Global Witness ស្នើ​​​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ពិចារណា​មុន​ផ្ដល់​ដី​សម្បទាន​ឲ្យ​សមាជិក​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា - Global Witness asks Hun Xen's regime to think before providing land concessions to CPP senators

The most corrupt CPP senators:

Lao Meng Khin

Ly Yong Phat

Mong Reththy

ដោយ យន់ សាមៀន
2011-12-15
Radio Free Asia

An official of Global Witness asked the Cambodian government to think clearly about providing land and natural resource concessions to CPP senators in order to guarantee transparency and revenue from this sector and also to turn it into a source of national revenue. The request came after Global Witness’ investigation found that a number of CPP senators are involved in corruption, misappropriation of natural resources and the CPP continues to include their candidacy in the upcoming Senate election. The main culprits are Lao Meng Khin, Mong Reththy and Ly Yong Phat

មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​ឃ្លាំមើល​ពិភពលោក (Global Witness) បាន​ស្នើ​សុំ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល ពិចារណា​ឲ្យ​បាន​ច្បាស់លាស់​ចំពោះ​ការ​ផ្ដល់​សម្បទាន​ដី និង​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ទៅ​ឲ្យ​សមាជិក​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា​មក​ពី​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា ដើម្បី​ធានា​ឲ្យ​មាន​តម្លាភាព ហើយ​ប្រាក់​ចំណូល​បាន​មក​ពី​វិស័យ​ទាំង​នោះ នឹង​ក្លាយ​ជា​ចំណូល​ក្នុង​ថវិកា​ជាតិ។

ការ​ស្នើ​សុំ​នេះ ធ្វើ​ឡើង​បន្ទាប់​ពី​អង្គការ​នេះ​បាន​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថា សមាជិក​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា​មួយ​ចំនួន​មក​ពី​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា បាន​ជាប់​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​អំពើ​ពុករលួយ កេង​ប្រវ័ញ្ច​សម្បត្តិ​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ ហើយ​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា នៅ​តែ​បន្ត​ដាក់​បញ្ចូល​បេក្ខជន​ទាំង​នោះ​ ឲ្យ​បន្ត​តំណែង​របស់​ពួកគេ​ក្នុង​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា នៅ​ពេល​ខាង​មុខ​នេះ។

គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា បាន​រៀបចំ​បញ្ជី​ឈ្មោះ​បេក្ខភាព​សមាជិក​​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា ចំនួន ៥៧​រូប ដើម្បី​ចូល​រួម​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា​នីតិកាល​ទី​៣ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៩ ខែ​មករា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ ខាង​មុខ​នេះ។ គណបក្ស​​​នេះ​បាន​សម្រេច​រក្សា​ទុក​បេក្ខជន​សំខាន់ៗ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ដែល​ក្រុម​អង្គការ​​ឃ្លាំមើល​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ និង​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស បាន​រក​ឃើញ​ថា ពួកគេ​​បាន​ជាប់​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ការ​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស សិទ្ធិ​ដីធ្លី និង​ធនធាន​ធម្មជាតិ។ ក្នុង​នោះ​មាន​លោក ឡៅ ម៉េងឃីន លោក ម៉ុង ឫទ្ធី និង​លោក លី យ៉ុងផាត់។

អ្នក​តាម​ដាន​សភាពការណ៍​នៅ​កម្ពុជា សន្និដ្ឋាន​ថា លោក​ទាំង​បី​អាច​ជាប់​ឆ្នោត​សម្រាប់​នីតិកាល​ទី​៣ នៅ​ពេល​ខាង​មុខ​នេះ។ គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៧ វិច្ឆិកា បាន​ទទួល​យក​បញ្ជី​ឈ្មោះ​បេក្ខជន​របស់​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា ដែល​បាន​សម្រេច​រក្សា​ទុក​បេក្ខជន​ទាំង​បី​រូប​នេះ បន្ត​តំណែង​របស់​ពួកគេ​នៅ​ក្នុង​អាណត្តិ​ទី​៣។

Hun Sen's Crime against humanity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IH9Zh24EXw

Vietnam accused of using drug addicts for forced labor

Sep 08, 2011
Jared Ferrie
The Christian Science Monitor

In Cambodia, rights groups have documented torture and abuse in detention centers, but the use of forced labor is on a smaller scale and “ad hoc,” Amon says, adding that HRW is paying attention to Cambodia's new plan to consolidate its centers with the help of Vietnam.

Cambodia plans to close facilities around the country and instead send addicts to one large center, to be built in its port city of Sihanoukville. The land was donated by Mong Reththy, a Cambodian tycoon who also owns a port and a palm oil plantation, which both sit adjacent to the site.

