Police harass environmental activists in Phnom Penh

 

Preface by Khmer Circle

 

Trying to do good socially is far from a good thing in the Kingdom of Wonder. The few pockets of natural green space here and there in the country are all that remain of a naturally bountiful land - dubbed "Sovannaphoum" or Golden Land by ancient travellers and scribes - which stayed largely so until the Vietnamese armed occupation in the 1980s; a historical legacy that has been proving both calamitous environmentally and unjust politically and socially The phrase "country for sale" coined to describe the callous commercial exploitation of Cambodia is a general term only and does not offer conclusive scrutiny as to the rather more complex underlying realities of political deals, patronage, human rights abuse and the inevitable outlook of a people losing both economic and political sovereignty over their own ancestral land and nation as this egregious wholesale process - as it stands - rips them apart, take away their rights and undermine their roots. The phrase is at best an understatement.

How so? Genocide at its core relies on these actions and violence against a people by coercively stripping them off their entitlement and sovereignty over their personal and collective spheres such as national self-determination or independence, private ownership and communal spaces. The various hill tribes of central and Northern Vietnam, the ethnic Chams of central Vietnam along with the ethnic indigenous Khmers of the Mekong Delta have all undergone, and in fact, are still experiencing this rapacious development.

Yet, all of these things would not be quite complete without making the genocide itself legitimate and thus acceptable in the collective mind of the victims. Take as example the appearance and gospel of this young Buddhist monk whose current popularity with a traditionally peaceful - if superstitious and thus gullible - subservient people have seen tens of thousands gather at the Angkor Wat complex to hear him preach, among other things, the necessity of abiding by the laws of the land, the 3 powers of government, namely, 'the executive branch', 'the legislature' and 'the court' [all can be translated as Hun Sen or are firmly under his direction!] as well as welcoming the country's "Second Kingdom" [also translates to Hun Sen or his regime} as heralding a new long-awaited era of peace and happiness.

The monk himself - not surprisingly - is being feted by the ruling elite and his value to them is underlined accordingly, replete with all the pomp and ceremony of a messenger from the heavenly realm or Buddha himself! But, preach about the destruction and alarming loss of the forest [believed to be fitting sanctuary of angels, and the monk himself is known to practise forest retreat or monkhood], or the land rights of indigenous people or the cancer of systematic corruption and political tyranny and he could expect to be forced into his new retreat at Prey Sar prison, exile or even assassination; a fate that has been meted out to countless Buddhist monks and civil dissidents alike during the time of this Second Kingdom.   

 

^^^  

The group wants the government to raise taxes on plastic bags to rein in their use.

By RFA Khmer
2023.11.01

 

Police harass environmental activists in Phnom Penh Security personnel block the path of pro-environment demonstrators in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Screenshot from citizen journalist video

The activists, dressed in clothes made of plastic bags and carrying signs emblazoned with environmentalist slogans, marched to the rallying point where they would submit their petition to Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment.

It was supposed to be a peaceful march to urge the government to raise taxes on plastic bags and charge customers more for using them, in a bid to protect Cambodia’s environment.

But plainclothes officers blocked the way of the 20 marchers, pushed them, snatched their phones, and attempted to confiscate their banners.

“They didn’t listen to us. We are holding banners to request the government to listen to our two requests,” Ream SreyMech Rathana, one of the marchers, told Radio Free Asia. 

“Where is democracy? [We are] people [just] walking on the streets who speak their mind but they outlaw us and the authorities are resorting to violence and unethical behavior,” said Ream SreyMech Rathana.

The authorities choose violence as their response, regardless of what the activists are asking for, said Hum Sok Keang, another activist.

“We have observed that authorities don’t allow us to work freely even though our work is beneficial to the country but they think we are polluting the society,” Hum Sok Keang said.

After the encounter, a representative from the Ministry of Environment accepted their petition.

To combat plastic pollution, the Ministry of Environment in 2016 issued a sub decree ordering provincial, city and district authorities to properly handle trash. But critics say authorities have failed to resolve the trash issues, forcing the people to pick up plastic litter from public places.  

RFA attempted to reach the ministry’s spokesperson Phai Bun Chhoeun and the Phnom Penh police spokesperson Sam Vicheaca, but neither could be reached for comment.

Plastic pollution pollutes the environment and will discourage tourists from visiting Cambodia, said Chhin Chorvin, another activist.

“Plastic affects humans and animals and pollutes water,” he said. “When we use too much plastic, we burn it and it pollutes the atmosphere.”

Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.