Journalist, forest official allegedly beat logger

Monday, 17 September 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

a trend had recently emerged of local journalists attaching themselves to provincial forestry officers in Kratie and stopping people involved in the timber trade, demanding bribes in return for not reporting on their activities.

A local journalist and a forestry official were arrested by military police in Kratie province’s Sambo district on Friday night for allegedly discharging a weapon into the air and beating a man with a boat oar in an extortion bid gone awry.

According to district military police commander Chung Sokunthea, Khuth Khy, a reporter for the Khmer-language newspaper Today News, and Sandan Forestry Administration director Seng Chantarun allegedly set upon a man in a rowing boat while attempting to extort money from him for transporting luxury wood.

“This journalist and the forestry official were arrested by our military police forces after they opened fire to threaten and stop a boat rower on the river who had stocked and carried two pieces of luxury wood for making beds for his own use,” Sokunthea said, adding that the victim had suffered an injury to his shoulder.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Ek-Oudom Tao [See Chreun]

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

តាវ ស៊ីច្រើន, ឆ្កែហ៊ុនសែន, តៃហោងនៅបារាំង

Tao Seng Huor was working for the Khmer Republic embassy in France in the mid 70s. He later served the Hun Xen regime as a corrupt CPP government official.

លោកតាវ សេងហ៊ូរ ទទួលមរណភាព នៅប្រទេសបារាំង ដោយរោគាពាធ

Thursday, 13 September 2012
ដោយ ៖ ដើមអម្ពិល (DAP)

ភ្នំពេញ ៖ អតីតរដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ក្រសួងកសិកម្ម រុក្ខាប្រមាញ់ និងនេសាទ លោកតាវ សេង ហ៊ួរ បានទទួល មរណភាព នៅប្រទេសបារាំង ដោយរោគាពាធ ក្នុងជន្មាយុ ៧៤ឆ្នាំ ។

លោកជា សុផារ៉ា រដ្ឋមន្ដ្រីក្រសួង អភិវឌ្ឍន៍ជនបទ និងត្រូវជាដន្លង របស់សព លោកតាវ សេងហ៊ួរ ប្រាប់ មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល ព័ត៌មានដើមអម្ពិលឱ្យដឹងថា លោកតាវ សេងហ៊ួរ បានទទួលមរណភាពនៅប្រទេស បារាំង ដោយរោគាពាធ ក្នុងជន្មាយុ ៧៤ឆ្នាំ កាលពីវេលាម៉ោង១០និង២០នាទីកាលពីយប់ថ្ងៃទី១២ ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០១២ ម៉ោងនៅ កម្ពុជា ។

Two officials sacked over land ‘graft’

How about this land thief, when will he be sacked?

Monday, 03 September 2012
Kim Sarom
The Phnom Penh Post

Kampong Chhnang authorities had sacked the Teuk Phos district governor and police chief after subordinate officers accused them of conspiring to sell almost 300 hectares of state-owned forest land to a private company, provincial officials said yesterday.

According to a Kampong Chhnang official who declined to be named, Ou Sakhorn and Kem Sareth, the governor and police chief of Teuk Phos respectively, were dismissed after multiple subordinates alleged that Sakhorn had used their names to divvy up and sell land in Thnol Keng and Preach Chruov villages, then pocket the proceeds.

But provincial police commissioner Ath Khem denied the dismissal stemmed from the graft accusations, saying that it was simply a routine “rotation for government officials”.

Forest patrol has evidence of illegal logging

Friday, 17 August 2012
May Tittharahe
The Phnom Penh Post

Villagers who have spent recent days patrolling Prey Lang forest would file a complaint to the prime minister alleging government officials and private companies are clearing parts of the forest, a spokesman said yesterday.

“Forestry crime has doubled since the death of forestry activist Chut Wutty, and the illegal loggers behind it are all expert officials,” Chheang Vuthy, a representative of residents in Kampong Thom province’s Sandan district, said.