Cashew lovers may be disappointed to hear that the snack could have decidedly distasteful origins.

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses Vietnam of imprisoning hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese drug addicts throughout the past decade without due process and forcing them to work long hours in detention centers processing cashew nuts and other items for sale by companies.

The report also documents beatings and torture inside the centers, which increased in number from 56 in 2000 to 123 by early this year. The report puts a spotlight on human rights abuses against drug addicts across Southeast Asia.

“This is an absolutely outrageous example of government-condoned forced labor using one of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations,” says Joe Amon, HRW’s director of health and human rights, in an interview.

The power and the glory [... in the Kingdom of Nothing Left to Wonder]

Motorcycle taxi drivers wait for customers across a casino on Koh Kong. The development of the island has contributed significantly to the economy, but not without cost.

New cables show how Cambodia is caught in a tough balancing act between economic growth and fledgling efforts to curb corruption

1/08/2011

James O'Toole

Bangkok Post

"The tycoons help to finance the CPP, contribute greatly to economic growth, and undertake important charitable work," the cable says. "However, Hun Sen's very reliance on his tycoon network may hinder progress in battling corruption, illegal logging, and other sensitive issues that he claims are priorities."

PHNOM PENH : "Mr Rough Stuff." "The Gatekeeper." "Gambling Kingpin." "Hun Sen's Money Man."

These are just a few of the nicknames bestowed on some of the most prominent members of the Cambodian business community by American diplomats writing in a cable made public over the last few weeks by the anti-secrecy organisation WikiLeaks. The authors of the communique raise concerns about this collection of oligarchs, their close relations with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and the implications of such links for Cambodia's avowed war on corruption.

Ranked 154th out of 178 on Transparency International's global Corruption Perceptions Index, Cambodia has long been dogged by graft in both the private and public sectors. Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) have publicly acknowledged the issue, and last year the country passed its long-awaited anti-corruption law, legislation years in the making that had long been urged by donor countries.

A few high-profile busts have been made since the law came into effect, but few doubt the systemic nature of Cambodia's corruption challenge. Complicating the fight are the country's well-connected tycoons, whose close ties with the government "reinforce the culture of impunity and limit progress on reforms such as Hun Sen's self-declared 'war on corruption", the US cable says.

Tycoon lands surprise [-Is Mong Reththy sincere or it's just another CPP trick?]

Mong Reththy in Preah Sihanouk province on Sunday. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Thursday, 28 July 2011
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Daniel Sherrell
The Phnom Penh Post

One of the country’s best known tycoons yesterday delivered an impromptu speech to senators and parliamentarians that was as surprising in its content as it was in context.

Speaking at the end of a four-hour workshop on climate change adaptation at the National Assembly building, Mong Reththy spoke out at investors who evict people from areas covered by economic land concessions.

“Some investors claim that they need to evict people to develop their concessions, but I disagree with this tactic,” he said. “These people have been living on their land for generations. Where will they go when they’re kicked out?”

The businessman, senator and advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen also urged investors to employ local residents on their concessions rather than hiring outsiders.

Mong Reththy criticizes forced evictions

Mong Reththy (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

28 July 2011
The Free Press Magazine
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the original article in Khmer

Mong Reththy, a CPP senator who also happens to be Cambodia’s major investor in the agriculture sector, gave a surprising speech during a seminar on climate change at the National Assembly. In his speech, Mong Reththy said that he does not support investors who evict people from land concessions given out by the government.

Mong Reththy said: “A number of investors claimed that they have to evict people out to develop their land concessions. But, I do not agree with this strategy. These people live on these areas for many many generations, where will they go if they are evicted out?”

At the same time, Mong Reththy asked the government to set up a commission to clearly evaluate whether companies that receive land concessions invest in them or not; whether these companies violate the rights of women and children or not, and whether they provide proper work to the local population as stipulated by the state or not.

Following Mong Reththy’s speech, the facilitator of the venue decided to cancel the question and answer time regarding the economy and climate change in Southeast Asia.

It should be noted that the majority of large economic land concessions are provided to companies that close to the ruling CPP party. This situation creates problems that are criticized by opposition officials and by civil society organizations.

Cambodia cracks open the bubbly over poll result

6/07/2011
REUTERS

Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong cracked open the champagne to celebrate when news filtered through of a landslide election win by Thailand's opposition party, hoping a border dispute that brought the two neighbours to the brink of war this year can now be put to rest.

Relations were severely strained under Thailand's defeated Democrat Party-led government, but Cambodia seems confident the historic foes can start anew with Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai Party at the helm in Bangkok.

