Comments for Prospero World

Comment on Alnoor Dewshi: ‘Building’ by Eugenies

Eugenies — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:44:54 +0000

Great One…

For my theatre assignment I had to pick a play, read it, and then find music which I could put into the play. The music has to fit the play and go with the mood. The music can modern music or it can be music from the time period of the play. The play I…

Comment on Aparna Thadani and Sita Schutt in Court by Sita Schutt

Sita Schutt — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:27:38 +0000

Hi Aparna,

I would like our readers to know that the reason I had a hammer in my handbag was because we had been putting up shelves in our new offices! Not something I habitually carry around on my person….

Also – the effect of going to Court with you last week made me very sad – because the trial case we witnessed revealed lives that were impoverished, with people who are struggling with alchohol and drugs, whose bodies were emaciated and whose minds clearly not nourished. It made me think we need to do a fieldtrip to parts of London, that real and distressing poverty exists in this city.

Comment on Sandra Lauckner-Rothschild: Project visit to Krousar Yoeung, Phnom Penh by Ruben

Ruben — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:34:58 +0000

Thanks for sharing this Sandra. Interesting read

Comment on Sita Schutt in Phnom Penh at the Cambodia Acid Survivor Charity by Emily Hutto

Emily Hutto — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:32:32 +0000

Your comment that the Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity makes patients feel human again speaks to the significance of recovery after these acid attacks. When acid is thrown, the attacker typically does not wish his or her victim dead, instead the intent is to mar the victim’s face forever. Som says it well- beauty is taken away from victims.

In order for recovery to happen, survivors of acid violence must find beauty in scars. Many of them do so by speaking out against these gruesome crimes. One such survivor, Tat Marina, narrates her story in the documentary Finding Face created by SpinFilm.

The film portrays this scene: Shoppers and vendors swarmed around Tat Marina as strangers beat her to the ground in a crowded Phnom Penh marketplace. She felt as if her assailants had dowsed her head with water, but as the liquid they had thrown settled, it began to rapidly burn the flesh off her face. The substance was actually nitric acid, a highly corrosive chemical oxidizer. Within minutes, Marina’s face had melted.

Marina’s attack was an act of revenge. She was only 16 at the time, and had become romantically involved with Svay Sitha, the powerful Undersecretary of State in Cambodia. His wife, Khoun Sophal, discovered the affair and perpetrated the assault. The documentary details the her family members’ disparate responses to the fact that Marina’s attackers have never been arrested and there has never been justice in her case.

To see a film trailer, go to http://www.findingface.org

Your post is a reminder that we need to tell stories in order to shed light on this issue and bring justice to its survivors.

Comment on Sita Schutt in Phnom Penh by anne schutt-west

anne schutt-west — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:57:39 +0000

Prospero in Cambodia: Familiar scenes of diverse projects in need of aid in different forms.Off hand, I can’t think of anyone who would read the rather harrowing stories depicted in the blogs. On the other hand, the ‘right’, targeted reader that is people, who have access to funds and scientific resources, might be interested in helping in specific areas and motivating government subsidies in the field of social responsibility.
As mentioned in your report, the inhabitants are suffering from an invasion/overdose of NGOs, who often overlook the real needs of the ‘victims’ and instead of conducting a survey of local conditions, proceed by persisting on western solutions to Cambodian problems.
The ‘Acid throwing addiction’…really needs to be approached from the educational angle. 60 or more years ago, this sort of thing happened frequently in rural India; crimes of passion and acts of violence provoked by jealousy. India is still working on educating the masses and it is surely the only solution. In fact education and employment have helped improve the social structure in many of the developing countries.

‘Hats off’ to Prospero Field Researchers in Cambodia, look forward to your reports on Fauna and Flora, education and health in the slum areas of Siem Reap.

Comment on Sita Schutt in Phnom Penh by Kyra Karmiloff

Kyra Karmiloff — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:27:52 +0000

I’m sending the link to my father. He’ll be interested

Comment on Sita Schutt in Phnom Penh at the Cambodia Acid Survivor Charity by Kyra Karmiloff

Kyra Karmiloff — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:26:24 +0000

I had never heard of this before. How did the founder of the CSAC first become aware/involved?

Did you get to hear the music in the end? What other projects are you visiting? Write more