Sacking of Cambodia’s forest chief unconvincing as move against illegal logging: Global Witness

"Ty Sokhun's reign as Cambodia's forest chief was a disaster for Cambodia's forests" - Simon Taylor, Global Witness Director (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Press Release – 07/04/2010

Global Witness today welcomed the removal from his post of the Director General of Cambodia's Forest Administration, Ty Sokhun, but warned that much more needed to be done to guarantee the survival of the country's remaining forests and the fair and sustainable exploitation of the country's other natural resources for the benefit of the many not the few.

Global Witness's 2007 report, Cambodia's Family Trees, documented how Ty Sokhun and the Ministry of Agriculture Director, Chan Sarun, sold off 500 or more jobs in the Forest Administration. The report also revealed that Ty Sokhun's father-in-law was a key member of Cambodia's biggest illegal logging syndicate.

"Ty Sokhun's reign as Cambodia's forest chief was a disaster for Cambodia's forests", said Simon Taylor, Global Witness Director. "On his watch we saw Cambodia's forests shrink dramatically, largely due to illegal or ill-managed logging operations. It is a good thing he is gone, but he shouldn't be let off the hook for what happened while he was in charge."

Prime Minister Hun Sen says he sacked Ty Sokhun because he had no confidence in his ability to crack down on illegal logging but Global Witness questions why it has taken so long to act. In April Cambodia's international donors will meet to discuss next year's pledges and they will be looking for assurances of reform. But the Cambodian government has a lot more to do if it wants to prove it is serious about protecting the country's remaining forests and managing its other natural resources sustainably.

"The idea that Ty Sokhun has been removed from his post because of a failure to crack down on illegal logging is laughable," said Taylor. "His status as protector of Cambodia's forests was already stretched beyond credibility. If this move was really about that then he should have gone years ago."

For the last 15 years Global Witness has documented the extensive and untrammelled exploitation of Cambodia's natural resources by a corrupt and unaccountable elite. It has called on the government to investigate allegations of illegal activities relating to forests, oil, gas and mining, but as far as it can ascertain, no such investigations have ever taken place.

Taylor: "Ty Sokhun was not the only one responsible for the destruction of Cambodia's forests. Our investigations have proven the complicity of officials and elites at the highest levels, including members of the Prime Minister's own family. If Hun Sen genuinely wants closure on the destruction of Cambodia's forests, he should commission a full independent enquiry into what has happened, publish the findings and punish the perpetrators".

Whoever succeeds Ty Sokhun will need determination and independence to tackle the patronage networks which have underpinned illegal logging in Cambodia for the past 15 years. Corruption in Cambodia is systemic and deeply entrenched. It is unlikely to be successfully eradicated without much more significant pressure from international donors who provide the equivalent of 50% of the country's budget each year but don't do enough to insist on reform.

/ Ends
Contact: Amy Barry on 0207 4925858 or 07980 664397, abarry@globalwitness.org

Global Witness Lambastes PM Over Logging

A Cambodian carpenter loads his cart with lumber at a lumber yard in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The April 6 firing of the government’s top forestry official by Prime Minister Hun Sen was not enough to ensure the safety of Cambodia’s remaining timber, the resources watchdog Global Witness says.

Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 12 April 2010

The April 6 firing of the government’s top forestry official by Prime Minister Hun Sen was not enough to ensure the safety of Cambodia’s remaining timber, the resources watchdog Global Witness says.

In a statement following the public sacking of Ty Sokhun, the director of the Ministry of Agriculture’s forestry department, Global Witness said broader measures are needed to protect what is left of the nation’s forests.

“The idea that Ty Sokhun has been removed from his post because of a failure to crack down on illegal logging is laughable,” Global Witness Director Simon Taylor said in an April 7 statement. “His status as protector of Cambodia’s forest was already stretched beyond credibility. If this move was really about that, then he should have gone years ago.”

The UN Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that Cambodia lost 29 percent of its primary forest cover between 2000 and 2005. Ty Sokhun was made director of the forestry administration in 1998 and held the post for 12 years.

UK-based Global Witness was once a forestry consultant to the government, but it was fired in 2003 and kicked out of the country in 2005 after publishing sensitive information on the timber trade.

