Hun Sen flanked by Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces General Ke Kimyan (L) and Minister of Defence General Tea Banh (R) (Photo: Cambodia's Family Trees, Global Witness)
Sok Keo (L) and her husband Chan Sarun (M) meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni (R) at a Cambodian Red Cross event, May 2005 (Photo: Cambodia's Family Trees, Global Witness)Cambodian government bans environmental watchdog report
DPA
Phnom Penh - The Cambodian government on Sunday banned circulation of a report by London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness connecting high-ranking politicians to illegal logging, claiming it was politically motivated.
A statement signed by government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the government had found that the report issued Friday was unfounded, and had been written in retribution for the group being banned from the country in 2005.
The statement said the Information Ministry would work together with Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Keng to ensure copies of the report already distributed in Cambodia were collected and removed.
'The government welcomes freedom of the press ... the government is (normally) happy to work with any non-government organization,' the statement said, but added that it had concluded that this was a politically motivated document, the content of which was unacceptable.
In the report issued Friday ahead of a June 19 meeting of international donors and the Cambodian government, Global Witness claimed that the families of high-ranking officials of the Cambodian government, including the Forestry Minister Chan Sarun and Prime Minister Hun Sen, had engaged in a highly organized 'ransacking' of Cambodia's forests.
The Global Witness report, entitled Cambodia's Family Trees, claimed comprehensive illegal logging had taken place in one case under the guise of a government-owned rubber company and called on donors to make the government accountable.
On Friday, Sarun said he was considering legal action and strongly denied the claims.
Global Witness was sacked as the government's independent consultant on forestry crime in 2003. It was later banned from the country altogether and individuals linked to the group have since claimed they have been denied visas.
The government statement claimed the group's report was 'revenge' for its dismissal and a direct and unfounded attack on the elected government with a clear political motive.
The government statement was released ahead of a special meeting of the Cambodian Council of Ministers scheduled for Monday on possible further action, according to an Information Ministry spokesman.
A statement signed by government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the government had found that the report issued Friday was unfounded, and had been written in retribution for the group being banned from the country in 2005.
The statement said the Information Ministry would work together with Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Keng to ensure copies of the report already distributed in Cambodia were collected and removed.
'The government welcomes freedom of the press ... the government is (normally) happy to work with any non-government organization,' the statement said, but added that it had concluded that this was a politically motivated document, the content of which was unacceptable.
In the report issued Friday ahead of a June 19 meeting of international donors and the Cambodian government, Global Witness claimed that the families of high-ranking officials of the Cambodian government, including the Forestry Minister Chan Sarun and Prime Minister Hun Sen, had engaged in a highly organized 'ransacking' of Cambodia's forests.
The Global Witness report, entitled Cambodia's Family Trees, claimed comprehensive illegal logging had taken place in one case under the guise of a government-owned rubber company and called on donors to make the government accountable.
On Friday, Sarun said he was considering legal action and strongly denied the claims.
Global Witness was sacked as the government's independent consultant on forestry crime in 2003. It was later banned from the country altogether and individuals linked to the group have since claimed they have been denied visas.
The government statement claimed the group's report was 'revenge' for its dismissal and a direct and unfounded attack on the elected government with a clear political motive.
The government statement was released ahead of a special meeting of the Cambodian Council of Ministers scheduled for Monday on possible further action, according to an Information Ministry spokesman.
11 comments:
This Global witness report on illegal logging in Cambodia should be made available to all the Ministers for the Environment of the donor countries (except China and Japan). It should be also sent to the well known organisation called "Green Peace" of which the members are very capable to protect the environment.
There is a big concert for the world climate change on the 7th of July 2007, people who have the report should lobby Al Gore to publicly denounce the illegal logging in Cambodia on that day.
The deforestation in Cambodia must be stopped...
Kiev Kannarith is baseless saying about the book reported by Global Witness.
He said this org. is politicizing, illegal and no references....but in reality if you read that book, you will see in the page of reference that consists of letters for clearification from those individuals as well as their many years research in Cambodia.
Those government officials have no sense of responsibility at all, they are only trying to manipulate our uneducated people....
They are worse than guilty persons...
Wrong, Global witness' report is
base solely on roumors. At one
time, the claimed that Yuon was
logging in Cambodia, not to
mention they even blamed our
firt lady for logging also, which
is rediculous. Just because she
loan people money, as normal
khmer love to do to make interest,
Global witness claimed that it
was for deforestation. That is
just outrageous accusation.
Global Witness was banned from Cambodia for telling the truth. They continue to tell the truth. This is exactly what is needed to remove Cambodia from the grip of the thugs and thieves currently running the country. Great work GW!!!
Wrong, when they claimed that khmer
women has interest in lumbers and
woods, then they don't know what
they are talking about, period.
What Kheu Knahrith said to RFA When asked about the Gobal Wittness report?: "Gobal wittness has lost credibility among Cambodian Government and International Communities". In fact it's the contrary. GW has financioal support from many donors , including UK government US congress and businessmen...It's HUn Sen government which has lost it credibility.
K. Kanharith is a famous PLAYBOY and a servile Cleaner of Hun Sen family's Buttocks.
Ah Khiev Kan Rith is stupid drunk and crazy these days. This moron is acting like Chke Chkout, why? because his missing brother was eaten by Chke Youn. Ha ha ha ha.
The CCP criminals fear the truth, that is why they try to ban the Global Witness Report. Honest people will not be afraid to face such allegations head on.
If they think that the Global Witness Report is false, without proof and based on rumour, just take that organisation to the International Court, not Cambodia's corrupt courts. It is just that simple.
Fear no ban! If there is a will there is a way, and the Report will find its way to all concerned people. The ban will actually fuel people's curiosity to look for it, and I am one of them! Downloading is in good progress, thank you ...
Wrong, Global witness' report is
based on clearly research in detail
on proofs. At all the time, it claimed
since 1995 that ah Hun Sen and his
family are the corruption source of
deforestation in Cambodia. That is
the very right fruitful research of
GLOBAL WITNESS.
All of you guy are wrong,Idiot and Stupid, If you guy would like to know much more about Cambodian Politics you should ask me or buy me 2 or 3 Srey Youn and I'm glad to tell you 100% comment Boston Mass.
It's disgusting to see the Generals without any value called AH PHKAY CHOR.
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