Cambodia's King frets over use of animals as shooting range targets

[Guest guest]

Radio Australia News - 11 June 2001

Cambodia's King frets over use of animals as shooting range targets

 

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk says the use of live animals as targets at

a Phnom Penh shooting range is harming the country's international

reputation and should be stopped.

 

The monarch has urged top police officials to put an end to the practice of

using cows, chickens and birds as targets for locals and tourists visiting a

military-operated shooting range in the capital.

 

In a recent letter to Cambodia's co-interior ministers, King Sihanouk cited

a note from an acquaintance who brought the animals' plight to his

attention.

 

The letter was contained in a recently released collection of the monarch's

correspondence.

 

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Brigadier General Khieu Sopheak, says

people seldom request to shoot at live animals at the shooting range, but

the practice should be completely eliminated.

 

This service includes material from Pacnews, Agence France-Presse (AFP) and

Reuters.

 

© 2001 ABC