I wish you all the best on the Water Festival. Please take good care of your health and be safe from AH1N1.

Best Wish from the Author

Photo by: Sélim Benaissa

by MPS

“My Heart Will Go On” is the theme song of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Walter Afanasieff, it was recorded by Céline Dion. Originally released in 1997 on Dion’s album Let’s Talk About Love, it went to number 1 all over the world, including the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. My Heart Will Go On was released in Australia and Germany on December 8, 1997, and in the rest of the world in January and February of 1998.[1] It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, and was the world’s best selling single of 1998.

History

Horner had originally composed the song as an instrumental motif that is used in several scenes during Titanic. He then wanted to make a full vocal song out of it, for use in the end credits of the film. Director James Cameron did not want such a song, but Horner went ahead anyway and got Jennings to write the lyrics. Dion was Horner’s first choice to sing it, but when she heard the song, she did not want to record it. It was her manager and husband, René Angélil, who convinced her to record a demo version, which was something she hadn’t done for many years. Horner waited until Cameron was in an appropriate mood before presenting him with the song. After playing it several times, Cameron declared his approval, although worried that he might be criticised for “going commercial at the end of the movie.”

The song was recorded in one take and without instrumental accompaniment. Horner, Dion, and later Sony Music Entertainment decided to use this first recording because “Dion’s voice was perfect.”

The music video was directed by Bille Woodruff and released at the end of 1997. It was included later on the All the Way… A Decade of Song & Video DVD.

Just to remind the song I love. It always bring me to scene when the couple survived in such a circumstance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Heart_Will_Go_On

I am sure each of you has experienced trouble caused by computer virus. You hate the virus, but there may be sometimes when you add virus to your PC without realizing you are doing so. If you like opening your folder by double clicking on it, then that is the case. However, if you are a bit advanced in understanding how virus works, then this may not be a very big problem. When virus infects the folder, it will hide your real folder and then create a fake folder which looks just the same as your folder. Anyway, if your “Folder Options” is set to Show hidden files and folders and you uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types, you maybe able to notice the difference between Folder and Fake Folder (Virus) by seeing its (exe) extension. However, sometimes it even requires you to uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) to see your files though it is not recommended to uncheck as you may delete some importance files, which cause problem to your windows. Following is an example of real folder and fake folder (after the two options mentioned are done).

E.g. Education (folder), Education.exe (virus). If you view the detail of the one with .exe extension, in the Type you will see Application, which means it will function just as an application when you double click on it.

To help you avoid all these mistakes, you are advised to always navigate or open your folder by clicking it on the left pane of windows explorer.

See how I do it in the picture bellow. This may help you to avoid mistakenly installing the virus file as virus is also a file and files do not stay in the left pane (except ZIP files).

I hope this may help you some.

If you like or dislike this article, please leave me some comments whether to help or to ask for more.

By MPS,

the author

My house in Prey Veng province.

The two guys in the picture are my nephews: Niroth and Chhunna. The picture was taken at night in the rice field not so far from my house in my hometown.

by MPS

On September 11, 2009, the Women’s Media Center of Cambodia (WMC) with financial support from the Asia Foundation, organized a workshop on the establishment of listers’ and Vievers’ Clubs. The workshop was held at Himawari Hotel, Phnom Penh Cambodia.

The workshop was participated by around 80 listeners and viewers from the outskirt of Phnom Penh.

Objective: The objective of this workshop is to establish 10 clubs of viewers and listeners outskirt of Phnom Penh, to share feedback and suggestion between listener and viewer audiences and producers, and furthermore, to orientate the role and responsibility of moderators.

Selection Criteria

Moderators who will be selected should meet the criteria below:

* Live in the urban of Phnom Penh city
* Ages from 20-45 years old
* Have usable radio, TV, and video player in their home
* Can gather audiences to participants to join
* Be willing to be a moderator
* Have commitment in working implementation
* Be respected by the community
* Be able to read and write the report
* Political actors and local officials will not be eligible to be moderators

Responsibilities

* To gather listener and viewer audiences
* To re-broadcast WMC’s productions
* To facilitate and organize discussion after each broadcast
* To participate in every meeting organized by WMC when needed
* To broadcast 8 times per month
* To write report and send to WMC

Duration

The working implementation will be processing from September to December 2009.

Benefits

The successful moderators will receive incentives monthly

These all look nice to me now, but they did not, around 9 years ago.

Let me share my past experience a bit as seeing all these brought back my memory as a farmer for around ten years. My livelihood was full of farming experiences. Most of the day I had to wake up at around 4:00 AM getting ready to go to the rice field. Imagine a child of 10 years old waking up in such cold dawn with most of the time raining. Also, many times in the evenings, I was alone in the field far away from home preparing the rice ready for planting tomorrow. It is still a night mere for me sometimes.

Luckily, we are no more farmers. In 2003 my parents decided to leave this job and started a small family business as they were tired of planting rice (my family used to be one the hardworking farmers) and all their children already left them to get educated in Phnom Penh. They just sell groceries, calling cards, gasoline, manage one rice-milling machine (while the rice is being milt, it also pumps water as my father connects it to a pumping stuff-I don’t know what it is called. It pumps from a well he drilled. With this, we have enough clean water supply for our family) and some others. Besides all these, my father grows a variety of vegetables and mixture of crops (for family use)-the photos show some of these. They are now living happy lives but a bit sad because all their children are now working and studying in Phnom Penh.

For just a visit, it is fun, but not for a living; it is not fun. Visiting my village in this season makes you feel relaxed as field looks green and fresh. Nice scenery along the way, rice fields and crops around my house. I will visit there again on Pchum Ben’s Days.

Moral: If you want to move out from farming, then get yourself educated with all your effort invested and never migrate to find job in the city unless there is a job really safe for you.

From one of the poorest family’s chair to the most powerful chair???
in the world.?….!!!?

Attitude leads a person to many destinies, just keep on moving?..?

O- ORIGINALLY
B – BORN IN
A – AFRICA TO
M – MANAGE
A ? AMERICA?

What you can do and what you will become are all written in your name…?
So, choose your name ?wisely…. ?not ? Ah Niau, Ah Tu or Ah Kau!! ha ha ha?

I am not so sure if the top photo is really of Obama.

I am also sorry I don’t know where this original idea comes from. I just received it from a list of e-mail forwarded many times already.

Anyway, just look and think.

By MPS

ការបង្ហាញលទ្ធផលជំរឿន ២០០៨ លើកដំបូង

កាលពីថ្ងៃ ទី៣ ខែ កញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ ២០០៨ គណៈកម្មការជាតិជំរឿនបានបង្ហាញនូវលទ្ធផលដំបូងនៃជំរឿន ២០០៨។

លទ្ធផលដំបូងនៃជំរឿនប្រជាជនថ្នាកជាតិឆ្នាំ ២០០៨ បានបង្ហាញថាចំនួនប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាមានការកើនឡើងចំនួន ១,៩៥លាននាក់ក្នុងរយៈពេល១០ឆ្នាំកន្លងមក ដែលកើនពី ១១,៤លាននាក់ មកដល់ ១៣,៤ លាននាក់ នៅឆ្នាំ ២០០៨។ ដង់ស៊ីតេប្រជាជនបានកើនឡើង ពី ៦៤នាក់ ទៅ ៧៥នាក់ក្នុង១គីឡូម៉ែត្រក្រឡា ប៉ុន្តែអត្រាកំនើនប្រចាំឆ្នាំមានការធ្លាក់ចុះ ពី ២,៤៩% នៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៩៨ មកត្រឹម ១,៥៤% នៅឆ្នាំ ២០០៨។ កំពង់ចាមនៅតែជាខេត្តដែលមានប្រជាជនច្រើនជាងគេ ប៉ុន្តែ ខេត្តប៉ៃលិន ឧដ្ដមានជ័យ មណ្ឌលគីរី និងរតនៈគីរី មានអត្រាកំនើនប្រជាជនប្រចាំឆ្នាំខ្ពស់ជាងគេ។ ចំនួនសមាជិកគ្រួសារជាមធ្យមបានថយចុះពី ៥,២ នាក់នៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៩៨ មកត្រឹម ៤,៧នាក់ ក្នុងមួយសហគ្រួសារនៅឆ្នាំ ២០០៨។ទោះជាយ៉ាងនេះក្តី ចំនួនសហគ្រួសារនៅតាមជនបទមានការកើនឡើង ដែលមានកំនើនប្រចាំឆ្នាំ ២,៧% គឹមានន័យថាខ្ពស់ជាងការកើនឡើងនូវចំនួនសហគ្រូស្រារនៃប្រជាជនទាំងមូល។

ជំរឿនប្រជាជានថ្នាក់ជាតិ២០០៨ បានរៀបចំឡើងដោយ វិទ្យាស្ថានជាតិស្ថិតិនៃក្រសួងផែនការក្រោមការត្រួតពិនិត្យពី កណៈកម្មការជាតិជំរឿន និងការណែនាំពីគណៈកម្មការបច្ចេកទេសជំរឿន និងមានការឧបត្ថម្ភគាំទ្រពីសម្នាក់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា UNFPA JICA រដ្ឋាភិបាលជប៉ុន និងរដ្ឋាភិបាលអាឡឺម៉ង់។

Everyday, at the junction in front of the Ministry of National Defense (publicly known as DN),there is at least one accident whether less injured or dead.

The picture above can answer the question why there is always such problem. (Sorry, the picture is not clear as I shot it at night; please try to see it and think)

It is a NO ENTRY destination, but they still keep going without paying any attention. Both of them took most part of the road. They are putting themselves at risk. Don’t they understand the SIGN or don’t they care about what may happen to them?

I know that some people don’t respect the law/rule; instead, they may only be afraid of policemen.

