Opposition pledges to show barred film of murdered union leader

Chea Vichea's daughter living in exile with a picture of her late father

Wed, 05 May 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's main opposition party has promised to screen a documentary that suggests official involvement in the 2004 killing of a prominent trade union leader, a party spokesman said Wednesday.

Yim Sovann, the spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said the daylight shooting of union leader Chea Vichea had not been investigated properly by the authorities.

On Saturday, police prevented a handful of union activists from showing the documentary in Phnom Penh after May Day rallies. Police said permission had not been give to screen the film.

Yim Sovann told the German Press Agency dpa that the SRP had a duty to show the documentary despite objections from the ruling party, and would fix a date for the screening in due course.

"Chea Vichea was a Cambodian citizen who was assassinated, and so far there has been no result from the Ministry of Interior's investigation," he said. "We want to know the true story."

A ministry spokesman was not available for comment.

The documentary, titled Who Killed Chea Vichea?, was made by US filmmaker Bradley Cox and is currently being shown at international film festivals.

Yim Sovann said the SRP suspected "powerful officials" were involved in Chea Vichea's killing.

"The government should not be afraid of disclosures about the killing," he said. "Even if the case is related to any government official they must be prosecuted. We cannot accept impunity."

Chea Vichea, the charismatic head of a leading garment workers' union which was affiliated to the opposition SRP, was shot dead at a newspaper stand in central Phnom Penh in broad daylight.

Two men arrested and convicted of the killing were eventually freed on appeal, amid widespread belief from human rights workers and Chea Vichea's family that they had been framed.