The second anniversary of a denial of justice

[geovalin]

Reader's Letter

Opinion

November 12, 2015, marked the second anniversary of the death of Mrs Eng Sokhum, a victim of indiscriminate violence and excessive use of force by security forces during an SL garment factory workers’ protest in Phnom Penh’s Stung Meanchey district. It, unfortunately, also marked the passing of two years of denial of justice without appropriate redress for the devastating loss of life for Mrs Eng Sokhum’s family.

Mrs Eng Sokhum was selling rice when security forces fired live ammunition into the crowd of unarmed rioting protesters, who had merely thrown small stones at the violent security forces. She was shot in the chest and died on the way to the hospital; nine other persons suffered serious gunshot wounds.

Despite the existence of smartphone-recorded video footage capturing the disproportionate and unnecessary levels of violence by the security forces, as well as substantive proof that Mr Chuon Sovann, chief of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, had ordered security forces to use such violence against the unarmed protesters, to this day, neither Mr Chuon Sovann nor any other official or officer have been held accountable, let alone been removed from their post.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/second-anniversary-denial-justice

[Lex Talionis]

"How about asking: Why are security forces with heavy weaponry still deployed during peaceful protests? Why are security forces not trained in using their firearms in a manner likely to decrease the risk of unnecessary harm? Why has no independent, prompt, thorough and effective investigation been conducted into the security forces’ excessive use of force against unarmed protesters?"

Righteous questions that receive no answer. The government stands mute. Justice denied. The sad thing is that this all sounds so familiar.