Regeringen i Cambodia arbejder på en ny lov, der skal begrænse brugen af syre som våben, skriver IRINnews.
Baggrunden er, at syre ofte bliver brugt som våben i ægteskabelige og andre konflikter, fordi syre er let tilgængelig.
Keo Srey Vy’s brother-in-law had been planning to sell his child so he could buy a new motorbike.
When she threatened to tell the police, he went to the restaurant where she worked as a cook and doused her face with acid.
She reported the attack to police, but gave up after they demanded a bribe to investigate.
CAMBODIA MANGLER REGLER
While countries such as Bangladesh and India have enacted severe laws and banned the open sale of chemicals, Cambodia has not taken any serious steps to curb the crime.
BEGRÆNSNING OG BEHANDLING
The new law, according to the drafting committee, includes improved medical care and social integration programmes for survivors.
The opening of a state-run medical centre for acid survivors is also being considered, although funding resources remain unclear.
Rights groups believe acid attacks abound in part because the caustic chemicals are readily and cheaply available.
The draft law thus stipulates that importers and sellers of acid have to be at least 20 years old and licensed to carry out any transaction involving the chemical.
To assist police in criminal investigations, vendors would also have to record the details of anyone who buys acid. Retailers who fail to comply would be subject to fines and lose their licence to sell the product.
OMFANGET AF SYREANGREB UKENDT
Statistics on acid attacks are unreliable since many cases go unreported.
For most years since 2000, the Phnom Penh-based Cambodian Acid Survivors’ Charity (CASC) recorded 12-24 attacks.
But between December 2009 and January 2010, 11 cases were recorded, raising the national profile of the problem.
