217 army officers promoted

Reported by Khmerization

217 army officers from Division 3 based on the border frontlines in Preah Vihear had been promoted in a promotion ceremony held on 21st April 2009, reports everyday.com.

In a ceremony presiding over by Gen. Kun Kim (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army, 13 army officers had been promoted to colonels, 46 had been promoted to the ranks of lieutenant-colonels, 61 promoted to majors, 87 promoted to captains, 76 promoted to first lieutenants and 54 army officers had been promoted to second lieutenants.
Gen. Kun Kim said in the ceremony that these promotions are in response to the competence and the successes achieved by these officers for their roles in the defence of the Cambodian nation.

He said Division 3 is an army unit directly attached to the Command Headquarter and is an army division that the government trusted the most.

217 army officers promoted

Reported by Khmerization

217 army officers from Division 3 based on the border frontlines in Preah Vihear had been promoted in a promotion ceremony held on 21st April 2009, reports everyday.com.

In a ceremony presiding over by Gen. Kun Kim (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army, 13 army officers had been promoted to colonels, 46 had been promoted to the ranks of lieutenant-colonels, 61 promoted to majors, 87 promoted to captains, 76 promoted to first lieutenants and 54 army officers had been promoted to second lieutenants.
Gen. Kun Kim said in the ceremony that these promotions are in response to the competence and the successes achieved by these officers for their roles in the defence of the Cambodian nation.

He said Division 3 is an army unit directly attached to the Command Headquarter and is an army division that the government trusted the most.

Property dispute between Kith Meng and Kith Thieng led to one dead bodyguard

23 April 2009
By Sun Ly
Khmer Nation News
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A source revealed that on the eve of the Khmer New Year, a shooting took place between two powerful oknhas (rich tycoons) who are also siblings. The shooting led to one person dead and created a stir. Police officers who went to intervene in the incident, when they heard the names of the two okhnas, they all became scared.
The same source added that on the eve of the Khmer New year, Kith Meng went to the Rock Karaoke center for entertainment, but there, he had a dispute with Kith Thieng, his older brother and the owner of the rock center, in a VIP room. Following the intense dispute, the shooting took place.

An unofficial source indicated that the shooting between the two brothers could involve property dispute between the pair. The same source added that the shooting between the rival siblings led to the death of one of Kith Meng’s bodyguards and significant damage in the VIP karaoke room.

The two brothers could not be reached over the phone to provide clarifications on this shooting case.

Past shootings that occur in Phnom Penh involving rich people, or offspring of powerful government officials, or bodyguards of powerful government officials led to a great stir and fear among the city dwellers. For example, in the case involving the bodyguard of Kep Chuktema, the city governor, and the bodyguard of Chhoeun Chanthan, Chea Sim’s bodyguard chief, in the city center on 18 March 2009, Kep Chuktema’s bodyguard was injured and Chhoeun Chanthan’s bodyguard died in a pool of blood. Up until now, the cops have not even found the shooting bodyguard to send to jail yet because they are afraid of touching their superiors. This case clearly shows the impotence of the Phnom Penh police force led by police commissioner Touch Naroth.

However, when poor children played with plastic toy guns or when they are involved in shootings in public places, the cops always bring them in to sentence them. In these latter cases, the cops would then write reports to their bosses to make themselves look good. However, when it comes to sons of rich tycoons or government officials, or powerful tycoons shooting each other in anarchy in public places, the cops are never seen arresting the culprits and take them to jail, nor sentence them according the law, even when the cops know full well the identity of these perpetrators. This shows that the cops apply the law on sons of the poor people who are not related to the powerful government officials, but when it boils down to the offspring of powerful officials, the cops hesitate to touch them.

Property dispute between Kith Meng and Kith Thieng led to one dead bodyguard

23 April 2009
By Sun Ly
Khmer Nation News
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A source revealed that on the eve of the Khmer New Year, a shooting took place between two powerful oknhas (rich tycoons) who are also siblings. The shooting led to one person dead and created a stir. Police officers who went to intervene in the incident, when they heard the names of the two okhnas, they all became scared.
The same source added that on the eve of the Khmer New year, Kith Meng went to the Rock Karaoke center for entertainment, but there, he had a dispute with Kith Thieng, his older brother and the owner of the rock center, in a VIP room. Following the intense dispute, the shooting took place.

An unofficial source indicated that the shooting between the two brothers could involve property dispute between the pair. The same source added that the shooting between the rival siblings led to the death of one of Kith Meng’s bodyguards and significant damage in the VIP karaoke room.

The two brothers could not be reached over the phone to provide clarifications on this shooting case.

Past shootings that occur in Phnom Penh involving rich people, or offspring of powerful government officials, or bodyguards of powerful government officials led to a great stir and fear among the city dwellers. For example, in the case involving the bodyguard of Kep Chuktema, the city governor, and the bodyguard of Chhoeun Chanthan, Chea Sim’s bodyguard chief, in the city center on 18 March 2009, Kep Chuktema’s bodyguard was injured and Chhoeun Chanthan’s bodyguard died in a pool of blood. Up until now, the cops have not even found the shooting bodyguard to send to jail yet because they are afraid of touching their superiors. This case clearly shows the impotence of the Phnom Penh police force led by police commissioner Touch Naroth.

