nature

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 573

“Phnom Penh: According to a new report from an international conservationist organization, monkeys in Cambodia are becoming endangered animals because of the destruction of the forest and of hunting, while local people said that they are animals easy to sell, and merchants come to buy them directly where they are caught.

“According to a report of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, nearly half of approximately 634 species of small and big monkeys and of gibbons in the world are endangered, and monkeys living in their natural habitat in Cambodia are also badly affected.

“This report shows that about 303 species of monkeys are threatened, and 69 are seriously endangered; as for Cambodia, here nine among ten species are endangered.

“The report of this organization shows that monkeys in Cambodia are in a most precarious situation. The report illustrates that 90% of monkeys in Cambodia are struggling to survive, because they are being hunted and killed to mix their remains to produce traditional Chinese medicine. In this situation, after Cambodia comes Vietnam where 86% of the monkeys are endangered, then Indonesia with 84%, Laos with 83%, and China with 79%.

“Mr. Russell Mittermeier, the president of this organization, reported in [the Indian] New Kerala that these species of monkeys are in danger because of the destruction of tropical forests, but now there is another cause: hunting.

“A local person from northwestern Cambodia told this organization that monkeys are being searched to be hunted everyday by villagers, in order to sell them to merchants who come directly to buy them where they are caught.

“Mr. Pai Phong Nhuk, the head of the Sesan Community Network, said that nobody can stop the villagers. They always form groups of four or six people to look for monkeys in flooded forests along the Sesan River to catch and sell them to merchants.

“Mr. “Pai Phong Nhuk said that he does not know where those monkeys are taken to, but merchants always come to buy them directly at the villages.

“He added, ‘Khmer and Vietnamese merchants always come to buy monkeys for between Riel 450,000 [approx. US$110] and Riel 500,000 [approx. US$125].” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4664, 10-11.8.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 11 August 2008

Deum Tnot, Vol.1, #29, 11-12.8.2008

• The National Election Committee [NEC] Released the Temporary Results of the Forth Term Parliamentary Election [the Cambodian People’s Party received 3,492,374 votes corresponding to 90 seats, the Sam Rainsy Party received 1,316,714 corresponding to 26 seats, the Human Rights Party received 397,816 corresponding to 3 seats, the Norodom Ranariddh Party received 337,943 corresponding to 2 seats, and Funcinpec received 303,764 corresponding to 2 seats; the total number of voters on the lists of NEC is 8,125,529 persons, and 6,010,277 persons did vote, while more than 2,000,000 persons could not]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1716, 11-12.8.2008

• A French Man [Michel Roger Blanchard, 43] Was Arrested for Committing Obscene Acts with Boys [who are beggars, scavengers, and his adopted god-children – Sihanoukville]
• The Opening of the 2008 Olympic Games Proceeded Successfully
• Big War Erupted between Russian and Georgian Troops in South Ossetia [nearly 1,500 people were killed]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #219, 11-12.8.2008

• A Member of the US Congress [Mr. Christopher Smith] Criticized the Election to Have Been Unfair and Having No Transparency [because many voter were omitted from the lists, and the ruling party controlled too much of the media]

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #70, 10-11.8.2008

• Citizens Ask the Government to Reduce the Price of Fuel and of Agricultural Fertilizers

Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6420, 11.8.2008

• Road Construction to the Preah Vihear Temple Started; Thai Troops at the Ta Moan Thom Temple Accused Cambodia of Increasing the Number of Troops
• US Ambassador [Mr. Joseph Mussomeli] Believes that the Five Political Parities [that had won seats] Will Join to Work at the National Assembly
• After Vendors at the New Market Lodged Complaint [at the Phnom Penh Municipality], the Head of the Market [Mr. Sok Kimheng] Explained that There Is No Intention to Narrow the Stalls
• Four among Five Districts [in Kratie along the Mekong River] Are Facing Flood

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3535, 11.8.2008

• Yuon [Vietnamese] Authorities Try to Prevent Tim Sakhan [who has been defrocked on accusation of having perpetrated an offense against the Buddhist law, because he was accused to have destroyed the harmony between Vietnam and Cambodia] from Returning to Cambodia [his younger brother visited him and reported to the president of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Association who reported to Radio Free Asia that the Yuon authorities released Tim Sakhan from prison, but after the release, the An Giang provincial authorities do not allow him to return to his family in Cambodia]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4664, 10-11.8.2008

• Monkeys in Cambodia Are Suffering because They Have a Sales Value
• Fifteen International Tourists from Different Countries Were on a Leaking Boat at the Center of the Tonle Sap Lake [no casualties – Siem Reap]

• Price of Fuel Drops by US$4 [to US$115.20 per barrel] while the Value of Dollar Increases

Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3381, 10-11.8.2008

• The National Election Committee Does Not Dare to Release the Number of Seats, because There Are Many Complaints

Click here to have a look at the last editorial – really changes to be expected?

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