30 Nov 2006
By Sav Yuth Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
In Sandan and Santouk disctricts, Kompong Thom province, illegal logging activities are on the rise this dry season with logs being transported out to be sold at night time.
Several villagers located from O-Pok area and Mean Rith commune, and all the way to Prey-O and Kampoub Ambil areas, claimed that the illegal logging activities are perpetrated in full swing by culprits who live in the Tumring commune area, Sandan district, near Rumchek and Prey O-Kamphen: “They log trees and transport them out in long trucks. It you want to see the extent of destruction, I will take you there.”
Villagers claim that those involved in the logging are people in power, with the participation of local armed police officers and government forestry officials. Villagers said that, each night, at least two to three trucks came in to illegally transport the logs from a wooded area near the gravelly road leading to Kompong Thmar market, Baray district, Kompong Thom province.
An anonymous man who work as a driver and now lives in Kompong Thmar market, told RFA by phone that he is transporting logs out of the forest to sell to merchants in the city everyday, using a passenger car. There is no arrest made if he pays bribes to economic police, military police, and government forestry officials stationed along the road. He said that logs had been transported to sell all the way to Prek Kdam area, and in Boeung Trabek market in Phnom Penh city. The driver said: “Along the road, there are government forestry officials, economic police from the department and the provincial one, and military police. The forestry official is bought for $10, the military police for about 20,000 to 30,000 riels ($5 to $7.50), and the regular police for 20,000 to 30,000 riels, depending on the load.”
Vong, the military police chief of Sandan district, accused the current logging activities on the villagers who need wood for construction. He said that the logging was not perpetrated by merchants and illegal culprits. Van Sophanna, an official at the forestry department north of Tonle Sap lake, recognized that illegal logging for sale is indeed being perpetrated because of the forest is located deep in, and the illegal perpetrators can easily transport the logs from the forest to Kompong Cham and Kompong Thom provinces.
Van Sophanna admitted that forestry officials have difficulties to fight the illegal logging because the perpetrators are armed with guns and arrows, and they shoot at the authorities. Furthermore, they have a close network allowing them to know the actions taken by the authority. “It is difficult to fight in deep forest located far away, those who are supposed to protect the area are working with the culprits who know very well our activities so they can do the logging in secret.”
Forestry officials indicated that since the beginning of 2006, more than 100 cubic meters of timber have been confiscated from the criminals and several areas in the forest are currently under constant logging assault.
Several villagers located from O-Pok area and Mean Rith commune, and all the way to Prey-O and Kampoub Ambil areas, claimed that the illegal logging activities are perpetrated in full swing by culprits who live in the Tumring commune area, Sandan district, near Rumchek and Prey O-Kamphen: “They log trees and transport them out in long trucks. It you want to see the extent of destruction, I will take you there.”
Villagers claim that those involved in the logging are people in power, with the participation of local armed police officers and government forestry officials. Villagers said that, each night, at least two to three trucks came in to illegally transport the logs from a wooded area near the gravelly road leading to Kompong Thmar market, Baray district, Kompong Thom province.
An anonymous man who work as a driver and now lives in Kompong Thmar market, told RFA by phone that he is transporting logs out of the forest to sell to merchants in the city everyday, using a passenger car. There is no arrest made if he pays bribes to economic police, military police, and government forestry officials stationed along the road. He said that logs had been transported to sell all the way to Prek Kdam area, and in Boeung Trabek market in Phnom Penh city. The driver said: “Along the road, there are government forestry officials, economic police from the department and the provincial one, and military police. The forestry official is bought for $10, the military police for about 20,000 to 30,000 riels ($5 to $7.50), and the regular police for 20,000 to 30,000 riels, depending on the load.”
Vong, the military police chief of Sandan district, accused the current logging activities on the villagers who need wood for construction. He said that the logging was not perpetrated by merchants and illegal culprits. Van Sophanna, an official at the forestry department north of Tonle Sap lake, recognized that illegal logging for sale is indeed being perpetrated because of the forest is located deep in, and the illegal perpetrators can easily transport the logs from the forest to Kompong Cham and Kompong Thom provinces.
Van Sophanna admitted that forestry officials have difficulties to fight the illegal logging because the perpetrators are armed with guns and arrows, and they shoot at the authorities. Furthermore, they have a close network allowing them to know the actions taken by the authority. “It is difficult to fight in deep forest located far away, those who are supposed to protect the area are working with the culprits who know very well our activities so they can do the logging in secret.”
Forestry officials indicated that since the beginning of 2006, more than 100 cubic meters of timber have been confiscated from the criminals and several areas in the forest are currently under constant logging assault.
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