The 70-strong citizen patrol team who scoured the forest this week had evidence proving these officials included soldiers, police and environmental workers – and it was time for Prime Minister Hun Sen and his government to take action against them, Vuthy said.

Bail granted for disgraced officials [-Smell like another corruption case...]

Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Four officials from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction arrested last week on bribery charges involving millions of dollars would be freed on bail in the next few days, officials said yesterday.

Kuy Bunson, director of the Ministry of Interior’s prisons department, said he had received a letter from Phnom Penh Municipal Court asking him to release the foursome, but had not yet looked at it and declined to comment in detail.

Prey Sar prison boss Sim Leang said he will release the officials after receiving an official request from the prison department.

The suspects – Sa Reth Boramy, deputy director of the land management department; Pho Vuthy and Tuy Lay Rithy, director and deputy director of the finance department; and Meas Ey Sara, finance office chief – were arrested last Monday by the Anti-Corruption Unit for allegedly obtaining US$2 million in bribes for social land concessions.

Land officials caught in anti-corruption bust

Thursday, 09 August 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Four officials from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction accused of land dispute-related corruption were arrested on Monday by the Anti-Corruption Unit.

An official who declined to be named told the Post yesterday that Sa Reth Boramy, deputy general director of General Department of Land Management; Pho Vuthy, director of the Department of Finance; deputy director Tuy Lay Rithy; and chief of the office Meas Ey Sara, were arrested on Monday at the Ministry of Land Management offices as they walked out of a meeting.

“After the meeting finished, all of them were escorted from upstairs through the lift and pushed into a car,” he said.

Men charged in bulldozing protected forest

Two men charged with encroachment on protected land exit Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 26 July 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday charged two government officials and four farmers from Kampong Thom province’s Stoung district with encroachment onto protected land after they allegedly bulldozed a flooded forest that was designated as a protected fish hatchery, police and NGO officials said.

Hang Thol, deputy commander of Kampong Thom’s provincial military police, said that on Tuesday, authorities arrested Cheat Sivutha, director of Kampong Thom’s Department of Water Resources and Meteorology, and Sam Proch, the local village chief, along with farmers Meng Phally, Chum Teav Thav Tum, Theang Thea and Kim Leng for destroying the markers denoting the protected land’s boundaries, then converting it to reservoirs and irrigation canals for rice farming.

Kampong Thom Official Arrested for Bulldozing in Flooded Forest

(All Photos: CEN)

 

Authorities say the suspect, Cheat Sivutha, worked with villagers in Sam Proch commune, Stoung district, to bulldoze a portion of the forest.

26 July 2012

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Local authorities have detained the head of Kampong Thom province’s meteorology department and five villagers on charges they destroyed part of a protected flooded forest in the province.

Authorities say the suspect, Cheat Sivutha, worked with villagers in Sam Proch commune, Stoung district, to bulldoze a portion of the forest. Among the arrested was Ngeang Poul, chief of the commune. They were taken into custody by military police on Tuesday.

An estimated 10,000 hectares of flooded forest, which surrounds the Tonle Sap lake in the heart of the country, have been destroyed, despite a government ban. Authorities began a crackdown last month.

Government quashed PM Sok An's health rumours

Xok An (R)

Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

The Council of Ministers yesterday flatly rejected recent rumours and speculation about the health of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, stating that he is recovering well after weeks of treatment for kidney stones at a Singapore hospital.

In a statement, the Council’s Press and Quick Reaction Unit called the rumours a form of “psychological warfare”, though they did not specify who they believed responsible.

As to the deputy prime minister’s health, it is “improving and as strong as ever after the successful treatment of lime stone in the kidney by specialised doctors overseas,” the statement reads.

Sok An, 62, has been out of the public eye since before the Asean Foreign Ministers meeting earlier this month, and his trip overseas for treatment has prompted much speculation about his health.

