20140516

Attack in Bangkok kills three
WORLD PAGE 14 NATIONAL PAGE 2

North Korean waitress missing
Chhay Channyda
H
UNDREDS of Chinese na-
tionals have ed to Cambo-
dia since Tuesday following
a series of deadly riots in
Vietnam targeting businesses associ-
ated with China, police have said.
About 700 Chinese have crossed
into Cambodia via the Bavet Inter-
national Border Checkpoint in Svay
Rieng province after the fallout from
Chinese actions in the disputed
South China Sea turned deadly, with
reports of up to 21 people being killed
during rioting that began with attacks
on foreign-owned factories.
About 60 Chinese entered Cambo-
dia yesterday, down from the two pri-
or days, when more than 600 made
the journey, a senior border ofcial in
Bavet town said yesterday.
They were worried about their
personal safety, the ofcial said,
adding that Vietnamese anti-China
demonstrations, which led to several
factories being burned down, had
spurred the exodus.
Yesterday, some 50 or 60 Chi-
nese nationals came, but it was not
the same level as on Tuesday. Out of
some 600 Chinese, some work in the
factories, some are investors and the
gure is higher than usual, he said.
The Chinese nationals were enter-
ing Cambodia with valid passports
and applying for visas in line with lo-
cal laws or else they would not be al-
lowed into the country, he added.
Protests by Vietnamese workers
have spread to 22 of the countrys
63 provinces, Vietnams minister of
planning and investment said yester-
day. He called for tough measures
to bring the situation under control
before foreign investors pull out of
the country.
General Khieu Sopheak, spokes-
man for the Ministry of Interior,
which deals with immigration, yes-
terday welcomed the arrival of the
Chinese, who entered Cambodia on
tourist and business visas.
If they enter our territory, they
spend money. They spend money on
guesthouses and hotels, he said.
The latest riots broke out on Wednes-
day at a steel mill owned by Taiwanese
industrial conglomerate Formosa
Plastics in Vietnams central Ha Tinh
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FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014 Successful People Read The Post 4000 RIEL
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6
CRAZY
IN LOVE
The frightening gay cure forced upon a
community still treated as mentally ill
Wing Star
victims kin
not paid out
Shane Worrell
WHEN an overloaded and illegally
built storage level at the Wing Star
Shoes factory in Kampong Speu prov-
ince collapsed last May 16, officials
went into damage control, promising
to compensate victims using a rela-
tively new state fund.
But one year after teenager Kim
Dany and co-worker Rim Roeun,
22, were crushed to death at the
factory which supplies Japanese
footwear firm Asics the multimil-
lion-dollar National Social Secu-
rity Fund (NSSF) has yet to pay
Danys fami l y compensati on
beyond funeral costs.
The NSSF, established in 2007 to
insure private-sector workers and
their families in the event of injury or
death, has not paid Danys parents a
survivors pension, despite provi-
sions for such benefits enshrined in
ththe law.
I dont think the government will
pay me, Danys father, Korn Vet, 45,
said this week. So, I am not surprised.
But Im not feeling angry, because the
company [Asics] has already paid
and I dont want to think about it
more, because my daughter has
already died.
Its natural that Vet wants to move
on. But the reasons the NSSF gave for
not paying may have broader impli-
cations for Cambodias garment
workers, said Dave Welsh, country
manager for labour rights group
Solidarity Center.
Using a very strict reading of the
law, the NSSF decided not to pay
Danys parents because they were
under the age of 55, Welsh said. The
funds decision to rule out payments
once they reach that age was absurd,
he added.
They used every mechanism pos-
sible not to apply the law, he said.
The wider danger now, Welsh
believes, is that the families of workers
who pay into the fund might also be
Smoke and ames billow from a factory window in Binh Duong, Vietnam, on Tuesday as anti-China protesters set more than a dozen factories on re. AFP
Chinese flowing in
About 700 flee Vietnam unrest
Continues on page 6 Continues on page 6
National
2
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 16, 2014
N Korean waitress missing
Chhay Channyda

A
NORTH Korean na-
tional working at a
Siem Reap restau-
rant has been miss-
ing since Tuesday, police said
yesterday, though foul play
isnt suspected, and South Ko-
rean and Cambodian ofcials
say that they have received no
word of a North Korean wish-
ing to defect.
Chao Mao Vireak, chief of im-
migration police in Siem Reap
said yesterday that on Wednes-
day a representative of Pyong-
yang Friendship restaurant in
Svay Dangkum commune led
a missing persons report for 21-
year-old waitress Ri Suhyang,
who was last seen on Tuesday
around 9:30am.
She told the boss that she
was going out for a while,
but then disappeared, Mao
Vireak said. She left by her-
self, and didnt even bring her
iPhone 4 with her.
Police are now disseminating
word of the disappearance to
every police station in the prov-
ince, he continued, and provid-
ing photos of Ri and copies of
her passport, which was being
held by her employer.
We also reported it to the na-
tional general commissariat,
Mao Vireak said. We are wor-
ried about her safety, and inves-
tigating this case carefully.
However, he added, I can
say that its not abduction,
noting that Ri may have been
involved with a man.
A man at Pyongyang Friend-
ship restaurant who identied
himself as the manager yester-
day conrmed Ris disappear-
ance, but declined to comment
further, and it remains unclear
whether Pyongyang Friend-
ship is directly linked to the
North Korean government or
its global chain of Pyongyang
Traditional Restaurants.
A restaurant employee who
answered the phone yesterday
evening said the establishment
was owned by a North Korean
company, though the pariah
state is known to maintain con-
trol of almost all enterprise.
North Koreans have attempt-
ed to defect in Cambodia in the
past, as in 2004, when seven
asylum seekers were arrested
here. Amid international pres-
sure, the asylum seekers were
ultimately sent to South Korea,
despite Cambodias histori-
cally cosy relationship with
the hermit kingdom.
It remained unclear yesterday
as to whether Ris disappear-
ance could have been a defec-
tion. An ofcial with the South
Korean Embassy said he had no
knowledge of the case and re-
fused to comment further.
Council of Ministers spokes-
man Phay Siphan, likewise,
said he had no idea as to
whether the government had
been approached for asylum,
and referred all questions
about the protocols regarding
such a situation to the Minis-
try of Interior.
Neither a spokesman for the
ministry nor the North Korean
Embassy could be reached yes-
terday. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STU-
ART WHITE AND THIK KALIYANN
Pyongyang Friendship restaurant in Siem Reap, where a North Korean waitress has gone missing. THIKKALIYANN
Lumber that was allegedly illegally felled in Mondulkiri. PHOTOSUPPLIED
Phak Seangly
A DISTRICT governor in Mon-
dulkiri province led a lawsuit
yesterday against a National
Military Police ofcer for al-
legedly pulling a gun on him
during an operation to crack
down on illegal logging.
Sin Vannvuth, the governor
for Keo Seima district in Mon-
dulkiri, said the operation,
which began on Tuesday and
consisted of 20 police, military
police and forestry ofcials,
was a joint effort to stop and
check non-licensed vehicles
for luxury wood.
At about 4am yesterday
morning, after several event-
less stoppages, the joint
police forces intercepted a
Lexus loaded with 16 pieces
of timber and driven by na-
tional military police ofcer
Sou Marith.
Vannvuth said Marith, who
used to be in the military po-
lice at the provincial level, was
so angered by the inconve-
nience that he stepped out of
the car, pointed a gun at the
district governor, got back in
the car, and drove away.
We are leading the forces
and stopped his Lexus. It af-
fects his interest, because we
seized both the car and the
rosewood, so he took out a
gun, pointing it at me, he
said. I never had any argu-
ment with Marith. He pointed
the gun at me because we in-
terfered with the business.
Governor Vannvuth decid-
ed to take him to court, l-
ing the suit at the provincial
courthouse on the same day,
citing Mariths alleged disre-
gard for the rule of law.
I represent the people and
local authorities who serve the
government. Therefore, hav-
ing contempt for me is like
having contempt for the lower
national government depart-
ment, too, he said. I must sue
him to bring him to justice.
That might be easier said
than done. Police said that
after Marith drove off, they
surrounded his house later in
the morning and, helped by a
search warrant, entered, nd-
ing 20 cubic metres of illegal
luxury wood. Vannvuth sus-
pects that Marith was plan-
ning on transporting the trove
to a neighbouring country.
Marith could not be
reached. The provincial mili-
tary police commander Sak
Sarangs phone was turned
off when a reporter tried to
contact him yesterday.
Kheng Tito, the National
Military Police spokesman,
said he was aware of the case
and conrmed that a Sou
Marith is in the National Mili-
tary Police. His ofcers are in-
vestigating the case.
Sou Vuthy, deputy provin-
cial prosecutor, said they are
investigating and will ques-
tion Mariths family members
who live at the home where
the timber was found.
Governor says cop
pulled gun on him
National
3
Kevin Ponniah
RIGHTS groups are calling out
the Australian government for
being curiously absent from
discussions about further com-
pensation for thousands of
families affected by a railway
rehabilitation project that it co-
funded with the Asian Devel-
opment Bank.
The bank has borne the brunt
of criticism over botched reset-
tlement since its internal
watchdog slammed the bank
in a January report for failing to
ensure the Cambodian govern-
ment-managed relocation met
ADB safeguards.
Its board approved six key
recommendations from the
watchdog, which included the
government setting up a com-
pensation fund of $3 million to
$4 million, likely financed by
ADB loans.
Last month, an ADB action
plan revealed that while the gov-
ernment had agreed to many
recommendations, it was refus-
ing to compensate for income
lost during relocation or pay for
a mechanism to help indebted
families with their loans.
The Australian government
which has funded $27 million
or 15 per cent of the cost of the
project needs to do more to
ensure that long-suffering fam-
ilies receive proper compensa-
tion, said David Pred, executive
director of Inclusive Develop-
ment International, an NGO
that has lobbied on behalf of
affected communities.
That fact that Australias
contribution to the Railway
project has been fully disbursed
does not absolve it of respon-
sibility for the grave harms that
resulted from this aid debacle,
he said in an email.
Yet the Australian govern-
ment has been curiously absent
from discussions about reme-
dial actions following the ADB
Compliance Review Panels
damning investigation report.
Aside from financing the
project, an Australian firm
Toll Holdings was awarded
the contract to operate the rail-
way in a joint venture with
Cambodias Royal Group. IDI
says Australia thus has a duty
to stay engaged while Toll
should also offer its support.
An opinion piece from IDI
was published in major Aus-
tralian newspapers yesterday
that called on the government
to use its sizeable leverage in
Cambodia. But a spokesperson
for the Australian Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade
said implementing the ADB
recommendations was a mat-
ter for the Asian Development
Bank and the Royal Govern-
ment of Cambodia, not the
Australian government.
Australia is not a party to this
process, but as we have done
for years, we encourage the
parties to ensure fair outcomes
for all people affected by the
project, the spokesperson
said, adding that Australia wel-
comed the ADB report.
The spokesperson also said
that since 2011, Australia has
committed $2 million in extra
compensation used for low-
interest loans, a social safety
net fund, building community
centres and improving infra-
structure at relocation sites.
We continue to fund these
activities and monitor the
resettlement sites.
American audience
Strikers take
Caltex ght
to embassy
W
ORKERS striking at
Caltex petrol stations
put their grievances
on the record with the US Em-
bassy yesterday, submitting a
petition asking for intervention
in their case.
Cambodian Food and Service
Workers Federation president
Sar Mora, along with some 40
members of Caltexs staff, ga-
thered at the embassy, asking
the US to help in their quest for
a salary of $160 per month and
an annual $160 bonus.
We know that the US
government always pays
a lot attention to the rights
of employees and working
conditions in Cambodia, Mora
said to embassy staff member
David Kaplan.
Caltex employees at all
18 locations in Phnom Penh
began striking on Monday and
workers at some provincial
branches have since joined.
About 300 are currently stri-
king, Mora said.
In an email, Chanlek Than,
a spokesperson for Chevron
(Cambodia) Limited a parent
to Caltex said the company is
eager to solve the problem and
fears inconveniencing
its customers.
Our priority is to resolve
this issue amicably and to re-
sume operations, Than said.
PHAK SEANGLY
National
4
Alice Cuddy
WHILE Cambodia has taken
signicant steps to combat
HIV/AIDS, more than 60,000
people are still at risk of con-
tracting the virus, according to
UNAIDS.
Narmada Dhakal, acting of-
cer for UNAIDS Cambodia, told
the Post yesterday that 60,571
people are estimated to be at
risk of contracting HIV, with en-
tertainment workers who sell
sex, transgender people, drug
users and homosexual men
among those most at risk.
This gure excludes the
prison population who are at
risk . . . but their size has not
been estimated yet, Dhakal
said. It also does not include
pregnant women who could
pass the virus to their babies.
Cambodia is among the
highest treatment coverage
countries in the region and
worldwide for low-income
countries, Dhakal said.
But with more than 70,000
people already infected, Tim
Vora, executive director of
the HIV/AIDS Coordinat-
ing Committee, said a lack of
adequate funding needs to
be addressed.
As HIV/AIDS has reduced,
many NGOs reduced their
programs and turned their ef-
forts to other elds, he said.
The government needs to
provide more money.
UN reports
60,000 at
risk of HIV
Rainsy attack shocks tycoon
Meas Sokchea
P
ROMINENT business-
man and Cambodian
Peoples Party Senator
Ly Yong Phat yester-
day questioned what he had
done to warrant a verbal at-
tack from opposition party
leader Sam Rainsy, who said
on Wednesday that the tycoon
had grabbed land from people
in Koh Kong province and
should be careful.
Speaking to the Post yes-
terday, Yong Phat said that
although he had not heard
Rainsys comments which
were posted in a video on his
Facebook page directly, he
wasnt sure what Rainsys mo-
tives were for attacking him.
These days, I dont under-
stand him. Firstly, I have not
mistreated people. In politics, I
have also never done anything
to affect him. I dont know why
hes saying this, he said.
A sugar company formerly
owned by Yong Phat has long
been embroiled in a land
dispute with villagers in Koh
Kongs Sre Ambel district, who
accuse the company of violent
evictions and land grabbing.
Yong Phat sold his shares in
the company in 2010 to Thai
and Taiwanese investors, but
sugar plantations owned by
the ruling party senator in
Kampong Speu province have
been linked to labour abuses.
We have tried to solve
[some problems] for people.
But some people do not listen
to [us], they listen to politi-
cians, Yong Phat said.
He added that after hear-
ing Rainsys words himself, he
might write a letter directly to
him to clarify certain issues.
But he is not angry with the
Cambodia National Rescue
Party leader, Yong Phat main-
tained, because Rainsy is a
politician and it is his right
to criticise whoever he likes.
On Wednesday, as part of his
subnational council election
campaign, Rainsy told villag-
ers in Sre Ambel district in-
volved in the land dispute that
Yong Phat was responsible for
land grabs perpetrated by au-
thorities to facilitate his busi-
ness dealings.
Ly Yong Phat! I tell you that
you cannot live in happiness
for the rest of your life. Ly Yong
Phat, you have mistreated
people in Koh Kong province.
Ly Yong Phat, be careful!
Rainsy says in the clip.
Reached last night, the op-
position leader stood by his
comments and said that they
were nothing personal.
What I said is related to what
he did to . . . hundreds of farm-
ers who suffered because of his
company expelling them from
his land, he said. He can re-
store his honour. Its never too
late for him to nd a solution
for those farmers who suffered
because of him. ADDITIONAL RE-
PORTING BY KEVIN PONNIAH
A building marked for destruction stands beside railway tracks near
Samrong Estate in February. HONG MENEA
Aus called out on railway
Cambodians drinking more
Overtime at school goes unpaid
Laignee Barron
CAMBODIAN men drink more
than the global norm and their
liquor habits are on the
upswing, according to a recent
report by the World Health
Organization.
People especially men
throughout the Western Pacific
and Southeast Asian regions
are drinking more, according
to the WHOs Global Status
Report on Alcohol and Health
2014, released on Monday.
Cambodians aged 15 or older
drank an average of 5.5 litres of
pure alcohol per person from
2008 to 2010, versus the 4.6
litres consumed on average
during 2003-2005. Locals also
showed a strong preference for
home brew over commercial
booze: more than 60 per cent
of the alcohol consumed came
from non-government regu-
lated sources.
Cambodia is still far from the
lush of the continent, though,
thanks to hard drinking in Chi-
na and South Korea, with aver-
ages of 6.8 litres per person.
And the Kingdom also trails
just behind the global average
of 6.2 litres.
Still, Cambodian men havent
held back, guzzling an average
of 9.7 litres per person, or
almost six times the amount of
alcohol their female counter-
parts consumed.
Its a big public health con-
cern because [men] dont just
drink a little. Every time they
drink, they drink a lot, said Dr
Yal Daravuth, a technical offic-
er at the WHO Cambodia.
By comparison, 62 per cent
of Cambodian women self-re-
ported never touching a drop
of booze, a teetotaling rate not
uncommon in the region.
In Cambodia and many
other Asian countries its not
considered acceptable for
women to drink or smoke, its
something that only women
who work the bars do, whereas
men can do whatever they
like, Daravuth said.
Civil society groups have
previously linked Cambo-
dias heavy drinking to the
lack of legislation regulating
alcohol advertisements, and
have called on the government
to raise the alcohol tax to 20
per cent.
Both the Ministry of Informa-
tion and the Ministry of Health
could not be reached for com-
ment yesterday.
Laignee Barron and Sen David
SIX months after the government announced
that bank accounts for all civil servants would
put an end to late salaries and rampant graft,
secondary school teachers in Prey Veng say they
are owed long overdue payments.
In addition to their regular salary, which they
already received, the Kampong Trabek district
teachers earn 2,600 riel per hour for classroom
time logged outside their regular school day,
according to Pov To, chief academic officer of
Kampong Trabek district. But the extra cash
hasnt been handed out since October.
No one wants to pay the salary to teachers
late, but we also got the salary late from the
Ministry of Education. We are working to pay
the teachers as soon as possible, he said, adding
that he was unsure of the total amount owed.
Chin Chanveasna, executive director of NGO
Education Partnership, called the delay strange
in light of the new finance reforms.
But the bank account program has been
slow to roll out, according to Rong Chhun,
president of the Cambodian Independent
Teachers Association.
I have not received complaint letters from
teachers claiming their salaries are late, but I
have heard some teachers in the remote prov-
inces are still having trouble, including in
Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Stung
Treng, Kratie and so on, he said.
An underage labourer works on a sugarcane plantation owned by CPP Senator Ly Yong Phat in Kampong
Speu last year. VIREAK MAI
I dont understand him . . . In
politics, I have also never
done anything to affect him
National
5
Continued from page 1
denied compensation if their
child is killed at work.
[It] would disqualify almost
all garment workers, Welsh
said, referring to an industry
with a large number of single
young women in their 20s.
Most arent going to have par-
ents in their 50s.
Articles 19 and 20 of the Law
on Social Security Schemes
specify that survivors of an
employee killed at work
including parents under the
tutelage of the victim are
entitled to a pension as com-
pensation. It does not appear
to specify age restrictions.
According to the NSSFs web-
site, dependents of the
employee, including parents,
are entitled to a survivors pen-
sion for the remainder of their
lives worth about 28 per cent of
their childs wage.
In Danys household, like in
many in rural areas, finances
depended on the income made
by the children as well as the
parents. Indeed, Dany whose
birth certificate showed she
was only 13 at the time of her
death, according to Asics had
lied about her name and age to
gain work at Wing Star.
Danys sister, Kim Sameth,
said after the ceiling collapse
that she and her sister felt an
obligation to provide for their
parents because our family
is poor.
We knew conditions in gar-
ment factories were bad, but
families like ours depend on
this kind of work.
The NSSF is not light on rev-
enue. Its members workers
from a number of industries
pay 0.8 per cent of their month-
ly wage to the fund as insur-
ance against injury and death
in the workplace.
Based on a calculation of
500,000 employees earning a
minimum of $100 per month,
the garment sector alone pours
at least $400,000 per month
into the fund and $4.8 million
per year. With the NSSF expand-
ing to broader health coverage
and, eventually, a retirement
pension scheme, its members
will pay even more.
According to its most recent
annual report, the fund han-
dled almost 10,000 cases last
year, consisting mainly of
workplace injuries and some
deaths, which resulted in com-
bined compensation payments
of more than $1.7 million.
While its a factorys respon-
sibility to ensure its workers are
contributing to the fund, Wing
Stars shipping manager, Chan
Kosal, said yesterday that he
was not sure whether the NSSF
had paid anything to Danys
family, but added that all his
workers were registered and
made financial contributions.
In Kim Danys case, her fam-
ily has already been compen-
sated by the company and the
buyer, he said. As for the
NSSF, I have no idea because
I have had no contact with
her family.
Kosal added that the NSSF
worked directly with bereaved
families without providing
information to the factories.
After pressure from labour
rights advocates, Asics, the only
buyer from Wing Star, made
undisclosed, sizeable payouts
to the two grieving families last
July, ensuring financial security.
Although some were content
to consider that the end of the
matter, others including Asics
itself stressed the importance
of the NSSF playing its role too.
I think we did what our
responsibility is, Asics Corp
senior executive officer Ron
Pietersen said at the time. If
there is a responsibility for the
NSSF, take your responsibility.
Welsh, from ACILS, believes
there is and said it is important
to remember that a major
brand offering compensation
is, to this point, the exception
and not the rule in Cambodias
garment sector.
Both families got payments
from Asics that should have
been the difficult part, he said.
The NSSF payments should
have been automatic.
Ath Thorn, president of the
Coalition of Cambodian
Apparel Workers Democratic
Union, agrees.
Thorn, a member of the
NSSFs governing body, which
also includes representatives of
the government, employers and
employees, says its simple.
The law requires them [the
NSSF] to pay. There is an obli-
gation, he said.
But even for Roeuns wife,
Nuon Chhorvy, 21, who was left
to raise a newborn baby alone
after her husbands death,
obtaining money from the
NSSF proved difficult.
After her family allegedly
faced pressure from factory
representatives to accept a
one-off compensation offer
she eventually accepted about
$15,000 from Wing Star she
was told by the NSSF that she
would not be eligible for a sur-
vivors pension because she did
not have a valid marriage cer-
tificate. This decision was even-
tually overturned.
Sum Sophorn, deputy direc-
tor of the NSSF, declined to
comment this week because he
was on holiday, while Labour
Ministry spokesman Heng Suor
said he was not familiar with
the Wing Star case.
But while Sour did not know
whether the NSSF was
required to offer one-off pay-
ments or pensions to bereaved
families, he saw a clear obliga-
tion for the fund to look after
them, he said.
If a worker is killed [at their
workplace], it is the responsi-
bility of the NSSF to pay their
family. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY
SEN DAVID AND CHHAY CHANNYDA
National
6
Thief puts a ring on it,
leaves lover holding bag
LOVE can be a fleeting thing
especially when youre being set
up by a con man with designs
on a jewellery store, as a Pursat
town woman found out on Tues-
day. According to police, the
woman had gone to the store
with her new beau and tried on
a necklace, while the man tried
on a ring valued at some $1,000.
When the slippery character
went to pay, however, he found
he was short on cash. The man
ducked out with the ring to
get more money, promising to
return shortly. He never did, of
course, and the shopkeeper
held the woman until police
arrived. KOHSANTEPHEAP
Of all the houses they
could have picked . . .
A PAIR of alleged thieves
picked the wrong house to rob
in the capitals Daun Penh dis-
trict on Tuesday. Police said the
duo broke into a residence but
were spotted by a neighbour,
who called the homeowner. A
bodyguard by trade, the owner
returned and locked his gate,
trapping the suspects. He then
flushed the pair out, grabbed
them and dragged them into
the street, where villagers gave
them a working over before
police arrived. NOKORWAT
Yellow lines apparently
on street for a reason
SPEEDING and poor timing
resulted in a nasty traffic acci-
dent in Phnom Penhs Russey
Keo district yesterday. Police
said a man was zipping down
the road on a moto when he
attempted to pass a truck.
Before the man could get
around it, however, he was
slammed by a different truck
heading in the opposite direc-
tion. The man was taken to the
hospital, and police are calling
on the trucks owner and driver
to come forward. KOHSANTEPHEAP
Drunk assailant should
have quit while behind
A PERSISTENT construction
worker arguably got what was
coming to him in Kandals Ang
Snuol district on Wednesday.
According to police, the drunk
worker, enraged when a villag-
er not only refused to buy him
drugs but asked a $10 loan be
repaid, grabbed a machete and
lashed out, only to be disarmed.
After going home to retrieve an
axe, he attacked a second time,
only to miss again. Finally, the
villager grabbed his own cleav-
er and chopped the worker in
the head and shoulder. The
worker was sent to hospital,
while the villager was, bafflingly
enough, arrested. KOHSANTEPHEAP
Guesthouse no cover
for drugged-up duo
TWO shady characters were
arrested at a guesthouse in
Phnom Penhs Chamkarmon
district on Wednesday for alleg-
edly taking drugs. Police said
that local cops had seen the
suspicious-looking men fre-
quent the guesthouse, and
enlisted the help of the estab-
lishments owner. The next time
they rented a room, police burst
in and caught them with two
packets of yama, yielding a
quick confession. KOHSANTEPHEAP
Translated by Sen David
POLICE
BLOTTER
Rescue workers search rubble for survivors at a collapsed section of the Wing Star shoe factory in Kampong
Speu province last year. PHA LINA
A year on, yet to pay
province, about 500 kilome-
tres from Hanoi.
One Chinese male worker
was killed in the chaos, said
Dang Quoc Khanh, a Ha Tinh
local ofcial.
The Chinese Embassy in
Hanoi issued a statement on
Tuesday calling on its nation-
als to exercise caution.
Chinas embassy in Vietnam
once again reminds Chinese
rms and staff in Vietnam to
take security precautions and
avoid unnecessary trips out-
doors, it said.
Cheng Hongbo, a spokes-
man for the Chinese Embassy
in Phnom Penh, said that the
Cambodian authorities had
not yet provided information
about the scale of the problem.
We dont have any info from
Cambodian ofcials yet, he
said. Maybe hundreds are
coming here.
Vietnamese nationals in
Cambodia meanwhile held
talks over how to respond to
the escalation of the dispute.
Sim Chy, president of the
Vietnamese Association of
Cambodia, yesterday denied
that his organisation was plan-
ning a protest against Chinese
interests, which would be ille-
gal under Cambodian law.
We will not hold any pro-
test, but some plans will be
made to respond to the matter,
which I cannot speak of in ad-
vance, because we are having
a meeting with the committee
at my association, he said.
Sopheak said that no pro-
tests against foreign nation-
als would be allowed, as they
would be in breach of Cambo-
dias constitution.
If they want to protest or
to do anything against other
nationalities, they cannot do
it, because Cambodias . . .
constitution does not permit
it. Even if they want to protest
against China, the US or Viet-
nam itself, thats impossible.
Cambodia is a neutral coun-
try, he said. ADDITIONAL REPORT-
ING BY DANIEL PYE AND AFP
Chinese ow in after
unrest hits Vietnam
Meditating monks faint
Workers red after strike
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
F
ORTY-SIX novi ce
monks and laymen,
aged between 10 and
13 years old, fell uncon-
scious while meditating in Ang-
kor Wat on Wednesday evening
during an ordination ceremo-
ny, officials said yesterday.
Chea Kimsan, director of
Siem Reaps heritage police,
said that more than 100 newly
ordained monks and laymen
had been meditating for almost
two hours when the fainting
happened.
Our team cooperated with
monks and medical staff and
sent [some of] the monks and
laymen to Siem Reap Provincial
Referral Hospital, he said.
According to Monysovann
pagoda chief monk La Insak,
who was in charge of first aid
during the ordination, Siem
Reap provincial monks had
arranged to ordain aspiring
monks and laymen aged over
15 years old. But, he said, many
people brought their children
to the three-day ceremony.
The ordained people need to
skip dinner, join the march for
peace and meditate . . . to remind
them of the good deeds and bad
deeds that they have committed
in the past, Insak said.
All the monks and laymen
who were faced with hunger
[and] got up early, especially the
children . . . were too tired from
the march and meditation.
They started to cry out and after
that they fell unconscious.
Insak told the Post that out of
the 46 monks and laymen who
fainted, 25 were hospitalised.
Dr Muong Narin, deputy
director of Siem Reap Provincial
Hospital, said waking up at 4am
to march thousands of metres
before meditating for long peri-
ods of time caused a drop in
blood sugar levels, which led to
the mass fainting.
After getting treatment and
drinking some beverages, such
as Coke and milk, [they] are
getting better, Narin said.
Sen David
TWO factories in the Manhat-
tan Special Economic Zone
(SEZ) in Svay Rieng provinces
Bavet town have fired more
than 40 workers since thou-
sands-strong strikes ended
early this month, unions say.
Terminations at Best Way
and Fico garment factories
were bosses way of exacting
revenge for the large-scale
strike that closed entire
SEZs for days, Meas Sokna,
an official from the Collec-
tive Union of Movement of
Workers, said.
All 40 dismissals occurred
last week, and about 10 new
workers replaced them, an offi-
cial at Best Way said.
It is not acceptable, Sokna
said. After they joined the
strike last month, the company
fired a few workers each
day until more than 40 had
been sacked.
But Sek Somporse, a Best Way
assistant administrator, said
the firings had nothing to do
with the strike. Factory officials
fired employees because of
unsatisfactory work, he said.
They did not work well at
the factory and were stubborn
at work, Somporse said.
[Firings] did not involve
the strike.
We knew conditions in
garment factories were bad,
but families like ours depend
on this kind of work
7 THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 16, 2014
Business

