Defense Minister Tea Banh on Saturday said he would add some 700 additional soldiers to the ranks of the military’s Phnom Penh-based Brigade 70 next year so the unit can better help local military police quell protests.
Speaking at the brigade’s live-fire training exercise in Kompong Speu province on Saturday, General Banh said that Phnom Penh was experiencing a decline in the number of protests since the height of political and labor unrest in December and January, but said a group of individuals, who he did not name, was still inciting protests in the capital.
“Although the [overall] situation has improved a little…the situation in Phnom Penh is still a problem,” Gen. Banh said. “They go to collect people from here and there, and everywhere there is a land dispute.”
Gen. Banh said military police are unable to handle the influx of protesters, and have asked for help.
“Brigade 70 is in need, so I have agreed to recruit 700 more soldiers in 2015, because this year we have financial constraints,” he said.
Rights groups have criticized both the army and military police for their handling of labor demonstrations in late 2013 and early 2014, during which government forces fatally shot at least seven people, including two bystanders.
The protests erupted at the end of last year after the government set the minimum wage for the country’s garment workers well below its own estimate for a living wage. Concurrent protests led by the opposition CNRP calling for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s resignation followed a national election widely seen as being skewed in the ruling CPP’s favor.
Gen. Banh said the military had a duty to help prevent a repeat of a July 15 protest that turned violent when opposition supporters retaliated against district security guards, notorious for beating peaceful protesters.
“What reason was there to hit authorities?” he said. “When they shout this and that…it causes turmoil and they [protesters] block the roads. We cannot let the situation go on like this.”
Switching topics, Gen. Banh announced that the military had wrapped up its investigation into a fatal helicopter crash on the outskirts of Phnom Penh in July, concluding that the accident, which resulted in the death of an Air Force deputy commander and three soldiers, was the result of human error.
“The engine and helicopter were fine and did not have any problems,” he said. “The accident happened because we could not operate it [the helicopter] like we wanted to.”
An amateur video of the accident shows the helicopter trying to land, unsteadily rising from a patch of grass and then disappearing over the edge of a flooded sand quarry where it crashed into the water.
The helicopter was one of 13 the government bought from China last year in a deal worth nearly $200 million.
13 comments:
This guy Tea Banh Is a Khmer Kroham soldier like ah yuon puppet Hun Sen too . He is right hand and bloody hand of Hun SEn inner cycle . They depend on him to suppress , attack , or kill Khmer innocent , no arm just protest for better life . This administration can destroy his opponents because of this Khmer Blind military under control of this barbaric communist guy in stall by Hun Sen and youn boss . Khmer people if you want to liberate your country and you people you need to reunite from civilian , and military unite that have patriot idea not affiliate with this communist bastard minister of defend . He is not serving Khmer people but Yuon enemy to archive goal of colonize and transform our country to be Yuon .
This Tea Banh was ex. Khmer Rough who betrayed Cambodia and sided with Viet Congs. They are called Khmer Viet Minh. These traitors are those that King father was searching for in the 60's, early 70's and unsuccessful. Then Lon Nol Republic army searched for too but failed to eliminated. Also Pol Pot was thoroughly searching these traitors but failed, ended up killed millions of innocents Khmer. These traitors will continued to betray Cambodia until the end of their days. The CPP was welled taught and back up by Youn until present days. Their day will come, Karma. Most dictatorship, repressive regime will end up loosing more than their lives if they don't change into good in time. They think those weaponrys and loyal troops will protected them. They are all wrong.
tea banh is definitely a khmer rouge who had eaten quite a few livers of the people he murdered during that dark period ... no doubt about it.
I am sure it was an order from the top to send more troops to Phnom Penh to curb the protests and crack down on protesters to silence and discourage their protest activities.tea bahn would not dare to order the troop movement. We all knew that there is only one person who can command the army and everything else in Cambodia.
ទាបាញ់ ជិតទៅជា ទាស្កោ ហើយ។
កែ...
ទាបាញ់ជិតទៅជាទាស្ងោហើយ។
Kanduoy Mer Vear Tea Ter Banh !!
សូមបងប្អូនណាចូលធ្វើជាអង្គរក្សនាយករដ្ឋមុន្រ្តីហ៊ុន សែន សូមកុំប្ដេជ្ញា ធ្វើអត្តឃាដខ្លួនអោយសោះ កំុបូណ៏ជាខ្លួនដើម្បីមេក្បត់ជានេះអោយសោះ គ្រាន់តែធ្វើយកប្រាក់បៀ វត្ត តែកំុប្ដេជា្ញចិត្ត បើមានការកំុការពារវា បែមកជួយអ្នកស្នេហាជាតិវិញកំុ ខាន នេះជារឿងសំខាន់សំរាប់ជាតិ កំុការពារបុគ្គលពុករលួយនឹងក្បត់ជាតិ ខ្មែរកំពុងរង់ចាំអ្ហកស្នេហាយុត្តិធម៏ដើម្បីជួយសង្គមនឹងជាតិ កំពុងឆ្ពោះទៅ ផ្លូវវិនាសហើយ សូមអរគុណនូវ មនសិការជាតិពីបងប្អូននឹងយុវជនដ៏ក្លាហាន យើងទាំងអស់ ។
I read on the google, Tea Banh is an ethnic Thai and his wife is also an ethnic Thai, both were born in the Koh Kong area. So, why would Tea Banh works for Vietnam?!!
-Drgunzet-
You idiot Drgunzet you are acting suprise like your ancestors never stole any land from Khmer. Youn and Siam are both came from southern China. They both are always looking for ways to destroy Cambodian people completely from SE Asia. They wanted to erase Khmer cultures completely. Youn are crocodiles and Siam are tigers. Khmers are weak deers trying to cross the river. Lol
DUMB Khmer asking for all Khmer to unite. You DUMB Khmer have no head or tail but just repeat like dogs.
If you want all Khmer to unite than you DUMB Khmer dont listen to Scam Rainsy.
What did Scam Rainsy achieved by joining Huyen Sen? Scam Rainsy made many promises to protest against Huyen Sen but in the end he did nothing but sit in the park and watch people dance.
You DUMB Khmer think Scam Rainsy is fighting for your freedom? Or for your money?
-Drgunzet- @2:15 pm
Yes I read that too and his whore is your mother.
Excuse me, but before open your mouth about E70 or BHQ, do you know any of them? I have friends in these units, sorry to fucking disappoint you, but they are not the traitors that you point them out to be! And don't go around around accusing Minister Tea Banh and his family. You guys don't have a clue what's going on and you will never will.
Post a Comment