As travelers, my wife and I never felt threatened: people were unfailingly polite and helpful. The rage is focused on each other, within the culture. Remember that the Khmer Rouge time resulted in the coinage of the term "autogenocide", as far as I know the only modern case of mass murder directed at an ethnic group by the same ethnic group. And still there has been no justice. The few remaining living KR leaders are either in jail or part of the government.
Here's the police blotter, but fair warning: it's grim:
MARCH 8: Khon Phal, 25, was arrested for murder in Kampong Thmar village,
Prey Veng province. Police said Phal and two others also arrested, Khon Rasmey, 22,
and Ol Nem, 23, jointly murdered a couple, Mao Tum, 46, and Chhour Ol, 42. The couple
were axed to death while they were riding home on a motorbike from Phal's house where
they had argued. Phal said he killed the couple because they forced him to divorce
his wife. MARCH 8: San Thon, 22, reported to the police station in Veal Vong village,
Pursat province, that her three-month-old baby had been stolen and found dead 200
meters from the house where she slept the previous night with her mother-in-law.
After investigation, police arrested Thon, who confessed that she had strangled the
baby because she was in despair after the provincial court had jailed her husband
on a charge of theft. MARCH 9: Ream Cheam, 38, a farmer, was arrested by police after killing his
8-month-old baby and trying to escape into a nearby jungle at 1:30pm in Ek Pheap
village, Preah Vihear province. Soun Savorn, 28, told police that Cheam took the
son from her hands then struck him on the head with a tree as she denied to reunite
after he left her for one month. MARCH 9: Kin Borasy, 26, died in Calmette Hospital where he was taken after
two gunmen wounded him during a nighttime robbery in Sras Chak commune, Phnom Penh.
His wife, Nhim Dane, 19, who had been with Borasy, said two robbers on a motorbike
blocked her husband's path and shot him once in the right ear with a handgun, then
stole his motorbike. MARCH 11: Huon Sinoeun, 23, was taken to Calmette Hospital for surgery after
two robbers wounded him after he stopped his motorbike to urinate on the sidewalk
of Sisowath Quay during the night in Chey Chumnas commune, Phnom Penh. Witnesses
told police that one of the two shot Sinoeun in the chest with a K-59 handgun then
stole his bike. MARCH 12: Police arrested Nuch Thivan, 25, and Khim Chamroeun, 25, who were
charged in Phnom Penh Municipal Court with the brutal torture of an 11-year-old recycling
boy, Choun Piseth, in Boeng Kak village, Phnom Penh. Police said the men captured
Piseth and cut off three of his fingers with a cleaver because the boy had stolen
a plastic can of paint. MARCH 12: Kim Vandan, 48, was arrested for a murder a day earlier in Tasen
village, Kampong Cham province. Police said Vandan tried to escape after shooting
dead a vehicle garage's owner, Yean Mengleang, while he was asleep the previous night.
Vandan told police Hong Sreymom, 33, the extra-wife of Mengleag, hired him to kill
her husband with a promise of paying him $2,000. Police arrested Sreymom for questioning
and she later confessed to ordering Mengleang's murder. MARCH 12: Sreng Chhai, 37, was arrested and charged with killing a neighbor,
Chaing Bunkhy, 49, at 1:10pm in Tonle Bassac commune, Phnom Penh. Police said Bunkhy
was stabbed once in the chest with a knife while coming to visit Chhai's mother.
Chhai told police he killed Bunkhy because he was a sorcerer. Chhai said his family
always got sick when Bunkhy came to his house. However, Chhai's mother told police
her son had a mental problem. MARCH 13: Neang Sorya, 17, was found gravely wounded in the early morning
behind her house in Tasous village and later died in Svay Reang Provincial Hospital.
Police said Sorya died from head injuries caused by being beaten with a stick after
being raped the previous night. Chea Sokchan, 25, a brother-in-law of Soray, was
arrested after police found his slippers at the scene. MARCH 14: Huy Hon, 28, died at a provincial hospital after jumping from the
third floor of Boeng Chhouk guesthouse where he stayed for one night with his four
children in Prek Mahatep village, Battambang province. Police said Hon's daughter
said he committed suicide because he was suffering after his wife had left him for
another man. MARCH 15: A motorbike taxi driver, Chea Oeun, 24, was knifed and later died
150 meters away while trying to escape his attackers at 9:20pm in Chong Kaosu village,
Siem Reap province. Witnesses told police two passengers asked Oeun to stop and while
paying him his fee one of them stabbed him in the neck then they escaped on his bike. MARCH 16: Mam Sopheap, 21, was arrested after injuring his friend, Son Sokleng,
20, at 8:30pm in Trapaing Ampil village, Kampong Speu province. Police said Sopheap
came to Sokleng's house and chopped him twice in the head with an ax. Sopheap told
police he chopped Sokleng to prevent a revenge attack because he recently argued
with him during a drinking session. MARCH 17: Hin Kimhean, 45, was found dead at 6:30am where a truck had been
seen parked the previous night in Spean Thmey village, Kandal province. Police said
Kimhean was killed elsewhere and his body dropped there. Police arrested a man for
questioning after he was suspected of the murder as he came from the same village
in Kampong Cham province. MARCH 17: Hem Houn,15, was killed by lightning while looking after her family's
cows with other children at 3:30pm in a field in Dop Bard village, Pursat province.
Police said the sky suddenly became black, then lightning shot over the children
and the girl died instantly. San Nov, 13, was also struck but survived and was treated
at a provincial hospital. MARCH 18: Pich Pon, 47, was arrested after fatally injuring Taing Phong, 68,
four days earlier in Prey Rong village, Kampong Speu province. Police said Phong
died two days later in a hospital after Pon strangled her when she tried to stop
him robbing her granddaughter of a gold necklace. MARCH 18: Lightning killed three women during an afternoon rainstorm in two
different communes in Banon district, Battambang province. Police named the women
as Chhang Ho, 59, Loeum Mao, 48, and Phang Chanthang, 23. Police said the lightning
struck again and injured Phoeut Phy, 23, as he came to rescue his wife, Chanthang. - Translated from Khmer newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun
Pheap
