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MONDAY, aPRIL 7, 2014

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Weekend storms take heavy toll

Khoun Leakhana

A WEEKEND storm surge that saw torrential downpours hit the capital had far more dire consequences outside of Phnom Penh, where hundreds of families were affected and at least one man was killed. At least 675 homes in eight provinces were damaged in sudden thunderstorms that swept the country, officials said yesterday, with eight people injured during the downpours and heavy winds that first began on Thursday evening. The one confirmed fatality came when a tile was blown from the roof of a home in Banteay Meanchey province, striking a man on the head. He was pronounced dead at the provincial hospital and is thought to have suffered a heart attack as a result of the impact. Of the nearly 700 homes damaged, at least 147 were completely destroyed, their roofs ripped to shreds and pillars collapsed. Elsewhere, a schools roof was blown off, several phone aerials collapsed and a rice mill was destroyed. While Phnom Penh avoided much of the destruction wrought Continues on page 4

Democratic handover
Afghan women crowd the entrance to a polling station in Bamiyan on Saturday in Jalal-Abad during Afghanistans third presidential election.
AFP

sTORY > 12

A battle royal sparked

Meas Sokchea and Kevin Ponniah

HE government is threatening opposition leader Sam Rainsy with legal action, which could result in a years imprisonment, in response to a letter he wrote to King Norodom Sihamoni last week appearing to take issue with and criticise the Kings appraisal of parliament. In a statement released on Saturday, the government argues that Rainsy

Rainsy letter to King triggers lawsuit threat

insulted the monarchy, tried to incite the King to violate the constitution and could face a conviction for not respecting a Constitutional Council decision regarding the legal formation of the National Assembly. The Constitutional Council, which is in charge of safeguarding and interpreting the constitution, is regulated by a law that stipulates penalties for anyone who fails to respect its decisions. Rainsy has rejected the allegations but said in a statement that he could be made liable to a harsh punishment given Cambodias politically subservient court. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party has boycotted its 55 seats in the National Assembly since it opened in September. Rainsy wrote to the King on April 2, saying he would like to tell his majesty that the parliament was formed with only ruling Cambodian Peoples Party lawmakers present and was thus a oneparty parliament not representative of all Cambodians. He added that the constitution requires 120 lawmakers to swear in for a new parliament to officially be formed, an interpretation that has previously been contested by a number of lawyers and analysts.

Rainsys letter was prompted by a congratulatory letter sent by King Sihamoni to the National Assembly for the opening of its second session last week, in which he said he hoped the parliament, which was representative of all Khmer people, would solve its problems by sticking persistently to multiparty democracy. In its statement, the government strongly condemned Rainsy for issuing what it described as a serious insult to Continues on page 2

ISSUE NUMBER 1901

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

National
sign off on a controversial border treaty with Vietnam, Cambodia should reconsider whether we should keep the monarchy or change to a republic with a president instead. Son Soubert, privy counsellor to the King and an opposition party politician, said he did not think the governments accusations had any basis. Mr Sam Rainsy just told the King what the truth is, and I dont think he can be accused of inciting the King to do things that are not constitutional, said Soubert, president of the Human Rights Party. King Sihamoni, in contrast to his father, has preferred to stay out of politics. He presided over the opening of parliament in September last year despite hundreds of thousands of petitions asking him to delay the process due to the ongoing political deadlock, sparked by allegations of irregularities around the July election. In Rainsys letter, he said that in the same situation following the 2003 election, Sihanouk had refused to preside over the opening of parliament. Prominent lawyer Sok Sam Oeun yesterday said that there was no legal basis on which to convict Rainsy, because no such conviction is in the penal code.

Rainsys letter to King ignites a royal row Python

Continued from page 1

the King: The Royal Government understands that Excellency Sam Rainsys allegation truly and strongly violates the King and is also an abuse of the principle of rule of law in Cambodia, it said. Rainsy was inciting the King to act against the constitution, amounting to a constitutional coup, in addition to failing to respect a Constitutional Council decision from July 2003 that decided 120 lawmakers are not needed to be present for the National Assembly to open, according to the statement. So, this daring act of Excellency Sam Rainsy that does not respect the decision of the Constitutional Council could face [a] conviction according to Article 36 of the law on organisation and functioning of the constitutional council, the government said. The Royal Government will consider [taking] strict measures against [Sam Rainsy] to defend ... the motto Nation Religion King and the dignity of the nation. Similar statements condemning Rainsy have also been released by numerous ministries, the Senate, the National Assembly and the Cambodian Peoples Party. Article 36 of the Law on the

peddler arrested

Kim Sarom

King Norodom Sihamoni (centre) and Prime Minister Hun Sen (right) pose for a photo with new parliamentarians at the National Assembly during the rst parliament meeting in September last year. SRENG MENG SRUN

Organisation and the Functioning of the Constitutional Council states that any person who fails to respect the decision of the Constitutional Council could face up to a year in prison. In a statement released on Saturday, Rainsy accused the CPP of planning to use their Kangaroo Court again to silence their opponents. The CPP seems determined to punish me, because I dare

continuously question the legitimacy of the Hun Sen government. But, as always, they are using a very poor pretext, not only the substance but also on the faade, because the letter I wrote to the King was a private one, like the countless letters that I used to write to the late and respected King Father Norodom Sihanouk, he said. Oum Daravuth, chief of the Kings cabinet, declined to comment on the matter yesterday.

When reached yesterday, Rainsy said he had written to the King because he respected and loved him, in contrast to a powerful person who threatened to eliminate the monarchy in 2005. He added that he was unafraid of any threats made by the government. In an October 2005 speech broadcast on TVK, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he had told Prince Norodom Ranariddh that if King Sihamoni did not

POLICE in Kandal provinces Koh Thom district seized a shipment of live pythons en route to market in Vietnam on Friday, arresting the accused smuggler and turning the snakes over to conservation group Wildlife Alliance, police said yesterday. District police chief Muy Chan Pich said the snakes some 80 kilograms worth were found stashed in the motorbike of suspect Soeung Vy, 24, who was attempting to cross the border into Vietnam. Eav Chamroeun, a provincial police ofcial, said that the suspect would be sent to court. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Wildlife Alliance employee said yesterday that the organisation would be releasing the pythons back into the wild today in Mondulkiris Keo Seima district. Fridays seizure comes after the release of a report earlier in the week by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which highlighted fears that python skins sourced from Cambodia were being illegally harvested in the wild.

Court sets case scope

Stuart White

HE Khmer Rouge tribunal has settled on the scope of the next segment of Case 002, laying a broad foundation for a trial that will see charges of genocide, forced marriage and the persecution of Buddhists among others levelled against the remaining defendants. Case 002 the courts flagship trial against senior Khmer Rouge leaders Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan was first severed in 2011, when the trial chamber argued that hearing the case in smaller segments would ensure at least some judgments could be rendered before the octogenarian defendants deaths. According to a copy of the trial chambers latest severance order which is dated April 4, but has not yet been made public the chambers decisions hew closely to requests made by the prosecution, which has

argued that the charges in the new sub-trial should be representative of all the remaining charges in the Case 002 indictment, thereby obviating the need for trials after 002/02. The Expanded [Office of the Co-Prosecutors] Proposal adheres to the Supreme Court Chambers order [to hear certain charges] while, as outlined above ... at the same time retaining a manageable scope, the chambers filing reads. In addition to charges of genocide against the Vietnamese and Cham, forced marriage and rape and religious persecution, the upcoming sub-trial will also deal with charges relating to the S-21 detention centre, purges within the ranks of the Khmer Rouge and crimes committed in worksites and cooperatives. Though it accepted all of the prosecutions proposed sites, the chamber rejected requests

from the Nuon Chea defence and the civil parties to include a handful of additional crime sites, saying their inclusion risks undermining the efficiency and manageability gained by choosing to sever Case 002 in the first place. Though the team declined to comment yesterday, the Nuon Chea defence has said in court that it had intended to use the crime sites to explore the theory that cadres in control of the zones where the regimes atrocities were the most severe were not under the control of central party officials like Chea. Cambodia Justice Initiative program officer Panhavuth Long said the omissions were unlikely to jeopardise Cheas fair trial rights, and that, overall, the severance order laid out a good scope, but expressed worry that the court has yet to announce a trial date.

Alleged intimidation continues

Chhay Channyda

A FAMILY in Phnom Penhs Tuol Kork district locked in a land dispute with a private company, who previously claimed to have had snakes thrown into their home, alleged yesterday that unknown assailants damaged their house. Ly Seavminh claimed that at 7am, a gang of about 30 youths who usually guard the area for Khun Sear Import Export Company broke into her family home in Boeung Kak I commune. We dont have money to rebuild it, she said. [Inside], plates, cooking pots, glasses ... were smashed, she said. I am afraid they will come back at night ... We cannot sleep. Seavminhs family is one of three claiming that

representatives of Khun Sear have been waging a campaign of intimidation against them since the company in 2013 was awarded rights to the land they claim to have lived on since 1980. According to a statement released by rights group Licadho, Seavminhs was one of two homes partially destroyed yesterday. But Yim Leang, son of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, who yesterday referred to himself as an assistant to the company, said the young men were merely defending themselves as Seavminhs family had beaten them two times. In November 2013, Khun Sear launched its own case against the families for disrupting the erection of a fence around the area.

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

National

At Mekong meet, all eyes on Laos dams

Laignee Barron

Steep decline in dengue cases

Amelia Woodside

AT SATURDAYS Mekong summit in Ho Chi Minh City, leaders from Cambodia and Vietnam put Laos in the hot seat with strongly worded statements requesting regional cooperation and responsible use of the shared waterways. Even though they werent mentioned in the statements by name, everybody knew that implicitly [Laoss] Don Sahong and Xayaburi [dams] were at the centre of the discussions, Marc Goichot, a WWF hydropower specialist, said. In a declaration following the summit, prime ministers from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos agreed to prioritise studies assessing potential effects and consequences of major hydropower projects. The Vietnamese and Cambodian delegations also requested suspension of major dam developments until after the studies completion and subsequent development of management guidelines protecting food security and livelihoods. We have to protect our own interests. We will not allow [for construction] if there will be a serious impact, Lim Kean Hor,

minister of water resources and meteorology, said. Development partners at the summit also called for the Lower Mekong countries to recommit to transboundary collaboration through the Mekong River Commission the intergovernmental body charged with coordinating sustainable use of the shared river resources. The development partners on Friday also called on Cambodia to submit its Lower Sesan II dam for regional consultation, a request Ministry of Environment ofcials declined to comment on yesterday. By the close of the summit, regional leaders reafrmed their commitment to cooperation in the face of an increasing number of challenges that threaten the Mekong ecosystem, an approach conservationists say is crucial to protecting the river. If the Mekong leaders back their words with actions, [the summit] will hopefully mark the end of irresponsible dam development and the beginning of a more sustainable Mekong River, Ame Trandem, International Rivers Southeast Asia coordinator, said.

HE NUMBER of reported dengue fever cases so far this year has plummeted 87 per cent compared with the same three-month period in 2013, according to the Ministry of Health. A report released on Friday by the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control shows dengue cases fell from 1,393 during January through March of last year to just 179 cases this year. We have achieved good results in controlling the disease; however, more efforts are still needed to prevent outbreaks of the disease, the report, penned by centre director Char Meng Chuor, states. Deaths attributed to dengue also plunged. According to the report, the disease has claimed the life of one child this year, compared with six deaths over the same period in 2013. Chuor did not respond to requests for comment yesterday, while his deputy director, Chea Nguon, declined to comment. Dr Chantha Ngan, director of the Ministry of Healths anti-dengue program could not be reached.

Men sleep under a mosquito net on a Phnom Penh sidewalk last month. Reported dengue fever cases in the rst quarter of this year are down 87 per cent. AFp

According to Tang Choong Siang, who heads the World Health Organizations efforts against dengue and other vector-borne diseases in Cambodia, this years drop in reported cases could be the result of increasingly widespread knowledge about dengue prevention. More efforts are being made to publicly push the use of

mosquito nets and educate the public about maintaining sanitary conditions and covering and emptying domestic water storage containers on a weekly basis, Choong Siang said, adding that these steps are crucial to combating the spread of the Aedes vector mosquitoes. But while the rst-quarter numbers are cause for celebration, Siang cautioned that

outbreaks typically begin in April and May and peak from August to September. The mosquito population swells during the rainy season, when outdoor containers ll with rainwater. In Cambodia, when the rainy season starts is when dengue transmission will usually start to increase, he said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY
CHHAY CHANNYDA

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

National

Weekend storms take heavy toll

Continued from page 1

Rethink Cambodia ties, report tells US

Alice Cuddy

in other provinces, signs of the strength of the gales were all around, with a large tree on Sihanouk Boulevard left snapped like a twig on Saturday night, forcing drivers to navigate around the natural roadblock. Keo Vy, National Committee for Disaster Management cabinet chief, said yesterday that the authorities, working closely with police forces and the Cambodian Red Cross, were busy helping to rebuild families homes. He added that the country had gotten off lightly this year, with last years dryseason storms wreaking far greater damage. We cannot estimate the total storm damage this year yet, whether there are more or less, since it is a natural disaster, he said. But last year, Cambodia was affected by storms from neighbouring countries, plus the monthly rain, which started in the middle of March in Cambodia. So, Cambodia suffered from many storms. Comparing the gures with

A damaged house in Banteay Meanchey province stands at an angle after it was battered by strong winds over the weekend. Nearly 700 homes were damaged by the weekends violent weather. PHOTO SUPPLIED

last years storms, however, gives some reason for thanks. In the rst three months of last year, storms damaged more than 2,000 homes and destroyed 20 schools, with eight people killed by lightning strikes. An updated gure for deaths from lightning strikes from last weeks storms was unavailable yesterday. Local authorities reported earlier last week that three people had died and four others been injured by light-

ning strikes so far this year. Ahead of the storm fronts arrival, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology warned people to batten down the hatches. Oum Ryna, director of the Department of Meteorology at the Ministry of Water Resources, said the worst was over, for now. It will not rain heavily anymore, not like last week. But it might rain heavily in some places, so people should be careful, Ryna said.

In Banteay Meanchey province, ofcials said life was beginning to return to normal. Chhun Buntha, of Banteay Meanchey provincial hall, said that 31 houses in the province had been completely destroyed, while about 270 had been badly damaged. The situation in Banteay Meanchey province right now is better, he said. Hundreds die each year in Cambodia from lightning storms, according to government gures.

OLITICAL analysts at a conservative Washington-based think tank have called for the US to reconsider its relationship with Cambodia in the wake of the disputed July election. Promoting True Democratic Transition in Cambodia, released by the Heritage Foundation last week, urges the US to focus on promoting democracy in Cambodia after a vote the opposition and rights groups say was marred by fraud. The 2013 elections were and are a watershed moment, an opportunity for the US to take stock of what it has accomplished in Cambodia and press for long-overdue political reforms, the report says. For eight months, the Cambodia National Rescue Party has organised mass demonstrations and refused to take its seats in the National Assembly, claiming it won more seats than the Cambodian Peoples Party, and that many votes werent properly accounted for. According to the report, Cambodia is crucial to US interests. It is critical ... that Cambodia mature into a self-sustaining,

democratic nation ... prepared to combat modern-day challenges to governance and peace and security in the Pacic. The report calls on the US to push for a credible investigation into the July election and to be more publicly critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen. If Cambodia fails to meet the USs existing demands for reform the House of Representatives has suspended some funding until the election deadlock is resolved the report advises the additional termination of small amounts of security assistance. The US should also oppose the resumption of World Bank programs if the certication requirement is not met, it says. The World Bank froze new lending to Cambodia in 2011. Other suggestions include a review of the impact of economic assistance and democracy programs and the establishment of a contact group to press for democratic reforms. But Ou Virak, chairman of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said reforms could prove a difcult balancing act for the US. Reform is something that ultimately must be resolved domestically.

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

National
Watery deaths

Two drown but one body still missing

N THE same day that the body of a medical student washed up on a riverbank in the capital, a young boy was also reported to have drowned while bathing in the Mekong River. A body found yesterday morning on a riverbank near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was identified by police as Sroeun Chhun, a 21-yearold student at the University of Health and Sciences. We do not know why the man drowned, said Lem Seriesophorn, Chey Chumneah commune police chief, who added that Chhuns relatives took the body to Sansom Kosal Pagoda. In a separate, unrelated case, the parents of an eightyear-old boy from Kandal province reported that their son drowned yesterday while bathing in the river with his sister, according to Mok Kampoul district police. Chhay Davin was swimming when he slipped and disappeared into deeper water, the district police chief said. No body has yet been found.
KHOUTH SOPHAK CHAKRYA

get Date set for wage-reform talks Leaets unionist in

Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan

HE rst phase of promised minimum wage reform is set to begin later this month, when representatives of workers, employers and the government will hash out ideas on how to set a base salary for the garment sector, in a move meant to avert labour unrest like the kind that rattled the country in January. In an announcement released on Friday, the Ministry of Labour invited members of its Labour Advisory Committee, union representatives and the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) to participate in initial talks scheduled for April 24 and 25. In essence, this discussion isnt something about the gure of the minimum wage, but rather focusing on the principles to be used to set the minimum wage, said Tun Sophorn, national project director for the International Labour Organization (ILO), which the government commissioned as technical advisers. Labour Minister Ith Sam Heng enlisted the ILOs help to put in place a minimum wage-setting mechanism after

hot water

Mom Kunthear and Khouth Sophak Chakrya

Garment workers march towards the Ministry of Labour in Phnom Penh during a demonstration last year to demand the industrys minimum wage be raised to $160. VIREAK MAI

a nationwide garment worker strike erupted following a ministry decision to raise the gure for the garment sector from $80 (including a $5 health bonus) to $100, rather than the $160 unions demanded. The strike ended after police cracked down on demonstrations on January 2 and 3, killing at least four and arresting 23. After the groups come up with a wage-setting formula amenable to all, Sophorn said,

an independent researcher will in May study how the agreed-upon formula can best be implemented. By the years third quarter, all parties will consult and sign off on a specic amount. Getting all stakeholders together for a conversation on minimum wage reform and setting a specic road map for achieving it is a step in the right direction, Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of

Movement of Workers, said. But the effort strikes him as too little too late, since it comes after workers were injured, arrested and killed during the January strike, he said, adding that a wage raise is needed immediately. I think the Ministry of Labour intends on dragging out the discussion on minimum wage, he said. It will take them until the end of the year, which is the opposite of our desire.

POLICE in Svay Rieng province yesterday afternoon arrested a union worker who was delivering flyers supporting a stay-athome strike scheduled to begin after Khmer New Year. While delivering about 1,100 fliers to union members at Full Fortune Knitting, Kem Chamroeun, a 25-year-old Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW ) employee, called union president Pav Sina to say that police were following him, Sina said yesterday. Kem Chamroeun brought the leaflets about the stay-athome strike to our units at Full Fortune so they could distribute them to workers tomorrow, Sina said. But the authorities stopped and arrested him, taking his phone and leaflets. Sina reported the arrest to the UN and to rights groups Licadho and Adhoc, he said. Deputy provincial police chiefs Nup Kimheng, Hem Saban and Nim Thourn all said they were unaware of the arrest. Svay Rieng Provincial Governor Cheang Am could not be reached for comment.

