Cambodia Opposition Leader Urges Halt to Forest Land Concessions

12 December 2013
Agriculture and fishing / Economic land concessions and plantations / Environment and natural resources / Environment and natural resources policy and administration / Environmental and biodiversity protection / Ethnic minorities and indigenous people / Forest cover / Forest policy and administration / Forest products / Forests and forestry / Government / Land / Logging and timber / National parks and wildlife sanctuaries / Public land lease
Cambodia National Rescue Party / CRCK Company / Prey Lang Forest / Sam Rainsy

Cambodia’s opposition leader called Wednesday for a halt to land concessions granted by the government to foreign companies in the country’s vast Prey Lang Forest, calling for greater protection of one of Southeast Asia’s last remaining lowland evergreen woodlands. Cambodia National Rescue Party President Sam Rainsy made the call while on a visit with 20 lawmakers-elect from the party to a rubber plantation run by Vietnamese military-linked CRCK company as part of a land concession in the forest in Kampong Thom province. … Tens of thousands of ethnic minority people live in and around the Prey Lang Forest, which also plays a key role in Cambodia’s water management system. Local activists say it is under a major environmental threat from agro-industrial and mining land concessions that authorize private developers to clear trees on wide swathes of the forest, as well as from illegal logging in unauthorized areas. …

 Radio Free Asia News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/prey-lang-12112013181039.html