R 3399 E MB U N SSUE I TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent www.phnompenhpost.com 4000 RIEL Factories Cambodia at Covid-19 continue operation crossroad, gov’t warns on NY day Khorn Savi with the tally remaining at 122 since we comply, we can maintain family April 10-16 travel ban to prevent an the first case was recorded in Janu- happiness with no infections. exodus of people across the country Long Kimmarita HE Ministry of Health has ary. Of the number, 77 patients, or “The other way is to disobey the before and during the Khmer New warned that Covid-19 could 63.11 per cent, have recovered. guidelines and consequently put Year, despite the holidays having been MINISTER of Labour and Vocational spread in communities and Bun Heng said Cambodia had so [communities] at high risks. Then postponed amid the pandemic. Training Ith Sam Heng said on Monday lead to deaths if people do not far taken samples from 8,909 Cam- we lose happiness, with infec- Bun Heng said disobedience could that 95 per cent of factories and enter- followT its guidelines and travel restric- bodians for Covid-19 testing. tions spreading in families and result in widespread infections. If prises are continuing their production tions imposed by the government. To contain the pandemic, he communities. that happens, he said the Kingdom as normal, with workers remaining at Speaking during a press confer- warned that people have two op- “Widespread infections could will face shortages of medical sup- work on the first day of the Khmer New ence on Monday, Minister Mam tions, either they protect them- eventually cause our brothers and plies and health workers, potentially Year holidays. Hun Heng said the Covid-19 situa- selves by following the guidelines or sisters’ deaths,” he warned. leading to a tragic disaster. The government has postponed the tion in the Kingdom is “fragile” and risk spreading it in communities. The warning came after people He stressed that in case of a fatal New Year celebrations and imposed a that the government is not compla- “We are at a crossroads. We can reportedly flocked to their home- pandemic, bodies of Covid-19 pa- travel ban across the Kingdom until cent with the relatively low number decide whether to follow the instruc- towns hours before the govern- tients would be buried or cremated April 16, the last day of the holiday, in of infections. tions of Samdech [Prime Minister] ment-imposed travel restrictions immediately and families would not a bid to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak The ministry reported no new in- Hun Sen and the ministry and thus came into effect on Friday. in communities. fections or recoveries on Monday, halt the spread of Covid-19 or else. If On Thursday, Hun Sen ordered the CONTINUED – pAGE 5 A sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen said the government will make up for the lost holidays with five off-days for civil servants and employees in the private sector at an appropriate time. “I commend employers and workers for their collaboration and compliance with the government’s directive. This shows we are united in the fight against Covid-19 with employees working as normal during the New Year holidays,” Sam Heng said in a Facebook post. Ministry spokesman Heng Sour said the compliance was a positive sign. “Workers and employees who take days off during the Khmer New Year will have to be kept in quarantine for 14 days after the holidays and won’t be paid their salaries for the duration,” he said. Sour said approximately 860,000 workers are working in the garment, textile and footwear sectors. More than 10 factories had shut down while over 100 announced a suspen- sion of operations. Garment Manufacturers Associa- tion in Cambodia (GMAC) deputy secretary-general Kaing Monika told The Post on Monday that workers will continue to work as normal during the last three days of the holidays. “A large number of our workers came to work. [The government] will make up for the lost holidays. This encour- ages them to continue working. “We have also observed that other sectors are also continuing their operations as normal,” he said. Collective Union of Movement of Workers president Pav Sina said he was happy that most workers had fol- lowed the government’s directive. He said the compliance could help them avoid infection as none of them has contracted the virus thus far. “Their workplace is a safe one. We know some workers are not happy because they used to have time off, but they need to understand that The long and short of it their gatherings from one village to Guinness world record holder of the world’s smallest living woman, Jyoti Amge (left), greets a police officer as she appeals to citizens to stay inside their homes during a another could cause a major out- government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the coronavirus, in Nagpure, India, on Monday. AFP break,” he said. THE PHNOM PENH POST Endangered, but not in the National News Kingdom – Silvered langur Inside page 5 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 14, 2020 WWW.phnompenhpost.COM National K Chhnang families call for return of military-seized land Soth Koemsoeun people have been farming mander of the Kampong Chh- there since 1989. nang Sub Military Region Op- REPRESENTATIVES of over He said after the people pro- eration Zone and president of 40 families in two communes tested and filed a complaint the Cambodian Veterans Asso- in Rolea Ba’ier district, Kam- with the authorities for help, ciation of Kampong Chhnang, pong Chhnang province, have the ministry appointed four said on Monday that the land asked the authorities to help military officials to verify the has been in dispute for years. them take back more than villagers’ claims. People claim the land, but it 50ha that had been handed to Soon after, an announce- is a location for the arsenal and the military for its use. ment was made that the the Council of Ministers hand- The families are from Trok Council of Ministers had ed it over to the soldiers. Lech village in Sre Thmey handed over the disputed “I cannot make any deci- commune, and Preah Ream land to the military. sion, I just manage the mili- Raingsey village in Chrey “I am not protesting to get tary. However, we would like Bakk commune. back all 200ha of state land. to end this dispute as soon as One of their representatives, We are just asking for only possible,” he said. Prak Sophorn, told The Post 50ha to be granted to the Kampong Chhnang provin- on Monday that the military people. They can do what- cial governor Chhour Chan- has encircled their property ever they want with the rest. doeun said he had several times in the two villages. We only want our farmland confirmed the announcement The goal of remote teaching is to provide students with the opportunity to continue their studies while The dispute, he said, dates back to we can grow crops as from the Council of Ministers nullifying the health risks of gathering in a classroom. HENG CHIVOAN back to 2015 when forces of before,” Chhen said. about handing over the land the Kampong Chhnang Sub- Nou Khean, the Sre Thmey vil- to the soldiers but the villagers military Region Operation lage chief said the disputed land have refused to listen and have Zone took over 200ha in the had been occupied by villagers continued to protest. area for the K-88 arsenal of the since 1989, with some holding He said he and the national Ministry: Take private Ministry of National Defence. land titles and some not. defence ministry team were The villagers claim that “The land was first occupied thinking of a solution for both 50ha out of the 200ha is farm- by the soldiers for two years sides as soon as possible to end land for growing rice, vegeta- [1985-1987] and they left with- the long-standing conflict. schools, exams online bles and other crops. out a word. The people started “Now, I will send an expert “We have been claiming the farming on the land in 1989. team to investigate the situ- Voun Dara gather in high-risk locations. Naron said. land and protesting for many “The government also agreed ation directly on the site and “In the spirit of ensuring the The minister said the aca- years, but the soldiers have to hand over the land to the ask the soldiers and citizens INISTER of Edu- effectiveness of this measure, demic institutions that fol- refused to give back more people. By 2015, the soldiers on both sides what they want. cation, Youth the ministry has instructed low the instructions of the than 50ha and there is still no came back to claim their land After that, we will start dis- and Sport Hang that any academic institution ministry can issue the lower solution,” Sophorn said. and today both sides claim the cussing to end the dispute. We Chuon Naron on under the teaching and learn- secondary education certifi- A villager, Yoem Chhen, said land belongs to them,” he said. will try to resolve it as soon as MMonday advised private aca- ing through remote study cates and the upper second- the land is legally owned and Thon Thoeun, the com- possible,” Chandoeun said. demic institutions to adopt system or electronic system ary education certificates online teaching to provide shall arrange for themselves, that are acknowledged by students with the opportuni- the methods and calendars the ministry, but the aca- ty to continue their studies.