Slain activist Chut Wutty's death still a mystery

Slain environmental activist Chut Wutty speaks into a radio on a February visit to Prey Lang forest. Photograph: Mathieu Young/Phnom Penh Post

Friday, 27 July 2012
David Boyle and May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

On Saturday, the family of slain environmental activist Chut Wutty will commemorate the 100 days, or thereabouts, that have passed since his death in a case that remains unresolved even though six eyewitnesses have already been questioned.

The official story is that he was killed by military police officer In Ratana, who was then shot by Ran Borath, a security guard working for the logging firm Timbergreen, which Wutty was investigating, though it took investigators three attempts to settle on that version of events.

Somehow, none of the witnesses who were there at Veal Bei point in Koh Kong province’s Mondul Seima district on April 26 have said they saw the actual killing of Wutty – a divisive, headstrong activist who had many friends – and perhaps just as many enemies.

A masked soldier photographed next to Wutty’s car shortly after he was shot and who rights groups believe might hold the key to finding out what really happened on that day, has still not been called in by investigators.

Global Witness: Government responsible for the murders of activists

លោក​ឈុត វុទ្ធី ​ប្រធាន​អង្គការ​ការពារ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ​រូបថត៖ The Phnom Penh Post

អង្គការ​ក្លូបល​វិតណេស​ថា​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ទទួល​ខុសត្រូវ​ការ​សម្លាប់​មនុស្ស

ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍, 21 ខែមិថុនា 2012
ដោយ គង់ សុឋានរិទ្ធ វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ | ភ្នំពេញ

«នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ជន​រងគ្រោះ​ប្រាំបួន​នាក់​ ក្នុង​ចំណោម​១១​ករណី​ក្នុង​នោះ​ពីរ​ករណី​ត្រូវ​សម្លាប់​ក្នុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ ​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ភស្តុតាង​យ៉ាង​រឹងមាំ​ថា ​ការ​សម្លាប់​ទាំង​នោះ​ត្រូវ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ដោយ​មាន​ការ​ជាប់ទាក់ទង​ជាមួយ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ និង​រដ្ឋាភិបាល»។

រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា​ និង​ក្រុមហ៊ុនឯកជន​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ជាប់ទាក់ទង​ក្នុង​ការសម្លាប់​ជនរងគ្រោះ​ក្នុង​ជម្លោះ​ដីធ្លី ​និង​ការការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ។ ​នេះ​បើ​ផ្អែក​តាម​របាយការណ៍​របស់​អង្គការ​ការពារ​បរិស្ថាន​មួយ​របស់​ប្រទេស​អង់គ្លេស ក្លូបលវិតណេសស (Global Witness)។

របាយការណ៍​ដែល​ចេញផ្សាយ​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ពុធ​បង្ហាញ​ថា ​ករណី​សម្លាប់​លោក​ឈុត វុទ្ធី ​ប្រធាន​អង្គការ​ការពារ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ​ដែល​ជា​សកម្មជន​ការពារព្រៃឈើ​កម្ពុជា​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំងក្លា​ស្ថិត​ក្នុង​ចំណោម​នោះ​ដែរ​និង​ការបាញ់​សម្លាប់​កុមារី ​ហេង ចន្ថា​ អាយុ​១៤​ឆ្នាំ ​ក្នុង​បញ្ហា​ដីធ្លី​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​ក្រចេះ។

របាយការណ៍​ស្តីពី​ជម្លោះ​ដីធ្លី​ និង​ព្រៃឈើ​ក្នុង​ពិភពលោក​បាន​ស្រង់​តួលេខ​ក្នុង​រយៈពេល​ជាង​មួយ​ទសវត្សរ៍​ចុង​ក្រោយ​បញ្ជាក់​ថា «នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ជន​រងគ្រោះ​ប្រាំបួន​នាក់​ ក្នុង​ចំណោម​១១​ករណី​ក្នុង​នោះ​ពីរ​ករណី​ត្រូវ​សម្លាប់​ក្នុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ ​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ភស្តុតាង​យ៉ាង​រឹងមាំ​ថា ​ការ​សម្លាប់​ទាំង​នោះ​ត្រូវ​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ដោយ​មាន​ការ​ជាប់ទាក់ទង​ជាមួយ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​ និង​រដ្ឋាភិបាល»។

Editorial: Land, forests, and greed

Friday, June 22, 2012
Sun.Star Davao newspaper (Philippine)

THERE is a disturbing survey conducted worldwide where the Philippines (again) is among the many countries where many killings have occurred. This is about killings over land and forests.

