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All the News Without Fear or Favor The CAMBODIA DAILY Volume 67 Issue 77 Tuesday, April 18, 2017 2,000 riel/50 cents CNRP Hopes New Congress Will End Saga With Ministry By Kuch Naren The Cambodia Daily The CNRP will hold a snap congress on April 25 to again amend its bylaws to allow for the selection of three vice pres- idents—its third maneuver to appease the Interior Ministry, which has so far refused to recognize the lawmakers as party leaders, an official said yesterday. The opposition party and the ministry have tussled since Satoshi Takahashi last month over the CNRP’s A monk looks at a case of skulls displayed in a stupa at the Choeung Ek killing fields near Phnom Penh leadership selection process yesterday, during commemorations for the 42nd anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge. in the wake of the February resignation of former party president Sam Rainsy. In an April 5 decision, the Pence Warns N Korea Not to Test US Resolve Interior Ministry announced it had recognized Kem Sokha as Reuters rean President Hwang Kyo-ahn, anti-missile system. president, but not lawmakers speaking a day after a failed Pence is on the first stop of Pol Ham, Mu Sochua and Eng SEOUL - U.S. Vice President Mike missile test by the North and a four-nation Asia tour intended Chhay Eang as vice presidents. Pence put North Korea on notice two days after a huge display to show the U.S.’s allies, and The ministry claimed that nei- yesterday that neither the U.S. of missiles in Pyongyang, also remind its adversaries, that the ther of the first two attempts nor South Korea would tolerate said they would strengthen administration of U.S. President to promote the trio complied further missile and nuclear tests, anti-North Korea defenses by Donald Trump was not turning with the party’s bylaws stored saying U.S. attacks in Syria and moving ahead with the early its back on the increasingly vol- at the ministry. Afghanistan showed its resolve. deployment of the Terminal atile region. Continued on page 2 Pence and acting South Ko- High Altitude Area Defense Continued on page 14 As Traditions Fade, New Year Festivals Fill Void By Hang Sokunthea to see for himself. 4, 5 and 6 into the remote dis- The Cambodia Daily “So I went to at least 30 tricts of Oral in Kompong Speu pagodas during this New Year,” province, Batheay in Kompong When Pakk Yourng, a social said Mr. Yourng, who returned Cham, Ponhea Leu in Kandal science researcher, first came to Cambodia last year with a and Kompong Tralach in Kom- back to Cambodia after an ab- master’s degree from the Uni- pong Chhnang. sence of almost a decade, he versity of Cambridge in the U.K. “I saw that none of these was told that nobody goes to He embarked on an unof- communities were hosting any pagodas anymore to play tra- ficial social research project, cultural events like trot dancing Putting Opponents in Check, ditional games in celebration setting off from his wife’s home- or playing cultural games in the New ‘Chess King’ Crowned of Khmer New Year. town in Kandal province, con- pagoda,” he said. “I asked lay Page 5 He was skeptical, and had tinuing along National Roads Continued on page 2 The Daily Newspaper of Record Since 1993 cambodiadaily.com 2 National The CAMBODIA DAILY Tuesday, April 18, 2017 Penh yesterday, he said. the steering committee can “difference of interpretation” CNRP... The solution the party ar- choose the vice presidents between the party and the Continued from page 1 rived at, he said, was to amend soon.” ministry, which manages the Article 47 of the party’s internal The committee would then registration of political parties “The main point is, if there rules a second time, following select the same trio of lawmak- and was given the power to sus- are no party vice presidents, an initial change at another snap ers for the role, Mr. Ham said. pend them under a sweeping what should we do?” asked Mr. congress last month, and submit “Within the party, there set of new amendments to the Ham, who said his position as the changes to another congress is unanimous approval for the Law on Political Parties passed head of the party’s steering for approval. three deputy leaders,” he said. earlier this year. committee made him acting “We finally agreed to amend “So the party has no plan to He said the CNRP’s first party president while Mr. Sokha Article 47 by stating that if there change the compositions be- snap congress early last month was on a fundraising trip in Aus- is no vice president, the steering cause according to our party’s had formalized party titles. tralia and New Zealand. committee has