Arrests In Paedophile Crackdown
Phnom Penh - Cambodian police said they were close to arresting two more western men seeking sex with children as an appeal was launched for the victims of paedophiles to come forward.
"We are now gathering evidence in two more cases of western nationals coming to Phnom Penh to have sex with young boys, and are close to making arrests," the chief of the police Interpol unit General Skabavy Mathlyroun said.
"We have called for more victims of men seeking child sex to come forward to police," he added, explaining police were questioning child prostitutes throughout the capital.
He said the clients were mostly western men.
The appeal comes a day after a British national, identified as 38-year-old Philip Gordon Williams from Dunbart in Scotland, was charged with forcing his two adopted 12 and 13 year-old Cambodian daughters into having sex with him.
Police said a total of seven children had filed complaints against him, leading them to arrest Williams as he attempted to leave the country by boat.
In a brief court appearence on Monday, Williams -- who has been working in Cambodia for two years as an English teacher -- vigorously denied the charge and claimed he was framed following a dispute over money.
Police here say tougher conditions and an efficient police crackdown in Thailand has sent paedophiles searching for victims in Cambodia, where law enforcement structures have been slow to respond to the problem.
General Skabavy Mathlyroun said despite the fresh initiative to deal with the menace, Cambodia remained "overwhelmed" with cases needing urgent investigation.
May 25, 1999
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