A mourner prays on Saturday before an altar for journalist Khim Sambo, who was gunned down Friday evening. (Photo: Vandy Rattana)Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Written by Cheang Sokha and Kay Kimsong
The Phnom Penh Post
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is ready to help Cambodian authorities probing the assassination of opposition-aligned journalist Khim Sambo, the US embassy said late Monday, warning that the brazen killing could scare people away from general elections in two weeks.
Khim Sambo and his 21 year-old son, Khath Sarin Pheata, were gunned down Friday evening outside Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium in a drive-by shooting that has shaken the capital and raised fears for press freedoms ahead of the polls.
“Our family never had any enemies or disputes with neighbors. What happened to my father was unexpected,” Khat Sarinda, the victim’s 24 year-old daughter, told the Post on Monday.
Police have few leads, but the FBI "stands ready to provide assistance, if requested by the Cambodian government, in investigating the case," the embassy said in a statement in which it also urged Cambodian authorities "to take the necessary measures in order to bring the perpetrators to justice."
The 47 year-old, who submitted articles critical of the government written under pseudonyms to Moneaksekar Khmer, a newspaper affiliated with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, died at the scene.
His son died in the early Saturday at Ketomelea military hospital, and the two were cremated Sunday at Wat Tuol Tumpong in a ceremony attended by several hundred people.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who has condemned the killings and called for swift justice, welcomed the FBI’s offer on Tuesday.
“It would be good if we could cooperate with the FBI in investigating this case. We could trade experiences. Either way, we would not be blamed if we could not find the killers, or if we found them [critics] would not say [the suspects] are the fake killers.”
Various journalist organizations, including the Khmer Journalist Friendship Association, the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists, have expressed outrage over the killings.
Kek Galabru, president of Cambodian human rights group Licadho, also condemned the shootings as a bid to sow fear, saying “message is to scare the journalists from writing the truth” ahead of the July 27 elections.
She pointed out that Khim Sambo was the 12th journalist to be murdered since Cambodia’s first democratic election in 1993. None of the perpetrators has been convicted.
The US embassy, meanwhile, warned that the shootings, along with Sunday’s acid attack against Ngon Srun, a senior Cambodian People’s Party member, could keep people from the polls.
Ngon Srun was severely burned on the face and chest after being doused with acid by unknown assailants. Police say no criminal complaints have been filed.
“Violent, criminal acts such as this can have a chilling effect on the media, and ... risk undermining citizens’ confidence in their ability to fully participate in the electoral process in safety and security,” the embassy said.
According to Prampi Makara district police chief Yim Simony, Khim Sambo and his son were fired on five times by a man riding pillion on a motorbike as they drove away from the stadium on Monireath Boulevard.
Their motorbike kept upright for another 30 meters before crashing into a woman on a bicycle, according to several witnesses. Khim Sambo was struck twice, while Khath Sarin Pheata was hit by one bullet in the chest.
The attackers, who wore civilian clothing and made no effort to hide their faces behind sunglasses or helmets, circled back around to make sure they had hit their mark, said one witness who did not want to be named.
“After shooting, they turned around on their motorbike and looked down at his body to be sure he was dead,” the witness told the Post on Monday.
Others said they feared for their own security and refused to discuss the killings.
Khim Sambo’s murder was the first killing of a journalist since October 2003, when Chuor Chetharith, deputy editor for Funcinpec-aligned Ta Prum radio, was slain. That death was one in a slew of high-profile killings to occur in 2003 and 2004, all carried by two men on a motorbike in crowded areas.
At the time of his death Khim Sambo was also working with tycoon developer and government advisor Sok Kong, president of Sokimex, one of the largest Cambodian-owned companies.
He had extensive contacts among CPP-friendly officials in the judiciary and security forces, despite his regular contributions to the anti-ruling party Moneaksekar Khmer.
