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The government has permitted private firm Focus Trans Global Venture Co Ltd (FTGV) to study the construction of a new airport in Mondulkiri province, northeast of Cambodia, as well as invest in a build, operate and transfer (BOT) model, the Office of the Council Minister said on January 9. Read the full article at: New M’kiri Airport To Boost Tourism, Economy But Deforestation Concerns Linger | CamboJA News…

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Many of the Indigenous communities in Cambodia are primarily concentrated in the northeastern region of the country, areas which were previously covered by dense forest. These Indigenous peoples identify as descendants of forest caretakers and have lived on their ancestral lands for thousands of years. Throughout this time, Indigenous communities have maintained strong ties with the forests in which they live through vibrant spiritual and cultural practices. These Indigenous peoples have traditionally managed almost 4 million hectares of land and still rely heavily on traditional methods for hunting forest animals, h…

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PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA —  Companies chaired by a prominent Cambodian tycoon are quietly starting the approval process for two dormant hydropower dam projects in Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province, according to documents reviewed by VOA, alarming environmentalists who say the projects could disrupt Indigenous people’s livelihoods and the Mekong River ecosystem. Lower Srepok 3 and Lower Sesan 3 are named for the major Mekong tributaries where they would be built and have been part of Cambodia's dam pipeline since 2003, when the government began planning hydropower investments. Several Chinese companies pursued approvals for the dams around a decade ago, but the projects…

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Several of the extreme climate events throughout the world in the past year have spurred a sense of urgency among Indigenous communities who are the first to be affected.…

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Today, there are an estimated 470 million indigenous peoples who live across ninety countries in the world. It makes up less than five percent of the world's population. There are more than 7,000 languages and five thousand diverse cultures among indigenous groups. According to NRDSESIP Data, Cambodia is one nation that has almost twenty-two groups of indigenous peoples, equal to 1.34% of the Cambodian population, which covers sixteen provinces in this country.[1] The livelihood systems of Indigenous communities predominantly hinge upon the utilization of land, forests, and various other natural resources.  The practice of shifting cultivation,…

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Joint Statement of Indigenous Community Representatives Of the Kingdom of Cambodia On Concerns Relating to the Environment and Natural Resources Code Angkor Century Resort and Spa, Siem Reap December 19, 2023 ************** On December 19, 2023, at the Angkor Century Resort in Siem Reap, we, 189 representatives of Indigenous communities, including 44 women, convened at the National Co…