តោហ៊ា ស៊ីលុយហុតឈាមគេ ច្រើនពេក ទាល់តែកើត ជាដុំគ្រួស ញ៉ុកពេញ ក្រលៀន!

Xok An (R)

នាយ កើតស្វាយ រាយការណ៏តាមហ្វេសប៊ុកមកថា៖ តោហ៊ា គ្រាន់បើហើយ

នាយ កើតស្វាយ រាយការណ៏តាមហ្វេសប៊ុកមកថា៖ តោហ៊ានិយាយឮក្រតៗ គ្រាន់ជាងមុន និងអាចអង្គុយ បានយូរ ជាងមុនតែមិនទាន់ បឺតក្បាល និងឲ្យទឹក មាន់បាននៅឡើយទេ។

Xok An

មន្រ្តីទីស្តីការ គណៈរដ្ឋមន្រ្តី បញ្ជាក់ពី ភាពល្អប្រសើរ នូវសុខភាពរបស់ លោកឧបនាយក រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី សុខ អាន

Friday, 20 July 2012
ដោយ៖ ស៊ន សុភក្រ្ត
DAP-News

សុខ អាន មានជំងឺ ក្រពះ និងលើសឈាម

ភ្នំពេញ៖ ក្រោយពីមាន ការរិះគន់ និងការបក ស្រាយខុសការពិត ផ្សេងៗគ្នា ទាក់ទងនឹង ស្ថានភាព ជំងឺរបស់ លោកឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី សុខ អាន រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ទទួលបន្ទុក ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្រ្តី តាមបណ្តាញ សារព័ត៌មាន និងតាមប្រព័ន្ធ ទំនាក់ទំនង សង្គមហៅថា ហ្វេសប៊ុក រួចមក មន្រ្តីទីស្តីការ គណៈរដ្ឋមន្រ្តី បានចេញមក អះអាងនិងបញ្ជាក់យ៉ាងច្បាស់ ពីភាពធូស្រាល នូវសុខភាព របស់លោក ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ជៀសវាងកុំឲ្យមាន ការភ័ន្តច្រឡំ និងការលើក ឡើងផ្តេសផ្តាស ពីជនអគតិ មួយចំនួន ។

លោក ស្វាយ ស៊ីថា រដ្ឋលេខាធិការ និងជាប្រធាន អង្គភាពព័ត៌មាន និងប្រតិកម្មរហ័ស របស់ទីស្តីគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី កាលពីថ្ងៃទី១៩កក្កដា ឆ្នាំ២០១២ បានបញ្ជាក់នៅ ក្នុងគេហទំព័រ ហ្វេសប៊ុក របស់លោកថា ឥឡូវលោកបាន ត្រឡប់មកធ្វើការវិញ ហើយក្រោយពេល ដែលជំងឺរបស់លោក បានជាសះស្បើយនោះ ។

លោកបានបញ្ជាក់ទៀតថា មុនពេលលោក ត្រឡប់មក ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាវិញ ក្រោយទៅសម្រាក ព្យាបាលជំងឺនៅ ប្រទេសសឹង្ហបុរី លោកបានជួបជាមួយ លោកឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន ២ដង។

លោក ស្វាយ ស៊ីថា បានបន្តថា លោកឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន មានសុខភាពល្អ ប្រសើរឡើងវិញហើយ ដោយអាចនិយាយបានឮជាងមុន និងអាចអង្គុយ បានយូរជាងមុន ។

A Cambodian minister threatened other officials with gun during a ministerial meeting

Ly Bun Thoeun

Friday, 20 July 2012
Nokor Wat News
Originally posted at Khmerization

Nokor Wat News, a newspaper considered close to the ruling CPP, reported that during a ministerial meeting on 19 July, Ly Bunthoeun (pictured), Undersecretary of State of Ministry of Tourism, pulled out a gun and threatened the participants, including Tourism Minister Thong Khon and other senior officials.

Sources told Nokor Wat News that Ly Buntoeun seemed to be upset with Minister Thong Khon who probably strongly reprimanded him by something.

