Police Surround Homes in Search of Alleged Secessionists

Dozens of police in search of two Kratie province “secessionist ringleaders” surrounded the homes of two of their relatives in Kompong Cham province for nearly 12 hours yesterday while threatening those inside, a relative of the two men said. The alleged secessionist movement has been used by authorities in Kratie to justify the onslaught of hundreds of armed forces into Chhlong district’s Broma village last week. In the course of the operation, the security forces shot dead a 14-year-old girl. Police began surrounding the two houses in Memot district at approximately 12 a.m., said Bun Thet, who is the brother of Bun Ratha and son of Bun Chhorn—both wanted by the police. Neither suspect was found inside. …