Little Progress in Murder Case of Slain Activist

Chut Wutty, a prominent Cambodian anti-logging activist who helped expose a secretive state sell-off of national parks was fatally shot on April 25, 2012 in a remote southwestern province, FILE February 21, 2012.

27 July 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Three months after the murder of environmental activist Chut Wutty, little forward progress has been made in the case.

Family members say they have heard little from the court that is supposed to be investigating his deadly shooting, even as they organize a 100-day funeral ceremony.

Chut Wutty was shot and killed April 26 in the Cardamom Mountains of Koh Kong province, as he escorted two journalists looking into illegal logging there. A military police official, In Ratana, was also shot and killed in the incident. A private security guard, Rann Borath, was arrested and accused of accidentally killing the In Ratana after the policeman killed Chut Wutty, but skeptics say the scenario was implausible.

“I am worried,” said Hun Rann, Rann Borath’s father. “But I don’t know what to do beside waiting for the trial.” He said he doubted his son was to blame for In Ratana’s death.

No Aussie Bananas in the Banana Kingdom ... by order of the monkey-in-chief

When life imitates art...

Land concession cancelled by PM

Monday, 23 July 2012
Phak Seangly
The Phnom Penh Post

The Cambodian government has cancelled a 14,981-hectare concession in the Cardamom mountains granted to an Australian firm for a banana plantation, the conservation group Wildlife Alliance has reported.

Wildlife Alliance has long lobbied against the concession in Koh Kong province’s southern cardamom forest on which Indochina Gateway Capital Limited planned a banana plantation.

The project had come under heavy criticism from Wildlife Alliance over concerns it would destroy precious endangered animal habitats.

Suwanna Gauntlett, CEO of Wildlife Alliance, which runs a conservation program in the area in conjunction with the government, said yesterday Prime Minister Hun Sen had done the right thing by cancelling the concession on July 2.

Egg-Eating Snake Species Discovered in Cambodia

Cambodian kukri. Photo credit: Neang Thy/FFI.

The Cambodian kukri (Oligodon kampucheaensis) snake has curved rear teeth to hold and help swallow eggs.

July 16, 2012

ReptileChannel.com

A new species of egg-eating snake has been discovered in the Cardamom Mountains in south west Cambodia. The snake, named the Cambodian kukri (Oligodon kampucheaensis) was named after the country in which it was found. Neang Thy, a Cambodia Ministry of Environment officer who works with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) discovered the snake with Dr. Lee Grismer and Dr. Jenny Daltry.

“Cambodian science was smashed under the Pol Pot regime, and only now are we picking up the pieces. It gave me a great sense of pride to both discover and describe this species, and to name it in honor of my country,” Thy said in a statement released by FFI. “Most kukri snakes are dull-colored, but this one is dark red with black and white rings, making it a beautiful snake.”

The kukri snake is a rainforest species that eats eggs as its principle food source. It has rear curved teeth that apparently are similar in shape to a Nepalese knife known as the kukri, hence the name. According to FFI, the snake is under threat due to habitat loss and land conversion, and is the second reptile FFI has described in Cambodia in 2012.

The Cardamom Conundrum: Q&A with CI’s Tim Killeen

Deforestation in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains. (Photo by David Emmett)

Tim Killeen inspecting timber beams confiscated by forest rangers and military police near the Central Cardamom Protected Forest in 2008. (Photo courtesy of Tim Killeen)

June 11th, 2012
By Molly Bergen
TriplePundit.com

Later this month at Rio+20, world leaders will gather to discuss the future of our planet — a future that must account for the value of nature in order to achieve truly sustainable economic growth. In his new book, “The Cardamom Conundrum: Reconciling Development and Conservation in the Kingdom of Cambodia,” scientist Dr. Tim Killeen provides an insightful new look at sustainable development opportunities in this resource-rich but poverty-stricken country. He recently took time to discuss his research with me.

Q: What is the “Cardamom conundrum”?

A: The term “conundrum” describes a puzzle whose solution involves resolving a paradox. In Cambodia’s case, the paradox arises from two widely held and conflicting assumptions: that the pathway to a modern economy requires exploiting a country’s natural resources, versus the contrasting vision that the long-term prosperity of a nation depends on the conservation of those very same resources.

