Right to water and sanitation vital for achieving anti-poverty goals: UN officials

Right to water and sanitation vital for achieving anti-poverty goals: UN officials

Water World
31.07.11


Philippines News Agency (PNA)
July 28, 2011
Top UN officials Thursday stressed the need to realize the human right to water and sanitation, saying that it is critical not only to a life of dignity but also to achieving progress in the areas such as poverty reduction, boosting child health and combating diseases. In July 2010, the General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring that safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights. Worldwide almost 900 million people do not have access to clean water and more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Studies also indicate about 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year and 443 million school days are lost because of water- and sanitation-related diseases.

For millions of people, access to safe water and sanitation is an urgent need for development, Assembly President Joseph Deiss said as he opened a plenary meeting on the subject.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of targets for reducing social and economic ills, all by 2015, includes the goals of halving the proportion of people who cannot reach or afford safe drinking water and halving the number who do not have basic sanitation.

Deiss said that achieving the water and sanitation targets is fundamental to achieving the other goals such as reducing poverty, boosting education and child health, and fighting HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

The human right to water and sanitation is critical to ensure that everyone has a life of dignity and freedom, he added.

Echoing the President's comments, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that the task at hand is to translate the commitment to provide access to clean water and adequate sanitation into action.

Let us be clear, he stated, a right to water and sanitation does not mean that water should be free. Rather, it means that water and sanitation services should be affordable and available for all and that States must do everything in their power to make this happen.

Noting that many governments have already included the rights to water and sanitation in their constitutions and domestic legislation, he said those that have yet to do so should follow suit without delay.

We must reach all those who are denied the water and sanitation services that are necessary for their dignity and well-being," Ban said. (PNA/APP)

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Philippines News Agency (PNA)
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Cambodia Cleans Out The Pretenders

Cambodia Cleans Out The Pretenders
Strategy page, 30 July 2011
 
July 30, 2011: The Cambodian Army has been conducting a vigorous recruiting drive recently. The goal is 3,000 fit and intelligent young men. The new recruits are to replace several thousand older soldiers who were recently retired. Like many nations, Cambodia has long used the army as a jobs program. The emphasis was on keeping the 124,000 military personnel employed, not ready for war.
Cambodia found that there were serious shortcomings with this approach when, three years ago, a border dispute with Thailand turned into a military conflict. Nothing major. The action has been mostly assault rifles, machine-guns, artillery and mortars. There have been hundreds of casualties. What shocked Cambodian commanders and political leaders was how unprepared their army was for even a minor conflict like this. This led to a revitalization plan for the army, which the current recruiting drive is part of.

The border war was unexpected, even though Cambodia and Thailand have long argued over who owns how much of an ancient temple site. In 1962, an international court declared the temple Cambodian, but Thailand continued to claim adjacent areas that the Cambodians insist are part of the temple complex.

Currently, each side has about 3,000 troops near the temple site, and there have been a few shooting incidents since 2008, but nothing serious. The two countries have been negotiating the withdrawal of troops. Fighting earlier this year damaged portions of the temple (which Cambodians occupy) and caused over 20,000 local civilians to flee. 

This dispute is but one of many similar ones. The basic problem is that the current 730 kilometer long border was defined in 1907 by the placement of only 73 border markers. This has left the exact location of the border open to interpretation. Occasionally these interpretations clash, as is happening now. Neither side wants a full scale war, even though Thailand has a larger and better equipped military. In the last few years, Cambodia doubled its annual military budget to $500 million. Thailand spends more than six times that, and has done so for decades. Thailand has 300,000 troops, Cambodia only 124,000.

Cambodia is very poor, and has been helped by China. which recently donated 50,000 field uniforms (including hats and boots). Last year, China donated 257 military trucks, and also supplied weapons. The infantry weapons tend to be older models. That's because China is introducing a new and improved model of their QBZ-95 assault rifle (also called the Type 95) to their own troops. The QBZ-95 is a distinctive bullpup design (the magazine is behind the trigger) that China has been issuing to its troops for over a decade now. That means China has plenty of surplus Type 81 (improved AK-47) rifles (which the QBZ-95 replaced) to either put into storage, or distribute to allies. Cambodia has bought some Type 95s, for elite units. But most everyone else has the second hand Type 81. AK-47s have been widely used in Burma nearly half a century.

Cambodia has never really recovered from its disastrous experiment in communist government (the Khmer Rouge) in the 1970s. That killed off 15 percent of the population (including nearly all the ethnic Chinese community) and trashed the economy. China supported the Khmer Rouge (as fellow communists), but Khmer Rouge aggression against Vietnam resulted in Vietnam invading in 1979 and deposing the Khmer Rouge. But as the decades went by, former Khmer Rouge officials got back in power, and China made nice.

Episode 203: Wildman/ Swamp Dinosaur

A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam

Likely New Thai Foreign Minister Tipped

Likely New Thai Foreign Minister Tipped  
Asia Sentinel
Written by Pavin Chachavalpongpun   
SATURDAY, 30 JULY 2011

Does Thaksin direct the play?
Thaksin said to guide choice as Yingluck fills her stage
Kittirat Na Ranong, a former businessman, seems set to become Thailand’s foreign minister in the new Yingluck Shinawatra administration, after being handpicked by her older brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, according to a source inside the Thai Foreign Ministry. 

Kittirat is already forming a new team of diplomats to replace the one led by departing Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, the source said. 

Kittirat’s previous position as the youngest-ever president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) could signify a possible return to the commerce-driven diplomacy that was a Thaksin foreign policy trademark when he was prime minister from 2001-2006. It also seems to indicate, in case anybody doubted it, the extent to which Thaksin, and not his sister, will be driving the new government. 

In the next week, Yingluck is expected to be endorsed by parliamentarians as the country’s first female prime minister. A cabinet list will be revealed simultaneously. Already, rumors are swirling about apparent infighting over cabinet seats among different factions within Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party. 

The race for foreign minister is said to be particularly fierce because it is perceived as an aristocratic bastion whose high-level diplomats have intimate connections with the royal palace. 

Joining the race are old hands at politics including Mingkwan Saengsuwan, Pranpree Bahiddha-Nukara and Plodprasop Suraswadi. There are also former diplomats who are capable of becoming foreign minister, such as Saroj Chavanaviraj, who was foreign minister for three days during the Samak Sundaravej in 2008; Vikrom Koompirochana, former ambassador to Great Britain and Pithaya Pookaman , a former ambassador to Bangladesh. 

A Foreign Ministry source told Asia Sentinel that Thaksin handpicked Kittirat. The two men have known each other for quite some and Kittirat is currently president of a university founded by Thaksin. Kittirat is reported to have forged a close alliance with a group led by Sudarat Kaeyurapan within the Pheu Thai Party. 

Given Kittirat’s strong professional credentials, the choice could also signal that Thaksin, learning from his own mistakes, may want to reconstruct Thai diplomacy to be somewhat cleaner and more acceptable to Thailand’s counterparts. 

