News Briefs From Cambodia August 15, 2006

1 - Prime Minister Hun Sen criticizes Tuesday a politician who he says is using Pol Pot's kind of propaganda, if and when this individual will be elected Prime Minister next term.

Mr. Hun Sen did not mention any name, but it is believed that he meant opposition party leader, Sam Rainsy. He says this at the 2006-2010 national strategic development plan dissimination, and asks the investors and factory workers to be careful about Mr. Sam Rainsy's plan.

Mr. Sam Rainsy alleged that if his party wins the election, he will review all the contracts between the investors and the government which opposition Sam Rainsy party (SRP) believes to be irregular.

Mr. Hun Sen says that if this new politician will be elected, he will evacuate people from the urban areas to remote areas. He says that Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe's actions will happen in Cambodia, namely Mr. Mugabe's demolition of informal settlements "Operation drive out dirt" and breaking up this campaign stronghold among the urban poor and forcing its supporters into rural areas.

Mr. Sam downplays Mr. Hun Sen's criticisms.

2 - Veterinarians put a ban on poultry transportation across areas known to have had bird flu in Prey Veng province, and across the Cambodian and Laos border.

Last week, about more than 1,000 poultry have died in Preah Sdach town, Prey Veng province, and expert officials say that those ducks died of bird flu.

Prey Veng's office of poultry production and animal treatment's director Saing Saran announces the measures to control the disease.

3 - Opposition Sam Rainsy party's member of parliament made his presence known for the first time in the Cambodian Center for Human Rights' (CCHR) public forum run by Mr. Kem Sokha on Tuesday in Kampong Cham province. SRP bans its legislators from attending the forums a few months ago. Mr. Sam rainsy says that he never had any conflicts with Mr. Kem Sokha.

4 - Ratanakiri, Kampot provinces, and along National Highway 4 in srae ambel town, Koh Kong province, are facing floods due to heavy rains. National Committee for Disaster Management's (NCDM) second director Serei Kosal says that he is preparing reports for the government aids.