May Tittharahe
The Phnom Penh Post
Villagers who have spent recent days patrolling Prey Lang forest would file a complaint to the prime minister alleging government officials and private companies are clearing parts of the forest, a spokesman said yesterday.
“Forestry crime has doubled since the death of forestry activist Chut Wutty, and the illegal loggers behind it are all expert officials,” Chheang Vuthy, a representative of residents in Kampong Thom province’s Sandan district, said.
The 70-strong citizen patrol team who scoured the forest this week had evidence proving these officials included soldiers, police and environmental workers – and it was time for Prime Minister Hun Sen and his government to take action against them, Vuthy said.
“We will compile a document and send it to Premier Hun Sen’s cabinet and all government institutions asking for their intervention,” he said.
The patrol team, armed with cameras, discovered five highland areas where illegal loggers had cleared forest, including a 30-hectare area of land where 500 cubic met-res of timber had been felled, Vuthy said.
The group has been criticised on previous patrols for setting illegally cut timber ablaze rather than taking it to authorities.
Chhim Savuth, forum co-ordinator at the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said that this time, the citizens on patrol were intent on collecting as much evidence as they could.
“A lot of forestry crime has happened in the past month involving the authorities and a private company,” he said.
Sandan district governor Oung Moly said it was highly unlikely the deforestation the villagers spoke of was actually taking place in Prey Lang.
Deputy provincial governor Uth Sam Orn, however, admitted there was crime taking place in the forest and the authorities were cracking down on it.
He urged the villagers to provide more information to him about the exact locations of illegal logging.
“We will take urgent measures if more is reported,” Uth Sam Om said.
Prey Lang covers 3,600 square kilometres across Preah Vihear, Kratie, Stung Treng and Kampong Thom provinces.
4 comments:
To think the villagers can carry such huge tasks without the Hun Sen henchmen.
Cry wolf and asking wolf to investigate.
ចាស់ៗនៅកំពង់ធំលាន់មាត់ថា : សង្ឃឹមអី ទៅលើអាក្មេងវត្ត សុីបាយធាត់ អត់ការធើ ហើយមិន
បានបួស់រត់ចោលវត្ត ច្រងេងច្រងាង ព្រហើនជេម្រាយមិនដឹងចាស់ទុំ អត់ពូជ ។ល។ ថ្ងៃណាមួយ មិនយូររ៉េ ច្បាស់ជាអ្នកតា បងបទ ព្រៃឡង់ ទាញទម្លាក់យន្តហោះ អាតាឡុក កុក ែទរ ចុះក្នុងព្រៃ បំបែកសាកសព ឲត្មាតឆី ។ ពួកគាត់បន្តទៀតថា : មិនដឹងជាធ្វើនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ខ្មោចយអី បើជ្រើសរើសពួកអាមេព្រៃ មិនចេះថែព្រៃ អន់ជាងភ្នងទៅទៀត ។ ដល់អញ្ចឹងទៅ ហុ៊ន សែន ហ្នឹង
គ្មានសមត្ថភាពថែរក្សាសម្បត្តិជាតិ ក៏អន់ជាងភ្នងដាច់បុិត ។
ចាស់ តាផ្តយ/ព្រៃឡង់
It is typical that the local authority denies any knowledge of the local illegal timber cutting or just lips service. The
forestry department shares the blame on deforestation in Cambodia. They are not protecting but helping the illegal loggers to cut down more trees by taking bribes. Evidently, at Keoseima Biodiversity area in Mundulkiri, the forestry department works in partnership with WCS. The more times they station in the area the less timbers become. The forestry officers also work in partnership with the illegal loggers. At Kilo 164 station, before there were plenty of trees, now the surrounding area is clear. Every night they can hear the chain saws is about 200 meters from the station. What the forestry and police officers station over there do? Nothing, but taking money from the loggers. Job well done, timbers are gone.
In Thailand , soldiers are forest protectors and punish illiegal loggers .
In Cambodia , soldiers help illegal loggers and kill forest protectors .
Whata country !
អុក សែន , Phonong of Prey Lang
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