In the book, I attempt to show that the best economic options are also in line with priorities in the environmental and social dimensions. Development options that promote investment in a productive asset are good business, and applying that logic to the natural assets of a country or region also makes good business sense.

Q: Why is this region of Cambodia so important?

A: The Cardamom Mountains and surrounding regions — what I call the “Greater Cardamom Region” — makes up about one-third of Cambodia’s land area and has a combined population of more than a million people. The region’s watersheds extend to the Tonle Sap Lake in the north and the Gulf of Thailand in the south and provide freshwater resources of strategic importance to the country.

Chut Wutty witness had eyes elsewhere

A woman carries a photograph of slain environmental activist Chut Wutty at his funeral in Kandal province last month. Chut Wutty was gunned down in Koh Kong province on April 26 of this year. Photograph: Will Baxter/Phnom Penh Post

Tuesday, 29 May 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Another witness to the fatal shooting of prominent environmentalist Chut Wutty and military police officer In Rattana has said he did not see who shot the men after testifying in Koh Kong provincial court yesterday.

Puom Ravin, a 37-year-old employee of the logging firm Timbergreen said he was looking the other way when heard gun shots at Veal Bei point in Modul Seima district’s Bak Klang commune on April 26, and then turned around to discover both men dead.

“I don’t know who shot those two people dead,” he said, adding that it sounded like Chut Wutty’s leg then fell on the accelerator of the car he was inside of, causing the engine to rev,” he said.

He added that, in total, there had been seven people at the crime scene who he later learned were Chut Wutty, In Rattana, a man only known as Chhorn, So Sopheap, Ran Borath and two journalists.

Mongabay video: Logging activist shot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4rITpE9_r8

Chut Wutty slaying puts Timbergreen logging in spotlight

A facility for processing yellow vine pictured on Friday at a location in Koh Kong province's Mondul Seima district where the Timbergreen company has stockpiled luxury wood. Photograph: May Titthara

Monday, 14 May 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Community activists and conservationists commemorating slain environment activist Chut Wutty on the weekend used the occasion to shed light on what they allege are the shadowy practices of a logging company in the southwestern Cardamom forests.

Activists amongst the hundreds of people who travelled to Koh Kong province’s Mondul Seima district discovered a yellow vine processing facility, which are generally prohibited under Cambodia’s forest law, at the premises of the firm Timbergeen.

But Suwanna Gauntlett, CEO of the conservation group Wildlife Alliance, which monitors the area where Timbergreen is licensed to clear the reservoirs of the Lower Stung Russey Chrum dam site, said the company had a permit to process yellow vine there.

“This [processing area] is right next to the reservoir, and it’s for yellow vine coming from the reservoir and they have licence for that from the Forestry Administration,” she said.

Researchers shed new light on mysterious Cambodian burial rituals

Thu, May 10, 2012
ZME Science

Researchers from New Zealand working in remote Cambodian mountains are shedding new light on the lost history of an enigmatic unidentified tribe by studying their eerie burial rituals.

The University of Otago scientists have been working since 2003 to geo-locate and survey 10 interment sites and to used radiocarbon dating on samples of coffin wood, tooth enamel and bone.

With colleagues from Cambodia, Australia, USA and Scotland, Drs Nancy Beavan and Sian Halcrow of the Department of Anatomy have just published the dating of four sites in the journal Radiocarbon. The dating revealed that the mysterious rituals, unique in the world, were performed from at least 1395AD to 1650AD. Why is this important? Well, according to Dr Beavan, who is currently in Cambodia, this period coincides with the decline and fall of the powerful Kingdom of Angkor, which was seated in the lowlands.

“Through our work we hope to broaden the understanding of this history beyond the legacies of the great Khmer Kingdom alone to those who lived within its margins,” she says.

Dr Sian Halcrow says that archaeological findings from another of the 10 sites, which she and Dr Beavan are currently preparing for publication, and they claim they will publish additional details and clues in the paper. It’s not hard to understand why we know so little of these rituals, given the extreme difficulty of the fieldwork caused by the location itself.

