SEVEN men accused of the killing of 13 ethnic

Vietnamese in Kandal in April were released on June 2, according to human rights

organization Licadho.

The incident took place on the night of April 9,

when 10 persons entered Piem So village in Kandal's Saang district and began to

shoot and throw hand grenades into the village. Nine children were among the

dead, 25 people were wounded.

Seven men were arrested soon after the

incident and held in Kandal, but were freed by a judge in the provincial court

for lack of evidence. Sources at Licadho say many of the witnesses were afraid

to testify, and though many villagers heard the attack, only five were actually

eyewitnesses. Some accounts were not very clear because it was night

time.

Independent investigations into the attack by human rights

organizations suggested that the attack was well planned and the attackers came

from a nearby village, but were unable to agree on a motive. Some said it was

racial, other said it was a fishing dispute.