First, read this piece of news.
Cambodia's former king questions necessity of Khmer Rouge tribunal
The Associated Press (apwire)
Cambodia's former king said a U.N.-backed tribunal for former Khmer Rouge leaders will cost too much money and questioned whether it was worth it since the aging officials could die before a verdict.
Former King Norodom Sihanouk said some consider the tribunal to be ''necessary, indispensable and beneficial'' because it will bring the surviving leaders to justice and help victims find peace.
But Sihanouk, 83, said he believes the cost of the ''super luxurious life of the judges'' of the tribunal could easily exceed the US$56 million (euro45 million) budgeted for the trials.
Also, by the time a verdict is reached, ''there will probably be only one or two ... living Khmer Rouge leaders,'' he said in a letter dated July 15 posted on his Web site.
The former monarch said last week that he opposed the tribunal because it will target too few of those responsible for the group's extremist policies, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people during its 1975-79 rule.
Earlier this month, judges and prosecutors from Cambodia and abroad were sworn in for the long-awaited U.N.-backed trials of the former Khmer Rouge leaders on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors have begun gathering evidence for the trials, expected to begin in 2007.
Sihanouk stepped down as king and was replaced by his son, Norodom Sihamoni, in 2004. He is widely respected, but his opinion is unlikely to affect trial preparations.
The Khmer Rouge were ousted in 1979 by invading Vietnamese forces. In 1982, Sihanouk became president of a Western-backed coalition government in exile that included the Khmer Rouge and fought the Vietnamese-installed government until a 1991 U.N.-sponsored peace agreement.
Sihanouk also said in his letter that he doesn't think the tribunal would ease the suffering of the regime's victims.
He said he objected to genocide memorials that display victims' skulls and bones, an apparent reference to a site often called the ''Killing Fields'' just outside the capital, Phnom Penh.
At least 14,000 Khmer Rouge victims were buried at the site, which is frequented by foreign tourists.
Sihanouk said that exhibiting the skulls and bones was done ''for the pleasure of tourists,'' and did nothing for the ''wandering souls'' of those killed, and that their bones should be cremated in accordance with Buddhist custom.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia
2006-07-19 18:01 (KST) ©2006 OhmyNews
For me it revealed the stupidity and the lack of wisdom of the high-ranking people in Cambodia.
At least I do not understand why he could say ''super luxurious life of the judges''. Based on what he could make this statement? I really doubt that. Trial always takes a long time and a complicated procedure and consideration, so it is almost no doubt that it would cost a huge sum of money. As a retired king I suspect his motive to speak about the tribunal. He should have known his influence over the kingdom's politics.
Then, I cannot agree with the point he questioned the necessity of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. If there was no trial against the wrongdoers, where would have been the justice? People are punished when they commit even only a comparatively small crime like theft, so how could he question when the Khmer Rouge leaders ordered to kill over ten thousands of people? Certainly I agree that the tribunal might not be able to heal the pain as it was too huge and deep inside, but to show the justice and to show Cambodia is facing the history it is obviously needed to have this fair, transparent trial.
I have been to the killing fields, and I think it is there because it is always reminding people the terrifying history that should not be repeated again. I wonder how the retired king in this country know the feeling of the tourists when they are wandering. At least I do feel very sad and sorry to the people during the Khmer Rouge period, particularly when this kingdom had once been a very great and intelligent one.
This is not the first time I feel sick with the politician or the high-ranking people in this country, and this time I think this retired king is ridiculous. God bless his intelligence.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
- continued -
Sihanoukville is a completely different place from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. It is a coastal, hilly town. It is located at the South of Cambodia.
There are six beaches in this town, which I cannot remember all the names of those beaches. Very few people, less than 200,000 are living in this quiet town. The long beaches are of fine sand and clear water. There are not many tourists or westerners, mostly are the Cambodian people. There are many relaxing restaurant on the beach, with some beach chairs. I ordered a mixed fruit shake, just US$1, and then I could lied on the chair for a whole afternoon or morning. Being told by the motorbike driver, there are usually parties at night. I did not go as it was always raining. It is the rainy season.
Tourism has not yet developed very well, although there are many guesthouses and hotels. I think the biggest business there should be the port. There is a big port, and then of course many containers and trucks. Yet in the coming future digging oil will be another big business since the oil reserve was discovered in 2004 and some companies invested it.
Sihanoukville in fact is a small town. Green is everywhere. There is forest as well. Going into the forest you can find waterfall. The waterfall is not a huge one, but still you can feel the power of the nature. Particularly did I because I went there when it was pouring. It did stop but the water volume was huge. I stood very close to the waterwall, and heard the sound of the water pouring down like some kind of roars. There were some children and they jumped into water, which seemed very exciting. Some people took picture when they stood in the stream. It was not very developed, so it was still very natural that one should not miss it. There was a crocodile pond as well, but I did not look at it carefully.
Spending there is more expensive than Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but the reason is not clear to me. I stayed there for two days, absolutely not enough. I went to all the beaches, and one of them was very quiet without people. I went into the sea and enjoyed the silence. The beach was likely mine.