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

National

Attempted rape

Co-worker jailed over sex attack

GARMENT worker was jailed for three years and fined two million riel ($500) for the attempted rape of a female co-worker last year, according to a sentence read on Friday. Kor Vandy, presiding judge at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, found Kang Sith, 24, guilty of attempting to rape Ouk Sara, 31, in Sen Sok districts Teuk Thla commune last November. According to commune police chief Pen Thol, the two workers lived in rental rooms near each other at the time. He entered into the victims room while she was sleeping alone, Thol said. He lay on her body and attempted to rape her. But she woke up and shouted. He used his hand to cover her mouth ... so she bit [his finger] off and left him seriously wounded. Both Sith and his defence lawyer could not be reached for comment yesterday. During his hearing, Sith confessed to entering the victims room but said he was only trying to steal money.
BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA

No asylum deal yet: Australia

Daniel Pye and Shane Worrell

pOLICE BLOttER
Smoking-hot rage leads to dance floor flare-up
THINGS were heating up on the dance floor but only because the ash from one mans cigarette was burning another mans face. After ash was flicked in his direction, the man aggressively confronted the careless smoker as he danced at a party in Kandal province on Friday night. Still burning with rage, the man stormed out of the party to find a cleaver. He waited for the smoker down the street and hacked into him, leaving him unconscious in a pool of blood. The attacker was later arrested. Koh santePheaP

DEAL to send refugees to Cambodia has not yet been signed, but Australia is looking to send more of its unwanted asylum seekers to countries in the region, Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has said. Morrison told Australias Sky News yesterday that Cambodia has the potential to accommodate refugees, echoing comments made by Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday. We are very pleased to have been getting the support ... that weve had and we look forward to further support from other countries in our region, including Cambodia, Abbott said. Morrison made the remarks after 24-hour visit to Phnom Penh last week, during which

A man walks between tents at Australias regional refugee processing centre on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. AFP

he met with Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Thursday for talks building on a February visit by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, when the proposal was rst put forward. Ofcials have kept quiet on

the issue since that meeting. Eang Sophalleth, spokesman for Prime Minister Hun Sen, yesterday declined to comment on the proposals specics. Morrison arrived in Cambodia a day after signing an

agreement with Papua New Guinea that will allow refugees sent to the controversial Manus Island detention facility to be resettled permanently in that country. Cambodias opposition party whip Son Chhay, who settled in Australia as a refugee in 1980, said that whatevers going to happen, it should not just be for the money. Cambodia should not become a dumping ground [for refugees]. Cambodian Center for Human Rights chairman Ou Virak said the issue of refugees is something the Australian government should be extremely careful with: Im against this notion of exporting problems, exporting responsibility. Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said he was not aware of plans to build refugee detention facilities.

Snatch-and-grab duo grabbed and smashed

Garment worker gets six years for beating

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

A 20-YEAR-OLD woman was sentenced by Phnom Penh Municipal Court to six years in prison on Friday for beating and robbing an acquaintance in the capitals Russey Keo district last year. In addition to the lengthy jail sentence, El Ror Fi Ah was also fined about $3,750 for

attacking fellow garment worker Kim Sorphoan, 19, in a rental room in Russey Keo district, presiding judge Kor Vandy said. On the evening of September 11, El Ror Fi Ah beat Sorphoan unconscious with a wooden pestle while she was cooking, district police officer Seng Savuth said. After the beating, [El Ror Fi Ah] stole the victims luxury mobile phone, a necklace,

a gold ring and other jewellery before managing to escape, he said, adding that El Ror Fi Ah was arrested on September 13. Following the hearing on Friday, El Ror Fi Ah said she planned to appeal. The reason why I beat Kim Sorphoan was because I got angry that she put medicines into my dessert to eat. I beat her in order to warn her, she said.

IT WAS a mob beating that added injury to incompetence. A man, 20, and his younger accomplice, 16, were left writhing in pain after robbing a foreigner of her jewellery in the capitals Chamkarmon district on Friday night. After snatching the necklace in a motorbike drive-by, the pair looked home free. That was until the victim screamed, causing the motorbike driver to panic and crash into an oncoming car. If the injuries sustained from the crash werent enough, an angry mob descended on the pair and administered a beating. koh santePheaP

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Van not t for 21: CC3

Chhay Channyda

Truck levels roadside motorbike repair shop

Political Specialist
The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh is seeking an individual for the Political Specialist position for the Political and Economic Ofce. The Political Specialist will be primarily responsible for monitoring political parties, general political developmentsincluding elections, external affairs, and corruption. The incumbent will report to a Political/Economic (Pol/Econ) Ofcer and will have additional responsibility for maintaining biographies on key mission contacts, translating for the Pol/Econ Ofce, arranging schedules for visiting ofcials, accompanying Pol/Econ Ofcers in the eld, and performing other administrative duties as required. Salary: The annual salary range for this position is USD19,168 29,711. Required Qualications 1. Masters Degree in the eld of Political Science, Internal Relations, International Political-Economy, Journalism, or Law is required. 2. Five (5) years of experience working in government or non-government organizations with responsibilities related to political analysis and reporting. 3. Level IV (uent) Speaking/Reading/Writing English and Khmer are required. Language prociency will be tested. 4. Must have solid working knowledge of Cambodian government systems and structures and in-depth knowledge of current political and economic situation in Cambodia. 5. Must be able to produce accurate and well-organized accounts of breaking events in political issues. Ability to establish and maintain a broad range of contacts, and maintain a neutral and approachable style in dealing with all parties concerned. Application Procedure The application deadline is April 21, 2014. Interested candidates must submit applications by email to RecruitmentPHP@state. gov using the Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174) form. The application form and complete details on this position can be found at http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/employment_ opportunities.html. Note: All Ordinarily Resident (OR) applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.

Project Management Assistant

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh is seeking an individual for the Project Management Assistant position for the Ofce of Democracy and Governance (ODG), USAID/Cambodia. The Project Management Assistant position supports the Ofce of Democracy and Governance and serves two primary roles. First, the incumbent supports core program activities to include procurement, budget, nancial planning, and management processes. In this role, s/he specically liaises with the Ofce Director and technical staff, as well as key staff in the Program Ofce, Ofce of Financial Management, and Procurement Ofce. The second role is to provide general administrative support to the ofce. In this role s/he schedules appointments, prepares correspondences, and performs similar administrative duties. Salary: The annual salary range for this position is USD 12,142 18,824. Required Qualications 1. Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Social or Political Science, Public or International Affairs, or International Development/Development Studies is required. 2. Three (3) years of experience in the development sector concentrating in program or project management, budgeting, or administrative management with a U.S. Agency, another international donor, governmental or non-governmental international or local organization is required. 3. Level IV (uent) Speaking/Reading/Writing English and Khmer are required. Language prociency will be tested. Application Procedure

The application deadline is April 28, 2014. Interested candidates must submit applications by email to RecruitmentPHP@state.gov using the Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174) form. The application form and complete details on this position can be found at http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/ employment_opportunities.html. Note: All Ordinarily Resident (OR) applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.

THE director of the Kampong Cham prison where 21 men have been held since a January crackdown on garment strikes has said the detainees may not make it to their April 18 trial date in Phnom Penh, because his van is not equipped. There are more than 20. How can I have a car to bring them to trial? Kea Sovanna, head of Correctional Centre 3, said. My car is only for going to the nearby market to buy food to cook for them. This car cant be used for long-distance trips of about 200 kilometres. Last month, the CC3 vans poor condition was also cited as the reason for not transporting the men to a bail hearing. Authorities arrested 23 people on January 2 and 3 as part of the strike crackdown. Phnom Penh Municipal Court denied separate bail requests on Friday for Vorn Pov, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association, and Sokun Sombath Piseth, a Center for Labor Rights of Cambodia employee. Judge Keo Mony said on Friday he had no information from prison officials attesting to the poor health of the two, which their lawyers cited as the main reason for bail requests. The municipal court did not return a call yesterday seeking comment about transport for the April 18 court date. Mathieu Pellerin, a consultant for Licadho, said the fact that one car is broken makes for a very, very weak excuse to deny the 21 detainees the fundamental right to attend their own trial.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SEAN TEEHAN

AFTER years of helping get damaged motos back on the road, a repairman ended up in hospital on Friday when a truck wiped out his roadside garage. The man, 30, and a motodop waiting for his bike to be fixed were injured when a truck loaded with bricks crashed into the repair shop. After fleeing the scene a popular leitmotif with drivers at fault the truck driver was arrested. He claimed he had fallen asleep at the wheel, offered to pay for the damage and was all of a sudden walking free. nokorwat

TWO drug dealers, 30 and 36, were arrested on Friday when police stormed into one of the dealers houses. Police also seized three packages of ya ma, mobile phones and the obligatory drug paraphernalia. The two men confessed to the crime, saying they had delivered drugs for months but had found it difficult to advance their business beyond a few customers. nokorwat

Cops put drug-dealing duo out of business

Hacking hooligans in K Cham now behind bars

FIVE teenagers, aged 17 to 19, were arrested in Kampong Cham town on Saturday following a vicious cleaver attack. Police said the gang blocked the way of a 40-year-old man on Thursday, hacking him in the stomach before robbing him of his motorbike. Police stumbled upon the stolen motorbike at a guesthouse the next day. A raid of the premises led to the arrest of some of the suspects, who gave away the whereabouts of the others. nokorwat
Translated by Phak Seangly

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

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4,000

1.376

0.9227

0.8557

1.6647

6.209

103.88

7.7569

1.2616

32.44

Paddy rice farms curb losses from lost land

Chan Muyhong

Tourists walk through the grounds of Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reaps Angkor Archaeological Park in 2012.

HENG CHIVOAN

Angkor ready for surge of tourists

Hor Kimsay

IEm Reap hotel operators are preparing for a deluge of tourists this Khmer New Year season the likes of which is not often seen, tourism ofcials say. Chheuy Chhorn, deputy director of Siem Reaps tourism department, said after attracting 170,000 visitors to the rst annual Angkor Sangkran celebration last year, hotel and business owners are expecting more than 200,000 tourists to attend this years event. Bouth Vannda, director of

sales and marketing at the Angkor Hotel and Angkor Paradise Hotel, said all 193 rooms at the Angkor Hotel had been booked out. While the 169-room, moderately priced Angkor Paradise Hotel still had vacancies, Vannda said she expects every room to be lled by Khmer New Year, which kicks off on April 13. Many people are still searching for cheaper places. she said. As the cheaper places ll up and we get closer to Khmer New Year, I expect we will ll all of our rooms.

Phem Chhorpoan, owner of the 22-room Happy Guesthouse and Restaurant, said all her rooms had been booked as well and she was still receiving daily booking requests. Chhorpoan said she increased the price per room by $1 per day for the busy time. Siem Reap is going to have people everywhere day and night, she said. Even if I had more rooms, I could still sell them all. According to the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Tourism, there are 166 hotels in the province, which have

a total of 10,382 rooms, and 233 guesthouses, which have a total of 3,600 rooms. The Angkor Sangkran includes concerts, trade fairs, cultural activities like traditional Khmer games and dancing, Chhorn, the local tourism ofcial said. The three-day celebration is held at Angkor Wat temple, Bayon temple and Elephant Terrace, Last year, more than 3,000 Cambodian youths, actors and actresses participated in the festival. Siem Reap tourism continues to increase year on year.

In 2013, the province welcomed more than 2.23 million visitors, up more than eight per cent from 2012. In October last year, the Apsara Authority reported Angkor Wat ticket sale revenue had reached $41.4 million within the rst nine months of 2013, a 14 per cent increase on 2012 ticket sale gures. In total, Cambodias tourism sector earned $2.5 billion during all of 2013, according to Tourism Minister Thong Khon. The Angkor Sangkran festival will be held from April 13 to 16.

CAMBODIAN paddy rice production fell only slightly during the first half of this years dry season, despite 12,000 hectares of usually productive land deemed unusable due to last years floods. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, dry season paddy rice production between December and April fell 1.9 per cent compared with the same period last year. Farmers have produced more than 2.11 million tonnes of paddy rice so far this dry season, down from more than 2.15 million tonnes in 2013. The government commended the farmers efforts, citing a 2.5 per cent drop in producing land, due to the effects of flooding. On average, farmers actually increased their average tonnage per hectare from 4.1 tonnes in 2013 to 4.3 tonnes this year, according to the ministry. Pich Romnea, deputy director of ministrys paddy rice production department said farmers employing better farming techniques such as water irrigation methods and using dry season appropriate rice varieties helped to curtail yield losses. They are using unmixedseeds, better farming technique and we have seen less insects and bugs damaging the paddy rice this dry season, he said. Nheb Sron, director of the agriculture department of Takeo Province, said establishing more irrigation systems throughout the province had pushed the harvest higher. More irrigation systems have been built in four districts within Takeo province, which make rice production possible during the dry season, he added.

THE PHNOM PENH POST ApriL 7, 2014

Business

Beef roadblock

Abbott says optimistic of Japan FTA

Gas rise met with court threat

Dmitry Zaks

USTRALIAN Prime Minister Tony Abbott said yesterday that he was optimistic about his countrys free trade talks with Japan but he was unsure when the two countries could strike a deal. Government ministers from the two countries failed to reach an agreement after five hours of negotiations in Tokyo on Saturday as they remained divided on Australias demand for a sharp cut in Japans import tariffs on beef. Abbott, due to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today during a trip to Tokyo, told reporters: I am optimistic about the free trade negotiations but they have been difficult. Asked if the two countries can work out a free trade agreement while he stays in Tokyo until tomorrow, Abbott said: I am hopeful but not certain. There are still some final matters to be resolved and while we do want a swift conclusion, we want a satisfactory conclusion as well. afp

Thai investment board to get back in business

THAILANDS Board of Investment is expected to function again by the third week of April after the cabinets decision to officially appoint new board members before the long holiday begins, caretaker Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk said. There has not been a board since last October, when the previous members terms expired a month before the protests began. More than 400 projects with a combined value of 660 billion baht ($20 billion) have been waiting for investment privilege approval since October. banGKoK post

KRAINE on the weekend rejected Russias latest gas price hike and threatened to take its energy-rich neighbour to arbitration court over a dispute that could imperil deliveries to Western Europe. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Russias two rate increases in three days were a form of economic aggression aimed at punishing Ukraines new leaders for overthrowing a Moscow-backed regime last month. Russias natural gas group Gazprom this week raised the price of Ukrainian gas by 81 per cent to $485.50 (354.30) from $268.50 for 1,000 cubic metres requiring the ex-Soviet state to pay the highest rate of any of its European clients. The decision threatens to further fan a furious diplomatic row between Moscow and the West that has left Kremlin insiders facing sanctions and more diplomatic isolation than at any stage since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. Political pressure is unacceptable. And we do not accept the price of $500 [per 1,000 cubic metres of gas], Yatsenyuk said at a cabinet meeting called to get a handle on the economic crisis that could escalate tensions in the culturally splintered nation of 46 million. The profound scale of the rift between those who see their future tied to either Europe or the Kremlin was underscored when security agents announced the arrest of 15 men who allegedly planned to distribute 300 machine guns for the armed over-

Ukraine Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called the raising of prices by Russias state-owned natural gas group Gazprom a form of economic aggression to punish Kievs new leaders. afp/bloomberG

throw of the local government of a region neighbouring Russia. Ukraines heavily Russified southeastern swaths have sought to stage their own independence referendums similar to the one that resulted in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea being annexed by Moscow last month. Yatsenyuk said Ukraine must now prepare for the possibility that Russia will either limit or halt deliveries of gas to Ukraine in the coming weeks or

months. Gazproms European clients saw their deliveries limited in 2006 and 2009 when the gas giant long accused of raising the rates of neighbours who seek closer ties to the West halted Ukraines shipments due to disagreements about the price. The state gas rm supplies about a third of EU nations demand, despite efforts by Brussels to limit energy dependence on Russia. Nearly 40 per cent of that ows through Ukraine.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said Kiev was ready to take Gazprom to arbitration court in Stockholm if Moscow refused to negotiate over a lower price. If we fail to agree, we are going to go to arbitration court, as the current contract allows us to do. But Gazprom countered that it was ready to defend any court action because it was simply reverting back to the price set in a 10-year contract that Ukraine had signed in 2009. afp

Japanese high-tech power Thailand drink behemoth whets plants heading for SE Asia investors appetites ahead of IPO
TWO Japanese rms have agreed deals to develop advanced coal-red power plants in Malaysia and Myanmar as part of a government drive to export energy efciency technology to emerging markets, a report said yesterday. The Japanese government is seeking to promote the export of ultra-supercritical (USC) pressure technology power plants to meet expected growing demand in emerging economies, the Nikkei business daily said. USC power plants are the most efcient in the world, generating hotter, higherpressure steam than conventional units resulting in signicantly lower carbon dioxide emissions, Nikkei said. Japanese trading rm Mitsui has agreed to oversee the construction and operation of a plant in Malaysia with two USC generators that can each produce one million kilowatts of energy, the daily said. Mitsui, partnering with government-afliated infrastructure group 1Malaysia Development Berhad, is expected to sign a formal contract with the Malaysian government by this summer, according to Nikkei. The project is valued at about 360 billion yen ($3.48 billion) and is scheduled to come online in 2018. Under the plan, Toshiba will deliver steam turbines to the plant to be built in Jimah, south of Kuala Lumpur, while Japanese heavy equipment maker IHI will provide boilers, Nikkei said. In addition, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking has reportedly reached a deal to extend loans for a 260 billion yen USC power generation project in Myanmar. Japanese heavy machinery makers will take part in the construction of the plant with an output of 1.28 million kilowatts in cooperation with Thai engineering rm ToyoThai Corporation Public Co, it said. afp THAILANDS initial public offering market has reached a frenzy again after a mouth-watering offer by Ichitan Group founder Tan Passakornnatee tempted investors. Thousands of return-hungry investors on Saturday eagerly lined up to subscribe to the green tea manufacturers IPO shares at the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) building, although the right to buy up to 5,000 shares was offered only to the rst 250. Ichitan will trade under the symbol ICHI. The rst investors camped out in the queue at about 9.30pm on Thursday outside SET headquarters, while the 250th investor was there at 6am on Saturday. Even though Ichitans IPO will not break the record-setting IPO of national oil and gas giant PTT, which sold out 220 million shares to retail investors in less than two minutes in 2001, the stock looks set for success on its SET debut on April 21. Ichitan is raising 3.9 billion baht ($120 million) in fresh funds from allocating 300 million newly issued shares at a price of 13 baht each. The subscription runs until Friday. Of the 300 million shares, 80 million have been offered to patrons, 70 million to institutional investors and 150 million to retail investors. The rst 250 investors were considered patrons. Proceeds from the share offering will be used to repay debt of 2.5 billion baht, expand the second phase of Ichitans plant at a cost of 800 million baht and for working capital. The offering price can be translated into a price-toearnings ratio of 19.2 times, a 36 per cent discount on three of Ichitans peers. I was here since 9.30pm [Thursday] with my sister, said Jaruporn Jirapanu, 40, of Sukhumvit Road, who obtained the rst queue card. They were actually not the rst to arrive at the SET building Orachorn Udomsab and her partner ew down from Chiang Rai on Thursday and headed directly to the SET in the afternoon. They left to nd a hotel before returning at 10.30pm. Flight tickets and the hotel cost the couple 5,000 baht, but she said she didnt mind. I came here as suggested by my sisters boyfriend, she said. Her sister has been a stock investor for seven years, while her boyfriend has even more experience. Saranpak Amornsrivilai, who was among those who obtained the subscription right, said she is a big fan of Ichitans Facebook, and the companys stock was her rst investment. Im a salary earner who is scared to put money in risky assets. But this is the rst time Ive dared to invest in stocks, because I believe I wont be disappointed. banGKoK post

