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(Sorry, but this is going to be short and not as comprehensive as usual due to technical difficulties. Yesterday, I had no Internet all day. That finally fixed, today there was a power outage that went on … or off, actually … for nine hours effectively shutting down any hopes I had of getting work done. Right now I am frustrated enough with island life to contemplate a move to any reasonably large, land-locked city in the world! Anyone in Topeka, Omaha or Columbus want to trade places?)
This week’s wrap of Cambodian news has to start with the New Year.
The Year of the Pig replaced the Year of the Dog, and in style. The country was awash with festivities, many including water in their celebration, but not everyone is as happy as a pig in poop.
The Royal Palace astrologer, Im Borin, had some gloom and doom to report as he predicted hardships, a poor rice crop, stormy weather, and a “problem in Phnom Penh” ahead.
Some women, however, are happy with the forecast that says wives of high officials will be “generally content” … and why shouldn’t they be? … and says waitresses will have a year of prosperity and property.
I’m thinking of applying for the job since hardships, problems in PP, happy big-wig spouses and waitresses getting tips are predictions I would have made, as well, had someone asked. Oooooh. Spooky!
Don’t know if anyone predicted the downward slide of the opposition political party, Funcinpec, formerly number two in numbers to the ruling CPP but now in fourth place.
Party members have started jumping ship, of course, with Ly Thuch, senior minister in charge of disaster management, moving over to the CPP.
This as a whole new party, the Human Rights Party, is launched. Internationally acclaimed Cambodian social activist Kem Sokha has applied to head the party, and rights groups are hailing the move.
The World Food Program is finally getting back on track and phasing in their feeding programs that were suspended in February for lack of funds.
I really have to wonder what the operating costs run in the WFP, and how much of every one of the $16.5 million, including 2000 tons of rice donated by the Cambodian government … the budget from January to July …actually goes to feeding the 70,000 HIV-AIDS patients, 18,000 TB sufferers, and 650,000 students.
And speaking of HIV-AIDS patients, there has been “dramatic progress” in preventing and treating AIDS in recent years according to the Mennonite Central Committee.
A nurse practitioner with a Cambodian AIDS care organization working in the Mongkol Borei district illustrates the difference between 2001 and today, saying that they’ve gone from seeing 70% of patients die in the first year to treating 468 AIDS patients in total, most healthy enough to continue working.
(For Cambodian news from past weeks, click on the “Cambodia” category to the right.)
Good Lord! That really is a flying pig. So it is true, pigs may fly. Good luck on the job application, you have some nice predicions. John
They fly only under certain conditions, as we all know, John, and those must be pretty darned special. I like it when that happens.