By Simon Taylor , of Global Witness.

Today marks the anniversary of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords - the agreement which signalled the beginning of the end of decades of violent conflict in Cambodia and the start of the biggest and most costly peacekeeping operation in history. Yet 16 years later, the country once regarded as the international poster-boy for post-conflict nation building is fast becoming South-East Asia's newest kleptocracy; its reputation marred by allegations of massive corruption, impunity, human rights abuses, and repressive, undemocratic governance. The international community - whose money has bankrolled this shattered state's rehabilitation - has singularly failed to stop the rot. Lessons must be learned if other fragile states are to avoid a similarly disastrous outcome.

On paper, Cambodia's natural resources and state assets - the land, forests, minerals and heritage sites - were the basis for kickstarting the post-conflict economy. The revenue generated should have gone towards poverty alleviation and rebuilding infrastructure. Instead, systematic and institutionalised corruption has deprived the entire population of the revenue that could have come from these public goods.

A cursory glance at today's Cambodian business sector reveals the country's forests, land, mining, ports, national buildings and casinos to be predominantly controlled by a handful of government-affiliated tycoons or family members of senior political figures. Information about deals is not made available to the Cambodian people to whom the state's resources belong. Similarly, consultation with local populations dependent upon forests or land is often non-existent. For many Cambodians, the first they know is the sound of a chainsaw revving or a bulldozer arriving to flatten their crops.

Cambodia's forests are a case in point. In the 1990s they were described by the World Bank as the country's "most developmentally important resource". Today they are largely degraded, having been sold off over the years by the political elite to private companies or individuals intent on logging as much as possible to turn a quick buck. Most of the vast wealth generated has not reached the national coffers: instead it appears to have been siphoned off into the private bank accounts of the loggers and their political patrons.

While a booming textile and tourism industry has resulted in double-digit economic growth in recent years, the reality is that Cambodians are still among the world's poorest people and wealth inequality is increasing. With an estimated 35% of the population living below the poverty line, and the vast majority without electricity or mains water, survival remains a challenge for millions. Meanwhile, government-sanctioned forced evictions and land grabs are rife, human rights violations are common, corruption is endemic and impunity is the norm. Over the past five years, this has been accompanied by a backward-slide in space for civil society and political opposition to operate, resulting in a governance system recently described by the UN rapporteur on human rights as "a shaky facade of democracy".

Cambodia's donors have provided the equivalent of over 50% of the government's annual budget for over a decade now. Having spent billions of dollars in setting up a democratic system in Cambodia, one would assume that donors and their domestic tax payers have an interest in preserving it. Yet the international donor community has consistently failed to bring the government to book for blatant violations of its commitments to protect human rights, fight corruption, and ensure the protection of natural resources. In the 1990s, turning a blind eye was justified by the need to ensure "stability". From stability would flow economic development, and from economic development would flow political pluralism. The past 16 years have revealed the impotence of such logic. With each successive failure of the donor community to deal with the regime's failure to honour commitments to good governance, those responsible have increased their wealth and impunity. The end result is that Cambodians find it harder and harder to call their government to account.

It is not too late for the international community to redefine its terms of engagement with Cambodia, but it will require a fundamental shift in mindset. At its core must be a recognition that stripping a country of its assets for personal gain represents a mass violation of the social and economic rights of its people. Next, donors must impose sanctions on those who they believe are corruptly profiteering from the exploitation of the state's resources. These measures should include a freeze on all assets, restrictions on international travel and a ban on doing business with nationals of the donor country.

This will be a bitter pill to swallow for those donors who would prefer to enjoy an amicable relationship with the Cambodian government. Yet, if the international community cannot get it right in a small and relatively non-strategic country such as Cambodia, what hope for the likes of Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo? To continue to give overseas aid without the courage to tackle blatant mass corruption and poor governance is the equivalent of pouring good money after bad. Worse, it confers a badge of approval and reinforces the legitimacy of a government which is not acting in the interests of its own population. Cambodia and its people deserve better.

Labels: 1991 Paris Peace Accords, Global Witness

Labels: 16th Anniversary, 1991 Paris Peace Accords, CFC, Vietnamese influence, Vietnamese interference, Vietnamization of Cambodia

• Since dam construction upstream, the river is no longer a reliable source of fish and water for irrigating rice and dry season crops, Mr. Roman Mal, a Jarai Village Chief of Dal Pok village, explains: "Villagers have lost their hopes and dependencies on this river, because nearly all of the river resources are gone."