This week in biz
Entertainment venues
to get closer attention
THE Council of Ministers last
week passed a draft sub-
decree aimed at cleaning up
Cambodias notorious adult-
entertainment, nightclub, bar
and KTV scene. Phay Siphan,
spokesman for the Council of
Ministers, said ministers had
agreed to pass a draft which
would increase policing of
venues and penalise
unlicensed operators.
Despite unrest, trade
with Thailand strong
ECONOMIC ties between
Cambodia and Thailand will
continue their upward trend
despite the prospect of more
leadership changes in
Bangkok, officials from both
countries said on Monday.
Jiranun Wongmongkol,
minister counsellor for the
Thai Embassy in Cambodia,
said that she was confident
bilateral trade would remain
around its current pace
despite the political unrest in
Thailand. Bilateral trade
between the nieghbouring
countries reached $852
million during the first
quarter this year, up 18 per
cent from the same period
in 2013.
Mining industry looks
to Australian model
A MINING delegation from
Cambodia has left for a fact-
finding tour of Australia in a
bid to glean knowledge from
one of the worlds largest
minerals exploration
countries. The trip is being
coordinated by the
International Mining for
Development Centre of the
Western Australia state
government. Representatives
from the Ministry of Mines
and Energy as well as
members from the private
sector are in Australia to
learn about the mineral-rich
countrys mining policies and
regulations. The seven-day
tour ends today.
MH370 fallout takes nancial toll on Malaysia Airlines
MALAYSIA Airlines announced yes-
terday that its net loss widened in the
first quarter as the effect of flight
MH370s disappearance added to the
struggling carriers woes.
The state-controlled airline said it
posted a net loss of 443 million ringgit
($137 million) for the three months
ending March 31, compared to a loss
of 279 million ringgit in the same
quarter in 2013.
The result was the airlines fifth
straight quarterly loss and also the
worst since the fourth quarter of 2011,
when it recorded a net loss of 1.28 bil-
lion ringgit.
The results were made worse with
the impact on air travel in general
following the disappearance of
MH370, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, the
airlines group chief executive, said.
Operations were slowed for several
weeks since early March when MH370
disappeared. Marketing activities
were halted out of respect for the
families of those on board the Beijing-
bound Boeing 777 aircraft.
The debacle over the missing plane
has compounded the problems faced
by Malaysia Airlines, which had
already lost a combined $1.3 billion
over the past three calendar years as
it founders in the face of intense
industry competition.
Analysts say it faces a continued
grim outlook in coming years unless
it is forced to undergo aggressive
reform, which has been resisted by
powerful employee unions and other
vested interests.
In a statement on Wednesday, the
airline said a thorough review of the
business plan is being undertaken
and all avenues are being explored to
ensure the long-term sustainability of
the company.
All avenues are being explored to
ensure long-term sustainability of the
company, the government-controlled
airline said in an emailed statement.
It said it will share the plan with rele-
vant stakeholders at an appropriate
time when necessary approval and
endorsement have been obtained.
Winning back customers and a
relentless cost focus will be part of the
airlines recovery plan, and these two
exercises are critical enablers to ener-
gise its recovery, the company said.
Listing Malaysian Airs profitable
divisions and selling stakes in two
aviation businesses could raise 4.15
billion ringgit, Malayan Banking ana-
lyst Mohshin Aziz said in a report.
The company is aware of the
intense speculation on the possible
course of actions to be undertaken by
the company, Malaysian Air said on
Wednesday. A thorough review of the
business plan is being undertaken
and all avenues are being explored to
ensure the long term sustainability of
the company.
Government investment company
Khazanah Nasional owns a 69.4 per
cent stake in the airline, according to
data compiled by Bloomberg.
The carriers shares have dropped
more than 43 per cent over the last
year, compared with the 5.3 per cent
increase in the FTSE Bursa Malaysia
KLCI Index in the same period.
The carrier has undertaken a series
of turnaround plans over the years,
but each has failed to stem the tide of
red ink blamed by analysts on poor
management, a bloated workforce,
powerful unions and increasing
industry competition.
MH370 disappeared on March 8 en
route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing
with 239 people aboard. An extensive
search in the Indian Ocean has found
no trace of the plane.
The incident has ravaged the carri-
ers worldwide image and especially
hurt bookings in the lucrative and
previously growing China market.
Two-thirds of those on board MH370
were Chinese. AFP/BLOOMBERG
A vendor at Kandal Market adjusts her display of longans yesterday in Phnom Penh. HONG MENEA
Longans longing for storage
Chan Muyhong

T
HE amount of land
used to grow longans
has doubled in the
past two years, but
a lack of supply-chain infra-
structure is hampering farm-
ers ability to get top dollar
for their product, the fruits
body says.
Sreng Sreang, deputy di-
rector of the Pailin Longan
Farmers Community (PLFC),
said the fruit growers are in
desperate need of storage fa-
cilities to hold large amounts
of their stock in order to avoid
being left with an oversup-
ply at the end of the harvest
season between January and
March, which in turn brings
prices down.
We want farmers to be
able to sell their harvested
longans at any time without
being concerned about price
dumping or slumping de-
mand, Sreang said.
As production increases
with more cultivation, we
want the price to remain sta-
ble for farmers, he added.
The longan is a sweet and
soft translucent tropical fruit
with a brown peel and is
about the size of a quail egg.
It is a popular treat among
Cambodians and is com-
monly used as an offering at
religious ceremonies.
According to Sreang, stor-
age and processing facilities,
which cost up to $400,000
each to build, would allow
farmers to stagger sales and
better capitalise during peak
sales times such as the Chi-
nese and Khmer new year pe-
riods, when the fruit can de-
mand up to 6,000 riel ($1.50)
per kilogram.
During the rest of the year,
longans sell for about 4,000
riel per kilogram.
More than 60 per cent
of the 1,125 tonnes of lon-
gans harvested each year in
Pailin province is sold to Chi-
nese exporters.
We want to nd a way to
control the remaining [do-
mestic] supply, Sreang said,
referring to the need for
improved infrastructure in
the province.
Chhil Chhen, deputy direc-
tor of Pailins provincial de-
partment of agriculture, said
the government did not have
the funds to pay for a storage
or processing facility and that
the PLFC should look to the
private sector.
Besides helping them seek
funds from private donors, I
also encourage them to look
for business partners of their
own to invest in the process-
ing plant, Chhen said.
With longan prices increas-
ing from about 2,500 riel per
kilo in 2010 to 4,000 riel per
kilo today, Chhen said the
fruit is fast becoming a valu-
able commodity for Pailin
province and has contributed
to improved living standards.
Pailin longan is on the gov-
ernments waiting list with
21 other Cambodia-specic
products to receive the World
Trade Organizations exclu-
sive geographical indicator,
or GI, status.
USD / JPY
101.62
USD / SGD
1.2475
USD /CNY
6.2535
USD / HKD
7.7514
USD / THB
32.51
AUD / USD
0.9366
NZD / USD
0.8627
EUR / USD
1.3835
GBP / USD
1.693
Indicative Exchange Rates as of 9/5/2014. Please contact ANZ Royal Global Markets on 023 999 910 for real time rates.
USD / KHR
4,025
New shot at life
Buyout of
Beam vital
for survival
T
HE huge $16 billion
buyout of the rm behind
Jim Beam bourbon was
the only way for Japans Sun-
tory Holdings to survive in the
21st century, the companys
president said yesterday.
In one of the biggest deals of
the year so far, food and drink
giant Suntory snapped up all
outstanding shares of Beam
Inc for $13.8 billion, largely
nanced by bank loans, while it
also took on about $2 billion of
the US-based rms debt.
This was the nal and only
chance for Suntory to survive
in the world, in the 21st cen-
tury, Nobutada Saji, president
and chairman of Suntory Hold-
ings, said.
Combined sales of Beam
Inc and Suntorys spirits
business were $4.6 billion in
2013, according to a state-
ment issued by the Japanese
rm, making the new entity
the worlds number three
premium spirits maker.
It may be an expensive
purchase in a way, but I am
condent that it should not be
so expensive when you look at
the company over a 20- or 30-
year term, Saji said. AFP
Markets
8
Business
Russia and
China gas
deal stalls
CHINA and Russia still disagree
over the pricing of a multibil-
lion-dollar gas deal despite
years of negotiations, a senior
Beijing official said yesterday,
ahead of a visit by Vladimir
Putin when a contract signature
had been expected.
The Russian president will
visit the commercial hub of
Shanghai on Tuesday and
Wednesday for a conference
focused on Asian security
hosted by Chinese President
Xi Jinping.
The two countries have for
years sought to reach agree-
ment on the deal for Russia to
supply China with natural gas
to fuel its economy, the worlds
second largest.
An agreement would mark a
shift away from European mar-
kets for Russia, as it faces criti-
cism and sanctions by the West
for its moves over Ukraine,
including its takeover of the
Crimea peninsula.
We are still exchanging views
in Moscow and will try our best
to make sure that this contract
could be signed and witnessed
by the two presidents during
President Putins visit to China,
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister
Cheng Guoping said. AFP
Japan economy rallies in Q1
Keiko Ujikane

