Environmental activists and communities launched a campaign urging the government to revoke a sub-decree that allows a private company to build a cement factory on 99 hectares of protected forest in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. They said it will jeopardize the forest biodiversity, violate climate pledges, and put corporate interests ahead of public welfare and the environment.

The Cambodian Youth Network Association (CYN) called on relevant institutions to review and prohibit the granting of economic land concessions in nature conservation areas. 

Mother Nature Cambodia posted “Our forests, their profits! 99 hectares of protected forest has been silently leased for 50 years for the construction of a cement factory” on its Facebook page on May 4. “Has our country truly run out of space for development? Is this why every so-called development project leads to the destruction of our lakes, mountains, and forests, which are resources that belong to all of us?” they asked.

By 2023, Cambodia had lost 121,000 hectares of forest cover, where 11,500 hectares alone were lost in the protected Prey Lang area. “Who will take responsibility for this?” Mother Nature Cambodia said.

The decision to allocate 99 hectares of land in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary was made in accordance with a sub-decree dated January 13, 2025. The sub-decree, signed by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth, and Aun Pornmoniroth, Minister of Economy and Finance (MEF), was recently shared by forest conservationists on social media.

It stated that 99 hectares of land in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Boeung Char commune, Sambor district, Kratie province, which is a “property of the state”, will be transformed into a private property of the state as a lease for a period not exceeding 50 years to K.P Cement Industry Co Ltd to develop a cement factory.

K.P Cement, which registered with the MEF in 2019, is a subsidiary under the Chhay Ching Heang Group Ltd (CCH Group).

According to its website, CCH Group has “consistently increased its potential which has been recognized and acknowledged by the government”, and have delivered “numerous services” to clients. 

Concession defies government policies

Moeu Chandara, acting executive director of CYN, told CamboJA News that Cambodia has a lot of vacant land, and the government should not cut out protected areas as communities benefit from it, and is also home to rich biodiversity.

Chandara said the sub-decree runs counter to the government’s commitment to maintain 60% of forest area by 2050, adding that it will not help the growth of the community, but benefit the private company instead. 

Community members and environmentalists will continue campaigning to ask the government to cancel the sub-decree, he said, adding that they are not against development, but want a development that is transparent and sustainable.

“We urge the government to reconsider granting any form of land concessions in protected areas because these local communities depend on it. The areas can also be used to sell carbon [credits],” said Chandara. 

He remarked that land leases to private companies benefit the state, but considering the value of natural resources and intangible values, reduction of the effects of climate change, and protection of wildlife sanctuaries – these are of more value.

The lease for private development is “not good for the community or the future of protected areas”, Svay Song, a Prey Lang Community Network member in Kratie province, told CamboJA News. The initiative will significantly affect the community’s livelihood and health, particularly those living nearby. “They will not be able to access forest by-products to support their family,” Song said. 

Song claimed that the cement factory concession area thrives with rich biodiversity, wildlife, and has abundant forest growth, meaning it is not a degraded forest. “The area has many trees, natural resources, and is not a degraded area.”

He said protected areas should be preserved. The government should not hand over the rights to private companies, especially when communities work hard to protect the forest.

“The state has given the land for 50 years to the company for development. Of course, it will affect the people living near Prey Lang. While the community is trying to protect it, the state allocates the land to a company and the people don’t get anything,” he added. 

San Mala, head of Network and Advocacy for Partnership for Environment and Development, expressed regret over the lease, saying that it was an unexpected move by the government.

Despite an announcement by the previous government under former Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2012 that protected area concessions will not be granted to private corporations for investment, “the issue still existed”.

“The lease to K.P Cement is sad news for environmental groups as it violates two Ministry of Environment policies. Under the National Forest Program, the ministry pledged to increase forest cover by 60% but we see that this plan has been postponed until 2050 by the new minister,” Mala told CamboJA News. 

In the second policy, Mala said the new minister made a public promise to plant one million trees a year, but the clearing of 99 hectares of forest land is “senseless” as the “size of the loss is greater than the ministry’s commitment”.

“This is not a smart development,” Mala said, “because Cambodians love the forests and the environment. They want protected areas to become eco-tourism sites that can generate sustainable profits.”

In 2022, a report by the Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) said 2021 was the year with the “highest forest cover loss”. Over 11,100 hectares of forest cover in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary was lost that year. Since 2000, some 67,400 hectares of forest cover or 16% of Prey Lang Sanctuary’s total forest cover has been destroyed.

Going in the opposite direction 

Environmental activist Kim Chilin told CamboJA News that Cambodia committed to maintain 60% forest cover by 2030 in every high-level summit, such as the Conference of Parties, but that goal “seems to be impossible” and has been postponed to 2050.

Chilin said the decision to allocate 99 hectares of land to a cement company is a step in the “opposite direction” of the government’s commitment on the international stage in the past.

“This decision does not show the willpower to maintain forest cover for Cambodian people. The reason is that the Environment Ministry’s one million tree planting campaign has not been successful. When the government grants land concessions to private companies, I think it is a step in the opposite direction of the aim that was previously mentioned in public,” Chilin said. 

Prey Lang and other forests in Cambodia should be protected and conserved to ensure sustainable forest cover and to prevent climate change.

Despite several attempts to contact Kvay Atitya, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, for comment, he did not respond to phone calls.

There was also no response from CCH Group, parent company of K.P cement, on questions via email regarding the environmental impact from the cement factory and how its approval was granted despite a ban on mining operations in Prey Lang.