Prior to joining the SET, Kittirat was chief investment officer of Univentures PLC and chairman of Cathay Asset Management. He gained most of his experience with securities in the trading, research and asset management arms of Securities One in Bangkok, which he joined in 1987 after a spell in corporate lending with the Thai Farmers Bank. 

An economics graduate of elite Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, he earned his MBA from the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration. Kittirat was an adviser to the Thai parliament on economic affairs and a director of the State Enterprises Capital Policy Committee. 

He became president of the SET in 2001, just two days before the 9/11 attacks hammered stock markets worldwide. Two years later, Kittirat had turned things around. The combined profits of companies listed in the SET under his leadership, stood at Bt76 billion (US$2.5 billion), a 50 percent increase in two years. Kittirat was credited the successful development of the bond market. 

He resigned from the SET in 2006 and moved to academia. He was deputy director of academic affairs at Sasin, and is now president of Shinawatra International University, which was founded by Thaksin in 1996. 

With strong regional business connections, Kittirat would seem well placed for the new post and could perhaps help undo some of the damage done by the Abhisit government in particular the outgoing Kasit. If Yingluck is serious about resolving the Preah Vihear temple issue with Cambodia, Kittirat might be a wise choice. Unlike Kasit, he has no political baggage and has never insulted Thailand’s neighbors. And also unlike Kasit, Kittirat is a man with a clear vision, demonstrated during his years at the SET, and a stated commitment to meritocracy instead of patronage as a political ideal. 

Interestingly, however, Kittirat’s brother, Kittipong Na Ranong, is currently Thai ambassador to Washington and a close ally of Kasit. Kittipong is also an anti-Thaksin figure. 

If, as some suspect, Thaksin will want to penalize those ambassadors who aided Kasit’s attempts to hunt him down during his past 30 months in exile, Kittirat’s family ties could put him at odds with his patron. 

(Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former diplomat, is a fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.)

Cambodia Reportedly Pulls Out Troops From Disputed Border Area

Cambodia Reportedly Pulls Out Troops From Disputed Border Area
Bernama
30 July 2011

BANGKOK, July 30 (Bernama) -- Cambodia has reportedly withdrawn some 2,500 troops from an unsettled area bordering Thailand, a move expected to ease tension between the two neighbouring countries, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Updated reports on Saturday said that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had ordered the troop withdrawal from the contentious border area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple. Newspapers showed pictures of Cambodian troops and tanks leaving the area.

The withdrawal of the Cambodian troops came almost two weeks after the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered both Thailand and Cambodian to pull out their troops from the unsettled area pending the World Court's concluded decision on a case earlier filed by Phnom Penh, requesting the UN highest court to provide clarification of its 1962 ruling on the Preah Vihear Temple.

However, according to TNA Phnom Penh reportedly acknowledged later that its troop pull-out from the border area was not aimed to comply with the World Court's order, but to lessen military confrontation in the area, where fatal clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops had erupted over the past few years. .

The Cambodian government said that Cambodian troops have remained inside the Preah Vihear Temple.

Hindus hail Hague Court decision on famed Preah Vihear Shiva Temple

Hindus hail Hague Court decision on famed Preah Vihear Shiva Temple
Daily India, 19 July 2011

From ANI

Nevada (US), July 19: Welcoming the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on demilitarizing Preah Vihear Hindu temple on Thailand-Cambodia border, the Hindus have urged international organizations to urgently undertake its restoration work.  

ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations established in 1945, in its decision at Hague (Netherlands) on July 18, reportedly found out that both Parties (Cambodia and Thailand) must immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarized zone defined by it, and refrain from any military presence within that zone and from any armed activity directed at that zone, to ensure that no irreparable damage was caused. There were skirmishes between both countries in the earlier part of the year reportedly causing damage to this Shiva temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Esteemed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on Monday, said that demilitarization of the temple area would probably avoid the risk of further damage to the ancient Hindu shrine.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that international community, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) should immediately provide funding and manpower for restoring this Lord Shiva temple back to its original shape. 

These organizations should not shy away to shoulder their responsibility of saving the important heritage of the world and respecting the feelings of Hindus worldwide, he added. 

Besides temple repairs, some infrastructure in the area should also be provided for devotees and other visitors, he said.

Zed pointed out that this landmark age-old and revered Hindu temple complex in Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, about 245 kilometers north of Phnom Penh, was important to Hindu heritage and must be preserved to pass it on to the future generations. Damage and deterioration of 11th century Shiva temple was shocking and hurtful to the Hindu community world over. 

Lord Shiva, one of the major deities in Hinduism forming great triad with Brahma and Vishnu, was focus of worship of the Hindus, and it was important for them that Preah Vihear Hindu Shiva temple be protected and restored. It was moral duty of the world to keep it intact for the coming generations, he added.

Known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, this remote temple had been a source of tension for generations. Preah Vihear was said to even predate Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex by about 100 years and its stunning setting made it finest of all the ruins left from the mighty Khmer civilization, Zed said. 

He argued that world should not let this sacred site dedicated to Lord Shiva (situated where Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia touched Sisaket province of eastern Thailand), whose history could be traced to 9th century when the hermitage was founded, be further damaged to advance political agendas of some.

Moreover, the Temple of Preah Vihear, an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture mostly created by Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II, was a unique architectural complex of a series of sanctuaries and was said to be exceptional for the quality of its architecture and carved stone ornamentation. It was reportedly dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva in his manifestations as Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. 

It was also said to be marking representation of sacred Mount Meru, the abode of the gods, and showing a depiction of Churning of the Ocean, a Hindu scriptural episode, Zed said.

The Cambodian Government's National Committee for the World Heritage describes Preah Vihear as: The site serves as a sacred place worshipping to the Hindu god Shiva manifesting as Sikharesvara (the Lord of Peak) and his figures are depicted on pediments and lintels.


Copyright Asian News International/DailyIndia.com 
 




 

Child Protection Experts Concerned about "Orphan Tourism" in Cambodia

Child Protection Experts Concerned about "Orphan Tourism" in Cambodia
SOS Children's Villages,
28 July 2011

28/07/2011 - A child protection expert from UNICEF, as well as local charities, have raised concern about the impact of "orphan tourism" on the emotional well-being of vulnerable, orphaned children in Cambodia.
An activity common among young, Western do-gooders has sparked concern among child protection experts in Cambodia.

Volunteers who come to spend some time caring for Cambodian orphans may in fact be doing more bad than good, experts fear. This is particularly true when it comes to short-term volunteers who fly in to teach English or work in orphanages before moving on to the next part of their travels.

This sort of travel/volunteering combination can put some of society’s most vulnerable children at a higher emotional risk.

“Constant change of caregivers gives emotional loss to children, constant emotional loss to already traumatised children,” said Jolanda van Westering to the AFP. Ms. Van Westering is a Child Protection Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

On a darker note, the constant flow of strangers can pose further risks of abuse to the children. This is because, “oftentimes volunteers come to an orphanage without having their backgrounds checked,” warned Ms. Van Westering.

