Commentary: Why Countries internationally known to be infested with terrorists and terrorist financing activities have better rankings than that of Cambodia?
Commentary:
The Basel Institute on Governance (BIG) Report:
Why
Countries internationally known to be infested with terrorists and terrorist
financing activities have better rankings than that of Cambodia?
The Phnom Penh Post, 10 May 2012, page 5 under the
title: “Cambodia ‘ripe’ for money laundering” by Bridget Di Certo presumably
expanded the Basel Institute on Governance (BIG) recent report on money
laundering and terrorist financing in Cambodia from “highest risk level” to
“‘ripe’ for”, and in so doing the reporter Bridget Di Certo implied a
degree of certainty in money laundering and terrorist financing activities in
Cambodia, which is said in the Basel report to be standing as the “third
highest risk country” after Iran, which is the first highest risk country and
another country among Kenya,
Haiti, and Tajikistan, taking second place.
On the
other hand the same report in the Phnom Penh Post, Khmer language, on the same
date, on page 3 with the collaboration of Chhay Channida wildly accused and
strongly asserted on its title that “Cambodia is infested with money
laundering activities,” to be elaborated in its introduction saying that
Cambodia is infested with money laundering and terrorist financing activities.
In about three weeks before the communal election in Cambodia, the false
interpretation of the Basel report by Bridget Di Certo and Chhay Channida in
the Khmer language of the Phnom Penh Post seemed to be intentionally feeding
into the campaign of intoxication mounted against the Royal Government of
Cambodia and the Cambodian People’s Party but favoring other political parties.
If Bridget
Di Certo and Chhay Channida stand by their story in Khmer language they had the
obligation to expose those activities for public knowledge,
otherwise they are excessively out of the line in their reporting of the Basel
report. The intention to tarnish the reputation of the Royal Government of
Cambodia (RGC) is too much too obvious to ignore. In the latter case, a
correction is warranted, at least, and at best a correction and an apology are
required. The Phnom Penh Post should be in the position to know that:
1. Cambodia has for many years a Law on Money Laundering;
2. The Cambodian Government has a strong structure and
mechanism to Counter Terrorist Act headed by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime
Minister;
3. The Cambodian Government has so far successfully fought
terrorism through its Prevention Strategy.
It is to be noted that the Basel report itself had
conceded that “corruption
and money laundering are secretive activities by nature, ‘so there’s always a
huge challenge in finding out what the actual extent of the damage of money
laundering is’.”
Despite
the fact that the resulting scores by country are derived from 15 publicly
available indicators, the risk level is not necessary a scientific indication
that money laundering and terrorist financing activities exist or will take
place in accordance with the country ranking shown in the Basel report. A high
risk country by the Basel report ranking is not indicative that money
laundering and terrorist financial activities exist or due to happen. A low
risk country by the Basel report ranking is not indicative that money
laundering and terrorist activities do not exist or not due to happen. Without
any further elaboration, as it is happening in recent past as well as in the
present in many countries (without having to name them), small scale money
launderings are visible, and large scale money launderings are traceable, while
terrorist activities make front page and flash on TV screen in the morning,
during the day and at night. Actually, responsible developed and developing governments
have integrated financial and political mechanisms to trace money laundering to
terrorists and terrorist affiliated groups. Only irresponsible people and
organizations tend to exaggerate their capabilities with false interpretation,
and malicious accusation.
Due to the
fact that the RGC is successful in cooperating with the international
community, especially the US in clamming down and preventing terrorist
activities within her border, it is seen that “this” Basel report lack
objectivity as far as Cambodia is concerned. It would be fair and reasonable if
ranking of scores of terrorist criminal activities are published side by side
with “this” Basel ranking.
How come
in this Basel Institute on Governance report, countries that are fomenting
terrorist criminal activities, harboring foreign terrorists, and turning blind
eyes to terrorist financing activities, small and large scale have their
ranking better than that of Cambodia?
11 May
2012
Prof. Pen
Ngoeun
Advisor to
the University of Puthisastra
Hand
phones: 855 97 70 116 70
Email: ngoeuncom@yahoo.com