"We cannot hide that we are happy with the victory of the Puea Thai Party. We hope this new government will solve the problems with Cambodia more positively and more peacefully," Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said after making a toast with a glass of champagne with diplomats. That's what we want, a peaceful solution."

EU urged to probe Cambodian farmers' rights violations

Hun Xen's cronies: Mong Reththy (L) and Ly Yong Phat (R)

By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Cambodian rights groups urged the European Union on Friday to investigate what they said were human rights violations by local firms exporting sugar to European countries under a free trade scheme.

"We are calling on the EU to investigate the gross human rights abuses that have been perpetrated in connection with the production of sugar that is being exported to Europe free of tariffs under the Everything but Arms agreement," David Pred, executive director of land rights group Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, told Reuters.

The "Everything But Arms" initiative lets developing countries export certain products tariff-free to the EU.

Pred said the initiative had not benefited poor Cambodian farmers, who had been forced off their land by the authorities and companies wanting to develop sugar production.

"We are simply asking the EU to implement its regulations, which require the European Commission to take precautionary measures to bring Cambodia into compliance with its international obligations," he said.

"If those measures are not successful, the preferential treatment of Cambodian sugar should be suspended in accordance with EC rules," Pred said.

According to local rights group Licadho, at least 1,214 families are involved in land disputes with a sugar plantation operator and senator, Ly Yong Phat, in three provinces. Ly Yong Phat declined to discuss the allegation when contacted on Friday.

Rafael Dochao Moreno, charge d'affaires of the EU delegation to Cambodia, said it was unjustified to blame the EBA initiative for violations of human rights or land rights.

"EBA is a trade preferential scheme that supports the economic and social development of Cambodia," Moreno said.

"We believe that questions related to forced evictions need to be dealt with by the Cambodian government and we encourage an open and inclusive process to address those concerns," he added.

In a bid to attract foreign investment, Cambodia has awarded big land concessions to companies, mainly from China, Vietnam and South Korea, to run mines, power plants and lately sugar plantations.

At the start of 2010, Cambodia launched its first sugar factory in 40 years in the southern province of Koh Kong.

The $90.6 million plant is a joint venture between Cambodia's Koh Kong Sugar Industry Company Limited, Thailand's Khon Kaen Sugar Industry Pcl and Taiwan's Vewong Corp.

Cambodia's Mong Reththy Group is planning to build the country's second-biggest sugar factory, worth $100 million.

(Editing by Alan Raybould)

Yuon-Mong Reththy brick plant in Sihanoukville

Cambodian building materials plant opens

June, 21 2010
VNS (Hanoi)

CAMBODIA — A US$5 million construction materials plant has opened in Cambodia's Sihanoukville Province with Viet Nam as an investor.

The plant is financed by Vinacomin Reththy, a joint venture between the Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, Au Viet Industry Joint Stock Co and Cambodian group Mong Reththy.

The plant will provide 80 million products in the first phase using modern brick-making technology which has little impact on environment.

At the plant's opening last Friday, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Kiet Chun said the project would help foster economic development and job creation in the area.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang applauded the effort to put the plant into operation ahead of schedule.

Quang, who is also Vinacomin's board chairman, said the project was a sign of growing investment ties between the two countries.

Viet Nam is Cambodia's biggest source of foreign investment at $900 million.

CPP Tycoon-senator Mon Reththy on sand export to Singapore: Deny! Deny! Deny!

Mong Reththy (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Tycoon Senator Denies Selling Sand to Singapore

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, D.C Friday, 14 May 2010

"I didn’t say “we.” I don’t know about other businessmen. I denied the allegation against myself. I didn’t export sand to Singapore as alleged, because Singapore denied the sand for its poor quality, which failed on quality check and specifications."

Editor’s note: Agriculture business tycoon and ruling Cambodian People’s Party Senator Mong Reththy was recently named in a Global Witness report as having received a government license “behind closed doors” for the extraction of sand, a lucrative industry the group claims is worth millions of dollars but is endangering Cambodia’s coast. In its report, “Shifting Sands,” Global Witness claims Mong Reththy, along with another CPP senator, has been “implicated in dubious land deals and forced evictions. He was also criticized for “sponsoring units of Cambodia’s armed forces.” Mong Reththy spoke to VOA Khmer from Phnom Penh in response to the charges.

The Global Witness report says sand dredging has negative impacts on the environment. Was your licensing the work of businessmen or did governments get involved?

First of all, thank you. Firstly, let me tell you that Khmers should have the right to sail Cambodia and manage the future of the country themselves. Secondly, because I received permission to build a seaport [in Koh Kong province], I have dredged sand to rehabilitate the Chloung River from 2003 until now. But I have never exported dredged sand because the sand failed on inspection. Media reported that I exported millions of tons of dredged sand. They lied or were blind. It was true that an agreement was signed for the export of sand, but in fact no export was made. They denied the sand because of its poor quality and it failed on quality inspection.

