The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 606
First: Sorry for the delays, I was already out of hospital care for some days, but still not yet quite OK. After all, the “backbone” is the backbone of the body – and if it is out of order, that has a lot of side effects.
In order not to delay the daily translations too much, I will only collect and highlight some observations from the news of the week and leave it open for reflection – How comes? What does it mean?
Norbert Klein
Monday:
“The Number of Rapes of Underage Persons Is Higher Than the Rapes of Adults [there were 419 rapes of women and children in 2008, out of which 280 cases were against underage persons]”
“[The director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia] Mr. Chhang Youk Questions Why Duch Alone Is Heard in Court, but Not Also Nearly 200 Other Prison Chiefs”
Tuesday:
“More Than US$12 Million Is Collected from the Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Friendship and Charity Golf Event [in Vietnam]”
in spite of the economic problems.
Wednesday:
“Duch read out from a drafted paper with a plain voice, admitting his crimes at the S-21 or Tuol Sleng prison, ‘I accept, according to the law, responsibility for all crimes, especially torture and carnage. For torture, I would like to express remorse for all crimes during the Khmer Rouge Democratic Regime.’”
Head of State of “Democratic Kampuchea,” Khiev Samphan: “Let bygones
be bygones…” when asked about the past [in 1998, after the defection
of their Khmer Rouge faction to the Cambodian government]. And of
Brother Number Two Nuon Chea (after Brother Number One, Pol Pot),
who told a news conference in 1998, “Naturally, we are sorry – not
only for the lives of the people, but also for the animals.” And
more recently: “I was aware of some killing – just some killing –
but how could I have controlled it? There were too many factors,”
Nuon Chea said, softening his one-time denial that he never
knew of any deaths [16 February 2007].
Thursday:
“Citizens who read Sereypheap Thmey greatly wonder why there is drug distribution and abuse at the place where laws should be strictly enforced. There are many police and persons of authority and other people who had visited their relatives in prison at the M-1 Prey Sar rehabilitation center who said that when they go to see their relatives in prison, they have to pass three checkpoints: one post of front line security guards, one post to note down the names of visitors, one post to check food and other materials.”
“Nearly US$3 Million [from funds of the municipality] Is Used to Construct a Main Channel and the Kab Srov Pumping Station to Avoid Flooding at the North of Phnom Penh.”
created by the filling up of Boeng Kak lake by a private company, which
plans to exploit the former lake as a modern construction site for its own profit?
Friday:
“On 31 March 2009, in Sihanoukville, the Cambodian Prime Minister, Mr. Hun Sen, said, ‘If they would try 20 people, until the trials are finished, war would break out…”
“Also, Mr. Hun Sen wished that the United Nations or the Khmer Rouge Tribunal should run out of money.”
“The president of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights – LICADHO, Ms. Pong Chhiv Kek [also known as Dr. Kek Galabru], criticized Prime Minister Hun Sen’s speech of 31 March 2009 in Sihanoukville, saying ‘To accuse or not to accuse is the court’s duty, and this needs no decision outside of the court.’”
Saturday:
“The Royal Government will offer priority for land ownership for housing construction, for farming and small-scale utilization for poor families, and for most vulnerable people. To ensure efficiency in land use, the Royal Government encourages the creation of plans to allocate land for farming development, tourism industry, urban and rural areas, housing areas, reserved areas, and conservation areas, in order to avoid land use which does not meet the best potentiality.”
“In a Land Dispute in Chi Kraeng District [in Siem Reap], [around 100] Residents Walk to Phnom Penh to Request a Solution [after walking 13 days, they arrive in Phnom Penh]”
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