Phnom Penh, May 27, 2021

 

We, the undersigned associations, unions, civil society organizations, environmental activists, acitizens, and international scientists are very concerned after seeing the press release issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Customs and Excise Department on the confiscation of 211 tons of rare and endangered timber, valued at HK$ 1.1 million or USD 140,000. The confiscated logs were found by Hong Kong customs officials in seven containers after being dropped off at the Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi customs offices between April 29 and May 5, 2021. The seizure is considered to be the largest confiscation of rare and valuable timber by Hong Kong in the last five years.

 

The discovery of this valuable piece of timber exported from Cambodia should come as no surprise. Earlier this year, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime stated that between 2001-2018, Cambodia lost about 557,000 hectares of forest cover within protected areas. This is equivalent to about 11,7% of all protected areas, which environmental activists and civil society organizations have increasingly been restricted from patrolling and protecting by authorities.

 

In an interview with the Phnom Penh Post on May 13, 2021, Minister of Agriculture Veng Sakhon confirmed that both the Prime Minister and he himself have announced a long-term suspension of timber exports to international and global markets. In addition, there is an additional confirmation through the announcement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries dated May 14, 2021, stating that for 5 years, the Ministry has never prepared documents for any company to export the rare and endangered plants to Hong Kong or abroad. In the same statement, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries also stressed that if there is a case of export, it is illegal timber smuggling. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have also confirmed that it will investigate the case to determine who is responsible before the law, etc. According to the above statement by the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, the issue of illegal timber smuggling created a lot of doubts about the involved individuals and the method of smuggling a lot of timber to get out of Cambodia safely.

 

Pursuant to Sub-Decree No. 131 on the Non-Timber Products (NTFP) Permits for Export-Import, Article 2 stipulates the types of NTFPs for export, except for luxurious timber, and Article 3 states the types of timber that are prohibited for export, including 1) logs, even though it is barked or not, 2) all kinds of sawn wood, 3) piece of wood with the thickness of more than 25 cm, 4) yellow wine oil and turmeric wine powder, and 5) firewood and charcoal sourced from natural forests.

 

We, the undersigned associations, unions, civil society organizations, environmental activists, and citizens call for a thorough investigation into this case in order to identify those involved in illegal timber exports, deforestation, and people who collaborated the deforestation for their own interests, which is a national treasure to be directly responsible before the law of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

-End-

For further information, please contact:

• Heng Kimhong 096 7888 368

Head of Research and Advocacy Program

• San Mala: 015 998 555

Senior Advocacy Officer at Cambodian Youth Network

This statement is endorsed by:

1. Cambodian Youth Network (CYN)
2. Equitable Cambodia (EC)
3. Asia Pacific Network of Environment Defenders (APNED)
4. The Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines
5. The Center for Sustainable Community Development (SCODE)
6. People for Development and Peace (PDP-Center)
7. Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL)
8. Cambodian Institute for Democracy (CID)
9. Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)
10. Cambodian League for The Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)
11. Communinty Resouce Center (Vietmnam)
12. Vikas Adhyayan Kendra (India)
13. Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA)
14. Cambodia’s Independent Civil-servants Asociations (CICA)
15. Solidarity House (SH)
16. Cambodian Food and Service Workers Federation (CFSWF)
17. Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC-Cambodia)
18. The Coalition for Integrity and Social Accountability (CISA)
19. Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)
20. Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC)
21. Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN)
22. Kouy Indigenious Community: BroMer District, Previhear Province
23. PhnomBak Forest Community: Kratie Province
24. PnomSess Forest Community: Kratie Province
25. Ou Kork Forest Community: Kratie Province
26. Baplel Forest Community: Kratie Province
27. Prey Rolous Community: Kratie Province
28. Reading Friend Club (RFC)
29. Charity Event Cambodia (CEC)
30. Gender Environment Mental (GEM)
31. Walhi Kalimantan Tengah (Indonesia)

 

 

 Supported by Activists, Citizens, and Students៖

1. Sompong Asakit Independent Researcher
2. Hom, a young human rights and environmental activist
3. Aristoteles Viana, Deputy director IEPA, Macapa, Amapa, Brazil
4. Christopher Taylor, Kansas University, U.S.A
5. Derek Charlwood, University Nova Lisbon, Portugal
6. Epstan Dos Santos Doumany, Macapa University, Amapa, Brazil
7. Fhazan Rupei, Law dept, Beijing University, China
8. Frédéric Bourdier, IRD/University of Paris Panthéon Sorbonne, France
9. Guy Morineau, Consultant in Epidemiology, Paris, France
10. Hart N. Feuer, Kyoto University, Japan
11. Ida Theilade, University of Copenhagen, Danmark
12. Isabel Mitsue Shimizu, Londrina University, Brazil
13. Jacques Ivanoff, CNRS France, Myanmar
14. Jiwon Park, Busan University, South- Korea
15. Kausilia Karthikeyan, Pondicherry University, India
16. Maxime Boutry, UMR Paloc IRD, Myanmar/France
17. Miguel Alexandre Barreiro-Laredo, IE University, Spain
18. Mony Pen, Minnesota University, U.S.A.
19. Pascal Lemonier, Poitiers University, France
20. Phasy Res, Sorbonne Paris 1 University, France
21. PK Das, honorary director VCDC Pondicherry, India
22. Roberto Araujo, Museu Emilio Goeldi, Belém, Para, Brazil
23. Roberta Valenti, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, France
24. Rosa Elizabeth Acevedo Marin, Universidade Federal do Pará, Brazil
25. Sawmi Mhar, Washington University, U.S.A.
26. Tamizhkalaiarasi Karthikeyan, IFP Pondicherry, India
27. Xiao He, Beijing University, China
28. Xiao Lei, Beijing University, China
29. Hern Chan Makara (Monk)
30. Phen Savey
31. Gnann Panha
32. Put Kolka
33. Aleksongsaless Davitson
34. Sngam Kroem
35. Roun Sreyleak
36. Van Sreyrath
37. Khamra Reaksmey
38. Ven Sophearp
39. Kong Sovanmony
40. Dol Khet
41. Kheng Vannith
42. Khorn Kanha
43. Bo Rithy Mony
44. Om Boray
45. Nuth Ti
46. Rin Rachana
47. Vann Sokny
48. Ourn Sreymom
49. Then Rachana
50. Heang Sivhor
51. Barnh Chanda
52. Dorn Danita
53. Chom Sokchan
54. Rith Rany
55. Gnel Heng
56. Pon HengTith
57. Kong SreyRath
58. Sem Sophea
59. Chhem SreyKea
60. Thourn Vibol
61. Chev Puthi
62. Romchong Somnang
63. Son Chet
64. Theng Rathana
65. Lem Kea
66. Hom Sokheang
67. Heng Hun