A Change of Guard

សូមស្តាប់វិទ្យុសង្គ្រោះជាតិ Please read more Khmer news and listen to CNRP Radio at National Rescue Party. សូមស្តាប់វីទ្យុខ្មែរប៉ុស្តិ៍/Khmer Post Radio.
Follow Khmerization on Facebook/តាមដានខ្មែរូបនីយកម្មតាម Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khmerization.khmerican

Tuesday 27 April 2010

U.S government wants to see illegal timber traders brought to court


By Khmerization
Source: ABC Radio Australia

The US. ambassador to Cambodia, Mrs. Carol Rodley (pictured), has called for the prosecutions of all illegal timber traders and to bring to justice those behind the illicit timber trades, reports ABC Radio Australia.

Opposition parties and civil society have echoed Mrs. Rodley's call saying that the government must devise effective and long-term measures to tackle the issue of illegal deforestation and bring all perpetrators to justice.

In raids across the country in March, the authority has confiscated more than 5,200 cubic metres of illegal timbers in warehouses belonging to powerful businessmen like tycoon Sok Kong, a tycoon and senator from the ruling CPP, Senator Lao Meng Khin, tycoon Ang Try and Secretary of State Ministry of Tourism Ko Sum Saroeuth. More than 11 people working for these powerful people were arrested, but no one has been so far brought to justice.

In a public speech during the celebration of the 40th Earth Day recently, Mrs. Rodley was quoted by Khmer Express News to have said that the U.S government welcome the Cambodian government's strong crackdown on illegal timber traders, but she added the the U.S government also wanted those people behind the trades brought to justice. "We welcome the government's actions against illegal logging and we hope that these actions will lead to the arrests and court actions against those who have violated the laws", she said.

No comments: