Khmer Scholars Blog

Khmer Krom: Land Must Be Returned

2007-12-18T00:48:00.000+09:00

2007-12-17
Hundreds of Khmer Krom farmers are protesting in front of government offices to demand the return of ancestral land, arguing that they do not wish to disrupt Vietnamese society but merely want Vietnam to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples. Below is a press release issued by the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation:
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) broadcasted in Khmer and in Vietnamese, there are hundreds of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom farmers gathering in front of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam office located at 210 Vo Thi Sau, Phuong 7, Quan 3, TP HCM to demand the Vietnamese authorities return their confiscated farmlands.
Some of the farmers have claimed that they have filed complaints for decades and today receive no compensation or satisfactory results from the Vietnamese officials. The Indigenous Khmer-Krom farmers have been sleeping on the streets in front of the National Assembly since Friday night [07 December 2007] (Vietnam local time).

For many of the protestors, it was a long way for them to travel from their villages to Prey Nokor (Ho Chi Minh City) because the Vietnamese authorities tried to stop them from going to file the complaints at the office of the National Assembly. This is the third time that they have been forced to go to Prey Nokor. The Vietnam authority has promised to solve the issues, but did not take any follow up actions causing yet another peaceful protest to be conducted at this moment.

Instead of returning the confiscated farmlands to the Indigenous Khmer-Krom farmers, the Vietnam authorities are accusing those innocent Khmer-Krom farmers for disturbing the Vietnamese society. Protestors have claimed that Vietnamese authorities are threatening to arrest them if they do not return back to their villages immediately.
Testifying via RFA, a female Khmer-Krom farmer has appealed to international organizations, especially the United Nations to help them because they felt that they had no rights to live on their ancestral lands. They are farmers and yet all of their lands are confiscated. For centuries, the rich fertile lands of the Mekong Delta have been an essential element for the survival of the Khmer Krom people, providing plentiful food and water. Since Vietnam’s occupation of their lands, however, hundreds of thousands are finding themselves homeless and further entrenched in poverty.

Highly frustrated with Vietnam false promises, the protesters have said via RFA that they are willing to be killed if that was what takes for Vietnamese authorities to return their rightful land. Unwilling to comprise to the wishes of the protestors, Vietnam authorities are using intimidation tactics by sending the Vietnamese soldiers to the villages of the Khmer-Krom farmers to threaten their families.

On behalf of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom voiceless farmers, we seek your help in an international cooperation to urge Vietnam to respect the Human Rights of the Khmer-Krom people, especially the right to own their ancestral lands. Since Vietnam signed the recent adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on September 13, 2007, it should show respect and implement the Article 26 of the Declaration “Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories.”

If Vietnam did in fact take serious consideration into the land confiscation issues and implements appropriate and necessary policies, protests would not be a common occurrence. The protestors are not attempting to disturb the Vietnamese society as alleged by the Vietnamese authorities. The Khmer-Krom farmers are merely use a human rights instrument to bring to the surface a hidden problem that is a massive obstacle hindering them from living a fulfilled life as embedded in the Vietnamese constitution, international declarations and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
(Source: Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation)

http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=7411

Talks Amory Lovins: We must win the oil endgame

2007-12-16T15:36:00.000+09:00

http://www.oilendgame.com/pdfs/WtOEg_Presentation.pdf

Ray Kurzweil: How technology's accelerating power will transform us

2007-12-07T01:36:00.000+09:00

Die Hard 4

2007-12-05T02:59:00.000+09:00

Cube solving program

2007-11-27T20:10:00.001+09:00

I've found the easiest way to solve your Cube's problem through this website: http://www.wrongway.org/cube/solve.html

Rubik's cube tutorial

2007-11-13T20:39:00.000+09:00

Easiest 3x3 Rubik's Cube Tutorial You Will Find - The best video clips are here

The Easiest 4x4 Rubik's Cube Tutorial - More amazing video clips are a click away

How to extract content from MSI file

2007-11-11T20:12:00.000+09:00

While there are plenty of utilities available to extract the contents of an MSI file, you can do it straight from the command line without using some third party application.

Here's how:
First, access an elevated command prompt, to do this:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click All Programs.
3. Go into Accessories.
4. Right-click on Command Prompt.
5. Select Run as administrator.
6. When the UAC Prompt appears, click Continue.

