Cambodian People's Party Officials Were Accused to Be Behind the Creation of Reservoirs – Thursday, 12.8.2010

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 677

“The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, naming some district governors and commune chiefs, saying that the Ministry suspects them as being involved in collusion to protect illegal reservoirs which are ruining the Tonle Sap lake.

“During a session of the Tonle Sap Authority yesterday [11 August 2010], the Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, Mr. Lim Kean Hor, stated that many local authorities collude with merchants to encourage farmers to claim that they own those reservoirs in an attempt to protect the reservoirs, whereas they are not allowed to be created around the Tonle Sap lake.

“He said, ‘We reported and sent the name list of those people to Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen to consider and to decide an appropriate measure.’

“He added that he and his fellow officials just follow the Prime Minister’s order.

“In April, the Tonle Sap Lake Authority received an order from Prime Minister Hun Sen to demolish illegal reservoirs around the Tonle Sap lake, as well as those the Region 2 and 3 that are determined as conserved areas of flooded forest.

“239 illegal reservoirs set to be demolished in Region 2 are located in the six provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kompong Chhnang, Kompong Thom, Pursat, and Siem Reap.

“The president of the Tonle Sap Lake Authority, Mr. Lim Kean Hor, stated also that 45 reservoirs were destroyed since 25 June 2010 and 288 markers were put in those regions.

“He added, ‘Though rainy reason blocks the destruction of those reservoirs and though we temporarily suspended the destruction, we still watch over the issues every day.’

“According to Mr. Lim Kean Hor, almost 10,000 hectares of the wet area surrounding the Tonle Sap lake are destroyed each year for the creation of reservoirs, the expansion of agricultural land and fishing lots, and of charcoal business operations.

“Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhayly said that the potential of the Tonle Sap lake can support the living of nearly four millions Cambodian people settling around the lake.

“He added, ‘The Tonle Sap lake is an important pulse of economy, of environment, and of culture in Cambodia.’

“He went on to say, ‘We must cooperate to protect and conserve the Tonle Sap lake and engage in the conservation for the development of eco-tourism.’ However, he said, ‘The Cambodian People’s Party must acknowledge what we did, because party officials such as district governors and commune chiefs signed on documents to allow the creation of those illegal reservoirs.'” Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #235, 12.8.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 12 August 2010

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2325, 12.8.2010

• [The Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology] Lim Kean Hor Warned that Commune Chiefs and District Governors Should be Sued if Flooded Forest Is Still Being Destroyed by Wicked People
• Documentary Books about Duch’s Sentence Will Be Distributed this Morning

Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #7032, 12.8.2010

• In the First Six Months, There Were 3,065 Traffic Accidents, Where 908 Persons Were Killed [a decline by 26 deaths – compared to the same period in 2009], 2,807 Were Seriously Injured, and 2,807 Persons Were Lightly Injured [in Cambodia countrywide]
• The Royal Government Gave Koh Pich Land Titles [to the Oversea Cambodian Investment Corporation of the director general of the Canadia Bank, Mr. Pung Kheav Se; the Koh Pich island covers a total area of 100 hectares and was contracted for 99 years for development]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.17, #3956, 12.8.2010

• The US Senate Reduced the Military Aid to Cambodia by Half for 2011 to US$500,000 [considering also the deportation of 20 Uighurs by the Cambodian government to China]
• The Tonle Sap Authority Plans to Seize All Rice Fields in the Flood Forest Areas and Warned that Some Officials Will Be Jailed [according to officials, more than 360,000 hectares of the total area of more than one million hectares of flooded forest have been destroyed]

Nokor Wat, Vol.1, #28, 12.8.2010

• The Parliament Will Suggest to the Ministry of Economy to Monitor Tax Officials [as there are irregularities in tax collection; a parliamentarian, Mr. Cheam Yeap, said that he will ask the Ministry to take action against corrupt officials who collect tax more than the set amount]
• The Ministry of Health Called on the 24 Municipal Governors to Join to Take Measures to Combat Infectious Diseases

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #235, 12.8.2010

• An Iranian News Agency Said that Cambodia Opposes Sanctions [the Fars News Agency of Iran quoted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, Mr. Hor Namhong, during his visit to Iran, as having said, ‘The policy based on sanctions is condemned everywhere and only constructive and positive policies can settle the problem]
• A Man Was Arrested on Suspicion of Distributing Leaflets against Leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party [Phnom Penh]
• Cambodian People’s Party Officials Were Accused to Be Behind the Creation of Reservoirs

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5274, 12.8.2010

• Cambodia Will Have a New Professional Association to Respond to Hazards of Chemical Substances [a New Professional Association will be created on 19 August 2010; it aims to gather experts in chemicals to conduct studies and to participate to prevent hazards from chemicals in Cambodia]

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