PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Local residents living around yesterday's riot area in Stung Meanchey, which ended in one death and many more injured, have condemned and criticized the authorities in their crackdown of protesting workers.
They said that the police had also beaten residents such as motorcycle taxi drivers and coconut vendors, and even those who were waiting to pick up their children in front of Stung Meanchey primary school.
“It would not be a problem if the authorities only just crack down on protesting workers, but it's serious when they suppress and beat innocent residents," a resident said, asking not to be named.
"Those who sat in front of their house and the people who were waiting for their kids in front of the school were also arrested and sent to the police station after being beaten," he said.
Human rights activists said yesterday that the violence broke out after police forces had stopped protesting workers from marching to Prime Minister Hun Sen's house near Independence Monument to seek intervention for better working conditions in their factory.
The riot which involved hundreds of police and more than a thousand workers, ended with a food vendor being shot and killed and leaving many locals injured and arrested.
Monks were also among those who were arrested.
"The crackdown followed proper procedures for self-defense, safeguarding security and stopping the violence from spreading," said General Commissariat of National Police in a statement yesterday.
"A group of people who were not protesting workers threw rocks, and fired slingshots to attack the police, set fire to police vehicles and also inflicted harm on five policemen when they had cornered and surrounded them at a temple,” the statement said.
"The police went to the riot area to safeguard security and order for the protesting workers, not to crackdown on them while they marched to demand better working conditions," the statement added.
The statement also said that 46 people sustained minor injuries, nine were seriously injured and one woman was killed in the riot.
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