At least seven members from Funcinpec or the Sam Rainsy Party have been killed and 24 have faced threats or intimidation since the Feb 3 commune council elections, according to human rights group Adhoc.
Adhoc also characterized four of the deaths as “likely [to be] politically motivated.”
The reports of the killings and alleged intimidation are confined to members of the opposition party and Funcinpec, and span the country.
“Why is it that only Funcinpec or Sam Rainsy Party members and activists get killed but the CPP members never get killed?” asked Funcinpec lawmaker Keo Remy on Sunday. “I think we have a lot of problems here.”
The first killing reported after the Feb 3 commune elections occurred in Phnom Penh just eight days after the ballot. In that case, a man killed Sam Rainsy Party member Ti Van at a party after the victim reportedly cheered for the political opposition during a toast.
The most recent killing occurred on Sept 9 in Tbong Khmum district, Kompong Cham province. In that killing, which Adhoc called “politically motivated,” three men dressed in military uniforms shot and killed Sam Rainsy Party activist Heng Sean in his home.
Yet reports of intimidation from Sam Rainsy Party and Funcinpec members continue to come out.
On Friday, a policeman in Prey Veng province was accused of threatening Sam Rainsy Party member Chea Meang with a gun. According to Chea Poch, a provincial Sam Rainsy Party official from Prey Veng, the policeman attempted to shoot Chea Meang but missed.
Sam Rainsy Party Secretary-General Eng Chhay Eang on Monday said in the past week the opposition party received reports that three of its members were threatened and two were severely beaten.
“We have asked the donor community not to be impressed with the CPP,” said opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Sunday. “They have only gained strength through threats and violence.”
One official from the Ministry of Interior, who declined to be identified, said on Sunday that the post-election killings are not politically motivated.
The official stated that the Ministry of Interior is dedicated to investigating the cases thoroughly, regardless of the political affiliation of victims.
Despite those assurances, some officials are still doubtful that the authorities will arrest the perpetrators of the crimes and bring them to trial.
“We have a culture here where the men who kill the Funcinpec or Sam Rainsy Party members never are punished,” Keo Remy said. “If the killers are not brought to justice, it will encourage killers to do this again and again.”
