The case involves high ranking officials – it is too difficult to find information as authorities are willing to keep information from spreading,” said Hour Sam Ol, an investigator for the rights group Adhoc in Stung Treng.

5 government officials arrested in dispute with CPP land volunteers - Another CPP trick?

ឃាត់​ខ្លួន​មន្ត្រី​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​​​៥​នាក់ មាន​ទំនាស់​​ជា​មួយ​ក្រុម​​និស្សិត​ស័្មគ្រ​ចិត្ត​វាស់​វែង​ដី

11 July 2012
ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា
The Phnom Penh Post

Synopsis: 5 government officials working at the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Defense were arrested after they disputed with CPP land volunteers. These volunteers were sent out to distribute lands to villagers involved in land disputes with a company that received land concessions in Dong Kralor, Samaky commune, Stun Treng province. The authority refuses to provide the names of the officials arrested and it only indicated that some even work as government lawyers.

​
កំលាំង​រាជ​អា​វុធ​ហត្ថ​​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹង​ត្រែង បាន​​ធ្វើ​ការ​ឃាត់​ខ្លួនមន្ត្រី​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​ចំនួន​៥​នាក់​ដែល​បំរើ​ការ​ក្នុងទី​ស្តី​ការ​គណរដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​និង​ក្រសួង​ការ​ពារ​ជាតិ​ ​​បន្ទាប់​ពី​មាន​ទំនាស់​ដី​ធ្លី​ជា​មួយ​ក្រុម​​និស្សិត​ស័្មគ្រ​ចិត្ត​ដែល​ចុះ​ទៅ​វាស់​វែង​ដី ​ដើម្បី​ចែក​អោយ​​ពលរដ្ឋ​​ដែល​មាន​ទំនាស់​ដី​ធ្លីជា​មួយ​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​ទទួល​បាន​សមប្បទាន​សេដ្ឋ​កិច្ចនៅ​ក្នុង​ចំណុច​ដុង​ក្រឡ សង្កាត់​សាមគ្គី​​ ក្រុង​ស្ទឹង​ត្រែ​ង​។

លោក​ឳ បូរិន​ មេបញ្ជាការ​កង​រាជ​អាវុធ​ហត្ថ​ខេត្ត​បាន​បដិសេធ​មិន​ធ្វើ​ការ​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​ទេ​ទាក់​ទិន​ទៅ​និង​ករណី​ឃាត់​ខ្លួន​មនុស្ស​ចំនួន​១៣​នាក់​នោះ​។ ប៉ុន្តែ​លោក​​មេបញ្ជា​ការ​កង​រាជ​អាវុធ​ហត្ថ​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹង​ត្រែងដែល​​បានបដិសេធ​ពុំ​ព្រម​ផ្តល់​ឈ្មោះ​បាន​​​អោយ​ដឹង​ថា​ កាល​ពី​ព្រ​លប់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១០ ខែ​កក្តដា​ កង​កំលាំង​រាជ​អាវុធ​ហត្ថ​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹង​ត្រែង​បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​ឃាត់​ខ្លូន​មនុស្ស​ចំនួន​៥ នាក់​ដែលពួក​គេ​​ធ្វើ​ការ​នៅ​ក្នុង​នៅ​ក្រសួង​​​ការ​ពារ​ជាតិ​និង​ទី​ស្តី​ការ​គណៈរដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី​ ហើយ​ខ្លះ​មាន​ឋានៈ​ជា​មេធា​វីរបស់​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​ទៀត​ផង។ ហើយ​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ​សមត្ថ​កិច្ច​​របស់​​លោក​កំពុង​​ធ្វើ​ការ​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​បន្ថែម​ទៀត​ទាក់​ទិន​ទៅ​នឹង​ករណី​ជម្លោះ​នោះ​។

Vietnamese military ties that bind and choke Cambodia!!!

Vietnamese, Cambodian militaries foster ties

Wed, July 4, 2012
VNA

Vietnam’s Military Zone 5 has gifted Military Zone 1 in Cambodia a new headquarters building and an access road in Stung Streng, 300 km north of Phnom Penh.

When addressing the inauguration ceremony, General Pol Saroeun, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, thanked the Vietnamese Government and army for their kind support.

He said the present is a symbol of the friendship and traditional solidarity between the two armies and peoples. In particular, the cooperation shown between Military Zone 5 in Vietnam and Military Zone 1 in Cambodia has significantly helped Zone 1 to ensure the country’s national security and territorial integrity.

