Documentary seeks justice for acid attack survivor

Thu, 12 Mar 2009
Girish Sawlani, Connect Asia
ABC Radio Australia

A production company in the United States has made a feature film to raise awareness of acid attacks on women in Cambodia.

'Finding Face' explores the high-profile case of an acid attack on a young karaoke singer carried out ten years ago by Khoun Sophal, the wife of the undersecretary of state, Svai Sitha.

Co-producer Skye Fitzgerald says the movie was made to give some sense of justice for the singer, Tat Marina, outside the Cambodian court system, which she says is notorious for corruption.

"The fact that there's never been any justice in any form and likely will never be any justice for her; this film is a way to seek some small form of justice at least in the court of public opinion," Ms Fitzgerald said.

Brutal attack

The film, directed and produced by Ms Fitzgerald and fellow producer Patti Duncan, follows the story of Tat Marina, who was granted asylum to enter the United States following the well-publicised 1999 attack.

At the age of 16, Marina was a rising star in Cambodia's emerging karaoke scene.

The film shows that after being coerced into an abusive relationship with Svai Sitha, she was attacked with acid by Khoun Sophal in front of hundreds of witnesses.

The attack left Marina with severe burns to 43 percent of her body, with doctors in the US later decribing it as one of the most horrific injuries they had ever encountered.

A warrrant for Khoun Souphal's arrest was issued soon after the attack, but she was never apprehended and is believed to be in hiding in Cambodia.

Threats

With many of Marina's Cambodia-based family members speaking out in the film, their safety is a matter concern.

Ms Fitzgerald says the details of the case have been lodged with human rights groups, embassies and US senators, to protect those involved with the film.

"If someone were so foolish as to make a threat against the family there would be a significant outcry amongst the international community," said Mr Fitgerald.

Ms Duncan says the film was driven by the need raise awareness of similar attacks, which she says have substantially increased in number over the past decade - a belief that is backed up by non-government groups in Cambodia.

"In 1999 to 2004 I think there were 75 attacks reported with more than 100 victims," said Jason Barber, a consultant with Cambodian human rights group LICADHO.

Mr Barber says his statistics are drawn from media reports, and that many additional attacks are likely to have been unreported.