Kingdom of Cambodia: The children of Krang Kontroul: waiting for justice

Kingdom of Cambodia: The children of Krang Kontroul: waiting for justice

Comments:
'When the people's rights are abused like this, they lie awake at night and are afraid.'[1] On 18 September 1996, at Krang Kontroul village, Peam Commune, Samaki Meanchey District in Kampong Chhnang Province, six children were killed when a drunken soldier fired a B-40 rocket at the ice-cream stall where they had gathered. The six children, one boy and five girls, were between two and eight years old. Six months after the killing, the villagers of Krang Kontroul are still waiting for justice for their lost children. In spite of the intervention of Amnesty International in November 1996 and the prompt call for action that followed from King Norodom Sihanouk, no one has yet been brought to justice. The killings of these children in Krang Kontroul village are illustrative of the continued human rights problems in Cambodia, particularly where military personnel are involved. Amnesty International believes that a full investigation into the killings is essential, and that those found responsible should be prosecuted. The organization remains deeply concerned that although the commander of the soldiers involved in the incident has been arrested, the man who fired the rocket remains at large. The victims and their families are entitled to adequate redress from the state, and freedom from intimidation and harassment. It is not acceptable that six months after the event, the competent authorities have failed to take all the necessary steps to hold members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces to account for their actions.

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