CPU officials and Chou Bun Eng (female), Ministry of Interior secretary of state and NCCT permanent vice-chair took photos together after a meeting on February 10. CPU
The NGO Child Protection Unit (CPU) and the National Committee for Counter-Trafficking (NCCT) remain committed to working together to combat crimes against children across Cambodia.
The commitment was made during a February 10 meeting between CPU officials and Chou Bun Eng, Ministry of Interior secretary of state and NCCT permanent vice-chair.
“We had a meeting with Bun Eng to discuss the future plans of the CPU and to restate our commitment to fight crime against children throughout Cambodia,” the CPU said in a Facebook post.
“Bun Eng thanked the CPU team for their work and cooperation with the government. This was a great opportunity to showcase the service projects and training we are preparing for the coming years.
“The CPU and [Bun Eng] expressed their commitment to continue this collaboration and to implement more important projects,” it added.
Bun Eng told The Post on February 13 that she supports the CPU, which was preparing to build a new facility to help child victims. She said the unit has a team of medical professionals, forensic specialists and counselling services – along with a temporary shelter – which all cooperate with authorities during the investigation of crimes.
“We will focus on prevention because we do not want anyone to become a victim. We would rather function as a fence at the top of a cliff than as an ambulance at the bottom.
“We will take data from the CPU and other relevant ministries and institutions and document it. It will be disseminated and used to educate all parties in ways to protect children and prevent these crimes from taking place,” she said.
On February 1, the brutal murder of a Bunong indigenous family in Pou Chrei commune’s Me Pai village of Mondulkiri province’s Pech Chreada district took place. Five people were killed and a 12-year-old boy was seriously injured.
One week later, following a thorough investigation by authorities in cooperation with the CPU, the provincial court charged six suspects for the heinous crime with “premeditated murder” and “conspiracy to commit premeditated murder”.
