The United Nations second report into human rights abuses in Cambodia since last
July details 42 killings, 20 injuries and five disappearances, most of which the
report says can be traced to government employees.
The report criticizes the lack of investigation, particularly where there have been
numerous witnesses and suspects identified.
Below is an edited version of the report, divided into four sections. The first deals
with allegations that Funcinpec loyalists executed government soldiers during the
July coup; the second, an update on the August 21 memorandum that details political
killings following the coup; the third, further cases of summary executions since
the first memorandum; the final section with disappearances.
Appended to the report is an evaluation of the investigations to date. This assessment
was conducted by two experts: Arun Bhagat, former director of the Indian Intelligence
Bureau and Professor Peter Burns, Queen's Counsel from Canada and a member of the
United Nations Committee Against Torture. A page of the report appears to be missing
from the King's version and this is noted in the two cases it relates to in the text.
SECTION 1
1. 15 Government soldiers: Allegedly arrested on July 5, detained at Taing Krasaing
and executed by Funcinpec forces the following day. The center interviewed witnesses
and saw a video of the interrogation of four of the soldiers. None of the witnesses
saw the soldiers tortured or executed, though one of the video tapes shows a prisoner
being kicked once during questioning.
The report says none of those people shown on the video have since been found, nor
have the others believed to have been detained at the same time.
SECTION 2
2. Gen Chao Sambath and Gen Krouch Yoeum, both senior Funcinpec officers. Their bodies
were found on Oct 8 in Udong, identified by dental records and papers found on one
of them. Witnesses said the men were executed by paratroopers from Regiment 911 on
July 7. Details were given in the earlier memorandum.
3. Col Seung Sovanna and Lt Col Sun San, executed on July 7. They had heard radio
broadcasts saying that surrendering Funcinpec soldiers would be re-integrated into
the armed forces with no loss of rank. They gave themselves up and were taken to
Phnom Penh University for interrogation, then executed. The bodies have not been
recovered but identification has been made based on eyewitness accounts and ID papers
found at the scene.
4. Correction over a victim's identity. A man initially identified in the August
memorandum as Chao Keang was said to have been executed with three other men. The
victim was actually Chao Kong (or Kung), Chao Keang's brother. Chao Keang is alive.
5. Two people listed as missing found alive. Maj So Lay Sak and Maj Chin Vannak were
listed as missing in the August memorandum, they have since been located alive.
SECTION 3
6. Capt Bou Sophal, 48 and Maj Choup Em, 44; Kampong Cham province; July 5-6: Witnesses
say the two were driven by soldiers to the place of execution in a white pickup truck
with military plates, and each shot once in the ear. Both men were initially buried
in shallow graves, though villagers say they dug one up and threw the body down a
disused well. A partial exhumation of the remaining body confirmed reports that the
victims were tied up before being killed. Both men were affiliated with Funcinpec.
Two other Funcinpec soldiers abducted at the same time - Maj Luch Ton and Priv
Yuth Yoeng - have not been located.
7. So Saroeun, 43, earth carrier; Prey Veng province; July 5: Killed by district
police after having been beaten and tied up. Police claimed Saroeun was shot trying
to escape. Saroeun had previously told villagers he was a member of Funcinpec and
would often talk about politics.
8. Two unidentified men; Kampong Speu province; July 6-7: The bodies were found in
a shallow grave, one beheaded, the other shot. Villagers said the men may have been
members of Funcinpec forces captured by Regiment 911 paratroopers on July 6.
9. Two men alleged to be bodyguards of Khan Savoeun, the former commander of military
region 4; Siem Reap province; July 8: The two were arrested by members of the Siem
Reap military subdivision. They were tied up and taken to a military building, and
later taken outside. Five gunshots were heard. The soldiers buried the bodies in
a shallow grave, then ordered the villagers to bury them deeper. They threatened
anyone who talked.
10. Ma Aun, 10; Siem Reap province; July 25: Twelve soldiers surrounded the house
of Funcinpec member Chhun Ma and opened fire. Ma escaped but his son was killed instantly.
The soldiers beat Ma's wife with their rifle butts and encouraged their lower ranks
to loot the house because the family "were Funcinpec members and thus robbers".
Local and district authorities were informed of the case but have taken no action,
nor have they protected or compensated the family.
11. Long Kot, naval soldier; Prek Taten Fuvial naval base; July 27: According to
former colleagues, Kot, a Funcinpec affiliate, was taken onto a boat by soldiers
who had overrun the base, was beaten unconscious then shot and his body dumped in
the Tonle Sap. No arrests have been made.
12. Lon Proeung, 34, farmer; Siem Reap province; Aug 8: Proeung was arrested by three
RCAF soldiers, led out into a rice paddy and shot. The soldiers reportedly accused
him of "betraying" CPP to Funcinpec. The soldiers then threatened other
villagers with the same fate if they supported Funcinpec.
13. Bou Khan, 34, policeman; Battambang province; Sept 9: Khan, an outspoken Funcinpec
supporter, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen. His police work included gathering
intelligence on criminal activities and politics. Police claim the motive for the
murder was robbery, however neither the victim's money, wedding ring or car were
stolen.
14. Maj Po Penh, Mao Bun Thoeun and a man believed to be named Ream; Oddar Meanchey;
Sept 25: The three were arrested by six soldiers at Penh's home and taken outside
the village and executed. The soldiers warned villagers not to tell anyone about
the killings. All three men were affiliated to Funcinpec.No arrests have been made.
