Sam Serey met with Bradley Cox

The following pictures show the meeting between Sam Serey and Bradley Cox,the producer of the documentary film "Who Killed Chea Vichea?". The meeting took place on 24 August 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Sam Serey, the author of "The Mystery of Cambodia", handed a copy of his book to Bradley Cox.

Bradley Cox (USA):”There are a lot of people like me in Asia who have a passion to tell a particular story.”

05/17/2012

Europe-Asia-Documentary.com

Four days before to receive one of the Peabody Awards in NY (21st May) for his film “who killed Chea Vichea?”, the american director Bradley Cox, speaks about the film and his passion for documentary and Asia.

Could you introduce yourself ?

I used to run restaurants in New York City (where I was born) but realized I didn’t want to be doing that for the rest of my life. So at the age of 30, I started over making movies. I transitioned from fiction to documentaries about a decade ago.

You have been living in Cambodia for almost five years. Why did you chose to live in this country for 5 years ?

Essentially, I ended up in Cambodia by mistake. I went to speak with some people about doing a documentary which turned out to be a lame idea. But while initially researching the idea, I found Cambodia to be an interesting place so I pitched an idea to the US Embassy. Before I knew it, I had a contract to make a documentary for them on the 2003 national election, an interesting event since it was only the third time ever and was still an evolving concept.

You are coming from feature film. How did you get involved and why are you interested in documentary industry?

I was living in Los Angeles and was never very fond of it. With all the fluff made in Hollywood, I became more and more attracted to documentary. I went to teach a film course in Bhutan and expected to be gone about six months. Instead, I started making documentaries and have been living in SE Asia ever since. “Cambodia: Anatomy of an election” was my first doc, in 2004.

Can you speak about your last doc film “Who Killed Chea Vichea?” ?

The movie is about the murder of a Cambodian labor leader and the two innocent men who were sentenced to twenty years in prison for the crime. I did my own investigation and came up with much different conclusions than the police.

On another level, the movie is about the corruption and impunity that is so pervasive in Cambodia. It’s a country where people of wealth and privilege can do anything they like, including robbery and murder, and those who dare to speak up are intimidated or killed. Witness the story of Chut Wutty, an outspoken environmentalist recently murdered in Cambodia.

Your first and previous film “Cambodia: Anatomy of an Election” was already about a “black face of Cambodia”. You must be in the radar of the government. How did you managed to direct the film about Chea Vichea ?

I think the project chose me more than me choosing it. I knew Chea Vichea and had interviewed him about a death threat he had received. I was also on the scene shortly after he was killed and covered all the events that came after. Stories of people being murdered is nothing new about Cambodia, but rarely are they told on film.

I made the movie so that people around the world could better understand the abuse of power by Cambodia’s elite. I also made it because with so many tragic stories, I didn’t want Vichea to ever be forgotten.

During the shooting and production, what was the major problem you faced ?

The hardest part of making the film was to get people to talk to me. Simply put, they are scared. As someone put it “If they can kill a well known and respected person like Chea Vichea, what can they do to you?”

Peabody puts banned film back in spotlight

Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of Cambodia, squats near a portrait of his brother, slain union leader Chea Vichea, at a ceremony in January. REUTERS

Thursday, 12 April 2012
Sean Gleeson
The Phnom Penh Post

A banned documentary exploring the murder of Chea Vichea, one of Cambodia’s most famous labour leaders, has won one of journalism’s highest plaudits and once again earned the ire of the government. Who Killed Chea Vichea? chronicles the life and death of the Free Trade Union leader, who was gunned down while reading a newspaper outside Wat Langka in 2004.

Bom Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were eventually tried and convicted for Chea Vichea’s murder. Both men are widely held to be innocent, a contention shared by the documentary.

Last week, Who Killed Chea Vichea? was honoured with a Peabody Award, a prize that recognises distinguished public service in broadcast journalism.

“Inside the US it’s one of the most prestigious awards you can get,” said Bradley Cox, the film’s director. “We were glad that we won.

Congratulations to Brad Cox: "Who Killed Chea Vichea" won the Special Jury Prize for Investigation and Reporting at the International Human Rights Film Festival of Paris

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that on March 15, my movie "Who Killed Chea Vichea?" won the Special Jury Prize for Investigation and Reporting at the International Human Rights Film Festival of Paris.

You guys are doing a great job so please keep up the good work!

Best,
Brad

Cambodia represses truth about union leader’s murder [-The murderers are trying to hide the truth?]

