Week 649

Khmer Citizens along the Sesan River Suffer from Infectious Diseases Coming from the Yali Dam in Vietnam – Monday, 25.1.2010

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 649

“Phnom Penh: Khmer citizens in Svay Rieng village, Ta Lan commune, Sesan district, Stung Treng, who live along the Sesan River, suffer from infectious diseases because they use dirty water flowing from the Yali dam in Vietnam.

“A woman in the village, Sa Ngak, 22, said, ‘My son Oeun Khon, 7, has had diarrhea and he has been vomiting for several days.’ She added that her son fell sick because he drank yellowish water from the Sesan River, coming from the Yali dam in Vietnam.

“Another woman in the village, Sen Ri, 40, said that her two daughters have had itchy skin diseases for many days after they had using water from the river, which contains chemicals and dirty water flowing from the dam.

“Regarding the impact from diseases when using water from the Sesan River, the Svay Rieng village chief, Mr. Sang Kan, said that he has been living in the village since the Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime [1955 to 1970], and the citizens who used the water had never gotten diarrhea.

“He added that at present, the villagers have different types of diseases such as diarrhea, itchy skin diseases, swollen limbs, typhoid, and many other diseases, caused by the water from the Sesan River, which flows from the Yali dam in Vietnam near the Cambodian-Vietnamese border.

“He went on to say that 70% of the villagers use the water of the Sesan river.

“The head of the Water Resources Committee in Svay Rieng village, Mr. Pai Thang Nhok, said that the Yali dam of Vietnam does discharge dirty water, rubbish, and feces and water infiltrates also from a red earth area which makes the villagers to suffer from infectious diseases. He added that in January 2010, more than 20 children and adults have diarrhea and itchy skin diseases.

“Concerning the infectious of diseases in the Svay Rieng village, the Sesan district governor, Mr. Bou Keosovann, said, ‘So far, I have not received information about this case.’

“It should be noted that according to a test by the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh, water of the Sesan river contains e-coli a bacteria that causes diarrhea and itchy skin diseases.

“About 200 families in the Svay Rieng village, which is 200 kilometer from Stung Treng along the Sesan River, said that in that area, there is one health center, but it does not have doctors.

“The villagers said that doctors come to provide medicine drops for children, and birth spacing drugs every month, but there is no treatments provided for the diseases caused by the water of the river.” Deum Ampil, Vol.4, #396, 24-25.1.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 25 January 2010

Deum Ampil, Vol.4, #396, 24-25.1.2010

  • Khmer Citizens along the Sesan River Suffer from Infectious Diseases Coming from the Yali Dam in Vietnam

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2159, 24-25.1.2010

  • Opposition [Sam Rainsy] Party Parliamentarians Met [UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur] Surya Subedi and Mentioned the Court cases and Sam Rainsy’s Case [over the removal of border markers]
  • Veterans of Division 12 from 268 Families Expressed Gratitude towards Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen for Offering Them Land [Banteay Meanchey]
  • The Ministry of Education Needs to Construct 1,000 Additional Buildings [to meet the increasing number of students, and it needs to recruit about 5,000 teachers each year – according to the Minister of Education, Mr. Im Sethy]

Khmer Amatak, Vol.10, #724, 25.1.2010

  • The United Nations Development Program [UNDP] Completely Terminated Aid for the National Elections of Cambodia because Reforms Were Not Conducted [to ensure justice and fairness in the previous elections; every year UNDP grants US$80 million to US$120 million for the development of Cambodia]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.4, #588, 24-25.1.2010

  • [The Director of Human Rights Watch for Asia Pacific] Brad Adam: Human Rights Conditions [in Cambodia] Can Change if the Powerful Countries and Donors Press the Cambodian Government

Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #6866, 25.1.2010

  • Cambodia Is Ready to Bilaterally Solve Border Disputes with Thailand through Negotiations, through Military, or Again through Legal Methods [the International Court in The Hague – said Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Hor Namhong]
  • A Truck Loaded with Bricks Crashed into a 12-Seater Car, Killing Four People and Injuring Twenty [Sihanoukville]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #96, 25.1.2010

  • There Were Armed Clashes between the Khmer and the Thai Military at the Choam Tae Area [near the Preah Vihear Temple]; Cambodia Did Not Suffer Any Casualty, whereas Thailand Might Have Some Dead and Injured Soldiers [the deputy army commander stationed in Preah Vihear, Mr. Meas Yoeun, said that Thai soldiers came 200 meters into Khmer territory and started shooting at Cambodian soldiers first]
  • Local Authorities in Ratanakiri Were Threatened to Be Killed by Soldiers Trading Wood [when they tried to block those soldiers transporting wood to Vietnam; finally the authorities could not seize the wood and could just report the case to higher levels]
  • Rain Destroyed 3,000 Tones of Salt in Kampot

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #51, 24-25.1.2010

  • The Number of Casinos in Cambodia Increased Up to 32 along the Vietnamese and Thai Borders [according to a Deputy Director General of National Police, Mr. Sok Phal]
  • [A Thai military official and supporter of ousted and fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra] Khattiya Sawasdipol Is Training Fighters to Oppose the Thai Military

Sereypheap Thmey, Vol.18, #1862, 25.1.2010

  • Former Residents of the Dey Krahom Community Lighted Incense Sticks [at the eviction site] to Curse the 7NG Company [that evicted them last year – Phnom Penh]

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