Iron Fist Ordered to Stop Forestry Crime
- By Mao Sopha
- and Te Chhaysinh
- April 28, 2023 3:53 PM
PHNOM PENH – Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces General Sao Sokha has ordered police to shoot illegal loggers who fire on them as he ordered a major initiative against forest crime.
He ordered 150 military police to be deployed, equipped with guns and armored vehicles if necessary.
Civil society still expressed doubt about the government’s commitment to stopping forest crimes. It was noted that fighting illegal logging was active in the run-up to national elections.
Illegal logging was reported on April 23 in Prey Lang Sanctuary, where hundreds of walking tractors rushed to transport wood at night to a company in Kampong Cham commune in Kratie province.
The order to move against the loggers was on a voicemail from Sao Sokha, widely shared on social media on April 26. Sokha is also Commander of the National Gendarmerie and chairman of the National Commission for the Suppression of Natural Resource Crimes.
He ordered police to shoot any forest thugs who dared to shoot at them. He did this in a loud, stern voice.
“If they dare to fire, there is no need to talk to them. We must destroy them all,” he said.
Sao Sokha said he was also angry at some officials. He said the main reason forest crimes still exist is because officials and loggers conspire.
He said he allowed the handcuffing of officials who conspire to commit the crime. If officials follow the orders of the head of government to prevent forest crime, no one would dare do it.
Environmental activist San Mala said he supported the order to stop the crime but doubted the government's commitment to tackling deforestation, as forestry crime still largely exists.
“We hear the chainsaws and see the remains of the trees that were cut down every time we go on patrol.”
He added that to stop forestry crime, the government should allow civil society and the community to be involved in the action, as Cambodia’s sub-decree does not allow civil society to enter the protected area.
According to the Ministry of Environment's report in 2021, forest cover accounted for 71% of the total land in 1968, while in 2018, 47% of the land was covered in forest.
On April 27, the National Committee for the Prevention and Crackdown of Natural Resource Crimes said authorities arrested 12 people, confiscated 73.672 cubic meters of grade-one timber, four trucks of wood, seven cars with trailers, 13 tractors and one motorbike.
Those arrested were handed over to the Forestry Administration Officer to continue the procedure.
