Week 652

Cambodia Will Have a Law to Control Battery Acid in the Future – Monday, 15.2.2010

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 652

“Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia is discussing to find ways to establish a law to control battery acid, as many victims are suffering from having been attacked by acid, using acid as a weapon.

“According to a source from the Ministry of Interior, the Acid Control Committee of the Ministry of Interior organized a meeting on 12 February 2010, to discuss some resource documents to create a law for the control of battery acid, after many citizens had been victimized by acid, while some perpetrators have not been convicted for their offenses. This happens because acid is being sold openly without any proper control.

“This source added that the discussion was held with a Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Teng Savong, in the chair. Mr. Teng Savong said during the discussion that the Ministry has just received documents from various countries to be used as a basis for the discussion how to create an explicit acid control law. Meanwhile, he called on experts on the issue of acid to join in the preparation of a draft to create a law.

“Mr. Teng Savong said that the acid control law to be created relates to the checking, the uses, the distributions at markets as well as at other places, the storing, and the import and export of acid. Based on that source, that draft law follows a law from Bangladesh as the basis for further discussions.

“The Acid Control Committee discussions do not plan to deal with violence in the planned acid control law, and it is not intended to deal with criminal legislation in this draft.

“According to officials of the Ministry of Interior, the Acid Control Committee was formed by a decision of the Ministry of Interior dated 28 January 2010 and signed by the Minister of Interior, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, and there are 11 members from 11 ministries in the committee.

“The initiative to form an acid control law started after it was found that acid was available freely and openly, and that it had been used as a weapon for attacks, which resulted in many victims.

“It should be noted that there had been big cases of acid attacks, like those against Ms. Tat Marina, Ms. Ya Sok Nim, Ms. In Soklida’s aunt, and a CTN presenter, Mr. Tet Polen. Besides these major cases, there are many others. Generally, the lives of the victims of acid attacks were completely ruined, as they cannot work or come out to live in public like other common people.

“In the meantime, many citizens asked the authorities to prosecute acid attackers seriously so that such cases stop.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2177, 14-15.2.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 15 February 2010

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2177, 14-15.2.2010

  • Cambodia Will Have a Law to Control Battery Acid in the Future
  • Three Former Khmer Rouge Leaders [Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith, and Khiev Samphan] Are Requesting Bail

Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #6884, 15.2.2010

  • There Are 300 to 400 People Visiting the Preah Vihear Temple Each Day during the Chinese New Year

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #111, 15.2.2010

  • An UNESCO Official [Mr. Jinnai Teruo] Said that the Documents Relating to the Listing of the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site [presented by the Cambodian government] Are Sufficient [he said so after the Cambodian government rejected a claim from Thailand that the documentation for the Preah Vihear Temple is not complete]
  • The Ministry of Tourism Is Seeking to Start Flight Connections with India, Russia, and some Arab Countries
  • An American Man Was Sentenced to Serve Two Years in Prison for Child Molestation [Phnom Penh]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5126, 14-15.2.2010

  • A River in the Northeast of Cambodia [the Sesan river] Is Drying Out [due to the damming of the flow of water by a hydro-electricity dam in Vietnam; some portions of the river can now be crossed walking]
  • Khmers in Kampuchea Krom [from Kampuchea Krom, now in the southern area of Vietnam] Can Air Their Voice through the National Radio of Cambodia [the Ministry of Information now allows the Khmer Kampuchea Krom community to broadcast educational programs and programs related to their culture through radio in Cambodia]
  • The Youngest Brother of Pol Pot [the head of the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime, Salot Nhep] Died [at the age of 84 from high blood pressure]
  • More Than Riel 1,000 Million [approx. US$240,000] Was Given to [40 Cambodian] Medal Winners [after the South East Asia Games in Laos]

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