SOURCE: https://vodkhmer.news/2019/12/25/tonle-sap-fishermen-are-very-worried-by-the-sharp-decline-in-fishing/

LINK: https://cambonomist.com/news/sand-dredging-causes-bank-erosion-/

SOURCE: https://cambojanews.com/fear-rises-as-riverbanks-erode-from-under-villagers-homes/

Climate change — which could be contributing to worsening floods and droughts — as well as low prices and a limited number of agricultural support officers at the local level remain obstacles for the sector, according to a ministry report from August. The government also announced last month that Cambodia faced a long dry season ahead due to a severe El Nino effect, with warnings of likely water shortages in 2019 and 2020.

To try to give a boost to the sector, the ministry had started many programs to assist farmers, said spokesman Srey Vuthy.

“We are providing some agricultural seeds to help farmers in case of natural disasters, and promoting vegetable crops that grow in water and all kinds of vegetable crops that farmers can grow after their rice harvests,” Vuthy said. “Moreover, the ministry urges farmers to implement high-yield crops by applying a drip irrigation system.”

Drip irrigation refers to installing pipes along fields to improve the watering of plants and cut labor costs.

“We don’t have exact figures, but we do many things,” Vuthy said.

Oun Leakna, a 29-year-old bitter melon farmer in Pursat province, said her revenues quadrupled by switching to the new method.

Traditional farming methods cost about $50 and bring in about $125 per 0.3 hectares, Leakna said. Since installing drip irrigation at a cost of about $300 per 0.3 hectares, her costs and revenues had risen to about $75 and $500 per 0.3 hectares, respectively, she said.

“And the bitter melon is better,” she said.

However, others said that when compared to neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia still had a long way to go to support its farmers, with some saying that interest rates were too high and they simply did not have access to the capital needed to invest in better methods.

Sam Vitu, an independent agricultural consultant, said debt among farmers was leading many to sell as soon as they could reap a harvest, flooding the market and depressing prices.

They needed better coordination and access to cheaper capital than is available through microfinance, Vitu said.

“Prices have begun to go down because farmers took loans from [microfinance] institutions to buy fertilizer, seeds and hire a lot of labor. When they sell, they sell fast because they need to repay the loans,” he said. “Therefore, when they sell urgently, the products hit the market and the price drops.”

The government could buy a reserve of agricultural products and mandate millers to buy produce at a fixed price from farmers to make sure profits were evenly distributed, Vitu said.

“Moreover, it’s the interest rate that causes farmers problems. Generally speaking, 18 percent per year is still high,” Vitu, said, referring to the interest rate cap imposed on MFIs. “Agriculture really needs a lot [of loans]. In neighboring countries, governments assist with loaning capital to farmers. In Vietnam or Thailand, farmers have access to rates below 1 percent per year.”

He has long been advocating for more local administrative officers in communes to guide and assist farmers, he added.

“I’ve suggested three agricultural officers per commune to help, or one or two officers in small communes,” he said. However, most communes barely had one officer, he said. “It’s necessary to have training officers to provide some guidance and tools and seeds.”

Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Center for Development and Peace, agreed that Cambodia could look to Thailand for more ways to help the farmer.

“Looking at a neighboring country like Thailand, before they produce agriculture they think first about quality and chemistry usage and standards,” Kim Eng said. This strategic planning allowed Thai farmers to grow in both the rainy and dry seasons, he said.

“It can guarantee the living of farmers,” he said. “However, in Cambodia, we only grow for five or six months.”

To go beyond subsistence farming, modern methods were needed. He said he supported ministry initiatives, but new crops introduced to farmers did not always seem to meet the needs of the market, he said.

Local fishers say even fish that once lived under the mud on the Tonle Sap’s lake bottom are gone, illegally electrocuted by desperate fishers. The electric rods are also destroying krill eggs, putting the ecosystem in a death spiral, they say.

A 37-year-old fisherman, who says he has plied the waters “since I was born,” has quit fishing for a living and has turned to selling snacks on a tourist boat.

Sitting in his tall floating house, encased by zinc walls held up by old, small wooden pillars, Choeun Sambath says the old livelihoods of Kampong Phluk are disappearing along with the fish.

A small island separated from the mainland during the wet season by the waters of the Tonle Sap lake, Kampong Phluk, in Prasat Bakong district, is home to almost 4,000 people in 1,000 families.

Most still fish to support their livelihoods. But many say the catch has dropped significantly again this year, leaving their futures uncertain.

Choeun, who now spends his days sitting in the middle of a narrow boat with his snacks as tourists take in the lake’s sights, says he can remember when fish were so plentiful a fisherman could hardly fail to catch one.

“I’d put 500 sayern down, and fill 500 sayern,” he says of his krill traps. “But this year, I can’t get even one.”

