Khmer- language history launched
From News Reports:
Phnom Penh, February 5:A Khmer- language edition of Getting Away With Genocide? Elusive Justice and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal is now available, reports the Phnom Penh Post.
Written by Dr Helen Jarvis and Tom Fawthrop, the book was first published in
2004 but Khmer translation took even longer to produce than the original text, it says.
The newspaper says the book chronicles history of Cambodia since 1979, focusing on the numerous attempts by the United States, China and the United Nations to stop Khmer people from bringing the Khmer Rouge to justice.
It says that after Viet Nam ousted the Khmer Rouge regime, much of the evidence needed for a full-scale tribunal became available but 1979 the United States and British governments, rather than working for human rights justice and setting up a special tribunal, opted instead to support the Khmer Rouge at the UN, and approved the re-supply of Pol Pot’s army in Thailand.
The book’s authors reveal why it took decades for the UN to recognise the genocide and crimes against humanity that took place under the regime from 1975-78.
They explore in detail the role of the UN and the various countries involved, and they assess what chance still remains of holding a Cambodian trial under international law – especially in light of the development of International Criminal Tribunals in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
The Southeast Asian Times

New Year’s win proves deadly
From News Reports:
Ho Chi Minh City, February 4: Police in southern Binh Duong province are investigating the deaths of three men after they rice wine at a Lunar New Year party on Monday, January 23.
A fourth, Ngo Hoang Anh, 32, was discharged from hospital Sunday after six days of treatment, says Thanh Nien, or Youth, newspaper.
The newspaper quotes the young man as saying he was still tired and in shock after hearing that three people had died following at the party at his mother-in-law’s residence in the province’s Tan Uyen District.
The dead men each drank about a litre of rice wine and died after suffering headaches, dizziness, and vomiting.
Physicians say the trio died of toxins in the alcohol and police are now trying to trace its origins.
The Southeast Asian Times

Free-trade agreement near
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, February 3: The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement will be signed this May after the conclusion of the talks about the agreement scheduled for March, says International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed.
The much-delayed agreement, which was mooted in 2005, would be concluded this year in accordance with the aspirations of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his Australian counterpart, Julia Gillard, the Bernama news agency quotes him as saying.
"The challenges and issues that were the stumbling blocks in the agreement's realisation are being resolved one by one," he told reporters after the 16th Malaysia-Australia Joint Trade Committee Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Australia’s Trade Minister, Craig Emerson, co-chaired the meeting.
The Southeast Asian Times

Court workers wear red for chief judge
From News Reports:
Manila, February 2: Supreme Court employees are wearing red instead of black and saying masses for Chief Justice Renato Corona who is on trial in the Senate.
The Philippine Inquirer quotes 3,000-strong Supreme Court Employees Association president Jojo Guerrero as saying thousands of court workers and the judge’s supported were expected to wear red shirts at the start of a nine-day religious rite at the court’s compound on Padre Faura, Manila.
“Court employees will wear red shirts every Monday to show our support for the Chief Justice,” he said.
“We chose red to show that we are extra vigilant and fully supportive of our chief magistrate,” he said. “The colour symbolizes courage and bravery to continue the fight for judicial independence.”
The president described the judge’s impeachment as the “death of democracy” in the Philippines.
The House of Representatives has impeached the chief justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, Renato Corona, 63, for his alleged corruption and biased judgments in favour of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, 64, in December.
The judge is one of the 12 of the Supreme Court’s 15 judges the former president appointed.
The chief justice has described the impeachment as an attempt to undermine the judiciary and vowed that he would “fight all who dare to destroy the court and our system of justice.”
The Southeast Asian Times

Indonesia wins committee posts
From News Reports:
Palembang, February 1: Indonesia was elected to three committees at the 7th Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation Conference held in Palembang.
These were the Politics and International Relations Committee; the Human Rights, Women, and Family Affairs Committee, and the Cultural, Law, Civilization and Religious Affairs Committee, says the Antara news agency.
It was not elected to the conference’s Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee.
Each committee had four members from four countries.
Thirty-seven of the 52 parliaments of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s member countries attended the conference that began on Tuesday, January 24, and ended Tuesday.
Countries represented at the conference include Malaysia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Pakistan and Palestine.
The conference agenda includes discussion of political economy, legal affairs, including human rights, and the environment.
It included the first meeting of women parliamentarians.
The Southeast Asian Times

