Besides verbal barrage against multiple targets, Hun Sen, the prime minister of Cambodia Tuesday took on the UK-based environmental watchdog Global Witness, who released a report earlier of the month sharply criticizing the government’s handling of mining and oil exploration rights. Hun Sen rejected that he would not answer questions about the Global Witness report at the National Assembly despite a formal request to do so that is being filed by the opposition Sam Rainsy Party. “They are one Global Witness; they are cheating,” Hun Sen continued, claiming the environmental group had defamed his government. In the most recent report, “Country for Sale,” Global Witness claimed that the Cambodian government had not accounted for millions of dollars paid for mineral and oil exploration rights, and that such rights have been sold to a “ruling elite” in near secrecy. Hun Sen told the audients that this was the reason why he dismissed Global Witness, donor-supported forestry watchdog in 2005. “I ousted [Global Witness] from the country. They made false statements and didn’t apologize. “We ousted them, since then they have been taking revenge against us,” he said adding that, “The opposition president wanted me to answer questions. I would like to inform you (Sam Rainsy) that Global Witness had no power to question me; I am not a criminal to answer your questions.”
In 2007, the Global Witness also issued a report about situation of forests in Cambodia. The report, titled, “The Family Tree,” as well mentioned the ruling elites played as a powerful and significant role of forest logging.
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