impunity

Monday, 18.8.2008: Ministry of Interior and Federal Board of Investigation Discuss Details How to Find the Murderer Who Shot the Moneaksekar Khmer Journalist to Death

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 574

“Last Monday, US embassy officials in Cambodia reported to journalists that the [US] Federal Board of Investigation [FBI] and Cambodian police officials are discussing details that are needed to be clear for the cooperation to investigate the murder of a journalist of Moneaksekar Khmer, Mr. Khim Sambo. The spokesperson of the US embassy in Cambodia, Mr. John Johnson, said that the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia and the FBI are discussing details on how the Cambodian side and the FBI should cooperate with each other to investigate to seek the murderer who killed the journalist of Moneaksekar Khmer, Mr. Khim Sambo, and his son, Khat Sarinpheata.

“The US embassy spokesperson in Cambodia, Mr. John Johnson said, ‘The Ministry of Interior of Cambodia and the FBI are deciding how to cooperate with each other, but an official decision has not yet been made.’ Regarding this issue, national and international observers are carefully following these events, because the cooperation between the FBI and the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia, administered by Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, may soon lead to identify the murderer. Especially they want to know the real reasons for the murder of Mr. Khim Sambo and his son, so that justice can be found for the victims and their family.

“It should be remembered that a journalist of Moneaksekar Khmer, Mr. Khim Sambo, 47, and his son Khat Sarinpheata, 21, were shot dead by the murderer on a road near the Olympic Stadium on the evening of 11 July 2008, while they were riding on a moto back from exercising in the Olympic Stadium. Previously, General Touch Naroth, the Phnom Penh police chief, had said that police had drafted a ‘wanted’ circular with a sketch of the face of the suspected murderer with the cooperation of witnesses at the site of event, and with the victims’ family. They do not know when the police will publish the sketch of the murderer who killed Mr. Khim Sambo and his son in public.

“Recently, General Touch Naroth, the Phnom Penh police chief, had stated his suspicion that the reason for the murder of Mr. Khim Sambo and his son might be individual rancor on Khat Sarinpheata. However, investigating officials of local human rights organizations do not agree with this assumption of General Touch Naroth, because the murderer shot Mr. Khim Sambo before shooting his son, Khat Sarinpheata. As for the victims’ family, they claimed that Khat Sarinpheata never had disputes or rancor with anyone, and they suggested that police should continue to carefully investigate this case.

“Senior officials of the Sam Rainsy Party stated their opinion that the murder of Mr. Khim Sambo might be involved with politics, because Mr. Khim Sambo was a pro-opposition party journalist. Another point is that Mr. Khim Sambo and his son were killed during the fourth term parliamentary election campaign. The murder of Mr. Khim Sambo makes the editor-in-chief and all staff of Moneaksekar Khmer concerned very much about their own safety when traveling and going to cover information, and they would like to call on the police to arrest the real murderer to be prosecuted soon.

“Since the murderer of Mr. Khim Sambo and his son, since the evening of 11 July 2008 until Monday, 18 August 2008, more than one month has passed, but the police has not showed their clear position seeking the murderer. Therefore, it is very good that the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia and the FBI of the United States are discussing details together for the investigation to seek the murderer who killed Mr. Khim Sambo and his son. Because of cooperation in the investigation between the Cambodian police and the FBI, the murderer and those who have ordered it might not be able to escape from the law.

“Officials of human rights organizations in Cambodia noted that sine 1994, twelve journalists have been shot dead, but police has never arrested the murderers to be prosecuted. Because the FBI of the United States now cooperates with the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia to seek the murderer who shot dead Mr. Khim Sambo and his son, national and international observers hope that the murderer will be arrested to be punished soon.

“It should be noted that on 16 July 2008, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia issued an official statement related to the shooting dead of Mr. Khim Sambo and his son. The statement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia called on the police of the government of Cambodia to undertake full, quick, and trustworthy investigations to bring those who committed this crime to the court, to be tried in order to also clear any suspicions about the reasons for the murder.

“Moneaksekar Khmer and national and international journalists as well as officials of human rights organizations in Cambodia hope that, with the cooperation between the FBI and the police of the Ministry of Interior, the murderer who killed Mr. Khim Sambo and his son might be found to be prosecuted soon. Moreover, searching for the murderer who shot dead Mr. Khim Sambo and his son might put an end to the culture of impunity of killing journalists in Cambodia also. While the murderer of Mr. Khim Sambo and his son is being hunted to be prosecuted, other criminals may not dare to kill other journalists, knowing that they cannot escape prosecution according to the law.” Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3541, 18.8.2008


Apologies – now we have the headlines only – text translation is coming later. This can happen when working with very limited resources.

Norbert Klein

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 18 August 2008


Deum Tnot, Vol.1, #31, 18-19.8.2008

  • Cruel Armed Forces Trampled Yesterday on Will of Demonstrators against Siamese [Thai] Thieves Who Invade Khmer Land [17 August 2008 in Phnom Penh – demonstrators led by Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president Rong Chhun and the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia president Chea Mony were dispersed]
  • Funcinpec Continues to Support Cambodian People’s Party to Create a Big-Headed Royal Government


Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1722, 17-18.8.2008

  • A Number of Invading Siamese [Thai] Soldiers Have Withdrawn from the Disputed Area
  • Prince Thomico: Samdech Krom Preah [Norodom Ranariddh] Can Return to Cambodia if He Stops Entering Politics


Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #224, 17-18.8.2008

  • Prince Norodom Ranariddh Wants the Position of President of the Constitutional Council instead of Ek Sam Ol [according to a Royal family member]


Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3541, 18.8.2008


  • Ministry of Interior and Federal Board of Investigation Discuss Details How to Find the Murderer Who Shot the Moneaksekar Khmer Journalist to Death
  • Sam Rainsy Party Continues to Submit Complaints to the Constitutional Council over Irregularities in the Elections
  • Observers Do not Trust It Will Be Possible to Eliminating Corruption at Khmer Rouge Tribunal
  • Cambodian People’s Party Officials Concerned about Reshuffle of Provincial and of Town Governors, and of Police Chiefs


Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4670, 17-18.8.2008

  • Samdech Dekchor [Hun Sen] Confirms: No Reshuffle of Provincial Leaders


Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #33, 17-18.8.2008

  • Sam Rainsy Goes against Election Results Just Protesting to Get Positions in National Assembly Committees
  • Electricity Companies in the Provinces Start to Increase the Fees – in Line with Cambodian People’s Party Policy [mocking]

Click here to have a look at the last editorial – in this post-election period when many things are not yet settled, there is apprehension while waiting

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