By Prak Chan Thul and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Three former residents of Tonle Bassac commune's Village 14 were charged in Phnom Penh Municipal Court Thursday with destroying public and private property during the May 31 riot there, a court official said.
The charges came as a Dangkao district official called for emergency aid to be delivered to the site where Village 14's families were relocated on Tuesday after their eviction.
Hem Choun, 47, a journalist for little-known newspaper Scream for Justice, and fellow villagers Chhen Sovann, 45, and Chan Ra, 48, were charged over the riot, Deputy Court Prosecutor Sok Kalyan said.
Six other villagers arrested during the forced eviction by hundreds of police were released due to a lack of evidence, he said.
"Hem Chuon...was the mastermind who pushed to have the destruction," Sok Kalyan alleged.
About 50 former residents of Village 14 gathered in front of the court in support of the three men.
"We came here to support Hem Choun," said Mien Kea, 47. "He didn't incite the villagers, the villagers did it together."
At the relocation site on Thursday, Dangkao District Deputy Governor So Samedy said there are now 1,380 families living on the three hectares of land in Andong village, Kouk Roka commune.
"We appeal to NGOs to donate more rice, tents and clean water," he said, adding that the four or five small municipal water trucks servicing the site are not sufficient.
The municipality is building 20 toilets for the thousands of villagers who are currently using ponds to relieve themselves. The ponds are also being used for bathing and drinking, he said. "This is an emergency situation," said Dr Im Socheat of the municipal health department.
Man Sotheara, a medical official with local rights group Licadho, said he saw 82 people at the site on Wednesday who were suffering mainly from intestinal and respiratory illnesses.
The charges came as a Dangkao district official called for emergency aid to be delivered to the site where Village 14's families were relocated on Tuesday after their eviction.
Hem Choun, 47, a journalist for little-known newspaper Scream for Justice, and fellow villagers Chhen Sovann, 45, and Chan Ra, 48, were charged over the riot, Deputy Court Prosecutor Sok Kalyan said.
Six other villagers arrested during the forced eviction by hundreds of police were released due to a lack of evidence, he said.
"Hem Chuon...was the mastermind who pushed to have the destruction," Sok Kalyan alleged.
About 50 former residents of Village 14 gathered in front of the court in support of the three men.
"We came here to support Hem Choun," said Mien Kea, 47. "He didn't incite the villagers, the villagers did it together."
At the relocation site on Thursday, Dangkao District Deputy Governor So Samedy said there are now 1,380 families living on the three hectares of land in Andong village, Kouk Roka commune.
"We appeal to NGOs to donate more rice, tents and clean water," he said, adding that the four or five small municipal water trucks servicing the site are not sufficient.
The municipality is building 20 toilets for the thousands of villagers who are currently using ponds to relieve themselves. The ponds are also being used for bathing and drinking, he said. "This is an emergency situation," said Dr Im Socheat of the municipal health department.
Man Sotheara, a medical official with local rights group Licadho, said he saw 82 people at the site on Wednesday who were suffering mainly from intestinal and respiratory illnesses.
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