After about 5 years worth of illustration work, it’s out!

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A Cambodian Guide to Defending Land and Housing Rights
Simple resources for a growing topic of concern in Cambodia. (English and Khmer)

We’re pleased to say the manual has hit the presses, with the help of the Centre for Housing Rights and Evictions. More news to follow. You can see a selection of illustrations here, or just click on the picture.

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More news to follow. It’d be great to do an exhibition of the many pictures the book contains, all by local Khmer comic artists.

Tags: cambodia,evictions,law

Y’aurais tellement de choses à vous raconter d’un coup que j’en
postillone à l’avance…
Laissez moi just’un peu reprendre mon souffle… la pendule à l’heure, les
yeux en face des trous… et, un ptit rembraillage… Car ce fut une sacrée
course… d’endurance…
En y mettant un peu de chrono-logique, je devrais peut être arriver a
vous le conter …
Bhor, fin du bail de trois ans… et la Dernière exagération avant
relocalisation…on avait bien envie de faire vibrer tout ça… puis on
avait ce projet de poubelles, pardon, d’environnement… Et puis non,
finalement …,de poubelles car aucune agence environnementale n’a eu
l’audace d’y mêler son vocabulaire… C’est donc dans une complète liberté
de goût et de couleurs que Bhor à été transformé une promenade
artistique dans l’univers du déchet et du gaspi… dans un pays ou le
recyclage est déjà totalement intégré pour cause de pauvreté…c’est ce
qui ne l’est pas qui nous intéressait, alors nous nous sommes
concentrés 15 jours sur un périmètre de 800 m autour du Bhor , et avons
collecté tout ce qui n’avait pas trouvé repreneur et qui ne puait pas
trop…… bon il faut dire aussi que la poubelle du Bhor allait aussi être
bien utile car dans un aussi grand local, et avec le nombres de projets
auxquels nous avons participé, 3 ans ça donne le temps d’avoir un sacré
stock de merdouilles qui servent toujours et de bouts de décors que ce
serait trop con de jeter …Alors nous avons raconté une histoire avec
tout ça … invitant dix jeunes de Phnom Penh musiciens et comédiens pour
la faire vivre aux visiteurs sur les trois étages de l’immeuble… pendant
trois heures tous les soirs,10 jours durant…avec bien sur le week-end
des spectacles sur la grande scène devant…
allez on va citer tout le monde,car, franchement, ils l’ont fait super
bien :
-Pô Kiou avec un spectacle crée à Bhor « rock’the’trash »
-un superbe défilé de trash fashion par les artistes de Rubbish Project de Phnom P

- les « Ceux Qui Marchent Debout » fanfare funk française invitée
par le CCF de PP

- les danseurs et comédiens de EPic Arts /Kampot

- et les fameux « Pirates du Mékong » de PP

- Okun & the tyrans (Kompong Som)

- Les M’lop Tapang Kids (Kompong Som)

Aux ficelles et bidouillages Benji assisté de Madame Pouil-pouil ,
Aux commentaires, traductions et gestions des affaires locales MC
Vanry Meth
Dans l’embrouillis des câbles son et les galères de prises elec Juan
Philip Monteiro
Aux nerfs, à la chaudière et au pilotage Bob passion…

Quand J’vous disait que c’était une sacrée aventure… 400 visiteurs dans
l’immeuble chaque soir, et on n’à pas essayé de compter dans la rue…
Voici pour le premier round ….
Je repasse pour vous compter le deuxième….dés qu’il me desserrent la
camisole…

Robot Translation below:

