SUPPORTERS of embattled opposition leader Sam Rainsy gathered in North American capitals this weekend to protest what they called the deteriorating state of democracy in Cambodia.
Organised as a response to the National Assembly’s decision last month to strip Sam Rainsy of his parliamentary immunity, nearly 200 people protested on Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, while a smaller group demonstrated in front of the Cambodian embassy in Washington on Saturday, organisers said.
Pretty Ma, secretary general of the Sam Rainsy Party North America, said opposition politicians in the Kingdom face “mistreatment and harassment”.
“The way immunity can be easily revoked from the people’s representatives is something almost unheard of here in the West,” he wrote in an email. “It’s overdone, truly abusive and ridiculous.”
The protesters urged Canada and the US to deny entry visas to “any corrupted official, including any human rights violators”.
Sam Rainsy, who is currently in Europe, was stripped of his immunity last month after an October incident in which he uprooted six wooden posts in Svay Rieng province along the border with Vietnam.
Villagers had claimed the Vietnamese were encroaching on their land.
The Vietnamese government, however, reacted with outrage, and the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the act “perverse”.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Sam Rainsy backers protest abroad
Kraya gets final negotiation
AFTER Sunday’s refusal by the besieged residents of Kraya commune to acknowledge relocation talks, Kampong Thom provincial authorities made a unilateral decision on Monday to issue villagers their last compensation offer on December 3.
“We’ve called the negotiations on Thursday because we want to find a peaceful resolution, but if they do not agree with us, we will begin to enforce the eviction order,” said Santuk district Governor Pich Sophea.
Village leader Pou Kin said that he and his neighbours would continue to reject the possibility of relocation. “When the authorities come here on Thursday, it looks like we are all going to have a real big problem because we refuse to leave,” he said. “Even though authorities say they want a peaceful resolution, I don’t think we will be able to avoid it coming to violence.”
Another villager, Neang Sinath, said officials had threatened to reduce their homes “to ashes” if they fail to reach an agreement on Thursday. “We are willing to die here and let the authorities find a ‘peaceful resolution’ for our spirits,” she said. “I know that we are disabled and cannot win, but we can try.”
Kraya commune was established as a social concession in 2004 to offer poor and disabled veterans a chance to support their families, according to Khun Sokea, chief of the Kraya Disabled Veterans’ Development Community. “Having farmland is better than going to beg in the city,” he said. “We’re trying to escape poverty. Living with disabilities is already hard, but the authorities are trying to make it harder still.”
The commune is now home to more than 1,000 families from across the country. Their claim to the land was recognised by Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2007, but in that same year the land was sold to the Tin Bien rubber company. “We’ve had trouble here ever since,” Khun Sokea said.
In 2008, police began a campaign of harassment and intimidation aimed at pressuring the commune’s residents to relocate, villagers say.
Resentment erupted into violence on November 16, when 200 villagers burned four company excavators and other property before clashing with Military Police. Since the incident, the village has been blockaded by police hoping to catch the alleged ringleaders. Seven people have so far been arrested. A further 13 are still being sought.
Fire victims face health threats
NEARLY 2,000 people made homeless by a residential fire in Phnom Penh say they are suffering from poor sanitation and a shortfall of medical supplies nearly a fortnight after the blaze ripped through their Russey Keo district homes on November 19.
Resident Tolas Navy, 40, said she is sleeping on a wooden bed under wall-less tents, but that exposure to cooler evenings has caused her family increasing health problems.
“My children and I have colds because we can’t handle the cold air,” she said.
Others said the lack of sanitation in the makeshift shelters was an increasing concern for the community.
“Currently, I am concerned about my villagers catching cholera and other epidemic diseases because of a lack of sanitation systems,” said Soeb Sim, 64, the chief of Kho village.
Van Thorn, Chraing Chamres II commune chief, said he had instructed the people to drink only boiled water and wear masks to protect against coughs and colds. But he called on the Ministry of Health to send staff to distribute medicine to the people.
“Our people received some tents, beds, food, blankets and mosquito nets from the Cambodian Red Cross, students’ associations and the Phnom Penh authorities, but no health officials have come to give medicine,” he said.
When contacted Tuesday, Sok Sokun, director of the Municipal Department of Health, said officials from his office would visit the affected area in the coming days.
Vendors appeal to Hun Sen
MORE than 100 vendors from the City Mall in Phnom Penh’s Prampi Makara district protested in front of Hun Sen’s house on Monday after claiming the mall’s owners breached a leasing contract.
Buo Monineat, a vendor representative, said: “We are protesting in front of the prime minister’s house because we are asking him to help reduce the rent that the mall owners are charging us. They are cheating us.”
Vendors say that they have been forced to pay rent from October to the end of this year even though their leasing contract states that they don’t need to pay until the mall is officially inaugurated in January 2010. The mall owners are accused of threatening to close the vendors’ stalls.
“We would like the mall owner to reduce our rent by 40 percent over the next three years because of the economic crisis, and we don’t want to have to pay any rent from October until the end of this year,” said Buo Monineat.
“The owners denied our request and threatened us. They are giving us problems,” he added.
Sok Ath, chief of the government’s development programme in Prampi Makara district, said that he is trying to work out a solution between owners and vendors.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Situation grim at Tuol Sambo
THE lack of food at a controversial resettlement site that is home to more than 60 HIV-positive individuals is "potentially life-threatening", a new report has warned.
The joint field report from four HIV/AIDS NGOs was released Friday, the same day that the heads of the National Aids Authority (NAA) and UNAIDS Cambodia visited Dangkor district's Tuol Sambo village for the first time.
City Hall forcibly relocated 20 HIV-affected families to Tuol Sambo following their June eviction from the Borei Keila community in central Phnom Penh. About 20 more Borei Keila families were sent there in July.
Residents at Tuol Sambo have complained that their 3.5-metre-by-4.5-metre green metal sheds - which are smaller than those required for emergency refugee camps - become oppressively hot during the day. On Friday, a broken water pump had rendered a local well unusable, meaning that residents looking for drinking water needed to buy water jugs at 1,200 riels (US$0.29) each.
The lack of resources described in the joint field report was borne out by interviews. Touch Sokhak, 45, who is HIV-positive, said his family did not have enough food or drinking water, adding that the heat made it difficult to store his medicine.
"We face a lot of difficulties living here, but the main problem is that it is too hot," he said. "It makes my health get worse because I do not sleep enough."
Tak Dina, 30, described the discrimination she faced at the site, another concern raised in the report.