“In 2010 one of our campsites was invaded by a wild elephant in the dead of night and it had to be driven off by our camp crew banging on cooking pots. It turns out we had pitched camp between two tempting stands of wild banana. We packed up and headed off soon after that.”

សកម្មជន​ការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ​ ៦០០ នាក់ នឹង​ទៅ​កន្លែង​គេ​បាញ់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី

(Photo: RFA/Tin Zakariya)

ដោយ ជិន ជេដ្ឋា
2012-05-08​
Radio Free Asia

តំណាង​សកម្មជន​ការពារ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ និង​ក្រុម​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ឱ្យ​ដឹង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី ៨ ខែ​ឧសភា​ថា ប្រជា​សហគមន៍​ព្រៃ​ឡង់ និង​សកម្មជន​ការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ​ប្រមាណ ៦០០ នាក់ មក​ពី​ខេត្ត​ចំនួន ៨ នឹង​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ទៅ​ខេត្ត​កោះកុង កន្លែង​ដែល​គេ​បាញ់​សម្លាប់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ផ្ទាល់។

ប្រជា​សហគមន៍​ការពារ​ព្រៃ​ឡង់ មក​ពី​ខែត្រ​ចំនួន ៤ តវ៉ា​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ជួយ​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ការ​កាប់​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃ​ឡង់ នា​សួន​សេរីភាព ក្នុង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៥ ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១១។

ការ​នាំ​គ្នា​ទៅ​កាន់​ទី​នោះ គឺ​ដើម្បី​អុជ​ធូប​គោរព​វិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​របស់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី។ ក្រុម​សកម្មជន​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​អះអាង​ថា នៅ​ពេល​នោះ​ពួក​គេ​នឹង​ចំណាយ​ពេល​ជា​ច្រើន​ថ្ងៃ​ក្នុង​ការ​ចុះ​ល្បាត ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​នៅ​តំបន់​ភ្នំក្រវ៉ាញ​ភាគ​កណ្ដាល ក្នុង​គោល​បំណង​ប្រមូល​យក​ភស្តុតាង​បទល្មើស​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​នោះ។

សេចក្ដី​ប្រកាស​ព័ត៌មាន​ចេញ​ដោយ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​កម្ពុជា នៅ​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​ទី៨ ខែ​ឧសភា ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី ១០ ឧសភា ខាង​មុខ​នេះ សកម្មជន​ការពារ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ ព្រមទាំង​មន្ត្រី​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ជា​ច្រើន​នាក់ នឹង​ទៅ​ជួប​អ្នក​ឃុំ​ជី​ខ​លើ ហើយ​បន្ត​ស្នាក់​នៅ​ពេញ​មួយ​យប់​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ថ្មបាំង ខេត្ត​កោះ​កុង។

នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី ១១ ឧសភា សកម្មជន​ទាំង​នោះ​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ទៅ​កន្លែង​ដែល​គេ​បាញ់​សម្លាប់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ដើម្បី​អុជ​ធូប និង​គោរព​វិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​របស់​លោក។

សំណុំ​រឿង​បាញ់​សម្លាប់​ឈុត វុទ្ធី

សព​មន្ត្រី​កង​រាជ​​អាវុធ​ហត្ថ​ដែល​ត្រូវ​គ្រាប់ស្លាប់​នៅ​មុខ​ឡាន​លោក​ ឈុត វុទ្ធី​។ រូបថត សហ​ការី

សព​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ​ពេល​លើក​ចេញ​ពី​រថ​យន្ត បន្ទាប់​ពី​គេ​ទុក​ឲ្យ​ហូរ​ឈាម​​រហូត​ដល់​ស្លាប់​។ រូបថត សហ​ការី​

Thursday, 03 May 2012
ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា-David Boyle
The Phnom Penh Post

កោះកុងៈ ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ដែល​កង​រាជ​អាវុធ​ហត្ថ​ បដិសេធ​មិន​ផ្តល់​អត្តសញ្ញាណ​ តែ​បាន​និយាយ​ថា​ បាន​បញ្ជូន​បុគ្គលិក​របស់​ខ្លួន​ទៅ​ប្រឈម​មុខ​នឹង​សកម្មជន ការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី មុន​ពេល​គាត់​ត្រូវ​បាន​បាញ់​សម្លាប់ ​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍​សប្តាហ៍​មុន គឺ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន ធីមប៊ើរហ្គ្រីន (Timber Green) ជា​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ ដែល​សកម្មជន​ព្រៃឈើ​បាត់បង់​ជីវិត​រូប​នោះ​ប៉ុនប៉ង​លាត​ត្រដាង​ អំពី​សកម្មភាព​កាប់​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់។

ឯកសារ​ដែល​ភ្នំពេញ​ ប៉ុស្តិ៍​ទទួល​បាន កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ពុធ​ម្សិលមិញ និង​ប្រភព​នានា​ បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ថា ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន Timber Green ជា​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​ដែល​មាន​អាជ្ញា​ប័ណ្ណ​ កាប់​រាន​អាងស្តុក​ទឹក ​នៃ​គម្រោង​ទំនប់​វារីអគ្គិសនី​ឫស្សីជ្រំ​ក្រោម​ ក្នុង​ស្រុក​មណ្ឌល​សីមា ខេត្ត​កោះកុង មិន​ឆ្ងាយ​ប៉ុន្មាន ​ពី​ទីកន្លែង​ដែល​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ត្រូវ​បាន​បាញ់​សម្លាប់។

លោក សៅ សុខា មេបញ្ជាការ​កង​រាជ​អាវុធហត្ថ​លើ​ផ្ទៃ​ប្រទេស​ និង​មន្ត្រី​កង​រាជ​អាវុធហត្ថ​មួយ​ចំនួន​បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា បុគ្គលិក​មក​ពី​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ ដែល​មាន​អាជ្ញាប័ណ្ណ​កាប់រាន​ព្រៃ​កន្លែង​ទំនប់​នោះ​ បាន​ប៉ុន​ប៉ង​រារាំង​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី មិន​ឲ្យ​ថតរូប​គំនរ​ឈើ។

សន្តិសុខ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន Timber Green ម្នាក់ ​ឈ្មោះ រ៉ាន់ បូរដ្ឋ ក៏​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​អះអាង​ថា​ ត្រូវ​បាន​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​ ក្នុង​នាម​ជា​ជន​សង្ស័យ​ម្នាក់​ នៅ​ក្នុង​ការ​បាញ់​សម្លាប់​មន្ត្រី​កង​រាជ​អាវុធហត្ថ​ឈ្មោះ អ៊ិន រតនា ដែល​ក៏​បាន​បាត់​បង់​ជីវិត ក្នុង​ឧបទ្ទវហេតុ​នោះ និង​ក៏​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ចោទ​ជា​ទូទៅ​ថា បាន​បាញ់​សម្លាប់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធីដែរ។

អ្នក​ស្រី ខៀវ សស៊ីលាភ ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ចុះ​បញ្ជី​ ជា​ភាគហ៊ុន​ធំ នៃ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន Timber Green ក្នុង​ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ ២០១០ បាន​បញ្ជាក់​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ម្សិលមិញ​ថា ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ មាន​អាជ្ញាប័ណ្ណ​ ឲ្យ​កាប់​រាន​ព្រៃ​ សម្រាប់​អាង​ស្តុក​ទឹក​មែន ប៉ុន្តែ​បាន​បដិសេធ​ មិន​ធ្វើ​អធិប្បាយ​បន្ថែម​ទៀត​ទេ​លើ​ករណី​នេះ​ទេ។

អ្នក​ស្រី បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា៖​«ខ្ញុំ​សោកស្តាយ ​ចំពោះ​បញ្ហា​នោះ ខ្ញុំ​លែង​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​ជាមួយ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន Timber Green ហើយ»។ អ្នកស្រី​បាន​បន្ថែម​ថា អ្នកស្រី​បាន​ចេញ​ពី​គម្រោង​នោះ​ ជាង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ​មក​ហើយ។

