US Cambodians Aid Republican Convention

Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his wife, Cindy McCain

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
21 August 2008

A number of US-Cambodians living in Minnesota have struggled to help the Republican Party in the weeks ahead of the national convention.

Many of these supporters said they hoped to generate more interest in Cambodia and the future of their communities by helping the party.

The Republican Party's national convention, which will be held from Sept. 1 to Sept. 4, will select its presidential candidate, and potentially his running mate. Sen. John McCain is expected to take the nomination. The Democratic convention will be held between Aug. 25 and Aug. 28, in Colorado.

Path Suykry, president of National Cambodian Republican Coalition, which has representative in 11 US states, said he had helped his party by gathering support in Cambodian communities, campaigning, and participating in rallies.

A Republican Party win in November's election could mean more support for Cambodian issues, he said.

No matter the party of choice, Cambodians should be sure to alert their politicians to their needs, he said. And everyone who can vote, should.

"For me, living here in the US for more than 30 years, all Cambodians should vote," he said. "We must utilize the freedoms and rights."

Minnesota resident Kong Khon said he was helping the Republican Party over the last six or seven months.

Kong Kon was a McCain supporter because of the senator's work for Cambodian human rights and democracy.

"If we help them, they will help us back when we have a problem," he said.

Another Cambodian resident of Minnesota, Chat Hangsa, said he had helped the Republicans by stumping for the party at the pagoda and at church.

He was not sure whether McCain would be able to help Cambodia, but the visit of his wife, Cindy McCain, to Cambodia in July was welcome.

"She expressed sympathy with the poor rubbish-collecting chidren in Stung Meanchey, and it showed our country is so poor," he said. "So we want the Us to help promote better living for Cambodia."

Cindy McCain visits Cambodian garbage dump site, meets children scavengers

Cindy McCain (R), the wife of presumptive Republican U.S. presidential candidate John McCain, walks with facial deformity patient Le Thi Phuoc, 11, during a visit to a hospital in Vietnam's central Nha Trang city June 19, 2008. McCain is in Vietnam as part of her Asian tour to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia to promote the Virginia-based Operation Smiles Charity. REUTERS/Kham

2008-06-23

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Cindy McCain, wife of U.S. Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting Sen. John McCain, visited the Cambodian capital's garbage dump Monday and met with impoverished children who scavenge there.

McCain visited the sprawling Stung Meanchey dump, a depository for the refuse of Phnom Penh's 1.5 million people, said Pen Kosal, an official with For the Smile of a Child, a French aid group that helps feed children who scavenge the dump.

McCain toured the aid group's office, which is located near the dump, and spoke to several children as they ate breakfast, he said.

«She was very simple and liked the children very much. She even hugged some of them regardless of their dirty clothes,» he said.

The aid group receives rice donations from the U.N's World Food Program to feed some 6,000 boys and girls, most of whom live with their families near the dump and scavenge discarded bottles, cans, plastic and other scraps to sell for a living.

Jeff Daigle, the U.S. Embassy spokesman, declined to comment on Cindy McCain's trip, saying it was private and organized by the World Food Program. McCain, a philanthropist with a long experience in humanitarian assistance, was in Cambodia on the last stop of a three-nation tour. She also visited Vietnam and Thailand.

An official at the WFP also declined comment and said the trip was not open to media coverage.

After visiting the dump, Cindy McCain was scheduled to travel to an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS in Takeo province, 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Phnom Penh.