So Singapore has not bought sand from Cambodia? The report is not true? Groundless? There was no investigation?

I didn’t say “we.” I don’t know about other businessmen. I denied the allegation against myself. I didn’t export sand to Singapore as alleged, because Singapore denied the sand for its poor quality, which failed on quality check and specifications.

Where did this poor-quality sand come from? From where did you dredge it?

I only had permission to dredge sand to open the way for ships coming to dock at the seaport. I didn’t dredge sand anywhere else. I dredged sand in the sea to open the way for ships to land. The undersea canal is called Chhker Pruos. I have been dredging to open the undersea canal since 2003—not recently. The plan is to open the way for ships to come to port. The dredging is to the depth of one and a half meters only. The reports accusing me of exporting sand are groundless blather.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen put a ban on dredging in May 2009. But Global Witness reports that you and Senator Ly Yong Phat were still permitted to hold licenses. Why is that and how?

In my case, the fact is that the government gave me permission to build the seaport. Because the sea in that area is shallow… the government gave me permission to dredge the sand. Given that I was getting sand from the dredging, I requested a license from the government to export it and pay royalties to the state. However, I haven’t exported the sand since getting permission. This is a fact. Let me call to your attention the fact that there are customs agencies, CamControl and many other law enforcement agencies. No one can export anything out of sight of these law enforcement agencies, and not one export can be undertaken without paying royalties to the state. I don’t know about the other businessmen, but for me, I didn’t export any sand.

Will you take any action on the Global Witness report?

I don’t need to. Not only against Global Witness, but also [Voice of America] and [Radio Free Asia]. They reported recently that I bulldozed the rice fields of villagers in Dum Kralor commune. Not a word was true. I didn’t react. How could I, because I don’t have a radio station. There were no rice fields in Dum Kralor, were there? I leveled the land and built houses for people to live in. They didn’t report it, but on the contrary, they reported that I bulldozed villagers’ rice fields.

I can check the reports, but I doubt that VOA reported that.

Check it yourself. Don’t carelessly air anything just because you have the power of broadcast. Check for yourself who is helping the nation. You were born Khmer, weren’t you? Given that you are Khmer, you had better check, “Is it true?” Did I bulldoze villagers’ rice fields? No one helps people’s livings as I do. I’ve built hundreds of houses for people. Why don’t you broadcast that? I prepared a plot of land 50 meters by 50 meters for each family of villagers. Doing this, I didn’t bulldoze the villagers’ rice fields. Villagers didn’t farm rice in the area. No rice fields.

I don’t know what you are denying. The report by VOA or RFA?

You shouldn’t report lies. Just report the truth. And for balance, you should also report which Khmers help Khmers. Do not report only about foreigners helping Khmers. It is unfair to do so.

Thank you, Oknha. I will check any report.

Well I thank you too. But don’t forget to investigate the report about the sand. It was very crazy.

You won’t file a lawsuit against Global Witness for the report, will you?

Eh! Sue journalists? Sue VOA? Let me ask you, would I ever win?

I’m asking you about the Global Witness report, not VOA.

Not just Global Witness, not anyone. I won’t sue them. They have the right to broadcast. I have the right not to answer.

You said you didn’t dredge sand anywhere else other than the Mong seaport in Keo Phos, Sre Ambel district, Koh Kong province. You didn’t dredge sand in any other place, is that right?

I didn’t dredge sand anywhere else other than that place. But I was accused of such and such and they just blather and blather. The fact was that I only dredged the sand so that ships won’t get grounded coming to port. I only dredged to open Chhker Prous canal, where I had permission from the government to do so. Let me tell you that there was only mud and no sand in the sea just around the port. Don’t judge that. I did a feasibility study there. And Singapore wouldn’t buy it—sand of mud. Don’t just argue over nothing. It is a waste of time, I’m telling you.

Thank you, Oknha, for the interview.

Thanks. I wish you to live to be 100 years old.

Thanks. Goodbye.

Cambodia urged to reverse sugar land concessions

By Prak Chan Thul

"We lost farmland, animals, ponds, lakes, fishes, forestry resources, wild animals and roads" - An Haiya, a villager

PHNOM PENH, May 12 (Reuters) - Cambodian rights groups and villagers urged the government on Wednesday to reverse hundreds of land concessions awarded mostly to sugar companies, saying villagers were suffering.

