Activist records destruction of Cambodian ‘protected’ forest, tree by tree

[ad_1] The destruction of the forest is recorded with forensic precision.

Environmental activist Ma Chetra pictures the stump of every felled tree. In every shot, there’s a world positioning gadget to show every tree’s coordinates and a tape measure displaying the width of every trunk – as much as 1.5 meters (5 toes) in some circumstances.

The proof seems indeniable that about 200 towering sentinels of the Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province have been lower down. Ma Chetra’s video reveals felled tree trunks ready to be dragged away, already-sawn timbers and charred stays the place loggers seem to have set managed fires to take away undergrowth.

It’s the sort of destruction that has dogged Cambodia for many years, denuding a few of richest forests in mainland Southeast Asia. Throughout 2023 alone, it misplaced 121,000 hectares (300,000 acres) of forest — an space equal to the dimensions of Los Angeles, based on a report by the College of Maryland within the U.S. and International Forest Watch.

And Preah Roka is supposed to be a protected space. The 90 sq. kilometer (35 sq. mile) sanctuary was arrange in 2016 to protect the area’s biodiversity and help sustainable forest use by the local people. A current examine discovered this and adjoining sanctuaries help dozens of untamed elephants.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has, in actual fact, vowed to cease the destruction of Cambodia’s forests. In December 2023, 4 months after taking workplace, he thanked Cambodians for sharing proof of unlawful logging on his Fb web page and instructed Ministry of Atmosphere officers they already had the facility to cease the apply.

He used martial language to drive the purpose dwelling.

“You could have swords in your palms. I nonetheless stand behind you. It is advisable to implement the regulation,” the prime minister instructed assembled ministry officers.

Quick ahead 17 months, and Ma Chetra and different environmental activists and members of the indigenous Kuy group publicized proof from a Might 5-7 survey of Preah Roka, full with video and a mosaic of images of every sawn tree stump.

The Ministry of Atmosphere was not happy.

After RFA Khmer broadcast an interview with Ma Chetra on Might 9 concerning the findings, the ministry responded. In a Might 10 assertion, it dismissed the claims of unlawful logging as false. It alleged that RFA Khmer had used outdated photos and data. The ministry appeared to threaten authorized motion in opposition to the activist.

“An individual named Ma Chetra usually enters protected areas with out permission, creates false info, deliberately incites, makes an attempt to trigger social unrest, and promotes the politics of unlawful teams overseas,” the assertion stated, defending the conduct of its personal officers.

“Park rangers in protected areas have carried out their roles and tasks with excessive duty,” the assertion stated.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="The stump of a felled tree is photographed with a GPS device to display each tree’s coordinates and a tape measure showing the width of each trunk." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=800&height=486" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=274&height=166 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=400&height=243 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=768&height=466 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=1024&height=622 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/HWFU6R4GWBFEXOAVM4FYJX6JFI.PNG?auth=b7ec00ec465d25d5d16c73a3520f0e883406e99dfae6a83e6663c3b99434e07d&width=1440&height=874 1440w" width="800" height="486"/> cambodia-deforestation The stump of a felled tree is photographed with a GPS gadget to show every tree’s coordinates and a tape measure displaying the width of every trunk. (Ma Chetra) On Might 12, the Kuy group issued its personal findings, endorsing what Ma Chettra stated based mostly on the Might 5-7 survey. They'd found that each small and enormous timber—corresponding to beng, raing and sokrom varieties – had been felled. Trunk diameters ranged from 50 to 150 centimeters. Most logging actions, it stated, had been present in areas referred to as Chorm Teuk Khmao, O’Skach, and O’Rumsae. The workforce additionally discovered logging camps, chainsaws, and varied spare elements used for logging operations.

The Kuy group stated this was severely impacting their conventional customs, cultural practices, and day by day livelihoods, which rely on forest assets corresponding to tree resin, fruit and wild honey.

A younger Kuy activist, Khak Pharithmasi, instructed RFA that he regrets the ministry’s accusations in opposition to Ma Chetra, particularly because it has not but completely investigated the matter.

“For the sake of transparency, environmental officers ought to examine completely earlier than drawing any conclusions. Any accusation should be based mostly on a full investigation. Simply because Ma Chetra posted one thing on Fb doesn’t justify accusing him with out correct inquiry,” stated Khak Pharithmasi.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Stumps of felled trees are photographed with a GPS device to display each tree’s coordinates and a tape measure showing the width of each trunk." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=800&height=500" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=274&height=171 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=400&height=250 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=768&height=480 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=1024&height=640 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/NQSJVSMY3FGT3EVTGP6QHGY5IA.PNG?auth=718ca6426e190bb93fba7a9a3dcbfafd53522ecf3841c3faf60735b469c29ef9&width=1440&height=900 1440w" width="800" height="500"/> cambodia-deforestation Stumps of felled timber are photographed with a GPS gadget to show every tree’s coordinates and a tape measure displaying the width of every trunk. (Ma Chetra) Ma Chetra stated the report from the Kuy group mirrored the fact on the bottom. He known as on the federal government and the Ministry of Atmosphere to research why its lower-level officers have did not suppress unlawful logging actions.

“We produced a video, but they didn't even go to the location earlier than declaring it false,” Ma Chetra instructed RFA Khmer.

He's no stranger to Preah Roka sanctuary. He participated in one other survey 4 years in the past that uncovered greater than 100 circumstances of unlawful logging there.

Unlawful logging is endemic in Cambodia. Based on the group International Forest Watch, the nation misplaced 34 p.c of its main forest between 2002 and 2023, and an identical proportion of its tree cowl over the identical interval.

Many of the destruction occurred throughout the tenure of Hun Sen, the present Senate president, who was prime minister from 1985 to 2023. He additionally used powerful language, if not powerful motion, in opposition to unlawful logging.

In 2016, Hun Sen known as for rocket assaults in opposition to unlawful loggers and famously promised to chop off his personal head if the apply continued underneath his watch.