It seems that the American press decided to ignore last Sunday's huge funeral for slain Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea -- the only decent coverage seems to be from sources outside the U.S.!! (Please forward this story to others!)...


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www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_1031329.htm



Funeral for Cambodian union leader



In Cambodia, thousands of people have joined a silent funeral march for Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea, who was killed last week.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy led more than 10,000 people through the capital Phnom Penh to the site of the cremation near the National Assembly.

It was the first mass gathering allowed since July's disputed general election.

Many of the mourners wore black headbands and carried wreaths in honour of the 36-year old union leader who was shot in broad daylight on a Phnom Penh street on Thursday.

The opposition has called the killing a political assassination.

After stopping to lay a wreath at the spot where Chea Vichea was shot, Sam Rainsy told mourners the death of his fellow activist would not derail the fight for a fairer society.



25/01/2004 18:00:37 | ABC Radio Australia News


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www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BKK262701.htm

25 Jan 2004 02:38:43 GMT


Thousands of Cambodians march for slain unionist


PHNOM PENH, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Thousands of people joined a silent funeral march on Sunday for Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea, killed last week in what the opposition says was another political assassination in the troubled country.

In the first mass gathering the government has allowed since a disputed general election in July, opposition leader Sam Rainsy led more than 10,000 people on a march towards the cremation site in Phnom Penh.

Many of the mourners, wearing black headbands calling Chea Vichea a "worker's hero", were women from the garment factories where he had fought to improve working conditions for nearly five years.

Frequently at odds with the powerful business and political interests which control Cambodia, Chea Vichea was shot dead on a Phnom Penh street on Thursday while reading a newspaper at a news stand.


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www.japantoday.com/e/



Thousands mourn slain Cambodian labor leader



Sunday, January 25, 2004 at 17:28 JST

PHNOM PENH — More than 20,000 people attended a funeral march Sunday for labor leader Chea Vichea, who was shot dead this week in an apparent politically motivated killing.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy led the procession of mourners through the capital to a cremation site near the Royal Palace. (Kyodo News)


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For links to photos, see: search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/


Other articles are at:

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3427207.stm

www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3665342,00.html


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