J
APANS economy grew
at the fastest pace since
2011 in the rst quarter
as companies stepped up
investment and consumers
splurged before the rst sales-
tax rise in 17 years last month.
Gross domestic product
grew an annualised 5.9 per
cent from the previous quar-
ter, the Cabinet Ofce said
yesterday in Tokyo, more than
a 4.2 per cent median forecast
in a Bloomberg News sur-
vey. Consumer spending rose
at the fastest pace since the
quarter before the 1997 tax in-
crease, while capital spending
jumped the most since 2011.
Yesterdays data add to
signs that the economy will
have sufcient momentum to
bounce back from the 3 per-
centage point levy rise that
is set to trigger a contraction
this quarter.
Such resilience lowers the
odds of any imminent extra
easing by Bank of Japan and,
if sustained, could persuade
the government to proceed
with a planned further in-
crease in the tax rate.
Consumer spending rose
2.1 per cent from the previ-
ous quarter, the highest since
a 2.2 per cent increase in the
rst three months of 1997.
Capital expenditure in-
creased 4.9 per cent, the most
since an 8.2 per cent jump in
the last three months of 2011,
in the aftermath of the Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami.
The economy will contract
3.3 per cent in the April-June
period before expanding 2 per
cent the following quarter,
according to a Bloomberg
News survey conducted prior
to yesterdays data.
Capital spending was
boosted by demand ahead of
the tax increase, and we need
to wait for April-June data to
see if this trend continues,
Takeshi Minami, chief econo-
mist at Norinchukin Research
Institute Co in Tokyo, said.
The government will base a
decision on whether to further
raise the levy on the resilience
of the economy in the third
quarter, according to Econo-
my Minister Akira Amari.
Adam Posen, Peterson In-
stitute president and former
Bank of England monetary
policy committee member,
warned against postponing
the plan to raise the levy.
If they fail to deliver the
consumption tax hike in 2015,
the negative reaction in equity
and currency markets will be
enormous, and the credibility
of the Japanese government
will be massively damaged,
Posen said. BLOOMBERG
A view of Tokyo over the Rainbow Bridge. Japans economy expanded at the fastest rate since 2011 in the rst
quarter, adding to signs that the economy is resilient and strengthening. PHOTO SUPPLIED
9
Business
City Hall wouldnt move on bus deal
WITH eight years of experience in
Phnom Penhs taxi business, Chinese-
owned Global (Cambodia) Trade De-
velopment turned its hand to public
transport in March when the compa-
ny took over the operation of Phnom
Penhs bus service. But barely a month
later the duty was handed over to City
Hall. The Posts May Kunmakara sat
down with CEO Lim Andre this week
to talk about the company withdraw-
ing from the contract, allegations of an
unfair acquisition process and the fu-
ture of public transport in the capital.
With the support from the Japan Inter-
national Cooperation Agency (JICA),
City Hall launched a public bus ser-
vice for the second time in February,
after a failed attempt in 2002. How
do you think it is performing this
time around?
Well, our city really needs to have a
public bus service. It benets the gov-
ernment and a lot of people. It can
reduce expenses, it can reduce trafc
accidents, trafc jams and pollution.
If you look at other cities around
the world, most of them provide a
public bus service. And although
presently we provide one line of
service with old buses, I do hope
that they [the municipality] can run
it smoothly with brand new buses
with many lines in order to broaden
service to city dwellers dont take it
as a joke.
You are the only private company to
get a licence from the municipality
to take over the bus service after the
one-month trail period with the JICA.
Why did you stop?
Of course, after the JICA, we got au-
thorisation to run the business, but
my requests [to City Hall] were not
met; therefore, we think that we can-
not continue the business because
nobody wants to run it when it can-
not make prot.
Of course, we expected that we will
lose with the business but we also
believe that one day it will change
from losses to the break-even point,
and then we could make prot in
next ve to 10 years thats why we
wanted to know what the Phnom
Penh Municipality would offer us as
encouragements for our company.
It is like, for example, when there
is a party and someone brings a
chicken and the other person offers
soy sauce to enjoy together. But, if
we just let one side pay for all of the
chicken and soy sauce, it is not pos-
sible. We could not agree on the ne-
gotiations, so we decided to drop the
business and we dont want to con-
tinue anymore.
So, the reason that you stopped is
that the municipality would not sub-
sidise your business?
No, we didnt ask the municipality
to subsidise us, we just asked them
to support us on some points. Not for
the long term, just the short term.
As I said, I have a chicken, and you
have soy sauce so this is like the in-
centive. If you do it without incen-
tives, we cant do it.
So without this support you couldnt
make it work?
Well, I had prepared the plan three
years ago and up until now I have
not changed anything. As we men-
tioned in our business plan, within
10 months after signing with Phnom
Penh Municipality, we would have
eight lines operating in Phnom Penh.
If we cannot achieve that, the munic-
ipality can take back our licence.
If I cannot do it, I dont think any
other companies can. I am con-
dent and I know the industry and the
situation here in Phnom Penh thats
why I dare to put it like that.
I can run the business. But without
any incentives for me I wont.
By my plan, I would import brand
new standard buses. My plan was to
have 320 buses to operate on these
eight lines.
.
You have been criticised for a lack of
transparency in obtaining the contract.
Do you think the process was fair?
I dont think it is an issue. There
were seven companies and the mu-
nicipality dropped them one by one
which left only two. Then at last,
they selected us. The door has been
open for other companies to oper-
ate this business for years, but no
one wants it as they know it is not
attractive it is not a gold mine. But,
if anyone says that it is not transpar-
ent, that is wrong.
Any companies, either local or
abroad who want to operate the
business should use brand new bus-
es. And not charge people over 70
or disabled people. The should give
discounts for students and garment
factory workers. Would business dare
to take that on?
.
City Hall is running it by themselves
now. Will it be a success?
I cannot comment with that. But,
I wish the municipality would offer
more lines in order to help people
who want to use the service.
It is not like what people were say-
ing: that we just operated it for only
one month and got lost and then
ran away.
Do you have a plan to renegotiate or
reapply for the licence? Or if the mu-
nicipality agreed to help, would you
take it up again?
Of course, I would rethink it. But,
at the moment, I have already closed
it down.
This interview has been edited for
length and clarity
Lim Andre, the CEO of Global (Cambodia) Trade Development Company, speaks during
an interview with the Post in his ofce in Phnom Penh last week. HENG CHIVOAN
TOP Philippine conglomerate
San Miguel is seeking to build
a new international airport
for Manila in a project worth
$10 billion, the company con-
rmed yesterday.
San Miguel, which owns a
stake in ag carrier Philippine
Airlines, told the Philippine
Stock Exchange in a disclosure
that reports of its bid to build
the four-runway hub in Ma-
nila Bay were accurate.
Ramon Ang, president and
chief operating ofcer of both
San Miguel and Philippine Air-
lines, raised the proposal dur-
ing a meeting with Philippine
President Benigno Aquino this
week, presidential spokesman
Herminio Coloma said.
Airlines are frustrated with
heavy congestion and other
woes at Manilas existing in-
ternational airport, which has
been named the worst in the
world for two years running
by an online travel guide.
The airport was hit by air
conditioning failures in swel-
tering weather last month,
just as millions of Filipinos
began travelling for the Easter
holidays forcing Aquino to
make a public apology.
San Miguel would construct
and then operate the new air-
port on a nearly 800-hectare
patch of reclaimed land that
it already owns in Manila
Bay. AFP
San Miguel
plans new
intl airport
for Manila
Thailand is headed for collapse
THAILANDS economy is in
danger of contracting in the
first and second quarters and
continuing its sluggish trend
for another two or three years
due to the political impasse, a
former Bank of Thailand chair-
man has warned.
Virabongsa Ramangkura, a
former deputy prime minister
and central bank chairman,
said polarised politics and
refusal to adhere to the consti-
tution and rule of law have
formed the basis of the eco-
nomic slowdown.
If we continue to fight like
this and there is an absence of
political stability, then the
economy will slow down grad-
ually and collapse, he said.
A dearth of public investment
will lead to a lack of private
investment in terms of infra-
structure development, denting
the countrys competitiveness
in a globalised era, Virabon-
gsa said.
The National Economic and
Social Development Board will
on Monday announce GDP
growth for the first quarter.
Virabongsa said there was no
supporting sign to alleviate the
slowdown in the absence of
both a House and Senate
speaker, while a military coup
would worsen the situation.
The protracted political
impasse will lower consumer
confidence and dry up invest-
ment, he warned, but added
that he didnt believe a coup
was likely to occur.
He does not expect the cen-
tral banks monetary policy to
support economic growth, say-
ing there was no improved
investment outlook in sight
and corporate loan extension
remained weak.
It is possible that all sides
might stop their political agen-
da and reconcile once the
economy is in a dire situation,
Virabongsa said.
Losing out to ASEAN states
Virabongsas dire warning
came as Aat Pisanwanich,
director of the Centre of Inter-
national Trade Studies at the
University of the Thai Cham-
ber of Commerce Thailand,
said said the country is losing
export markets to other mem-
bers of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations
because of the ASEAN+3 trade
agreement and the continuing
political standoff.
Between 2007 and 2013,
Thailand lost export markets
worth about 180 billion baht
($5.5 billion) to other ASEAN
members. During that period
it also signed a trade deal under
the ASEAN+3 grouping that
includes China, South Korea
and Japan, Aat said yesterday.
The lost markets included
rubber, automobiles, auto
parts, transport equipment,
wooden products, electrical
appliances, rice, palm oil and
garments industries that
make up about 50 per cent of
Thailands exports.
Thailand is losing competi-
tiveness in the export of rice,
raw palm oil and garments,
Aat said.
If its political problems con-
tinue until late this year, Thai-
land would lose competitive-
ness in the export of wooden
and electrical products and the
value of its export losses to
other ASEAN members could
rise to 250 billion baht, Aat said.
At present, its wooden and
electrical products have medi-
um competitiveness.
If the political problems con-
tinue, 700,000 to 800,000 or
roughly 30 to 40 per cent of
the roughly two million small
and medium enterprises in
Thailand would collapse, he
predicted. BANGKOK POST
A pedestrian passes a 3D art display on the Ratchaprasong skywalk intersection in Bangkok. BANGKOK POST
Delicious demand
Sweet future
for cocoa in
Indonesia

C
HOCOLATE demand in
Indonesia, the worlds
third-biggest cocoa pro-
ducer, may double in three years
because of an expanding middle
class and increased incomes.
Supermarkets, mini-markets
are growing everywhere, Trade
Minister Muhammad Lut said
at an industry conference in Bali.
They sell chocolate and people
will buy more.
Increasing demand for choco-
late in Asia has spurred expan-
sion of cocoa-grinding capacity
in Indonesia. That may cut the
countrys bean exports, deepen
a global shortage and extend a
23 per cent advance in New York
futures in the past 12 months.
Rising bean prices would poten-
tially boost costs for confectionery
makers such as Nestle SA and
Lindt & Spruengli AG.
The government may remove
the 5 per cent tax on bean imports
or increase the export duty, which
varies between 5 per cent and 15
per cent, to meet demand from
processors, Lut said. He esti-
mated last month that domestic
grinders will probably face a
shortfall of 100,000 tonnes this
year as local production wont be
enough. The crop will total 450,000
tonnes in 2014, little changed from
a year earlier, he said.
We also have to increase
production, Lut said. We have
to consider how we can continue
supplying beans to the global
market. BLOOMBERG
Markets
10
Business
Veto power for French in takeovers
THE French government yes-
terday gave itself new powers
of veto over foreign industrial
takeover bids, which will allow
it to control the fortunes of
French giant Alstom, a current
target of a takeover bid.
The new rules, which could
be applied to block the
attempts of US General Elec-
tric or Germanys Siemens to
take over Alstoms energy arm,
were published in the official
journal and will come into
effect today. They will cover
the key sectors of energy,
transport, water, health and
telecommunications.
The choice we have made,
with the prime minister
[Franois Hollande] is the
choice of economic patriot-
ism, Economy Minister
Arnaud Montebourg told
French newspaper Le Monde.
These protective measures
on Frances strategic interests
are a renewal of our powers,
he continued.
Under the new rules, invest-
ments by foreign groups,
whether European or not,
would be submitted for author-
isation to Montebourg.
The minister would then have
to consider certain factors
which includes the sustainabil-
ity of the proposal, the infra-
structural implications, the
preservation of certain indis-
pensable skills and whether or
not the national interest would
be satisfied with the result.
Permission would then be
granted provided that the com-
pany agrees to meet certain
commitments.
There will also be the pos-
sibility of an appeal to Frances
highest administrative court,
for companies that are
unhappy with the decision.
The system will thus extend
the strategic state controls
already applicable to areas of
national defence, such as arma-
ments as well as information
technology and gambling.
This notion of government
permission is central to the
French system.
And the French are not alone
in seeking some protection for
its key industries.
The Committee on Foreign
Investment in the United
States is a federal panel that
reviews foreign investment
projects in the United States
as regards implications for
national security.
The situation at French
industrial giant Alstom is cur-
rently at the fore of the govern-
ments industry policy.
When it emerged that talks
for Alstom to sell its energy
division to GE were at an
advanced stage, the French
government acted quickly, and
with success, to encourage Sie-
mens to outline a counter pro-
posal to the offer.
That is an alternative strong-
ly favoured by Montebourg,
who is an outspoken defender
of national patriotism towards
French businesses.
The board of Alstom has said
that it will decide by the end of
May which of the two offers it
prefers, although it has already
signalled that it prefers the GE
offer of 12.35 billion euros
($17.0 billion) for its energy
activities.
The GE offer is the only firm
proposal so far.
However Frances Energy
Minister Segolene Royal on
Wednesday came out in
favour of a takeover offer for
Alstoms energy division by
General Electric, in defiance
of Montebourg.
She also asked the question
why do we want systemati-
cally to make foreign invest-
ment go away? AFP
The logo of the French power and transport engineering company Alstom, which has been the focus of a
takeover bid by USs General Electric. The French government can now veto foreign bids. AFP
Wal-Mart
hits wall as
sales slump
WAL-MART Stores yesterday
reported lower earnings that
missed expectations as sales
at flagship US stores edged
lower due to the cold winter
weather.
Earnings in the first quarter
for Wal-Mart came in at $3.6 bil-
lion, down 5 per cent from the
year-ago level.
Like other retailers in the
United States, the unseasona-
bly cold and disruptive weather
negatively impacted US sales
and drove operating expenses
higher than expected, said
Walmart chief executive Doug
McMillon. Wal-Marts under-
lying business is solid, and Im
confident in our long-term
strategies.
Revenue rose 7.5 per cent to
$115 billion, below the $116.3
billion previously forecasted
by analysts.
Comparable store sales in the
US from its namesake Wal-Mart
stores and Sams Club ware-
houses declined 0.2 per cent
from the year-ago period. Those
two categories account for
more than 70 per cent of Wal-
Marts revenues.
Sales in Wal-Marts interna-
tional division dipped 1.4 per
cent to $32.4 billion. AFP
Eurozone economy struggling
Bryan McManus

