Saturday, November 12, 2011

Cambodians fight illegal logging

Villagers in Prey Lang forest protest government corruption leading to illegal logging.
Last Modified: 12 Nov 2011



Hundreds of protesters in Cambodia fear that within six months to a year illegal logging and government corruption could lead to the clearing of an entire forest of trees.

Protesters near the Prey Lang forest, angry at the economic toll illegal logging is taking on their communities, have started to set fire to illegally cut logs as a symbol of the damage being done to the last remaining primeval forest in Indo-China.

The protected resin trees in the forest are the main income source for 80 per cent of people in the area, but with cut trees fetching tens of thousands of dollars in Vietnam and China, government corruption is putting both the economy and environment of the region at risk.

Al Jazeera's Stephanie Scawen reports from Prey Lang.


Source:
Al Jazeera

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