Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Phnom Penh Post
Cambodian officials and a human-rights group yesterday condemned the fatal shooting of two Cambodian men who crossed into Thailand on Sunday, allegedly to illegally log.
Thailand yesterday repatriated the bodies of the two men who Thai soldiers gunned down about four kilometres from the Cambodian-Thai border at Battambang province, police said yesterday.
Despite a local report yesterday that the two men were Royal Cambodian Armed Forces soldiers, Nguon Muth, chief of staff at Samlot district police station, identified the victims as civilians Chhorn Vannak, 18 and Lon Puth, 19.
“The deceased were citizens, not Khmer soldiers,” he said.
Chhorn Vannak and Lon Puth, from Samlot commune in Samlot district, were among a group of at least 18 people who had crossed the border with the intention of logging, Nguon Muth said.
“We did not know two of them had been shot dead until the corpses were repatriated early today,” he said yesterday, adding that the victim’s bodies had been sent to their families, who would hold Buddhist ceremonies for them.
Em Dara, deputy commander of Battambang provincial military police, said the men were shot at about midday on Sunday.
“Thailand repatriated the corpses along with four shells of AK-47 rifle bullets as a way of claiming these supposed loggers fired on them first,” he said.
“This is not acceptable. Thai soldiers always put the blame on Cambodian citizens.”
But Sie Sothong, Battambang provincial governor, said reports suggested the alleged loggers had fired the first shots.
“Our citizens fired first, so they fired back for their safety. However, such a shoot and kill is not acceptable under any law.”
Heng Say Hong, provincial investigator for rights group Licadho, condemned the shooting.
“Thai forces should have arrested them, not shot them like this,” he said.
According to Em Dara, nine of the alleged loggers remain missing.
Major-General Dy Phen, chief of the Cambodian-Thai border relations office, said officials of both countries would search for the missing men.
Phnom Penh Post
Cambodian officials and a human-rights group yesterday condemned the fatal shooting of two Cambodian men who crossed into Thailand on Sunday, allegedly to illegally log.
Thailand yesterday repatriated the bodies of the two men who Thai soldiers gunned down about four kilometres from the Cambodian-Thai border at Battambang province, police said yesterday.
Despite a local report yesterday that the two men were Royal Cambodian Armed Forces soldiers, Nguon Muth, chief of staff at Samlot district police station, identified the victims as civilians Chhorn Vannak, 18 and Lon Puth, 19.
“The deceased were citizens, not Khmer soldiers,” he said.
Chhorn Vannak and Lon Puth, from Samlot commune in Samlot district, were among a group of at least 18 people who had crossed the border with the intention of logging, Nguon Muth said.
“We did not know two of them had been shot dead until the corpses were repatriated early today,” he said yesterday, adding that the victim’s bodies had been sent to their families, who would hold Buddhist ceremonies for them.
Em Dara, deputy commander of Battambang provincial military police, said the men were shot at about midday on Sunday.
“Thailand repatriated the corpses along with four shells of AK-47 rifle bullets as a way of claiming these supposed loggers fired on them first,” he said.
“This is not acceptable. Thai soldiers always put the blame on Cambodian citizens.”
But Sie Sothong, Battambang provincial governor, said reports suggested the alleged loggers had fired the first shots.
“Our citizens fired first, so they fired back for their safety. However, such a shoot and kill is not acceptable under any law.”
Heng Say Hong, provincial investigator for rights group Licadho, condemned the shooting.
“Thai forces should have arrested them, not shot them like this,” he said.
According to Em Dara, nine of the alleged loggers remain missing.
Major-General Dy Phen, chief of the Cambodian-Thai border relations office, said officials of both countries would search for the missing men.
6 comments:
Money more importance than your life?...You will die Bcuz of the root of evil!
Stupidest and Stubborn people...
How many time has been told already that authority been warning people not to cross into Thailand and chop down their trees?? People just don't listening and still risking their life to get rich fast or quick easy money....It just don't work that way?? 9 out of 10 people will got shot and killed!! Don't people remembered, during khmer rouge's era, we all have nothing to eat?????Work work work work! like dogs?
23 February 2012 3:36 AM. Have you seen dirt poor Khmer in the Kingdom of Wonder? Maybe you havent seen or watch to much CTN.
Some families are dirt poor that all they have is rice and salt as food. Thats why most families will often risk their lives in getting income. What CPP should do is resign, sending those captured men back to be re0educated will not put food on the table.
Stop calling our countrymen DOGS, you are a CPP dog!
10:28AM! I didn't call our people dogs, you missing my point here...I said, we all working like a dogs during pol pot's time, I do not call cambodian people Dogs?
11:20 AM, my apology, i thought you were referring our Khmer people as dogs when entering the Thai border.
Pol Pot Regime is over yet CPP still treats our Khmer countrymen as dogs. Lets work together and remove CPP!
Post a Comment