Heng Pov Conundrum a Wary Topic for the Cambodian Public
By Pin Sisovann and Douglas Gillison
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The mention of former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov was enough to end a conversation in the capital's streets this week.
"Nobody dares to talk in Cambodia. They don't want to talk about politics," a tuk-tuk driver outside the Cambodiana Hotel said Monday when asked about the city's former police chief who became the country's most wanted fugitive.
"The more you know, the more trouble you are going to get in," said Neo Luv, a 36-yea-old motorbike taxi driver standing nearby.
"Maybe Heng Pov knew too much," Neo Luv said.
Barring brief expressions of sympathy or indifference, Phnom Penh residents interviewed across the city this week retreated from questions about Heng Pov, asking for their names to be withheld or claiming ignorance.
A 21-year-old English-literature student in his fourth year at Build Bright University was at pains Wednesday to explain his reticence in commenting.
"I am afraid when I give the information," he said, asking for his name to be withheld.
"I am not family of Mr Heng Pov. Heng Pov is involved in politics and anything involved in serious politics, we don’t care," he said.
A traffic policeman at the corner of Mao Tse Tung and Norodom boulevards who declined to be named said Monday that he liked the Heng Pov that most people knew—former municipal police chief, former security adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen and even Interior Ministry secretary of state.
"He was brave. He worked seriously," said the traffic cop. "Heng Pov defended his men when he knew the officer was right... I liked Heng Pov."
Despite his professional respect, the officer said he could not tell fact from fiction in Heng Pov"s case.
Heng Pov rose to national prominence through the 1990s and early 2000s, moving from the municipal anti-drug department to head of the municipal police department and ultimately to being an adviser to the prime minister himself.
Yet many of the crimes he stands accused of are alleged to have occurred during the times Heng Pov enjoyed his greatest successes and was conferred with more powerful positions by his superiors.
The seeming contradiction was studiously avoided by those interviewed this week.
"I don't know why there was a sudden change like that. I don't know. It’s a complicated issue," said a security guard at Phsar Thmei.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said Wednesday that authorities would have prosecuted Heng Pov earlier if they had known of his years of alleged criminal activities. "We didn’t know," he said. "We just knew after the fact."
Asked why Heng Pov was charged only in 2006 for the notorious 2003 slaying of Municipal Judge Sok Sethamony, Khieu Sopheak referred questions to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy also referred similar questions to the court.
Court Director Chiv Keng said he was too busy to speak to a reporter.
Penal Police Chief Mok Chito said Wednesday that it was fear of Heng Pov and not politics that prevented him being brought to justice.
"Witnesses were afraid when [Heng Pov] was in charge of Phnom Penh," he maintained.
"Nobody dares to talk in Cambodia. They don't want to talk about politics," a tuk-tuk driver outside the Cambodiana Hotel said Monday when asked about the city's former police chief who became the country's most wanted fugitive.
"The more you know, the more trouble you are going to get in," said Neo Luv, a 36-yea-old motorbike taxi driver standing nearby.
"Maybe Heng Pov knew too much," Neo Luv said.
Barring brief expressions of sympathy or indifference, Phnom Penh residents interviewed across the city this week retreated from questions about Heng Pov, asking for their names to be withheld or claiming ignorance.
A 21-year-old English-literature student in his fourth year at Build Bright University was at pains Wednesday to explain his reticence in commenting.
"I am afraid when I give the information," he said, asking for his name to be withheld.
"I am not family of Mr Heng Pov. Heng Pov is involved in politics and anything involved in serious politics, we don’t care," he said.
A traffic policeman at the corner of Mao Tse Tung and Norodom boulevards who declined to be named said Monday that he liked the Heng Pov that most people knew—former municipal police chief, former security adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen and even Interior Ministry secretary of state.
"He was brave. He worked seriously," said the traffic cop. "Heng Pov defended his men when he knew the officer was right... I liked Heng Pov."
Despite his professional respect, the officer said he could not tell fact from fiction in Heng Pov"s case.
Heng Pov rose to national prominence through the 1990s and early 2000s, moving from the municipal anti-drug department to head of the municipal police department and ultimately to being an adviser to the prime minister himself.
Yet many of the crimes he stands accused of are alleged to have occurred during the times Heng Pov enjoyed his greatest successes and was conferred with more powerful positions by his superiors.
The seeming contradiction was studiously avoided by those interviewed this week.
"I don't know why there was a sudden change like that. I don't know. It’s a complicated issue," said a security guard at Phsar Thmei.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said Wednesday that authorities would have prosecuted Heng Pov earlier if they had known of his years of alleged criminal activities. "We didn’t know," he said. "We just knew after the fact."
Asked why Heng Pov was charged only in 2006 for the notorious 2003 slaying of Municipal Judge Sok Sethamony, Khieu Sopheak referred questions to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy also referred similar questions to the court.
Court Director Chiv Keng said he was too busy to speak to a reporter.
Penal Police Chief Mok Chito said Wednesday that it was fear of Heng Pov and not politics that prevented him being brought to justice.
"Witnesses were afraid when [Heng Pov] was in charge of Phnom Penh," he maintained.
6 comments:
Well folks I was to busy to talk about this case. Please find someone else. I don't know you call my cell phone was shut down. Oh sorry I have no comment.
Alah! Alah! Help Heng Pov to be executed by CPP. Alah is good with the evil CPP regime. Hun Sen now can rest in peace. He now can kill more innocent people and shut up all the opponents. Thank you Alah.
When is Ah Kwak turn to be executed? Alah helps Hun Sen too....
That is how 2 millions of us were dead during Pol Pot Regime, because no one dare to speak up or do anything. Everyone must afraid of Angkar or Hun Sen, because in the end no none care. If we were lucky we will survive. In Cambodia, people in big position can do whatever they want when and ever they please. They own everyone life in Cambodia. That how powerful they are. The bigger the better and they meaner they become. Big men in Cambodian had zero respect for their ordianry citizens. Everyone is beneath their feet. If it's for the royalty, the word says , you are beneath the dirt of my feet.
Today, Royalty changes quit a bit. Actually a lot, but it probably took another one hundred to change the attitude of our government and big people in our country, unless Mr. Sam Rainsey win th enext election. Otherwise, forget about saying any thing against them. It won't do any good. They all can walk on water.
Congratulation Hun Sen, Hok Lundy, Khieu Sppheak, Khieu Khanarith & Hor Numhong you all kept your promise to capture Heng Pov at all Cost$.
I congratulate your great works and tactic. You sure made Finland look like a goose and Malaysia like your dog ...well done Mate.
I wish U Hun Sen to govern Cambodia forever 28+ more years. Hopefully you a well enough to not have a heart attack or high blood pressure as you get older...it a shame to see you died....as the Vietnam will missed you greatly, Because you have served Vietnam interests and Vietnamese people very well.
Long live 'SomEarch' Hun Sen.....for Heng Pov will not have a very long life left...like the rest of our fellow innocent Khmer.
Happy New Year.
In AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave system of government, Cambodian people are required to dumb,blind, and speechless! It seems that these days only AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave can talk about everything and Cambodian people suppose to look at him and admired him as a very smart leader!
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