The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 676
“The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Chan Sarun, accused courts of keeping cases of forestry, agricultural, and fishery crimes unsolved. He said that 70% of crimes nationwide were sent to courts.
“Speaking to forestry administration officials in Phnom Penh, Mr. Chan Sarun said that the problem results from a lack of cooperation. He said, ‘Forestry, agricultural, and fishery crimes were not brought for trials at courts due to a lack of cooperation between prosecutors and officials in investigations.’
“Early this year, the government launched a massive suppression campaign against illegal logging. This suppression after Prime Minister Hun Sen told military commanders in November that he would not spare any military commanders who are are involved in illegal logging. In April 2010, Prime Minister Hun Sen removed the Director General of the Forestry Administration, Mr. Ty Sokun, from his position on the grounds that he failed to intercept forestry crimes.
“But many conservationists criticized the suppression is ineffective, claiming that many officials involved in illegal logging are rarely brought to courts.
“The statement of Mr. Chan Sarun on Friday last week during a session to assess the enforcement of forestry administration criticized lower level forestry administration officials for negligence. He made many recommendations requesting lower level forestry administration officials to take restrictive action immediately to crack down on all images of forestry crimes and to prevent them from happening in Cambodia.
“Mr. Chan Sarun added, ‘We must gather all intercepted and seized grade quality wood and put it for public bidding. The money from the selling will be made national resources.
“Mr. Chan Sarun did not mention how many cases of forestry, agricultural, and fishery crimes that were sent to courts and he could not be reached for more comments early this week.
“The head of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Mr. Chiv Keng, said on Monday that, believing that the figures mentioned is old ones, but he acknowledged that the provincial courts must make more efforts to speed up hearings on forestry crimes.
“Mr. Chiv Keng said, ‘Courts, including the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, heard almost all cases. I encouraged provincial courts to work on all forestry crimes.’
“A prosecutor of the Siem Reap Municipal Court, Mr. Ty Sovinthal, said on Monday that the Siem Reap court does not kept any forestry crimes unsolved. Anyway, he does not know how many cases of forestry crimes that had been heard by the court.
“In response to Mr. Chan Sarun’s statement, the head of the Department of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Mr. Tim Sipha, said on Monday that he had ordered officials to step up cooperation with prosecutors. He stressed, ‘We have already encouraged, but punishments are courts’ authority. At present, we are cooperating with prosecutors to investigate some cases in order to gather more evidence.” Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #229, 4.8.2010
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2318, 4.8.2010
- A Request [by 13 trade unions and associations] to Discuss the Increase of Worker Salary Was Rejected [by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia; currently the minimum wage of workers is US$61]
- [A Secretary of State of the Council of Ministers] Mr. Prak Sokhon and [the deputy head of the National One-Village-One-Product Committee], Mr. Serey Kosal Were Appointed as [4-star] Generals
Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #7025, 4.8.2010
- [Four] Robbers Robed the Bags of Hotel Staff and Fatally Shot a Man Which Left His Wife in Mourning [Phnom Penh]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.17, #3949, 4.8.2010
- The Hearing of Chi Kraeng District Residents over a Land Dispute Was Delayed after Citizens Lighted Incense Sticks to Pray and There Was a Call [from families of the suspects, the Sam Rainsy Party, and ADHOC] for the Release of the [12] Accused [the hearing was postponed because the head of the trial council had health problem]
Nokor Wat, Vol.1, #21, 4.8.2010
- The Prime Minister Encourages to Check the Potential [for more cooperation] along [the Cambodian-Vietnamese] Border
- Cambodia Is Not Afraid when Siam [Thailand] Plans to Take the Memorandum of Understanding from the Year 2000 as a Reference for Talking [with the World Heritage Committee]
Note
If any of our readers knows where the text of the Memorandum about the intended proceedings to clarify the border between Cambodia and Thailand – either in Khmer or in English or in Thai – is available, please let us know at mirror@gmx.org
Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #229, 4.8.2010
- Chan Sarun: Courts Bury the Cases of Forestry Crimes
- Vietnam Asked Cambodia to Cooperate in Suppressing Those Who Intend to Overthrow the Hanoi Government [according to a meeting of Cambodian and Vietnamese officials in Phnom Penh]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5267, 4.8.2010
- Speed Is the Cause of Many Traffic Accidents [in July 2010, 126 people were killed and 642 others were seriously or lightly injured in 391 traffic accidents countrywide]
- After a Crash between Two Cars, Three People Died and Five Others Were Seriously Injured [Battambang]
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