Showing posts with label Mia Farrow's police confrontation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mia Farrow's police confrontation. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Police bar actress from Killing Fields museum
Actress Mia farrow has been stopped from laying flowers at a Killing Fields museum by baton-wielding police. (ITN Video)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Actress Farrow banned from ceremony
The Press Association
Cambodian police have stopped American actress Mia Farrow holding a rally at a former Khmer Rouge prison.
Her group was pushed away from a barricade as they tried to lay flowers to commemorate victims of genocide.
Ms Farrow, who is working with the US-based advocacy group Dream for Darfur, was in Cambodia as part of a seven-nation tour of places that have suffered genocide to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
"My heart - our hearts - are breaking for what happened in Cambodia today, especially for the survivors of genocide," Ms Farrow said after the stand-off with police near Tuol Sleng prison, the Khmer Rouge's main torture centre during its genocidal rule in the 1970s.
Ms Farrow had planned to light an Olympic-style torch at the site to press China to use its influence on the Sudanese government to end abuses in Darfur. China, the next Olympic host, is one of Sudan's major trading partners.
The Cambodian government banned the ceremony several days ago, calling it a political stunt to smear China.
Dozens of police sealed off all roads leading to the former prison, which is now a genocide museum in the capital, Phnom Penh. More than a hundred supporters and onlookers turned out to watch the stand-off and take pictures of the Hollywood star, who had vowed to defy the ban.
When Ms Farrow and seven other activists arrived at one of the barricades, about 170 yards from the museum's gate, they refused to go away and linked their arms in a human chain. Ms Farrow held a bunch of white lotus flowers, a traditional offering for the dead in Cambodia.
Police pushed the group back, shouting, "Go! Go! Go!" and blowing whistles. Miss Farrow and the others eventually backed away and drove off. No-one was hurt or arrested, organisers said.
"Our goal was to deliver these flowers in deepest respect ... to honour those who have perished here in Cambodia and in Darfur and in all genocides everywhere," Ms Farrow said.
Her group was pushed away from a barricade as they tried to lay flowers to commemorate victims of genocide.
Ms Farrow, who is working with the US-based advocacy group Dream for Darfur, was in Cambodia as part of a seven-nation tour of places that have suffered genocide to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
"My heart - our hearts - are breaking for what happened in Cambodia today, especially for the survivors of genocide," Ms Farrow said after the stand-off with police near Tuol Sleng prison, the Khmer Rouge's main torture centre during its genocidal rule in the 1970s.
Ms Farrow had planned to light an Olympic-style torch at the site to press China to use its influence on the Sudanese government to end abuses in Darfur. China, the next Olympic host, is one of Sudan's major trading partners.
The Cambodian government banned the ceremony several days ago, calling it a political stunt to smear China.
Dozens of police sealed off all roads leading to the former prison, which is now a genocide museum in the capital, Phnom Penh. More than a hundred supporters and onlookers turned out to watch the stand-off and take pictures of the Hollywood star, who had vowed to defy the ban.
When Ms Farrow and seven other activists arrived at one of the barricades, about 170 yards from the museum's gate, they refused to go away and linked their arms in a human chain. Ms Farrow held a bunch of white lotus flowers, a traditional offering for the dead in Cambodia.
Police pushed the group back, shouting, "Go! Go! Go!" and blowing whistles. Miss Farrow and the others eventually backed away and drove off. No-one was hurt or arrested, organisers said.
