The day after the eviction,authorities were still in heavy force throughout the area. In the background is a vehicle laden with bicycles and other property looted from the eviction families' homes. (Photo: Licadho)November 22, 2007
Media Statement
Licadho
The government and courts must take strong action to investigate and punish police and military personnel responsible for serious abuses - including the alleged execution of a woman in front of her children - during the November 15 land eviction in Preah Vihear province.
According to eyewitnesses, the two people shot dead during the eviction, Mr Oeun Eng, 31, and Mrs Toeun Chheng, 29, were unarmed and posing no threat to the authorities at the time of their shootings.
Mr Oeun Eng was shot in the chest, reportedly by a uniformed man hidden in bushes some distance away, and died almost immediately. Another man standing next to him was shot in the shoulder but survived. The two men were standing amidst a group of people, most of whom leapt to the ground by the authorities began shooting; they may have been shot simply because they were too slow to get to the ground. The fact that both men were shot in the upper body indicates the bullets were fired directly at them.
The death of Mrs Toeun Chheng is even more disturbing. According to further investigation by LICADHO, initial reports that she was shot while protesting the arrest of her husband were incorrect. In fact, according to multiple witnesses, she was shot in cold blood by police while she was alone with her four children at her house.
Witnesses say that police officers went to the Toeun Chheng’s house during the eviction, apparently looking for her husband, a community representative named Moeun Chanthon, who was not at home. Toeun Chheng was in front of her house, attempting to shield her four children from the police, when one of the officers moved forward, raised his AK47 rifle and shot her in the chest. The officer then stepped up to her, as she lay bleeding on the ground, and ripped a necklace from her neck to steal it. He also took a motorcycle from the house. Toeun Chheng‘s four children, the youngest a baby and the oldest aged 11, were present during the shooting. Toeun Chheng was taken to a local medical clinic but later died.
Soon after his wife's shooting, Moeun Chanthon was arrested. Police found him at a roadblock which the community had erected to protest the arrests of two people - including Moeun Chanthon's brother, Moeun Chantha - a day earlier. After the arrest, a policeman named Sun Vannak allegedly beat Moeun Chanthon severely, including by hitting him repeatedly on the head with a baton, according to witnesses.
On the orders of police, the body of Oeun Eng was hurriedly cremated and Toeun Chheng’s body was quickly buried after she died.
At least six other people were injured, five of them shot, during the eviction.
In addition to the excessive violence, the police and military officers also looted property of the 317 families who were evicted. During the eviction, hundreds of people were rounded up by police and other authorities and taken away to be detained, while others fled into nearby forest. The authorities then burned down the houses of all of the families, stealing their property - including motorcycles, household items and clothing – beforehand. Most of the detained villagers were later released and, without any possessions except for what they were wearing, told to leave the area permanently.
After the looting and burning of houses, the authorities celebrated by killing a cow, cooking its body to eat and burying its head.
As many as 280 personnel, comprising soldiers, police, military police and Forestry Administration officers, reportedly participated in the eviction, which was carried out on the orders of the provincial governor. According to information received by LICADHO, the eviction was led by deputy provincial governor Sar Sam Ol, Forestry Administration official Pol Kham Narei, Choam Ksan district chief Kao Loung.
The eviction occurred near Sra Em village, Kantuot commune in Choam Ksan district, where the 317 families had recently settled on vacant land after coming to the area in search of land.
At least 15 arrested people remain detained and have been sent to Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison, including the Funcinpec-affiliated provincial deputy governor Preah Vihear, Meas Savoeun. Two injured persons, both shot in the leg, are among those still detained.
LICADHO welcomes the reported comment of Ministry of Interior spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak (in The Cambodia Daily, Nov 21) that the level of violence used by authorities in the eviction was "unacceptable". LICADHO urges that appropriately strong action be taken by the government, judicial and National Assembly officials, including:
LICADHO reiterates its call for the Cambodian government to order a moratorium on all forced mass evictions in the country.
For further information, please contact:
Kek Galabru, LICADHO president, 012-940-645
Am Sam Ath, Monitoring Technical Supervisor, 012-327-770
According to eyewitnesses, the two people shot dead during the eviction, Mr Oeun Eng, 31, and Mrs Toeun Chheng, 29, were unarmed and posing no threat to the authorities at the time of their shootings.
Mr Oeun Eng was shot in the chest, reportedly by a uniformed man hidden in bushes some distance away, and died almost immediately. Another man standing next to him was shot in the shoulder but survived. The two men were standing amidst a group of people, most of whom leapt to the ground by the authorities began shooting; they may have been shot simply because they were too slow to get to the ground. The fact that both men were shot in the upper body indicates the bullets were fired directly at them.
The death of Mrs Toeun Chheng is even more disturbing. According to further investigation by LICADHO, initial reports that she was shot while protesting the arrest of her husband were incorrect. In fact, according to multiple witnesses, she was shot in cold blood by police while she was alone with her four children at her house.
