Vietnamese Killed in Cambodian Revenge Attacks

by BBC News
World:  Asia-Pacific

Friday, September 4, 1998

Opposition politician Sam Rainsy has also condemned the attacks,
calling them heartless and inexcusable.


This Vietnamese monument was attacked recently

Angry crowds have attacked groups of ethnic Vietnamese in the Cambodian
capital, Phnom Penh, killing at least four people, after rumours began
circulating that Vietnamese were responsible for poisoning food and
liquor.

In one attack on Friday three ethnic Vietnamese were chased from a city
restaurant amid allegations that they had been trying to poison rice
soup. All were killed outside the headquarters of the Royalist
Funcinpec party.

Second Prime Minister Hun Sen is accused of being a Vietnamese puppet
The attacks began after nearly 40 people died from drinking adulterated
rice wine in villages around the capital. The wine, which was
considered medicinal, was later found to have been laced with methanol.

Health officials have spoken of a rising tide of hysteria, with dozens
of people arriving at hospitals suspecting they have been poisoned.

Rumours of revenge

Since demonstrators attacked a monument symbolizing Cambodia's
friendship with Vietnam on Sunday, rumours are rife that ethnic
Vietnamese in Cambodia are trying to poison food and water to take
revenge.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy has condemned the killings
The BBC correspondent in Phnom Penh, Caroline Gluck, says their fears
have rekindled centuries-old tensions between the two communities,
fuelled by anti-Vietnamese rhetoric from a number of opposition
politicians.

They accuse Second Prime Minister Hun Sen of being a puppet of the
Vietnamese government.

Friday's attacks have been strongly condemned by the Cambodia Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The UN commission said it was "particularly regrettable that this food
poisoning issue has begun to acquire racial and political overtones".

Calls for justice

Cambodia's Vietnamese population have often been the focus of attack
The Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh has strongly condemned the
attacks, calling on the Cambodian authorities to bring those
responsible to justice.

It says it is concerned that the current wave of attacks against its
own residents might soon affect other foreign nationals living in
Cambodia.

Opposition politician Sam Rainsy has also condemned the attacks,
calling them heartless and inexcusable.

"To blame anyone or any group for this supposed poisoning without
having direct evidence could lead to harm to innocent people," he said.

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World:  Asia-Pacific