Chea Vichea

Monday, 22 November 2010
By Andrew Buncombe
The Foreign Desk
The Independent (UK)

“As you may know, Freedom Park is now the designated location where all demonstrations must be held. The Cambodian government would like the international community to believe this shows their growing commitment to freedom of expression. ... In reality, it does just the opposite, isolating demonstrations in a remote area of the city and limiting them to 200 people (even though the park can hold more than a thousand.) As the union leaders entered Freedom Park, they were met by fifty to a hundred police carrying batons and shields who prohibited them from screening the movie. So much for freedom of speech.” - Bradley Cox

Earlier this year, police in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, prevented the screening of a documentary about the murder of trade union leader Chea Vichea. The charismatic Vichea, (left) who campaigned for better wages and conditions for Cambodia’s 300,000 garment workers, was assassinated in 2004 next to a newspaper kiosk. Amid an international outcry, two men, widely believed to have played no role in his death, were charged with his killing. They have since been freed on bail.

American journalist Bradley Cox, who was living in Phnom Penh at the time and who had previously met the union leader, rushed to the scene of the murder. He launched his own investigation into the killing and came to the conclusion that it could not have been carried out without the knowledge of the “highest levels” of the political establishment. It was perhaps no surprise then, that the government of Hun Sen did not want ordinary Cambodian citizens watching Mr Cox’s film, Who Killed Chea Vichea?

Ironically enough, at about the same time that the Cambodian authorities were banning Mr Cox’s film, they were also establishing a Freedom Park in the centre of the capital and making it the designated place for political protests. The move was widely seen as being carried out to counter critics of its authoritarian policies.

Anyway, I got word over the weekend that members of the Free Trade Union and the Teachers Union of Cambodia again tried to screen the documentary, this time in Freedom Park, only to be again bundled away by police. Mr Cox said in an email: “As you may know, Freedom Park is now the designated location where all demonstrations must be held. The Cambodian government would like the international community to believe this shows their growing commitment to freedom of expression.”

He added: “In reality, it does just the opposite, isolating demonstrations in a remote area of the city and limiting them to 200 people (even though the park can hold more than a thousand.) As the union leaders entered Freedom Park, they were met by fifty to a hundred police carrying batons and shields who prohibited them from screening the movie. So much for freedom of speech.”

The people of Cambodia are working hard to rebuild their country after decades of war and violence. Several million foreign visitors travel to see sites such as the remarkable Angkor Wat. Yet for the veneer of openness (and despite the stalwart efforts of publications such as the Phnom Penh Post which wrote about the latest crack-down on Mr Cox’s film), the government seeks to keep tight control on those who seek to question its actions and behaviour. This is just another example.

Assassination of a union leader

Assassinated Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea.
Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea in 2003.
Bradley Cox, director of ‘Who Killed Chea Vichea?’

1/09/2010
By Ezra
Bangkok Post
Culture BREAKDOWN

Chea Vichea was the leader of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, seeking higher wages and improved conditions for garment workers. Frequently harassed, at times beaten, he worked on despite death threats and the attempted intimidation. On January 22, 2004 he was shot in the head and chest in the morning while reading a newspaper by two men driving by on a motorcycle.

A few days after Vichea's assassination, Cambodian police arrested two men and charged them with the murder. Born Samnang initially admitted to the killing but then publicly retracted, claiming to have been tortured into confessing. Witnesses placed Born Samnang in a different part of the country at the time of the murder. The second suspect, Sok Sam Oeun, denied any involvement and had alibis placing him with friends at the time.

The criminal investigation was done by Phnom Penh's Tuol Kork district police and plagued by irregularities. Officers focused on threatening and rounding up those who provided alibis for the suspects, while witnesses were intimidated. Eventually on December 31, 2008, supreme court judge Dith Monty dismissed the conviction, and the two were provisionally released.

Who Killed Chea Vichea?, which captures the story as it unfolds, recently screened at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand. Director Bradley Cox, who had interviewed Chea Vichea about his labour union activism, was on the scene moments after the murder, and followed the subsequent trial and conducted his own investigation. Jim Pollard, FCCT board member, called it one of the best documentaries ever made on Cambodia. Public screenings of the film have been banned in Cambodia.

Cox previously made the documentary Cambodia: Anatomy of an Election, was a co-founder of Bhutan's first film school, has worked as a screenwriter and director in Los Angeles and has won numerous film festival awards. While filming the army crackdown on the red-shirt protests on May 19, Cox was shot in the leg at the same time that Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi was shot and killed. He took video of Polenghi as he was being carried away.

We talked with Bradley Cox about Chea Vichea, reaction to the film and broader problems in Cambodia.

Is 'Who Killed Chea Vichea?' about the assassination of one individual or as much about broader issues in Cambodia?