Nokor Wat News reported that, after threatening other senior officials with a gun, Ly Bunthoeun rushed out of the meeting and drove away.

When contacted by Nokor Wat News, Minister Thong Khon, Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Touch Naroth and Pol Pithey, Head of Phnom Penh Criminal Police, all said they have not taken any action against Ly Bunthoeun yet as they have not gathered all the facts.

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លេចឮមានករណីអនុរដ្ឋលេខាធិការ១រូបដកកាំ​ភ្លើងគំរាម ក្នុងអង្គប្រជុំទីស្ដី​ការ​ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍

ថ្ងៃទី 19 កក្កដា 2012
ពត៌មាននគរវត្ត
ភ្នំពេញ ៖ កាលពីព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី១៩ខែកក្កដាឆ្នាំ២០១២ ប្រភព ពីមន្ដ្រីក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍បានឱ្យដឹងថា មាន អនុរដ្ឋលេ ខាធិការ ១រូបឈ្មោះលី ប៊ុនធឿន អតីត អភិបាល រងខេត្ដសៀមរាប បានដកកាំភ្លើងខ្លីមិនស្គាល់ ម៉ាកគំ រាមនៅ ក្នុង អង្គ ប្រជុំដែល មានលោក ថោង ខុន រដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ ជា គណៈ អធិបតីអង្គប្រជុំ ។


ប្រភពពីមន្ដ្រីបានបន្ដថា មុនពេល កើតហេតុនៅក្នុងប្រជុំលោក អនុរដ្ឋលេខាធិការ លី ប៊ុនធឿន ដូចជាមានពាក្យ សំដី ខុសពីធម្មតា ខណៈដែលមាន កាសែតក្នុងស្រុកចុះផ្សាយយពីរូបគាត់ ដូច្នេះស្រប ពេលក្នុងអង្គប្រជុំមិនដឹងជា លោករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ស្ដីបន្ទោសអប់រំបែប​ណា បែរជាធ្វើឱ្យលោក លី ប៊ុនធឿន កាំភ្លើងគំរាមនៅក្នុងប្រជុំ និងគេចចេញពីកន្លែងប្រជុំ ឡើងរថយន្ដទៅបាត់ ។

Comrade Xok An under medical care in Singapore for kidney stone or minor stroke?

Comrade Xok An

Cambodians putting curses on corrupt government officials

18 July 2012
KI-Media

Following the public absence of Comrade Xok An for the past several weeks, the Cambodia Daily reported in today’s edition that Phay Siphan, the mouthpiece of the Council of Ministers, confirmed that the comrade is under medical care in Singapore. Phay Siphan declined to tell the nature of the comrade’s illness, although rumors have been circulating that the comrade suffered from kidney stone. However, the Cambodia Daily reported that it could have been a minor stroke as well.

Phay Siphan indicated that the comrade would return back to the Kingdom of Extraordinary Wonder this weekend following the “perfect condition” Comrade Xok An was restored back to.

False rumors on chicken kidney graft for Comrade Xok An?

Recently, several poor Cambodians, who suffered forced evictions from their homes and lands, put curses on corrupt officials involved in unfair evictions. We were wondering if kidney stone and stroke were among these curses. Hmm, something the Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PQRU) of the Council Ministers will have to investigate soon.

Due to the comrade’s penchant for cockfighting, some bad mouth had spread the rumor that Comrade Xok An had to suffer to kidney replacement, however, the illustrious Singaporean medical team had determined that only chicken kidney can be use in the graft. After hearing this ridiculous medical pronouncement, the comrade also suffered a minor stroke from his uncontrolled anger. Now this version seems more plausible, would you want to bet on it?

Land dispute puts couple before judge

Monday, 16 July 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

Council of Ministers legal adviser Meas Sokun and her husband, soldier Kuch Prisovan, were charged and sent for pre-trial detention on Saturday after they were arrested last week for allegedly interfering in the work of youth volunteers sent for land measurement in Stung Treng province, a military official said yesterday.

