10 January 2008
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A source from the Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) in the world, based in Cambodia, indicated that at least 16 people were seriously injured and several others were slightly injured during the put down of a land protest by Khmer Krom villagers coming from An Giang province, the former land of Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam), during Wednesday night.
52-year-old Sokhom said: “I want to die there. They were angry at us, and they call in the cops to force us to climb into the car, but my group didn’t want to, so they shocked us (with the electric baton) and some passed out, and they threw us in the car. My head had a gash, and it is bleeding since yesterday.”
Mrs. Neang Ye, the leader of the demonstrators, who passed out, said: “First, they dragged me out of there, and they threw to the ground. Four of them (Vietnamese cops) beat me up and they hit me 5 times with a steel rod, then they hit my right arms 4 more times, then they took the steel rod to beat me on my shin twice more. After that, they shocked me, I passed out, and they took me to the provincial governor place. They said that I am involved in politics. I said that I am not involved in politics, they should look at my complaint letter. They said: your body hurt so much and you are still hotheaded? You want to die or to live? Be careful or else you won’t find wood to cremate yourself on time.”
More than 200 Khmer Krom people have protested on land disputes. They came from various districts of Motr Chrouk province, and they gathered in the morning of Wednesday to demand that the Vietnamese authority returns back their farm lands that the Vietnamese government confiscated from them several years ago.
The protestors do not plan to end their demands, however, at 11:00 PM, the Vietnamese cops were brought in to put them down.
Chau In, one of the protest leaders, added that, on Thursday, 130 Khmer Krom people traveled to the An Su commune office to continue the protest, in spite of the police raid last night. “The people are still angry and hurt, because they came to look for justice, but justice was not rendered to them,” Chau In said.
The An Giang Vietnamese cops recognized that the clash did take place, however, they denied that the clash took place between the cops and Khmer Krom protestors, it was in fact a clash with the Vietnamese Women Association. “The cops did not beat them up, but the (Vietnamese) women association advised the protestors to return back home, then the clash took place.”
Venerable Thach Bin, a KKF representative in Cambodia, condemned that the put down by the Vietnamese authority on Khmer Krom protestors.
52-year-old Sokhom said: “I want to die there. They were angry at us, and they call in the cops to force us to climb into the car, but my group didn’t want to, so they shocked us (with the electric baton) and some passed out, and they threw us in the car. My head had a gash, and it is bleeding since yesterday.”
Mrs. Neang Ye, the leader of the demonstrators, who passed out, said: “First, they dragged me out of there, and they threw to the ground. Four of them (Vietnamese cops) beat me up and they hit me 5 times with a steel rod, then they hit my right arms 4 more times, then they took the steel rod to beat me on my shin twice more. After that, they shocked me, I passed out, and they took me to the provincial governor place. They said that I am involved in politics. I said that I am not involved in politics, they should look at my complaint letter. They said: your body hurt so much and you are still hotheaded? You want to die or to live? Be careful or else you won’t find wood to cremate yourself on time.”
More than 200 Khmer Krom people have protested on land disputes. They came from various districts of Motr Chrouk province, and they gathered in the morning of Wednesday to demand that the Vietnamese authority returns back their farm lands that the Vietnamese government confiscated from them several years ago.
The protestors do not plan to end their demands, however, at 11:00 PM, the Vietnamese cops were brought in to put them down.
Chau In, one of the protest leaders, added that, on Thursday, 130 Khmer Krom people traveled to the An Su commune office to continue the protest, in spite of the police raid last night. “The people are still angry and hurt, because they came to look for justice, but justice was not rendered to them,” Chau In said.
The An Giang Vietnamese cops recognized that the clash did take place, however, they denied that the clash took place between the cops and Khmer Krom protestors, it was in fact a clash with the Vietnamese Women Association. “The cops did not beat them up, but the (Vietnamese) women association advised the protestors to return back home, then the clash took place.”
Venerable Thach Bin, a KKF representative in Cambodia, condemned that the put down by the Vietnamese authority on Khmer Krom protestors.
3 comments:
we need help from our new brother China
please help us brother
before Cambodian ask other countries for help, Cambodian should ask themselves, what can we as Khmer do to help our Khmer Krom brother in Vietnam?
There are countless things one can do in Cambodia, but no one is brave enough, has the audacity, the will, or time to help Khmer Krom.
Go burn in hell!ah youn-chong riay!long live khmer krom people"ANANIKUM AMERICA RULES!"
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