Saturday, July 12, 2008

Cambodian opposition journalist shot dead

Jul 11, 2008
DPA

Phnom Penh - A senior Cambodian journalist working for an opposition newspaper was gunned down and killed in a central street in the capital Friday evening, police said.

Khim Sam Ol was a journalist for the pro-Sam Rainsy Party newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer, police and a journalism representative said.

Police said Sam Ol's son, who was not named, was also seriously injured in the attack as the pair walked back from exercising at the capital's Olympic Stadium after work.

Ages of the men were not immediately available.

Cambodia is scheduled to hold national elections on July 27 and although the National Election Committee has reported fewer potentially politically motivated incidents than previously, past pre-election periods have been marked by violence.

The murder is likely to cause a political storm because on June 8, Sam Ol's editor, Dam Sith, was arrested on defamation charges against Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong and spent a week in Prey Sar prison before Prime Minister Hun Sen intervened.

Hor Namhong later dropped the charges after Dam Sith wrote to him saying he had made 'a mistake' in publishing the offending comments.

And police Friday urged caution in assigning political blame to Sam Ol's murder, saying investigations were in the early stages and no motive had been established.

'If you don't like someone, hurting them when tensions are high, like before an election, and then hoping politics is blamed is a sensible strategy,' one officer said on condition of anonymity.

Personal disputes, most often over money, land or lovers, remain by far the primary motives for murder in Cambodia.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's about time.

Thank you, Buddha!

Anonymous said...

This is a political threat from CPP against Opposition parties.

Anonymous said...

No, this is a voice of Khmer people telling Ah Savage Infidel Scam Rainxy to go back to Zimbabwe.

Anonymous said...

You can bet your life on that ,the killers will never be found BY POLICES because it's the work of CPP.What a crap?.

Anonymous said...

And it begins... commence hunting for Vietnamese and Viet-Ass-kissers. We'll start with that dirty dog 3:56 AM.

personal disputes in Cambodia always seem to be resolved and the purpitrators always seem to get caught, but as for political murders, they NEVER find out who it is. If this case isn't solved, its POLITICAL.

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for ah kwak Hun Xen's followers known as the CPP (Cambodia's Pouht Pleur)

Hun Xen doesn't realize how many savage apes he has as followers of his party.

Oh, wait, HE DOES! He uses these mindless barbaric apes to his advantage. Hun Xen supports these types of killings. For him, it's all "hush hush...I'm just gonna turn my back quietly and walk the other direction".

Anonymous said...

Thmils always try to emulate their leaders. To bad followers of Hun Xen don't realize their party leadership don't give a shit about them and what crimes they commit.

Anonymous said...

HUN SEn , you will Kill the way you kill these peoples .
AH HUN SEN , AH EANG SANG BARB CHRERN NAS . CHHEAM SRAG , SBAG HOU..
DEAD TO HUN SEN AND IT DOGS

Anonymous said...

Here goes 3:56 with his fucking Zimbabwe's remark.
ONLY A FUCKING CHILD CAN REPEAT HIMSELF OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Anonymous said...

Once again, opposition party member was killed. But still there is person,like the one commented here, doesnt know what is white or black.
maybe that one was a Khmer rough...!

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen and his CPP are really low class people.

Anonymous said...

No, yhay one is one of Ah Hun Xen's dogs barking to defend Ah Hun Xen.

Anonymous said...

Who will be next?

Anonymous said...

Why does hun sen have to do it in the middle of his upcoming victory election. I think those who are the opposition who did it because they want to creat troubles as much as they can.

Anonymous said...

Why why why killing is used to solve problem????????????

Why Khmer will Khmer for other Nation's benifit?

When will you stop kill each other?

Touch Narouth, Hok Landy and Hun Sen Can you all appear on TV and promise in front of people that You 3 CAN FIND AND PUNISH THE KILLER?

ARE BRAVE ENOUGH BEING A TRUE MAN TO MEET ALL JOURNALISTS(LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL) TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE?

WHEN ALL THE KILLER BE FOUND?

What about the court? Are you still sleeping???

Wake up guys!!! CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

9:58 AM

Hun Sen and his son.