Gun Destruction in Kampong Thom, Cambodia, 13 July 2004
International Gun Destruction Day (9 July) was marked in Cambodia by the Flame of Peace ceremony at the Headquarters of the Sub-Military Region of Kampong Thom. This was the third Flame of Peace to be held in Kampong Thom since the Royal Government began publicly destroying weapons in May 1999.
Lighting the Pyre
4,426 weapons were destroyed in the pyre.
The weapons destruction ceremony follows the Weapons Registration and Safe Storage Project. Both events are organised by EU ASAC in conjunction with the Royal Cambodian Government.
Approximately 3,000 people attended, including a very impressive government delegation. The delegation was headed by the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence, the Head of the Army and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Head of the Department of Materièl and Logistics (responsible for weapons policy) and several other high-ranking generals.
People witnessing the ceremony
The Defense Minister being interviewed by Cambodian TV
The ceremony was also attended by Diplomatic representatives from the British Embassy (also representing the Presidency of the European Union), the Danish Embassy and the European Union. Military Attachés from China also attended
EU representatives inspecting the pyre
Three Cambodian TV channels were present, as was a TV-crew from Denmark and a British freelance photographer.
Danish TV crew filming the Flame of Peace
In a speech delivered before the lighting of the pyre, David de Beer, Special Advisor to the European Commission and EU ASAC Programme Manager said, ˝The timing of this weapons destruction is also important. It occurs just as the new government is being formed. This Flame of Peace ceremony is therefore also a sign that the new Government and people of Cambodia want weapons to be destroyed so that there will be peace in the coming months and years˝. Full Text of Speech Here (PDF)
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The event was covered by Rasmei Kampuchea, the leading national newspaper. Virtually all the local TV channels ran footage of the destruction.
