PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia has charged three former Khmer Rouge guerrillas, including one who is now an army major-general, with the death of a British deminer more than a decade ago, court officials said on Wednesday.
Khim Ngun, 58, a deputy of late Khmer Rouge military chief Ta Mok, and two subordinates had been charged with the premeditated murder of Christopher Howes, who was working for the UK-based Mines Advisory Group, presiding judge Ke Sakhan told Reuters.
If found guilty, the three face life in jail.
Howes, his translator and a demining team were seized in March 1996 in the northern province of Siem Reap by gunmen believed to be hardline remnants of the Khmer Rouge, who were still active in the area.
Efforts to negotiate ransom demands from the kidnappers failed and Howes and his translator, Houn Hourth, were killed soon afterwards in the final Khmer Rouge redoubt of Anlong Veng, a jungle-clad mountain on the Thai border.
However, it was two years before their deaths were confirmed by defectors from Pol Pot's ultra-Maoist guerrilla movement, which crumbled after his death in April 1998.
Khim Ngun is the first former Khmer Rouge to be charged in connection with the murders, despite diplomatic pressure on Phnom Penh to bring those responsible to justice.
Although one of many foreigners to die at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, Howes' death shocked Cambodians as he had been involved in efforts to rid the southeast Asian nation of the legacy of decades of civil war.
A street in Phnom Penh was named in his honor in 1999. The British embassy said it welcomed the progress made in the case.
(Reporting by Ek Madra, writing by Ed Cropley, editing by Michael Battye and Roger Crabb)
Khim Ngun, 58, a deputy of late Khmer Rouge military chief Ta Mok, and two subordinates had been charged with the premeditated murder of Christopher Howes, who was working for the UK-based Mines Advisory Group, presiding judge Ke Sakhan told Reuters.
If found guilty, the three face life in jail.
Howes, his translator and a demining team were seized in March 1996 in the northern province of Siem Reap by gunmen believed to be hardline remnants of the Khmer Rouge, who were still active in the area.
Efforts to negotiate ransom demands from the kidnappers failed and Howes and his translator, Houn Hourth, were killed soon afterwards in the final Khmer Rouge redoubt of Anlong Veng, a jungle-clad mountain on the Thai border.
However, it was two years before their deaths were confirmed by defectors from Pol Pot's ultra-Maoist guerrilla movement, which crumbled after his death in April 1998.
Khim Ngun is the first former Khmer Rouge to be charged in connection with the murders, despite diplomatic pressure on Phnom Penh to bring those responsible to justice.
Although one of many foreigners to die at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, Howes' death shocked Cambodians as he had been involved in efforts to rid the southeast Asian nation of the legacy of decades of civil war.
A street in Phnom Penh was named in his honor in 1999. The British embassy said it welcomed the progress made in the case.
(Reporting by Ek Madra, writing by Ed Cropley, editing by Michael Battye and Roger Crabb)
6 comments:
Major General Khim Ngun thinks he is above the law even he wears Cambodia military uniform. When you kill foreigner, his or her government will find justice for them. So next time you, Hun Sen, and your idiot followers need to watch out. This is justice class 101.
Next time Ah Hun Sen and his followers will be standing trial for murderer innocent Khmer people such as Pisey Paklika, Touch Sreynich, etc... Watch out CPP and your madam with acid throwers. You'll be brought to justice one day.
Open season:
Ok to killed Cambodian only!
UNTAC's GREATING COUNTRY.
The animals Khmer rouge members and the criminals Youn puppets must be put in jail for life or exported to Hanoi.
Cambodians are civilized.
Civilized Electric Pot!
Khmer killed Khmer is on trial but those foreigners who killed Khmer is not on trial and this is such a shame! Shame on AH HUN SEN government! Shame on United Nation! Shame, shame, and nothing shame!
If you won the war and can got them in their Country! try go to Hanoi and arrest NGuing Yang Yab, dude 10:49AM.
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