Indigenous Protest in Cambodia

By ⋅ May 25, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment
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Kui protester Ka Srok (Photo: Guy De Launey)

We’re on the Indochinese peninsula for this Geo Quiz, looking for the name of a southeast Asian forest. It’s to Cambodia what the Amazon is to Brazil. This vast forest is teeming with wildlife: elephants, tigers – you name it.

It’s also home to indigenous Kui people who’ve lived in the forest for centuries. Illegal logging and mineral mining are taking a toll on the ancient forest. If that sounds like something out of Avatar, then you won’t be surprised to hear that some Kui tried to dress like characters in the movie on Wednesday. They traveled to the capital Phnom Penh to protest the destruction of their sacred forest. Can you name that forest?

The answer is the Prey Lang forest in central Cambodia. Indigenous groups in Cambodia say the evergreen forest is being destroyed by legal and illegal development. So to press their case to the government, they’ve demonstrated in the capital Phnom Penh dressed as characters from the film Avatar. Anchor Lisa Mullins gets details from the BBC’s Guy De Launey.

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Soeum Seang from Kompong Thom (Photo: Guy De Launey)

Avatar in the Amazon

Discussion

One comment for “Indigenous Protest in Cambodia”

  • Luke Politte

    Thank you for this story.  The plight of the world’s forests and indigenous peoples is under-reported.  I would like to see this in the New York Times!