Gunmen kill two government rangers in Cambodian wildlife sanctuary
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 29 Sep 2005 04:16:46 -0700
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Gunmen killed two government park rangers
and wounded another man in central Cambodia on Thursday, officials
said.
The attackers opened fire on the rangers as they slept at their station
in Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary. Three rangers escaped, but a friend
staying with them was wounded, said Khol Vattana, a deputy director at
the Environment Ministry.
Phnom Aural is Cambodia's highest mountain. The sanctuary is home to
tigers, bears, deer, snakes and monkeys.
"I have no idea why the gunmen shot the rangers. We have no motive for
the attack yet," he said. "But I can say that our rangers there, they
work very hard and they always implement the rule of law. They never
ask for bribes, even if offenders offer them money" to smuggle things
out of the forest.
Conflicts sometimes arise in Cambodian forests over illegal logging,
which has become pervasive throughout the country.
Logging is prohibited in Phnom Aural, which was given protected status
by the government in 1993.
Last year, the London-based conservation group Global Witness accused
government and military officials of pillaging timber from Phnom Aural
and extorting money from other illegal loggers there.
Police believe three or four gunmen carried out Thursday's attack on
the rangers. They were pursuing the attackers in the jungle, said Nup
Oeurn, police chief for Kampong Speu province.
The gunmen stole several AK-47 assault rifles, two motorcycles, maps
and radio equipment from the rangers.
09/29/05 04:33 EDT
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