Report Calls Cambodia ‘Deadliest’ Country for Environmental Reporting

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Aun Chhengpor, VOA Khmer

08 December 2015

PHNOM PENH—

With at least four Cambodians killed in recent years trying to uncover environmental crimes, the country ranks as the “deadliest” place in the world to conduct such reporting, according to a new report.

Compiled by the Paris-based organization Reporters Without Border (RSF), the report, “Hostile Climate For Environmental Journalists,” names Cambodia—alongside India—as one of the two “deadliest countries” for journalists covering environmental issues.

“Many environment journalists have paid a high price,” read the report, citing a worldwide tally of 10 murders of environment reporters since 2010.

RSF said four of the murders took place in Cambodia, where the group alleged “disgraceful impunity” for perpetrators.

“RSF has urged the authorities in both [Cambodia and India] to conduct serious and transparent investigation into these barbaric murders of journalists with aims to bring those responsible to justice,” the report said.

The cases in Cambodia began with the gunning down of prominent environmentalist Chut Wutty in 2012, while he was guiding two reporters from the local English-language newspaper The Cambodia Daily near a protected area of Koh Kong province.

“The Cambodian judicial authorities closed the Chut Wutty murder case in 2012 after botching the investigation,” it said. A court ruled that Chut Wutty’s death was an “accidental killing” after a probe and court case that rights groups said both lacked credibility.

source: http://www.voacambodia.com/content/report-calls-cambodia-deadliest-country-for-environmental-reporting/3093238.html

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Forest patrols duel in Prey Lang

Wed, 9 December 2015

Daniel Pye and Phak Seangly

As activists from Prey Lang forest received the prestigious Equator Prize in Paris on Monday, another, parallel network was asserting itself in Kampong Thom province – one with close ties to the security forces and local governor.

The Prey Lang Forest Community Network (PLFCN), funded by Kampong Thom Governor Uth Sam An, has allegedly intimidated Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN) patrols. Activists fear it could be the death knell for a grassroots environmental movement that has fractured greatly since the murder of prominent environmentalist Chut Wutty in 2012.

Prey Lang was named as one of the world’s top 10 “biodiversity hotspots” by Conservation International earlier this year and supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Cambodians, as well as being a watershed area for the Tonle Sap lake.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national