Relatives of killed journalist Khim Sambo arrange portrait during mourning ceremony at pagoda in Phnom Penh, 12 Jul 2008By Rory Byrne, VOA
Phnom Penh
12 July 2008
A prominent Cambodian journalist who worked for a pro-opposition newspaper was shot dead Friday along with his son in the capital Phnom Penh. Human rights groups say that the attack is meant to intimidate journalists and the public ahead of Cambodia's upcoming general elections while the government has condemned the killing and pledged to catch the killers. Rory Byrne has this report for VOA from Phnom Penh.
Khem Sambo and his 21-year-old son were riding a motorcycle Friday afternoon when they were each shot twice by a man on another motorcycle. They both died later in hospital.
Sambo, 47, reported on corruption, land grabbing and other social issues in Cambodia for the opposition newspaper Moneaseka Khmer.
Human rights advocate Theary Seng says that the killings have all the hallmarks of a political assassination.
"He's a well known journalist with an opposition voice who has been very critical of the government. It was intentional because there were at least five bullets sprayed on this man so it has all the indications of a political assassination," said Seng.
The killings of Sambo and his son follow at least half a dozen other killings in recent months that are thought to be politically motivated. They come just two weeks before Cambodia's national elections and are intended to send a message to voters, says Seng.
"There is a pattern of killings," he said. "The killings are concentrated a few months before the elections. The other pattern is that it's done in broad daylight, its done in a public space, so that the public can get the message which is: be careful if you go to a voting booth on the 27th."
Human rights groups say that Sambo is the 12th journalist to have been killed for his work since 1992. None of the killers have been found. Speaking to reporters in Phnom Penh Saturday Cambodian information Minister Khieu Kanharith condemned the killings and said that the "culprits cannot be forgiven and must be found."
Khem Sambo and his 21-year-old son were riding a motorcycle Friday afternoon when they were each shot twice by a man on another motorcycle. They both died later in hospital.
Sambo, 47, reported on corruption, land grabbing and other social issues in Cambodia for the opposition newspaper Moneaseka Khmer.
Human rights advocate Theary Seng says that the killings have all the hallmarks of a political assassination.
"He's a well known journalist with an opposition voice who has been very critical of the government. It was intentional because there were at least five bullets sprayed on this man so it has all the indications of a political assassination," said Seng.
The killings of Sambo and his son follow at least half a dozen other killings in recent months that are thought to be politically motivated. They come just two weeks before Cambodia's national elections and are intended to send a message to voters, says Seng.
"There is a pattern of killings," he said. "The killings are concentrated a few months before the elections. The other pattern is that it's done in broad daylight, its done in a public space, so that the public can get the message which is: be careful if you go to a voting booth on the 27th."
Human rights groups say that Sambo is the 12th journalist to have been killed for his work since 1992. None of the killers have been found. Speaking to reporters in Phnom Penh Saturday Cambodian information Minister Khieu Kanharith condemned the killings and said that the "culprits cannot be forgiven and must be found."
21 comments:
May your sould rest in peace.
Adios, Sayonara, So Long, Adieu and Bon Voyage to Hell.
Next dead body is your 4:31 AM. You will be shot by gay gang rape.
I see the same that the next victim will be 4:31AM. This person will be kidnapped, viciously attacked and raped by gay gangs until dead.
Sad. When this 4:31AM alive did so many bad deeds.
To 4:31AM
Hell man,ah peal arng kub somlub
Dear Cambodian people vote out ah peal,cpp and it gangters for the better of our mother land.
4:31AM!, You have a human body, but totally a devil's mind. You should be ashamed of yourself. I truly feel sorry for your parents! Definitely you are worse than the worst animals on earth!
How could you ever be insensitive and disrespectful to the souls of a brave man whose only crime is a desire to help bring about a better society in which he lived and an innocent son who happened to be with his father?
Do you think you won't die one day? At least Mr. Khim died for a heroic cause. He is a brave man who never sold his conscience.
You absolutely have no conscience at all.
For people like you, even hell is a nice place.
A concerned Khmer
Hey, I am not the one who called Khmer in Issan Province, "Chinese, Thai, and Siem" so that I can steal land and temple from them.
you fucking animal son of the fucking bitches 4:31 AM . BUNRARY MUST let you lick HER cunt with HUN SEN SPERM STILL INSIDE HER . those HUN SEN sperm are make you confuse from right to wrong .
READ THIS YOU EVIL , one day HUN SEN will let it 4000 YOUN BODY GUARD fuck your wife and daughter , and make you drink all those YOUN guard sperm untill you , your wife and daughter die the same time , monster like you deserve to die horribly very soon.
you fucking animal ..
One should treat someone else the way he himself wants to be treated.
Sure, right after you return the temple back to Khmer People in Issan Province.
Oh well, at least he will have some friends in Hell to receive him and show him around.
Sihanoukommunism is still well and intimidate people to date.
8:15 AM. Your Youn tactics are well known splitting Khmers.
Youn killed and Youn saved and killed Khmers. You are no differences.
Mate 8 ;10 am.
When you got killed from raped by gansters, you won't be lonely he is there to show you around too.
May the SON AND THE FATHER REST IN PEACE ! does anyone here know how to donate some money to the family? i would like to do so! what and unfair world! :(((
a chkè sihanouk ne pense qu'une seule chose c'est que son fils le PéDé reste sur le trone .
sa déclaration était d'approuver
à cent pour cent la politique de a esclave yourn dit a kvak HUN SEN
franchement il est temps que le peuple khmer surtout les républicains s'occupe de son cas .
vive la republique du cambodge
aller en enfer la famille sihanouk
The assassin even kill a teenager who know shit about politic!
It is so easy to find the killer if the reward was big enough! How about give $50,000 dollars to find the killers?
Oh well! I am not rich enough yet and If I am rich and I would offer even $300,000 to find the killers!
Some killers are so dirt poor and they would turn themselves in just save their family!
Another solution is to put a random road block to check for illegal weapons or legalize the people to carry conceal weapons to protect themselves to prevent further killing !
Well, you keep on dragging them kids into politic like Ah Savage Infidel Scam Rainxy always did, soon or later they will get there free ticket to Hell like the rest of them.
2.24 pm
u will be hang high soon, fuckin asshole. you kid and wife will be crying soon too. if you have any fuckin brain to know what i mean. u drag the whole country down to teats, so u will be paid in tears, and life as a bonus.
Keep on fighting, Khmer people. Don't stop until Ah Savage Infidel Scam Rainxy free all of the media from his iron claws.
Pouk Ah pret khietakor hO 5 hong,hunsen chisim ,hensomrin,hoc long di will go to hell
Post a Comment