Nevertheless, the needs of Cambodia’s youngest and most vulnerable continue to grow. As of 2009, Cambodia was believed to be home to 630,000 orphans. The number of children living in the country’s 269 orphanages is 12,000 – double the number of orphanages, as compared to six years ago, notes UNICEF.

A negative feedback cycle exists between tourism and the institutionalization of children. According to Friends International, orphanages have become a tourist attraction among global volunteers, causing the number of institutionalized children to increase, despite the fact that many of these impoverished and institutionalized children have at least one parent living.

Last month, it was reported that one-third of Cambodian children live beneath the poverty line, according to UNICEF data. Within the South East Asian region, Cambodia has the highest infant and child mortality rates. The country has an infant mortality rate of 68 deaths per 1,000 live births and a child mortality rate of 88 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are particularly susceptible to this feedback loop, that makes orphanages a source of tourism revenue.

Only about a tenth of the country’s orphanages are state-funded. The rest rely on the help of charities and non-governmental organizations.

So, where does this leave this generation’s would-be cohort of “do-gooders” abroad?

UNICEF’s Ms. Van Westering has the following advice: “Don’t go. Give blood, support a community-based organisation that provides day activities for a child but where the children go home at night.”

Cash transfer beneficiaries prefer jobs to money, study says

Cash transfer beneficiaries prefer jobs to money, study says
Sun Star, 27July 2011
GIVE us jobs, instead of cash.

That is what recipients of the government’s conditional cash transfer program have expressed, according to a study undertaken by Social Watch Philippines.


In a self-perception survey conducted in 2009 and 2010, University of the Philippines professor Marivic Raquiza said that “some” beneficiaries found the cash grant wanting.


 
The survey involved 160 respondents equally distributed in the rural area of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, and in the urban area of Riverside Tramo, Pasay City.

Backed by the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) and the United Nations Development Program, the survey also included interviews with officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd) and the World Bank.

In a later research conducted by Raquiza, she discovered that reduced poverty incidence is not simply the result of linking cash transfer beneficiaries to Kalahi-CIDSS and Sea-K (Self Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran) programs.

She explained that the benefits of Kalahi-CIDSS have generated, at best, localized impact on poverty reduction such as the opening of a road has made it easier for farmers to bring their produce to the market.



“But it has not made a dent on reducing over-all poverty. In one case study, the data showed that poverty incidence even rose in a municipality where a Kalahi-CIDSS project was implemented. Research has shown that SEA-K activities revolve around mostly low-value trade and commercial activities,” Raquiza said in an email.

Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman disagreed.

“We recognize that (findings) and we are providing sustainable livelihood. But to say that they (beneficiaries) prefer sustainable livelihood rather than accept direct assistance, I suggest that they talk to the beneficiaries and find out if that’s what they see,” she told Sun.Star.

Soliman said the survey may not be representative of the sentiment of the estimated two million households already enrolled in the program.

For instance, the DSWD said a group of 10 women recipients in Cebu City was able to put up a sari-sari store, a small carinderia and barbecue stand through a loan of P75,000 from the SEA-K.

SEA-K is a form of saving and credit facility provided to beneficiaries to help them finance income-generating projects that would augment their low income.

“I was able to draft our association’s project proposal for SEA-K. The trainings I received also enhanced my self-esteem, and now, I feel confident to attend gatherings and talk to people,” CCT recipient and team leader Lucy Dayundul was quoted as saying in the DSWD report.

The CCT or Pantawid Pamilya provides cash grants to poor eligible households on the condition that lactating or pregnant mothers and young children avail of preventive health care and that school-aged children regularly attend school.

The program is now on its mid-level target of reaching the 4.6 million poor households identified by the National Statistical and Coordination Board (NSCB) by the end of 2013, according to the DSWD.

So far, the program has delisted 155,499 households due to inclusion errors, fraud, multiple entries, waived, failed to attend community assemblies, and moved-out to non-Pantawid Pamilya areas.

At a press briefing after submitting the 2012 proposed budget to Congress on Tuesday, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Jr. said P16 billion will be added to the program to cover three million households next year.

President Benigno Aquino III allotted P23 billion in 2011 for the program initiated by his political enemy former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2008.

"This is not a dole out. This is investment in human capital because we require parents to bring their children to school, encourage them to have immunization, prenatal and maternal check-ups," Abad said in an apparent swipe to CCT critics.

The government has already released P4.13 billion to cover cash grants from January to May this year.

Pressures

Meanwhile, Social Watch stressed that education does not guarantee access to the jobs market, citing that 4.6 million are unemployed.

Of this number, 44 percent are high school graduates or undergraduates, and 43 percent are college graduates or undergraduates.

Factors that result in higher unemployment numbers include insufficient labor demand and the inability of workers to change jobs and move into other industries, Social Watch said.

"The need for job creation and to improve existing work acquires greater resonance in the context of both complementation and exit strategies of the Pantawid Pamilya," Raquiza noted.

She also cited that health and education performance outcomes of the CCT are limited and inconclusive.

Raquiza said the experience of the most established CCT programs — those in Mexico and Brazil — show that educational achievements of student-beneficiaries were dismaying as they scored either the same or worse compared to non-beneficiary students.

This was also true of an evaluation of CCT in Cambodia where higher enrollment rates of CCT beneficiaries were not accompanied by improved learning outcomes, she said.

The evidence is that learning and health outcomes either stay the same, or may even get worse, as increased demand puts additional pressure on education and health infrastructure that are of poor quality to begin with, and from inadequate personnel, according to Raquiza.

Her observations were once shared by the political opposition led by Arroyo, who doubted the efficacy of the program given the lack of classrooms and health centers in the country.

Raquiza said the UN Research Institute for Social Development argues that in many developing country contexts, improvements in education and health indicators might be better achieved by investing directly in the supply of these services. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

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Trouble Brewing in Thailand

The Diplomat
27 July 2011
By Tim LaRocco

With news breaking this week that a Cambodian solider was killed on the border with Thailand, the site of a dispute that was recently adjudicated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), it’s worth looking at how serious this development could turn out to be.

The Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodian military officials claimed that Thai soldiers initiated the hostilities from their side of the border:

‘Pok Sophal, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander for Oddar Meanchey’s Trapaing Prasat district, about 100 kilometres from the Preah Vihear temple, claimed that Thai soldiers had opened fire on the soldiers.

‘”We had an appointment for the meeting (between Cambodian and Thai soldiers), and when we were walking, they opened fire at our soldiers,” he said. “They were already prepared to intentionally open fire at us in advance.”’

However, the article then goes on to note that the Cambodian government had a different account of what they believed to have transpired:

‘Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, yesterday said government officials were still investigating the issue, but that reports of an armed clash were “not accurate”.

‘“Officially, (there was) no confrontation between Cambodian soldiers and Thai soldiers. The casualty that happened was not involved with an armed clash at all,” he said. “The situation on the border is calm, and both sides, they build confidence.”’