The movie is primarily an investigation into the murder of Chea Vichea and about the two men convicted for the crime. But I use the case to highlight a much bigger problem, that of the unchecked corruption and impunity that continues to plague Cambodia. Although there are plenty of movies about Cambodia, almost all of them focus on the past and the Khmer Rouge era. This film focuses on the present, Cambodia as it is now.

You knew Chea Vichea before his death. What was he like as an individual?

I think the term "hero" is one of the most overused words in the English language but Chea Vichea was the real deal. He had a dangerous job and was beaten, arrested and threatened many times. Yet he refused to be intimidated and continued his work despite the risks. And in the end, he was killed for it.

The extraordinary aspect of the film is that it follows developments before and after the murder; viewers can watch the events unfold. But what brought you to Cambodia initially?

I first met Vichea when he received a death threat just before the 2003 national election. According to police, it came from a high-ranking official in the government and they were powerless to intervene. My videotaped interview with Vichea was his last. Six months later to the day, he was assassinated. I arrived at the murder scene only minutes after it happened and followed the case closely, filming the funeral, the arrests of the two men and their conviction in court. I also conducted my own investigation into the case, something the police never bothered to do. The results, as seen in the movie, show quite clearly the two men are innocent.

What reasons did the Cambodian government give for banning the film?

The government has given a litany of reasons, or should I say excuses, for not allowing the movie to be shown in Cambodia. Among them, it was not approved by the Ministry of Culture. It was also called an "illegal import" and, according to the Ministry of Interior, it was an incitement of the public. In addition, the Press and Quick Response Unit vowed to stop any future screenings wherever they are held. I should add that no government official has yet seen the movie. The real message here is that the authorities will censure anyone and any film that criticises the government.

In the media there seems to have been as many stories about the banning of your film as about the film itself. Did the government's stance backfire in giving it more publicity?

Prime Minister Hun Sen does not respond well to criticism. In the past, UN peace envoys who publicly decried Cambodia's human rights abuses have been told they are no longer welcome in the kingdom. NGOs have been threatened with expulsion. More recently, journalists are threatened, arrested and jailed for articles critical of the government. The Minister of Information Khieu Kanarith was quoted as saying, "It might have been that the documentary intends to accuse the government of murder." It may be one of the few true statements he's ever made.

Have some of Chea Vichea's union goals, like raising the minimum wage of garment factory workers, since been achieved?

Although there have been small increases in salaries over the last few years, they have been outstripped by cost of living increases. Discontent among workers has been increasing and there are now plans afoot to mount big strikes sometime in the next month.

Has anyone else stepped into the void left by his murder - or was it successful in creating fear among potential activists?

Fear has always been present among labour organisations in Cambodia trying to increase wages or improve working conditions. But the bar was raised substantially when Vichea was killed. In fact, two other organisers from Vichea's union were killed subsequently to him. And all were done in the same way, by two men on a motorcycle. Many organisers are harassed, threatened and fired by their employers. This is a direct violation of the law but the law seldom matters when dealing with the police and the courts. What matters is who has the money and power. The workers have neither so it is always an uphill battle.

Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, initially arrested for and convicted of Chea's murder, have been released from prison, and rights groups have said they were framed. Do you think those responsible for his murder will ever be held to account?

Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun have been released but only provisionally. In other words, if the court decided, they could be sent back to prison. So although I'm happy that they are free, the case continues to hang over their heads. They deserve to have the charges officially dropped, but it could be months or years before this happens. Why? Because this case has been an embarrassment to the Cambodian government since the beginning. The police frame-up of the two men was inept and the trial was a mockery of justice. I think the last thing the government wants is more headlines on this case. For this reason, I doubt there will be any more arrests or, for that matter, any real investigation.

Cambodia relies a lot on foreign aid and investment. Are these improving the country, or will corruption and mismanagement continue to hinder development?

International donors gave $1.1 billion [34.4 billion baht] in aid to Cambodia this past year. According to Carol Rodley, the US ambassador to Cambodia, the country loses about $500 million a year to corruption. That's a quarter of the national budget. One has to wonder who's getting all that money. Top government officials give speeches about cracking down on corruption, but that's for the benefit of donor countries with deep pockets. The truth is that the government is a kleptocracy and no one wants to kill the golden goose. For things to improve, there needs to political will, and there is none.

Are you working on other projects at the moment?

I am finishing work on the DVD of Who Killed Chea Vichea?, which can be purchased through the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.

Cambodia bans US documentary Who Killed Chea Vichea?

7 June, 2010
By Sarah Cooper
ScreenDaily.com

The Cambodian goverment has declared the film an illegal import

The Cambodian government has banned US director Bradley Cox’s documentary Who Killed Chea Vichea?, which investigates the mysterious 2004 assassination of Chea Vichea, one of Cambodia’s most influential union leaders who fought for years for increased wages and improved working conditions.