Chief's order dictate vote, villagers say

Ethnic Krueng villagers sit on the steps of their home in Sre Chhouk village, Kbal Romea commune, in Stung Treng province's Sesan district. The village is home to five different indigenous groups. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Tuesday, 29 May 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

The streets of Phnom Penh are alive with the sounds of campaign music and political slogans this week, but in the remote areas of Stung Treng province, which are home to many of Cambodia’s ethnic minorities, it is eerily quiet.

In villages of Sesan district, where minorities such as the Kouy, Pnorng, Prao and Laotian traditionally live off the land, the democratic spirit is hardly thriving.

June 3 commune council elections are fast approaching, but almost everyone here – at least those who can speak Khmer – says when it comes to voting, they simply do what they are told.

In Kbal Romeas commune’s Sre Sranok village, 45-year-old Prao ethnic villager Oeun Chantho, flashing coal black teeth, said she was too busy with farming to pay attention to the election.

“The village chief told me not to be worried about this, and on the election day, I’ll just tick the party that I used to vote for. So that tick will be on the logo of the flower-scattering angel as before,” she said, referring to the insignia of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

She said she knew practically nothing about other parties that were running but had received clear instructions from the village chief to vote for the CPP

“Our chief gave us salt, sarongs and told us that we have to vote for who offer happiness to us, so that we know who offer us peace - only our village chief’s party,” she said.

China-funded road, bridge begin construction in Cambodia [-Welcome to the road and bridge to be paid for by your children!!!]

2012-05-05
Xinhua

STUNG TRENG, Cambodia - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday broke ground for the construction of the China-funded national road No 214 and the Cambodia-China Friendship Mekong-Stung Treng Bridge in the northern part of Cambodia.

The 144-kilometer road and a 1,731-meter bridge have been building under the soft loan of $116 million from the government of China, aiming at boosting the economic development in Cambodia's border provinces.

The road stretches from Stung Treng province to Preah Vihear province. The Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company undertakes the construction, which is expected to complete in 45 months.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Hun Sen said that the road and bridge are very important to develop and link border provinces, adding that they are in the northern corridor which connects Cambodia to Vietnam and Laos.

When the shit hits the fan: widows fought back cops who came to evict them

Fury against the cops who ordered truck to take out dirt from widows' properties

24 April 2012
By Sreyna Koh
Koh Santepheap News
Translated form Khmer by Soch

Stung Treng – 3 sisters among a family of 8 siblings – the majority of whom are widows – had a fistfight with cops in a fit of rage. Some of the women took out gasoline and attempted to burn machineries which they accused the Preah Bat commune authority and the Stung Treng city authority ordered over to take out dirt stored on the women’s land. The dirt pile taken out from the sisters’ property is put to sale, however, the authorities accused them of encroaching on state land.

The incident led to a fit of rage and the sisters went to fetch 5 liters of gasoline in an attempt to burn down the machineries brought over to take out their dirt pile. The incident took place at 8:20AM on 22 April 2012, near an area known as Tuol Kruos (gravel hill), located in Pachong village, Preah Bat commune, Stung Treng city. The incident brought over the first commune councilor, the Preah Bat commune police chief, cops from the city of Stung Treng and a large number of civil society officials.

A woman by the name of Man Pho Phang along with other women shouted in protest. They said that they have many siblings, all of them women, and they only own this much land to share and live on, why did the authority give them such hardship. The women brought out a document requesting the occupation of the land parcel and it was approved by Sith Kim Teng, the current commune chief, and by Ek Sophal, the village chief. The document was approved on 25 February 1997 and it clearly recognized that Men Sarorn, the deceased father of the women, was the occupant of the plot measuring 220 m by 650 m. Men Sarorn occupied the parcel since 1986 and the plot is now occupied by his children, the protesting women. The women claimed that when their father asked to obtain the authorization to occupy the parcel, the village chief and the commune chief told them that it was sufficient that the authorization be approved by the commune level, and there is no need for him to obtain the authorization from the district authority.

