Briefing Document / May 10, 2010

Supporting documents for "Shifting Sand" report

These documents accompany and substantiate claims made in the report "Shifting Sand: how Singapore's demand for Cambodian sand threatens ecosystems and undermines good governance." The details of each is as follows:  

1) L.Y.P. Group's agreement in principle, issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on 24 July 2009, to dredging sand in the Sre Ambil, Ta Tai and Koh Por rivers - here.

2) Receipt confirming a payment made by Ta Chang Selindo Cambodia Co Ltd to the L.Y.P. Group for a deposit of US$200,000 to secure access to sand from the L.Y.P. Group's dredging concessions- here

3) Mong Reththy Group's licence to quarry sand from 1 September 2009 issued by the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and which bears the stamp and signature of Mr Milton KS Goh, the then First Secretary of the Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh - here

4) Extracts of documents listing Brigadier General Nim Meng as an "advisor to H.E. Hin Bun Heang" and being given the honorific title "Mohasena" by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 28 June 2008 - here

5) Extracts from Udom Seima's agreement in principle to resume sand operations in Trapaing Roung river for export, issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology - here

6) K.T.A.'s agreement in principle to dredge sand from September 2009, issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology and which bears the stamp and signature of Mr Milton KS Goh, the then First Secretary of the Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh - here

7) The "Inter-ministerial Prakas" from March 2009 which sets fees for the registration, renewal and transfer of mining concession areas - here

8) The Government of Cambodia's Subdecree on Environmental Impact Assessment Process, intended to prevent against damage to the environment - here

9) The Decision Concerning the Limiting of Sand Trafficking, issued by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 8 May 2009 - here

10) Housing and Development Board of the Government of Singapore, Supplementary Specifications for the supply of concreting sand to the Housing and Development Board - here

11) Email received by Global Witness from the Ministry of National Development, government of Singapore, 22 April 2010 - here

Other more general documents and legislation relating to Cambodia's oil, gas and mining sector, as covered by Global Witness' previous report on Cambodia Country for Sale, can be found here