Gold-diggers

A GROUP of monks has accused the governor of Pailin province of ordering local security forces to attempt to dig for buried treasure over the weekend at a pagoda in Pailin town.

With the support of about 2,000 local residents, the monks were able to stop 100 police, military police and members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces from carrying out digs on Saturday and Sunday, despite threats of arrest if they resisted, monks said. Noan Sophen, deputy chief of Ratanak Sophoan pagoda, said yesterday that the treasure hunt had been ordered by Pailin provincial governor Y Chhien.

Y Chhien could not be reached yesterday. Van Nalong, Pailin provincial military police chief, denied allegations that threats of arrest had been issued.