Military implicated in Stung Treng logging seizure

Military implicated in Stung Treng logging seizure

Authorities in Stung Treng said they confiscated hundreds of pieces of wood, including some from a vehicle marked with military logos, over the weekend, while nine people were also arrested in neighboring Preah Vihear following nighttime forest patrols.

In one of the finds in Stung Treng, authorities uncovered illegally felled wood stashed away, according to provincial prosecutor Chea Poch, but had arrested no one for felling or transporting the wood.

“We found some of the wood in a lake and more was buried in the earth nearby. The Forestry Administration is now transporting it to be measured,” Pech said, explaining that the find came after a military vehicle loaded with timber was stopped on Friday.

“At 9pm, the national military police confiscated a Vigo carrying some wood, but we haven’t investigated the case yet,” the prosecutor said. He added that no arrests were made during that seizure, either.

According to a post on the Forestry Administration’s Facebook page, forestry authorities, local police and military police had confiscated the vehicle – which was marked with the logo of the military’s elite Brigade 70 – as well as the 36 pieces of timber in it. It said that 24 of the pieces were rosewood.

Forestry Administration spokesman Suon Sovann said that his authorities were working with the military officials to try to prevent the participation of the nation’s armed forces in illegal logging, but that it was not always easy when logging was so rampant.

“I’m not sure how many soldiers are involved in illegal logging, but people of all sectors of society and all social standings are involved,” Sovann said.



In Preah Vihear, meanwhile, Ea Sokha, director of the provincial environmental department, said yesterday that night patrols by authorities and activists affiliated with the Independent Monk Network for Social Justice over four days had led to the arrests of nine people and the confiscation of four chainsaws and three vehicles.

“If we catch criminals running a business, we take legal measures,” Sokha said. “But if we discover normal people logging to build their own houses, then we will educate them.”

He added that 85 people, including 23 women and 35 monks, had participated in the sometimes dangerous night patrols in the province.

“Sometimes we face problems because the criminals are armed, but this time they didn’t injure any patrollers,” he said.

KNLF ‘plotters’ tried

KNLF ‘plotters’ tried

Ten members of the Khmer National Liberation Front (KNLF) charged with “plotting” over a planned protest at the Vietnamese Embassy two years ago appeared in court yesterday, with six requesting leniency after defecting to the ruling CPP.

The men were arrested on October 22 and 23, 2014, with merchandise such as caps and banners that they planned to bring to a protest calling for the Vietnamese to respect the Paris Peace Accords, which put an end to Cambodia’s decades-long civil war in October 1991.

Authorities have not explained how the protest plans constituted “plotting” – a charge defined as “a resolution . . . to commit an attack” that threatens state institutions – and at yesterday’s hearing at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, defence lawyer Neang Hay called for the charges against the 10 to be dropped as there was no evidence to support them. Mon Vimean Champa, lawyer for Sam Serey, the self-exiled leader of the KNLF, who was being tried for the same charges, made the same argument.

However, Phnom Penh deputy municipal police chief Sim Vuthy, who led the arrests in 2014, testified that he believed the charges were justified because the 10 on trial were named “ministers” in a government-in-exile created in Denmark on October 23 this year.

While four of the accused denied being KNLF members or plotting anything more than a peaceful protest, the six others pleaded for leniency, explaining that Suth Dina – the jailed former ambassador to South Korea who is awaiting trial for corruption – persuaded them in prison to join the ruling party.

“I met Suth Dina, and he explained it to me, and I decided to support the CPP,” said 24-year-old Chhun Chhat, who admitted to being a member of the KNLF. “I strongly deny what Sam Serey said – that we were ministers for something.

“I would like to file a complaint against Sam Serey and [opposition leader] Sam Rainsy for $1 million. I would like to be the surviving witness to . . . explain to the public that the courts are not corrupt.”

Speaking from Denmark, Serey, who has denied claims his group is a terrorist organisation, said he could not fault his members for defecting.

“It is their right, because they want to be released. I have no ability to help them to be released, so it’s their decision,” he said. “The CPP tells them they have to do this if they want to be released.”

However, CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said that it would not help them secure a release.

