Friday, November 28, 2008

Foreign marriage ban lifted

Thursday, 27 November 2008
Written by Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post


New rules tighten up process, mail-order unions still illegal

A BAN on marriages between Cambodians and foreigners aimed at curbing human trafficking has been lifted, officials said Wednesday, adding that new regulations will seek to prevent internet websites from featuring mail-order Cambodian brides.

The suspension, begun in late March, was lifted on November 3, but the "new subdecree [regulating marriages] has not yet been widely publicised", said Bith Kimhong, director of the Interior Ministry's Anti-human Trafficking Department.

The ban came into effect amid alarm over the rising numbers of brokered unions between South Korean men and poor, uneducated Cambodian women.

In 2004, the South Korean embassy in Phnom Penh issued 72 marriage visas to Cambodian women. By 2007, that figure had jumped to 1,759, with an additional 160 visas issued in the first month of 2008.

The new subdecree states that marriages made through agencies or brokers are still illegal, adding that "all fake marriages aimed at labour exploitation, human trafficking or sexual exploitation are prohibited".

The subdecree also insists that marriage must be based on the "voluntary policy and will" of the individual.

New procedures

Bith Kimhong said that under the new rules, foreigners must be physically present in Cambodia in order to be married and must apply for permission with the Foreign Ministry.

"The Ministry of Interior, after receiving documents from the Foreign Ministry, has to inform to all the relevant authorities on where the marriage will occur," Bith Kimhong said.

"We cannot do like before. This time, foreigners must come to Cambodia to register for marriage," he added, referring to internet unions.

Nop Sarin Sreyroth, secretary general of the Cambodian Women's Crisis Centre, said that while she applauded the reinstatement of legal
marriages between Cambodians and foreigners, the new rules do not outline punishment for foreigners who violate the rules.

"We are looking forward to monitoring the government's implementation [of the subdecree]," she said.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonder if Huk Lundy's wife wants to marry me. Her late evil husband had abandoned her for too long so I think her pussy is still fuckable. I don't need to take Viagra like her husband did. I don't want much from her except just 30 $millions. Am I asking too much? Hell, no. This old bitch has at least half a billion dollars hiding somewhere between her legs.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, make her scream, brother. You're the man.

Anonymous said...

Finally, she gets satisfaction. She will regret why big Lundy didn't die sooner.

Anonymous said...

Make her suffer all night long, brothers #1, #2 & #3 above. Big Lundy is gone, nobody is protecting her now.

Unknown said...

But i heard someone saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not going to sign the permission letter since they haven't decided when they are going to have meeting with immegration dept.