Fired RFA employees protest by burning a tire (Photo: Vannara, RFI)Radio France Internationale
Fired RFA employees have sent their grievances to the Cambodian ministry of Labor. Meanwhile, Hun Xen is also pushing RFA to respect the work rights of its employees.
Employees of RFA Khmer Service, who were fired at the end of September, have sent their grievances to the Cambodian ministry of labor yesterday, asking that the ministry help resolve this dispute through legal means.
At the end of September, 5 RFA reporters and employees saw their work contract cancelled one after another.
On Saturday 03 October, Huy Vannak, a reporter who was also fired, said that he wants the director of RFA Khmer Service [Kem Sos?] to resolve the employee firing issue according to the law. This is the reason why he sent his grievance to the ministry of Labor. He indicated that his group was not fired according to the law. Huy Vannk added that he did not commit any professional mistake, but yet he was fired.
A RFA reporter who declined to give his name said that the demand made by the reporters who were fired was not made just for work and salary purposes only, but that the demand was made so that the RFA administration resolve this issue according to the law.
Today, Sam Poly, the deputy director of RFA Khmer Service, declined to comment on this issue that affects RFA.
However, one RFA reporter who is still work there reacted to the statements made by the fired reporters, the reporter indicated that these employees were not fired but that their contracts ended. This reporter also indicated that this is only a reform within RFA only.
Regarding this affair that is taking place at this US radio station, yesterday, PM Hun Sen called on RFA representatives to respect its employees’ rights according the labor law.
Regarding the RFA case, the Club of Cambodian Journalists also called on both sides to resolve the dispute through legal means.
Please find below the Letter of King Ang Duong of 25 November 1856 to Emperor Napoleon III of France. This is an English translation from the reprinted/reproduced French text in Cambodge, published by the Ministry of Information, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, (1962), p. 48. The King's letter was read in part by Princess Yukanthor to the National Assembly of the French Union during the meeting on 19 May 1949 dealing with the status of Cochinchina/Kampuchea Krom: A.U.F, Annales, no. 1(1949), p.515. Cambodia wanted the lost territories back. see Marie A. Martin, Cambodia: a Shattered Society,(1989) p. 350
Note:
Kay son=Tai son;
Saikong = Saigon
From Bora Touch, Esq.
-------
King Ang Duong (Photo: http://cambodiatheroyalandourland.blogspot.com)
Cambodia was formerly a vast country made up of large provinces, then followed the Annamites, men of bad faith, allied themselves with Cambodia looking to take for themselves sometimes one, sometimes two Sroks.
At the time of the revolt of Kay Son, the Emperor Gia-Long fled his kingdom and asked for help from the Kingdom of Krong-Tep [Thailand]. He met there Our August Father then King of Cambodia with whom he formed an alliance. After having fled Kingdom Krong-Tep and settled at Srok Preah Trapeang [Travihn] where he organized his army to fight against the Kay-Son, Our August Father sent him men to help until he conquered the Kay-Son and mounted the throne of Annam. Then taking into account that the Srok of Preah Trapeang was his benefactor he asked Our August Father to exempt the Srok from all tribute [for Cambodia] and not to make the inhabitants of the Srok work.
Our August Father considering that this was an act of confession on the part of an ally, acquiesced to his demand and no longer subjected them to any duty.
A long time afterward, Gia-Long made the Srok an Annamite colony until the reign of Our elder Brother [Ang Chan] who turned toward the emperor Gia-Long to ask for his help. On our part, we allied with Kingdom Krong-Tep. The son of Gia-Long named Minh Mang mounted the throne and dug the canal that crosses the Kingdom of Cambodia from Peam [Hatien] to Chaudoc to establish mandarins and Annamite subjects.
On His death, Our August father left only a daughter (of the first lit bed(?)) The Emperor Minh-Mang, as a measure of oppression, ordered to bring in captivity to Saikong the daughters of Our August Brother, Our August Mother, Our own Child, to put to death a daughter of Our August Brother to make him disappear, ordered the grand mandarins and inhabitants of Cambodia to go live on one of the islands and the others at Tonkin near China. The Cambodians, made aware of the evil intention of the Annamite Emperor, rose up and massacred a lot of Annamites.