The former restaurant worker said her efforts to sell cold drinks in the village had been unsuccessful because no one would buy from her.
"Here we cannot sell," she said. "If I sell drinks, no one will come to buy because they are disgusted with HIV-positive people. Other villagers have an easy time recognising us because we are different from them, and because we live in these green houses."
Jason Barber, a monitoring consultant for the rights group Licadho, said conditions at the site had become "grimmer and grimmer" in recent weeks.
"I think the people are expecting to see some results from this visit, and I think they will judge the government and UN agencies on their actions rather than their words here," Barber said. "It's one thing to express concern. It's another thing to meaningfully provide some assistance."
Coordinating aid
Residents and NGO workers described a diffuse humanitarian assistance effort.
There are currently at least 11 NGOs providing various forms of assistance, from food to medical treatment to education, said Oum Vicheth, a home-care officer at the Centre of Hope, which has operated a weekly mobile clinic at the site. UNAIDS Country Director Tony Lisle said Sunday that the purpose of the visit was "to get an immediate overview of the current situation in respect of the community's needs", adding that he would meet this week with stakeholders and the NAA to discuss ways "to better coordinate the response".
While Lisle said the aid effort had been "reasonably well-coordinated" and that NGOs had been "exceptionally flexible", he noted that there was room for improvement.
"I think, again, we need to emphasise national leadership," Lisle said. "The NAA will lead on coordination."
NAA Secretary-General Teng Kunthy said Friday that his organisation had devised a plan to improve conditions at the site, though the specific efforts he mentioned hinged on NGOs.
"We have acknowledged that the shelters are hot and narrow, but Caritas will help improve their living," he said, referring to the Catholic charity Caritas Cambodia.
He also said Caritas would construct a pipe system that would bring water to the individual dwellings. Kim Rattana, executive director of Caritas, said the pipe system would be completed in mid-September.
Both Lisle and Christophe Peschoux, the Cambodia representative of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concern that NGOs were being forced to pick up the pieces of a poorly executed eviction, arguing that the municipality had not taken steps to properly set up the site before moving families there. City Hall could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Peschoux said he believed NGOs risked inadvertently condoning future evictions by providing humanitarian assistance, though he said they did not have the luxury of retreating "behind nice principles" and refusing to help the evictees.
"In this case, humanitarian agencies are facing a dilemma," he said. "We are opposed to forced evictions by principle because they are inhumane and increase poverty and social distress.... At the same time, the eviction has taken place and these families are in dire need of basic assistance."
No suit against Chea Mony
MINISTER of Information Khieu Kanharith said Sunday that Prime Minister Hun Sen had ordered officials of the Cambodian People's Party to halt legal action against Chea Mony, brother of slain union leader Chea Vichea, after he blamed the government for his brother's killing.
The announcement during a Radio Free Asia broadcast reverses the government's position stated earlier this month that it had already begun legal action against Chea Mony.
Khieu Kanharith could not be reached for comment Sunday, but Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak confirmed the order, though he declined to provide any further details.
Chea Vichea, former head of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, was gunned down in 2004. Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were convicted of the crime the same year, but the Supreme Court ordered their provisional release in December 2008, citing contradictory evidence in their previous trial.
During a hearing on August 17, the Appeal Court announced a new investigation into the case and ruled that the two men were to remain free until a verdict was handed down.
Chea Mony said following the hearing that he remained convinced the government had been involved in his brother's killing - comments that prompted Khieu Kanharith to say initially that the government had no choice but to file a legal complaint.
Chea Mony on Sunday welcomed the U-turn. "I would like to congratulate the government, especially the prime minister, for reversing this decision, and again I would urge the courts to find the real killers and bring them to justice," he said.
"Hun Sen's decision is a good strategy because no one should be sued by the government for defamation or anything else. Our country has the rule of law and democracy, so we must find the truth."
Rights groups welcomed the government's climbdown on Sunday, describing it as a vital step towards restoring freedom of speech in Cambodia.
Ny Chakrya, of the rights group Adhoc, said: "I support this change of stance, which shows the government is capable of acting with maturity. Even if our politicians are criticised, they can respond with patience."
Am Sam Ath, head of an investigative team with the rights group Licadho, said the government had been wrong to take the words of a grieving man so literally.
"Chea Mony made his statement in the Appeal Court because he was upset that his brother was murdered five years ago and the real killers still haven't been found," he said. "If the government were to sue him for that, it would spell the end for freedom of expression."
The Appeal Court ordered further investigations into the 2004 killing of trade union leader Chea Vichea following requests from the defence lawyers of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, the two men accused of the killing.
"This case is still not clear, which requires us to conduct further investigations involving some police in relation to the [slaying]," presiding Judge Chuon Sunleng said after the two-hour hearing.
He ordered that suspects Born Samnang, 28, and Sok Sam Oeun, 41, remain free until the investigation is closed and a verdict handed down.
During the hearing, the two men again declared that they had not been involved in the killing, accusing the police who arrested them in 2004 of forcing them to confess to a crime they didn't commit.
Troops exit temple complex
Cambodia's Defence Ministry says government has halved deployed troops at Preah Vihear but warns that forces remain prepared for any future hostilities.
Troops stationed at the Preah Vihear temple complex near the Thai border completed their redeployment over the weekend, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander told the Post on Sunday.
Srey Doek, commander of RCAF Division 3, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday met soldiers from Brigade 11 during their redeployment to their base in Kampot province.
"[Hun Sen] welcomed them as they travelled near Siem Reap and offered them each 50,000 riels [US$12], and the prime minister's wife offered them gifts of fruit," Srey Doek said.
Srey Doek said the money and fruit were given to nearly 1,000 RCAF soldiers as expressions of gratitude for their service at the front line, adding that troops from other brigades from Siem Reap as well as members of Hun Sen's personal bodyguard who were also redeployed over the weekend did not meet the prime minister.
Meanwhile, an official at the Defence Ministry said Sunday that forces at the border have now been halved.
"We have pulled out 50 percent of the troops from Preah Vihear temple," said ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat.
"This shows that the situation at the border is really getting better, and that both countries have a mutual understanding of peace," he added.
Hun Sen declared last week that the 13-month standoff with Thailand over the disputed Preah Vihear temple complex, which claimed more than seven lives and left hundreds homeless, had effectively ended following a bilateral withdrawal of troops announced during a meeting on August 24 between the head of RCAF, General Pol Saroeun, and his Thai counterpart, General Songkitti Jaggabatra of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Troops still on guard
Despite a thaw in relations, Cambodian military officials last week were quick to point out that troops would still be necessary to guard the integrity of the border and the sovereignty of the nation.
