VOANews.com

Voice of America - Khmer

 
News in 45 Languages
Investigations, Not Reactions: Global Witness


23 July 2009

Responding to public government criticism, the environmental watchdog Global Witness said in a statement Thursday it was disappointed the government had not investigated more of the group's claims.

"Over the past five years, Global Witness has collected evidence of deeply damaging exploitation of the country's forests, minerals, oil and gas," said Eleanor Nichol, a campaigner for Global Witness, referring to two reports currently banned by the government, "Cambodia's Family Trees" and "Country for Sale."

The group found "high-level corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, kidnapping and at least two cases of attempted murder," Nichol said in an e-mail to VOA Khmer. "To date, however, we have seen no credible investigation or public enquiry into our reports."

Nichol was responding to public criticism by government officials, including the Cambodian ambassador to the United Kingdom, who called on donors to the organization to hold it more responsible for information in its reports.

Global Witness has pointed to high-ranking corruption in timber, oil and minerals as causes for concern, but its reports are routinely denied by the government. Earlier this month, Global Witness called on the British government to revoke a visa for Prime Minister Hun Sen, who planned to visit.

Nichol said Thursday the group was "deeply disappointed that the goernment has chosen to react in this, rather than investigate issues so central to the public interest."

Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment further.


Download Heng Reaksmey report aired 22 July 2009 (780 KB)
Download  (MP3)
Listen to This Report Heng Reaksmey report aired 22 July 2009 (780 KB)
Listen (MP3)
E-mail This Article E-mail this article
Print This Article Print Version
  Cambodia News
Massage Offers Blind Cambodians Way Out of Poverty  Video clip available

  More Stories
First Miss Landmine Cambodia Crowned
First Cambodian American to run for US Congress
Fire Destroys over 200 Houses
Seven Arrested in A Chronic Kampong Thom Land Dispute
Opposition Blames Hun Sen for Border Encroachment
Land Dispute in Kampong Thom Leads to Violence and Arrests  Audio Clip Available
Silencing Opposition,  A Threat to Cambodia Democracy: US Congressman  Audio Clip Available
Villagers Oppose Coastal Backfill Plan and Leaflets are Seized  Audio Clip Available
Counterfeit Drugs Trouble Asia, officials say at Phnom Penh conference  Audio Clip Available
Opposition leader seeks international support on immunity  Audio Clip Available
Cambodia caught between Thai internal politics, official  Audio Clip Available
Accused Thai spy received visitors  Audio Clip Available
Visit to detained Thai man allowed, officials  Audio Clip Available
Biased investigation is merely a joke: judge  Audio Clip Available
Miss Cambodia Landmine 2009 to boost self esteem  Audio Clip Available
US asked to take tough action on Cambodian human rights  Audio Clip Available
Two senior Khmer Rouge leaders to stay another year in detention  Audio Clip Available
No Cambodian-Thai dispute raised at a meeting with Obama  Audio Clip Available
UN, Cambodian Officials Meet Over Tribunal  Audio Clip Available
National Assembly To Pull Sam Rainsy Immunity  Audio Clip Available
Thaksin Visit Marks Low in Bilateral Relations: Analysts  Audio Clip Available
Cambodia Refuses Thai Request to Extradite Former Leader Thaksin Shinawatra  Audio Clip Available
Cambodia Rejects Extradition Request for Thaksin  Audio Clip Available
Thaksin Shinawatra Arrives in Cambodia as Thai Government Moves for Extradition  Audio Clip Available
Officials Sue Sam Rainsy for Incitement, Destruction  Audio Clip Available
Journalist Lauds Cambodian Media Ethics  Audio Clip Available
Cambodia's Garment Workers Hit by Recession  Video clip available
Duch’s Case Could Hold Valuable Lessons  Audio Clip Available
Group Seeks to Keep Cambodian Arts Alive