Two Men Hit As Police Open Fire in Prey Veng
By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
One man was shot in the eye and another in the arm when police and a CPP commune councilor opened fire on villagers during a Prey Veng province land dispute Tuesday morning, witnesses and a rights worker said.
About 100 villagers were questioning Hen Yorn, CPP Koh Sampov commune councilor, as to why he was building a hut on their land in Peam Chor district. During the heated discussion, Hen Yorn and several commune-level policemen allegedly opened fire on the villagers with AK47s and pistols, said Men Makara, provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc.
Be Sophal, 35, was shot in the left arm and Neth Tren, 24, was shot in his left eye, according to Be Sophal's brother Chin Sarin.
"We wanted to ask them why they took the land, but they didn't respond and just shot at us," Chin Sarin said.
Men Makara claimed that Y Sam Ol, Peam Chor deputy governor, gave the order for officials to open fire.
"The commune councilor doesn't have the right to own the weapon," Men Makara said, alleging that commune police chief Sing Sokhom also shot at the villagers during the incident, which occurred at 8 am.
Peam Chor District Governor Aing Thoeung defended the decision to open fire on the villagers, alleging that they were brandishing knives and sticks.
"If the police didn't shoot... they would have been attacked by the villagers," Aing Thoeung claimed. He also claimed that police fired their weapons into the ground as a warning and did not shoot directly at the villagers.
The two men were injured when bullets ricocheted, he maintained.
Aing Thoeung said he was still investigating and that no arrests have been ordered.
Be Sophal and Neth Tren are both being treated at a hospital in Vietnam.
Keo Sam Ean, who was among the villagers during the shooting, said Hen Yorn appeared to have been drinking.
"[Hen Yorn] grabbed a police officer's AK-47 and sprayed fire into the people," he claimed.
Hen Yorn's brother Khieu Yorn, who answered Hen Yorn's phone, said the villagers had been encroaching on his brother's 11 hectares of land and that he has the documents to prove it. He also denied that Hen Yorn had opened fire.
"Hen Yorn didn't shoot the villagers, it is just an accusation," he said.
Khieu Yorn also claimed that villagers had previously set fire to his brother's property.
"[The villagers] burned down the roof of a hut and destroyed the hut," he said. "They have taken other people's land as well. They provoke a lot of problems."
Y Sam Ol and Sing Sokhom could not be reached for a further comment on the case.
Vann Saroeun, deputy provincial police chief, said police are investigating the double shooting, but declined further comment.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said he was unaware of the case and declined to comment on it.
About 100 villagers were questioning Hen Yorn, CPP Koh Sampov commune councilor, as to why he was building a hut on their land in Peam Chor district. During the heated discussion, Hen Yorn and several commune-level policemen allegedly opened fire on the villagers with AK47s and pistols, said Men Makara, provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc.
Be Sophal, 35, was shot in the left arm and Neth Tren, 24, was shot in his left eye, according to Be Sophal's brother Chin Sarin.
"We wanted to ask them why they took the land, but they didn't respond and just shot at us," Chin Sarin said.
Men Makara claimed that Y Sam Ol, Peam Chor deputy governor, gave the order for officials to open fire.
"The commune councilor doesn't have the right to own the weapon," Men Makara said, alleging that commune police chief Sing Sokhom also shot at the villagers during the incident, which occurred at 8 am.
Peam Chor District Governor Aing Thoeung defended the decision to open fire on the villagers, alleging that they were brandishing knives and sticks.
"If the police didn't shoot... they would have been attacked by the villagers," Aing Thoeung claimed. He also claimed that police fired their weapons into the ground as a warning and did not shoot directly at the villagers.
The two men were injured when bullets ricocheted, he maintained.
Aing Thoeung said he was still investigating and that no arrests have been ordered.
Be Sophal and Neth Tren are both being treated at a hospital in Vietnam.
Keo Sam Ean, who was among the villagers during the shooting, said Hen Yorn appeared to have been drinking.
"[Hen Yorn] grabbed a police officer's AK-47 and sprayed fire into the people," he claimed.
Hen Yorn's brother Khieu Yorn, who answered Hen Yorn's phone, said the villagers had been encroaching on his brother's 11 hectares of land and that he has the documents to prove it. He also denied that Hen Yorn had opened fire.
"Hen Yorn didn't shoot the villagers, it is just an accusation," he said.
Khieu Yorn also claimed that villagers had previously set fire to his brother's property.
"[The villagers] burned down the roof of a hut and destroyed the hut," he said. "They have taken other people's land as well. They provoke a lot of problems."
Y Sam Ol and Sing Sokhom could not be reached for a further comment on the case.
Vann Saroeun, deputy provincial police chief, said police are investigating the double shooting, but declined further comment.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said he was unaware of the case and declined to comment on it.
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