Small Trees Are Cut and Burned and Big Trees Are Ringbarked [allegedly by some powerful people – Kratie]

A large number of large trees are ringbarked near the roots so that they die (Photo: Linna, Koh Santepheap newspaper)

17 March 2008
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Kratie Province – Several hectares of trees on forest lands located in Changkrang commune were ringbarked by a daring group of people, causing these trees to die in large number. Those involved in the ringbarking of the trees are suspected to be powerful people with the cooperation of the local authorities which allowed this situation to take place. The action taken in the forest lands – which are being illegally cut down and destroyed, and which saw the larger trees ringbarked so that they die – was done because this group of people wants to grab the lands and turn them into private properties, whereas in fact, these lands all belong to the state, and they are social concession land, and economic concession land that are located in the Trapeang Treang and Prasat Pram forests, in particular in between the Dek Phleung Boeung Chhouk and the Trapeang Chres, in Kor Sang village, Changkrang commune. Currently, workers have been hired to log and destroy these forest lands, as well as to burn them down almost daily, these lands have become a deserted area with almost no trees left.

The illegal logging of these forest lands is a violation of Sub-decrees 01 and 02 issued by the government. Some blame these actions on powerful people who are backing these activities, this is the reason why they dare hire workers to destroy the forest using modern chainsaws, for each hectare of forest destroyed, the workers are paid 400,000 riels (~$100). These destructions lead to almost all trees being fallen, what remain are simply the tree stumps and ashes only.

According to a man who worked to destroy the forest, the workers are hired to cut down trees in these forest lands, and they were paid by hectare of land cleared. Since they started working there, the workers never saw anyone coming to stop them, and it is suspected that there is collusion from the local officials, that was why there was never anybody coming to interrupt the illegal activities.

Regarding the logging of trees and the ringbarking of large trees in order to kill them, and grab the lands by turning them into private properties, the Koh Santepheap newspaper attempted to get clarification form the commune chief also, but he could not be contacted by phone. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the provincial forestry authority will take measures to stop these activities and reveal the identities of those who are behind the hiring of workers to destroy these forests in massive scale.