Protected forest ‘is finished’
In the latest government backed appropriation of protected land, nearly 20,000 hectares of the Boeung Per wildlife sanctuary have been reclassified as state private land for agro-industrial development. Two sub-decrees, obtained by The Post this week and initialed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on July 22, officially reclassified the 19,829 hectares located in the Romny commune of Preah Vihear’s Rovieng district without naming the companies that had been approved to develop the site. It follows an additional four sub-decrees that reclassified almost 30,000 hectares within the Kulen Promtep wildlife sanctuary, north of Boeung Per. The decision came less than a month after community representatives convened in Rovieng district to express concern over a series of large economic land concessions they claim are decimating the wildlife sanctuary and the people who rely on its natural resources.