If one is to believe the account given by Sophal, the significance of this incident sadly transcends the loss of life of one Cambodian soldier. Instead, the focus would have to be on the aggressive behaviour of the Thai military. This isn’t just because of the recent legal decision by the ICJ – which called for the removal of military personnel on both sides from the site of the Preah Vihear temple and the establishment of an independently monitored demilitarized zone – but because it could foreshadow a potential conflict between the Thai military establishment and the new Pheu Thai government.

Additionally, there’s a question over the role of the outgoing Abhisit administration and what function Thailand’s Democrat Party may have played if it’s determined that Thai soldiers instigated an attack.

As I reported earlier this month, relations between Thailand and Cambodia could be expected to improve considerably when Yingluck Shinawatra assumes the role of prime minister. The Thai military, the fiercely nationalist People’s Alliance for Democracy (Yellow Shirts), and other segments of the Bangkok elite were the biggest losers of Thailand’s elections this month, which swept the Pheu Thai party into power on a swell of support from the country’s poor, rural constituencies. The possibility for dissidence between the various actors within Thailand’s domestic political system is very real, highlighted by myriad coups orchestrated by the military in the past. However, the army did announce that it would accept the latest results in the aftermath of Pheu Thai's landslide victory.

It may, of course, turn out that this is much ado about nothing, and it’s possible that certain Cambodian military leaders are attempting to extract some sort of personal or professional benefit by fabricating a story. We need more details about exactly what happened, but it’s a story worth keeping an eye on in the coming days and weeks.

Tim LaRocco is a graduate student of international relations at The City College of New York. He has travelled throughout the developing world, including stints as a volunteer worker in the Public Parks Department in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and as a researcher for the South African Human Rights Commission in Cape Town. He currently lives in Long Island, New York.

Cambodian PM proposes troop pullout deal with Thailand Reuters

Cambodian PM proposes troop pullout deal with Thailand
Reuters
By Prak Chan Thul
PHNOM PENH | Fri Jul 22, 2011
(Reuters) - Cambodia's prime minister proposed Friday a deal with Thailand to simultaneously withdraw troops from a newly defined demilitarized zone, in compliance with a United Nations court ruling aimed at defusing tensions in a disputed border area.

Hun Sen said Cambodia wanted to respond quickly to Monday's verdict by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which ordered troops from both countries to pull out of the territory around an 11th century temple to prevent further flare-ups.

Thai and Cambodian forces traded gunfire and shelling at two stretches of the 800 km (500 mile) frontier in February and April, killing a total of 18 people and displacing tens of thousands of villagers.

"Troop withdrawal must be done simultaneously. The ruling requires both sides to withdraw troops, not just Cambodia," Hun Sen said at a rare news conference that lasted two-and-a-half hours.

Indonesia, chairing the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), agreed in February to send 15 unarmed observers to preserve a ceasefire, but that mission never materialized and Thailand, and in particular its military, has been accused of dragging its feet on the issue.

Sovereignty of large stretches of the Thai-Cambodia border has been disputed since the French withdrew from Cambodia in the 1950s, with the Preah Vihear temple the thorniest subject.

The temple was awarded to Cambodia in a 1962 international court ruling but both nations lay claim to 4.6 sq km (2.5 sq miles) of land around it.

Hun Sen said both sides should cooperate fully with the observers, when deployed, and give details to the ICJ about the number and location of their military personnel. He did not propose a timeframe, but said talks should begin immediately.

Relations between the historic foes have been strained since Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government came to power in December 2008 and reversed a previous administration's decision to back Cambodia's listing of Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Hun Sen said he was looking forward to working with a new Thai government led by Prime Minister elect Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, an ally of the long-serving Cambodian strongman.

(Editing by Martin Petty and Miral Fahmy)

ASEAN hails ICJ’s troop withdrawal verdict

Thursday, 21 July 2011 By NNT

BANGKOK, 20 July 2011 – ASEAN has expressed satisfaction with the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to have both Thai and Cambodian troops withdrawn from the disputed border, deeming it as a way to ease tension.

During the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which is taking place during 19-23 July in Bali, Indonesia, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan commented on the ICJ’s temporary injunction for the dismissal of soldiers on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border, saying the order was appropriate as it was fairly directed to both nations. He pointed out that the Court also gave an opportunity for ASEAN to play a role in reducing the border conflict through the deployment of border observers from Indonesia within the demilitarized zone.

Personally, the ASEAN Secretary-General viewed that if Thailand and Cambodia could successfully conclude on the border demarcation issue, the latter might opt to cancel its request for the ICJ’s reinterpretation of its 1962 verdict on the Preah Vihear Temple case. For now, the two countries are recommended to coordinate with each other in order to have a common understanding of the Court’s verdict.
Meanwhile, ASEAN Chair and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa has expressed his wish to discuss with both Thailand and Cambodia about their directions after the ICJ rulings have been made.

Cambodia: Drafts budget expenditure for 2012

Xinhua, 18 July 2011

PHNOM PENH, July 18 -- Cambodia on Monday unveiled a drafted budget of around 2.35 billion U.S. dollars for the country' s expenditure in 2012.

Speaking during a meeting with the members of parliament on budget draft for 2012 expenditure, the Minister of Finance Keat Chhon said the total expenditure for 2012 will be equal to 19.42 percent, or 2.35 billion U.S. dollars of the GDP growth this year.

The GDP this year is forecast to grow by 6.1 percent or 12.14 billion U.S. dollars, he said.

"It's just the drafted budget, the final one will be available in September," he said. "The expenditure is to ensure the stability of macroeconomics and the GDP growth."

Top priority sectors are national defense and security, health, education, agriculture, irrigation and infrastructure, he said.

The overall budget for 2011 was 2.4 billion U.S. dollars.​

UN court draws DMZ for Thai, Cambodia troops Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/07/18/1748931/un-court-draws-dmz-for-thai-cambodia.html#ixzz1SRrYcLOT

The AP, 18 July 2011
The U.N.'s highest court has ordered troops from both Thailand and Cambodia to immediately withdraw military forces from disputed areas around a World Heritage temple straddling their border.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The U.N.'s highest court has ordered troops from both Thailand and Cambodia to immediately withdraw military forces from disputed areas around a World Heritage temple straddling their border.

The International Court of Justice was acting on Cambodia's request to order Thai troops out of the area, where at least 20 people have died in clashes since 2008.

But the court went beyond that request and drew a "provisional demilitarized zone" free of military and police from both countries.

It also called Monday on the two nations to allow ASEAN officers into the area to observe a cease-fire.
The court ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple is in Cambodian territory.

Thailand, Cambodia ordered to withdraw troops

By The Nation
Published on July 18, 2011 

The International Court of Justice Monday voted 9:5 to order both Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw their troops from the disputed plot around Preah Vihear Temple.

Praj Iampongsan, a Nation Channel reporter, reported from Hague that the ICJ would proceed with the case to interpret the 1962 ruling on the Preah Vihear temple. Pending the ruling, both countries are required to pull out their troops from the area.

He said the court rejected Thailand's request to throw out the case.

Should the Thai government decide to comply with the court order and withdraw the troops from the 4.5 disputed area, it would be seen favourable for Cambodia.

