The government’s demobilization effort, which has experienced numerous delays and funding problems, has been stalled once again until 2003, government and World Bank officials said on Thursday.
The second phase of demobilization was to transfer 15,000 soldiers to civilian life beginning in January. However, due to problems with implementing Phase I of demobilization, which began in 2001 and was scheduled to demobilize fully 15,000 by the end of 2001, Phase II will be not begin “before February of [2003],” according to a World Bank statement issued Thursday.
Prince Sisowath Sirirath, co-minister of defense, confirmed on Thursday that the second phase of demobilization will be delayed until sometime in 2003. No specific date has been set yet for when the program will begin.
The demobilization effort, which was set to transfer more than 30,000 soldiers to civilian life by the end of 2002, has faced numerous setbacks.
Under the plan, demobilized soldiers are to receive $240 in cash and $1,200 of aid including motorcycles, sewing machines, food and building materials.
Recently, the government accused the World Bank of withholding funds for the $42 million program. The World Bank denied this accusation.
In the statement issued Thursday, the World Bank stated that Svay Sitha, the general secretariat for the Council of Ministers, will soon deliver a request asking the World Bank to release the funds needed for demobilization. The World Bank had pledged to provide $18.4 million on Aug 23, 2001 for the demobilization project.
“This is a high-risk project,” stated World Bank Country Director Ian Porter in the release. “We must be committed to working together to monitor this very carefully and to minimize the risks that it would not reach its objectives.”
(Additional reporting by Thet Sambath)