The Cambodian government was believed to have allowed foreign investors involved in joint ventures to do business on land larger than 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres), which is against the law, said Ny Chakrya, chief investigator for rights group Adhoc, at a briefing.

World sugar prices surged to a 29-year high of 30.40 U.S. cents per lb in February, encouraging sugar millers to move into Cambodia, hitherto a net importer of sugar, to produce for export to the European Union.

They can take advantage of a scheme known as "Everything But Arms", which lets developing countries export certain products tariff-free to the EU.

In a bid to attract foreign investment, Cambodia has awarded big concessions to companies, mainly from China, Vietnam and South Korea, to run mines, power plants and lately sugar plantations.

But the rights groups say the land concessions have hurt communities and damaged the environment.

"We lost farmland, animals, ponds, lakes, fishes, forestry resources, wild animals and roads," said villager An Haiya.

At the start of 2010, Cambodia launched its first sugar factory in 40 years in the southern province of Koh Kong, worth $90.6 million. It is a joint venture between Cambodia's Koh Kong Sugar Industry Company Limited, Thailand's Khon Kaen Sugar and Taiwan's Vewong Corp.

Cambodia's Mong Reththy Group is in talks to build the country's second-biggest sugar factory, worth $100 million, as part of a joint venture with a French company that would further help revive an industry that collapsed during the country's lengthy civil war.

The factory was expected to produce around 80,000 tonnes of sugar annually within three years, mostly for export to European markets.

(Editing by Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat and Alan Raybould)

Villagers say Mong Reththy project threatens their land

Mong Reththy seen being decorated by Hun Xen

Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Tep Nimol and Mom Kunthear
The Phnom Penh Post

VILLAGERS in Mondulkiri province’s Keo Seima district said Monday that surveyors over the weekend had begun measuring off land in two of three villages that stand to be affected by a concession granted to a rubber company owned by business tycoon Mong Reththy.

Local villager Gos Saly said surveyors had first appeared in Keo Seima district earlier this year on behalf of the Rithy Kiri Seima Rubber Plantation company, and that this past weekend they had ramped up measurement work for a proposed plantation that he said would occupy about 40 percent of the 8,000 hectares of land in the district’s O’Am, O’Rorna and O’Sneng villages.

“It is our land because we bought it in 1997. We have letters to prove this to local authorities, but we don’t have land titles,” he said.

Eng Neang, 51, another Keo Seima resident, said local authorities had assisted the rubber company in securing the concession, but had not bothered to assist local residents in securing land titles.

“We are not happy with the development company because they are oppressing us poor people. They have never helped us, and they are robbing our rice pot,” Eng Neang said.

“I think that the authorities have taken bribes from the company,” she added.

Mong Reththy said Monday that the government had granted the 5,000-hectare land concession to his company in 2007. The surveyors, he added, had measured off territory both for the rubber plantation and for a social land concession for the villagers, who he said were living on a protected wildlife preserve.

“The villagers are confused because this will benefit them and the authorities will provide them with land titles,” Mong Reththy said.

“They live in a wild animal shelter, and it would be easy for someone to pursue a complaint against those villagers with the authorities.”

Keo Seima district Governor Sin Van Vuth said Monday that local authorities would provide the villagers with land titles after the surveying process concluded.

“About 60 percent of those villagers cooperated with us, and there are two more villages that we will survey next time,” he said.

Mong Reththy was named in a report released on Monday by the watchdog group Global Witness, which linked him to sand mining projects in Koh Kong province that the group says are destroying the livelihoods of local fishermen.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Sand Suckers

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

Global Witness condemns sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore

Tue, 11 May 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - International campaigners on Tuesday condemned sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore, saying the trade has severely damaged the livelihoods of impoverished Cambodians.

In its report titled Shifting Sands, Global Witness said the sand dredging industry was unregulated, opaque, and environmentally damaging, adding that millions of dollars in revenues remain unaccounted for.

Oliver Courtney, a spokesman for Global Witness, said the damage being done to Cambodia's coastline stood "in stark contrast" to Singapore's position as a leader for sustainable development.

"(Singapore) should suspend all imports of Cambodian sand, undertake an audit of all payments by Singaporean entities for Cambodian sand, and lead by example through taking steps to ensure that sand is sustainably sourced," Courtney said.

Global Witness said in the past 50 years Singapore's surface area has grown by 22 per cent, an ongoing operation that requires large amounts of sand.

But some nations in the region, including Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, have banned sand exports to Singapore citing environmental concerns. It said Singapore had shifted its sourcing to countries like Cambodia.

UN trade figures reveal Singapore imported 3.8 million tons of sand from Cambodia in 2008. Global Witness said that figure has likely increased, and estimated that 796,000 tons of sand are being dredged monthly in Cambodia's Koh Kong province alone.