The international award-winning group issued a report in 2007 claiming the country is run by a “kleptocratic elite” and that its “most powerful logging syndicate” was led by relatives of the premier. The Cambodian government banned the report, “Cambodia’s Family Trees.”

Global Witness said in its statement that Ty Sokhun and Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun “sold off 500 or more jobs in the Forest Administration.” Both officials have denied such reports.

Global Witness also said last week Ty Sokhun’s father-in-law is a “key member of Cambodia’s biggest illegal logging syndicate.”

Ty Sokhun and his replacement, Chheng Kim Sum, both declined to comment on the statement.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said officials will ignore the statement, which he called an attack on the Cambodian government.

Ty Sokhun was fired last week as part of an ongoing government crackdown on logging, but environmental groups say more needs to be done.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said Ty Sokhun’s firing was a new step in the timber crackdown, but he said the government needs to undertake more, similar actions.
----
រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​អះអាង​ថា ​Global​ Witness​ លើក​បញ្ហា​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ជា​អាវុធ​ប្រឆាំង​ហ៊ុន សែន

ដោយ លោក ហេង រស្មី វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ
ភ្នំពេញ ថ្ងៃច័ន្ទ, 12 ខែមេសា 2010

«យើង​អ្នក​នៅ​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ហ្នឹង​ យើង​ក៏អស់​សំណើច​ដែរ​ ពីព្រោះ​ការ​ដែល​ដក​ពី​តួនាទី​ប្រតិភូ​រដ្ឋ​បាល​ ព្រៃ​ឈើ​បែរ​ជា​ទៅ​តម្លើង​ឋានៈ​អនុ​រដ្ឋ​លេខា​ធិការ​ គួរ​តែ​ដក​តួនាទី ​ហើយ​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ការ​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ ហើយ​នឹង​ផ្តន្ទាទោស»។

លោក​ខៀវ​ កាញា​រិទ្ធ អ្នក​នាំ​ពាក្យ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ច័ន្ទ​នេះ​បាន​ហៅ​ការ​ចេញ​របាយ​ការណ៍​របស់​អង្គ​ការ​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​ការ​រំលោភ​បរិដ្ឋាន​អន្តរ​ជាតិ​មួយ​ ដែល​មាន​ឈ្មោះ​ថា ​Globlal​ Witness​ថា ​បាន​ លើក​យក​បញ្ហា​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ជា​អាវុធ​មួយ​សម្រាប់​វាយ​ប្រហារ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​របស់​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី​ ហ៊ុន​ សែន។ ​​សម្លេង​ «ខ្លួន​ឯង​យក​បញ្ហា​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​នេះ​ ដើម្បី​ជា​អាវុធ​មួយ​ ក្នុង​យុទ្ធនា​ការ​ប្រឆាំង​សម្តេច​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី​ ហ៊ុន​ សែន​ទេ ​ដែល​Globlal​ Witness​ មក​និយាយ​នោះ​ចំពោះ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​អត់​បាន​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់​ទៅ​លើ​បញ្ហា​អង្គ​ការ​ហ្នឹង​ទេ»។

កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​សុក្រ​ ចុង​សប្តាហ៍​មុន​នេះ​ ពី​ទី​ក្រុង​ឡុង​ ប្រទេស​អង់​គ្លេស​ អង្គ​ការ​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​ការ​រំលោភ​ បរិដ្ឋាន​អន្តរ​ជាតិ​មួយ​ ដែល​មាន​ឈ្មោះ​ថា​ Global​ Witness​ បាន​លើក​ឡើង​ថា​ ហេតុ​ផល​ដែល​បាន​លើក​ ឡើង​ក្នុង​ការ​ដក​ហូត​មុខ​តំណែង​លោក​ ទី ​សុគន្ធ​ ចេញ​ពី​អគ្គ​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​បាល​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ កាល​ពី​សប្តាហ៍​មុន​នេះ​ គឺ​ជា​រឿង​មួយ​គួរ​ឲ្យ​អស់​សំណើច។​ ហើយ​ថា​ រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​ ត្រូវ​តែ​មាន​ចំណាត់​វិធាន​ការ​ណ៍ឲ្យ​បាន​ ទូលំ​ទូលាយ​ជាង​នេះ​ ដើម្បី​ការ​ពារ​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ដែល​នៅ​សេស​សល់​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា។