Choeun says he has seen rampant illegal fishing around the lake. Fishers use electric rods to shock and kill fish, and drag yang kav nets between two boats digging up the lake bottom and decimating fish spawn.

“It would be fine if they fished like us, but they use shock devices, and drag [nets] that reach the bottom of the river — so there is no fish left, even fish that live under the mud. If we talk about krill, the electric shocks break all of their eggs,” Choeun says.

Fishery authorities have taken only intermittent action against illegal fishers, he says, adding he doesn’t understand why the problem is allowed to persist.

Another Kampong Phluk fisherman, Hy Sophea, tells a similar story. The illegal fishing implements and climate change are causing the mass decline in fish stocks, he says. Now he cannot support his family, and depends on his wife who works at the commune office.

“Commune authorities have come to educate [people] — they’ve been active — but the offenses are too much. Some of [the offenders] are from this commune, some are from outside,” he says.

Fishers are using nets with holes smaller than allowed by regulations, killing younger fish, he says.

At the northern end of the island, Rous Hout says the water seems to be receding faster every year. Usually there is water along the riverbanks until February or March. But even earlier this year the riverbanks were dry by January, he says.

“The water is receding so fast this year,” Hout says. “The fish are becoming extinct.”

Commune chief Ning Ny says even as fish stocks decline, the population is increasing and demand for fish rising, putting greater strain on the community. This years appears to be even worse than last, he says.

Baby fish don’t the chance to mature because water levels are so low. “This year there’s less water and it recedes faster, so the fish can’t grow,” he says.

Khun Savoeun, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, says the catch on the Tonle Sap appears to be down about 15 percent for the first 10 months of the year, with official statistics showing a decline from 58,646 tons last year to 49,625 tons this year. The coming months are likely to be worse.

“The main cause is that the water this year is lower than last year by 3.4 meters. This makes it so the fish can’t give birth and struggle to breathe,” Savoeun says.

Illegal fishing is seeing a corresponding rise, with cases increasing from 206 last year to 261 already this year, he adds.

“The illegal fishers have more modern methods, and their numbers increase,” he says.

“But our fisheries authority has not increased, and our weapons to suppress the cases have not modernized,” Savoeun says. “Still, we are very active — that’s why we know the cases are increasing.”

The ministry is promoting fish farming to reduce the dependence on natural fish stocks and boost people’s incomes, he adds.

Choeun, the former fisherman in Kampong Phluk who now sells snacks to tourists, says it is difficult to witness how much the lake is changing.“In the past, I could get fish to cook within an hour by putting my hands with rice into the water, and fish swam into my arms. But now, I sit for the whole day and get nothing.”

«កាលពីភ្ញៀវនៅច្រើន ការហូបចុករបស់ខ្ញុំទោះមិនបរិបូរ តែបានមួយទប់ទល់ ប៉ុន្តែពេលភ្ញៀវធ្លាក់ចុះអីចេះ គ្រួសារខ្ញុំហូបមិនគ្រប់ទេ។ ធម្មតា ពីមួយឆ្នាំទៅមួយឆ្នាំវាចេះតែកើន ប៉ុន្តែឆ្នាំនេះធ្លាក់ចុះ។ កាលភ្ញៀវកើនឡើង មួយថ្ងៃខ្ញុំអុំបាន២ជើង ប៉ុន្តែឥឡូវបានតែ១ជើងទេ»។

នេះគឺជាការរៀបរាប់របស់ អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ អាយុ៥២ ឆ្នាំ ជាអ្នកអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវទេសចរនៅកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្ថិតក្នុងឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្រុកប្រាសាទបាគង ខេត្តសៀមរាប។ អ្នកស្រីប្រកបរបរនេះអស់រយៈពេល៤ឆ្នាំមកហើយ។ គ្រួសារអ្នកស្រីពឹងផ្អែកលើរបរនេះទាំងស្រុងដើម្បីផ្គត់ផ្គង់គ្រួសារ។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ និយាយថា នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកទស្សនាតំបន់នេះមានការថយចុះ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យ អ្នកស្រីពិបាករកចំណូលដើម្បីផ្គត់ផ្គង់ជីវភាពគ្រួសារ ហើយបង្ខំចិត្តឲ្យកូនៗទាំងបួននាក់ឈប់រៀន ដើម្បីរកការងារធ្វើជំនួសវិញ។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ ៖ «កូនខ្ញុំឈប់រៀនអស់ហើយ អាបងចប់បាក់ឌុបឆ្នាំនេះ កូនប្រុសមួយនោះបានតែថ្នាក់ទី៦ កូនស្រីបានថ្នាក់ទី៨មួយ ទី៩មួយ។ យើងអត់មានលុយឲ្យកូនរៀនបានជ្រៅជ្រះទេ»។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ បានលើកឡើងថា មានគ្រួសារជាច្រើនទៀតក្នុងសហគមន៍របស់អ្នកស្រី កំពុងជួបបញ្ហាជីវភាពគ្រួសារ បន្ទាប់ពីចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរធ្លាក់ចុះ។ កាលពីឆ្នាំមុនៗ អ្នកស្រីដឹកភ្ញៀវទៅកម្សាន្តព្រៃលិចទឹក ពីរ ទៅ បីដង ក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ហើយអ្នកស្រីអាចរកប្រាក់បាន ៤ ទៅ ៦ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ។ ប៉ុន្តែឆ្នាំនេះ អ្នកស្រីមានភ្ញៀវដឹកមួយ ឬពីរដងក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ដែលអ្នកស្រីអាចរកប្រាក់បាន ២ ទៅ ៤ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ។

