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Cambodia fumes over watchdog's report

Cambodia is urging key donors to review their funding of Global Witness after the forestry watchdog accused Prime Minister Hun Sen's relatives and other elites of illegal logging.

In a communique obtained by AFP yesterday, Cambodia's embassy in London called the allegations "totally groundless, unacceptable rubbish" and called on Britain, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, and the Netherlands to "seriously re-consider their support in funding Global Witness in the future."

The demand is the latest event in an escalating row between Cambodia and the London-based watchdog, which issued a report last week detailing the plundering of timber by officials and their families.

"The accusation and defamation on the government's members and personalities are an attempt to incite political problems," said the communique, dated Monday.

It marks an attempt to discredit the Global Witness allegations ahead of the annual meeting of Cambodia's donors, who are gathering in Phnom Penh on June 19 and June 20 to discuss aid to the impoverished country.

Donors have repeatedly said they are frustrated over Cambodia's lack of reform, particularly the government's apparent unwillingness to tackle corruption.

But Global Witness also blamed the donors for being too soft on the government.

Since the report was made public last Friday, Cambodia has banned all copies from the kingdom and at least one senior government official has threatened violence against Global Witness staff.

Hun Sen's brother, provincial governor Hun Neng, whose wife and son were mentioned in the report, was quoted in the local press as saying: "If they [Global Witness staff] come to Cambodia, I will hit them until their heads are broken."
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