By Mu Sochua
Australia invests Aus.$ 77.4 million in 2011-2012 in Cambodia in agriculture, health and access to justice.
Agriculture policies and strategies can not ignore the devastating impact of land economic concessions that have lead to close to 30% of Cambodia's land mass now in the hands of close to 250 companies. Among these companies are mining concessions given to Australian companies.
Land grabs are only mentionted in the AUSAID strategy documents but not addressed.
In 2006, BHP paid US$1 million to the government to get special concessions in Mondol Kiri for mining in the North -East. The final deal was signed with BHP and the prime minister of Cambodia with an additional US$2.5million as "tea money" that never appeared in the books of the finance ministry http://www.smh.com.au/business/bhps-tea-money-missing-in-cambodia-20100514-v4fs.html.
Such deals must be stopped. Such deals must be a serious alarm and warning for AUSAID to be super cautious of its aid in the agriculture sector as well as other sectors.
We want quality of aid and accountability.
Click here to read Geogia Wilkins' article about "Call to stop firms accepting Cambodian land"
3 comments:
Given concession land to Australian Company is much much better than gave concession land to Vietnam, Thailand, Sri lanka or Bangladesh.
Australian company will bring technology and expertist know how to Cambodia and use local labour. Australia will pay fairly compensation to people who effected or will leave people as it is, Cambodian can sue the Australian Company in Australian court.
Mrs Musochua should prevent Vietnamese, Thais, and other third world country who want to have concession land instead of Australia, USA and Western Europ.
Vietnamese, Thais, other third world company who want forest land in order to log the forest and sale for their profit and after the forest has gone they will sale the company to other company or they abandon their investmet by saying that the land infertile was unable to grow crop.
You should watch out who can or can not have the concession land if Australian company can not has concession land Mr Hun Sen will give the concession land to Vietnamese company altogether.
To 04:08 am
You are correct in one aspect.
But the other issue is why the Tea Money ?
All deals and monies must be disclosed
and on the books.
Tea money was disclose on balance sheet of Australia company as capital expenditure with note tea money - for community development but Cambodian goverment spent or other word stole this money without tell her own people about it, trnasparency should start with Cambodian governmnent. Tea money is fund for development school and other community need but government did not show this fund to the people, where it went and how they spent, this is beyond of the company control but the company can do was to withdraw from Cambodia and the company did it.
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