F
IRST-QUARTER grow-
th in the eurozone
was a major disap-
pointment, falling
well short of forecasts, ofcial
data showed yesterday.
Worse still, the Eurostat data
agency also revised down the
three months to December
performance from an initial
0.3 per cent to 0.2 per cent.
The 18-nation eurozone
expanded 0.2 per cent in the
three months to March, below
analyst estimates for 0.4 per
cent, Eurostat said.
The report is a major dis-
appointment as it suggests
that the eurozone is still far
away from reaching the es-
cape velocity required for a
sustainable recovery, ING
Bank analyst Peter Vanden
Houte said.
The outlook is not encourag-
ing either, with condence in-
dicators showing recent signs
of weakness and the Chinese
economy slowing.
We believe growth is un-
likely to be stronger in the sec-
ond quarter . . . This recovery
remains far too weak to halt
deationary pressures, Van-
den Houte said.
At the same time, the report
revealed an increasing di-
vergence between Germany,
Europes biggest economy
which beat estimates with a
rst quarter gain of 0.8 per
cent, and a faltering France,
which fell back further with no
growth at all.
Italy meanwhile was in
negative territory, with a fall
of 0.1 per cent while Portugal
dropped 0.7 per cent and the
Netherlands 1.4 per cent.
In stark comparison, non-
euro Britain chalked up growth
of 3.1 per cent, the best in the
European Union.
Analysts said the gures
clearly increase the pressure
on the European Central
Bank to take more measures
to stimulate growth when it
next meets in June.
Demand is the key concern
and as reected in the latest
ination gures 0.7 per cent
for April, a long way from the
ECBs 2.0-per cent target the
consumer is not loosening
the purse strings.
At its meeting earlier this
month, ECB head Mario
Draghi hinted strongly he was
ready to act to head off the
looming deation threat.
Deation, can be fatal as
it makes consumers put off
purchases in the hope of pay-
ing less later.
That undercuts demand,
then investment and jobs,
so turning full circle to hit
demand again and send the
economy into a nosedive.
In all, the gures point to
a very slow recovery . . . which
will do little to erode spare
capacity or reduce deation
risks, Jennifer McKeown at
Capital Economics said. This
should encourage the ECB to
cut interest rates next month
and prepare a quantitative
easing [stimulus] programme
for use in the near future.
The eurozone nally es-
caped a record 18-month re-
cession in the second quarter
of 2013 with growth of 0.3 per
cent, but this slowed to 0.1 per
cent in the third quarter.
The subsequent quarterly
gures show the eurozone is
not growing fast enough to cut
near record unemployment
levels and take up the slack in
the economy.
The best that can be said for
the rst quarter performance
was that at least the eurozone
has now managed to grow for
four successive quarters, said
Howard Archer of IHS Global
Insight. AFP
The logo of the euro is pictured in front of the European Central Bank, in Frankfurt in April 3. Ofcial data
reveal growth in the eurozone fell well short of estimates in the rst quarter. BLOOMBERG
11
Business
International commodities
Energy
Agriculture
Markets
800
875
950
1025
1100
500
550
600
650
700
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
18000
19750
21500
23250
25000
2000
2250
2500
2750
3000
14000
14500
15000
15500
16000
7000
7500
8000
8500
9000
Thailand Vietnam
Singapore Malaysia
Hong Kong China
Japan Taiwan
Thai Set 50 Index, May 14
FTSE Straits Times Index, May 14 FTSEBursaMalaysiaKLCI, May 14
Hang Seng Index, May 14 CSI 300 Index, May 14
Nikkei 225, May 14 Taiwan Taiex Index, May 14
Ho Chi Minh Stock Index, May 14
14,298.21
2,144.08 22,730.86
1,879.83 3,268.95
524.05 946.31
8,880.65
1600
1725
1850
1975
2100
5500
5875
6250
6625
7000
900
1050
1200
1350
1500
3500
3875
4250
4625
5000
20000
21000
22000
23000
24000
28000
28500
29000
29500
30000
4500
4750
5000
5250
5500
4500
4750
5000
5250
5500
South Korea Philippines
Laos Indonesia
India Pakistan
Australia New Zealand
KOSPI Index, May 14 PSEI- Philippine Se Idx, May 14
Laos Composite Index, May 14 Jakarta Composite Index, May 14
BSE Sensex 30 Index, May 14 Karachi 100 Index, May 14
S&P/ASX 200 Index, May 14 NZX 50 Index, May 14
5,510.84
28,940.22 23,812.76
4,991.64 1,305.41
6,849.33 2,010.20
5,194.96
Item Unit Base Average (%)
Gasoline R 5250 5450 3.81 %
Diesel R 5100 5200 1.96 %
Petroleum R 5500 5500 0.00 %
Gas Chi 86000 76000 -11.63 %
Charcoal Baht 1200 1300 8.33 %
Energy
Construction equipment
Rice 1 R/Kg 2800 2780 -0.71 %
Rice 2 R/Kg 2200 2280 3.64 %
Paddy R/Kg 1800 1840 2.22 %
Peanuts R/Kg 8000 8100 1.25 %
Maize 2 R/Kg 2000 2080 4.00 %
Cashew nut R/Kg 4000 4220 5.50 %
Pepper R/Kg 40000 24000 -40.00 %
Beef R/Kg 33000 33600 1.82 %
Pork R/Kg 17000 18200 7.06 %
Mud Fish R/Kg 12000 12400 3.33 %
Chicken R/Kg 18000 20800 15.56 %
Duck R/Kg 13000 13100 0.77 %
Steel 12 R/Kg 3000 3100 3.33 %
Cement R/Sac 19000 19500 2.63 %
Food -Cereals -Vegetables - Fruits
Cambodian commodities
(Base rate taken on January 1, 2012)
COMMODITY UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE TIME(ET)
Crude Oil (WTI) USD/bbl. 101.84 -0.53 -0.52% 4:41:26
Crude Oil (Brent) USD/bbl. 110.01 -0.18 -0.16% 4:37:47
NYMEX Natural Gas USD/MMBtu 4.35 -0.02 -0.46% 4:40:41
RBOBGasoline USD/gal. 296.32 -0.61 -0.21% 4:39:24
NYMEX Heating Oil USD/gal. 296.06 -0.2 -0.07% 4:37:08
ICEGasoil USD/MT 915 -0.25 -0.03% 4:40:06
COMMODITY UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE TIME(ET)
CBOT Rough Rice USD/cwt 15.31 0.03 0.20% 21:53:12
CME Lumber USD/tbf 336.4 -3 -0.88% 4:17:09
From 50 Cent to $50 million
Jeremy Tordjman
A
T HOWARD Universitys
graduation ceremony, stu-
dents got advice from a
guest speaker unlike most
given that honour: Sean Combs (or
P. Diddy . . . or Puff Daddy), a
leading symbol of hip-hop artists
turned businessmen.
Facing a sea of young people
decked out in blue gowns, the mag-
nate of rap spoke about of the secret
of his success.
I decided to embrace the en-
trepreneur spirit of my dad but in
an honest way, in a legal way, said
Combs, whose father died in a drug
deal gone wrong.
Sitting atop a personal fortune
of $700 million, Combs is among a
coterie of rapper businessmen who
have gone from inner city streets to
the pages of the Wall Street Journal.
The king of West Coast rap, Dr Dre,
could soon become hip-hops rst
billionaire, if a proposed sale of his
headphone and music streaming
rm Beats to Apple goes through.
Its a great landmark. After all, its
a deal with, by some measures, the
greatest company in the world, said
Dan Charnas, author of the book
The Big Payback. The History of the
Business of Hip-Hop.
But that would also make sense
in the context of the rise of the hip-
hop entrepreneurs, Charnas added,
referring to the long years hip-hop
has spent knocking on the doors of
US capitalism.
A deal reached nearly 30 years ago
between the now legendary record
label Def Jam and music giant Co-
lumbia paved the way.
But it did not immediately erase
the wariness of the establishment to-
wards this African-American urban
culture. It took until the mid 2000s
to see the kings of hip-hop sign lu-
crative deals turning their personal
brands into very big money.
Why would the mainstream un-
derstand rock n roll so easily but
then hip-hop has to wait to have
billion-dollar deals? asked Steve
Stoute, a former record label ex-
ecutive who founded the marketing
company Translation.
In a sign of the changing times,
Forbes magazine now publishes a
wealth ranking specically for the
fortunes of hip-hop artists, which
do not stem only from music.
The richest of all of them is Puff
Daddy, who founded his own record
label, Bad Boy Records, but also es-
tablished a line of clothing (Sean
John), signed a partnership with the
vodka brand Ciroc and launched a
music channel, Revolt TV.
Following the success of his album
Get Rich or Die Tryin, rapper 50 Cent
made a bundle by investing in Vita-
minwater, which was bought out by
Coca-Cola in 2007 for a price tag of
$4.1 billion.
Seasoned businessman Jay-Z has
also built an empire, including a
clothing line and a stake in an NBA
basketball team.
But in hip-hop, he says, having an
entrepreneurial spirit was more a
necessity than a choice.
We went to every single label and
every label shut their door on us. The
genius thing that we did was that we
didnt give up, he said last year at an
event with investment guru Warren
Buffett. We started selling our own
CD, we built our own buzz and the
record companies got back to us.
Faced with plummeting revenues,
the recording industry was no lon-
ger in a position to snub a commer-
cial tidal wave. I think that the best
thing that happened to hip-hop was
teenagers having posters of these
artists on their wall. They wanted
to dress like these guys, singing the
song in the house. It forced every-
body to pay attention, Stoute said.
As a big-money heavyweight, the
business of hip-hop has set aside
the angry social claims of pioneers
like Public Enemy. Hip-hop long
ago made peace with commercial-
ism. In America, political hip hop is
nowhere, Charnas said. AFP
Curtis 50 Cent Jackson unveils the 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck in New York, and
Sean P Diddy Combs gives Howard Universitys commencement speech. AFP
Vacancy Announcement
Announcement No: EC-AN-14-0591
Locaton: The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of
Cambodia (ECCC), Phnom Penh.
Closing Date: May 23, 2014 @ 4:00 pm.
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) is seeking
highly qualied applicants for the positon of Legal Ocer, NO-C.
For more details of the Job Descripton (JD), please visit the ECCC website at
htp: www.eccc.gov.kh/en/about-eccc/jobs
Submission of Applicatons
Qualied candidates may submit their applicatons, including a leter of in-
terest, Curriculum Vitae indicatng personal and technical skills, academic
qualicatons and experience in similar assignments along with the duly
completed and signed ECCC Applicaton Form for Employment available in
the above website to:
Human Resources Secton (Natonal)
Natonal Road 4, Chaom Chau Commune
Porsenchey District, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The ECCC gate B or Email: personnel@eccc.gov.kh
P.O Box No.71
Please note that incomplete applicatons or applicatons received afer the
closing date will not be considered. Only those candidates that are short-
listed for interviews will be noted.
Applicatons from qualied female candidates are strongly encouraged to
apply.
World
Call for Proposals
Research on Social Protection and
Migration
The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is inviting
firms/research organizations to submit proposals
to undertake a research study on social protection
to women migrant workers and their families. The
detailed Request for Proposal and ToR are available at:
http://asiapacic.unwomen.org/en/about-us/jobs
Deadline for submissions: 23 May 2014
Pleasesend your proposal to
cambodiaco.unwomen@unwomen.org
Any inquiries regarding the study proposal, please
contact our UN Women Country Ofce via e-mail at:
paula.santos@unwomen.org.
Please note that this e-mail is only for enquiries. Only
proposals sent to cambodiaco.unwomen@unwomen.org
will be accepted.
One dead, 100 hurt in anti-China riot
A RIOT at a steel plant in Vietnam has left at
least one Chinese worker dead and over 100
injured, officials said yesterday, as an angry
Beijing accused Hanoi of connivance in the
worst anti-China unrest in decades.
A doctor at a hospital in central Ha Tinh
province, however, said that five Vietnam-
ese workers and 16 other people described
as Chinese died on Wednesday night, the
Guardian reported.
There were about 100 people sent to
the hospital last night. Many were Chi-
nese. More are being sent to the hospital
this morning, the doctor said.
Long-simmering enmity between the
communist neighbours has boiled over
in Vietnam with protests in major cities
and mobs torching foreign-owned facto-
ries after China deployed an oil drilling
rig in contested waters.
Worker demonstrations have spread to
22 of Vietnams 63 provinces, the govern-
ment said, calling for tough measures
to bring the situation under control
before alarmed foreign investors pull out
of the country.
The unrest is a very disturbing develop-
ment and has certainly created the impres-
sion that in Vietnam [things] were verging
out of control, said Professor Jonathan
London at City University of Hong Kong.
Additional protests are to be expected
and it remains uncertain whether we
might observe a repeat of the chaos thats
occurred, he added.
Vietnams regime, wary of public gath-
erings that could threaten its authoritar-
ian rule, has in the past alternated
between tolerating anti-China rallies
and violently breaking them up.
Experts say Hanoi has allowed some
public protests to go ahead recently as a
means of expressing extreme discontent
with Beijing. The pair have close eco-
nomic ties but often-fraught diplomatic
relations.
The deadly riot broke out on Wednesday
at a steel mill owned by Taiwanese group
Formosa Plastics in Vietnams central Ha
Tinh province, following earlier violent
protests in the south where more than a
dozen plants were set ablaze and hun-
dreds of protesters detained.
Workers began attacking some Chinese
workers and damaged offices and equip-
ment, Formosa said in a statement.
One Chinese worker was killed and at
least 149 people were injured, local offi-
cial Dang Quoc Khanh said.
China accused Hanoi of acting in con-
cert with the protesters. The violence in
Vietnam had a direct link with the Viet-
namese sides indulgence and connivance
in recent days with some domestic anti-
China forces and lawbreakers, Beijings
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua
Chunying told reporters.
Chinas official news agency Xinhua said
that around 10 Chinese remained unac-
counted for after rioters attacked four
Chinese companies in Ha Tinh province,
citing a Chinese manager.
Beijing also issued a warning to tourists
planning trips to Vietnam, advising them
to carefully consider their plans.
The backdrop is a history of rivalry
between China and Vietnam, particu-
larly over the contested Paracel and
Spratly islands in the South China Sea.
In 1974, as US troops withdrew from
Vietnam, China invaded the Paracel
Islands, which were held by the US-
backed South Vietnamese regime.
The neighbours fought a brief but
bloody border war in 1979 after China
invaded following Vietnams intervention
in Cambodia to oust Beijings Khmer
Rouge allies. They came to blows again in
Continues on page 12
Anger boils over at Turkish strike
A
NGER at Turkeys
government boiled
over yesterday when
thousands went on
strike and police clashed with
protesters after at least 282
workers died in one of the
worst mining accidents in
modern history.
As hopes faded for scores
more miners still trapped un-
derground two days after the
devastating blast, police red
tear gas and water cannon at
around 20,000 anti-govern-
ment protesters in the west-
ern city of Izmir.
Turkeys four biggest
unions called a one-day
strike, saying workers lives
were being jeopardised to
cut costs, and demanding
that those responsible for the
collapse of the coal mine in
the western town of Soma in
Manisa province be brought
to account.
Hundreds of our workers
have been left to die from
the very beginning by being
forced to work in cruel pro-
duction processes to achieve
maximum prots, they said
in a joint statement, calling
on people to wear black.
We call on the working
class and friends of labourers
to stand up for our brothers
in Soma.
Anger at the disaster has
swept across Turkey, where
mining accidents are a fre-
quent occurrence.
In Izmir, around 100 kilo-
metres south of Soma, the
61-year-old head of one of
the main unions Kani Beko
was hospitalised after violent
clashes with riot police.
In Ankara, police red tear
gas and water cannon on
around 200 protesters, a day
after thousands clashed with
police in the capital and in
Istanbul, accusing the gov-
ernment and mining indus-
try of negligence.
President Abdullah Gul said
on a visit to the mine Tur-
key faced a great disaster,
and vowed action to prevent
further accidents in Turkey,
where mine explosions and
cave-ins are common.
Whatever necessary will
be done. We need to review
all the regulations, like all de-
veloped countries do, so that
these accidents do not hap-
pen again.
Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan has rejected
claims of government culpa-
bility, saying that such acci-
dents happen.
He compared the collapse
to other mining disasters
elsewhere, saying that 204
people died in the UK in 1862
and 361 people in 1864, in an
apparent attempt to down-
play the severity.
Erdogan was forced to take
refuge in a shop after a furi-
ous reaction from relatives of
the victims and the missing,
some of whom began kicking
his vehicle. Photographs of
his adviser kicking a protester
in Soma sparked outrage on
social media.
It is unclear how many
workers are still trapped un-
derground following the huge
explosion at the mine on
Tuesday, which was believed
to have been set off by an
electrical fault.
Mining operators put the
gure at 90, but reports from
rescue workers on the scene
suggest the gure could be
far higher. Most of the vic-
tims died of carbon monox-
ide poisoning. Kemal Ozkan,
assistant general secretary of
the international trade union
federation IndustriALL Global
Union, said the staggering
number of fatalities made the
mining disaster the worst in
recent memory.
Turkey has possibly the
worst safety record in terms
of mining accidents and
explosions in Europe and
the third worst in the world,
he said.
This recent tragedy must
rank as the worst mining trag-
edy in recent memory, and is
made all the more tragic by
the seemingly uncaring atti-
tude of the government and
mining companies.
The disaster has added to
the huge political pressure
on Erdogan, who faced mass
protests last summer and a
corruption scandal involving
his family and key allies in re-
cent months.
If the claims of negligence
at the mine prove true, it will
have a political price, Ilter
Turan of Istanbuls Bilgi Uni-
versity said.
Authorities said 282 people
were conrmed dead mak-
ing it Turkeys worst ever in-
dustrial accident. Another 27
workers are being treated in
hospital, and families of the
miners who died have begun
to retrieve their bodies from a
makeshift morgue.
Alaattin Mengucek, who
came from Izmir to retrieve
his sons body, said: Im wait-
ing for my son. Ive lost him
in the mine, he just became a
father eight months ago.
Emergency workers have
still not been able to reach
two underground shafts.
We will try to save those
who are still stuck one by one,
but you know very well that
there is no more hope. Its n-
ished for them, said Murat
Kurkoglu, a miner who joined
the rescue effort.
Early reports said 787 workers
were underground when the
blast occurred. By late Wednes-
day, close to 450 workers had
been rescued, according to the
mine operator, Soma Komur
Inc. But accounts from rescue
workers cast doubt over these
numbers.
Erdem Bakin, a doctor with
the Search and Rescue or-
ganisation, said only around
70 to 80 people who were be-
tween the mine entrance and
the transformer that exploded
had survived.
The main opposition Re-
publican Peoples Party (CHP)
said it asked parliament last
month to investigate work-re-
lated accidents at coal mines
in Soma, but the government
turned down the request.
We receive tip-offs every
day that workers lives are
under threat, local CHP law-
maker Ozgur Ozel told Turk-
ish media. We lawmakers
from Manisa are tired of go-
ing to miner funerals.
The prosecutors ofce in
Soma has launched an in-
vestigation into the cause of
the disaster.
Turkeys Ministry of Labour
and Social Security said the
mine had been inspected
eight times in the past four
years, most recently on March
17, and was found to comply
with safety regulations.
Mining company Soma Ko-
mur said it had taken maximum
measures to ensure safety.
Soma is a key centre for
lignite coal mining and is lo-
cated around 480 kilometres
southwest of Istanbul. AFP
A photo taken on Wednedsay shows a person identied by Turkish media as Yusuf Yerkel, an aide to Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, kicking a protester already held by special forces police members
during Erdogans visit to Soma, Turkey. AFP
World
13
1988 in the contested Spratly
islands in a naval battle in
which more than 70 Vietnam-
ese were killed.
However, the two countries
normalised relations in 1991
and their economies have
become increasingly inter-
twined. Beijings increasing
assertiveness in staking its
claim to almost all of the South
China Sea has also caused
concern for other neighbour-
ing countries.
Tensions between China
and Vietnam ared earlier this
month after Beijing moved a
deep-water drilling rig into
waters that Hanoi claims.
Prime Minister Nguyen
Tan Dung described the sit-
uation as very serious and
said that, while the recent
groundswell of patriotism
was the correct thing, in-
stigators who broke the law
would be punished, accord-
ing to an ofcial statement.
Export-orientated manu-
facturing is a key pillar of
Vietnams economy, with
high-prole rms from
Samsung to Nike produc-
ing goods there. Taiwan is one
of the top foreign investors in
Vietnam. AFP
One dead in
China riot
Military operation launched to find schoolgirls
T
HE Nigerian govern-
ment has conrmed
that a military op-
eration has been
launched, with international
backing, in an attempt to lo-
cate and rescue more than
200 girls who have been held
captive for a month.
The government also sig-
nalled it is ready to negotiate
with Boko Haram, the Islamist
militants who snatched the
girls from a school in Chibok,
in the northeast of the country,
although it appeared to rule
out any prisoner exchange.
International operations
have commenced in collabo-
ration with the Nigerian mili-
tary . . . The operations are be-
ing carried out in conjunction
with Nigerian troops, Mike
Omeri, coordinator of the na-
tional information centre, told
a press conference.
Surveillance? Yes. Intel-
ligence? Yes. And knowledge
and experience sharing will
be applied, he added. He de-
clined to give further details.
As international assistance
to the search and rescue ef-
forts intensied, Mark Sim-
monds, Britains minister for
Africa, held talks with Nigerian
president Goodluck Jonathan
in the capital, Abuja. Jonathan
made it very clear that there
will be no negotiation with
Boko Haram that involves a
swap of abducted schoolgirls
for prisoners, Simmonds said.
But Nigerias government will
talk to the militants to seek
reconciliation, he added.
Canada became the latest
country to disclose that it has
sent special forces to Nigeria,
joining teams from the US,
UK, France and Israel. The
Canadian prime minister, Ste-
phen Harper, said his coun-
trys forces would not engage
in combat but were to provide
liaison and to assist Nigerian
authorities in their search.
In Abuja about 200 people
wearing red #BringBackOur-
Girls T-shirts gathered for a
vigil marking 30 days since the
girls abduction. Among the
speakers was pastor Enoch
Mark of Chibok.
I lost my two daughters, he
told the audience. Today is 30
days. I have not been sleeping
well. There is no night from 14
April when I can sleep more
than three hours. I am not eat-
ing well. But seeing you this
evening, you give me hope
and you give me courage.
Amid chants of, Bring back
our girls now, a group of teen-
age girls read out the names of
the missing. One said: The
only reason I was not captured
is that I was not in Chibok.
A group of about 130 of the
kidnapped girls appeared on
a video released this week by
Boko Haram. After a special
viewing for parents, all the
girls were conrmed as stu-
dents of the Government Girls
secondary school in Chibok.
Although most of the abduct-
ed girls are Christian, all were
wearing Muslim dress and two
were singled out to say they
had converted to Islam.
Boko Haram leader Abuba-
kar Shekau said the girls could
be released in exchange for
jailed militants. I swear to al-
mighty Allah, you will not see
them again until you release
our brothers you have cap-
tured, he said in the video.
Omeri the coordinator re-
fused to conrm that commu-
nication with Boko Haram was
open. We said all options are
on the table, and we will adopt
international best practice in
this regard, he said.
He rejected criticism that
the government had not yet
found the girls. When the
Americans wanted to get their
hostages in Iraq, they knew
where they were and it took
200 days. We dont want it to
take 200 days. One thing I feel
certain of: the mystery will be
unravelled.
The government believed all
the girls were still alive and in
Nigerian territory, rejecting re-
ports that some had been sold
into slavery. THE GUARDIAN
Activists from a coalition of more than 40 African women organisations march in the streets of Kenyas
capital Nairobi yesterday. AFP
Japanese military
Abe pushes
for a more
active army
N
ATIONALIST Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe set
out his case yesterday
for beefing up pacifist Japans
rules of engagement, saying
he wants the armed forces
to be able to enter battle in
defence of allies.
Citing a rising climate of
disquiet in north and southeast
Asia, Abe said Japan needs to
cast off constitutional stric-
tures that have prevented its
so-called Self Defence Forces
from firing a shot in combat
since 1945.
As prime minister, I have
the responsibility to protect
the lives of people under any
circumstances, he said.
I dont think the constitu-
tion says we have to abandon
the responsibility to protect
the lives of people. If we can
enhance our deterrence, it will
prevent our country from being
involved in war.
Around 500 people demons-
trated against the prime mi-
nisters plans near his official
residence, with some carrying
banners that read: Exercising
collective defence is equal to
waging war. AFP