Without Thai troops deployed in the disputed area, Cambodia could proceed to develop Preah Vihear as a world heritage site without obstacle.

Military observers expect that the Thai government would never comply with the order or else Thailand could be seen as being the wrong side during the past two years.

Earlier, the second Army area commander declared that he would never withdraw troops from the disputed area as doing so would be tantamount to giving the land to Phnom Penh.

Thai and Cambodian troops ordered to withdraw from temple area

The Telegraph, 18 July 2011

Thailand and Cambodia have been ordered by the UN to immediately withdraw their troops from a disputed area around an ancient temple on the border between the Asian neighbours.

Cambodia in late April launched a bitter legal battle before the ICJ in which it asked for an interpretation of a 1962 ICJ ruling around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

The court ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple is in Cambodian territory.

It also asked the court, while judges were pondering the request, to approve provisional measures including an immediate Thai troop withdrawal and a ban on all Thai military activity there.

Although Thailand do not dispute Cambodia's ownership of the temple, secured by the 1962 ruling, both Phnom Penh and Bangkok claim the 1.8-square-mile area surrounding the Khmer complex.

"Both parties should immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarised zone and refrain from any military presence within that zone," said the order, read by International Court of Justice president Judge Hisashi Owada at a sitting in The Hague.

UN: Local approach needed to fast-track MDGs

UN: Local approach needed to fast-track MDGs
The Sun Star, 16.7.2011

WITH only five years left before deadline, a United Nations (UN) official told the Philippine government to provide additional support to local governments so that they can help meet internationally agreed-upon goals to reduce extreme poverty, among others.

Massive integration of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) -- a set of UN development targets including universal primary education -- in local development planning and decision-making remains a challenge, said UN Resident Coordinator Jacqueline Badcock.

Citing a report by non-government Social Watch Philippines, the UN identified governance as one of the challenges to achieving MDGs, along with financing, climate change, and lingering effects of global economic slowdown.


 
Economic growth barely made a dent in trimming the number of poor Filipinos, Badcock observed.

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the poverty index went down from 45.3 percent in 1991 to 26.5 percent in 2009.

However, the actual number of poor Filipinos jumped to 30 million in 2010 from 28.1 million in 1991.

"The relatively encouraging national-country level data on the rate of progress of the Philippines contrasts with the reality at the sub-national level, thereby obscuring disparities and inequalities and creating false sense of inclusive progress," Badcock said in a forum at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Earlier, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga said it is still a long way to go for the Philippines after failing to post significant gains in four of the eight MDGs.

These are eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS.

The country, on the other hand, claimed better developments on reducing child mortality, promoting gender equality and empowerment of women, particularly on eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education.

The Philippines also made progress in reversing the incidence of malaria and tuberculosis, and providing access to sanitary toilet facilities, Paderanga noted. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

ASEAN to boost capacity to deal with conflicts

ASEAN to boost capacity to deal with conflicts
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali | Sat, 07/16/2011


While struggling to overcome regional spats, ASEAN member states are trying to play a role as peace mediators in the region and globally.

Against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Thai-Cambodian border dispute, China’s row with ASEAN states over claims in the South China Sea and tensions in the Korean Peninsula, and widely discredited elections in Myanmar, the grouping’s foreign ministers, who will meet here next week, are seeking to enhance their ability to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts while joining forces in peacekeeping operation and building peace in post-conflict areas.

Building on results from the grouping’s recent defense ministers’ meeting in Jakarta , foreign ministers are poised to agree on unprecedented statements on closer security and military cooperation to avoid misunderstandings and suspicion.

“We emphasized the importance of institutionalizing expertise and capacities in areas of conflict prevention, conflict management, conflict resolution, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace building in order to strengthen the vital role of ASEAN member states in supporting… the maintenance of regional peace and security,” a draft of the ministers’ joint communiqué to be released next Tuesday read.

At an ASEAN summit in Jakarta in May, the grouping’s leaders agreed to form the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR), seen as a starting point for a more powerful body to help resolve intraregional conflicts.

Coupled with the defense ministers’ plan to establish an ASEAN peacekeeping center network, which will pool the grouping’s military and civilian resources to tackle disasters and conflicts, ASEAN may be beginning to move toward a genuine security community.

“It is a priority for us to make sure Asia Pacific remains a peaceful, secure and stable region. These are 
the conditions that enable us to develop. We have enjoyed a peace dividend,” Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.

Despite enjoying peace for the last 40 years – which many attribute to ASEAN’s existence – the escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia earlier this year reminded ASEAN of the need to step up confidence building measures, conflict prevention efforts and conflict resolution, he said.

“We can never take the peace we have enjoyed for granted. The Indonesian view is that we have to maintain the condition,” Marty said.

On the South China Sea issue, ASEAN ministers vowed to persuade China to agree on the establishment of a stronger code of conduct (COC) rather than a mere declaration of code of conduct (DOC), which remains stalled since 2002.

“We have commenced the discussion on a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea. We look forward to its finalization before the 19th ASEAN Summit [in November this year]” the draft of the joint communiqué read.

On the Korean Peninsula issue, the ASEAN ministers “reiterated that the ASEAN Regional Forum [ARF], of which six participants are all members of the Six Party Talks, could explore to create a conducive atmosphere for dialogue and consultation among parties concerned”.

