Gov't Mysteriously Drops Nat'l Park Destruction Suit
By Yun Samean and John Maloy
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Ministry of Environment has dropped an appeal in a lawsuit against a paper plantation company that the ministry accused of destroying sections of a Koh Kong province national park, attorneys said Sunday.
Environment Ministry attorney Ket Khy said the appeal, which was filed in Koh Kong Provincial Court against the Green Rich Co Ltd was dropped last month by the ministry for unknown reasons.
"I am sad because the company destroyed a large swath of national property," Ket Khy said.
Green Rich's attorney Kar Savuth confirmed that the case had been dropped.
"Everything has already been cleared up," he said, before declining to comment further.
Green Rich received an 18,000-hectare concession from the Environment Ministry in Botum Sakor National Park to plant eucalyptus and acacia trees in 1998.
But the ministry ended up seeking $1 million in compensation from the company, accusing them of constructing a road without permission through the park and cutting down trees outside the area of the concession.
The Koh Kong Provincial Court threw the case out in November 2005 after a bizarre hearing where the Council for the Development of Cambodia and the Ministry of Agriculture came to the defense of Green Rich.
It was unclear at the time why the Agriculture Ministry had become involved in the lawsuit, as national parks fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment only. The Ministry of Environment said it would appeal the verdict at the time.
Ministry of Environment Secretary of State Prach Sun said he did not know anything about the lawsuit, and referred all questions to Technical Director General Lonh Heal and Secretary of State Yin Kim Sean.
Lonh Heal said that he was unaware of the case. Yin Kim Sean said he had no information to give and directed all questions to Minister Mok Mareth, who could not be contacted Sunday.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay said that Mok Mareth told him during a parliamentary session earlier this year that his ministry had solid evidence against Green Rich. Son Chhay said that if Mok Mareth's information were true, the government must have decided to sweep this matter under the carpet because of the investment dollars involved.
"The money spoke better than the facts," Son Chhay said.
Environment Ministry attorney Ket Khy said the appeal, which was filed in Koh Kong Provincial Court against the Green Rich Co Ltd was dropped last month by the ministry for unknown reasons.
"I am sad because the company destroyed a large swath of national property," Ket Khy said.
Green Rich's attorney Kar Savuth confirmed that the case had been dropped.
"Everything has already been cleared up," he said, before declining to comment further.
Green Rich received an 18,000-hectare concession from the Environment Ministry in Botum Sakor National Park to plant eucalyptus and acacia trees in 1998.
But the ministry ended up seeking $1 million in compensation from the company, accusing them of constructing a road without permission through the park and cutting down trees outside the area of the concession.
The Koh Kong Provincial Court threw the case out in November 2005 after a bizarre hearing where the Council for the Development of Cambodia and the Ministry of Agriculture came to the defense of Green Rich.
It was unclear at the time why the Agriculture Ministry had become involved in the lawsuit, as national parks fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment only. The Ministry of Environment said it would appeal the verdict at the time.
Ministry of Environment Secretary of State Prach Sun said he did not know anything about the lawsuit, and referred all questions to Technical Director General Lonh Heal and Secretary of State Yin Kim Sean.
Lonh Heal said that he was unaware of the case. Yin Kim Sean said he had no information to give and directed all questions to Minister Mok Mareth, who could not be contacted Sunday.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay said that Mok Mareth told him during a parliamentary session earlier this year that his ministry had solid evidence against Green Rich. Son Chhay said that if Mok Mareth's information were true, the government must have decided to sweep this matter under the carpet because of the investment dollars involved.
"The money spoke better than the facts," Son Chhay said.
1 comment:
HA! HHA! HA! The environmental Minister got bribe again. Money talked is better than the lawsuit. Usually the high ranking officials(generals) are never go to jail and rich with million dollars. But in some case they got find $250; it is not a big deal. it is called the name of the game that they played to be rich.
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