Please rethink about your safety.

by MPS

ទើប​ដូរម៉ូតូ​ថ្មី​ ​ខ្លាច​ខុស​ច្បាប់​ប្រញាប់​យក​ទៅ​ដាក់​កញ្ចក់​។ រួច​ហើយ​ទៅ​បញ្ជាក់​ទី​លំនៅដើម្បីធ្វើស្លាកលេខ ។ ដល់​ត្រង់​នេះ​ដូច​ជា​មាន​ការ​លំបាក​ណាស់​សម្រាប់​អ្នក​មក​ពី​ខេត្ត​ដូច​ ខ្ញុំ​​គឺ គេ​មិន​ងាយ​បញ្ជាក់​អោយ​ស្រួលៗ​ទេ គេ​ត្រូវ​ការ​នេះ​ត្រូវ​​ការ​នោះ​ទម្រាំ​តែ​បញ្ជាក់​បាន​ ត្រូវសុំច្បាប់កន្លែងធ្វើការអស់មួយថ្ញែព្រោះតែចង់ធ្វើជាពលរដ្ឋល្អ។ បន្ទាប់ពីបានលិខិតបញ្ជាក់ហើយត្រូវបន្តទៅធ្វើស្លាកលេខទៀតនៅថ្ញៃបន្ទាប់។ នេះគឺជារឿងកាន់តែពិបាកជាងការសុំលិខិតបញ្ជាក់ទៅទៀត។ មនុស្សទៅធ្វើច្រើនខ្លាំងណាស់ ចំណែក​កន្លែងធ្វើ តូចចង្អៀត​។ អី្វដែលពិសេសនោះ គឺនៅទីនោះមានបង្អួចច្រើនណាស់ដែលយើងត្រូវទៅតាមដំនាក់កាល​របស់គេ។ អ្វីដែលចម្លែក គឺថានៅតាមជញ្ជាំងមាន​បិតពាក់ស្លោកជាច្រើនដែលនិយាយពី សច្ចៈ​ធម៌​ ភាពត្រឹមត្រូវ ជាដើម និងថែមទាំងមានម៉េក្រូប្រកាស​ក្តែងៗ​ថា​ មិនមានការបង់ប្រាក់បន្ថែមនានាទេនៅតាមដំនាក់កាលនិមួយៗក្រៅតែពីតម្លៃ​​ បណ្តោះអាសន្ន​ ជាមូលដ្ឋានដែលប្រហែលជា ១៦ដុល្លារជាងបូកទាំងថ្លែពាក្យសុំផង។ តែតាមពិត មានការបង់បន្ថែមខ្លះៗទៀតនៅតាមកន្លែងមួយចំនួន​។

អ្វីដែលខ្ញុំចង់​សំណូមពរ គឺថាគួរតែមានកន្លែងធ្វើស្លាកលេខអោយបានធំជាងនេះ រឺត្រូវបន្ថែមអោយបានច្រើនកន្លែងដើម្បីឆ្លើយតបនឹងតម្រូវការជាក់ស្តែងក្នុងន័យសម្រូលដល់ប្រជាជន និងលើកកម្ពស់ការគោរពច្បាប់អោយបានកាន់តែ​ប្រសើរ​ឡើង ព្រោះបើប៉ូលីសខំតែចាប់ ដល់ពេលទៅធ្វើស្លាកលេខមានការលំបាកបែបនេះ នោះការគោរពច្បាប់​ និងការអនុវត្តច្បាប់នឹងពុំមានប្រសិទ្ធភាពឡើយ។

សូមអស់លោកថ្នាក់លើ ជួយទៅអើតមើលកន្លែងធ្វើស្លាកលេកនោះផង ព្រោះហាក់ដូចជាមានភាពមិនប្រក្រតិមួយចំនួន។

ខ្ញុំតែងតែបានបំពេញកតព្វកិច្ចជាពលរដ្ឋល្អម្នាក់ ចុះអ្នកវិញ?

ទស្សនផ្ទាល់ខ្ញួន

MPS

PARIS (AFP) – An "unhinged" Russian woman threw a teacup at the world’s most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s "Mona Lisa," but it emerged unscathed due to its bullet-proof glass cover, the Louvre museum said on Tuesday.

"The young woman took a cup out of her bag and threw it over the heads of other people who were looking at the painting. The cup smashed on the bullet-proof glass which was slightly scratched," a spokesman said.

"It looks like it was done by someone who was unhinged and wanted to draw attention to herself," he said.

The woman put up no resistance when museum guards apprehended her after the incident on August 2.

She was handed over to police who said the woman "did not have all her mental faculties and has been transferred to the police psychiatric infirmary."

The Louvre, the biggest art museum in the world, has thousands of paintings, but most of the millions of visitors a year make a bee-line for the Mona Lisa, known in France as La Joconde.

The 500-year-old painting was stolen in 1911 from the Louvre but was returned two years later after an Italian was arrested for its theft.

It was doused with acid by a vandal in 1956 and later the same year a Bolivian damaged it again by throwing a rock at it.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090811/od_afp/entertainmentfranceartmuseumoffbeat_20090811142815

Data are for men and wo men 15 years or older. Country/territory Total (% of population) Men (% of population) Women (% of population) Nauru 54.0 61.0 47.0 Guinea 51.7 59.5 43.8 Namibia 50.0 65.0 35.0 Kenya 49.4 66.8 31.9 Bosnia and Herzegovina 48.0 NA NA Serbia and Montenegro (former country) 47.0 52.0 42.0 Mongolia 46.7 67.8 25.5 Yemen 44.5 60.0 29.0 São Tomé and Príncipe 44.1 NA NA Turkey 44.0 60-65 20-24 Romania 43.5 62.0 25.0 Slovakia 42.6 55.1 30.0 Kiribati 42.0 56.5 32.3 Tuvalu 41.0 51.0 31.0 Lebanon 40.5 46.0 35.0 Venezuela 40.5 41.8 39.2 Argentina 40.4 46.8 34.0 Albania 39.0 60.0 18.0 Bangladesh 38.7 53.6 23.8 Nepal 38.5 48.0 29.0 Tonga 38.3 62.4 14.2 Greece 38.0 47.0 29.0 Laos 38.0 41.0 15.0 Panama 38.0 56.0 20.0 Kyrgyzstan 37.8 60.0 15.6 Georgia 37.5 60.5 15.0 Niue 37.5 58.0 17.0 Cuba 37.2 48.0 26.3 Benin 37.0 NA NA Cambodia 37.0 66.0 8.0 Papua New Guinea 37.0 46.0 28.0 Bulgaria 36.5 49.2 23.8 Russia 36.5 63.2 9.7 Macedonia 36.0 40.0 32.0 Andorra 35.9 43.7 28.0 Cameroon 35.7 NA NA China 35.6 66.9 4.2 Hungary 35.5 44.0 27.0 Ukraine 35.3 51.1 19.4 Germany 35.0 39.0 31.0 Korea, South 35.0 65.1 4.8 Mexico 34.8 51.2 18.4 Tunisia 34.8 61.9 7.7 France 34.5 38.6 30.3 Poland 34.5 44.0 25.0 Uganda 34.5 52.0 17.0 Brazil 33.8 38.2 29.3 Kazakhstan 33.5 60.0 7.0 Switzerland 33.5 39.0 28.0 Lithuania 33.4 51.0 16.0 Spain 33.4 42.1 24.7 Japan 33.1 52.8 13.4 Croatia 33.0 34.0 32.0 Luxembourg 33.0 39.0 27.0 The Netherlands 33.0 37.0 29.0 Myanmar 32.9 43.5 22.3 Armenia 32.5 64.0 1.0 Philippines 32.4 53.8 11.0 Estonia 32.0 44.0 20.0 Moldova 32.0 46.0 18.0 Ecuador 31.5 45.5 17.4 Ireland 31.5 32.0 31.0 Norway 31.5 31.0 32.0 Indonesia 31.4 59.0 3.7 Djibouti 31.1 57.5 4.7 Latvia 31.0 49.0 13.0 Tanzania 31.0 49.5 12.4 Denmark 30.5 32.0 29.0 Bolivia 30.4 42.7 18.1 Syria 30.3 50.6 9.9 Belarus 29.8 54.9 4.6 Czech Republic 29.0 36.0 22.0 Jordan 29.0 48.0 10.0 Uzbekistan 29.0 49.0 9.0 Peru 28.6 41.5 15.7 Cook Islands 28.5 40.0 17.0 Israel 28.5 33.0 24.0 Belgium 28.0 30.0 26.0 Guatemala 27.8 37.8 17.7 Vietnam 27.1 50.7 3.5 Brunei 27.0 40.0 14.0 Vanuatu 27.0 49.0 5.0 South Africa 26.5 42.0 11.0 United Kingdom 26.5 27.0 26.0 Malaysia 26.4 49.2 3.5 Maldives 26.0 37.0 15.0 Algeria 25.2 43.8 6.6 Slovenia 25.2 30.0 20.3 Trinidad and Tobago 25.1 42.1 8.0 Canada 25.0 27.0 23.0 El Salvador 25.0 38.0 12.0 New Zealand 25.0 25.0 25.0 Data are for various years. Includes countries where more than 25 percent of total population smokes. Source: World Health Organization.

This table is extracted from Encarta, but there is no year indicator. Thus I am not so sure if it is a recent figure.

What I really want to attract attention here is for Cambodia, which is still high in the rate of smokers. I am not sure if the law to ban smoking in public areas is passed or not yet. However, I am happy that many people care and many Cambodian public places now do not allow smoking. Hopefully, Cambodia will soon be a smoke-free country.

“My father who had been a very strong smoker, gave up smoking many years ago when he first listened to a program in which a doctor introduced the danger caused by smoking. He completely gave up smoking after that sudden. I wish sooner or later more and more people give up smoking. If you cannot give it up completely, please just try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. My father said it was difficult at first but not too hard. ”

I share this experience here because I am much aware that giving up one’s habbit is not easy. It needs time and committment.

Just care for all my people,

MPS

The longest total solar eclipse to occur in the 21st century

Solar eclipse of July 22, 2009
Type of eclipse
Gamma: 0.0696
Magnitude: 1.0799
Saros: 136 (37 of 71)

Maximum eclipse

Duration: 398 s (6 min 38.8 s)
Location: Pacific Ocean
Coordinates: 24°12?36?N 144°06?24?E / 24.21°N 144.10667°E
Max. width of band: 258.4 km

Times (UTC)

Partial eclipse 23:58:18 (Jul 21)
Total eclipse 00:51:16
Central eclipse 00:54:31
Greatest eclipse 02:35:21

The solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 was the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting as much as 6 minutes and 39 seconds in some places. It caused tourist interest in eastern China, Nepal and India.

The eclipse was part of saros series 136, like the record-setting solar eclipse of July 11, 1991. The next event from this series will be on August 2, 2027. The exceptional duration was a result of the moon being near perigee, with the apparent diameter of the moon 8% larger than the sun (magnitude 1.080) and the Earth being near aphelion where the sun appeared slightly smaller.

This was the second in the series of three eclipses in a month, with the lunar eclipse on July 7 and the lunar eclipse on August 6.

Visibility
It was visible from a narrow corridor through northern Maldives, northern Pakistan and northern India, eastern Nepal, northern Bangladesh, Bhutan, the northern tip of Myanmar, central China and the Pacific Ocean, including the Ryukyu Islands, Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

Totality was visible in many large cities, including Surat, Vadodara, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna, Dinajpur, Siliguri, Tawang, Guwahati, Chengdu, Nanchong, Chongqing, Yichang, Jingzhou, Wuhan, Huanggang, Hefei, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Huzhou, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Ningbo and Shanghai, as well as over the Three Gorges Dam. According to some experts, Taregana in Bihar, India was expected to be the “best” place to view the event.
A partial eclipse was seen from the much broader path of the Moon’s penumbra, including most of Southeast Asia (all of India and China) and north-eastern Oceania.

