The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 659
“Phnom Penh: The campaign to intercept forestry crimes not only saves the forest in Cambodia from being destroyed, but it also saves the lives of Khmer citizens, as some had been killed by Siamese [Thai] soldiers along the border.
“General Chea Dara said so during a speech on 8 April 2010 at Phnom Penh City Hall.
“Mr. Chea Dara said that so far, there is no threat against the peace along the border like in previous times. “But as I had said earlier – the situation is good one day and bad another day, because the border situation is still irregular.”
“He added that the order of the head of the Royal Government for the troops to cooperate in fighting forestry crimes has been effectively carried out – the troops do not just defend the border. The interception of forestry crimes helps to prevent that more citizens will suffer from fatal shootings by Siamese soldiers who accused many citizens of entering Thai territory to cut trees illegally.
“Mr. Chea Dara recognized that some Khmer citizens had been attracted by the offers of big wood traders who hired them to cut trees. It was these wood traders who led Khmer workers to their death in order to fulfill the greed of these merchants making the workers to become victims.
“Mr. Chea Dara added that since the beginning of the campaign to crack down on forestry crimes nearly one month ago, all big wood traders along the border disappeared, and there are no more workers who cut trees across the border. Before, Khmer citizens from three provinces bordering Siam: Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey, had suffered a lot, as many had been arrested and shot dead by Siamese soldiers. Most of those who were fatally shot had been accused by Siam that they had entered to cut trees in their territory illegally. Some were arrested for crossing the border illegally, or for drug smuggling. But now, there are no more Khmer citizens who might be killed being shot by Siamese soldiers for forestry crimes.
“The head of the Oddar Meanchey police, Mr. Men Ly, told Kampuchea Thmey on 8 April 2010, that most Khmer citizens who had been killed came from his province, but now, this problem no longer exists.
“He added that the activities of big wood traders who used to do their trade actively both day and night, using workers to drag wood [out from Thailand] have now become quiet.
“Mr. Men Ly went on to say that to intercept these activities makes some citizens lose income from the wood traders who used to hire them, but this does not affect most citizens in Oddar Meanchey.
“He said they are not affected because all big wood traders who used to buy wood from them [which they had been sent to steal from Thailand] do not live in Oddar Meanchey, and the citizens whom they hired to cut wood are the same [they are not Oddar Meanchey residents].
“Previously, both wood traders and those who had been hired, had caused many troubles for the Oddar Meanchey authorities. The Oddar Meanchey residents thank Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen for this campaign.
“Mr. Men Ly added that there is nobody who enters Thailand to cut trees, and if somebody would cut trees, nobody buys them. Thus, whatever the reason, everything is finished.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2223, 9.4.2010
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 9 April 2010
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2223, 9.4.2010
- To Intercept Forestry Crimes Is to Save Khmer Citizens from Dying in Thailand
- More Than 6,000 Citizens Visited the Khmer Rouge Tribunal during the First Quarter [of 2010]
- Japan Promised to Assist in Human Resource Development in Cambodia [according to the Japanese ambassador, Mr. Kuroki Masafumi – 黒木雅文]
- [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit Vijjajiva Canceled His Participation in the ASEAN Summit in Vietnam [due to the turmoil in Thailand]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #6930, 9.4.2010
- Crude Oil in New York Rose to Almost US$87 [per barrel]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.17, #3854, 9.4.2010
- [Fourteen] Sam Rainsy Party Parliamentarians Asked the Constitutional Council to Order a Suspension of Putting Border Posts along the Cambodian-Vietnamese Border [as there are irregularities]
- The 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi Focused on the Turmoil in Thailand and Criticized Burma [over its election restrictions]
Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.149, #1, 9.4.2010
- The Number of Workers Migrating to Thailand and to Malaysia Increases [according to the Ministry of Labor, 701 workers left to work in Thailand and more than 3,000 workers to Malaysia in the first quarter; the total number of Cambodian workers in Malaysia reached 9,682 in 2009]
- ASEAN Creates a Dispute Resolution Mechanism while Abhisit Vijjajiva Could Not Attend the Summit
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5172, 9.4.2010
- A Truck Overturned and More Than 40 Cubic Meters of Ebony Fell on the Street, but the Head of the Forestry Department and Representatives of Other Authorities Did Not Dare to Touch It [an official who asked not to be named said that the wood belongs by an Oknha who has a license to transport it; the wood was to be transported from Pursat to Phnom Penh – Kompong Chhnang]
- The Republic of Korea Announced to Continue to Support the National ICT Development Authority of Cambodia [NiDA]
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