ឈុត វុទ្ធី​ទៅលែង​វិល​ហើយ តែ​គ្រួសារ​ខ្វល់ពី​សុវត្ថិភាព

លោក វុទ្ធី​ក្រោយពី​បាញ់​នៅមាន​ដង្ហើម តែត្រូវ​មន្ត្រី​ប៉េអឹម​ទុកឲ្យ​ហូរឈាម​ដល់ស្លាប់​ក្នុងឡាន​។ រូបថត សហការី

ភរិយា និង​តំណក់ឈាម​ទាំងបី របស់​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី​។ រូបថត ហេង ជីវ័ន

Thursday, 03 May 2012
ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា
The Phnom Penh Post

ភ្នំពេញៈ លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី បាន​ឃ្លាតទៅឆ្ងាយ សែនឆ្ងាយ លែងវិលត្រឡប់​មកវិញ​ជារៀងរហូត បន្សល់ទុកនូវ​ភរិយា មេម៉ាយ និង​កូនៗ ៣ នាក់ ដែល​កំពុងមាន​ការភ័យខ្លាច ពី​សុវត្ថភាព​។

បើទោះបី​ជាកាលពី​នៅរស់ លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ប្រធាន​អង្គការ ការពារ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ មាន​ឱកាស​អាចជួបជុំ​គ្រួសារ បានត្រឹមតែ​មួយដង ឬ​ពីរ​ដង​ក្នុង​មួយខែ ឬ​ពីរខែក្តី ក៏ការបាត់បង់​ស្វាមី និង​ឪពុក​ជាទីស្រឡាញ់ និង​ជាទី​គោរព​របស់​ពួកគេនេះ បាន​ធ្វើឲ្យ​ពួកគេ មាន​ការភ័យរន្ធត់ ដក់ជាប់​នៅក្នុងចិត្ត​ជាប្រចាំ ដោយសាតែ​រូបភាព​នៃការបាញ់​សម្លាប់​ដ៏សាហាវ​ព្រៃផ្សៃ ដែល​ហាក់បី​ដូចជា​ប្រទេស​មួយនេះ ពុំមានច្បាប់​ទម្លាប់ និង​ការមិន​អើពើ​របស់​កងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ​ខេត្ត​កោះកុង ដែល​ទុកលោក​ឈុត វុទ្ធី ឲ្យហូរឈាម​រហូតដល់​ស្លាប់ ខណៈ​ដែល​គាត់​មិនទាន់ស្លាប់ ក្រោយពី​ការបាញ់​ប្រហារ បើទោះបីជា​មានការអង្វរករ ពី​អ្នកកាសែត សុំយក​រូបគាត់​ទៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ​ក្តី​។

អ្នកស្រី សម ចាន់ធី ភរិយា​លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី ដែល​មាន​មុខរបរ​ជា​អ្នក​លក់សាច់ជ្រូក នៅតាម​ផ្សារ​តូចមួយ កំពុង​មាន​ការព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​យ៉ាងខ្លាំង​អំពី​សុវត្ថិភាព​របស់​អ្នកស្រី និង​កូនៗ របស់​អ្នកស្រី ចាប់តាំងពី​ស្វាមី​អ្នកស្រី ត្រូវគេ​បាញ់សម្លាប់ កាលពី​ថ្ងៃទី ២៦​ ខែ​មេសា ពេល​ដែលគាត់ ចុះទៅ​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​បទល្មើស​ព្រៃឈើ នៅក្នុង​ខេត្ត​កោះកុង​។ អ្នកស្រី​បាន​និយាយថា​៖ «​ខ្ញុំ​និង​កូន​តូចៗ មិនហ៊ាន​ដើរចេញ​ទៅណាឆ្ងាយទេ ដោយ​បារម្ភ​អំពី​សុវត្ថិភាព គឺពួកយើង​ស្នាក់នៅ​តែក្នុង​ផ្ទះ»។

Try Pheap - the forest criminal in Cambodia, especially in the Cardamom Mountains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaIwPFQKkVs

Try Pheap (left)

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Illegal logging in Koh Kong province: An interview with Chut Wutty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG5f-K4joa4

សកម្មភាព​របស់ លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី - Chut Wutty's actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFj_wnJBmps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OM1iJTpHW8

Cambodian environmental campaigner shot dead by police

Chut Wutty is said to have angered many influential people while campaigning for Cambodia's forests

26 April 2012
BBC News

A leading Cambodian environmentalist who investigated illegal logging has been killed in a confrontation with police, officials say.

