AFP
Cambodia has suspended marriages between foreigners and Cambodians amid concerns over an explosion in the number of brokered unions involving poor, uneducated women, an official said Thursday.
The move follows an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) report highlighting the plight of an increasing number of Cambodian brides migrating to South Korea in marriages hastily arranged by brokers who make large profits.
Some 1,759 marriage visas were issued by South Korea in 2007, up from just 72 in 2004, the report said.
While no systematic exploitation was uncovered, several cases of abuse did raise a red flag with the government, said You Ay, secretary of state with the Women's Affairs Ministry.
"Seven women have returned from South Korea because they could not stand what happened to them there," You Ay told AFP.
"The government has temporarily suspended all (paperwork) for Cambodia women to marry foreigners," she said.
You Ay said the ban, which was approved last week, would be lifted after the government developed a legal framework to address mixed marriages.
"This suspension is to prevent human trafficking through marriage," she said, adding that while the brides often receive as little as 1,000 US US dollars, agencies can make tens of thousands of US dollars on each marriage.
"Cambodia is working to strengthen the laws on marriage," You Ay said.
IOM project coordinator John McGeoghan said that while the report targeted marriages between Cambodians and South Koreans, the potential for problems exists globally and that brokered unions needed to be better regulated.
Three South Korean marriage agencies have been closed down in Cambodia pending the government's decision on marriages to foreigners.
The South Korean embassy in Cambodia earlier this week halted issuing residency visas to Cambodian women wishing to marry Korean men.
The move follows an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) report highlighting the plight of an increasing number of Cambodian brides migrating to South Korea in marriages hastily arranged by brokers who make large profits.
Some 1,759 marriage visas were issued by South Korea in 2007, up from just 72 in 2004, the report said.
While no systematic exploitation was uncovered, several cases of abuse did raise a red flag with the government, said You Ay, secretary of state with the Women's Affairs Ministry.
"Seven women have returned from South Korea because they could not stand what happened to them there," You Ay told AFP.
"The government has temporarily suspended all (paperwork) for Cambodia women to marry foreigners," she said.
You Ay said the ban, which was approved last week, would be lifted after the government developed a legal framework to address mixed marriages.
"This suspension is to prevent human trafficking through marriage," she said, adding that while the brides often receive as little as 1,000 US US dollars, agencies can make tens of thousands of US dollars on each marriage.
"Cambodia is working to strengthen the laws on marriage," You Ay said.
IOM project coordinator John McGeoghan said that while the report targeted marriages between Cambodians and South Koreans, the potential for problems exists globally and that brokered unions needed to be better regulated.
Three South Korean marriage agencies have been closed down in Cambodia pending the government's decision on marriages to foreigners.
The South Korean embassy in Cambodia earlier this week halted issuing residency visas to Cambodian women wishing to marry Korean men.
8 comments:
I heard that Cambodian women were beaten, tortured, sexually abused, and chained by Korean men. Their parents thought that their daughters would have some money to send home if they were to married Korean and other races. On the contrary, they send their daughters to be in hell. I plead to all Cambodians to stop this practice. It is better to be poor and happy rather than miserable with money.
yea, b/c of dr. hunsen busy play golf.
Folks, you cannot simply forsake the old-and-dried pussy, and go for a young-fresh-juicy pussy. This is unacceptable, and will not work in Cambodia; also, the Cambodian government cannot allow foregners to easily import our women until the government further investigate the alleged abuses. Until then ... folks, keep your prick in your pants, and, by all means, don't let your dick flying out off your pants.
We cant have the same law in Cambodia and Thailand or Vietnam where the population is almost 100 millions.
Millions of khmers were killed and we need to keep our courntrymen, especially women,in Cambodia to rebuild the country.
We should have a strict law in foreign marriage.
Oh don't worry about that, mate, our brothers Loa, Thai, and Yuon are always ready to volunteer to help. After all, what are brothers for?
Yeah that's what all the freaking Viet pimp/parasite/predator says, doesn't it?
Yeah, and what's wrong with that?
Yeah, what part of "get the fuck off of Khmer blog/site KI-Media" don't you fucking Viet troller/pimp @1:31AM understand, huh?
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