By Or Phearith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
People living in Prey Veng province indicated that a district police officer shot at two people, causing them serious injuries on 26 Nov morning.
The Prey Veng police authority is looking to arrest the police officer who shot at two persons in the morning of 26 Nov stemming from land disputes.
According to a report provided by villagers in Koh Roka village, Peam Chor commune, Peam Chor district, 26 families went to raise the dirt moats surrounding their rice fields. During their activities, Hun Sovann, a police officer accompanied by his son, a military police officer armed with grenades, told the villagers that he will take pictures of all the villagers in action. The villagers replied back that they will take pictures of the officers also, and a dispute ensued. Tith Pros, a 37-year-old eyewitness, said: “When they (police officer and son) saw a lot of villagers arriving, they started taking pictures. They said: ‘I will take pictures of all of you’, then we told them back: ‘If you want to take our pictures, go ahead,’ then we took out our camera to take their pictures also. Then they told us: ‘If you take our pictures, we will shoot you,’ and they immediately opened fire. The shooter in Hun Sovann, aka Soam, he is a police officer. He injured two persons: one in the arm, and the other one in the stomach. The victims are Chou Ran and Nhem Thoeung.”
Following the violent shooting, the villagers added that the military police officer pulled the grenade and was about to throw it at the villagers in an attempt to kill them.
The land dispute between Hun Sovann and the villagers started several years ago, however the commune officials said that there is no resolution given to either sides.
Nuon Savath, Peam Chor district police chief, told RFA by phone that Hun Sovann is indeed a police officer in Peam Chor district, and he lives in the village where the incident occurred. However, he said that the gun used by Hun Sovann in the shooting is a personal gun and not one provided by the police administration. He asked the villagers not to perpetrate any violent retaliation against the family of Hun Sovann in the village. Nuon Savath said that he is searching for Hun Sovann to bring him to justice.
Nuon Savath said: “Right now, I am sending my officers to search for him (Hun Sovann) and bring him in to provide clarifications. We will send him to higher authorities to deal with him legally. To me, even if he is a government official, if he is acting against the law, he should be responsible for it. I do not allow anybody in any units to violate the individual rights of the people, we are officers defending the law, we must apply the law. The action he (Hun Sovann) took is against the law.”
Ly Sophon, commune councilor, told the villagers to send a legal claim.
Prime Minister Hun Sen had issued a public order containing several points regarding the use of firearms, and that attention must be focused on the defense of national interest. Nevertheless, violence perpetrated using firearms still occur within the [Cambodian] society.
The Prey Veng police authority is looking to arrest the police officer who shot at two persons in the morning of 26 Nov stemming from land disputes.
According to a report provided by villagers in Koh Roka village, Peam Chor commune, Peam Chor district, 26 families went to raise the dirt moats surrounding their rice fields. During their activities, Hun Sovann, a police officer accompanied by his son, a military police officer armed with grenades, told the villagers that he will take pictures of all the villagers in action. The villagers replied back that they will take pictures of the officers also, and a dispute ensued. Tith Pros, a 37-year-old eyewitness, said: “When they (police officer and son) saw a lot of villagers arriving, they started taking pictures. They said: ‘I will take pictures of all of you’, then we told them back: ‘If you want to take our pictures, go ahead,’ then we took out our camera to take their pictures also. Then they told us: ‘If you take our pictures, we will shoot you,’ and they immediately opened fire. The shooter in Hun Sovann, aka Soam, he is a police officer. He injured two persons: one in the arm, and the other one in the stomach. The victims are Chou Ran and Nhem Thoeung.”
Following the violent shooting, the villagers added that the military police officer pulled the grenade and was about to throw it at the villagers in an attempt to kill them.
The land dispute between Hun Sovann and the villagers started several years ago, however the commune officials said that there is no resolution given to either sides.
Nuon Savath, Peam Chor district police chief, told RFA by phone that Hun Sovann is indeed a police officer in Peam Chor district, and he lives in the village where the incident occurred. However, he said that the gun used by Hun Sovann in the shooting is a personal gun and not one provided by the police administration. He asked the villagers not to perpetrate any violent retaliation against the family of Hun Sovann in the village. Nuon Savath said that he is searching for Hun Sovann to bring him to justice.
Nuon Savath said: “Right now, I am sending my officers to search for him (Hun Sovann) and bring him in to provide clarifications. We will send him to higher authorities to deal with him legally. To me, even if he is a government official, if he is acting against the law, he should be responsible for it. I do not allow anybody in any units to violate the individual rights of the people, we are officers defending the law, we must apply the law. The action he (Hun Sovann) took is against the law.”
Ly Sophon, commune councilor, told the villagers to send a legal claim.
Prime Minister Hun Sen had issued a public order containing several points regarding the use of firearms, and that attention must be focused on the defense of national interest. Nevertheless, violence perpetrated using firearms still occur within the [Cambodian] society.
2 comments:
If Hun sen continue to allow all of these animal like people to shoot people like that who dare to come and invest in Cambodia. These animal dare to shoot villagers, they will dare to shoot investors too. We urge Hun Sen to send them Poulavay Island so that they live with their peer over there.
1:23 PM said to send criminal to Poulavay Island to live with their peer may be a mistake.
The Cambodian Navy occupied over there during 1970 - 1975, and they are still there.
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