Mr. Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch

UCAN- Thirty-five years in jail for a former Khmer Rouge prison chief found guilty of murder, torture and crimes against humanity is simply too short, say Catholic Cambodians.

“Duch should be in jail for his whole life,” said Eung Try, 60, whose six brothers and sisters died during the regime’s brutal 1975-1979 rule in Cambodia.

Duong Savong agreed. “Compared to other criminals, Duch’s verdict seems too short,” said the catechist.

Sixty-seven-year-old Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, and the former chief of the infamous Tuol Sleng or S-21 prison, was sentenced by a joint UN-Cambodian court today.

He was found guilty of war crimes and causing the deaths of more than 14,000 people.

“I think justice has been meted out to him and the victims,” said Salay Sangkhem, 58, whose family members died during the regime’s rule.

“It is an international court with Khmer and international prosecutors, so I think the verdict can be accepted.”

Duch was arrested by Cambodian authorities in 1999. At that time, he reportedly claimed to be a “born-again” Christian. He was formally charged and detained on July 31, 2007.

His trial was the first international tribunal on atrocities committed under the regime.

About 1.7 million people died from starvation, torture and in labor camps during its rule.

Other Khmer Rouge leaders awaiting trial are Nuon Chea, former president of the National Assembly; Khieu Samphan, former head of state; Ieng Sary, former foreign minister; and Ieng Thirith, who was in charge of social welfare under the Khmer Rouge.

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UCAN- The many Cambodians dying daily from unexploded ordnance is one reason why the country faces development problems, says a Buddhist monk.

Religious and civic leaders must fight for a universal adherence to the UN Mine Ban Treaty, which came into force in 1999, says Venerable Vy Sovechea.

Leaders must also work toward supporting landmine survivors and the clearing of unexploded ordnance, said the monk at a July 23 gathering in Samlot, a district in western Cambodia heavily affected by landmines due to past civil war

Public pressure on governments to ban and destroy landmines is crucial to their eradication, he told the 500 people at the event, which aimed to spread awareness of the dangers of unexploded ordnance.

People disabled by landmines were among those present at the gathering, which saw the participation of NGOs such as the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS),  Buddhist monks, teachers, students, police and social activists.

Cambodia is one of 156 countries that ratified the Mine Ban Treaty, which came into force on March 1, 1999.

However, Cambodians still continue to be affected by these devices. From 2007 to June 2010, 1,025 people were reported killed or injured by unexploded ordnance.

The recent gathering allowed victims to share their thoughts on what has been accomplished as well as the challenges ahead, said JRS official, Kosal Sang.

JRS has been involved in landmine awareness activities since 1994 “and today we are working with other partners … to eradicate the danger from these killing devices,” said Sang, who is also Cambodian representative to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

In order to integrate victims into society, JRS has organized vocational training programs, wheelchair production and non-formal education services, said Sang.

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A student training at the Center of the Dove

UCAN- Young Cambodians disabled by landmines, polio and accidents can now earn their own living, thanks to a Jesuit-run sculpting course held in a village outside Phnom Penh.

“A hundred percent of our trainees get jobs after completing their course,” said Father Oh In-don, director of the Center of the Dove
in Trapeang Veng village.

The center, also known as Banteay Prieb in Khmer, has since 1993 been running two-year free sculpting courses for young people with physical disabilities.

Seventeen trainees are presently undergoing the daily training in a thatch-roofed room. Here, they make mainly wooden sculptures on various themes, including statues of Jesus, Mary and the Buddha.

After their training, some continue as sculptors in the center, taking orders locally as well as from Australia, Germany, South Korea and the United States. Others return to their villages or seek work in various organizations.

People with disabilities are usually marginalized in society, said Kleang Wan, a teacher at the center. Banteay Prieb is like a refuge for them, where they can also meet and interact with other people like them, he said.

“Ninety percent of the staff are also disabled,” he said.

“I used to feel hopeless,” said Chorn Rady, 22, who was stricken with polio in childhood. “However, a humanitarian organization brought me one day to this center … I am now able to learn a skill to make a living.”

“People from my home village are so proud that I can build a career even though I am disabled,” said Seng Chanthy, 26, who was disabled through a fall seven years ago.

Besides courses on sculpture, the center also offers one-year programs in electronics, mechanics, agriculture and sewing for people with disabilities.

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Monsignor Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzales at a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of his leadership of Battambang apostolic prefecture

UCAN- Monsignor Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzales recently celebrated his 10th anniversary as head of the Battambang apostolic prefecture.

However, even before his installation, he had been working with Cambodians, particularly those with disabilities, as early as 1985 through the Jesuit Refugee Service in Thailand.

The Spanish-born Jesuit priest, in an interview, speaks about the needs of the 5,000 Catholics in his Church territory, which covers nine provinces in western Cambodia, as well as the Church’s main priorities here.