to choose new internal affairs, the three are “The CNRP’s interpretation Party officials made the vice presidents from its mem- officially appointed.” is that the congress’s decision is decision to hold the April 25 bers by an absolute majority of Interior Ministry spokesman the most important one, espe- congress during two separate votes of 50 percent plus one to Khieu Sopheak could not be cially since there was approval meetings of the party’s steering assist the president until the reached for comment yesterday. for the three deputy presidents and permanent committees at end of the mandate,” he said. Mr. Ham chalked up the on- before the congress already,” their headquarters in Phnom “If the congress approves, going slog for recognition to a Mr. Ham said. between the audience and the derstood as a part of people’s traditional celebrations there. Festivals... stage. growing isolation. “At night, my brother would Continued from page 1 The old tradition, of com- “If we look at houses in the drive his car from north to east munities—and especially the past, no one built a high fence to visit different pagodas, at priests in the pagodas and they young—gathering in pagodas to separate their own house. But least to dance to a few songs,” said people now like to gather to pay their respects to monks now, each builds a high fence,” she said with a laugh. “I think in groups to drink instead.” and play traditional games has he said. “This is the same mat- different places are different.” Mr. Yourng’s observations existed since at least Norodom ter. Society has evolved to a Still, there were fewer peo- point to a gradual transforma- Sihanouk’s Sangkum Reastr Ni- state of separation from each ple playing traditional games, tion of social traditions over 20 yum regime during the 1950s other, to such individualized she admitted. Although the years, a fading out of communal and 1960s, and is likely far older, states that even if someone lives celebrations still take place at New Year’s activities centered said Ang Choulean, an anthro- close to another, they might pagodas, there is now a mix of around the pagoda, and toward pologist at the Royal University not even know each other in traditions and modern music, the rise of private gatherings of Fine Arts who specializes in person.” with less traditional games and driven by booming subwoofers Cambodian traditions. New Year celebrations, too, more dancing, she said. and dancing. Games at the pagoda—like had become a “personal matter,” Elsewhere, young Cambo- More recently, this slow Bos Angkunh, which involves with groups of acquaintances dians eager to preserve their evolution has led to the rise of throwing stone-like fruit, or coming together at private culture have revived tradition- major festivals in several prov- Chol Chhoung, where two lines gatherings, Mr. Choulean said. al games and performances in inces, many of them organized of players pass a scarf back and Like any change, however, their home provinces by orga- by young people yearning to forth—were about tradition, not the cultural shift appears to nizing large festivals that are restore Khmer traditions. On religion, Mr. Choulean said. have moved faster in some exploding in popularity. Many their face, the festivals are a “This is intangible heritage,” places than in others. mimic Siem Reap’s annual An- rebirth of traditional songs and Mr. Choulean said. “But now Pheng Sou Leng, an assistant gkor Sangkranta festival, put games, but they also mark an this really has declined, and at a Phnom Penh consultancy on by the Union of Youth Fed- institutionalization—and often almost is gone.” who goes back to her hometown erations of Cambodia, which commercialization—of festiv- Mr. Choulean said the cul- in Kratie province every New is led by Prime Minister Hun ities, with a growing division tural evolution could be un- Year, said she still sees many Continued on page 6 And Also... Newsmakers Stuffed Animals Aren’t As Cute When Thieved New Star Wars ‘Last Jedi’ Actor Not a Jed-Guy A U.K. burglar who stole 18 stuffed animals including lions, a The largely testosterone-fueled Star Wars movie franchise has giraffe and a snarling chimpanzee in a top hat and tie has received added an important new female character in the eighth film, “Star a suspended prison sentence, police said on Wednesday. The loot, Wars: The Last Jedi,” director RIAN JOHNSON said on Friday at which also included a stuffed rhinoceros, a crocodile, a sloth, a zebra, a fanfest in Orlando, Florida. Johnson said the movie, scheduled a penguin and a pink flamingo, belonged to a licensed taxidermy for release in December, is still in post production.