Illegal Gem Mine in R'kiri Operates 'Round the Clock
By Thet Sambath
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
An illegal sapphire and ruby mining operation in Ratanakkiri province's Bokeo district has ramped up production to 24 hours per day, residents of La Minh commune's Muoy village said Tuesday. "Before they just mined in the daytime but they've started to operate at night as well," said villager Em Yon. The villagers have complained about the illegal mine since 2004, claiming the mining operation has destroyed the Lvea River by filling it with silt. "It’s not just that the water is dirty but it’s also flowing down river and destroying the villagers' crops," Em Yon said. An official with Ratanakkiri's environment department said on condition of anonymity that the 5-hectare mining site has never been shut down because the department could not do it alone. The mine has long been reported to have the protection of the most senior echelons of government. Ratanakkiri deputy provincial police chief Hot Ang maintained that his entire force has been unable to stop the miners. "When we go to crack down, they hide their machines and run away," he said. Ratanakkiri's Governor Muong Poy said he knew nothing about the mine.
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