The state of affairs that existed in Cambodia must have made His Majesty the Emperor of the French reflect on the establishment of the domination of Annamites in the Cambodian territories. The Srok Donnai became Annamite by simple peaceful occupation 200 years ago. The Sroks that the Annamites seized after were Saikong [Saigon], Longho (Vinh-Long) Phsar-Dek (Sadec), Smeythor, Meat-Chrouk (Chaudoc), Kramuon-Sar (Rach-Gia), Omom, Tuk-Khmau, Srok Peam and the islands of Tral [Phu-Quoc] and Tralach [Poulo Condor]. From now on if the Annamites ceded to the Emperor of France all of these territories and others, We pray His Majesty Emperor of France will not accept them because these are really the Cambodian territories. The part going to the west bank of the Saikong river to Peam (Hatien) comprised of 2 islands, must remain Cambodian as before. As for the region that is found on the east bank of the Saikong river that the Annamites have occupied for a long time, We do not reclaim....
Made in Our Palace at Oudong and marked with Our seal, Tuesday, month Kadoeck, the 13th day of the waning moon, in the year 1215 of the small era, year of the Dragon, 8th of the decade cycle.
Sent to Sing Ka po [Singapore]
His Majesty signed "Ang Duong"
Note:
Kay son=Tai son;
Saikong = Saigon
From Bora Touch, Esq.
-------
King Ang Duong (Photo: http://cambodiatheroyalandourland.blogspot.com)LETTER OF KING ANG DUONG TO EMPEROR NAPOLEON III
Cambodia was formerly a vast country made up of large provinces, then followed the Annamites, men of bad faith, allied themselves with Cambodia looking to take for themselves sometimes one, sometimes two Sroks.
At the time of the revolt of Kay Son, the Emperor Gia-Long fled his kingdom and asked for help from the Kingdom of Krong-Tep [Thailand]. He met there Our August Father then King of Cambodia with whom he formed an alliance. After having fled Kingdom Krong-Tep and settled at Srok Preah Trapeang [Travihn] where he organized his army to fight against the Kay-Son, Our August Father sent him men to help until he conquered the Kay-Son and mounted the throne of Annam. Then taking into account that the Srok of Preah Trapeang was his benefactor he asked Our August Father to exempt the Srok from all tribute [for Cambodia] and not to make the inhabitants of the Srok work.
Our August Father considering that this was an act of confession on the part of an ally, acquiesced to his demand and no longer subjected them to any duty.
A long time afterward, Gia-Long made the Srok an Annamite colony until the reign of Our elder Brother [Ang Chan] who turned toward the emperor Gia-Long to ask for his help. On our part, we allied with Kingdom Krong-Tep. The son of Gia-Long named Minh Mang mounted the throne and dug the canal that crosses the Kingdom of Cambodia from Peam [Hatien] to Chaudoc to establish mandarins and Annamite subjects.
On His death, Our August father left only a daughter (of the first lit bed(?)) The Emperor Minh-Mang, as a measure of oppression, ordered to bring in captivity to Saikong the daughters of Our August Brother, Our August Mother, Our own Child, to put to death a daughter of Our August Brother to make him disappear, ordered the grand mandarins and inhabitants of Cambodia to go live on one of the islands and the others at Tonkin near China. The Cambodians, made aware of the evil intention of the Annamite Emperor, rose up and massacred a lot of Annamites.
The state of affairs that existed in Cambodia must have made His Majesty the Emperor of the French reflect on the establishment of the domination of Annamites in the Cambodian territories. The Srok Donnai became Annamite by simple peaceful occupation 200 years ago. The Sroks that the Annamites seized after were Saikong [Saigon], Longho (Vinh-Long) Phsar-Dek (Sadec), Smeythor, Meat-Chrouk (Chaudoc), Kramuon-Sar (Rach-Gia), Omom, Tuk-Khmau, Srok Peam and the islands of Tral [Phu-Quoc] and Tralach [Poulo Condor]. From now on if the Annamites ceded to the Emperor of France all of these territories and others, We pray His Majesty Emperor of France will not accept them because these are really the Cambodian territories. The part going to the west bank of the Saikong river to Peam (Hatien) comprised of 2 islands, must remain Cambodian as before. As for the region that is found on the east bank of the Saikong river that the Annamites have occupied for a long time, We do not reclaim....
Made in Our Palace at Oudong and marked with Our seal, Tuesday, month Kadoeck, the 13th day of the waning moon, in the year 1215 of the small era, year of the Dragon, 8th of the decade cycle.
Sent to Sing Ka po [Singapore]
His Majesty signed "Ang Duong"
Monday, October 05, 2009
PHNOM PENH — The global economic downturn has forced at least 20,000 workers to lose their jobs in Cambodia's garment industry this year, a labour ministry report showed Monday.
Between January and September, 77 factories were closed across the country resulting in the loss of 30,617 jobs, according to the report obtained by AFP.