Malaysia cops foil terror
attack in India: official
MALAYSIAN police have foiled a
plot to attack foreign missions in
two Indian cities and arrested a
South Asian terror suspect, a
senior security official said
yesterday. The arrest comes just
days after police launched an
investigation into whether
al-Qaeda-linked Somali rebels
were seeking to set up a base in
the Southeast Asian country
after a suspected insurgent was
arrested. Police deputy
inspector general Bakri Zinin
said the South Asian man was
arrested on May 14 by the anti-
terrorism unit just outside the
capital Kuala Lumpur. Police
had kept the suspect under
surveillance since December
last year, he said. AFP
Hong Kong begins to

destroy huge ivory haul
HONG Kong yesterday began
destroying nearly 30 tonnes of
ivory seized from smugglers in
the worlds largest such
operation, a major step in the
fight against the illegal trade in
elephant tusks. The move to
incinerate a stockpile seized
since 2003 comes after intense
pressure from conservation
groups. Todays ceremony
sends a loud and clear
message to both the local and
the international community
that the Hong Kong government
is determined to curb illegal
trade in elephant ivory, the
citys environment secretary,
Wong Kam-sing, told reporters.
We hope curbing illegal trade
in ivory will help stop illegal
poaching of elephants, Wong
said at a treatment plant in the
citys Tsing Yi district, where the
first tonne of elephant tusks
were destroyed on Thursday.
The tusks were broken down
into smaller pieces before being
burned in an incinerator. The
charred remains will be sent to
a landfill. AFP
World
THE captain and three other
crew members of the ferry
that sank off South Korea last
month were indicted yester-
day on charges of manslaugh-
ter through gross negligence,
a prosecutor said.
Under South Korean crimi-
nal law, Captain Lee Joon-seok,
two navigators and a chief en-
gineer could be handed the
death sentence if convicted,
although that penalty is very
unlikely to be carried out.
The four were indicted
on charges of manslaughter
through gross negligence,
senior prosecutor Yang Jong-
jin said.
Even after being instructed
by maritime safety authorities
to help passengers evacuate
the Sewol ferry, they failed to
take any action and almost an
hour later got on the rst res-
cue boat, Yang said.
The four are accused of
leaving the ship as it was sink-
ing while telling passengers,
mostly high school students
on a school excursion, to stay
where they were.
They scrambled to safety
along with 11 other lower-
ranking crew members while
hundreds remained trapped,
Yang said, not only failing to
issue an order for passengers
to leave the ship but keeping
to themselves the information
that a rescue boat had arrived.
They took off their uniforms
and changed into civilian
clothes, aware that uniformed
crew members should be the
last to evacuate, prosecutors
were quoted as saying by Yon-
hap news agency.
The 11 other crew members
were indicted on less serious
charges including wrongfully
steering the vessel, abandon-
ing a ship and leaving passen-
gers in a sinking boat without
making efforts to rescue them,
Yang said. AFP
Four crew of S Korean ferry
charged with manslaughter
War games end in Philippines
Ofcials murdered in Xinjiang during presidents visit
US AIRCRAFT dropped bombs and marines tore
forward under artillery fire in war games in the
Philippines yesterday, weeks after the allies
signed a defence deal against a backdrop of flar-
ing Chinese tensions with its neighbours.
The live rounds made a dull thud and kicked
up dust as they rained down on a dry riverbed
in the northern Philippines at the start of the
hour-long manoeuvres, involving about 100
American and 200 Filipino marines.
Were training to take over a key enemy posi-
tion, US Marines spokesman Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Jay de la Rosa said from a nearby ridge obser-
vation point, as F/A-18 and A-10 aircraft
unloaded their payloads.
Artillery shells also poured down from nearby
hilltops before V-22 Osprey aircraft and conven-
tional military helicopters made paratroop
drops of marines on the simulated battlefield,
joined by colleagues in armoured vehicles.
Its a maritime security scenario, Filipino
Navy Captain Annaleah Cazcarro said. We dont
have a target country.
Yesterdays manoeuvres came at the end of 10
days of annual war games between the US and
its close ally the Philippines, involving 5,500
troops and this year addressing security issues
in the flashpoint South China Sea.
The allies signed a deal last month to give US
forces greater access to Filipino bases in the
former US colony.
The US has said it does not take a position on
the territorial disputes, but has criticised what
it said were provocative acts by China to assert
its claims. US President Barack Obama, in a state
visit to Manila in late April, also made an iron-
clad pledge to defend the Philippines, with
which it has a mutual defence treaty.
The Philippines released photographs yester-
day to back its claim China is reclaiming land
on a disputed reef in the South China Sea, in an
apparent effort to build an airstrip. AFP
THREE Han Chinese officials were mur-
dered in Xinjiang as President Xi Jinping
visited the restive region, home to
mainly Muslim Uighurs, a report and
online postings said.
The trio were killed late last month
while on a fishing trip in Kargilik coun-
ty in Kashgar prefecture, US-funded
Radio Free Asia (RFA) said on Wednes-
day, quoting local police authorities.
Two of the men had their throats cut
and were dumped into the lake, while
the third one was stabbed in 31 places
before he was also pushed into the
lake, RFA quoted Enver Tursun, depu-
ty chief of the police station in Jang-
gilieski, as saying.
The far western region is periodically
hit by unrest, which Chinese authorities
blame on separatists from the area.
Rights groups say tensions are driven
mainly by cultural oppression, intrusive
security measures, and immigration by
Han, Chinas ethnic majority.
All three victims transferred to Xin-
jiang two years ago and were senior
county level officials, one heading a
bank and the other two working in
the telecommunication department,
RFA said.
Xi was in Kashgar on the same day
the start of his four-day trip to the region
visiting armed police units and stress-
ing the gravity and complexity of the
anti-terrorism situation in the area,
according to a previous report by the
official news agency Xinhua.
On the last day of Xis trip, assailants
using knives and explosive devices
struck at a rail station in Xinjiangs cap-
ital Urumqi, leaving three dead includ-
ing two attackers and 79 wounded.
Police have identified three to five
initial suspects from more than 150
people interrogated over the murder
case, RFA said, and cited an unnamed
local official saying they believe the
offenders were from a village which is
99 per cent Uighur.
Authorities in Kashgar were not avail-
able for comment on the case when
contacted yesterday.
Chinas state-controlled media has
remained silent on the incident, but
an online statement allegedly signed
by the three mens widows pleading
for justice has been circulating on
internet forums.
The note, dated May 3, complained
that authorities in Kargilik attempted to
cover up the incident and pressured the
relatives to bury the bodies as soon as
possible, according to a reposting on
hanminzu.org, a US-registered Han
nationalist website.
The government is so weak and inca-
pable . . . It cannot firmly fight the arro-
gance of the violent terrorists, the note
said. How can we dare to go out in the
future? It did not mention the dead
mens ethnicity or their official posts.
A user of Chinas Twitter-like Weibo,
who often sends pictures of himself in
Xinjiang, also posted earlier this month
that a friends uncle and two other peo-
ple were killed by thugs on the after-
noon of April 27. The posting, already
deleted, can still be seen on freeweibo.
com, a website that tracks censored
Weibo posts. AFP
Attack in Bangkok kills three
T
HAILANDS election
authority called yes-
terday for July polls
to be postponed af-
ter three people were killed
in a grenade and gun attack
on opposition protesters in
Bangkok, stoking fears of spi-
ralling violence.
The latest wave of blood-
shed comes as demonstrators
push for the appointment
of an unelected premier in a
move that has infuriated gov-
ernment supporters.
The dismissal of prime
minister Yingluck Shinawa-
tra from ofce last week in a
controversial court ruling has
sent tensions soaring in a na-
tion that has endured years
of political turmoil. Her red
shirt supporters have warned
of civil war if power is handed
to an unelected leader.
Unknown assailants red
two grenades into a rally camp
early yesterday at the Democ-
racy Monument close to the
citys famed backpacker zone
followed by a burst of gun-
shots, police said.
Bangkoks Erawan Emergen-
cy Centre said three people
were killed and 23 wounded.
Hours later opposition dem-
onstrators stormed a meeting
between the government and
vote ofcials, forcing caretak-
er Prime Minister Niwattum-
rong Boonsongpaisan and
other ministers to ee.
The election on July 20 is
no longer possible. It must be
postponed, Election Com-
mission secretary-general
Puchong Nutrawong said af-
ter the talks ended in chaos.
He said early August was
one option for the polls how-
ever added that such a date
may be too soon.
The election cannot be held
if protesters do not agree.
The deaths take the toll
from six months of protests
aimed at toppling the govern-
ment to 28, with hundreds of
others wounded in gun and
grenade attacks mostly tar-
geting opposition protesters.
There were no immedi-
ate reports of the identity of
the gunmen behind yester-
days bloodshed, but both
pro- and anti-government
protesters are known to have
armed hardliners and have
blamed each other for previ-
ous violence.
Thailands army chief
warned yesterday that the
military may use force if
political violence escalates in
a six-month crisis which has
left 28 people dead and hun-
dreds wounded.
I want to warn every group
especially those who use
violence and war weapons
against innocent civilians
to stop now because if the vi-
olence continues the military
may be needed to come out
. . . to restore peace and or-
der, General Prayut Chan-
O-Cha said in rare ofcial
statement.
He added that his troops
may need to use force to
resolve the situation if it es-
calates, warning of decisive
measures if civilians are hurt.
Fears of civil conict are
also mounting, with rival
groups of supporters massed
in or around Bangkok.
Thailands military has
staged 18 successful or at-
tempted coups since 1932,
and supporters of the bat-
tered government say they
fear it may act again as the
political turmoil rumbles on.
In 2010, the military led a
crackdown on pro-govern-
ment red shirts gathered in
Bangkok that left scores dead,
hundreds wounded and parts
of the citys commercial cen-
tre in ames.
Red shirt leaders have
warned of an imminent mili-
tary coup in the ongoing cri-
sis, while anti-government
protesters have repeatedly
urged the military to step in.
The army has been at pains
to stay neutral in public dur-
ing the current round of po-
litical turmoil.
Anti-government demon-
strators want an appointed
premier to replace the care-
taker government that has
limped on since Premier
Yingluck Shinawatra was
booted out of ofce by a
court last week.
This time the problem is
complicated and has several
dimensions, Prayut added in
his statement. AFP
Anti-government protesters look at the site of a grenade and gunre
attack at Democracy Monument in Bangkok yesterday. AFP
This undated photo released by the Philippines
shows alleged reclamation work by China on the
disputed Johnson South Reef. AFP
World
15

India in security drive
on eve of poll results
INDIAN authorities banned
victory processions and
imposed a curfew in a southern
city yesterday in stepped up
security on the eve of national
election results expected to
vault Hindu nationalist Narendra
Modi to power. Hundreds of
police and paramilitary forces
patrolled Hyderabad city to
prevent fresh religious violence,
one day after three people were
killed when officers fired during
clashes between Muslims and
Sikhs. Police said a curfew
would remain in place in the old
quarter of Hyderabad, an IT hub,
following the clashes on
Wednesday that saw mobs
destroy homes and other
property. The move comes as
India awaits general election
results today. AFP
Battles rage as S Sudan

