Khmer Times/Taing Vida
Thursday, 03 November 2016
Eight members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) have asked the Interior Minister to investigate and take action against “illegal” security forces – which have no connection with police, the army or military police – that they say have been used in the past to violently disrupt peaceful protests and attack demonstrators.
In a letter signed and approved by National Assembly President Heng Samrin on Tuesday, the eight CNRP parliamentarians said that since 2013, Phnom Penh municipal authorities have often used the services of “security forces” – some of which have unclear identities, ties and jurisdiction – and these groups often use weapons such as sticks and slingshots with bullets to beat up CNRP officials, union representatives, civil society groups and land conflict victims.
Their uniforms do not resemble those of police, but do not indicate what group they are a part of. Many of the force’s members wear motorbike helmets during attacks to disguise their identities, the politicians wrote.
The letter was prompted by a protest on October 10 to commemorate World Habitat Day in Phnom Penh. The rally turned violent when members of the security force, who were all wearing helmets, attacked members of the demonstration, most of whom were women, and badly beat a number of NGO officials, including a senior Licadho member.
“During an otherwise peaceful march through Phnom Penh to the city’s Freedom Park, para-police, also referred to as security guards – led by head of the Daun Penh para-police Kim Vutha – launched an unprovoked and violent attack on land activist Chan Puthisak, a Boeung Kak lake community representative, after Puthisak peacefully attempted to prevent the forcible confiscation by para-police of a drum from the marchers,” rights group Licadho wrote after the incident.
Other human rights NGOs claimed the security forces are led by a man named Cheam Ratha instead of Mr. Vutha, but it is unclear who was actually involved.
“The para-police continued their violence with a similarly unprovoked attack against senior human rights worker Am Sam Ath, Licadho’s monitoring manager, who attempted to peacefully de-escalate the situation and prevent further beatings.
“An observer, wearing a journalist card, was also injured amid the altercation. All three were left injured and in need of medical assistance.”
The use of these security guards as de facto police forces aiming to attack protesters and violently obstruct peaceful demonstrations is illegal and all those involved in the group should be arrested and charged, the letter said.
Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, refused to comment on the situation when contacted yesterday, telling Khmer Times he was busy.
Many of the Boeung Kak and Borei Keila land protesters have complained about the group for years, saying they were often attacked by the security guards while holding peaceful protests, yet they were always the ones who were arrested and taken to prison.
“The October 10 violence is just the latest example in a long line of para-police deployed to suppress peaceful protests through violence, a favored strategy for authorities terrified of citizens claiming their rights,” said Naly Pilorge, deputy director of advocacy at Licadho, in a statement after the October 10 beatings.
“It remains to be seen whether this case will also – like so many of the others – result in complete impunity for the perpetrators. It is long overdue for the courts to start prosecuting para-police officers involved in systematic and recurring acts of violence.”
Daun Penh governor Kuoch Chamroeun claimed that his use of the security guards was justified for “security reasons” but would not say where the men were hired from, what their training or qualifications were, who was in charge of them and whether they were accountable for the violence they allegedly have caused.
“This is a wrongful allegation. We have never hired people to cause violence. They were just doing their jobs to secure the country,” he said.
Mr. Sam Ath, who has filed a lawsuit against authorities and the security guards who beat him during the Habitat Day protests, said he has received no response from anyone on his complaint filed last month.
He hoped that some high-level authorities would review the use of these forces and remove those who are unprofessional or do not understand the nuances of their job.
“Some security guards can be easily identified when they are in the field. I found some had no skill in doing their job but could only use violence to crack down on protesters,” he said.
“It is so horrible and the high-level authorities should look into it.”
The security forces gained notoriety in July 2014 when they were involved in violent attacks at a large protest in Freedom Park.
The demonstration descended into violence as security guards and protesters clashed. Eleven CNRP members have already been convicted of participating in the violence, with three more now on trial. None of the security guards have ever been charged for their role in the fights.
Khmer Times/May Titthara Thursday, 03 November 2016 144 views