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Friday 22 January 2010

Civil society and family of slain union leader appeal to authority to find his killers

Chea Vichea's funeral.

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

Civil society and family of union leader Chea Vichea, who was gunned down in broad daylight on 22nd January 2004, are appealing to the authority for find his real killers, reports Radio Free Asia.

On the eve of the 6th anniversary of Chea Vichea's murder, Mr. Chea Mony, Chea Vichea's younger brother and current leader of the Free Trade Union once led by Chea Vichea, has appealed to the authority to find his brother's real killers. "Those who were involved in the murder (of Chea Vichea) are still roaming free. We see that Kun Song, who was an accomplice of Ly Rassy, who was involved in the murder of Chea Vichea and who put Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun in jail, is still roaming free. It has been 7 years and if the government does not try to find the real killers, it means that the government was behind the murder", he said.

Mr. Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said he is not confident that the authority can find the real killers because it does not have the will to do so. "In the case of Chea Vichea('s murder), I confidently believe that the government knew who the killers were. So in this murder case, the government has no will to find the real killers. If they wanted to find the real killers, they do not have to wait until many years and arrested Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun (who were not the real killers)", he said.

Mr. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said the authority does not have the political will to find the real killers because it will implicate senior government officials. "The Phnom Penh authority is incompetent. It can be said that this case was linked to senior officials in the government and that's why the city officials have ignored the case of Chea Vichea's murder", he said.

Two of the accused, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun who had spent many years in jail and were currently released on bail, denied any involvements and are also appealing to the authority to arrest the real killers. "They must find the real killers other than me because I was not involved in his (Chea Vichea's murder", said Born Samnang.

"(I hope) the leadership of the country will take the side of justice and find the real killers and not arrest and jail innocent people", added Sok Sam Oeun.

Gen. Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the authority had not ignored Chea Vichea's murder case. "In the case that we had not yet found the culprits, the Interior Ministry cannot yet close the investigations", he said.

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