ASEAN to stay vigilant

SOUTHEAST Asian finance ministers vowed vigilance on Saturday in the face of economic risks such as capital outflows caused by the US Federal Reserves tapering of its massive monetary stimulus. Officials said the 10-member group was well-placed to withstand the winding down of the USs quantitative easing. We remain vigilant in managing the downside risks, including capital outflows, volatile currency movements, emerging inflationary pressures and tightening financial conditions, which could dampen economic growth, a joint statement read. afp

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Markets Business Weibo listing sets goal for IPO at $380 million
WEIBO Corp, Chinas biggest microblogging outlet, is seeking as much as $380 million in an initial public offering, joining a slew of Chinese Internet companies looking to list newly issued shares in the US. The company plans to offer 20 million shares for $17 to $19 apiece, according to a regulatory filing late last week. At the top of the offering range the firm would have a market value of about $3.9 billion, the filing shows. Weibo, based in Beijing, plans to use some of the proceeds from the offering to repay loans to parent Sina Corp. In the first quarter, Chinabased companies announced more than $2.5 billion of US IPOs, data compiled by Bloomberg show. JD.com Inc, the Chinese retailing website that just received an investment from Asias largest Internet company Tencent Holdings Ltd, has filed to raise $1.5 billion and Leju Holdings Ltd, an online real-estate firm, has said that it is seeking as much as $212 million in an IPO. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Chinas biggest e-commerce company, has agreed to buy an 18 per cent stake in Weibo for $586 million, and plans to exercise an option to raise that stake to 30 per cent, according to the filing. Alibaba is also preparing to go public in the US. Weibos proceeds from the IPO and Alibabas investment will be $377.2 million, according to the filing. Sina will have 80 per cent of the voting power after the sale, while Alibaba will have 15 per cent. At $3.9 billion Weibo is asking for a value of about 21 times 2013 sales of $188.3 million. Revenue surged to that amount, from $65.9 million last year, the filing shows. Twitter, with more than 200 million users, has a market value of $24.5 billion, and has gained 66 per cent since its November debut. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Credit Suisse Group Ag are managing the offering. Weibo plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol WB. Weibo saw revenues for 2013 of $188 million, triple 2012s, but has continually lost money, like its US counterpart, with accumulated losses of $274.9 million as of December 31. Despite Weibos popularity in China its ascent has hit a few speed bumps due to a social media crackdown by Beijing and the rise of rival Tencents app WeChat. BLOOMBERG/AFP
Tom Randall

Mars wants all green M&Ms

ARS Inc, which sells about $30 billion of deliciousness a year, is going green. Were talking 100 per cent. The Mars mission: to eliminate fossil fuel use by 2040. The maker of Snickers and M&Ms is just three per cent green today, at least when it comes to renewable energy. But dont worry, your green M&Ms wont cost a penny more than the coal-coloured ones, according to Barry Parkin, chief sustainability ofcer at Virginia-based Mars. The big strategy? Wait until switching is a no-brainer. There doesnt have to be a cost disadvantage to develop green energy, Parkin said. Mars aims to expand its renewable power, which includes solar plants in Nevada and New Jersey, but only when it costs the same as or less than electricity owing from the grid, he said. Setting goals for 2040 isnt difcult. A lot can change in a quarter century, including the entire team running the company. The shift to cleaner energy, it would seem, is inevitable so why not take

Rows of M&M candies at the M&Ms World store in New York.

BLOOMBERG

credit for it now? More impressive is IKEAs plan to accomplish this by 2020. Is Mars peering through green-coloured glasses? If companies can save money switching to renewables, and individuals can too thanks to installers like SolarCity, what explains the US Energy Information Administrations projection for Americas fuel mix through 2040? Renewables (including hydropower) will amount to just 16 per cent, up from 12 per cent today, according to the agency. The estimate is conserva-

tive, based largely on todays technology and assuming all federal subsidies for renewables expire. The picture could be brighter. The biggest obstacle to adoption is the so-called intermittency issue meaning we dont have a good way to store power for times when the sun doesnt shine and the winds dont blow. If battery makers like Tesla can solve intermittency with better batteries, the US renewables mix could be double the estimate, maybe more, said Colm OConnor, an alternative-

energy portfolio manager at Kleinwort Benson Investors. I would really question any kind of estimates for 2040, OConnor said. That doesnt mean Mars isnt serious. The company is a real sustainability leader in many areas notably its recent goal to use 100 per cent sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015. Palm oil is used in just about everything we put in our mouths and on our bodies and has become a major cause of deforestation. Rather, perhaps Marss big vision suggests that other companies arent serious enough. New onshore wind power is already as cheap as coal and gas in most regions of the world, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar prices are competitive without subsidies in 19 countries, according to a Deutsche Bank report. Marss plan for cutting fossil fuels by 2040 shouldnt be the apex of American sustainability; it should be the baseline. As any good planner will tell you, sometimes success is just a matter of seeing whats coming and making sure youre not standing in the way. If more people do that, all our M&Ms will be green. BLOOMBERG

10

THE PHNOM PENH POST April 7, 2014

Business
Berlin eyes law to rein in outsized union sway
A PILOTS strike in Germany last week has highlighted the power that comparatively small groups of employees have to lay low key areas of the economy in pursuit of their own interests. And the German government is looking to draw up legislation later this year to prevent such an incident from happening again. One company, one wage agreement is the motto behind a proposed unied wage-bargaining mechanism masterminded by the labour minister, Andrea Nahles. Over three days last week, the pilots union effectively grounded the countrys biggest airline, Lufthansa, in a dispute over pay and early retirement entitlements. Between Wednesday and Friday, Lufthansa which employs a total workforce of around 117,000 was forced to cancel 3,800 ights, or most of its scheduled services, stranding nearly half a million passengers, because of a dispute concerning a group of as few as 5,400 employees. While Lufthansa succeeded in averting widespread travel chaos by warning passengers and helping them to rebook in advance, the walkout by the small number of employees affected more people than any of the rare strikes held by the massive IG Metall metalworkers union with its more than two million members. Other unions representing smaller professions such as those for hospital doctors, train drivers and airline cabin crew can have similar sway. I would wish that the most powerful employees within a company would use their strength to support the weakest and not merely in their own interests, Nahles said. AFP

Firestorm as CEO exit divides Silicon Valley

Peter Burrows

RENDAN Eichs resignation as chief executive ofcer of Mozilla Corp is exposing a split in Silicon Valley between support for left-leaning issues and advocacy of unrestricted freedom of expression. Eich, who became CEO in March, stepped down on April 3 after being criticised for donating $1,000 to an anti-gay marriage group in 2008. He had initially refused to resign for expressing a personal opinion, before bowing to mounting pressure. Dating service OKCupid led the charge, blocking anyone accessing its website using Firefox, the web browser that is Mozillas main product. Some employees of Mozilla publicly denounced Eichs views, taking to blogs and Twitter to protest. At the same time venture capitalists including Michael Arrington and Marc Andreessen came to Eichs defence, suggesting that the backlash was contrary to the regions and Mozillas own commitment to libertarian views. This is a particularly fas-

cinating situation, because it involves an illiberal reaction from a very liberal community, Joseph Grundfest, a law professor at Stanford University, said. Its fair to say that this could have been handled differently and better. Mozilla, a nonprot organisation, has championed efforts to make sure the internet remains open to all viewpoints. The web is a global public resource that must remain open and accessible, according to the groups guiding document, the Mozilla Manifesto. Mitchell Baker, Mozillas executive chairwoman, apologised for the uproar in a statement on Eichs resignation and said the group didnt act like youd expect Mozilla to act. Mozillas board should have foreseen the uproar, said Irina Raicu, director of the Internet ethics program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. For 16 years, Mozilla has relied on contributions from a diverse group of software developers, many who ercely defend the need for freedom of expression on the internet. This is going to make boards

in the future think more deeply about this question: Is this CEO a good t for the values of company? Raicu said. The political views of CEOs arent always grounds for resignation. In 2012, activists and the mayors of Boston and San Francisco urged boycotts of fast food chain Chickl-A, which donated millions through a foundation to antigay rights groups. While the company decided to stop giving to the groups, none of its executives resigned. Eich has declined to comment on his views about same-sex marriage. While a board may need to be involved if an executives views cause strife among the management team or affects its ability to recruit employees, it should err on the side of keeping politics and business separate and distinct, said Charles Elson, director of the John L Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. This is troubling because ones politics is ones own business, Elson said. Thats been the rule in American business for a very long time.

Brendan Eich has stepped down as Mozillas chief executive ofcer over a donation he made in 2008 to an anti-gay marriage group. BLOOMBERG

Silicon Valley has long been associated with progressive political causes, including gay issues. Apple CEO Tim Cook has publicly pushed for passage of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. Former Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel have spoken of their libertarian leanings.

David Pakman, a television and radio host who is a spokesman for gay advocacy group GLAAD, noted that Eichs resignation happened in a very conservative, freemarket way as a result of pressure from Mozillas employees and developers, rather than from outside advocacy groups. BLOOMBERG

S Africa to lose spot as continents top economy

NIGERIA, Africas most populous country and largest oil producer, was set to emerge as the continents biggest economy yesterday when the results of an overdue rebasing of its gross domestic product were announced. Although UN statisticians recommend that countries rebase their GDP calculations every five years to reflect changes in the structure of production and consumption, Nigeria last carried out the exercise in 1990. So the new figures expected to be unveiled by Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela and top government statisticians were expected to place Nigeria ahead of continental powerhouse South Africa as new and fast-developing sectors such as telecoms, music and local film industry, Nollywood, are considered in the GDP rebasing. Following the adjustment, Nigerias economy is expected to increase by as much as 60 per cent, taking it from $264 billion past South Africas $384 billion. Nigeria, with 170 million people, is about three times the size of South Africa, but its economy is the second-largest on the continent, after South Africa. Africas leading crude producer has enjoyed high rates of growth, notwithstanding widespread corruption, poor governance, rampant oil theft and a raging Islamist insurgency in the north. Analysts say while at this stage we can only speculate how big the impact of the rebasing will be, the actual size of the adjustment is probably of less significance than the psychological effect this will have on perceptions about Africa. It would be interesting to see how international relations will be affected when South Africa is no longer the largest African economy. South Africa is, for example, the only African country represented in the G-20. For Nigeria, the rebasing will probably not mean a significant change, but it will improve the countrys balance sheet and its credit rating. This should lead to lower borrowing costs for the government, which is ultimately beneficial for citizens. It will also shore up its image and make it interesting as an investment destination, a status hitherto enjoyed by South Africa. But analysts cautioned against viewing the new figures as a sign of development, noting that South Africa is still way ahead in terms of GDP per capita, infrastructure and governance. AFP

Fixed Deposit Interest Rates

Financial Institutions
As of APRIL 3, 2014

Cambodian

On Deposits
3 Months
USD
5.50% 3.50% 2.50% 1.35% 2.25% 3.50%

GL Finance PLC
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT GL FINANCE PLC. is a subsidiary of the leading leasing company in Thailand Group Lease PCL., quoted on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. GL Finance is the rst nancial leasing service in Cambodia since 2012, and provides nancing on motorcycles and agricultural machinery through partnerships with industry leaders (Honda, Kubota). GL Finance covers the entire territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and is facing a number of challenges in its fast pace growth. We are now seeking qualied and passionate individuals to support our expansion. Position : Sales Supervisor Location : Head Ofce, Phnom Penh Salary : 400$ - 700$ depending on qualications 1. RESPONSIBILITIES: Visit, control and improve sales forces efciency on the eld (nationwide) Evaluate and improve on-site marketing in each point of sales Insure a satisfying relationship between GL Finance and its commercial partners Recommend appropriate communication / advertising channels for each province Maintain an updated benchmark of GL Finances market Provide continuous leadership, supervision, training and development of operation staff ensuring an effective and motivated team. 2. REQUIREMENTS: Experienced candidates are preferred; outstanding unexperienced candidates will be considered Interest in marketing and creative personality, market analysis skills, leadership Very good Khmer and English expression Very frequent trip to province Ability to work in a multicultural environment More detail please contact GL Finance HR and Admin Department: Tel: 066 669 327/ 098 505 559/ 097 500 5559 E-mail Address: hr@gl-f.com Website: www.gl-f.com

6 Months
USD
6.50% 4.50% 3.75% 2.50% 3.00% 4.50% 3.25% 3.00% 3.50% 3.25% 3.00% 3.50% 3.50% 4.50%

12 Months
USD
8.00% 5.50% 5.00% 3.50% 4.00% 5.50% 3.50% 3.75% 4.75% 4.25% 4.50% 4.75% 4.50% 5.50%

Vacancy Announcement
UNOPS mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efcient manner. To ensure more effective support and oversight of ongoing projects/programmes and facilitate the development of new projects/programmes, UNOPS established its Cambodia Ofce in early 2013. This Ofce oversees a regional portfolio that includes a multi-donor funded project to support the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) and a GFATM funded programme to help contain and eliminate malaria in Cambodia. UNOPS is expanding its operations in Asia and planning to organize various workshops in the region for governments, donors, partners, development agencies, etc. Subsequently, UNOPS Cambodia is looking for an independent and experienced Operations Specialist to join an anticipated project and competent Interns to join the regional business and project development team in Cambodia. Position Operations Specialist Business Intelligence and Strategy Analyst (Intern) Project Development and Communications Analyst (Intern) Graphic Designer and Desktop Publisher (Intern) Level LICA-7 Other Other Other Duty Station Phnom Penh Phnom Penh Phnom Penh Phnom Penh Deadline 21-Apr-14 30-Apr-14 30-Apr-14 30-Apr-14

RIEL
6.50% N/A 5.00% 3.50% N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.00% N/A 2.00% 4.00% N/A N/A

RIEL
7.50% N/A 6.00% 4.00% N/A N/A N/A N/A 6.00% N/A 3.00% 5.00% N/A N/A

RIEL
9.75% N/A 7.00% 5.50% N/A N/A N/A N/A 7.00% N/A 4.50% 6.00% N/A N/A

PrAsAC ABA Bank ACLEDA Bank ANZ Royal Bank Bank of India Cambodia Asia Bank

Cambodia Mekong Bank 2.75% Cambodian Public Bank 2.00% Canadia Bank Maybank MAruHAn Japan Bank RHB Indochina Bank SBC Bank
2.50% 2.25% 2.00% 2.75% 3.00%

Union Commercial Bank 3.50%

Operations Specialist applicants are requested to apply via the UNOPS Global Personnel Recruitment System (GPRS) https://gprs.unops.org/pages/viewvacancy/VAListing.aspx Intern applicants are requested to apply via Apploi Website: https://www.apploi.com/candidate/nd More information about the positions and the application process can also be found on www.unops.org Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted to participate in the recruitment process. UNOPS, Phnom Penh Centers 6th Floor, Room # 628, Corner of Sihanouk and SothearosBlvds., 12301 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

THE PHNOM PENH POST ApriL 7, 2014

11

World
Oz probes promising 370 signals
AUStrALiA yesterday sent planes and ships to investigate signals detected by a Chinese ship in the hunt for a missing Malaysian jet, saying they matched black box beacons and were an important and encouraging lead. Angus Houston, the Australian head of the mission, said a second ping was also being scrutinised 300 nautical miles away in the Indian Ocean, as the one-month lifespan of batteries powering the beacons loomed. Houston said Chinas Haixun 01 twice detected an underwater signal on a frequency used for ight recorders once for 90 seconds on Saturday and another more eeting ping on Friday a short distance away. This is an important and encouraging lead, but one which I urge you to continue to treat carefully: we are working in a very big ocean and within a very large search area, Houston said. Britains HMS Echo and the Australian ship Ocean Shield both equipped with black box locators and Australian air force planes were being diverted to the area to help discount or conrm the signals. Ocean Shield was also investigating the signal it detected yesterday in its current location, about 300 nautical miles north of Haixun 01, in waters far off Australias west coast. Houston said the Chinese nding was more promising. I think the fact that weve had two detections, two acoustic events in that location, provides some promise which requires a full investigation, he said. AFP

Afghans go to polls in high numbers

N ANXiOUS preparation for a historic presidential election, Afghanistan fortied its cities against attack, primed observers to detect fraud ... then was blind-sided by a problem no one had even dared imagine unprecedented voter enthusiasm. Defying Taliban threats and the more mundane challenge of rainy weather, Afghans ocked to the polls in such high numbers that ballots were running out in some places by midday. Soon, more than a third of provinces were reporting shortfalls, and as the scale of the problem emerged election organisers scrambled to respond. Afghans are choosing a successor to President Hamid Karzai after 12 years, and if the handover is smooth it will be the rst peaceful, democratic transfer of power their country has ever seen. For months Kabul was lled with rumours that Karzai would seek to delay or cancel the vote so that he could hold on to power. But he kept his promises to hold the poll on time with an early-morning trip to a polling station near his palace. Today is a vital day for us, the people of Afghanistan, that will determine our future, he said after casting his ballot and urged other voters to come out. They did so in numbers and with a determination that surprised even optimists, and even after ballots ran out. Seven million Afghans cast votes, election organisers said, nearly two and a half million more than the last presidential poll, and about 60 per cent of all eligible voters. In the Kabul station that ran out of ballots, Sultani waited three hours until a last-minute batch arrived, sending organisers who had been muttering darkly about government conspiracies scrambling to reassemble the polling station. Male and female polling stations are separate because many in the conservative country frown on the mingling of the sexes in any context outside of the family. Of course the massive turnout of women voters is a

Afghan voters queue at a polling station in the Jamee mosque of Herat on Saturday to choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai. AFP

big slap to all those who want to block us to contribute. Feeling proud to be a woman, said activist Samira Huria, who had returned to Afghanistan to take part in the poll. It was not all good news. The election in some rural areas dominated by insurgents sounded like another vote entirely, with villagers steering clear of voting stations after the Taliban warned them to stay away, commanders taking ballot-boxes to stuff at their leisure, and rocket, bomb and gun attacks. At least one person was killed, several others injured and more than 200 polling stations closed at the last minute because of security threats. But multiple rings of tight security, with Kabul virtually shut down for days before the election, appear to have prevented any major Taliban attacks. The insurgents had denounced the elections as a sham, warned that anyone who worked on them or took part was risking their lives, and mounted a high-prole campaign of attacks in the run-up to the vote. The bloodshed cut short some international election

monitoring missions and prompted many foreigners to evacuate ahead of the poll. In Kabul a lone gunmen shot dead nine people, including a prominent Afghan journalist and his wife and two young children as they ate dinner in a city centre hotel, stormed the guesthouse of a land mine removal charity, and attacked two election ofces and a ministry in less than two weeks. Afghan intelligence sources said several squads of suicide attackers were preparing more spectacular attacks on polling day. In response the government declared four days of holiday, sent workers home, shut down all roads into the city and promised people it would guarantee their safety with more than 300,000 police and soldiers deployed around the country. Kabul voters spooked by the string of attacks said they were unsure if the security cordon would hold but had come to the polls anyway. I am 100 per cent worried about security, but this is about the destiny of our country, said 23-year-old Aslan, an election moni-

tor who by 10am had already spotted a man who had scrubbed his inked nger and was trying to vote twice. He was part of a 200,000-strong squad of election observers, mostly tied to individual candidates, who kept a far closer eye on polling than ve years ago when the vote that returned Karzai to power was marred by widespread fraud and more than a million ballots were thrown out. It would be foolish to call the election overall a success at this stage. Reports of fraud in 2009 trickled in slowly at rst, and even if this poll proves cleaner there is certain to be controversy about which areas were short of ballots, and whether it affected some candidates more than others. Election organisers reacted fast to the high turnout, extending voting hours, sending out more ballots, and trying to explain their miscalculation to the angry masses of would-be voters. Not all the shortages were resolved, though, and monitors said they would investigate whether any stations ran out because of early-morning ballot-box stufng. Any complaints will certainly be joined by other cases of abuse. Ofcials have already made arrests for attempted ballot-box stufng and voter fraud, when four people were found with over 1,000 voter identity cards. Even if results are declared clean, they will only be nal if one candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote. Anything lower triggers a second-round run-off, and with strong competition between the top three candidates another polling day seems more likely than not. Still, Afghans celebrated their extraordinary success in holding a day of voting where the focus stayed mostly on people casting their ballots, not the ones trying to stop them. Huge, huge day for Afghanistan. A historic event ends peacefully with millions casting their votes, said Saad Mohseni, the businessman owner of Tolo TV, one of the countrys biggest channels. A massive victory for our people, and a massive kick in the face for the Taliban. THE GUARDIAN

