land grabbing

First Senior Citizens' Association Created in Phnom Penh – Thursday, 28.1.2010

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 649

“In the morning of 27 January 2010, there was an announcement about the creation of the first senior citizens’ association in Phnom Penh. A permanent deputy director and the director of the Department of Social Affairs, Mr. Son Sophal, the Chamkar Mon district governor, Mr. Lo Yuy, and other fellow officials attended the ceremony. The establishment of the Senior Citizens’ Association by the Department of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation in Phsar Daeum Thkov commune suggests that the 8 districts and 76 communes in Phnom Penh should consider establishing senior citizens’ associations, because elderly people have very little opportunity to seek income as they are weak, especially elderly women .

“The director of the Phnom Penh Department of Social Affairs, Mr. Son Sophal, said that among the population [of about 14 million], elderly people 60 years and above, increased from 4.4% in 2000 to 6% in 2004, with a total number of about 852,000. For 2025, it is forecast that the number will double to as many as 1.5 million. He went on to say that at present there are more than 30,000 people who are retired civil servants, and more than 5,000 people are disabled and jobless and are receiving financial support from the government. He emphasized that the creation of the first Senior Citizens’ Association in Phsar Daeum Thkov commune is a model for the 8 districts and 76 communes to follow.

“The Chamkar Mon district governor, Mr. Lo Yuy, who also attended the event, asked all grandfathers and grandmothers [= all elderly people] from the age of 55 and above to consider becoming members of the Senior Citizens’ Association, because it will provide them with benefits and promote their dignity. He added that he will encourage elderly people to help each other, especially when facing difficulties that can harm their lives. Also, the Phnom Penh municipal governor, Mr. Kep Chuktema, donated Riel 2 million [approx. US$500] to support this newly created association.

“Besides the donation of Riel 2 million, he granted one Sarong [a traditional piece of cloth] to the 145 elderly people who attended the founding ceremony. It should be noted that the Senior Citizens’ Association that has just been established has 11 members: 1 director, 1 deputy director, and 9 members.” Areyathor, Vol.16, #1429, 28-29.1.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 28 January 2010

Areyathor, Vol.16, #1429, 28-29.1.2010

  • First Senior Citizens’ Association Created in Phnom Penh

Deum Ampil, Vol.4, #399, 28.1.2010

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2162, 28.1.2010

  • Car Sellers from 10 Local Companies Asked for the Intervention from Samdech Hun Sen [as they are no longer allowed to import Toyota cars, and only one company, TTHK, has an exclusive contract to import Toyota cars, reducing the profit of other companies significantly]
  • Samdech Hun Sen: The Minister of Public Works and Transport [Mr. Tram Iv Tek] Is a Minister Not Showing Respect [as he changed the number of a road without an approval from the Prime Minister, who therefore called him a “gang minister” behaving like a gangster, acting recklessly, according to the Phnom Penh Post]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.4, #591, 28.1.2010

  • [Sam Rainsy Party spokesperson] Mr. Yim Sovann: The Sam Rainsy Party Opposes the Government Plan to Increase Electricity Prices

Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #6869, 28.1.2010

  • Some Foreign Requests Are Rejected: Cambodia Will Absolutely Not Send Deminers to Afghanistan and Iraq [as it is dangerous for Cambodian deminers, said Prime Minister Hun Sen]
  • The Committee for Free and Fair Elections Released Research Findings Showing that only 10% of the Eligible Citizens Know the Parliamentarians Who Represent Them [this research was conducted with 8,678 Cambodian people responding]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #99, 28.1.2010

  • Citizens Called on Government Officials to Intervene to Release Six Village Chiefs Who Were Detained because They Protected Their Village Land [of 60 hectares from being grabbed by a Chinese company; Phnom Sruoch, Kompong Speu]
  • The National Information Communications Technology Development Authority (NiDA) Announced to Hold the Sixth Information Technology Exhibition on 1 to 3 April 2010 [in Phnom Penh]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5111, 28.1.2010

  • Intensive Wood Trading Continues at the [Cambodian-Thai] Border while the Border Disputes Remain Unsolved

Sereypheap Thmey, Vol.18, #1865, 28.1.2010

  • Mr. Sam Rainsy Was Convicted to be Jailed for Two Years [in absentia] and Each [of two] Citizens Was Jailed One Year, and They Were Ordered to Pay Riel 50 Million [approx. US$12,500] in Fines to the Border Committee [for removing temporary Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers – in a closed-door session of the Svay Rieng court]

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
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