Exclusive: Al Jazeera 101 East investigates Cambodia’s Deadly Politics
- 101 East looks into the brutal murder of activist Kem Ley
- Reporter Mary Ann Jolley looks at the possible motives and players behind Kem Ley’s violent death
Doha - 10th January, 2017.
In July 2016, Kem Ley, a popular social activist, radio commentator and frequent critic of the Cambodian government was shot dead in broad daylight in a Phnom Penh petrol station.
Bystanders chased the suspected killer down the road. And when they caught up to him, they hit and kicked him. He was only saved from a savage beating, or worse, by police who took him away on their motorbike.
On the day of Kem Ley’s funeral, tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets to pay homage to one of Cambodia’s favourite sons.
Governments and human rights organisations around the world called for a thorough and impartial investigation into his murder.
Kem Ley’s killing came after a string of unsolved murders and attacks on activists and union officials. And in the lead up to the national elections in 2018 things have been getting worse for those daring to speak out against the status quo.
Just a couple of days before he was gunned down, Kem Ley had been on a radio show calling for an investigation into the business interests of the family of Prime Minister Hun Sen. He talked about a new report by Global Witness, which revealed the vast extent of the family’s financial reach.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 31 years, has famously claimed his only source of income is his Prime Ministerial salary of less than US$14,000 a year. Yet experts estimate his family’s combined wealth to be between US$500 million and US$1 billion. The Global Witness report provides details on family domestic companies worth US$200 million.
Was Kem Ley killed because of his activism and criticism of the government? Or was it, as his accused killer claimed, because of an unpaid debt?
And who is this killer – a man who calls himself Chuob Samlab , which in Khmer literally means “meet to kill”?
101 East embarks on an investigation into Kem Ley’s murder.
Reporter Mary Ann Jolley travels from London to Paris, Phnom Penh to Bangkok, to piece together the details of the killing and the arrested killer. She looks at the possible motives and players behind Kem Ley’s violent death.
Kem Ley is dead. But he has left behind a legacy of Cambodians who will not be silenced.
“I’m determined that I must be strong. My husband once told me that in his absence, I should not cry, but go on no matter what and I must stand up and challenge them.”
Bou Rachana, Kem Ley’s widow
Ends