“When they are in jail, they come and support the CPP. They are clever,” Eysan said, questioning the motivations of the KNLF turncoats. “Why didn’t they join before committing their crimes?”

បូរណភាពទឹកដីខ្មែរ vs. ឆាកកំផ្លែងក្នុងខួរក្បាលខ្មែរ

បូរណភាពទឹកដីខ្មែរ vs. ឆាកកំផ្លែងក្នុងខួរក្បាលខ្មែរ

(ដោយជូលាងហាក់)

ពេទ្យឆ្កួតក៏ប្រហែលជាអេះក្បាលដែរ រឿងសតិបញ្ញា ឬខួរក្បាលខ្មែរ។ ព្រោះអី ពេលថ្មីៗកន្លងទៅនេះឮថាខ្មែរដែលជា
អ្នកមុខអ្នកការប្រទេសជាតិ មានកាតព្វកិច្ចជាចម្បង ក្នុងការថែរក្សាការពារទឹកដីខ្មែរ កំពុងជំនុំគ្នារកវិធី(ធ្វើសំណូមពរ)
សុំឱ្យយួនឈប់សាងសង់ប៉ុស្តិ៍នៅលើទឹកដីខ្មែរ ដែលជំហានទី១យួនទាញដីទាំងនេះ ឱ្យក្លាយទៅជាតំបន់ស។ ខ្មែរថា
ត្រឹមត្រូវហើយ ដីត្រង់ហ្នឹងជាដីតំបន់ស ព្រោះគ្មានអីជាភស្តុតាងថាជាដីខាងខ្មែរ ឬខាងយួន។ ចូលដល់ជំហានទី២។

យួនសង្កេតឃើញចរិតទន់ជ្រាយ នៃរដ្ឋាភិបាលខ្មែរនៅជំហានទី១។ បន្ទាប់មកយួនស្ទាបស្ទង់ចិត្តខ្មែរ ដោយចាប់ផ្តើម
ជីកស្រះ ឬសាងសង់ប៉ុស្តិ៍នៅលើដីដំបន់សហ្នឹង។  ដូចជាអត់ឃើញមានខ្មែរណាម្នាក់ភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលអីទេ ពេលដែលយួន
ចូលមកក្នុងដីខ្មែរ, យួនហៅថាតំបន់ស, ក្នុងប៉ុន្មាននាទី ឬប៉ុន្មានម៉ោងដំបូងហើយចាប់ផ្តើមជីកស្រះ ឬធ្វើដី ទីធ្លាសាង
សង់ប៉ុស្តិ៍។ រហូតដល់យួនជីកស្រះបាន៧-៨ហើយ ទើបខ្មែរស្រឡាំងកាំងដើររអ៊ូរទាំ ដូចខ្លួនខ្វល់ណាស់រឿងទឹកដី។

ខ្មែរធ្វើកំណត់ទូតតវ៉ា របៀបជាមនុស្សចេះដឹងជ្រៅជ្រះ ប្រើយន្តការ diplomacy ។ ធ្វើហើយធ្វើទៀត ឱ្យរាស្ត្រខ្មែរមើល
ឃើញថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលខ្លួន ហាក់ដូចជាប្រឹងប្រែងសម្បើម ក្នុងរឿងការពារទឹកដីរបស់ខ្លួន។ ប៉ុន្តែយួនស្គាល់ចរិតមេដឹកនាំ
ខ្មែរ ដែលលេងប៉ាហ៊ី ឆ្ពិនភ្នែករាស្ត្រខ្មែរទាំងផ្ទៃនគរ។ យួនយល់ថាជាការតវ៉ា បោកបញ្ឆោតសតិបញ្ញារាស្ត្រខ្មែរ។ អ៊ីចឹង
យួនក៏មិនយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ ចំពោះសំបុត្រតវ៉ា១០-២០លើក របស់ខ្មែរនោះទេ។

