By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Four people were seriously injured when a man opened fire into a crowd of workers in Phnom Penh's Dangkao district on Monday night, police said.
Police said the man was wearing civilian clothes, and are uncertain what motivated him to shoot into the crowd of garment and cement factory workers in Choam Chao commune.
Although only one man fired the weapon, there were around eight people in the back of a pickup with the shooter, which sped away from the scene immediately after the shooting, said Chuop Sok Heng, deputy district police chief.
"We cannot identify those gunmen because even the vehicle number plate we do not know," he said. The shooting, which occurred in Trapaing Thlaing village at 9 pm, was not intended to intimidate workers or union members, he said.
Nil Mok, a 21-year-old construction worker, was shot in his chest, while Aing Neang, a 31-year-old driver for Long Meng Cement Factory, was hit in the right arm, according to a district police report. Var Vanrith, 20, and Var Srey Neang, 24, were shot while watching television in their rented accommodation nearby. Both women are garment factory workers. Var Vanrith was hit in the left knee and right thigh, while Var Srey Neang was shot in the elbow.
The four were sent for treatment to a private health clinic, Chuop Sok Heng said.
Nil Mok and Aing Neang were among a group of workers who had entered a ruckus with Aing Neang after his vehicle accidentally splashed them with water, Chuop Sok Heng said.
"A group of construction workers tried to beat the driver, and suddenly the eight men appeared with their car. Some of them beat those workers and another started spraying bullets," he said. The eight men do not work at Long Meng Cement Factory, and police do not believe the factory was in any way connected with the shooting, Chuop Sok Heng added.
Officials at the factory could not be reached for comment.
Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union, said workers in general will be rattled by the shooting.
"Our workers have recently been the target of shooting by police and other gunmen but no suspects have been arrested yet," he said.
A garment factory worker was shot in the abdomen on Oct 18 after Phnom Penh's Bright Sky factory management called in hundreds of heavily armed police to disperse a protest. No one has been arrested in relation to that shooting.
Police said the man was wearing civilian clothes, and are uncertain what motivated him to shoot into the crowd of garment and cement factory workers in Choam Chao commune.
Although only one man fired the weapon, there were around eight people in the back of a pickup with the shooter, which sped away from the scene immediately after the shooting, said Chuop Sok Heng, deputy district police chief.
"We cannot identify those gunmen because even the vehicle number plate we do not know," he said. The shooting, which occurred in Trapaing Thlaing village at 9 pm, was not intended to intimidate workers or union members, he said.
Nil Mok, a 21-year-old construction worker, was shot in his chest, while Aing Neang, a 31-year-old driver for Long Meng Cement Factory, was hit in the right arm, according to a district police report. Var Vanrith, 20, and Var Srey Neang, 24, were shot while watching television in their rented accommodation nearby. Both women are garment factory workers. Var Vanrith was hit in the left knee and right thigh, while Var Srey Neang was shot in the elbow.
The four were sent for treatment to a private health clinic, Chuop Sok Heng said.
Nil Mok and Aing Neang were among a group of workers who had entered a ruckus with Aing Neang after his vehicle accidentally splashed them with water, Chuop Sok Heng said.
"A group of construction workers tried to beat the driver, and suddenly the eight men appeared with their car. Some of them beat those workers and another started spraying bullets," he said. The eight men do not work at Long Meng Cement Factory, and police do not believe the factory was in any way connected with the shooting, Chuop Sok Heng added.
Officials at the factory could not be reached for comment.
Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union, said workers in general will be rattled by the shooting.
"Our workers have recently been the target of shooting by police and other gunmen but no suspects have been arrested yet," he said.
A garment factory worker was shot in the abdomen on Oct 18 after Phnom Penh's Bright Sky factory management called in hundreds of heavily armed police to disperse a protest. No one has been arrested in relation to that shooting.
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