កាល​ពីថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​ ដើម​សប្តាហ៍​នេះ​ លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី​ហ៊ុន​ សែន​ បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្តូរ​មុខ​តំណែង​ លោក​ទី​ សុគន្ធ​ ពី​ប្រតិភូ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​ទទួល​បន្ទុក​រដ្ឋ​បាល​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ឲ្យ​ទៅ​កាន់​តួនាទី​ជា​អនុ​រដ្ឋ​លេខា​ធិការ​ ក្រសួង​កសិកម្ម​វិញ​ ក្រោយ​ពី​លោក​ទី ​សុគន្ធ ខក​ខាន​ក្នុង​ការ​បង្ក្រាប​បទ​ល្មើស​ព្រៃ​ឈើ ។

លោក​ស៊ីម៉ុន​ ថាយ​ល័រ​ នាយក​អង្គ​ការ​ Global ​Witness​ បាន​បញ្ជាក់​នៅ​ក្នុង​សេចក្តី​ថ្លែង​ការណ៍​របស់ ​ខ្លួន​ថា​ គំនិត​ដែល​ថា​ លោក​ទី សុគន្ធ ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ដក​ហូត​ពី​មុខ​តំណែង​របស់​លោក​ដោយ​សារ​តែ​បរាជ័យ​ ក្នុង​ការ​កាប់​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​នោះ​ គឺ​ជា​រឿង​មួយ​គួរ​ឲ្យ​អស់​សំណើច។

លោក​ស៊ីម៉ុន​ ថាយ​ល័រ​ បាល​លើក​ឡើង​ទៀត​ថា​ តួនាទី​របស់​លោក​ទី​ សុគន្ធ​ ជា​អ្នក​ការ​ពារ​ព្រៃ​ ឈើ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ មិន​គួរ​ឲ្យ​គេ​ទុក​ចិត្ត​ស្រាប់​ទៅ​ហើយ​ ហើយ​ប្រសិន​ណា​បើ​ការ​ដក​ហូត​មុខ​តំណែង​នេះ​ មែន​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​បញ្ហា​នេះ​មែន​ អញ្ចឹង​គាត់​គួរ​តែ​ចាក​ចេញ​ជា​ច្រើន​ឆ្នាំ​មក​ហើយ។

លោក​ខៀវ​ កាញា​រិទ្ធ ​បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា ​អង្គ​ការ​Global​ Witness ​ជា​អង្គការ​មួយ​ដែល​ចាំ​តែ​ ឈ្នានីស​កម្ពុជា​ ដូច្នេះ​លោក​មិន​ចាត់​ទុក​ការ​រិះ​គន់​នេះ​ គឺ​ជា​រឿង​សំខាន់​នោះ​ទេ។

«Global ​Witness​ ជា​អង្គ​ការ​មួយ​ដែល​មាន​ប្រតិ​ទិន​របស់​គាត់ ​គឺ​ចាំ​តែ​រិះ​គន់​ហ៊ុន​ សែន​ ជានិច្ច​ ហើយ​ អញ្ចឹង​យើង​ទៅ​ស្តាប់​នាំ​តែ​ឈឺ​ក្បាល​ធ្វើ​អី»។

លោក​អ៊ូ ​វីរៈ​ ប្រធាន​មជ្ឈ​មណ្ឌល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​កម្ពុជា​ បាន​ហៅ​ការ​ដក​​លោក​ទី ​សុគន្ធ​ នេះ​គឺ​ជា​ ជំហាន​ថ្មី​មួយ​ទៀត​ ក្នុង​យុទ្ធនា​ការ​ ដើម្បី​កំចាត់​ការ​កាប់​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់។​ក៏​ប៉ុន្តែ​លោក​បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ថា​ ការ​ធ្វើ​បែប​នេះ​ មិន​គ្រប់​គ្រាន់​ទេ។