UN reports progress towards poverty alleviation, urges

Source: UN News Centre, 7 July 2011

 increased support for the poorest

7 July 2011 – Some of the world’s poorest countries have made impressive gains in the fight against poverty, but the least developed countries still lag in efforts to improve living standards, the United Nations said today in a report showing significant overall progress towards achieving the global targets against extreme poverty. Giving examples of achievements, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report – prepared by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) – says that Burundi, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Togo and Tanzania attained or are nearing the goal of universal primary education, one of the targets.
Considerable progress has also been made in Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique and Niger, where net enrolment ratios in primary school increased by more than 25 percentage points from 1999 to 2009.
Sub-Saharan Africa, with an 18 percentage point gain in school enrolment between 1999 and 2009, is the region with the best record of improvement, according to the report.
Despite significant setbacks caused by the global economic crisis that plunged much of the world into recession in 2008 and 2009, and the high food and energy prices, the world is still on track to achieve the MDGs, according to the report.
“Despite these declines, current trends suggest that the momentum of growth in the developing world remains strong enough to sustain the progress needed to reach the global poverty-reduction target,” the report says. “Based on recently updated projections from the World Bank, the overall poverty rate is still expected to fall below 15 per cent by 2015, indicating that the Millennium Development Goal target can be met.”
The number of deaths of children under the age of five declined from 12.4 million in 1990 to 8.1 million in 2009, which means nearly 12,000 fewer children die each day. Increased funding and intensive control efforts have cut deaths from malaria by 20 per cent worldwide – from nearly 985,000 in 2000 to 781,000 in 2009, the reports notes.
Increased funding from various sources has also expanded key programmes, such as treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS.
The report, however, stressed that efforts need to be intensified especially among the most vulnerable members of the global population who continue to be marginalised as a result of sex, age, ethnicity or disability. Disparities in progress between urban and rural areas also remain significant, according to the report.
The document points out, for example, that wide gaps remain in women’s access to paid work in at least half of all regions and following the job losses in 2008 and 2009, the growth in employment during the economic recovery in 2010, especially in the developing world, was lower for women than for men.
“The poorest of the world are being left behind. We need to reach out and lift them into our lifeboat,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said during the launch of the report during the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva. “Now is the time for equity, inclusion, sustainability and women’s empowerment,” he added.
“Achieving all the MDGs will require extra effort. Even where we have seen rapid growth, as in East Asia and other parts of the developing world, progress is not universal, nor are the benefits evenly shared,” said Mr. Ban. “Stubbornly high unemployment persists in rich and poor countries alike. And in many cases, the wealth gap is widening between the prosperous and the marginalized and between urban and rural,” he added.
The report also highlights the fact that as a result of concerted efforts to achieve the MDGs, new HIV infections have been on a steady decline. In 2009, some 2.6 million people were newly infected with HIV – a 21 per cent drop since 1997, when new infections peaked. The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV or AIDS increased 13-fold from 2004 to 2009, thanks to increased funding and expanded programmes.
An estimated 1.1 billion people in urban areas and 723 million people in rural areas gained access to an improved drinking water source between 1990 and 2008.
Progress has, however, been uneven, the report notes, highlighting the large gaps between and within countries. The poorest children made the slowest progress in terms of improved nutrition and survival, and nearly a quarter of children in the developing world were underweight in 2009, with the poorest children most affected.
Advances in sanitation has also often bypassed the poor and those living in rural areas, with more than 2.6 billion people still lacking access to toilets or other forms of improved sanitation. In Southern Asia, for example, sanitation coverage for the poorest 40 per cent of households hardly increased between 1995 and 2008.
“Everywhere, social inequalities have grown too wide,” Mr. Ban later told reporters. “We need to change that. We need to do things differently. We need a renewed global partnership for global social progress.”
The MDGs were agreed at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, with eight targets for reducing extreme poverty and hunger, improving health and education, empowering women and ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015.
Last year, world leaders attending a summit at UN Headquarters reaffirmed their commitment to the goals and called for intensified collective action and the expansion of successful approaches. A Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health was also launched, attracting over $40 billion in pledges.

Cambodia's appeal grows

Bangkok Post
11 July 2011


Thailand needs to maintain political calm to regain the confidence of foreign investors as Cambodia has emerged as a promising investment location in Asean, says the International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD).

A window of opportunity had opened for Thailand as political tensions were easing after a relatively trouble-free election campaign that resulted in a Pheu Thai majority, said ITD, a unit of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).

As well, it noted, Cambodia has welcomed the Pheu Thai victory and hopes strained relations between the two countries will improve.

"But we have to maintain this peaceful situation and proceed with political reconciliation amid the global shift of foreign direct investments into Asia," said ITD executive director Weerasak Kowsurat, a former Tourism and Sports minister in Thailand.

Geneva-based Unctad is preparing to release its World Investment Report 2011 late next month. A key finding in the report is the expansion of FDI in the services sector in China and Asean as the number of middle-income consumers grows and spending rises in proportion.

Chinese investors, meanwhile, have stepped up their outbound investments in the region including the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).

Mr Weerasak said Thailand's border dispute with Cambodia had bothered foreign investors who have been looking forward to benefiting from regional integration under the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015

"But this concern seems to be easing as the Cambodian government favours Pheu Thai [more than the previous Democrat-led government]," he said. "We should never let internal politics intervene in international relationships with other countries."

Unctad research has found that Cambodia is becoming increasingly attractive among non-Thai investors, thanks to the country's greater market openness to free trade.

While Vietnam and Laos have some constraints related to labour issues, foreign investors have found Cambodia an attractive location, which also has a lower risk of monsoon rains, said Mr Weerasak.

Thailand, he said, should focus more on the creative economy, sustainable or green investments, as well as quality services such as tourism.

Unctad also found that declining raw materials might affect the competitiveness of Thailand's food processing industry.

The garment industry, meanwhile, could attract more foreign investment if new ideas of the creative economy are applied.

Electrical home appliance producers can also benefit but they need to focus less on original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business because global brand owners could easily switch to lower-wage destinations, he added.

Indo-ASEAN Conference: Discussions on nitty-gritty of issues on

Indo-ASEAN Conference: Discussions on nitty-gritty of issues on
Sunday July 10, 2011 09:42:03 AM, Pervez Bari, ummid.com

New Delhi: On the second day of the three-day International Conference on “Indo-ASEAN Trade and Investment” here on Saturday experts, scholars and delegates deliberated in the four business sessions the nitty-gritty of the issues while applying their minds to the solution of the problems. 

The conference has been organized here under the aegis of Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), in collaboration with the Indo-Arab Economic Cooperation Forum at the India International Centre. 

The first business session on Saturday was presided over by Dr. Naushad Ali Azad, Former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. The theme was “Importance of Indo-ASEAN Relationship and Ocean Aspects of Linkages in Changing Global Scenario”. The second business session, which was chaired by Ravi Kishore, Secretary General (Hony.), IAECF and Advocate, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, the theme was “Peace and Development – I Infrastructure – Real Estate, Roadways, Telecom”. The third business session was presided over by Dr. Ausaf Ahmad, Finance Secretary IOS. It was on the theme “Peace and Development – II Finance, Banking and Insurance”. While the fourth business session was chaired by Prof. Qamar Ahsan, former VC, Maulana Mazhar-ul-Haq Arabic and Persian University, Patna. It was on the theme “Peace, Development and Economic Cooperation”.

Meanwhile, a book entitled “Hanuman Gurhie Ayodhya” based on an incident of 28th July, 1855 which is said to be the root cause of Babari Masjid dispute was released by Ms Hendra Henny Andries, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Indonesia in India, in the second business session of the conference. 

The book which was hanging fire for the last 15 years due to impediments created by the West Bengal Government has been now published by the Institute of Objective Studies, IOS), New Delhi. It has been penned by Sher Singh, a retired IAS officer of 1974 batch of West Bengal cadre. Sher Singh had to pay with his bureaucratic career when he was suspended in the year 1994 and then dismissed from service in 2000 by the left Front ruled West Bengal Government for publishing the book “The Secular Emperor Babar”. He took up research work on Emperor Babar in 1986 after the unlocking of Babri Masjid. His another treatise on Emperor Babar is “Archaeology of Babri Masjid, Ayodhya”. 

