Cambodia Landmine Museum Incident Statement
To all supporters and friends of the Landmine Relief Fund, we are writing to inform you of an incident that took place at the museum earlier this week which we feel you should be made aware of.
On Monday, August 27th, a fire broke out at the Cambodia Landmine Museum in Siem Reap. The fire originated from a storage building behind the museum school, and was contained to that building, although the school also sustained some moderate water damage from the efforts to put out the fire. The museum staff managed to contain the fire until the fire brigade arrived and extinguished it. There were no injuries.
The police are now investigating the incident. All of the museum staff have been questioned by the authorities and Aki Ra has been detained for questioning, along with the museum’s Assistant Director Yon Oeurn and Operations Manager Sokhunteah Heanh. Aki Ra has resigned from his duties at both CSHD and the Cambodia Landmine Museum to deal with these legal matters and recurring health issues.
The authorities have closed the museum down while the investigation is ongoing to ensure nothing else in the facilities poses any danger to the public. At this time we are unsure of how long the museum will remain closed. All of the children and young adults living at the museum’s Relief Center have been relocated to suitable housing and have adequate staff taking care of them until the future of the museum can be determined. We have been working with local social workers to ensure the children are all safe and properly taken care of.
Although the museum is not a part of CSHD, and the two are separate entities, CSHD staff has also been questioned by the police due to their association with Aki Ra, and their storage facilities and related documentation have been inspected. Finding everything in order, CSHD has been given the all clear and the team members are expected to go back out onto the field on Monday to continue their demining and explosive ordnance disposal work.
The investigation is still ongoing and we will provide further updates as they become available to us. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the appropriate authorities for their collaboration as well as all friends and supporters who have offered their help during these last few days.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have at this time.
Thank you,
Cambodia Landmine Museum
Now, more than ever, we need your continuing support.
www.Landmine-Relief-Fund.com/donate/
