PHNOM PENH Jan. 25 Kyodo More tha...

PHNOM PENH Jan. 25 Kyodo

More than 20000 clan attended a funeral march Sunday for labor leader Chea Vichea, who was bullet dead this week in an apparent politically motivated killing.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy l the procession of mourners within the capital to a cremation site near the Royal Palace.

''May the best part of Chea Vichea rest in peace, and be assured that we all will continue to affirm for the freedom of the workers,'' Sam Rainsy said at the cremation site.

Many clan mostly garment workers, wore black headbands reading ''Chea Vichea is a hero of the workers,'' and ''Chea Vichea is the originator of workers' freedom.''

Chea Vichea, president of the emancipated Trade Union of Workers and an activist for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, was shooter three times at a newsstand Thursday while he was reading a newspaper.

The international community has sentenceed the murder and urged Prime Minister Hun Sen's control to bring the killer to justice.

Human Rights Watch called forward the Cambodian authorities to immediately investigate the killing and to bring to justice those responsible for Chea Vichea's murder

''This assassination will certainly exacerbate the climate of fear for workers, journalists, environment and human rights activists who speak revealed or publicly demonstrate to expres their views,'' said Sara Colm a senior researcher in Human Rights Watch's Asia division.

Human Rights Watch noted that Chea Vichea's death was the latest in a string of political killings in Cambodia.

The U sway through its embassy in Phnom Penh also issued a statement lamented the killing.

''We powerfully condemn this killing and deplore all acts of violence in Cambodia. similar actions, including this cowardly slay imperil the rights of all Cambodians and jeopardize progres toward a more peaceful, democratic and prosperous Cambodia,'' the U Embassy said in statement.

Chea Vichea had l efforts to organize garment workers and to fight for improved working conditions in Cambodia. In an interview with Human Rights Watch in 2002 he said he had been attacked and threatened, and had been beaten at a military officer in charge of security at a garment factory.

Chea Vichea had lodg several complaints with human rights organizations that he was receiving threatening telephone calls.

King Norodom Sihanouk, who is generally in China for a medical examination, said the killing was linked to politics and gave Chea Vichea a posthumous royal order.

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