Once you have your elevated command prompt, input the following:
msiexec /a filepath to MSI file /qb TARGETDIR=filepath to target folder
using the desired locations to fill the above mentioned filepaths.
(Example: msiexec /a c:\testfile.msi /qb TARGETDIR=c:\temp\test)
Press the Enter button on your keyboard.
If you have entered the command correctly, the MSI file's contents will be extracted.

How to install .MSI files in Windows Vista

2007-11-11T20:01:00.000+09:00

One way around this is to create a small bach file that uses the msiexec.exe executable to launch the msi. When referencing the file names, you must fully qualify them.

Here's an example of one used to install the Power Tools for Team Foundation Server:
C:\Windows\System32\msiExec.exe -i
C:\Users\rternier\Documents\Downloads\tfpt.msi

Once you have a batch file (.bat) with that in it, right click it, and choose Run As Administrator.
And there you go.

Babel fish translation

2007-09-20T20:44:00.001+09:00

Language

2007-09-20T20:42:00.001+09:00

Khmer songs

2007-09-05T15:44:00.000+09:00

SopCast online TV

2007-08-21T22:51:00.000+09:00

Free online cable TV, go to http://www.sopcast.com

New feed

2007-08-21T01:08:00.000+09:00

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Favorite Songs

2007-07-08T10:48:00.001+09:00

Selected Songs

How to score high marks on the TOEFL test?

2007-06-23T00:15:00.000+09:00

How to score high marks on the TOEFL test?

This is a question millions of test candidates seek an answer to every year. Now you are one of those people. Congratulations! You have made the decision to take the most widely used English language exam for academic purposes. Your TOEFL score will be an indicator of your linguistic proficiency as well as your capability of setting and achieving goals. Doing well in the TOEFL test you can accomplish various objectives: You will boost your self-confidence, your friends, family and colleagues will look up to you and of course your career chances will increase. Research shows that your professional success — no matter what industry you work in — largely depends on your command of the English language. That's why your employer or university, your study grant organization or any other potential partner requires you to take the TOEFL test and have your language and communication skills assessed.

So, how do you get prepared for the TOEFL test? Let's examine this question and find the answers together. First of all, you should be aware of the fact that there is no short cut to a high TOEFL score — you have to earn it. Also, it's important for you to focus on the bigger picture when you prepare for the TOEFL test — you shouldn't just learn for the sake of the exam. Instead, make it your goal to gain a higher command of the English language because this is an asset you will benefit from throughout your life. When you aim at improving your communication skills on a regular basis you will be ready to take an English language test any time. As a matter of fact, every time you use your knowledge of English (listening to an audio tape, reading a newspaper article, writing an email or speaking English to another person) you pass a «mini-test» of the English language. Before you take the TOEFL or any other English language exam you have to prove to yourself that you are capable of learning English and that you know how to use the language effectively. There a lots of ways you can assess and improve your English yourself. Learning a language is a bit like practising a sport: The more you practise and train the better are your chances to gain a top position in a competition. Before we go into the details of your individual TOEFL test preparation program we should establish some fundamentals — some basic facts that are essential to your success. Let's be honest — most people don't like examinations or tests. You probably remember how you used to feel when your teacher announced yet another English test paper and you had to cram all those grammar rules into head knowing that most the information was rather useless for your future career anyway. Getting poor grades in English at school reduced your level of self-confidence. You thought that English was very complicated language to learn and that because of your test paper results you came to the conclusion that you «probably have no talent in learning languages anyway». Now, you want to study medicine, law, architecture, computer engineering or any other subject at a university in an English speaking country. Chances are your parents are supporting you financially but they also want you to «do your homework» — part of which is your preparation for the TOEFL test. When you approach this task properly you will benefit in various ways. Here is an important piece of advice for you: No matter what your grades were in English at school — you have everything you need to excel in the language. You see, your school grades were not very objective to say the least. You might have been the best English student in your class and still, if you took the TOEFL test right now your score could be way below average. On the other hand, your English grades might always have been rather MEDIOCRE but with a concentrated systematic training you can do brilliantly at the TOEFL exam. Forget about the notion that you must have «a talent for languages» to attain a high command of the English language. Do you speak your mother tongue fluently? If your answer is yes then you already know the basic principles of learning a language. All you have to do now is PUT them into practice in a more goal-oriented way. What does that mean in regards to the TOEFL test? As you know the TOEFL assesses and evaluates your ability to use English in an academic context. Here is another of the fundamental facts you have to understand when you want to prepare successfully for the TOEFL test: There is no such thing as «TOEFL vocabulary». When you search the Internet or browse your local book store you will come across hundreds of websites and at least a dozen books claiming they would teach you «essential TOEFL words» or «TOEFL phrases» etc. Be careful when you encounter such products because they might trick you into thinking that is possible to learn the «TOEFL vocabulary» by heart. This is nonsense. As we've just established, «TOEFL vocabulary» doesn't exist. Do you remember the purpose of the TOEFL test? Exactly, the TOEFL assesses and evaluates your ability to use English in an academic context. The TOEFL doesn't assess and evaluate your ability to understand or memorize TOEFL vocabulary. Once you have grasped this basic concept it will be much easier for you to score high in the actual TOEFL test. If you agree I will remind you over and over again throughout our entire course that the idea of the TOEFL test is completely different from other tests such as the one you have to pass when you want to obtain your driver's licence. With a language exam there is an unlimited number of possible test questions so it doesn't make much sense to learn certain sentences by heart. Instead, we will analyse together which language items to focus on in our TOEFL preparation program and how to learn the appropriate vocabulary and information in the most effective way.