Friday’s shootings follow last month’s week-long detention of Dam Sith, Moneaksekar Khmer’s editor-in-chief and a Sam Rainsy Party candidate for the parliamentary elections.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong pressed defamation and disinformation charges against Dam Sith for publishing comments by Sam Rainsy, who alleged Hor Namhong’s involvement in Khmer Rouge atrocities.
Prime Minister Hun Sen requested that Phnom Penh Municipal Court release Dam Sith on bail amid mounting international pressure, and Hor Namhong later dropped his suit.
But his arrest was condemned by the Sam Rainsy Party as another example of harassment of the opposition by the ruling party.
Khim Sambo and his 21 year-old son, Khath Sarin Pheata, were gunned down Friday evening outside Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium in a drive-by shooting that has shaken the capital and raised fears for press freedoms ahead of the polls.
“Our family never had any enemies or disputes with neighbors. What happened to my father was unexpected,” Khat Sarinda, the victim’s 24 year-old daughter, told the Post on Monday.
Police have few leads, but the FBI "stands ready to provide assistance, if requested by the Cambodian government, in investigating the case," the embassy said in a statement in which it also urged Cambodian authorities "to take the necessary measures in order to bring the perpetrators to justice."
The 47 year-old, who submitted articles critical of the government written under pseudonyms to Moneaksekar Khmer, a newspaper affiliated with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, died at the scene.
His son died in the early Saturday at Ketomelea military hospital, and the two were cremated Sunday at Wat Tuol Tumpong in a ceremony attended by several hundred people.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who has condemned the killings and called for swift justice, welcomed the FBI’s offer on Tuesday.
“It would be good if we could cooperate with the FBI in investigating this case. We could trade experiences. Either way, we would not be blamed if we could not find the killers, or if we found them [critics] would not say [the suspects] are the fake killers.”
Various journalist organizations, including the Khmer Journalist Friendship Association, the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists, have expressed outrage over the killings.
Kek Galabru, president of Cambodian human rights group Licadho, also condemned the shootings as a bid to sow fear, saying “message is to scare the journalists from writing the truth” ahead of the July 27 elections.
She pointed out that Khim Sambo was the 12th journalist to be murdered since Cambodia’s first democratic election in 1993. None of the perpetrators has been convicted.
The US embassy, meanwhile, warned that the shootings, along with Sunday’s acid attack against Ngon Srun, a senior Cambodian People’s Party member, could keep people from the polls.
Ngon Srun was severely burned on the face and chest after being doused with acid by unknown assailants. Police say no criminal complaints have been filed.
“Violent, criminal acts such as this can have a chilling effect on the media, and ... risk undermining citizens’ confidence in their ability to fully participate in the electoral process in safety and security,” the embassy said.
According to Prampi Makara district police chief Yim Simony, Khim Sambo and his son were fired on five times by a man riding pillion on a motorbike as they drove away from the stadium on Monireath Boulevard.
Their motorbike kept upright for another 30 meters before crashing into a woman on a bicycle, according to several witnesses. Khim Sambo was struck twice, while Khath Sarin Pheata was hit by one bullet in the chest.
The attackers, who wore civilian clothing and made no effort to hide their faces behind sunglasses or helmets, circled back around to make sure they had hit their mark, said one witness who did not want to be named.
“After shooting, they turned around on their motorbike and looked down at his body to be sure he was dead,” the witness told the Post on Monday.
Others said they feared for their own security and refused to discuss the killings.
Khim Sambo’s murder was the first killing of a journalist since October 2003, when Chuor Chetharith, deputy editor for Funcinpec-aligned Ta Prum radio, was slain. That death was one in a slew of high-profile killings to occur in 2003 and 2004, all carried by two men on a motorbike in crowded areas.
At the time of his death Khim Sambo was also working with tycoon developer and government advisor Sok Kong, president of Sokimex, one of the largest Cambodian-owned companies.
He had extensive contacts among CPP-friendly officials in the judiciary and security forces, despite his regular contributions to the anti-ruling party Moneaksekar Khmer.
