Friday, 4 December 2009

PM Hun Sen Urges Stop to Disabled Discrimination


Friday, 04 December 2009 06:46 DAP-NEWS

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The Cambodian government on Thursday celebrated the 27th international day of disabled people under theme of “we all join to implement the law on protection and promotion of disabled people” with the presence of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“We must stop discriminating with disabled people so disabled people do not commit bad behaviors in society, and especially they should not be beggars for life,” Prime Minister Hun Sen said at the National Institution of Education in Phnom Penh. The premier also highligh- ted the activities of the government and partners that have helped disabled people. The government always pays great attention to the disabled because Hun Sen “knows their situation better than others,” as he also is disabled after losing an eye in the civil war in the mid-1970s.

“I contributed about US$1 million to build a disabled community in Kampot province for former soldiers, and this without talking about sharing land for them.” This is the 11th year Cambodia has marked the annual day to recognize the disabled. Hun Sen said that in 2008, 1.4 percent of Cambodia’s 14 million people were disabled, down from 2 percent in 1998.

He added that disabilities people in Cambodia are caused by the previous civil war, landmines, traffic accidents, and polio disease. Mines and UXO are still a threat and therefore Cambdoai has concentrated on a mine clearance program in the millennium development goals, he said, adding that so far this year, 199 people have been killed and injured by mines and UXO, down from last year’s 269. Cambodian has committed to following the international convention of banning mines.

Traffic accidents are also a key factor, and “we are strengthening law enforcement of the traffic law, and urge local people to wear helmet, he added. Before mines and aids are our threat but road accident is a key data that we need to continue for our people’s health.”

The government has actively taken part with all partners to provide vocational training to support families and shared land for their families for planting agricultural crops and households, the PM added. Over 15,880 disabled people have clear skills and jobs and we have 11 centers for vocational training and teach brail, youth rehabilitation,

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