Defence Minister Tea Banh said some troops would remain at the border.
"We do not need too many soldiers there now. We are currently adjusting the numbers to achieve the right balance for the situation," Tea Banh said last week.
Chea Dara, RCAF deputy commander in chief, echoed this sentiment Sunday, saying the border's security remained a vital concern and downplaying the impact of the withdrawal on Cambodia's ability to secure its border with Thailand.
"It is not a problem for our soldiers to defend the nation, even as their numbers have been reduced by the withdrawal," he said Sunday. "We have kept enough of our troops in place."
He said if Thailand "shows a softer manner" Cambodia could cut troop numbers further. "However, if anything happened, our troop mobility would be very swift."
Thailand in June reignited the row over the temple when it asked World Heritage body UNESCO to reconsider its decision to formally list the temple in Cambodia.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear temple for decades.
Prek Leap businesses robbed at gunpoint
JEWELLERY vendors from Russey Keo district's Prek Leap market were robbed at gunpoint of gold, platinum and more than US$7,000 in cash, vendors said Sunday.
Kim Srun, 46, said that on Friday, six masked thieves accosted her and other jewellery vendors from Prek Leap market, located in in Prek Leap commune, Kean Khilang village. All told, five vendors at the market lost 1.2 kilograms of gold, 0.8 kilograms of platinum and $7,650, Kim Srun said.
"They hammered my jewellery box and stole about $2,500, as well as gold, platinum and about 1.2 kilograms of jewellery," she said.
Sok Sarann, a 37-year-old garment vendor at Prek Leap who witnessed the robbery, said that he and others at the market had little faith in police and market security, whom he said paid only lip service to their complaints.
Chey Soseila, Russey Keo district police chief, said the vendors had overstated the value of their goods, estimating that only 75 grams of gold and about $2,000 were lost, though police "still apologise to those who lost their property".
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Holy cow! Cambodian villagers worship calf with hide of dark, reptile-like skin
DAMNAK SANGKE, Cambodia — Villagers in this poor community in central Cambodia live hand to mouth, but many dug into their pockets to help pay for a funeral here Friday for a three-day-old calf with a dark, reptilian hide that many believed was holy.
Outh Kdep, the calf's owner, said villagers believed in the animal's divinity because there had been a drought in the area for three months, but it rained the day after it was born.
The female calf was born Tuesday and died Thursday in this remote village in Pursat province, some 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of capital Phnom Penh. It had thick, dark, scaly skin like a crocodile's, and legs with odd markings.
Yim Rith, 60, a community leader, said Cambodians have for centuries worshipped a Cow God believed to bring peace and prosperity. The deity disappeared from their land long ago, but the calf may have been a sign it was returning to help them, he said.
Hundreds of villagers flocked to see the animal, lighting incense to pray for its well-being and collecting its saliva, believed to cure illness. The flood of visitors panicked the cow's mother, affecting her ability to enough produce milk to feed the calf, and it died.
But the faithful were undeterred. The calf's corpse was placed on a plastic sheet, and people washed water over it in the hopes of making the liquid holy.
Srey Nak, 72, said that when some was applied to her joints and teeth, long-standing pains and aches went away.
"But I am very upset that the Cow God came to live with us for just three days and has now died," she said. "If she stayed longer, then many sick people could have been treated."
Un Dary, General Director of Religious Affairs for Cambodia's Ministry of Cults and Religions, said he did not know about the case, but that many Cambodians, who are almost all Buddhists, also subscribe to animism — a belief that spirits can inhabit all sorts of living and inanimate objects.
Whenever an odd animal makes an appearance, he said, it is cause for the superstitious to celebrate. He speculated that the freak appearance of the calf may have been due to a vitamin deficiency or virus.
Outh Kdeb, 40, grieved for her calf Friday.
Had it lived a bit longer, she said, "my family and the people in this area as well as the whole entire Cambodian nation would have achieved more peace and prosperity."
The animal was buried in a rice field near her house Friday. She said villagers pooled 150,000 riel ($35), and she contributed 200,000 riel ($50) for a ceremony with six Buddhist monks to give thanks and wishes for the soul of the God Cow. They prayed for it "to be reborn as soon as possible."
Saturday, August 22, 2009
More than a gateway to Angkor
Thinking of visiting Cambodia? You’re likely picturing the serene faces of the Angkor temples. Possibly even the sandy beaches of Sihanoukville. But what about Phnom Penh?
I’ve met countless people who have either entirely bypassed Cambodia’s 143-year-old capital city in their quest for ancient empires and beach parties, or merely considered it a stop-off point, a place to quickly view the tragic remnants of the Khmer Rouge regime. Which is a shame, as Lady Penh (the city’s founder and enduring spirit) is a charming hostess – give her the chance, and she will make you feel right at home, offering an intoxicating, accessible mix of rich culture, fine cuisine and aesthetic delights.
In a single day you can visit elegant pagodas, inspiring exhibitions, learn Khmer cooking, browse markets for silks and keepsakes, watch traditional dance and cruise along the Mekong. Punctuated this with mouth-watering meals and cap it off with hours of dancing at a sardine-packed nightclub and you may never want to leave.
Holly and I touched down in Phnom Penh International Airport in the early evening. After breezing through customs, we took a taxi into town – a flat US$9 to anywhere in the center – along the way admiring the eye-catching blend of reinvigorated yellow French colonial buildings, art-deco structures, Khmer temples, glassy office buildings and tacky, cake-like residences.
We stayed at the Blue Dog Guest House (#13, St. 51). Owned by newlyweds Ty and Hun, it’s within walking distance of one of the city’s key sights, the Independence Monument. Launched just over a year ago, it offers eight rooms priced between US$5-12 a night, as well as a limited but cheap and delicious menu.
If you fancy something more upscale, Phnom Penh is full of boutique hotels and 5-star luxury, such as the Frangipani Villa 90s ($25-60) or the Amanjaya ($155-250). If on the other hand you’re really trying to save, look around the Boeung Kak lake area for rooms as low as $3.
It is easy to get around Phnom Penh, as there is little traffic and most drivers know the city like the back of their hand. Pick up the free The Phnom Penh Visitors Guide as soon as you see it, for maps and tips; its usually available at eateries and guesthouses.
