Party Wants Arrest in Activist’s Murder

By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
01 April 2009

The Human Rights Party on Tuesday called on Kampong Cham provincial police to make an arrest in the killing of one of its activists last week.

Sim Net, 48, was shot dead around midnight, March 27, while returning from a party on a quiet provincial back road with his cousin. His cousin was not killed in the shooting, but his motorbike was taken, leading rights investigators and police to suspect a robbery.

However, with no one arrested, political motives cannot be ruled out, HRP President Kem Sokha told VOA Khmer Tuesday.

“We appeal to the authorities to seek the real perpetrator for justice, so that we are able to conclude whether the case was politically motivated or a robbery,” he said.

Kampong Cham’s police chief, Noun Sanim, told VOA Khmer the likely motive was robbery, but police had so far been unable to find the culprit or the motorcycle.

“Our measures now are to further the investigation and find out more information,” he said. “A day after the shooting, we suspected a man. We went to his house, but he had left 30 minutes earlier. We are working on it.”

Human rights investigators from Adhoc and Licadho said the motive was likely robbery.

“I haven’t found this situation to be a political assassination,” Adhoc’s Sim Heang said.

“For now I think it is more like a robbery,” said Bou Vireak, of Licadho. “We can’t say anything yet, but we will follow this issue further.”

HRP activist killed in Kampong Cham

Monday, March 30, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Local news media reported that the president of the HRP party in Kandol Chrum commune, Ponhea Krek district, Kampong Cham province, was ambushed and shot 4 times by two robbers who fled with his motorcycle while he was driving his aunt back from the pagoda to their village in Kauk Rovieng. The Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper reported that the shooting took place on 27 March 2009. Sim Net, the 48-year-old victim, was ambushed by robbers while he was traveling back home in Kauk Rovieng from a function at the Tany pagoda. The commander of the military police in Ponhea Krek district said that Sim Net was the president of the HRP party in Kandol Chrum commune. A group of 2 thieves driving a Honda C125 motorcycle cornered the victim and pushed him to the sidewalk, they then pulled out a handgun and shot the victim who fell to the ground and died. The robbers then fled with the victim’s motorcycle. The police said that it is investigating into this case in order to find the identity of the two robbers. However, Kem Sokha, HRP President, told RFA that his party has not yet determined the cause of the shooting and killing of Sim Net, but he was a very active HRP party member and he was very popular in the region.

HRP activist killed

02 July 2008
By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from Khmer by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French

The tragedy took place on Wednesday 02 July in the Kampong Speu province. According to Eng Kimy, an HRP candidate in this province, a 27-year-old HRP activist had his throat slit, while another activist was severely injured with a broken hand. Eng Kimy, who could not provide further details, declared that he will travel to the spot on Thursday 03 July.

Nevertheless, the HRP candidate said that the murder was political. “It’s a political threat. This murder is politically motivated,” he stressed. To date, the provincial police did not react yet.

On the morning of Wednesday 02 July, Comfrel provided a report on the progress of the first week of the election campaign for the general election. It noted that the number of incidents, through threats and intimidation, is lower in comparison to the same period in 2003, i.e. 16 cases for this year as compared to 26 in 2003. “The security condition the first election campaign week is better than in 2003, but the threats are only starting up …,” said Thun Saray, President of the Adhoc human rights defense.

The report is satisfactory, but it is now doubtful since the Kampong Speu case which still remains to be solved.