• Mr. Pous Pin, a Brao villager from Ta Veng district stated: "We moved our village away from the riverbank because we no longer could cultivate rice in our Chamkars (farm land) along the Se San River which flooded every year and because so many people and animals have died (from the floods)."

• "Everyday, both during the day and at night, I live with fear of severe water fluctuations and of the dam breaking. I cannot sleep well at night. I often get up and go to see the river late at night because I fear a water surge may come," said Mrs. Romas Veun, a Jarai villager from Pi village who has recently built a house away from the river for shelter in an emergency.

Labels: Northeastern Cambodia, Ratanakiri, Yali Falls dam

Snapshot
Bon P'chum Ben is the remarkable ceremony of Cambodian annual gathering. On the 15th day of the waning moon (Ronouch) during the tenth month of the Khmer calendar, called Pheaktrobotr, Cambodian Buddhists celebrate this auspicious P'chum Ben event (the Ceremony of the Dead or Feast Ceremony for Ancestors). This ceremony usually falls in the first half of September in the Western calendar. This year it falls on September 22. It is called P'chum Thom (big ceremony). Actually, the celebration has begun since the waxing moon (K'nert) day falling in September 7; and this is called P'chum Touch (small ceremony). During the period between small ceremony and big ceremony, people always commit to take turn in offering food to the monks who are staying in door of three months of rainy retreat. This is called Kan Ben (food offering turn).

The history, meaning and objectives
According to the Vinaya (discipline) of Bhikkhu Monks (Sangha); they have to stay in door or rainy season hibernate for three months starting from the first waning moon of Srab (July) to the fifteenth waxing moon of Assoj (October) annually. These three months period reasonably recommended by the Sangha assembly presided by Lord Buddha to amend this law in order to benefit for the Bhikkhu monk community such as:

– monks have to spend this full time three month to study and practice the Dhamma,

- teachers, students and laypeople can make acquaintance with each other in one place to bolster their unity,

- and it is the rainy season which is hard for the monks to go outside as it is wet, muddy and easily to step on the crops of farmers.

But monks are able to go outside the door of temple during the rain-retreat unless they have sufficient excuses such as to preach the Dhamma, to visit ill relatives, to participate or preside over functions or to get away from some disasters etc. However, if any monks have offended the rules, they would be sentenced by a weak probation decided by the Sangha's assembly and they can be uncharged when they confess and follow accordingly in front of the assembly.

Through this important three months of strict practicing of Dhamma makes laypeople further their commitment and generosity to feed and take care all monks Sangha. So each family and village will take turn to offer food and other four necessities to monks daily. And there are two specific days which laypeople join together to make the ceremony more crowded and significant. They are the P'chum Touch (min ceremony) and the P'chum Thom (large ceremony). Especially, P'chum Thom is recognized as the most important day for all citizens regardless of ethnic background, color, race or faith should be attend, pay gratitude to their relatives and enjoy the ceremony.

P'chum Thom has happened since the Sakymuni Buddha period. When king Bhibisara felt sad about his absence to pay back gratitude to his ancestries and heard the crying voice every night in his palace, he went to ask some advices from the Buddha and he got insight that he has to celebrate the food offering ceremony annually. We don't know that when this cult of celebration was being celebrated by Cambodian Buddhists, but following our chronology observation, it must be arrived Cambodia in the same time of the arrival of Buddhism. It has become the root of Khmer culture and unique identity. This celebration has coincidently combined with the genuine religious cult of Cambodia that dominantly respects and worships their ancestors. This religious cult is called the Religion of Neakta.

The full outcomes of P'chum Ben day signifies many different aspects to bond Cambodia together in both material and spiritual, social value and unique identity, harmony and prosperity. It is not different from the Choul Chnam day or Cambodian New Year Day that these two celebrations are remarkable event and the most auspicious day.

We can outline some of these prospects relating P'chum Ben day.
1. To offer the chance to everybody to stay away from all evils, to cultivate the good and to purify their mind.
2. To provide the opportunity for everybody to empower their peaceful mind and spiritual adherence.
3. To pay gratitude to their dead ancestors as well as their living seniors.
4. To share their kindness and compassion by exchanging of their food, snacks and money with each others and especially to the poor people. Remarkably, this period is considered as the hardest time for low income or poor conditioned people to find food to eat in Cambodia.
5. To bond everybody together through their spiritual practices, gratefulness, social networking and local stylizing.
6. To increase the sense of multiculturalism, fraternity, compassion, respect, unity and righteousness.
7. To unify the interests, concerns and identity roots of the national or international distinctions and stratifications.