Visitors mostly travel via tuk-tuks (motorcycle trailers), which offer a surprisingly quiet, pleasant ride. I recommend committing to one tuk-tuk driver. Tuk-tuk drivers, who mostly have impressive English skills, can help you with booking bus tickets, arranging river cruises and even getting a SIM card ($10) for your cell phone.
All the city’s major points of interest can be visited within a day, but its best to set aside at least two or three. The Independence Monument, an architectural celebration of Cambodia’s independence from foreign rule in 1962; Wat Phnom, a small hill that marks the city’s legendary founding site; the National Museum ($3 entrance); the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum; the Killing Fields; and the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the King’s residence, should all be checked out. A market visit to either Phsar Toul Tom Poung, the Russian market, which offers a large selection of souvenirs, silks and curios, or Phsar Thmey (Central Market), a striking art-deco building, which specialises in jewels and gold, is also a must.
Beyond the obligatory sights, the city centre has much to offer in the way of shopping and dining. There are four main areas for these more leisurely pursuits: Street 178 or “Art Street”; Street 240; the Riverfront area and the Boeng Keng Kang area or “The Foreigner’s Quarter”.
Street 178 is right by the National Museum, so after I had spent the morning browsing Angkorian artefacts, I wandered around “Art Street”. Most of the artists can be seen at work and are happy to answer any questions you might like to bother them with. Chea Hak, of shop Hak Rachana, was working intently on a wood carving, which he said would take a week to complete. He can sell it for $100.
The best place to eat near Art Street is Friends (#215, St. 13), a delightful tapas restaurant that is run as part of a program to teach street youth marketable skills. Holly and I feasted on several dishes ($2-5), including mango coleslaw and zucchini fritters.
My favourite place in Phnom Penh is Street 240, a tree-lined avenue near the Royal Palace, which boasts excellent boutiques, unique handicrafts, second-hand bookstores, delectable eateries and the best spa in town (Bliss, #29). I splurged at Mekong-Quilts (#49, St.240), a non-profit organisation that aims to provide employment and increase family incomes for communities in the remote villages of Svay Rieng province.
I returned to haunt Street 240’s cafes several times, enjoying Mediterranean tapas at Tamarind (#31), burgers at Freebird Bar and Grill (#69) and cakes at The Shop (#39).
The Riverfront is a great place to spend the evening, affording a view of the Mekong sunset. It is home to many of Phnom Penh’s most enduring institutions, such as the famous Foreign Correspondents Club and the original Happy Herb Pizza. Cantina, a popular “gringo” haunt decorated with onset photos from Matt Dillon’s City of Ghosts (2002) had excellent Mexican food. Most of the best places to boogie are nearby too, such as the Riverhouse Lounge (#6, Street 110).
“The Foreigners’ Quarter”, near the Independence Monument, is rife with embassies, hotels and expatriate residences. I frequented the Java Café and Gallery (#56, Sihanouk), a must for lap-top addicts, sampling a range of teas and fresh salads.
Nearby was Romdeng, a sister-restaurant to Friends, which offers Khmer specialities like fried spiders, as well as a fascinating exhibition “Imagine That” that showcased pictures street kids had taken of tourists in Siem Reap. The infamous Heart of Darkness nightclub is around here (#26, St. 51), where you can dance until dawn.
Besides all this, you can also take cooking classes at Khmer restaurant Frizz (#67, St. 240), watch shadow puppet performances at the Sovanna Phum Art Association (#111, St. 260), and Apsara dancing at Bopha Phnom Penh Titanic (Sisowath Quay). And no trip to Phnom Penh is truly complete with a boat ride down the Mekong, perfect around sunset ($5).
After a week of such delights, I felt relaxed, exhilarated, inspired and fatter. As the airplane took off, I watched the city disappear into the patches of green and brown paddyfields that dominate the Cambodian landscape, watching the ever-present Mekong shrink into a shimmering, twisting snake… and planned my next visit.
The gateway to the rest of Cambodia
Roads have been greatly improving in Cambodia, making it increasingly easy to travel from Phnom Penh to other Khmer cities. Buses are a (usually) comfortable and affordable way to get around, with one-way tickets starting from $5. You can also hire private cars from $25. There are several bus companies dotted around the city, especially near the Riverfront and Boeng Kak lake area. I visited Sihanoukville and Kampot.
Sihanoukville: (Paramount Angkor Express, $11 return, 4 hrs each way) Cambodia’s premier beach town. Stay in Ochheuteal beach or Serendipity beach if you’re the dance-til-dawn type… if you’d prefer a blissful getaway, try the more low-key Otres beach or Victory beach. Sample fresh seafood, scuba-dive and take day trips to exotic islands. Stay at the Beach Road hotel ($10-45) and dine at Cambodge Garden ($2-5 per dish).
Kampot: (Phnom Penh Sorya, $10 return, 3 hrs) A quaint, sleepy town, with few tourists, colonial architecture and breathtaking views of the river and surrounding mountains, sheltering ghostly hill stations. The perfect place to truly get away from it all. Stay at the Bodhi Villa ($3-8), which offers an excellent mix of homemade comfort food and Khmer specialities, and a friendly bar.
Flights: Ours were $170 there and back thanks to Air Asia – book in advance and be prepared for two check-ins
Visa: $20 one-month tourist visa available on arrival. Can be extended for a further month. Good to have a passport photo ready.
Airport Tax: $25 – payable upon departure.
Currency: US dollars and Khmer Riels (about 4000R to US$1).
Accommodation: From $3, depending on where you’re staying
Meals: Expect to pay $4-7 a meal, minus alcoholic drinks, at popular eateries. Water is usually provided for free.
Transport: Tuk-tuks ($1-2 for short trips, $10-15 all day), motos and cyclos (1500-4000R, $8/day), taxis ($4-5, $35/day). You can also rent a bicycle, motorcycle or car for your trip – inquire at your guesthouse.
Language: Khmer. Most people you will encounter speak reasonable English, and don’t expect visitors to understand Khmer. French can also be useful.
Wi-Fi: Many cafes and guesthouses offer Wi-Fi access, either free or available through Hotspot cards (starting at $5 for 5 hours), which you can buy from most supermarkets.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Photographers focused on Cambodia's changing times
THE YOUNGER GENERATION WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME THINGS AS OTHER PEOPLE.
SINCE starting the Asia Motion photographers' agency in December last year, Isabelle Lesser has looked to photographers who can tell a story, not just capture one-off images.