Q: How has the church in Battambang progressed over the past 10 years?

A: The Church has developed a lot. We have a lot of activities to improve the lives of villagers, such as building primary schools, supporting children in their studies and serving poor sick people. All these because of Catholics’ involvement in society. Also many priests and nuns from various congregations and societies work with us.

Q: What are your top priorities?

A: I saw that people needed education, so education is our priority. We focus on literacy and general education from kindergarten to primary level for poor children. At least they can read and count and they know how to have good relations with other people in society.

At present, we support youths for their high-school and university studies. A few of them have the chance to go abroad for leadership courses.

In our efforts to promote education, we also promote Khmer traditional dance because we realize the value of Khmer culture. Young people, including Catholics, who love their own country must love its arts.

Another priority is catechism. Every year, we have had about 100 adult baptisms. This year we have about 200. We lack catechists even though we have a lot of catechism materials.

Catechism is not only teaching [a subject] like in school. Since a few years ago, we have been organizing camps, lasting a few days, every six months for our catechists. I think this is not enough.

Q: What are you doing to improve on this?

A: We want to set up a school to give professional training to catechists. But the problem is we cannot afford to pay catechists the same rates as professional teachers. They cannot live on being catechists alone.

On the other hand, we have lot of young people who work with us. They like to learn skills other than teaching catechism. They are very much involved in the Church until they set up a family.

My other plan is to have married Catholics actively involved in the Church.

The lack of funds has also limited our activities. Some of our programs are possible due to overseas funding. Local Catholics are mostly farmers who earn very little.

Besides these issues, we need inclusive development among Catholics to help them combat poverty.

When we talk about development, it has to include participation from marginalized people such as widows, orphans, children with disabilities and people living with HIV. We have to motivate them to be involved in the Church as much as they possibly can. We keep them in mind.

Q: What do you do to support these marginalized people?

A: We have a learning center for children with disabilities, a sewing program for women and a health-care center for poor, sick people. We support orphans and poor children in attending school, and build schools and hostels.

We also have poor families working on Church-owned rice fields. This helps to stop them from going across the border to look for work. For people who come out of prison, we give them work.

In all these activities, I would say we are so far 50 percent successful.

Q: Is the Church doing something about environmental issues and climate change?

A: We have seen a lot of problems resulting from climate change. In the last three years, we have had a campaign to educate people about the environment. We plant trees, clean our villages and churches, and keep the garbage in the right places.

In the rice fields, we focus on how to store water for longer use. Our partners such as Caritas Cambodia hold short courses on how to deal with natural disasters.

We not only speak about the physical environment but also build peace in the social environment – we encourage people to listen and talk to each other.

Q: What further plans do you have for this prefecture?

A: We have to continue to improve our work in education. We also ought to do more in the field of interreligious dialogue. We plan to hold common prayers with Buddhists and Muslims.

At present, we have good relations with Buddhist monks but we don’t have any joint actions yet. This is what we will do.

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In celebration of the Centenary of the Death of Blessed Michael Rua the overnight celebration aimed at making Don Rua known through fun-filled youthful activities, songs and presentations animated by volunteer leaders from DBTS and Volunteers of DBCF.

The celebration ended with an invitation by Fr. Roel Soto, SDB, Vicar of DBTS, to ask the intercession of Blessed Michael Rua for the full and quick recovery of Fr. Leo Ochoa SDB, the Salesian in charge of the DBCF, who suffered a stroke two weeks ago while preparing the leaders for the Don Rua Day.

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About 300 people, including a senior government official, attended the July 2 opening of the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center’s new building in Phnom Penh.

The facility also houses study rooms and an audio visual room.

Pich Sophoan, adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, praised the Salesian nuns for their “work of love” in providing vocational training and lodging for young female students.

He said the nuns are the government’s partners in developing Cambodia’s human resource and reducing poverty.

Ka Sros, a first-year student, says the dormitory would allow her to save on room rental.

“I’ll be able to stay in this new building and reduce my expenses,” said the 20-year-old.

The new Don Bosco Vocational Training Center building

The Salesian nuns aim to promote the values of morality and honesty through education, and to train girls to become leaders, school director Sister Elizabeth Ophriini Lohrii said during the opening ceremony.

Not only do the girls benefit from their education, the school also organizes outreach programs to five nearby villagers every Sunday during which students teach children and youths hygiene and literacy, including English.

The school was established in 1992. A total of 729 students have since completed two-year courses in home management and secretarial and computer skills.

Many are headhunted by employers even before graduation.

By Keo Kangha, Phnom Penh

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Catholics celebrate the 10th year of Monsignor Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzales’ leadership of Battambang apostolic prefecture

UCAN- A Church leader in Cambodia has urged his flock to serve the poor and visit prisoners in order to build up the Church.