Let's take a look at what areas of the English language are covered in the TOEFL test. As you know the TOEFL is used as an entrance exam for people who want to study at a university in an English speaking country. So, when you enrol in an academic study course your English must be sufficient to follow the program, take notes and express the main ideas. As the TOEFL test is not intended for students of a particular subject or major we have to learn the basic vocabulary of a wide range of possible topics. The following is an overview of the sciences including a brief description. When you read through text you shouldn't translate any new words in a bi-lingual dictionary. Instead, you can focus on the words you already know and guess the meaning of any new vocabulary. If you find that are a too many new words for you to understand the general meaning of the text you should use an English-English dictionary to look up some of the main key words. When you are finished reading the definitions of the sciences we'll examine some techniques that help you absorb, comprehend and memorize new vocabulary. You can then apply those methods in your further TOEFL test preparation program.

Your first step toward acquiring a general academic English vocabulary is to define the term «Science». When you search reference books and dictionaries you will find various definitions for this word — the following is taken from the Cambridge Online Dictionaries:

1. Knowledge obtained from the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, especially by observing, measuring and experimenting, and the development of theories to describe the results of these activities:
- Pure/applied science
- Recent developments in science and technology
- [Space travel is one of the marvels/wonders of modern science.]

2. A particular subject that is studied using scientific methods:
- Physical sciences
- Economics is not an exact science
- Advances in medical science

3. The study of science:
- a science graduate/teacher
- a science course/lesson

According to Napoleon Hill, «science is the art of classifying facts into categories». Now, what are these categories the facts can be classified into? Here is a concise structure of some of the sciences you can study at a modern university:

Category 1:Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Category 2:Applied Arts and Sciences

Category 3:Social Sciences and Philosophy

As you can see there are four main categories all the sciences can be divided into. Which of them is your favourite one? Maybe, we should take a closer look to see what particular sciences there are in the main categories? Here is a more detailed view: [based on Wikipedia]

Category 1 — Mathematical and Natural Sciences:
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer science
- Earth science
- Ecology
- Health science
- Mathematics
- Physics

Statistics Category 2 — Applied Arts and Sciences:
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Business
- Communication
- Education
- Engineering
- Family and consumer science
- Government
- Law
- Library and information science
- Medicine
- Politics
- Public affairs
- Software engineering
- Technology

Transport Category 3 — Social Sciences and Philosophy:
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- History of science and technology
- Language
- Linguistics
- Mythology
- Philosophy
- Political science
- Psychology
- Sociology

So, what do you think now? How many of the topics above do you know? Is your favourite subject on the list? Ir you want to prepare for the TOEFL it is vital that you take a keen interest in the themes you are familiarizing yourself with. Also, getting ready for taking the TOEFL test you can kill at least two birds with one stone: You improve your command of the English language and on top of that you obtain valuable knowledge for your further study at university or college. That's why we'll have a third go on the sciences — this time you will read the definitions we mentioned earlier. Try to take in the vocabulary because this is good TOEFL practice. Maybe, you should read one definition at a time — no need to rush yourself through these texts. Follow the «How-do-you-eat-an-elephant» principle absorbing and digesting the information and vocabulary in many small instalments rather than trying to «swallow» the entire chunk at once. You can refer to the following descriptions of the sciences often, as a matter of fact you might even use this glossary as some kind of dictionary that you use whenever you read a newspaper article or any kind of academic text.

