Myanmar, Covid on ASEAN agenda
THE ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers concurred on the urgency to intensify ASEAN’s joint efforts to successfully implement the agreed initiatives and measures to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and recover from its socio-economic impact, according to a press release.
At the invitation of his Bruneian counterpart Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn took part in an informal ASEAN ministerial meeting held on March 2 via video link.
According to the foreign affairs ministry’s press release, the ministers had an extensive in-depth “heart-to-heart” discussion on the ASEAN’s progress, how to strengthen and expand the group’s external relations, and the need to consolidate centrality in the evolving regional architecture.
“Ministers also concurred on the urgency to intensify the ASEAN’s joint efforts to successfully implement the agreed initiatives and measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and recover from its
socio-economic impact,” the press release stated.
ASEAN ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern, including current developments in Myanmar.
Cambodian Institute for Democracy’s president Pa Chanroeun said that ASEAN has a common motto: one community, one destiny. But this motto is just rhetoric, with the group not yet implementing its vision and motto.
“In connection with caring and helping each other during difficult times, including the
world as well the region facing the Covid-19 pandemic and the political unrest in Myanmar [Burma], ASEAN countries adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of its members,” Chanroeun said.
Chanroeun believes that violence and human rights abuses and the democratic process in the region should be priority issues for the group because all members are signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Violence, injustice and the decline of the democratic process in Burma [Myanmar] are a threat to the democratic process and people’s well-being of countries in the region. ASEAN members must find ways to stop it. Violence has lead to deaths in Myanmar,” he said.
Kin Phea, the director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, said that ASEAN countries are facing many issues in the region and the world, especially Covid-19 crisis.
He added Cambodia’s standpoint is to adhere to the principles of multilateralism, because this issue cannot be solved by a single country and requires joint cooperation.
“Covid-19 and economic recovery, in addition to relying on the principles of multilateralism, requires Cambodia to put in place its own measures, such as social and economic protection policies, health measures and public wellbeing is to be promoted and continued.” Phea said.
Phea said in connection to the current situation in Myanmar, Cambodia still adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member countries. But even wanting to be involved or not, the solution requires one common voice.
CATTLE in Kampong Chhnang and Kratie have been dying from disease over the past two weeks and livestock officials have now confirmed that the deaths were caused by both foot-andmouth disease and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV).
BVDV is more commonly known in Cambodia by its Khmer name, which translates to “watery disease”.
Ket Saroeun, the head of the Kratie provincial Veterinary Office, told The Post on March 3 that after reports of a series of cattle deaths were received from the people living in Sambor district’s Kampong Cham commune, he urged the village veterinary agency to investigate and assist with saving the remaining cattle.
“After testing was done by our veterinary agency it was determined that the cattle had died of foot-and-mouth disease and [BVDV],” he said.
According to Saroeun, foot-and-mouth disease and [BVDV] may cause cattle to die when no treatment is provided or the cattle are malnourished. He said the best way to prevent either illness was vaccination.
Saroeun said he conducted his investigation not only by testing samples from the dead cattle but also by interviewing the cattle’s owners and by
observing the cattle’s symptoms which included ulcers on their toenails and sores in their mouths for some – indicating foot-and-mouth disease – and bloating and a stiff neck for others, a tell-tale symptom of BVDV.
Saroeun said these diseases are common in cattle that are not vaccinated and are then allowed to forage for food on their own.
He said that on February
26, eight cows had died near a pond at a cashew plantation in Kampong Cham commune’s Yeav village. The carcasses of those animals also had black toenails and sores in their mouths and some had abnormal bloating.
Yoeun Pinea, 30, a farmer in Yeav village, confirmed that two bulls also fell ill and died. He said in mid-2019 he had vaccinated the bulls against these diseases and that he let them graze with the villagers’ herds because he was busy working on construction.
“I didn’t think that they could get infected by footand-mouth disease from the villagers’ herd because I had already had them vaccinated,” he said.
According to the data obtained from the Kratie provincial livestock office, about 60,000 of the nearly 100,000 cattle in the province get free vaccinations against both of these diseases every year but neither of the vaccines provides permanent protection from the diseases and the animals must be revaccinated every six months to one year.
Kampong Chhnang province also had a series of cattle deaths two weeks ago, but after the village veterinary agency advised that all cattle be kept indoors in barns for a period of time to stop new infections, the problem had abated and there are currently no reports from residents there on this issue, according to Kreung Sam Ath, the head of Kampong Chhnang provincial Veterinary office on March 3.
Sam Ath said that on February 17 in Bra Snoeb and Banteay Preal communes of Rolea Ba’ier district, a total of 13 cattle fell ill and died in quick succession.
“Inspection of those animals revealed that their deaths were caused by foot-and-mouth disease and [BVDV], because in addition to the blisters in the mouth and toenails they also had symptoms of bloating and stiff necks,” he confirmed.
According to Sam Ath, throughout Kampong Chhnang there are 200,000 cattle total but only 70,000 of them are vaccinated per year because vaccine supplies for either disease are limited.