Radio Free Asia
As Cambodia's election campaign heats up, a journalist linked to the opposition is killed along with his son.
PHNOM PENH—Veteran Cambodian journalist and government critic Khim Sambo and his son were shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh's police chief Touch Naruth said.
“Witnesses said it was over some sort of dispute, but we are still looking for the murderers,” Touch Naruth told the AFP news agency.
Khim Sambo, 47, was shot five times while driving near the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, apparently by a single gunman who fled the scene. Khim Sambo’s son, Khatsarin Sopheathea, 21 and a university student, was also shot through the heart in the attack and died in hospital, they said.
Both father and son had just left the Olympic Stadium gym. Khim Sambo and Khatsarin Sopheathea’s remains were taken to Svay Dangkum monastery and were to be cremated Sunday.
Khim Sambo was known as a vocal critic of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and particularly of his July 5, 1997 coup, during which Khim Sambo was forced into hiding.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy suggested that Khim Sambo was killed because of his opposition to Prime Minister Hun Sen's government. “This is very painful to me...Violence has reared its head again,” he said.
“Those who have committed evil acts are always afraid of the truth. And if they have committed evil acts they do not want the truth exposed. So they kill the journalists.”
“I urge the Cambodian people to pass judgment July 27 since the highest court in Cambodia is the Cambodian people’s court,” he said, referring to national elections set for July 27.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith scrapped a campaign visit to Kg Cham. He returned to Phnom Penh and condemned the shooting.
“I will return [to Phnom Penh]...to inquire about the incident so that I can report to the Prime Minister, to see what it was all about,” he said.
“He only quotes what people told him. It doesn't mean he is wrong. Therefore, I am going back and I am scrapping the campaign program for tomorrow....I will inform the Prime Minister and seek the truth about what really happened.”
Khim Sambo had been working for the daily Khmer-language Moneakseka Khmer (Khmer Conscience), a newspaper allied to Sam Rainsy, since 1997. He covered social affairs rather than politics, the newspaper's publisher Dam Sith said.
Dam Sith was recently charged for printing allegations that Cambodia's foreign minister had ties to the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. The charge was later dropped.
Original reporting by RFA's Khmer service. Edited by Sam Borin. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Edited in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.
PHNOM PENH—Veteran Cambodian journalist and government critic Khim Sambo and his son were shot and killed by unknown gunmen in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh's police chief Touch Naruth said.
“Witnesses said it was over some sort of dispute, but we are still looking for the murderers,” Touch Naruth told the AFP news agency.
Khim Sambo, 47, was shot five times while driving near the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, apparently by a single gunman who fled the scene. Khim Sambo’s son, Khatsarin Sopheathea, 21 and a university student, was also shot through the heart in the attack and died in hospital, they said.
Both father and son had just left the Olympic Stadium gym. Khim Sambo and Khatsarin Sopheathea’s remains were taken to Svay Dangkum monastery and were to be cremated Sunday.
Khim Sambo was known as a vocal critic of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and particularly of his July 5, 1997 coup, during which Khim Sambo was forced into hiding.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy suggested that Khim Sambo was killed because of his opposition to Prime Minister Hun Sen's government. “This is very painful to me...Violence has reared its head again,” he said.
“Those who have committed evil acts are always afraid of the truth. And if they have committed evil acts they do not want the truth exposed. So they kill the journalists.”
“I urge the Cambodian people to pass judgment July 27 since the highest court in Cambodia is the Cambodian people’s court,” he said, referring to national elections set for July 27.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith scrapped a campaign visit to Kg Cham. He returned to Phnom Penh and condemned the shooting.
“I will return [to Phnom Penh]...to inquire about the incident so that I can report to the Prime Minister, to see what it was all about,” he said.
“He only quotes what people told him. It doesn't mean he is wrong. Therefore, I am going back and I am scrapping the campaign program for tomorrow....I will inform the Prime Minister and seek the truth about what really happened.”
Khim Sambo had been working for the daily Khmer-language Moneakseka Khmer (Khmer Conscience), a newspaper allied to Sam Rainsy, since 1997. He covered social affairs rather than politics, the newspaper's publisher Dam Sith said.
Dam Sith was recently charged for printing allegations that Cambodia's foreign minister had ties to the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. The charge was later dropped.
Original reporting by RFA's Khmer service. Edited by Sam Borin. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Edited in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.
8 comments:
The assassins 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 !
Yeah, right, block the Terminator?
How about checking those in authorities to use bloody guns legally. They might use these legal guns to serve their self and group
interest like killing for rice and political advantages. Say, the police??? elite's entourage...but who are silly to kill oneself hey! It might be the case I gauge.
Maybe, but highly unlikely. It is more likely that they got kill for accusing someone or lied about something or promising something and not delivered. Those are a big deal in Cambodia and other part of Asia.
VOTE ccp is MEANING , VOTE TO FINISH KHMER NATION , YOUN WILL TAKE OVER , HUN SEN WILL MAKE AN OTHER 300 MILLION DOLLAR BY THE NEXT 5YEAR.
The Election will never be Free and Fair so long Ah Savage Infidel Scam Rainxy rules all of the Media.
TO 5:01PM,
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR CORRUPTION
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR DICTATORSHIP
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR POWER ADDICTED MAN ( ALMOST 30 YEARS IN POWER )
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR VIETNAMESE PUPPET
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR INJUSTIC COURT SYSTEM
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR CULTURE OF IMPUNITY
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR LAND GRABBINGS
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR HIGH INFLATION
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR HIGH PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR A HUGE GAPE BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR 99-YEAR LAND CONCESSION TO FOREIGNERS
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR DEFORESTATION
PEOPLE, PLEASE THINK, IF YOU VOTE FOR CPP, IT MEANS YOU VOTE FOR THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES.
IF YOU LOVE OUR MOTHERLAND, PLEASE VOTE CPP out.
Thanks,
Patriot
ADJUSTMENT:
VOTE FOR CPP = VOTE FOR HIGH PERCENTAGE OF UN-EMPLOYMENT.
THANKS,
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