Cambodia in brief: October 5, 2016

Top News Government Deal With UN Hangs in the Balance Although 10 months have passed since the expiration of the government’s agreement for cooperation with the U.N.’s human rights body, an official dodged discussion of the impact the lapse was having after a meeting in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. Ex-Officials Accused of Taking Bribe A disgraced former official in Banteay Meanchey province has accused the former provincial governor and ex-agriculture minister of taking a $350,000 bribe to turn a blind eye to a fraudulent land deal now at the center of a case before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Opposition Wobbles Toward End of Boycott The opposition on Tuesday appeared to wobble toward an end to its almost five-month boycott of the National Assembly, despite having seemingly achieved no notable concessions from the ruling party. More News Police Chief Arrested for Firing AK in Dispute A commune police chief in Mondolkiri province has been arrested after being accused of threatening his wife and firing his state-issued AK-47 assault rifle during an argument at a relative’s home. Government Sets Deadline for Shutting Down Unregistered SIMs All unregistered SIM cards in Cambodia will be deactivated by November 1, giving nearly 2 million phone users less than a month to meet rules the government claims are aimed at reducing criminal activity and protecting national security. US Terror Law Helps Case Against Hun Manet, Lawyer Says Hun Manet’s U.S. legal woes will be exacerbated by a new law intended to allow victims of terrorism there to sue foreign states, according to a lawyer pursuing several cases against the lieutenant general, a claim disputed by his legal team. US Still Urging Cambodia to Broaden and Clarify Union Law The U.S. is continuing to urge the government to change and clarify key parts of a controversial trade union law that took effect in April, including an amendment to cover civil servants, the U.S.’s international labor affairs representative said on Tuesday. Voter Registrations Hit Peak On Final Day of Pchum Ben A surge in voter registrations over the Pchum Ben holiday weekend pushed totals above 40 percent of eligible voters with just under two months to go before the deadline for next year’s commune elections, the National Elections Committee (NEC) said on Tuesday. Government Considers Delay of Business Registration Fewer than half of Cambodia’s 42,000 registered businesses have met the government’s deadline for reregistering online, prompting the Ministry of Commerce to consider another extension, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Sokha to Leave Party Headquarters This Morning Deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha, holed up at his party’s headquarters since May to avoid arrest, is set to leave this morning to register to vote, according to a senior CNRP official. Soldier Nabbed for Guarding Vietnam-Bound Wood Military police arrested a soldier in Mondolkiri province on Monday night after he was found guarding a large haul of illegally logged timber that he claimed was bound for Vietnam, an official said on Tuesday. Drunken Driver Kills 1, Injures 6 in Hit-and-Run Spree An intoxicated driver speeding along National Road 5 in Banteay Meanchey province struck two motorbikes and a sedan, killing one woman and injuring six others before jumping into a river in an escape attempt, police said. Mondolkiri Teen Confesses to Murder of Sister-In-Law The brother-in-law of a Cambodian woman whose body was found by police officers patrolling along the Vietnamese border on Sunday has confessed to her murder, officials said on Tuesday. Father and Three Children Drown in Siem Reap River A man and three children drowned in the O’Tom River in Siem Reap province on Sunday after their family’s rowboat filled with water as they were collecting lotus flowers, police said on Tuesday.