News from Cambodia

Ambassador Var Huot Returns to Cambodia

Var Huot, Cambodia's first post-1975 ambassador to the US, has ended his tour in Washington. During his tenure he faced an increasingly negative atmosphere in Washington and in the mass media which crested when the first coalition government dissolved in fighting in July of 1997.

His replacement will be Eng Roland, most recently ambassador to Thailand. He is closely linked to Funcinpec while the ambassador to the UN, Uch Borith, is identified with CPP. As Funcinpec has many supporters on Capital Hill and the new coalition government is winning wider acceptance, Eng Roland should have an easier time than his predecessor.

In charge of the embassy in the interim is the new Counselor Tan Vunyaung, a long-time foreign ministry official. Before 1975, he taught literature at the Royal University. Another new arrival is Chhieng Pich, Counselor for Economics, Trade, Cooperation and Tourism. He has worked for many years with Cham Prasidh, first when he was Vice Minister of Finance and more recently as Minister of Commerce.

Cambodia Gets World Bank Cash for Roads, Projects

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters)

The World Bank approved $70.3 million in loans to Cambodia on Tuesday, a $45.3 million credit to help rebuild damaged roads and a $25 million loan to help finance infrastructure projects and top up a social fund. The credits form part of aid pledges totalling $470 made

by donors earlier this year. The Asian Develpment Bank has already approved $40 million to rebuild Cambodian roads, many of which were damaged by years of war and neglect. "The condition of the road network is such that funding requirements for road construction and maintenance far exceed availability," the World Bank said.

New Director for Cambodian Genocide Project at Yale

Yale University Office of Public Affairs, March 29, 1999

The Director of the Genocide Studies Program at the Yale Center for International and Area Studies, Prof. Ben Kiernan, has announced the appointment of Susan E. Cook as Director of Yale's Cambodian Genocide Program (CGP), an independent program funded by the US Department of State.

In January 1999, the CGP substantially expanded its bilingual Cambodian Genocide Data Bases, and added extensive new translations of original Khmer Rouge documents to its World Wide Website (www.yale.edu/cgp).

Susan worked in Cambodia in 1992-93 as Information Officer for Redd Barna, Norwegian Save the Children. In 1994 she returned to Phnom Penh to pursue her study of the Khmer language with the support of the Yale Council on Southeast Asia Studies. She also participated in the publication of The United Nations in Cambodia, 1991-1995 (New York, UN, 1995). In 1996-97, she worked for the Cambodian Genocide Program and in 1997-98 for the Yale Center for International and Area Studies.

In June, Ben will take up a Visiting Research Fellowship at Melbourne University, Australia, to work on a history of twentieth-century state-sponsored mass murder. Besides teaching Southeast Asian History at Yale, Ben will continue to focus his attention on courses on comparative genocide, and on running the Genocide Studies Program (GSP), which he established in 1998. The GSP is an inter-disciplinary, inter-regional program funded by the Mellon Foundation, which researches comparative and policy issues relating to the phenomenon of genocide.

News from Laos

Report on viewpoint of Lao Youth published.

Listening to the Voices of Young People, a report funded by the UNDP on the lives and activities of teenagers in Lao PDr was launched at a ceremony held on March 10 at the Laos Plaza Hotel in Vientiane. The report outlines the results of a survey conducted by 20 young volunteers who also presented the report's findings at the ceremony. The report provides deeper understanding of the views of Lao teenagers on issues such as relationships with family and friends, money, the environment, AIDS and gender issues. It was produced through joint cooperation with the Lao Youth Union, Lao Women's Union, the Vientiane Municipality, and Save the Children Fund - UK.

Bilateral donations and NGO programs in the Laos PDR in the past quarter as reported by the Vientiane Times include:

UXO-LAO

• · 55 vehicles totaling $782,300 and $180,000 in equipment and computers from the US government.
• · $430,000 for 5 UN Volunteers and provincial UXO Laos operations from Japan International Cooperatin Agency (JICA).

Health:

• · $86,328 worth of medical equipment to the Huaphanh Provincial Hospital from the US Government.
• · $76,000 to renovate the Saravan Province Hospital and $337,000 in medical equipment from the US government.
• · $721,587 in vaccines and medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and $251,431 in equipment to the Mother and Child Health Institute and other projects by JICA.
• · $62,000 to the Lao Red Cross Society to initiate a safe blood supply program by JICA.
• · $221,239 from France and $64,520 from Australia to the Anti-Aids Fund of Lao PDR.
• · $20,0341 from World Vision Laos helped build a 10 bed hospital in Phalannesay district in Savanakhet province.