Source: http://www.english-test.net/articles/69/index.html

Author: Torsten Daerr

IFC-FT essay competition

2007-06-13T13:14:00.000+09:00

The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group (IFC) and the Financial Times (FT) are pleased to jointly announce their second annual Essay Competition. This year's theme is "Private Sector Development: Creating Markets, Transforming Lives."The Competition is soliciting action-oriented essays that:

Provide insight into current Private Sector Development (PSD) research

Develop and support the implementation of leading-edge PSD initiatives

Strike a balance between conceptual and practical considerations for private-sector involvement in developing countries, and the effect of that involvement on development

Reflect innovative, data-supported research resulting from the author’s own professional or academic work

Target economic & financial policymakers, the international financial community and/or international domestic investors

Entries accepted: April 25, 2007 to September 30, 2007.
To enter, see Submission Procedures & Timeline

Six awards will be granted to the top papers as judged by the Awards Committee:

Gold Award US$20,000
2 Silver Awards, each US$10,000
3 Bronze Awards, each US$5,000

IFC and FT will publish all winning essays on their external websites and may provide publication in additional formats at their discretion.

Australian develpment scholarships

2007-06-08T14:36:00.000+09:00

The Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) program is the official Australian Government scholarship program for overseas students. The program is administered through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). The program is available in many developing countries, primarily in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific. The purpose of the ADS is to provide an opportunity for people to gain skills and knowledge which will contribute to the development of their country.

ADS in CambodiaThe ADS program was introduced to Cambodia in 1994 through an agreement with the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) as part of Australia's larger bilateral development cooperation program. AusAID offers approximately 20 scholarships per year to Government Officials in Cambodia.

When and how to applyThe ADS program is advertised mid-year through advertisements on television, radio and in the newspaper. Application forms are available from IDP Education Australia (IDP) within the Australian Centre for Education (ACE) in Phnom Penh and also in Siem Riep.
Government Officials who meet the selection criteria may seek counselling on study options from an IDP Counsellor. Course information is also available in handbooks and on-line from IDP's "Study in Australia" resource centre in Phnom Penh.

SelectionAn ADS selection committee assesses applications in several stages, culminating in an interview. Assessment is based on matching applications to criteria, commencing with matching the applications to technical criteria. Language testing (in two stages) is also part of the culling process.
Selection criteria:

possession of a Bachelor's degree

maximum age of 42 years

demonstration of advanced English language skills (subject to testing)

minimum work experience of three years with the RGOC

commitment to a return of service obligation of at least twice the scholarship period upon completion of studies, with the relevant Ministry

appropriate technical, academic and intellectual capacity

a strong commitment to Cambodia's public sector and the development of Cambodia in general

For more information and application form, please log to this website: http://www.idpcambodia.org/ads/index.html#Level

Latest European economic forecast 2007-2008

2007-05-24T14:04:00.000+09:00

Latest macro-economic forecast
Spring economic forecasts 2007 - 2008
(available soon as EUROPEAN ECONOMY. No. 2. 2007. Office for Official Publications of the EC. Luxembourg)

Click here for downloading the publication (pdf file 1390 kb) Press release: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2007/ee207en.pdf

Hubert H. Humphrey fellowships for 2008-2009

2007-05-15T21:08:00.000+09:00

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh is pleased to announce the recruitment of Cambodian candidates for the 2008-2009 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. The Humphrey Program brings accomplished mid-level professionals, who demonstrate strong potential for leadership, to the United States for a one-year, non-degree program of combined academic and professional training. The fellowships are granted competitively to both public and private sector candidates with a commitment to public service in the following fields:

Communications/Journalism
Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
Economic Development
Agricultural Development/Agricultural Economics
Finance and Banking
Human Resource Management
Law and Human Rights
Urban and Regional Planning
Technology Policy and Management
Educational Planning
Public Health Policy and Management

Application deadline: August 3, 2007

Application guidelines for Japanese government (Monbukagakusho) scholarships 2008

2007-05-05T19:33:00.000+09:00

Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships 2008 information has now issued by the department of scholarhsip of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia.
Cambodian candidates can look for more information at the department of scholarship sites near Apsara Television station.

