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Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Two Cambodians arrested by Thai soldiers released

Radio Free Asia
By Sav Yuth
22nd February, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

The Ouddor Meanchey authority said that two Cambodians arrested by Thai soldiers for allegedly foraging in Thai territories have been released in exchange with the release of two Thai nationals by the Cambodian border police.

Mr. Ung Vorn, Governor of Ouddor Meanchey, said on 22nd February that the two Cambodian nationals were from Rumduol village, Ampil commune of Banteay Ampil district in Ouddor Meanchey province were fetched by Cambodian authority from O’Smach International Checkpoint two days ago in exchange for the release of two Thai nationals, also accused of being illegal foraging in Khmer territories.

Mr. Ung Vorn said: “We did a prisoner’s exchange since the day before yesterday through O’Smach Border Checkpoint. We have arrested two of them (Thais) too, so we agreed to do the prisoners’ exchange. We have made the reports to the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry. We have reported to all relevant authority.”

The arrested men, Sip Choeng, 25 years of age, from Rumduol village, Ampil commune of Banteay Ampil district, said that he and a friend named Morn Chaun were chased and shot at by the Thai rangers and soldiers while they were foraging in a forest north of Rumduol village with 6 other villagers.

He said that the Thai authority put him in a temporary jail in Nong Ngarm village before sending him and his friends to a court in Buriram province.

He said: “We are foraging for vines and for tree tars. Rumduol village is a Khmer village, that’s why we dare to forage there. They were black-clad and paramilitary soldiers combined. They sprayed about 20 bullets at us. They put us in a temporary jail in Norng Ngarm village for two nights and then sent us to a large jail attached to a court in Buriram province.”

The two Cambodians were arrested by Thai soldiers since 14th February, 2009.

In December 2007, 5 Cambodian men from Samrong and Banteay Ampil districts were arrested by Thai authority in Kap Cherng district of Surin province on charges of illegally logging in Thong Niv district of Thailand.

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