Rest in Peace Christopher Howse... finally.

Four ex-members of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge have been jailed for their part in the murder of Christopher Howse and his interpreter Houn Hourth.

Posted by Paul Whitrow, 15th October, 2008 | Permalink

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Christopher Howse

Finally, after 13 years, the family and we the friends of Christopher Howse and Houn Hourth, have at the very least a little justice for the murders of our loved ones.

Christopher had been clearing explosives for the charity, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), in north-west Cambodia when he and his interpreter were kidnapped and killed in 1996.

Four ex-members of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge have been jailed for their part in the murder of the British mine-clearer and his interpreter. Three were jailed for 20 years and a fourth for 10 years, while a fifth man was acquitted by the Phnom Penh court.

Chris was leading an MAG operation near the city of Siem Reap when his team was abducted.

The kidnappers asked Chris to return to his office to collect ransom money, but he refused to leave his team. Although more than 30 members of the team were released or escaped, Chris and Houn were killed.

"We feel that justice has been done at last" : Patricia Phillips - Chris' sister

Why should I bother writing about this? Because Chris was a close friend of mine. I knew him for several years and frequently raised a jar with him. His friendship is missed beyond measure, and magnified by the indignant way in which he was taken. Shot in the back by the very people he was trying to help.

We, his friends, have spent a lot of time with his family and saw first hand how the loss ravaged them. Over the years they were subjected to many rumors, conflicting reports and false hopes as 'news' of his escape or fate were periodically released. But with this final piece of news, his father Roy, his late mother Betty, and his sister Pat can now, at least to some degree, have closure on the loss of Chris.

Unfortunately we lost Betty earlier this year but I'm sure she would welcome the news, and I know that we his friends will be raising a glass or two to him this weekend, and recounting stories of the man and his adventures (most of which we could never tell Roy)!

Chris, here's one for you mate - I just hope it's cold enough!

Below are some links to the the story of Chris and Houn as it unfolded in the news:

22nd Nov 1997
Reward offered for kidnapped Briton
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

26th Mar 1998
Kidnapped Briton remains 'top priority'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

14th April 1998
Kidnapped Briton 'killed'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

25th May 1998
Parents grieve for murdered hostage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

14th October 2008
Four jailed for Cambodia murders
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

14th October 2008
Shot charity worker was 'exceptional'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/des
patches/33541.stm

Posted on Wednesday 15th October, 2008 at 12:46 pm by Paul Whitrow, and filed under Announcements and Family