Asia Motion is not an image bank, she explains.
"We are concentrating on building stories - quality stories," Lesser said.
It was while freelancing as a photographer for AFP that Lesser realised what magazine editors wanted was depth.
"Today everyone is a photographer," she said. "But you need to have a personal style. For me, you need to have a meaning in the photograph, and an aesthetic. If you can build a story between six and 30 images, you are a good photographer."
She said that while Asia Motion has all kinds of photographers on its books - fashion, advertising, art, social, reportage, even a video artist - what they focus on is bringing Asian stories and features to the rest of the world.
"All our photographers are professionals working full time," she said. "We have photographers not living in Cambodia - Srikanth Solari is from India, while Stephane Janin is from Washington, DC - and we have one Cambodian, [Mak Remissa] who we chose not because he is Cambodian but because he is a great photographer."
She said because the photographers are working full time they do not have the chance to put together exhibitions, and that this was one of the things the agency can do for them. At Java Cafe and Gallery on Friday, Asia Motion will launch its second exhibition, one that portrays the theme of "change".
The title of the exhibition comes from the Khmer proverb Touk toew, kampong noew, which translates as "The boat goes, the pontoon stays". The photographs in the exhibition, like the proverb, illustrate how some things evolve but others never change.
"Asia is embracing fast and sweeping development," Lesser said. "Asia Motion photographers set out to document the changes and consistencies that Asia is undergoing during these times of change."
She said the photographers were free to explore their own interpretation the theme.
"They have the option to do whatever they want; it is very personal," she said.
Ryan Plummer, a Canadian photographer based in Cambodia, said that the exhibition had given him the chance to both branch out and get back to the roots of his photographic practice, fine art and fashion.
"Mainly in Cambodia I have been shooting editorial work," Plummer said.
"For this project I have been working with transgendered people - not only sex workers - throughout Cambodia. It is a small part of a larger project which will contribute to my body of work."
Plummer said he chose to shoot the project in black and white. "It's an aesthetic choice, a very grainy, very gritty style of imagery," he said.
For French photographer Jeff Perigois, Phnom Penh offers a world of contrasts, which he accentuates using a technique that combines black and white with colour.
His three images from his project "Witness in a World of Waves" contrast Cambodia's traditional mores with its more modern, global trends.
"The young generation would like to have the same things as other people in the world," Perigois said.
"But the pictures also tell stories about the roots in Cambodia."
Lesser, too, looks to the Cambodian roots - quite literally.
Her project "Feeding a Nation" focuses on rice production.
"Rice for me is like the roots of a nation," she said.
"The rice is symbolic. Khmer New Year is at the end of the rice-planting season; it is part of the rhythm of life here."
The exhibition opens at Java Cafe and Gallery tonight from 6-9pm and will also include a video projection from video artist Carlos Franklin.
RCAF tells Thai soldiers to leave pagoda near Preah Vihear temple
Thai military commanders say they need time to ask their superiors if they can abandon the pagoda, according to Cambodian general
HIGH-RANKING Cambodian commanders told their Thai counterparts to withdraw their troops from a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple at a meeting Wednesday night between Thai and Cambodian military officials, according to a Cambodian general who attended the meeting.
"We asked Thai military commanders to withdraw their soldiers at the pagoda and near the pagoda. Cambodia will not allow them there anymore," said the general, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"The Thai commanders said they needed to ask their superiors about the request and asked for three more days," he said.
Phorng Eung, a Cambodian officer stationed at Preah Vihear who was not in attendance, told the Post that his superiors had told him the same thing.
"This is a strong message to the Thai side," he said.
A Post reporter witnessed hundreds of Thai soldiers occuppying the pagoda near Preah Vihear temple on July 15 last year.
But after negotiations among officers, the Thai commanders agreed to withdraw most of their troops and only keep 10 unarmed Thai soldiers at the pagoda and 30 armed soldiers about 30 to 40 metres away.
The general predicted that tension on the border would rise after July 4 or 5 if the Thai soldiers did not withdraw from the pagoda and vowed to use force if necessary.
"But this is Cambodia's last choice to take action in this way," he said.
Som Kem, a Cambodian officer at the border, said he had heard that the Thai military had asked to stay in the pagoda until July 5.
"[Cambodian] commanders asked the Thai military not to come to the pagoda starting Thursday, but they still came and stayed there. They asked to stay in it until Sunday," he said.
The deputy commander of Military Region 4, Pov Heng, confirmed that a meeting between Thai and Cambodian commanders occurred on Wednesday night at the O'Smach Resort Casino.
Som Kem said the situation on the border was normal but that all the soldiers were on alert.
Officials at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh were unavailable for comment Thursday.
Uptick in road accidents recorded
Monthly increase comes after Ministry of Interior announces delay in traffic law enforcement
TRAFFIC officials are blaming an increase in drunken driving for a jump in the number of traffic accidents in Phnom Penh last month.
According to Pen Khun, deputy chief of Phnom Penh's Traffic Police, there were 52 traffic accidents in June compared with 43 in May. These accidents resulted in 11 deaths and 59 serious injuries.
"Most of the traffic accidents are caused because people got drunk and sped," he said.
The news of an increase in accidents comes as police say they have once again pushed back the date they will begin ramping up traffic enforcement efforts.
According to a new directive signed by Interior Minister Sar Kheng, Traffic Police will start enforcing the 2007 traffic law on August 1, including the provision that prohibits drunken driving.
Chev Hak, deputy chief of the Traffic Police, said any driver with a breath analysis reading of more than 0.39 milligrams of alcohol per liter of air would go to court.
The 2007 law stipulates that a drunk driver can be sent to prison for between six days and six months and fined between 25,000 and 1 million riels (US$238). The punishment for refusing a breath test is a jail term of between six days and one month and fine of between 25,000 and 200,000 riels.
Pen Khun said his police are working hard to inform people about the dangers of drunken driving, but he said people often ignore traffic laws at night, when there are few police officers out on the roads.
"Even though we have breath analysis machines, the number of accidents still increases," he said. "At night time, people think there are no police to fine them, so they don't think about their safety."
The horror of a 'sudden death' news flash
I was at Glastonbury when Jacko died. That's not a factual statement, but a T-shirt slogan.
The day after his death, souvenir tops with "I was at Glasto 09 when Jacko died" printed on them were already on sale around the site.
Many festival-goers apparently discovered the news when on-site DJs began playing Michael Jackson records simultaneously.
