British to give Cambodian Muslims radios to help fight terrorism

Thu May 24, 1:52 AM ET

Britain will hand out hundreds of radios to
Cambodia's Cham Muslim minority, partly in an attempt to combat militancy among some of the country's poorest people, the British embassy said Thursday.The radio giveaway in rural Kompong Chhnang province is part of a larger effort begun last year to give Cambodian Muslims access to Cham-language programming on development, human rights, health and current affairs.But "it also helps to engage the Muslim community throughout
Cambodia and works to promote peace, democracy, human rights, and to combat terrorism," the embassy said in a statement received Thursday.Cambodian Muslims make up around one percent of the country's total population and have traditionally lived in tight-knit but poor fishing communities.While the government says it has no specific concerns that the Chams are leaning towards militancy, authorities claim to have exposed several groups plotting attacks in
Cambodia, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.Most recently, several Cambodians, including Muslims, were arrested for allegedly trying to create an armed force, while Bangkok periodically voices concerns that Cambodians are crossing the border to join the insurgency in southern
Thailand.The government has vigorously denied these accusations, saying Thai officials have never provided proof that Cambodians are involved in the troubled Thai south.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070524/wl_uk_afp/cambodiapoliticsislamminority_070524052646