Below are application guidelines for Japanese government (Monbukagakusho) scholarships 2008 for whom pass the first screaning by Ministry of Education in Cambodia.

[Research students]
Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)
Application Form (WORD)
Application Form (Attachment) (WORD)
Recommendation Form (WORD)

Field of Study and Study Program (WORD)
Certificate of Health (PDF)

[Undergraduate students]
Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)
Application Form (WORD)
Application Form (Attachment) (WORD)
Certificate of Health (PDF)

[College of technology students]
Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)

Application Form (WORD)
Majors and Related Key Terms for Fields of Study (WORD)
Certificate of Health (PDF)

[Special training college students]
Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)
Application Form (WORD)
Certificate of Health (PDF)

Qualifying Examinations for Applicants for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships 2006 - Examination Questions (All PDF files)

[Undergraduate students]
Japanese(A)* Japanese(B)* Japanese(C)* English
** Examination Questions of the undergraduate students and the research students are the same.(Japanese ver.) Mathematics(A) Mathematics(B) Physics Chemistry Biology World History(English ver.) Mathematics(A) Mathematics(B) Physics Chemistry Biology World History
[College of technology students]
Japanese(A) Japanese(B) Japanese(C)(Japanese ver.) Mathematics Physics Chemistry(English ver.) Mathematics Physics Chemistry
[Special training college students]
Japanese English(Japanese ver.) Mathematics(English ver.) Mathematics

Application Guidelines for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships 2007 (Applications now being accepted)
* The deadline of the applications differ according to the country. Please contact with Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country.
-->[Japanese studies students] Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)Application Form (WORD)Course Guide (PDF)
[Teacher training students] Application Guideline (Japanese ver./English ver.) (PDF)Application Form (WORD)Program Guide (PDF)
Qualifying Examinations for Applicants for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships 2006 - Examination Questions (PDF)[Japanese studies students]Japanese

Fulbright fellowship is about to deadline

2007-05-01T22:40:00.000+09:00

Educational Exchange
Fulbright Student Fellowships for 2008-2009

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce the opportunity to compete for 2008-2009 Fulbright Student Fellowships for graduate study in the United States leading to a Master’s degree and Ph.D. program. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to qualified candidates under the auspices of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program, subject to the availability of funding.
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress as a means “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” For more than sixty years the Fulbright Program has provided opportunities for foreign nationals to study, teach and pursue research in the U.S.
To be eligible, applicants must:
Have a strong academic background and a record of excellence in previous studies;
Have completed a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university for those applying to study in the U.S. for a Master’s degree program, or have a Master’s degree from a recognized college or university for those applying to study in the U.S. for a Ph.D. program;
Be proficient in English (minimum score of 550 on TOEFL or ITP, or 213 on computer-based TOEFL), or 80 on internet based TOEFL;
Demonstrate ability to adapt readily to a foreign environment;
Be in good health and able to undergo a rigorous study program.
Fulbright Student Fellowship grants provide round-trip transportation to the United States, as well as tuition, fees and living expenses for full-time graduate study. Grant provisions do not include financial support for dependents.

Application Instructions
Applicants who do not already have an official TOEFL score of 550 or above should plan to take the Institutional TOEFL Practice (ITP) on March 17, 2007 at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Registration for the ITP is available through the Educational Advising Center at RUPP (room 103) from Monday-Friday, with a registration deadline of March 10, 2007. The next ITP available will be April 28, 2007, with registration deadline of April 21, 2007.
Students receiving a 550 or above on the TOEFL or ITP are invited to apply for the Fulbright program online. The application and detailed instructions are available at: https://apply.embark.com/student/fulbright/international, or www.iie.org/fulbright/apps. The Fulbright Selection Committee will only accept online applications, which will be due by June 4, 2007. Applicants must submit all required supporting documents and test score reports directly to the Fulbright Committee of the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh. For further information, please contact Mr. Chau Sa at tel. 023-728248.

Welcome to Khmer Scholars blog

2007-05-01T22:13:00.000+09:00

Welcome to Khmer Scholars Blog!

We will share you the knowledge and information as much as possible...