Elephant DNA data base planned
From News Reports:
Bangkok, January 31: Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk plans to build a DNA database for Thailand’s about 4,000 domesticated elephants stop using the identify papers of dead animals for elephants taken in the wild.
The Associated Press quotes the minister as saying that once the data was collected, university veterinarians could start collecting the blood samples for DNA tests.
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department would also carry out DNA tests on wild elephants in order to create a database for comparison, he said.
The minister said the killing of elephants in the Kaeng Krajan National Park had promoted him to instruct the department to cooperate with the police.
Earlier this month, chief assistant ranger Suriyon Phothibundit surrendered to police after he was accused of having helped kill four elephants in the Kaeng Krachan National Park, western Thailand, and then hiding the evidence.
The Phetchaburi Provincial Court issued a warrant for his arrest together with four officials - Surin Maikaew, Mana Nokkaew, Jinda Phuangmalai and Phol Thomya.
The five officials are accused of destroying and hiding evidence; possessing wildlife carcasses without permission as well as hiding wildlife and other animal carcasses for sale.
The chief assistant ranger denied the charges but admitted that he burned the dead elephants in accordance with Natural Resources and Environment Department regulations and procedures.
He said that he had done so on the advice of a National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation veterinarian after he found the dead elephants which had been shot during the New Year holiday.
He was denied bail.
The Southeast Asian Times

Atheist arrested in Sumatra
From News Reports:
Pulau Punjung, January 30: Public servant Alexander, 30, of the Dharmasraya regency of West Sumatra, has been arrested and charged with blasphemy after professing his atheism on his Facebook page.
The Jakarta Post quotes Dharmasraya regency police Chief Senior Commander Chairul Azis as saying Alexander was arrested because of his writings and his direct statements saying that he did not believe in God.
“He has triggered unrest among local residents,” said the policeman.
Alexander, who acknowledges Islam as his religion on his identity card, says that he is an atheist of Minang descent from Padang, West Sumatra, which is a Muslim stronghold, faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail if proven guilty.
Alexander also declared that he did not believe in angels, devils, heaven and hell, as well as other ‘myths’.
“He said he realized what he had said and was prepared to lose his job to defend
his beliefs,” said the policeman.
Several residents went to Alexander’s office in Pulau Punjung, Dharmasraya regency, and attacked him before he was arrested.
He is now in police custody.
Dharmasraya Regent Adi Gunawan said that he had yet to decide whether or not Alexander would be dismissed from his post within the Dharmasraya Development Planning Board.
“I will await the legal process and decide later about his employment status,” he said.
The regent said that Alexander told him that he had learned about atheism while studying at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java.
“I told him that there was no place in this country for his beliefs,” said the regent.
The Southeast Asian Times

Kalimantan approved for nuclear energy
From News Reports:
Banjarmasin, January 29: Kalimantan is more suited to the development of nuclear energy than Java because it is relatively earthquake free compared with Indonesia’s most populous island, argues Research and Technology Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta.
The provinces of East and Central Kalimantan were ready for the development of nuclear energy although his ministry was still focusing on developing nuclear energy in Sumatra, The Jakarta Post quotes him as saying.
The minister was speaking at a discussion in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan that was attended by South Kalimantan Governor Rudy Ariffin and researchers from all four provinces in Kalimantan.
National Nuclear Energy Agency director Hadi Hustowo conceded at the conference that
it was still difficult to eliminate the negative stigma toward the development of nuclear energy.
“If people are willing and able to accept the development, we have to begin the process before our natural resources run out,” the Antara news agency quoted him as saying.
But nuclear energy could be used for hospitals and agriculture as well as electricity and now was the appropriate time for its development.
The Southeast Asian Times

Muslim MPs meet in Palembang
From News Reports:
Palembang, January 28: At least 32 of the 52 parliaments of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s member countries are attending its seventh Parliamentary Union conference in Palembang, southern Sumatra.
The meeting, which began on Tuesday, January 24, is scheduled to end next Tuesday.
Countries represented at the conference include Malaysia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Pakistan and Palestine.
The conference agenda includes discussion of political economy, legal affairs, including human rights, and the environment.
It will include the first meeting of women parliamentarians.
The Southeast Asian Times

Suspensions worry rights chairman
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, January 27: Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission chairman, Hasmy Agam, has complained that the rights of several students were impinged when they were suspended for allegedly tarnishing the image of universities and disrupting public order.
The suspensions also went against prime minister Najib Tun Razak’s readiness to change the Universities and University Colleges Act to accord with the Federal Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the right to freedom of speech, form associations and hold peaceful assemblies, he says in a statement.
“Student economic, civil and political awareness should be viewed positively to complement and enrich their education and formal training in universities,” he says.
“Any unreasonable restrictions in curtailing student rights will deny them the opportunities to enrich their education and experience, which is very important in their development as future leaders.”
Student Adam Adli Abdul Halim, 21, who lowered a flag carrying the image of the prime minister, was suspended for three semesters from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, earlier this month.
The 18-month sentence was imposed after a 90-minute hearing of the university's disciplinary committee.
The university’s deputy vice-chancellor, Dr Junaidi Abu Bakar, as saying the five-member committee found the student guilty of two charges: -damaging the reputation of the university and endangering morals and public order.
The Teaching-of-English-as-a Second-Language, or TESL, student said he would not appeal the decision and instead take legal action against the university.
The third-year student lowered the flag carrying Najib Tun Razak's image outside The United Malays National Organisation headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, December 17.
The Southeast Asian Times

