Swathes of Cambodia's rainforests have been lost to loggingFriday, 1 June 2007
Cambodia elite 'stripping jungle'
BBC News
Top officials in Cambodia are involved in illegal logging and helping to strip the nation of its natural assets, an international watchdog has said.
Global Witness claims that legitimate land concessions are being used as a cover for criminal activity.
The London-based organisation has also accused international donors of failing to act to stop the trade.
The Cambodian authorities, as well as officials named in the report, have dismissed the allegations.
Forestry Administration director Ty Sokhun, one of the officials accused, described Global Witness as "insane, unprofessional people" with no knowledge of forestry.
A company director also named in the report described the charges as "unacceptable".
'Ransacked forests'
Global Witness accuses ministers, business people and relatives closely linked to Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as the military and police, of involvement in the alleged asset stripping.
The non-governmental organisation said that "legally dubious" permits for plantation developments and harvests are being handed out to a small group of people close to senior politicians.
Valuable, high-quality timber is being described as firewood to avoid detection and taxation, the group goes on.
"Logging is part of a massive asset stripping for the benefit of a small kleptocratic elite," Simon Taylor, Global Witness director, said.
"The forests of Cambodia have been ransacked over the past decade by this mafia with little or no benefit flowing down to the ordinary people," he added.
The 95-page report comes ahead of a meeting of international donors to discuss future aid to Cambodia.
"If Cambodia's donors want the country's natural resources to be managed in a way which benefits the Cambodian people, then they must confront the high-level corruption which allows [these groups] to operate," Mr Taylor said.
Global Witness used to act as the Cambodian government's official forestry monitor, but was expelled from the country a few years ago after relations between the two sides deteriorated.
Global Witness claims that legitimate land concessions are being used as a cover for criminal activity.
The London-based organisation has also accused international donors of failing to act to stop the trade.
The Cambodian authorities, as well as officials named in the report, have dismissed the allegations.
Forestry Administration director Ty Sokhun, one of the officials accused, described Global Witness as "insane, unprofessional people" with no knowledge of forestry.
A company director also named in the report described the charges as "unacceptable".
'Ransacked forests'
Global Witness accuses ministers, business people and relatives closely linked to Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as the military and police, of involvement in the alleged asset stripping.
The non-governmental organisation said that "legally dubious" permits for plantation developments and harvests are being handed out to a small group of people close to senior politicians.
Valuable, high-quality timber is being described as firewood to avoid detection and taxation, the group goes on.
"Logging is part of a massive asset stripping for the benefit of a small kleptocratic elite," Simon Taylor, Global Witness director, said.
"The forests of Cambodia have been ransacked over the past decade by this mafia with little or no benefit flowing down to the ordinary people," he added.
The 95-page report comes ahead of a meeting of international donors to discuss future aid to Cambodia.
"If Cambodia's donors want the country's natural resources to be managed in a way which benefits the Cambodian people, then they must confront the high-level corruption which allows [these groups] to operate," Mr Taylor said.
Global Witness used to act as the Cambodian government's official forestry monitor, but was expelled from the country a few years ago after relations between the two sides deteriorated.
11 comments:
Hun Sen is very famous for the whole world now.PHK Boston MASS.
yes, with the news on The Wall Street J., the BBC, and Fanancial Times, Hun Sen and the Familia now joint the world of the infamous.
12:21 AM You are a very smart,and Patriot Politician I Ever Seen, and I think the Cambodian Politician should be hire you as their Advisor,tell me your name what is PHK stand for??
Never see PHK before you must be newcomer in KI!
And Ithink he do not need job with the Current Gv
No, I think PHK have high
potential. We just need to see
if he can see through KI thick
smoke bombs.
Ty Sokun is a very corrupted and ignorant man....
Ah Hun one eye and all his crooks will destroy everything before they GO TO HELL.
Noope, that will be Ah Sam Nazi and
his clan.
Hun Sen family members and friends have been directly and indirectly involved in illegal logging. Look at AH HUN TO, AH HUN CHOCH! What are they doing? Why they become so rich, riding HAMMER car, escorted by many Land Cruisers and bodyguards, (Called bergers). And what is doing A SOEURN the planet Earth? He is still useful.The CPP keeps him for killing unwanted people.
It a VULTURE family.
Even so, we don't care because
the land is still here and the
forest can be replant. So, what's
a point of causing millions to
suffer from lack of jobs by
detering investors from commin in?
You have no right to do that,
you despicable idiot!
It's a very Big difference in term of Biodiversity between a Natural forest and forest with replanted trees. You must know that.
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