Tep Nimol
The Phnom Penh Post
POLICE in Ratanakkiri province arrested two Vietnamese men with the help of an ethnic Jarai leader on Saturday, after the pair were reportedly found illegally felling trees in Andong Meas district.
Sov Hmeus, head of the ethnic Jarai community in Kaet village, in Andong Meas district’s Nhang commune, said he was patrolling an area near the border with local police when the group came across six Vietnamese men who were cutting down trees with chainsaws.
Four of the men escaped on foot, but two were caught and confessed to each paying a US$154 bribe to Nin Na, chief of police at the Fhasav border checkpoint, in exchange for permission to cut down trees in Ratanakkiri.
“[Nin Na] has warned me not to interfere in these cases when Vietnamese people cut down trees in Cambodia,” said Sov Hmeus. “But I must protect the community forest and must not allow anybody to conspire with Vietnamese people to cut down trees illegally.”
Sov Hmeus said he intended to file a complaint against Nin Na today “for intimidation and for allowing Vietnamese people to cross the border to cut trees in Cambodia illegally”.
Nin Na could not be reached for comment.
But Uy Sarath, deputy commander of the military border battalion stationed at Ou Sathai, which controls the Fhasav border checkpoint, rejected accusations that checkpoint officials had taken bribes. “I will investigate the case, and if I find that someone has [taken bribes], I will take legal action,” he said.
Sov Hmeus, head of the ethnic Jarai community in Kaet village, in Andong Meas district’s Nhang commune, said he was patrolling an area near the border with local police when the group came across six Vietnamese men who were cutting down trees with chainsaws.
Four of the men escaped on foot, but two were caught and confessed to each paying a US$154 bribe to Nin Na, chief of police at the Fhasav border checkpoint, in exchange for permission to cut down trees in Ratanakkiri.
“[Nin Na] has warned me not to interfere in these cases when Vietnamese people cut down trees in Cambodia,” said Sov Hmeus. “But I must protect the community forest and must not allow anybody to conspire with Vietnamese people to cut down trees illegally.”
Sov Hmeus said he intended to file a complaint against Nin Na today “for intimidation and for allowing Vietnamese people to cross the border to cut trees in Cambodia illegally”.
Nin Na could not be reached for comment.
But Uy Sarath, deputy commander of the military border battalion stationed at Ou Sathai, which controls the Fhasav border checkpoint, rejected accusations that checkpoint officials had taken bribes. “I will investigate the case, and if I find that someone has [taken bribes], I will take legal action,” he said.
6 comments:
There is nothing new about the bribe in Cambodia. It's a lawless country, laws are only on papers or when they want to rob the poors of their lands or money. If you ask these corrupt people, you know what they are going to say, what corruption? they shamelessly deny that there are corruptions in the country at any levels.
I am wondering what Hun Sen is going to do to that police cheif . Give him another warning ? The rich and powerful people always get away with the law . I bet he will say nooooo , there was no bribery .
Khmer Ga
cambodia is khmer country, everyone, please help to protect and look out for our beautiful country of cambodia. report all illegal activities to the proper authority and make sure the media gets the information as well because the media can inform the whole country and even the whole world as well. god bless cambodia.
you can not win this case because Hun Sen himself he allowed Mong Rithy to cut tousands and thousands of trees many years ago pretending to grow palm tree for oil, in the reality money came from sales of those trees went directely to Hun sen pocket.
My friend, only Khmers themselves can protect Cambodia no one else, if Khmers are stupid, Khmers will have nothing at all in the near future. Just look at Khmer Krom as example.
shut up, we're talking about illegal activities, here; if it's lawful, it should be ok. that's the point, ok!
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