Quote from Channel News Asia

NEW YORK : Dith Pran , whose experiences during the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s were adapted into the award-winning movie "The Killing Fields," died on Sunday at the age of 65.

Dith, who had been battling pancreatic cancer since January, died in the early hours at a hospital in New Jersey with his ex-wife at his side, his friend, the former New York Times correspondent Sydney Schanberg, told AFP.

"Pran was a special person, a very special person. Messages are pouring in from people who met him only once saying that he made a deep impression on them. And he did, on everybody," said Schanberg, who was at Dith's bedside until late Saturday.

"He really meant everything to me."

Dith had worked as a photojournalist at The New York Times since 1980. His connection with the newspaper began when he worked with Schanberg from 1972 to 1975 covering the Cambodian civil war, a conflict that had spilled over from neighbouring Vietnam.

When American citizens were evacuated from Phnom Penh on April 12, 1975, Dith and Schanberg stayed behind to cover the fall of the city to the communist Khmer Rouge, who were then closing in on the capital.

Schanberg, Dith and two other reporters were arrested by the Khmer Rouge and held for execution, but Dith managed to persuade his captors that the three Westerners were neutral French journalists.

The four were later released and sought refuge in the French embassy until foreigners there were asked to surrender their passports.

Dith was then exiled to the forced labour camps in rural Cambodia that became known as the killing fields, where for four years he suffered starvation and torture.

Up to two million people died of lack of food and overwork or were executed by the regime, which dismantled Cambodian society in an effort to forge a radical agrarian utopia.

Schanberg, meanwhile, went on to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his coverage of the conflict, accepting the award for himself and Dith, who only managed to escape to freedom in Thailand in 1979.

"Pran was my brother, that's what we called each other," Schanberg told AFP. "Pran lost his three biological brothers when they were killed by the Khmer Rouge and we bonded when I started working with him.

"It turns out we both had the same mission, which was to tell the rest of the world what was happening to the Cambodian people - in Pran's case, his people - and that was the mission the rest of his life."

In an interview with New Jersey's Star Ledger newspaper in March, Dith said he was not going to give into cancer without a battle.

"We have already forced the enemy into the suburbs," Dith said of his cancer after a round of radiotherapy. "Food, medicine and meditation are good soldiers, and I am ready to fight."

Born on September 27, 1942, near Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex, Dith worked in the tourist business before joining Schanberg.

"Pran was really a gifted reporter, not just a helper and assistant and interpreter. It was he who made my work possible. None of what I did could have been half as good as it may have been without Pran," Schanberg said.

Dith lost his father, three brothers and one sister during the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, but always remained hopeful for future generations.

"He was always smiling. I wish everybody in the world had met him, because they too would smile and would probably think more positive thoughts and do more positive things," Schanberg said.

Dith went on to set up The Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project, an organisation devoted to educating new generations about genocide in the hope of avoiding a repeat of the past.

And in 1985, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"Part of my life is saving life. I don't consider myself a politician or a hero. I'm a messenger. If Cambodia is to survive, she needs many voices," he once said of his work.

"I'm a one-person crusade," he added. "I must speak for those who did not survive and for those who still suffer." - AFP/de

Thursday, 13.3.2008: Prime Minister: Use of Electricity to Be Tightened; US$24 Million Is Planned to Stabilize the Price

Posted on 13 March 2008.

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 551

“Phnom Penh: Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a statement to tighten the use of electricity while the petrol price is still mounting. The government plans to allocate US$24 million to help stabilize the cost of petrol.

“In a circular letter on electricity saving dated 12 March 2008, the Prime Minister said that the price of petrol has been constantly increasing on the international market since 2004. As a result, the cost of producing electricity [by Electricité du Cambodge] is also on the increase. In order to stabilize the electricity price in Phnom Penh, the Royal Government is supporting it with US$24 million in 2008. The circular also stated that although the petrol price is increasing, the use of electricity is also increasing gradually. Therefore, the government needs to allocate some resources to stabilize electricity use. The circular added that ‘the royal government has a policy that all cities and provinces should save electricity as well, in order to save national expenses.’