"A Hidden Crisis? Increase in killings as tensions rise over land and forests" report by Global Witness ranks the Philippines fourth in reported killings between 2002 to 2011. Brazil has 365, Peru has 123, Columbia has 70, and Philippines has 50. Following the Philippines is Thailand with 20. Twenty-two other countries have ten and below reported killings for the same period. The report was released in time for the Rio +20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.

"Reports of killings carried out by men in uniforms, acting on behalf of private sector interests and/or governments, featured more commonly in Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Indonesia, Peru and the Philippines. It is not possible to put a definitive figure on how many cases involve such actors, because eye witness accounts and monitoring organizations do not (sometimes due to fear of further attack) go into this level of detail," the report reads.

Spineless Pannasastra U. succumbs to self-censorhip!!!: X-Rated TEDxPP

The stage at this year's TEDxPP, hosted at Pannasastra University (South Campus). Photograph: Shelby Doyle/Phnom Penh Post

Rated X for content: TEDxPP

Monday, 11 June 2012
Joseph Freeman and Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

My father Chut Wutty was killed by an AK-47

The grand finale at Phnom Penh’s much-ballyhooed TEDx event on Saturday was intended to send a message.

Several activists, among them Loun Savath and the son of the late Chut Wutty, would stand before an audience of 600 and read accounts of violent land disputes.

Images from clashes between government forces and evictees would play in the background. That was the plan, anyway, until sponsors and a dean from host institution Pannasastra University saw the dress rehearsal on Friday.

The decision that followed was swift – the show must not go on.

“Our internal regulations at our school prohibit any political rallies and political manifestations of any kind,” Raymond Leos, dean of communications and media arts, said yesterday.

The cancelled performance came to light over the weekend when a surreptitious recording of Friday’s meeting was posted on the internet.

The move has since been decried by human rights groups as a fresh example of self-censorship and a lack of free expression in the Kingdom.

“This is supposedly the most prestigious university in Cambodia; it’s really shameful that a private entity in education would prevent a panel of activists from talking about social issues,” Licadho director Naly Pilorge said.

RUBBERNAUT

http://vimeo.com/41118791

CHUT WUTTY - This film is dedicated to friend and activist Chut Wutty, who was shot and killed on 26th April by military police. Our thoughts go out to his wife and children. We hope that in the battle to save Prey Lang forest, Wutty's life work will be honoured.

RUBBERNAUT is the story of two families living in Prey Lang forest, Cambodia. Rubber plantations are encroaching on the forest with the force of a juggernaut. We follow Phalla, a young mother working strenuous hours in the plantations, and Ty, a grandfather who still follows a traditional forest-dependent way of life. Now the people of Prey Lang are challenging the conversion of forest to rubber – fighting for the right to determine their future.

SYNOPSIS - In the early morning children and farm animals huddle round a fire of palm fronds to keep warm. Tatey village lies at the edge of Prey Lang forest. Ty is a father of ten, who has lived and worked in the Prey Lang since he was young. His family struggles to make a living, and to protect the forest resources they depend on.

20 kilometers away in a modern company-built village of yellow-painted concrete houses, Phalla raises her children, balancing her family’s needs with the irregular and strenuous hours that she works in the rubber plantation.

An elder explains the land grabbing that went before the plantation. He speaks out for the people who have lost their land and laments the changes he has seen, “We are in an ocean of rubber – there is no forest left.”

Meanwhile to the north hundreds of villagers from the four provinces surrounding Prey Lang have walked for ten days through the forest - patrolling. Their ally and advisor, Chut Wutty, demands that their traditional rights be recognised. The Prey Lang Network joins forces at the CRCK rubber company concession: the latest enclosure, another free-for-all of illegal logging. And now it’s being challenged.

A trip to the Aoral Mountain wildlife sanctuary with Chut Wutty in Mach 2012 - Photos posted by James C Stephens on Flickr

An attempt to discourage loggers: A review of some of the laws which prohibit logging in the area. Posted on a boundary where loggers commonly cross into the wildlife sanctuary. (All Photos: James C. Stephens on Flickr)

Effect of deforestation: Two years (in 2010), this use to be a jungle.

Illegally Cut Timber

Logging road with surrounding deforestation

River Crossing Number 2: Chut Wutty can be seen on the left, Keyla Beebe is on the right. Keyla received an international reporting fellowships from the Pulitzer Center.

