Global Witness - Breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption
Cambodia's Family Trees
Report – 31/05/2007
Other Languages
Downloads
Cambodia's Family Trees (Low Res) Cambodia's Family Trees (Med Res) 
Cambodia's Family Trees (Word Version) Recommendations and Summary
Cambodia is run by a kleptocratic elite that generates much of its wealth via the seizure of public assets, particularly natural resources. The forest sector provides a particularly vivid illustration of this asset-stripping process at work. Cambodia’s most powerful logging syndicate is led by relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials. Activities in which members of this logging syndicate are implicated include the large-scale illegal logging in the Prey Long Forest carried out under the guise of the Tumring Rubber Plantation development and the felling of thousands of resin-producing trees tapped by local people who depended on them as a source of income.
Cambodia is run by a kleptocratic elite
Yet Cambodia’s international donors are not using their influence effectively International donors annually provide approximately US$600 million per year in aid to Cambodia. This is equivalent to half the national budget. Donors have not used the leverage that this aid gives them effectively. Specifically, they have refused to acknowledge the fact that the government is thoroughly corrupt and does not act in the best interests of the population.
As a result, billions of dollars-worth of aid funded by western taxpayers have done relatively little to improve the lives of ordinary Cambodians. Moreover, donor support has failed to produce reforms that would make the government more accountable to its citizens. Instead, the government is successfully exploiting international aid as a source of political legitimacy.
Latest Publications
September 2010
Global Witness stands by findings on Sudanese oil data
Global Witness today refuted claims that it had apologized for the findings of its September 2009 report, Fuelling Mistrust, on the lack of transparency in Sudan's oil sector. The organisation said that although very important commitments on improving transparency were made recently by the Government of National Unity (GoNU), the full disclosure of oil revenue data and the results of an independent audit remain necessary to prove the concerns were unfounded.
August 2010
Global Witness welcomes Norwegian government disinvestment from predatory loggers Samling
Global Witness welcomes the Norwegian Government Pension Fund's decision to disinvest from the notorious Malaysian timber giant Samling. Global Witness has previously exposed illegal logging by Samling in Cambodia as well as evidence of legal breaches by two Samling-associated companies in Liberia.
Global Witness welcomes new commitment to transparency in Sudan
Global Witness has participated in a landmark seminar on oil revenue transparency in Khartoum, organised by the Sudanese government and attended by foreign oil companies. We welcome the commitment to increase transparency, including an audit of the oil sector and publication of key production and revenue figures.
Global Witness applauds RBS penalty over terrorist financing
Global Witness welcomes the decisive action taken by the UK financial regulator, the FSA, which has fined the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) £5.6 million for failing to check whether its customers were on the UK terrorist sanctions list.
Campbell testimony shines light on blood diamonds and the importance of international justice
Global Witness is attending the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor in The Hague as supermodel Naomi Campbell is called to testify. The event offers a useful reminder of the role of natural resources in funding conflict, and of the importance of pursuing justice for the victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