Think tanks recognised
From News Reports:
Petaling Jaya, January 26: The United Nations has recognised the Malaysia-based Centre for Public Policy Studies, CPPS, and the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, Asli, as among the world's best think-tanks.
Asli-CPPS had been ranked 16th among the world’s top think-tanks, The Star newspaper quotes Asli chief executive and director Dr Michael Ye Asli chief executive and director Dr Michael Yeoh as saying.
“Among the smaller think-tanks with smaller annual budgets of below US$5million we came out number fourteen globally,” he said.
“We are also the only Malaysian think-tank ranked in the top global 30 for transparency and governance.”
The rankings were published on Wednesday, January 18.
The United Nations University and the University of Pennyslvania surveyed 6,545 think-tanks from 182 countries over one year to compile the global rankings.
The Malaysian think tanks had proved independent, impartial in providing objective policy research, strategic analysis, and total commitment in upholding truth and justice, said Dr Yeoh.
The Southeast Asian Times

Marine secretariat agreed
From News Reports:
Jakarta, January 25: The Malaysian and Indonesian government have agreed to establish a permanent regional secretariat to assess sustainable marine development, resources management, research and development projects and ways to improve the income of their coastal communities.
The agreement is part of the Coral Triangle Initiative and the regional secretariat will be established in Manado, Indonesia, reports The Star newspaper.
The agreement follows a meeting between Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Dr Maximus Ongkili and Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister, Sharif Cicip Sutarjo, in Jakarta.
The Southeast Asian Times

Awards honour pioneer reporter
From News Reports:
Jakarta, January 24: All the winners of this year’s Adinegoro Journalism Awards are expected to be named on Wednesday, February 1.
The awards, which honour pioneer Indonesian reporter Djamaluddin Adinegoro, who was born in West Sumatra in 1904 and died in 1967, are made for five categories.
These are: In-depth news, editorial, photojournalism, opinion caricature and television journalism with a special award for cyber work.
The awards are held every year for National Press Day.
This year’s award for caricature was won with a work titled Asing, or foreign, by Jitet Kustana published in the mass circulation daily Kompas and its sister English-language daily, The Jakarta Post.
The caricature depicts a fish on a plate with flakes of meat to imply that Indonesia is not a country of plenty.
It is intended to remind readers of the critical situation and reawaken their nationalism.
The work carries a rupiah 50 million, about US$5,509, prize and a trophy, which will be presented at a ceremony on National Press Day in Jambi, central Sumatra, on Thursday, February. 9
The Southeast Asian Times

Thailand recognises Palestine
From News Reports
Bangkok, January 23: Thailand has recognised Palestine as an independent state and informed the Palestinian delegation and all member states at the United Nations in New York, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi.
Thailand also has friendly ties with Israel and is a major tourist destination for Israelis.
The Southeast Asian Times


Minister issues Tet warning
From News Reports:
Ha Noi, January 22: Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Cao Duc Phat has ordered the strict monitoring of imports and the slaughter of cattle and poultry for the lunar new year, or Tet, which begins Monday.
The minister reportedly told a meeting in Ha Noi that containers of decomposed animal organs had been intercepted on their way into Viet Nam.
He warned that the rampant slaughtering of animals and the selling of quarantine certificates would trigger the illegal sale of animals in the country, threatening the husbandry sector as well as transmitting disease.
The Southeast Asian Times

US blacklists Thai trade representatives
From News Reports:
Bangkok, January 21: The United States government has blacklisted prospective member of the Thai cabinet Nalinee Taveesin for helping the government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, says a South African news website.
The report says Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a statement accusing Nalinee Taveesin together with two businessmen and a physician.
The blacklist is supposed an attempt to raise pressure on Zimbabwe’s "undemocratic" government.
The statement accuses Thai Trade Representative Nalinee Taveesin as having been part of business dealings on behalf of President Mugabe and his wife Grace.
The Southeast Asian Times