Dr. Uma Shankar, Associate Professor of political, University of Delhi, speaking in the first business session on the theme “Importance of Indo-ASEAN Relationship and Ocean Aspects of Linkages in Changing Global Scenario” said the fast growing India’s economic interaction with East Asia since 1991 is a commentary on the mature and timely initiative of the then Indian leadership in its foreign policy. In the post-Soviet world continuing with its anti-imperial past, India’s Look East Policy was quite logical. Economic liberlisation and globalization has released India’s growth potential without falling into the Western umbrella. The East Asia with ASEAN countries China, Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand provide India a peaceful environment for its growth. Myanmar is a land bridge which India is trying to cultivate in a friendly partnership without interfering in its domestic politics. Pragmatic national interests guide India’s foreign policy. The economic growth of the North East region by opening this region to East Asia would be accelerated. The geographical handicap of the North East region can be compensated by increased linkages with ASEAN countries, he added. 

Dr. Shankar said India’s growing stake in East Asia is a win-win situation for all. India has no territorial or other disputes with ASEAN countries. Good and closely integrated relations with East Asia will have moderating influence on China also without military or strategic pact. India’s increasing stake in East Asia will facilitate peaceful rise of India and China. Without being in a competitive relationship with China, what is India’s disadvantage in unstable and disturb South Asia environment the East Asia will give India a breathing space. 

In the same session Mohammad Shahnawaz Abdin, Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, making a Power Point presentation concluded: (i) Growth prospects for Indo–ASEAN relation are quite positive, and trade can play a central role; (ii) Regionalism and trade facilitation should be very high priorities for the region; (iii) Asian trade can increase in nearly all directions including Indo – ASEAN which is getting one of the highest growth rates; (iv) Modest progress towards improving regional trade efficiency will have great implication on overall trade and (v) ASEAN will contribute to Asian regional convergence.

Shahnawaz Abdin observed that the road ahead for Indo–ASEAN relation includes: (a) Institutional development and policy reforms to attract the investment (domestic and FDI); (b) Cooperation on trade related infrastructure development; (c) Human resources development especially labor productivity enhancement; (d) Capacity building programs in the area of risk assessment; (e) Preparation of action plans that focus on regional and global trade facilitation; (f) Emphasis on micro and macro level economy; (g) Public, private sector partnership (PPP) for community development and (h) Regular research on trade and its impact on local communities.

Ms Rouble Sharma, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi, also presenting her paper in the first session said that during the last decade (2002-2010), India’s relations with the ASEAN have been cemented and strengthened. India’s entry into ASEAN is really an opportunity to prove itself as a responsible and responsive good neighbour interested in regional cooperation. The new status enabled India to play a responsible role in promoting regional peace and stability in the region. 

Ms Sharma said this was justified by the common stand India and ASEAN adopted on various regional and international issues including terrorism, integration with global economy and functional cooperation in diverse fields including science and technology, human resources development, trade and investment and transport and communication. India and ASEAN are truly partners in progress. India is privileged to be part of a process that is contributing to ever widening circles of prosperity. 

“Our relationship with the ASEAN countries is the pillar of our ‘‘Look East Policy’’. The best aspect of India-ASEAN renewed engagements is that both of them recognise now that they have something to offer one another”, she pointed out.

Prof. Veena Sikri, a Visiting Professor in the Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia, New Delhi and Prof. N. Chandra Mohan, Economist and Commentator, also put forth their views in the first session. Prof. Sikri said the prospects of relations between India and ASEAN and maritime communications are very bright. Prof. Chandra Mohan said to change the global scenario it is necessary to further strengthen the ties and maritime communications between India and ASEAN. He said to bring about a revolutionary change in the world these two points cannot be ignored.

Ms Hendra Henny Andries, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Indonesia in India, while presenting her paper in the second session on theme “Peace and Development – I Infrastructure – Real Estate, Roadways, Telecom” invited Indians to tour Indonesia saying natural beauties and many things of common interests are awaiting them. She said culturally also there are many things of common interests between Indonesia and India. The biggest thing common is the religion of Islam between the two countries where Muslims are found in large numbers. It may be noted that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world and India stands second in this context.

Ms Andries said Indonesia has the largest economy in South East Asia and third fastest growing economy in Asia. She invited Indian investors to extend their business in Indonesia.

Dr. Arshi Khan, Associate Professor of Political Science in Aligarh Muslim University, expressing his views in the second session said ASEAN is in its dialectical advance towards development through peace, security and regional stability. As a geo-political and economic organisation it is still in transition, towards reaching the goal of Vision 2020 for creating a unified legal entity, consolidated ASEAN identity, a single market and a socio-cultural community. 

Dr. Khan, moreover, said ASEAN believes in promoting trade and commerce through improving political principles, security and strategic considerations. In this pursuit, ASEAN leaders have expressed commitment to build relations among themselves and to build partnership with other potential countries of the East Asia. On the other hand, there are multiple challenges from within and outside the ASEAN such as Thailand-Cambodia rift, violence in some areas, democracy deficit in Myanmar etc. However, there are several positive indicators for ASEAN to move ahead, he added.

Dr. Faisal Ahmed, Associate Director, Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment, CUTS International spoke on the geo-economics of region building in Asia with reference to India’s engagements with ASEAN in the second session.

Dr. Ahmed said India has always played a significant role in the evolution of international trading systems and its geo-economic diplomacy and region building efforts have been influencing trade policies at all levels – bilateral, regional and multilateral. There is huge variation in resource endowments across Asia, which has formed the basis of economic complementarities. Thus, there is an inherent need to integrate the sub-regional identities, which can make regional cooperation more comprehensive and sustainable, he added. 

“I strongly hold that the formation of an Asian Economic Community (AEC) is imminent and India can play an instrumental role in its formation. The whole of Asia is well-knit through the Indian Ocean which brings all sub-regional identities in close geographical proximities, thereby providing a natural base for trade and mobility of people. The focus of contemporary geopolitics has shifted from power equations to co-existence of nations through their mutual economic interdependence, and this is clearly evident in the Asian region”, he remarked.

The recommendations of Dr. Ahmed included: 1. Bilateral investments should aim for development within the existing country systems; 2. There is a need to promote the sharing of best practices in trade and development-related institutional support system within Asia; 3. Public diplomacy and people-to-people contact should be strengthened through a comprehensive institutional framework, and not merely through Diaspora; 4. It is high time to come out of sub-regional identities and work toward the fulfillment of an Asian identity which could, in itself, be capable of managing critical issues like food security, energy security, and developmental outreach and 5. Asia also need to address the MDGs by the year 2015, and it can be done smoothly only by focusing on south-south cooperation, knowledge sharing and intra-regional capacity building initiatives.

Meanwhile, Prof. M. H. Qureshi, Professor A.M. Khwaja Chair Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Syed Mohamed Beary, Chairman & Managing Director Bearys Group, Bangalore; Prof. M. Ishtiyaq, Professor of Geography Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Prof. Ishtiyaque Danish, Professor of Islamic Studies Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi; Adv. Mushtaq Ahmad, Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Parwaaz Rahmani, Editor-in-Chief, Dawat (Sehroza) were felicitated on the occasion with IOS awards which included a shawl, a memento and a Certificate of Appreciation for their achievements in their field of activities.
(pervezbari@eth.net)
 
 
 

Millennium Development Goals: 2011 report published

 Author: Eleanor Salter
7 July 2011 - Issue : 943

URL: http://www.neurope.eu/articles/Millennium-Development-Goals-2011-report-published/107548.php
 

The UN has launched its annual report on the state of progress of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

 

The Milenium Development Goals Report 2011 outlines the current global status of each of the eight global targets; poverty and hunger, education, improving maternal health, environmental sustainability, gender equality, reducing child mortality, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and the global partnership for development.

