Are the times a changin'?

The New Year has arrived and Cambodia is heading into the Year of the Pig (a reference to the Chinese Lunar Calendar rather than a campaign to promote the welfare of Cambodian livestock).

But what significant changes took place during 2006 (The Year of the Dog, in case you were wondering) and how might these changes affect the future of the country during 2007?

Below is a glimpse of Cambodia now and where it might be headed in the next twelve months:

Agriculture - The rains came down in 2006, leaving Cambodia with a bumper rice and vegetable crop. This was good news for the subsistence farmers who make up around 65% of Cambodia's population. It also bodes well for Cambodia's gross domestic product (GDP), which relies heavily on the export of rice to neighbouring countries. But many challenges still face the Cambodian countryside as increasing numbers of young people head to urban centres to look for employment and more crops become financially unviable due to cheaper Vietnamese products that flood the local markets.

Tourism - Cambodia is now firmly established on the south-east Asian tourist trail, for backpackers, tour groups and families. An estimated 1.7m people visited Cambodia in 2006, an increase of over half a million tourists. Almost all of them flocked to the now world-famous Angkor Temples (vote for them to become one of the New Seven Wonders of the World - www.new7wonders.com). The challenge in 2007 will be how to preserve these magnificent structures and ensure that tourism in both Angkor and other parts of the country is good news for the environment and the local people.

Human Rights - For those concerned about human rights in Cambodia, 2006 was not a good year. Following pressure from the Cambodian Government, the UN Human Rights Office closed down, with the departing UN Human Rights Envoy claiming that human rights were being "violated on a systematic scale" by the Cambodian Government. Illegal land seizures, imprisonement of political opponents and heavy-handed tactics to break-up peaceful demonstrations have all grabbed the headlines in Cambodia during 2006 but made little impact on the outside world. The big question for 2007 is whether Cambodia's seeming gradual march towards dictatorship will attract the attention of the world's powerbrokers or whether it will lead to more Cambodians being denied their basic human rights.

Corruption - As with many other developing countries, Cambodia has a seemingly immovable albatross in the form of widespread corruption. Whether going to school, seeing the Doctor, driving around the city or trying to find a job - corruption is a daily facet of life for most Cambodians. In 2006, Cambodia slipped several places in the Transparency International Corruption Index to number 151 out of 163 countries - not good. The Government has been stalling on a UN-backed anti-corruption law for over two years now. The tide may begin to turn in 2007 if this bill is passed but we are still a long way from a corruption-free Cambodia.

Church - Since religious freedoms were formally re-introduced in 1993, the Church in Cambodia has gradually grown to encompass an estimated 2.5% of the population. This growth has been particularly significant amongst young Khmers who are feeling less obligated to belief the traditional beliefs of their ancestors. What 2007 holds for the Cambodian Church will depend on its response to the following issues: a lack of strong, Biblical church leadership; a lack of unity amongst different churches and denominations; and financial difficulties facing almost every church, as most consist of relatively poor people who struggle to pay for the rent of a building or the employing of a full-time pastor.

Youth - When looking for signs of hope for the future, look no further than Cambodia's youth. With 55% of the population currently under-20, the potential for change in Cambodia is enormous as this large portion of the popultion matures into adulthood. 2006 saw an increasing 'westernisation' amongst young people, particularly in the cities, and the challenge for 2007 will be whether the emerging young 'leaders' will be able to shape the country in a way that is open and progressive but also respectful of their history and rich cultural traditions.

So, what does 2007 hold for Cambodia? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind (had to get another Bob Dylan line in there somewhere). One thing we know for sure, we are determined to be a part of this wind of change - seeing God's Kingdome come and His will being done in this nation during the coming year.