DECEMBER 20: Police are looking for Phao Pheak, 17, who escaped after committing

a murder at 8:30 pm in Andong Trom village, Kampong Thom province. Police said Pheak

was angry and killed his uncle, Yin Poeun, 34, while arguing with his mother, Yin

Yom, 37. Poeun was knifed twice in the head and died on the scene.

DECEMBER 20: An ambulance took a cyclo driver, Mom Sophat, 30, to Preah Kossamak

hospital for treatment after being knifed during an argument at 10 pm in O'Russei

precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Sophal was stabbed in the arm by another cyclo

driver who was identified as Khmao. Khmao was angry as Sophal prepared his work for

tomorrow to get a fruit vendor who is a customer used by Khmao.

DECEMBER 20: Chin Sovichit, 23, was knifed to death in a night-time argument

while driving a motorbike in Russey village, Meanchey district, Phnom Penh. Police

said Sovichit was killed with a knife by a group of gangsters. Sovichit parked his

bike to find someone who screamed to him while driving fast as he returned from buying

a beer for his friend's birthday.

DECEMBER 20: Neang Sovanny, 50, who is the owner of Phinimex Pearnich company,

was arrested for cheating money in Boeng Keng Kang 1 commune, Phnom Penh. Men Tech,

49, told the court that Sovanny borrowed $291,260 in cash since 1998. Police said

Sovanny was also charged of cheating $15,000 from Khieu Visas, and $6,000 from Nia

Suykhim, 47.

DECEMBER 21: Pek Yoeum, 35, was sent to the provincial hospital for treatment

after being knifed at 10:30 pm in Chorm village, Kampong Thom province. Police said

Yoeum was stabbed once in the stomach by his friend, Doeu Sok, 34, a militia at Taing

Krasao Police station. Sok was angry after Yoeum tried to stop him while beating

a neighbor woman when he was drunk.

DECEMBER 21: Police arrested three suspected robbers in O'Russei 1 commune,

Phnom Penh. Police said they robbed a jewelry shop then they escaped on two motorbikes

with 300 damleung of gold. Khoal Von, 38, the shop owner told police the robbers

aimed at his guard and picked up his AK-47 then shot several times into the air.

The shop had been robbed of $100,000 in cash during 1999.

DECEMBER 21: Sok Khvear, 17, was arrested for a rape he committed the previous

night in Am Laing village, Kampong Speu province. Police said the man tried to escape

after he raped a 5-year-old girl.

DECEMBER 22: A 36-year-old woman, Hok Chhunkiri, was found dead at 6:30 am

at her home in Pratas Laing village, Dangkor district, on the outskirts of Phnom

Penh. Police have no comment for the reason, but they said Chhunkiri committed suicide

with 78 tablets of medicine.

DECEMBER 22: Police arrested Kit Sei, 24, after he committed a murder two

days ago in Andort village, Barai district, Kampong Thom. Police said the man killed

Ek Hul, 25, who had been a secret lover with his wife. Hul was knifed five times

and died later after he attempted killing Kit Sei with a long stick while leaving

home for cleaning his face in the early morning.

DECEMBER 22: Heng Pesith, 20, was sent to a hospital for treatment after being

knifed during an argument in Chbar Ampov 1 commune, Phnom Penh. Police said Pesith

was chopped in the head by his friend, Ly Sang, 21, who was later arrested. Sang

told police he was angry as Pesith did not invite him for a drink after they stole

a handphone and sold for some money.

DECEMBER 22: Thar Anny, 45, a Taiwanese national, was shot and seriously wounded

at 8:30 pm in Psar Thmei 3 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Anny, who is the owner

of Cambo Trading company, was shot in the temple with a silencer while speaking on

a mobilephone inside her residence. Anny was sent to Calmette Hospital, but later

sent to Thailand for surgery. The reason for the shooting is not known.

DECEMBER 23: A 59-year-old drunken man, Siem Yun, was lifted up out of water

for inspection after being found floating at a pond in Wat Romdoul village, Battambang

province. Police said the man possibly died from drowning while getting water for

having a shower when he was drunk.

DECEMBER 23: Police are looking for Ith Vichay, 19, a student at Baphnom Junior

High School, after he was accused of rape in Tung Neak village, Prey Veng province.

An 8-year-old girl told police that Vichay persuaded her to a nearby forest and raped

her then he escaped.

DECEMBER 23: A 30-year-old unidentified man was gunned down at around 4 am

in Angkor village, Battambang province. A villager told police the man, a Vietnamese

national possibly, was shot once and knifed several times while riding on a motorbike

with two other men. Police suspect the victim was murdered to keep quiet after he

and his men committed robbery.

DECEMBER 23: Sar Socheat, 16, and Phear Sithan, 15, were shot dead at 7:10

pm in Prek Tayoi village, Svay Reang province. Police said the boys were killed with

an AK-47 while fishing at a lake about 170 meters from their home. Doung Pha, 35,

and Doung Samphors, 30, were arrested for questioning as police thought they did

the murder. Police said revenge was the motive as Doung Pha had recently argued with

the victims' family over a land issue.

DECEMBER 24: The body of a 19-year-old man, Taing Meng, was found floating

in Steung Sangke tributary located in Battambang province. Police said Meng, who

went missing two days ago, was murdered elsewhere and his body dumped there. Police

suspect a group of gangsters did the murder as the victim had been seen along with

those people before he died.

DECEMBER 24: Moung Sokphoeun, 43, was shot and wounded at 6:30 pm in Kralanh

Thom village, Prey Veng province. Police said Sokphoeun was shot once while returning

home on a motorbike. Police said revenge was the motive as the gunman escaped empty-handed

after the shooting.

DECEMBER 24: A couple, Tuy Tean, 35, and Yong Sokha, 36, were fatally gunned

down at 8:30 pm in Krapeu Sar village, Kampong Cham province. Police said the victims

were killed with an AK-47 while harvesting at a ricefield. Police suspect revenge

was the motive as the couple's property were not stolen.

DECEMBER 25: Yun Kim, 19, an ordinary monk, was found hanged at Ponreay pagoda

in Choeung Ang village, Kampong Cham province. A Bott told police the monk worried

and committed suicide after the pagoda's commission needed money back as he had borrowed

50,000 riels.

DECEMBER 25: El Theara, 23, was sent to Calmette Hospital after being axed

in a night-time robbery while parking his motorbike to speak on a telephone on Monivong

Boulevard in Beung Trabek commune, Phnom Penh. A passerby told police Theara was

chopped three times in the head after trying to run behind a group of gangsters who

picked up his handphone.

DECEMBER 26: Yim Chanrom, 24, who is an employee at the Fines Art organization

(FA), was arrested for rape in Anchanh village, Battambang province. Police said

Chanrom raped a 16-year-old girl while working at the orphanage. The girl, who was

raped by her father when she was 11 years old, told police Chanrom promised to marry

her after she had been raped since July. Chanrom was also charged for another rape.

- Translated from Khmer newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun

Pheap