Areng valley is a very beautiful place which is located in Koh Kong province in the southwest Cambodia. There are extremely rare wildlife species and one of the last places left in Cambodia and it is a place where indigenous people are still living in harmony with their surrounding environment in this valley.
This area obtains very last spirit and burial forests, and forest habitats for unique species of wildlife such as the Siamese crocodiles, Dragon Fish, Asian Elephants, friendly Chong ethnic’s group. There are around 1500 people living in 3 communes which are Chum Nap, Thmor Donkeo, and Pon Leay inside Areng valley. This valley is becoming well-known from day to day since there was a conflict between Sinohydro Company and people in this area about the proposing hydro-electric dam in the last two years because those civilians would be relocated from their homes and farmlands to the unknown nearby area without any proper restorations if the dam was constructed. Not only local people in that area concerned with the dam construction, but also most people in Cambodia are afraid to lose this amazing natural heritage of this country.
There were 2 company which used to do study about feasibility of the hydropower in Chhay Areng River, yet they proved that it is not profitable comparing the damage. Due to this very sensitive issue, Peace Institute of Cambodia led Cambodia’s peace fellows in the project called “Cities of Peace” to Areng valley to see the real situation and ask for more details from villagers living there about their concern and issues. According to one male villager who is Chong indigenous community said that this dam might flood these 2 communes in Areng valley and it definitely destroy rare species, wild animal habitats, thousands hectares of rainforest, beautiful waterfalls, arable lands, and culture of Chong people. He continued to say that “the authorities took us for granted with our welfare because only us who have tried to halt the dam construction while they did help China’s company against us. We will never leave our ancestor’s land because we have enough foods to eat, water to drink, and arable land to do, thus we will never let them (dam company) enter our area to build the dam.” He lastly stated that” we will have electricity, yet we will have no foods. Thus how can we survive?”
However, this proposed dam construction was postponed at least until 2018 due to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s speech in February 25, 2015, but people in that area still live in hardship in terms of low healthcare and difficult accessibility (road) and low education because the government take no notice to those people. Sadly, there is no hospital among these 3 communes, difficult road condition, and 2 school buildings with only secondary and primary school that is why people confront with less development in their community and hard to live. Even though people in Areng valley have struggled with their life before and after the cancellation of dam construction, they are happier and happier because there are more and more people have gone there to visit and capture the nature view from this valley. Meanwhile, many Chong indigenous people tend to provide services including motor for community.
Ecotourism can really help this community to thrive their economic and avoid hydropower construction because people will go there more and more to see the last spiritual forest of Cambodia and broadcast the view to the world so community people will be able to generate income from those visitors and develop their community. Likewise, when people are getting to know about the beauty and value of Areng valley, they will conserve it as national or global heritage. Dismissing the dam construction and turning Areng into ecotourism place is the best choice to help Chong indigenous community, preserve our forest and rare wild animals, and save our environment to insure the next generation’s welfare and harmony. After having a trip with Cambodia peace fellow to Areng organizing by Peace Institute of Cambodia (PIC), we would like to suggest to all Cambodian to visit there once in life to see our beautiful a beautiful paradise on earth and also help our forest from illegal logging and destroying our very last forest as well as turn that area to ecotourism. How much time do we remain to see the ocean of tree, the amazing waterfall, and various types of rare species, and Cardamom Mountains with green color in Cambodia?
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Nayheak 