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World

Lopez charges lead to mass Caracas protests

PROTESTS broke out in Caracas Friday after Venezuelas attorney general charged jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez with responsibility for anti-government protests that have shaken the country for two months. The Harvard-educated economist has been held in a military prison since his February 18 arrest in the midst of an opposition protest rally against leftist President Nicolas Maduro, who has faced neardaily demonstrations since early February. Thirty-nine people have died in clashes between security forces and protesters. Another 608 were wounded and 192 are going through the court process. Attorney General Luis Ortega Diaz told a press conference that formal charges were brought against Lopez, leader of the Popular Will party, accusing him of inciting violence, arson, damage to property and conspiracy. AFP

Horror perpetrators lavish prison life

TRETChING their legs in a sunkissed gravel prison courtyard in Mali, two of the architects of Rwandas genocide serve out their sentences far from home, 20 years after leading the slaughter. Theoneste Bagosora, bespectacled and sporting a gleaming pair of tennis shoes, cuts a far more serene gure than he did as the army chief described as the Heinrich Himmler of Rwanda who ordered an apocalypse which left 800,000 dead. His cellmate Jean Kambandas face is hidden by an enormous beard but he is still recognisable as the prime minister who incited one of the most extensive and brutal mobilisations of a population against its fellow countrymen ever seen. More than a dozen Rwandan genocidaires are housed in their own unit of the prison in Koulikoro, a garrison town on the banks of the River Niger 57 kilometres (35 miles) downstream from Bamako. Serving long or whole-life terms, most are old men and will never leave. A retired colonel in the Hutu extremist regime that seized power in 1994, Bagosora, now 72, took over the army and unleashed the notorious Interahamwe militia against the Tutsi population and moderate Hutus. The rate of killing was far faster than the Holocaust of the Jews in World War II 800,000 Tutsis were slaughtered in just 100 days as Kambanda and his ministers toured the country urging on the murderers. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) found that Bagosora had spent years preparing the apocalypse and sentenced him in 2011 to 35 years in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Kambanda was arrested in Kenya in 1997 and admitted genocide at his trial the following year after he was ac-

Polls open in Costa Rica one-candidate vote

VOTIng got under way in Costa Rica yesterday, where historian and former diplomat Luis Guillermo Solis faced no opposition in the countrys presidential run-off election. His lone rival, conservative Johnny Araya, dropped out last month after polls showed he would be soundly defeated, giving the centrist Solis an easy glide path toward victory in the election to lead this country of some five million people. As the candidate of the moderate Citizen Action Party, Solis, 55, was a surprise winner of the first-round vote on February 2 from a field of four. His popularity continued to surge and by early March a poll showed him with nearly a 45 per cent lead over Araya. With his path wide open, Solis is set to become the first third-party candidate to win the Costa Rican presidency in 50 years. Corruption scandals and economic crises under outgoing President Laura Chinchilla, the first woman leader of the country, have weakened the old two-party system, political analysts said. AFP

A woman and man carry the Kwibuka Flame of Remembrance during a procession in the Kicukiru district of Kigali provice in Rwanda on Saturday. AFP

cused of handing out arms to militias knowing they would be used to massacre Tutsis. Mali signed a deal with the tribunal in 1999, agreeing to become the rst foreign country to provide prison cells for the convicts as a symbol of Malian support for African unity. Other countries on the ICTRs list of willing hosts of convicted Rwandans include Italy, Benin, Swaziland, France and Sweden. The rst convicted Rwandans, including Kambanda, began arriving in Mali in 2001 and a second group of nine prisoners, including two former ministers, have been in the country since 2008 while Bagosora was sent there in 2012. Kambanda and most of the others are serving life sentences but some have xed terms of less than 20 years and Malian ofcials have voiced concerns in the past over what would become of them if they were released.

The Rwandans were originally held with local inmates in Bamakos central prison but the ICTR funded a facility specically built for them in Koulikoro, where they are segregated from Malians in an air-conditioned cell block. The Rwandans, whose dayto-day expenses are covered by Mali, are entitled to receive visits while their meals are better than those served to other inmates and they receive $2 a day to buy newspapers. Their unit boasts separate showers, a dining room and a well-appointed library, leading to complaints in the Rwandan media that the inmates are leading lavish lives. On a recent site visit, a member of the prisons management said that some of the inmates express regret for what happened in Rwanda while others demand justice for all victims without exception, whether Tutsi and Hutu. Few people in Koulikoro, a town of just over 40,000,

are aware of their notorious guests. I know they are here but I do not know if one day in this country they could live peacefully, because I have the impression that the hatred still exists between Hutu and Tutsi, said Gilbert Kone, a high school teacher in the town. A handful of the prisoners have been freed after their sentences were reduced and have stayed on in Mali, not wanting to return to Rwanda. One, released after more than 12 years, spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying he did not want to be shot in the head. The path of reconciliation is long here . . . I am free today but I cannot go to Kigali because prison, if not death, awaits me there, he said. He accused Rwandas President Paul Kagame of wanting to continue the domination of the Hutu majority by the Tutsi minority. The Malian justice ministry said it wouldnt get into this

debate about Rwandan war criminals at large in Mali. Amadou Sango, a spokesman for the prisons department, would say only that if Mali is one of the countries selected to host ICTR convicts it is because human rights are respected here. Meanwhile, oreparations in Rwanda yesterday for the commemorations for the 20th anniversary of the genocide were overshadowed by a major spat with France amid renewed allegations that Paris was complicit in the killings. The French government announced that it was pulling out of todays events after Rwandan President Paul Kagame again accused France, an ally of the Hutu nationalist government prior to the 1994 killings, of having helped the murder of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis take place. Speaking to the weekly Jeune Afrique, Kagame denounced the direct role of Belgium and France in the political preparation for the genocide, and said French soldiers who were sent to Rwanda when the killings started were both accomplices and actors in the bloodbath. Paris has repeatedly denied the accusations and insisted that French forces had striven to protect civilians. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said he was surprised by Kagames accusations, saying they went against reconciliation efforts between the two countries. He also announced that French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira would be staying away. France regrets that it cannot take part in the 20th anniversary commemorations for the genocide, he said. Former colonial power Belgium, which unlike France has apologised to Rwanda for failing to prevent the genocide, said it would still be sending a senior delegation for the commemorations. AFP

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World
Kidnappers telephone Chinese victims family
KIDNaPPERS holding a Chinese tourist who was abducted from a resort on Malaysias Borneo island have made a phone call to her family in China, a senior security ofcial said yesterday. He said the gunmen have communicated with the family of Gao Huayuan, 29, whom Philippine security forces believe is being held in Jolo island in the southern Philippines. They have made telephone contact with her family, Mohammad Mentek, directorgeneral of the security command in the east of Malaysias Sabah state, said. The Abu Sayyaf, a small band of militants notorious for kidnapping for ransom, are the prime suspects in Wednesdays abduction of the Chinese tourist and a Filipina resort worker, Marcy Dayawan, 40. Mohammad said Malaysian authorities believe the two hostages are safe. We hope they will be returned safely to their families as soon as possible, he said. He declined to comment on whether the kidnappers had began ransom negotiations with the Chinese family. Philippine authorities believe the kidnappers are afliated with Abu Sayyaf sub-commander Murphy Ambang Ladjia, who was involved in a spectacular kidnapping of 21 people from another resort in Sabah in the north of Borneo island in 2000. Twenty of those hostages many of whom were Europeans or other foreign tourists were released within five months, reportedly after hefty ransoms were paid. A final Filipino was held until 2003. Mohammad said security forces had strengthened their presence, with more sea patrols along the coastal waters of Sabah, which are a major diving attraction for foreigners. But we are not able to be everywhere all the time since our sea borders with the Philippines are wide and porous, he said. The Philippine military said yesterday that troops were intensively searching remote southern islands and surrounding waters for the two female hostages, although there have been no sightings of them or other conrmation of their whereabouts. AFP haILaNDS pro-government red shirt supporters rallied for a second day yesterday, vowing to protect Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is facing a slew of legal challenges that could see her toppled within weeks. Tens of thousands of red shirts descended on a wide road in a Bangkok suburb in a colourful and boisterous show of support for the crisis-mired premier, who has faced months of antigovernment demonstrations in the Thai capital. Drawn mostly from the poor but populous north and northeast, the red shirts say they will not accept the removal of another democratically elected government by a Bangkok-based royalist establishment backed by the judiciary and the military. This will be the nal ght, red shirt chairman Jatuporn Prompan told the rally, which is due to end today. We are here to settle the bill with the elite, he said, adding that the red shirts were would not be deterred by any crackdown on their movement. It is better to die than to be slaves, he said. Scores of people died in

13

Red shirts vow to defend Yingluck

Thai pro-government red shirts shout slogans during a rally in Phutthamonthon, a suburb of Bangkok, yesterday. AFP

2010 in an army crackdown on a red shirt rally against the ousting of a Thaksinallied government by the nations courts. Political violence linked to the current round of turmoil has killed 24 people and left hundreds wounded, raising fears of a wider civil conict if the two bitterly divided sides can not reach a compromise. That seems unlikely with kingdoms political crisis

poised to enter a new and potentially turbulent phase with legal challenges mounting against Yingluck. By yesterday afternoon there were an estimated 30,000 red shirts, said Paradorn Pattanatabut, a security adviser to the premier, said. He said the rally drew about 100,000 people at its peak on Saturday evening, several times larger than a gure given by the rival antigovernment movement.

Opposition protesters in Bangkok want to oust Yingluck and install an unelected premier to oversee reforms aimed at curbing corruption and money politics, which they blame on the rise of billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin, Yinglucks elder brother, became premier in 2001 before being ousted in a military coup ve years later and lives overseas to avoid jail for a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated. Yingluck could face indictment over negligence charges linked to a controversial and costly rice subsidy scheme. The nations Constitutional Court is also mulling accusations of abuse of power by the premier over the transfer of a top security ofcial. The red shirts accuse the courts of political bias and have pledged to resist legal moves to topple Yingluck, which are expected within weeks. The rival rallies have highlighted the political fault lines that have riven Thai society since Thaksins overthrow by royalist generals in 2006. AFP

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World
PowERFuL jihadist group inspired by Al-Qaeda has opened a new battlefront with Iraqi security forces that could see it try to push into Baghdad, ofcials and analysts warn. The latest clashes, just weeks before parliamentary elections, raise key questions over the capacity of the army and police to repel militant attacks. Anti-government ghters currently hold all of Fallujah, a town that is just a short drive from Baghdad, and other pockets of territory. The push by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) into the Abu Ghraib area, sparking clashes in nearby Zoba and Zaidan, as well as a failed assault on a military camp in Yusiyah, illustrate the groups ambition, even with Fallujah under military siege. In perhaps the most worrying sign of ISILs capabilities, anti-government ghters paraded with dozens of vehicles last week in broad daylight in Abu Ghraib, just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital, according to witnesses and videos posted to YouTube. ISIL ghters are trying to

UAE police accused of torturing Britons

DEtaILS of torture allegedly inicted on two Britons by police in the United Arab Emirates have emerged in Foreign Ofce documents suggesting one was subjected to a kicking from ofcers who had earlier held a gun to his head. Student Ahmad Zeidan, 20, was arrested on drugs charges which he denies and alleges that he was beaten, hooded, stripped naked and threatened with rape by police ofcers. Hasnain Ali, 32, from London, was also arrested on contested drugs allegations. The former bodyguard to Emirati royals claims he was beaten, kicked and threatened with Tasers. Both say they were made to sign documents in Arabic that neither could read. Ali learned later that he had confessed to drugs offences, which potentially carry the death penalty. Documents obtained following a visit by Foreign Ofce ofcials to Ali in Dubai Central Prison shed light on some of the allegations, including one that police ofcers hit his head from the left side and pointed a gun to his head. Ali, who has been employed in protecting Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, mother of the crown prince of Abu Dhabi the familys assets include Manchester City football club also alleged that he was repeatedly kicked by the ofcers. He said that he found bruises on his back that were a result of his kicking. The UAE is known for its hardline approach to narcotics and alcohol. Clare Algar of legal charity Reprieve, which is representing the two men, said: Police torture is out of control in the UAE. Dubai and its fellow emirates have persistently refused to carry out independent investigations into these abuses, and seem content to let their police continue beating and threatening people into signing bogus confessions. Three British men were jailed last year for drug offences in Dubai. They were subsequently pardoned after also claiming that they had been tortured by police after their arrest while on holiday in the Gulf state in July 2012. The men said they were given electric shocks and had guns held to their heads in a seven-month period in which they were held without trial. Their lawyers also claimed they were forced at gunpoint to sign documents written in Arabic, which none of them understood. The mens allegations denied by the police were raised by the UKs Prime Minister David Cameron. Among the recently released documents is a report from a British torture expert that chronicles the failings of the internal medical investigation carried out by the Dubai authorities into the health impacts of Alis alleged mistreatment. Zeidan was studying at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai when he was arrested on drugs charges four months ago in Sharjah, just over the border in UAE. The charges carry a potential death penalty and are broadly the equivalent of possession with intent to supply, despite the prosecution itself alleging that the Briton was in possession of less than one gram of cocaine. Zeidan alleges he was beaten after his arrest and subsequently held incommunicado. He also says he was denied access to his family as well as legal or consular assistance for eight days. During his detention, his lawyers claim, Zeidan was forced to strip naked and was threatened with rape by ofcers. Ali, who was arrested in Dubai in May 2013, again for allegedly possessing cocaine, said he believes he was framed. THE GUARDIAN

ISIL opens new Baghdad front

others wounded in the clashes and army shelling, according to medical sources. The objective appears to be to use this Anbar base as a launching pad for expansive operations towards the federal government in Baghdad, said Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center. Lister said the massive convoy in Abu Ghraib, in particular, underlines the sheer scale of [ISILs] capacity to operate with near impunity in some Sunni areas of the country. Senior security ofcials insist, however, that any move towards Baghdad by the jihadists is doomed to failure, and that attempts to open a new battlefront are a sign of weakness rather than strength. Entering Baghdad is impossible, this is not logical, said Brigadier General Saad Maan, spokesman for the interior ministry and the Iraqi capitals security command centre. They do not have the power, and we have huge military reinforcements to stop them. Our military has launched attacks against them on a daily basis in the Fallujah suburbs, and they have suffered lots of casualties. AFP

Youths inspect the damage in Fallujah on January 17 following days of ghting between Iraqi security forces and the ISIL. AFP

ease the pressure imposed on them in Fallujah, an army lieutenant colonel said, speaking anonymously. They have begun moving against weak villages between Baghdad and Fallujah, and to attack army units. A police colonel, who also declined to be identied, added: Members of ISIL have begun launching attacks on the army deployed in Abu Ghraib, and are threatening Baghdad. In early January, militants overran Fallujah and parts of Ramadi, two towns in the

western desert province of Anbar which shares a long border with Syria. Government security forces have wrested back control of much of Ramadi. But a stalemate has persisted in Fallujah, with periodic clashes on the citys outskirts and regular shelling of what the army says are militant strongholds. But for around a week, soldiers have fought erce battles in Zoba and Zaidan, which lie between the capital and Fallujah. At least three people have been killed and more than 50

Israel may take unilateral action: PM

ISRaELI Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned yesterday that Israel may take unilateral action against Palestine after its president, Mahmoud Abbas, signed 15 international conventions that could pave the way for a renewed attempt to gain UN statehood. Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said unilateral actions from the Palestinians will be answered with unilateral actions from our side and blamed the Palestinians for the current impasse over the US-sponsored peace talks. He said Israel was not afraid of UN intervention and that the Palestinians had a lot to lose if they were to pursue their attempt to gain UN statehood, which was shelved last year as a concession to the Israelis, who released 104 Palestinian prisoners in return. His comments come before a crucial Knesset debate today, called by 25 members of the Israeli parliament, to discuss the progress or lack of it of the peace initiative sponsored by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the governments failure to secure the release of the Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. There is no clear indication yet of what form Israeli unilateral action could take, but the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that it could include the withholding of taxes collected by Israel from the Palestinian Authority. Israel last did so in 2012, sparking unrest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, Palestinian and Israeli sources said on Saturday that a meeting was to be held yesterday between the US envoy Martin Indyk, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli negotiator Tzipi Livni to try to breath new life into the faltering peace process. We will have to struggle to see how we fix it, how we make progress and what we must do to move forward. It is not simple. It is very complicated. It is a real crisis, Livni said. The news came just hours after Kerry who has made several trips to meet both Abbas and Netanyahu hinted that the talks were close to collapse and said the Obama administration would reassess its participation in them. THE GUARDIAN

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World
Young offender?