The film, which had its European premiere last month at the Cannes Independent Film Festival, was named one of Amnesty International’s Top Ten Movies That Matter.

Last month trade unionists attempted to hold the film’s Cambodian premiere at the very location where Vichea was murdered, but riot police raided the scene and dismantled and seized the screens.

The Cambodian government, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, has declared the film an illegal import and announced that it intends to prevent any screenings “wherever they are held.”

Cambodia vs. 'Chea'

Who Killed Chea Vichea?

Sat., Jun. 5, 2010
By DAVE MCNARY
Variety.com

Director claims gov is preventing screenings of pic

The director of "Who Killed Chea Vichea?," a documentary about the 2004 slaying of the Cambodian union leader, is asserting that the Cambodian government has banned screenings of the film.

U.S. helmer Bradley Cox says the government has been preventing showings of his film for the past month in the first banning of a politically charged film since the 1980s.

The movie screened at the recently wrapped Cannes market and has been playing the festival circuit for the past two years. It's been named to Amnesty Intl.'s Top Ten Movies That Matter list.

Cox says trade unionists attempted to hold the film's Cambodian premiere at the location where Vichea was killed but police raided the scene, leading to a declaration by the Cambodian government that the pic is an illegal import.

The movie makes the case that the government was allegedly complicit in the slaying and that police framed two innocent men for the killing.

"It's not surprising that the government would quickly move to suppress the film," Cox tells Variety. "Chea Vichea was a hero to many because he dared to speak up for the little guy. In a country run on fear, this is a rare thing and in the end, Vichea payed the price for it."

Doc was produced by Rich Garella and Jeffrey Sanders.

Garella lived in Cambodia for most of 1995-2003, was managing editor of the Cambodia Daily and later worked as press secretary for Cambodia's main opposition party.

Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com.

Attempt to show "Who killed Chea Vichea?" video failed

Report by Leng Maly, RFA
Video by Uon Chhin

Chea Vichea coming back to haunt his murderers who are now scared to see his documentary shown

Chea Vichea coming to haunt his murderers?

Khieu Kanharith: the opposition still use Chea Vichea’s ghost for political gain

04 May 2010
Kampuchea Thmei
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Along with the repeated charge by the opposition party against Hun Xen’s regime of being behind the murder of Chea Vichea, the former president of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Khieu Kanharith, mouthpiece of the accused government, reacted by saying that the opposition still try to use Chea Vichea’s ghost for its political gain.

In the attempt to project the documentary “Who killed Chea Vichea?” in the evening of 01 May 2010, during the May Day celebration, Thach Setha, a Phnom Penh city councilor from the SRP and President of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community Association, told reporters near the gate of Wat Langka Pagoda – the spot where Chea Vichea was murdered – that the government shouldn’t be scared about the truth, and if the government ban the projection of the movie “Who killed Chea Vichea?”, then it means that “the government does not recognize the truth and it could be behind this murder also” as the family of the victim is still badly hurt because if the murder perpetrators cannot be found then the government should tell them about the investigation into this case.

Thach Setha indicated also that the government should not ban the projection of this movie. He added that the government should show the investigation report, and furthermore, Heng Pov also confessed in this case, therefore, the government should not evade and it should let the public know about the details of this case.

Khieu Kanharith told Kampuchea Thmei over the phone on Monday 03 May 2010 that the “opposition shouldn’t repeat the same thing over and over, it should be careful not to get itself trapped.” He added that up to now, the lawsuit into this case is moving forward and the court is working on this case to move it forward, therefore the opposition party should not make too much political gain from Chea Vichea’s case.

Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) who attempted to project the movie “Who killed Chea Vichea?” claimed that he watched the documentary and there is nothing in there that affects social security at all.

Mrs. Mu Sochua, the SRP MP from Kampot who was present at the projection along with other SRP MPs, indicated that Chea Vichea is one of the founder of the SRP, therefore, if the authority does not allow the projection of the documentary near the gate of Wat Langka Pagoda, the SRP will project it at its headquarters on a holiday for factory workers.

Regarding the attempt to project this documentary, Khieu Sopheak, mouthpiece for the ministry of Interior, told Kampuchea Thmei in the afternoon of 03 May that he did not know about the projection of the documentary at the SRP headquarters, but he said that, whatever each political party wants to do, nobody will stop them, and the opposition will remain opposed and will never agree with the government. He also claimed that the opposition always finds a point to oppose the government, and when it finds it, it will oppose in spite of what the government tell them.

Regarding the issue raised by Thach Setha, Khieu Sopheak claimed that such issue is always raised, therefore it is not surprising because they attempt to raise the issue that the government is behind this murder.

