The fight against illegal loggers and land grabbers continues in the country, with community members from Kampong Thom villages calling on authorities to act to crack down on deforestation and encroachment on the community forest.

Community leaders and residents of seven villages in Kraya Commune, Santuk District, Kampong Thom called on authorities to intervene and stop deforestation and encroachment on community forest.

According to villagers, from 2016 to 2021, about 30 percent of the community forest of Veal O Kdei, or the equivalent of 4,218 hectares of land, was deforested and illegally encroached.

According to O Veal Kdei’s community forestry chief, Hach Sadam, police investigated a case in which a man was accused of encroaching on approximately 50 hectares of community forest land and selling it to others. other villagers. The villagers filed a complaint with Kampong Thom to take action against the accused.

Chief Sadam said the people who encroached on the land did so with the intention of selling the land. Communities do not know if there is anyone behind the encroachment and deforestation of their forest.

The authorities are asking for measures to protect the forest because it is the habitat of a particular flora and fauna.

• Keywords: Community forest, Kampong Thom