ពេលនេះយួនសាងសង់បុស្តិ៍ យ៉ាងមាំទាំមួយនៅក្នុងដីខ្មែរហ្នឹងជិតចប់សព្វគ្រប់រួចរាល់អស់ហើយ។ ឯខ្មែរឯណោះថា
ហេ៎! យើងខំតវ៉ាតាមការទូតជាមួយយួន ឱ្យអស់លទ្ធភាពសិន។ ចំណុចត្រង់ហ្នឹងវាត្រូវនឹងពាក្យអង់គ្លេស ludicrous ឬ
ក៏ថា អ្នកណាឮហើយ សើចឡើងចុកពោះ ដួលព្រូស បាត់មាត់បាត់-ក ព្រោះយោបល់ហ្នឹងវាយ៉ាប់យកតែមែនទែន។
សួរថា តើចំណុចណាមួយ ដែលរដ្ឋាភិបាលខ្មែរនឹងអស់លទ្ធភាពតវ៉ាតាមការទូតហ្នឹង? ហើយបន្ទាប់មកម៉េចទៀត?

ចុះការតវ៉ាតាមផ្លូវទូតហ្នឹង មិនមែនជាការតវ៉ាញុះញង់ បំបែកបំបាក់មិត្តភាពខ្មែរយួនទេឬអី? លោកអ៊ុំសំអាន បានខិតខំ
ធ្វើកិច្ចការហ្នឹងដែរ ដើម្បីសន្តិសុខរវាងប្រទេសទាំងពីរ ប៉ុន្តែរដ្ឋាភិបាលខ្មែរចោទអ៊ីចឹងដែរថា ជាសកម្មភាពរើសអើង នាំ
ឱ្យបង្ករជាជម្លោះរវាងខ្មែរនិងយួន។ មេដឹកនាំស្រុកខ្មែរ មើលឃើញទោសនេះធំណាស់ ចាប់ដាក់គុកសិន។ ខ្មែរវាយខ្មែរ
បន្ថោកកិត្តិយសឥស្សរជនខ្មែរ ស្រាប់តែពេលនេះខ្លួនបកក្រោយ ទៅធ្វើការដដែលហ្នឹងដែរ តែធ្វើក្រោយយួនយកដីខ្មែរ
បានជាបណ្តើរៗហើយ។ លោកអ៊ុំសំអានជាប់គុកនៅឡើយ។ តើនេះ វាមិនមែនជាជម្ងឺឡប់សតិទេឬអី?

រឿងដីតំបន់សហ្នឹង ខ្មែរតវ៉ាទៅ យួនថាអត់មានសាងសង់អី ក្នុងដីខ្មែរសោះទេ។ យួនថា គេធ្វើក្នុងដីគេទេតើ។ មានន័យ
ថា យួនចាត់ទុកតំបន់សហ្នឹង ថាជាដីយួនរួចទៅហើយ។ តើពេលនេះ ខ្មែរមានលទ្ធភាពស្អីទៀត ដើម្បីដោះស្រាយរឿង
ហ្នឹង? ខ្មែរចង់ហៅរកអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិឱ្យជួយដោះស្រាយ? តើវាមិនមែនជាស្ថាប័ននេះទេឬអីដែលលោកអ៊ុំសំអាន
បានទៅធ្វើការស្រាវជ្រាវ រកដំណោះស្រាយការពារទឹកដី ដោយស្របច្បាប់នោះ?

បានថា ឆាកកំផ្លែងក្នុងខួរក្បាលខ្មែរ ធ្វើឱ្យយួនមានកម្លាំងចិត្តច្រើនក្នុងដំណើរឆ្ពោះទៅមុខ ទាញយកដីខ្មែរគ្រប់ទីកន្លែង
ដែលយួនអាចធ្វើទៅបាន។ មានខ្មែរប៉ុន្មាននាក់ នឹកខ្មាស់យួន ដោយសារសតិបញ្ញាទន់ជ្រាយនៃមេដឹកនាំខ្លួន? គិតតាម
សច្ចៈធម៌ និងយុត្តិធម៌ តើខ្មែរណាខ្លះទៅ ដែលត្រូវមានទោស ហើយខ្មែរណាដែលគួរទទួលបានការគោរពកោតសរសើរ
ក្នុងករណីការពារទឹកដីជាតិសាសន៍របស់ខ្លួន?  សជាខ្មៅ ខ្មៅជាសអស់ហើយ។ មនុស្សប្រើសតិបញ្ញាវែកញែក យល់ដឹង
ខុសត្រូវសឬខ្មៅ។ សត្វព្រៃប្រើកម្លាំងក្នុងដំណើរជីវិតរស់នៅរបស់វា តាមនិស្ស័យវាជាសត្វ។ មនុស្សដែលបំពានច្បាប់
មានតម្លៃមិនប្រសើរជាងជីវិតសត្វព្រៃប៉ុន្មានទេ ព្រោះអំពើបំពាន គឺជាការអាងលើកម្លាំងបាយដូចសត្វដែរ៕៚