It should be noted that the attempt to project the documentary and the ban issued by the city was due to the fact this film did not yet receive the visa (sic?), it does not receive legal authorizations from relevant ministries, and it did not receive the import permit yet. Normally, each film would be reviewed by relevant institutions and it should have the proper visa before it can be shown. However, in the case of the documentary “Who killed Chea Vichea?”, its import was not authorized, it does not have the proper visa, and it did not undergo the review from various relevant ministries for it to be authorized for projection. Furthermore, this documentary hides a number of political issues as well.

What is remarkable is that Bradley Cox, the producer of the documentary did not travel to Cambodia, therefore the import of this movie could have been done through political channel.

No Chea Vichea Film in May Day Protest

Local authorities forcibly removing the screen

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 03 May 2010

Am Sam Ath, a rights investigator for Licadho, said the banning of the film in Cambodia demonstrated poor freedom of expression.

A May Day demonstration ended Saturday evening in a snarl of traffic and curious onlookers, as government authorities banned a film about slain unionist Chea Vichea from being shown.

Organizers had hoped to show the US film, “Who Killed Chea Vichea?,” which explores the 2004 murder and its subsequent investigation, but authorities said in the days leading to the demonstration they would not allow it.

Instead, protesters held up a small white screen attached to poles at the corner of Sihanouk Boulevard and Street 57, near the news kiosk outside Wat Langka pagoda where Chea Vichea was shot on the morning of Jan. 22, 2004.

Police allowed the screen to go up, briefly, before seizing it, as traffic clogged the intersection and curious bystanders watched.

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, which organized the demonstration, said the banning of the film implicated the authorities in the murder. He had wanted to show the film in public to question the motive behind the killing and potential government involvement, he said.

Government officials have said they will not investigate the murder further until two suspects, Born Samnang and Sok Samoeun, are officially cleared by the courts.

Both men, who spent five years in prison on murder charges, are on provisional release, pending further hearings, following a Supreme Court decision last year. They are widely considered innocent.

Chor Kimchhorn, deputy governor of Chamkarmon district, said the screening was unlawful and had created a traffic problem. City officials had earlier said the film was unlicensed in the country and could not be shown in public.

The film, directed by American Bradley Cox, is currently touring festivals and is scheduled for wider release in the US later this year.

Am Sam Ath, a rights investigator for Licadho, said the banning of the film in Cambodia demonstrated poor freedom of expression.

The government should allow the film, he said, to show who the real killers of Chea Vichea were.

The small film demonstration followed a larger march on Saturday, where hundreds of workers and teachers demanded better salaries and working conditions.

Please help the filmmakers of "Who Killed Chea Vichea?"

Brad with Samnang and his mom
Sam Ouen

Request from filmmakers of "Who Killed Chea Vichea?"
22 January 2009

Help make history

History isn't what has happened. History is what is known to have happened.

Five years ago today, Chea Vichea, the outspoken leader of Cambodia's garment workers, was shot down on the street in Phnom Penh. Within minutes, Bradley Cox was there with his camera as police swarmed the scene.

Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were arrested only days later, and Brad was there. The framing of these two innocent men started his five-year journey to record history as it happened.

"Who Killed Chea Vichea?" isn't even finished yet, and it's already having an impact. Samnang and Sok Oeun were released by the Supreme Court three weeks ago, after five years in prison. And again, Brad was there to film it.

While it's impossible to know for sure why Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were released, many observers have told us that the film must have played a big part in the decision. The government was well aware of it, and the government relies on foreign aid.

But their names have not been cleared. The case against them has gone back to the appeals court. Meanwhile the real killers are still out there. The same is true of the killers of human rights advocate Om Radsady, radio announcer Chor Chatharith, actress Piseth Pilika and many others who have found themselves on the wrong side of power in Cambodia.

As long as these crimes go unpunished inside Cambodia and unknown outside Cambodia, fear will continue to rule. This film is meant to help change that fact.

We need your help now to finish this film and make history.

Click here to donate

A typical documentary of this scale costs $400,000 to $600,000. We are making our film for half of that. Beyond putting in our personal resources and countless hours of work, we are making every additional dollar count.

Why? Because like you, we're passionate about the truth. We're passionate about this case and we're passionate about human rights in Cambodia and around the world.

While we are receiving public television funding, it is not enough. We are only a few months away from finishing the movie but we still need to raise money to help pay for a small office space in New York, to help pay for an editor, for graphics and sound mixing, and more. For example:

• $50 pays for a typical festival entrance fee
• $200 pays for a hard drive, or for the rights to a video clip
• $500 pays for one day's shooting
• $1000 pays for screening the film for workers in Cambodia or another garment-producing country

Will you help us?