អ្នក​ភូមិ​ចោទ​មន្ត្រី​មូលដ្ឋាន​ថា រំលោភ​យក​ដី​ធ្វើ​ស្នាក់​ការ​បក្ស​ប្រជាជន

The CPP: the robber party - គណបក្សប្លន់ដី

2012-04-22
ដោយ រដ្ឋា វីសាល
RFA

នៅ​ឯ​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹងត្រែង​មាន​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​មួយ​គ្រួសារ​ប៉ុនប៉ង​យក​សាំង​ដុត​កម្ទេច​គ្រឿងចក្រ ដែល​អាជ្ញាធរ​ប្រើប្រាស់​ឈូស​ឆាយ​ដី​របស់​គ្រួសារ​គាត់ ធ្លាប់​បាន​រស់​នៅ និង​គ្រប់គ្រង​ជាង ២០ ឆ្នាំ​កន្លង​មក​ហើយ។

ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​អ្នក​តវ៉ា បាន​ចោទ​មន្ត្រី​មូលដ្ឋាន​ថា បាន​រំលោភ​បំពាន​យក​ដី​នោះ​ធ្វើ​ជា​ស្នាក់​ការ​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន។

អ្នក​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹងត្រែង ឲ្យ​ដឹង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​អាទិត្យ​ទី ២២ ខែ​មេសា ឆ្នាំ ២០១២ ថា ក្រុម​ប៉ូលិស​មូលដ្ឋាន​ប្រមាណ ១០ នាក់ បាន​ព្យាយាម​ដណ្ដើម​ដប​សាំង​ពី​ស្ត្រី​ម្នាក់ ដែល​ប៉ុនប៉ង​យក​សាំង​នោះ​ដុត​គ្រឿងចក្រ​ឈូស​ឆាយ​ដី​របស់​ក្រុម​អាជ្ញាធរ​ក្រុង។ ស្ត្រី​នោះ​បាន​បញ្ចេញ​សកម្មភាព ដើម្បី​ការពារ​ដី​មួយ​កន្លែង ដែល​គាត់​បាន​កាន់កាប់ តាំង​ពី​ឆ្នាំ ១៩៨៥ រហូត​មក។

បុគ្គលិក​ផ្នែក​អង្កេត​សមាគម អាដហុក (ADHOC) ខេត្ត​ស្ទឺងត្រែង លោក ហូ សំអុល មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​បញ្ជាក់​ថា ប៉ូលីស​បាន​បញ្ឈប់​សកម្មភាព​ប៉ុនប៉ង​ប្រើ​អំពើ​ហិង្សា​នេះ បាន​ទាន់​ពេល​វេលា ដោយ​រឹប​អូស​បាន​ដប​សាំង​ចំណុះ ៥០ សង្ទីរ​លីត្រ​ចំនួន ៨ ដប​ពី​ស្ត្រី​ឈ្មោះ ម៉ន សម្បូរ អ្នក​តវ៉ា​ប្រឆាំង​ទៅ​នឹង​សកម្មភាព​យក​គ្រឿងចក្រ​ឈួស​ឆាយ​យក​ដី​គ្រួសារ​គាត់។

COMFREL Release the Result of Workshop on Voter's Voice in Preah Rumkel, Thalat Rikvat, Stung Treng province

Dear all,

COMFREL is please to release its press release on the result of workshop on voter's voice in remote areas; Preah Rumkel commune, Thala Rikvat district, Stueng Treng province was held on February 25, 2012.

Please see the attached document for details.

FYI : If you need releases or articles related to workshop on voter's voices, elections reforms, democracy/political reforms, decentralization and governance, please feel free to visit our website:

www.comfrel.org

Best regards,

COMFREL


http://www.box.com/s/jkh1khfo6spa0220ea8f

សមាជិក​បក្ស​ប្រជាជន​១​រូប​បារម្ភ​ពី​សុវត្ថិភាព​​ក្រោយ​​ចូលរួម​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ - CPP activist concerned about safety after voicing his opinion

2012-01-11
ដោយ រដ្ឋា វីសាល
RFA

Synopsis: A CPP activist, who is local official in Stung Treng province, claimed that his freedom of expression is threatened by CPP party officials who want to remove from his position as an elected official. On 11 January 2012, Ros Lach, the 2nd CPP councilor in Anlong Phe commune, Thalabrivat district, Stung Treng province, expressed his concerns about his personal safety because local CPP officials threatened him and they have prepared paperwork to remove him from his position as commune councilor. He claimed that he voiced out his opinion during seminars and public forum organized by the civil society and he criticized the inaction by the local authority against logging of precious wood, as well as deforestation. All these issues affect CPP party officials, that is why his life was threatened by the wood trader and local CPP officials have prepared paperwork to remove him from his position. “They are silencing me, they restrict my freedom, they want me to follow their plan, i.e. to follow the path they set for me. This is a restriction on my political freedom rights, on my work rights, as well as on my freedom of expression rights.”