"Our goal was to deliver these flowers in deepest respect ... to honour those who have perished here in Cambodia and in Darfur and in all genocides everywhere," Ms Farrow said.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Photos of Mia Farrow's confrontation with Hun Sen's cops
Theary Seng, left, Cambodian Executive Director of the Center for Social Development, left, and American actress Mia Farrow, right, give lotus flowers to police officers as authorities block their group outside Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A military policeman (R) listens to his walkie-talkie as he stops U.S actress Mia Farrow (C) and Theary Seng (L), Khmer survivor, author and executive director of the Center for Social Development, from making their way to lay flowers at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Farrow says she will ignore a deportation threat and pursue plans to light a symbolic Olympic torch in Cambodia's "Killing Fields", as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A policeman (R) attempts to stop U.S actress Mia Farrow (C) and Theary Seng (L), Khmer survivor, author and executive director of the Center for Social Development, from making their way to lay flowers at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Farrow says she will ignore a deportation threat and pursue plans to light a symbolic Olympic torch in Cambodia's 'Killing Fields', as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. (Chor Sokunthea/Reuters)
American actress Mia Farrow, center, looks on as Theary Seng, second left, Cambodian Executive Director of the Center for Social Development, talks outside Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
American actress Mia Farrow, left, and Theary Seng, right, Cambodian Executive Director of the Center for Social Development, move away after police pushing their group outside Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A policeman (R) attempts to stop U.S actress Mia Farrow (C) and Theary Seng (L), Khmer survivor, author and executive director of the Center for Social Development, from making their way to lay flowers at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Farrow says she will ignore a deportation threat and pursue plans to light a symbolic Olympic torch in Cambodia's 'Killing Fields', as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. (Chor Sokunthea/Reuters)
American actress Mia Farrow, left, holds hands with Theary Seng Cambodian Executive Director of the Center for Social Development, after police moved their group away from Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Police confront American actress Mia Farrow's group outside Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
American actress Mia Farrow, second right, is led by a police officer, foreground, after her group was removed from Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Photographers try to take photos of American actress Mia Farrow after police removed her group from Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Khieu Kanharith: "Ignorant foreigners" attempt to use Cambodia's genocide as a fundraising vehicle -sic!-
Members of the police and military stand guard at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Cambodian police barred Hollywood actress Mia Farrow and other activists from laying flowers at a "Killing Fields" museum on Sunday, as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea 
Police stop tourists as they stand guard at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Cambodian police barred Hollywood actress Mia Farrow and other activists from laying flowers at a "Killing Fields" museum on Sunday, as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea 
Tourists look on as police stand guard at Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh January 20, 2008. Cambodian police barred Hollywood actress Mia Farrow and other activists from laying flowers at a "Killing Fields" museum on Sunday, as part of a campaign to end atrocities in Sudan's Darfur. REUTERS/Chor SokuntheaCambodia shutters genocide museum to block US actress Farrow
Sun, 20 Jan 2008
DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodian police locked down a former Khmer Rouge prison Sunday with barricades in a 300 metre radius after US actress Mia Farrow vowed to continued with a scheduled anti-China rally. More than 200 officers were posted to block the elderly actress and entourage that had intended to light a torch at the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.
Farrow's global Dream For Darfur rally draws attention to China's economic support of Sudan and the war in Darfur ahead of the August Olympics, but China is one of Cambodia's staunchest allies and authorities banned it and threatened arrests and deportations.
In the end, however, it was an anticlimax, with Farrow and friend Seng Theary, director of her Cambodian partner agency Center for Social Development, forced to stand forlornly on the wrong side of the barrier holding wilting white water lilies in scorching heat for an hour in a 70-strong crowd before giving up.
Farrow said little, letting the outspoken young US-Khmer rights activist Seng do all the talking as they pleaded fruitlessly for entry. But the pair suffered more jostling from journalists, who appeared to outnumber Dreamers, than they did from police.
Some Farrow supporters tried to threatened police with US embassy intervention, but were rebuffed. Phnom Penh security chief Police General Hy Pru turned up to supervise, and the rally ended quietly.
Police said there were no arrests.
Cambodian officials were vehement in denying permission to the organizers. Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith branded them ignorant foreigners attempting to use Cambodia's genocide as a fund-raising vehicle.
Museum director Chey Sopheara was among those who felt the ceremony would hijack the memories of the up to 16,000 people who were tortured or killed in former school.
At a press conference after the rally, Farrow, 62, and Seng expressed disappointment but no regrets. On Saturday, authorities allowed Farrow to tour the museum sans torch and Sunday said the problem was the torch and the agenda, not Farrow herself.
Up to 2 million Cambodians died in the 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime.
Farrow's global Dream For Darfur rally draws attention to China's economic support of Sudan and the war in Darfur ahead of the August Olympics, but China is one of Cambodia's staunchest allies and authorities banned it and threatened arrests and deportations.
In the end, however, it was an anticlimax, with Farrow and friend Seng Theary, director of her Cambodian partner agency Center for Social Development, forced to stand forlornly on the wrong side of the barrier holding wilting white water lilies in scorching heat for an hour in a 70-strong crowd before giving up.
