‘A threat to Cambodia’s sacred forests’

28 July 2014
New York Times
Civil society / Economy and commerce / Energy / Energy policy and administration / Environment and natural resources / Environment and natural resources policy and administration / Environmental and biodiversity protection / Environmental impact assessments / Ethnic minorities and indigenous people / Forest products / Forests and forestry / Generation and distribution facilities / Government / Hydropower dams / Investment / Land / Logging and timber / Renewable energy production / Social development
Areng Valley / Cardamom Mountains / Chinese aid / Chong ethnic minority / Khmer Daem ethnic minority / Sinohydro company / Southeast Asia / World Bank

In southwest Cambodia, at the foot of the Cardamom Mountains, is a single dirt road that meanders through the heart of the pristine Areng valley. Ten miles down this road, villagers have set up an encampment to stop a hydroelectric dam project that they fear will destroy their forests, livelihood and heritage.

The Chong people, who are considered Khmer Daem (or original Khmers), have lived in this valley for over 600 years. They grow rice, forage for roots and mushrooms, and fish in the streams and river. In March, a group of young monks traveled over 150 miles from Phnom Penh, the capital, to help them in their campaign to protect the forest, which they consider sacred. …

 New York Times News Staff
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/opinion/a-threat-to-cambodias-sacred-forests.html