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| (Photos: Oudomreaksmey Cheuy) |
Showing posts with label Culture of impunity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Culture of impunity. Show all posts
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Little Progress in Murder Case of Slain Activist
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| Chut Wutty, a prominent Cambodian anti-logging activist who helped expose a secretive state sell-off of national parks was fatally shot on April 25, 2012 in a remote southwestern province, FILE February 21, 2012. |
27 July 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
PHNOM PENH - Three months after the murder of environmental activist Chut Wutty, little forward progress has been made in the case.
Family members say they have heard little from the court that is supposed to be investigating his deadly shooting, even as they organize a 100-day funeral ceremony.
Chut Wutty was shot and killed April 26 in the Cardamom Mountains of Koh Kong province, as he escorted two journalists looking into illegal logging there. A military police official, In Ratana, was also shot and killed in the incident. A private security guard, Rann Borath, was arrested and accused of accidentally killing the In Ratana after the policeman killed Chut Wutty, but skeptics say the scenario was implausible.
“I am worried,” said Hun Rann, Rann Borath’s father. “But I don’t know what to do beside waiting for the trial.” He said he doubted his son was to blame for In Ratana’s death.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Sam Rainsy Party MPs Seek US Intervention for Release of 15 Human Rights Defenders of Boeung Kak Lake
04 June 2012
By Mu Sochua
By Mu Sochua
Sam Rainsy Party MPs Seek US Intervention for Release of 15 Human Rights Defenders of Boeung Kak Lake
MP, Mu Sochua will meet with State Department officials and members of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Committee of the US Congress on 6June, 2012 to raise concern for the deteriorating human rights conditions inside Cambodia particularly regarding recent human rights abuses against women and girls.
FEBRURARY 19, 2012 – Bavet Town governor, Chhouk Bandith, opened fire on 6000 protestors at a garment worker demonstration in his town in Northern Cambodia. Three young women were shot and injured. Witnesses claim that Bandith was assisted in his escape from the scene by police vehicles. The governor later confessed to his crime, but was never arrested. On May 14, 2012, Bandith was charged with “unintentional injuries” and was demoted to a lower position.
MAY 16, 2012 – 1000 military police and a military helicopter violently stormed a village in the northern province of Kratie during a forced eviction. Forces opened fire on residents and killed an innocent 14-year-old girl. Villagers were brutally attacked by the military forces, and a group of women were handcuffed, stripped naked, and made to stand for hours under the sun.
MAY 22, 2012 – During a peaceful demonstration in Phnom Penh’s Boeung Kak Lake community, thirteen women human rights defenders were violently arrested and detained at the municipal police headquarters for two nights. On May 24, 2012, the women were taken to an illegal summary trial without their defense lawyers. The lawyer’s requests to delay for preparation, for case files and evidence, and to bring witnesses to the stand were also denied. In less than 3 hours all thirteen women were convicted and sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison. Since then, one woman received a 1 and a half year suspended sentence, and another five have received 6 months suspended sentences out of the initial 2.5 years.
As a result of violence against women, including armed and military force by private companies against citizens, women's human rights are continually violated in a nation that claims to be democratic and free.
Sam Rainsy Party MPs, are seeking for:
- Ensure the immediate release of all thirteen women imprisoned and two witnesses for defending their land rights;
- Temporarily suspension of US military aid to Cambodia;
- Call for an end to the harassment of human rights defenders in Cambodia and ensure that peaceful protests can take place without fear of arrest, intimidation or violence.
- Bring an end to forced and violent evictions of Cambodian citizens from their homes and land.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
CAMBODIA: The culture of impunity and violence must stop
A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Phnom Penh, 30th May 2012- We, Cambodian and International civil society organizations represented in this statement, condemn the use of armed force and escalating violence against citizens peacefully defending their land, labor and natural resources rights. We are referring to not only the events earlier last week on 22nd May, when dozens of peaceful Boeung Kak Lake (BKL) protesters were violently dispersed and two days later when fifteen (fourteen women and one male) BKL residents were sent to Prey Sar prison and charged and convicted of unfounded criminal offenses, but also the recent shooting incidents—the killings of environmental activist Chut Wutty in Koh Kong province and 14-year old girl Heng Chantha in Kratie province, and the shooting of three young women protesting for better working conditions in Svay Rieng province. These incidents are particularly disturbing because they indicate an increasing readiness on the part of security and military forces to use lethal force against civilians.
