Phnom Penh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Cambodian authorities arrested and detained for several hours a small group of activists, who protested in front of the Parliament demanding the closure of of a Vietnamese company, engaged in dredging sand in the province of Koh Kong in south-west of Cambodia.
According to environmentalists and local residents, the excavation is seriously damaging the natural flora and fauna. According to authorities, police blocked the protesters for "obstructing traffic"
However, local sources report that yesterday, at least a hundred policemen took part in the arrest of the three activists, in Chamkar Mon district of the capital Phnom Penh.
The three are members of a local observatory committed to protecting the environment, called Mother Nature Cambodia. The group had organized a peaceful demonstration outside the National Assembly, calling for drastic action against Rainbow International.
Speaking to Radio Free Asia (RFA) Y Soksan of local rights group Adhoc—whose official was also taken into custody while monitoring the protest—told RFA’s Khmer Service that the police officers “abused the rights” of the activists, who had demonstrated “for the sake of the country.” “This is human rights abuse—the activists petitioned the National Assembly with good intentions,” he said, adding that the authorities “should have provided them with security during the protest instead of arresting them”.
After being detained for several hours, they were registered and released at a later time, after signing a document in which they undertake - for the future - to inform the authorities before launching protests or petitions in front of the Parliament.
Mother Nature Cambodia accuses Rainbow International of polluting the environment for years and endangering the lives of thousands of families in Koh Kong. Last April, a group of local residents launched a petition at the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment to raise the issue of dredging, to no avail.
Experts say these activities have a negative impact on nature, biodiversity and fisheries. For the founder of Mother Nature they are "a crime against nature and serious violations of human rights".
Not only in Cambodia, but also the neighboring Laos, Myanmar and in general all over the Asian continent environmentalists and private citizens are increasingly taking to the streets to protect nature against the extensive exploitation of local companies or unscrupulous multinationals.
However, often citizens are defeated and see their rights denied or they are arrested if they dare to rebel against authority. Pope Francis’ last encyclical, "Laudato sì" published on 18 June, was dedicated to the environment, a balanced development and welfare of "our common home".