经济学人282:柬埔寨乱砍滥伐树木

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

　　柬埔寨乱砍滥伐

　　Dead wood

　　树木之死

　　A resurgence¹ in illegal logging takes its toll²

　　非法砍伐再度猖獗

　　OF THE five dirt-poor farmers who set out from Chhoeu Slab³ village in November in search of rosewood, only four returned. The fifth is recuperating⁴ in a Thai hospital, having been shot by a Thai border patrol. The boom in trade of the rich-hued hardwood has already claimed 15 lives in 2011, and dozens more have been wounded by Thai soldiers. An unknown number have simply vanished. The shootings could yet become a source of tension between the Thai and Cambodian governments, whose relations have improved immeasurably since Yingluck Shinawatra became Thai prime minister in August.

　　11月，五个一贫如洗的农民从Chhoeu Slab村出发踏上了寻找紫檀树的征程，最终返回的只有四个。其中一人被泰国边境巡逻兵射伤后在泰国一家医院里接受复原治疗。2011年已有15人死于这种红色硬质木材交易，数以十计的人被泰国士兵射伤，还有不知道多少人就直接消失了。自泰国新总理英拉.西那瓦八月上台以来，泰柬关系已经大大改善，但枪击事件可能又会成为双边关系走向紧张的导火索。

　　Slung⁵ along the Thai-Cambodian border, the forests of the Dangrek mountains were once brimming with the luxury wood. But rosewood stocks have fallen precipitously in recent years as illegal logging has run rampant⁶. For Cambodian loggers, that means having to push farther into Thailand’s territory—risking capture, injury or death.

　　泰柬边境的唐勒山曾有着茂密的奢华木种森林，但近年来由于非法砍伐极度猖獗，导致紫檀木数量锐减。这就意味柬埔寨的伐木工人需要更加深入到泰国的边境去伐木了——冒着被捕，受伤甚至生命危险。

　　The cause of the boom is simple: growing demand in Vietnam and, especially, China. To meet the demand, a complex network of loggers has sprung up, with the riskiest⁷ work carried out by the poorest. Some are country men plucked out by ringleaders promising⁸ large sums for sawn planks⁹. Others are villagers solicited¹⁰ by local soldiers.

　　交易增多的原因很简单：越南，尤其是中国对紫檀木需求持续增长。为了满足市场需求，一个复杂网络的砍伐团伙便产生了，最穷的人分工最危险。当地的头头向村民承诺伐木收入非常可观，其他一些村民被当地的士兵开出的诱惑条件而甘愿去冒险。

　　Timber is smuggled¹¹ out of Cambodia in boats and trucks. For years the trade was overseen¹² by top officials, tycoons¹³ and their families, until international attention and even the Cambodian prime minister’s displeasure put a clamp on things. Environmental groups say it is now led by Cambodia’s armed forces. A long-running Thai-Cambodian border dispute that flared¹⁴ up in early 2011 around the temple of Preah Vihear has been a boon¹⁵ for the trade: the army has free access to surrounding areas that others do not.

　　原木通过卡车和船只从柬埔寨走私出境。数年来，直到引起国际关注甚至是柬埔寨首相透露出不满情绪声称要进行打击这些违法事件之前，这些非法贸易都由柬埔寨高层官员，商业大亨和他们的家族掌管。环保组织说现在这些事情已经由柬埔寨的武装部队领导。2011年初发生的泰柬边境柏威夏古寺主权纠纷确进一步加剧了非法贸易：军队能自由进入其他人不能进入的周边区域进行采伐。

　　Inevitably¹⁶, prices are rising with demand. On the international market, the best rosewood planks can sell for $50,000 a cubic metre. A rosewood wardrobe can fetch $20,000. And as the trade diverts wood abroad, prices within Cambodia have climbed too.

　　价格必然跟着需求走。在国际市场上。最好的红木在市场上能卖到50,000美金每立方米。一只红木衣橱可售达20000美金。随着木材的大量出口，柬埔寨国内的价格也已经上涨。

分享到：