The year 2012 has already witnessed at least five such instances, not including numerous other human rights abuses. We are deeply concerned, shocked and saddened about this escalation of violence, particularly in disputes related to Economic Land Concessions (ELCs). Pursuant to Article 41 of the Cambodian Constitution and international conventions to which Cambodia is a party, all citizens enjoy a fundamental right to free expression, which includes the right to protect against decisions of public authorities that infringe on their rights and livelihood . In practice, the exercise of this right is all too often denied or met with violent repression.
Cambodian citizens have a right to live under the rule of law. They deserve to be protected, served with dignity and fairness based on universally agreed basic rights. Public authorities not only have a duty and obligation to ensure that a culture of impunity is never condoned but also must make fighting against impunity a priority. All instances involving the use of firearms against civilians should be promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated. Investigations that find shootings to be “accidental” or the result of low-ranking officers acting on their own initiative should be supported by evidence gathered in a rigorous, transparent manner. At the very least, protection against threats and intimidation should be provided to witnesses and all victims should have access to effective judicial verdict and justice.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Amnesty International Annual Report 2012 - Cambodia
Cambodia
- Head of state King Norodom Sihamoni
- Head of government Hun Sen
- Death penalty abolitionist for all crimes
- Population 14.3 million
- Life expectancy 63.1 years
- Under-5 mortality 87.5 per 1,000
- Adult literacy 77.6 per cent
Forced evictions, land disputes and land grabbing continued on a large scale, with thousands of people affected. An increase in the number of economic land concessions granted to business interests by the government exacerbated the situation. Impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses and lack of an independent judiciary remained serious problems. The authorities continued to restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly by threatening, harassing and taking legal action against human rights defenders in an effort to silence them. Grassroots communities and land and housing rights activists were particularly at risk. A controversial proposed law to regulate NGOs and associations met with widespread opposition from civil society and was postponed. Critical developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia threatened to derail proceedings and deny justice to the victims of Khmer Rouge atrocities.
Background
An ongoing border dispute with Thailand over ownership of the area surrounding Preah Vihear temple, a World Heritage Site, resulted in armed clashes between the two countries in early 2011. The International Court of Justice ruled in July that both sides should withdraw their troops from the area, but this was only partially adhered to.
In August, the World Bank stated that since December 2010 it had stopped granting new loans to Cambodia until an agreement could be reached with the remaining residents of Boeung Kak Lake in the capital, Phnom Penh. Almost 4,000 families have been forcibly evicted from the area since 2008.
In October, the government temporarily banned sending domestic workers to Malaysia, after a series of incidents involving the reported abuse of Cambodian women and girls recruited to work as maids. Recruitment agencies in Cambodia were also accused of unlawfully detaining women and girls for training prior to sending them abroad.
Cambodia formally assumed the chair of ASEAN in November, to begin in January 2012. The government announced its intention to seek a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2013-14.
Forced evictions
Amnesty: Several Asian nations 'repressing dissent'
The report welcomed Burma's decision to free political prisoners
23 May 2012
BBC News
Leaders in the region put profits before the interests of people with land grabs and evictions in ... Cambodia affecting thousands, and ''impunity for past violations'' continue to plague ... Cambodia, the report said.
Several governments in the Asia-Pacific region responded to the Arab Spring protests with a clampdown on dissent, Amnesty International said.
Leaders from China to Thailand employed a range of methods to silence critics, the group said in its annual report.
But activists were increasingly able to use new technologies to voice their opinions, it said.
The rights group also noted positive changes in countries including Burma.
Despite ''serious obstacles'', many human rights defenders and activists in Asia were still able to ''navigate their way towards greater respect for their rights'', said the 2012 report on the state of the world's human rights.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Anarchists
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| Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com) |
CCHR PRESS RELEASE –Phnom Penh, 16 May 2012
Land Greed Causes Two Innocent Deaths With More Expected
A 14-year-old girl, Heng Chantha, was shot dead at around 8:30am yesterday in Broma village, Kampong Domrei commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province, and at least two other villagers arrested, during a violent forced land eviction. Witnesses report that hundreds of armed police and military police used rounds of live ammunition against 1,000 or so villagers to forcibly evict them from their property. The villagers were demonstrating against the loss of their farmland as a result of an economic land concession granted to a subsidiary of Russian-owned Casotim Co. Ltd. This is the eigth instance of authorities or law enforcement agencies shooting at civilians since November 2011 in cases relating to abuses of either land or labor rights.