Y’ of a blow that I would have so much things to tell you in postillone in advance… Let to me just’ a little take again my breath… the clock per hour, the eyes opposite the holes… and, a ptit rembraillage… Because it one was crowned race… of endurance… By putting a little chronological at it, I would have can be to arrive has you to tell it… Bhor, end of lease the three years… and Last front exaggeration relocalization… one wanted well to make vibrate all that… then one had this project of dustbins, forgiveness, of environment… And then not, finally…, of dustbins because no environmental agency had audacity to mingle its vocabulary with it… It is thus in a complete freedom of taste and colors that Bhor at summer transformed a walk artistic in the universe of waste and the gaspi… in a country or it recycling is already completely integrated due to poverty… it is what is not it which interested us, then we are concentrates 15 days on a perimeter of 800 m around Bhor, and collected all that had not found transferee and who did not puait too much …… good it should be also said that the dustbin of Bhor was also going to be quite useful because in such a large room, and with the numbers of projects which we took part, 3 years that gives the time to have crowned one stock of merdouilles which is always used and as ends of decorations that it would be too idiot to throw… Alors we told a history with all that… inviting ten young people of Phnom Penh musicians and actors to make it live with the visitors on the three floors of the building… during three hours every evening, 10 days lasting… with of course the weekend spectacles on the large scene in front of… go one will quote everyone, because, frankly, they did it super well: – Po Kiou with one spectacle creates in Bhor “rock’ the’ trash” – a superb procession of trash fashion by the artists of Rubbish Project de Phnom P – “those Which Go Upright” brass band funk French guest by the CCF of PP – dancers and actors of EPic /Kampot Arts – and famous “Pirates of the Mekong” of PP – Okun & the tyrants (Kompong Som) – Me lop Tapang Kids (Kompong Som) With the strings and bidouillages Benji assisted Mrs Pouil-pouil, With the comments, translations and managements of the local businesses MC Vanry Meth In the embrouillis of the cables its and the galères of catches elec Juan Philip Monteiro With the nerves, the boiler and piloting Bob passion… When I said that it was one to you crowned ventures… 400 visitors in the building each evening, and one with step tried to count in the street… Here for the first round…. I pass by again to count the second to you….as soon as it loosen me the nightshirt…

Tags: cambodia,performance,trash,khmer

But you CAN vote for Prey Lang and Phymean Noun.
There’s a filmmaking contest on by the World Bank. And wouldn’t it be great to see more of their money go towards making socially relevant films than the usual silly development hijinks they get up to?

Jocelyn and Ben Pederick are hoping to get some dosh to turn their short ‘Prey Lang’ film into a longer version.
Go, watch, and if you like please vote:

Entry 31: Prey Lang One Forest One Future
http://go.worldbank.org/3B7UE9PJ70
Director(s): Ben Pederick, Jocelyn Pederick
Film Categories: Indigenous Peoples
Country: Cambodia
Synopsis:
“The whole of Southeast Asia was once covered in low-lying evergreen forest. Now the last large forest of this kind is in Cambodia and it’s unprotected. The indigenous Kuy people have been its custodians for countless generations. This forest is called Prey Lang.”

Meanwhile, Phymean Noun of People Improvement Organisation is up for a CNN Heroes award for her group’s work at Stung Meanchey Dump.

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/cnn.heroes/archive/phymean.noun.html

They’ve now released an (internet only?) song that talks about the growing issue of evictions in Cambodia, at http://saveboeungkak.wordpress.com.

My two cents? It may well be too late to  ‘save’ the lake, but maybe the residents can still try to get some decent compensation.

For the record, I’m not one much for activist songs, but in Cambodia, this is a rarity.  Speech about issues is much more charged and controversial in Khmer. As for the English/French press? That’s just a tiny minority of foreigners.  Donors do read it though, so it’s good to pay it lip service.

Above: Kung Nei (of Dey Krahom, also affected by evictions) does that thing he does best. Don’t miss it. http://www.youtube.com/user/themessengerband

Tags: cambodia,evictions,khmer,society,music,video

http://www.environment-week.org

Participants are a veritable who’s who, from nonprofits to businesses and student groups.

WWF
AFD and Melon Rouge
East West Management Institute
Fauna and Flora International
Indigenous Cambodian Support Organisation (ICSO)
Children at the Wat Phnom
Environment Film Festival (CCF)
Australian embassy
Bophana Center
WWF at the airport
Khmer Youth and Social Development (KYSD)
German Embassy
U.S. Embassy
Cambodia Youth for Development Society Organization (CYDSO)
Vulnerable Teenager for Help
Amok Restaurant

I’m particularly interested in the films, check out the program!

Tags: cambodia,environment,khmer