Moneakseka Khmer
07 Jul 06
Translated from Khmer
According to an official of the Sihanoukville Municipal Court [SMC], an arrest warrant has been issued against David Chhaynava, charged with inciting violence in the dismantling of vendors' booths on the O Chheuteal beach, Sihanoukville. The same source said that the SMC issued the warrant in the afternoon of 4 July and that the police have already received it.
According to the court official, the warrant was made at the request of Ok-nha [title granted to senior government officials and businessmen] Thong Chamraeun, chairman of an organization known as the Phnom Penh Poor People Development Community, but Thong Chamraeun did not lodge the complaint himself; he had his representative sue for him.
On 27 June the Sihanoukville City Hall used force to take down the vending booths and living quarters of the people living and selling goods at O Chheuteal. During the dismantling operation, violence occurred when vendors and locals used sticks and stones against the police. A warehouse belonging to Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun was also put to the torch. This act of violence was blamed on David Chhaynava, who was accused of being the inciter, and for that Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun's representative submitted a lawsuit with the SMC against him.
Because of the complaint lodged by Thong Chamraeun's representative, the SMC issued an arrest warrant for the police to bring David Chhaynava to the docket. The warrant was issued on Tuesday and has already been given to the police, but it was not made public to avoid scaring the suspect away. It is not known whether David was aware of the warrant or not, for we could not contact him on Thursday.
The court official said he would be charged with inciting violence, a criminal indictment. David Chhaynava could be jailed for several years if he is found guilty as charged.
David Chhaynava, a lawyer from the United States, is doing business with a number of foreign companies, particularly with a South Korean firm, making him a relatively well-off person. He also used to be close to a number of army commanders at Tuol Krasang. However, since he was sent to Prey Sar prison for driving his car into the Hun Sen public park in Phnom Penh, his relations with the soldiers at Tuol Krasang have somehow cooled down.
A Tuol Krasang source said that the arrest of David Chhaynava for racing his car on the flowerbeds of the Hun Sen garden last year was also a test of strength among the privileged ones because the sons of several big shots were also involved in this city street car race, but none of them went to jail. David Chhaynava was the only one to be arrested.
Now David Chhaynava has to face the SMC on charges of inciting violence that destroyed Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun's warehouse in the compound of the former royal residence at O Chheuteal. It was not specified what kind of goods was stored in this warehouse, but after the fire, it was publicly announced that the property inside the warehouse was worth some $40,000.
According to residents and vendors living at O Chheuteal, this trouble stemmed from the anger of the people forcibly evicted by the authorities to give the land to some tycoons for development. People in the O Chheuteal area as well as in Sihanoukville as a whole said that O Chheuteal, one of Cambodia's most beautiful beaches, is the rice pot for many poor Cambodians. Evicting them from this beach is like smashing their rice pot. However, the people do not understand why the SMC accuses David Chhaynava of being their instigator.
A Sihanoukville police officer who asked for anonymity said that the police did receive the arrest warrant from the court to hunt for David Chhaynava. The same warrant was also sent to the Phnom Penh police. However, no one knows where David Chhaynava is at this moment.
According to the court official, the warrant was made at the request of Ok-nha [title granted to senior government officials and businessmen] Thong Chamraeun, chairman of an organization known as the Phnom Penh Poor People Development Community, but Thong Chamraeun did not lodge the complaint himself; he had his representative sue for him.
On 27 June the Sihanoukville City Hall used force to take down the vending booths and living quarters of the people living and selling goods at O Chheuteal. During the dismantling operation, violence occurred when vendors and locals used sticks and stones against the police. A warehouse belonging to Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun was also put to the torch. This act of violence was blamed on David Chhaynava, who was accused of being the inciter, and for that Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun's representative submitted a lawsuit with the SMC against him.
Because of the complaint lodged by Thong Chamraeun's representative, the SMC issued an arrest warrant for the police to bring David Chhaynava to the docket. The warrant was issued on Tuesday and has already been given to the police, but it was not made public to avoid scaring the suspect away. It is not known whether David was aware of the warrant or not, for we could not contact him on Thursday.
The court official said he would be charged with inciting violence, a criminal indictment. David Chhaynava could be jailed for several years if he is found guilty as charged.
David Chhaynava, a lawyer from the United States, is doing business with a number of foreign companies, particularly with a South Korean firm, making him a relatively well-off person. He also used to be close to a number of army commanders at Tuol Krasang. However, since he was sent to Prey Sar prison for driving his car into the Hun Sen public park in Phnom Penh, his relations with the soldiers at Tuol Krasang have somehow cooled down.
A Tuol Krasang source said that the arrest of David Chhaynava for racing his car on the flowerbeds of the Hun Sen garden last year was also a test of strength among the privileged ones because the sons of several big shots were also involved in this city street car race, but none of them went to jail. David Chhaynava was the only one to be arrested.
Now David Chhaynava has to face the SMC on charges of inciting violence that destroyed Ok-nha Thong Chamraeun's warehouse in the compound of the former royal residence at O Chheuteal. It was not specified what kind of goods was stored in this warehouse, but after the fire, it was publicly announced that the property inside the warehouse was worth some $40,000.
According to residents and vendors living at O Chheuteal, this trouble stemmed from the anger of the people forcibly evicted by the authorities to give the land to some tycoons for development. People in the O Chheuteal area as well as in Sihanoukville as a whole said that O Chheuteal, one of Cambodia's most beautiful beaches, is the rice pot for many poor Cambodians. Evicting them from this beach is like smashing their rice pot. However, the people do not understand why the SMC accuses David Chhaynava of being their instigator.
A Sihanoukville police officer who asked for anonymity said that the police did receive the arrest warrant from the court to hunt for David Chhaynava. The same warrant was also sent to the Phnom Penh police. However, no one knows where David Chhaynava is at this moment.
1 comment:
CPP don't need to look further!Don't do to other for other will do unto you!
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