Phnom Penh, June 24, 2015: Thirteen participants comprised of The NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF) and together with Prey Lang Working Group including Cambodian Youth Network (CYN), Community Development for Peace and Sustainability-Community Peace-Building Network (CDPS-CPN), Winrock International (WI), DANMISSION, Peace Bridge Cambodia (PBO) and Prey Lang Community Networks (PLCN) members from Kampong Thom and Kratie, attended the official meeting with Forestry Administration (FA), Chaired by H.E Chea Sam Ang.
Two parties came together in order to have mainly discussion on Prey Lang, specifically, focusing on updating current situation of forest issues in Prey Lang (PL), briefing the methodologies and result of PLCN report, and tracking the progress of PL sub-decree.
In responding to the concerning on draft sub-decree that was distributed during the meeting, FA claimed that issues were put into action and currently is on the process of conducting the consultation with sub-national and local authorities as well as local communities to verify and clarify boundaries; for instance, consultation in Mean Rith commune was recently finished, and will be soon send for CSOs consultation after the finalizing the boundaries and demarcation of the land.
“REDD+ project has being implemented from 2015 – 2018 inside the draft of Prey Lang Protected Area in Kampong Thom, namely Korea-Cam REDD+. It will be more responsibilities to FA after Protected Area and REDD+ project established; therefore, FA would work much harder to protect the remaining forest,” said Chea Sam Ang.
NGOs, whose work is mainly focusing on forestry protecting and community development, are in need to educate the citizen immediately, in dry season. He also kept urging the acceleration for the community training.
In this occasion, the communities proposed to have a joint patrol and posts with FA official but was denied by FA. “For Think Biotech case, communities and NGOs should bind all evidences regarding overlapped boundary with communities to submit to FA before any intervention,” he added.
“This is just the begging, as we have made some progress so with the Prey Lang Issue beside meeting with FA, such as National Workshop on PL, Research Report on PL and the social media campaign with an expectation that the loss of PL issue will drag the public attention and later on earn their support to stop the destroying because we believe that PL keeps lives on us and No Prey Lang means No Life,” said Dr. Tek Vannara, NGOF’s Executive Director after the meeting.
The research reports and Joint Statement on Prey Lang with the endorsement of over 49 organizations were handed over to FA by NGOF and PLCN at that time.
Click below for:
- Sub-Decree on Establishing Protected Forest and Biodiversity Conservation “Prey Long” in KHMER
- Sub-Decree on Establishing Protected Forest and Biodiversity Conservation “Prey Long” in ENGLISH
- Joint Statement on Prey Lang in KHMER
- Joint Statement on Prey Lang in ENGLISH
