Villagers Say Illegal Loggers Claim to Work for Try Pheap
Villagers in Mondolkiri province filed a complaint with rights group Adhoc on Friday, saying that they had discovered loggers illegally felling trees in their local community forest who claimed to be working for businessman Try Pheap. Mr. Pheap, who owns plantations, mining concessions and special economic zones across the country, was granted the right this year to purchase all wood logged in economic land concessions in Ratanakkiri province, as well as nearly 5,000 cubic meters of confiscated wood across the country. … Sok Ratha, Mondolkiri coordinator for Adhoc, said he and about 20 local villagers found 89 pieces of freshly sawn luxury grade timber piled up on the edge of the Andong Kraloeng community forest in O’Reang district on Friday and Saturday, after the villagers filed a complaint with his NGO. … Chich Royoeup, one of the villagers who joined the two-day patrol, said he saw two groups of about seven people each logging the same area with chainsaws about a week ago. “I don’t know if Try Pheap is involved in buying the timber, but the loggers told me that they cut the trees for his company,” he said. … Villagers and NGOs in neighboring Ratanakkiri province have also been reporting a significant increase in illegal logging in protected forests in recent months by loggers claiming to be working for Mr. Pheap. As in Mondolkiri, representatives for Mr. Pheap there have denied involvement and blamed locals who were misusing the businessman’s name. Villagers in Preah Vihear province said wood brokers and illegal loggers they encountered on a recent community patrol of Prey Long forest were also claiming to be working for Mr. Pheap. …
Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/villagers-say-illegal-loggers-claim-to-work-for-try-pheap-48419/