On the same day as this murder, the land crisis claimed its second victim: a nine-month-old baby died of illness this morning, having suffered diarrhoea and fever since his family were forcibly evicted by local authorities from the now-infamous Borei Keila district in the capital, Phnom Penh, on 3 January 2012. The boy, Chan Samnang, fell ill as a direct result of wretched living conditions ina relocation site outside the city. According to a representative of the Borei Keila evictees – who have still not received any appropriate compensation or resettlement arrangements since being evicted to make way for a development by the infamous Phanimex company, owned by Suy Siphan – many more children and elderly people are falling ill as a result of the terrible conditions.
In line with domestic and international law, if concessions are to be granted, those affected should be consulted in advance and offered appropriate compensation, relocation facilities and redress mechanisms. The deadly combination of no rule of law and total impunity in Cambodia is driving villagers’ to resort to desperate measures to fight for their land and human rights. The authorities are responding with violence,in the hope that the problem will go away. Such disputes should be submitted to the jurisdiction of thecourts, so that a proper and long-lasting solution can be found.
CCHR President Ou Virak, responding to these tragedies, comments:
“It is all very well cancelling any future land concessions, but if existing ones are leading to violent and miserable deaths, either through the gross negligence or bungling brutality of the authorities, then such actions are clearly not enough. That an innocent 14-year-old girl should be murdered in this way, while not surprising given recent incidents, is profoundly shocking and shows that the land crisis is spiralling out of control. That children should bedying at Borei Keila is heart-breaking and appalling. We have seen two needless deaths today. How many more innocent Cambodians willdie before the Government wakes up and prevents an even bigger crisis? The impression is that either it islosing control of the country, or that the cancellation of land concessions isjust for show. It is high timethat it honored its obligations and defended its citizens from the sinistershadow of greed that is swallowing the country. It could start by launching a full and frank investigationinto these deaths. ”
For more information, please contact Ou Virak via telephone at +855 (0)12 40 40 51 or e-mail at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org.
This press release is also attached in PDF (in English and Khmer).
Kind regards,
CCHR
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The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) is a non-aligned, independent, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect democracy and respect for human rights throughout Cambodia. For more information, please visit www.cchrcambodia.org.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
ការលាលែងរបស់ចៅក្រមអន្តរជាតិមានផលវិបាកធំធេង
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| លោក Laurent Kasper-Ansermet ដែលទើបលាឈប់ពីសាលាក្តី។ រូបថត ECCC |
Tuesday, 08 May 2012
សេង ធារី
The Phnom Penh Post
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| សេង ធារី (Credit: USC Shoah Foundation Institute, photographer Kim Fox, July 2011) |
ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ជួបនូវការបាត់បង់ដ៏ធំធេងមួយ ជាមួយនឹងការលាឈប់របស់សហចៅក្រមស៊ើបអង្កេតបម្រុងអន្តរជាតិ លោក Laurent Kasper-Ansermet។ វាជាការបាត់បង់ ជាមួយនឹងភាពស្មុគស្មាញបំផុត ហើយមិនមែនត្រឹមតែសម្រាប់អង្គជំនុំជម្រះវិសាមញ្ញ នៃតុលាការកម្ពុជា និងសំណុំរឿង ០០៣ និង ០០៤ ប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ។
ការលាលែងរបស់លោក Kasper-Ansermet មានផលវិបាកយ៉ាងធំធេងដល់សង្គមខ្មែរសម័យក្រោយរបបប្រល័យពូជ សាសន៍ជារួម និងកិច្ចខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែង របស់យើង ដើម្បីបញ្ជ្រាបយុត្តិធម៌ និងប្រយុទ្ធប្រឆាំងវប្បធម៌និទ្ទណ្ឌភាព។ យើងមានក្តីរន្ធត់ ចំពោះឃាតកឈាមត្រជាក់ សម្លាប់សកម្មជនបរិស្ថាន ឈុត វុទ្ធី ប៉ុន្តែយើងមិនគួរភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលទេ។ យើងហាក់ដូចជាគិតគូរបញ្ហានិទ្ទណ្ឌភាពតាមវិធីសើៗ ដោយសារតែភាពញឹកញាប់របស់វា នៅក្នុងសង្គមនេះ។
