Cambodia dismantles bridge where 353 lost their lives in a stampede
27 December 2011 (AFP) - Cambodian workers on Tuesday began dismantling a notorious bridge where 353 people lost their lives in a stampede last year, following the completion of two new crossings nearby.
The country’s annual water festival ended in tragedy in November 2010 when crowds panicked on the narrow crossing leading to Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island, one of the main event sites.
The bridge has since then been used only reluctantly by superstitious locals who thought it brought bad luck.
“The bridge is not necessary anymore since the construction of the twin bridges nearby has finished,” Diamond Island project manager Touch Samnang told Agence France Presse, adding that it would take around two months to dismantle the structure.
Carpenter Ung Nget, 27, who survived the stampede, said he would be glad to see the bridge taken down.
“If we keep it here, it only brings back painful memories,” he said.
“I still cry when I see that bridge. If the bridge is no longer there, it can help ease my suffering.”
Last month, local authorities marked the first anniversary of the disaster by unveiling a memorial for the victims at the foot of the crossing.
A government probe found the crush was triggered when rumors rippled through the packed crowd that the eight-meter (26 feet) wide, 100-metre long bridge was unstable. No officials were ever punished over the incident.
The water festival, which marks the reversal of the flow between the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, draws millions of visitors to the capital to enjoy dragon boat races, fireworks and concerts.
12 comments:
destroying evidence my ass! this bridge serves us no more usefulness, so we must destroy it. why keep something that do not serve us well? think about it, ok! this bridge is a danger to the public, you know! it must be destroyed or dismantle, of course! i'm glad the authority thought wisely about it, really!
people still have bad memories about this bridge, and they never want to use it again due to fear of stampede accident like this, so it will be destroyed, of course! it's dangerous to the public, ok!
most khmer people were like an inexperienced child, they need a lot of growing up to do, i think! of course, people will learn from life experience as well, you know! some learns it the hard way, while other learns it the easy way by listening and following the rule and be obedient to wise parental advice, etc, you know! c'est la vie, it's life, you know!
If it were up to me, I would not destroy that bridge, but make it a memorial in memory of the victims and to remind officials to never allow that kind of tragedy happening again.
Rhe bridge never inpected by credential international construction firm!!!! It may had some flaw for electrical shock when wet!
Killed
Over
Hundreds
People
In
Cambodia
Haunted by one eye Kingdom!!!
Khmer Rwanda
Dear all the khmer mane and women in the whole wide world. Did you be live all the people that lost their lives in November 2010 on Diamond Island bridge is in accident? I be live everything at that night is set up by vietcong because the vietcong they want to swallow the khmer country. That why they have to kill all the khmer young generations. I would like all khmer mane and women the whole wide world please stand up together hold hand khmer and khmer fight for our freedom .please all the khmer stand up.
"superstitious locals who thought it brought bad luck" -- and still people wonder why Cambodia is still in a "middle age" .. grow up & mature people!
The dummy leads the dummies and the blind leads the blinds.
All of them were/are irresponsible
and neglected.
They need money,power,and serve
political potential Vietnam govt.
The dictators and communist leaders
have had treated their own people
like animals.
the one who designed this(Golden Bridge)mush be punished.The bridge should be demolish and this place make were it was like before and make a simple the memory for the death people.
(ល្បិចកល់យួនហ្វេ)
ភ្លើងស្ពានកោះពេជ រំលេចដោយពណ៌ ខ្មែរផ្អើលឈូរឆរ ទាក់ខ្សែភ្លើងឆក់
ស្លាប់ឡើងគោជើង អូសចេញមិនអស់
អាយួនទុរយស្ត សំឡាប់កូនខ្មែរ
ល្បិចកល់ពិសពុល ខ្មែរមើលមិនដឹង
យ៉ងយួនខំប្រឹង ស្រែកនិយាយភរ
ថាការស្លាប់នេះ ព្រោះផ្អើលឆោរឡោរ
ពួកស្ទាវនោះនោ ដែលបង្ករហេតុ
យើងយកការបាន តាំងពីសាងសង់
ស្រកីមានផ្លង់ បំផ្លាញទំពាំងខ្មែរ
មិនឲ្យសេះសល់ នាំតែអំពល់ទេ
ជីកផ្តាច់ឫសខ្មែរ ទើបដើមឆាប់ង៉ាប់
យុត្តិសាស្រ្តថ្មីនេះ ខ្មែរមិនធ្លាប់ប្រទៈ
ពិសពុលខ្លាំងណាស់ កូនចៅស្រីប្រុស
ពេលយើងស្លាប់ហើយ Businessគេសោះ
ល្បិចយួនហ្វេស្មោះ ធ្វើស្រែលើខ្មោច៕
(ពីយាយ ទេព នៅភ្នំកូលេន)
the site of this bridge gives people distress; glad to see it gets demolished!
Post a Comment