However, when poor children played with plastic toy guns or when they are involved in shootings in public places, the cops always bring them in to sentence them. In these latter cases, the cops would then write reports to their bosses to make themselves look good. However, when it comes to sons of rich tycoons or government officials, or powerful tycoons shooting each other in anarchy in public places, the cops are never seen arresting the culprits and take them to jail, nor sentence them according the law, even when the cops know full well the identity of these perpetrators. This shows that the cops apply the law on sons of the poor people who are not related to the powerful government officials, but when it boils down to the offspring of powerful officials, the cops hesitate to touch them.

Mu Sochua could face immunity stripping

Mu Sochua (Photo: Phnom Penh Post)

25 April 2009
By Khim Sarang
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

SRP MP Mu Sochua said that she could face immunity stripping, followed by her arrest because she dares sue PM Hun Sen.

Kampot province MP Mu Sochua made this declaration after the [pro-CPP] CTN channel announced last night that government lawyers will counter-sue her back regarding her defamation lawsuit.
Mrs. Mu Sochua said that she has no worry even after receiving the news that Hun Sen will sue her back.

Mrs. Mu Sochua sadi: “I have nothing to be scared about. Quite to the contrary, I want to see justice. I am a victim twice in this case, my rights are violated twice: first, during the election campaign and my case in the court did not reach a conclusion yet, and now come this second case. I am maintaining that Mr. Hun Sen, whom I am suing, defamed me and there are sufficient proofs to that effect.”

Mrs. Mu Sochua is currently suing Hun Sen, asking for 500 riels ($0.13) in compensation because the latter defamed her during a speech where he did not name her directly. In that speech, Hun Sen said that there was a MP who, during the election, lost a button on her blouse by herself, but she accused others of attacking her instead.

Mu Sochua could face immunity stripping

Mu Sochua (Photo: Phnom Penh Post)

25 April 2009
By Khim Sarang
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

SRP MP Mu Sochua said that she could face immunity stripping, followed by her arrest because she dares sue PM Hun Sen.

Kampot province MP Mu Sochua made this declaration after the [pro-CPP] CTN channel announced last night that government lawyers will counter-sue her back regarding her defamation lawsuit.
Mrs. Mu Sochua said that she has no worry even after receiving the news that Hun Sen will sue her back.

Mrs. Mu Sochua sadi: “I have nothing to be scared about. Quite to the contrary, I want to see justice. I am a victim twice in this case, my rights are violated twice: first, during the election campaign and my case in the court did not reach a conclusion yet, and now come this second case. I am maintaining that Mr. Hun Sen, whom I am suing, defamed me and there are sufficient proofs to that effect.”

Mrs. Mu Sochua is currently suing Hun Sen, asking for 500 riels ($0.13) in compensation because the latter defamed her during a speech where he did not name her directly. In that speech, Hun Sen said that there was a MP who, during the election, lost a button on her blouse by herself, but she accused others of attacking her instead.

Cambodians Told Khmer Rouge Security Camps Designed to Kill

By Luke Hunt
Voice of America
Phnom Penh
23 April 2009

In Cambodia, the trial of one of Pol Pot's surviving henchmen has been told how security camps designed by the Khmer Rouge and operating as early as 1971 were designed from the outset to torture and kill.

More than 200 villagers who lived around camp M13 attended the court to hear evidence from Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, on how their district was used as a prototype for death camps that would later be constructed by the Khmer Rouge.
MI3 was built in a communist-controlled area in 1971 while the Khmer Rouge were still fighting the U.S.-backed Lon Nol government. Four years later Pol Pot and his ultra-Maosists came to power and established 196 death camps across the country, including the dreaded S21.

Duch initially ran M13, and is on trial for crimes against humanity after overseeing the extermination of more than 16,000 people while at the helm of S21 between 1975 and 1979.

Seventy-year-old Khai Sorn lived near M13, but as a result life was tough and her days on the family farm were numbered.

She says during the Pol Pot regime life was very hard because the people were not allowed to stay at home and she was forced to live in the jungle.

Duch described the camps as a security office. He said each one, including S21 and M13 had a duty to detain, to torture, to interrogate, and finally to smash and kill.

Tribunal spokesperson Helen Jarvis said the villagers were trucked in as part of broader attempts to open the legal process to the public and the victims of Khmer Rouge regime. But she says they may have gotten more than they bargained for.

"... that has to be shocking for anybody," Jarvis said. "Indeed, I think the villagers probably did not expect they would hear something quite that straight forward when they arrived here today."

About two million people, or a third of Cambodia's population, died under the Khmer Rouge. But ongoing conflicts and international politics meant efforts to find some kind of justice were delayed until earlier this year.

Duch is the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face trial. He is the only one of five in custody to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. The others are likely to be tried in the next year or two.