Forest clearing uncovers 96 UXO shells

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

Villagers clearing forest for plantations in Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province, an intense battle zone during the war era, have uncovered 96 UXO shells buried in the ground, on 01 September 2007. The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper reported that the shells which the villagers uncovered consist of 61 B-40.5 shells, 13 B-40 shells, 19 B-41 shells, and 3 60-mm shells. Hun Hean, the police commissioner for the province of Banteay Meanchey said that these UXO uncovered by the villagers were turned over to the Hello Trash mine destruction organization located in Thmar Puok district for destruction on the spot, on 02 September, in order to prevent life endangerments to the local villagers.

Opposition official assassinated in Banteay Meanchey

29 July 2007
By Lim Pisith Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

A SRP party activist in Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province, was shot and killed by an armed assassin during the night of 27 July 2007.

The police authority and investigators from independent organizations have not yet determined the cause of this assassination.

Sou Luob, the 22-year-old son of the victim who was traveling along his father while riding a motorcycle each, recounted the event by saying that two unknown persons waited for them, and opened fire on his father at 10:00 PM when the two returned back from buying frogs in Ponley village, Treas commune, Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province.

Sou Luob said: “They shot one round … he sped up, then they shot another round, he was still moving and when the motorcycle fell down, he died. They stop shooting at him and turned to me, I put the motorcycle down and took cover in the rice field.”

Suon Veasna, the chairman of the SRP branch in the Svay Chek district, said that Klik Un, the 59-year-old victim, was the vice-chairman of the SRP party in Ta Ben commune, and that he was a gentle and nice man.

Suon Veasna said: “Klik Un is a SRP party member, and he is also the party vice-chairman in the Ta Ben commune.”

MP Tioulong Saumura, the chairwoman of the SRP working group for Banteay meanchey province, expressed her regret on the loss of a party member, and she asked the authority to investigate the case and arrest the culprits and send them to court.

Lieutenant colonel Chan Kosal, the deputy criminal police chief of Banteay Meanchey province, said that the victim lived in O’Veng village, Ta Ben commune, Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey province, and he said that, currently, the police is investigating the case.

Chan Kosal said: “I cannot tell whether this is a robbery or a revenge case, but the revenge case is more likely because the killers did not take anything. It is not a political (murder) case.”

Sam Chankea, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, said that based on preliminary investigation: “Based on our questioning, the victim did not have dispute with anybody. And we cannot say whether this is a revenge or a political case yet because we are still investigating. Therefore, we will continue the investigation.”

Sam Chankea also called on the authority to confiscate guns from people in order to prevent such illegal killing to occur again.

This is the first time that a SRP activist in the Banteay Meanchey province is assassinated following the second commune election which took place recently.