Sou Yeu, 35, is the candidate from the Kompong Cham regionMonday, 3 August 2009
BBC News
A beauty pageant for landmine victims has been cancelled by the Cambodian government, which branded it an insult to disabled people.
Authorities said the contest, due to launch on Friday, would damage "the dignity and honour" of participants.
Twenty women were to have competed for the title of Miss Landmine and the prize of a high-tech prosthetic limb.
Norwegian organiser Morten Traavik expressed disappointment, but said the contest would go ahead on the internet.
He said the result would be announced on 31 December. The website shows photos of the contestants, with missing limbs, wearing crowns and dresses. They are aged from 18 to 48.
Between four and six million landmines are thought to have been laid in Cambodia during its three decades of civil war.
'Mockery'
Mr Traavik - who launched the first Miss Landmine pageant in Angola two years ago - said his contest was intended to raise awareness about the issue and empower those whose lives had been affected by the explosive devices.
"I'm not looking forward to breaking the news to the 20 candidates involved, as I know they will be very disappointed in the lack of support from Cambodian authorities," he told AFP news agency.
Photographs of the participants were to have been shown in an exhibition in the capital, Phnom Penh.
But government spokesman Khieu Khanarith said the competition would "make a mockery of Cambodia's landmine victims".
"The government does not support this contest," he said.
Government and NGO teams are working to clear the country's landmines, but swathes of contaminated land remain in western border regions.
In 2007, more than 350 people were killed or injured in blasts from landmines or unexploded ordnance, Landmine Monitor said.
Authorities said the contest, due to launch on Friday, would damage "the dignity and honour" of participants.
Twenty women were to have competed for the title of Miss Landmine and the prize of a high-tech prosthetic limb.
Norwegian organiser Morten Traavik expressed disappointment, but said the contest would go ahead on the internet.
He said the result would be announced on 31 December. The website shows photos of the contestants, with missing limbs, wearing crowns and dresses. They are aged from 18 to 48.
Between four and six million landmines are thought to have been laid in Cambodia during its three decades of civil war.
'Mockery'
Mr Traavik - who launched the first Miss Landmine pageant in Angola two years ago - said his contest was intended to raise awareness about the issue and empower those whose lives had been affected by the explosive devices.
"I'm not looking forward to breaking the news to the 20 candidates involved, as I know they will be very disappointed in the lack of support from Cambodian authorities," he told AFP news agency.
Photographs of the participants were to have been shown in an exhibition in the capital, Phnom Penh.
But government spokesman Khieu Khanarith said the competition would "make a mockery of Cambodia's landmine victims".
"The government does not support this contest," he said.
Government and NGO teams are working to clear the country's landmines, but swathes of contaminated land remain in western border regions.
In 2007, more than 350 people were killed or injured in blasts from landmines or unexploded ordnance, Landmine Monitor said.
12 comments:
I am with the government of Cambodia on this issue.
I have a mixed feeling with respect to this competition. There are many other ways to raise the awareness of the landmine problems in the world.
A beauty pageant is about showing off physically your beautiful physical asset that nature has given you. Definitely it is not about showing off what remains of your body after a landmine explosion.
Assuming 2 contestants look the same physically, how do voters decide who should win? The one with less flesh being blown off and therefore looks a little better?
The organizers may have a good intention in trying to raise the awareness of landmine problems in the world, but the taste is poor here.
Anet Khmer
Very pity.
Sorry do not discriminate on disable people ,we are the human we can do every thing that the others people can do. DO NOT PUT HANDICAP people down we are human.
The world does not want to see this.
PPU
It is funny. They use "dignity and honour" to ban the contest. But they don't use them for the usual beauty contest. The only difference between the two groups is that one of them have lovely legs to arouse them; the other don't.
Kuoy Pichet
12:43 PM
Yes dignity and honor of the handicapped. Just from a statistical standpoint, more people stand to laugh at the handicapped in such an event than to get the message that the organizers supposedly try to get out. May I remind you of the fact that they made this into a competition where the winner would get a prosthetic leg? Doesn't that sound shady enough? Making these less fortunate people compete in front of your eyes for some fucking prize?
There are better ways to promote landmine awareness than this cheap exploitative method.
CPP (Canceled People Pageant)
PPU (Pissed People Union)
Hahaha! PPU is Pencil dick Porn Player..
Didn't we all know that PPU can bend his both legs backword and lick his pie-hole?
correction = backward
O'helllllllllllllNO! that's disgusting shit fool! PPU lick his own ass?
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