ceasefire breaks down
WARRING forces in South
Sudan battled yesterday, trading
blame for breaking a ceasefire
as the civil war entered its sixth
month amid warnings of famine
if bloodshed continues. Both
sides reported heavy fighting in
the key oil-producing state of
Upper Nile, which now pumps
almost all of South Sudans
crude after intense battles shut
down most fields in the other
main area of Unity state. Both
army spokesman Philip Aguer
and his rebel counterpart Lul
Ruai Koang reported heavy
artillery barrages south of
Upper Niles war-ravaged state
capital Malakal, and in the
northern Renk district. AFP
Ferry carrying hundreds
capsizes in Bangladesh
A HEAVILY laden ferry capsized
and sank in central Bangladesh
yesterday after being caught in
a storm, leaving at least six
dead and hundreds more
missing, police and officials
said. We are receiving
confusing figures on how many
passengers were on board
when it sank, but the number
could range from 200 to 350,
district government
administrator Saiful Hasan
said. Six bodies have been
recovered so far, he said of the
accident on the river Meghna,
some 50 kilometres south of
the capital Dhaka. Local police
chief Ferdous Ahmed also
confirmed the recovery of the
six bodies, including those of
women and children. The
vessel was travelling to the
southern district of Shariatpur
from Dhaka when it
encountered problems and
sank in the mid-afternoon. AFP
Election results confirm
Abdullah-Ghani run-off
AFGHANISTANS presidential
election will go to a second-
round vote on June 14 between
former foreign minister
Abdullah Abdullah and ex-World
Bank economist Ashraf Ghani,
final results showed yesterday.
Abdullah secured 45 per cent of
the vote on April 5, with his main
rival Ghani on 31.6 per cent,
according to the final results,
which came after weeks of
deliberation over fraud
allegations. The run-off was
originally scheduled for May 28,
but ink and other material was
damaged in an insurgent attack
on the election authorities
warehouses. AFP
Wildfires burn homes
as California swelters
Rory Carroll
F
RESH wildres have broken
out across parts of southern
California, burning down
dozens of homes and prompt-
ing authorities in San Diego county to
evacuate thousands of people and de-
clare a state of emergency.
Scorching temperatures and dry
winds fanned at least ve fast-moving
blazes on Wednesday near San Diego
just a day after reghters contained
two other res in the region.
The worst blaze burned 30 homes
in Carlsbad, north of San Diego, and
triggered 11,500 evacuation notices.
A heat wave and tinder-dry brush
had created a dynamic, dangerous
situation, California re captain Mike
Mohler told local television reporters.
Its just unfortunately a recipe for a
large re and thats what were seeing
right now.
Television news footage showed
homes reduced to smoking ruins as
ames crackled through canyons,
with smoke billowing so thick it blot-
ted out the sun and motorists having
to use headlights.
At times it looks like theres re in
the sky with the wind whipping back
and forth, one witness, Ryan Marble,
told the Los Angeles Times.
A re near the Camp Pendleton
military base burnt out 280 hectares,
prompting evacuations of homes
and parts of the San Onofre nuclear
power plant.
Ground crews backed by helicop-
ters and air tankers contained two
res on Tuesday near San Diego and
Santa Barbara, 400 kilometres north,
but knew to expect more.
Santa Ana winds, record heat and
low humidity will persist in southern
California through [yesterday], said
Jon Erdman, a meteorologist with
weather.com. Beginning [today]
winds will begin to turn onshore, with
much cooler 60s and 70s returning to
the coast this weekend.
The re in northern San Diego
county ared on Tuesday morning
near Rancho Bernado and by evening
had burned 630 hectares of canyons
and ridges, threatening rural homes
and triggering evacuation orders for
20,000 people, including several hun-
dred within San Diego city limits.
Local re departments and the
state department of forestry and re
protection cut res lines and used
xed-wing aircraft and helicopters
to douse the ames before they dam-
aged property.
San Diegos mayor, Kevin Faulcon-
er, praised the fantastic teamwork
of local re departments and the
state department of forestry and re
protection. Obviously the battle is
not over.
The cause of the res was not im-
mediately known but this weeks
heatwave combined with brush left
tinder-dry by years of drought created
ideal conditions for wildres.
The National Weather Service is-
sued red-ag re warnings and heat
advisories for the region earlier in the
week. Some forest roads were closed
because of the danger.
California, braced for a worsening
drought and water shortages this sum-
mer, received potentially good news
last week: the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration increased
the probability for El Nino conditions
developing next winter to 78 per cent,
up from 66 per cent last month and 36
per cent last November.
The El Nino weather phenomenon
can produce wetter winters in Califor-
nia as warmer-than-normal sea sur-
face temperatures in the Pacic Ocean
affect the jet stream. THE GUARDIAN
The ruins of a home smoulder yesterday after it was destroyed in one of nine wildres
that erupted in San Diego County. AFP
KENYA accused several for-
eign nations of unfriendly
acts yesterday, after they is-
sued travel warnings for coast-
al regions following a wave of
attacks and unrest linked to
Islamist extremists.
The advice from Britain,
France and Australia to their
nationals to avoid the coastal
city of Mombasa dealt a fresh
blow to Kenyas already em-
battled tourism sector, as
avoiding the port complicates
travel to nearby beach resorts.
The advisories . . . are obvi-
ously unfriendly acts coming
from our partners who have
equally borne the brunt of
global terrorism and no doubt
understand the repercussions
of terror, said the statement
from Kenyas Foreign Ministry.
It noted with disappoint-
ment the warnings by Aus-
tralia, Britain, France and the
US, dismissing their cautions
to citizens and insisting tour-
ists are assured of utmost se-
curity and safety in Kenya.
Issuance of such travel
advisories only plays to the
whims of bad elements in so-
ciety whose aim is to spread
fear and panic, the state-
ment added.
Last month Kenya con-
rmed that the number of for-
eign visitors to the country a
top safari and beach destina-
tion slumped 11 per cent in
2013, when the country was
gripped by fears of election-
related political violence.
The current year is expected
to also see a massive drop,
particularly in the wake of the
September 2013 attack on the
Westgate shopping mall in
Nairobi that was claimed by
Somalias al-Shebaab rebels
and left at least 67 dead.
Tourism is a crucial part of
Kenyas economy: accord-
ing to the most recent gures
from 2011, the sector directly
or indirectly accounted for 14
per cent of economic output
and roughly 12 per cent of
the workforce.
Kenya has been targeted by
the Shebaab since sending
troops to war-torn Somalia in
2011 to ght them. AFP
Kenya rejects unfriendly
foreign travel warnings
A man prepares his camel for tourists as boys play football at the
Kenyatta public beach in August 2012 in Mombasa, Kenya. AFP
Melbourne to ban smoking
Journalists in Syria escape
MELBOURNE is pushing to
become one of the first cities
in the world to introduce a
total ban on smoking in public
spaces, officials said yesterday,
with anyone wanting a ciga-
rette required to use a desig-
nated shelter.
Melbourne city councillor
Richard Foster said there was
overwhelming support to
extend smoke-free areas fol-
lowing a test in The Cause-
way, one of the bustling
streets of Australias second
biggest city.
I thi nk were goi ng to
actual ly attract people to
Melbourne by being one of
the first in the world to go
smoke-f ree, Foster told
Fairfax Radio.
I think theres overwhelm-
ing support to progress smoke-
free areas given the great suc-
cess we had with The
Causeway.
Under the plan, it would be
illegal for pedestrians, outdoor
diners and even building site
workers to light up in public
areas within the central busi-
ness district unless they are in
designated shelters.
Like many other countries,
Australia has already banned
smoking in indoor public
spaces such as bars and
restaurants.
New York took the anti-
smoking drive a step further in
2011 by banning smoking in
most outdoor spaces, while
other cities around the world
have also moved to stop peo-
ple from lighting up in parks
and on beaches.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle
said any policy change should
be incremental in the build-up
to being completely smoke-
free by late 2016.
If we can show traders and
businesses, just as happened
in pubs and restaurants, that
this doesnt detract from your
business . . . then bit by bit we
will win that battle, he told
the Herald Sun newspaper.
Anti-smoking group Quit
Victoria and the Heart Foun-
dation charity said in a state-
ment that it was an excellent
idea, but warned it may be
hard to enforce.
A total ban on smoking in
the CBD may be difficult or
impractical to enforce and
smoking shelters could cre-
ate ghettos, said Quit Vic-
toria execut ive di rector
Craig Sinclair.
He said introducing smoke-
free outdoor dining and
drinking areas throughout
the state was a more prefer-
able next step.
Australia already has some
of the toughest tobacco laws
in the world, with firms forced
to sell cigarettes in plain pack-
ets largely covered with graph-
ic health warnings.
The percentage of smokers
in Australia has dropped
from about 50 per cent in the
1950s to 15 per cent now. The
government is aiming to
push it down to 10 per cent
by 2018. AFP
TWO Times journalists have
been kidnapped, beaten and
shot at by a Syrian rebel gang,
before managing to escape
with their lives.
Reporter Anthony Loyd and
photographer Jack Hill were
returning to Turkey from
northern Syria with their fixer
when they were apprehended
by the rebels, who tied them
up and threw them in the back
of their car.
Loyd was hooded and they
were driven to the town of
Tall Rifat where they were
held in a warehouse by guards
who had been guiding them
to the border.
But by looking through a
crack in the cars boot, the
journalists noticed an oppor-
tunity to force open the boot
with their feet and escape.
The fixer managed to steal a
moped and raced away to a
safe house nearby.
The Times journalists were
recaptured, however, and
beaten by the rebels, who also
shot Loyd twice in the leg to
stop him running away.
The pair did not escape until
the Islamic Front, which was
formed last year to counter
extremists, heard the news
and confronted the gang.
The three men eventually
escaped to Turkey, where Loyd
was taken to hospital. Loyd has
won several awards for his
reports on the conflict in Syria,
and won the Foreign Reporter
of the Year award from the Soci-
ety of Editors earlier this year.
One source told the Times
that the kidnappers had
dollar signs in their eyes
when they realised they had
captured Western journal-
ists. THE GUARDIAN
I
NCREASING evidence is
emerging that the policy sum-
maries on climate impacts and
mitigation by the UN Intergov-
ernment Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) were significantly diluted
under political pressure from some
of the worlds biggest greenhouse
gas emitters, including Saudi Arabia,
China, Brazil and the United States.
Several experts familiar with the
IPCC government approval process
for the Summary for Policymakers
(SPM) reports documents summa-
rising the thousands of pages of
technical and scientific reports for
government officials have spoken
out about their distortion due to
political interests.
According to David Wasdell, who
leads on feedback dynamics in cou-
pled complex global systems for the
European Commissions Global Sys-
tem Dynamics and Policy (GSDP)
network, every word and line of the
text previously submitted by the sci-
entific community was examined
and amended until it could be
endorsed unanimously by the politi-
cal representatives.
In a detailed paper critiquing the
Working Group 1 (WG1) Summary
for Policymakers, Wasdell revealed
that: Greatest pressure to establish
grounds for the highest possible
budget came from those countries
whose national economy, political
power and social stability depend on
sustaining the asset value and pro-
duction revenue derived from
exploitation of their resources of fos-
sil energy. Additional pressure was
applied to the political agents by
those vested interests whose sus-
tained profitability was based on the
extraction, refining, marketing and
use of fossil energy as the ground of
the global economy.
As an accredited reviewer for the
IPCCs 2007 Fourth Assessment
Report, Wasdell had previously criti-
cised the political approval process
for playing down amplifying feed-
backs which could accelerate cli-
mate change. That charge was
strongly denied by the IPCCs lead
authors at the time, although politi-
cal interference amounting to sci-
entific vandalism was alleged by
other sources.
Wasdell told me that scientists
familiar with the political approval
process in Stockholm for the new
WG1 Summary for Policymakers
including WG1 co-chair Professor
Thomas Stocker who had signed the
2007 rejoinder to Wasdell had con-
firmed that governments fought to
amend text that would damage their
perceived interests. His paper says:
. . . the objections were led by
Saudi Arabia, strongly supported by
China, and associated with an
emerging group of like-minded
nations. The impasse was broken
following suggested modifications of
both text and diagram provided by
the representatives of the USA. The
resulting compromise safeguards
the vested interests of global
dependency on fossil sources of
energy, while constraining the
capacity of the international com-
munity to take any effective action
to deal with the threat of dangerous
climate change.
WG1 co-chair Professor Thomas
Stocker, however, denied any
knowledge of such political pres-
sure, describing these allegations
as not correct for WG1. He con-
ceded that the situation is differ-
ent for WG2 and WG3.
Wasdell said that the draft submit-
ted by scientists contained a metric
projecting cumulative total anthro-
pogenic carbon dioxide emissions,
on the basis of which a carbon
budget was estimated the quantity
of carbon that could be safely emit-
ted without breaching the 2 degrees
Celsius limit to avoid dangerous glo-
bal warming. He said that the final
version approved by governments
significantly amended the original
metric to increase the amount of
carbon that could still be emitted.
The total carbon budget according
to this estimate is about 1,000 giga-
tonnes of carbon (GtC) although
over 531 GtC was emitted already by
2011, leaving 469 GtC left. Applying
the corrected non-linear function
reduces this available budget to just
280 GtC this figure does not
account for the role of greenhouse
gases other than CO2, including the
potential impact of thawing perma-
frost or methane hydrates.
If included, they would reduce
the budget even further. Current
emissions reduction pledges,
therefore, still guarantee disaster.
His paper reads:
. . . present levels of international
contribution towards the reduction
of emissions still led to a cumulative
total of 2000 GtC by the year 2100.
That left an emissions reduction gap
of some 1097 GtC between promised
reductions and the 903 GtC required
to prevent temperature increase
exceeding the policy goal of 2C.
Wasdell thus told me: The sum-
mary for policymakers is a docu-
ment of appeasement, not fit for
purpose. In reality, if my calculations
are correct, we not only dont have
much of a carbon budget left, we
have already overshot that budget
were in overdraft.
Wasdells claims about the politici-
sation of the IPCCs summary
reports for policymakers are corrob-
orated by other scientists.
In a letter addressed to senior
IPCC chairs dated April 17, Prof Rob-
ert Stavins a lead author for the
IPCCs Working Group 3 focusing on
climate mitigation complained of
his frustration that the govern-
ment approval process built politi-
cal credibility by sacrificing scientific
integrity. His critique was, however,
widely misrepresented by climate
deniers as proving that the IPCCs
scientific verdict about the dangers
of global warming are too alarmist.
Leading the pack, Daily Mail
reporter David Rose attempted to
equate Stavins concerns with those
of economist Richard Tol, who with-
drew from the summary of an earli-
er volume of the full IPCC report, on
the grounds it had been sexed up
by the same government officials
and had become overly alarmist.
Yet as noted by Dimitri Zenghelis,
principal research fellow at the Lon-
don School of Economics Grantham
Research Institute on Climate
Change and the Environment, Tols
claims about IPCC alarmism are rid-
dled with significant errors and
misrepresentations, selective and
misleading quoting, and based on
his own paper containing a number
of mistakes, as well as a fundamen-
tally flawed understanding of the
risks of climate change.
The IPCCs assessments of the
potential costs of climate change is
probably an underestimate, argued
Zenghelis, because it omits consid-
eration of many of the impacts of
climate change, including potential-
ly catastrophic risks.
Prof Stavins himself dismissed the
denialist fringe elements of the
press and blogosphere which capi-
talised on the situation by distorting
the message of my original post to
meet their own objectives.
My expressed concerns, Stavins
told me, were about the govern-
ment approval process of one sec-
tion on international cooperation of
the Working Group 3 Summary for
Policymakers. He emphasised: My
remarks did not include any com-
ments on and have no implications
regarding the integrity of climate
science. Rather, government repre-
sentatives in Berlin sought to pro-
tect their respective countries inter-
ests by minimising text that could be
perceived to be inconsistent with
their negotiating positions.
Stavins remarks were also backed
up by Oxford Universitys Prof John
Broome, a IPCC WG3 lead author:
At our IPCC meeting, they treated
the SPM as though it were a legal
document rather than a scientific
report. To achieve consensus, the
text of the SPM was made vaguer in
many places, and its content diluted
to the extent that in some places not
much substance remained.
Far from being too alarmist, these
criticisms suggest that the IPCCs
summary reports are too conserva-
tive. Like Wasdell, Broome describes
how a coalition of countries led by
Saudi Arabia at the April approval
session in Berlin insisted that all
figures depicting increases of
greenhouse gas emissions in coun-
tries classified by income group
should be deleted.
Saudi Arabia, he said, also wanted
to delete all references to any part of
the main report that mentioned
income groups . . . in the end Saudi
Arabia got its way completely.
According to the Sydney Morning
Herald, other countries leading the
drive to dilute the document
included China, Brazil and the
United States.
World
Jungle beat
Ugandan soldiers under African Union command patrol as part of a mission to combat rebels from Joseph Konys Lords Resistance Army in Obo
in the Central African Republic on Sunday. The International Criminal Court has arrest warrants outstanding against Joseph Kony, his deputy
Vincent Otti, and the LRA commanders Okot Odhiambo, deputy army commander and Dominic Ongwen, brigade commander of the Sania Brigade
of the LRA. The four LRA leaders were charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, rape, and sexual slavery.
Conict continues to take place in the area, with the reported abductions of local men and boys. AFP
THE US marine archaeologist
who believes he has found
the famous agship of Chris-
topher Columbus said on
Wednesday that salvaging it
was urgent to prevent looting.
I think this is an emer-
gency situation. I think the
ship needs to be excavated as
quickly as possible, conserved
and displayed to the world,
underwater explorer Barry
Clifford told The Explorers
Club, referring to the fabled
Santa Maria.
The agship from the ex-
plorers rst voyage to the
Americas was found in the
area where Columbus said
the Santa Maria ran aground
more than 500 years ago, Clif-
ford said on Tuesday.
The researcher said the ex-
pedition he led to nd the
wreck unearthed sufcient
proof to establish its authen-
ticity 11 years after he rst
investigated it.
Clifford, 68, cited over-
whelming proof that the ship
was likely the Santa Maria.
There is nobody watching
the ship right now, he fretted,
adding that somebody knows
where we are.
Im ready to leave next
week if I get the green light,
he added, noting that discus-
sions were under way with
Haitian authorities.
He said he hoped they
would cooperate on protect-
ing the site, and voiced hope
that Spain which funded
Columbus voyage would
cooperate as well.
Clifford also said that he
hopes Haiti the poorest
country in the Americas
can use the wrecks recovery
as a way to help it nancial-
ly. He suggested worldwide
proceeds from shows of the
items when recovered, go to
Haitian assistance.
Bitter disagreements be-
tween Haitian politicians
have threatened already
painfully slow reconstruction
following a devastating earth-
quake in January 2010 that
killed around a quarter of a
million people in the Carib-
bean nation.
Four years on, hundreds of
thousands are still living in
makeshift camps.
Columbus set sail August
3, 1492 from Palos de la Fron-
tera in southern Spain, with
the Santa Maria, La Nina
and La Pinta, searching for a
shortcut to Asia.
On October 12 of that year,
he is believed to have landed
in Guanahani, which histori-
ans have identied as an is-
land in the Bahamas, in what
is popularly called the Dis-
covery of the Americas. AFP
Columbus wreck is
at risk from looting
Analysis
Dr Nafeez Ahmed
IPCC reports diluted under political pressure
Dr Nafeez Ahmed is executive director of the
Institute for Policy Research & Development
and author of A Users Guide to the Crisis of
Civilisation: And How to Save It among other
books.
Opinion
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R
ECENTLY, at the meeting of
the International Olympic
Committee in Sochi, United
Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon took a stand against
homophobia and transphobia,
declaring: We must all raise our
voices against attacks on lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) or
intersex people. We must oppose
the arrests, imprisonments and dis-
criminatory restrictions they face.
Hatred of any kind must have no
place in the 21st century.
As we mark Pride Week this week
in the lead-up to the International
Day Against Homophobia and
Transphobia on Saturday, this mes-
sage reminds us of the need to pro-
mote and protect the rights of all
Cambodians, regardless of their
sexual orientation or gender identi-
ty. It is a message the United
Nations family stands firmly
behind, informed by the intrinsic
value of diversity and its impor-
tance to development that is inclu-
sive and sustainable.
Earlier this year, LGBT representa-
tives talked about their experiences
of being LGBT in Cambodia at a
national dialogue supported by the
United Nations and USAID. Many
relayed stories of ostracism, intimi-
dation and violence from family
members, peers and local authori-
ties. Others talked about how dis-
crimination had prevented them
from finishing school, finding a
decent job and accessing health
care. The story of Shella (not her
real name) was familiar to many:
My family used to scold me
because of who I am, they stigma-
tised me and didnt like me. They
also kicked me out of the house . . .
when they saw me wearing girls
clothing. In school, there were many
problems and classmates insulted,
teased and threw chalk at me, the
teacher didnt do anything to stop
them, and they didnt like how I
expressed myself, how I walked and
talked. I only finished up to fourth
grade . . . I had many difficulties as I
didnt know how to support myself.
Indeed, family acceptance was
one of the main concerns raised.
Facing stigma and discrimination,
many LGBT persons leave their
families at a young age. Like Shella,
they are often left vulnerable with
few opportunities for education or
work. While Cambodian law does
not criminalise same-sex relation-
ships, a recent study found that
LGBT persons experience high lev-
els of stigma, discrimination, and
exclusion in a variety of settings: the
home, school, the workplace, health
facilities, and public spaces.
Such discrimination disadvantag-
es LGBT persons and prevents them
from enjoying their full social, polit-
ical, economic and cultural rights.
Government authorities at differ-
ent levels, parents, teachers,
employers, development partners
and civil society all have a role to
play in promoting and protecting
the rights of LGBT persons so that
they can participate fully and equal-
ly in Cambodian society.
Positive steps have been taken in
recent years. There is growing rec-
ognition of sexual orientation and
gender identity issues among gov-
ernment, development partners and
civil society organisations. His Maj-
esty King Norodom Sihanouk, poli-
ticians and community leaders have
spoken up publicly against discrimi-
nation of LGBT persons. Same-sex
marriage has been supported by
several village chiefs and 15 lesbian
couples are known to have been
issued marriage certificates in Kan-
dal, Takeo, Prey Veng and Kampong
Chhnang provinces.
The LGBT community in Cambo-
dia is increasingly active and well-
organised. Seminars on LGBT rights
are regularly held in universities
and Pride Week has been organised
every year since 2009. This year,
under the theme Voice to the
Voiceless Community, groups like
CamASEAN, the Cambodian Center
for Human Rights, the National
MSM Network and Rainbow Com-
munity Kampuchea have organised
a range of events and workshops
covering issues such as family
acceptance, legal protection and
HIV. I commend these organisa-
tions, which are vital for improving
the rights of Cambodias LGBT com-
munity.
Since the first United Nations res-
olution on human rights, sexual ori-
entation and gender identity was
adopted in 2011, more and more
countries in Asia and around the
world are taking action to ban dis-
crimination, penalise hate crimes,
recognise same-sex relationships
and grant official documents to
transgender and intersex persons.
The United Nations is supporting
these efforts, launching the Free
and Equal campaign in July last
year to raise awareness about
violence and discrimination and to
promote LGBT rights, including
in Cambodia.
Eradicating discrimination takes
time and education. It requires
changing not just laws and policies
but also hearts and minds. Everyone
government, civil society, develop-
ment partners and individuals can
take part in making these changes
to combat violence and discrimina-
tion against LGBT persons. Because
they share the same dreams as eve-
ryone else.
Comment
Claire Van der Vaeren
Equality at heart of Pride Week
People attend an introductory LGBT life workshop in Phnom Penh on Wednesday as part of Cambodias sixth annual Pride Week. CHARLOTTE PERT
Claire Van der Vaeren is the United Nations
resident coordinator.
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Tel: 092 23 26 23/ 081 23 00 00

MODERN DESIGN APT FOR
Rent North of Olumpic Market, 02
bedrooms, large living room, fully
and modern furnished, western
kitchen, very safe and quiet, the
best location for residence.
Price: US$450/month
Tel: 092 23 26 23/ 081 23 00 00
BRAND NEW MODERN
Apartment for Rent Tonle Basac
01-02beds&Penthouse, real modern
interior designed, large living room,
very light, fully & modern furniture,
modernKitchen, roof toppool &gym,
Price: $1,200 2,000 and 3,500/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/ 081 23 00 00

MODERN DESIGN APARTMENT
for Rent LocatedinRoseCondo, 12th
oor, 03 bed, open & large living
room, fully and modern furnished,
modern kitchen, lots of light, nice
balcony, nice pool & gym, very
good condition for living. $1,800 /m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00
Rent Located in south of Russian
Market, 01-02 bed, large living
room, fully & modern furnished,
modern kitchen, lots of light, nice
balcony, good condition for living,
big parking.Price: $600-$850/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00
WESTERN APARTMENT FOR
Rent Located in BKKI, 1-2-3 bed,
large living room, fully and modern
furnished, western kitchen, big
balcony, quite & safety area, big
parkinglots, goodconditionfor living.
Price: $800-US$1,200-$2,000/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00
WESTERN SWIMMING POOL
Apartment for Rent Located in Wat
Phnom, 01&02&03 beds, very big
pool and gym, open living room,
fully and modern furnished,
western kitchen, nice balcony, very
safety area,good condition for living
.Price: 900-$1,200-1,800/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00
COLONIAL STYLE APARTMENT
for Rent Located a long riverside,
02 bed, elevator, open living room,
fully and classic furnished, nice
kitchen, nice and big balcony, river
view, very safety area, very good
condition for living.Price: 1,800/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00