Factual accounts of P'chum Ben Day
There is the reality and legendary about P'chum Ben Day.
- Buddha taught and explained that our ancestors who died and reborn as angels, animals, human beings or in hell cannot receive our meritorious dedication. But if any of our ancestors or relatives who were born as the hungry ghost (Praet); they need food a to eat and they cannot eat like us; they eat only through our goodness, generosity and offering to dedicate to them by naming those relatives respectively. Doing this, all those relatives of hungry ghost can receive all the delicate food and offerings. So it is possible for us to gain merits as our ancestors can receive our offerings as well as through our own hearted generosity and gratefulness.
- Buddha encouraged King Bhimpisara to celebrate this ceremony as well as everybody has to celebrate this too. Nobody in this world has never had relatives or ancestors who have been passed away. More than this, this auspicious celebration also inspires us to pay gratitude with our living parents, grandparents or seniors too.
- As the season is remarkable for its darkness during the night time makes Cambodian people think that their dead ancestors could be released from the abysses of woeful realms and wander around all over seven temples. If they don't see any of their children or relatives have offered any food or gain merits to dedicate to them; they will be sad, upset and sorrowful in their heart. This sadness echoes badly to their living relatives which can bring along with bad Kamma, bad luck and sufferings.


How to practice during ceremony?
During this time everybody prepares their body and mind, and sacrifice both materials, time and mind to join this day. All villagers and all different stratifications of people prepare their food and sweet, four necessities, offerings, special traditional dressing clothes; and they obligate to undertake the five commandments during this auspicious occasion.

For the food comprises of:
- Ordinary meal such as rice, soups, salted grilled fish, fresh grilled fish with mango sauce, spring roles, salad and fermented fish (prohok) etc.
- Some seasonal snacks or bakes such as Num Onsam and Num Korm (steamed cakes wrapped in banana leaves). Num Onsam is a kind of cylindrical cake of glutinous rice wrapped around a mixture of pork, salt and other ingredients. Num Korm and Nom Thmey is shaped like pyramid and made of rice-flour and filled with coconut and palm sugar mixture.
Some other distinctive fruits and snacks are also included.

For the four necessities include:
1. Saffron robes or clothes
2. Food and other storable foods
3. Umbrella, raincoats or shelters
4. Medicine, shampoo, toothpaste and tooth brash etc.
These four necessities always packed with brightly, pyramid wrap.

Some other Offerings includes
Candles
Incense sticks
Flowers
Water
Perfume
Garland or leis

Clothing is very colorful and delicate which include:
Sompot Hol or Sompot Phamoung which is the silk skirt of Cambodian women. It is dressed for national important day and Buddhist ceremonies. These delicate skirts always dress with short sleeve blouse (Aov Pak) made in Cambodia and put with tiny scarf. Men also wear neat dresses and polite.

Five commandments or precepts:
The five precepts in which every Cambodian Buddhist is aware about it and practice them in their daily life. Importantly, in this occasion they have to observe it to re-affirm their obligation and purification.
1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech such as lying, malicious words, harsh words and talk in vain.
5. Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

Overview the appropriate practices during the celebration
When food, dressing and other necessities are already prepared; individuals have to be aware when they are stepping into the monasteries compound or ceremonial spaces. They should keep quiet, modesty and polite. Wearing hats are not allowed. They should take off shoes before stepping into the hall or ceremonial space. People will go in front of the Buddha statues and sit with a right position calmly, bow down three times, lit the candles and incense sticks, offer flowers and perfume. After listening attentively to the monk's preaching, chanting or other blessing; they should prepare food which is ready to offer to the monks. Most of the time, all participants will put their rice into the rice bowl collected by the long procession of monks. During offering the food into alms bowl, they have to take off shoe and concentrate on merits and dedicate to their dead ancestors by naming with good wishing.

All of these good-deed activities must be attentive, silent, peaceful, mindful and compassionate. When our mind is peaceful during the cession; we can feel the great merits growing in our heart and the blissful sense we should receive from this paying gratitude to our ancestors.

