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THE NATION: NAP blamed for Salween



Politics 

      NAP blamed for Salween

      Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn
      yesterday alleged the New Aspiration Party
      turned a blind eye to the massive illegal
      logging in Salween National Park while the
      NAP was leading the Chavalit coalition in
      1997. 

      Pongpol said two Democrat MPs, Tripol
      Johjit and Panya Jinakham, filed an urgent
      motion to the House committee on
      agriculture on April 3, 1997, demanding the
      panel investigate the illegal logging. 

      The Democrats were then an opposition
      party and the House panel was headed by
      NAP MP Charoen Chankomol. 

      Pongpol said the House committee ignored
      the motion and the Chavalit government
      had done very little to stop the illegal
      logging carried out by 16,000 Karen
      refugees in Mae Hong Son. 

      ''Six months after the motion was filed, the
      House committee still had never travelled to
      Salween park although the two Democrat
      MPs said it was a very urgent motion,''
      Pongpol said. 

      The agriculture minister said the Chuan
      government immediately tackled the
      problem after it took office in November.