Cambodian Ex-Governor Sought For Shooting Workers

Three years after shooting into a crowd of garment workers, injuring three, a Cambodian ex-city governor is being sought by Interpol for evading justice.



A warrant on the International Criminal Police Organization website says Chhouk Bundith is "wanted by the judicial authorities of Cambodia for prosecution/to serve a sentence" on charges of "voluntary bodily harm".



The Cambodia Daily reported National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith as saying Thursday that the warrant in fact dates back to March, and insisted that authorities had been doing their best to try and arrest the convicted ex-official.



In February 2012, workers from the Manhattan Special Economic Zone in Svay Rieng province went on a $150 minimum wage strike, during which the 38-year-old Bavet City governor drew a handgun and fired into the crowd.



Three of the workers from the Kaoway factory, which makes shoes for sports brand Puma, were hit -- one in the arm, one in the back, while another was shot straight through the chest.



Although he was eventually charged with causing "unintentional violence" two months later, by December of 2012, the case had been dropped.



The last time Bundith was seen publicly was at the Appeal Court, which conducted a re-investigation of the incident and sent the case back to court, where Bundith was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison.



However, he was not present for the trial, and has not been seen since.



On Monday, the three workers -- Keo Nea, Nuth Sakhorn and Bun Chenda -- filed a complaint with lawmakers at the National Assembly over the failure of the authorities to apprehend their attacker.



Police spokesman Chantharith released a video the following day, in which he held up a so-called "red notice" bearing Bundith's picture and information. 



Mouen Tola, who heads the labour right section at the Cambodian Legal Education Centre, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that the authorities had acted unfairly in favour of Bundith, failing on three key occasions to have him arrested.



"Chhouk Bundith opened fire at workers in the crowd… in front of a lot of military soldiers, police and so on. This is a factual crime, so he should have been arrested at the scene. But from testimony in court, [police] confirmed they even helped him to run away," he said.



Tola said he should also have been arrested either when summoned for questioning by the provincial court, and then by the Appeal Court.



He also reiterated concerns that "high-ranking officials from the government" were involved in asking Chenda, who was shot through the chest, to sign a document she did not understand, absolving Bundith of any responsibility.



She has said that she was also handed an envelope of cash.



The three women are back working at the factory, Tola said, but struggle to keep up with their colleagues because of lingering problems related to their injuries.



Chantharith could not be reached for comment on Thursday, but was "ed in the Daily as saying that Bundith has been "staying around the country," based on tips received, "and we tried to arrest him like any other criminal." - Phnum Penh