Bandith lawyer ‘in dark’

Wed, 30 October 2013 May Titthara From The Phnom Penh Post

Former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith (centre) exits Phnom Penh’s Appeal Court in March. HENG CHIVOAN

The lawyer of wanted fugitive Chhouk Bandith yesterday said key witnesses had not been summonsed to an appeal hearing of the sentencing of the powerful former Bavet town governor, scheduled for Thursday.
Defence lawyer Sun Bannarith told the Post he had found out about the hearing from the media and claimed not to know where his client was hiding out.
“I have yet to receive any information on the Appeal Court [hearing] besides getting questions from reporters.… I cannot say where my client is because he hasn’t told me where he is either,” he said.
The Svay Rieng Provincial Court in June ordered Bandith to serve an 18-month prison term and pay 38 million riel ($9,500) in compensation to three victims who were shot during a protest of thousands of workers outside the Kaoway Sports factory, a supplier to Puma in Svay Rieng’s Manhattan Special Economic Zone.
Though numerous witnesses confirmed they had seen Bandith shooting into the crowd of demonstrators on February 20 last year, he was never arrested.
Bannarith said the latest court proceedings would not be fair, because key witnesses had not been called to appear.

Ball’s in their court: CPP

Wed, 30 October 2013 Meas Sokchea From The Phnom Penh Post

CNRP leaders head a mass rally in the capital last week. HENG CHIVOAN

Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng said yesterday that the ruling party was waiting for the opposition to contact them regarding negotiations to break the ongoing political deadlock.
That move might come in the next few days.
CNRP president Sam Rainsy yesterday said his party would “definitely” be contacting the CPP, whether through an official letter, a direct call to Kheng or both, in the “next few days”, meaning top leaders could be sitting face-to-face within a week for the first time since September 16.
Rainsy said that his party – currently boycotting the National Assembly in protest of widely alleged election irregularities – would push towards further negotiations in the coming week if the ruling party considered its demands.
“We want to clear the way for negotiations this week. We will issue a statement [today] to clarify and specify our position. We definitely want dialogue to resume,” he said.
Speaking to the Post yesterday, Kheng said that because it was the Cambodia National Rescue Party protesting the election results, it was up to it to make the first move in reopening negotiations.
“Until now, my phone remains open. If excellency Sam Rainsy wishes to contact [us] for anything, he should contact me by phone,” he said.

Fight gets venomous

Thu, 31 October 2013 Chhay Channyda From The Phnom Penh Post

Mak Seav Hour, 51, a resident of Tuol Kork district’s Boeung Kak I commune, claims that thugs working for Khun Sea Development threw three snakes into his home in Phnom Penh. PHA LINA

They've had thugs and flaming metal drums before, but residents in a land dispute with Khun Sea Import Export claim intimidation was ramped up when venomous snakes were lobbed into a house.
Early on Wednesday morning, Boeung Kak 1 commune resident Mak Seav Hour, 51, awoke to something falling.
She saw a man running from her house and then a bag containing a cobra and two vipers.
“They wanted the snakes to bite us to death,” she said.
Her neighbour, 57-year-old Sok Heng, who helped Hour’s husband chase the snakes out of the house, said one of them spat venom in his eye. “Soon after the snake spewed its poison, my eye was dim,” he said.
The Boeung Kak 1 families say even though it was dark, they know who perpetrated the snake attack, pointing to the Khun Sea Import Export Group, run by Lieutenant General Yim Leang – the son of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee and the Housing Rights Task Force back up the claim and add the company has harassed the families for days. Customers were chased from the business of one resident on Monday.

Protesters beaten by guards

Thu, 31 October 2013 May Titthara From The Phnom Penh Post

Boeung Kak lake and Borei Keila activists clash with police in front of City Hall in Phnom Penh. HONG MENEA

 

Less than a week after the government was praised for keeping the peace during mass opposition protests in Phnom Penh, Daun Penh district security guards, in the company of police, used violence to disperse land-eviction protesters yesterday.
Memories of the peaceful protests began to fade as security officials armed with batons clashed with villagers outside City Hall, where about 200 people blocked traffic on Monivong Boulevard.
This followed an earlier clash with police as protesters gathered outside the Peace Palace on Russian Boulevard.
Three villagers, including a 14-year-old girl, were injured in the clashes, while a 34-year-old man – believed to have no connection to the protesters – was arrested after a confrontation with authorities and later released.