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋរស់នៅក្នុងឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ប្រមាណ ៣០ ភាគរយ នៃ៩៦១គ្រួសារ ដែលប្រកបរបរអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវ កំពុងជួបបញ្ហាជីវភាពគ្រួសារ ដោយសារភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកកម្សាន្តនៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក មានការធ្លាក់ចុះពាក់កណ្តាលនៅឆ្នាំនេះ។

ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៩នេះ ពលរដ្ឋប្រកបរបរអុំទូកជូនភ្ញៀវ នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិខាងលើ អះអាងដូចៗគ្នាថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរដែលចូលមកទស្សនាកម្សាន្តមានការធ្លាក់ចុះ បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំមុនៗ។ ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរនេះ ធ្វើឲ្យប៉ះពាល់ខ្លាំងដល់ជីវភាពរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ដែលអាស្រ័យផលពីវិស័យនេះទាំងស្រុង ដោយគ្រួសារខ្លះខ្វះខាតថវិកា ទិញអាហារបរិភោគ ដោយត្រូវបង្ខំចិត្តឲ្យកូនៗ បញ្ឈប់ការសិក្សា រកការងារធ្វើ ដើម្បីជួយសម្រាលបន្ទុកគ្រួសារ។

ក្រោយសម្រាកពីការអុំជូនភ្ញៀវកម្សាន្ត កំពុងអង្គុយនៅក្បាលទូក អ្នកស្រី នឿង សុខុម វ័យ ៥៣ ឆ្នាំ ប្រកបរបរអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវ នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក តាំងពីកកើតសហគមន៍មក បានឲ្យដឹងថា ឆ្នាំនេះភ្ញៀវទេសចរថយចុះ ធ្វើឲ្យចំនួនជើងនៃការអុំទូកជូនភ្ញៀវ កម្សាន្តក៏មានការថយចុះ តាមនោះដែរ ដែលបញ្ហានេះប៉ះពាល់ ដល់ស្ថានភាពសេដ្ឋកិច្ចគ្រួសាររបស់អ្នកស្រី។

អ្នកស្រី សុខុម ៖ «ឆ្នាំនេះភ្ញៀវចុះខ្សោយ ឆ្នាំមុន១ថ្ងៃអាចបាន៣-៤ជើង តែឆ្នាំនេះ១ថ្ងៃបាន១ជើង ថ្ងៃខ្លះក៏បាន២ជើងអីចឹងទៅ»។

អ្នកស្រី សុខុម បានទទូចដល់អាជ្ញាធរ និងអ្នកពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ ជួយរកមធ្យោបាយ ដោយធ្វើយ៉ាងណាអាចទាក់ទាញ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកលេងកម្សាន្តតំបន់នេះឲ្យបានច្រើន។
អ្នកស្រីបន្ថែមថា ៖ «សំណូមពរ [ភាគីពាក់ព័ន្ធ] ធ្វើម៉េចឲ្យភ្ញៀវទេសចរចូលឲ្យបានច្រើន ឲ្យប្រជាពលរដ្ឋបានអុំ បានហូប គ្រាន់ដោះស្រាយជីវភាព»។

តំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក មានទីតាំងស្ថិតនៅជាប់នឹងផ្នែកមួយនៃបឹងទន្លេសាប ក្នុងភូមិកំពង់ភ្លុក ឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្រុកប្រាសាទបាគង ខេត្តសៀមរាប ដែលបានបង្កើតឡើងក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០០៦។ ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋសរុបនៅក្នុងឃុំនេះមានចំនួន ៣៧៨៤ នាក់ ស្មើនឹង ៩៦១គ្រួសារ ក្នុងនោះប្រជាពលរដ្ឋប្រមាណ៣០ភាគរយ ប្រកបរបរដឹកភ្ញៀវទេសចរតាមទូក។

ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរនេះ មិនត្រឹមតែប៉ះពាល់ដល់អ្នកអុំទូកនោះទេ វាក៏ប៉ះពាល់ដល់អ្នកលក់ដូរ ក្នុងសហគមន៍ ក៏ដូចអ្នកផ្តល់សេវាផ្សេងៗផងដែរ។

ម្ចាស់ហាងលក់ដូរបណ្ដែតទឹក នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក អ្នកស្រី រស់ សាវី អាយុ៣២ឆ្នាំ ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ការលក់ដូរឆ្នាំនេះមានការធ្លាក់ចុះខ្លាំង បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។ អ្នកស្រី ថាចំណូលពីការលក់ដូរ បានត្រឹមទប់ទល់ប៉ុណ្ណោះ លែងសល់លុយចំណេញ ព្រោះរកចំណូលបានតិចជាងឆ្នាំមុន ដោយត្រូវចំណាយទៅលើថ្លៃអាហារ ប្រាក់ខែបុគ្គលិក និងការចំណាយផ្សេងៗទៀត។

អ្នកស្រី សាវី និយាយថា៖ «លក់អត់សូវដាច់ ថយចុះជាងឆ្នាំមុនច្រើន។ ឆ្នាំមុន យើងលក់តាមហាងអីចេះ ១ថ្ងៃអាចរកបានខ្ទង់២០០ដុល្លារ ឥឡូវនេះ ង៉ៃណា១០០ ង៉ៃណា៨០ ង៉ៃណា៥០ [ដុល្លារ]។ បានត្រឹមមួយទប់ទល់ បើថាឲ្យកើនលុយចំណេញជាងឆ្នាំមុន អត់មានហេ៎»។

អង្គុយលើកៅអី ក្នុងទីស្នាក់ការឈើបណ្ដែតទឹក អនុប្រធានសមាគមសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក អ្នកស្រី មុត ស៊ាក់ ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរឆ្នាំនេះ មានការថយចុះពាក់កណ្ដាល បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

អ្នកស្រី មុត ស៊ាក់ និយាយថា៖ «ឆ្នាំមុន ឆ្នាំនេះ ខុសគ្នាពាក់កណ្តាល ឆ្នាំមុនបាន៨០ទូក ឆ្នាំនេះ គិតជាមធ្យម ខ្ញុំវ៉ៃថា៤០ទូកចុះក្នុង១ថ្ងៃ។ ធ្លាក់ចុះចឹង វាប៉ះពាល់ដល់ចំណូលអ្នកអុំខ្លាំង»។

អនុប្រធានសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍រូបនេះ បន្ថែមថា ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរឆ្នាំនេះ អាចបណ្តាលមកពីបញ្ហានយោបាយ និងការកើនឡើងនៃតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍។

អ្នកស្រី បន្ថែមថា៖ «បើតាមខ្ញុំស៊ើបសួរតាមហ្កាយដ៍ [អ្នកនាំភ្ញៀវ] ភ្ញៀវខ្សត់ ដោយសារបញ្ហានយោបាយ។ ហើយបើតាមខ្ញុំគិត កត្តានោះមួយដែរ ដោយសារកំណើនតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ដទៃ ធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវបែកខ្ញែកគ្នា»។

យោងតាមរបាយការណ៍របស់ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ បច្ចុប្បន្នមានសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ប្រមាណជាង ២៣០០ កន្លែង ដែលត្រូវបានបង្កើតឡើង និងគ្រប់គ្រងដោយក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ ក្រសួងបរិស្ថាន ក្រសួងកសិកម្ម រុក្ខាប្រមាញ់ និងនេសាទ។ ក្នុងចំណោមសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ទាំង ២៣០០ កន្លែង មានតែ ១២៥ កន្លែងប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដែលកំពុងមានសកម្មភាពទេសចរណ៍ និងអេកូទេសចរណ៍ ក្នុងនោះសហគមន៍ដែលស្ថិតនៅក្រោមក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍មានចំនួន ៧៩ កន្លែង។

ស្ថិតក្នុងសម្លៀកបំពាក់ខោត្រឹមជង្គង់ អាវយឺតសដៃខ្លី លោក ឃួង ចាន់សិរី អាយុ៣៧ឆ្នាំ ជាបុគ្គលិកសហគមន៍ ផ្នែកបកប្រែភាសា នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវធ្លាក់ចុះ ដោយសារតែគ្មានការកំណត់តម្លៃ ចូលទស្សនាឲ្យបានច្បាស់លាស់។ តម្លៃដឹកភ្ញៀវស្ថិតនៅលើមាត់អ្នកផ្តល់សេវានេះ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវមិនសប្បាយចិត្ត។

