Ceremony for victims of 2010 stampede is set

Ceremony for victims of 2010 stampede is set

ppp Fri, 20 November 2015

Mom Kunthear

A man places an offering at the memorial site of the Koh Pich bridge stampede during a commemorative ceremony in 2013. Heng Chivoan

A memorial service for the victims of the 2010 Koh Pich stampede will be held on Sunday morning and presided over by Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong, Phnom Penh City Hall announced on Monday.

On November 22, 2010, the third day of the Water Festival, a stampede on the bridge connecting Koh Pich (Diamond Island) and the west bank of the Tonle Bassac killed 353 people and wounded hundreds more.

The announcement invites survivors and families of victims to attend the ceremony.

“The relatives of the victims have to bring their food and offerings to the monks,” the notice says, adding that said 108 monks would be present to pray.

San Thida, 34, who lost her younger sister in the stampede, said she could not bear to attend the service but her younger brother would go.

“I do not want to see the place where my sister died. It . . . makes me miss her so much,” she said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that while official traditional boat races are still cancelled for Water Festival, boat races could be organised independently.