Sou Sdei and welcome to Campuccino, your fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia with a dash of opinion.
To new subscribers, welcome!
Happy Monday! How is it February already??? My first week of the month has been a bit nuts. I did, however, manage to set aside one afternoon for no-screen activity having a go at pottery. It was actually quite relaxing. I realised that the pot I was trying to make had all of my attention. No other tabs opened. How about you? What are your favorite offscreen activities?
- Darathtey
In this issue: National Internet Gateway, disappearing forest, labour rights, Prahok cocktail and more.
Let’s start with the National Internet Gateway (NIG) this week. Everybody is talking about it and yet, nobody really knows what this new regulation will entail. Here’s what we know:
It will require all internet traffic to run through the government portal.
It will also allow authorities to arbitrarily switch off internet access or block certain websites or domains.
According to the sub-decree establishing the gateway, the operator of the gateway will support authorities with “measures to prevent and disconnect all network connections that affect national income, security, social order, morality, culture, traditions, and customs.”
I don’t know about you, but I already have my VPN at hand just in case. I guess we all shall wait and see.
By the way, in case you didn’t know, Cambodia is going bald. Over the past twenty years, the country has lost approximately 2.5 million hectares of tree cover. According to a report by Citizens Engaged in Environmental Justice for All (CEEJA), Cambodia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, adding that illegal logging continues to happen with impunity.
While we’re on the subject, the disappearing forest doesn’t just limit to those on land. Flooded forests of Cambodia are also under threat, especially those around the Tonle Sap lake. Read some comprehensive reporting about the disappearing flooded forests by Andrew Haffner and Mao Sreypich here.
Another thing to add to the shrinking list is Boeng Tamok. The government continues to privatise over 4000 hectares of lake by allocating to various private and public entities/individuals. I shall say no more. You can go read about the latest allotments of the lake in this article.
Now, onto the NagaWorld strike.
Yep, it is still going on (since December 18) except SOME PEOPLE have made it very difficult for the strikers to continue their effort. We’re talking about a nearby mall blocking them from accessing the toilets and another mall being closed down for hours because the strikers parked their vehicles there. I mean, seriously !?!
That’s not all. Authorities have used Covid-19 health measures to further obstruct the strike. Arrest warrants were issued against some workers who allegedly violated Covid-19 laws — a crime of obstructing measures that can be punished by six months to three years in jail, or two to five years if it leads to infections or serious public health impacts. The strikers were also told to stay home for 7 days even if they tested negative.
Meanwhile…
Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released on January 25 showed Cambodia ranked 157 out of 180 countries analyzed with a score of 23 out of 100. Hey, that’s two extra points compared to last year, we’re making progress! As usual, the government spokesperson dismissed the ranking stating that it does not reflect reality.
In the meantime…
Visually Pleasing
Arts & Culture
🕬 Despite all the familiar yet annoying sounds of construction, street sellers and various ceremonies, Cambodia has a whole range of other sounds that you and I don’t usually think about or associate with the country. Sonic Cambodia is a project by ethnomusicologist Emily Howe presenting music and sounds across multiple platforms. The project aims to illustrate what it is like to live and hear like a local. Check it out, I find it fascinating despite living here for the most part of my life.
🍹 By now, I’m sure all of you know of the aromatic Prahok, a fermented fish paste used in many Khmer cuisine. I eat this paste in all kinds of dishes, but I have never ever heard it being incorporated into a cocktail! The newly opened Uniga bar tucked away at the end of Bassac lane debuted its invention of a Prahok cocktail called “Oun Sa-art Avey Mles” (You are so beautiful). While I haven’t been to the bar or tried the cocktail, the female-associated name of the drink linked to Prahok reminds me of this saying I used to hear growing up. The saying goes “having daughters is like having a jar of Prahok in front of your house”, denoting its stinkiness while sons are compared to gold. With this connection, I couldn’t help but wonder if this is a result of subconscious bias, an action caused by years of prejudice against women instilled within this society embedded in the mind of a progressive young generation.
Things I love
A totally #notsponsored section of things I love around Phnom Penh, and beyond:
The Bookmark bookstore is where I go to order any English titles in my to-read list. If you’ve been living in Cambodia for a while, you would know that options to purchase English titles here are limited to very few places, especially newly published fiction. Thanks to #booktok trend (yes, you may Google this if you’re unfamiliar with the phenomenon), young people are lured into reading again because it is trendy. A place such as The Bookmark offers walk-in and pre-order services for English titles and Mangas. This is where I go to place orders for my non-booktok books.
Yes, I can hear some of you thinking Kindle would make my life easier and cheaper. I have a Kindle but there’s a magic in picking up a physical book and the smell of the pages that Kindle can’t offer.
Campuccino is a fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia, written by @DarathteyDin from Word & Visual.
I’d love to hear from you. If you have feedback or content ideas, please reach out via tey@wordandvisualmedia.com