Meeting between the Forest Monk and Wutty: This monk lives alone in the forest as the sole person standing between illegal loggers and the wildlife sanctuary. He has been attacked many times by the loggers who are trying to support their families.

Girdled Tree: The loggers took some anger out on the monk in the foreground by killing one a beautiful tree next to his hut. Wutty can be seen standing next to the monk.

Fixing truck in the remote jungle: (from left to right) the jungle monk, Keyla Beebe and Chut Wutty fixing the truck. Wutty is assisted by an unidentified young man.

Wutty teaching us about charcoal production on March 14, 2012

Cambodia environmentalist killed in police dispute

April 26, 2012
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - (AP) -- Military police say they fatally shot a prominent Cambodian environmental activist in a confrontation Thursday near a forest area where illegal logging reportedly takes place.

Military police spokesman Kheng Tito said National Resources Protection Group director Chut Wutty was shot in a clash at a checkpoint in Koh Kong province during which the activist also fatally shot a military police officer.

Kheng Tito said he did not know what triggered the violence.

He said the confrontation occurred as Chut Wutty was serving as a guide for two journalists from The Cambodia Daily newspaper, a Canadian and a Cambodian. The journalists were taken to a military police office for questioning, he said.

Illegal logging is rampant in Cambodia, and often occurs under the protection of government agencies or important persons, environmental groups such as London-based Global Witness have charged. In recent years, protests against land grabs by rich and influential people have often been suppressed by deadly force.

Forest activist Chut Wutty slained and 2 reporters from the Cambodia Daily kidnapped

Chut Wutty director of the Natural Resource Protection Group who were one of the organizers of the training event (Photo: CCHR)

26 April 2012
By Iet Daravuth
Voice of Democracy
Translated from Khmer by Soch

KI-Media Note: Chut Wutty received a threat from the deputy governor of Kampong Thom in March. Read the Phnom Penh Post article here.

A report has indicated that Chut Wutty, the director of the Natural Resource Protection Group, was shot and killed by an assailant in Thmor Bang district, Koh Kong province at noon time this Thursday. Chut Wutty and 2 reporters from the Cambodia Daily were investigating illegal logging in the Thmor Bang district.

Am Sam Ath, an official for the Licadho human rights organization, indicated that he aslo received the news about the murder of Chut Wutty and that he is currently looking for more information about this case.

A anonymous employee of the Cambodia Daily indicated that 2 reporters from the Cambodia Daily traveled to Thmor Bang with Chut Wutty: a foreign woman and a Cambodian reporter by the name of Bopha. The anonymous employee of the Cambodia Daily indicated that, currently, the two reporters are being kidnapped.

Nevertheless, Kevin Dole, the editor-in-chief of the Cambodia Daily told VOD that he also traveled to Thmor Bang district with Chut Wutty also, but he did not know about this murder case. At about 3PM, Kevin Dole claimed that he is in Thmor Bang district, but he is not with Chut Wutty.

Prey Lang activist received donation from Cambodian-Canadians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6zWg_pYCfY

អ្នកភូមិ​ខំការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ​បែរជា​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អនុញ្ញាត​ឲ្យកាប់ - Villagers prevent illegal logging, but the government allows logging

នគរបាល​ដាក់​របាំង​ការពារ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន និង​ថតមុខ​អ្នកភូមិ​ការពារ​ព្រៃឈើ​។

អ្នកភូមិ​ឈប់សម្រាក​ក្នុងព្រៃ​ពេលដើរ​បង្រ្កាប​បទល្មើស​ព្រៃឈើ​។ ទិត្យថារ៉ា

 ឈើ​អ្នកភូមិ​រកឃើញ ដែល​ទើបតែ​អារថ្មីៗ​នៅក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​។ រូបថត ទិត្យថារ៉ា

 កម្មករ​អង្គុយ​លើ​គំនរ​ឈើហ៊ុប​ក្នុងក្រុមហ៊ុន សេង សារ៉ាវុធ។ រូបថត ទិត្យថារ៉ា

ឈើ​ដែល​ច្រៀក​រួច​កំពុង​រៀបចំ​លើកដាក់​ឡាន​ដឹកចេញ​។ រូបថត ទិត្យថារ៉ា

គំនរ​ឈើ​ទើបតែ​អាររួច នៅ​ក្នុង​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​សេង សារ៉ាវុធ​។ រូបថត ទិត្យថារ៉ា