លោក ចាន់សិរី និយាយថា៖ «ចង់សំណូមពរឲ្យក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ កំណត់តម្លៃលក់ឲ្យស្មើភាពគ្នា ព្រោះមានការរអ៊ូពីភ្ញៀវ។ រឿងស្ងាត់ភ្ញៀវដោយសារខាងតុកតុកមួយចំនួនទៅ ខាងហ្កាយដ៍ [អ្នកនាំភ្ញៀវ] មួយចំនួនទៅ ហើយខាងក្រុមហ៊ុនស្ថាប័នមួយចំនួនទៅ។ គាត់ទារតម្លៃពីភ្ញៀវខ្ពស់ពេក ក្នុងម្នាក់អាច ២៥ ៣៥ រហូតដល់ម្នាក់ឯង៤០ (ដុល្លារ)។ រឿងហ្នឹងបើកំណត់បានវាល្អប្រសើរ»។

ទាក់ទងនឹងករណីនៃការធ្លាក់ចុះចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរ មេឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក លោក នឹង នី ទទួលស្គាល់ថា ស្ថានភាពជីវភាព របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋនៅឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុកឆ្នាំ២០១៩នេះ មានការធ្លាក់ចុះបន្តិច បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

លោក នឹង នី មានប្រសាសន៍ថា៖ «ឆ្នាំនេះ ជីវភាពពលរដ្ឋយើងធ្លាក់ចុះបន្តិច តែមិនដល់ថ្នាក់ធ្វើចំណាកស្រុកទៅក្រៅប្រទេស ឬដើរសុំទានទេ»។

លោក នឹង នី មិនដឹងពីមូលហេតុពិតប្រាកដ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវទេសចរធ្លាក់ចុះនោះទេ។ ប៉ុន្តែលោកបានលើកឡើងថា ការធ្លាក់ចុះនេះ អាចដោយសារវិបត្តិពិភពលោក ឬតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍នៅកន្លែងផ្សេងៗមានការកើនឡើង។

អ្នកនាំពាក្យក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ លោក ជុក ជំនោរ និងប្រធានមន្ទីរទេសចរណ៍ខេត្តសៀមរាប លោក ង៉ូវ សេងកាក់ មិនអាចទាក់ទងដើម្បីធ្វើអត្ថាធិប្បាយពីបញ្ហាធ្លាក់ចុះចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរបាននោះទេ នៅក្នុងសប្ដាហ៍នេះ។

យោងតាមរបាយការណ៍ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ រយៈពេល៧ខែដើមឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរទៅលេងខេត្តសៀមរាប មានចំនួនជិត ១លាន ៤សែននាក់ ថយចុះ ៩,៦៦ ភាគរយ បើប្រៀបធៀបនឹងរយៈពេលដូចគ្នាកាលពីឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

Huy Vannak, an Interior Ministry official and head of the Union of Journalist Federations of Cambodia, announced last week that his union would establish a “Freedom of Information Committee” to collect information about the problems journalists face in the field.

Information Ministry spokesman Ouk Kimseng on Friday welcomed the announcement, saying it was likely to contribute to solving issues for news media.

“The Ministry of Information supports freedom of expression and journalism in Cambodia,” Kimseng said. “Media associations should be involved in mechanisms to clearly demonstrate the ability of the local press. We are too reliant on foreign assessments now.”

International NGO Reporters Without Borders’ annual World Press Freedom Index ranked Cambodia 143th out of 180 in 2019, falling from 142th in 2018 and 137th in 2017.

In April, however, Information Ministry spokesman Meas Sophorn said that he rejected the Reporters Without Borders report.

“The ranking for Cambodia does not reflect the reality of overall press freedom,” he told the Phnom Penh Post.

SOURCE: https://vodkhmer.news/2019/10/30/%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%A0%E1%9E%97%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%96%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%A0%E1%9E%96%E1%9F%90%E1%9E%93%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%92%E1%9E%A2%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%93%E1%9E%80%E1%9E%80%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%9F%E1%9F%82%E1%9E%8F%E1%9E%9A/

With this observation, he is not alone. Water levels have rapidly dropped on the Mekong River to as low as half of the long-term average, raising fears of water shortages in the upcoming dry season all over the country. Dry season typically starts around November to December.

Water Resources Ministry spokesman Chan Yutha said that despite the flooding of recent months, the water had come quickly and the peak was short-lived. “We find that once the water starts to subside, it recedes quickly,” Yutha said.

Ministry data shows the Mekong dropped to a depth of 5.1 meters in Kampong Cham on Tuesday, 2.5 meters lower than the same day last year and 5.4 meters below the average since 1991. The daily fluctuation varied between two and 19 centimeters.

