Police block Bopha march
Phnom Penh Municipal Hall yesterday defended the actions of police and security guards who blocked protesters as they tried to leave the capital’s Boeung Kak area before they stopped and searched an NGO’s vehicle.
Dozens of Daun Penh district police, security guards and military police blockaded a road near Calmette Hospital as protesters tried to move from their community to Wat Phnom and on to the Supreme Court at about 8am in a march to mark the first anniversary of the arrest and imprisonment of Boeung Kak land-rights activist Yorm Bopha.
After authorities confiscated protest material, District Governor Sok Sambath ordered the combined forces to block a pick-up truck carrying employees of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights. ...
It wasn’t until shortly before midday that municipal deputy prosecutor Chuon Narin arrived and the vehicle was searched in the presence of representatives from other NGOs, the EU and the UN.
Nothing more than items for the Boeung Kak villagers’ demonstrations was uncovered and the pick-up was soon allowed to be driven away. ...
During the blockade, combined forces also confiscated drums, flags and lotus flowers from protesters, resulting in a tuk-tuk driver being struck in the head when he refused to relinquish his load. ...
Rights group Adhoc said authorities had “demonstrated grave incompetence” in how they had handled the situation. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Shane Worrell
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/police-block-bopha-march