Although 40 new factories opened in same the period and created more employment, more than 20,000 job losses remained, it showed.
Another 53 factories also suspended operations during the period but about half have reopened.
"The closure of the factories is due to fewer purchase orders," Oum Mean, secretary of state at the Ministry of Labour, told AFP.
"We can assume that this has been caused by the global financial crisis because the consumption in big countries has declined and this made some factories receive no purchase orders," he said.
In the face of shrinking demand from the US, the largest importer of Cambodian-made garments, the government is seeking new markets for textiles in Asia and Europe, Oum Mean added.
Cambodia's garment industry is the impoverished country's largest source of income, providing 80 percent of its foreign exchange earnings and employing an estimated 350,000 people last year.
The International Monetary Fund said last month that Cambodia's economy will contract 2.75 percent this year as the global economic crisis takes its toll.
Between January and September, 77 factories were closed across the country resulting in the loss of 30,617 jobs, according to the report obtained by AFP.
Although 40 new factories opened in same the period and created more employment, more than 20,000 job losses remained, it showed.
Another 53 factories also suspended operations during the period but about half have reopened.
"The closure of the factories is due to fewer purchase orders," Oum Mean, secretary of state at the Ministry of Labour, told AFP.
"We can assume that this has been caused by the global financial crisis because the consumption in big countries has declined and this made some factories receive no purchase orders," he said.
In the face of shrinking demand from the US, the largest importer of Cambodian-made garments, the government is seeking new markets for textiles in Asia and Europe, Oum Mean added.
Cambodia's garment industry is the impoverished country's largest source of income, providing 80 percent of its foreign exchange earnings and employing an estimated 350,000 people last year.
The International Monetary Fund said last month that Cambodia's economy will contract 2.75 percent this year as the global economic crisis takes its toll.
Mon, 05 Oct 2009
Phnom Penh - Cambodian authorities on Monday said 17 people died and 65 were injured after Typhoon Ketsana swept through the country last week. "This is the biggest storm that I have seen in all my time working here," said Keo Vy, the deputy head of information at the National Committee for Disaster Management, who has worked at the centre since 1995.
Keo Vy said the toll could increase to 21 if four other people who drowned off the southern coast when their vessel sank on September 30 were included. One person survived the sinking.
The committee said about 22,700 families were affected by the storm in four provinces. Nearly 200 homes were destroyed and 644 others were damaged.
The typhoon caused widespread flooding, with its effects felt across Cambodia. The disaster agency said the storm damaged at least 22,000 hectares of rice fields.
The country director of international aid agency Oxfam-GB said Monday that as many as 35,000 hectares of rice fields were damaged.
"We are still in an emergency situation," said Francis Perez, adding that Oxfam was providing aid in some areas and still assessing conditions in others.
Oxfam said 14,000 families were displaced by the typhoon.
"We are looking at reaching 5,000 families this week, and have helped 2,500 families. So we are halfway to our target," Perez said.
The national disaster agency said the typhoon killed nine people in Kampong Thom province, 150 kilometres north of Phnom Penh, and three others in Siem Reap. Three more died in Ratanakkiri province in the east, while two were killed in Kampong Chhnang province.
Ketsana made landfall in central Vietnam early last week causing at least 159 deaths and widespread flooding before heading west into Cambodia. It had earlier caused severe damage and hundreds of deaths in the Philippines.
Keo Vy said the toll could increase to 21 if four other people who drowned off the southern coast when their vessel sank on September 30 were included. One person survived the sinking.
The committee said about 22,700 families were affected by the storm in four provinces. Nearly 200 homes were destroyed and 644 others were damaged.
The typhoon caused widespread flooding, with its effects felt across Cambodia. The disaster agency said the storm damaged at least 22,000 hectares of rice fields.
The country director of international aid agency Oxfam-GB said Monday that as many as 35,000 hectares of rice fields were damaged.
"We are still in an emergency situation," said Francis Perez, adding that Oxfam was providing aid in some areas and still assessing conditions in others.
Oxfam said 14,000 families were displaced by the typhoon.
"We are looking at reaching 5,000 families this week, and have helped 2,500 families. So we are halfway to our target," Perez said.
The national disaster agency said the typhoon killed nine people in Kampong Thom province, 150 kilometres north of Phnom Penh, and three others in Siem Reap. Three more died in Ratanakkiri province in the east, while two were killed in Kampong Chhnang province.
Ketsana made landfall in central Vietnam early last week causing at least 159 deaths and widespread flooding before heading west into Cambodia. It had earlier caused severe damage and hundreds of deaths in the Philippines.