The director of a Battambang province orphanage yesterday denied allegations of mistreatment by youths living at the center. On Tuesday, a protest was held by teenagers at the orphanage, located in Sangke district’s Norea commune, which takes care of children whose parents have died of AIDS.
Norea commune chief Sok Sambath said the protesters accused orphanage director Dy Samreach and accountant Leng Sitharath of intimidation and corruption, and that he had received a complaint from the children and some staff members of the Hope for Cambodian Children.
“They appealed for [Ms Samreach and Ms Sitharath] to be fired,” said Mr Sambath, adding that he was not allowed to enter the orphanage compound during Tuesday’s protest.
The protesting youth claimed that they are not being fed enough and that the orphanage management had used insulting words, Mr Sambath said.
Reached by telephone, the orphanage director said most of the older children who complained were not even from the orphanage, but were outside youths who asked to stay and study at the center.
“They smoke cigarettes, and their teacher has reported them absent from class,” Ms Samreach said, adding that the complaining youths were between the ages of 19 and 23.
Ms Samreach said that her predecessor had allowed the teenagers to stay at the center, but that she was introducing new rules on discipline, which banned smoking and the use of mobile phones in the compound.
“Recently, we set out new procedures to manage the orphans, because they weren’t obeying the rules. Only children aged 18 and under can live at the center.” She said that those over 18 have to sign a contract saying they will obey the rules.
Of the 110 children at the orphanage, only about 30 of the oldest had complained, Ms Samreach said, adding: “These accusations are not true; I think there might be someone behind the protest.”
Sun Tek, provincial coordinator for rights group Licadho, said he will investigate the issues at the orphanage.
