Apocalypse in Our Time

‘Upon arriving at Angkor the visitor feels as if transported from darkness to light, from barbarism to civilisation. ... It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome’: Henri Mouhot's description of Angkor Wat
The centre west entrance, Angkor Wat (Drawn by M. Theroud from a Sketch by Mouhot)

Saturday, September 04, 2010
Op-Ed by MP

POLICY makers in Cambodia could do better to consider other urgent priorities that would also bear direct impact upon or impart impetus for the country's development, beside building sky scrapers to rival other landmarks in Asia at this point in time.

A few posters in this forum have already mentioned the need to boost tourism infrastructure by way of building appropriate facilities and logistics in places throughout the country to improve the overall quality of tourism experience and thereby attracting greater influx of visitors into the Kingdom.

The said priorities involve at least 3 areas that remain critical to sustainable tourism and national development in the longer term:

1- Phnom Penh: The capital relies heavily upon its colonial era heritage as its main selling point to visitors, much of which like public buildings and architecture are under threat from dereliction as well as demolition to make way for building new houses or commercial apartments. Some travellers also like to explore souvenir markets and a handful pluck up their courage to study genocide museums/memorials in addition to visiting the small Museum of Fine Arts and the Royal Palace.

This means that extra incentives are needed to persuade tourists to jot down Phnom Penh as a major itinerary item who otherwise opt to bypass the capital altogether travelling from Saigon/HCM or Bangkok directly to Siem Reap by air or coaches.

Building an entertainment type theme park (not Freedom Park!) that combines a sea life aquarium, cultural village and the like would add enormous value to the education and enjoyment of home and foreign visitors alike.

2 - Preah Vihear: I have yet to visit this site, but from what I gather it is a real challenge even with a four-wheel drive to go up the steep road. I think it is a worthy investment to look into providing alternative means of transporting visitors to the famed historical site such as having a cable car transport system at affordable cost to use. People might also be attracted by the novelty of being transported in this way!

3 - Eco-tourism: The term is deployed to encompass a wider extent in quality and experience of tourism as such rather than being limited to bird-watching tourists on guided tours. While what ultimately qualifies as good or bad touristic experience depends largely on the perspective held by individual tourists themselves, it is clear from research that most tourists flock to locations with the capacity to cater for their tastes and safety. A region with a record of social stability and unpolluted environment stands to command a greater share of international tourists or visitors with multiplying economic impact upon both the tourism industry itself (which is very much a global phenomenon) and a whole range of related social services providers within the destination country.

The on-going destruction of the natural environment and the harm done to the indigenous inhabitants of regions such as Rattanakiri and Mondulkiri among others through commercialisation and 'globalisation' has been nothing less than a tragedy, signalling a less than welcoming sign of a country in distress. These remnants of hill tribes - classified officially as ‘ethnic minorities’ - must be among the most endangered species on the planet; their plight and suffering easily ignored or forgotten by both the authorities and the media owing to their lack of representation and physical isolation in general. Yet it is through this very isolated nature that they have been able to preserve their largely undiluted ancient cultures and ways of life down the centuries. They could claim with far greater credibility and force than could most 'Khmers' today (mostly mixed through assimilation with other races) as direct descendants of the ancient Khmer-Mon linguistic group.

No matter how much pride one takes in one's national culture, one will always risk losing something more fundamental by failing to preserve one's own roots, for these are not just there on exhibition as amusement gifts to curious tourists, but are indeed living embodiments of one's identity and soul which give meaning and sustenance to one's existence.

Within this troubled context, I would urge policy-makers and patriots alike to resist the temptation and promise of short term riches by preserving what little the country has left of its natural eco-system. Like the pristine Cardamom in the North-West, Rattanakiri and Mondulkiri also once boasted dreams of fortune making in timber, rubber as well as minerals, in pursuit of which, the environment and the natives have been required sacrifices. And while the fortunes have indeed been made by the few, the sacrifices have also been far too great for the inhabitants surviving in the decimated regions. Few could have imagined a more fitting sequel to ‘Apocalypse Now’ scenes portrayed in Francis Coppola’s film.

