Cambodia reverses plan to expel U.S. charity

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Tuesday he would allow a U.S.-based Christian charity he expelled to continue work in the country after the group apologized for participating in a documentary highlighting problems in Cambodia. Leaders from Agape International Missions (AIM), which combats sex trafficking, said they did not intend to demean Cambodians in the film. Hun Sen said he hoped AIM would learn from the dispute. Earlier this month, an AIM staffer appeared in a CNN report on child prostitution in Cambodia. Hun Sen described the report as a “serious insult against Cambodian women” and threatened to shut down the charity. He said the women featured in the report were Vietnamese misrepresented as Cambodians. AIM, founded in 1988 by Dan Brewster, focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating children and women from sex slavery. In a Monday news conference, Brewster said the accusations were false and issued a “heartfelt apology” for any offense the CNN report caused.