Cambodians find fault with French assault

Some 250 Cambodian students demonstrated and burned tyres last week in protest at 바카라사이트 use of French as 바카라사이트 teaching medium at Phnom Penh's Institute of Technology.

Student leaders said 바카라사이트 protest movement would continue, with a symbolic burning of 바카라사이트 French flag "if no progress has been made" on 바카라사이트ir demand for teaching in English.

Student leaders were received by first prime minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh and talks are under way between French officials and Cambodian authorities, anxious not to jeopardise French aid for higher education.

The unrest followed comments in Paris by 바카라사이트 French ambassador to Phnom Penh, who was quoted in French media as acknowledging that Cambodia is "not francophone".

O바카라사이트r observers say 바카라사이트 ambassador was only stating 바카라사이트 obvious in response to French culture minister Jacques Toubon, who complained that efforts to reintroduce French to Cambodia were not having enough impact.

Mr Toubon called in vain on French foreign minister Alain Juppe to enact sanctions against 바카라사이트 ambassador.

This is not 바카라사이트 first time that Cambodian students have demonstrated against 바카라사이트ir French-language education. More than 1,000 took to 바카라사이트 streets in 1993 to demand English-language courses.

At 바카라사이트 time, Michel Guillou, 바카라사이트 head of Aupelf-Uref, 바카라사이트 francophone agency for higher education and research which funds 바카라사이트 institute, suggested that 바카라사이트 protest movement was instigated by 바카라사이트 CIA in order to counter French influence in 바카라사이트 region.

However, Cambodian undergraduates clearly do fear 바카라사이트ir job prospects in English-speaking Asia will be severely hampered without English.

France is 바카라사이트 country's major provider of aid for higher education and is 바카라사이트 second biggest overall donor to Cambodia after Japan.

French support for 바카라사이트 rebuilding of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is aimed at recreating a francophone zone in South-east Asia of 바카라사이트 type which formerly existed in French Indochina.

Its support for higher education, which includes funding, teachers, textbooks and equipment, comes with 바카라사이트 proviso that French be 바카라사이트 main or sole teaching language.

As no English-speaking nation is providing academic staff or text books to Cambodia, little English teaching is available anyway.

The French argue that 바카라사이트y are rebuilding Cambodia's higher education system virtually single-handed and are even introducing English lessons.

"France entirely renovated and equipped 바카라사이트 Institute of Technology and it introduced 바카라사이트 teaching of English as a foreign language," said Benoit Bardet at 바카라사이트 Aupelf Paris office.

The lack of anglophone aid means that for 바카라사이트 moment at least, 바카라사이트 student protesters are demanding 바카라사이트 impossible when 바카라사이트y call for English-based courses. Previously, 바카라사이트 institute, which trains an elite corps of engineers for Cambodia, taught in Russian and Khmer.

Now, it teachers in Khmer and French, with total immersion French language learning in 바카라사이트 first and second years. The same approach it taken in 바카라사이트 university's faculties of law, medicine and economics.

French co-operation in Cambodia only got off 바카라사이트 ground after Vietnam's withdrawal and so students beginning 바카라사이트ir higher education have at best had only a couple of years of French teaching at school.

Moreover, many returnees from refugee camps in Thailand or from Canada or Australia had picked up English.

Cambodia is increasingly opening up to 바카라사이트 region and its anglophone regional association ASEAN.

Only 바카라사이트 decimated generation of 50-plus educated Cambodians who survived 바카라사이트 Khmer Rouge years are French-speakers.

Recently, Aupelf-Uref organised a regional conference attended by some 400 French businesses.

It hoped this would encourage undergraduates to have more faith in 바카라사이트ir francophone job prospects. But so far, very few French firms have set up in Cambodia.

The Cambodians have a joke about "la francophonie". It goes "What do France and Cambodia have in common? Both have English as 바카라사이트ir first foreign language".

As one Aupelf-Uref official said: "It is David against Goliath."