Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Historic Moment as first passenger train along Laos-China Railway arrives in Laos
The Prime Minister of Laos announced earlier this month that the Laos-China Railway would officially open on schedule in time for the National Day of Laos on 2 December.
Jailed Vietnamese land activist was tortured in bid to extract confession
While all land in Vietnam is ultimately held by the state, land confiscations have become a flashpoint as residents accuse the government of pushing small landholders aside in favor of lucrative real estate projects, and of paying too little in compensation.
Saline intrusion may occur earlier in Mekong Delta
The saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta region during this year’s dry season would occur earlier and be worse than previous years, warned the Department of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Cambodian families refuse land compensation from Chinese resort developer
Villagers say the compensation offered by the government is not fair because it does not compare to what they are losing.
Lao villagers reluctant to renew land lease with Chinese watermelon growers
After three years under this arrangement, the villagers say they can no longer tolerate the chemical damage NAMPheung causes to their farms and the environment. “The land is damaged. When they return the land to us for rice planting, yields are down and of lesser quality,” one villager said.
Bringing “the people” back in: Forest resources conservation with Dr. Apichart Pattaratuma
The real issue is big corporations invade the forest. This is very significant. Deforestation happens mostly from large scale corporation rather than small scale farmers.
Conviction of Prey Lang activist marks further repression of environmental defenders
“Time and time again, the Cambodian courts fail to deliver genuine justice in cases involving human rights defenders and environmental activists. Meanwhile, the Cambodian government continues to trample on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and allows logging companies to pursue their illegal activities with impunity.”
Once upon a river – Cambodia’s Mekong crisis
New hydropower dams on the Mekong River are leaving fishing and farming communities high and dry. The dams provide clean electricity, but they also cause massive damage to Cambodia’s plant and animal worlds.