It added that operations were following the same destructive patterns seen in the exploitation of Cambodia's forests and extractive industries.

The Cambodian government has long disparaged Global Witness's reports on the corruption and nepotism allegedly at the heart of its extractive industries.

Cambodia announced a ban on sand exports last year after criticisms over the damage from the industry. Hundreds of subsistence fishermen complained of reduced catches as a result of the destruction of fish habitats.

However Global Witness claimed the government ban had been ignored, and said boats were even dredging in protected areas.

For its part Singapore denied it imports sand without regard for the laws or environmental impact in Cambodia, and said it had received no official notice that sand exports had been banned.

"We are committed to the protection of the global environment, and we do not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand, or any extraction of sand that is in breach of the source countries' laws and rules on environmental protection," Singapore's Ministry of National Development said.

Global Witness said donors - who will meet in the coming weeks to determine how much money to give Cambodia this year - must demand accountability of revenues from the exploitation of state assets.

"Global Witness calls on the donors to ensure that funds are only disbursed after the government achieves reforms for transparent and accountable management of natural resources and their revenues."

Report: Cambodia destroying coastal ecology by sand exports to Singapore

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
By Denis D. Gray (CP)

BANGKOK — Cambodia is devastating its coast by dredging vast quantities of sand to sell to tiny Singapore for expansion projects, with multimillion-dollar profits going to tycoons close to the Cambodian prime minister, a watchdog group said Tuesday.

Impoverished Cambodia has become the new prime source of the masses of sand used for projects to artificially enlarge Singapore's island territory now that several other Southeast Asian nations — including Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam — have banned sand exports because of environmental concerns.

Singapore has increased its surface area by 20 per cent in recent decades by filling in coastal seabeds to create new, valuable waterfront ground, a process known as "land reclamation."

London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness criticized Singapore for the practice, pointing out that the wealthy island city-state at the same time "presents itself as a regional leader on environmental issues."

"The country's failure to mitigate the social and ecological cost of sand dredging represents hypocrisy on a grand scale," Global Witness said in a report released Tuesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last year announced a blanket ban on sand exports following local protests, but the Global Witness investigation said the country continues to supply Singapore with tens of thousands of tons of sand dredged up from rivers and estuaries along the fragile coastline.

Operations from just one Cambodian province were estimated to be worth $248 million annually in retail value in Singapore, the group said.

Cambodia's law on sand actually banned only river sand from export, but Global Witness said its investigators found that both river and sea sand have been exported since the law was passed.

Global Witness said the government has been "failing to ensure compliance with Cambodia's other environmental and socio-economic legal framework," though a Cambodian government spokesman said that dredging is confined to areas where the environment would not be degraded.

Singapore's National Development Ministry said sand import is carried out by private enterprises, which must by law "not breach any of the source countries' environment rules and other relevant laws."

The Cambodian sand trade, Global Witness said, is monopolized by two senators with close ties to Hun Sen "with no evidence of any revenues (from the exports) reaching Cambodia's state coffers."

One of the senators, Mong Rethy, refused to comment when reached by telephone, while the other, Ly Yong Phat, could not be reached despite several attempts.

Global Witness has over the past decade published several reports chronicling the stranglehold of what it calls Cambodia's "kleptocratic elite" on the country's forests, minerals and other natural resources through corruption and cronyism, often accompanied by abuses of human rights.

The government has denied such charges, but Cambodia's international donors, including the United States and the European Union, have levelled similar criticism.

Global Witness' latest report said Cambodia's sand-dredging industry "poses a huge risk to its coastal environment, threatening endangered species, fish stocks and local livelihoods. There is no evidence that basic environmental safeguards have been applied."

It said that concessions had been allocated inside protected areas and that on one day alone, nine dredging vessels were spotted inside such a zone. Extraction has actually increased since last year, it said.

The report quotes a government website as estimating that up to 60,000 tons of sand are mined each month from the water of Koh Kong province in the country's southwest.

Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said a total ban was in place on sand dredging near islands and eco-tourism areas, deep water regions and in zones with large number of fish stocks.

However, he said some dredging is permitted to serve local demand and allow passage of ships in silted-over areas. Surplus sand could be exported, he said.

Singapore's government denied any wrongdoing and disputed the Global Witness report's allegations.

"The report suggests that the Singapore government seeks to import sand without due regard to the law or environmental impact of the source country. This is not true," a statement from National Development Ministry said.
___
Associated Press writer Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh and Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.

