Beyond Beautification: Riverside Must Adapt to Climate’s Heat
In order to make the riverside comfortable at all hours of the day, the bottom line is that the area needs more trees in the long-term, and awnings, umbrellas and canopies to protect from the sun, writes Future Forum’s Prak Norak in part four of a campaign to pedestrianize Sisowath Quay.
Thousands of Workers Swept Up in a Year of Union Busting
The NagaWorld workers’ strike began on Saturday, December 18, 2021, over alleged union-busting at the well-connected casino. The year since has seen the trampling of labor movements there and elsewhere in Cambodia with violence, obstruction and imprisonment.
After Union Dissolution, Phnom Penh Garbage Workers Toil in ‘Panic’
Sanitation workers say they never got the employment and benefits promised to them when they went on strike in 2020. Their union has since been crushed, with at least one trash companies admitting it will not hire unionists.
Tourism Workers See Parallels Between NagaWorld, Their Own Disputes
Even as tourism to Cambodia recovers, unionists in the sector who were suspended during Covid-19 say they are kept out of the workforce, drawing parallels to the NagaWorld strife.
Union Registration Process Rife With Obstacles
In the past 14 months, at least seven factory-level unions have reported obstacles in registering new unions under law.
Heritage Buildings at Wat Ounalom Demolished for Chief Monk’s Mausoleum
The demolition of three living quarters for monks at Phnom Penh’s Wat Ounalom — to build a mausoleum for the country’s chief monk — continued this week even after the Culture Ministry said they were national heritage sites.
Grenade Found in Cake Outside NagaWorld, Explodes
A grenade was wired to a detonator, hidden in a cake and placed on the roadside this morning outside NagaWorld casino — then picked up by a street cleaner who moved it onto a grassy road median, where it exploded two hours later.
Protesters in Brussels Demand Human Rights as Hun Sen Pushes Free Trade
Prime Minister Hun Sen said politics and human rights should not get in the way of an Asean-E.U. free trade deal as at least 100 Cambodian protesters demonstrated in Brussels upon his visit and demanded the release of political prisoners and the protection of human rights.
Seven Chinese Nationals Arrested in Sihanoukville Kidnapping Case
Police said they have arrested seven Chinese nationals in Sihanoukville after receiving a complaint from a family whose relative was kidnapped from Phnom Penh.
Opinion: Placemaking Possibilities Are Endless if Riverside Is Transformed
Phnom Penh’s riverside is already rich in community and history. Pedestrianizing it would open up new possibilities for people-led “placemaking,” perhaps with a garden, viewpoints or room for temporary art spaces, writes Future Forum’s Keth Piseth in part three of a campaign for a car-free Sisowath Quay.
‘Further and Further Away’: Film on Bunong Evictions Wins International Acclaim
A fictional short film on the eviction of a Bunong village — based on the true story of a Stung Treng hydropower dam project — has collected several international accolades this year. It screens in Cambodia for the first time on Friday.
Appeal Court Increases Son Chhay’s Defamation Damages to $1M
The Appeal Court on Wednesday upheld defamation charges against opposition leader Son Chhay and increased the damages he owes to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and National Election Committee.
As Protesters Assemble, Hun Sen Warns Their Relatives in Cambodia
A former opposition lawmaker said around 200 to 300 people were expected to protest against Prime Minister Hun Sen in Brussels, with the premier warning people of repercussions back home.
Briefs: Taiwan Still Looking to Rescue Nearly 300 Nationals From Scams, Record Number of Journalists Detained
The Taiwanese government is still seeking the return of nearly 300 more people, a government-controlled news agency said this week. A record number of journalists are currently detained worldwide, per a new press freedom report.
Nineteen Oddar Meanchey Villagers in Prison as Land Dispute Escalates
Authorities have arrested a total of 19 people and burned down homes as a land dispute near an Oddar Meanchey rubber plantation escalates, according to residents and a human rights group.
PM Defends ‘Hun Family Line’ in Speech to Supporters in Europe
Prime Minister Hun Sen told dissidents and analysts they would fail to uproot his family from Cambodian politics “even with 500 more lifetimes” as he made a speech to supporters after arriving in Europe for an Asean-E.U. conference.
As Questioning Proceeds, NagaWorld Workers Still Unclear Over Criminal Accusations
Another NagaWorld worker was questioned by a Phnom Penh court on Tuesday in a case filed by the casino corporation, where very little has been made public about the events leading to the charges.
US Monkey Importer Says It No Longer Gets Animals From Cambodia
A publicly traded American importer of laboratory monkeys says its supply from Cambodia has stopped after the U.S. indicted a Cambodian supplier for allegedly trafficking wild macaques, delaying its fourth-quarter earnings report as two of its subsidiaries face grand jury subpoenas related to the case.
World Bank Land Giveaway Marred by Problems
On one side of Kampong Thom province, the government ended a community forest program for a World Bank project village. On the other side, farmers had land taken away to make way for an earlier version of the project.
Brief: Hun Sen Lands in Europe, Rainsy Calls for Protest
Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in Europe for a two-country visit as exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy called for a protest in Brussels on Wednesday.
Controversial Tycoon Ly Yong Phat Elevated to Hun Sen’s Adviser, Others Promoted
A business tycoon, court official, journalist and defecting opposition politicians are among a range of recent government promotions to be advisers, assistants and state officials.
NagaWorld Protesters Rally Outside Prison for Jailed Union Leader
NagaWorld protesters raised banners and balloons outside Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar Prison calling for the release of jailed union leader Chhim Sithar.
Three NGOs Allege Investor Ignored Own Evidence of Microfinance Abuse
Three human rights organizations have filed a complaint against a Netherlands-based microfinance investor on the grounds that it violated international responsible business standards and for years ignored its own evidence of harms linked to predatory lending practices.
More Incitement Cases Brought Against Two Government Critics
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court brought another incitement case against two government critics to trial on Friday, accusing them of spreading misinformation on social media and trying to incite chaos with Facebook posts criticizing Covid-19 lockdowns and Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Briefs: Woman Critical After Botched Stillbirth Surgery, Jailed NagaWorld Unionist Receives Support From Europe
Briefs: A woman whose intestine was cut in a botched surgery to remove a stillborn baby is in critical condition at Calmette Hospital, her family said, as the private hospital where the operation was carried out was closed down by health authorities.
Cambodian Women Face ‘Double Burden’ of Care Work: Report
Cambodian women shoulder a disproportionate amount of the work at home and mental stress related to performing it, even though they and their partners believe the work should be shared more equally, according to a new report.
Updated: Opposition Member Arrested After Argument With Police Relative
A Kandal resident argued with relatives of a local police official about trash before being arrested for allegedly damaging property and detained for two days, raising concerns about abuse of power and potential discrimination against an opposition Candlelight Party member.
Opinion: Pedestrianizing Phnom Penh’s Riverside Could Be Economic Masterstroke
Central pedestrian promenades are icons in cities around the world, drawing visitors and boosting business. In the second piece in a campaign for a car-free Sisowath Quay, Chan Pichmonyka says Phnom Penh’s riverside should be redefined for both visitors and the local economy.
Kim Sok, Other Government Critics Tried in Another Incitement Case
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court brought another incitement case against political analyst Kim Sok as well as two other government critics, who are accused of spreading misinformation to cause hatred toward the government.
In Mass Trial’s Closing, Defense Says Not Enough Evidence of ‘Plotting’
Defense lawyers called on the court to acquit their clients during closing arguments Thursday, saying there was not enough evidence for the plotting charges against the former CNRP members who allegedly supported the failed return plan of exiled party leader Mu Sochua.