Friday’s shootings follow last month’s week-long detention of Dam Sith, Moneaksekar Khmer’s editor-in-chief and a Sam Rainsy Party candidate for the parliamentary elections.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong pressed defamation and disinformation charges against Dam Sith for publishing comments by Sam Rainsy, who alleged Hor Namhong’s involvement in Khmer Rouge atrocities.
Prime Minister Hun Sen requested that Phnom Penh Municipal Court release Dam Sith on bail amid mounting international pressure, and Hor Namhong later dropped his suit.
But his arrest was condemned by the Sam Rainsy Party as another example of harassment of the opposition by the ruling party.
10 comments:
It would be nice if FBI help the CORUPTED Khmer police to solve this case , HUN SEN NAME WILL APEAR .
The relations between U.S. and Cambodia is eroding as the opposition accepted the assistance from the FBI. Also, the whole thing could turn out very ugly -- and the prime minister is not going to like.
The FBI and border issues could put the prime minister in jeopardy for the upcoming general election.
Folks, this could be a political setup by the United States.
Here's a worst-case scenario: what if the assassination was a setup by the U.S.? What if the U.S. had its CIA carried the assassination of the opposition journal, and then use it as a scapegoat against the ruling party, followed by the FBI investigation?
“Our family never had any enemies or disputes with neighbors. What happened to my father was unexpected,” Khat Sarinda, the victim’s 24 year-old daughter, told the Post on Monday.
No doubt, that is the work of Ah Savage Infidel Scam Rainxy to frame innocent people so that he can gain more vote to stay in business. However, unfortunately, he will have to face justice for the dead of hundreds of people over the decades since he has been here.
With so many problem in the country:
inflation, violence and Preah Vihear.
Hun Sen will go down this coming election, no matter what.
People in Cambodia is tired of his incompetence.
4:37,
If that's your worst case scenario, then the journalist and his son's did not died in vain. Simply, a sacrifice for the people of Cambodia! Now, if your fucked up mind is true (which I highly doubted) then we can project a brighter future for Khmer. Don't you think? Asshole!
Ah Saddam Hun Sen will reject the assistance of the FBI probe of the dead journalist and his son.
Why?
To let the FBI investigates is to incriminate himself (Hun Sen) in the murder case of the journalist.
10:45 AM
Hey, son-of-bitch! What about the suggestion below, fucked head?
We think the G-man (FBI) should probe the recent acid attack incident.
I think the G-man with the DOJ (Deparment of Justice)should.
10:50 AM
This is an internal investigation, and the external force (FBI)should not be allowed to meddle with the internal affair.
All Khmers who loves democracy probably focus on one very powerful man in Cambodia if not the high ranking government officials that mastermind the killings of Khim Sambo and his son. Just like the high profile killings from the past the government never arrest and convict the perpetrators if they do it will be a fake one like Bon Somnang and Sok Som Earn who they said killed Cambodian union leader Mr. Chea Vichea in 2004. WHAT A JOKE. My prediction is that soon the Cambodian government will stage the arrest and later convict the FAKE alleged triggerman who they might say killed Mr. Khim Sambo and his son, and the case is closed. Remember, there is no justice in Cambodia as long as corruption continues. To convict someone the court has to recieve the green light from the Hun Sen's government, if they fail to do so the court officials has to be resigned or removed from the post to the rural countryside where they earn very little money, THAT'S THE RULE. Mr. Khim sambo worked for Moneakseka Khmer newspaper that manage by Mr. Dam Sith. Recently, Mr. Dam sith was charged for printing allegations that Cambodia's foreign minister had ties to the genocidal Khmer Rough regime and jailed for almost a week. The news of Mr. Dam Sith arrest made front page headline throughout Cambodia leading to widespread demand of his release from the local communities. Unbelievably, Hun Sen stepped in and pleaded for his release. Soon after that Mr. Dam Sith was freed from jail, and the charge was later dropped. On Sat. July 12 2008 Mr. Khim Sambo and his son was gunned down by a lone gunman.
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