In Phnom Penh, the Chaktomuk monitoring station recorded the Mekong at 4.5 meters, 2.1 meters below last year and 4.1 meters lower than the average.

Water levels have also fallen to below 1998 levels, when a record-setting drought caused widespread food shortages.

To the east of En’s Beanteay Meanchey home, 52-year-old rice farmer Bun Kimla faces similar issues in Siem Reap. She said she feared a repeat of last year, when a severe dry season caused widespread droughts, bringing about poor harvests. “In my place I don’t have any water at all,” Kimla said.

And fields are likely to dry up even further over the next few weeks. According to forecasts, the Mekong will drop another meter ahead of the Water Festival on November 10-12 to 3.5 meters, Yutha said.

Coalition of Cambodian Fishers director Long Sochet said the Tonle Sap was about 0.8 meters lower than last year based on measurements in Pursat province. This was not only cause of concern for farmers and their crops, but could also mean a decline in fish stock in an already sensitive water ecosystem. “There will be a lack of fish in the dry season coming up,” Sochet said.

To make sure farmers and fishers weren’t facing the same hardships as before, the government had to step up, said Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Center for Development and Peace. Yet, that had not happened enough, he said. “I have little hope in the authorities’ actions, because we’ve seen ponds and artificial lakes [built], but we still face water shortages in the dry season,” Kim Eng said.

But Yutha, from the Water Resources Ministry, said his ministry was prepared. His officers had managed to capture water into reservoirs before it began to recede, he said, and there would be enough to grow dry-season rice at a similar level to previous years. “Today, all of our pools around the country have enough water,” he said.

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, about 20,000 hectares of rice fields in 13 provinces were affected by drought in November last year.

This Newsroom Cambodia story also appears on VOD English:  https://vodenglish.news/plunging-river-levels-raise-anxieties-ahead-of-dry-season/

SOURCE: https://vodkhmer.news/2019/10/21/civil-society-plans-to-walk-from-wat-phnom-to-freedom-park-on-anniversary-the-paris-peace-agreement/

However, as exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy vows to attempt a return to the country on the day before the festival’s start, some are concerned that political turmoil could spill over into the national celebration.

More than 30 members of the outlawed opposition CNRP have been arrested since Rainsy on August 16 announced his return, most for the charge of plotting an attack.

City Hall spokesman Meth Measpheakdey said the city’s security forces were looking into necessary security arrangements, though he denied that he expected anything but peaceful celebrations.

“The Phnom Penh Unified Command Committee is already thinking [about it] now. We are planning carefully both security guards and enough flexible solutions to protect in and around Phnom Penh,” Measpheakdey said.

“We don’t have exactly the number of people who will join, but we hope people will come to join a lot during that time because we have peace and quality of life.”

When asked specifically if he thought the political situation could cause complications for the festivities, Measpheakdey said he doubted there would be any effect.

“As I understand it, it seems it won’t have any impact in a negative way for the Water Festival. Our citizens will cheer up together and join happily, from Phnom Penh and other provinces,” he said.

Water Festival crowds present safety and logistical challenges for the city every year, with a stampede in 2010 notably killing more than 300 people on the bridge to Koh Pich island. The event was canceled for the next three years, though the official reasons given were flooding and the death of King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Measpheakdey added that planning was also underway for redirecting traffic out of the central riverside area and for providing parking spaces for visitors.

National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun said security operations for the festival were currently in the “planning” phase, but would not elaborate.

Bou Chum Serey, vice chairman of the National Committee for National and International Festivals, said organizers expected at least 305 boats to participate in the annual races this year, up from 285 boats last year.

“The Water Festival will still celebrate as normal … although there are many factors,” Chum Serey said. He would not specify what those factors were.

However, on Phnom Penh’s riverside, several people said they were anxious about the upcoming festival.

Sok Neng, 34, was selling cold drinks on the promenade between the Royal Palace and Wat Ounalom with one of her four children, a 7-year-old daughter, by her side.

She said she was concerned there could be trouble on the riverside during the festival, and was prepared to get away from the crowds if necessary.

“I am afraid because of Sam Rainsy’s return,” Neng said. “If there is any danger I will take my kid and run.”

Some others said they were also worried about political tensions spilling over into the festivities, but declined to say so on the record.

Several others, meanwhile, said personal concerns about their livelihoods and safety trumped whatever was happening in the political sphere.

“The celebrations will be quiet, I think,” said Ah Mey, who also sold drinks and snacks by the Tonle Sap river. Business on the riverside was already slow with fewer visitors, she said, and a muted Water Festival would add to her financial troubles.

Heang Sopheak, a 23-year-old bank officer, said she planned to avoid the festival altogether because she didn’t want to take the risk of being part of the crowds.

“I have no plans to go,” Sopheak said. “I am worried about my safety when walking.”