Sao Sarem, deputy provincial commander of military police, said: “Both were detained (on Saturday) and charged with intimidation and unlawful interference in the performance of public functions.”

He said the charge was based on articles 607 and 609 of Cambodia’s penal code.

Svay Rieng victims called back to court

Chhouk Bandit

Monday, 16 July 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Svay Rieng Provincial Court has summonsed the three female workers wounded during a protest at Kao Ve Garment Factory in Manhattan Special Economic Zone for one more round of questioning before the case against the former Bavet city governor is sent for trial.

Bich Chhoeut, the provincial investigating judge, said the court had issued an order for the women to appear for final questioning on July 20 before the charges of “unintentional wounding” against Chhouk Bandith go before the judge.

“The previous [questioning] was the prosecutor’s primary investigation, but this is a survey of the investigating judge,” he said, explaining the rationale for the women being summonsed a second time.

The three workers were injured when Bandith allegedly shot his gun into the crowd of 6,000 protesting garment workers in February.

Officials named after blocking volunteers

Friday, 13 July 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Authorities in Stung Treng province have released the names of five government officials whom they arrested on Tuesday in Samki commune for interfering with a corps of youth volunteers sent to measure land as part of the prime minister’s national initiative to grant property to Cambodians displaced by land disputes.

According to Sao Sarem, the deputy provincial commander of the military police, the officials are Meas Sokun, a legal adviser to the Cambodian People’s Party; Kuch Prisovan, her husband and a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces; Van San, an RCAF colonel; Meas Kearithy, an RCAF soldier; and military police officer Prak Sith.

Three of them were released yesterday due to their limited roles in the incident, he said.

“We currently only detained the couple Kuch Prisovan and Meas Sokun, who seriously insulted the student volunteers working on [the initiative] of the Premier Hun Sen, and their car contained loads of land dispute-related documents,” he said.

Interfering officials arrested

Youth volunteers board trucks before departing Phnom Penh last week to take part in a land measurement program organised by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 12 July 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

Military police in Stung Treng province arrested five government officials yesterday after they forcibly stopped student volunteers from measuring property lines as part of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s national initiative to help settle land disputes.

The volunteers, mostly university students, were measuring land for villagers in conflict with companies that had received economic land concessions in Samaki commune.

A deputy commander with the military police who didn’t want to be named said that five officials from the Ministry of National Defence and the Council of Ministers were arrested. He said some of them had positions as legal advisers to the government.

“The case involves high ranking officials – it is too difficult to find information as authorities are willing to keep information from spreading,” said Hour Sam Ol, an investigator for the rights group Adhoc in Stung Treng.

At least 30 Cambodian judges past retirement age

Thursday, 05 July 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

At least 30 judges and prosecutors, some of whom sit at the highest levels of the country’s judicial system, are older than the age at which civil servants must retire under Cambodian law, according to a document obtained by the Post yesterday.

The document, given to the Post by a lawyer from the Cambodian Bar Association who declined to be named, lists 24 judges and six prosecutors who exceed the mandated retirement age of 60.

They were all born between 1940 and 1952, according to the list.

Witness duo no-show amid safety concerns

Chhouk Bandit

Friday, 15 June 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

Two witnesses to the Bavet town factory shooting in February failed to show up at Svay Rieng Provincial Court yesterday despite being summoned by an investigating judge, with one citing fears for his safety.

Sok Vuthy, a 28 year-old worker, told the Post yesterday that he did not obey the court summons from investigating judge Pech Chhoeut because his family had forbidden him for fear it would put his life in danger.

“My father, mother and all my relatives did not allow me to go to the court. I wanted to help my friends [the victims], but I could not go against my family,” he said.

The fact that suspected shooter Chhouk Bandith is still on the loose was Sok Vuthy’s main cause for concern, he said, adding he that feared any testimony he gave might provoke an act of retribution.