By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
23 July 2009
Responding to public government criticism, the environmental watchdog Global Witness said in a statement Thursday it was disappointed the government had not investigated more of the group's claims.
"Over the past five years, Global Witness has collected evidence of deeply damaging exploitation of the country's forests, minerals, oil and gas," said Eleanor Nichol, a campaigner for Global Witness, referring to two reports currently banned by the government, "Cambodia's Family Trees" and "Country for Sale."
The group found "high-level corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, kidnapping and at least two cases of attempted murder," Nichol said in an e-mail to VOA Khmer. "To date, however, we have seen no credible investigation or public enquiry into our reports."
Nichol was responding to public criticism by government officials, including the Cambodian ambassador to the United Kingdom, who called on donors to the organization to hold it more responsible for information in its reports.
Global Witness has pointed to high-ranking corruption in timber, oil and minerals as causes for concern, but its reports are routinely denied by the government. Earlier this month, Global Witness called on the British government to revoke a visa for Prime Minister Hun Sen, who planned to visit.
Nichol said Thursday the group was "deeply disappointed that the goernment has chosen to react in this, rather than investigate issues so central to the public interest."
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment further.
"Over the past five years, Global Witness has collected evidence of deeply damaging exploitation of the country's forests, minerals, oil and gas," said Eleanor Nichol, a campaigner for Global Witness, referring to two reports currently banned by the government, "Cambodia's Family Trees" and "Country for Sale."
The group found "high-level corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, kidnapping and at least two cases of attempted murder," Nichol said in an e-mail to VOA Khmer. "To date, however, we have seen no credible investigation or public enquiry into our reports."
Nichol was responding to public criticism by government officials, including the Cambodian ambassador to the United Kingdom, who called on donors to the organization to hold it more responsible for information in its reports.
Global Witness has pointed to high-ranking corruption in timber, oil and minerals as causes for concern, but its reports are routinely denied by the government. Earlier this month, Global Witness called on the British government to revoke a visa for Prime Minister Hun Sen, who planned to visit.
Nichol said Thursday the group was "deeply disappointed that the goernment has chosen to react in this, rather than investigate issues so central to the public interest."
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment further.
11 comments:
ខ្ញុំមិនចូលចិត្តបរទេសត្រួត្រាខ្មែរនៅក្នុងសម័យនេះ
អាមេរិកាំងក៏សម្លាប់ខ្មែរច្រើនណាស់នៅក្នុង
ឆ្នាំ1969ដល់ឆ្នាំ1975សូមកុំភ្លេចឲ្យសោះ។
Khmer rouge said the same 10:37 and 10:39 what do you expect if you not want to go to school and wanted to be an office staff ?
Keep up the good work GW. Only through organisations like you will we know the truth and the extent of the raping of cambodia by one eted hyena and his pack of killers.
ក្នុងការត្រួតត្រារបស់បរទេសយើងត្រូវតែជ្រើសយក អាមេរិកាំងុ, អង្លេស់, ជប៉ុន ឬអីស្រាអែលប្រសើជាងនៅក្រោមការកាន់កាប់របស់
យូន។កុំទទួលយកបារាំងសេសទៀតព្រោះអាបារាំង
នេះហើយដែលធ្វើឲ្យបាត់បង់ទឹកដីរបស់យើង។
YEAH,
STOP BARKING, START INVESTIGATING!
STOP DENYING!
constructive criticism is good, however, cambodia don't need bias and disrespect from an extreme environmentalist group like this doing in cambodia. i'm sure global witness had had their share of poor performance as well. i think global witness should give good advice to cambodia, not being bias or dislike with cambodia. i think if they want to help to make cambodia a better country and better society, then i'm sure they are very welcomed in cambodia to do so, but it's the bias attitude that we are waried with. please do better to help cambodia, not stopping cambodia from wanting to reform, etc... we request that they (global witness) be civilized and be proactive in making cambodia a better country for all to enjoy, live, work, visit, etc... thank you.
what is the purpose of global witness existence anyway? who are they? are they doing anything for cambodia? do they want cambodia to be a productive, good member of the global community? etc...
1:078AM Read more boy!
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Executions
Massacres
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Overwork to Death
Slavery
Rapes
Human Abuses
Assault and Battery
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Assassinations
Assassinate Journalists
Assassinate Political Opponents
Murders
Killings
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and others military official on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Remove Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Under Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed all of these crimes above within Hun Sen Khmer Rouge government have ever been brought to justice.
1:08 AM ! the question is , what world are you from ? you talk like you don't know anything .
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