SRP MPs support FBI help in assassination investigation

Phnom Penh, 15 July 2008

SRP MPs support FBI help in assassination investigation

On 15 July 2008, the U.S. Embassy offered the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in investigating the assassination of SRP-affiliated journalist Mr. Khim Sambor and the victim of acid attack Mr. Ngor Srun, who is a son in law of Senate President Chea Chim.

Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) members of Parliament welcome the help of the FBI in these investigations. Thus far, the assassinations of many political activists, journalists, and artists have rarely experienced thorough investigations. This results in fear among the people that these extrajudicial killings are part of a conspiracy of those in power. NGOs and the international community have also demanded that the Cambodian government take responsibility for the investigation of these murders.

SRP members of Parliament request that the government accept the FBI's offer to help in the investigation of Mr. Khim Sabor's assassination and others. If the government had no involvement in the killing, there should be no hesitation to accept the FBI's help, which will aid in bringing justice to the family of the deceased and ensuring security for politicians, journalists, and all of the Cambodian people.

(Translated from Khmer by Rachel Sam and Audrey Tan)

SRP members of Parliament

For more information please contact 012 858 857

The opposition is concerned following Khim Sambo’s assassination

Paying a last respect for the assassinated journalist (Photo: DR, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

14 July 2007
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French

The double murder of 47-year-old Khim Sambo, a journalist for the opposition newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer, and his 21-year old son Khat Sarinpheata, in the middle of a street last Saturday, had created strong reactions in the country.

On Sunday 13 July, a ceremony was organized at the Svay Dangkum pagoda, with the participation of Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information, before the bodies of the father and son were cremated at the Tuol Tompoung pagoda. Numerous journalists came to pay their last respect to their colleague shot and killed.

The family indicated that they do not wish to see the death of Khim Sambo and his son be prematurely linked to politics. During the funeral, Khim Sambo’s wife also asked for protection from the authorities for herself and her children.

Shortly after this heinous crime, the ministry of Information issued a communiqué in which Khim Sambo was described as a “freelance” journalist, and it strongly condemned these assassinations, it also sent a message to the relevant authorities to do all they can to arrest the perpetrators of this double murder. For now, the police do not have any serious clue in this affair.

Dam Sith, editor-in-chief of the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper where Khim Sambo worked, also condemned these assassinations, he said that it constitutes a “serious treat against his newspaper.”

Sam Rainsy, SRP President, considers this action as a “serious threat to opposition voters” because it took place right in the middle of the election campaign.

Our sincere and deep condolences to the family of opposition journalist Khim Sambo

Click here to view John Wink's slideshow (13 July 2008) posted by Ka-set
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Slain reporter, son cremated

Monday, 14 July 2008
Eath Daravuth
The Mekong Times

The bodies of Moneaksekar Khmer reporter Khim Sambo and his son, Khat Sarinpheata, shot dead by unidentified assailants Friday evening, were cremated Saturday in Phnom Penh’s Toul Tompoung pagoda. Around 300 government officials, civil servants, media and relatives attended the ceremony.

The murderers are still at large, with authorities claiming to be mystified by the assassination, with less than a fortnight before the July 27 national election.

Khim Sambo and his son were killed as they left Olympic stadium at about 7 pm Friday. Khim Sambo was killed instantly by two gunshot wounds to the abdomen. His son, Khat Sarinpheata, was shot once in the back, dying in Calmette hospital about five hours later.

Officials have denounced the killing, vowing to bring those responsible to justice. The opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) branded the murder a “political threat” in an official statement released Saturday.

SRP Parliamentarian Yim Sovann told journalists at the cremation ceremony that the government has yet to find the real murderers of Chea Vichea, president of Cambodia’s Free Trade Union of Workers, and Om Ratsadi, a former Funcinpec parliamentarian.

“The shooting by unknown persons of Khim Sambo and his son is a threat against SRP supporters because he is the writer of Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper, of which Dam Sith is editor-in-chief – he is also an SRP parliamentary candidate,” he said.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith condemned the killing. “We cannot forgive them [the murderers] when Cambodia is holding an election and needs calm,” he said.

The Cambodian Club of Journalists (CCJ) also denounced the killing, expressing concerns over freedom of speech and the safety of Cambodian journalists in an official statement.

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) regards the shooting as a threat against impartial news reporting. A CHRAC statement noted that that Khim Sombo’s writing focused on politics, election irregularities, deforestation and land encroachment.

Yim Symony, chief of police for 7 Makara District where the killing took place, said authorities are collecting evidence but cannot find any motive.

Khim Sombo’s boss, Moneaksekar Khmer Editor-in-Chief Dam Sith was recently released on bail after a widely-criticized detention resulting from a lawsuit filed by Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong. Hor Namhong accused both Dam Sith and Sam Rainsy of defamation and misinformation over the latter’s allegations that Hor Namhong was head of the Khmer Rouge’s infamous Boeung Trabek “reeducation center.”

“I still struggle against all problems so that my newspaper can move on, despite the murder of my journalist,” Dam Sith said. “I’m not intimidated.”