By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Groups of people living in several areas of Svay Leu commune, Svay Leu district, Siem Reap province claimed that over 10,000-hectare of dense jungle forest (Prey Sroang) will disappear because of logging destruction and land clearing operations conducted by private companies to take the land for industrial use and for planting fruit trees in the near future.
On Saturday 16 June, a group of villagers expressed their concerns after they learnt that two companies: the Krek rubber plantation company which asked (the government) for 9,000-hectare of (concession) lands to plant rubber trees; and another private company, the SN Macro Finance and Agriculture Development company, asked for 970-hectares of concession lands from the government to plant fruit trees, and packaging.
Siek Pisith, director of the Krek rubber plantation company, said on Saturday: “The government has already decided to enlarge state rubber plantations because the Krek rubber plantation no longer have lands for planting more trees. (The government will) provide 9,104-hectare of land, the plan will start this year, in 2007.”
Nevertheless, government forestry officials have expressed their concerns that these land concessions could affect forests used for breeding grounds and for refuge by a large number of wild animals currently living there.
Van Sophana, director of the North Tonle Sap Lake forestry department , said that the government decision to give the forest lands to the Krek rubber plantation company did not arrive at the forestry department yet, therefore he cannot provide any explanation as to whether these lands affect the breeding grounds and the refuge for wild animals or not. However, he said that for the SN company request, his department already received the request documents, but the request was turned down.
Van Sophana said: “This area is occupied by a dense jungle forest, and semi-dense jungle forest, they serve as refuge for deers and musk deers who are living in large number there. I don’t know why they log trees in this area. The paperwork did not come to me yet, only (a request for) 970-hectare arrived to me, and I informed them that they cannot take dense jungle forest, semi-dense jungle forest, and thin forest for agricultural use.”
Siem Reap Opposition MP Ke Sovannaroth opposes the plan to turn over dense jungle forest to these investment companies, and she calls on the government to rethink this issue.
Ke Sovannaorth said: “Sometimes, these companies take the lands only to log the forest trees. I do not support the logging destruction of natural resources which we have fought hard to protect. I believe that we will not benefit from it.”
According to a report shown on the land map of the forestry administration department in Svay Leu district, the extent of the forest requested by the Krek rubber plantation company and the SN company includes: 15,143-hectare of dense jungle forest, 11,266-hectare of semi-dense jungle forest, 34,042-hectare of thin forest, and only a small area is occupied by destroyed forest.
On Saturday 16 June, a group of villagers expressed their concerns after they learnt that two companies: the Krek rubber plantation company which asked (the government) for 9,000-hectare of (concession) lands to plant rubber trees; and another private company, the SN Macro Finance and Agriculture Development company, asked for 970-hectares of concession lands from the government to plant fruit trees, and packaging.
Siek Pisith, director of the Krek rubber plantation company, said on Saturday: “The government has already decided to enlarge state rubber plantations because the Krek rubber plantation no longer have lands for planting more trees. (The government will) provide 9,104-hectare of land, the plan will start this year, in 2007.”
Nevertheless, government forestry officials have expressed their concerns that these land concessions could affect forests used for breeding grounds and for refuge by a large number of wild animals currently living there.
Van Sophana, director of the North Tonle Sap Lake forestry department , said that the government decision to give the forest lands to the Krek rubber plantation company did not arrive at the forestry department yet, therefore he cannot provide any explanation as to whether these lands affect the breeding grounds and the refuge for wild animals or not. However, he said that for the SN company request, his department already received the request documents, but the request was turned down.
Van Sophana said: “This area is occupied by a dense jungle forest, and semi-dense jungle forest, they serve as refuge for deers and musk deers who are living in large number there. I don’t know why they log trees in this area. The paperwork did not come to me yet, only (a request for) 970-hectare arrived to me, and I informed them that they cannot take dense jungle forest, semi-dense jungle forest, and thin forest for agricultural use.”
Siem Reap Opposition MP Ke Sovannaroth opposes the plan to turn over dense jungle forest to these investment companies, and she calls on the government to rethink this issue.
Ke Sovannaorth said: “Sometimes, these companies take the lands only to log the forest trees. I do not support the logging destruction of natural resources which we have fought hard to protect. I believe that we will not benefit from it.”
According to a report shown on the land map of the forestry administration department in Svay Leu district, the extent of the forest requested by the Krek rubber plantation company and the SN company includes: 15,143-hectare of dense jungle forest, 11,266-hectare of semi-dense jungle forest, 34,042-hectare of thin forest, and only a small area is occupied by destroyed forest.
1 comment:
Destroy rain forest to grow rubber trees. It is stupid and no brain.
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