Sunday, June 03, 2007

Government officials react to Global Witness report

Click on the photos to read the names of Cambodia's Logging Syndicate

01 June 2007
By Lim Pisith
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Cambodian government authority reacted to the new report about illegal logging in Cambodia published by Global Witness – which accuses a group of powerful people of collusion in the illegal logging and pocketing the collected revenue for themselves – that it is fictitious information aimed at defaming the Royal Government of Cambodia.

The reaction came a few hours after Global Witness reported about illegal logging in the Tumring area, Sandan district, Kompong Thom province, as well as in protected forest areas located in Preah Vihear, Kompong thom, Kratie, and Stung Treng provinces. Global Witness over 100-page-long report covers a period from 2004 to 2007, it also points out the involvement of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s group; relatives of Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun; Ty Sokhun; the Seng Keang Company whose owner Seng Keang is the former wife of Hun Chouch – Hun Sen’s cousin from his mother side. Global Witness proposed that at least 9 people be brought to justice for their involvements in the illegal logging of several thousands of hectares of forest.

Chan Sarun said in reaction to Global Witness report: “Seng Keang is not related to me, the main thing is that the Ministry of Agriculture erased (Seng Keang’s company name) long time ago… when we note illegal activities … we erase their name, and the opinion of whoever (Global Witness) talks about it is not correct.”

Ty Sokhun, Director General of the Forest Administration, turned around to accuse Global Witness of being a jobless organization which creates fictitious evidence because it is angry that it was kicked out (of Cambodia) by the Cambodian government in 2003.

Ty Sokhun said: “This is … one of their (report) because they (Global Witness) were kicked out, in order to give themselves a voice. Only dumb people would concern themselves and would believe their report. They can only fool people who are not knowledgeable and who do not know anything.”

Nevertheless, Ty Sokhun did not point out any evidence, nor was he able to provide any proof showing that Global Witness fabricated its report on illegal logging in Cambodia.

On the other hand, numerous independent forest watch groups indicated that illegal logging still persists, and that it involves the Seng Keang company, up until the beginning of 2007.

Chak Cheng, the Khos village chief, Tumring commune, said that Seng Kok Heang (Seng Keang’s brother) left his home about 4 or 5 months ago, and Seng Keang’s sawmill was closed since last year also. However, he said that, in this village, there is still a wood stockpile behind Seng Kok Heang’s house which is now occupied by someone else, and wood stockpiles can be found at a number of other sawmills in the area.

Sin Sien, President of the community forest protection, said that at least 100 precious wood trees are being logged each day in the 40,000-hectare protected forest area. In some of the logging areas, the trees are milled first inside the forest before being transported out to either Tumring commune, or to Khos village – the home of Grandfather 95 (Seng Kok Heang’s codename). Sin Sien said: “Each day, in all the protected forest, at least 100 trees are logged, near the Thos pass, each day, more than 50 trees are logged…”

Sin Sien added that up to now, in the entire Tumring commune, there are 110 sawmills operating.

Thong Piseth, President of the poor families development organization, who is closely watching the forest in Tumring commune, discussed about the change of business activities by the Seng Keang company, by saying: “Here, based on what I see, it seems like someone who is the younger sibling of (Seng) Kok Heang who is pursuing the activities (illegal logging), but this new business identity sells the (illegally logged) woods to the same company still (Seng Keang company).”

In its report covering a period of 4-year, Global Witness detailed the involvement of the Seng Keang company, along with a number of powerful people, such as Khun Thong – Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun’s in-law and father-in-law of Ty Sokhun – and a number of powerful high-ranking army officers of RACF Brigade 70, and Seng Kok Heang who is supported by Hing Bun Heang – the commander of Hun Sen’s 4,000 bodyguards unit.

