Although anti-trafficking group SISHA last Friday said beatings were among the serious complaints leading to the removal of 21 children from the Love in Action orphanage in Phnom Penh, police said yesterday that they were aware of just one minor instance of physical abuse at the orphanage by a low-ranking staff member.

 

“A few children had an argument over portions of rice, and a cook very slightly injured them.”

The fact that children were squabbling over food was more indicative of the reasons for the intervention, which included poor management and the orphanage’s unregistered status, he said.

“Therefore, she forwarded her children to the social affairs department . . . We have no information about human trafficking in the orphanage,” he added.