As an emerging nation in terms of ‘development’ Cambodia is endowed with a rare advantage of being able to learn from the costly mistakes and experiences of other countries by pursuing a more holistic, quality oriented development that marries the worldly culture of material success or aims with cultural-spiritual imperatives that together in turn adhere to human society’s most basic demands: the well-being and security of every man, woman and child. Such demands have not been discovered features of modernity or inventions of our epoch, but in truth the principal preoccupation of every age. And few contemporaneous civilisations in history could have borne witness to these ideals more passionately or concretely than Cambodia’s own forefathers who conscientiously laboured to immortalise them in stone.

At the height of the Khmer Empire there were not just stone monuments and great armies being assembled, but also sophisticated irrigation systems, well constructed highways crisscrossing the diverse regions of the Empire along which many a traveller could find resting houses and public drinking fountains fragranced with the nourishing scents of lotus flowers and jasmine. There were also hospitals and treatment sanctuaries for the sick and invalid at a time when most of Europe was still gripped by destitution and vices. It is this thought that partly led early European explorers such as Henri Mouhot to reflect:

‘Upon arriving at Angkor the visitor feels as if transported from darkness to light, from barbarism to civilisation. ... It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome’.

Cambodia’s Blind-Eye

"Didn't anybody tell you guys that in the kingdoom of blinds, the one-eye blind like me is the king?"

September 3, 2010
By Ulara Nakagawa
The Diplomat

"One can only hope that the government of this vibrant and resilient nation will come to put its people’s long-term well-being first when making such major decisions that for now seem entirely about short-term gains for its economy"

KI-Media Note: Oh, come on, Ms. Nakagawa, did you already forget that you wrote at the beginning of your article: "the impoverished nation, which has lately also been garnering international criticism on human rights issues"? Do you believe such regime would heed your hope?

It isn’t the likeliest place to house Asia’s tallest building, but Cambodia has officially made known that it plans to build a skyscraper that stands 1,820-feet (555-metres) high in its capital city of Phnom Penh. The slightly ‘off’ nature of this news hasn’t gone unnoticed by many. The Associated Press for instance states (with a hint of irony?) that the new structure will stand in ‘a dusty city of colonial villas (and) slums,’ while Reuters points out that ‘real estate companies questioned whether there was much demand for a building half a kilometre high in the capital of one of Asia's poorest countries.’

Indeed, it seems ironic that the impoverished nation, which has lately also been garnering international criticism on human rights issues, would be investing such a large sum of public funds into a building that seems to be no more than a status symbol for the government and the few well-to-do. Construction of the proposed tower, as publicly announced this week by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, doesn’t have a scheduled starting date yet, but will cost about $200 million to build.

Meanwhile, there is also talk of another large infrastructural change brewing in the small country—the construction of a titanium mine in Koh Kong province that is slated to begin next year. This project, which would be the largest mine ever built in Cambodia, has drawn protests locally and from around the world, as it threatens to destroy ‘144,000 hectares of protected forest in the district, as well as ecotourism projects that support 150 families in Chi Pat commune.’

I visited the unforgettable Chi Pat village last year, and spoke to members of the Wildlife Alliance conservation organization there, who mentioned to me that this area is also an important elephant corridor (the Southwest Elephant Corridor), and that ecotourism (not titanium mines) offers hope for the majestic creatures’ future survival.

Non-profit organization Care2 lays the facts out eloquently on their website, describing the area threatened by the proposed mine, the Cardamom Mountains, as a home also to species like Malayan sun bears, pileated gibbons, Siamese crocodiles and half of Cambodia's bird species—on top of being inhabited by the 100 wild Asian elephants, the country's largest population.

Care 2 also reminds us that the project will likely damage to rivers key to fisheries, agriculture and drinking water for local populations and wildlife and spoil ecotourism programs in the region that ‘bring revenues and jobs to poor rural people while preserving the natural environment.’

Furthermore, it seems that the Cardamom Mountains are very close to being recognized globally as being a prime example of the conservation movement and an ideal model for community-based and sustainable economic development. But, according to the organization, ‘if the government allows mining, for the sake of a few years of mineral extraction, Southwestern Cambodia would lose forever the forest, the elephant corridor, and the chance for a sustainable future for local communities. All that would be left would be a massive hole in the ground and surrounding ecological devastation.’

One can only hope that the government of this vibrant and resilient nation will come to put its people’s long-term well-being first when making such major decisions that for now seem entirely about short-term gains for its economy.
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Ulara Nakagawa

Ulara Nakagawa is associate editor of The Diplomat. Now based in Tokyo, she has worked in related fields for organizations including the The Ministry of Education, The Economist Group and has written for publications including The Japan Times. In addition to her current line of work, she is interested in finding pathways to contribute positively to the world community, the Internet, photography, cross-cultural topics, oral tradition, nature programs, sustainable food and more .

