100 tons of turmeric seed exported to Cambodia

PTI | 03:06 PM,Jun 05,2011

Erode (TN) Jun 5 (PTI): Hundred tons of turmeric seed has been exported to Cambodia from nearby Sathyamangalam as climatic and soil conditions in that country are favourable to its growth,according to a proprietor of a firm in that country. T R Varadharajan, whose firm entered into an MoU with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University last month, said he came to know of turmeric cultivation at the Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar through internet. He came to India, had the soil tested and had discussions with scientists there, who advised him to take up its cultivation as conditions were favourable. “I then formed a firm and consulted Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. An MoU was signed between my firm and TNAU last month for supplying turmeric seeds to Cambodia. TNAU and ARS, Bhavanisagar decided to send the seeds from Sathyamangalam area,” he said. The turmeric seeds, collected and purchased from farmers at the rate of Rs 30 per kg, were exported yesterday, he said. Farmers said they had made reasonable profits on the seed export as prices for the crop were declining here.

Giant rats eat two babies in South Africa

By Dan Newling

The Daily Mail
3rd June 2011

Giant rats as big as cats are have killed and eaten twobabies inseparate attacks in South Africa’s squalid townships this week.

Lunathi Dwadwa, three, was killed as she slept in her parent’s shack in the Khayelitsha slum outside Cape Town and another girl was killed in Soweto township near Johannesburg on the same day.

Little Lunathi was sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor of her family’s breeze block and corrugated iron home on Sunday night when she died. Her puzzled parents didn’t even hear her scream.

When her mother discovered her lifeless body, she saw that her daughter’s eyes had been gouged out.

Thailand set to defy any border order [If ICJ can’t order Thailand to withdraw troops, the UN Security Council can]

Writer: Wassana Nanuam
Published: 5/06/2011
Bangkok Post

MINISTER SAYS ICJ HAS NO AUTHORITY TO RULE

SINGAPORE : Thailand is set to defy any order by the International Court of Justice to withdraw troops from the border area disputed withCambodia.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said yesterday that the ICJ had “no authority” to issue such an order and Thailand would not comply should one be issued.

The minister’s comments come as the ICJ deliberates Cambodia’s requests for a reinterpretation of the court’s 1962 ruling which favoured Cambodia, and to order Thailand to withdraw troops and cease all military activity near Preah Vihear temple, situated inside the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area.

Who does the Preah Vihear temple belong to?

Thailand-Cambodia conflict over ancient temple site sparks debate over borders and historic rights.

By Tom Fawthrop 
Al Jazeera
Last Modified: 04 Jun 2011
Read History of Khmer-Thai conflict at Preah Vihear.

When the Preah Vihear Temple was granted World Heritage status in 2008, Thailand’s citizens were angered by Cambodia’s claim to the ancient site [GALLO/GETTY]

The magnificent ruins of this ancient Hindu temple, a World Heritage site since 2008, have become a bitter cause of serious border skirmishes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. The skirmishes come amid conflicting claims over sovereignty and age-old historic rivalry.

This Hindu-inspired 11th century temple, spectacularly perched atop a mountain escarpment, hugs the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

Uuniversity of Portland students raise $20,000 for education in Cambodia

Photo courtesy of Kurt Berning Kenny King with Cambodian student

Catholic Sentinel
4th June, 2011

Kenny King and Kurt Berning, students at the University of Portland, have raised more $20,000 for education inCambodia. King and Berning are the founders of Global Alliance for Developing Education, a non-profit that is dedicated to building education in developing countries. The money was raised at a gourmet meal and auction held at the North Portland school.

King and Berning also took first place in the non-profit category at the $100K Challenge, a business plan competition hosted by the University’s Entrepreneur Scholar program and Pamplin School of Business.

The organization’s strategies include expanding an existing microfinance program, building a secondary school, training teachers and providing scholarships for high school students to attend college.

The two recently traveled to Cambodia.

“The trip has inspired me to work tirelessly to improve the quality of schools in Cambodiaand offer opportunities to the deserving students,” said Berning. “The need in these schools is dire, and even a relatively small amount of money in the U.S. can make a dramatic impact on the life of a Cambodian student.”

KHMER KROM: the plight of a people [and the loss o f Kampuchea Krom]

By Bunroeun Thach, Ph.D.

(International Relations/Political Science)
Source: Compnow.com

Map of Kampuchea Krom in green, pink and purple.

The world in general is still ignorant about what is Kampuchea Krom. Today, the origin of Kampuchea Krom is being systematically effaced from the world history by the Vietnamese colonialist government and its supporters. Kampuchea Krom history, its geography, its people, its culture, and its people’s identity are now being questioned by even the scholars. According to the July 12-25, 1996 issue of Phnom Penh Post which cover the “Angkor Borei: The Cradleof Cambodia?” It said: “Vietnamese scholars are quoted as saying: ‘The Funan (Nokor Phnom) empire existed before Khmer ethnicity arose. Linguistic evidence that these people were indeed Khmer is simply lacking’.” Supporting this statement was an American scholar, Miriam Stark, who said:

There is no question that the people of Angkor empire were Khmer. But as to Funan (Nokor Phnom), we don’t know what language they spoke, though we can find out how old the site is (Angkor Borei), what agriculture was engaged in, what the demographic potential of the site was. We can learn how they lived, and what they did. But whether they were Khmer is perhaps an unanswering question.”

Curriculum Vitae of Cambodia’s legal team against Thailand at the ICJ in 2011

Cambodia's legal team at the ICJ in The Hague: Sir Franklin Berman (front row left with a wig), member of the English Bar and Jean-Marc Sorel (right in red gown), Professor of International Law at the University of Paris

Jean-Marc Sorel, Professor ofInternational Law at the University of Paris

Prof. Jean-Marc Sorel holds many academic qualifications, including doctorate degrees from the prestigious Sorbonne University (now University of Paris), where Khieu Samphan had earned his Ph.D in 1959 in economics. He is now a professor of international law at the University of Paris where had had earned many of his degrees.