At Environmental Forum, Hun Sen Spreads the Blame

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday presided over the first of what he promised would be an annual public forum to discuss the plight of the country’s natural resources, though some participants left doubting the events would do much good.

The Forum on the Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources, held at the prime minister’s office building, was a rare chance for activists to put their concerns and requests straight to the premier. The government sought to convince them that it’s getting serious about preserving the country’s lakes, rivers and forests, which have been plundered for decades, often with the help of officials.