When the rich tear down the mountain to build fences it’s legal, but when the poor look for firewood, they are sent to jail: Pro-CPP media

Major land grading operation is taking place inside the Kep mountain national park (Photo: Neay Keb, Koh Santepheap)

Tuesday 31 August 2010
By Koh Ekareach
Koh Santepheap (Pro-CPP mouthpiece media)
Translated from Khmer by Soy

Kep province – The Kep mountain national park is currently being razed down to build fences at a large scale and this action starts from the top of the mountain and along the foothill of the mountain. It is not known which department authorized this grading for building lots and turning this national park into a private property like this? This problem does not just affect this mountain national park, it also affects several other mountains as well where land grading for building lots are also taking place. A few years ago, the Kep police force made a confiscation once already, they took away numerous fence posts and brought them over to the police station. At that time, there were protests made by environmental officials [against such grading operation], but in 2010, the land owner, who boasted that he is an Oknha (rich tycoon), now has the right to bring in machinery to raze down the mountain without any worry, and there is no authority to prevent this operation either.

Regarding this mass land grading of the national mountain park, Rao Sokha, the director of the land development and construction for Kep province, commented that the construction in the mountain areas is legal. On the other hand, Panha Rith, the director of the Kep national parks, told us rudely over the phone: “All reporters who want to ask any questions about the Kep national park, must send in their questions in advance”, then he would forward them to his bosses first to decide whether an interview is warranted or not because he is afraid of providing information contradicting the orders from his bosses. Therefore, he cannot speak or reply to the reporters.

Mom Sitha, the Kep city police commissioner, told Koh Santepheap that an extremely poor woman with young children was recently arrested by the Kep national park officials. She was accused of sneaking in to the national park to look for firewood. Currently, this woman is jailed in the Kampot province prison already and the authority is also looking to arrest 5 other people because they were looking for firewood for their cooking needs.

Regarding this sordid affair, the national park officials would not provide any clarification because they are under self-gag order and they cannot provide any information. Furthermore, about the arrest of poor people, they would not provide any information about the cause of the arrest either. Critics indicated that when the rich raze down the national park mountain to make building lots, no officials would stop them, but when poor people came in to look for firewood, the officials hit them hard with the law by arresting them and sending to jail.

Rural Environment Degraded, Villagers Say

By Kong Soth, VOA Khmer
Battambang
16 April 2008

[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the second in a two-part series examining concerns of rural voters.]

The people of Dung Ba commune, in Battambang province, are concerned about the environment around them, where forest devastation in former Khmer Rouge areas still continues. Meanwhile, government officials say Cambodia’s environment is much better off than many other countries.

Over the past few years in Dung Ba, a beautiful green forest has been turned into rice paddy, bit by bit, villagers say.

Villager Horn Bon looked at the stump of a tree, cut down to make way for the fields, as he worried what the next generation would see.

“Surely our people want to maintain the environment,” he said, “but environment officials destroy the trees, and they don’t lead people to plant trees, or protest. Instead they keep cutting more trees. Then they grab the land, as they kill wildlife in the forest.”

Dung Ba is just one of the places where environmental degradation is taking place across rural Cambodia. Environmental advocates say Cambodia’s forests continue to be cut down, often by powerful illegal logging companies but also by individuals.

The problem is worse around election time, said Chem Sophay Mony, an environmental advocate that has worked in Battambang province.

As elections approach, officials allow villagers to harvest wood, leading to increased environmental destruction, he said.

“The real situation is that close to election time, state authorities always let people cut trees, and they don’t care about this,” he said.

Sun Chom, deputy director of the Forest Administration in Koh Krol district, Battambang, said less trees are cut here than in other areas, while officials have confiscated trucks and machinery.

But the cutting continues, and observers worry Cambodia will lose much of its natural environment.

Environment Minister Mok Mareth said that Cambodia has retained about 60 percent of its natural environment.

No environment officer will allow the cutting of trees, he said, an any violation of the policy would be unforgivable.

“I have appointed an investigating officer to go out there and make inspections for the Ministry of Environment,” he said. “After an investigation finds those involved in illegal logging, they must be forced to face punishment.”

The ministry and police have already arrested some violators of the law, he said, and they have been sent to jail.