«មួយ​ផ្នែក​ទៀត​ ដែល​ខ្វះ​ខាត​ គឺ​ការ​ចាត់​វិធាន​ការ​ណ៍តាម​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់ ​ក្នុង​ការ​ពិន័យ​ទៅ​តាម​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់​ តាម​ផ្លូវ​ប្រព័ន្ធ​តុលា​ការ។​ឥឡូវ​នេះ​ យើង​ឃើញ​ទី ​សុគន្ធ​ គឺ​ការ​ពិន័យ​ទៅ​តាម​ផ្លូវ​រដ្ឋ​បាល​តែ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ​ មិន​ បាន​ទាំង​ពិន័យ ​ឬ​មួយ​ដាក់​ទោស​មួយ​ណា​ ដែល​ផ្ញើ​សារ​ទៅ​ដល់​អ្នក​ដទៃ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​រាង​រអារ​ទេ»។

ចំណែក​លោក​រ៉ុង ឈុន​ ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​កម្ពុជា​ និង​ជា​ប្រធាន​សមាគម​គ្រួ​បង្រៀន​ឯក​រាជ្យ​ កម្ពុជា​ បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា​ ការ​ដោះ​ដូរ​មុខ​តំណែង​លោក​ទី សុគន្ធ​ មិន​មែន​ជា​សញ្ញា​មួយ​ដើម្បី​ បង្ហាញ​ថា ​ទប់​ស្កាត់​ការ​កាប់​បំផ្លាញ​ព្រៃ​ឈើ​ខុស​ច្បាប់​ឲ្យ​មាន​ប្រសិទ្ធិ​ភាព​នោះ​ទេ​បញ្ហា​សំខាន់​ត្រូវ​តែ​មាន​វិធាន​ការ​ណ៍ឲ្យ​បាន​ច្បាស់​លាស់​ជាង​នេះ ។

«យើង​អ្នក​នៅ​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ហ្នឹង​ យើង​ក៏អស់​សំណើច​ដែរ​ ពីព្រោះ​ការ​ដែល​ដក​ពី​តួនាទី​ប្រតិភូ​រដ្ឋ​បាល​ ព្រៃ​ឈើ​បែរ​ជា​ទៅ​តម្លើង​ឋានៈ​អនុ​រដ្ឋ​លេខា​ធិការ​ គួរ​តែ​ដក​តួនាទី ​ហើយ​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ការ​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ ហើយ​នឹង​ផ្តន្ទាទោស»។

លោក​ទី សុគន្ធ​ ពុំ​អាច​ស្នើ​សុំ​ដើម្បី​ទំនាក់​ទំនង​បាន​ទេ ​ ចំណែក​លោក​ឆេង​ គឺម​ស៊ុន​ ប្រតិភូរដ្ឋា​ ភិបាល​ ទទួល​បន្ទុក​រដ្ឋ​បាល​ព្រៃ​ឈើ ​បាន​បដិសេធ​ពុំ​ធ្វើ​អត្ថា​ធិប្បាយ​ទេ​ ដោយ​លោក​បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍ ​កំពុង​ជាប់​រវល់​ប្រជុំ។

យោង​តាម​អង្គ​ការ​កសិកម្ម​ និង​ស្បៀង​អាហារ​ពិភព​លោក​របស់​អង្គការ​សហ​ប្រជា​ជាតិ​ ដែល​បាន​ ចុះ​ផ្សាយ​នៅ​ក្នុង​កាសែត​ The​ Cambodia​ Daily​ បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ​ ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​បាន​បាត់​បង់​ព្រៃ​ សំខាន់ៗ​ចំនួន​២៩% ​ចន្លោះ​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០០០​ដល់​ឆ្នាំ២០០៥។

កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៧​ អង្គ​ការ​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​បរិដ្ឋាន​អន្តរ​ជាតិ ​ដែល​មាន​ឈ្មោះ​ថា ​Global ​Witness ​បាន​ចោទ​ ប្រកាន់​លោក​ទី ​សុគន្ធ​ និង​ក្រុម​មន្រ្តី​កំពូលៗ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ ដែល​ស្និទ្ធ​នឹង​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី​ ហ៊ុន​ សែន​ថា​ បាន​បំផ្លាញ​បរិដ្ឋាន​យ៉ាង​ធ្ងន់​ធ្ងរ​ នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ ក៏​ប៉ុន្តែ​ក្រុម​មន្រ្តី​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល​ បាន​ច្រាន​ចោល​​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​នេះ៕