15. Sao Sim, 49, a farmer and the Funcinpec nominee for the communal elections; and
four of his relations, Sao Sdok, 26; Ben Seng, 37; Ben Ran, 37; and Ben Thy, 35;
Takeo province; Oct 1: Witnesses said the victims were dining together when the commune
militia chief Leng Theng started shooting at them with an AK-47, killing Sim, Seng
and Ran and badly injuring Sdok and Thy. Theng later threw a grenade into a neighboring
house where those wounded with gunshots were being treated. It did not explode, but
the one he later threw at people taking the injured to the hospital did, killing
Sdok and Thy and injuring five others. All the victims were affiliated to Funcinpec.
An arrest warrant was issued for Leng Theng and another man but by the end of April
neither had been arrested.
16. Proeung Horn, 24, farmer; Siem Reap province; Oct 4: Horn was fishing as a group
of soldiers began conscripting locals into the army. Two soldiers ordered Horn to
accompany them to their base. But as he went home to get some clothes one of them
opened fire with a machine gun, killing him instantly.
17. Lt Col Choung Meas Panharit, secretary general of the Funcinpec Youth movement;
Phnom Penh; Oct 10: Shot by two unidentified men near Pochentong airport. Panharit
had been a close associate of Gen Ho Sok, who had been killed in July.
18. Lt Col Kim On, 49, Funcinpec police officer; Phnom Penh; Nov 16: On was shot
and his body dumped in Chumpou Von village. On was a witness to the March 30 grenade
attack and had testified to an investigating commission.
19. Phat Phonn, 44, a Funcinpec soldier, and his son Phat Pich, 18; Oddar Meanchey;
Dec 7: The two were arrested and searched by RCAF soldiers between Samrong and O'Smach.
When the soldiers found Phonn's Funcinpec membership card they shot and killed him
immediately and injured the son who, died later.
20. Col Chea Chantoeun, 40 and Maj Var Savuth, 48, border police officers; Phnom
Penh; Dec 24: Their bodies were found beaten and strangled to death at a pagoda along
Route 4. Witnesses say that the bodies were dumped from a white car with no license
plates.
21. Lt Col Kroch Bun Song, military intelligence officer Kandal province; Dec 24:
Song was shot by two men on the side of a road. Witnesses say the men had been waiting
to ambush him and had been seen earlier to receive AK-47s from men in a military
Jeep.
22. Inn Phuong, 58, school teacher and his daughter, Chan Sorya, 4; Prey Veng province;
Jan 27: Armed men opened fire on Phuong's house, mortally wounding him and killing
his daughter. Phuong was an active member of the Khmer Nation Party. Police blamed
the killings on revenge and arrested two men who claimed they were forced to participate
in the attack at gunpoint.
The copy of the UNCHR report published in the King's monthly bulletin was missing
a page that detailed cases 23 and 24. The details below are taken from the April
10-23 edition of the Phnom Penh Post.
23. Touch Tum, Bun Vannak and resistance supporter Chea Samnang; Banteay Meanchey;
Feb 18: All three were shot dead about 300 meters from their home.
24. Col Tem Sophat, a bodyguard for resistance leader Lay Virak, his child Tem Kleng,
8, and Mel Chhak, 12; Banteay Meanchey; Feb 27: Six uniformed men opened fire with
B-40 rockets, killing the three. They then destroyed Sophat's home and threatened
villagers with the same fate.
28. Brig Gen Kim Sang, 41, maritime border police; Phnom Penh; March 4: Shot dead
in a busy street in daylight by two men in police uniforms. Sang had received a telephone
call asking him to come into the office for a meeting half an hour before he was
shot. He was taken to the hospital while still alive, however a police officer spoke
to medical staff who then refused to treat him. The same policeman then tried to
stop one of Sang's relatives from applying heart massage. After his death Sang's
wife was visited by police who warned her not to file a complaint with any organization
or she "would have a big problem."
A top-level committee was formed to investigate the killing but by the end of April
said they had made little progress because witnesses were too afraid to testify.
Sang's wife and family had not been approached for information.
29. Maj Muong Someth, 42;. Kandal province; Feb 28: Shot dead by one of three men
wearing a bodyguard's uniform and carrying a K-59 handgun. Police said it was a robbery
and that witnesses were too afraid to testify.
30. Lt Col Chea Vutha, military training officer; Kandal province; March 28: Shot
by two unidentified men after returning from a meeting at Funcinpec headquarters.
The gunmen assumed he had died instantly but local villagers who helped him said
he told them one of the gunmen was named Kring. Kring has been described as a soldier
with a criminal record who acts with impunity because he is protected at a high level.
31. Nop Phanit, school teacher; Takeo province; March 26: Killed in a grenade attack
at a pagoda which also seriously injured Nhem Valy, an advisor to National Assembly
president Chea Sim, the pagoda's patron. Initially labeled political by the Ministry
of the Interior, which later claimed it was a love dispute.
32. Nam Kay, 65 and her sister Nam Nuon, 56; Takeo province, April 26: Grenade attack
which killed two and injured four other family members; five of the victims were
members of the Son Sann Party. There had been previous complaints to rights organizations
of intimidation of Funcinpec and Son Sann Party members in the area. One of those
wounded, Khieu Touch, was a district representative of the Son Sann Party who had
refused an approach to join the CPP. Police said the attack was a dispute over love
or land. The provincial governor said it was an act of revenge.
SECTION 4
The following people were last seen being detained by government authorities.
33. Gen Chea Rittichut; Kampong Speu province; July 7.
34. Col Saom Sarath; no location given; July 7.
35. Capt So Samoeun and his driver Ra;. Kandal province; Feb 17.
36. Ouk Kim Chheang; Kompong Cham province; Nov 21.
37. Maj Luch Ton and Yuth Yoeng; Kampong Cham province; July 5 -6.