Duration
This solar eclipse was the longest total solar eclipse to occur in the 21st century, and will not be surpassed in duration until June 13, 2132. Totality lasted for up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds, with the maximum eclipse occurring in the ocean at 02:35:21 UTC about 100 km south of the Bonin Islands, southeast of Japan. The uninhabited North Iwo Jima island was the landmass with totality time closest to maximum, while the closest inhabited point was Akusekijima, where the eclipse lasted 6 minutes and 26 seconds.

Reaction
Indian scientists today observed solar eclipse from fighter jets. Fighter jets were pressed into service to allow Indian scientists study solar eclipse from the sky. The Chinese government used the opportunity to provide scientific education and to dispel any superstition. Since the solar eclipse occurred almost exactly 10 years after the Falun Gong movement was banned, it was feared that Falun Gung would use this event to show that the heavens is displeased with the Chinese government.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_22,_2009

When did these countries join EU?

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

2007 Bulgaria, Romania

What are the Official Languages of the European Union?

The very first Regulation enacted by the Council of what is now the European Union, was concerned with language.
On 15 April 1958. The Council laid down that the official languages of the Member States should be both the official languages of the Community and the working languages of the Community institution.

Every Member State’s official language is an official language of the EU. As several Member States share the same official language this means there are 11 official languages. They are (in alphabetical order): Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.

Which is the Correct Term: ‘European Union’, ‘European Community’ or ‘European Commission’?
They are all correct for different occasions.

The European Union (EU) came into being with the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty on 1/11/93. In discussing events prior to this date the term EC or even its predecessor (EEC) would be more accurate.

Since 1/11/93 the term European Union (EU) has replaced in common usage the term European Community (EC) in most cases referring to the group of Member States making up the EU.

The European Commission is the executive body, the “public service” of the EU. The EU, as such, has no overseas diplomatic representation. It is the European Commission that is represented by Delegations overseas and the correct appellation.
From European Community to European Union

The Treaty of the European Union, also known as the Maastricht Treaty, entered into force on 1 November 1993, following the ratification of the Treaty by all twelve Member States of the European Communities. As a result, what used to be known as the European Community (EC) has become known, through common usage, as the European Union (EU).

The European Community of course continues to exist as the first and most important foundation of the European Union. Therefore, the expressions, the EC, European Community, will continue to be used, especially in certain documents of a legal character such as official acts adopted on the basis of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

The role and responsibilities of the European Union, however, is not limited to the EC (including the stages for achieving the economic and monetary union, the European Coal and Steel Community and Euratom (the European Atomic and Energy Community) but also applies to new areas under the Maastricht Treaty such as the common foreign and security policy and cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs.

The Union as a whole is served by a single institutional framework, The former EC Council of Ministers is now called the Council of the European Union or EU Council. The European Parliament and the European Court of Justice have maintained their original names as has the Commission of the European Communities but which can be called the European Commission in short.

In a similar way, the use of the European Union or EU is recommended to call the territory formerly commonly referred to as the EC in such expression as: the EU Member States, EU population, EU market or industry, etc.

Do the Number of Stars on the European Flag Represent the Member States?

The number of stars on the European Flag has always remained the same, ie 12. It was adopted by the European Community in 1986. This same flag had been used to represent “Europe” by a different organisation, the Council of Europe since 1956.

In 1946, the Council of Europe established a committee to discuss the issue of a “european” emblem. Many different proposals were discussed but the final result was the flag you see today. 12 gold stars on a blue background.

The 12 stars were chosed as twelve is the symbol of perfection; there were 12 apostles, 12 hours in the day, 12 hours in the night, 12 months of the year, 12 signs of the zodiac. The colours blue and gold were the original colours of the Count Richard Coudenhove Kalergi who first proposed a Pan European Union in 1923.

Is there a European Anthem?

Yes. In January 1972, the Council of Europe chose the 4th movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th symphony, as the European Anthem. In 1986, the European Community adopted this as the European Anthem.

The poem ‘An die Freude’ (Ode to Joy) was composed by the German Poet Friedrich Schiller. Beethoven was so moved by the words that he set it to music and incorporated it into the final chorus of the 9th symphony.

It was decided however, that the music only would be used as the European Anthem in order to avoid any clash of interests over the language in which the words should be sung.

Does the EU have a “National” Day?

Yes. The 9th May is celebrated within the European Union as “Schuman Day” or “Europe Day” as it is more commonly known.

On 9th May 1950, Robert Schuman (French Minister for Foreign Affairs) made a speech on behalf of the French Government to propose the pooling of French and German coal and steel industries under a joint European Institution.

It was this suggested that led to the birth of the first European Community Institution, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and eventually to the European Community itself.

For information please see: http://www.delblr.ec.europa.eu/page911.html

by MPS

By MPS

The Khmer Empire was at its apogee during the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1215 A.D.). Its territory covered the current Cambodia, all of southern Vietnam, all of the current Laos, all of the current Thailand, and part of the current Malaysia.
Unlike the Khmers, Thais, known then as Siamese, were not natives of the region. The kingdom of Thailand, known then as Siam, did not appear in Southeast Asia until the mid-14th century. A well-known Thai historian, Sulak Sivarak, who was a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the winner of the Right Livelihood Award said of the Khmer Empire: “It included everything right up to Lopburi and all of what is now Bangkok’.
Again, describing the Khmer Empire, Peter Janssan of the Hindustan Times quoted Sulak Sivaraka in his article on 18 June 2008: “Thai invasions of Cambodia, then in its decline, led to the adoption of many Khmer cultural traditions by the Thais, including the Hindu concept of god-kings and court rituals, and an ongoing fondness for Brahman-inspired black magic, especially among Thai politicians”. Peter Janssan went on to describe that there are many more Khmer temples located in Thailand, especially along the northeast Thailand- Cambodian border like Buriram, Surin, and Sisaket.

THE FRENCH PROTECTORATE

Cambodia was a vassal state under Siam during the reign of King Ang Duong. Cambodia had lost Battambang, Sisophon, and Siem Reap to Siam. Siam had placed spies everywhere at the court of Oudong. To get out of the Siam’s manacles, King Norodom who succeeded his father, King Ang Duong, sought out help from France.

On 23 March 1907, under the reign of King Sisowath who succeeded his brother, KingNorodom, France (as the protectorate of Cambodia) and Siam signed a border treaty that completed the 1904 treaty. In the 1904 treaty Siam ceded Tonlé Repou, Mlou Prey, Koh Kong, and Stung Trèng to Cambodia. The 1907 treaty subsequently produced the French-Siamese Commission 1907 Frontier, placing Preah Vihear under the control of Cambodia. The French-Siamese 1907 treaty had Siam ceded almost all Cambodia ancient territory of the 16th century back to Cambodia. The territory included Battambang, Sisophon, Siem Reap, Mongkol Borei, and Tnot.

In spite of this agreement, Thailand contested in 1934 that the Temple of Preah Vihear belonged to her and their surveyors redrew the frontier to locate Preah Vihear in Thailand’s territory. In 1954 Thailand occupied Preah Vihear. On 6 October 1959, Cambodia, under the leadership of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the Hague, Netherlands, to rule on the dispute. By the end of the year, Thailand retaliated with a claim listing Preah Vihear as a national archeological site. On June 15, 1962, the ICJ made a judgment recognizing that the Temple of Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia using the French-Siamese Commission 1907 Frontier Line as one of the supporting arguments. A satellite photo showing Preah Vihear and its surrounding region with demarcations of the frontier established by the French-Siamese Commission 1907 is presented in Figure 6. Figure 7 shows another satellite photo of Preah Vihear and the Dangrek mountain range. Thailand never protested against the verdict. However, over the years Thailand has unilaterally redrawn the map that contradicts the ICJ judgment.

The temple of Preah Vihear was originally built under Yasovarman I, a Khmer king who reigned from 889 to 910 A.D. The building started in light material, but its completion in stone was carried on later by his successors. The temple was dedicated to Shiva (God of destroyer). The setting of Preah Vihear was ideal for a Khmer monarch who dedicated the temple for Shiva because of its spectacular location sitting atop of a high cliff over 500 meters above the lower ground.

THE THAI TWISTED THESIS OF THEIR ORIGIN

There are some Thais in the academic, the press, and the media who fantasize in their justification of Preah Vihear belonging to Thailand by advancing a twisted thesis claiming that Khmer is not the same as Khorm (note: the Thai used to call Khmer as either Khamin or Khorm). They say that Khmer is Khamin, which is different from Khorm. Furthermore, they say that Khorms are the real inhabitants of what is now Thailand and they were the builders of Preah Vihear, Angkor, and all the ancient temples found in Cambodia and Thailand. They are saying that Khmers are not the descendents of the Angkor builders. Therefore, they try to justify by implication that Thai people are the true descendents of the Khorms, the original inhabitants of Thailand and builders of Preah Vihear and Angkor. The Thai people have such a twisted mind. Believing in this twisted thesis is like believing that a bullet firing from a gun can be curved around a corner. The Thais are not only satisfied to steal everything that are precious to Khmers and then claimed them to be their own, such as Preah Ko Preah Keo, Preah Khan Reach, Khmer classical dance and music, Khmer style boxing, and Khmer scripts “Aksor Moul” (the Thai called it sacred scripts instead of Khmer scripts), but now they try to even steal Khmer identity. They want to strip Khmer people bare of any ancestry.

OBSERVATIONS

A few important observations to the central issue of the Preah Vihear temple must be brought up to the attention of the world. The following are two immediate points of interest concerning the affair of the Preah Vihear temples:
1. The press keeps mentioning that Preah Vihear was an ancient Hindu temple instead of a Khmer temple. Preah Vihear is not a Hindu temple but a Khmer temple built under the reign of Yasovarman I, a Khmer king in the 9th century, dedicated to Shiva, one of the Hindu gods. When the press says that Preah Vihear is a Hindu temple, it deemphasizes Khmer ownership and legitimacy to the temple. In modern time, the war of words is very important. This clarification is very important and it must be emphasized at all time.
2. Thailand kept insisting on using her own map to claim the disputed area around Preah Vihear instead of the French-Siamese Commissioned Map of 1907, where the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based its judgment on to award Preah Vihear to Cambodia. The map was the product of the treaty signed by Thailand and French (Cambodia was under the French protectorate) in 1907. It is legal and binding. Thailand wants to use its own map that is not binding and not recognized by the International Court of Justice. Cambodia must not give in to the Thai insistence of using her own map to settle the dispute of Preah Vihear and its surrounding area.

