Written by Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post
SAM Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann said Wednesday he will send a letter to the National Assembly demanding answers about an economic land concession to a Chinese state-owned company that he says may violate the Cambodian constitution.
"We do not agree with the government if they have provided tens of thousands of hectares of land to one company for nearly 100 years," he said.
In April 2008, Prime Minister Hun Sen granted a 36,000 hectare land concession in the middle of the Botum Sarkor National Park to China's state-owned Union Development Co for 99 years, according to both the deputy governor of Koh Kong, Son Dara, and the park's director Nhil Thun.
"The government plans to develop Koh Kong into an ecotourism hub, second in tourists only to Angkor Wat," Son Dara said.
But Yeng Virak, executive director of the Community Legal Education Centre, said that according to the 2001 Land Law, "an economic land concession provided to one owner cannot be over 10,000 hectares. If the economic land concession to the Union Development Group is really 36,000 hectares, then it is a violation of the law".
Koh Kong Governor Yuth Pouthan released a comprehensive zoning and regulation plan last week that places the 36,000 hectares inside an area of the park designated for ecotourism, which would not ban construction in the area.
But the director of the Environmental Watch and Protection in Cambodia, Chea Hean, said the Union Development Co is a major threat to the park.
"This company continues to cut down many thousands of hectares in the forest," he said.
Nhil Thun said that none of the forest had been harvested by Union Development and that 10 National Park officials had even accompanied company employees in a replanting effort.
Union Development's new ecotourism site will include "an airport, seaport, hotel, golf course, supermarket and other pieces of infrastructure", Nhil Thun said.
"We do not agree with the government if they have provided tens of thousands of hectares of land to one company for nearly 100 years," he said.
In April 2008, Prime Minister Hun Sen granted a 36,000 hectare land concession in the middle of the Botum Sarkor National Park to China's state-owned Union Development Co for 99 years, according to both the deputy governor of Koh Kong, Son Dara, and the park's director Nhil Thun.
"The government plans to develop Koh Kong into an ecotourism hub, second in tourists only to Angkor Wat," Son Dara said.
But Yeng Virak, executive director of the Community Legal Education Centre, said that according to the 2001 Land Law, "an economic land concession provided to one owner cannot be over 10,000 hectares. If the economic land concession to the Union Development Group is really 36,000 hectares, then it is a violation of the law".
Koh Kong Governor Yuth Pouthan released a comprehensive zoning and regulation plan last week that places the 36,000 hectares inside an area of the park designated for ecotourism, which would not ban construction in the area.
But the director of the Environmental Watch and Protection in Cambodia, Chea Hean, said the Union Development Co is a major threat to the park.
"This company continues to cut down many thousands of hectares in the forest," he said.
Nhil Thun said that none of the forest had been harvested by Union Development and that 10 National Park officials had even accompanied company employees in a replanting effort.
Union Development's new ecotourism site will include "an airport, seaport, hotel, golf course, supermarket and other pieces of infrastructure", Nhil Thun said.
8 comments:
There are a lot of foreign investors from whom Khmer government have earned tons of money; but the hell the money go? Workers and teachers have never got enough to support their hungry families. In contrast, all the crooks/leeches from top to buttom have plenty: a lot more than enough.
it's good that SRP and others are demand this probe to make sure they don't violate our constitutional laws, etc... god bless cambodia.
Ah Yim Sovann,
Come over here so that I can FUCK you in your skinny ASS!!!
Sincerely,
SRP Supporter, Sarotee Sri Krishna
All these leeches keep sucking the Cmbodia and her people's blood until they get exausted and paralized at last. They will never let go this golden opportunity.
correction: exhausted
so you guys i thougth is blind person,why you open your eyes to see khmer country before and khmer country rigth now? Oh i forgot all you guys blind.
I don't understand ,why Cambodian
Government granted all productive lands to foreiner,what do they think?.Cambodian poeple did not know how to do the farm work?.
Are you Cambodian or not?.If you are Cambodian must be used your thougth don't used your heart.
Later on Cambodian will be a slave
and will be a minority of its own country.
Responding to 2:19 A.M ! you're must be CPP and also must be a high rank with the Government,that why you're so upset with Mr.Yim Savann,I did not know Mr.Yim Savann,but it makes my ear hurt.Please use the right term to be polite man as be a high rank along with Government.We are human
being,we are not an animal,we were
born with a good common sense,not just have instint the same as animal.Thank you,May God bless you
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