Click here to donate

If you can donate $200 or more we will list you as a donor on the big screen, on the home DVD and in the TV version if possible. In any case we will list your name on the web site. (Thanks again to those who are already there!)

Thank you for your support. May the new year bring justice and joy.

Rich Garella,
Jeffrey Saunders
and Bradley Cox

PS:
We received this note recently from one of our translators in Cambodia; for his own safety he doesn't want his name used:

"This work made me more determined to fight in this highly unbalanced war. Compared to Vichea my sacrifice is much much less. How can I remain idle for Vichea's cause? Once again thanks for your help for the cause of my country. Your work has an incredible value."

One day, we will be able to give him the credit he deserves, along with all the other Cambodians who risked their own safety to help make this film. Your support now can bring that day closer.

Film-maker Bradley Cox tackles the mystery surrounding the murder of Cambodian unionist Chea Vichea

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 25/01/2004: Chea Vichea's funeral. (Photo: John Vink/ Magnum)

19-01-2009
By Stéphanie Gée Ka-set in English Click here to read the article in French Click here to read the article in Khmer

January 22nd will mark the 5th anniversary of the assassination of charismatic trade unionist Chea Vichea. Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, for their part, only just dodged their fate of yet spending another day behind bars. Both men were convicted of murder and condemned to spend 20 years in jail, but the highly unpopular verdict of their guilt left many unsatisfied. Lack of credible evidence... Trial marred with irregularities... On December 31st 2008, the Supreme Court ruled, much to the amazement of the audience and many, their release on bail. The American film-maker Bradley Cox took a deep interest in the case at its beginnings and set out to lead his own parallel investigation. For four years, he tracked down witnesses and clues and eventually put together a dossier in the form of the thriller-like documentary film “Who Killed Chea Vichea”, due for release this year and for which the film-maker still seeks financing. Bradley Cox gave an interview for Ka-set in Phnom Penh and goes back over the long and tiring making of the documentary.

Ka-set : What made you come to Cambodia?
Bradley Cox : Like a lot of people, I ended up here by accident. I was teaching a film course in Bhutan and when I finished it, I stayed a while around the Thai border, when someone asked me to come to Cambodia and make a documentary film, which I accepted, even though it turned out to be complete nonsense. This was just before the 2003 legislative elections and I thought the whole election process here was really interesting, much more than the ones in my country! So, I decided to do a documentary on that and managed to obtain funds from USAID [the United States Agency for International Development]. I happened to arrive one week before the January 29th Thai riots...

K7 : Why did you take such an interest in Chea Vichea's death and choose to make a documentary on that story?
BC : I met Chea Vichea because of my prior documentary on the 2003 elections. He had received a death threat a week before the elections. Vichea was the one guy who could gather huge demonstrations and he had threatened to do so if the opposition felt that the election did not play fair. I think that was the last taped interview he did. He was a really nice guy. It was hard not to respect this man in a country where you can pay a steep price for your actions.

Six months after that interview, he was killed. I was right there when it happened as I lived nearby. I arrived at the scene ten minutes after the shots, but back then, I didn't know that it would be the subject of my next documentary. It is only in August 2005, when they convicted the two men whom everybody knew were innocent, that it became clear to me. I wanted to make a documentary out of that story to show how these things happen.

K7 : How did you proceed to collect information on such a delicate question?
BC : The idea was to lead my own investigation into what happened, whether these men [Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun] were guilty or not. I tracked down their alibis and went to the places they were at [on the day of the assassination], talked to the people, some of whom were very scared to speak... Many did not want to talk in front of the camera, for obvious reasons. I tried to figure out what had really happened and got hold of documents I was not supposed to have.

I talked to the police unofficially, went to Finland to interview the wife of Chea Vichea [the country gave her political asylum shortly after her husband's death] who told me a lot about him and how their family had had to deal with living on constant threat. When she watched him leave home in the morning, she used to wonder whether he would be coming back at all. She told me how he was always very nervous, always looking left and right and could never really relax... I also went to France and spoke to a former [Cambodian] policeman who had very interesting things to say on how the police work - that will be in the film.

In addition, I talked to many judges, none of whom I ever managed to get to speak in front of a camera! But I wanted to show how the Court really works in Cambodia. There are many things that people like diplomats pretend not to know... With this film, it is going to be harder for them, hopefully, to dismiss certain things!

It is probably the most sensitive murder case since Piseth Pilika [a famous actress assassinated in July 1999]. This is why I spent a lot of time trying to get people to talk to me. I could see they wanted to speak , that they wanted people to know about it, but they did not want to be the ones who would get the blow back. That is understandable.