CAMBODIA AND THAILAND JOINT COMMUNIQUE

Originally, Thailand was opposed to Cambodia’s proposal to UNESCO for the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List. Thailand was objected to the languages and maps in the document that Cambodia submitted to UNESCO showing the contested areas surrounding Preah Vihear as belonging to Cambodia. In order to enlist Thailand’s support, Cambodia agreed to put aside her claim to the disputed areas around the Temple of Preah Vihear. A Joint Communiqué was signed on 18 June 2008 by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, representing Cambodia, and by H.E. Minister of Foreign Affairs Noppadon Pattama, representing Thailand. The Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Assistant Director-General for Culture Françoise Rivière, was the witness. The Joint Communiqué is presented herein.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE JOINT COMMUNIQUE

After the Joint Communiqué was signed, the Thai Constitutional Court voted 8-1 on 8 July 2008 that the Joint Communiqué signed by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama to endorse Cambodia’s application to inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear as World Heritage List was unconstitutional. The ruling stated that ‘The government must consult and get approval from Parliament before signing treaties with foreign countries.’ As a result of this ruling, the Thai government withdrew her support for Cambodia in all matters related to the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In spite of Thailand’s objection, the UNESCO approved to inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage List at the 32nd session meeting in Quebec, Canada, on 7 July 2008.
It seemed that Cambodia and Thailand had the same philosophy but two completely different objectives. The philosophy from both sides was to divide and conquer. Cambodia was interested in getting UNESCO to list the Temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site first and deal
with the issue of the territorial dispute around Preah Vihear later. On the other hand, Thailand was mainly interested in Cambodia to exclude the territorial dispute from the application to UNESCO.
The objective from the Cambodian government was to expect that the UNESCO approval to inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List was a tacit way of legitimizing Cambodia’s claim for the disputed areas around Preah Vihear. However, from the Thai government’s point of view, the signature of the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister on the Joint Communiqué was considered a breakthrough that opened the door for Thailand to reclaim the disputed areas around Preah Vihear that she had lost at the International Court of Justice on 15 June 1962. The first question now ensued. Since the Thai government withdrew her support for
Cambodia’s application to UNESCO for the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List, would the Joint Communiqué that was signed by the Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama become null and void? It requires two persons to tango. The second question ensued. Was the Joint Communiqué signed by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An constitutional under Cambodian’s laws? Like Thailand, does the government of Cambodia require consultation and approval from the Parliament before any treaties can be signed with foreign governments? A treaty deals with the national security of the nation. Therefore, it is too important for the government alone to decide it without consultation and approval from the Parliament.
The third question ensued. Even though Cambodia did not recognize the claim by Thailand concerning the disputed areas around the Temple of Preah Vihear, would the Joint Communiqué somewhat give credence to Thailand’s claim? Paragraph 3 in the Joint Communiqué is very disturbing because it says that the map shown in Figure 14 supersedes other maps, specifically the “Schéma Directeur pour le Zonage de Preah Vihear” and all the “core zone” mentioned in all graphics. Does this mean that the Cambodian government rejects the map from the French-Siamese Commission Frontier1907 Line? Paragraph 4 is also disturbing because it conforms to the claim by Thailand concerning the disputed area, which is on the west and north of the Temple of Preah Vihear (Figure 15). The Joint Communiqué cannot be left in its current format and understanding because it is more detrimental to Cambodia but more advantageous to Thailand. Like the Thai, The Cambodian Constitutional Court must declare that the Joint Communiqué was unconstitutional to avoid further challenges from Thailand. Cambodia territorial integrity is more important than the listing of the Temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

CONCLUSION

Cambodia is doing the right thing to seek help from the United Nations (UN). It is not in the interest of Thailand to have the UN intervene in the affair of Preah Vihear, because she knows that Cambodia has more legitimacy and historical claim of Preah Vihear and its surrounding area than Thailand does. The UN will have to consider and abide by the 1962 judgment made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the recent recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that included Preah Vihear in the World Heritage List. If the UN were to side with Cambodia, then they would probably ask Thailand to withdraw from the disputed area.

Thailand is playing hardball because she knows Cambodia is no match with her militarily. Cambodia has no choice but to ask the UN for help. With the UN help Thailand will not dare to encroach further into Cambodia territory. If war were to erupt, Thailand would be condemned by the world and she will lose face. Additionally, the Muslims are now waiting for the right opportunity to stir troubles again in the southern region of Thailand if this latter decides to go to war with Cambodia. Thailand cannot afford to have war with Cambodia. Thailand may win in the short term but she will lose in the long run. Thailand fears the UN because among the five permanent members, Cambodia can count on France, China, and Russia to side with her. As to the US and the UK positions, nothing can be certain but if these two countries interpret the laws and historical facts properly, they should come to the conclusion that Thailand has no claim and basis over Preah Vihear and its surrounding area that she had ceded to Cambodia during the French-Siamese 1907 treaty.
The UN cannot ignore the ICJ judgment that recognized Preah Vihear belonging to Cambodia, because to do otherwise would bring chaos to the international rule of laws. There is no doubt, both based on the court of laws and historical facts, that the Temple of Preah Vihear is a Khmer heritage and belonging to Cambodia.

Kenneth T. So
July 24, 2008

There will be sometimes when you go to Picture Folders to see your photos. Then you want to view Medium, large, or Extra Large Icons, but you still cannot see the preview of your photos, only the generic mountain and lake scene for every picture.

Like this

To solve this problem, just follow the steps below:

Tools>Folder Options. On the View tab uncheck Always show icons, never thumbnails.

That’s it.

by MPS

The Women’s Media Centre is Cambodia’s premier non-governmental, non profit media organization. WMC was born from a movement to increase the participation of women in the democratic process during the UN-sponsored elections in 1993. The WMC delivers innovative, national awareness and informative programs on a diverse range of issues affecting contemporary Cambodia, with a special focus on the roles and rights of Cambodian women.

Since its inception in 1995, the WMC has produced high quality, innovative radio, television and video productions designed to educate and inform Cambodians on a wide range of issues impacting on women’s rights and human rights including HIV/AIDS, trafficking, elections, domestic violence, decentralization and poverty.

In 1999, WMC launched its own radio station FM 102, which has become one of the nations leading radio stations, with 83.6% of 2005 national survey respondents stating they had listened to FM102 including 77% of all youth respondents. In addition, an outstanding 76.7% of respondents stated that FM102 programs had positively influenced their attitude and behaviour. Read More »

Those who are always fants of WMC dramas and Radio FM102 will have chances to listen to selected programs and watch its Drama online. Click Here or type this address http://wmccambodia.org/ to start surfing.

By MPS

Just to let you know.

American cats and dogs > human

Americans fed their 75 million dogs and 88 million cats almost $16 billion worth of food in 2006. Bill Clinton said, “All that we need to feed, educate and care for all the third world children is just 10 billion US dollars”.

Quoted from the presentation of Joseph Xavier SJ

Challenges and Opportunities

1. Introduction:

Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Developpement et Civilisations, Lebret – Irfed (DCLI) and Association for Rural Education and Development Service (AREDS), and Society of Women in Action for Total Empowerment (SWATE) for giving me a space to share with you, a group of vibrant young people who have gathered here from across the world representing various countries, cultures, ethnicity, languages etc. I am personally overwhelmed to see many of you coming from the developing[1] world. It is an encounter; an encounter in India in the backdrop of today’s youth crisis. It is an opportunity to meet one another face to face, share with others who we are and what we are, the hopes, dreams, vision that we have for ourselves individually and collectively as youth, to understand the crisis the youth go through and to commit ourselves to transform this crisis ridden world. It is in this background I have titled my paper as ‘Towards rights and values realised youth – Challenges and Opportunities.’

At the outset, I must confess that the perspective I will be developing in this presentation will have strong Indian experience-base. But in a globalised world I believe that the so called ‘Indian’ experience, particularly the experience of the poor and the marginalized, has much in common with poor of the many developing countries and less developed countries. As a preliminary comment I should also say that the youth crisis cannot be viewed in an isolated manner, though there are some important issues and concerns which are specific to youth. Youth crisis is part and parcel of or very often the result of a systemic failure.

2. The Indian Context:

This encounter takes place at an appropriate time in India when you can personally witness how the largest democracy plays out in the hands of the corporate, rich, casteist and male leaders of India. On the other, it is interesting to note that despite all odds, the poor of this country still live with hope that the alliance of the marginalized could still engage in a democratic struggle challenging money, market and mafia power with soul power. Thanks to democracy! Even within the shrinking democratic space the voices of the poor still count and have the potency to change the course of history. This has been the history of elections in India, including the recently concluded one.

As you are well aware, India is huge country with more than a billion population. It has given birth to four major religions Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. If one goes around India, especially the public places like market places, bus stations, railway stations etc what strikes most is the variety and diversity – ethnicity, language, culture, traditions and practices, art and architecture, including the dress and food habits. Indian nationalism is without a nation (G Aloysius 2007). Unfortunately, the rich diversities of India are swallowed up by one phenomenon to which every Indian is a slave by birth – the caste system – a principle of hierarchy, built up on policies of discrimination and exclusion, which considers over 180 million of people as ‘untouchables’. Caste system is a curse to Indian society. If there is one rigid structure which has not been broken down the years, despite modernism and new developmental discourse, it is the iron grip of caste system.

Let me start with the premise for this encounter. It is clearly stated that the youth in crisis. No doubt, when you look around the world there is economic crisis, financial crisis, environmental disaster, humanitarian catastrophes etc. It is not my intention to elaborate the varied types of crisis of the youth today. The background paper, sent out by the organisers, “Youth in crisis – coming of Age in the 21^st Century” exhibits the youth scenario crystal clear. My attempt in this paper would be to identify some of the major causes of the present youth crisis in the backdrop of the larger crisis and look for an appropriate response.

3. Understanding Youth Today:

How do we understand the youth today? Traditional definitions look at youth either through a prism of time of life or state of mind. But I think the youth of the 21^st century cannot be contained in these traditional understandings. The youth worldview today is much more complex than ever before. Eighties and nineties of the last century witnessed emergence of new world order. Obviously the present youth is the product of a new, revolutionised and uni-polar world. Expanding his thesis written in 1989, ‘The End of History’, Francis Fukuyama, in 1992 wrote a book titled, “The End of History and the Last Man”. In the context of the collapse of USSR, which put a full stop to the first, second and third world concepts, Fukuyama wrote, “”What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government”. An optimist Fukuyama in 19^th century ended up as pessimist in the 20^th century. He said, “The science and technology that were supposed to save humankind, instead ended up destroying it and today’s modern society creates modern conflicts”. During the youth encounter programme I wish that you keep in mind the following questions: What is my world view? Am I an optimist or pessimist? Do I have a vision of life or vision of the world? How can I relate my understanding of the vision of life with those who are marginalized and victimized today? What can I learn from them?

