By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Ream National Park, located just outside Sihanoukville, is under assault by wealthy land-grabbers whose activities have helped clear a large swathe of the park's forest officials said Thursday.
Neou Karun, the park's director, said local villagers had been steadily clearing hundreds of hectares in the 21,000-hectare park since 2003. But since the government announced this year that Sihanoukville Airport would be renovated by the French-owned Societe Concessionaire des Aeroports and put back into use, mass encroachment and land speculation has begun, he said.
"Several senior government officials and rich people are involved in buying the state land, which is why I sent a report to the Ministry of Environment to take strong action," Neou Karun said by telephone.
He said that he has demanded documents signed by Ream commune chief Chan Rith showing to whom the state land has been transferred. Chan Rith could not be reached for comment.
Neou Karun said that the clearing occurred mostly at night.
In October, three men were arrested and sent to court for clearing trees while another 30 villagers have been reeducated this year for the same offense, he said.
Another provincial Environment Ministry official who declined to be named said that 70 percent of the park's forest has been cut down, and plots of land are now being illegally sold off for between $300 and $5,000 per hectare.
In anticipation of tourism development due to the renovation of the airport, land along major roads is increasing in value, he said.
Sihanoukville Municipal Governor Say Hak said he was too busy to speak to a reporter.
Neou Karun, the park's director, said local villagers had been steadily clearing hundreds of hectares in the 21,000-hectare park since 2003. But since the government announced this year that Sihanoukville Airport would be renovated by the French-owned Societe Concessionaire des Aeroports and put back into use, mass encroachment and land speculation has begun, he said.
"Several senior government officials and rich people are involved in buying the state land, which is why I sent a report to the Ministry of Environment to take strong action," Neou Karun said by telephone.
He said that he has demanded documents signed by Ream commune chief Chan Rith showing to whom the state land has been transferred. Chan Rith could not be reached for comment.
Neou Karun said that the clearing occurred mostly at night.
In October, three men were arrested and sent to court for clearing trees while another 30 villagers have been reeducated this year for the same offense, he said.
Another provincial Environment Ministry official who declined to be named said that 70 percent of the park's forest has been cut down, and plots of land are now being illegally sold off for between $300 and $5,000 per hectare.
In anticipation of tourism development due to the renovation of the airport, land along major roads is increasing in value, he said.
Sihanoukville Municipal Governor Say Hak said he was too busy to speak to a reporter.
1 comment:
Go ahead Sir! You can do anything you want since you are CPP and Supporters of the Strongan.
But when you died' you need only 2 metres squares to burry your rotten corpse.
And your bad reputation will rest for ever.
Go. go. go....
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