ABC Radio Australia23/01/2008
listen windows media >
Four years after Cambodia's outspoken union leader Chea Vichea was assassinated, many believe his killers are yet to face justice.
That's despite the fact two men are currently serving 20-year jail terms for his murder. The Cambodian opposition and human rights groups say the men are innocent scapegoats.
They've accused Prime Minister Hun Sen's government of covering up what they've called a politically motivated killing.
Presenter - Joanna McCarthy Speaker - Sam Rainsy, leader of Cambodia's opposition Sam Rainsy party; Sara Colm, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch .
MCCARTHY: It was Chea Vichea's morning ritual. Every day he would read his newspaper at the same kiosk in a crowded Phnom Penh street, and it was there on January 22nd, 2004, that two men on a motor bike pulled up and fired bullets at close range into his head and chest. Chea Vichea died instantly. His friend and political colleague, Cambodia's Opposition leader, Sam Rainsy.
RAINSY: He was very brave, very dedicated to the cause of the poor, of the oppressed. He continued to fight for the same cause and unfortunately exactly four years ago, on this very day, he was killed by unknown murderers. And today we deplore the fact that the real murderers have not been arrested. There are many indications that some powerful people were behind the murder. They must be very powerful to be able to protect the culprits.
MCCARTHY: The investigation of the two men charged weith Chea Vichea's murder was plagued with irregularities. Both were sentenced to 20 years in jail, after a trial which presented no witnesses, no forensic evidence and none of their many alibies. Sara Colm, from Human Rights Watch.
COLM: I think it's a product of international pressure in part that the government felt obliged to produce scape goats for the murder. But, in fact, the investigation was very sloppy and the trial itself in no way met a fair trial standard.
MCCARTHY: Four years after his death, Chea Vichea leaves a mixed legacy. The labor conditions he worked to expose in Cambodia's booming garment industry have somewhat improved. But two other union leaders have been killed in the meantime and Sara Colm says hundreds of political killings remain unsolved.
COLM: There's a longstanding climate of impunity in Cambodia for political killings. So it's really long overdue for the Cambodian Government to fire higher standards of justice, given that it's really entered the international arena in the last ten years by a number of steps such as its membership in ASEAN and other factors.
MCCARTHY: And Cambodia continues to resist calls from international donors to reform their judiciary, which is widely seen as an arm of the government.Sam Rainsy says the international community which provides half Cambodia's national budget has to do more.
RAINSY: On this issue, the donor community has been rather weak. Actually they have turned a blind eye to crime that has never been investigated or seriously investigated.
MCCARTHY: Why do you think they're prepared to turn a blind eye?
RAINSY: Because they may think that there are more important issues than the murderer of innocent people. For instance, they must defend personal or their national interest and they must be willing to have good relations with the Cambodian Government at any cost.
That's despite the fact two men are currently serving 20-year jail terms for his murder. The Cambodian opposition and human rights groups say the men are innocent scapegoats.
They've accused Prime Minister Hun Sen's government of covering up what they've called a politically motivated killing.
Presenter - Joanna McCarthy Speaker - Sam Rainsy, leader of Cambodia's opposition Sam Rainsy party; Sara Colm, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch .
MCCARTHY: It was Chea Vichea's morning ritual. Every day he would read his newspaper at the same kiosk in a crowded Phnom Penh street, and it was there on January 22nd, 2004, that two men on a motor bike pulled up and fired bullets at close range into his head and chest. Chea Vichea died instantly. His friend and political colleague, Cambodia's Opposition leader, Sam Rainsy.
RAINSY: He was very brave, very dedicated to the cause of the poor, of the oppressed. He continued to fight for the same cause and unfortunately exactly four years ago, on this very day, he was killed by unknown murderers. And today we deplore the fact that the real murderers have not been arrested. There are many indications that some powerful people were behind the murder. They must be very powerful to be able to protect the culprits.
MCCARTHY: The investigation of the two men charged weith Chea Vichea's murder was plagued with irregularities. Both were sentenced to 20 years in jail, after a trial which presented no witnesses, no forensic evidence and none of their many alibies. Sara Colm, from Human Rights Watch.
COLM: I think it's a product of international pressure in part that the government felt obliged to produce scape goats for the murder. But, in fact, the investigation was very sloppy and the trial itself in no way met a fair trial standard.
MCCARTHY: Four years after his death, Chea Vichea leaves a mixed legacy. The labor conditions he worked to expose in Cambodia's booming garment industry have somewhat improved. But two other union leaders have been killed in the meantime and Sara Colm says hundreds of political killings remain unsolved.
COLM: There's a longstanding climate of impunity in Cambodia for political killings. So it's really long overdue for the Cambodian Government to fire higher standards of justice, given that it's really entered the international arena in the last ten years by a number of steps such as its membership in ASEAN and other factors.
MCCARTHY: And Cambodia continues to resist calls from international donors to reform their judiciary, which is widely seen as an arm of the government.Sam Rainsy says the international community which provides half Cambodia's national budget has to do more.
RAINSY: On this issue, the donor community has been rather weak. Actually they have turned a blind eye to crime that has never been investigated or seriously investigated.
MCCARTHY: Why do you think they're prepared to turn a blind eye?
RAINSY: Because they may think that there are more important issues than the murderer of innocent people. For instance, they must defend personal or their national interest and they must be willing to have good relations with the Cambodian Government at any cost.
No comments:
Post a Comment