Weapons Destruction Ceremony to be held in Battambang on Aug. 23, 2006

Phnom Penh, August 14, 2006
Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC) is supporting the Royal Government of Cambodia in organizing a weapons destruction ceremony “Flame of Peace” in Battambang Province on August 23, 2006.

6,672 small arms will be destroyed in public under the chairmanship of H.E. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.  2,234 of these weapons were voluntarily surrendered by residents in Battambang Province following the appeals at JSAC workshops to surrender weapons to the Authorities at JSAC workshops.  It also includes 2,482 weapons discovered from a weapons cache in Samlout District, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold, in March to April 2006.  Information of this cache was provided after JSAC had encouraged residents to surrender weapons and inform authorities on the existence of weapons caches at a workshop.

H.E. Fumiaki Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan, and many officials from the Ministry of Interior, Police, Provincial Government, other related organizations and local residents will be attending the ceremony.  The destruction ceremony is expected to enhance the residents’ confidence in the security authorities and in peace in the country.

JSAC is a team for implementing “Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia”, established by Japan International Cooperation System (JICS). This Program is the first Japanese Government Grant Aid Program for conflict prevention and peace building. JSAC has implemented its weapons collection and other peace building activities in the northwest areas of Cambodia (Otdar Mean Chey Province, Banteay Mean Chey Province, and Siem Reap Province) and is currently focusing on Battambang Province and Kompong Thom Province. The number of small arms collected through JSAC activities since 2003 is now 21,708.

ENDS

The ceremony will take place at 8:00 AM, August 23 (Wed), at the Provincial Platform (known as the Football field) in Battambang City.  JSAC welcomes the attendance of all media staff.