នោះមានន័យថា យើងនិយាយអំពីវា ហើយប្រតិកម្មចំពោះវាតាមឥរិយាបថមានកម្រិត ដោយផ្អែកលើការបែងចែកវាទៅតាមផ្នែក នៃការងាររបស់យើងរៀងៗខ្លួន ដូចជា នីតិប្បញ្ញត្តិ ការការពារបរិស្ថាន សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ឬក៏នយោបាយជាដើម។
ខណៈពេលយើងបែងចែកនិទ្ទណ្ឌភាពនេះ យើងក៏បានបញ្ជ្រាបវាទៅតាមអាជ្ញាធរមូលដ្ឋាន កងកម្លាំងប្រដាប់អាវុធ និងថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំជាតិជាដើម។ វាក៏មាននូវការបញ្ជ្រាប រវាងពិភពក្នុងប្រទេស និងពិភពអន្តរជាតិផងដែរ។ សហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិ ត្រូវបានចាត់ទុកថា ស្ថិតនៅពីលើបញ្ហានេះ ទោះបីវាជាស្ថាប័នសំខាន់ នៅក្នុងការធ្វើឲ្យចេញរូបរាង នូវព័ត៌មាន និងរបៀបវារៈ និងនៅក្នុងការផ្តល់ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុដល់អង្គការមិនមែនរដ្ឋាភិបាល រដ្ឋាភិបាល ECCC និងលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យក្តី។ ប៉ុន្តែដូចដែលយើងបានដឹងស្រាប់ហើយ និទ្ទណ្ឌភាព មិនមែនជាជំងឺមហារីកស៊ីរូងទេ បើសិនសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិមិនជំរុញវា ជាមួយនឹងទឹកប្រាក់រាប់ពាន់លានរបស់ខ្លួន និងការសំងំស្ងៀមមិនហាស្តី របស់ខ្លួនចំពោះទង្វើអយុត្តិធម៌ដ៏ព្រៃផ្សៃម្តងហើយម្តងទៀតនោះ។
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Friday, May 04, 2012
Security guard charged after Cambodian shootings
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| Chut Wutty was an outspoken critic of illegal logging in Cambodia. [Reuters] |
4 May 2012
ABC Radio Australia
A Cambodian court has charged a security guard with "involuntary homicide" after shooting incidents that left two people - an environmental activist and a police officer - dead.
Chut Wutty was shot dead about a week ago while gathering evidence of illegal logging in a remote forest in Koh Kong province.
Police first said he had been involved in a shoot-out with an officer. Then they said the officer had shot Chut Wutty before committing suicide.
Guard charged in case of slain Cambodian activist
May 4, 2012
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A private security guard is accused of murdering a military policeman who had just fatally shot a prominent environmentalist in Cambodia, a human rights worker said Friday.
Military policeman In Ratana shot and killed Chut Wutty on April 26 during a confrontation near a logging camp that the activist was investigating. The policeman was then shot himself.
Logging company security guard Ran Boroth faces charges of "unintentional murder" in the death of the policeman, said In Kong Chet of the rights group Licadho.
Ran Boroth, 26, appeared before the Koh Kong provincial court Friday. The charge said he tried to grab In Ratana's gun away from him when it went off, killing him.
Human rights groups have condemned and called for a thorough investigation into Chut Wutty's killing at a checkpoint after he had taken two journalists to investigate illegal logging in a protected forest area. Activists in Cambodia commonly face intimidation and violence in the course of their work, which often targets official corruption.
Cambodia Arrest in Activist Shooting: Rights Group
May 04, 2012
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
Phnom Penh. A Cambodian court on Friday charged a security guard with involuntary homicide in a mysterious shooting that left a prominent activist and a military police officer dead, a rights group said.
The involvement of a third party appears to debunk officials’ original claim that environmental activist Chhut Vuthy was gunned down on April 26 by the military policeman who then killed himself with two shots to the chest.
The death of Vuthy, who was gathering evidence of illegal logging in a remote forest, sent shockwaves through the country and prompted international calls for an impartial investigation.
Details of the shooting in southwestern Koh Kong province remain unclear but local rights group Licadho told AFP that investigators now believed the officer killed Vuthy and was then shot with his own gun during a scuffle with security guard Ran Boroth who tried to disarm him.
