PHNOM PENH�The Cambodian government moved some 300 armed police from keylocations in downtown Phnom Penh on Tuesday to quell protests over high gasprices, RFA's Khmer service reports. Police detained five students who ledthe demonstrations, releasing them only after they agreed in writing not tojoin any future protests.
Ten protesters from the Student Movement for Democracy began demonstrating at around 8 a.m. in downtown Phnom Penh demanding a cut in the price of a liter of gasoline from 3,000 riel (U.S.$.75) to 1,500 riel (U.S. $.37).They drove motorcycles along the city�s main streets before being chasedaway by some 50 police in front of Chaktumuk High School, behind the RoyalPalace.
Students and taxi drivers resumed the protest at Phnom Penh Municipal Court,and a military truck carrying 40 armed police tried to break up the crowd,witnesses said. Demonstrators escaped from police and hid among onlookers.An hour later, hundreds of protesters gathered near the Olympic stadium incentral Phnom Penh when scuffles broke out.
Three student leaders-identified as Nou Hem Prum Vireak, Um Sam An, and YimSopheap-were arrested but broke free and hid in a nearby Sony electronicshop. They were re-arrested around 9 p.m. along with two other studentprotest leaders, Sar Long Dat and Ir Channa were arrested.
Police interrogated the five youths for four hours and released them afterthey agreed in writing not to organize further protests.
"Police asked me who planned the protest," Nou Hem Prum Vireak toldreporters outside police headquarters. "I said I did it by my own will forall of the people. I signed an agreement to [no longer protest] but thatdoes not mean I will stop� I will do it again in the future when I get thechance."
Hun Sen's government had banned demonstrations over the weekend, afterlearning of the planned gas-price protests. A letter signed by Phnom Penhmunicipal governor Kep Chutema and obtained by RFA says any demonstration"is not a solution but will create a security problem and chaos instead."
"I refuse to allow this demonstration to happen," Kep Chutema told RFA onSaturday. �We met with leaders of the protest [Friday] and I hope theyunderstand the situation, but if they don�t respect the ban... I am underobligation to crack down and disperse them."
Human rights groups and the Cambodian opposition condemned the governmentfor suppressing the protests, which they described as a violation of freespeech. #####