Synopsis: The provincial court is set to question eight individuals over their alleged involvement in the arson of an environmental office in September.
The Ratanakiri Provincial Court has summoned eight villagers, including six Bunong indigenous people, for questioning today over the burning of a wildlife sanctuary office during tensions linked to illegal gold mining and the death of a woman last month.
According to a summons dated September 30 and issued by Deputy Prosecutor Chuon Sopanha, the individuals are accused of intentionally destroying state property under aggravating circumstances.
If convicted, they face two to five years in prison and fines of 4 million riel ($1,000) to 10 million riel.
Lumphat district police chief Colonel Klong Thoeung said investigators identified the suspects after reviewing video evidence.
He said five were directly involved in setting fire to the Sre Chrey sub-ranger station in Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary on September 6.
“According to the video clips and CCTV footage, these five villagers entered the sub-office and set it on fire on the afternoon of September 6,” he said.
Col Thoeung denied claims that a woman died due to ranger actions, saying she became ill while travelling by motorcycle and died en route to hospital.
ADHOC coordinator for Ratanakiri province Din Khornny said villagers gave a different account.
They told the rights group they had been panning for gold by hand when officials intervened, insisting they were not conducting large-scale excavation.
Villagers alleged that rangers fired warning shots, prompting them to flee. During the escape, a woman reportedly fell from a speeding motorcycle and died.
Khornny said relatives later went to the environmental office to seek answers but found no officials present. Tensions escalated and the office was attacked and set ablaze.
He stressed ADHOC does not support violence, urging villagers to pursue justice through legal channels.
In a statement issued on September 7, the Ratanakiri Provincial Department of Environment said rangers from the station patrolled the wildlife sanctuary on September 6 and encountered 80 people allegedly involved in illegal gold mining.
The department condemned what it described as public defamation, incitement to violence and the destruction of public property, warning that illegal mining threatens forests and natural resources.
