It's a safe, diverse and democratic country with a high standard of health care, a low cost of living, and virtually no violent crime or stray dogs.
Or so claims the Australian Government, which plans to fly a first batch of refugees to Cambodia next week under a much criticised resettlement deal with the dirt-poor Southeast Asian nation. The first charter flight could leave Nauru as early as next Monday, according to a letter circulated among refugees this week. Those on board will receive "cash in hand", free "villa-style" housing in Phnom Penh, health insurance, help finding work and access to education and language training.
Those who follow later will receive a "different" - presumably less generous - assistance package, says the letter from the Government, which does not explain why its portrayal of Cambodia differs so radically from the advice it gives to Australian tourists heading to the country. They are warned about frequent "snatch and grab crimes against foreigners by thieves on motorcycles", sometimes leading to injuries, assaults and armed robberies, "violent clashes" between security forces and demonstrators, and "common" diseases such as tuberculosis, rabies, typhoid, hepatitis and dengue fever.
Not mentioned in the travel advice, but surely relevant to those contemplating Australia's resettlement offer, is Cambodia's shocking human rights record, which includes sending asylum-seekers and refugees back to countries from which they fled because of torture, persecution and violence.