ក្រុមហ៊ុន​កាប់ឈើ យកមក​ក្រាលធ្វើផ្លូវ​ដឹកឈើ​ចេញពី​ព្រៃ​។ រូបថត ថារ៉ា

 ឈើ​ដែល​ទើបតែ​កាប់ផ្តួល​ក្នុង​ព្រៃ មានប្រវេង​ប្រមាណ ២០ ម៉ែត្រ​។

រោងម៉ាស៊ីន​អារឈើ នៅក្នុង​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​សេង សារ៉ាវុធ នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​។

គល់ឈើ​ដែល​ទើបតែ​កាត់រួច​ថ្មីៗ នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​។ រូបថត ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា

គំនរឈើ ដែល​អ្នកភូមិ​រកឃើញ នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រៃឡង់​។ រូបថត ម៉ៃ ទិត្យថារ៉ា

ឡាន​ដឹកឈើ​ដែល​អាររួច ចេញពី​តំបន់​ព្រៃឡង់​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃពុធ។ រូបថត ថារ៉ា

Friday, 30 March 2012
ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

នៅក្នុង​រយៈពេល​ជាង ២ ឆ្នាំ​កន្លង​មកនេះ អ្នកភូមិ​ចំនួន ៤ ខេត្ត នៅជុំ​វិញ​តំបន់​ព្រៃឡង់ និង​អាជ្ញាធរ​មូលដ្ឋាន បានពាក់មុខ​យក្ស​ដាក់គ្នា ចំពោះ​ឧក្រិដកម្ម​ព្រៃឈើ​ដែល​កើតឡើង​យ៉ាងពេញ​បន្ទុក​នៅក្នុង​តំបន់​ព្រៃឡង់​នៃ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​។

អ្នកភូមិ​បាន​ចោទប្រកាន់​ថា មន្ត្រី​រដ្ឋបាល​ព្រៃឈើ មន្ត្រី​នគរបាល កងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ ទាហាន និង​មន្ត្រី​អាជ្ញាធរ​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ ក្នុង​តំបន់​ជុំវិញ​ព្រៃឡង់ បាន​ឃុបឃិត​គ្នា​រកស៊ី​ជាមួយ​ឈ្មួញ​កាប់​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃឈើ ក្នុង​ព្រៃ​ស្រោង ដែល​ជា​ព្រៃ​ត្រូពិក សេស​សល់​ចុងក្រោយ​ធំជាង​គេមួយនេះ​។

Grenade thrown in Anlong Veng community leader’s home

22 July 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

A hand-grenade was tossed by an unknown attacker into the house of the community leader for forest protection in O’Run village, Thlat commune, Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, at 11:20 PM on Saturday evening. The explosion damaged the home but no one was injured or died.

42-year-old Sat Savuth, the owner of the home who claimed to be the leader of the community for forest protection, said on Sunday 22 July that, prior to the grenade attack, he was outside of his home when he saw people standing in front of his home. Alerted by this presence, he sent his wife and four children running out, subsequently, the attacker tossed the grenade inside his home.

Sat Savuth said: “I came out to go to the bathroom, I saw someone, he saw me also. I ran inside the house to grab my children and ran out for about 30-meter from the house when the explosion was heard. It did not cause any fire, but half of the wooden portion fell.”

Sat Savuth added that he suspects the grenade attack was perpetrated to kill him and his family because a small group of people are not happy with the action he took to oppose illegal logging and illegal land grabbing perpetrated by some businessmen and powerful officials.

Nevertheless, there is no source or witnesses who came forward to clarify this grenade attack case at all.

Tes Soeum, the Anlong Veng police chief, denied that this grenade attack involved any political party, or because of the forest protection activities, or because of the protection of lands belonging to the villagers.

Tes Soeum said that based on preliminary investigation, he suspects that this attack was a prank perpetrated a group of people, or a jealous attempt made by some young man who loves Sat Savuth’s daughter. “There is no political involvement. I’m only making a cursory assessment: in his house, he has a young daughter, therefore, (the young men) are after her, so maybe they are jealous of each others.”

On Sunday, the Licadho and Adhoc human rights groups in the district sent their investigators to the incident location to find out the real cause of the attack. According to Licadho, Sat Savuth was also a community leader for the protection of forests when he was living in Pren village, Sokh Chit commune, Sandan district, Kompong Thom province. While living there, businessmen involved in illegal logging tried to shoot him down once in 2005.

This is a second grenade attack in Anlong Veng district. In June, an unknown person tossed a grenade inside the house of the traffic police chief, killing one 16-year-old girl.