Tycoon’s showdown with ‘wife’ hits Supreme Court

Tycoon’s showdown with ‘wife’ hits Supreme Court

A lawyer for Lay Huong, the former common-law wife of tycoon Khaou Phallaboth, yesterday urged the Supreme Court to uphold decisions made by both the Phnom Penh Municipal Court and the Appeal Court and dismiss a “breach of trust” complaint lodged against her by her ex-partner.

Phallaboth accuses Huong of unlawfully acquiring land in Mondulkiri via the company Khaou Chuly Development, a firm once co-owned by the pair, the court heard.

Further, he alleged that Huong, 59, used the company’s equipment – including bulldozers, gasoline and rubber saplings – to clear and develop the land for her own private gain.

Two former employees of Khaou Chuly Development – Heng Sok, 51, and Lay Chhay, 44 – are being tried as accomplices.
The case was dismissed by both lower courts. Unhappy with the verdict, Phallaboth, via his lawyer Nheb Sokhoeum, pursued the matter to the Supreme Court. In a submission to the hearing, Sokhoeum, who was yesterday absent, called the previous decisions to drop the case “unfair”.

Meanwhile, lawyer for the accused Chea Chanravy asked the judges to drop the complaint, a position backed by deputy prosecutor Ouk Kimseth, who said Huong was within her rights to buy the land and use the machinery.

Huong and Phallaboth – convicted earlier this year for orchestrating the attempted rape and murder of the wife and daughter of Transportation Minister Sun Chanthol – have been engaged in a long-running legal battle following a messy split in 2013.

No special treatment for Sovann: City Hall

No special treatment for Sovann: City Hall

City Hall yesterday rejected the opposition’s request to hold the funeral of former Prime Minister Pen Sovann at Phnom Penh’s Wat Botum Park, saying he ceased to enjoy any special privileges after becoming a lawmaker in the 2013 election.

“That was the past, but now it is the present and things are different,” said City Hall spokesman Mean Chanyada. “Currently he is a lawmaker, therefore we treat him like a lawmaker.”

Sovann, who was Cambodia’s first premier following the fall of the Khmer Rouge, passed away on Saturday night after a prolonged battle with poor health and will lay in wake at his family home in Takeo province. He was serving as a Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmaker for Kampong Speu province.

Chanyada said the municipality had yet to receive a request for a funeral march from Takeo to Chamkarmon district’s Wat Khan or for holding the cremation ceremony at Wat Botum, adding that the site was reserved for officials who were ranked deputy prime ministers and above.

“There is no discrimination. Even ministers cannot be cremated there,” Chanyada said. CNRP lawmaker Yem Ponhearith said it was “regrettable” that the authorities were ignoring Sovann’s past contributions to the country and that even lawmakers could be honoured for their service. “They should honour all Cambodian ministers the same, whether past or present,” he said.

In the wake of Sovann’s death, the CNRP must now fill one of the three National Assembly seats they won from Kampong Speu province in 2013 – Sok Umsea and Nuth Rumdoul are the other two sitting lawmakers.

According to the Law on the Election of Members of the National Assembly, the party is to nominate a new member to fill in the vacancy from the broader list of candidates originally submitted for that province.

CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the party – following its list from the 2013 election – would propose Soun Rida to take over the seat. He said Rida, who is a doctor by profession, currently serves as vice chairman of the party’s Phnom Penh working committee.

“There is no need for discussion because we have to follow whoever is fourth on the list,” Sovann said.

“I don’t think we will change that, and it will happen after the funeral.”