Violence broke out Thursday between ruling party and SRP supporters during a roadside confrontation in Kompong Cham province’s Memot district, with each side accusing the other of unprovoked aggression, officials said.
Romchek commune police chief Phlang Savon said Friday that a campaign motorcade of more than 80 SRP supporters had claimed they were confronted by two men in CPP T-shirts and baseball caps who verbally threatened to shoot them after the elections.
However, the men, Kim Sos and Sak Mony, said the SRP supporters hurled stones and serving plates, and that Kim Sos was struck on the head, Phlang Savon said.
Kim Sos did have bruises, but no plates or stones were found at the scene, he said.
“It is really complicated,” Phlang Savon said.
Romchek commune election committee director Siv Sophoean said Monday that he had accepted separate SRP and CPP complaints on the incident and plans to publicize his conclusions today.
Seng Sna, deputy SRP leader in Romchek commune, said Monday that shortly after setting out Thursday, the campaign convoy was confronted in Khbop village by the two CPP supporters, who rode motorbikes. Kim Sos, Seng Sna claimed, threatened the group and also twisted his wrist and then punched, choked and kicked fellow SRP supporter Sao Chan when he tried to intervene, leaving him with a black eye.
The SRP complaints filed with police and the CEC seek the men’s prosecution and financial compensation, he said.
Kim Sos and Sak Mony could not be reached for comment.
Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith, a CPP parliamentary candidate in the province, said Monday that he doubted the SRP version of events.
“It’s hard to believe that our activists, only two people, dared to use violence against more than 80 SRP activists. It’s not logical,” he said, adding that the CEC should be allowed to resolve the matter.