Witnesses say that police officers went to the Toeun Chheng’s house during the eviction, apparently looking for her husband, a community representative named Moeun Chanthon, who was not at home. Toeun Chheng was in front of her house, attempting to shield her four children from the police, when one of the officers moved forward, raised his AK47 rifle and shot her in the chest. The officer then stepped up to her, as she lay bleeding on the ground, and ripped a necklace from her neck to steal it. He also took a motorcycle from the house. Toeun Chheng‘s four children, the youngest a baby and the oldest aged 11, were present during the shooting. Toeun Chheng was taken to a local medical clinic but later died.
Soon after his wife's shooting, Moeun Chanthon was arrested. Police found him at a roadblock which the community had erected to protest the arrests of two people - including Moeun Chanthon's brother, Moeun Chantha - a day earlier. After the arrest, a policeman named Sun Vannak allegedly beat Moeun Chanthon severely, including by hitting him repeatedly on the head with a baton, according to witnesses.
On the orders of police, the body of Oeun Eng was hurriedly cremated and Toeun Chheng’s body was quickly buried after she died.
At least six other people were injured, five of them shot, during the eviction.
In addition to the excessive violence, the police and military officers also looted property of the 317 families who were evicted. During the eviction, hundreds of people were rounded up by police and other authorities and taken away to be detained, while others fled into nearby forest. The authorities then burned down the houses of all of the families, stealing their property - including motorcycles, household items and clothing – beforehand. Most of the detained villagers were later released and, without any possessions except for what they were wearing, told to leave the area permanently.
After the looting and burning of houses, the authorities celebrated by killing a cow, cooking its body to eat and burying its head.
As many as 280 personnel, comprising soldiers, police, military police and Forestry Administration officers, reportedly participated in the eviction, which was carried out on the orders of the provincial governor. According to information received by LICADHO, the eviction was led by deputy provincial governor Sar Sam Ol, Forestry Administration official Pol Kham Narei, Choam Ksan district chief Kao Loung.
The eviction occurred near Sra Em village, Kantuot commune in Choam Ksan district, where the 317 families had recently settled on vacant land after coming to the area in search of land.
At least 15 arrested people remain detained and have been sent to Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison, including the Funcinpec-affiliated provincial deputy governor Preah Vihear, Meas Savoeun. Two injured persons, both shot in the leg, are among those still detained.
LICADHO welcomes the reported comment of Ministry of Interior spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak (in The Cambodia Daily, Nov 21) that the level of violence used by authorities in the eviction was "unacceptable". LICADHO urges that appropriately strong action be taken by the government, judicial and National Assembly officials, including:
- The suspension of deputy provincial governor Sar Sam Ol, Forestry Administration officer Pol Kham Narei, and Choam Ksan district chief Kao Loung from their positions, until proper investigations into the eviction are completed.
- A high-level judicial investigation into alleged crimes committed during the eviction. This should be led by the Prosecutor-General of the Court of Appeal, who has authority over prosecutors and judicial police nationwide.
- Prosecution of members of the authorities responsible for murder, manslaughter, theft or other crimes during the eviction. Because of provincial government officials' involvement in the eviction, prosecutions should occur in a court other than the Preah Vihear Provincial Court.
- A simultaneous investigation by the National Assembly's Commission on Human Rights into the events, including the actions of local and provincial authorities, before, during and after the eviction.
- The Ministry of Interior should grant immediate access by human rights workers and independent doctors to all of the arrested villagers who are still detained.
- The Phnom Penh Municipal Court should promptly investigate the cases of the detained villagers to establish if there is convincing evidence of crimes committed by them and, if not, they should be immediately released.
LICADHO reiterates its call for the Cambodian government to order a moratorium on all forced mass evictions in the country.
For further information, please contact:
Kek Galabru, LICADHO president, 012-940-645
Am Sam Ath, Monitoring Technical Supervisor, 012-327-770
35 comments:
This needs to stop, when will the blood of Cambodians stop being spilled? Your hands are red with the blood of your people. These people are number one at destroying Khmers but when it comes time to face their enemies they are weak cowards who hide.
These fucking military and police are a bunch of cowards and thieves. They only know how to rob and kill unarmed woman.
Dictator Hun Xen is the murder!!!!Hun Xen kill the khmer nation for his chef (Youns Hanoi).he is the big murder after Pol Pot regime.
I have told you all along that Hun Sen is afraid of these thugs too.
There are more than one tigers after all.
What pity are the 4 children! Grow up and return your sadness into power of revolution! It will be never late to revenge this regime who will survive longer.
Fucking gansters!
This method is not far away from the Khmer Rouge´s method. The west countries have trained cambodian police and military to serve the civilian people but not for the killing like this. The western, please look carefully about this case.
The victim of te killing field
Nope, no action needed other than to throw Ah Khmer-Yuon squatter bodies in the Mekong river to send them back home in Vietnam.
Under AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave dictatorship and Cambodian Vietcong slave soldiers are thieves in their own country! Ahhahahha
Good ideal 6:53, please throw Ah Khmer-Yuon Hun Sen to Hanoi.
