RCAF Soldiers Shoot to Intimidate Banteay Meanchey Protesters
Several RCAF soldiers sent by Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities to defuse a protest against an agro-industrial company Friday allegedly shot their weapons into the ground near a group of protesters, a villager and a rights worker said yesterday. The approximately 200 villagers were attempting to stop National Development company bulldozers from clearing their farmland, forest and the remains of ancient temple grounds known as Dan Moung, where local communities have long worshipped. Sanh Vanna, a 23-year old villager from Banteay Chhmar commune, said that as villagers approached the bulldozers, “Four soldiers in RCAF uniform, two of them with a long rifle, fired into the ground three times to threaten villagers.” …