Farmers rally for massacre victims
From News Reports:
San Pablo City, The families of the 13 victims of the Mendiola Street massacre of January 22, 1987, when government anti-riot personnel fired on peasant farmers marching on Malacanang Palace, Manila, killing 13 and wounding numerous others, were to begin a two-day rally Supreme Court .with militant farmers organisations yesterday.
Their spokesman Orly Marcellana told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the families of the victims would continue to seek the re-distribution of estates to the farmers who worked it as well as justice for those who were slain.
Cory Aquino, the daughter of a landowning family, was president at the time of the massacre.
Farmer spokesperson Orly Marcellana said that at least 56 farmers had been victims of extrajudicial killings since her son, Benigno Aquino, had become president and his administration had not redistributed land.
Last year about 100 Philippine national police prevented peasant farmers from delivering petitions to the Supreme Court and Justice Department in Manila that called for investigation of the massacre.
The Southeast Asian Times

Senator McCain
drums for military alliance
From News Reports:
United States Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain has arrived in Manila with three other members of congress where they met Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario yesterday afternoon.
But The Philippine Inquirer reports that departmental spokesperson Raul Hernandez, did not provide details about the meet.
The United States Ambassador in Manila Harry Thomas Jr said the delegation, which was scheduled to leave the Philippines today, would “meet with government leaders, discuss cooperation and reaffirm the alliance” between the governments of their two countries..
The three congressmen with Senator McCain are Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut, Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island, and Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire.
The Philippine Inquirer says Foreign Secretary asked Washington to expand military and political support to Southeast Asian nations against China in the South China Sea during a meeting with Senator McCain in Washington last year.
The Senator said the United States government should help members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Asean, such as the Philippines develop and deploy an early warning system and coastal vessels in the disputed waters.
Washington should also turn to diplomacy to help Asean members sort out their own disputes and “establish a more unified front,” he said.
The newspaper quotes Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or New Patriotic Alliance, Bayan, Renato Reyes Jr. said: “the visit comes in the wake of the unveiling of a new United States defence strategy that would deploy more American troops in the Asia Pacific.”
Senator McCain “has been a vocal advocate of United States intervention in the Spratlys dispute,” he said.
“This visit is a reaffirmation of the defense ties that make us a colonial outpost of the United States.”
“Sadly, the government will again reaffirm the Visiting Forces Agreement, including the decade-long deployment of US troops in Mindanao.
“Predictably, the government will again lobby for more United States military junk and second-hand equipment like the naval ship we got recently.”
The Southeast Asian Times

Tamils want movie banned
From News Reports:
Kuala Lumpur, January 17: Supporters of the Tamil political party Indiya Jananayaga Katchi and Tamil Nadu Parakavakula Munnetra Sangam want a Tamil film banned and it renowned director Shankar, 37, arrested.
The Tamil daily Malaysia Nanban says the protests against the film – staring tarring popular South Indian actor Vijay Nanban – because it supposedly defames the Parakavakula Community and SRM University chancellor and founder of both the university and Indiya Jananayaka Katchi, T.R. Pachamuthu.
Opponents of the movie have threatened to demonstration if their demands were not met.
The Southeast Asian Times

Restaurant caught cooking tiger
From News Reports:
Ha Noi, January 16: Police have caught chefs cooking tiger bones in the Tay Bac Quan restaurant, the Thanh Xuan District, reports Thanh Nien or Youth newspaper..
The bones, from a tiger skeleton, weighed 150 kilograms, it says.
The newspaper says Vietnam Science and Technology Institute representative Dang Tat The, who accompanied police, confirmed that the bone belongs to a protected tiger species. nt.
Investigation revealed that the tiger was brought to the restaurant two days earlier and the restaurant owner, Nguyen Thi Thanh, 44, had it slaughtered.
It is believed that Viet Nam now has fewer than 50 tigers in the wild.
In July last year, rangers seized the carcasses of 15 endangered monkeys from two poachers in the Nui Chua National Park central Ninh Thuan Province.
The species is listed on both local and international endangered animal lists.
The Southeast Asian Times

Sister temples agreed
From News Reports:
Manado, January 15: Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple, Siem Reap, and Indonesia’s Borobudur temple in Central Java are to become sister sites, reports The Jakarta Post.
The newspaper says an Indonesian delegate I Gusti Putu Laksaguna announced the agreement between Cambodian and Indonesian tourism ministers during a bilateral meeting at the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, Asean, Tourism Forum at the Grand Kawanoa Convention Centre in Manado, North Sulawesi.
“The temples will become sister sites and the provinces will become sister provinces,” he said.
The delegate said that the Cambodian delegation had also asked that Indonesia open a direct flight to Siem Reap, an idea that the Indonesian delegation supported.
“Indonesia already has a plan to open a direct flight from Yogyakarta to Siem Reap, he told reporters in Manado.
The Southeast Asian Times