Global Witness condemns sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore

11/05/2010
Source: dpa

Phnom Penh - International campaigners on Tuesday condemned sand exports from Cambodia to Singapore, saying the trade has severely damaged the livelihoods of impoverished Cambodians.

In its report titled Shifting Sands, Global Witness said the sand dredging industry was unregulated, opaque, and environmentally damaging, adding that millions of dollars in revenues remain unaccounted for.

Oliver Courtney, a spokesman for Global Witness, said the damage being done to Cambodia's coastline stood "in stark contrast" to Singapore's position as a leader for sustainable development.

"(Singapore) should suspend all imports of Cambodian sand, undertake an audit of all payments by Singaporean entities for Cambodian sand, and lead by example through taking steps to ensure that sand is sustainably sourced," Courtney said.

Global Witness said in the past 50 years Singapore's surface area has grown by 22 per cent, an ongoing operation that requires large amounts of sand.

But some nations in the region, including Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, have banned sand exports to Singapore citing environmental concerns. It said Singapore had shifted its sourcing to countries like Cambodia.

UN trade figures reveal Singapore imported 3.8 million tons of sand from Cambodia in 2008. Global Witness said that figure has likely increased, and estimated that 796,000 tons of sand are being dredged monthly in Cambodia's Koh Kong province alone.

It added that operations were following the same destructive patterns seen in the exploitation of Cambodia's forests and extractive industries.

The Cambodian government has long disparaged Global Witness's reports on the corruption and nepotism allegedly at the heart of its extractive industries.

Cambodia announced a ban on sand exports last year after criticisms over the damage from the industry. Hundreds of subsistence fishermen complained of reduced catches as a result of the destruction of fish habitats.

However Global Witness claimed the government ban had been ignored, and said boats were even dredging in protected areas.

For its part Singapore denied it imports sand without regard for the laws or environmental impact in Cambodia, and said it had received no official notice that sand exports had been banned.

"We are committed to the protection of the global environment, and we do not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand, or any extraction of sand that is in breach of the source countries' laws and rules on environmental protection," Singapore's Ministry of National Development said.

Global Witness said donors - who will meet in the coming weeks to determine how much money to give Cambodia this year - must demand accountability of revenues from the exploitation of state assets.

"Global Witness calls on the donors to ensure that funds are only disbursed after the government achieves reforms for transparent and accountable management of natural resources and their revenues."