 

The MDGs were established in September 2000 and the aim is to have them fully achieved by 2015. The most recent report shows that there has been huge success in many of the eight areas; by 2015, global poverty is estimated to drop to under 15%, much lower than the target of 23%; nearly 12,000 fewer children under five are dying daily due to better health care at birth and immunisation programmes, and the poorest countries have shown the greatest success.

 

However, there are certain targets that may not be achieved by 2015; with stubborn unemployment problems and persistent hunger and malnutrition, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find ways of accomplishing these aims. Promoting employment for women has proved unsuccessful thus far, and work on slums and poor sanitation has not progressed enough to reach the goals, with more than 820 million people living in slums in 2010.

 

Nevertheless, on a global scale, success has been achieved – although poverty discussions are difficult in the current climate, the MDGs have helped to keep the goals within reach. Europe’s actions must be by targeted efforts, and this has been made clear through the progress in aid provision – the amount provided has reached 0.32% of gross national income and despite that the aim is to reach 0.7%, experts believe this can happen via a gradual process.

 

“Resilience is the way forward,” said UNDP Deputy Director Nicola Harrington-Buhay.

 

The MDGs are the most cost effective, focused and productive ways of beating these human issues and with constant funding, international attention and governmental support, the targets by 2015 can be reached, added UNICEF Brussels Director  Philippe Cori.

The Hague Court to Issue Its Order on Cambodia’s Request on 18 July

By Chea Sophal

Phnom Penh, 7 July 2011:  Based on its 7-July-2011 Press Release, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue its decision on the request for the indication of provisional measures requested by Cambodia in the case concerning the Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 on the case of the Temple of Preah Vihear on Monday 18 July 2011 at 10.a.m.

Following the case submission by Cambodia on 28 April 2011 on the Preah Vihear case, two verbal hearings were held from 30 to 31 May 2011 on the request for the indication of provisional measures.  The provisional measures requested by Cambodia include as follows:

            “Having regard to all the written and oral statements presented by Cambodia, and without prejudice to the Court’s interpretation on the merits of the dispute, Cambodia respectfully requests the Court to indicate the following provisional measures, pending the delivery of its judgment:

-        an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Thai forces from those parts of Cambodian territory situated in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear;

-        a ban on all military activity by Thailand in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear;

-        that Thailand refrain from any act or action which could interfere with the rights of Cambodia or aggravate the dispute in the principal proceedings.”

In the second hearing, the Thai demanded as follows:

            “In accordance with Article 60 of the Rules of Court and having regard to the Request for the indication of provisional measures of the Kingdom of Cambodia and its oral pleadings, the Kingdom of Thailand respectfully requests the Court to remove the case introduced by the Kingdom of Cambodia on 28 April 2011 from the General List.”

Prior to the general elections in Thailand on 3 July 2011, there were many Cambodian people who live nearby the border between the two countries left their homes with the fear of more armed clashes.  The claims of possible attacks by Thai military were denied by both Thai military and Goverment officials.   Following the 3-July elections, the situation is calm with promising future collaboration between the Cambodian Government and newly-elected Thai Government that will be formed in the coming weeks.

Civil Juries in the 1980s: Trends in Jury Trials and Verdicts in California and Cook County, Illinois/R-3466-Icj (Rand Report) 

La Regle De Droit Pour Les Outils De Post-conflit: Les Amnisties (Icj Reports Of Judgments Advisory Opinions & Order) (French Edition) 

Garment industry focuses on sustainable growth

Source: VietNamNet Bridge, 05 June 2011

VietNamNet Bridge - The textile and garment industry has become a key economic sector in Vietnam, as it has a sustainable growth and a focus on an ongoing investment in both labor and technology.

 

Though the global economy has faced many difficulties during the past two years, the export of Vietnamese textile and garment products has sustained growth.

While most of the countries exporting textile and garment products have seen a decrease in exports, Vietnam has retained an increase.

The textile and garment export value exceeded the target of US$11.2 billion in 2010. In the context of new changes in the global economy, the sector has set a moderate target of US$12.5-13 billion for this year.

To achieve the 2011 target, local enterprises have boost production and exports since early this year. The export turnover is estimated to reach an average of US$1 billion per month. The export value hit a record high of nearly US$1.5 in May.

In the first five months of the year, Vietnam exported textile and garment products worth US$5.1 billion, a year-on-year rise of approximately 36 percent.

After dizzying hikes in fabric prices, prices of cotton and polyester fabric have gone down in May. This has resulted in a reduction in clothing prices. Therefore, apparel companies expect more orders from importers due to the price decrease.

Japanese companies continue to import clothes from Vietnam, in spite of the recent tsunami tragedy, as they have been for the last two and a half years. The export of protection uniforms to Japan has even soared.

At a meeting with Vietnamese textile and apparel companies in early May, Fumio Koyama from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said Japanese investors planned to move 30 percent of their textile and garment factories from China to other countries in the next five years, with Vietnam as a favorite destination.

Moving factories from China to Vietnam will enable companies to benefit from the tax exemption regulated in the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.

Pham Xuan Hong, general director of Saigon 3 Garment Joint Stock Company, which has exported 50 percent of its output to Japan, said Uniqlo - a Japanese fashion retail group and Saigon 3 Company’s long-term partner – has asked his company to gradually increase the quantity of clothes sold to Uniqlo and double the quantity by 2015 compared to now.

Besides targeting the regular importers in the US, EU and Japan, Vietnamese textile and garment products are making headway with Russian importers.

International economists said textile and garment production would move from Eastern European countries to Asian countries in 3-4 years. China is presently meeting 70 percent of the clothing demand of the world but is now reducing production.

Economists think this is a good time for Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Vietnamese and Cambodian clothing manufacturers to expand production and exports.

Taking care of labor

Vietnamese enterprises have now no need to look for importers but they are concerned about worker turnover.

Le Dong Trieu, general director of Gia Dinh Textile and Garment Corporation, said previously enterprises only focused on business growth but now they must focus on sustainable development.

They have agreed to cut profits to raise salaries for their staff and workers, he added.

In addition, they are investing in better technology and management to increase labor productivity.

Saigon Garment Production and Trading JS Company (Garmex) said thanks to good management, productivity of a worker has hiked by US$15 per day this year from US$11 per day last year.

The average monthly salary of a worker of Gia Dinh Corporation is currently VND4 million, while it was VND3.2 million in 2010.

The figure is VND4.5-5.5 million for workers of Saigon 3, Garmex and Legamex companies.

To maintain sustainable growth in textile and garment industry, enterprises are now taking good care of their workers and ensure them a stable income.

Source: SGGP
Desco 73881 Polyester Static Control Garment, Small, Blue