Happy New Year (Part 3), You’re Outta Jail!
Dec 31st, 2008 by Jinja
Above: families, friends, press waiting for the hearing to start. All pictures courtesy 'K'.
Thanks to efforts by families, community members, local and international activists/organizations, and regular press coverage, today's appeal hearing of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun concluded with them being released (apparently on bail) as of late this afternoon.
One of the defendants
Sources say a final appeal to sort the whole matter out is still pending. But given the *enormous* backlog of cases waiting in line for Appeals (too many cases, too few judges) it looks like these two fellows will be out for a long time.
Press frenzy
Are Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun innocent? I'm not a witness, so I'll never know. But the circumstances surrounding their charges were enough to interest Amnesty International and garner support from many other individuals and institutions.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA23/044/2008/en/c6fd882d-ccf9-11dd-9047-0dd649cecd02/asa230442008en.html
The press gets excited
The 'countdown clock' you saw above was displayed outside LICADHO, the Center for Social Development, and other human rights groups in Cambodia.
Crowd shot
More: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008123123436/National-news/Convicted-killers-of-labor-leader-released-pending-retrial.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iteo43_xDOPVNIkf5iFbrBhOqz3Q
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/19696
Links courtesy (award-nominated!) DAS. Congrats!
Now if we can just have a little peace at Dey Krahom and neighboring Group 78, it's a great new year for all. Human rights monitors are settling in for the long haul - the next week will be critical. Press coverage will be lax which is a perfect time to roll in some bulldozers. Don't forget to keep an eye on the news after watching 'Where Elephants Weep' on CTN (7:30 New Years' Day).
Party hoppers, why not share the spirit of the season with a swing by to say 'hello' to fellow night-owls as you're club-hopping? Maybe drop off some food and goodies? Stranger things have happened.
Tags: cambodia,evictions,khmer,society
*comments function still needs tweaking, I have about 15 backed up! Apologies.
[Pictures/articles added January 01 2009] 
This is the best New Year present I’ve ever had. Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun are free!! They should be featured on stamps or something, together with the guy who threw his shoes at Bush.