Monks Vow To Defy Ban on Forest Visit

PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times) – A group of activist monks will visit Prey Lang forest today to report on illegal logging and other environmental threats to the forest, which was recently ranked as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.

The Venerable But Buntenh, founder of the Independent Monk Network for Social Justice, said he will defy provincial authorities and lead over 100 monks to the forest to study its degradation. The group’s findings will be submitted as a petition to the National Assembly.

“Provincial authorities have refused to allow our group to proceed to the area, saying we should have requested permission from the Ministry of Cults and Religion and the Ministry of Interior three months in advance. However, we will stick to our plan,” the Venerable Buntenh told Khmer Times.

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