Rent Locatednear independent
monument, 2bed, openlivingroom&
kitchen, fully andmodernfurnished,
very safety area, very quiet, very good
conditionfor living. Price: 770/m
Tel: 092 23 26 23/081 23 00 00
MODERN DESIGN APT FOR
Rent Near Russian Market, 01-02
bedrooms, open living room, fully
and modern furnished, western
kitchen, very safe and quiet, the
best location for residence.
Price: US$600-US$1,050/month
Tel: 092 23 26 23/ 081 23 00 00
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 16 , 2014 19
Travel
20
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE
FROM PHNOM PENH TO PHNOM PENH
Flighs Days Dep Arrival Flighs Days Dep Arrival
PHNOMPENH- BANGKOK BANGKOK- PHNOMPENH
K6 720 Daily 12:05 01:10 K6 721 Daily 02:25 03:30
PG 938 Daily 06:40 08:15 PG 931 Daily 07:55 09:05
PG 932 Daily 09:55 11:10 TG 580 Daily 07:55 09:05
TG 581 Daily 10:05 11:10 PG 933 Daily 13:30 14:40
PG 934 Daily 15:30 16:40 FD 3616 Daily 15:15 16:20
FD 3617 Daily 17:05 18:15 PG 935 Daily 17:30 18:40
PG 936 Daily 19:30 20:40 TG 584 Daily 18:25 19:40
TG 585 Daily 20:40 21:45 PG 937 Daily 20:15 21:50
PHNOMPENH- BEIJING BEIJING- PHNOMPENH
CZ 324 Daily 08:00 16:05 CZ 323 Daily 14:30 20:50
PHNOMPENH- DOHA( ViaHCMC) DOHA- PHNOMPENH( ViaHCMC)
QR 965 Daily 16:30 23:05 QR 964 Daily 01:00 15:05
PHNOMPENH- GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU- PHNOMPENH
CZ 324 Daily 08:00 11:40 CZ 6059 2.4.7 12:00 13:45
CZ 6060 2.4.7 14:45 18:10 CZ 323 Daily 19:05 20:50
PHNOMPENH- HANOI HANOI - PHNOMPENH
VN 840 Daily 17:30 20:35 VN 841 Daily 09:40 13:00
PHNOMPENH- HOCHI MINHCITY HOCHI MINHCITY- PHNOMPENH
QR 965 Daily 16:30 17:30 QR 964 Daily 14:05 15:05
VN 841 Daily 14:00 14:45 VN 920 Daily 15:50 16:30
VN 3856 Daily 19:20 20:05 VN 3857 Daily 18:00 18:45
PHNOMPENH- HONGKONG HONGKONG- PHNOMPENH
KA 207 1.2.4.7 11:25 15:05 KA 208 1.2.4.6.7 08:50 10:25
KA 207 6 11:45 22:25 KA 206 3.5.7 14:30 16:05
KA 209 1 18:30 22:05 KA 206 1 15:25 17:00
KA 209 3.5.7 17:25 21:00 KA 206 2 15:50 17:25
KA 205 2 19:00 22:35 - - - -
PHNOMPENH- INCHEON INCHEON- PHNOMPENH
KE 690 Daily 23:40 06:40 KE 689 Daily 18:30 22:20
OZ 740 Daily 23:50 06:50 OZ 739 Daily 19:10 22:50
PHNOMPENH- KUALALUMPUR KUALALUMPUR- PHNOMPENH
AK 1473 Daily 08:35 11:20 AK 1474 Daily 15:15 16:00
MH 755 Daily 11:10 14:00 MH 754 Daily 09:30 10:20
MH 763 Daily 17:10 20:00 MH 762 Daily 3:20 4:10
PHNOMPENH- PARIS PHNOMPENH- PARIS
AF 273 2 20:05 06:05 AF 273 2 20:05 06:05
PHNOMPENH- SHANGHAI SHANGHAI - PHNOMPENH
FM 833 2.3.4.5.7 19:50 23:05 FM 833 2.3.4.5.7 19:30 22:40
PHNOMPENH- SINGAPORE SINGAPORE-PHNOMPENH
MI 601 1.3.5.6.7 09:30 12:30 MI 602 1.3.5.6.7 07:40 08:40
MI 622 2.4 12:20 15:20 MI 622 2.4 08:40 11:25
3K 594 1234..7 15:25 18:20 3K 593 Daily 13:30 14:40
3K 594 ....56. 15:25 18:10 - - - -
MI 607 Daily 18:10 21:10 MI 608 Daily 16:20 17:15
2817 1.3 16:40 19:40 2816 1.3 15:00 15:50
2817 2.4.5 09:10 12:00 2816 2.4.5 07:20 08:10
2817 6 14:50 17:50 2816 6 13:00 14:00
2817 7 13:20 16:10 2816 7 11:30 12:30
PHNOMPENH-TAIPEI TAIPEI - PHNOMPENH
BR 266 Daily 12:45 17:05 BR 265 Daily 09:10 11:35
PHNOMPENH- VIENTIANE VIENTIANE- PHNOMPENH
VN 840 Daily 17:30 18:50 VN 841 Daily 11:30 13:00
QV 920 Daily 17:50 19:10 QV 921 Daily 11:45 13:15
PHNOMPENH- YANGON YANGON- SIEMREAP
8M 402 1.3.6 13:30 14:55 8M 401 1.3.6 08:20 10:45
SIEMREAP- PHNOMPENH
8M 401 1.3.6 11:45 12:30
SIEMREAP- BANGKOK BANGKOK- SIEMREAP
K6 700 Daily 12:50 2:00 K6 701 Daily 02:55 04:05
PG 924 Daily 09:45 11:10 PG 903 Daily 08:00 09:00
PG 906 Daily 13:15 14:40 PG 905 Daily 11:35 12:45
PG 914 Daily 15:20 16:45 PG 913 Daily 13:35 14:35
PG 908 Daily 18:50 20:15 PG 907 Daily 17:00 18:10
PG 910 Daily 20:30 21:55 PG 909 Daily 18:45 19:55
SIEMREAP- GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU- SIEMREAP
CZ 3054 2.4.6 11:25 15:35 CZ 3053 2.4.6 08:45 10:30
CZ 3054 1.3.5.7 19:25 23:20 CZ 3053 1.3.5.7 16:35 18:30
SIEMREAP-HANOI HANOI - SIEMREAP
K6 850 Daily 06:50 08:30 K6 851 Daily 19:30 21:15
VN 868 1.2.3.5.6 12:40 15:35 VN 843 Daily 15:25 17:10
VN 842 Daily 18:05 19:45 VN 845 Daily 17:05 18:50
VN 844 Daily 19:45 21:25 VN 845 Daily 17:45 19:30
VN 800 Daily 21:00 22:40 VN 801 Daily 18:20 20:00
SIEMREAP-HOCHI MINHCITY HOCHI MINHCITY-SIEMREAP
VN 3818 Daily 11:10 12:30 VN 3809 Daily 09:15 10:35
VN 826 Daily 13:30 14:40 VN 827 Daily 11:35 12:35
VN 3820 Daily 17:45 18:45 VN 3821 Daily 15:55 16:55
VN 828 Daily 18:20 19:20 VN 829 Daily 16:20 17:40
VN 3822 Daily 21:35 22:35 VN 3823 Daily 19:45 20:45
SIEMREAP- INCHEON INCHEON- SIEMREAP
KE 688 Daily 23:15 06:10 KE 687 Daily 18:30 22:15
OZ 738 Daily 23:40 07:10 OZ 737 Daily 19:20 22:40
SIEMREAP- KUALALUMPUR KUALALUMPUR- SIEMREAP
AK 281 Daily 08:35 11:35 AK 280 Daily 06:50 07:50
MH 765 3.5.7 14:15 17:25 MH 764 3.5.7 12:10 13:15
SIEMREAP- MANILA MANILA- SIEMREAP
FLY DIRECT TOMYANMARMONDAY, WEDNESDAY &SATURDAY
YANGON- PHNOMPENH PHNOM PENH - YANGON
FLY DIRECT TOSIEMREAPMONDAY, WEDNESDAY &SATURDAY
SIEMREAP- YANGON YANGON - SIEM REAP
#90+92+94Eo, St. 217, Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Tel 023 881 178 | Fax 023 886 677 | www.maiair.com
REGULAR SHIPPING LINES SCHEDULES
CALLING PORT ROTATION
LINE CALLING SCHEDULES FREEQUENCY ROTATIONPORTS
RCL
(12calls/moth)
1 Wed, 08:00 - Thu 16:00 1 Call/week SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN
2 Thu, 14:00 - Fri 22:00 1 Call/week
HKG-SHV-SGZ-HKG
(HPH-TXGKEL)
3 Fri, 20:00 - Sat 23:59 1 Call/week SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN
MEARSK (MCC)
(4 calls/moth)
1 Th, 08:00 - 20:00 1 Call/week
SGN-SHV-LZP-SGN
- HKG-OSA-TYO-KOB
- BUS-SGH-YAT-SGN
- SIN-SHV-TPP-SIN
2 Fri, 22:00- Sun 00:01 1 Call/week
SITC (BEN LINE
(4 calls/onth)
Sun 09:00-23:00 1 Call/week
HCM-SHV-LZP-HCM-
NBO-SGH-OSA-KOB-
BUS-SGH-HGK-CHM
ITL (ACL)
(4 calls/month)
Sat 06:00 - Sun 08:00 1 Call/week SGZ-SHV-SIN-SGZ
APL
(4 calls/month)
Fri, 08:00 - Sun, 06:00 1 call/week SIN-SHV-SIN
COTS
(2 calls/month)
Irregula 2 calls/month BBK-SHV-BKK-(LZP)
34 call/month
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
SGZ= Songkhla, Thailand
SHV= Sihanoukville Port Cambodia
SIN= Singapore
TPP= TanjungPelapas, Malaysia
TYO= Tokyo, Japan
TXG= Taichung, Taiwan
YAT= Yantian, China
YOK= Yokohama, Japan
AIRLINES
Air Asia (AK)
Room T6, PP International
Airport. Tel: 023 6666 555
Fax: 023 890 071
www.airasia.com
Cambodia Angkor Air (K6)
PP Ofce, #90+92+94Eo,
St.217, Sk.Orussey4, Kh.
7Makara, 023 881 178 /77-
718-333. Fax:+855 23-886-677
www.cambodiaangkorair.com
E: mai@royalaviationexpert.com
Qatar Airways (Newaddress)
VattanacCapital Tower, Level7,
No.66, PreahMonivongBlvd,
Sangkat what Phnom, Khan
DaunPenh. PP, P: (023) 963800.
E: pnhres@kh.qatarairway.com
MyanmarAirwaysInternational
#90+92+94Eo, St. 217,
Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
T:023 881 178 | F:023 886 677
www.maiair.com
Dragon Air (KA)
#168, Monireth, PP
Tel: 023 424 300
Fax: 023 424 304
www.dragonair.com/kh
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