K7 : What does the documentary aim at showing?
BC : The basis is Chea Vichea's case but also a microcosm of some of the problems that continue to exist in Cambodia and make the people suffer. I think they have been let down by their leaders and deserve better. And you think the international community will be more helpful. But its representatives always talk about democracy, the rule of law... I don't think their actions follow their word: they are somehow passive accomplices to the impunity and corruption going on here. Maybe there is a bigger message here...

It was important for me to show that Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were innocent and build some kind of national pressure on the Cambodian government to have them released, which is now done. And who knows why the Supreme Court decided that? It had nothing to do with the evidence, since it existed all along and they ignored it... There is a part of mystery here, although I wonder whether it might be linked with the death of Hok Lundy. It has to be acknowledged that a lot of pressure was put on that case. And an organisation such as LICADHO did not allow this case to die... I was very surprised about the ruling rendered on that day, like everyone else. On December 31st, I did not meet a single person at the Supreme Court who thought they would be released - and on that very day!

K7 : Do you now have to edit the end of your documentary?
BC : Yes, my film is going to be something different since now I don't have to prove that these men must be freed. When I go back to New York, I will have to rethink how to change my film. It is not going to have the same emergency it had when Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were still in jail. The story is finished but there is still in the film a bigger picture of what is ongoing in Cambodia. And this is why I still reckon the film will be relevant!

K7 : You have already directed “The Plastic Killers”, on the same topic. What is the difference between the two documentaries?
BC : “The Plastic Killers” is a shorter version of “Who Killed Chea Vichea” but has less references in it as it was more geared towards Cambodians who already knew who Chea Vichea was and what he represented. I wanted the people to know about this case. I tried to release the film before Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun's appeal but the day after, it was banned [by the authorities]! The police went into the markets, took all the copies before the could even be spread far enough. That was really disappointing to me, and despite its availability on the Internet (in English and Khmer), Cambodians do not really have access to it. This is why making VCD copies made sense, I was not going to put this on the television! [laughs] Cambodians never had the chance to see it. I don't think we can still find copies of it in Cambodia, now.
K7 : Did the Cambodian authorities put pressure on you at any point?
BC : No, but they knew what I was doing. I called Hok Lundy [former National Police chief who died in an accident in November 2008] to interview him about the Chea Vichea case. I think he laughed at my question... My investigation was no secret but I don't think they took it very seriously. Hok Lundy gave me permission to interview other high-ranking police officials but they wouldn't do it either!

However, I had two attempted break-ins at my house and as I had many video tapes with me, I figured I should move out of Cambodia: if they had been stolen, it would have meant the end of my whole film! […] I took the longest way possible to leave the country. I was very nervous, I had 500 tapes and if the Customs had had any idea of what was on them, they could have taken them! I decided to leave via Koh Kong, Cambodia's most porous exit. I could not take the chance to go to an airport.

K7 : Do you not fear the people you interviewed in your film might be in trouble once it is released?
BC : That was a major concern indeed, so I decided to hide their identities in some way, by obscuring their faces, disguising their voices or only showing their shadow or hands so that they are not recognisable. The other people who had interesting things to say, including the eye-witness [in Chea Vichea's murder, who went to take refuge in the United States, are not in Cambodia any more.

K7 : Are you expecting your film to be prohibited in Cambodia?
BC : I have the feeling that the Cambodian authorities will not be happy about it and that it will probably be prohibited. But I would like to give it away as much as possible. However, the last time we tried to do that in Cambodian markets, it did not work well!

K7 : Have you already presented the premiere of "Who killed Chea Vichea?"
BC : Yes, I did show a pre-screening last November at the 21st International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam . I was surprised to see that people seemed interested in the film when there was no Asian person in the audience. They were very receptive to the Human rights aspect and the level of impunity.

K7 : Do you think this type of case sees people targeted as scapegoats or ideal culprits?
BC : One thing about this case is its similarity with the Ros Sovannarith case. He was a member of the FTUWKC (Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, led by Chea Vichea) Steering Committee and was assassinated in 2004. They convicted a man for the murder and that case has many parallels to Chea Vichea's case. First, he was arrested by the same policemen from Tuol Kork who arrested Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun and there was obviously quite substantial evidence that the man was in Siem Reap on the day of the murder. Unfortunately, he did not receive any press and has been languishing in prison ever since... I think there was an appeal, but nobody even talked about it!

Once, I asked a policeman: 'When you set up these killings, where do you get the people from? He said that they basically needed two sets of people, either those who actually did the killing, and this is the easy part since they know they never get caught, or they try to find people who perhaps are not educated, poor, and maybe most importantly, who have a problem. In Chea Vichea's case, the one accused of killing had a problem: he had been fired from work for having stolen a lot of money. I think the one arrested for the murder of Ros Sovannarith was a drug user. These people, who already have difficulties with their families, fit the profile!