15

Attempted murder case for baby boy

Taiwan speaker offers concessions

SENIOR ruling party politician offered concessions yesterday to demands made by student protesters who have occupied Taiwans parliament for almost three weeks, urging them to end their occupation. The Sunower protest movement took over the chamber on March 18 in protest over a controversial trade pact between Taiwan and China, which has sparked huge rallies in the capital Taipei. The speaker of parliament, Wang Jin-pyng, entered the chamber surrounded by dozens of legislators from both ruling and opposition parties, security ofcials and reporters, shaking hands with students, but did not speak directly with protest leaders. Before the meeting, he said that he would not eld any more debate in parliament over the trade pact before a law had been brought in to monitor agreements with China one of the protesters key demands. I hereby guarantee not to mediate any negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties for a legislative session to debate the service

PAKISTANI policeman has been suspended for bringing a case of attempted murder against a nine-month-old boy and forcing the crying infant to appear in court, officials said on Friday. Baby Mohammad Musa, along with other members of his family, was booked for throwing rocks at gas company officials carrying out an anti-theft inspection in Lahore on February 1, the familys lawyer Chaudhry Irfan Sadiq said. Inspector Kashif Muhammad, who has since been suspended, wrote in his report that it was a case of attempted murder. Appearing in a packed court room with around 30 others accused in the case on Thursday, Musa was seen crying as his grandfather Muhammad Yasin held him on his shoulder. He later drank milk from a bottle as Yasin fielded questions from reporters. Yasin accused the police of fabricating the charges because they were colluding with a rival party who wanted to see the accused evicted from their land. AFP

Taiwans parliamentary speaker Wang Jin-pyng (front centre) and ruling party legislators shout slogans in front of parliament yesterday. AFP

trade agreement, before a law [to monitor all agreements with China] is introduced, Wang stated. Wang, a senior politician from the ruling Kuomintang party, called on the students to give the main chamber back to legislators. Youve occupied parliament for a long time as the move has affected the operation of the country and peoples welfare, this is not acceptable to our countrypeople, Wang said. I

urge you to go forward with your ideals, return to your postings . . . exercise your strength of tenderness, reasoning and peace, so that the world would be able to respect the width and depth of our democracy. Acknowledging the good will of Wangs move, student leader Lin Fei-fan said that the protest group would discuss Wangs appeal for a retreat from the chamber in a meeting last night. What he said was in re-

sponse to our demand, said another student leader, Chen Wei-ting. President Ma Yingjeou said he was happy to see the latest development while the leading opposition Democratic Progressive Party said what Wang did could be a crucial step towards an end to the stand-off. Politicians from both ruling and opposition parties have been meeting with the students since the occupation, but it is the rst time that the speaker has entered the chamber since it was seized. Around 200 student-led demonstrators occupied the parliament chamber 20 days ago the rst such seizure in Taiwans history swiftly drawing a large crowd of supporters, with more than 10,000 congregated outside the building at one point. There were violent clashes on March 23 when batonwielding police turned water cannon on protesters who had stormed the nearby government headquarters. And on March 30 tens of thousands of protesters gathered to pressure embattled President Ma Yingjeou to retract the trade pact, which they say will damage Taiwans economy and leave

it vulnerable to political pressure from China. Ma, who has sought closer ties with China since taking power in 2008, has agreed to the students demand for a law to monitor all pacts with China, but the protesters have rejected the governments bill. The pact with China is designed to open up further trade in services between China and Taiwan, which split 65 years ago after a civil war. Ma, whose approval rating sits at around 10 per cent, has warned that failure to ratify the pact would be a grave setback to trade-reliant Taiwans efforts to seek more free trade agreements and avoid isolation as regional economic blocs emerge. The deal is a follow-up agreement to a sweeping Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement signed in 2010 to reduce trade barriers between China and Taiwan. Ma has overseen a marked thaw in relations with Beijing since he came to power pledging to strengthen trade and tourism links. He was re-elected in January 2012. But China still considers Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunication by force if necessary. AFP

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World
REcoRdIng has surfaced online purporting to be a leaked conversation between two Russian ambassadors discussing which parts of the world they would like to annex after Crimea. The ve-minute recording, laden with expletives, has been posted on YouTube and claims to be a telephone call between Igor Chubarov, Russias ambassador to Eritrea, and Sergei Bakharev, the ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi. It has not been authenticated. Weve got Crimea, but thats not f*cking all folks. In the future well damn well take your Catalonia and Venice, and also Scotland and Alaska, says the voice labelled as Chubarov, interspersing his speech with laughter and punning the word for Scotland in Russian so it sounds like Cattleland. After this, Chubarov says Russia will make a move for all those f*cking border countries, such as Estonia, as well as Romania and Bulgaria. He adds that the head of the EU mission to Eritrea had jokily said he wished Russia would take back Romania and Bulgaria. In the end, the ambassadors agree it is probably better to leave Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic shit in the EU for now, and Bakharev says it would be more interesting to go for California or Miami. Exactly, Miamiland is f*cking 95 per cent Russian citizens, says Chubarov. We have a full right to hold a referendum. Bakharev suggests holding one in Londonland as well, to jovial laughter. Chubarov congratulates Bakharev on the fact that Zimbabwe was one of only 11 countries, with Syria and North Korea, to back Russia at the UN over its

Nursery head given death for poisoning

A CHINESE court has sentenced the head of a kindergarten and an accomplice to death for killing two children with poisoned yoghurt in northern China, state-run media reported yesterday. Kindergarten head Shi Haixia poisoned the children last year in a revenge attack aimed at a rival school in Hebei province which had higher enrolment, state broadcaster CCTV reported. A court in Hebei sentenced Shi and an accomplice to death, while another person was given a five-year jail sentence, the report said. Two village girls died after their grandmother found the yoghurt, which was laced with rat poison, placed on a roadside along with several notebooks, state media reported earlier. The children, whose ages were not given, were found foaming at the mouth, the report said. One died before reaching hospital while the other died after receiving treatment. China has a shortage of state-run kindergartens, and competition between private profit-driven institutions can be intense. Many children in Chinas countryside are cared for by grandparents because their parents have migrated to cities to find work. AFP

Russian diplomats: next well take Venice

is proud of her ability to swear in Russian, said: If this was their response to Nulands strong expressions, then be assured that no Russian ambassador could outdo her when it comes to swearing in Russian. Maria Zakharova, deputy spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, wrote on Facebook that she had no idea who was talking on the tape, but noted that the photograph appended to the YouTube video of Bakharev bore no resemblance to him. Zakharova insinuated that the recording was clumsy US handiwork and compared it to the incident during the reset of relations between Russia and the US, when the then secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, presented the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, with a button that was meant to say reset, but got the Russian word wrong and thus said overload. Its like with the overload button. They wanted to do something better than usual, but it turned out as it always does, Zakharova wrote. Since the crisis in Ukraine began, there has been an increase in the diplomatic war of words and leaks. Last month, in an ofcial statement detailing what it said were false claims from Russias president, Vladimir Putin, the US state department said: The world has not seen such startling Russian ction since Dostoevsky. On Thursday, Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the US of childish tantrums over Crimea. What can we advise our American colleagues? They should get more fresh air, do yoga, eat healthily, maybe watch some sitcoms on television, said Ryabkov, in comments to Interfax news agency. THE GUARDIAN

A gondola passes Venices Bridge of Sighs. A conversation purportedly between two Russian ambassadors has one saying Russia will take Venice next after the annexation of Crimea. AFP

South returns N Korean sailors after boat sinks

SoUtH Korea sent home yesterday three North Korean sailors who had survived a fatal sinking of a cargo ship in waters off the South, an official said. The 4,300-tonne Mongolian-flagged ship carrying 16 North Korean crew sank in the international waters off the Souths southern island of Geomun on Friday. Two bodies were retrieved from the sea and returned to the North along with the three sailors across the border truce village of Panmunjom, Seouls unification ministry spokeswoman said. Search operations involving the navy and coastal guard are still underway to find 11 missing fishermen. Pyongyang on Saturday asked for cooperation from countries concerned in rescuing survivors and helping them to return home. The boat, carrying a cargo of iron ore and copper powder, had been sailing from the North to China on a sea route regularly used by North Korean freighters. The surviving crew reportedly told rescuers that the ship had suddenly listed sharply to one side. South Korea has a protocol of sending back North Korean fishing boats straying across the maritime border or those rescued from sea accidents, unless they seek to defect. AFP

annexation of Crimea. There is also consternation that the bastards from Malawi did not support Moscow. It is possible that the leaking of the recording is revenge for the recent spate of high-prole leaks of western diplomatic discussions over Ukraine. A call between the US assistant secretary of state, Victoria Nuland, and the US ambassador in Kiev was leaked, in which Nuland discussed strategy advice for the leaders of the Ukrainian protest movement, as well as stating f*ck the EU in reference to differences over Ukraine policy. Nuland as good as conrmed the authenticity of the recording, claiming the tradecraft is really quite impressive.

Later, a recording of a conversation between the EU foreign policy chief, Lady Ashton, and the Estonian foreign minister, Urmas Paet, was leaked. They discussed the theory that those who died in Kiev violence could have been shot by snipers hired by the opposition rather than government forces, a line which the Russian foreign ministry has pushed. The reaction in Moscow to the African ambassadors tape was one more of amusement than anger, especially given that the taped diplomats are signicantly lower ranking than Nuland or Ashton. An ofcial Russian source, claiming Nuland not only swears in English, but

PEoPLE clinging to Microsofts ageing Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come tomorrow. On April 8, the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into their computers. Despite Microsofts longheralded plan to stop supporting the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 per cent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates. I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants, Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used. Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger. US-based Trustwave specialises in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft

Windows XP users on their own Debris scoured after Solomons ooding

support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats. Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XPpowered computers but be waiting until after tomorrow to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say. You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates, Pogue said. That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced. Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001. The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamoured with touchscreen computers and services hosted in the internet cloud. Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows. Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done. Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight. Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to still rely on Windows XP. ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that arent owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver. AFP TEaRFUL residents and aid workers in the ood-ravaged Solomon Islands continued to scour debris for bodies yesterday, three days after ash oods tore through the capital Honiara. Although the chances of nding more survivors appeared remote, ofcials said they could not give up hope. We had one father who had been separated from his wife and children for two days and we were able to track the family down, Red Cross aid worker Cherise Chadwick said. The death toll was put at 21, with aid agencies saying up to 40 people remained unaccounted for and about 49,000 had been displaced. Some people who went into the river will probably not be found as they would have been swept out to sea, Chadwick said, adding that the Red Cross had played a leading role rescuing people after the Matanikau River burst its banks. The Red Cross ofce is by the river and we were the rst line of response, actually pulling people from the river, saving lives that day. Floodwaters and landslides swept away riverside communities as Honiara was pounded by a torrential tropical storm on Thursday, causing severe infrastructure damage to fresh water supplies, sewerage systems and electricity. Following a meeting with aid agencies, the UN Ofce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs listed their priorities as emergency shelter, food, health, protection of vulnerable people, psychosocial support and water, sanitation and hygiene. The international airport was reopened yesterday, after hasty work to remove two houses and other debris that were washed onto the runway, paving the way for the arrival of ights carrying urgently needed relief supplies. Emergency food stocks were running low as the Red Cross struggled to feed the thousands of people that were left homeless. Australia and New Zealand were leading international relief efforts, preparing ights to take humanitarian supplies, emergency workers and equipment to the Solomons. There are now 21 conrmed deaths and signicant numbers of displaced persons in evacuation centres across Honiara, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said. We will continue to work with the authorities in Solomon Islands and further support will be considered as the full extent of the damage becomes clear. AFP

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

World

17

Fear for troops facing Chinese enemy

Jason Gutierrez

Ine hungry marines guarding the Philippines loneliest outpost aboard a rusted World War II vessel had just one option after Chinese vessels blocked fresh supplies from reaching them go shing. The troops were 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the nearest major Philippine island, holding on to a tiny reef in the South China Sea as part of a decades-long territorial row that in recent months had grown increasingly hostile. We knew about the dangers signing on to the job, but my worry was we were running out of supplies, Mike Pelotera, the leader of the Marine unit, said after his ve-month mission ended this week and he returned to shore. But we are marines and we adapt, we went shing. In a remarkable act of military doggedness, the Philippines has since 1999 stationed a tiny number of marines on a former US Navy boat that was deliberately grounded on a group of islets and reefs called Second Thomas Shoal. The 100-metre (328-foot) BRP Sierra Madre, built during World War II then acquired by the Philippines in the 1970s, is now little more than a rusted hull and incapable of sailing. But it has thwarted Chinese efforts to occupy all of the area, which is widely believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas. The Philippines grounded the boat at the tiny shoal in response to Chinas military occupying Mischief Reef, about 40 kilometres miles away, in 1995. Both are within the Philip-

The Philippine navys BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded since 1999 to assert the nations sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal, a remote South China Sea reef also claimed by China. AFP

pines internationally recognised exclusive economic zone, and roughly 1,100 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese landmass. But China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. Taiwan has a similarly large claim to China. The competing claims have made the sea, which is also home to some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, a potential trigger for major military conict. Dozens of Vietnamese soldiers died in losing battles in 1974 and 1988 with Chinese forces for control of the Paracel islands in the seas north. China had largely tolerated the Philippines plucky effort to hold on to Second Thomas

Shoal in the Spratlys archipelago to the south, but last year began increasing pressure to end what it termed an illegal occupation. In May the Philippines said a Chinese warship had begun provocatively circling the Sierra Madre, and lodged a formal protest. Since then, the Philippine military has reported a near constant presence of Chinese vessels encircling the marines. However, China had always allowed the Philippine vessels to sail up to the reef and deliver new supplies to the marines, who generally do tours of duty lasting between three to six months. This changed last month when vessels marked China Coast Guard blocked two civilian resupply boats, forcing Pelotera and his men

to cast their shing lines into the sea. The marines said they were relieved a few days later to see a tiny twinpropeller Philippine military plane y low and drop sacks of food near the boat. Some of the marines jumped into the water and swam out to collect the supplies. They lmed the joyous moment and the military this week released that footage, as well as clips of the initial blockade. We were happy when the plane dropped the supplies . . . we were good for another few weeks, a heavily bearded and deeply tanned Pelotera said. But we were also worried because we knew the Chinese ships were still around. The Philippine military sent another civilian vessel last weekend with a fresh batch of

marines to rotate with Peloteras crew, plus many months worth of food. Vessels marked with China Coast Guard once again attempted to form a blockade, which was witnessed by reporters who were ying above in a Philippine military aeroplane. But after a dramatic standoff lasting two hours, the smaller Philippine boat outmanoeuvred the Chinese ships and sailed into the shallow waters of the shoal. Some of the troops jumped 40 feet [12 metres] from the top of the deck to the sea in celebration, Pelotera said. It meant we could now go home to our families, have a haircut and showers. The Chinese government reacted with fury to the defeat, with the mood in Beijing souring further when the Philippines also appealed on the weekend to the United Nations for it to rule that Chinas claims to most of the sea were invalid. China has refused to take part in any UN arbitration, saying it will only negotiate directly with rival claimants but at the same time insisting it will never concede any territory. The Philippines must bear all consequences for its provocations, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said. For Pelotera, 30, confronting China at sea was more daunting than other missions ghting deadly jungle battles against Islamic militants in the southern Philippines. Both missions are dangerous. But here, we are against a bigger enemy. And we are protecting our sovereignty, not just ghting a small group of rebels . . . here we are always in danger. AFP

Pyongyang slams South missile test as a farce

NORTH Korea has slammed the Souths recent ballistic missile test, calling it a farce aimed at showing off Seouls military strength in the face of threats from Pyongyang. Seoul said on Friday that it had successfully test-red a new ballistic missile capable of carrying a one-tonne payload up to 500 kilometres (310 miles), suggesting it could hit any part of the North. The launch was carried out on March 23, just three days before the North test-red two of its medium-range ballistic missiles capable of striking Japan. A spokesman for the Norths military heaped derision on Seouls rocket test late on Saturday, pointing to its range of just 500 kilometres. Great irony is that [the South is] claiming that they did a great job by conducting a test-re of a ballistic missile with a range of just 500 kilometres, state-run KCNA quoted the ofcial as saying. Tensions between the two Koreas were heightened further by rare exchanges of re across the tense Yellow Sea border on March 31. The North dropped more than 100 shells across the sea border during a live-re drill, prompting Seoul to re back about 300 volleys. The Norths spokesman claimed the Souths poor military reaction to the drill drew criticism at home, leading it to carry out the missile test to calm the mounting accusation and derision. This farce only brought disgrace to them, the spokesman said. The isolated and nucleararmed North is known to have mid-range Rodong-class missiles capable of hitting targets 1,000 to 1,500 kilometres away. Pyongyangs test-ring of two Rodong missiles on March 26 its rst launch of a mid-range missile since 2009 followed a series of rocket and short-range missile tests by the North in recent weeks. The launches were seen as an angry protest at SeoulWashington joint army drills ongoing in the South, which the North habitually slams as a rehearsal for invasion. South Koreas new missile was developed under an agreement reached with the US in 2012 to nearly treble the range of the Souths ballistic missile systems. In return, Seoul accepts limits on its missile capabilities. The 2012 agreement denounced as a provocation by Pyongyang allows Seoul to deploy missiles with a maximum range of 800 kilometres. The US also stations 28,500 troops in the South and guarantees a nuclear umbrella in case of atomic attack. The United States said yesterday that it plans to send two more missile defence warships to Japan to counter the threat posed by North Koreas provocative actions. AFP

Mind-controlled robotic suit set for debut

Ian Sample

SHORTLY before 5pm local time on June 12 at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, a young paraplegic Brazilian will stand up from a wheelchair, walk over to midfield, and take a kick in the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup. For those hoping for miracles at footballs greatest tournament, the scene may be the closest they get to witnessing one. For Miguel Nicolelis, a neuroengineer based at Duke University in North Carolina, the moment demands faith of another kind. As hundreds of millions tune in for the opening match, they will see the first public demonstration of technology he claims will turn wheelchairs into museum pieces. The technology in question is a mind-controlled robotic exoskeleton. The complex and conspicuous robotic suit, built from lightweight alloys and powered by hydraulics, has a simple enough function. When a paraplegic person straps themselves in, the machine does the job that their leg muscles no longer can. The exoskeleton is the culmination of years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers on the Walk Again project. The robotics work was coordinated by Gordon Cheng at the Technical University in Munich, and French researchers built the

exoskeleton. Nicoleliss team focused on ways to read peoples brain waves, and use those signals to control robotic limbs. On Tuesday, the team launches a Facebook page that will document the project in the days leading up to the World Cup. A dedicated website is due to go live later this week. Nicolelis is training nine paraplegic men and women, aged 20 to 40, to use the exoskeleton at a neurorobotics rehabilitation lab in Sao Paulo. Three will be chosen to attend the opening ceremony, before the opening game between Brazil and Croatia, with one heading on to the pitch to perform the demonstration. To operate the exoskeleton, the person is helped into the suit and given a cap to wear that is fitted with electrodes to pick up their brain waves. These signals are passed to a computer worn in a backpack, where they are decoded and used to move hydraulic drivers on the suit. The exoskeleton is powered by a battery also carried in the backpack that allows for two hours of continuous use. The movements are very smooth, Nicolelis said. They are human movements, not robotic movements. Nicolelis says that in trials so far, his patients seem to have taken to the

exoskeleton. This thing was made for me, one patient told him after being strapped into the suit. The operators feet rest on plates which have sensors to detect when contact is made with the ground. With each footfall, a signal shoots up to a vibrating device sewn into the forearm of the wearers shirt. The device seems to fool the brain into thinking that the sensation came from their foot. In virtual reality simulations, patients felt that their legs were moving and touching something. One patient, whose spinal injury meant he could not feel or move his legs, told Nicolelis: I feel like Im walking on the beach, that Im touching the sand. Nicolelis likens the effect to the rubber hand illusion, where the mind is tricked into thinking that an inanimate object is part of the person. It confirms our prediction that we are going to elicit a sensation that the exoskeleton is an extension of their body, Nicolelis said. In other trials, patients have used the mind-control system to walk on a treadmill. Nicolelis said he believed the technology was ripe for turning into everyday devices to help paraplegics and could ultimately replace wheelchairs. All of the innovations were putting

together for this exoskeleton have in mind the goal of transforming it into something that can be used by patients who suffer from a variety of diseases and injuries that cause paralysis, he said. The system has been through numerous safety tests. The exoskeleton is fitted with multiple gyros to stop it falling over during the balancing act of bipedal walking. As an extra safety measure, it was fitted with multiple airbags. Last month, Nicolelis and his colleagues went to football matches in Sao Paulo to check whether mobile phone radiation from the crowds might interfere with the suit. Electromagnetic waves could make the exoskeleton misbehave, but the tests were encouraging. The chances of the exoskeleton malfunctioning, and stomping off into the distance, are apparently slim. Sethu Vijayakkumar, a roboticist at Edinburgh University, said exoskeletons were a natural progression for rehabilitation and made the most of robotic and human abilities. This is something that will happen, and needs to happen. Humans are very good at high-level decisions and making sense of ambiguous situations, but robots are very good at very precise, repetitive, accurate movements, he said. Exoskeletons are the way to marry these two together. THE GUARDIAN

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Opinion
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Syrians carry a body following a reported airstrike by government forces on April 4, 2014, on the Shaar neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. Elsewhere, Syrias army tanks and warplanes pounded besieged Mleiha east of Damascus on Friday, as it pressed a campaign to take control of the opposition-held town, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. afp

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HREE years ago, after 40 years of oppression under a dictatorship, Syrians dared to dream. Not only did they speak out, they screamed: Syria wants freedom! And ever since that day, theyve been subjected to daily killing. We all remember the horror that hit America after the September 11, 2001, attacks. That terrorist act ended nearly 3,000 innocent lives and left thousands of others with lifelong scars. Millions around the globe, including Syrians, felt Americas pain. Remember the hardship and bitterness as people around the World Trade Center gaped in shock, with smoke clouding around them and the loud noise of fear and panic ringing through the air? In the past three years, about 150,000 Syrians have died thats like living through a September 11 attack every 21 days. It is no longer news when an activist dies under torture. Outside Syria, many people might feel sad, but in the end the rest of the world just watches from afar. They dont smell the stench of death or hear the cries of pain. They might be astonished by Syrians patience and our ability to withstand such circumstanc-

es, but they do little for us. Instead, they have gotten accustomed, just like Syrians have, to the idea of living through death and terror. Like millions, I was forced to leave my homeland and my memories. For the past two years, I have been living in Beirut without knowing when I will be back. In the early days, government officials around the world condemned the shelling of civilians. When it looked like chemical weapons had been used, the United States almost intervened. Destruction became the norm until rebel areas were flattened. City skylines were erased and replaced with open spaces and piles of rubble. Do you fear jihadists and terrorists? We all do. Do you know that President Bashar al-Assads secular regime let dozens of Islamists out of jail while detaining political prisoners and those supporting the uprising? This same government arrests and jails founders of civil and secular organisations because they threaten the survival of a regime that believes the Assad family is the only legitimate authority in Syria. Once the United States and Russia made a deal to put Syrian chemical weapons under international control, the worlds attention was diverted. The tragedy became just like a touching photograph: You look at it, and it

evokes sympathy, but you do not know what is going on beyond the frame. You see the image of a member of Jabhat al-Nusra, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, killing a man or a child, or even a woman. But you cant see what was happening a few yards or tens of miles away. In Syrias neighbouring countries there are 2.5 million refugees registered with UN agencies. More than 6 million people have fled their homes but remain inside Syria, and according to UN figures, nearly half the Syrian population is in need of humanitarian aid. Imagine if more than 155 million Americans were in such need only because they asked for dignity, freedom and democracy. Syrians arent mere numbers. They are humans who have dreams, families and feelings. In Lebanons Bekaa Valley, which borders Syria, I met a tall, thin Syrian refugee in her 30s, wearing a long, loose dress. She carried a child who was barely a year old. She had twins and was pregnant with her third child when the Ghouta region, a suburb of Damascus, was hit with chemical weapons. She escaped to the Lebanon border and discovered that she was carrying only one child. When she arrived in Bekaa, she delivered her third child in a tent.

