Cambodia Sends Diplomatic Note over Thai Shooting

Written by DAP NEWS -- Friday, 23 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFA) on Wednesday sent a diplomatic note to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh requesting Thai authorities investigate the fatal shooting of a Cambodian citizen on October 19.

“The Ministry presents its complaints to the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and has the honor draw to the Embassy’s attention to following inhuman acts against Cambodian villagers,” the diplomatic note began.

“The Royal Government of Cambodia considers this act as an another serious breach of internationally accepted humanitarian principle, which should not be committed by any agent of a civilized State in official capacity, and in contrary to the spirit of Point 77 of the Record of Discussion of the 6th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia, on 4-5 August 2009 in Bangkok,” the diplomatic note said of the incident.

The diplomatic said that Cambodia requests Thailand to “take appropriate measures to prevent such atrocities from happening again, conduct a thorough investigation into unfortunate incident and bring to justice those who committed the above act of the cruelty.”

A Cambodian citizen living in Oddor Meanchey province was gunned down in a hail of bullets on Monday evening this week, one of three citizens fired upon by Thai black-clad soldiers and the Thai Forestry Admi- nistration, according a Cambodian official in Oddor Meanchey province. Thai black-clad soldiers and the Thai Forestry Administration officers shot one our citizens at around 5:30pm on Monday in O’Smach, Oddor Meanchey,” Chen Sivuth, a provincial administration official, told DAP News Cambodia.

The victim, Seum Bun Chhim, 25, lived in Chamkar Chek village, O’Smach Commune, Samrong District, Oddor Meachey province, he added.

According to the official, the victim suffered serious gunshot wounds to his torso. He died on the arduous journey to the nearest hospital, very far from the scene.

Apparently a “cruel businessmen” hired the men to transport felled trees from the mountains. While logging is against gthe law and punishable with stiff jail sentences, Chen Sivuth noted that no trial or investigation at all by Thai authorities had taken place. The Cambodian authorities are currently investigating, he added.

Oddor Meanchey Provincial Governor Pech Sokhen told DAP News Cambodia that he has warned his subordinators to stop Cambodian citizens from entering Thai territory.