BP: Cover-up alleged in rape charge

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

June 21, 1999 
CRIME
Cover-up alleged in rape charge
House committee probing complaint

Supamart Kasem
The House Committee on Justice and Human Rights is investigating an
allegation a
local government councillor raped a 13-year-old Karen girl.
The complaint was made by the girl's mother, Ker Kae Aye, 41, a Karen refugee
in Mae La camp.
She told police her daughter was raped twice last month by Sombat Phimsi,
47, a
provincial councillor for Tha Song Yang district, when the girl accompanied
him
to Bangkok to sell cucumbers from his farm, where she was employed for 40 baht
a day.
A report by Tha Song Yang hospital, where she was examined, stated she had not
been molested.
Doctors from Medicine Sans Frontier, an NGO medical group, made a separate
examination and concluded she had indeed been raped.
MSF staff said the hospital could be trying to protect Mr Sombat and
petitioned
the Tak governor and the House committee, chaired by Larpsak Laparojkij.
Tha Song Yang police have charged Mr Sombat with rape and illegally hiring
foreign workers. He was allowed 200,000 baht bail.
Saw Tay Tay, secretary of the Karen Refugee Committee, took the girl to
testify
before the committee yesterday, and presented a copy of the MSF doctors'
report.
He said he was satisfied with the action being taken by Thai authorities.

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© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1999
Last Modified: Mon, Jun 21, 1999
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