មិនស៊ើប អង្កេតត្រដរខ្យល់ អីទេ៖ អាមួយថាមិនទាន់ដឹងលទ្ធផល អាមួយទៀតថា ទទួលលទ្ធផលល្អ
ការស៊ើបសួរ របស់តុលាការ ពាក់ព័ន្ធការបាញ់ សម្លាប់ លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី និងលោក អ៊ិន រតនា មិនទាន់ដឹងលទ្ធផល
Friday, 04 May 2012
ដោយៈ អេង គឹមជាង
DAP-news
កោះកុងៈ មន្រ្តីអង្គការសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងមន្រ្តីយោធា បានអះអាងរួមគ្នាថា នៅព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី៤ ខែឧសភា មន្រ្តី តុលាការ ខេត្តកោះកុង កំពុងធ្វើការសាកសួរទៅលើជនសង្ស័យម្នាក់ ដែលមានការជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធទៅនឹងករណី បាញ់សម្លាប់ ប្រធានអង្គការការពារធនធានធម្មជាតិ និងមន្រ្តីកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ ប៉ុន្តែលទ្ធផលយ៉ាងណានោះ មិនទាន់ដឹងទេ។
លោក អំ សំអាត មន្រ្តីស៊ើបអង្កេតអង្កការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សលីកាដូ មានប្រសាសន៍ថា រហូតមកទល់ម៉ោង១១ និង២៥ នាទីនេះ តុលាកំពុងសាកសួរជនសង្ស័យម្នាក់ ដែលត្រូវបានគេបញ្ជូនទៅតុលាការកាលពីម៉ោង ៥ និង៣០ល្ងាច ថ្ងៃទី០៣ ខែឧសភា មិនទាន់បានបញ្ចប់ការសាកសួរនៅឡើយទេ។
Friday, 04 May 2012
ដោយៈ អេង គឹមជាង
DAP-news
កោះកុងៈ មន្រ្តីអង្គការសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងមន្រ្តីយោធា បានអះអាងរួមគ្នាថា នៅព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី៤ ខែឧសភា មន្រ្តី តុលាការ ខេត្តកោះកុង កំពុងធ្វើការសាកសួរទៅលើជនសង្ស័យម្នាក់ ដែលមានការជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធទៅនឹងករណី បាញ់សម្លាប់ ប្រធានអង្គការការពារធនធានធម្មជាតិ និងមន្រ្តីកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ ប៉ុន្តែលទ្ធផលយ៉ាងណានោះ មិនទាន់ដឹងទេ។
លោក អំ សំអាត មន្រ្តីស៊ើបអង្កេតអង្កការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សលីកាដូ មានប្រសាសន៍ថា រហូតមកទល់ម៉ោង១១ និង២៥ នាទីនេះ តុលាកំពុងសាកសួរជនសង្ស័យម្នាក់ ដែលត្រូវបានគេបញ្ជូនទៅតុលាការកាលពីម៉ោង ៥ និង៣០ល្ងាច ថ្ងៃទី០៣ ខែឧសភា មិនទាន់បានបញ្ចប់ការសាកសួរនៅឡើយទេ។
INjustice-a-la CPP: Chhouk Bandit was never sacked, he was just transfered to another position in the province!
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| Chhouk Bandit |
ឈូក បណ្ឌិត ចេញទៅព្យាបាល ជំងឺនៅប្រទេសថៃ
Friday, 04 May 2012
ដោយៈ គុជ វិភាគ
DAP-news
ឈូក បណ្ឌិត កើតជំងឺ បាញ់បោះអាណាធិបតេយ្យ ព្រមទាំងចេះ តែឈឺទ្រូង ចុកខ្លាញ់ ឈឺ ក ដាក់ជើង ដ ហើម ក្រលៀន ប៉ិនកំភ្លៅ រក លោកស្រោចទឹក ក៏មិនជាដែរ! បើចង់ឆាប់ជា ទាល់តែសុំនារីៗ កម្មករ ជួយ ដាក់លោក១ដៃ ១ជើង ម្នាក់ទៅ វាជាឯង
«ខ្ងុំគ្រាន់តែដឹងថា ចាប់តាំង ពីប្លាស់ប្ដូ តំណែង គាត់ពី អភិបាល ក្រុងបាវិត ឲ្យមក បម្រើ ការ នៅសាលា ខេត្ត ស្វាយរៀង គាត់មិន ដែល មកបង្ហាញ ខ្លួននៅ សាលា ខេត្តទេ»ស្វាយរៀងៈ យោងតាមប្រភពជិតស្និទ្ធនឹងអតីត អភិបាលក្រុងបាវិត ដែលបាញ់ប្រហារកម្មករ លោក ឈូក បណ្ឌិត សុំមិនបញ្ចេញឈ្មោះ បានប្រាប់ឲ្យដឹងថា អតីតអភិបាលក្រុងរូបនេះ បានចាកចេញ ពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ហើយកាល ពីប៉ុន្មាន ថ្ងៃមុននេះ គឺចេញទៅ ប្រទេសថៃ ដើម្បី ព្យាបាលជំងឺ។
ប្រភពដដែល បានប្រាប់បន្តថា លោក ឈូក បណ្ឌិត ចេញទៅប្រទេសថៃ ដើម្បីព្យាបាលជំងឺ ព្រោះលោក ចេះតែឈឺទ្រូង និងឈឺបំពង់ក ដែលជំងឺនេះបណ្ដាលមកពីការប៉ះទង្គិចគ្នាជាមួយកម្មករ ដែលបានធ្វើបាតុ កម្មកន្លងមកនៅតំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេសម៉ាន់ហាតតាន់ក្រុងបាវិត ដែលនៅក្នុងហេតុការណ៍នោះលោក ឈូក បណ្ឌិត ត្រូវបានកម្មករ គប់ដុំថ្មំត្រូវចំទ្រូង និងក ដែលធ្វើឲ្យលោកទ្រាំមិនបាន ក៏ដកកាំភ្លើងបាញ់ បណ្ដាលឲ្យកម្មការីនី ៣នាក់រងរបួសធ្ងន់។
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Timbergreen official questioned in Chut Wutty shooting
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| Chut Wutty, an environmental activist who was gunned down in Koh Kong province last month, burns luxury wood felled by illegal loggers in the Prey Lang forest in February. (Photo by: Mathieu Young) |
Thursday, 03 May 2012
May Titthara and David Boyle
The Phnom Penh Post
"Every single thing that happened on this crime scene is in violation of the civilian code. Detaining civilians on a public road is one ... keeping the car from leaving the area, stealing the cameras from inside the car, switching off the ignition of the car and then killing ... It is also an issue of Cambodia's economic development, of Cambodia's reputation, of security, public safety - this is absolutely unconscionable."
