Hun Sen ends logging in Cambodia
Copyright 2001 Agence France Presse
December 31, 2001
PHNOM PENH, Dec 31 - Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday ended all logging in Cambodia as he vowed to preserve the country's remaining forests.
Hun Sen said no trees would be allowed to be cut down from the start of 2002. "If any company wished to act against the ultimatum, we will arrest them and shut down their company without any further notice," Hun Sen warned on national radio.
"I would like to send my year end message to all forestry concession companies to abide by our orders, if not they only bring disaster to their own companies."
Hun Sen said he was no longer willing to allow Cambodia's precious forests to be traded off for foreign currency.
"We would rather not have any income from forests and ask for help from the IMF (International Monetary Fund), ADB (Asian Development Bank) and World Bank."
The English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper quoted a letter issued by six logging companies that the order was a breach of the 30-year contracts the government gave them in 1994.