Foreign logging company warehouses pose threat to ethnic minority, wildlife

The Phnong ethnic minority in the Stung Treng province are living in fear and insecurity as they come together to protect the forest surrounding their Kbal Romeas village against an influential foreign logging company that devours the forest trees.

The afflicted community is trying to protect the forest amid lack of action by the local authorities.

Srang Lanh, a village representative, said that village representatives had lodged a request with the authorities to turn the forest into a collective forest to protect it from deforestation and logging, yet he said, the request was ignored in favor of the logging company.

Srang Lanh, who also represents the afflicted community, said the Phnong indigenous community are adamant to protect the village, especially after witnessing the destruction wrought by a foreign company that built a hydroelectric dam which raised the water levels and saw houses submerged underwater.