Music combined with word of mouth. That's a nice way to find out.
I learned it via a harsh electric beep, bringing my attention to a text message that simply proclaimed "Jackson's dead" in stark pixelated lettering.
Clearly it's the sort of information you have to mindlessly share with the rest of the herd the moment you hear it.
Clearly it's the sort of information you have to mindlessly share with the rest of the herd the moment you hear it. But first I needed confirmation. I occasionally text people to say there's been a massive nuclear explosion in Canada, or David Cameron's gone mad and launched his own breakfast cereal shaped like little swastikas or whatever, in the hope they'll pass it on without checking.
I didn't want to fall for my own jape. I switched on the TV. Jackson was still alive on BBC News 24, where they seemed to be reporting he was in hospital following a heart attack. That wasn't good enough, so I flicked over to Sky News, which tends to blab stuff out while the Beeb drags its feet, tediously checking the facts.
He was bound to be dead on Sky.
But he wasn't; he was possibly in a coma. In desperation, I turned to Fox. They would already be attempting to communicate with him via the spirit realm, surely.
But they weren't. If anything, they were being more cautious than the Beeb. Boo. Back to Sky, which was now reporting that a Web site was announcing his death.
That'd do for now. I beamed a few texts out: "Michael Jackson apparently dead."
"Piss off" came the reply.
It was my own fault. I'd texted a few weeks earlier to say BBC anchor Huw Edwards had just vomited live on the news.
Confirmation of his death gradually spread across the news networks, but the main terrestrial channels were still obliviously broadcasting their scheduled programmes.
ITV won the news-flash race. Alastair Stewart abruptly shouted "MICHAEL JACKSON HAS DIED" down the lens like a man standing on the shoreline trying to get the attention of someone on the deck of a passing ferry during gale-force winds. Fair enough.
Whenever I hear the phrase, "And now a special news report", I automatically start scanning the room for blunt objects to club myself to death with in case they're about to announce nuclear war. Since this wasn't the apocalypse, but an unexpected celebrity death - sad, but not worth killing yourself with a paperweight over - Stewart was right to blurt it out as fast as he could.
After watching the news long enough to assess that, yes, he was dead, and the circumstances all seemed rather tragic, long enough for them to play a bit of "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" and " Smooth Criminal" and "Blame it on the Boogie" and so on, reminding me that he was a bona fide musical genius, I went to bed.
The next day he was still dead, but somehow deader than the day before.
He was all over the radio and papers. The TV had clips of "Thriller" on heavy rotation, which seemed a tad inappropriate, what with him playing a decomposing corpse in it.
If Bruce Willis died falling from a skyscraper, I doubt they'd illustrate his life story by repeatedly showing that bit from Die Hard where he ties a firehose round his waist and jumps off the building.
Across all the networks, a million talking heads shared their thoughts and feelings on his death.
At 3pm, his death was still "BREAKING NEWS" according to Sky, which has to be some kind of record. Even 9/11 didn't "break" that long.
Next day, the news was apparently still sinking in around the globe.
The BBC went live to Emily Maitlis as she stood on Hollywood Boulevard (at 1am local time) waiting for two young Latinos to perform a breakdance tribute to the King of Pop.
Something went wrong with the iPod hooked up to their speakers so she had to stand there for a full two minutes, awkwardly filling in while they fiddled with the settings. Sky had flown Kay Burley out to LA, too, to hear the fans' pain and pull concerned faces. This continued into the following day. It's probably still going on now.
But the news is not the place to "celebrate" Jackson's music. The Glastonbury stage, the pub, the club, the office stereo, the arts documentary: That's the place.
The news should report his death, then piss off out of the way, leaving people to moonwalk and raise a toast in peace.
If I was God, here's what I'd do now. I'd force all the rolling networks to cover nothing but the death of Michael Jackson, 24 hours a day, for the next seven years.
Glue up the studio doors and keep everyone inside, endlessly "reporting" it, until they start going mad and developing their own language - not just verbal, but visual.
And I'd encourage viewers to place bets on which anchor would be the first to physically end it all live on air.
And while that was happening, I'd create some other stations that covered other stuff. Current affairs type stuff.
I think I'd call them "news channels". They might catch on.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Hmong in America: A story of heroism, hardship and success
The Vietnam War raged in Southeast Asia, spilling into neighboring Hmong homelands in Laos and Cambodia between 1959 and 1975.
The CIA enlisted many Hmong people in those countries into a “secret army” to help stifle the spread of communism and support the American conflict in Vietnam.
Almost immediately at war’s end, the Laotian government singled out the Hmong people, even those who didn’t aid the American war effort. They were placed into re-education camps where they endured hard, physical labor for up to five years. Many died.
To escape the persecution, which continues today, about 300,000 Hmong fled to refugee camps in Thailand. From there, they made the trip east across the Atlantic Ocean. Some stayed in California, but many moved to the Midwest, settling predominantly in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
About 4,000 Hmong live in La Crosse County, Wis., said Thai Vue, the director of the La Crosse Hmong Mutual Assistance Association. They have been welcomed here, he said, and many problems that exist in other areas that experience an influx of a new ethnic group don’t happen here.
Ka Thao, a relative of the family that drowned at Lock and Dam 7 near Dresbach, was born in Laos in 1972. Her family fled to America in 1981, when she was 9 years old. She has since earned a diploma from the medical assistance program at Western Technical College in La Crosse. She earned the degree on May 11, 2007, the day before her relatives died.
Recalling the refugee camps in Thailand, she said she has no desire to visit her homeland.
Cambodian ruling party CPP marks 58th anniversary
PHNOM PENH, Thousands of members of Cambodian People's Party (CPP) on Sunday gathered to celebrate the58th anniversary of the founding of the party (1951-2009) in the central headquarters in Phnom Penh.
"We celebrate this event in order to express profound gratitude to our beloved compatriots, soldiers, and people in all generations for their resolute struggles and sacrifices for the cause of nation and fatherland," Chea Sim, president of the CPP told the ceremony.
"In its name as the political force that is leading the country, the party must double efforts to achieve its supreme objective that is guaranteeing sustainable peace, stability and national security, maintaining independence, sovereignty and territory integrity, accelerating socio-economic development to catch up with other countries in the region," he said.
"At the same time, people's poverty, good governance, fight against corruption, extension of public services with quality and confidence, are some of the priority areas that require more efforts," he said.
"We have a firm belief that Cambodia will continue to achieve positive growth this year despite currently being affected by the global financial crisis and economic downturn," Chea Sim said.
