Doug Bereuter: “I, of course, rise in strong support of it. It condemns the tragic and unprovoked grenade attack that occurred on Easter…”

“I, of course, rise in strong support of it. It condemns the tragic and unprovoked grenade attack that occurred on Easter Sunday morning at a political rally in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia has, of course, made tremendous strides toward democracy since the killing fields of Pol Pot and the Vietnamese occupation, but serious problems remain. There are real concerns about the deterioration of human rights problems in that country. The most troubling in a string of recent violent incidents occurred on Easter morning, March 30, at a morning rally before the National Assembly building in Phnom Penh. Unknown assailants threw handgrenades into a peaceful rally being held by several opposition parties. Almost certainly the target of this highly coordinated attack was Sam Rainsy, the former finance minister and the leader of the opposition Khmer National Party. Mr. Rainsy escaped serious injury only because his bodyguard sacrificed his life when shielding him from the blast. Although it is difficult to get a firm number, at least 16 individuals were killed and over 100 were wounded.”