JSAC to hand over 2nd monument made of de-commissioned weapons to Cambodia

October 05, 2007

The Japanese Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) will hand over the second Peace Monument made of de-commissioned weapons to the government of Cambodia's Battambang province on Oct. 9, said a press release issued on Thursday.

The monument, 6.5 meters in height and named "Naga for Peace and Development", was created by four Cambodian artists and will be permanently installed in a public park in Battambang provincial city, said the release from JSAC.

The weapons used to create the monument were surrendered by the residents of the province, it added.

Last week, JSAC handed over the first Peace Monument made of de- commissioned weapons to the Kampong Thom government.

JSAC was established by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) in attempt to implement the Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia. Since beginning its operations in Cambodia, JSAC has amassed 28,602 weapons.

Due to years of war at the end of last century, weapons have been widely circulated among the Cambodian civilians. Consistent efforts have been made by the government in conjunction with international bodies to collect and destroy these weapons.

Source: Xinhua

JSAC hands over Peace Monument to local gov't of Cambodia

STOUNG DISTRICT, KAMPONG THOM, Cambodia, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) handed over a Peace Monument made of de-commissioned weapons to the Kampong Thom government here on Thursday.

Som Sophat, Deputy Governor of Kampong Thom province, signed the certificate of handover with Takeuchi Kazuki, JSAC program manager, at the provincial government hall.

The monument, 3.5 meters in height and named "World of Peace," was created by six Cambodian artists and has permanently installed in the Children's Park in Kampong Thom, said a press release from JSAC.

The weapons used to create the monument were surrendered by the residents of the province, it added.

Sophon Samkhan, representative of the six artists, made a speech at the handover ceremony.

The handover of the monument was preceded by a "Peace Declaration", which was announced by the governor of Stoung district, to mark the completion of JSAC support for weapon collection activities in Kompong Thom province.

JSAC was established by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) in attempt to implement the Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia. Since its operations in Cambodia, JSAC has amassed 28,602 weapons.

Due to years of war at the end of last century, weapons have been widely circulated among the Cambodian civilians. Consistent efforts have been made by the government in conjunction with international bodies to collect and destroy these weapons.

Thousands of collected arms to be burnt in Cambodia

September 17, 2007

A Japanese weapons management organization will burn thousands of small arms collected from various provinces in Cambodia in Battambang province this month, said a press release received here on Monday.

The Japanese Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) said in the release that around 7,000 small arms will be burned under the "flame of peace" program on Sept. 19.

The weapons were mostly surrendered by Battambang residents, though others were collected from Kompong Thom, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, and Oddar Meanchey provinces, according to the press release.

The weapons destruction is the 12th and final ceremony to take place with support from JSAC as the Japanese organization is due to complete its weapons collection and destruction program this month.

Battambang district governors will be asked to fulfill their duty to keep their province peaceful, safe, and weapon-free during a ceremony organized to mark the completion of JSAC support.

JSAC was established by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) in attempt to implement the Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia. Since the beginning of its operations in Cambodia, JSAC has amassed 28,602 weapons.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia to hold school event for small arms education

July 26, 2007

The Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) and Working Group for Weapons Reduction (WGWR) are co-organizing an educational event on small arms in Phnom Penh on July 27 to 28, a press release said Thursday.

Six high schools will host this event, under the cooperation of the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the JSAC press release said, adding that the students will participate and learn about the small arms problem in Cambodia.

WFWR, JSAC, Ministry of Interior officials and campaign volunteers will teach high school students about the risks and laws relating to weapons, it said.

The event is intended to raise students' awareness on the small arms problem, and contribute in building a culture of non-violence and peace among the youth, it added.

JSAC has implemented its weapons collection and other peace building activities in the northwest areas of Cambodia and is currently focused on Battambang province and Kompong Thom province, it said.

According to the press release, the number of small arms collected through JSAC activities since 2003 is now 28,375.

Source: Xinhua

The Flame of Peace (?!?) ceremony in Kampong Thom province

Cambodian officials and an ASEAN delegation look at weapons before a weapons-destruction ceremony supported by the Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) in a stadium in the Kampong Thom province, 168km (104 miles) north of Phnom Penh, on May 24, 2007. The Cambodian government regularly destroys illegal weapons. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A worker pours fuel over illegal weapons during a weapons-destruction ceremony supported by the Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) in a stadium in Kampong Thom province, 168km (104 miles) north of Phnom Penh, on May 24, 2007. The Cambodian government regularly destroys illegal weapons. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Illegal weapons burn during a weapons-destruction ceremony supported by the Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) in a stadium in the Kampong Thom province, 168km (104 miles) north of Phnom Penh, on May 24, 2007. The Cambodian government regularly destroys illegal weapons. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodia destroys small arms with help from Japan

Thursday May 24, 2007

(Kyodo) - Cambodia destroyed about 2,400 small arms Thursday with help from the Japanese government in a joint project that began in 2003.

Some 2,428 small arms, including rifles and handguns, were burned with help from the Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia in Kompong Thom Province, about 150 kilometers north of Phnom Penh.

Provincial Gov. Nam Yum presided over a ceremony called "Flame of Peace" and more than 1,000 people, including government officers, police and local residents attended.

"A large part of these weapons were voluntarily surrendered by residents in Kampong Thom Province, following appeals to surrender weapons to the authorities through various JSAC awareness-raising activities, such as workshops," Yukiko Murasaki, JSAC's project officer, said by phone.

"The destruction ceremony is expected to enhance the residents' confidence in the security authorities and in peace in the country," she said, adding it was the 11th destruction of small arms throughout Cambodia by JSAC since 2003.

The ceremony was held while a workshop on small arms control by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is being held in Phnom Penh on a four-day schedule. It began Tuesday.

JSAC is a team for implementing the "Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia," established by the Japan International Cooperation System.

JSAC has conducted weapons collection and other peace building activities in northwest areas of Cambodia and is currently focusing on Battambang and Kompong Thom provinces.

The number of small arms collected through JSAC activities since 2003 has totaled 27,755.

Cambodia suffered more than two decades of civil war, during which weapons came from different overseas sources.

According to government data, some 206,122 weapons have been collected and destroyed in Cambodia since 1998.