Minister of Agriculture clarifies about illegal logging19 October 2007
By Huy Vannak
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
On Thursday morning, for the first time, the minister of agriculture, forestry and fishery, provided clarification to the National Assembly (NA) on important issues involving illegal logging in Cambodia.
The clarification of the minister of agriculture, Chan Sarun, was done based on a request made by MP Son Chhay who demanded that the minister explains on at least 5 points.
Regarding the question of illegal logging on more than 5,000 hectares in the Tumring area of Kampong Thom province, Chan Sarun clarified by saying: “After seeing that the Chub rubber plantation no longer has the ability to expand its area to plant rubber trees anymore, Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has a long term vision, said that we must find additional lands that are fertile for rubber trees planting in order to expand the capacity of these rubber plantations.”
Regarding MP Son Chhay’s question about the ministry of agriculture’s authorization to allow the Seng Keang company to conduct business on the harvested woods, Chan Sarun said: “(Regarding) the transfer of land, if the government decides about the transfer, there is no need to think about preserving the forest, it’s a transfer for other crop plantations. Therefore, we transfer (the lands) just like Malaysia, they cut down the trees to plant palm tress, then they cut down the palm trees to plant something else. This is the transfer, but after the transfer, we talk about “cutting down all the trees,” because we feel sorry about the cutting of the trees, we gave the right to a private company, that was the Seng Keang company, to do business with all these trees (that were cut down) … (and they) have to pay tax to the government before they can take the woods to sell.”
After Chan Sarun’s 2-hour clarification, MP Son Chhay told a group of reporters: “There are some points which we didn’t know and were clarified, however, on important issues, they went unanswered. We know about the issue of using (government officials’) relatives to do business, that is they gave the right to their relatives to do business for them, this happens in many ministries. And, the ministry of agriculture is a ministry which is involved the most in this type of dealings. Like I raised about the issue of the Seng Keang company, this case involves the brother-in-law (of Chan Sarun), his nephew-in-law (Ty Sokhun) who is the director of the forestry department, for example. For this case we must settle the account, and for this case, the tribunal should investigate.”
Chan Sarun was also questioned about the land concessions for the development of rubber plantations also.
Regarding illegal logging, on 01 June 2007, the London-based Global Witness environmental protection organization issued a report about illegal logging perpetrated on thousands on hectares of lands in a number of provinces in Cambodia. These illegal logging activities were conducted by relatives of Cambodian government leaders.
Immediately after the Global Witness publication, the Cambodian authority issued a ban on its distribution, and it also rejected the report titled “Cambodia’s Famity Trees” (in Khmer: “Relatives of the thieves of the nation”). The government accused the report of having a political aim, and it was a revenge against the government of Cambodia which kicked Global Witness out of the country in 2003.
Nevertheless, MP Son Chhay hoped that there will be more questioning about illegal logging in the future.
The clarification of the minister of agriculture, Chan Sarun, was done based on a request made by MP Son Chhay who demanded that the minister explains on at least 5 points.
Regarding the question of illegal logging on more than 5,000 hectares in the Tumring area of Kampong Thom province, Chan Sarun clarified by saying: “After seeing that the Chub rubber plantation no longer has the ability to expand its area to plant rubber trees anymore, Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has a long term vision, said that we must find additional lands that are fertile for rubber trees planting in order to expand the capacity of these rubber plantations.”
Regarding MP Son Chhay’s question about the ministry of agriculture’s authorization to allow the Seng Keang company to conduct business on the harvested woods, Chan Sarun said: “(Regarding) the transfer of land, if the government decides about the transfer, there is no need to think about preserving the forest, it’s a transfer for other crop plantations. Therefore, we transfer (the lands) just like Malaysia, they cut down the trees to plant palm tress, then they cut down the palm trees to plant something else. This is the transfer, but after the transfer, we talk about “cutting down all the trees,” because we feel sorry about the cutting of the trees, we gave the right to a private company, that was the Seng Keang company, to do business with all these trees (that were cut down) … (and they) have to pay tax to the government before they can take the woods to sell.”
After Chan Sarun’s 2-hour clarification, MP Son Chhay told a group of reporters: “There are some points which we didn’t know and were clarified, however, on important issues, they went unanswered. We know about the issue of using (government officials’) relatives to do business, that is they gave the right to their relatives to do business for them, this happens in many ministries. And, the ministry of agriculture is a ministry which is involved the most in this type of dealings. Like I raised about the issue of the Seng Keang company, this case involves the brother-in-law (of Chan Sarun), his nephew-in-law (Ty Sokhun) who is the director of the forestry department, for example. For this case we must settle the account, and for this case, the tribunal should investigate.”