The first world screening of “Who Killed Chea Vichea?” will be broadcast by the American public television channel PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) during the course of the second semester of 2009.

Union leader 'killers' to appeal

Sok Sam Oeun (L) and Born Samnang (R) during their arrest in 2004

December 17, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's Supreme Court in two weeks' time will hear the controversial case of two men accused of killing an outspoken union leader. Chea Vichea was president of Cambodia's Free Trade Union, when he was gunned down in January 2004 at a sidewalk newstand. The FTU had been fighting for fair wages and better working conditions for Cambodia's garment workers. Under intense international pressure, Cambodian police arrested two men and got a confession from them. Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were subsequently convicted and sent to jail. But did they commit the crime?

Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Bradley Cox, director of the documentary 'Who killed Chea Vichea?'

Click here to listen to the Windows Media audio program

COX: Well there is way too many reasons to think that they are innocent and so far the Municipal Court and the Appeals Court have decided to ignore those reasons. And I guess what people are hoping is that when it does reach the Supreme Court, that they will for the first time look seriously at some of the evidence that shows that they are innocent.

LAM: So do you think the political climate might have changed somewhat for the authorities to allow the case to be heard in the supreme court?

COX: I don't know if it has changed and frankly I am not optimistic that it has enough that it would make a difference on the case. I mean a lot of people feel that the courts are not independent and so the political climate is very important in deciding whether these guys should be released or not, but in this particular case, I don't think enough has changed and whether they will get a fair hearing or not is really up for debate.

LAM: Are there any compelling factors that led observers, human rights groups to think that these two men were made the scapegoats?

COX: Well there is a plethora of factors that would suggest that the first and foremost being that the alleged shooter, Born Samnang was not even in Phnom Penh on the day of the murder, in fact he was about 60 kilometres away over a rough road that would take a minimum of two hours to even get to. So he was not even in the city on that day, but that didn't seem to bother the police too much. They arrested him anyway and so yeah, that's reason number one.

LAM: So, how did these two men get to be accused? I mean they must have been somehow linked to the victim?

COX: Actually, they are not linked to the victim at all and in the case of both of these guys, you can't even say they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean they were like I said Born Samnang wasn't even in Phnom Penh. But if the police were looking for a scapegoat as they were obviously were, the names of these two guys had come up for different reasons to the police and so those are the guys they chose.

LAM: Well, certainly many NGO's and human rights groups in Cambodia are calling for a retrial. Do you think the case and the convictions had struck a cord in Cambodia amongst the locals?

COX: Well yeah, of course. I mean throughout the whole country I think, because Chea Vichea was in the best regard. I mean he was a man of the people, he was someone who defended the rights of the workers in a country like Cambodia, where if you stand up and try to speak out in a critical fashion, the government or the police, I mean that puts you in harms way.

LAM: And Bradley, you are making a film about this. Just briefly, tell us a bit more about your film?

COX: Well, it's a film that is going to be finished in the next few months and it's actually going to be shown on American National TV in 2009 and it's called "Who Killed Chea Vichea?" and it's about Chea Vichea and his work. It's about the murder and the arrest of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun. A great deal of the movie is given towards, I dissect the case and did my own investigation to show that the two guys are innocent and that they were actually actively framed by the police.

But This is Cambodia... - A Preview of Bradley Cox next documentary on Cambodia politics.

An inside look at Cambodian politics, as seen during the 2003 national election. A preview of Bradley Cox next documentary film on Cambodia politics.

PPenh muzzling information (Part 1): Gov’t could ban the documentary "The Plastic Killers"

Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Don't let Phnom Penh's censure be an obstable:
Click here to watch this documentary film online

The ministry of culture is reviewing to see whether or not, it will ban a documentary film about the murder of Chea Vichea, the former President of the Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The 50-minute-long documentary, “The Plastic Killers,” was produced by Bradley Cox, a US citizen, to show all the events related to Chea Vichea’s murder which took place in January 2004. The film which first came out last Friday, shows interviews of eyewitnesses, and it also raises the issue that Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, the alleged murderers sentenced by the court to 20-year of jail time each, are not the actual killers of Chea Vichea. Muong Sokhorn, deputy director of the film department of the ministry of culture, told The Cambodia Daily over the phone on Tuesday that this DVD exaggerates the truth, and that his department cannot allow its distribution. Muong Sokhorn said the film producer must request a license to distribute this DVD. He added that his ministry could seize copies of the film. Bradley Cox, who is currently in Bangkok, said that the ministry of culture is using the license as a pretext to band the distribution of his film.