Global Witness proposed and showed the accountability of the 9 people involved in the deforestation, who are: Hun Chouch; Seng Keang; Khun Thong; Seng Kok Heang; Minister of Agoculture Chan Sarun; Director General of the Forest Administration Ty Sokhun; General Hing Bun Heang, Hun Sen’s bodyguards unit commander; Dy Phen, the Kompong Thom Military Police chief and cousin of Hun Sen from his mother side; and General Mao Hak, the commander of RCAF Brigade 70, accused by Global Witness of transporting, each year, between $2 to $2.75 million worth of illegally logged woods out of the Tumring forest, and out of protected forest.

So far, there is no reaction yet from Prime Minister Hun Sen on Global Witness report, nor was there any from the high-ranking RCAF officers named by Global Witness.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is their habit that those fucking-top-ranking officials of this YUON-backed government denied the accusiation of illegal logging and other wrong doings they have committed in order to destroy Cambodia.

Most real Khmer people believe this report of Global Witness. Only those fucking officials denied what they done.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to Global Witness for its comprehensive and independent report on illegal logging in Cambodia. With satellite technology and local intelligence on the ground, these culprits can lie but they cannot hide.

Independent Cambodian journalists could have been able to compile a similar report but they would have definitely ended sleeping in a wooden mosquito net (Cambodian idiom for coffin).

These mafia families must not be allowed to operate above the law and commit criminal acts with impunity. Their crimes must be exposed for all the world to see. Keep up the good work, Global Witness!

Anonymous said...

Go to Helll Pouk Mee Louch Cheat. These animals shoul be punished by one bullet to their heads. For them to live would be heavier on Cambodia soil.

Anonymous said...

First, the link to Global Witness' report:

http://www.globalwitness.org/

Second, there is nothing but People Power can bring down the treasonous CPP and its mafia network. No individual, no political party, no alliance, no movement and no secret army can accomplish this mission.

ONLY PEOPLE POWER CAN!!!

Anonymous said...

Ohh ... shut the fuck up, fools!
Go get a life, and stop interfere
with Cambodia progress. We need
more land and we need to clear up
more trees yet.

Thank you all for a fine jobs in
developing our country. And thanks
to Globlal Witness for acknoledge
this fine job, except for giving
credit to wrong people.

Anonymous said...

LOL, hahaha, Global Witness think
that women love to invest in
lumbers and woods, hahaha, LOL,
hahaha. What is a joke?

Anonymous said...

KI-Media, why are you posting pics of such ugly-looking women? Please show us pics of normal-looking Cambodian women, for a change!

Anonymous said...

Jealous!

Anonymous said...

GW has done a good job. Congratulation! CPP officials with thier spokemen "DOCTOR"Cheam Yeap, Kheu Sopheak, Kheu Kanharith..... never adimit the facts. Instead they systematically protect corrupt CPP officials including the PHKAY CHOR and Hun Sen's family.

Anonymous said...

It's amzing to see the pictures of "CHUMTEAV". These women think only about the position of their husband, dollars....villa....They only know how to CHUMTED and how to CHUMTENG to ease their Pussies. They are even ready to offer their Pussies to the high ranking officials to keep or to promote their husband's position.
Another CHUMTED, Men Sam An, has just got 3 stars or Phkay CHOR. Her husband Pal Patt, a senator, was a real hooligan in the year 1980 and 1990's. She also got a "Doctorate diploma from one CPP private University in PPenh."

Anonymous said...

6:41 AM maybe your wife is beautiful
why don't you post her on ebay. I always there

Anonymous said...

I agree. Those "Chumteav" are not educated women. They are only educated in speculation, traffic of influence, money laundring.....They deserve to be called "MI CHKE Chumted-Chumteng Pussy-women". No need to respect them.

Anonymous said...

All these junk Stars or Phkay Chor downgrade the RCAF's value. I will never let my sons serving the military service under the commandement of those MANITOU.
The funy thing is that we must call those junk Stars "Mr His EXcellency" and their wife "Lok CHUMTEAV". I wll never call all MI NGENG "Chumteav". You are all whores or bitches....