សមាជិក​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​មួយ​រូប មាន​ឋានៈ​ជា​មន្ត្រី​មូលដ្ឋាន​នៅ​ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹងត្រែង អះអាង​ថា សិទ្ធិ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ​របស់​លោក​កំពុង​រង​ការ​គំរាមកំហែង​ពី​មន្ត្រី​បក្ស​របស់​ខ្លួន តាម​រយៈ​ការ​ដក​តំណែង​ចេញ​ពី​មន្ត្រី​ជាប់​ឆ្នោត​នៅ​មូលដ្ឋាន។

ជំទប់​ទី​២ ឃុំ​អន្លង់ភេ ស្រុក​ថាឡាបរិវ៉ាត់ ខេត្ត​ស្ទឹងត្រែង គឺ​លោក រស់ ឡាច។ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ពុធ ទី​១១ ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ លោក​បាន​សំដែង​ការ​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​ពី​សុវត្ថិភាព​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន ដោយសារ​តែ​មន្ត្រី​មូលដ្ឋាន​ក្នុង​បក្ស​របស់​លោក​គំរាមកំហែង និង​រៀបចំ​ឯកសារ​ដក​លោក​ចេញ​ពី​តួនាទី​ក្រុមប្រឹក្សា​ឃុំ។

Illegal Lao loggers released because Cambodia can't feed them in jail (sic!)

អាជ្ញាធរ​កម្ពុជា ដោះលែង​ពលរដ្ឋ​ឡាវ ១១ នាក់ ព្រោះ​គ្មាន​លទ្ធភាព ដោះស្រាយ​ថ្លៃ​បាយទឹក​គ្រប់គ្រាន់​

ថ្ងៃទី 31 ធ្នូ 2011
ដោយ : សេសាន
Cambodia Express News

Synopsis: The Siempang district authority, Stung Treng province, next to Laos, had decided to release 11 Lao nationals arrested for illegally trespassing into Cambodia because it cannot feed these 11 men in jail. The 11 men are suspected of illegal logging in Cambodia as a mechanical saw was also seized from them during their arrest.

ស្ទឹងត្រែង: អាជ្ញាធរ​ស្រុក​សៀម​ប៉ាង ខេត្តស្ទឹងត្រែង ជាប់​ព្រំដែន​ប្រទេស​ឡាវ បានសម្រេច​ដោះលែង​ពលរដ្ឋ​ឡាវ ចំនួន ១១ នាក់ កាលពី​ល្ងាច​ថ្ងៃទី​៣០ ខែធ្នូ ឆ្នាំ​២០១១ ដោយសារ​អាជ្ញាធរ មិនមាន​លទ្ធភាព​ដោះស្រាយ​ថ្លៃ​បាយទឹក​គ្រប់គ្រាន់ សម្រាប់​ការឃុំខ្លួន​ជនជាតិ​ឡាវ ដែល​ឆ្លងដែន​ចូល​កាប់​ឈើ នៅ​ទឹកដី​កម្ពុជា ដោយ​ខុសច្បាប់​។​
​ ​
​ពលរដ្ឋ​ឡាវ​ចំនួន ១១ នាក់ ត្រូវបាន​សមត្ថកិច្ច​នគ​របាល​ស្រុក​សៀម​ប៉ាង ចាប់ខ្លួន​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃទី​២១ ខែធ្នូ ឆ្នាំ​២០១១ នៅក្នុង​ដី​ខ្មែរ​ចម្ងាយ​ប្រមាណ​ពីរ​គីឡូម៉ែត្រ ពី​បង្គោល​ព្រំដែន​លេខ ៦៥ ចន្លោះ ៦៦ តំបន់​អូរ​ខាំ​ភោគ​។ ជាមួយ​នោះ អាជ្ញាធរ​កម្ពុជា បាន​ដកហូត​គោយន្ត​បួន​គ្រឿង ម៉ាស៊ីន​ត្រង់​ស៊ី​ន័​រ​កាត់ឈើ​មួយគ្រឿង និង​ម៉ូតូ​មួយគ្រឿង​ទៀត​ពី​ជនជាតិ​ឡាវ​ផងដែរ​។​
​ ​
​ប្រភពពី​មន្ត្រី​សាលាស្រុក​សៀម​ប៉ាង បានឱ្យដឹងថា ការដោះលែង​ពលរដ្ឋ​ឡាវ ១១ នាក់ ដែល​ជាប់​ចោទថា ចូល​កាប់​ឈើ​ក្នុង​ដី​ខ្មែរ គឺ​សំអាង​លើ​កិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការ​ទ្វេភាគី​កម្ពុជា​-​ឡាវ​។ តែ​ការដោះលែង​នោះ ក៏មាន​ការយក​លុយ​ជា​ថ្នូរ​ផងដែរ​។

CCHR to host public forum in Stung Treng province for communitie​s from across Prey Lang

http://www.box.com/s/y2c92rl372r6z5i8578t


http://www.box.com/s/oc6cvfb6ciyev5kaosq3

COMFREL Release the Result of Workshop on Voter's Voice in Remote Areas; Koh Preah, Chong Siembok, Stung Treng province

Dear all,

COMFREL is please to release its press release on the result of workshop on voter's voice in remote areas; Koh Preah commune, Chong Siembok district, Stung Treng province was held on August 21, 2011.