Farrow said little, letting the outspoken young US-Khmer rights activist Seng do all the talking as they pleaded fruitlessly for entry. But the pair suffered more jostling from journalists, who appeared to outnumber Dreamers, than they did from police.
Some Farrow supporters tried to threatened police with US embassy intervention, but were rebuffed. Phnom Penh security chief Police General Hy Pru turned up to supervise, and the rally ended quietly.
Police said there were no arrests.
Cambodian officials were vehement in denying permission to the organizers. Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith branded them ignorant foreigners attempting to use Cambodia's genocide as a fund-raising vehicle.
Museum director Chey Sopheara was among those who felt the ceremony would hijack the memories of the up to 16,000 people who were tortured or killed in former school.
At a press conference after the rally, Farrow, 62, and Seng expressed disappointment but no regrets. On Saturday, authorities allowed Farrow to tour the museum sans torch and Sunday said the problem was the torch and the agenda, not Farrow herself.
Up to 2 million Cambodians died in the 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime.
Mia Farrow Confronts Cambodian Police
By KER MUNTHIT
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian police blocked Mia Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony Sunday at a Khmer Rouge prison, at one point forcefully pushing her group away from a barricade.
The Cambodian government had barred the ceremony several days ago and police on Sunday sealed off all roads leading to the Khmer Rouge's infamous Tuol Sleng prison, which is now a genocide museum.
The American actress and her group arrived at one of the barricades and refused to go away, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. Police started pushing the group, which eventually returned to a waiting car and drove off. Nobody appeared to have gotten hurt.
Farrow could not be immediately reached for comment.
Farrow, who is working with the U.S.-based advocacy group Dream for Darfur, was in Cambodia as part of a seven-nation tour of countries to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
She had planned to light an Olympic-style torch outside the former prison to send a message to China — the next Olympic host and one of Sudan's major trading partners — to press the Sudanese government to end abuses in Darfur.
More than 200,000 people have died in Darfur since 2003 when ethnic African rebels took arms against the Arab-dominated central government. Khartoum denies accusations it committed widespread war crimes.
The Cambodian government, which has strong economic and political ties with China, said days ago it would prevent the 62-year-old actress from going through with the ceremony. The government accused Farrow of having "a political agenda against China" and staging the event for political rather than humanitarian reasons.
Farrow denied that her intentions were political in an interview Saturday, and said she was determined to press ahead with the ceremony.
"It's pretty harsh to be against a ceremony that honors the victims of Darfur and genocide survivors everywhere," Farrow said.
An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died during the Khmer Rouge's genocidal reign from 1975-1979. Thousands of Khmer Rouge prisoners were tortured at the Tuol Sleng prison before being executed outside the capital at the site known as "the killing fields."
The Cambodian government had barred the ceremony several days ago and police on Sunday sealed off all roads leading to the Khmer Rouge's infamous Tuol Sleng prison, which is now a genocide museum.
The American actress and her group arrived at one of the barricades and refused to go away, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. Police started pushing the group, which eventually returned to a waiting car and drove off. Nobody appeared to have gotten hurt.
Farrow could not be immediately reached for comment.
Farrow, who is working with the U.S.-based advocacy group Dream for Darfur, was in Cambodia as part of a seven-nation tour of countries to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
She had planned to light an Olympic-style torch outside the former prison to send a message to China — the next Olympic host and one of Sudan's major trading partners — to press the Sudanese government to end abuses in Darfur.
More than 200,000 people have died in Darfur since 2003 when ethnic African rebels took arms against the Arab-dominated central government. Khartoum denies accusations it committed widespread war crimes.
The Cambodian government, which has strong economic and political ties with China, said days ago it would prevent the 62-year-old actress from going through with the ceremony. The government accused Farrow of having "a political agenda against China" and staging the event for political rather than humanitarian reasons.
Farrow denied that her intentions were political in an interview Saturday, and said she was determined to press ahead with the ceremony.
"It's pretty harsh to be against a ceremony that honors the victims of Darfur and genocide survivors everywhere," Farrow said.
An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died during the Khmer Rouge's genocidal reign from 1975-1979. Thousands of Khmer Rouge prisoners were tortured at the Tuol Sleng prison before being executed outside the capital at the site known as "the killing fields."
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