I asked her, Do you know where your other child is? She nodded and said: Hes lost. If that woman were living in the United States, we would probably see her on Oprah telling her tragic story while the audience fought back tears. Viewers would also cry, whether they were watching in the US or France, Sudan or even Syria. In Syria, every moment, people are losing their loved ones, their children, their friends. Dont forget us. Watch our pain. Our lives are on display for those who want to watch. But remember that we are being killed, our homes are being destroyed, and we are forced to flee and live in tents. Dont forget that even though we are hungry, we have dignity. Remember that weve lived our entire lives as numbers and cards that the regime plays in its small and big wars. We know that President Barack Obama was re-elected for domestic reasons and that Americans are tired of foreign policy. But we hope that the people of Syria will not be forgotten. Syrians have a dream to live in a democracy and choose our own leader. We have a dream to not be killed. Is that so hard? THE WASHINGTON POST
Dima Wannous, the author of The Chair, is a novelist based in Beirut.

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

19

Lifestyle
Photography contest entries illustrate the toll of corruption
Will Jackson

In brief
Malaysia bans Noah movie as irreligious

N IPHONE photo of a young boy peering into a primary school classroom has won a photography competition about the negative effects of corruption. Dozens of people on Friday night attended the launch of an exhibition displaying the entries at Meta House, where the winners of Transparency International Cambodias Illustrate how corruption negatively affects your world competition were announced. Other issues touched on by the entries include poorly regulated development and the exploitation of public facilities for personal gain. Phim Kanika, 24, took the winning photo while visiting a school in Battambang province for her job in February. She said it showed how children are missing out on education because they cannot afford to pay the bribes teachers demand to supplement their meagre salaries. Kanika, who works as an administrative assistant for an aid organisation, said she was familiar with the issue of corruption in education because, as a student, she herself had to pay teachers. The schools, they say they are free of charge, but in reality they are not, she said. But we cant complain about the teachers because they have little salary. So I mainly complain to the government. Kanika, who often takes pictures of ordinary people and posts them on social media, said she would like to become a professional photographer. In Cambodia we cannot re-

MALAYSIA has joined other Muslim countries in banning the Hollywood biblical epic Noah starring Russell Crowe, decrying it as irreligious and saying it violates Islamic law against depicting prophets. A home ministry official on the weekend confirmed that Paramounts latest big budget film, which has sparked outcry among Muslim groups worldwide, will not be screened in predominantly Muslim Malaysia. The film has already angered some Christian institutions in the United States over Crowes reportedly unconventional portrayal of Noah, who is regarded as an important figure in both Christianity and Islam. aFp

Garcia Marquez feeling better, eager for home

I Want to Be One of Them explores how poor children can miss out on receiving an education.
PHIM KANIKA

ally pursue what we want because there are many obstacles like corruption, she said. But I like Facebook and Instagram because I can express what my heart feels and my interests on the social media. Elizabeth Johnson, research and advocacy program manager at Transparency International Cambodia, said the competition attracted about 50 entries. The photos were judged on their artistic interpretation of the theme, creativity and photographic quality.

Through illustrating stories of how corruption negatively affects our world, we hope the photo competition can fur-

In Cambodia, we cannot really pursue what we want, because there are many obstacles like corruption
ther engage people to push for a more just and equitable society, Johnson said. The second-placed entry shows trafc being blocked by

an expansive moto parking lot at a Phnom Penh market. An explanation provided with the photo says it was suspected commune authorities were reluctant to take action to x the problem because they were taking bribes from the informal parking operators. The second runner-ups photo demonstrates what happens when developments are allowed to go ahead without proper government oversight. It shows a young woman wading along a water-covered path to her home after a near-

by lake was lled in, ooding the area. Kanika won an SLR camera and her photo will be used on the cover of Transparency International Cambodias report on the state of the countrys governance system, to be published later this year. The two runners-up will receive free training sessions with highly regarded freelance photography and journalism collective Ruom. The shortlisted entries are on display at Meta House until April 18.

Chinese chicken cup could sell for $38m

A RARE Ming-era Chinese wine cup, one of only 19 known to exist, could fetch a record $38 million or more when it goes under the hammer in Hong Kong this week, auctioneers said on the weekend. The small white porcelain cup, decorated with a colour painting of a rooster and a hen tending to their chicks, was made during the reign of the Chenghua Emperor between 1465 to 1487, Sothebys auction house said. It could sell for an estimated HK$300 million (US$38.68 million) or more tomorrow, deputy chairman for Sothebys Asia Nicolas Chow said. If it does, it will break the world record for the sale of any Chinese works or art or porcelain. Currently, that record is held by a gourd-shaped vase from the Qianlong period that sold for HK$252.66 million in 2010. The estimate also exceeds the world record for Ming Dynasty porcelain currently held by a blue and white vase from the period which was sold for HK$168.66 million in 2011. The chicken cup represents the pinnacle of Ming-era porcelain production, according to Sothebys. That period in terms of porcelain production was really the peak of material refinement, Chow said, adding that emperors of later Chinese dynasties were so enamoured by the design that the chicken cup was copied extensively. When you buy a chicken cup ... You dont just buy the object, youre buying centuries of imperial admiration for these objects, he said. Only 19 such cups are known to exist, with just four in private collections, Chow said. The price of Chinese porcelain, he added, is set to rise, with materials scarce and demand extremely high. An extremely rare flowershaped Ruyao porcelain bowl fetched HK$208 million in April of 2012, smashing pre-sale estimates by about three times and setting a new record for a piece of ceramic from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Over 3,700 lots with an estimated worth of more than HK$2.5 billion will be sold at Sothebys Hong Kong spring sales this year, the auction house said. aFp

NOBEL-PRIZE winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez on Saturday was feeling better after treatment in a Mexico City hospital, but staying put for now, family and officials said. The 87-year-old Colombian, who has lived in Mexico for over three decades, was admitted as a precaution last week suffering from dehydration and a lung infection. He is doing well now, and he is eager to get home, his son, Gonzalo Garcia Barcha, told reporters outside the National Medical Sciences and Nutrition Institute. While an assistant earlier said the 1982 Nobel laureate might be able to go home as soon as Saturday, Garcia Barcha said it looked likely his father would be released tomorrow. aFp

12 Years Nyongo takes on lucrative new role

The Meiyintang Chenghua chicken cup on display during Sothebys spring sales auction in Hong Kong on Saturday. aFp

FIRST came critical acclaim, then Hollywood A-list status and a best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of an abused plantation worker in the film 12 Years A Slave. Now, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyongo can add that other must-have role for any modern actress brand ambassador to her repertoire. Nyongo is to join Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz and Lily Collins as a brand ambassador for the luxury cosmetics house Lancome, the company said on Friday In just a year the 31-year-old actress has risen from relative obscurity to stardom in countries around the globe. aFp

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THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

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SIEM REAP - MANILA 5J 258
Arrival 03:30 09:05 09:05 14:40 16:20 18:40 19:40 21:50 20:50 14:30 20:50 13:45 20:50 13:00 14:30 20:50 16:30 18:45 10:25 16:05 17:00 17:25 22:20 22:50 16:00 10:20 4:10 06:05 22:40 08:40 11:25 14:40 17:15 15:50 08:10 14:00 12:30 11:35 13:00 13:15 10:45
Qatar Airways No. 296 Blvd. Mao Tse Toung (St. 245), Ground oor, Intercontinental Hotel PP Tel: +23 42 40 12/13/14 www.qatarairways.com Cambodia Angkor Air (K6) PP Ofce, #90+92+94Eo, St.217, Sk.Orussey4, Kh. 7Makara, 023 881 178 /77718-333. Fax:+855 23-886-677 www.cambodiaangkorair.com E: mai@royalaviationexpert.com Koreanair (KE) Room.F3-R03, Intelligent Ofce Myanmar Airways International Center, Monivong Blvd,PP Tel: (855) 23 224 047-9 #90+92+94Eo, St. 217, www.koreanair.com Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. T:023 881 178 | F:023 886 677 www.maiair.com Cebu Pacic (5J) Phnom Penh: No. 333B Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 219161 Siem Reap: No. 50,Sivatha Blvd. Tel: 063 965487 E-mail: cebuair@ptm-travel.com www.cebupacicair.com

MANILA - SIEM REAP 22:30 16:35 10:40 12:25 12:45 18:30 18:35
15:35 15:35

FROM PHNOM PENH

Flighs K6 720 PG 938 PG 932 TG 581 PG 934 FD 3617 PG 936 TG 585 CZ 324 QR 965 QR 967 CZ 324 CZ 6060 VN 840 QR 965 QR 967 VN 841 VN 3856 KA 207 KA 207 KA 209 KA 209 KA 205 KE 690 OZ 740 AK 1473 MH 755 MH 763 AF 273 FM 833 MI 601 MI 622 3K 594 3K 594 MI 607 2817 2817 2817 2817 BR 266 VN 840 QV 920
8M 402 8M 401

TO PHNOM PENH
Arrival 01:10 08:15 11:10 11:10 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:45 16:05 22:45
05:20+1

2.4.7 1, 6, 7 2.4 5 7 3, 2 5
.2....7 ...4...

02:11 22:15 15:20 15:40 16:05 21:35 21:55

18:40 18:30

5J 257 MI 633 MI 622 MI 616 MI 636 MI 630 MI 618

3K 597 3K 597

2.4.7 1, 6, 7 2.4 7 3, 2 5 5
.2....7 ...4...

19:45 14:35 08:40 10:40 13:55 07:55 16:35

13:45 13:45

21:30 15:45 09:50 11:50 17:40 11:35 17:45

14:50 14:50

SIEM REAP - SINGAPORE MI 633 MI 622 MI 630 MI 615 MI 636 MI 617

3K 598 3K 598

SINGAPORE - SIEM REAP

Days Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily ..34..7 12...6. Daily 2.4.7 Daily ..34..7 12...6. Daily Daily 1.2.4.7 6 1 3.5.7 2 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 2 2.3.4.5.7 1.3.5.6.7 2.4 1234..7 ....56. Daily 1.3 2.4.5 6 7 Daily Daily Daily 1.3.6 1.3.6

Dep 12:05 06:40 09:55 10:05 15:30 17:05 19:30 20:40 08:00 16:10 22:40 08:00 14:45 17:30 16:10 22:40 14:00 19:20 11:25 11:45 18:30 17:25 19:00 23:40 23:50 08:35 11:10 17:10 20:05 19:50

Flighs K6 721 PG 931 TG 580 PG 933 FD 3616 PG 935 TG 584 PG 937 CZ 323 QR 964 QR 966 CZ 6059 CZ 323 VN 841 QR 604 QR 966 VN 920 VN 3857 KA 208 KA 206 KA 206 KA 206 KE 689 OZ 739 AK 1474 MH 754 MH 762 AF 273 FM 833 MI 602 MI 622 3K 593 MI 608 2816 2816 2816 2816 BR 265 VN 841 QV 921 8M 401

Days Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily ..34..7 12...6. 2.4.7 Daily Daily ..34..7 12...6. Daily Daily

Dep 02:25 07:55 07:55 13:30 15:15 17:30 18:25 20:15 14:30 01:05 07:25 12:00 19:05 09:40 13:30 19:50 15:50 18:00

PHNOM PENH - BANGKOK

BANGKOK - PHNOM PENH

SIEM REAP - VIENTIANE QV 522

8M 402

VIENTIANE - SIEM REAP 10:05

20:15
Dep 12:55

PHNOM PENH - BEIJING PHNOM PENH - DOHA ( Via HCMC)

BEIJING - PHNOM PENH DOHA - PHNOM PENH ( Via HCMC)

2.4.5.7
1. 5
Days 1-3-5

13:00
21:25
Arrival 13:55

QV 512
8M 401
Flighs K6 131

2.4.5.7
1. 5
Days 1-3-5

06:30
17:05
Dep 11:20

09:25
19:15
Arrival 12:20

SIEM REAP - YANGON

PREAH SIHANOUK - SIEM REAP Flighs K6 130

YANGON - SIEM REAP

SIEM REAP - PREAH SIHANOUK

PHNOM PENH - GUANGZHOU 11:40 18:10 20:35 17:10 23:40 14:45 20:05 15:05 22:25 22:05 21:00 22:35 06:40 06:50 11:20 14:00 20:00 06:05 23:05

GUANGZHOU - PHNOM PENH

PHNOM PENH - HANOI PHNOM PENH - HO CHI MINH CITY

HANOI - PHNOM PENH HO CHI MINH CITY - PHNOM PENH

A pedestrian stands in the town square near the House of the Blackheads, top, in Riga, Latvia. BLOOMBERG

PHNOM PENH - HONG KONG

HONG KONG - PHNOM PENH 1.2.4.6.7 08:50 3.5.7 1 2 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 2 14:30 15:25 15:50 18:30 19:10 15:15 09:30 3:20 20:05

AIRLINES CODE
2817 - 16 Tigerairways 5J - CEBU Airways. AK - Air Asia BR - EVA Airways CI - China Airlines CZ - China Southern FD - Thai Air Asia FM - Shanghai Air K6- Cambodia Angkor Air KA - Dragon Air MH - Malaysia Airlines MI - SilkAir OZ - Asiana Airlines PG - Bangkok Airways QR - Qatar Airways QV - Lao Airlines SQ - Singapore Airlines

COLOUR CODE
1 Monday 2 Tuesday 3 Wednesday 4 Thursday 5 Friday 6 Saturday 7 Sunday

PHNOM PENH - INCHEON

INCHEON - PHNOM PENH

PHNOM PENH - KUALA LUMPUR

KUALA LUMPUR - PHNOM PENH

Riga, a city revelling in its culture

Jonathan Knott

TG - Thai Airways | VN - Vietnam Airlines

PHNOM PENH- PARIS PHNOM PENH - SHANGHAI PHNOM PENH - SINGAPORE 09:30 12:30 12:20 15:25 15:25 18:10 16:40 09:10 14:50 13:20 12:45 17:30 17:50 13:30 11:45 15:20 18:20 18:10 21:10 19:40 12:00 17:50 16:10 17:05 18:50 19:10 14:55 12:30

PHNOM PENH - PARIS SHANGHAI - PHNOM PENH 2.3.4.5.7 19:30 1.3.5.6.7 07:40 2.4 Daily Daily 1.3 2.4.5 6 7 Daily Daily Daily 1.3.6 08:40 13:30 16:20 15:00 07:20 13:00 11:30 09:10 11:30 11:45 08:20 SINGAPORE - PHNOM PENH

This ight schedule information is updated about once a month. Further information, please contact direct to airline or a travel agent for ight schedule information.