Chut Wutty was shot dead while travelling in a threatened forest region in the south-west.

Details of the incident are unclear, but police say an officer was also killed in the exchange.

Mr Wutty had been helping indigenous people organise protests against the exploitation of protected forests.

Environmental activist Chut Wutty shot dead

Chut Wutty at the Phnom Penh Post main office earlier this year. Photo by Hong Menea

Thursday, 26 April 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Prominent environmental activist Chut Wutty was shot dead in Koh Kong province today near one of the areas he had fought tirelessly to protect from illegal logging – the Central Cardamom Protected Forest.

Chut Wutty, the director of the Natural Resource Protection Group, was shot dead in Veal Bei commune, Mondul Sima district, Koh Kong province at 12:30 this afternoon, military police spokesman Kheng Tito said today.

“I am not sure exactly about this case - why it happened. I will know it later,” he said.

He confirmed that military police officer In Rattana was also killed in the incident, which happened while Chut Wutty was escorting two journalists from the Cambodia Daily newspaper to the area.

Late last year, Chut Wutty was instrumental in helping the Post break an investigation into illegal logging and corruption in the CCPF in Thma Bang district and was well known for directly confronting those he accused of illegal logging across the country.

Logging in the wild west

A truck loaded with illegally cut rosewood passes through Russey Chrum village in Koh Kong province’s Thma Bang district on Sunday night in the Central Cardomom Protected Forest. Moments after the photograph was taken, the photographer was confronted by a group of five RCAF soldiers who demanded the images be deleted. WILL BAXTER

A man dressed in RCAF military fatigues watches over a cache of rosewood at a weigh station in Koh Kong province’s Thma Bang district on Sunday. WILL BAXTER

Military police official Chhorn Samol detains two journalists from the Post and conservationist Chut Wutty on Monday. Will Baxter

A migrant worker stands next to a motorbike and rosewood stump. Will Baxter

A cache of illegally cut young rosewood timber is concealed at a weigh station guarded by an RCAF soldier in the Central Cardomom Protected Forest in Koh Kong province. Will Baxter

Forestry Administration and military police officials conduct a day-time ambush on small scale illegal loggers on a road in the Central Cardomom Protected Forest. The officials admitted that they do not conduct ambush operations during the night-time, when the vast majority of illegal logs are trucked out of the protected area. Will Baxter

Wednesday, 21 December 2011
David Boyle with additional reporting by Yi Somphose and Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

Illegal logging of staggering proportions abetted by military personnel is decimating stocks of luxury rosewood in the Central Cardamom Protected Forest, while the conversation group tasked with protecting the area and its government counterparts deny the trade is even happening.

In a period of several hours beginning late on Sunday night, the Post witnessed at least nine industrial transport trucks, seven pick-up trucks and one Land Rover packed with timber drive out of Koh Kong province’s Thma Bang district in the CCPF on one road alone. Large numbers of trucks could also be heard using a nearby connecting road.

Several of the trucks that the Post was able to inspect closely were carrying heavy loads of illegal rosewood.

Villagers, loggers and conservationists have verified that Forestry Administration officials, military officers and rangers working in partnership with the NGO Conservation International are making no effort to stop the massive trade in protected rosewood.

In many cases, it is alleged, they are actively profiting.

Stunning mountainou​s scenery on the Cardamom Mountains - Travel with Theary Seng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YR3CVVVTaY

Truck stuck during nightime traveling along the Cardamom Mountains on 16 April 2012 - Video by Theary Seng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBaM7eDxGe0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESSfvueLDFY

Indigenous Chuorng women fishing on the Cadamom Mountains, 17 April 2012 - Video by Theary Seng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIma10OA-1U