Koreanair (KE)
Room.F3-R03, Intelligent Ofce
Center, Monivong Blvd,PP
Tel: (855) 23 224 047-9
www.koreanair.com
Cebu Pacic (5J)
Phnom Penh: No. 333B
Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 219161
SiemReap: No. 50,Sivatha Blvd.
Tel: 063 965487
E-mail: cebuair@ptm-travel.com
www.cebupacicair.com
SilkAir (MI)
Regency C,Unit 2-4, Tumnorb
Teuk, Chamkarmorn
Phnom Penh
Tel:023 988 629
www.silkair.com
AIRLINES CODE COLOUR CODE
2817 - 16 Tigerairways KA - Dragon Air 1 Monday
5J - CEBU Airways. MH - Malaysia Airlines 2 Tuesday
AK - Air Asia MI - SilkAir 3 Wednesday
BR - EVA Airways OZ - Asiana Airlines 4 Thursday
CI - China Airlines PG - Bangkok Airways 5 Friday
CZ - China Southern QR - Qatar Airways 6 Saturday
FD - Thai Air Asia QV - Lao Airlines 7 Sunday
FM - Shanghai Air SQ - Singapore Airlines
K6- Cambodia Angkor Air TG - Thai Airways | VN - Vietnam Airlines
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.
5J 258 2.4.7 22:30 02:11 5J 257 2.4.7 19:45 21:30
SIEMREAP- SINGAPORE SINGAPORE- SIEMREAP
MI 633 1, 6, 7 16:35 22:15 MI 633 1, 6, 7 14:35 15:45
MI 622 2.4 10:40 15:20 MI 622 2.4 08:40 09:50
MI 630 5 12:25 15:40 MI 616 7 10:40 11:50
MI 615 7 12:45 16:05 MI 636 3, 2 13:55 17:40
MI 636 3, 2 18:30 21:35 MI 630 5 07:55 11:35
MI 617 5 18:35 21:55 MI 618 5 16:35 17:45
3K 598 .2....7 15:35 18:40 3K 597 .2....7 13:45 14:50
3K 598 ...4... 15:35 18:30 3K 597 ...4... 13:45 14:50
SIEMREAP- VIENTIANE VIENTIANE- SIEMREAP
QV 522 2.4.5.7 10:05 13:00 QV 512 2.4.5.7 06:30 09:25
SIEMREAP- YANGON YANGON- SIEMREAP
8M 402 1. 5 20:15 21:25 8M 401 1. 5 17:05 19:15
PREAHSIHANOUK- SIEMREAP SIEMREAP- PREAHSIHANOUK
K6 130 1-3-5 12:55 13:55 K6 131 1-3-5 11:20 12:20
Having Spains
Roman ruins
all to yourself
Historians say the Centcelles ceiling mosaic is among the worlds nest
examples of the art. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Miranda S Spivack
O
N A sunny Saturday
near the Spanish
coastal city of Tarra-
gona, my husband
and I stood in a small building
with a rounded ceiling, gaz-
ing at a nely crafted mosaic
thats said to be about 1,500
years old. The building is sur-
rounded by an empty eld and
has a small paved parking lot,
also empty.
Surely there had been oth-
ers the day before? One of
the two curators on the site
shrugged, paused a moment,
and then gave his answer.
Quizas tres, he said, with a
shrug. Maybe three.
Really? Only three people
had come out to see this ex-
traordinary Roman-Christian
relic, known as Centcelles?
Many art historians say that
its among the worlds nest
examples of a ceiling mosaic.
The Centcelles mosaic por-
trays hunting scenes with wild
animals, including lions, as
well as Bible stories, and other
scenes that still defy interpre-
tation. It is at least 10 metres
above the ground, a tribute to
both artistry and engineering.
How did the artist get up there
and stay there? Theres plenty of
time to contemplate that in the
quiet inside. As was the case
with most of our other visits to
many of Spains carefully pre-
served Roman sites, we were
able to enjoy Centcelles virtu-
ally alone. No other visitors
muscling us aside for a better
view or disturbing the peace by
answering cellphones.
Spain attracts more than 50
million visitors annually, ac-
cording to government data.
But the vast majority strike
out for the cities and beaches
and never make it to some of
the countrys lesser-known but
well-protected Roman ruins,
thereby missing out on op-
portunities to delve into world
history, examine architectural
marvels and see some great
works of art in the open air.
We began our most recent
quest for Roman ruins in Ma-
drid, where the treasure-lled
National Archaeological Mu-
seum reopened in early April
after being closed for six years.
Its a good starting point for
gaining an understanding of
Roman Spain, with its cache of
mosaics, jewellery, sculptures,
vases, glass containers and Ro-
man tablets spelling out laws.
Then, with Madrid as a base,
its easy to make day trips or
longer journeys to the dozens
of Roman sites across Spain, for
centuries one of Romes most
remote but thriving outposts.
A few days after we spent
several hours in the Madrid
museum, we rented a car and
drove about an hour to Car-
ranque. The sprawling site just
outside the town of the same
name includes the remains
of three buildings, including
what appears to have been a
20-room Roman villa whose
wealthy owner commissioned
dozens of mosaics for the
oors and walls. The mosaics
are in their original locations
in the villa.
Carranque offers one of
Spains most easily accessible
examples of what life might
have been like for the rich in
Roman Spain in the late fourth
century. Carranque, it turned
out, foreshadowed the end of
an era; it was built about 100
years before decadence, bad
crops and invasions from the
north helped spark the decline
of Romes Spanish outposts.
When we arrived at Car-
ranque about 10:30am on a
Saturday, we found ourselves
alone in the empty parking
lot. By 11am, when a tour in
Spanish was to begin, perhaps
a dozen people had shown up.
Once we completed the tour,
helped out by a free brochure
in English, most of the oth-
ers took off, leaving us nearly
alone. THE WASHINGTON POST
Sport
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 16, 2014 21
Cambodians take on
Thai foes at Bayon TV
SATURDAYS 2015 AEC
Fighting tournament at the
Vietnam Circus Centre
opposite the National
Assembly, hosted by Bayon TV,
will feature a card of four
international match-ups
between Cambodian and Thai
fighters. At 69 kilograms, Vong
Noy (89-27-3) takes on
Thailands Sansakchai
Auqurnmung (48-20-2), while
at 67kg, Phal Sophon (68-27-3)
comes up against Lamnun-
chee Rongrean Angthong
(39-15). Em Vutha will then go
toe-to-toe with Thai challenger
Rombo Sor Sophit (86-35-4) at
65kg, with a 51kg match up
also slated for Chub Cheang
(40-6-1) against visitor Anup
Sor Kamsing (40-20). YEUN
PONLOK, TRANSLATED BY CHENG
SERYRITH
Honda Racing renew
with Marquez until 2016
REIGNING MotoGP world
champion Marc Marquez has
agreed to a two-year contract
extension with Honda Racing
Corporation. The 21-year-old
Spaniard stormed the
championship in his rookie year
in 2013 and has won all four
races so far this season each
from pole position. Since joining
the Repsol Honda Team,
Marquez has finished on the
podium in all but two of his 22
premier class races, taking 10
victories, six seconds and four
thirds and accumulating 13
poles. He arrives at this
weekends French Grand Prix
leading the riders
championship by 28 points.
Sundays main race gets under
way at 7pm Cambodian time.
DANRILEY
Odds against Sharks in
Super Rugby showdown
THE Coastal Sharks put their
Super Rugby competition lead
on the line on Saturday against
the red-hot Canterbury Crusa-
ders in Christchurch, where they
have never won. The Durban-
based Sharks lead the southern
hemisphere provincial series by
just one point from defending
champions the Waikato Chiefs,
with the ACT Brumbies a
further point away. Jake
Whites Sharks went down
16-9 to the Brumbies in
Canberra last week, but face
the seven-time Super Rugby
champion Crusaders fuelled
by the momentum of five
straight wins. AFP
Canadiens roll over
Bruins, reach East final
CAREY Price stopped 29 shots
and Daniel Briere scored the
insurance goal as the Montreal
Canadiens beat the Boston
Bruins 3-1 in game seven of
their second round NHL playoff
series. Dale Weise and Max
Pacioretty also scored while
Briere added an assist for
Montreal, who are 6-3 in game
sevens with the Bruins. The
Canadiens and Bruins have
played more game sevens than
any other rivalry in North
American professional sports.
In the other second round
playoff contest on Wednesday,
Jonathan Quick stopped 21
shots and the Los Angeles
Kings snapped Anaheims
three-game win streak with a
2-1 win to force game seven in
their Western Conference
showdown. AFP
Ben Askren is ready to make his welterweight debut at ONE FC in Sin-
gapore on May 30. SRENG MENG SRUN
Ben Askren (below) practises submissions with Team Evolve head coach Heath Sims during a media workout
at Paddys Gym yesterday. SRENG MENG SRUN
Askren getting funky in Asia
UNDEFEATED American
mixed martial artist Ben
Askren made a stop in Phnom
Penh yesterday as part of his
ve-city tour of Asia, conduct-
ing a media workout session
at Paddys Gym in front of a
packed crowd of journalists,
cameramen and ght fans.
The former US Olympic team
and college champion wres-
tler has amassed an incredible
12-0 record in the cage and is
regarded as one of the worlds
top welterweights. He is set to
make his ONE FC debut in the
main event of ONE FC: Honor
& Glory on May 30 at the Sin-
gapore Indoor Stadium, where
he will be facing top contend-
er Bakhtiyar Abbasov (11-2) of
Azerbaijan.
The Posts sports editor
Dan Riley caught up with
Askren for an exclusive chat
yesterday.
Youve been quoted as saying
that your move to Asia was due
to a great offer from ONE FC.
But what did you know about
Asian MMA and its ghters?
When I was growing up,
PRIDE in Japan was very pop-
ular and I watched some of it.
Now, after the fall of PRIDE,
ONE FC has emerged and I am
excited to be a part of it.
What do you know about Cam-
bodia, its recent history and its
sites of interest?
I was a geography major
at university, so I knew a bit
about the region. But Ive been
told I must bring my wife back
here to check out more of
Cambodia.
I hear rumours of a ONE FC
event in Cambodia. Would you
like to ght here?
Im a ghter, so I dont get
to choose where and when I
ght. But if the organisation
want me to ght here, Ill be
happy to.
Your background is rmly set
in wrestling as you are a US
collegiate champion and past
member of the US Olympic
team. What was your reaction
when you hear wrestling was
dropped from the Olympics only
to be reinstated months later?
It was a shock. Wrestling
is one of the oldest sports at
the Olympics. Its as old as
running. But its back now, so
thats good.
What are your thoughts on
your Azerbaijan opponent for
May 30? Do you see any risk of
losing your unbeaten streak?
Im condent in my take-
down and groundwork abili-
ties. I think I have enough
to deal with that guy on
the night.
Your nickname is Funky,
based on your unorthodox
style of Funk wrestling rath-
er than your funky hair. Some
media outlets claimed you
struggled to win over fans in
America. Do you think your
style will be more appreci-
ated in Asia?
Crowds in America are differ-
ent, for sure. They want to see
knockouts and blood. Its was
nice to see MMA ghts over
here, where the fans cheered
when ghters escaped holds
on the ground. They seemed to
know and respect much more
of the sport and its tactics.
Do you think you have much
to learn still in MMA and do
you think relocating to Asia
will help you with this?
Theres always something
new to learn about mixed
martial arts. Theres a lot of dif-
ferent elements to it. Im very
happy being at Evolve Fight
Gym in Singapore, training
alongside champions in Muay
Thai, grappling and jiu jitsu.
What do you see as the future
of the sport in Asia?
I think ONE FC is set for
a big boom in popularity
across the region. Its going to
get big.
If you could give one piece of
advice to aspiring Cambodian
MMA ghters, what would it
be?
Work hard and learn. There
is so much to discover about
different fighting tech-
niques, especially wrestling
and jiu jitsu. So it needs a lot
of dedication.
Pacquiao says Asian boxers need support, discipline
BOXING great Manny Pacquiao has
said Asian fighters need greater sup-
port and more discipline if they are to
become world-beaters, a report
said yesterday.
The 35-year-old Filipino superstar
has fought professionally for nearly
two decades and last month reclaimed
the World Boxing Organization welter-
weight world title he lost in 2012.
We have a lot of good talent in Asia,
especially in our country [the Philip-
pines] where there are a lot of young
ones who can do the country proud,
he told Malaysias New Straits Times.
Fighters need to have good coaches,
trainers and facilities. It is also impor-
tant to educate them about what it
takes to be a good boxer and how a
boxers life should be.
Pacquiao, who defeated American
Timothy Bradley by unanimous deci-
sion in Nevada last month to avenge
the 2012 loss, added that Asian fighters
also needed to toughen up mentally.
I did not have a lot of chances to
fight as an amateur in Asia. I had
already turned pro when I was 16 so I
did not get to compete in competitions
such as the Asian Games or even the
Olympics, he said.
To become a professional is not
easy. My advice to those hoping to
make it is to love their job, focus,
believe in God and most importantly
stay disciplined.
Pacquiao, who is also a congressman
in the Philippines, was in Malaysia with
a business delegation from the archi-
pelago. AFP
Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates his WBO welterweight title victory over Timothy
Bradley of the US at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 12. AFP
Football
Brazil coach Scolari
faces tax cheat inquiry
PORTUGUESE authorities are
investigating Brazils national
football coach Luiz Felipe
Scolari for tax fraud, media
reports said on Wednesday
less than a month before the
start of the World Cup.
Scolari has strongly denied
any wrongdoing as he
prepares Brazil to host the
tournament which starts
June 12. Prosecution sources
quoted by Portugals Lusa
news agency said Scolari was
suspected of failing to
declare 7 million ($9.6
million) in income when he
was Portugals coach
between 2003 and 2008. AFP
Valdes says farewell to
Barca after cruel year
INJURED Barcelona keeper
Victor Valdes said goodbye to
his club and fans on
Wednesday, bemoaning a
cruel year. But he still found
time to offer his thanks to key
figures in his career, including
Pep Guardiola and the late Tito
Vilanova, while making no
mention of under-pressure
coach Gerardo Martino. Valdes,
who was sidelined for seven
months after surgery for a knee
injury in March and had already
announced plans to leave at the
end of the season, wrote an
open farewell letter sealing his
departure. Unfortunately, I
could not say goodbye playing
football as I would have liked,
the 32-year-old Spain
international said in the letter,
which was published online on
the Barcelona site. But that is
life sometimes and this year
has been cruel for me in that
sense, the keeper said.
However, a series of surprise
results has left Barcelona with
a chance of winning the league
if they can beat Atletico Madrid
at the Camp Nou tomorrow
night, their last match of the
season. AFP
Svay Rieng back to title fight
H S Manjunath
D
EFENDING Metfone C-
League champions Svay
Rieng will be anxious to get
out of their rather clumpy
domestic campaign so far when they
face Western University on Satur-
day at the Old Stadium after making
an early exit from the group stage of
the AFC Presidents Cup in Mongolia
more than a week ago.
The goal-less draw between the two
Cambodian sides when they last met
may not be a very helpful thought for
Svay Rieng, whose indifferent form
has been a source of concern for the
camp even as they begin the second
phase with two matches from the rst
round yet to be played.
With their title defence rocking, Svay
Rieng have miles to cover before get-
ting into a challenging position and
the team could possibly count any-
thing less than three points against
Western as another setback of sorts.
Western have their own niggling
worries, having slipped down the
standings to last but one. The team
will be in desperate search for positive
results to climb out of the drop zone
as early as they can.
In Saturdays second xture at the Old
Stadium, Boeung Ket Rubber Field, on
sheer class, should enjoy an easy time
against bottom of the table Albirex Nii-
gata, who have lost all but one of their
11 matches so far.
Otherwise, this weekends card offers
two plum matches and plenty of star
value at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday
involving the top two in the standings,
Naga Corp and Phnom Penh Crown.
The two-time champions Naga cur-
rently head the table with 24 points
from 11 games, just one point ahead of
Crown who have a match in hand.
Taking the pitch rst will be Naga
against Ministry of National Defence,
a match-up that is bound to produce
enough thrills at both ends.
Without being spectacular, Naga
have so far maintained a healthy pro-
gression, though head coach Prak So-
vannara would have wished for more
goals from his highly efcient frontline.
The Armymen are not an easy bunch to
rundown and Naga coach is well aware
of the troubles a robust side like MND
could stir up.
Without the services of their central
gure in the attack, Chhin Chhouen,
who was away in Indonesia playing
in an ASEAN charity exhibition game
last Sunday, the Armymen treated
National Police Commissary in a 2-0
win with a degree of disdain. Now that
the hardworking mid-elder is back,
MND should feel lot more comfort-
able and balmy.
With four wins on the trot and last
weeks draw against Naga, Asia Europe
University are riding high in con-
dence as they take on Crown under
oodlights.
Crown have stuck to their task with
great fervour so far and if they play to
their known strengths, the University
backed side could be well within the
sights of the four-time champions. But
AEUs never-say-die mentality could be
a critical factor for Crown to deal with.
Saturdays action at the Olympic Sta-
dium features a clash between TriAsia
and Build Bright United, who are cur-
rently fourth and fth respectively in
the standings.
In the later xture, National Police,
whose league campaign is not going
as well as they would have wished,
take on Kirivong Sok Sen Chey, who
never had such a poor run in the last
few seasons.
Weekend Fixtures
Saturday May 17
At the Old Stadium
Western University v Svay Rieng
1:45pm
Albirex Niigata v Boeung Ket
3:45pm
At the Olympic Stadium
National Police v
Kirivong Sok Sen Chey 3:45pm
TriAsia v Build Bright United 6pm
Sunday May 18
At the Olympic Stadium
MND v Naga 3:45pm
AEU v Phnom Penh Crown 6pm
Svay Riengs Rasak Nou (right) challenges Western Unis Privat Mbarga during their
Metfone C-League game on April 2 at the Olympic Stadium. SRENG MENG SRUN
Arsenal can handle Cup pressure, Wenger says
ARSENAL manager Arsene
Wenger on Wednesday
expressed confidence that the
pressure of the clubs nine-year
trophy drought will not derail
his side in Saturdays FA Cup
final against Hull City.
You dont play with the his-
tory, he said. You play with
your quality and your desire to
play well. It is an opportunity
and we have to take a distance
with time. We need to just turn
up and play well.
Arsenal last won a trophy in
2005, when they beat Manches-
ter United on penalties in the
2005 FA Cup final.
They have since lost two
League Cup finals, in 2007 and
2011, and been beaten by Bar-
celona in the 2006 Champions
League final.
No matter what the result
will be, this club and this is
always most important can
deal with the consequences of
any game, Wenger added.
What is important is that
we come out of the game and
have the feeling that we gave
absolutely our best, our total
energy to play at our best, and
then you always accept the
consequences.
No matter how much we talk
about it, you can win and lose,
but you want to come out of the
game feeling you have done the
maximum to win and that is
what we want to achieve.
Meanwhile, Wenger says he
is happy to field Bacary Sagna
and Lukasz Fabianski in the
final despite uncertainty over
their futures.
The contracts of France right
back Sagna and Poland goal-
keeper Fabianski are due to
expire shortly and both have
rejected new deals from the
club, but Wenger has no qualms
about selecting them.
On Sagnas situation, Wenger
told a press conference: I told
you many times that its exactly
the same as last week. The ball
is in his camp and I cannot
influence that.
Asked if he had any con-
cerns about playing the
31-year-old, Wenger replied:
Not at all. I told you many
times: for me a professional is
to give your best until the last
day of your contract.
Thats for me the real profes-
sional. I dont doubt his integ-
rity, his desire to win and his
commitment at all.
Fabianski has played in the
domestic cup competitions for
Arsenal this season, with
countryman Wojciech Szcz-
esny the first-choice goalkeep-
er for league and Champions
League matches.
Despite reports that he, too,
could leave the club during the
close season, Wenger again dis-
missed suggestions that it
would affect his focus.
The answer is exactly the
same, said the Frenchman.
Honestly, I have always acted
like that because it would basi-
cally mean the guys are not
professional.
I have done that with
Samir Nasri, with Robin van
Persie, with everyone when I
knew they left or had a good
chance to leave. I always
played them. If they deserve
to play, they play.
Wenger reiterated his opin-
ion that Jack Wilshere will be
fully fit to take part in the
World Cup with England, hav-
ing been included in national
coach Roy Hodgsons 23-man
squad on Monday.
The 22-year-old midfielder
made his comeback from a
fractured foot in Arsenals 2-0
season-ending win at Nor-
wich City on Sunday, having
been on the sidelines since
early March.
How has he been this week?
Good, he works hard, said
Wenger. We have a hard ses-
sion today [on Wednesday]
again and he progresses. He
played 30 minutes at Norwich.
That was planned, he came
out well.
I think if you ask me about
the World Cup, he should
just have enough time to be
fully fit.
While Wilshere could start
against Hull, Arsenal will give
late fitness tests to fellow
England midfielder Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain and
Belgian club captain Thomas
Vermaelen.
Saturdays match kicks off at
11pm Cambodian time. AFP
Hull Citys Jake Livermore (below) is tackled by Arsenals Santi Cazorla during their English Premier League
match at the KC Stadium in Kingston Upon Hull on April 20. AFP
Spanish La Liga
Saturday May 17
Malaga v Levante 2am
Real Madrid v Espanyol
9pm
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid
11pm
Sunday May 18
Valencia v Celta Vigo 3am
Real Sociedad v Villarreal
5pm
Almeria v Athletic Bilbao
11pm
Osasuna v Real Betis 11pm
Rayo Vallecano v Getafe 11pm
Real Valladolid v Granada
11pm
Monday May 19
Sevilla v Elche 2am
Italian Serie A
Sunday May 18
Udinese v Sampdoria 1:45am
Catania v Atalanta 8pm
Genoa v Roma 8pm
Juventus v Cagliari 8pm
Monday May 19
Chievo v Inter Milan 1:45am
Fiorentina v Torino 1:45am
Lazio v Bologna 1:45am
AC Milan v Sassuolo 1:45am
Napoli v Verona 1:45am
Parma v Livorno 1:45am
French Ligue 1
Sunday May 18
Bastia v Nantes 2am
Lorient v Lille 2am
Marseille v Guingamp 2am
Monaco v Bordeaux 2am
Nice v Lyon 2am
Paris SG v Montpellier 2am
Reims v Rennes 2am
Sochaux v Evian TG 2am
St Etienne v Ajaccio 2am
Toulouse v Valenciennes 2am
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Idle Scott to replace
Tiger atop rankings
ADAM Scott will overtake
injured Tiger Woods in next
weeks rankings to become
golfs world number one for the
first time, even though the
Australian will not play this
week. Scott, who won his first
major title at last years Masters,
will become the first Aussie to
claim the top spot in the
rankings since Greg Norman
ruled the list for 331 weeks in
the 1980s and 1990s. Woods has
been sidelined for more than six
weeks following surgery to ease
a pinched nerve that caused
him to miss the Masters for the
first time in his career and has
not declared himself a definite
starter as of yet for next months
US Open at Pinehurst. Scott has
missed four chances to overtake
Woods based upon his
performance at tournaments in
the past two months, most
recently at last weeks Players
Championship, when he shared
38th and needed a top-16 effort
to capture the top spot. Because
neither Woods nor Scott are
playing, both will lose points in
the two-year ranking system,
but Woods who is atop the
rankings for the 683rd week in
his career will fall behind Scott
when points are recalculated on
Monday. Matt Kuchar could also
pass Woods on the next list with
a triumph in Texas but would
not be able to move ahead of
Scotts new total. AFP
23
Sport
Games under scrutiny
after new fixing claims
A
NTI-CORRUPTION
forces are assessing
evidence of wide-
spread xing ob-
tained from the former New
Zealand Test batsman Lou
Vincent, including allegations
relating to matches in the Eng-
lish domestic Twenty20 Cup
and Pro40 competitions.
Vincent, 35, who revealed
in December he would co-
operate with detectives and
confessed to an International
Cricket Council tribunal in-
vestigating xing in Bangla-
desh earlier this year that he
had been approached by an
illegal bookmaker, has pro-
vided the names of players he
claims were involved in spot-
xing and allegations over
which matches were targeted,
according to a report in the
Daily Telegraph.
They include detailed evi-
dence of his spells with Lan-
cashire and Sussex as well as
information on alleged xing
in four other countries.
Having agreed a plea bargain
in the hope of avoiding pros-
ecution for his involvement in
and knowledge of spot-xing
in ve or more countries over
a four-year period between
2008-2012, Vincent is also be-
lieved to have alleged an illegal
approach by another player to
a current international cap-
tain who turned down the of-
fer before reporting it to anti-
corruption ofcials.
The ICCs anti-corruption
unit is working closely with
independent detectives em-
ployed by several international
cricket boards as it compiles
the cases.
It is suspected that it could
uncover the biggest scandal
since the conviction of the
former South Africa captain
Hansie Cronje in 2001. Vin-
cent who played 23 Tests and
102 one-day internationals
for New Zealand became a
Twenty20 specialist playing in
India, Zimbabwe, South Afri-
ca, England and New Zealand
when his international career
ended in 2007.
I wish to let everyone
know that I am cooperating
with an ongoing ICC anti-
corruption investigation that
has been made public, he
said in December.
The report suggests that
police are close to charging a
former Pakistan international
based on evidence provided
by Vincent, although the full
investigation is not expected
to be complete for at least an-
other year. THE GUARDIAN
Italys Diego Ulissi sprays champagne as he celebrates his victory on the podium after winning the fth stage
of the 97th Giro dItalia on Wednesday in Viggiano. AFP
Italys Ulissi wins Giro stage
DIEGO Ulissi gave Italy their
first stage win of the 2014 Giro
dItalia and his second career
victory in the race on Wednes-
day when he won the 203-kil-
ometre fifth stage from Taran-
to to Viggiano.
The 24-year-old Lampre
rider, who won his previous
stage in the Giro three years
ago, beat veteran Australian
Cadel Evans while Julian Arre-
dondo of Colombia was third
in a stage affected by strong
winds and heavy downpours.
Evanss compatriot Michael
Matthews retained the overall
leaders pink jersey.
Ulissi said that there was a
new wave of young Italian
riders coming through and
that people should just be
patient while they gained in
experience.
I have just been lacking that
little ingredient to win a major
classic but I am improving
every year, he said.
There are young talented
Italian riders. Just give us some
time and we will start winning
the one-day classics.
Routley captures victory
Will Routley claimed stage
four of the Tour of California
Wednesday but the Canadian
rider couldnt catch former
Tour de France winner Bradley
Wiggins, who comfortably held
onto the yellow jersey.
Routley (Optum) outsprint-
ed five breakaway challeng-
ers to complete the 116-kilo-
metre stage in three hours, 48
minutes and 37 seconds. Gre-
gory Daniel was second and
Kevin De Mesmaeker finished
third. AFP
Sport
Europa dope
Bencas Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay has a shot on goal during their UEFA Europa League nal against Sevilla on Wednesday at the Juventus stadium in Turin. Spanish side Sevilla sensationally claimed a third
Europa League title after a dramatic penalty shoot-out in which Benca pair Oscar Cardozo and Rodrigo missed from the spot to extend the Portuguese giants European nal hoodoo. Benca, recently crowned league and
League Cup champions, were looking to end a 52-year jinx that had seen them lose a total of seven European nals since winning the second of two consecutive European Cups in 1962. AFP
Saracens chief in double limbo
W
E ARE on the
verge of history
or nothing.
It could have
been the voice of many a Saracens
fan as they prepare for some of the
most momentous weeks in the life
of the 138-year-old club.
But Nigel Wray, the man who
made that rueful comment, is no
ordinary supporter.
Since rugby union turned profes-
sional 20 years ago, the Saracens
chairman has invested an estimated
40 million ($67 million) of his own
money in helping transform a Cin-
derella side into a major force.
Saturday sees Saracens play Lon-
don rivals Harlequins in an English
Premiership seminal, while the
weekend after they contest their rst
European Cup nal against French
defending champions Toulon the
team that beat them in the seminals
last season.
Its great to be there, but what we
dont want to be known as is the side
who played a great seminal, Wray
told AFP in an interview at Saracens
Allianz Park.
The ground, Saracens home since
February last year, is situated in the
northwest London suburb of Mill
Hill, close to the private school of the
same name where Wray was intro-
duced to rugby.
He later played at county level for
Hampshire, but by the time Saracens
came calling had already achieved
considerable nancial success in the
City of London.
When the game went profes-
sional in 1995 I thought it would be
nice to get involved with that, Wray
recalled.
Coincidentally, Saracens came to
see me about sponsorship so we end-
ed up not doing sponsorship but me,
essentially, buying most of the club
and thinking that would be enough
money to keep it going.
I think it had all gone within a year,
so one had to have a pretty major re-
think, added Wray.
Just as is the case now with a star-
studded Toulon side bankrolled by
wealthy publisher Mourad Boudjel-
lal and featuring the likes of Jonny
Wilkinson and Matt Giteau, Saracens
soon became known for their impres-
sive list of big-name players.
In 1998 we won the [English] Cup
and we almost won the league.
I think the failure was we didnt
understand why. It was because we
had very good people Francois Pi-
enaar, Philippe Sella, Kyran Brack-
en, Paddy Johns, Michael Lynagh
these werent just good players, they
were very good people and we didnt
actually get that.
We then stuttered for the best
part of 10 years.
But the arrival of Edward Grifths,
the former South Africa Rugby Union
chief executive and directors of rugby
such as Brendan Venter, the former
Springbok and current boss Mark
McCall, helped create what Wray
calls the Saracens revolution that
propelled the club to the Premiership
title in 2011.
On the eld, this been exemplied
by the Wolf Pack defence instituted
by coach Paul Gustard, but Wray said
the changed environment extended
far beyond the touchline.
We now denitely have a culture
whereby everyone matters from the
kit man, everybodys family matters.
I think if you asked any other Pre-
miership club, they would say Sara-
cens are a team, said Wray of a side
now captained by former England
skipper Steve Borthwick and includ-
ing current Red Rose stars such as
Chris Ashton, Owen Farrell and the
Vunipola brothers.
Thats what we got wrong for
many years.
With the Rugby Champions Cup
set to replace the European Cup
from next season, Wray believes club
rugby is on the verge of a major ex-
plosion in interest and activity over
the next 10 years.
Theres no doubt sport sells televi-
sion, said Wray as he reected on the
competition between broadcasters
Sky and BT to screen matches involv-
ing Premiership clubs.
But what about Google? What
about all the social media chan-
nels? Sport is a language that every-
one speaks.
While lamenting the absence of a
common European salary cap (we
cant all play by different sets of rules),
Wray was relaxed about the recent
television deal agreed by Frances Top
14 worth 290 million in total over
the next ve seasons by the far most
lucrative broadcast contract for a do-
mestic rugby tournament.
Im jolly pleased about their tele-
vision deal because it means ours
should do the same next time, he
said.
And while some of the other new
owners from the Class of 95 have
come and gone, the 66-year-old Wray
plans on being around a while yet.
How much longer is He [God] go-
ing to give me? I dont know, but Im
not going to give up. AFP
Saracens chairman Nigel Wray says
his rugby club has a culture whereby
everyone matters. AFP

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