"I would like to express my respect for army and police and soldiers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and national police who have been heroically fulfilling their duties defending our fatherland and along the border," he said.
Cambodian People's Party was initially called the Khmer People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP), which originated in the longstanding people's struggle movement for national independence. CPP won 90 of 123 seats in general election in July 27, 2008.
Representatives from CPP's coalition partner FUNCINPEC and other small political parties as well as some foreign diplomats, including Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Zhang Jinfeng, also attended the celebration.
(Source = Xinhua)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
In the Cambodian Judges' Court
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia is facing a serious crisis stemming from unresolved allegations of a kickback scheme. Yet the United Nations, the Cambodian government and donor nations aren't dealing effectively with the allegations. That task has been handed to the tribunal judges, who have a golden opportunity to make a difference.
Cambodian government officials are alleged to have received kickbacks from Cambodian employees in exchange for securing them lucrative positions at the court. These are serious allegations. Refusing to address them could deal a fatal blow to the court's credibility. That would be a tragedy for the people of Cambodia, who seek justice for the Khmer Rouge's crimes. It would also be a blow for the international donors who funded this important court.
[Hall] AFP
A handout photo shows president of the Pre-Trial Chamber, Prak Kimsan from Cambodia (L) sitting in the courtroom to preside over a public hearing against the former Khmer Rouge deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Ieng Sary at the Extraodinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh on February 26, 2009.
With the trials now underway, the need to finally address the allegations is urgent. And it's becoming clear that the tribunal's international and Cambodian judges are the court's best option to investigate and clear up the corruption claims. The Cambodian judges have vigorously denied that they have in any way been involved in improper practices. All the more reason, then, for them to investigate alleged corruption at their court with similar vigor.
They have already missed one opportunity. In March, defense lawyers for Nuon Chea, the former chief ideologist of the Khmer Rouge, filed a request asking the two co-investigating judges who are responsible for judicial investigation in the civil law tribunal to obtain the results of a U.N. investigation into possible corruption at the tribunal and to launch a review of the corruption allegations. The lawyers argued that this was needed to "assess what, if any, corrosive effects such alleged corruption has had on the administration of justice thus far at the [tribunal]" and to determine whether their client's right to a fair trial has been compromised. Co-Investigating Judges You Bun Leng and Marcelle Lemonde rejected that request.
The judges said that they lacked the jurisdiction to proceed as the requested information was "totally foreign to the facts covered by the current judicial investigations." They added that they couldn't intervene in response to "speculations as to hypothetical negative effects" of corruption, and that an administrative inquiry "would be superfluous" as the U.N. and Cambodian government were "seised of the situation." The defense teams filed an appeal May 4 with the tribunal's pre-trial chamber asking the three Cambodian and two international judges to reconsider the ruling of the co-investigating judges, arguing that "because exposure of the alleged scheme would likely discredit senior officials and embarrass the U.N., neither institution possesses the requisite impartiality to deal with the matter." Lawyers representing civil parties have since joined the appeal.
If the judges continue to reject requests to investigate the allegations, they risk seeing their tribunal's successes overshadowed by persistent defense claims that corruption renders the trials unfair. Lawyers for civil parties have correctly warned that "arguments in this vein would not only undermine the principle of finality of proceedings, but would render elusive the justice and closure for which the victims of these proceedings have been waiting."
Judges have a responsibility to ensure the proper administration of justice within their court. The claim of the co-investigating judges that they lacked jurisdiction to investigate allegations of corruption involving court personnel was arguably in conflict with this core judicial responsibility. Moreover, a court must satisfy itself that the overall proceedings are fair. Yet the allegations implicate individuals responsible for making legal decisions and administrators and staff responsible for collecting, transcribing, translating and producing the evidence.
The judges' decision is crucial because there are few remaining options if the corruption allegations are ever going to be properly investigated. High-level negotiations between the U.N. and the Cambodian government to produce a credible investigative mechanism failed in April, and donor nations appear unwilling to press the point.
Donor nations have also failed to pressure the court into dealing with the allegations. Last year the U.N. Development Program froze donor funds to the Cambodian side of the tribunal pending a resolution of the allegations, but donors have recently signaled a willingness to support the tribunal regardless. Canberra has asked the UNDP to release Australian funds, stating that it is generally satisfied with the progress being made at the tribunal. When the UNDP refused, Japan provided more than $4 million directly to the Cambodian government -- enough to fund the tribunal through the end of the year.
In an apparent tit-for-tat response to continuing calls for an investigation of Cambodian court officials, Phay Siphan, secretary of state and spokesman at the council of ministers, stated on May 11 that the Cambodian government is currently investigating allegations of undisclosed wrongdoing involving U.N. court personnel. He said: "We have a file of who's the enemy of the [tribunal]. We don't want to expose any wrongdoing of the U.N. side in order to discredit the [tribunal]. We know who's the enemy of the tribunal and we know who's trying to manipulate what's going on. One day, if we feel the need to release it, we will release it." Andrew Ianuzzi, a legal consulatant for the defense team of Nuon Chea, characterized this as "the childish, thuggish behavior we have come to expect from the government."
With the U.N. stymied, donor nations lacking political will and leadership, and the Cambodian government stonewalling and raising counterallegations, all eyes are now on the tribunal's judges. Trial Chamber Judge Silvia Cartwright has stated that "one of the major issues that has been troubling for all the judges is that of corruption within the [tribunal]. We welcome all efforts to ensure that the allegations are dealt with fully and fairly and that independent measures are put in place to make sure [that claims] are resolved in a transparent manner." The judges now have an opportunity to put these fine sentiments into concrete action and throw their weight behind a competent, credible and transparent investigation of the allegations. It is time for them to deal with an issue which if left unresolved will expose all future judgments to crippling legal challenges.
Cambodia breaks ground on its first overpass
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AFP) — Cambodia broke ground at its capital's busiest intersection Wednesday for what will be the country's first road overpass.
Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the start of the project, intended to reduce Phnom Penh's increasing traffic problems, at a ceremony opening another new bridge at the intersection.
"It is will be the first overpass bridge of Cambodia," Hun Sen said at the ceremony.
Officials said construction of the 308-metre (1,010-foot) overpass would cost more than six million dollars and would be finished within one year.
The premier said Phnom Penh had changed from "ghost city, a city that has no people, and a shocked city, into a vivid city."
