Whatever the investigation outcome turns out to be - the people do not deserve to... be in this tragedy. When the island was opened, when the bridges were opened - already people were questioning the "crowd management" during the Water Fest. The bridge was - in essence, tiny. For those who has ever experienced the Cambodian Water Fest, you would know that we're not talking about crowds of just thousands. We're talking about millions. Phnom Penh alone has a population of 5 million. During the Water Festival, close to 1 million Cambodians travel from the provinces (they save up their meagre income and make the trip once a year) to catch the festivities and celebrations.
So - was there a proper 'crowd management' system in place? What about proper disaster management? Were these in place? Were the authorities given the right training, the right briefing to manage and control a disaster should it take place? Some 5-star hotels here do not even provide basic first aid training for their staff! You do the math. Who shoots water cannons at a crowd standing less than 0.1mm away from electrical wires and cables? (which were installed, not with safety in mind, I believe - I could be wrong, but you do the math again!)
I'm just a frustrated expat. Of course, I can always turn a blind eye and say - "Fuck, this ain't my country, this ain't my problem. I'm alive and thank you." But I come back to the point that these people do not deserve it. I call for better safety management, better disaster management and I call for them to be implemented in the best possible way, with the Cambodian people in mind. Always.
My prayers go out to all those affected by this tragedy. There is no way for me to even begin to comprehend nor understand what they are going through. My heart goes out to those who have suffered losses. Be strong.
"One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love." - Sophocles
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