美國(guó)參與其中，希望帶來(lái)成果

????美國(guó)駐柬埔寨大使威廉姆?托德上任已有一年，但僅僅只是提升了美國(guó)金融形象以及柬埔寨的出口可能性，本月早些時(shí)候還剛剛舉行了一場(chǎng)網(wǎng)絡(luò)研討會(huì)和赴美商業(yè)貿(mào)易代表團(tuán)。“我們需要重新定義柬埔寨的企業(yè)和商業(yè)形象，”他最近在《向大使提問(wèn)》(Ask the Ambassador)的網(wǎng)絡(luò)文章中這樣說(shuō)道。

????托德表示，更多的美元資金將為柬埔寨年輕人帶來(lái)更高的工資，降低他們“被販賣(mài)的可能性”。柬埔寨70%的人口不到30歲，這樣的人口結(jié)構(gòu)在美國(guó)-東盟工商理事會(huì)柬埔寨國(guó)家經(jīng)理丹尼爾?漢德森看來(lái)令人鼓舞?！叭绻阍诮疬吅痛髮W(xué)里與年輕人接觸，很多人都非常精明，比一些成人更善于此道……他們使用互聯(lián)網(wǎng)，他們傾向于閱讀國(guó)際新聞，他們渴望機(jī)會(huì)，希望能趕上亞洲其他地區(qū)。”

????對(duì)于絕大多數(shù)處于中下層勞動(dòng)者的年輕人而言，被販賣(mài)是真實(shí)存在的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)?！耙坏┤藗兡軌蛟谧约旱膰?guó)家賺一份養(yǎng)家糊口的工資，就不再需要寡廉鮮恥的中介幫助，”托德說(shuō)。他還補(bǔ)充稱(chēng)，美國(guó)參與度的上升能增加穩(wěn)定性。

????貸款機(jī)構(gòu)們警告稱(chēng)，柬埔寨的經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)可能導(dǎo)致過(guò)高的代價(jià)。鑒于服裝、旅游和農(nóng)業(yè)表現(xiàn)強(qiáng)勁，世界銀行將柬埔寨今年的GDP增速預(yù)測(cè)值從6.7%調(diào)高到了7.0%，預(yù)計(jì)通脹率為3%。但世界銀行依然拒絕向柬埔寨貸款；2011年由于暴力強(qiáng)制驅(qū)逐，世界銀行切斷了向它的貸款。銀行官員們表示，他們會(huì)等到大選塵埃落定后再考慮新的貸款計(jì)劃。

????柬埔寨需要“基礎(chǔ)公共設(shè)施，必備的醫(yī)療保健和教育服務(wù)”，才能成為一個(gè)更加安全的投資地。漢德森表示，“另外，他們還需要發(fā)展消費(fèi)者群體?！毕啾葨|盟其他透明度更高、經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)力更強(qiáng)大的鄰國(guó)，柬埔寨尚未培養(yǎng)出一個(gè)具有購(gòu)買(mǎi)力的中產(chǎn)階級(jí)。這個(gè)國(guó)家大約1/3的人口仍然處于貧困線(xiàn)以下。

????洪森宣稱(chēng)，他已將這個(gè)國(guó)家從赤貧轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)榫嚯x中等收入國(guó)家咫尺之遙的狀態(tài)。但就像很多政府管控信息，有關(guān)饑餓、就業(yè)和工資的官方數(shù)據(jù)大多與現(xiàn)實(shí)脫節(jié)。全球觀察人士稱(chēng)，柬埔寨1/3的人口營(yíng)養(yǎng)不良，更多人生長(zhǎng)發(fā)育受阻。大多數(shù)高中畢業(yè)生的最佳前景是進(jìn)入一家工廠從事高度重復(fù)性的低技能工作，每月賺70-90美元?！叭绻艹錾?，”一位使館經(jīng)濟(jì)專(zhuān)員表示，“或許有機(jī)會(huì)進(jìn)辦公室工作”，多賺10%。

????農(nóng)業(yè)工人的月工資為40美元。性服務(wù)行業(yè)的收入明顯高很多，吸引了很多男孩、女孩、男人和女人們，有些人每月收入多達(dá)500美元。柬埔寨憲法要求對(duì)性交易進(jìn)行管控，“但這些法律都沒(méi)有得到執(zhí)行，”上述使館經(jīng)濟(jì)專(zhuān)員說(shuō)?！耙虼耍瑳](méi)辦法知道究竟有多少人被迫淪為性工作者?！比素溩用闇?zhǔn)貧窮的家庭，提出幫他們養(yǎng)孩子，甚至干脆拐走。

In U.S. involvement, hope for good jobs

????After a year into the job, U.S. ambassador to Cambodia William Todd only raised the profile of American finance and export possibilities in Cambodia with a webinar and trade mission to the U.S. earlier this month. "We need to redefine Cambodia's business and commercial image," he declared in a recent Ask the Ambassador online posting.

????Todd says more American dollars will lead to higher-wage jobs for Cambodia's youth and reduce its "vulnerability to labor trafficking." With 70% of the population under the age of 30, the demographics are promising to Daniel Henderson, Cambodia Country Manager for the US-ASEAN Business Council. "If you engage with youth in Phnom Penh and at the university level, many are more worldly, more aware than a lot of adults ... they use the Internet, they're inclined to read international news, and they're hungry for opportunity and to catch up with the rest of Asia."

????For the vast majority of youth hanging from the lower rung of the workforce, falling into human trafficking is a real risk. "When people are able to earn a living wage in their home country, they do not need the help of unscrupulous brokers," Todd says, adding that a larger U.S. presence can lead to greater stability.

????Lenders caution that Cambodia's economic growth could come at too high a price. The World Bank raised its GDP growth estimate from 6.7% to 7.0% this year, given robust garment, tourism, and agriculture sectors, and forecasts inflation at 3%. But the Bank is still closed to Cambodia; it cut off loans in 2011, reacting to the violent forced evictions. Bank officials say they'll wait until after the election results settle before discussing any new loan programs.

????Cambodia needs "basic infrastructure, adequate health care, and education" to be a safer bet, says Henderson. "And they need to develop a consumer base," he adds. Compared to more transparent and economically stronger ASEAN partners, Cambodia has not cultivated a middle class with purchasing power. And roughly a third of the population falls below the poverty line.

????Hun Sen claims that he has moved the nation from abject poverty to within striking distance of middle-income status. But, like much government-sanctioned information, official data on hunger, jobs, and wages hardly reflect reality. Global monitors say a third of the population is malnourished and more have stunted growth. The best prospects for most high school graduates: work in a factory where repetitive tasks require low skills and the pay is roughly $70 to $90 a month. "If you're a rock star," says one diplomatic economic attaché, "you might work in an office" and earn 10% more.

????Farm workers can expect $40 in monthly wages. The sex industry's dramatically higher pay draws boys, girls, men, and women, with some earning as much as $500 a month. Cambodia's constitution regulates the trade, "but the laws are not being enforced," says the diplomatic attaché, "so there's no way to know how many people are enslaved as sex workers." Traffickers target poor families, offering to unburden parents by taking their children, or simply stealing them.