Cops arrest 3 of Hun Xen’s bodyguards during an eviction clash in Borei Keila

All Photos: Cambodia Express News

03 Jan 2012
By Moniroth
Cambodia Express News
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Phnom Penh – More than 100 joint police force led by Ya Kim Y, the commander of the Phnom Penh military police (PM), broke a group of residents who gathered in Borei Keila at 11AM on 03 January 2012. Three men who belong to Hun Xen’s bodyguard unit were arrested and taken in for questioning at the PM headquarters.

The 3 men arrested by the cops were: Touch Vichit, Vin Sophea and Savun. Touch Vichit indicated that he just returned home from Preah Vihear province and he was staying at home, one of those targeted for demolition by the cops. At the same time, another group of 8 people were also arrested by the cops as well.

Hy Prou, the Phnom Penh deputy-police commissioner, and Keut Chher, the deputy Phnom Penh administration director, led a group of cops to put down residents in Borei Keila, but they do not comment on the eviction, house demolition or the use of violence against the residents of Borei Keila this morning.

At 10:50AM on 03 January 2012, the cops moved on to break up Borei Keila residents. The incident was also accompanied by gunshots. The residents claimed that the cops whiplashed a young boy by the name of Chantrea.

The clash between the cops and the Borei Keila community is a hot issue in the morning of 03 Jan 2012. The cops used fire trucks to spray water on the demonstrators to break them up. The residents started pelting rocks on the cops and Soy Vandy, the PM chief of 07 Makara district, was injured on his head.

Since early morning, the 07 Makara district joint police force – including several dozens of PM, the anti-riot unit and the cops, as well as 4 fire trucks – tried to hold a raid in order to demolish the resident’s homes in Borei Keila. This led to a clash at 7AM on 03 Jan 2012.

Today’s clash included rock pelting and one pregnant woman, 24-year-old Roeur Srey Pov, was injured on her head. One of the cops was also injured on his head.

The Borei Keila demolition dispute took place in front of the Bak Touk high school and it started since yesterday. The cops and the Phanimex company said that the house owners already received compensation at a newly-built nearby apartment complex therefore they have to demolish their old houses.

On the other hand, a woman who claimed that she owned one of the houses targeted for demolition rejected the claim above, saying that she did not receive any compensation.

The Phanimex company which is owned by Suy Sophan [one of Hun Xen’s cronies] received the Borei Keila land to develop residential buildings, however, Phanimex must compensate residents living in the existing buildings and houses in Borei Keila with on-the-spot development.