Please see the attached document for details.

FYI : If you need releases or articles related to workshop on voter's voices, elections reforms, democracy/political reforms, decentralisation and governance, please feel free to visit our website :

www.comfrel.org

Best regards,

COMFREL


http://www.box.net/shared/8dto14ghpxgrjc450ehc

SRP MPs discuss healthcare issues with Kratie and Stung Treng commune councilors

SRP MPs Long Ry (left), Son Chhay (center) and Men Sothaverin (right) discuss health care issues with commune councilors from Kratie and Stung Treng provinces on August 7 in Kratie. Around 100 councilors took part in the discussions where many abuses in public hospitals and health center were uncovered.

A policy on free health care will be drawn up by the SRP before coming elections.

A SRP commune councilor spoke during the workshop

Son Chhay

Tale from the Kingdoom of Wonder: Street-encroaching mango tree can be cut down only after the Viet Association was consulted

A mango tree caused upheaval in the city

10 July 2011
Koh Santepheap News
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Note: The Cambodian authority had to ask the Viet association before it can cut down an encroaching mango tree in Cambodia, how sad!

If they respected the Boeung Kak’s community the same way they did to these illegal Vietnamese immigrants, there would not be any problem with Boeung Kak’s residents.

Stung Treng province – A raging fight between Cambodians and Vietnamese created upheaval among the city authority during morning hours. The incident took place during a road survey to ease traffic and to facilitate traffic for fire trucks. When the crew started surveying a mango tree and wanted to cut it down, a group came out to prevent the cutting down of the tree. A dispute ensued and the city authority summoned both sides to the city hall to resolve this problem. The incident took place on 08 July 2011, south of Damnak Bridge, Stung Treng commune, Stung Treng City.

A report indicated that, prior to the dispute, local residents asked the local authority to set up a road with easy access for fire trucks. In this request, residents from one side of the road asked the authority to widen the road on the opposite side where a larger number of Viet residents live. That request led to an intense dispute because a mango tree planted by a Vietnamese resident was too close the sidewalk and it needed to be chopped down. However, the Vietnamese family which owned the tree refused and the dispute ensued. The authority got a headache during that morning and it decided to summon both sides to the city hall to resolve this issue.

COMFREL Release the Result of Workshop on Voter's Voice in Remote area; Koh Srolay, SiemBok, Stung Treng province

Dear all,

COMFREL is please to release its press release on the result of workshop on voter's voice in remote areas; Koh Sralay, SiemBok, Stung Treng province held on June 17, 2011.

Please see the attached document for details.

FYI : If you need releases or articles related to workshop on voter's voices, elections reforms, democracy/political reforms, decentralisation and governance, please feel free to visit our website : www.comfrel.org

Best regards,

COMFREL

----------

Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia

Head Office : # 138, Street 122, Sangkat Teuk La ak, Khan Tuol Kork, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

P.O.Box 1145, CCC Box 439

Phone : (855-23) 884 150

Fax : (855-23) 883 750

E-mail : comfrel@online.com.kh

Website : www.comfrel.org

http://www.box.net/shared/q7fhepiydhuvumqtcrtf

Elecity of Vietnam (EVN) plans hydroelectric power project in Cambodian province of Stung Treng [-More eviction on the way]

June 6, 2011
HydroWorld.com

A subsidiary of Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), EVN International JSC is planning the compensation and resettlement for local residents living around the new hydroelectric power project in the Cambodian province of Stung Treng.

The Han Se San II hydroelectric power project is a joint venture between EVN International and Cambodia s Royal Group. The project is situated in Sesan district. It will have a total capacity of 400 MW. The five-turbine plant will be built with an expected amount of US$800 million. Steps including compensation and resettlement and the execution of relevant parties rights, as well as the form of a Compensation and Resettlement Committee (CRC) and a Working Group (WG) headed by Cambodian state officials were presented by the EVN International JSC representatives at a meeting with provincial and local leaders in Phnom Penh. According to Nguyen Thanh Huan, EVN International Deputy General Director, he expects the CRC and WG will start their work in October.