world news - 31.10.2002

Rangers injured confiscating illegal timber

Villagers in central Vietnam have injured five forest rangers who were trying to confiscate illegally cut timber. The incident came after seven rangers in Dak Rlap district of Daklak province found 350 cubic feet of the logs. They called in trucks but were surrounded by more than 30 villagers who attacked them with knives and canes, injuring five of them. According to a government official, the villagers are members of the Mnong ethnic minority group. He said the villagers handcuffed the five wounded rangers, seized their two rifles, mobile phones and three motorbikes. The rangers were held for about six hours before being released with their property. A team of government officials and forest rangers later returned and persuaded about 200 villagers to surrender the timber. Ananova Ltd

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