AIRLINES

Air Asia (AK) Room T6, PP International Airport. Tel: 023 6666 555 Fax: 023 890 071 www.airasia.com

PHNOM PENH -TAIPEI PHNOM PENH - VIENTIANE

TAIPEI - PHNOM PENH VIENTIANE - PHNOM PENH

Dragon Air (KA) #168, Monireth, PP Tel: 023 424 300 Fax: 023 424 304 www.dragonair.com/kh

PHNOM PENH - YANGON SIEM REAP - PHNOM PENH

YANGON - SIEM REAP

Tiger airways G. oor, Regency square, Suare, Suite #68/79, St.205, Sk Chamkarmorn, PP Tel: (855) 95 969 888 (855) 23 5515 888/5525888 E: info@cambodiaairlines.net

SilkAir (MI) Regency C,Unit 2-4,Tumnorb Teuk, Chamkarmorn Phnom Penh Tel:023 988 629 www.silkair.com

SIEM REAP - BANGKOK Flighs

K6 700

BANGKOK - SIEM REAP Dep

12:50

REGULAR SHIPPING LINES SCHEDULES CALLING PORT ROTATION

Arrival
04:05
LINE RCL (12calls/moth) CALLING SCHEDULES 1 Wed, 08:00 - Thu 16:00 2 Thu, 14:00 - Fri 22:00 3 Fri, 20:00 - Sat 23:59 MEARSK (MCC) (4 calls/moth) SITC (BEN LINE (4 calls/onth) ITL (ACL) (4 calls/month) APL (4 calls/month) COTS (2 calls/month) 1 Th, 08:00 - 20:00 2 Fri, 22:00- Sun 00:01 Sun 09:00-23:00 Sat 06:00 - Sun 08:00 Fri, 08:00 - Sun, 06:00 Irregula FREEQUENCY ROTATION PORTS 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 Call/week 1 call/week SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN HKG-SHV-SGZ-HKG (HPH-TXGKEL) SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN SGN-SHV-LZP-SGN - HKG-OSA-TYO-KOB - BUS-SGH-YAT-SGN - SIN-SHV-TPP-SIN HCM-SHV-LZP-HCMNBO-SGH-OSA-KOBBUS-SGH-HGK-CHM SGZ-SHV-SIN-SGZ SIN-SHV-SIN

Days
Daily

Arrival
2:00

Flighs
K6 701

Days
Daily

Dep
02:55

PG 924 PG 906 PG 914 PG 908 PG 910 CZ 3054 CZ 3054

K6 850

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 2.4.6 1.3.5.7

Daily

09:45 13:15 15:20 18:50 20:30 11:25 19:25

06:50

11:10 14:40 16:45 20:15 21:55 15:35 23:20

08:30

PG 903 PG 905 PG 913 PG 907 PG 909 CZ 3053 CZ 3053

K6 851

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 2.4.6 1.3.5.7

Daily

08:00 11:35 13:35 17:00 18:45 08:45 16:35

19:30

09:00 12:45 14:35 18:10 19:55 10:30 18:30

21:15

SIEM REAP - GUANGZHOU

GUANGZHOU - SIEM REAP

SIEM REAP -HANOI VN 868 VN 842 VN 844 VN 800 VN 3818 VN 826 VN 3820 VN 828 VN 3822 KE 688 OZ 738 AK 281 MH 765 1.2.3.5.6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 3.5.7 12:40 18:05 19:45 21:00 11:10 13:30 17:45 18:20 21:35 23:15 23:40 08:35 14:15 15:35 19:45 21:25 22:40 12:30 14:40 18:45 19:20 22:35 06:10 07:10 11:35 17:25

HANOI - SIEM REAP VN 843 VN 845 VN 845 VN 801 VN 3809 VN 827 VN 3821 VN 829 VN 3823 KE 687 OZ 737 AK 280 MH 764 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 3.5.7 15:25 17:05 17:45 18:20 09:15 11:35 15:55 16:20 19:45 18:30 19:20 06:50 12:10 17:10 18:50 19:30 20:00 10:35 12:35 16:55 17:40 20:45 22:15 22:40 07:50 13:15

2 calls/month BBK-SHV-BKK-(LZP)

34 call/month
SGZ= Songkhla, Thailand SHV= Sihanoukville Port Cambodia SIN= Singapore TPP= TanjungPelapas, Malaysia TYO= Tokyo, Japan TXG= Taichung, Taiwan YAT= Yantian, China YOK= Yokohama, Japan

SIEM REAP - HO CHI MINH CITY

HO CHI MINH CITY - SIEM REAP

BUS= Busan, Korea HKG= HongKong kao=Kaoshiung, Taiwan ROC Kob= Kebe, Japan KUN= Kuantan, Malaysia LZP= Leam Chabang, Thailand NBO= Ningbo, China OSA= Osaka, Japan SGN= Saigon, Vietnam

SIEM REAP - INCHEON

INCHEON - SIEM REAP

FLY DIRECT TO MYANMAR MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY YANGON - PHNOM PENH SIEM REAP - YANGON

PHNOM PENH - YANGON YANGON - SIEM REAP

SIEM REAP - KUALA LUMPUR

KUALA LUMPUR - SIEM REAP

FLY DIRECT TO SIEM REAP MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY #90+92+94Eo, St. 217, Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel 023 881 178 | Fax 023 886 677 | www.maiair.com

N central Riga, people are laying owers beneath the Freedom Monument. Its a green statue of a woman holding three gold stars on top of a 42-metre stone pillar at the end of a broad, busy street. One woman explains to me that its the 65th anniversary of the day in 1949 when 42,000 Latvians were deported to Siberia by the Soviet government. She remembers hiding underground and nding the neighbours house empty the next day. Only the dog was left, she says. In Riga, Latvias capital city, the past is alive and complicated. The road that the monument stands on is now called Brivibas bulvaris (Freedom Boulevard), but its previous names Alexander, Hitler and Lenin are a clue to the citys history of rule by foreign powers. It was founded in 1201 as a base for crusading German knights, and for three centuries it thrived as one of the Baltic ports in the Hanseatic League. In turn, Riga then became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then the Swedish and Russian empires. You can sense this history in the cobbled streets of Rigas old town, which is bounded by the river Daugava and the city canal, and in its architecture best expressed in the owing lines of the largest collection of art nouveau buildings in the world. To mark its status as European Capital of Culture 2014, hundreds of small projects are aiming to explore Rigas rich heritage, while also looking to its future. Monument Wars is a new art installation on Brivibas boulevard, where a Lenin monument once stood. Designed to illustrate different inuences on the city, it is made up of four alternating sculptures, including a Virgin Mary and a black-skinned Barbie in Swedish dress. The recent history of Latvia has not always been happy, but

the city is changing fast. The stag parties that ooded into the old town when cheap ights began have decreased, though Riga still operates a tourist police. However, only revellers with a passion for high-quality locally sourced ingredients will dine at Valtera restaurant, which puts an imaginative modern twist on traditional Latvian cuisine. The most exciting parts of the city now lie beyond the traditional tourist haunts. On a predictably fruitless search for a new laptop charger, I walk drained into Illuseum, north of the centre at 19 Miera iela (Peace Street). Its an atmospheric tea shop decorated with patterned rugs and cushions and displaying myriad leaf teas. The server (or as she calls herself, tea master), recommends an energising cold pu-erh tea cocktail with sharp berries, which seems to do the trick, and explains that this quiet, cobbled road has a different feel from the rest of the city. Illuseum opened here four years ago. Starting up at around the same time were DAD cafe at no 17, with art on the walls and a piano, and Buteljons at no 10, which upcycles wine and beer bottles to make clocks, glasses and mirrors. And there are new places opening here all the time. DAD co-owner Dace Preisa says her decision to open here was partly inspired by the aroma wafting from the Laima chocolate factory (there since 1939). Many comparable new ventures have sprung up elsewhere in Riga in the past ve years, sometimes clustered in particular areas. Since 2012, the scruffy but welcoming Kanepes cultural centre, founded by 28-year-old local Davis Kanepe, has been a natural home for Rigas young and alternatively-minded, acting as a bar, music venue and cinema in an old music school. Culture is not just classical exhibitions and plays, says program manager Laura Adamovica. THE GUARDIAN

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Entertainment
NOW SHOWING
LEGEND CINEMA
300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE Greek general Themistokles leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Persian navy commander Artemisia. Based on Frank Millers graphic novel. Stars Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green and Lena Headey, among others. City Mall: 5:05pm Toul Kork: 7:55pm MUPPETS MOST WANTED While on a grand world tour, the Muppets find themselves wrapped into a European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick. With a cast of comedians doing the voices. Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey. City Mall: 11:25am Toul Kork: 5:05pm MR PEABODY AND SHERMAN The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavour to fix a time rift they created. Stars Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert. City Mall: 5:35pm Toul Kork: 3:55pm NEED FOR SPEED Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head. With Aaron Paul, who is known for his role as one of two meth-producers in the three seasons of HBOs Breaking Bad. City Mall: 11:55pm Toul Kork: 9:15am NOAH A 2014 American epic inspired by the Bible though not too close to the original story. A man is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world. Starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly. City Mall: 9:15am, 2:25pm Toul Kork: 11:50am, 2:30pm, 9:25pm

21

Novel-writing @ Feel Good Cafe

Got writers block? Just need another eye on your work? Feel Good Cafe holds a tutorial in all the aspects of writing and publishing your novel, taught by Jerry Cleaver, author of St. Martins Press Immediate Fiction.

Feel Good Cafe, #79, Street 136. 10am

Franglish @ Plantation
Are you a French or English speaker? Join a speed-talking evening at The Plantation. You will meet other native English and French speakers who will help you develop your language skills.

The Plantation #28 Street 184. 6:30pm

Aspiring novelists can try out the writing class at Feel Good Cafe this evening. BLOOMBERG

Yoga @ Yoga PP
Get your week o to an invigorating start with Sweat and Samadhi, a vinyasa ow-style yoga class with an experienced teacher, from 8am to 9.30am.

TV PICKS
11:45am - ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN: Manny, Sid, and Diego discover that the Ice Age is coming to an end, and join everybody for a journey to higher ground. On the trip, they discover that Manny, in fact, is not the last of the woolly mammoths. FOX MOVIES 1:20pm - THE CROODS: After their cave is destroyed, a caveman family must trek through an unfamiliar fantastical world. FOX MOVIES 6:25pm - BAIT: A freak tsunami traps shoppers at a coastal Australian supermarket inside the building along with a 12-foot Great White Shark. FOX MOVIES 10pm - PROMETHEUS: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. FOX MOVIES

Yoga Phnom Penh, #9 Street 21. 8am

Go club @ Mloup Snai

Go, or Baduk, is a board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. The game is noted for being rich in strategy despite its simple rules.

Charlize Theron, Idris Elba star in Prometheus.

BLOOMBERG

Mloup Snai Restaurant, #91, Street 592. 10am

Thinking caps
NBA READY
ACROSS
1 5 10 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 25 26 29 31 35 36 38 39 43 44 45 46 49 50 51 53 55 58 62 65 66 67 68 69 70 Astronaut drink High points Native of Mecca Collection of miscellaneous things Public humiliation Prizefighters garb Old-school Amazing! Word in several Agatha Christie titles Its usually lower in the winter A Farewell To ___ Fall on ___ ears Comes down with Feedbag fill Serious productions Space-saver for writers Spaniards sign-off Drink option Be ecstatic Popular salad fish Long-snouted mammal To be or ___ to be Decreases ones bankroll Bollywood wardrobe item Oinkers abode What many signs are written in Prefix meaning left Get a sense of Homeric epic How John Wayne rode New York canal Final resting place Stylish elegance Try out Gnawed away Turtle or doves retreat

DOWN
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 19 23 24 26 27 28 30 32 33 34 37 40 41 42 47 48 52 54 55 56 57 59 60 61 62 63 64 Sweeney ___ Cosmetic additive Singer Simone Sorry, ___ run! Silver-gray shade When doubled, a lively dance It has its plusses and minuses Place tiles in cement, e.g. Had the appearance of Archaeologists prize Speckled reddish-brown Fit to perform the task ___ canto It may be cleared before a speech Wing-shaped Like a neat bed Stretch at work? Checks the weight Consumed Public display of temper Some convert into beds Partner of groans Dispense Like some pretzels Flower leaf Burrowing marine animal The Emerald Isle Quiz show fodder Noted surrealist Type of bath or cake Buddhist teaching Antiquated Cab passenger Yale students Just one of those things? Sit at a red light Mournful expression Bumper ding Vietnamese New Year Holiday brink One of a states two, briefly

Fridays solution

Fridays solution

22

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Lifestyle

Socheata and Sontery Social Life Team

More than 100 temples at Angkor go online with Google Street View and Google Cultural Institute @ Siem Reap
Google put more than 100 temples from the Angkor Archaeological Park onto Google Street View on April 3. Since July, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and APSARA, Google has collected more than a million photos of the temple which have been converted into some 90,000 panoramic images for the World Wonders project of the online Google Cultural Institute. Taking the photos required the use of Googles famous Street View cars and ve Street View trekkers, who were able to photograph the intricate carvings inside the temples. As a result of the project, anyone in the world with an internet connection can virtually explore the ancient temples and learn about the history, archaeology and culture of the Khmer Empire. Nearly 300 Angkor-related artefacts are already displayed at the Google Cultural Institute. Media from 16 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia-Pacic attended the launch. Following the days activities, representatives from Google joined government ofcials for a dinner under the stars in front of the Bayon. Attendees included Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, and Sun Chanthol, Minister of Commerce. Photos by Chhim Sreyneang and Pha Lina.

Manik Gupta, the group product manager for Google Maps, demonstrates how to use the camera just outside Angkor Wat.

Divon Lan, product manager at Next Waves Emerging Countries, Google.

Googles streetview car drives around the temple complex.

Thong Khun, Minister of Tourism, is interviewed by the local media.

Ang Choulean, professor of historical anthropology at the Royal University of Fine Arts, Hab Touch and Phloeun Prim, director at Cambodian Living Arts (CLA).

Sun Chanthol, Minister of Commerce and vice chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

Bun Narith, director-general of APSARA. Rebecca Michael from Google.

Amit Sood, director at Google Cultural Institute.

Yun Chun Hsiao and Paula Hsiao.

Woo Chif Wan from Apple Daily Hong Kong and Maneen at Onpanna from Public Broadcasting Thailand.

Khyhay Tang, Thyda Long, Neang Sovathana, Chan Pisey and Engrid Roco Rosal.

Libby Leahy and Stephanie Shih, both from Google.

One Voice charity night @ Sotel

Thet Phariya, branch manager at P2CD, In Melanie Havana from CL&Tag Cambodia, Hen Chandavy from Mean at Manich.Asia, Leav Kimna, monitoring and evaluation ofce at COCD and Loretta the Centre for Professional Media, Nou Chandy from Bonna Belato, co-founder at Ot Panyha. Realty Group and Sitha Norng, vice director at Lay.Green.

Sam Kimseng, Thim Vannd, Try Pisith, life insurance consultants from Cambodia Life.

Hour Piseth, Keou Kakda, Chea Vou and Chou Pirak, who are all life insurance consultants at Cambodia Life.

Marisa Tan from Maid in Cambodia, Lita Sok, and Benedicte Monroe.

Marjorie Berward, with friends.

Man Kanika, sales and marketing rep at Vtrust Property, and Kan Kimly, sales and marketing rep at Vtrust Property.

On Saturday, March 29, the Startup Business Network (SBN) hosted a charity event with more than 13 associations called One Voice at Sotel Phnom Penh Phokeethra. The event, which took place beside the upmarket hotels pool, attracted guests who followed a business dress code and featured wine as well as a DJ set. A portion of the $25 ticket fee went to support school tuition for underprivileged children. SBN, which comprises various entrepreneurs from around Phnom Penh, will host another networking event later this month at the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Centre. Photos by Chhim Sreyneang.

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Chhim Sreyneang Social Life Manager

Lifestyle

23

Victoria Angkor Resort celebrates a decade of quality service @ Siem Reap

Siem Reaps Victoria Angkor Resort celebrated its 10th birthday on Friday April 3. The event at the Khmer-French style hotel attracted both local and international guests, all smartly dressed. They enjoyed dinner and wine together, as well as a circus performance and live music. Photos by Pha Lina.

Masa Hiro, general manager at Le Meridien Angkor, and Daniel Souteyrant, managing director at Three Naga Tours. Lotan Eli and Lotan Urit.

Vanessa Vouko Titch and Nick Packham. Aline and Bruno Chzavin and Reine Sinacar Pin.

Minh Chanthy, Vet Suy, reservation executive at Buf- Hanna Mae B Turtal, reservation supervisor at Southern Breeze Tour and Sherelyn B Turtal, falo Travel, Pan Thin, country manager at Buffalo branch operation manager at Southern Breeze Tour. Tours and Loan Reaksa.

Renaud Groisy, sales and training manager at SepaTrevor Lake, general manager at Trails of Indochina kam Sombai and Heang Kimhak, sales representative at Sepakam Sombai. and Sokly.

Borei Pat and Hem Chantra.

Yos Vanvirak and Tann Dalis, relationship ofcer at ANZ Royal.

Viseth Chan, technical deputy manager at Cambodia Dani Mueller at Lolei Travel, Channy Oan at Lolei Airpots, and Samen Phat, deputy nance manager Travel, and Chan Sophea, food and beverage manat Cambodia Airports. ager at Victoria.

Huawei launches Ascend G730 & Y600 @ Naga World

Chinese smartphone makers Huawei launched their new models, Ascend G730 and Y600, at Naga World casino on March 31. The guestlist ranged from phone dealers and Huawei supporters to models and even the singer Meas Soksophea. Cary Yang, the CEO of Huawei in Cambodia, gave a speech about the new phones now avaliable in Cambodia, before dinner was served. Photos by Chhim Sreyneang.

Jason Liu, Franky.

Keo Volen, Seng Sokheng.

Tek Vasopheak, Hang Chumno.

Cary Yang, CEO of Huawei in Cambodia.

Po Soratha, Tam Doi, Oeng Kuy Eng, Lous Leang Chinh, Lous Sievphinh.

Both Chanreaksmey, Tang Meying.

Em Yuthou, senior marketing manager of Huawei, Zheng Ketao, CEO of Yako Discovery, and models.

Meas Sok Sophea holds the new models.

Sang Ngoun, Ramana Ros from Seang Lin Phone Shop.

Ly Heng, sales manager at Ahhoo, Chony Chao, Zhang Yan Ping, reporter at China Radio InternaMiller Guo, product and service manager of Huawei. tional, Li Hong, Xu Xiao Xia.

24

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Sport

Interior team cleans up at Swimming Champs

MINISTRY of Interior swimming club claimed a remarkable 14 gold medals, 10 silvers and four bronzes from the 28 events in both divisions A and B of the 2014 National Swimming Championships, which concluded on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium pool. The club grabbed its medals haul by entering just 17 male and female swimmers, the majority of who are national team members. Bou Chum Sery, deputy secretary-general of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, presided over the closing ceremony on Saturday evening, handing out cash prizes of 60,000 riel ($15) for race winners, 50,000 riel for runnersup and 40,000 riel for third place finishers. YEUN PONLOK, TRANSLATED
BY CHENG SERYRITH

Veal Sboy, Prey Veng book places in final

The 2014 Leo Cup of Volleyball wrapped up its Phnom Penh preliminary round at Beeline Arena on Saturday, with Veal Sboys Cambodian Youth Federation and Prey Veng grabbing berths in the final stage as the groups top two qualifiers. Veal Sboy edged Prey Veng 3-2 in their final game, with the winners taking home $450 and runners-up collecting $250. Bodyguard Department team won $200 after beating LP 3-0 in the third place playoff. LP got $100. The Phnom Penh round is the first of four preliminaries for this years competition, sponsored by Leo beer. Next up is a round in Sihanoukville from May 6-12, then Kampong Cham from June 3-8 and finally Siem Reap from July 15-20. Dates have yet to be announced for the final stage to be played at Beeline Arena. CHHORN NORN, TRANSLATED BY
CHENG SERYRITH

Players from the Cambodian Eagles (blue and yellow kit) and the Singapore Wombats vie for possession during their Aussie Rules football game on Saturday.

JUSTIN HADGKISS

Eagles swamp Wombats

H S Manjunath

aMBODIaN Eagles hit the right buttons in their rst home game of the Aussie Rules footy season, beating visiting Singapore Wombats 12.7 (79) to 4.5 (29) at the Navy Grounds on Saturday. The Eagles were dominant from

the start, kicking the rst four goals before the Wombats managed to get onto the scoreboard. Though the visitors lifted themselves up in the second quarter, they ran out of legs in the second session of play. I was really happy with our effort. We put together some great passages play, moved the ball well and ran out the four quarters, Eagles coach

Grant Fitzgerald told the Post. We improved a lot from our loss to Vietnam Swans earlier in the year. It is great to see some of the new players developing really well. Dancing David Murphy was easily the best on ground for the Eagles, kicking seven goals without moving from the goal-square. Solid support for him came from American

convert and first gamer Wild Will Fletcher and young recruit Baby Face Clements. Juicy Jules Brewster was solid in the ruck all day and Tristan Souvlaki Patralakis was very effective across the half forward line. The Eagles will take on Jakarta Bintangs at home in three weeks time, marking the annual ANZAC Day.

