Illegal loggers attack forest rangers
HANOI - Four forest rangers and their two drivers were attacked by more
than 50 illegal loggers in Vietnam's Central Highlands province of
Gia Lai, officials said today.
The attack occurred on Sunday in a forest in the Binh Giao
commune of Chu Prong district after the rangers discovered a large
pile of freshly cut logs, a provincial forest ranger said.
The rangers loaded the haul with a crane onto their truck but were
then set upon by over 50 people, the majority of whom had
covered their faces to protect their identities.
The loggers attacked them with stones, sticks and knives in a bid to
retrieve their timber, prompting the rangers to fire two warning
shots, he said. The mob, however, then poured gasoline on the logs
and set fire to them.
The truck driver and his assistant escaped in the truck with the
burning logs in the back, while the four rangers fled in their jeep.
None were seriously injured.
District police arrived at the scene two hours later but by then the
group had disappeared.
State media questioned Tuesday whether or not the loggers were
under the protection of commune police.
“We never inform the commune police before carrying out
inspections or checks because the information is often leaked,” the
ranger said, when asked to comment on the allegations.
Agence France Presse - November 04, 2003.
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