All residents of Phnom Penh were forced into the countryside during the 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rouge regime, as the hardline communists enslaved the nation on collective farms.
During Wednesday's ceremony, Hun Sen also called on the people to respect traffic laws, saying that doing so meant they "respect their own lives."
Traffic fatalities have more than doubled in Cambodia over the past five years, becoming the second-biggest killer behind HIV/AIDS.
Better roads and more vehicles have contributed heavily to this toll, but bad driving is the main cause behind most accidents, police say.
Cambodia has finally begun to emerge from decades of civil conflict, but has been hit with gridlock as well as a building boom that has begun to change radically the face of its once-sleepy capital.
Cambodian PM calls for more ASEAN-EU partnership, cooperation
PHNOM PENH, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Senon Thursday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) to continue strengthening partnership and cooperation in response to the global challenges.
"I strongly believe that ASEAN and the EU can play a more active and more forceful role in the world," the premier said in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 17th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) at Chaktomuk Conference Hall.
"There is no room for a passive role for us, and we - ASEAN and the EU collectively - need to take on the global challenges with head on," he added.
The 17th AEMM which opened here Thursday will focus on ASEAN-EU's enhanced partnership and cooperation, as well as the world economic and financial crisis and other regional and international issues.
The meeting under the theme of "ASEAN-EU Partnership for Peace, Economic Growth and Development" is also scheduled to address issues of ASEAN integration, food and energy security, and the environment.
Hun Sen, in his speech, reviewed and spoke highly of the ASEAN-EU cooperation, saying "our close relations at present are becoming ever stronger and covering a wide range of areas."
The premier also underlined six areas for further enhancing the cooperation and partnership between the ASEAN and EU, such as continuing implementing the ASEAN-EU Action Plan, moving quickly to realize the EU/EC's accession to the TAC (the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia), supporting each other in the areas of integration and the community building process, and strengthening ASEAN-EU cooperation in the regional and international forum.
On the issue of the global economic and financial crisis, Hun Sen said "the current crisis presents both the danger and the opportunity for some countries, particularly those in the developing world."
But he warned that "the danger is that some countries may resort to protectionism." He asked to "reform the international financial institutions" to serve the interests of all.
This biennial ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting were attended by representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries and the 27 EU member states, as well as the delegates from ASEAN Secretariat and EU Commission.
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong and Jan Kohout, Czech deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs whose country is current EU president, are co-presidents of the meeting.
The 16th Ministerial Meeting between ASEAN and EU was held in Germany in 2007.
The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Out of a temple in remote Cambodia, a world-class ballet dancer is discovered
While visiting Cambodia in 2000, American arts patron Anne H. Bass witnessed a rising star. Then 15 years old, Sokvannara “Sy” Sar performed a dance at Cambodia’s famous Preah Kahn temple and caught Bass’ eye.
Nine years later, Sar is a member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company, and Bass has documented his journey every step of the way. On May 25, Sar’s story, in a film titled “Dancing Across Borders,” produced and directed by Bass, was showcased at the Seattle International Film Festival.
Sar’s journey began on the streets of Cambodia.
“I pretty much just followed my friends,” he said. “I didn’t know what it was really. I just wanted to try [dancing] out.”
At the age of 9, Sar began his dance education at the Wat Bo School and eventually found himself performing as a lead at the Preah Kahn temple. Bass happened to catch one of his performances.
After Bass returned home to the United States, she continued to think about Sar’s performance of the fisherman’s dance.
“I just kept thinking about … the fact that Cambodian dancers, especially male dancers, don’t have much of a future,” Bass said. “He was just so unbelievably and naturally gifted. He was a totally charismatic performer. The next thing I know, I was writing a letter to him and inviting him to dance ballet.”
Bass served as Sar’s sponsor on his trip to the United States.
Sar arrived a few weeks before turning the age of 17, an unusually late starting age for a ballet dancer.
He did not speak any English and was initially rejected from the School of American Ballet (SAB). Peter Boal, then a principal dancer and faculty at SAB, felt that he was not ready and said there was a language barrier.
“Already the cards were stacked against him,” Boal said in the film.
Sokvannara “Sy” Sar
Pacific Northwest Ballet dancer Sokvannara Sar leaps during his dance routine as shown in Anne Bass’ documentary, “Dancing Across Borders.” Photo provided by Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Sar also had to deal with the culture shock of moving to a different country. He enrolled in a high school and received his diploma in three years.
“It was tough,” Sar said. “I had never left home. There was nobody around who I could talk to. I was a little bit of an outsider.”
“He didn’t like anything from the standpoint of food,” Bass said. “We tried everything. He just really missed his mother’s cooking.”
One summer of intense training later, Sar was accepted into SAB and began classes with children ages 6 to 9.
To make up for lost time, he spent hours studying privately with ballet teacher Olga Kostritzky.
“It wasn’t easy,” Kostrizky said in the film. “Every day he would go through an enormous amount of material.”
“It’s a one in 1,000 chance that this could work, and I think we found that one,” Boal said.
In January 2006, the U.S. State Department in Cambodia organized an evening of cultural performances to celebrate the new embassy building. Sar was among the list of those invited to perform.
“[The Cambodians] are so proud of him,” said Roland Eng, a former Cambodian ambassador to the United States.
When Boal left SAB in 2006 to become the artistic director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, he invited Sar to attend the company’s school. Sar enrolled one year later.
That was the same year Bass developed the idea for the documentary.
“When he first came here, I got a video camera so I could film his classes to send a record of his progress to his mother,” Bass said.
“That clip just kept running until we had a movie,” Sar said.
“I hope that some people who come to this film with no feeling for ballet might develop an interest in dance,” Bass said.
“Maybe [this film will] inspire some kids in this country or in my country,” Sar said.
Bass hopes that the film will also prompt viewers to offer their support when they recognize unusual talent, like in her case with Sar.
“[The film] is good because it’s not just about me.” Sar said. “It’s just a story. … There are not many Cambodians who do ballet. It’s more about that than me.”
Bass plans to continue attending film festivals to distribute the documentary. In January, she previewed the film in Cambodia to great success. Bass and Sar plan to return to show the film to children in various schools.
As for Sar, now 24, his future plans involve dance, academics, and some self-discovery.
“I think I’m going to stick around in PNB for a while,” he said. “I’m going to go back to school, college, just part-time, but I’m not quitting dance. … I’m just trying to figure out what exactly I want to do as an individual,” he said. “I’m not sure specifically who I want to be yet.”
