Original report from Phnom Penh
31 July 2007
Police have arrested two Khmer Kampuchea Krom suspects following a blast at the Vietnamese Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh Sunday.
Kim Toeun, 53, a construction worker and former Khmer Rouge brigade chief, and Son Than, 42, of unknown profession, are being held in Phnom Penh.
Both were once members of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Liberation Front, said Ministry of Interior chief of information, Chhay Sinarith.
Police compared the act, which left behind two unexploded TNT-fertilizer bombs, to political activities such as those conducted by the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, who had a shootout with police in Phnom Penh in November 2000.
Chhay Sinarith called the incident a political threat to the Cambodian government but stopped short of calling it a terrorist attack.
"We see that the characteristics are not of a terrorist nature like in other countries, [especially] in the Middle East," he said. "We see that those explosions caused people's deaths. But these activities are more political in nature."
In recent weeks members of the Khmer Krom ethnic minority have complained of discrimination and detention in Vietnam.
The rights of the group has been at the center of several violent demonstrations lately, and one Khmer Krom monk recently disappeared after being defrocked in what rights groups fear was a forced expulsion to Vietnam.
Kim Toeun, 53, a construction worker and former Khmer Rouge brigade chief, and Son Than, 42, of unknown profession, are being held in Phnom Penh.
Both were once members of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Liberation Front, said Ministry of Interior chief of information, Chhay Sinarith.
Police compared the act, which left behind two unexploded TNT-fertilizer bombs, to political activities such as those conducted by the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, who had a shootout with police in Phnom Penh in November 2000.
Chhay Sinarith called the incident a political threat to the Cambodian government but stopped short of calling it a terrorist attack.
"We see that the characteristics are not of a terrorist nature like in other countries, [especially] in the Middle East," he said. "We see that those explosions caused people's deaths. But these activities are more political in nature."
In recent weeks members of the Khmer Krom ethnic minority have complained of discrimination and detention in Vietnam.
The rights of the group has been at the center of several violent demonstrations lately, and one Khmer Krom monk recently disappeared after being defrocked in what rights groups fear was a forced expulsion to Vietnam.
3 comments:
It's clear the RGC can find criminals fast IF THEY WANT THEM FOUND. Which is to say, when THEY are not the culprits.
ITS VERY TRUE ABOUT THE STATEMENT THE BROTHER MADE. WHEN IT ONE OF THEM, "IT BEING INVESTIGATED". ONE DAY THERE WILL BE NO MERCY FOR THE CURRUPTED.
As expected, the " suspects" are immediately caught by the police. But don't count on them when unwanted people desappeared or killed such as former Bunthoeun, former Monk Tuch Sakhan, Uninonist vithia.....
It's Hun Sen's justice or Justice a la CPP.
Post a Comment