Ros Ra, 55, a motodop driver, said he would return to his hometown over the Water Festival weekend because the roads around the riverside would be closed to traffic and it would be difficult to pick up customers.

“It will affect my job. It has been difficult already. So I am worried about that,” Ra said. “l think this [year’s] celebration will have only a few people join.”

Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Center for Development and Peace, said it would be a shame if political tensions dampened the annual national celebration.

“The Water Festival is a show of solidarity and development for the country,” Kim Eng said. “It makes people happy together as citizens of the country. Moreover, it is part of the identity of the nation. The political situation should not have any relation to the national celebration.”

Nevertheless, Kim Eng said he hoped that security would be robust and that everything possible would be done to control the traffic.

According to various media reports citing government authorities, 4.5 million people attended the Water Festival over the three days of celebrations last year.

This year’s festival is set to take place from November 10 to 12.

This Newsroom Cambodia story also appears on VOD English: https://vodenglish.news/water-festival-security-planning-underway-amid-political-tensions/

On Sunday and Monday, reporters witnessed roads closed to heavy trucks, while police officers blocked bridges for a few days in Poipet City’s Nimit commune to some heavy traffic due to fast-flowing floodwaters. Hospitals were also surrounded by flooding and made difficult to access.

Provincial governor Om Reatrey said on Tuesday that the weeklong flooding and rainfall had affected six of nine districts, including Poipet City and Serei Saophoan City, destroying some crops.

Phnom Srok, Thma Puok, Svay Chek and O’Chrou were the other districts affected, he said, noting that floodwaters now appeared to be subsiding and he did not expect there to be lasting infrastructure damage.

“The authorities and all types of police went to help people in time, and there’s nothing more to be worried about,” Reatrey said.

A local resident, Hean Narong, however, said a small dam at the Okaidon reservoir had been breached in Poipet City since September 27, causing water to flow across National Road 5.

“It is hard to access and there has been damage to some roads near Okaidon,” Narong said.

The Ministry of Water Resources said on Sunday that heavy rain and flooding were expected to continue this week in other provinces, including Kampot, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kandal, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Phnom Penh.

The ministry “calls on citizens to be on alert” until Saturday, it said in a statement.

The country has been hit by widespread flooding over the past few months. According to a National Committee for Disaster Management report last month, 131 communes in 29 districts in Stung Treng, Kratie, Kampong Cham, Tbong Khmum, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng and Kampong Thom provinces were affected by floods in the first two weeks of September. The report said 87,469 families had been affected, with 10,133 of them evacuated, VOD reported.

Reporters interviewed several students this month who work full-time while studying at universities in Phnom Penh. They all expressed their feelings of concern, saying it was a struggle to keep up with their studies at the same as working several hours every day.

Leang Leakhena, 20, studies dentistry at the University of Health and works full-time as a dentist’s assistant. She has experienced many consequences from trying to do both at the same time because work and school takes up a lot of time, Leakhena said.

“I am working full-time in Phnom Penh and when I leave from the workplace, it’s tiring and I can only go to school irregularly because on some days [my] workplace has many things to do or is very busy,” she said.

Kuy Nary, a 21-year-old marketing student at the Preah Kossomak Polytechnic Institute, works at the University of Cambodia’s Honda library full-time. She said she was always feeling tired, and because of her work she could not try her best in her studies.

“[With both] studying and working, [I] do not have enough time to study. We know that for many workplaces it is not easy to do,” she said.

Two students at the University of Cambodia also agreed that it is difficult to work and study at the same time.

Fourth-year international relations student Yet Yin, 26, said he works full-time as a quality and assurance leader in a clothing factory and studies in the evening. He faces many challenges and said sometimes he cannot attend school or focus on his lessons.

“When I return from [my] workplace, [I’m] so tired and can’t focus 100 percent on the lesson. Also, during busy seasons at work and school, it puts a lot of pressure on me,” he said.

Chhun Sreykunsocheata, a third-year student in business management, has worked full-time as a seller at flower shop Capi Cambodia since finishing high school. She said her workplace is very far from her house and school, and causes her to be always late to school.

“It feels like a lot of pressure, especially when we do assignments. Sometimes [when I] have to help with teamwork, because [I’m] busy, I can’t help my team,” she said.

At Pannasastra University, Eom Sreyne, 19, who is studying English teaching, said she works as a teacher’s assistant from 7:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the mornings and afternoons from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. She then studies at Pannasastra from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“I am working because I need money to support my studies, and I do not want to depend on my parents. I also face problems with my studying because when I worry about my work, I can’t focus on my studies and sometimes I am so tired after working,” she said.

Hok Ly, a lecturer who teaches public policy at the University of Cambodia, agreed with the students that working full-time can affect how well they do in class.

