Official: N Korean Remains With Mondolkiri Police
By Prak Chan Thul and Douglas Gillison
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Contrary to police reports Tuesday, a North Korean national arrested last week in Mondolkiri province has not been deported to Vietnam and remains in police custody in the province, a government official said Wednesday.
Mondolkiri Governor Lay Sokha said the 36-year-old man, whom he referred to in Khmer as Ly Hai Long, was arrested at about 9 am on Nov 12 in Pech Chreada district after illegally crossing the Cambodian border.
"He came to Vietnam with his wife and she got arrested in Vietnam. He fled into Mondolkiri province and the district police arrested him," Lay Sokha said. "Now he is in custody in Mondolkiri at the provincial police headquarters."
Lay Sokha added that the man had no passport but has said he wants to reach South Korea.
Lay Sokha said provincial police were waiting for a decision from the Interior Ministry on what to do with Ly Hai Long.
On Tuesday, Mondolkiri provincial police chief Nhem Vanny and his two deputy chiefs, Ngin Sophoeun and Sam Sam Ath, said they knew nothing of the North Korean, and Deputy National Police Commissioner Sok Phal said that he had already been deported to Vietnam.
Lay Sokha said the North Korean has been detained at provincial police headquarters since his arrest 10 days ago.
Sok Phal declined to answer questions about the matter Wednesday. He referred questions to Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak who said he had not been informed of the matter.
Deborah Backus, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the agency had written Wednesday to both the interior and foreign ministries requesting clarification on the case, but had not received a response.
"The Cambodian government should be allowing him access to UNHCR so that they can assess his claim to asylum," a Human Rights Watch representative said on condition of anonymity.
"The Cambodian government should be protecting him if there's any chance he is an asylum seeker, given the North's atrocious record on human rights," the official added.
The North Korean Embassy could not be reached for comment, while an official at the South Korean Embassy declined comment.
Mondolkiri Governor Lay Sokha said the 36-year-old man, whom he referred to in Khmer as Ly Hai Long, was arrested at about 9 am on Nov 12 in Pech Chreada district after illegally crossing the Cambodian border.
"He came to Vietnam with his wife and she got arrested in Vietnam. He fled into Mondolkiri province and the district police arrested him," Lay Sokha said. "Now he is in custody in Mondolkiri at the provincial police headquarters."
Lay Sokha added that the man had no passport but has said he wants to reach South Korea.
Lay Sokha said provincial police were waiting for a decision from the Interior Ministry on what to do with Ly Hai Long.
On Tuesday, Mondolkiri provincial police chief Nhem Vanny and his two deputy chiefs, Ngin Sophoeun and Sam Sam Ath, said they knew nothing of the North Korean, and Deputy National Police Commissioner Sok Phal said that he had already been deported to Vietnam.
Lay Sokha said the North Korean has been detained at provincial police headquarters since his arrest 10 days ago.
Sok Phal declined to answer questions about the matter Wednesday. He referred questions to Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak who said he had not been informed of the matter.
Deborah Backus, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the agency had written Wednesday to both the interior and foreign ministries requesting clarification on the case, but had not received a response.
"The Cambodian government should be allowing him access to UNHCR so that they can assess his claim to asylum," a Human Rights Watch representative said on condition of anonymity.
"The Cambodian government should be protecting him if there's any chance he is an asylum seeker, given the North's atrocious record on human rights," the official added.
The North Korean Embassy could not be reached for comment, while an official at the South Korean Embassy declined comment.
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