By Koeut Samrech
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
According to sources among NGO officials in Battambang province, forest crimes in Battambang, the empire under the control of Prach Chan, a confidant of Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, have never subsided. These crimes continue to be committed noisily around the clock. It can be said that in all districts where there are some residual forests, such as Samlot, Phnum Proek, Kamrieng, and Sampeou Lun, illegal, anarchic logging activities continue unabated, and the provincial authorities and competent agencies concerned have not taken any step to suppress these criminal activities.
The sources further said that at present the poaching of luxury trees in the forest preserve of movie star Angelina Jolie in Samlot district is taking place with a frightening frenzy. The crime perpetrators are said to be in a systematic collusion with the district authorities, forest administration agents, environment protection officials, and police, military police, and military forces. This is the reason why they can do whatever they please. Without this systematic complicity of the authorities and agencies concerned, the felons would not be able to log luxury trees and transport and process them illegally with such liberty.
An unofficial source hinted that Battambang Provincial Governor Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration are well aware of the widespread illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. However, probably because of personal interests, Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration have acted as if they know nothing about these forest crimes despite being strongly criticized. When the illegal logging and other forests crimes in Samlot district are widely known and heard of by the public, Prach Chan shameless maintains that he knows nothing.
Some observers said that maybe Prach Chan needs money to help support Sar Kheng's campaign in the 27 July 2008 elections. This may be the reason that prompted Prach Chan to tolerate the dangerously large-scaled illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. Otherwise, Prach Chan would have taken some measures to effectively stop these illegal activities because the criminals do not have greater power than the provincial governor. In giving green light to such dangerously destructive logging activities and then irresponsibly defending himself that he knows nothing, Prach Chan is committing an extremely shameful act.
As for NGO officials in Pursat province, they also disclosed that currently the logging of luxury trees in Phnum Kravanh and Krakor districts is going on in full swing day and night. The loggers who are denuding forests of good wood in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts of Pursat province show no sign of fear of the district or provincial authorities. These illegal loggers can carry out their forest-stripping activities like people going to a temple fair, that is, in a very festive mood, whereas the ordinary citizens are prohibited from entering the forests even just to forage for fuel wood.
The NGO officials in Pursat province expressed suspicion that Governor Chhay Saret and the provincial forest administration chief themselves probably are the ringleaders behind the criminals who are logging luxury trees in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts. Otherwise, Chhay Saret and the forest administration chief of Pursat province would have taken effective measures to stop these illegal loggers from cutting luxury trees and destroying the forests on such a large scale. It can be said that the forest crimes of logging luxury trees and transporting them out of the forests in Pursat province enjoys the systematic collusion of the provincial and district authorities and other corrupt agents concerned. This explains why these crimes have been going on so smoothly.
While the illegal logging of luxury trees in Pursat and Battambang provinces are taking place in full swing, the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam is also being perpetrated with no secrets. The illegal timber merchants are transporting contraband wood to Vietnam through a number of border passes, such as the border pass in Takev province, the K'am Samnar pass in Leuk Dek district, Kandal province, and the Chrey Thom pass in Kaoh Thom district, Kandal province. The traders who smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass have Ney Charei, deputy provincial governor of Kandal province, as their protector. Ney Charei brags that no one dares touch him because he is a brother-in-law of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the advisory council of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
According to a source in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries who asked to remain anonymous, Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture, and Ty Sokun, head of the forest administration, are well aware of all the logging crimes in Battambang and Pursat provinces and in all other provinces of the country, as well as the smuggling of luxury wood to Vietnam. However, probably because of their personal interests involved these two big shots have remained silent despite the fact that both have their names listed in the "Cambodia's Family Trees" report of Global Witness. Moreover, to many people's knowledge, relatives of Chan Sarun and Ty Sokun are also implicated in the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam.
The sources further said that at present the poaching of luxury trees in the forest preserve of movie star Angelina Jolie in Samlot district is taking place with a frightening frenzy. The crime perpetrators are said to be in a systematic collusion with the district authorities, forest administration agents, environment protection officials, and police, military police, and military forces. This is the reason why they can do whatever they please. Without this systematic complicity of the authorities and agencies concerned, the felons would not be able to log luxury trees and transport and process them illegally with such liberty.
An unofficial source hinted that Battambang Provincial Governor Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration are well aware of the widespread illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. However, probably because of personal interests, Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration have acted as if they know nothing about these forest crimes despite being strongly criticized. When the illegal logging and other forests crimes in Samlot district are widely known and heard of by the public, Prach Chan shameless maintains that he knows nothing.
Some observers said that maybe Prach Chan needs money to help support Sar Kheng's campaign in the 27 July 2008 elections. This may be the reason that prompted Prach Chan to tolerate the dangerously large-scaled illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. Otherwise, Prach Chan would have taken some measures to effectively stop these illegal activities because the criminals do not have greater power than the provincial governor. In giving green light to such dangerously destructive logging activities and then irresponsibly defending himself that he knows nothing, Prach Chan is committing an extremely shameful act.
As for NGO officials in Pursat province, they also disclosed that currently the logging of luxury trees in Phnum Kravanh and Krakor districts is going on in full swing day and night. The loggers who are denuding forests of good wood in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts of Pursat province show no sign of fear of the district or provincial authorities. These illegal loggers can carry out their forest-stripping activities like people going to a temple fair, that is, in a very festive mood, whereas the ordinary citizens are prohibited from entering the forests even just to forage for fuel wood.
The NGO officials in Pursat province expressed suspicion that Governor Chhay Saret and the provincial forest administration chief themselves probably are the ringleaders behind the criminals who are logging luxury trees in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts. Otherwise, Chhay Saret and the forest administration chief of Pursat province would have taken effective measures to stop these illegal loggers from cutting luxury trees and destroying the forests on such a large scale. It can be said that the forest crimes of logging luxury trees and transporting them out of the forests in Pursat province enjoys the systematic collusion of the provincial and district authorities and other corrupt agents concerned. This explains why these crimes have been going on so smoothly.
While the illegal logging of luxury trees in Pursat and Battambang provinces are taking place in full swing, the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam is also being perpetrated with no secrets. The illegal timber merchants are transporting contraband wood to Vietnam through a number of border passes, such as the border pass in Takev province, the K'am Samnar pass in Leuk Dek district, Kandal province, and the Chrey Thom pass in Kaoh Thom district, Kandal province. The traders who smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass have Ney Charei, deputy provincial governor of Kandal province, as their protector. Ney Charei brags that no one dares touch him because he is a brother-in-law of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the advisory council of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
According to a source in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries who asked to remain anonymous, Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture, and Ty Sokun, head of the forest administration, are well aware of all the logging crimes in Battambang and Pursat provinces and in all other provinces of the country, as well as the smuggling of luxury wood to Vietnam. However, probably because of their personal interests involved these two big shots have remained silent despite the fact that both have their names listed in the "Cambodia's Family Trees" report of Global Witness. Moreover, to many people's knowledge, relatives of Chan Sarun and Ty Sokun are also implicated in the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam.
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