The rock there is very awesome. It is a special kind of rock which I could not recall the name. That makes me want to study geography again. It is really an interesting subject. It is like a kind of shale with some layers, or a kind of sendimentary rock along the coast. They are gorgeous. Besides you can find the power of sea water erosion. The water was stroking the rock and finally erode the stones. I always love to see all of these things.
Something to add is I went there by bus for four hours from Phnom Penh. The bus fare is inexpensive as US$4. It is worthwhile to go to this small town.
There are six beaches in this town, which I cannot remember all the names of those beaches. Very few people, less than 200,000 are living in this quiet town. The long beaches are of fine sand and clear water. There are not many tourists or westerners, mostly are the Cambodian people. There are many relaxing restaurant on the beach, with some beach chairs. I ordered a mixed fruit shake, just US$1, and then I could lied on the chair for a whole afternoon or morning. Being told by the motorbike driver, there are usually parties at night. I did not go as it was always raining. It is the rainy season.
Tourism has not yet developed very well, although there are many guesthouses and hotels. I think the biggest business there should be the port. There is a big port, and then of course many containers and trucks. Yet in the coming future digging oil will be another big business since the oil reserve was discovered in 2004 and some companies invested it.
Sihanoukville in fact is a small town. Green is everywhere. There is forest as well. Going into the forest you can find waterfall. The waterfall is not a huge one, but still you can feel the power of the nature. Particularly did I because I went there when it was pouring. It did stop but the water volume was huge. I stood very close to the waterwall, and heard the sound of the water pouring down like some kind of roars. There were some children and they jumped into water, which seemed very exciting. Some people took picture when they stood in the stream. It was not very developed, so it was still very natural that one should not miss it. There was a crocodile pond as well, but I did not look at it carefully.
Spending there is more expensive than Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but the reason is not clear to me. I stayed there for two days, absolutely not enough. I went to all the beaches, and one of them was very quiet without people. I went into the sea and enjoyed the silence. The beach was likely mine.
The rock there is very awesome. It is a special kind of rock which I could not recall the name. That makes me want to study geography again. It is really an interesting subject. It is like a kind of shale with some layers, or a kind of sendimentary rock along the coast. They are gorgeous. Besides you can find the power of sea water erosion. The water was stroking the rock and finally erode the stones. I always love to see all of these things.
Something to add is I went there by bus for four hours from Phnom Penh. The bus fare is inexpensive as US$4. It is worthwhile to go to this small town.
- continued -
There is a "must" sight-seeing spot in Cambodia - Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is located at Siem Reap province, which includes over 600 buildings. They were built by the great Angkor dynasty since 9th century for over 400 years. Wat means temple. The ancient Cambodian worship the Buddist and so they built all these wats, believing the god would protect them and maintain their prosperity. Certainly they did not help, yet they made Cambodia, one of the poorest countries in Asia, a cultural-rich place.
Since the rainy season lies from April to September, it is the low season of tourism in Cambodia. From October to March, the sunset and sunrise in Angkor Wat is very beautiful. They would absolutely kill the film in your camera.
You need to be a good walker if you want to walk around Angkor Wat. The steps are very steep and narrow. There are so many wats as well that make you confused. Sometimes they look all the same. There are one-day pass, three-day pass and one-week pass. People usually choose three, but if you are getting bored with the wats you better not do that.
A lot of souvenirs can be bought in Siem Reap. However most of them are not made in Cambodia but Thailand as they did not develop their own outstanding art besides the buddist and Angkor.
Reading a magazine after I came back to Hong Kong, I was told there was a tour provided if people want to see how poor the Cambodians are. I feel pathetic because it should not be the way that people try to raise the public concern or make money by exhibiting their poorness. Yet I know it is just under the pressure from reality. No one can stop this.
Siem Reap has developed into a tourist province, which is completely different from most of the other provinces in Cambodia.
I truly miss this country.
Angkor Wat is located at Siem Reap province, which includes over 600 buildings. They were built by the great Angkor dynasty since 9th century for over 400 years. Wat means temple. The ancient Cambodian worship the Buddist and so they built all these wats, believing the god would protect them and maintain their prosperity. Certainly they did not help, yet they made Cambodia, one of the poorest countries in Asia, a cultural-rich place.
Since the rainy season lies from April to September, it is the low season of tourism in Cambodia. From October to March, the sunset and sunrise in Angkor Wat is very beautiful. They would absolutely kill the film in your camera.
You need to be a good walker if you want to walk around Angkor Wat. The steps are very steep and narrow. There are so many wats as well that make you confused. Sometimes they look all the same. There are one-day pass, three-day pass and one-week pass. People usually choose three, but if you are getting bored with the wats you better not do that.
A lot of souvenirs can be bought in Siem Reap. However most of them are not made in Cambodia but Thailand as they did not develop their own outstanding art besides the buddist and Angkor.
Reading a magazine after I came back to Hong Kong, I was told there was a tour provided if people want to see how poor the Cambodians are. I feel pathetic because it should not be the way that people try to raise the public concern or make money by exhibiting their poorness. Yet I know it is just under the pressure from reality. No one can stop this.
Siem Reap has developed into a tourist province, which is completely different from most of the other provinces in Cambodia.
I truly miss this country.
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