Eye-injury put an ends Maccarinellis challenge

Kentucky will face Connecticut for NCAA title

THe University of Kentucky and University of Connecticut both won at the Final Four to set up college basketballs most improbable championship game match-up since the national tournament started seeding teams in 1979. Kentucky and its five freshmen starters rallied to beat Wisconsin 74-73 as Aaron Harrison hit a winning threepointer in the closing seconds for the second straight game. Connecticut upset top-ranked Florida 63-53 in the first semifinal in Arlington, Texas. Whoever had the ball last and could make a shot was going to win the game, Kentucky coach John Calipari said in a televised interview after Saturday nights game. The Wildcats were seeded eighth in their 16-team region and tied the record for the lowest seed to reach the championship game at the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. Connecticut became the first seventh seed in the past 36 years to make the title game. The championship game is scheduled for tonight at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Tip off is at 8:10am Cambodian time tomorrow morning. Villanova was the only team seeded lower than sixth to win the NCAA tournament, winning as an eighth seed in 1985. The combined seeding of Kentucky and Connecticut is the lowest since the NCAA tournament began seeding teams in the bracket in 1979. The previous record was 11, when UConn was a No 3 seed and beat eighth-seeded Butler for the most recent of its three titles. Kentucky twice rallied during the second half to knock off Wisconsin, which was the second seed in the West Region. After a 15-0 scoring run just after halftime erased a sevenpoint deficit, the Wildcats again came from five points down in the final six minutes. With Kentucky trailing 73-71, Harrison hit a contested three-pointer with 5.7 seconds left. Im pretty confident, Harrison said in a televised interview. Ive hit some big shots down the stretch. Harrison had also hit a winning three-point shot with three seconds left in Kentuckys previous game, sending the Wildcats to the Final Four with a 75-72 victory over Michigan. Wisconsin, seeking its first trip back to the national title game since winning its lone championship in 1941, had the final shot, but Traevon Jackson missed a jump shot at the buzzer. Sam Dekker and Ben Brust each scored 15 points for the Badgers, who finish the season with a 30-9 record. Connecticut erased a 12-point first half deficit in todays first national semifinal to end Floridas 30-game winning streak. DeAndre Daniels had 20 points and 10 rebounds for UConn, which had been the last team to beat the Gators (36-3), winning 65-64 on December 2. Connecticuts starting backcourt tandem of Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright combined for 25 points and nine assists, while Florida guards Scottie Wilbekin and Michael Frazier II were limited to seven points on 3-of-12 shooting. We just couldnt really get anything going, Wilbekin told reporters after the game. They were being really aggressive, and we couldnt really get into our offense. Connecticut, listed by oddsmakers as a seven-point underdog against Florida, trailed 16-4 midway through the first half before going on a 27-5 scoring run to take the lead for good. While Florida was the top overall seed in the tournament, Connecticut reached the Final Four after being seeded seventh in the 16-team East Region, where the Huskies had upset wins over No 2 Villanova, No 3 Iowa State and No 4 Michigan State. Two schools previously reached the NCAA tournament title game as eighth seeds: Villanova in 1985 and Butler in 2011. BLOOMBERG

GeRmaNYS Jurgen Braehmer defended his world lightheavyweight title on Saturday with a fifth round technical knock-out of Britains Enzo Maccarinelli, who had his righteye completely closed by an early punch. Two punches in the first round effectively decided the bout as Wales-born Italian Maccarinelli was left boxing with only one functioning eye from the third round onwards. AFP

Bobcats book rare berth in post-season

The Charlotte Bobcats are headed back to the NBA playoffs for just the second time in club history after a 96-94 overtime victory over Cleveland on Saturday. Al Jefferson scored seven of his 24 points in the extra period and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to help Charlotte clinch a post-season spot for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. On Friday, Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant notched his 40th straight NBA game with 25 points or more, matching Michael Jordans streak in the 1986-87 season, but it wasnt enough to hold off the Houston Rockets. James Harden scored 39 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out seven assists to lead the Rockets to a 111-107 victory that secured their postseason berth. AFP

Aaron Harrison of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts during the NCAA Mens Final Four semi-nal against the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday. AFP

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Sport

25

Weightlifting not likely to be included in 2015 SEA Games

WEIghtLIftINg is unlikely to be included in next years SEA Games in Singapore, Thailands weightlifting chief Intarat Yodbangtoey said on Saturday. Concerned parties made their last-ditch attempt last week to persuade Singapore to organise a weightlifting tournament at the 2015 SEA Games but their effort looks futile. It is difficult for the hosts to accept our proposal, said Intarat, president of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA), members of which were among those present at last weeks talk with 2015 Games officials. According to Intarat, weightlifting will only be reinstated if all other SEA Games member countries support the move or the Singapore government orders the organising committee to do it. I think this is impossible, Intarat said. It was reported that the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) offered to pay an estimated S$1 million ($794,500) for Singapore to run the sport but they declined the offer. Tan Eng Liang, president of the 2015 SEA Games Organising Committee, said that it was too late to consider reinstating weightlifting. There will be 36 sports at the 2015 Games from June 5-16. Weightlifting has featured in every Games tournament since the event was launched as the SEAP Games 55 years ago. BANGKOK POST

Games plan big bang

Thailands Wiriya Suwannaratana lifts in the clean and jerk category of the womens 69kg weightlifting nal at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia. AFP

IVE of Glasgows most iconic tower blocks, the Red Road ats in the north of the city, are to be blown up live during the opening ceremony for 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Games organisers announced on Wednesday that the 30-storey blocks, which were once some of the tallest residential buildings in Europe, will be demolished simultaneously as Commonwealth dignitaries and athletes open the Games at Celtic football stadium nearby. The detonation, described by organisers as the largest attempted in Europe, will take approximately 15 seconds and be shown live inside the stadium on a 100m-long LED screen taking up the south stand of Celtic Park. The Red Road ats, seen by many as a vivid symbol of the failures of post-war urban planning and which featured in a thriller of the same name by Andrea Arnold in 2006, were condemned in 2008 and have been slowly emptied. After being cleared of asbestos, they are now derelict. The sixth remaining and most modernised block, called 33 Petershill Court, is currently used to house asylum seekers.

That will remain standing and be demolished by 2017. Originally seen as a welcome refuge from Glasgows innercity slums in the 1960s, complete with central heating and bathrooms, the ats gradually fell into decline. Organisers said the demolition on July 23 would be broadcast to about a billion viewers worldwide. The leader of Glasgow city council, Gordon Matheson, said it would symbolise the citys efforts to use the games to regenerate the east end of Glasgow. Matheson said: We are going to wow the world, with the demolition of the Red Road ats set to play a starring role. Red Road has an iconic place in Glasgows history, having been home to thousands of families and dominating the citys skyline for decades. Their demolition will all but mark the end of high-rise living in the area and is symbolic of the changing face of Glasgow, not least in terms of our preparations for the Games. Patricia Ferguson, the Labour MSP for the area and a former Scottish government minister who was brought up in the blocks, said: I know that many local people were eager to see these empty

blocks brought down as soon as possible. I am still trying to get my head round the role they will play in the opening ceremony. It has been described as bold and I would certainly agree with that view. I am sure that creative minds have been fully engaged as to how this is woven into the story of Glasgow as a global destination for the 21st century. Two of the original eight blocks were blown up in controlled demolitions in 2012 and 2013, but the process has been rapidly accelerated with the decision to blow up another ve, including one far larger but shorter triple block of ats, in one event. As part of a demolition programme expected to cost 15 million ($24.9 million), the ve were originally due to be taken down in phases over the next two years but their owner, Glasgow Housing Association, had been investigating a simultaneous demolition to minimise disruption for nearby residents. The event will mean the temporary evacuation of residents living in 887 houses in the immediate area, many of whom once lived in the Red Road ats. THE GUARDIAN

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Sailing

THE PHNOM PENH POST APrIl 7, 2014

Top of the Gulf Regatta still sailing strong

Dan Riley

OP of the Gulf Regatta celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with top sailors from around the world heading to Pattaya, Thailand, to compete in Asias largest multi-class regatta from May 1-5 at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club. Regularly attracting in excess of 250 boats and more than 600 sailors from over 30 countries, Top of the Gulf Regatta is known around the world for its competitive sailing across a diverse eet of boats, and this year organisers expect one of the most competitive eets yet with boats and crew from Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and from as far away as England and the United States. We have a strong line-up of international boats and crew who will be racing a large eet of local talent across 12 classes this year, William Gasson, chairman of the organising committee, said. An iconic event in Pattayas sport-

ing calendar, the regatta has become a Festival of Sail, bringing together a large eet of keelboats and multihulls, dinghies, beach catamarans, windsurfs, the prestigious Coronation Cup and the Thailand Optimist National Championships. With one of its aims being the promotion sailing in Thailand, organisers have worked closely with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand for the past decade, supporting grassroots sailing in the country and giving thousands of young Thai sailors the opportunity to develop competitive sailing skills in an international-standard competition. Local youngsters have gone on to compete in regional and world sailing championships in recent years, as well as the Olympics. Having introduced windsurng to the regatta a few years ago, organisers have this year brought the RS:One Asian Championship to Thailand the rst time the regional championship has been held in the country. We are expecting over 30 national

Competition is expected to be erce at the 10th anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta from May 1-5 in Pattaya, Thialand.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

team sailors and Olympic hopefuls from around Asia to compete [in the RS:One Asian Championship], Gasson said. Top of the Gulf is the only regatta in Thailand to be operated from a marina, and Ocean Marina Yacht

Club, Southeast Asias largest marina and home of the regatta since the beginning, provides an ideal inwater and onshore base. Ocean Marina Yacht Club have been instrumental in the development of sailing in the Gulf of Thai-

land and in the success and growth of the Top of the Gulf Regatta over the past ten years, Gasson added. We look forward to working together and promoting sailing in Thailand for many more years to come.

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Football

27

Crown, Naga stay on top

H S Manjunath

Bayern suffer first defeat in 54 matches

HE top two in this seasons Metfone C-League standings, Phnom Penh Crown and Naga Corp, head for the ensuing two-week Khmer New Year break in high spirits after winning their matches by the narrowest of margins at different venues on Saturday. For the second week running, striker George Bisan produced the only goal that would settle the issue in favour of Crown, this time against a rugged National Police Commissary at the Olympic Stadium. His 55th-minute strike, the spadework for which was done by Kouch Sokumpheak, put his side ahead and they stoically stayed there to pick up three valuable points. Though Crown missed out on a few more promising chances to solidify their advantage, Sou Yaty under the bar came up with two splendid saves towards the end to ensure a clean sheet. This was the second straight defeat for Police after their maiden triumph in the Hun Sen Cup last month. In the other xture at the Olympic Stadium, goals were at a premium yet again as Cup runners-up Build Bright United eked out a 1-0 win over Kirivong Sok Sen Chey. The victory saw Crown retain their hold at the top of the heap on goal difference with Naga, who edged past defending champions Svay Rieng 1-0 at the Old Stadium. Both Crown and Naga have so far tallied 19 points from eight games. After a barren rst half, Nagas South Korean import Jang In Yong came up with a 58th minute goal that turned out to be his teams match-winner. In the days rst game at the Old

BAYERN Munich suffered their first Bundesliga defeat since October 2012 on Saturday as their record 53-match unbeaten league run was ended by a 1-0 defeat at Augsburg. Coach Pep Guardiola named a weakened team for the Bavarian derby and paid the price as Bayern were beaten for the first time in the German league since going down 2-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen on October 28, 2012. With one eye on Wednesdays Champions League clash at home to Manchester United, Guardiola started with three teenagers, giving Bundesliga debuts to wing-backs Ylli Sallahi and Mitchell Weiser while Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg was named on the left wing. The gamble backfired when Weiser lost possession to Augsburgs Daniel Baier who fed Sascha Moelders and the Augsburg striker blasted his shot past Bayerns goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with 31 minutes gone to claim the winning goal. AFP

New Barca Camp Nou project gets go-ahead

TriAsias Kihara Masakazu (left) clashes with Western University goalkeeper Ngoy Boranuch and defender I Kolawole during their Metfone C-League game yesterday at Olympic Stadium. SRENG MENG SRUN

Stadium, Asia Europe University assumed absolute control of their match against Albirex Niigata by scoring two goals in the rst 20 minutes and then extending the margin to a 3-1 victory. George Kelechi red the rst salvo for the University side in the 12th minute doubling the score in the 20th to give his side a healthy half time lead.

On resumption, Than Dara Pech stretched the gains to three goals by the 68th minute, leaving Albirex to ght a lost cause. However, the table trailers managed to pick up a consolation goal through Tatsuta Kazuki with six minutes of regulation time left. Down by a goal for nearly half an hour, TriAsia managed a late equaliser

to draw 1-1 with Western University at the Olympic Stadium yesterday. The University side shot into the lead through Privat Mbarga at the 52nd minute and were riding out their advantage with a smell of victory in the air. But their calculations went wrong when TriAsia levelled the score with a good strike from Kihara Masakazu.

A 600 mIllIoN ($827 million) project to renovate Barcelonas Camp Nou stadium has been given the green light by the clubs members after a referendum on Saturday. More than 72 per cent of the 37,535 votes went in favour of the project. However, there was an extremely low turnout of just 31.65 per cent of those eligible to vote. Afp

SaTURDaYs ResUlTs
English Premier League
Man City 4 Southampton 1 Aston Villa 1 Fulham 2 Cardiff 0 Crystal Palace 3 Hull 1 Swansea 0 Newcastle 0 Man United 4 Norwich 0 West Brom 1 Chelsea 3 Stoke 0

Tiredness an issue for Barca, Atletico

BaRcELona and Atletico Madrid bosses Gerardo Martino and Diego Simeone believed their sides struggled physically as they laboured to victories over and Real Betis and Villarreal respectively on Saturday. Atletico remain a point clear of the Catalans with six games to go in La Liga, but it was their Champions League quarterfinal clash that occupied the minds of both coaches as the sides meet on Wednesday at the Vicente Calderon for the second leg after a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou last Tuesday. Martino admitted Barca hadnt matched their standards of late as two goals from Lionel Messi and Jordi Figueras own goal was enough to see them past bottom of the table Betis 3-1. I expected that the game wouldnt have the same level of play as the other day against Atletico. Tuesday took a lot out of us. I saw a bit of the Atletico game and the same happened to them, he said. Today, as an exception, we value the result above everything. It wasnt due to concentration or underestimating the opponent, Betis played very well. At some points our work rate dropped a bit because we were lacking a bit physically. I hope that on Wednesday we will be better than today. I dont want to make excuses, but between Tuesday and next Wednesday appears the Betis game and it is normal that this happens. Normally the result isnt so favourable and this time it is, so we value it a lot as it allows us to continue putting pressure on the leaders. It was a similar story for Atletico as Raul Garcias early header was enough to squeeze out a third straight 1-0 home league win. Today was a difficult game. We played better in the firsthalf, but we didnt find space in between the lines like we wanted and scored through a set-piece, said Simeone. In the second-half Villarreal were superior in terms of possession. They didnt have many chances at goal, but we also couldnt create anything on the counter-attack. It is a very important victory that we will value a lot. We were tired towards the end and that is normal. The strength and energy that we have had at other times we didnt have today. But the team played with their head, and when you play intelligently it can supplement that lack of energy. Now we need to think about the game in the Champions League. It is important for the club. It will be a great match. Hopefully, we can recover in these four days. It was a much more comfortable evening for Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti as despite being without Cristiano Ronaldo his side cruised to a 4-0 win away to Real Sociedad to remain three points off the top. Real were also in Champions League action in midweek as they beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0, but, in stark contrast to Atletico and Barca, they got stronger as the game went on as Gareth Bale, Pepe and Alvaro Morata scored in the final 25 minutes after Asier Illarramendi had opened the scoring just before half-time. It is not easy to recover after a game like Wednesday and in that aspect the intensity of the players in the second-half was very good, said Ancelotti. We have the desire to fight until the last game. Despite the fact we are behind in the table, we will fight until the end. AFP

Rayo Vallecano 3 Celta de Vigo 0 On Friday Almeria 1 Osasuna 2 Nurnberg 0 Borussia Mnchengladbach 2 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 Mainz 0 Augsburg 1 Bayern Munich 0 Werder Bremen 1 Schalke 1 Stuttgart 2 Freiburg 0 Borussia Dortmund 2 Wolfsburg 1 On Friday Hamburg 2 Bayer Leverkusen 1

Spanish La Liga

German Bundesliga

Italian Serie A

Chievo 0 Verona 1 Inter Milan 2 Bologna 2

Paris St-Germain 3 Reims 0 Bastia 2 Sochaux 2 Bordeaux 2 Rennes 2 Guingamp 1 Montpellier 2 Lorient 1 Evian TG 1 Toulouse 1 Lille 2 On Friday Marseille 3 Ajaccio 1

French Ligue 1

TONighTs fiXTURes
English Premier League
Tottenham v Sunderland 2am

Spanish La Liga Italian Serie A

Levante v Athletic Bilbao 3am Juventus v Livorno 12am Genoa v AC Milan 2am

Barcelonas Lionel Messi reacts during their Spanish league football match against Real Betis at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Saturday. AFP

28

THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 7, 2014

Sport

Smashing hit
Japanese expatriate Takako Imai hits a ball during a softball game at Phnom Penhs Northbridge International School yesterday morning. Players from countries including Japan, the US, France, Singapore, China, the Philippines and also occasionally Cambodia congregate every other Sunday at the eld between 9:30am and 12 noon to practise skills and contest a friendly game. A team called Golden Bats, formed in 2010 by Japanese baseball enthusiasts based in Cambodia, gather its members from these Sunday sessions. The team periodically plays matches against the Cambodian national team, based in Kampong Thom, a South Korean team called Phnom Penh Dreams and the Royal University of Phnom Penh team called RUPP Blue Wave. SRENG MENG SRUN

Pineau De Re wins Grand National

Chris Cook

Pineau De Re ridden by Leighton Aspell crosses the nishing line to win the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday. AFP

InEaU De Re was the 25-1 winner of the Grand National, foiling the two most high-prole jockeys in the race, Richard Johnson and Tony McCoy, who nished second and third on Balthazar King and Double Seven. The winning jockey was Leighton Aspell, making two years in a row that the famous Aintree race has been won by a rider back from retirement, following Ryan Mania last year. The 37-year-old Aspell, runner-up in the National 11 years ago on Supreme Glory, quit the saddle in the summer of 2007 and went to work in the Flat-racing yard of John Dunlop in Sussex. He returned to action in 2009 and has now been rewarded with what was already his best season by a long way. Even so, rst prize of 561,000 ($930,000) dou-

bles his money won since last May. This was the second Grand National over the modied fences that have been criticised by some for being too soft. Last year, every runner cleared the rst seven fences without incident but this race looked much more like older Nationals, with Twirling Magnet falling at the rst and others tumbling at regular intervals, including Burton Port and Big Shu at the next two fences. However, Channel 4 reported that all horses returned without serious injury. A total of 18 completed the course. The most notable departure in the early stages was the well-fancied Long Run, a past winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase, who fell when leading at Valentines Brook. Shortly after, as the eld tackled The Chair in front of the stands, there were despairing cries from

many a punter as Teaforthree unseated Nick Scholeld. Nor was the drama conned to the fences. There was a false start, following which Battle Group refused to race when the tape went up for real. As the runners passed the starting point to go out on the second circuit, Across The Bay, who had been leading, was carried across the track and out of contention by a loose horse. Those still in the argument at that stage included Katie Walsh, a late call-up for the outsider Vesper Bell, who could be seen hunting along on the inside as the eld tracked down to Bechers Brook. But Pineau De Re was also travelling notably well at that stage and, a mile later, his reserves of stamina carried him clear of his rivals. He won by ve lengths from Balthazar King, who was a length and a quarter ahead of Double Seven. Alvarado nished fast into fourth, with

Rocky Creek and Monbeg Dude not far behind. I was very conscious that I didnt want to be in front too soon over four and a half miles, Aspell said. Hes a small horse, so he has to try at his fences, which he kept doing. When I got a bit of daylight, I knew Id be ne because that was my only worry. Once he was in daylight, from the Canal Turn, he really enjoyed that part of the race. The winning trainer is the 50-year-old Richard Newland, who took Pineau De Re into his Worcestershire stable last summer and sparked a revival in his form. The horse is Newlands rst Grand National runner. He was previously trained in Ireland by Philip Fenton, currently facing charges of possessing anabolic steroids and other banned substances, which it is believed he will deny. THE GUARDIAN