Cambodia accused of reversing sand dredging ban

May 11, 2010
ABC Radio Australia

Last year the Cambodian Government announced a total ban in the export of sand, saying the environmental impact on Cambodia was too great. Prime Minister Hun Sen said sand dredging was having a detrimental effect on Cambodia's rivers and marine areas. But now a new report by advocacy group Global Witness is accusing Cambodia of reneging on that pledge by secretly exporting sand to Singapore which is heavily reliant on sand imports to increase its land mass. The report says Cambodia is still dredging sand from environmentally sensitive areas despite the 2009 ban. And it says there's no evidence that basic safeguards have been applied, with boats reportedly dredging in protected areas.

Presenter: Linda LoPresti
Speakers: George Boden, campaigner advocacy group Global Witness, London

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

Environment at risk as Cambodia exports millions of tonnes of sand to Singapore, new Global Witness report reveals

A dugong, one of the endangered species under threat from Cambodia’s sand mining industry

Press Release – 10/05/2010
Source: Global Witness

Click here to download the report in English (PDF)
Click here to download the press release in Khmer (PDF)

Singapore's rapid expansion is driving an ecologically and socially devastating sand-dredging industry in Cambodia, according to a new report released today by Global Witness. This booming trade is being monopolised by two prominent Cambodian Senators with close ties to Prime Minster Hun Sen - despite a supposed government ban on sand exports.

The Global Witness report Shifting Sand: how Singapore's demand for Cambodian sand threatens ecosystems and undermines good governance reveals that:

• Cambodian Senators Mong Reththy and Ly Yong Phat have been awarded sand extraction licences behind closed doors, gaining control of an industry worth millions of dollars - but there is no evidence of any revenues reaching Cambodia's state coffers. Both have been implicated in dubious land deals and forced evictions, and have recently been criticised for sponsoring units of Cambodia's armed forces. This points to the increasing stranglehold of Cambodia's kleptocratic elite on its natural resources, replicating a pattern of corruption, cronyism, and rights abuses previously found in the forestry sector and extractive industries.
• Cambodia's sand-dredging industry poses a huge risk to its coastal environment, threatening endangered species, fish stocks and local livelihoods. There is no evidence that basic environmental safeguards have been applied, with boats reportedly turning up and dredging sand, often in protected areas, with no local consultation. All this makes a mockery of the government's supposed May 2009 ban on sand-dredging.
• This trade is driven by Singapore. The city state was the world's largest importer of sand in 2008. It has used sand imports to increase its landmass by 22% since the 1960s. This project has wreaked havoc on the region's coastlines, with Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia having all now announced bans on sand dredging for export due to environmental concerns.

"This situation highlights the continued failure of Cambodia's international donors to use their leverage to hold the small elite surrounding the Prime Minister to account," said George Boden, campaigner at Global Witness. "Cambodia's natural resource wealth should be lifting its population out of poverty. Instead, international aid has propped up basic services in Cambodia for over 15 years, providing the equivalent of 50% of the government budget. Meanwhile, money from natural resources disappears into private bank accounts, and nearly 70% of the population subsists on less than $2 a day."

Global Witness' investigation tracked boats being loaded with sand in Cambodia to their destinations in Singapore. It also uncovered contracts linking Singaporean companies to Cambodia's sand industry. In June this year, Singapore will host the World Cities Summit, which promotes ‘sustainable and liveable cities'.

"Singapore says that the import of sand is a purely commercial activity but it also presents itself as a regional leader on environmental issues," said Boden. "The country's failure to mitigate the social and ecological cost of sand dredging represents hypocrisy on a grand scale. If Singapore wants its environmental stance to be taken seriously, monitoring where the sand is sourced and what is being done to obtain it would be an obvious place to start."

/ENDS

Contact: George Boden on 0207 492 5899 or +44 7912 516445 or Oliver Courtney (French) on 0207 492 5848 or +44 7815 731 889, ocourtney@globalwitness.org.

Journalists: For images please contact Oliver Courtney - ocourtney@globalwitness.org

Sand exports to Singapore harm Cambodia: watchdog

Hun Xen's cronies: Mong Reththy (L) and Ly Yong Phat (R)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
AFP

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia is engaged in destructive sand exports to fuel Singapore's rapid expansion despite a supposed government ban on the practice, an environmental watchdog said Tuesday.

London-based Global Witness said Cambodia was making a "mockery of the government's supposed May 2009 ban on sand-dredging", risking devastation to its coasts, endangered species, fish stocks and local livelihoods.

"There is no evidence that basic environmental safeguards have been applied, with boats reportedly turning up and dredging sand, often in protected areas, with no local consultation," said its new report, entitled "Shifting Sands".

The group, which has made many allegations of Cambodian cronyism in recent years, said Mong Reththy and Ly Yong Phat -- senators known to have close ties to premier Hun Sen -- have been covertly awarded licences to dredge sand.