4. Hard talk:

• Americans fed their 75 million dogs and 88 million cats almost $16 billion worth of food in 2006. That amount surpasses the GDP of almost 100 of the world’s 229 countries. The $38.5 billion that Americans spent on pets last year is slightly less than the GDP of Kenya for its 35 million people. (http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3130/poisoning_pets_with_industrial_food/). According to UNICEF report 30,000 children die of hunger and malnutrition every day. This means about 7.2 million die every year. Two years ago, Bill Clinton said, “All that we need to feed, educate and care for all the third world children is just 10 billion US dollars”.
• In April 2007, the Jharkhand government returned Rs. 4700 crores back to the Central Government. This was the amount given by the Central government for the development of the poorer areas of the state. Jharkhand and Chattisgarh are two tribal states in India where livelihood options have radically shrunken forcing hundreds of tribal boys and girls to flee to various places as migrant labourers, often working under inhuman conditions.
• African countries owing money to foreign creditors, including banks, governments and multilateral institutions, can only pay off the debt with earnings in foreign currency. That is, they must use money from exports, from aid, or from new foreign loans. Ethiopia’s debt of $10 billion ($179 a person) at the end of 1996 may not seem like much compared, for example, to the $11 billion Europe spent on ice cream in 1997. But it was almost thirteen times the amount the country earned in exports in 1996. Ethiopia used the equivalent of 45 percent of its $783 million in export earnings on debt payments. Even after such a crushing payout, Ethiopia’s debt is still unbearable. Development aid, which has been in steep decline in recent years, does not make up the gap. In 1996, sub-Saharan African countries were paying out $1.30 on debt service for every $1 received in grant aid from donors[2]. (http://www.africaaction.org /docs99/dbt9903b.htm). As long as the debt is not cancelled, the constant pressure to pay it off is unrelenting. “Must we starve our children to pay our debts?” asks former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere[3].
• The World Bank’s International Comparison Program (ICP) in 2005 updates Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) rates last calculated in 1993 to produce an international poverty line of $ 1.25 a day. According to this, the proportion of the world’s population living in poverty has fallen by approximately one percent a year since 1990. At this rate, it is unlikely that the developing world outside China will reach the MDG poverty goal. The author says in India the number of people living below $ 1.25 rose from 421 to 456 million during 1981-2005 and the number of people living in the 25 cent interval between $ 1.00 and $ 1.25 rose from 124 million to 189 million during 1981-2005 (Ravallion, M. Economic and Political Weekly, India 2008)
• In 2006, the Defence Department of US said that it was spending about $4.5 billion a month on the conflict in Iraq, or about $100,000 per minute. In Afghanistan it was about $800 million a month, or about $18,000 per minute. The defence budget in 2007 was a whooping $439.3 billion.
• Countries rich in minerals such as cobalt, coltan, cassiterite, copper, and gold are often marred by corruption, authoritarian repression, militarization, and civil war. Rebel groups, governments and mining companies exploit mineral resources, fuelling civil and interstate conflict as players vie for control over riches. Countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo[4] have fallen victim to rebels who use revenue from minerals such as diamonds, coltan and cassiterite to purchase arms and fuel conflict[5]. Governments often establish repressive military regimes in mineral producing regions to protect their “national interests,” but local populations rarely see the profits and are subjected to environmental damage wrought by corporations[6]. (http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/mineindex.htm).
• Despite two major peoples’ revolutions Philippines is a victim of corruption, crimes and poverty.
• US proxy war against Mexico, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil and other Latin American countries has destabilised their economy.
• Free Economic Zones in Korea or Maquiladoras in Mexico or Special Economic Zones in India have tuned out to be Special Elimination Zones of the poor.

I am sure you would add more to this list from your experiences. At the same time I would like to turn your attention to another side of the reality.

• “We need the American people to know that we are dying of hunger in Brazil because of our government’s policy, which, in turn, is imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,” said Katia Grams de Lima, with the Movimento Sem Terra (MST), based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Most of Brazil’s rich agricultural land is concentrated in a few wealthy hands, leaving nearly five million rural workers landless. MST has organized 1.5 million landless and rural workers for “land reform from below” and helped hundreds of thousands of families gain access to productive land. It provides health care and education to landless families and organizes occupations of idle land, transforming them into productive agricultural cooperatives focused on local consumption, not export. Some 400 such groups are now operating. (http://www.mstbrazil.org/nccNews101001.html)
• In India Dalit, Adivasi (indigenous peoples), Women, Agrarian and Fish-workers movements have ushered in new hopes for a better society through their struggle using their soul power. On 2^nd January 2006, 12 Adivasis were killed in police firing as over 1,000 people gathered in Nuagaon village, Kalinga Nagar Police Station, Jajpur district protesting against the erection of TATA Steel plant, which would have displaced thousands of Adivasis. In the same manner the Anti-POSCO struggle, a South Korean based steel company is also very much active in Orissa. The poor Adivasis are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect their lands and ready to wage a struggle against the imperialist powers.
• Despite being a nation with millions of hungry people, a timid and fragile economy that was growing neither fast nor big enough, Zambia denied to receive GMO food aid worth US$50 billion from the US government. This is why Annuradha Mittal, co-director of Food First, said, “Zambia is the mouse that roared.” The US government responded to government’s announcement of a food crisis by offering a US$ 50 million grant of US maize that was certified as a GMO product. After meticulous analysis of both the advantages and threats to accepting or denying the maize, the government finally decided not to accept the GMOs even with the food deficit. (http://www.jctr.org.zm/downloads/GMOsitali).
• In 2003, when Lee Kyang Hae scaled a metal security fence and plunged a knife into his heart on the first day of the Fifth Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Cancun, Mexico, he was trying to speak for tens of millions of small farmers around the world who find themselves at the losing edge of economic globalisation. “For the first time in over two decades, the most powerful poor countries have gotten together and taken a stand in their interests,” said Cavanagh, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Policy Studies, who attended the Cancun meeting. “They stood up to pressure that, in other times, they would not have been able to do. This may be a new era”.
• The Social Forums, international and regional, with its slogan ‘Another World is Possible’ is yet another historical process which has brought together many like minded groups and organizations across the globe to fight against neo-liberalism and imperialism.

These are signs of hope. How do we amplify such voices and expand such spaces is the challenge before us.

5. Four Major movements of 21^st Century:

The crisis that we are experiencing today is not a result of a natural selection process but definitely wo/man made. But it is not any wo/man but one loaded with an ideology. It is an ideological wo/man, group of wo/men, belonging to a particular class in the present society. Unlike earlier years these cannot be located in a continent or country but they are spread across towns to cities and countries to continents. A class that is virtually connected! It is an invisible body, clearly working in and through democracies and dictatorships, governments and bureaucracies, local as well as world institutions and peace initiators as well as arms traders, ultimately creating invisible exploitative structures.

One can identify four major movements in the 21^st century.

1. Movement of Globalisations (neo-liberalism)
2. Movement of Fundamentalism (religious-cultural nationalism)
3. Movement of Patriarchy
4. Movement of the Marginalized

A. Movement of Globalisation:

Globalisation is the extension of unbridled capitalism and continuation of colonialism. The free market concept promoted by liberalization process demanded ‘deregulation of the economy of all varying controls’. Coupled with this, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)[7] ushered in a massive shift in the development discourse. In order to make corporates globally competitive, the every developing country state had invoked the ‘animal spirits’ of the local entrepreneurs. The only entity which enjoys total freedom in the developing world is the finance capital.

Today governments are everywhere embracing the free-market gospel preached in the 1980s by President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Britain. The expanding power of the market led to Washington Consensus package in 1989 furthering monopoly capitalism. Though the package was projected as a standard reform package to the crisis-ridden developing countries through International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), the process ultimately resulted in the expansion of US market base, destroying the self determination of the state and promoting market interest over the state and citizens. The market fundamentalism talks only of GDP led growth without any consideration for the basic needs of the citizens. It has promoted growth without democratic content. While the freedom of finance and movement of goods is ensured, breaking the boundaries of the countries, the freedom of labour is not ensured. When American, European, Chinese and Indian companies can invest and occupy the African lands and exploit the natural resources, why not the African have the freedom to go anywhere and make a living? Investment climate is given priority over survival of the poor, with enormous tax exemptions, free electricity, water, land etc ultimately destroying the local industries.

State, instead of regulating the market, has allowed itself to be regulated by the market and thus creating euphoria that there is ‘no salvation outside the market’. Neo-liberalism aims at the following:

– To change the human into merchandise / consumers (worker is no more a creator)

– To make profit (easy, quick, huge)

– To create a depoliticised citizenry

– To develop homogenous world (politically and culturally)

– To promote pre-emptive wars

– To destabilize the sovereignty in democratic nations

– To suppress all democratic forms of struggles and protests

The final outcome is the withering away of the welfare state. Prof T K Oommen said: “globalisation is polarizing the world into two, the connected few and the excluded many”. Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz in his book ‘Globalisation and its Discontents’ said that ‘privatisation is briberisation’. In one of his recent writings he said, “It is the dishonesty in the finance sector which is the root cause of the global financial crisis”.

B. Movement of Fundamentalism:

With crisis in development capitalism and the power of welfare state shrinking many forms of fundamentalism is emerging in the world. We seem to be moving towards finding our identity in our differences than our similarities. Fundamentalism is based on politics of hate. Fundamentalism exhibits itself clearly dividing the society into ‘we’ and ‘they’, defining the self as superior and the other as inferior. A step further taking recourse to legendary pasts, fundamentalism creates myths and stories to establish one’s superiority and their right to control the other. If their supremacy is challenged the fundamentalists turn out to be fascists and they consider it as their right to annihilate the other.

The religious nationalism promoted by the Hindu fundamentalists in Indian asserts nation building based on five “unities” – geography, race, religion, culture and language. Those who do not subscribe to this view are perceived as pseudo-secularists and anti-nationals. The genocide in Gujarat 2002 where over 3000 Muslims were murdered or the attack on Christians in Kandhamal Orissa and Karnataka are clear expressions that the minorities need the patronage of the Hindu majority for their survival.

While there are fundamentalist groups in every religion, starting with Christianity, after 9/11 Islamic phobia is systematically perpetuated in the world demonising Islam and labelling every Muslim a terrorist. Though in Europe the migrants, particularly the Africans, do most of the menial jobs, they are treated as second-class citizens in all respects. Elections are fought in the name of safeguarding purity of race and culture.

In general fundamentalists advocate minority viewpoints. They consider themselves as righteous. They admire a cult of violence; promote war and militarization of society. Through a process of homogenisation the fundamentalists would like to establish their hegemony.

