General Ouk Kosa’s business card. General Ouk Kosa is head of Cambodia’s military development zones. He is also reported to be the CEO of the Southern Mining project in Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary
A worker at the Southern Mining site wearing a Geosimco logo jacket. Geosimco is a branch of Vietnam’s Coal and Mineral Industries Group, which reportedly bought 70 percent of the Southern Mining Company in 2008Cambodian soldiers, Vietnamese owners?
Excerpt from "Country for Sale"
Global Witness
Global Witness investigators attempted to visit the Southern Mining concession in mid-2008, but their access was blocked by guards, some of whom were wearing the RCAF military uniform. The guards had radios which they said were capable of communicating with the head office in Phnom Penh. When asked why they needed to talk with Phnom Penh, the Global Witness team were told by the guards that the company bosses were furious that environmentalists were previously able to access the site and blamed them. Thereafter, the guards have been told to carry radios and to contact headquarters if anyone tried to access the site again.
The site is guarded by approximately 100 RCAF soldiers from Battalion 501. A senior guard on site claimed to represent the interests of General Meas Sophea, the commander of the RCAF infantry forces.
Workers at the mine also claimed that General Ouk Kosa – the head of Cambodia’s military development zones – is the president and CEO of the mine. Global Witness investigators were given his phone number to obtain permission to visit the site and that of his deputy, Colonel Aoch Chany. When Global Witness contacted General Ouk Kosa, he said that the mine had been sold to the Vietnamese, but would not give a name or contact number for the new owners.
According to the soldiers guarding the site, the Southern Mining concession had been previously owned by a Chinese company, and had only been taken over by the Vietnamese owners around April 2008. The guards were pleased with the new arrangements, claiming that the former owners had not paid their salaries on time, while the Vietnamese company regularly paid them US$150 a month, including medical insurance.
On site visits Global Witness investigators noted that one of the mine employees was wearing a jacket with the Geosimco logo and Vietnamese writing. Geosimco is a branch of the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries group, otherwise known as Vinacomin.
In August 2008, the The Cambodia Daily reported that Vinacomin had bought a 70 per cent share of the Southern Mining Company. The beneficial owners of the remaining 30 per cent are still unclear.
The site is guarded by approximately 100 RCAF soldiers from Battalion 501. A senior guard on site claimed to represent the interests of General Meas Sophea, the commander of the RCAF infantry forces.
Workers at the mine also claimed that General Ouk Kosa – the head of Cambodia’s military development zones – is the president and CEO of the mine. Global Witness investigators were given his phone number to obtain permission to visit the site and that of his deputy, Colonel Aoch Chany. When Global Witness contacted General Ouk Kosa, he said that the mine had been sold to the Vietnamese, but would not give a name or contact number for the new owners.
According to the soldiers guarding the site, the Southern Mining concession had been previously owned by a Chinese company, and had only been taken over by the Vietnamese owners around April 2008. The guards were pleased with the new arrangements, claiming that the former owners had not paid their salaries on time, while the Vietnamese company regularly paid them US$150 a month, including medical insurance.
On site visits Global Witness investigators noted that one of the mine employees was wearing a jacket with the Geosimco logo and Vietnamese writing. Geosimco is a branch of the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries group, otherwise known as Vinacomin.
In August 2008, the The Cambodia Daily reported that Vinacomin had bought a 70 per cent share of the Southern Mining Company. The beneficial owners of the remaining 30 per cent are still unclear.