Very sad. I hope there will be another khmer rough, to kill this police and soldiers, they are good for nothing.
Wrong, 7:36, PM Hun Sen is not Ah Khmer-Yuon. Plus, the Mekong does go to Hanoi either.
OK, 7:52, so you want to mention Khmer Krom are Khmer Youn? hahahahah, you know nothing about Khmer history. I think you are not Khmer, but you are Vietnamese. You are not successful to cooperate with Khmer Kandal while accuse Khmer Krom.
Sometime you said that Khmer Krom are murder, but you haven’t got any evident to show that they kill people. Your writing here is not helpful for Hun Sen, but make everybody hate him, because everybody know that you are Vietnamese and is protecting him.
8:11, stop denying the truth, will ya? Ah Khmer-Yuons are Yuon citizens, but in the slave classes. They wanted to be treated like normal citizens, but they are not worthed it. Can you imagine scum of the planet being treated equally as normal citizen? hahaha, LOL, hahaha,..., ROFLMAO!!!
AH HUN SEN is installed by the Vietcong since 1979! He will work and die for the Vietcong master and it doesn't matter which way some Vietcong are trying to say about AH HUN SEN because it will not going to change the hatred for the Vietcong!
No, PM Hun Sen needn't work for Vietcong.
The Vietcong had to installed something in Cambodia just as the US did in Iraq. Without government, the country will run wild and people will be murdered by armed looters. Therefore, you are not scoring any point here, alright, you idiot?
8:36, hahaha, you are very funny. It will not be wrong if you are Vietnamese. But if you are Khmer, please go back to school, because you know nothing about Khmer history.
to 8:36, are you happy to see Khmer Krom (Khmer youn) are slave of Youn?
Hi my friend 8:36. You are right, Khmer is in super class, Vietnamese is in super class, but Khmer Krom or Khmer youn is in slave class. Are you happy to see Khmer Krom is in slave class?
Yes, 10:30 and 10:35, I am very happy to see justice is shitting on Ah Khmer-Yuon heads for destroying Cambodia and Vietnam.
Anymore question?
What they do for destroying Cambodia and Vietnam? my friend 11:09?
Well, they drag Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia into the Vietnam war and destroyed the entire region.
Last but not least, keep in mind, we are still suffering from the aftermath and byproducts of the stupid war.
Therefore, Ah Khmer-Yuon criminals are responsible for their actions, and they can't hide from justice.
Hahahaha 11:56, Khmer Krom or Khmer Youn is only slave of your good friend Vietnamese. So how they can drag Vietnam, Lao and Cambodia into the war? You think the black men also drag USA into the war?
Well, the US war indeed has something to do with their slaves, isn't it?
As for Ah Khmer-Yuon, they were alright when Vietnam was spitted north and South, but then they came up with the stupid idea to keep with Vietnam split by support the US against communist. The US would not have done it if they didn't had support from anyone inside Vietnam, get it?
Does the US Embessy have anything to say about this horrific situation, or just going with the flow.
I should have known that the US has history of supporting dictators. It is my belief that the US does not have anything to say about this atrocious occurence, except waiting for the flow of blood oil. Or perhaps the US State Department should begin its own probe and assess their duties and responsibilies as dimplomatic role.
If the current US Embassador unable to carry his duty and responsibility, perhaps we need a new replacement.
What's in it for the US to do that, huh?
I guess you're only interested in blood oil!
Further, we should have known that the US has horrific history of underpinning dictators.
The US is afraid, and it does not want to meddle with the internal matters. Of course, the US has learned a lot from their previous lessons from their mistakes.
Whatever on your plate, to ensure that you people not emulate from the Nixon Era.
12:54 PM, that's so stupid answer. Now I know you IP and know who you are already. But you are still welcome.
Why is my answer stupid? I was told by many American the their civil war has something to do with the economy, secession, and slavery.
As for my IP, I can changed it at will. I can used Chinese IP, Vietnamese IP, France IP, ..., as well as the US IP.
What the IP imtimadation business here?
As always, never registered your PC or latop by using your real name, it's a "NO, No."
Good luck!
Only the G-man and equivelent agency has the cability to track and pinpoint your ID through the issuance of supoena.
These military and police are a bunch of cowards and thieves.
without their uniforms they are only half men,without AK-47s they are nothing,just a bunch of pigs.
you pigs,why don't you try a cross border to get an INCH of land back.
Bet you all tuck your tails between your legs in front of black uniform border patrol.
The police job is to enforce laws, and you can't grabbed state land. Get it?
more pictures here http://licadho.org/album/view_photo.php?cat=37
These policemen reminded me of the Khmer Rouge's behavior. They also reminded me of someone being robbed of their behavior toward these villagers trying to protect their properties. These policemen must be trial according to laws. Cambodia is at peace and the government ensure their citizens are secure and peaceful for mutual coexistence. We must not condone this kind of behavior.
Nope, the Khmer government supposed to protect Khmer from Ah Khmer-Yuon illegal immigrant who stole Khmer land.
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