Agriculture and irrigation:

• · $15,000 for a small cattle farmer capacity building project in Xieng Khuang Province
• · $19,000 for an indigenous reforestation program in Champassak province and $9,867 for a shallow well and bore hole project in Khanmmuan Province from the Canadian government.

Education:

• · $14,000 to Concern Worldwide from the British Government tobuild two primary schools in Khammuan Province.

Nam Theun 2 completes report on Resettlement (as summarized from the Vientiane Times report March 2-4)

Issues regarding resettlement of villagers as a result of the proposed Nam Theun 2 hydropower project were clarified in the publication of the final resettlement action plan. In the report the owner of the Nam Theun 2 Electric Company (NTEC) answered 159 questions raised by participants at the January 21-22 final consultation workshop.

The NT2 project is expected to cost $1.2 billion, of which $32 million is budgeted for resettlement and support services. $500,000 has been allocated for health services as a result of suggestions from participants in the workshop. The electricity generated is expected to be sold to Thailand.

Each newly resettled household would be given 0.5 square hectares of land. 100 x 200 square meters will be used for the house, 200 x 400 square meters for vegetable production and 1900 x 2000 square meters for fruit trees. NTEC expects that each family will have their income increase to $700/year in the first two years of resettlement and $1000 in five years.

Construction of the dam project is expected to begin in late 1999 and last through the first quarter of 2004. Relocation of more than 800 familieswill occur from late 2000 to the end of 2003.

News From Vietnam

Vietnam Wins UN 1999 Population Award

Vietnam News AgencyHanoi, April 6

Vietnam's National Committee for Population and Family Planning (NCPFP) has won the 1999 Population Award, in recognition of NCPFP's outstanding achievements in monitoring and coordinating population and family planning activities and formulating population policies and legal documents in Vietnam. The Vietnamese population and family planning agency has also been recognized as playing a significant role in reducing the infant mortality and birth rates in Vietnam. This year's award was also conferred on former Iranian Minister of Education, Public Health and Medicine, Dr. Seyed Alereza Marandi.

The awards will be presented in New York on June 9, 1999. Each recipient will be given a certificate, gold medal and US$ 25,000 in prize money. The UN Population Award Committee's selection of Vietnam from the 15 nominated organizations reflects their appreciation of Vietnam's remarkable achievements in population and family planning activities, decisive factors in boosting national socio-economic development.

AIDS and the Community Review Makes Debut

Vietam News Agency: Ha Noi, April 6

A review named "AIDS and the Community" published by the National AIDS Committee has made its public appearance. Chung A, Editor-in-Chief of the review, said that the review will disseminate the State's policy on AIDS prevention and control, as well as models and experiences drawn from activities in preventing and fighting AIDS. The review will make public results of scientific research and latest progress in the management, consultation and treatment of AIDS patients, and other necessary information on the disease and measures to prevent the epidemic. The review developed from its predecessor - AIDS and the Community Bulletin - will issue 10,000 copies on the 25th of every month. Viet Nam is one of four countries in Asia where HIV/AIDS infection is inclined to rise. At present, more than 12,600 people have tested HIV positive nationwide, while medical experts have estimated the total of HIV carriers at about 90,000.

Vietnam Receives Aid From World Food Program

Vietnam News Agency Ha Noi

On April 6, advisor to the Ha Noi Bureau of the World Food Program (WFP) M. Duthie presented non-food aid worth US$ 500,000 to Vietnamese Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Pham Hong Giang for the on-going WFP-funded sea dyke project. The aid included 30 wooden boats, 10 concrete mixers, 11 survey machines and five vehicles. The project has been carried out since 1996 at a cost of more than USD 40 million with USD 28 million worth of food coming from the WFP. Under the five-year project coded 5323, the biggest of its kind in northern Viet Nam, 361 km of sea dykes in four northern coastal provinces of Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh and Thai Binh and Hai Phong will be reinforced. Earlier, the WFP provided food worth USD 14 million and non-food aid valued at USD 1.3 million to another sea dyke WFp project, coded 4617, to reinforce sea dykes in seven central coastal provinces.

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