C. Movement of Patriarchy:

The empowerment[8] of women is one of the central issues in the process of development of countries all over the world. Issues of gender equality are discussed in World Conferences, National and International Conferences, etc. Though equality before law, universal adult franchise and equal opportunities for men and women as fundamental rights is guaranteed by law in many countries the condition of women when compared to men clearly indicates that this world is a male dominated world where significant power in all the important institutions in society — military, political, and religious institutions – are with men and the women and children are deprived access to such power[9]. In India the Women’s Reservation Bill is pending for the last three decades. Despite repeated promises by various political parties, there is no political will to share power with women.

Deeply rooted discrimination against women in political, economic, social and cultural spheres weakens society as a whole, the UN human rights chief has said on the occasion of International Women’s Day in 2009. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that the effect of meltdown in global markets and financial institutions and ensuing recession is likely to have a disproportionate impact on millions of women, who already formed the majority of the poor and disenfranchised even before the crisis developed. She said, “Unless gender-sensitive policies are adopted, I fear we may well witness a serious setback in areas where progress has taken decades to achieve”.

Let me highlight two issues for your consideration. While the women as women go through huge discrimination in the male dominated world, the condition of marginalized women like the dalit, adivasi or Muslim women is pathetic. The Government of India initiated a study on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in India. The study revealed an alarming data that not even 4% of the Muslim women enter the school. The second aspect is the role played by religions in promoting male chauvinism. No religion is an exception to this. In the name of religion the women are being discriminated. Any attempt to question the male dominated religious structures ends up often in religious sanction.

Before we look at the movement of the marginalized let us understand the impact of these movements in the lives of the poor and the marginalized.

Impacts of these movements:

a. Poverty amidst plenty:

A cursory look at the world development scenario of the last 20 to 30 years amply shows that the wealth of the world has multiplied many times. There is quantum leap in progress at many levels, scientific advancement, knowledge base, information and communication revolution, increase in life expectancy, reduction in child mortality etc.

At the same time, there is a general perception that the type of development that is being promoted in India and in many developing countries is lopsided, resulting in the widening of the gap between the rich and poor. The wealth that is produced by millions of people finally lands up in the hands of a few, living in the rich enclaves. It is partly true that India and China, the two rapidly growing economies, will be the future destinations for many. Obviously India is not poor but the number of poor in India is on the increase. More and more poor are driven to the periphery to eke out their survival. The youth and women are the worst sufferers.

b. Poor becoming development victims:

In ‘Development or Development Terrorism’, Amit Bhaduri argues that in the present strategy of development, the state blindly joins the corporations to dispossess large number of people of their livelihood irrespective of the political label of the political parties in office. In India in the name of development after the independence over 40 to 50 million people have been displaced from their original habitats. The worst affected are the Adivasis. How do we define development? [10]

Destination Europe is the dream of thousands of North and sub-Saharan Africans crossing northern Moroccan shore. Thousands of Africans try to make the journey to Europe each year as illegal migrants – risking smugglers, deserts, sea crossings and the possibility of being sent home, all for the dream of a better life. Africa has huge deposits of natural resources. These resources, instead of being used to enhance the quality of life of the Africans have become sources of potential conflicts and war. Consequently the Africans have become victims of development process in their own home land and land up in Europe to live a subhuman life.

c. Exploitation of the developing world:

It is only after 1960’s most of the developing countries defined their own path of development and nation building. Much before these countries could grapple with the issues of nation building, the neo-liberal policies hit them hard, starting with Structural Adjustment Programmes. In the name of financial assistance, more than Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), huge amount of portfolio investment landed up in the developing countries destabilizing the economy itself. Later all sorts of labour-intensive industries and environmentally hazardous industries were implanted in the developing world and in many cases the developing countries became dumping ground for the developed countries.

As the capital moved far and wide with the sole purpose of maximising profit, it also demanded total freedom, freedom from the existing labour laws and in many cases abolition of labour protections. For the poor in the developing countries, who were living in poverty, though these industries provided some relief in terms of employment opportunities, fundamentally they destroyed semi-mechanised local industries. Competition, one of the primary strategies to keep the price rise under control, has paved the way for large scale mergers, acquisitions and outsourcing[11]. This led to huge unemployment problems.

The neo-liberal policy has led to increased contractualisation, informalisation, outsourcing, casualisation, feminisation of work and closure of small-scale industries resulting in increase in the size of the unorganised sector forcing them to live under the ‘tyranny of market raj’. Ultimately the unorganised workers[12] are experiencing the withering away of the welfare state, a state that positively dismantles the collective bargaining of the labour. Growing unemployment had been a potential atmosphere for growth in terrorism.

d. Growing religious conflicts and violence against women:

Religion has become a political weapon in the hands of the rich. The leaders of the organized religions, instead of promoting peace and harmony fall into the trap of doctrines and dogmas, often at the cost of human rights. The violence against women is on the increase. Despite many attempts by UN like The 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women etc newer forms of violence against women are emerging. Trafficking, sex trade, domestic violence, AIDS etc are some of the major issues face by the women today.

e. Rising Depoliticised citizenry:

Privatisation has changed the way the citizens think and act. Increasingly there is a drastic change in the citizen – state relationship. The middle and upper class feel that more and more they do not need the state. They say that the state and public sector units have reached an unredeemable state of affairs. State is corrupt, inefficient and deadweight. In contrast they believe that private is efficient, assures quality and non-corrupt. So much so there is a conscious attempt to minimize the role of the state vis-à-vis the citizens.

Some are even happy to be disassociated with the democratic political processes. The identity provided by pop and mall culture, fast food and bar culture is preferred to asserting the citizenship rights. In other words the consumer identity is valued more than citizenship identity.

f. Escalating ideological vacuum:

Pro-globalisation lobby claim that ‘There Is No Alternative’ (TINA) to neo-liberalism and they demand the people and countries to accept is as inevitable. They demand that market should be freed from state control so that real progress will take place. On the other hand the Socialists claim that ‘Socialism Is The Alternative’ (SITA) to present day crisis. And they condemn all other ideologies either as capitalist or as imperialist. But there are serious apprehensions raised regarding the type of socialism that is being promoted in many countries. The example is India itself, where Marxists followed market dictum at the cost of the poor.[13]

There are two strong views among the civil society organizations. Globalisation is not a result of a natural process and it is human-made. If it is human-made, this ideology can be dismantled with another pro-people ideology. Critiquing both TINA and SITA syndromes the civil society organizations look for an alternative with broad based people’s support. The Social Forum process with its slogan, ‘Another World is Possible’ is one of the expressions of such search processes. Definitely the growing ideological vacuum calls for the attention of all of us to meaningfully fill it with mass oriented, rights based ideology.

g. Shrinking democratic space

The major victim of these ideologies has been one of shrinking democratic space. Those individuals, groups and organizations, which have questioned these inhuman ideologies, have been silenced by iron hands. State with it political and military power instead of protecting the rights of its citizens has been the forefront to attack the democratic voices. In the name of fighting against terrorism and protecting national security many individuals Binayak Sen, Sharmila of Northeast and leaders of mass movements[14] have been booked under black laws of the country. All over the world there has been increase in the number of anti-people policies and laws.

h. Collapse of Civil Society:

Shrinking democratic space and weak civil society presence are two sides of the same coin. A section of middle class which till now had been instrumental in amplifying the voice of the poor were to a large extent co-opted by market ideology. Can the civil society withstand the ‘temptations’ of the market hegemony? The fast changing culture of International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) is a clear example of this trend. A number of INGOs and some NGOs funded by corporate companies or multinational companies have become victims of the corporate culture with fat salary, perks and perquisites, high level of bureaucracy and minimum contact with the poor. In some cases the presence of INGOs is a real threat to people’s movements at the grassroots.

i. Collapse of value system:

“U.S. Is Exporting Its Free-Market Values Through Global Commercial Agreements” wrote political analyst David Sanger in New York Times. The Information and Communication Technological (ICT) revolution, telecommunications, the Internet, advanced computer technology, and the other wonders created by the exuberant American entrepreneurial spirit unleashed by the market was heavily made use of to propagate the ‘American values’. The prominence of ‘Individualism’ over communities and groups has changed the rules of the games everywhere.

The visual media and the advertisement industry never bothered about any ethical or humanitarian values but went all out to woo the consumers to earn big money. Growing individualism and consumerism resulted in sharp decline in concern for others, particularly the poor. Involvement is social concerns and human rights issues were considered as waste of time and energy. The sole criteria to measure the standard of a person, is equated with his capacity to make money.

Religio-cultural nationalism destroyed the social capital. Mutual trust and confidence were broken among the peace loving communities on the basis of religion, gender, ethnicity, language etc. My neighbour has become my enemy. Instead of celebrating diversities we use such occasions to fight against the other. The various religious festivals have been made use of to further communal conflicts. In the same manner women are considered as objects of pleasure than partners in the developmental process.

D. The Movement of the Marginalized

Let me try to characterise these movements. The foundation of the movement of the marginalized is faith in the poor that they are not just objects of history but subjects who have the potency to transform the crisis ridden world in an egalitarian society and make this unjust history into sacred and divine. It is built up not on money or muscle power but on the number and conviction, commitment and dedication. Their vision is to build an egalitarian society and to achieve this end they are ready to struggle and even ready to lay down their lives. Why should Sharmila continue to struggle for the past 7 years demanding the abolition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the Northeast? Why should the poor adivasis of Kalinga Nagar or anti-POSCO movements continue to struggle for years together? They strongly believe that not only another world is possible but necessary. They know it very well that they may not see the fruits of their struggle in their life time but they know that one day their future generation will live with dignity and honour. It is this faith that energises them to carry on the struggle, which their forefathers have left for them.

The poor demand justice and they are not satisfied with works of charity. They look for accompaniment and partnership in their struggle towards building an egalitarian society. The invitation for us is a call to conversion, to speak out the truth boldly and courageously; to increase the hope all around; to amplify the voice of the poor; to read the signs of the times and respond to the situation from the perspective of the poor; to join the poor in their joys, aspirations and hopes not only to contribute for their betterment but also to reenergize ourselves and be ready to travel the unravelled tough path; and to increase our faith and expand our vision.