“For students whose workload [continues] until overtime, when they enter the classroom they feel sleepy and tired and can’t capture the lesson,” he said.

However, for third-year students, it is good practice to work and study at the same time to gain experience, Ly said.

Chen Veun, director of the scholarships and grant loans office at Pannasastra University, said the situation causes many students to be unable to graduate within four years, and also impacts their grades.

“Most of them extend their study period. They are supposed to study only four years, but most of them finish their studies in six years,” he said. “Based on their study records, they get very low grades. Sometimes, they are required to repeat their failed courses.”

However, students who work full-time can reduce their course load to better focus on getting good grades, even if it takes more years to graduate, he said.

“By focusing on quality and the results of their study, without being concerned about the study period, students still have been able to get good grades even while working full-time,” Veun said. “For example at PUC, students can enroll in fewer courses than required for one term or semester.”

Nevertheless, Veun said he still recommends that students only start working in their third year.

Ros Soveacha, a Ministry of Education spokesman, said that according to the law, students can choose their course of study and their jobs as necessary to fulfill their needs.

“A citizen has the right to select the ways of studying and jobs legally for achieving a high quality of life. It is also a way to develop the society, culture and economy,” Soveacha said, explaining that it was up to individuals to find the right balance.

“A citizen can measure the positive results against the impact from working while studying at the same time,” he said.

This story originally appeared on VOD: https://en.vodhotnews.com/heat-flooding-disease-phnom-penhers-share-their-climate-concerns/

Reporters interviewed several university students in Phnom Penh last week, most of whom said they heard the name of Chea but didn’t know his position or significance.

Seng Sodaled, a 21-year-old student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), said she knows some information about Chea from her mother, school and visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and thinks it is very important to remember him.

“But I do not know exactly who he is and his position and history because I am busy studying,” Sodaled said.

Chom Rern Sokunthavry, a 20-year-old student at RUPP, also said she knows only a little.

“I don’t understand it well because I am busy studying a lot. I think it is so important that Cambodian people should know more about the history of leaders in the past,” she said.

Da Ny, a 19-year-old student at the University of Health Sciences, said she knows about the Khmer Rouge but not clearly. She has gotten her information mostly from school, TV and radio.

“I only know the name of Nuon Chea but [I’m] not clear about that. I know some about the Khmer Rouge and the names of Pol Pot and Nuon Chea, and I think I understand it because it is important. I know it from school before, but now I forgot some because I am busy with my studying,” she said.

Mao Piseth, 22, a student of international business at the University of Cambodia (UC), said Chea was only one of many Khmer Rouge leaders.

“Nuon Chea’s death affected Cambodian victims only a little because there were many leaders in the Khmer Rouge,” Piseth said.

Four other students interviewed also said they did not know a lot about Chea’s role in the Khmer Rouge.

Varma Bunly, a history teacher at RUPP, said all university students should know about the Khmer Rouge because universities need to teach students about the regime as part of Cambodian history for their foundation year.

However, not all students were interested in political history, Bunly said.

“They might be interested in entertainment news more than politics, and some of them know that Nuon Chea died but they do not know who Nuon Chea is,” he said.

Bunly said it is important that Chea’s history is remembered because he was a key leader in the regime.

“Chea is a historical figure because he was a top leader of Democratic Kampuchea,” he said.

A piece of history was lost when Chea died, he said.

“In losing Chea, it means we are losing an important witness in this regime … and most importantly losing a trace of history,” Bunly said.

In the past, Chea was often in the news because he was on trial at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal after his arrest in 2007.

Neth Pheaktra, spokesman for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), said 500,000 people have visited the tribunal and more than half have been youth and students.

About 300,000 students from various provinces and cities learned about the processes of the ECCC and the real information about the Khmer Rouge by visiting the center, Pheaktra said.

One of the roles of the tribunal was to make sure people remembered the tragedies of the Khmer Rouge years, he said.

“Remembering Cambodia’s [history] so leaders in the world do not kill people when they are in power,” he said.

Now, however, Chea is dead and most cases at the tribunal have finished.

Cheng Ratana, a Bophana Center officer for communications and cultural activities, said he was still not worried about Chea being forgotten because there were many ways to learn about the Khmer Rouge and Chea.

“The real history cannot change and his name is already written in history books,” Ratana said.

“We have a lot of sources that teach about the Khmer Rouge and Nuon Chea because he was a top leader in the past regime, and they can learn about the Khmer Rouge and Nuon Chea from books, documentary videos and history apps,” he said.

Chea was born on July 7, 1926 in Battambang province. During the Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979, Chea was the deputy secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea.

In 2014, Chea received a life sentence for crimes against humanity. Last year, he was also found guilty of genocide. He died last month at age 93 from disease.