“The circular said that all institutions should also help to save electricity when using electrical equipment. Air conditioners should be set at 25 degrees centigrade. Air conditioners should be turned off 30 minutes before an office is closed. Except on national holidays, electricity should be on only on one side of the road, or only half of the lights should be turned on. Electricity must be used in an economical manner.

“Apart from that, the circular asked the Ministry of Interior and local authorities to collaborate with the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and with Electricité du Cambodge in order to eliminate illegal connections to the state network, which is happening at present. As for Electricité du Cambodge, it must take very strict measures against its officers who are accomplices to stealing electricity illegally, or who collude with users to reduce the measured quantity of use, different from its real value. Moreover, Electricité du Cambodge has to inform the users of electricity about the time when there are difficulties to supply power, and ask them to stop or to pause using some of their electrical equipment during the time electricity is heavily used.

“The Prime Minister of Cambodia issued this circular to limit the use of electricity while the petrol price is soaring. This affects the daily life of the people. The prices of almost all goods on the market are increasing, because the price of gasoline is more than US$1.00 per liter. Hence, the price of almost all goods increases accordingly.

“An Electricité du Cambodge officers said that electricity use increased by 30% compared to the previous year. One of the reasons is that some factories stopped using their own generators, and they turn to use state electricity which costs less. In order to keep the costs from increasing, there are efforts to find cheaper electrical sources.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4539, 13.3.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 13 March 2008

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1591, 13.3.2008

• Prince Thomico Calls to Help Poor Royal Family Members
• Royal Government Announces Increase of Salaries by 10% for Teachers [from April 2008]
• Civil Society Organizations Condemn Arrest of Policeman Pring Pov [over land dispute with Princess Eng Marie in Kep]
• New Rich People, Rich from Selling Land, Reminded [by Prime Minister Hun Sen] Not to Be Overjoyed
• Armed Robbery Recurs in Ou Reang Ov [Kompong Cham]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6295, 13.3.2008

• Human Rights Party Request [that the NEC organizes TV debate between prime ministerial candidates] Rejected; National Election Committee: Election Law Has Already Permitted “Equity” Program

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3411, 13.3.2008

• US Speaks of Impunity of Khmer Powerful People [US Department of State releases a report on the human rights situation in Cambodia in 2007]
• It Is Time for Khmer Citizens to Choose a Clean, Brave, Competent, Non-Corrupt Leader

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4539, 13.3.2008

• Prime Minister: Use of Electricity to Be Tightened; US$24 Million Is Planned to Stabilize the Price
• Sam Rainsy Party Members [who have left Sam Rainsy Party] Get Medals [from the government]
• National Election Committee Has No Role to Create Forum for Prime Ministerial Candidates

Sakal, Vol.15, #3189, 13-19.3.2008

• Land Prices and Land Disputes Increase While Elections Approach

Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #644, 13.3.2008

• US Department of State Releases Report on Human Rights Violations in Cambodia in 2007 [saying that the human rights situation is not yet good, but it is on a positive move]
• Son Chhay [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian from Phnom Penh] Says State Loses Half of Income from Selling of Tickets at Angkor Wat [Son Chhay said that the number of tourists in 2007 was more than 2 million, not only more than 1 million. He said the number of tourists who bought tickets was not allowed be stored and retrieved in computers]

His another French language song:


 

Her New song from the New Album: Hang Meas 342...
 

These are the famous songs when she was singing for Sunday Production:


I want to type the title in Khmer but I don know whats wrong with Mistress.T today!
Tok Snam Therb Kor Bong Min Prom (You dont let me kiss you)  
Kmean Sith ProKann (No rights to complain)  
Somleng Sneh (Sound of love)  

For boys (men), cleaning, re-decorating and re-setting up their room is a rare schedule. I know, that is what woman hates the most.

However, I am not saying that I am the exception, coz I find myself hard enough to do the cleaning: time and space.

Just a few weeks ago: my room are getting messed... messed and further messed. I got to do something.
 









My room is totally messed. I need to re-decorate the room: so




Work time. I have been cleaning the whole room for the whole afternoon.









 

Finally, man works are complex...