More than this, when the application of our mind access deeply, subtle and insightful to the Dhamma; we can get into the Dhamma stream which is the stream of Enlightenment.

Conclusion
There are many other things symbolizing Cambodian culture and identity, but Pchum Ben Day is considered as the most important one. In this day, people will not only attend because of their faith, their generosity, tradition or habit, but to survive their daily life and strengthen the "family society system/tradition of Cambodia". Distinctively, to develop their individuality of right thought and right understanding; and strive persistently toward individual's goal follows the eightfold path of ethics awareness, peaceful meditation and insightful wisdom.

This is rigorous for everybody to come, participate and enjoy this solemn day.

By Preah Bhikkhu Vodano Sophan S.

August 22, 2006

Email: sophan@hawaii.edu

Original source: http://sophanse.blogspot.com/2006/08/cambodian-pchum-ben-day-festival-or.html

Labels: Bon P'chum Ben

Labels: CPP, hun sen, ke kim yan

Vassa, The Buddhist Lent

By Antonio Graceffo

Most of us have some aspect of our personality or our life that we wish to change. We want to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, or develop the discipline to meditate daily and heal our minds. Some people wish to become less materialistic and to appreciate the simple things in life. Our biggest holidays, Christmas and Thanks Giving (and Chanuka) are good opportunities to overeat, overindulge, overspend, over-consume, and overdo.

What most westerners need is a prolonged fast, a quiet return to the simple life and an escape from the modern world of consumer culture. The Buddhists have such a holiday.

Toward the end of July, travelers may have noticed inordinate numbers of monks crowding the bus stations of Cambodia ’s and Thailand . Most of the monks were given special leave to visit their families, in preparation to the Buddhist lent, a three month celebration of faith, when they would not be permitted to leave the monastery.

Anyone who has tried doing business in South East Asia during rainy season, you will find that things slow down immensely. Actually, the slow down, at least in part, is based on the observance of the Buddhist holiday, Vassa (called Phansa in Thailand ), the Buddhist lent, which is primarily practiced in Cambodia , Thailand , Lao, and Burma . The Buddhist lent is often loosely referred to as the “rain retreat.” The period of deep religious dedication begins on the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month.

The word Vassa is actually an old Pali word which means rain. The holiday is divided into two parts. The first part, for the entering of the rainy season, is called “Choul Phrah Vassaanother. The second part, for the exit of the rainy season, is called “Cheanh Phrah Vassa”. While lay people are free to chose what level of discipline they wish to exert in following the rules of the lent. For monks, however, strict observance is mandatory.

Non-monks often use this Lenten period to renew their spiritual practices and give up some of their luxuries, such as meat, alcohol, or smoking.

During the lent period, normally from August to October (depending on lunar months), monks aren't allowed to sleep outside their temple, neither are they permitted to wear “regular clothes.” The tradition stems from a story abut how Buddha remained in the temple during rainy season to prevent stepping on any insects of sprouting seeds. They are, however, permitted to go out during the day.

Monks use this period of restricted movement to do intensive study, meditation, and prayer. This is also a time when they would teach the sacred scriptures to younger monks.

Buddhist lent is the most important religious holiday for monks, novices, and lay people. Monks stop wandering and stay on the temple grounds. Novices benefit because they receive additional education. Laypeople stop doing evil and cut back on bad habits. Some people take this opportunity to purify themselves and start a new life.

A few days before the Buddhist Lent, Cambodian people buy pairs of big candles decorated with dragons or flowers. One candle is for the buyer and one to get a husband or wife in the next life. The day before Buddhist Lent, the 15^th day of the dark moon, commemorates the first sermon of Buddha to his first five disciples. Crowds of people gather in the temple in order to listen to the Dharma. In some parts of Cambodia there are grand candle processions, with the people walking three times around the pagoda with the lighted candles.

And thus begins a three month period of abstinence, sobriety, and meditation.

If you really want to understand the southeast Asian culture, and if you want to stop gambling or drinking shoe polish, Buddhist Lent could be like a low-cost spa treatment to get your life back on track.

Antonio Graceffo is an adventure and martial arts author living in Asia . He is a professional fighter and the author of four books available on amazon.com Contact him Antonio@speakingadventure.com see his website www.speakingadventure.com

Labels: Antonio Graceffo, Buddhist