Mondulkiri villagers say a local road has been blocked by a private landowner, but they are not sure who is behind the development and a commune chief says he is unaware of the dispute.
Around 200 vendors for Phnom Penh’s O’Russei Market are continuing to protest payments they have to make by October to cover the next 20 years of maintenance fees, saying they have yet to bounce back from the Covid-19 lull.
Nann Mara is at university studying law: only the third person from the indigenous communities in her district in Ratanakiri to seek a higher education. Less than 1% of all indigenous people aged 15 and over have even completed high school.
An Education Ministry official warned that students who fell behind during Covid-19 school shutdowns will struggle to catch up to previous generations, though an NGO-led education program showed initial positive results for 2nd and 3rd graders in one Siem Reap district.
The Anti-Corruption Unit is looking into a complaint by an environmental group alleging irregularities in the privatization of forest land at Phnom Tamao in Takeo province.
The 2022 commune election has turned into a surprising contest between the might of the ruling CPP and the resurrected Candlelight Party. Both parties had impressive displays of support in Phnom Penh on Friday, with supporters braving the monsoon rains lashing the city.
Khem Veasna has long advocated for democracy, rule of law, and what he has called a true Buddhist path. But after repeated electoral letdowns, his League of Democracy Party has opted out of this year’s election as the leader has taken a stronger spiritual turn.
Tens of thousands of voters will enter polling booths on June 5 to vote on a ballot with only one party to choose from: In 24 communes, including eight in Phnom Penh, the ruling CPP is the only available choice.
Thvan Trel is one 10 officials implicated by the Interior Ministry in Mondulkiri land grabs, and is running again for commune chief at the June 5 election. Local Bunong residents blame her for the sale and loss of their burial grounds.
Pate commune chief Chhay Thy is proud of the two roads he built over the past five years. The former rights worker turned ruling party politician said he was confident of ongoing support from residents, but some said they wanted a Jarai leader, not a Khmer outsider.
VOD is an independent media outlet producing radio programs and disseminating information to the public via the Internet.
© 2019 VOD. All Rights Reserved.