What can we learn from the movement of the marginalized?

a. Promoting development with a human face:

The problem with capitalism is that it does not know its limits. It wants more and more and more. It is high time that we realise that Capitalism is untenable and learn to say enough is enough. So in all development efforts we need to ask development for whom and development at whose cost? The last and the least should be the centre of the development process. Development has to start from the antyodaya and reach out to sarvodaya. This world has enough for the needs of the people but not for any one’s greed. This also includes respect for nature and spirituality of stewardship.

b. Ensuring State accountability:

Increasingly the state is seen as upholding and serving the sectoral interest, namely the market, often at the cost of its own citizens. The state in conjunction with market forces has considerably reduced the service space. This process has to be reversed. If there is no state there is no citizenship. The primary function of the welfare state is to ensure that its citizens can access and afford to basic services like education, health, transportation, employment and other basic necessities of life. Down the years India has considerably reduced its budget allocation to service sector and privatised the basic services. Obviously the rich and the neo-middle class, the beneficiaries of globalisation, do not need the state for their well-being. But the poor have no other go except to depend on the state for their survival and to realize their citizenship rights. The state is expected to be responsible, responsive, transparent and accountable. There had been attempts in India making the state responsible and responsive. The emergence of pro-people legislations like Right to Information Act 2005 and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 are clearly the outcome of prolonged battle by the civil society groups. The civil society organizations have to ensure that this dialectical process is taken to its logical end.

c. Building movement-base to expand rights space:

The challenge is to build rights realised communities. Towards this end we need to consciously move from charity-based and developmental-based towards movement-based approach. Mass mobilisation, organisation of people on theme based or issue based to assert their rights based on scientific analysis of the present day challenges and working out clear strategies and vision for the future with creative and appropriative alternatives is the need of the time. Networks, campaigns, advocacy works etc can be useful tools to expand the democratic space. At all levels, be it family, work place, institutions etc we need to consciously develop Human Rights Culture.

d. Promoting Ethical Market, Responsible State, Enlightened Civil Society:

‘Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity; it is an act of justice. It is the protection of fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life’. This was the message of Nelson Mandela from Johannesburg on the occasion of ‘Making Poverty History’ a world wide campaign that took place in the first weekend of July 2005. To achieve this end all three main stakeholders – market, state and civil society – have to clearly articulate the reciprocity. The current ethos is one of shrinking state, expanding market and non- assertive civil society. However, this mood is against the very grain of human society because human beings are three-in-one entities. They are at once citizens, consumers and communitarians. Citizen is the creature of the state; one cannot meaningfully think of entitlements, duties and rights of citizens without reference to a state. Market produces consumers, much of their needs and aspirations are created and sustained by the market. Civil society prompts the emergence of communitarians, ideally the communitarian spirit of interrogation is informed altruism. If the ongoing process gains momentum, we will enter a world torn asunder between the citizen, consumer and communitarian. And this should be arrested (T.K.Oommen, 2008)

e. Building up collective responses:

The three crises that have been mentioned above have close national and international linkages. The problems of the globalised world need both local and global responses. It is said that we need to think globally and act locally. But today we need to think globally and act locally as well as globally. The local problems are the effects of global processes. So there is a need to construct national and international networks to address these problems.

6. Conclusion:

No doubt, growing poverty and unemployment, denial of human rights, looting and plundering of poor countries by rich nations and international institutions are surely breeding grounds and largely responsible for growing terrorism in the world. The youth are victims of this process. Market has to be freed from free trade to fathom fair trade. Protecting, promoting, respecting and fulfilling citizenship rights and collective rights of the marginalized and excluded have to be the paramount agenda of the state. The civil society has to get out of its set mentality and look for new answers in close interaction with market and state. It is the responsibility of market, state and civil society to build another world that is just and humane. That world is possible and necessary!

Let me conclude this presentation with the vision Fr. Kappen SJ: I dream of a society where,

• Humans will no more be estranged from nature
• The product of labour will be bond of love
• People will exercise control over the production of goods, ideas and symbols
• The greatest need of a human being will be the need for his fellow humans
• Freedom will be realized less in the production of the useful than in the creation of the beautiful
• Shaping the future collectively with concern for common good and commitment to the creation of beauty
• It is an utopia that cannot perish, will not perish; it can only degenerate or be marginalized as a temporary phenomenon

Joseph Xavier SJ

Indian Social Institute

[1] I personally prefer to use the term developing world to the traditionally called third world, since the concept for First, Second and Third world exists no more, geographically.

[2] 33 of the 41 countries identified by the World Bank as “Heavily Indebted Poor Countries” (HIPC) are in Africa

[3] Make Poverty History campaign in 2005 or Jubilee Debt Campaign were different efforts by the faith based organizations to address African debt issues.

[4] During the African Social Forum in 2007 a Jesuit companion told me, “In Congo we have huge amount of coltan mineral which is used to produce microchips of mobile phones, computers and other sophisticated electronic gadgets. But the Congolese do not have them. We do not have arms and ammunitions producing companies in Congo. But every Congolese possesses one”.

[5] Read the Human Rights Watch Report 2005. The Curse of Gold Democratic Republic of Congo. http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/congo/2005/0505gold.pdf

[6] It is a fact the finance policy of most of the African countries are determined outside the country.

[7] The major conditions of SAP were: Cut government spending; Remove subsidy; Privatize the public; Devalue local currency; Develop export oriented economy; open the door to foreign MNCs/TNCs and reduce duties and tariffs on imports.

[8] Empowerment means moving from a position of enforced powerlessness to one of power

[9] It doesn’t mean that all men are powerful or all women are powerless–only that the most powerful roles in most sectors of society are held predominantly by men, and the least powerful roles are held predominantly by women.

[10] In contrast Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen defines the core of Development as Freedom.

[11] Robert Reich in The Work of Nations says, “We are living through a transformation that will rearrange the politics and economics of the coming century”. He gives the example of a Pontiac worth about $ 10,000 in the US market: of which $3,000 goes to South Korea for routine labour and assembly operations, $1,750 to Japan for advanced components (engines, transaxles and electronics), $ 750 to West Germany for styling and design engineering, $ 400 to Taiwan, Singapore and Japan for small components, $ 250 to Britain for advertising and marketing services, and about $ 50 to Ireland and Barbados for data processing. The rest, less than $ 4,000 goes to strategists in Detroit, lawyers and bankers in New York, lobbyists in Washington, insurance and health care workers all over the country, and General Motors shareholders – most of whom live in the United States, but an increasing number of whom are foreign nationals. In the recent past in the name of outsourcing the developed nations have managed to further exploit the skills and talents of the people in the developing nations for a paltry sum. The people in the developing countries, due to shrinking job markets locally get employed in these jobs under tough labour conditions not even knowing for whom they work. The exploitation is more and more invisible.

[12] As per the recent data about 93% of the workers are engaged in unorganized sector and the organized sector had been shrinking every year.

[13] In the past the formation of social action groups, people’s movements and civil liberties associations drew much inspiration from Marxism, basically using the class analysis as a way to understand the socio-political processes. To that extent the civil society groups developed a liking for leftist ideology, sometimes even uncritically. In India, for long, more than home grown ideologies like Gandhism or Ambedkarism, it was class analysis which dominated the thought pattern of the civil society groups. Much later when the class analyst Marxists of India bracketed caste and refused to incorporate caste into the analytic framework, the civil society groups looked for an answer outside the class analysis.

Recent red developments, particularly in West Bengal, have raised critical and uncomfortable questions leading to rupture in the ideological relationship between civil society groups and the ideologues of left political parties. One of the major achievements of the people’s struggles at Nandigram is that it has exposed the Indian Marxists and growing contradictions within their ideological discourse. The blood of the innocents of Nandigram has also created a ‘sense of shame’ among the true Marxists who still work beyond the party lines, but within the ambit of the civil society institutions. The statement by veteran Marxist and the politburo member Mr. Jyoti Basu was a clear indication of evaporation of Marxism from Indian Marxists. “Socialism is not possible now; we have spoken about building classless society, but that was a long time ago. Socialism is our political agenda and was mentioned in our party document, but capitalism will continue to be the compulsion of the future” (Indian Express Jan 6, 2008). Following this Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya also commented that there was no need for any political interference in the process of industrialization. Later, almost as an after thought, Mr. Jyoti Basu said, “We also should safeguard worker’s interests” (The Hindu Jan 6, 2008).

[14] The leaders of Narmada Bachav Andolan, Anti-Posco Movement or people who fought against Nandigram and Singur were often termed as anti-nationals.

Is it a good idea for Mfone to advertise their service with children using the phones. I mean, are children in danger or is it good if they are encouraged to use the phones from the very young ages. I think they should not involve much in these kinds of stuff. It seems that other young children can be amused by this spot.​ (Please watch its TV spot or listen to Radio spot for more idea).

They will be likely to ask their parents to buy phones for them and whom are they going to call? What if they are cheated by other people? Why don’t they use the adult in their spot?

Please involve in this discussion to make me more comfortable. Those who are specialized in children’s matters should explain here.

Personal View by MPS

Read related article HERE

Here are some of the photos from The International Youth Encounter, May 2009, Tamilnadu, India.

(Left) Sally Rousset–co-organizer, DCLI, France

Mr. Sushovan Dhar, One of our great Speakers, India dhar.sushovan@gmail.com

Group photo with some of the participants, SWATE Women’s Bank Complex

Some of the participants during a cultural performance by a team of AREDS AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAM A team of AREDS AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

A bridge in Trichy

The night before the first group of participants left AREDS

(From Left) CHHIT Muny, Youth for Peace, Cambodia; BIZ MARTINS Renato, YMCA of São Paulo, Brazil; [ACHARYA Debaki, PAUDEL Tilottam, DHAKAL Radha], Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal (JCYCN), Nepal; me

(Right) BHATTARAI Sushil, JCYCN, Nepal

Volunteers acting during the playback theater

During gift giving by Napali friends

At the end of the playback theatre

(Left) TYMAL, Frantisek, ADEPTTs, Czech Republic

Fried Cake from Tamil. Look delicious?

(left) HERLIANA, Invani, Yayasan Pondok Rakyat (People’s Shelter Foundation), Indonesia and Rebeca, India

Group Photo while celebrating Fatima’s Birthday.

BENAISSA, Selim, Movement pour la Coopération Internationale (MCI), Switzerland and me acting during the playback theater.

(from left) PARK Gah-ye, Diplomacy & Trade Institute, South Korea; LINTANG, Fatima, Young Advocates for Peace and Solidarity (YAPS), Incorporated, Mindanao, Philippines; and LAVANDERO Charity Care, Alliance of Mindanao Youth for Peace, Philippines.

If anyone of us find that I have made spelling error of each participant’s name, please kindly leave your comments here or send me e-mail. I still cannot remember some names and their details for Rebeca, and some of her friends. I am adding more photos, so please help me correct any mistakes on the photo captions.

By MPS, Cambodia.

Life of a Google Query

Source: Google.com

I wish you all a fulfilled Khmer New Year. May all your GOOD DREAMS come true.

Enjoy your blessing New Year’s Days!

Best Wishes,

Mao Piseth
Blog Author

WHY SHOULD I VOTE EARTH?

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

Please read more HERE!

For details of each symbol and related information, read HERE!

First click on Start button and type CMD in Run box then press Ok button to display the windows command prompt.

Now type the command “attrib +s +h D:\Data” without quotation marks and press Enter button to execute it.

This command will hide your “Data” folder from D drive and now you can verify it.

Any one cannot unhide this folder using windows “Show hidden files and folders” option also.

