Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Illegal Logging Threatens Kouy Indiginous Minority’s Survival

The equivalent of more than 8,000 soccer fields were deforested in two wildlife sanctuaries last year, Amnesty International said Friday, adding that illegal logging is undermining the rights of Cambodia’s indigenous peoples.

The Amnesty report comes just days after a similar study by environmental group CEEJA, and echoed its warning that Cambodia has one of the fastest deforestation rates in the world, losing some 64% of its tree cover over the past decade.

In 2021, some 6,271 hectares in two protected areas – Prey Lang and Prey Preah Rokar – were deforested. Both areas are home to the Kouy people, who told the rights group that deforestation and government restrictions regarding access are harming their spiritual practices and livelihoods.

“Cambodia’s approach to conservation is characterized by official corruption and a complete disregard for Indigenous peoples’ rights. If the Cambodian authorities don’t change course soon, the country’s protected forests will be illegally logged into oblivion,” said Richard Pearshouse, Amnesty’s head of Crisis and Environment. 

“Rampant illegal logging in Cambodia is posing an existential threat to the country’s remaining primary forests, and the Indigenous peoples who depend on them for their livelihoods, their culture and their spiritual practices,” he added.

Tep Toem, 66, a member of the indigenous Kouy minority in Preah Vihear province’s Brameru commune, said the effects of illegal logging on her community were multifold.

“Deforestation has been affecting our identity as indigenous people and causing us to lose our livelihood,” she said.

She said that there are some 300 indigenous families living near Tbeng Meanchey district who rely on forest products from Prey Preah Rokar, especially resin.

Indigenous people have long been tapping trees for resin which they sell for lighting, paints and varnishes. The process doesn’t hurt the trees, which continue to grow for years. However, loggers are felling the trees to make furniture and decimating the forest cover.

One indigenous interviewee told Amnesty an estimated 70% of resin trees in Preah Roka have been lost, while Ms. Toem said the fact that community forest patrols have been banned means logging is going on unabated.

“The prohibition [on patrols] has provided a chance for the perpetrators to continue their logging and deforestation is worse,” she said.

Another member of the Kouy minority, Srey Thei, a representative of the Prey Lang Network in Preah Vihear, agreed with the Amnesty report’s findings that traditional culture is threatened by forest loss.

“Our spiritual forest where we have been worshiping is being destroyed, and the big trees are now gone,” he said.

However, Environment Ministry spokesman, Net Pheaktra, said the Amnesty report didn’t “reflect the reality,” as Cambodia still has around 46.86 percent forest cover.

While he admitted there was still some small-scale illegal logging going on in the areas mentioned  by Amnesty, he said that “the Environment Ministry and the relevant authorities are continuing to responsibly enforce the law.”

Mr. Pheaktra dismissed “baseless allegations fabricated by unprofessional and politicalized NGOs such as Amnesty International.”

He also said that the ministry was committed to protecting indigenous people’s rights, and had established Protected Areas Communities (CPA) which were recognized in Cambodia’s Law.

Of a total 182 CPAs, 52 were for indigenous people, including eight for the Kuy in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom provinces, he said.

The Kouy get support from the ministry’s forest rangers and have “received a lot of benefits to improve their livelihoods through local economic development,” Mr. Peaktra added.

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