Tuesday, January 08, 2008

SRP activist assassinated in Kampong Thom

07 January 2008
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer By Socheata

A man living of Prasat Sambo district, Kampong Thom province, who was allegedly a SRP activist, was assassinated by an unknown assailant in the evening of 05 January.

Sok Pheng, the SRP working group chairman for the Prasat Sambo district, indicated on Sunday afternoon that, on 06 January, Prak Kuon, a 52-year-old SRP supporter from Chromas village, Sambo commune, was severely beaten up on the face and the head, and killed, after it was learnt that Prak Kuon was invited by a group of people to get a drink, at around 07:00 PM on 05 January.

Sok Pheng said that the successive killings of SRP activists instill fear and concerns for personal safety to other party activists also.

Sok Pheng said: “He was beaten up by a stick and a wooden beam, his chin had a large size gash, he was beaten up like cattle. I am very concerned for myself, as the (party) district committee chairman, because at the grass root level, violence is always encountered.”

Nevertheless, the police did not consider this assassination as a political hatred yet. Phauk Ly, the deputy police commissioner for Prasat Sambo district, who is charge of crimes, said that his department did not find out that Prak Kuon was a member of any political party at all, and that it is investigating for the cause of the murder since the victim never had any dispute with anybody.

Phauk Ly said: “This murder case, we are still doing research, nothing can be said yet. We are still looking into it, he did not have any dispute (with someone else).”

Hoeu Try, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights group in Kampong Thom, who went to investigate the case, confirmed that Prak Kuon was indeed a member of the opposition party in his village. However, he cannot say if the murder was politically motivated or not.

Hoeu Try said: “He was a Sam Rainsy Party supporter in the village, but he is not a popular (political activist). Up until now, there is no sign telling whether this murder was politically motivated or not.”

This is the second murder committed on SRP activists, the first one took place on 17 December 2007. During the first murder, a SRP party member form Kauk Srok village, Taing Krosav commune, located next to the commune of the current murder, was shot 5 times by an unknown assailant. Since 1995, the total number of SRP activists assassinated has increased to 77.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like the political killing has started before the election.

Anonymous said...

CPP way is Khmer Rouge way. This is the way the CPP secure seats!

Anonymous said...

The CPP is waging an undeclared civil war and dirt poor Cambodian populations are in retreat in all direction and soon they will have nowhere to go but to fight back!

It is time to call for another military coupe!

Anonymous said...

"Phauk Ly, the deputy police commissioner for Prasat Sambo district".

Just look at his LAST name and his position in the CPP, off course he says that he doesn't know who is the murder. Ly is Viet last name and he is the murder, and no murder will admit that they did the crime. End of story, CASE CLOSE!!!...Note: Viet control very level of CPP.