The "company" that military police have declined to identify but said sent staff to confront activist Chut Wutty shortly before he was shot last Thursday is Timbergreen, a firm the slain activist had attempted to expose for illegal logging.
Documents obtained by the Post yesterday and sources have confirmed Timbergreen is the firm licensed to clear the reservoirs of the Lower Russey Chrum dam project in Koh Kong province's Mondul Seima district, not far from the site where Chut Wutty was shot.
Armed forces commander-in-chief Sao Sokha and military police officials have said staff from a company licensed to clear that dam site had attempted to stop Chut Wutty from taking photos of timber stockpiles.
A Timbergreen security official, Ran Boroth, has also reportedly been arrested as a suspect in the shooting of military police officer In Rattana "“ who was also killed during the incident and has widely been accused of gunning down Chut Wutty.
Khieu Sar Sileap, who was registered as the majority shareholder of Timbergreen in August 2010, confirmed yesterday that the firm held the licence to clear the dam reservoirs, but declined to comment further.
"I am sorry about that. I have stopped being involved with Timbergreen," she said, adding that she had handed over the project to other people more than one year ago.
Cambodian Environmental Activists Press Murder Probe
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| Chut Wutty, Director of the Natural Resource Protection Group, gestures at Botum Sakor National Park in Koh Kong province, Cambodia, February 2012. (Reuters file photo) |
Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Irwin Loy, VOA | Phnom Penh
"Now what happens sometimes in these cases, is the next easy way out, and that is probably finding another scapegoat and blaming it on that person or a group of people."
Cambodia's government is promising a thorough investigation into last week's mysterious killing of prominent environment campaigner Chut Wutty. Some former colleagues of the outspoken activist, however, say they're skeptical about what the inquest actually will achieve.
Wutty's death provoked outrage from rights groups, who claim the government frequently turns a blind eye to illegal logging in the Cambodian countryside.
The government responded this week by ordering an investigation into Wutty's death. But Marcus Hardtke, a friend and former colleague, wonders if the inquest will produce tangible results, or merely cover up the larger problem.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
UN, EU urge probe into Cambodian activist shooting
02 May 2102
AFP
AFP
PHNOM PENH — The United Nations and the European Union have urged the Cambodian government to carry out a speedy and independent investigation into the killing of a prominent environmental activist.
Chhut Vuthy, 43, was gunned down by a military policeman on April 26 as he was gathering evidence of illegal logging in a remote forest in a case that has sent shockwaves through the country.
Military police officials said the killer then turned his AK-47 assault rifle on himself, shooting himself twice in the chest -- a claim that has been greeted with widespread scepticism.
"Despite the current lack of clarity about what exactly happened, we are very concerned that the killing of Mr. (Vuthy) marks the latest and most lethal in a series of gun attacks on human rights defenders in Cambodia," a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in Geneva.
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