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: A Little Termite

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

Illegal Logging in Battambang, Pursat Province 'Enjoys' Authorities Collusion

29 Jan 08
By Koeut Samrech
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

According to sources among NGO officials in Battambang province, forest crimes in Battambang, the empire under the control of Prach Chan, a confidant of Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, have never subsided. These crimes continue to be committed noisily around the clock. It can be said that in all districts where there are some residual forests, such as Samlot, Phnum Proek, Kamrieng, and Sampeou Lun, illegal, anarchic logging activities continue unabated, and the provincial authorities and competent agencies concerned have not taken any step to suppress these criminal activities.

The sources further said that at present the poaching of luxury trees in the forest preserve of movie star Angelina Jolie in Samlot district is taking place with a frightening frenzy. The crime perpetrators are said to be in a systematic collusion with the district authorities, forest administration agents, environment protection officials, and police, military police, and military forces. This is the reason why they can do whatever they please. Without this systematic complicity of the authorities and agencies concerned, the felons would not be able to log luxury trees and transport and process them illegally with such liberty.

An unofficial source hinted that Battambang Provincial Governor Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration are well aware of the widespread illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. However, probably because of personal interests, Prach Chan and the head of Battambang forest administration have acted as if they know nothing about these forest crimes despite being strongly criticized. When the illegal logging and other forests crimes in Samlot district are widely known and heard of by the public, Prach Chan shameless maintains that he knows nothing.

Some observers said that maybe Prach Chan needs money to help support Sar Kheng's campaign in the 27 July 2008 elections. This may be the reason that prompted Prach Chan to tolerate the dangerously large-scaled illegal logging in Samlot and other districts. Otherwise, Prach Chan would have taken some measures to effectively stop these illegal activities because the criminals do not have greater power than the provincial governor. In giving green light to such dangerously destructive logging activities and then irresponsibly defending himself that he knows nothing, Prach Chan is committing an extremely shameful act.

As for NGO officials in Pursat province, they also disclosed that currently the logging of luxury trees in Phnum Kravanh and Krakor districts is going on in full swing day and night. The loggers who are denuding forests of good wood in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts of Pursat province show no sign of fear of the district or provincial authorities. These illegal loggers can carry out their forest-stripping activities like people going to a temple fair, that is, in a very festive mood, whereas the ordinary citizens are prohibited from entering the forests even just to forage for fuel wood.

The NGO officials in Pursat province expressed suspicion that Governor Chhay Saret and the provincial forest administration chief themselves probably are the ringleaders behind the criminals who are logging luxury trees in Krakor and Phnum Kravanh districts. Otherwise, Chhay Saret and the forest administration chief of Pursat province would have taken effective measures to stop these illegal loggers from cutting luxury trees and destroying the forests on such a large scale. It can be said that the forest crimes of logging luxury trees and transporting them out of the forests in Pursat province enjoys the systematic collusion of the provincial and district authorities and other corrupt agents concerned. This explains why these crimes have been going on so smoothly.

While the illegal logging of luxury trees in Pursat and Battambang provinces are taking place in full swing, the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam is also being perpetrated with no secrets. The illegal timber merchants are transporting contraband wood to Vietnam through a number of border passes, such as the border pass in Takev province, the K'am Samnar pass in Leuk Dek district, Kandal province, and the Chrey Thom pass in Kaoh Thom district, Kandal province. The traders who smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass have Ney Charei, deputy provincial governor of Kandal province, as their protector. Ney Charei brags that no one dares touch him because he is a brother-in-law of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the advisory council of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

According to a source in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries who asked to remain anonymous, Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture, and Ty Sokun, head of the forest administration, are well aware of all the logging crimes in Battambang and Pursat provinces and in all other provinces of the country, as well as the smuggling of luxury wood to Vietnam. However, probably because of their personal interests involved these two big shots have remained silent despite the fact that both have their names listed in the "Cambodia's Family Trees" report of Global Witness. Moreover, to many people's knowledge, relatives of Chan Sarun and Ty Sokun are also implicated in the crime of smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam.