MEET WITH GOD

         Baphuon : ChevronTexaco announced on January 13, 2005 that its affiliate has discovered oil in four exploration wells in offshore Cambodia south of Sihanoukville. (...) A preliminary estimate for the area shows about 106 trillion to 176 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 400 million barrels of crude oil, according to the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority. So, based on the current price of crude oil of $47 per barrel and the price of Russian natural gas sold to European countries in 2003 ($87.11 per 1000 cubic meter), the above quoted quantities would generate a revenue of $18.8 billion for the crude oil and $435 billion for natural gas before the deduction of the cost of production and taxes. Therefore the question is: Who Owns the Petroleum Money? Who has the power to spend that Petrol Money? It is not the government money. That Petrol Money belongs to the Cambodian People. On Dec 21, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of Cambodia's National Assembly, said one of the discoveries had substantial economic viability and the extraction could begin by 2007.
         There have also been disputes with neighbouring Thailand over sovereignty. Cambodia lacks legislation covering natural resources extraction and Ranariddh said the International Monetary Fund had suggested the country pass laws before beginning to tap reserves. (...) Cambodian Petroleum Money Should Assure the Social Justice and Freedom and Democracy for the Khmer People. The Khmer People Owns all Natural Resources. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has no right to spend Cambodian Petrol Money. (...) The law on the extraction of Khmer Petroleum that the Cambodian National Assembly would pass ought to assure the social justice in order to help ordinary people. Because injustice and violation of human rights would lead the interminable cycle of street demonstration/repression. Then it ends up scaring investors. (...) Cambodia forest was already gone. Our other national natural resources would be gone also if they were exploited. (...) The Cambodia government did not own Cambodia Petroleum. The Cambodia government had no right to use Cambodia Petroleum money to pay its administration, to pay National education bill, to build schools, or to build infrastructure, bridges, dams, freeways, etc. Cambodia Petroleum Money belongs to the Cambodian People only.
         The Cambodian People owns that money. (...) Cambodia should follow the example of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Program. The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Program is governed by a board of trustees appointed by the government approved by Alaska State assembly for six years (the same way as the Supreme Court judges were appointed). For example, assuming that for the end of fiscal year the Cambodia Petroleum net income is 1.6 billion and Cambodia Trustees Board decided to distribute one billion dollars of dividend to the Cambodia people, and invest $600 million in real estate ; and assuming that there are 10 million Cambodian citizens living in Cambodia (all Cambodian citizen from one day old). Each Cambodian citizen living in Cambodia will receive a check of one hundred dollars (that is $1 billion divided by 10 million) for that fiscal year. That is, in general, the way the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Program operated in order to distribute the Alaska Petroleum money. Alaska Petroleum did not belong to Alaska government, but to Alaska people only.
         CONCLUSION: Cambodian Law on the extraction of Natural Resources should be similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund Constitution (see http://www.apfc.org). [in RepublicofCambodia]

AlexanderIII : Let me insert some of my understanding based on current events and state of the State. I spent quite a bit of time managing the digging for natural resources at Ecuador, Bolivia and Ukraine. It wasn't the digging that gave me and others headaches, it was the red tapes. The lesser the red tapes Cambodian Gov't has, the better distributed the country economy will be. Unfortunately, there were no courses on how to deal with red tape at University of Phoenix - Online for me. Someone asked couple weeks back, how do we pay for national debt? Well, there is no such thing as a free lunch from the World Bank or the UN. This oil money is one of the ways Cambodia can refund the national debts. I am not saying that we must, but we should. Maybe my assumption is incorrect but if I was to ask to flip the switch, that is what I would do. (...) Gov't does not own natural resources, but it shall protect the interest of the people and safeguard the treasure (given that cleaning up corruption progresses). Gov't shall have the power to distribute the wealth not in terms of $$$, but in terms of national infrastructure, education and investment from the exporting of oil and gas. [in Camdisc]

ChimS1 : I believe that dispensation of cash is not advantageous to the people of Cambodia. In spite of natural resource and cash allowance for each of the citizens in the State of Alaska, this State still remains one of the poorest in the US. The Middle East is another example of cash distribution that goes to current spending rather than to the development of human resources and human capital. Moreover, current cash distribution tends to generate inequality and even distortion in terms of social justice over the long run. The investment in human capital and national infrastructure would seek a better long term growth that can be spreaded toward the whole society in terms of motivation and human energies. The ethical and intellectual development of the people is much more advantageous and substantial than present consumption and relief of current hardship. We cannot eat inspiration. However, it's the only thing that can lift up the spirit of the whole nation to move mountains and undertake exciting enterprises for all the people in Cambodia. [in Soc.Culture.Cambodia]

N.P. : Since 1993, Cambodia old natural resources like forests, fish and fertile lands have been dilapidated or mismanaged by the accomplices Hun Sen-Ranariddh. The new natural resources (oil and gas) have a good chance to enrich Cambodian officials rather than the State of Cambodia et encore moins le peuple du Cambodge. In a totalitarian regime the State coffer and the leaders' pockets are linked by a unchecked pipeline. Right before the collapse of their reign, Saddam Hussein and sons were seen at the Bank of Iraq taking 1 billion U.S.$ away.
Before exploiting its oil and gas Cambodia shall first change its governants.

Les berges tombantes du Mékong (2005-Jan-11)
Exemple du pont "français" de Kbal Thnâl

N.P. : Peut-on empêcher des pans de berge du Mékong de se détacher et tomber dans le fleuve puis devenir à leur tour du limon alimentant la croissance d'autres berges en aval ? Les lois empiriques de l'hydrologie et de la mécanique des sols permettent de prévoir le tracé sans cesse changeant d'un fleuve puissant (comme le Mékong) à travers un terrain meuble (comme la plaine du Cambodge). Il y a des berges condamnées à tomber et celles à s'accroître, dépendant de leur concavité (ou convexité) par rapport au sens du courant (cf. croquis d'en bas).

Selon le Koh Santepheap Daily, un autre pan de berge du Bassac s'est détaché du jardin "Samdech Hun Sèn" dans la nuit du 28 au 29 décembre 2004. Kèp Chuktéma et sa municipalité devraient penser à l'astuce de la compagnie française qui a construit le nouveau pont reliant Phnom Penh et Chbar Ampeou. Ce pont, à caissons en béton précontraint construit en encorbellement au milieu des années 60, a de quoi étonner les maniaques des travées continues.

En effet, la travée AB est indépendante du tablier continu BCDE (cf. croquis d'en haut). On était sûr que la berge en A aura un jour des problèmes, alors il valait mieux laisser partir, le cas échéant, la culée et la travée sans qu'elles entraînent tout le pont ... puis reconstruire après la partie AB. Les ingénieurs de la ville devraient savoir que leurs réparations de la berge ne sont que temporaires. Ça recommencera. [Nouvelle et photo de Koh Santepheap]

Unemployment is a time-bomb for Cambodia

There are no credible statistics to measure unemployment in this country. If some peaks in agricultural employment – totally a few months a year – are put aside, joblessness probably exceeds 50% most of the time throughout the year, taking into account landless farmers, beggars, prostitutes, scavengers, unpaid family workers, and destitute people doing petty and occasional jobs because they have no alternative livelihoods for survival (disguised unemployment). Cambodia currently has a population of over 13 million inhabitants, of which more than 50 percent are less than 20-year old. Each year, approximately 300,000 people leave school or reach the age to look for a job. Only 30,000 to 40,000 jobs have been annually created over the last ten years, of which 25,000 in the garment industry (which now employs about 250,000 workers).
Starting from 2005, with the end of the quota system in the garment industry, prospects for job creations look rather dim. Even though, from an optimistic point of view, up to 30,000 jobs could still be created every year thanks to the anticipated growth of tourism and some other industries such as trade and construction, this would represent at best only 10 percent of the annual additional workforce. Therefore, joblessness will dramatically increase in the years to come. On the basis of the above figures, unemployment can be seen as a time-bomb for Cambodia. Consequences will be reflected in an increase in poverty, prostitution, human trafficking, illegal emigration, criminality, drug consumption, and all forms of violence (robberies, murders, acts of banditry, proliferation of gangs, domestic violence, and suicides). That type of situation will likely lead to social and political unrest. [K.I.]

Government faces worsening food crisis

With the worsening poverty which has been recently compounded by a nationwide drought, the government is facing an increasing number of hungry farmers begging for food. Everyday, thousands of destitute people come or write to Prime Minister Hun Sen asking for aid to avoid starvation. Because he cannot cope with the surging needs of the people, Hun Sen has started to re-direct the incoming popular requests to King Norodom Sihamoni and King-Father Norodom Sihanouk. The government has an annual budget of approximately $800 million compared to $5 million for the Royal Palace.
Many observers think Cambodia's current food crisis has structural causes and cannot be addressed through the distribution of alms in a paternalistic style. Fundamental reforms regarding the management of land, forest and fisheries, and a policy change regarding the fight against corruption and the setting of different priorities (agriculture, irrigation) are needed to prevent chronic food shortages. In the 1960's Cambodia – a country blessed by Mother Nature – could abundantly feed herself and was the world's third largest exporter of rice. [K.I.]

          N.P. : Avez-vous vu au Cambodge, à part le Bouddha, Jaya VII et Surya II, des statues de Cambodgiens célèbres autres que Ang Duong, Norodom, Sisowath, Monivong et Sihanouk ? Eh bien, j'ai vu une statue du Très Vénérable Louis Èm que j'ai connu dans mon adolescence à la pagode Vatt Lanka. Rappelons que, avant le décès de l'érudit Samdech Souk, chef de l'Ordre Mohanikay, le numéro deux du clergé était le Preah Bodhivangsa Louis Èm alors que le Preah Buddhaghoçachar Chuon Nat n'était que le numéro trois. Ce dernier fut nommé chef de clergé parce qu'il était le guru du roi Sihanouk.
          La pagode Lanka apparut ainsi comme la concurrente de Vatt Unnalom, fief de Samdech Chuon Nat, tant sur le plan de la qualité et du nombre des "docteurs en pali-sanskrit" que sur celui des installations architecturales. Vatt Lanka fut le premier, sous l'impulsion de l'énergique Lok Achar Srey Thinn, à reconstruire son Vihear (chapelle) en édifice à deux étages alors que le Vihear de Vatt Unnalom aura son deuxième (et même troisième) étage plusieurs mois après.
          Samdech Èm, modeste et effacé de nature, ne voulait pas de statue (d'ailleurs aucun bonze supérieur n'en avait dans l'histoire du Cambodge) mais ses paroissiens tenaient à lui en faire construire une par amour et par vénération. Quand la statue (en bronze moulé, grandeur nature) est achevée, il se passa quelque chose de curieux : on n'osa pas l'exposer à l'extérieur sur une place d'honneur dans la pagode, pour ne pas déplaire à la fois au chef de l'Ordre, Samdech Chuon Nat (qui n'avait pas encore de statue) et au prince Sihanouk, ex-roi-dieu tout puissant qui nommait par décret tous les hauts dignitaires du clergé bouddhiste [alors que évêques et cardinaux catholiques sont nommés par le pape, lui-même élu par le sacré-collège].
          La statue finissait donc par être abandonnée au nouveau deuxième étage de la chapelle, moins fréquenté que le premier étage. J'ai dit "abandonnée" car personne n'en prenait soin. J'ai vu une fois ou deux, quand je "me promenais" dans la pagode, Samdech Louis Èm (la statue) couvert de poussière et de toiles d'araignée, assis à même le plancher en position du Bouddha en Dukkha Kiriya (pénitence), derrière l'autel réservé aux grandes et petites statues du Çakya Muni, sans fleurs ni encens ni bougies et, dernière humiliation, invisible à la fois des fidèles qui venaient prier et des bonzes qui récitaient des mantra.
          Si d'aventure cette statue est encore là, à la pagode Vatt Lanka, les Phnompenhois actuels devraient lui faire honneur en l'exposant sur un piédestal à l'extérieur, montrant ainsi à l'Histoire qu'il y a des Cambodgiens célèbres autres que les rois pécheurs (pour ne pas dire rois maudits) khmers, descendants de Sdech Kân ou de Chey Chetha II.

Ranariddh wants to sell Funcinpec headquarters

Samngatki : Prince Norodom Ranariddh has officially confirmed his intention to sell the present Funcinpec headquarters located next to the French embassy for approximately U.S. $3 million. The official reason for his decision is related to feng shui (in Khmer Heng Soy) considerations (the present location has allegedly brought bad luck to the royalist party as evidenced by its successive electoral defeats since 1998). But the real reason for the projected sale seems to have more to do with financial considerations since a huge profit will be made – a portion of which under the table – following the transfer of the headquarters to a remote and much cheaper location. In the eyes of many Funcinpec supporters, Ranariddh's decision raises a number of sensitive questions related to: 1) The impressive North Korean-given bronze statue of retired King Norodom Sihanouk – Funcinpec's revered Founding-Father – that dominates the present party's headquarters.

The quasi-religious statue will have to be unceremoniously deposed, truck-carried and re-installed in a new place some people fear will be in the middle of paddy-fields. 2) The symbolism of a vanishing political party that is selling off, or ready to sell off, everything from its name and its identity (as evidenced by Ranariddh's recent offer to merge his party with the CPP) to its historic headquarters. To many Funcinpec members Ranariddh just gives the impression that he doesn't care any longer about the future of his party.

GOD vs BUDDHA

camboDIATRIBE

COURRI@L 2005

AUTRES SITES KHMERS

KUN PIMOJ 's HOMEPAGE

PHN@M-P@NH-P@TINS
( PREVIOUS )

FRAN-GLO-GIBWÉ

CANADA 3 FOUNDERS

MES EMAILS 2003

THE 6 COMMANDMENTS

MEET WITH GOD

PEN Nearovi, Montréal, Québec, Canada
(nearovi@sympatico.ca)