Chan Sarun was also questioned about the land concessions for the development of rubber plantations also.
Regarding illegal logging, on 01 June 2007, the London-based Global Witness environmental protection organization issued a report about illegal logging perpetrated on thousands on hectares of lands in a number of provinces in Cambodia. These illegal logging activities were conducted by relatives of Cambodian government leaders.
Immediately after the Global Witness publication, the Cambodian authority issued a ban on its distribution, and it also rejected the report titled “Cambodia’s Famity Trees” (in Khmer: “Relatives of the thieves of the nation”). The government accused the report of having a political aim, and it was a revenge against the government of Cambodia which kicked Global Witness out of the country in 2003.
Nevertheless, MP Son Chhay hoped that there will be more questioning about illegal logging in the future.
19 comments:
Men use thought only to justify their wrongdoings, and speech only to conceal their thought.
What his real Chin name.Ngor ...?
He has that typical smile,I fooled you, PMs.
This is one ugly SOB!!!! His eyes like crab's eyes, nose a water buffalo, and mouth definitely like my ass.
Dear MP SON CHHAY
Thank you for your effort on bringing minister responsible for forestry to clarify in parliament,
for the nation interest.
I wish this kind of action will continue for sreening and transparency and being accountable in ministry role.
Urgent need to pass the corruption laws to ensure that benefits get absorbed by civil citizens.Shall MP sok an is called for his action of delay in passing the laws for which will encourage investers to do buisiness in cambodia,apart from all unclear activities.
These crony activities for controlling cambodia should be brought to our king's attention where he has roles to maintain stability as stipulated in articles 8 and 9.
Thank again MP
Neang SA
Yeah right, Sok An call for passing Anti-Corruption Law? I won't hold my breath on that because that is a bit like reserving room in Prey Sor for himself for land grabbing.
yes, chan sarun is ngor haing's (killing fields actor) brother.
in haing ngor's updated autobiography and renamed "survival in the killing fields" it updates the reader about chan sarun and how ngor haing's reputation was damaged because of his relationship to chan sarun
The Chinese saying "there are 2 kinds of men are good: buried & unborn."
Mr.Chan Sarun is a Patriot For Khmer People and he should be the next Cambodian Leader for 2008 and Khmer People lived in abroad should invite him to come to visit you guys.comment by Ek Oudoum Long Saroath.
True, that is why angels stayed in the spirit's world instead of come here.
Soon Cambodia will have no other specie kind of trees and only rubber tree!
Most dirt poor Cambodian people depend on many different kind of plants and special kind of trees for traditional medicine!
Tree is tree, and to get out of poverty, we need tree that make money.
As for herbs and spices, they can grow that around their house.
The Viets have trained senior CPP members quite well, one of the important skills is how to evade the real issue. If the question is about oxen, your answer should be about buffaloes. If the question is about the white colour, your answer should be about the blue colour. The given answer must be long and numerous references must be made to the win-win strategy of Samdech Hun Sen to scare other people who may also want to ask questions. Then, the question time is run out, and you get on with your dirty businesses as usual.
Most of the time, the senior CPP members just copy each other's speeches to use in a situation that is totally irrelevant to what they are talking about. It is like asking a parrot to make comments on important issues in Cambodia. So, we can now be assured that the future of Cambodia will be very bright when these hoodlums and Viet puppets are in charge.
Hun Sen should be called to ask; why he did not want the corruption law be passed and immigration dept be established?
Minister in Education, Information,Economy,Agriculture, ect..... are the Chief of Violent and corrupt networks on the planet.
This one may ever fill asham of its public servant. Look at its thick, shamful, shrin and conjure senseless face here, is that mean anything to you? when country's crying for help every day. Leecher,
Cambodia gets the goverment and ministers they deserve. If you dont want these men and their laws VOTE THEM OUT NEXT YEAR
Wrong, 9:41, Hun Sen did not impeded against the needed Anti-Corruption law. He had called for the National Assembly to pass it. Now it is up to the parliamentarians to vote to pass it, but they all out campaigning for the election.
Wrong 11:46 AM, Hun Sen is the master of CPP, the Cambodian congress, and the useless Royal family. If Hun Sen wants anything done, it will be done. Remember the border law with Vietnam? Hun Sen does not want an anti-corruption law because he does not want to declare his stolen wealth to the public.
Yeah, but the Anti-corruption law has nothing to do with Hun Sen wealth.
It's take 2 weeks to pass the 2 wifes law. And the anti-corruption law, it's will take... euh euh.
Well, I don't know
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