When you want to unhide this folder, again open command prompt and type the command “attrib -s -h D:\Data” and press Enter button. If you want to hide files then simply move all these files to this “Data” folder.

This is a story of a crime that happened in a room. There were five friends sharing a room. Their names were Nobody, Somebody, Crazy, Brain, and Stupid. One day, Nobody killed Somebody. At the time, Brain was in the bathroom. Then Crazy called the police.

Don’t get me wrong!

BY MPS

Original Story: Sms sent to me by a friend of mine. His name is Vuthy, but I am not sure if the original sms is composed by him.

DO YOU CARE ENOUGH FOR YOUR EYES?

Most of our work is done on computers, and there is usually no escape from it. It is a visually intensive task and, unfortunately, our work pressure and lifestyles do not give us the opportunity to be kind to our eyes.

I. KNOW YOUR EYES

Tears: The first line of defense, they also serve as lubrication by keeping the eyes moist and nourished; they also have a corrective lens function. Eyelids: Their main job is to protect your eyes from dirt, dust and harsh light.

Eyelashes: A protective net for your eyes.

Cornea: A refractive zone that guides light to reach the retina.

Pupil: Controls the amount of light that enters your eyes.

Lens: A refractive zone that also guides light into the retina.

Retina and Optic Nerve: A bunch of intricate wiring that carries vision signals between your brain and eyes.

II. EXERCISE YOUR EYES

Dr Harish S Belvi, a practicing ophthalmologist (eye specialist) based in Mumbai, says that regular work hours should be infused with short breaks. During such breaks, he suggests a small and easy exercise: “First, blink your eyes several times. While you keep your eyes closed, roll your eyeballs both clockwise and anticlockwise and take a deep breath. Gradually open your eyes while releasing your breath. This exercise lasts for a minute and you can repeat it three times before getting back to work.” It serves as a good workout for the eyes.

III. LOOK AWAY

While working for long hours, look at distant objects either in your office or outside. Looking at a distant object and then returning to your task helps your eyes focus better. Try taking such visual breaks for about five to 10 minutes every hour.

IV. PALMING

Sit straight at your workstation and rub your palms against each other till you feel them warm. The warmth of your palms helps soothe and relax tired eyes. Then, lightly cup your eyes with your palms and relax for 60 seconds. Count the seconds in your mind. Repeat this exercise two to three times whenever your eyes feel tired, or as often as you want. While palming, you can either rest your elbows on your desk or keep away from the desk and cup your eyes. Both ways are fine.

V. SPLASH WATER ON YOUR FACE

During breaks, splash water on your face while closing your eyes. This has an overall relaxing effect and helps you feel refreshed.

VI. TAKE A WALK

After you’re done with lunch, take a stroll outside your office for a few minutes. This will give your eyes a much-needed break and get them some fresh air.

VII. USE TEA BAGS

Keep two used tea bags in the refrigerator before you leave for work. Once you are home, place the tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes as you relax. This not only soothes tired eyes, but also reduces puffiness.

VIII. DRINK WATER

Drink plenty of water. It helps reduce puffiness. When a person is dehydrated, especially in an air-conditioned office, the body starts storing water as a defense mechanism. This adds to puffiness around the eyes.

IX. EAT HEALTHY

Incorporate Vitamins A, C, and E on a daily basis; eat citrus fruits, green leafy veggies, tomatoes, spinach, poultry and dairy products. Pack a box of chopped carrots, cucumber and fresh fruits and munch in-between meals at the office.

X. KNOW YOUR CONTACT LENSES

“Ideally, a person who uses lenses should wear it for not more than 10-12 hours a day and occasionally for 14 hours a day,” suggests Dr Belvi.

Never wear your contact lenses while swimming. The pool water houses various micro-organisms as there are several people using it. This may lead to fungal infections in the eyes. In addition, the chlorine in the water can damage your contact lenses.

“Lenses are like sponge, making them susceptible to attracting dirt,” says Dr Belvi.

XI. EYE DOS AND DON’TS

Visit your doctor

One should ideally visit their ophthalmologist once a year, but if there is a problem with your eyes, visit sooner,” suggests Dr Belvi.

In addition, before buying an eye-care product such as eye drops, always check the expiry date and don’t forget to check the prescription. It is always advisable to visit your ophthalmologist prior to visiting your optician. Remember, your ophthalmologist is trained to detect several other eye related diseases, apart from the reading of your eye power.

Wear antiglare glasses while driving or at work

“Antiglare glasses are mainly used for focused light – such as full beam car headlights – and serve well for night driving. These can also be used while working on the computer,” says Dr Belvi.

Using a pair of antiglare glasses while working on a computer can reduce the strain on the eyes to a certain extent. If you wear contact lenses, wear a pair of zero powered antiglare glasses for the same purpose.

Use re-wetting eye drops

An office environment that is predominantly air-conditioned, coupled with a computer intensive job, this is the perfect combination for dry eyes. In such cases, you can use re-wetting eye drops to give relief to your eyes. Why? “When dry eyes occur, the aim is to get the tears back into our eyes – whether it is naturally (by simple blinking exercises), or artificially (if the problem aggravates),” says Dr Belvi. “Re-wetting eye drops have a similar in composition to natural tears. One should go for eye drops that do not have any preservatives. Eye drops with preservatives are toxic to the eyes in the long run. You can use re-wetting eye drops as and when required, but preferably span it to a minimum of four to six times a day. If the problem persists, visit your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.”The two most commonly used preservatives in all eye drops are Benz Alkonium Chloride and Chlorbutol. Read the contents of the bottle carefully and avoid eye drops with these preservatives.

Reduce your smoking and alcohol intake “Smoking and alcohol consumption (either alone or combined) causes irreversible optic nerve damage. As both nicotine and alcohol are nerve toxins, they affect the nerves in the long run. Over a period of time, this can lead to poor or weak eyesight,” warns Dr Belvi. Never rub your eyes

If dirt enters your eyes, do not rub as this may cause the dirt to stick inside. “Blink several times to start your tears flowing; this will help flush out the dirt,” advises Dr Belvi. “If you rub your eyes, the dirt particle will keep disturbing your vision and irritate your eyes. In such cases, seek your ophthalmologist’s help immediately.”

Quick tips for eye care

Shelf life

Preservative-free re-wetting eye drops have a shelf life of about a year, if the seal is unopened. Those with preservatives last around two years, if unopened.

Discard

All eye drops should be discarded within a month after opening their seals. Once opened, the medicinal properties tend to deteriorate due to exposure to the external atmosphere, making it unsuitable for your eyes.

Protective eye gear

While driving, wear protective eye gear – especially if you are wearing contact lenses (for night driving) or sunglasses with UV protection (for day driving). Make sure the gear covers the sides of your eyes as well.

Being healthy is a personal choice and one has to work hard at it. A balanced diet, regular sleep habits, a balance between work and rest, ad exercises – all play a vital role in restoring our health and helping us maintain our eyesight.

Sorry for losing the source of this article. Should the author read this, please kindly leave me a comment.

Do you know all English Prepositions?
There will be no one who dares to say <<YES>>.

Here is a list of most English prepositions:

• aboard
• about
• above
• absent
• according to
• across
• after (This one can also be a subordinating conjunction . In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).
• against
• ahead of
• all over
• along
• alongside
• amid or amidst
• among
• around
• as (This one can also be asubordinatingconjunction. In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).

• as of
• as to
• as + ADVERB OF TIME + as
• as early as
• as late as
• as often as
• as much as
• as many as, etc.
• aside
• astride
• at
• away from
• bar
• barring
• because of
• before (This one can also be asubordinatingconjunction. In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).
• behind
• below
• beneath
• beside
• besides
• between
• beyond
• but
• by
• by the time of
• circa
• close by
• close to
• concerning
• considering
• despite
• down
• due to
• during
• except
• except for
• excepting
• excluding
• failing
• for (This one can also be asubordinatingconjunction. In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).
• for all (this means despite)
• from
• given
• in
• in between
• in front of
• in keeping with
• in place of
• in spite of
• in view of
• including
• inside
• instead of
• into
• less
• like
• minus
• near
• near to
• next to
• notwithstanding
• of
• off
• on
• on top of
• onto
• opposite
• other than
• out
• out of
• outside
• over
• past
• pending
• per
• plus
• regarding
• respecting
• round
• save
• saving
• similar to
• since (This one can also be asubordinatingconjunction. In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).
• than
• thanks to (this means because of)
• through
• throughout
• till
• to
• toward or towards (both forms are correct, but toward is considered slightly more formal)
  under
• underneath
• unlike
• until (This one can also be asubordinatingconjunction. In other words, it can be followed by a noun or a sentence, depending on the meaning).
• unto
• up
• upon
• up to
• versus
• via
• wanting
• with
• within
• without

If you know some other prepositions, please let me know. That would be highly appreciated.

The allegory of the Frog

Once upon a time there was a race by frogs. The goal was to reach the top of a high tower.

All animas gathered to see and support them. The race began.

In reality, other animals probably didn’t believe that it was possible that the frogs could reach the top of the tower, and all the phrases that one could hear were of this kind :

• “What pain !!!
• They’ll never make it!”

The frogs began to resign, except for one who kept on climbing

The animals surounding continued :

• “What pain !!!
• They’ll never make it!…”

And the frogs admitted defeat, except for the frog who continued to insist.

At the end, all the frogs quit, except the one who, alone and with an enormous effort, reached the top of the tower. The others wanted to know how he did it.

One of them approached him to ask how he had done it – to finish the race, and discovered that he…was deaf!

THE LESSON FOR LIFE IS_______________

• Never listen to people who have the bad habit of being negative because they steal the best aspirations of your heart!
• Always remind yourself of the power of the words that we hear or read. That’s why, you always have to think positive

While reading, you will encounter error in the rule stated as they are purposely made to help you understand more practically. These are very good tips I must confess. You must try to understand each of the rules. However, it will be of no surprise for those who have already learned this.

LIZ and John Soars, New Headway Advanced Student’s Book,
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

I take it you already know
Of tough and bought and cough and dough.
Others may stumble but not you,
On thorough, plough, enough and though
Well done! And now you wish perhaps
To learn of less familiar traps.

Beware of heard: a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead: it’s said like bed not dead
For goodness sake don’t call it deed.
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt)

And here is not a match for there,
Nor dear and fear, for bear and pear.
And then there is dose and rose and lose-
Just look them up-and goose and choose
And cork and work and card and ward
And font and front and word and sword
And do and go, then thwart and cart,
Come, come! I’ve hardly made a start.

A dreadful language? Why man alive!
I’d mastered it when I was five.
And yet to write, the more Í ‘tried,
I had not learned at fifty-five.

LIZ and John Soars, New Headway Advanced Student’s Book,
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS