The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 578
“General Phan Nguon, a military official of the Ministry of Defense, provided information to students and youth who have the intention to become soldiers to serve the nation. The recruitment procedures were announced through the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Television [TV5] yesterday morning, while Siam [Thai] black-clad soldiers [from the Special Border Protectin Forces] continuously invade Khmer territory in the west.
“The announcement said that the Ministry of Defense informs students and youth who have the intention to become officers and soldiers to register – and then future officers are required to undergo a four years training, while the normal soldiers are required to go through a six months training.
“The announcement shows several entry points, but it focuses, for the first intake, on the army. The training of the recruits may be inside or outside of the country, and the Ministry points out that both male and female students are being addressed, who have graduated with a high school diploma or have grades comparable, and have the intention to volunteer to become members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces – if this applies, interested persons should complete one of the following forms:
Four years training course of the thirteenth intake active soldiers
Four years training course of the first intake for army officers
“The announcement provides detailed information to the volunteers how to become soldiers, and explains how to complete the forms at the Office of Personnel of the Armed Forces Headquarters opposite of the Lux Cinema, and at other town and provincial military outposts countrywide. The date to accept forms starts from the day of the announcement until 26 November 2008, daily and any time of the day.
“The announcement for the recruitment of soldiers is made while a neighboring country of Cambodia invades Cambodian territory in western regions, especially the Siamese [Thai] thief that invades to occupy Khmer Temples along the border at many places, like the regions near the Preah Vihear Temple, the Ta Moan Thom Temple, the Ta Krabei Temple, the Chub Kokir region, and some regions in Anlong Veng and Oddar Meanchey. As for the number of Khmer soldiers, claimed to be around 120,000 to 130,000, it appears that this is only a number, but in fact, there are probably less than half of this number. Because when the nation is in danger, like when the Siamese thief invades the country, there are not enough soldier to respond.
Note:
In the last Editorial we referred to some of the more delicate, and still not discussed problems between both countries; it can be accessed also here.
“Mr. Yim Sovann, the head of the Fourth Committee of the National Assembly and a high ranking official of the Sam Rainsy Party, informed Khmer Machas Srok about the number of soldiers he had received from the Ministry of Defense, ‘For now, I doubt that the number of soldiers is between 120,000 and 130,000, because now, when there is an invasion by a foreign country, like at the western border, the government appears to hesitate to respond; there are not enough troops sent for patrol. Therefore, our soldiers exist only in numbers, but the real number of soldiers is likely to be insufficient, because of corruption, as it is not known where the real soldiers are.’
“Mr. Yim Sovann added that as for the police, he had been informed also that their number is 50,000.
“An official of the Ministry of Defense, who is a former KPNLF soldier of the [US supported] Khmer People’s National Liberation Front [until 1992] of Louk Ta [Grandfather] Son San, said that many soldiers of the divisions of the six military regions in Cambodia, as well as those in towns and provincial military outposts, exist only as numbers, but their salaries are taken by their commanders.
Note:
When one sees the many luxury class extremely expensive Landcruiser car with military license plates on the streets, such an outrageous assumption becomes undertstandable. I had to travel to many different countries in the couse of my life and work – in no other country I have seen luxury cars with military license plates.
When the country needs soldiers, some divisions with nominally nearly 10,000 soldiers have only around 300 to 400 soldiers, including drivers, and those who guard the land and the houses for their division chiefs.
“The same general, who is a former KPLF soldier, continued to say that whatever their affiliation – with the State of Cambodia, or with the former ANKI [Armée Nationale du Kampuchea Independent – National Army of Independent Kampuchea – the former military arm of FUNCINPEC] , or with the KPNLF, or the former followers of Gneral Sak Sutsakhan [who had separated himself from the KPNLF] – their high levels leaders have abandoned them, especially those soldiers who fought in the battlefields in Battambang, Pursat, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Thom, and Siem Reap, they have been forgotten, and some of their land and housing had been grabbed by the powerful and by the rich.
“However, that former KPLF soldier said that as for the military commanders, specifically those who served the State of Cambodia [1989 to 1993], at present almost all still are in their positions, though most of them have fat potbellies. The official went on to say that the Ministry of National Defense lacked everything during this last period,: it lacks fuel allowance, and the salaries for the soldiers are small and often paid with delays, which contrasts with the salaries of the members of the National Assembly, saying that Ministry of Defense expenses are budgeted as US$267 million for one year.
“Although the Ministry of Defense faces a shortage of solders, there are always thousands of soldiers to protect the Prime Minister Hun Sen, and more than forty tanks which are not broken down, are always on alert for the security of the Prime Minister alone.” Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #244, 14-16.9.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 15 September 2008
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1746, 14-15.9.2008
- Former Parliamentary Candidate of the Sam Rainsy Party Reveals Insider Information [Mr. Chrea Chenda, who joined the Cambodian People’s Party said that the leaders of the Sam Rainsy Party commit corruption]
- Siam [Thailand] Invades the Trap Mountain and Warns Khmer Soldiers to Retreat [Preah Vihear area – no precise information given whether it relates to the area the Cambodian side has not claimed in the document for the World Heritage listing, or to other areas]
- More Than 2,000 Workers of the King Maker Shoe Factory Ask Their Manager to Obey Working Condition Regulations [the factory is located in a special economic zone in Svay Rieng]
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #244, 14-16.9.2008
- The Ministry of Defense Calls for the Recruitment of Soldiers
- Son Chhay [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian] Plans to Take Father of Tim Sakhan to Visit His Son Directly in Vietnam
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6450, 15.9.2008
- Hundreds of People Collect Around 40,000 Liters of Fuel Leaking into Rice Fields from Overturned Fuel Tanker Truck [Kompong Trach, Kampot]
- Price of Fuel Drops from More Than US$140 to US$97 per Barrel [1 barrel corresponds to 117.35 liters, and it drops US$0.37 per liter], but in Cambodia It Drops Only Riel 400 [approx. US$0.10] per Liter
Mate Neak, Vol.1, #5, 15-21.9.2008
- Citizens from Four Districts of Kandal Criticize the Arrangements and Technique Putting Culverts [some houses are connected, some are not – Kien Svay]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3565, 15.9.2008
- The Cambodian People’s Party Decides to Publish List of Ministers on 22 September; Funcinpec Asks for 100 Positions as Government Advisors
- The Government’s Patience Motivates Siam [Thailand] to Look Down and Invade Cambodia More Strongly
Rasmei Angkor, Vol.11, #1359, 15.9.2008
- The Royal Government of Cambodia Prepares Complaints to the International Court of Justice after Staying Patient for Two Months with Siam Invading [Prime Minister Hun Sen decided that officials of the government prepare different relevant documents to send complaints again to the UN Security Council and even to the International Court of Justice]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4694, 14-15.9.2008
- Japan Tries to Encourage Its Investors to Come to Cambodia
- Clinton Foundation Announces to Seek Donations to Help to Preserve Forest
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3408, 14-15.9.2008
- The King Asks the Sam Rainsy Party to Look into the Law [which states that the first session of the National Assembly has to be held within sixty days after the elections, and all parliamentarians elected have to attend the session summoned by the King]
Click here to have a look at the last editorial – how the whole Khmer press withholds the final, decisive document from the public, before the Preah Vihear Temple was listed as a World Heritag Site.
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