Dear ________,
CAMBODIA: Three villagers allegedly beaten by members of the military over a land dispute
Name of victim:
1. 53-year-old woman named Nhem Phorn.
2. 28-year-old man named Chey Chom Reourn
3. 26-year-old woman named Un Ly
Perpetrators: Thourk Mao and other ACO command headquarters
Place of incident: Onlung Thleung village, Mahasang commune, Phnom Srouch district, Kompong Speu province.
Date of incident: 14 November 2006
I am writing to express my deep concern over the alleged assault of three villagers on November 14, 2006, in relation to a land dispute. The attacks were reportedly perpetrated by members of the military from the ACO command headquarters (tank headquarter) based in Onlung Thleung village, Mahasang commune, Phnom Srouch district in Kompong Speu province. The military also allegedly destroyed the villagers hut and the commune chief and local police officers turned a blind eye.
According to the information I have received, 20 army officers, who were led by a commander of ACO headquarters protection unit named Thourk Mao, allegedly destroyed a small hut which was built on top of a mound close to the ACO headquarters fence. The hut was built on the side of National Road 4 to sell coconuts, palm wine, fruit and other grocery goods to travelers. The ACO military commander had reportedly ousted the seller several times from the area prior to returning with military men armed with rifles, pistols and wooden sticks.
In the clash, three people were seriously beaten, including a 53-year-old woman named Nhem Phorn who was thrashed by a wooden stick on her right arm, a 28-year-old man named Chey Chom Reourn who was beaten on his right eyebrow and suffered a dark bruise, as well as 26-year-old Un Ly who is nine months pregnant and was pushed to the ground. Un Ly was unable to move immediately after she was assaulted due to the pain she felt and had to be brought to the emergency ward at the Kompong Speu provincial hospital.
Meanwhile, the Mahasang commune chief and commune police officers reportedly failed to intervene in any way. Instead, they returned to their offices after the military had assaulted the villagers and destroyed their hut.
I strongly condemn the alleged attack by Thourk Mao and his officers, who clearly abused their power in assaulting and evicting the three villagers. This type of forced eviction is a violation of national law and also contradicts Prime Minister Hun Sens claim that there is no violent force used in evicting people over land disputes. I am very disappointed to hear of yet another example of such violence in Cambodia over land disputes. This is not the first time that the ACO military has abused villagers in such a way.
I call upon you to take all necessary measures to ensure that an effective investigation into these events is launched and that the alleged perpetrators are brought to justice. The Kompong Speu province authority and province prosecutor must also compensate and protect the three victims. They must receive proper medical attention, especially the pregnant woman who was allegedly thrown to the ground. I further urge donor governments, UN agencies, international aid agencies and the international human rights community to work with the Cambodian government and courts, to effectively implement law enforcement and ensure that violence connected to land disputes is brought to an end.
Sincerely yours,
..
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mr. Samdech Hun Sen
Prime Minister
Cabinet of the Prime Minister
No. 38, Russian Federation Street
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
Tel: +855 23 21 98 98
Fax: +855 23 36 06 66
E-mail: cabinet1b@camnet.com.kh
2. Mr. Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior
275 Norodom Blvd. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Fax/phone : +855 23 72 19 05/72 6052/72 11 90
E-Mail: info@interior.gov.kh or moi@interior.gov.kh
3. Mr. Ang Vong Vathna
Minster of Justice
No 240, Sothearos Blvd.Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Fax: + 855 23 36 4119/21 66 22
E-mail: moj@cambodia.gov.kh
4. Mr. Henro Raken, Prosecutor General Court of Appeal
No. 14, Boulevard Sothearos
Phnom Penh Cambodia
Tel: +855 23 21 84 60
5. General Hok Lundy, National Police Commissioner
General-Commisariat of National, Police
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: +855 23 21 65 85/22 09 52
6. Gen. Ke Kim Yan
Commander-in-Chief
High Command Headquarters
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Kambol, Phnom Penh
Cambodia
7. Chap Nhalivuth, Governor of Kompong Speu province
Svay Kravan village, Svay Kravan commune,
Chbar Mon district,
Kompong Speu province, Cambodia.
8. Pen Sarith, President of Kompong Speu provincial court.
Svay Kravan commune, Chbar Mon district,
Kompong Speu province, Cambodia.
Tel: 855-11-878-249
9. Keo Pisey, Police Commissioner
Svay Kravan commune, Chbar Mon district,
Kompong Speu province.
Tel: 855-12-862-815
Fax: 855-25-987-348
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
