Wednesday, 23 May 2012
By Mu Sochua
Phnom Penh Post
A local
activist directs United Nations personnel to the scene of a fatal
shooting in Kratie province last week. Photograph: Reuters
Dear Editor,
The savage killing in Kratie seven days ago of Heng Chantha, a 14-year-old girl, by soldiers and police comes three weeks after the murder of Chut Wutty, Cambodia’s most respected environmentalist.
Her killing comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered an immediate suspension of economic land concessions.
More
than two million hectares of Cambodia’s arable land and one million
hectares of our national forests and parks are part of these
concessions, signed by the hand of the Prime Minister.
The military-style operation in Kratie was aided by a helicopter.
The
authorities’ version of the operation was justified by deputy prime
minister Sar Kheng as necessary to crack down on an association for a
democratic movement and for the arrest of its ringleaders.
The order from the top is clear: aim to kill.
The
real reason for this military-style operation was the protection of
economic concessions against villagers who had organised to defend their
land, which the company had encroached on.
The Kratie operation
clearly has a message for activists, community leaders, human-rights
defenders and all those who dare to stand up against the government: you
are risking your life.
It was meant to send a chilling message, but it shows the desperate manoeuvring of those in power as they are consumed by greed.
This
greed has led them to eliminate their political opponents, to privatise
the police and armed forces, to control the judiciary system, and to
silence the international community.
The US State Department put out a respectable statement following the killing in Kratie.
There
are high hopes that action towards the revision of US aid to Cambodia’s
military will be considered. Furthermore, it is necessary for the aid
community to revise its policies and strategies of aid.
Cambodia
is not on the right track. When raw killings and the violent crushing of
activists and human-rights defenders are allowed to occur with total
impunity, our country is in immediate need of rescue – and that can
happen only when free and fair elections are allowed to take place.
The
2008 European Union recommendations for free and fair elections have
been endorsed by political parties and local organisations.
Further
delay in reforming electoral laws and establishing a neutral electoral
committee will defer the arrival of democracy and the rule of law.
The killings must stop.
Mu Sochua, MP
Sam Rainsy Party Battambang
4 comments:
it was a great job by our authorities to destroy outlaws bun rotha n his friends . continue looking for him , catch n put them in jail for life.,,
this kind of this peoples, no need justice.,,
I supported the government in this operation ONLY to bring anyone who want succession from Cambodia. The question are:
1. Is this forces legitimate reasons that a little girl was killed, she is no part of this so call ring leaders ?
2. We don't know it even the truth what this government has claims, keep in mind the human rights abused track records this government had done in the past and present to the future ?
3. They didn't even capture this lightly armed or not armed at all with all this military man power plus helicopter to spot escaping route !!!!!!!!!!
4. Khmer continue to die despite the savage war supposed to end since 1998 with the surrendered of the last Khmer Rough forces !!!!!!
5. Yes sometime peoples occupied state's land illegally, but brutality, fatality, doesn't justify. Cambodia belong to all Khmer peoples. Government must do a better jobs to provide place for these Khmers to live on.
6. WHEN ARE WE GETTING TIRED OF KILLING OUR OWN KHMER' S BLOOD BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SO WE CAN START KILLING THE REAL ENEMIES WHO ARE ANNEXING OUR BORDERS QUIETLY ?????????????????
by using forces ,of course, we have to make sacrifices to remove outlaws man (Bun Rotha) from the jungle,,
Even, in USA or EU, will do the same,
regardless, of democracy countries
I fully supported this operations,
great jobs,,
Stop this nonsense little boy!!! Poster @1:35am
you are adding fuel to the fire...be aware that the fire migh spreads you may get burn as well.
.."what's goes around come around"..Its that justified to kiled Heng Chantha 14yrs old girl?
Its sound like you little boy like to be on the leached by tyrany gov't Cpp thugs huh? Well; if so,go to live in N.Korea or Srok Yuon,they would
love to put you little boy on their leach.
If you can say anything good please keep your mouth shut!...Its bad to use manpower against innocence khmers people,while Yuons and Chins destroyed khmers and killed khmers for their benefits.
Kmenh watt
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