More Koh Kong compensation

Bun Sokha (in towel), a deputy chief of staff in Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit, beats a man in a Koh Kong hotel last month with the help of bodyguards. Photo taken from a security video screengrab.

Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A day after three of four men allegedly beaten by Hun Sen aide Bun Sokha and his bodyguards withdrew their complaints, the wife of the most seriously injured of the group said he has joined his fellow victims in accepting compensation.

Tim Sokheng, wife of Phat Sokha, the fourth victim in the attack that took place last week in Koh Kong, said her family decided to accept $5,000 to treat her seriously injured husband and leave the case in the hands of the court.

But neither she nor her husband were certain if their complaint had been withdrawn, as they had not dealt directly with the court themselves.

Cambodian villager from Svay Rieng seriously injured by Vietnamese beating [-Viet troops trespass into Cambodia?]

10 October 2009
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A Cambodian villager from Daung village, Daung commune, Romeas Hek district, Svay Rieng province, was seriously injured after he was beaten up and stabbed with a harpoon by Viets who were under the protection of a group of 7 Vietnamese soldiers on Thursday 08 October. The incident stemmed from a dispute in the village.

44-year-old Phan Chhean, who is a neighbor of the victim, told RFA over the phone that Prum Teung, a Cambodian citizen sustained serious injuries from beatings on the head with sticks and stabbing on his leg because he prevented several Viets from chasing and beating up a 12-year-old Cambodian kid. The Viets accused the child of stealing sugar canes from a Vietnamese family in the village.

Phan Chhean added that during the beating and stabbing of the Cambodian citizen, 7 armed Viet soldiers came to protect the Viet family that beat up Prum Teung, the Cambodian villager.

Phan Chhean said: “Right now, [Prum Teung] is still under care at his home. They beat him with a stick. The Viets beat him up, they are farmers, but the [Viet] soldiers were armed, it’s like they were joining force together. [Prum Teung] was seriously injured, he was stabbed with a steel harpoon that is about half-meter long. His lower leg was pierced from side to side. The villagers went to report the incident to the police. He would have been dead if we didn’t come to his rescue on time. The victim asked that the authorities involved help him find justice and resolve this issue for him according to the law, because in the past, several incidents took place along the border here.”

Nea Sam Mean, the Daung commune chief, indicated that he is resolving this case. He said: “I did not go [to the incident spot]. This morning, I sent over a commune councilor along with a border post officer. I did not meet with my commune councilor yet, I did not receive the information yet.”

Sok Serey: Are you taking care of this case?

Nea Sam Mean: Yes, they went to resolve this issue at the An Gioi (?) commune office.

Regarding the various disputes between Cambodian citizens and the Viets along the Cambodian-Viet border in Svay Rieng province, Nget Nara, a facilitator for the Adhoc human rights group for the province of Svay Rieng, said that Cambodian citizens are usually victimized by the aggressions.

Nget Nara said: “Along the border, the [Cambodian] villager usually tends his buffaloes and such. When the [Viets] gave him a hard time, and they even stabbed him and injured him, and the uniform [Viet] soldiers who were protecting their countries [Vietnam], instead they came to point their guns and threatened [the Cambodian villager], I believe that this is a serious violation of human rights, and I call on all the authorities to find the culprits and bring them to face justice.”

The Viet authority could not be reached and neither does the Viet embassy on Cambodia to clarify about the use of violence against a Cambodian citizen.

In the past, Cambodian people living a long the border with Vietnam have leveled accusations against land disputes, grazing field for cattle, as well as the buying at cheap price of Cambodian produce.

Water Festival fears for illegal detainees in Cambodia [-The Kingdom of Horror & Abuse Wonder?]

November 10, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

A human rights group is concerned that the upcoming Water Festival in Cambodia could see another surge of illegal detentions and hidden abuses for the capital Phnom Penh's homeless and sex workers.

Writing etched into the walls of one so-called "social rehabilitation center" suggests that people are being detained against their will and abused, according to rights group LICADHO.

The group has called on the Cambodian government to shut down the centres, including one that was once a Khmer Rouge death-camp in the 70s.

In recent years the camp has been turned into what the Government describes as a "Social Rehabilitation Centre."

Human rights group LICADHO says, however, it's one of several illegal prisons that keep the homeless and destitute off the streets and out of sight.

The Cambodian Government has repeatedly claimed the island camp and other similar centres are voluntary and have denied accusations of abuse.

But last week LICADHO monitors gained access to a facility in Kampong Speu province.

LICADHO'S director, Naly Pilorge says what they found was evidence that contradicts Government claims the centres are for rehabilitation.

"My colleagues entered the facilities and went into the rooms where people were detained," she said.

"Immediately they saw drawings and writing both in Khmer, in Thai and also in English of obviously former detainees that had written appeals and their situation here in those rooms. There was a number of drawings of women who implied that they had been sexually abused and raped. There was one writing in English - on one hand they said 'life' and the other was 'hell'. And there was also counts of days like you see in prisons at times all over the world where people count how many days and how many nights they have been detained.

"We have interviewed people, we have seen people who are neglected, abused and with these drawings it's obvious to us that this is a place where people are unlawfully detained and seriously abused," she said.

She says those interviewed are describing situations of the "worst you can imagine."

"Starting from not having food and water and this was obvious from the first time we went to these centres, as soon as the gates were open people ran to the grounds outside and started eating grass and leaves, so it was obvious that people were not getting enough to eat.

"We have allegations of gang rapes and sexual abuse. We also have information about beatings, very severe beatings leading to the death of people," she said.

Ms Pilorge says during many public holidays and particularly Water Festival, the Cambodian Government "wishes to maintain its image of the 'Kingdom of Wonder' and therefore the government continues to detain people who they believe contradict that image.