“Share food with the hungry, share clothes with the poor, visit sick people and prisoners, and welcome foreigners,” Monsignor Enrique (Kike) Figaredo Alvargonzales told about 1,000 Catholics in Battambang on July 4.

They were attending a celebration to mark the 10th year of Monsignor Figaredo’s leadership of Battambang apostolic prefecture.

“To build our Church, we do not only depend on priests or sisters,” the 50-year-old Spanish Jesuit told the people, some of them in wheelchairs.

The missioner has headed the Cambodian Church jurisdiction since July 2, 2000 and Catholics say they appreciate the work he has done.

The local Church has developed its social services and reached out to various communities under Monsignor Figaredo, said Dum Brachgna, a lay Church woman leader. “I thank God so much for him.”

Monsignor Figaredo has worked with Cambodian people, particularly the disabled, since 1985, beginning with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Thailand.

Battambang apostolic prefecture, one of three Church jurisdictions in the country, has about 5,000 Catholics in nine provinces in western Cambodia.

Bishop Emile Destombes, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, and Monsignor Antonysamy Susairaj, apostolic prefect of Kompong Cham, also attended the celebration in Battambang.

By Keo Kagnha, Battambang

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H.E. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio

Out-going Vatican City’s Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio was granted on July 1 a royal audience by His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, king of Cambodia at the end of his diplomatic mission in the Kingdom.

His Majesty the king appreciated H.E. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio for having a success in his diplomatic work in the country.

The Cambodian king highly valued his diplomatic mission in Cambodia, during which he said the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two nations were developed and strengthened.

The king also thanked Vatican City’s diplomat for his part in constructing an operation ward in the provincial referral hospital of Takeo to help promote health sector in Cambodia.

In reply, Vatican City’s ambassador appreciated the development in Cambodia under the cool shade of His Majesty the king, prompting the country to have full peace, strong national unification and progress.

He also conveyed the best wishes from Pope Benedict XVI, head of State of Vatican City to the Cambodian king.

By THOU Peou,  —- AKP

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From left: Coadjutor Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Bishop Emil Destombes of Phnom Penh and Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio during the June 29 ceremony

The Cambodian Catholic Church must strengthen relations with other religions, says a bishop during a function to mark Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate and bid farewell to the apostolic nuncio.

“Together, we have to build up our community and also dialogue with other Christian communities,” said Coadjutor Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler of Phnom Penh. “We also need to have a good relationship with other religions.”

The prelate was speaking on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, during a function to mark the fifth anniversary of the Pope’s pontificate. The event also saw the local Church bidding farewell to Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to Cambodia.

The Bangkok-based Vatican diplomat will be posted to India after serving for seven years as apostolic nuncio to Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand, and as apostolic delegate to Brunei, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Archbishop Pennacchio’s role is “important” for Cambodian Catholics as it shows the love and union that exists among members of the universal Church, Bishop Schmitthaeusler told the 400 people at the function.

“I am really fascinated and encouraged by the simple and admirable faith of the people of God in Cambodia,” Archbishop Pennacchio said in his speech.

He asked those present to continue to pray for the Pope, whom he described as a “promoter of human rights and peace in the world.”

Government officials and foreign diplomats were among those who attended the function.

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Cambodian Officer Reaffirm Diplomatic Relation to Vatican

Phnom Penh (CSC):  Cambodian Secretary of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation HE. Ouch Borith reaffirm its cooperation to the Holy See when he attended the fifth anniversary of the pontificate of his holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

“In the honor present of the royal government of Cambodia, this is an auspicious occasion to say good health to holiness Pope Benedict XVI, and Cambodian king his majesty Norodom Sihamony, to have Friendship and good cooperation between the people of Cambodia and Holy See”,  he said.

The fifth anniversary of the pontificate of his holiness Pope Benedict XVI, have been hosted on June 29 at Cambodiana Hotel in Phnom Penh under the present of H.E. Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio to Cambodia, Bishops of Cambodia, government officers and some foreign diplomatic officers in Cambodia.

H.E. Salvatore Pennacchio said the esteemed presence on this occasion tonight signifies your filial affection and appreciation towards his holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

“The firm and clear voice of his holiness Pop Benedict XVI explaining the Doctrines of the Church and the Word of God resounds regularly all through international encounters, overseas pastoral visits and in Italy”, he said.

At this occasion, H.E. Salvatore Pennacchio also express his ending the diplomatic mission to Cambodia follow holiness Pope Benedict XVI appoint him to be Apostolic Nuncio to India since May 08.

“It is also a time for me to say goodbye to you all. I have still fresh in my memmry the moment of my arrival, almost 7 years ago. I would like to thank almighty god for all benefits received during my mission in Cambodia”, he said.

Cambodia and Holy See established its diplomatic relation officially in 1994. H.E. Salvatore Pennacchio has succeeded Archbishop Luigi Bressan in 2003.

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