"This situation highlights the continued failure of Cambodia's international donors to use their leverage to hold the small elite surrounding the prime minister to account," said George Boden, campaigner at Global Witness.

The report said investigators tracked sand-filled boats from Cambodia to Singapore, estimating concessions from southwestern Koh Kong province alone netted 20 million dollars per month for some 796,000 tonnes of sand.

Global Witness added that figures from other concessions along Cambodia's coast were not known, and there was no way to track whether revenues from sand exports reached the national treasury.

"In addition, Global Witness has seen Cambodian sand dredging and export licences which bear the stamp and signature of a representative of the Singapore Embassy in Cambodia," the report said.

Singapore has expanded its surface area by 22 percent since the 1960s, said the report, requiring vast quantities of imported sand from neighbours in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have halted sand exports to the city-state over concerns the practice depleted fish stocks and caused erosion.

The Cambodian government has banned past reports by Global Witness, which also accused donors of ignoring graft among elites who have allegedly been involved in illegal logging as well as shady oil and mining deals.

PM scraps rice-export licences to boost trade [-Boosting trade or to help cronies like Mong Reththy?

Prime Minister Hun Sen at the launch of the Government-Private Sector Forum, held in Phnom Penh Tuesday. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Chun Sophal and May Kunmakara
The Phnom Penh Post

Hun Sen calls food-security measure a ‘barrier’ for rice traders

PRIME Minister Hun Sen axed rice export licences Tuesday in a bid to boost sales of the Kingdom’s “white gold”.

In a move widely welcomed by the business community, the premier ordered a 2008 circular to be cancelled. The document ordered would-be exporters to apply to a Ministry of Commerce-run company called Green Trade for a permit.

“We have to nullify applications for licences to export rice from Cambodia through the Green Trade Company now,” Hun Sen said at a Government-Private Sector Forum in Phnom Penh. “It is barrier for all rice traders at the moment,” he added.

The circulation, numbered 02, was issued in 2008, as food security concerns spread throughout the world. All traders who wanted to sell more than 200 tonnes of the grain had to apply for a permit, in an attempt to secure Cambodia's rice and paddy supply.

Now, Hun Sen believes export obstacles will exist unless the circulation is nullified.

The government wants to sell more rice into international markets to develop the economy.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Cambodia plans to increase paddy yield by as much as 3 tonnes per hectare by 2012. This farm year, April statistics show, the Kingdom could have 3.5 million tonnes of paddy left over for export, a 10.75 percent increase from the 3.16 million tonnes last year.

Director General of Green Trade, Thun Vireak, said Tuesday that he would not object to the nullification.

He said the permit plan had been initiated by the government.

Mong Reththy, who asked Hun Sen to “review export procedures” during the meeting, was pleased at the progress made.

The co-president of the Private Sector Task Force on Agricultural and Agro-industry said: “The re-examination of legal procedure for exporting agricultural products and the elimination of the unnecessary process of applying for licences through Green Trade company and other institutions will help bring about transparency and suitable costs for the export of agricultural products.”

Outh Renne, secretary general of the Cambodian Small and Medium Industries Association (CSMIA), said: “It will enable exporters to integrate themselves into international markets successfully.

CSMIA says four rice buyers from Sweden, Lithuania and Belgium will arrive in Cambodia on May 9 to meet with 100 rice mill representatives to discuss export capability.

Hun Sen threatens to close crony Mong Reththy's dry port

Hun Sen threatens to close S'ville port

Wednesday, 01 April 2009
Written by May Kunmakara
The Phnom Penh Post

PRIME Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday threatened to close agriculture tycoon Mong Reththy's dry port if outstanding taxes are not paid.

The prime minister also pressed for a broader crackdown on illegal goods passing through the country's southern border checkpoints, which is depriving the government of taxes.

"Don't blame me if I close [the port], leaving employees jobless," he said, during a ceremony in Sihanoukville.

"Today, I ask that authorities help the government to collect taxes from all sea-crossing points, especially Preah Sihanouk province. We have to use this occasion to collect taxes," he said.

He encouraged customs officers, police and the navy to cooperate to curb smuggling and other illegal businesses.

"The authorities have to crack down on traders that don't pay their taxes," he said.

He also warned customs officers and traders to stop colluding to dodge taxes.

Agriculture tycoon Mong Reththy endorsed the premier's pronouncement and urged authorities to scrupulously collect taxes on goods crossing through the southern borders.

"I want all ports to cooperate to collect tax on imported goods ... to take this money to develop our country," he said.

However, he would not provide figures on the volume of goods passing through his facility.

Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said that tax income has increased this month after falling for the past two months due to declining imports.