CAMBODIA: Miss Landmine Pageant Banned By Cambodian Government
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
A recent story that appeared in the online edition of BBC News reported," A beauty pageant for landmine victims has been cancelled by the Cambodian government, which branded it an insult to disabled people."
The article continues, "The contest […] would damage "the dignity and honor" of participants." Between four and six million landmines are thought to have been laid in Cambodia during its three decades of civil war [1]. Twenty women were to have competed for the title of Miss Landmine and the prize of a high-tech prosthetic limb.
Government spokesperson Khieu Khanarith said the competition would "make a mockery of Cambodia's landmine victims."
Norwegian organizer Morten Traavik expressed disappointment, but said the contest would go ahead on the internet.
Please continue reading the BBC News report.
HOW DO YOU WEIGH IN?
Negotiating the minefield of public opinion regarding this sensitive subject, the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center remarked, "They way to empower women in the Third World is by throwing out imperialists, and destroying feudalism, comprador capitalism, and patriarchy. Only communist-led revolutions will be capable of enacting the sweeping changes needed to liberate women in our contemporary world."
Unless I'm missing something wasn’t there a few communists hanging around during Cambodia's two decades of civil war? If I remember correctly, Vietnam, a communist country, ran things here in the Khmer empire before Russia turned off the tap in 1989, forcing them to go home.
By the way, what about communist run Laos? Are the Lao Hmong women and children currently being raped and disemboweled by rampaging Lao military and LPDR security forces being liberated by a communist-led revolution?
Whatever the case, I wish all of Cambodia's Miss Landmine contestants, aged from 18 to 48, the best of luck and good fortune.
To the Cambodian government and the rest of the world; while you're out banning contests, do us a favor and ban Communists, people who believe in their brand of BS, LANDMINES AND CLUSTER MUNITIONS.
After all, if the were no landmines, there'd be no Miss Landmine Cambodia Pageant!
EDITORS NOTE
Learn more about what's happening in Laos and get detailed information regarding Cambodia's de-mining efforts.
Also, please view a photo story by fellow Gaia Photos member Paulo Nunes dos Santos about Cambodia's Land Mine Survivors.
APPENDIX
1. The Civil War lasted 20 years.
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
GAIA Photography and Photojournalism
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
A recent story that appeared in the online edition of BBC News reported," A beauty pageant for landmine victims has been cancelled by the Cambodian government, which branded it an insult to disabled people."
The article continues, "The contest […] would damage "the dignity and honor" of participants." Between four and six million landmines are thought to have been laid in Cambodia during its three decades of civil war [1]. Twenty women were to have competed for the title of Miss Landmine and the prize of a high-tech prosthetic limb.
Government spokesperson Khieu Khanarith said the competition would "make a mockery of Cambodia's landmine victims."
Norwegian organizer Morten Traavik expressed disappointment, but said the contest would go ahead on the internet.
Please continue reading the BBC News report.
HOW DO YOU WEIGH IN?
Negotiating the minefield of public opinion regarding this sensitive subject, the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center remarked, "They way to empower women in the Third World is by throwing out imperialists, and destroying feudalism, comprador capitalism, and patriarchy. Only communist-led revolutions will be capable of enacting the sweeping changes needed to liberate women in our contemporary world."
Unless I'm missing something wasn’t there a few communists hanging around during Cambodia's two decades of civil war? If I remember correctly, Vietnam, a communist country, ran things here in the Khmer empire before Russia turned off the tap in 1989, forcing them to go home.
By the way, what about communist run Laos? Are the Lao Hmong women and children currently being raped and disemboweled by rampaging Lao military and LPDR security forces being liberated by a communist-led revolution?
Whatever the case, I wish all of Cambodia's Miss Landmine contestants, aged from 18 to 48, the best of luck and good fortune.
To the Cambodian government and the rest of the world; while you're out banning contests, do us a favor and ban Communists, people who believe in their brand of BS, LANDMINES AND CLUSTER MUNITIONS.
After all, if the were no landmines, there'd be no Miss Landmine Cambodia Pageant!
EDITORS NOTE
Learn more about what's happening in Laos and get detailed information regarding Cambodia's de-mining efforts.
Also, please view a photo story by fellow Gaia Photos member Paulo Nunes dos Santos about Cambodia's Land Mine Survivors.
APPENDIX
1. The Civil War lasted 20 years.
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
GAIA Photography and Photojournalism
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