Thai soldiers kill 7 Cambodian illegal loggers in two months: Cambodian diplomat

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Since the start of this year, Thai soldiers had killed at least seven Cambodian villagers who illegally crossed the border to log in Thailand, Long Visalo, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Tuesday.
He said that the death toll is quite high compared to the whole 2011 during which Thai troops killed 12 Cambodian illegal loggers.
He said that the latest shootings happened on February 22 when Thai soldiers opened fire at a group of Cambodian villagers who crossed the border to Thailand in an area of Meng Mot commune, Kabchheung district, Surin province, killing three Cambodian men.
"This is an inhuman act against Cambodian villagers," he told reporters after he presented a letter of complaint to Thai Ambassador to Cambodia Sompong Sanguanbun.
"The Cambodian government considers this intended shooting as a breach of internationally accepted humanitarian principle, and a violation of the spirit of Point 77 of the Record of Discussion of the sixth meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand in August, 2009 in Bangkok," said the letter.
It added that Cambodia requests the Thai authorities to take appropriate measures to prevent such killing from recurrence and to bring to justice those who committed the above act of cruelty.
"In case of illegal crossing the border or committing illegal act in the future, the government of Cambodia requests the authorities concerned of Thailand to avoid shooting, but to arrest the perpetrators and proceed with legal action," it said.