Who am I and what is this all about?
In June 2014 I bought an old motorbike and rode 3 days on my own through the jungle to reach the little-known Areng Valley "road block", nestled in the majestic Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia. The road block is an effort to protect the area from the destructive
hydroelectric dam proposed by Chinese energy-giant, Sinohydro.
I'm a 25 year old kiwi girl and have been heavily involved in environmental activism in NZ and Australia for the past 2 years, including spending time at blockade camps similar to this one, which turned out to be instrumental in the success of recent environmental
campaigns such as James Price Point in the Kimberley.
(Day 1 of my moto-adventure)
What I found blew me away...
Indigenous locals, buddhist monks and youth activists alike have united to protect their magical valley from this destructive and rampant development. Not only are these guys devoting their time and energy between maintaining families, studies and spiritual
commitments, but in a country ruled by an uncooperative government and military police forces, these passionate and pioneering activists could quite literally be putting their lives on the line...
Help me help these guys kick-start the first, real grassroots environment movement in Cambodia!
I was so inspired by their innovation and enthusiasm, I knew I had to get this out there in the world. Until now, there has been no real green movement to be heard of in Cambodia outside of NGOs. The indigenous-led
Prey Lang campaign of 2011 was the first of it's kind in effort to protect the virgin jungle of the Cardamom mountains, but it ended tragically with corporate triumph, the destruction of this
area they'd been so desperate to protect and the death of their leader, Chut Wutty, at the hands of the police.
The Areng Valley symbolises their last chance at founding a real grassroots environment movement in Cambodia.
"Many of the environmental threats and degradation in South East Asia, and particularly Cambodia, could be seen as crimes, and, resistance brings a particular dynamic and even threat of danger." (F
Smith, 2009)
This fund is specifically in support of the local and youth activists who have united with the grassroots NGO, "Mother Nature Cambodia" to protect the valley.
"Mother Nature Cambodia" and the Areng Valley Road Block
"Mother Nature" is a Cambodian environmental NGO founded by Alejandro Gonzalez Davidson (Alex),
a passionate westerner who considers Cambodia his home. Alex set up the NGO to provide structure and support for the campaign. Check out their interactive Facebook page
here.
(Alex
confronting police forces, the future of the valley in his arms)
And if you weren't yet inspired enough, here's little more about the valley...
The densely populated low-lying valley is threatened by Chinese developers, Sinohydro, who intend to flood 15,000-20,000 ha of indigenous land for the Cheang Areng hydroelectric dam. The dam will herald many
more for this region and others (including the fragile Mekong between Laos and Cambodia) but if we can stop it we may just be able to set a huge precedent for the future of Cambodia's environment.
The valley is home to 39 endangered species including the extremely rare Siamese crocodile, the Asian elephant, the white-winged duck, the clouded leopard, the dragon fish and many more.
The valley is also home to nine indigenous villages that are bound to the surrounding environment by ancient Buddhist and animist beliefs, worshipping local forest deities such as 'Neak Ta', who is thought to inhabit the sacred forests and rivers of the
valley.
(Buddhist monks walk for the valley in protest, on their way to a tree ordination)
In a country where democratic dialogue is all-but unheard of, this passionate campaign is the only
real hope this rare and precious valley has in being protected.
(Youth activist, Somnang, fishing in the river)
In a world of dwindling natural beauty, it is now more important than ever that the environment movement unites across the globe to ensure the survival of all life on earth.
(Local children of the valley)
Join me in supporting Alex and co. in protecting this beautiful valley and laying the foundations for the first real grassroots environment movement in Cambodia.
(Local children standing up for the valley, Feb 2013)
Help fund this monumental campaign and support the Areng Valley Activists!
I've started this crowdfund as a way to enable my wider, global community of friends and fellow activists to show their support and spread their own passion and influence across the world.
Like Australia's pioneering activists, Alex hopes to lay the foundations for a real environment movement in Cambodia.
However in this case, "with little political or democratic leverage against a corrupt and authoritarian government in Cambodia, the road block is the only way we can ensure the security of this valley" - Alejandro
Gonzalez Davidson
These funds will go toward maintaining the camp, providing transport to and from the road block, food and housing provisions (tents, hammocks etc) for activists, campaign materials, blockade tools (rope, banners, tarpaulin
etc), kayaks and motorbikes for getting around the valley and anything else they may need.
A call to action!
Please give generously to support the Areng Valley Road Block and keep Chinese energy-giant, Sinohydro, out of the valley. Let's show the world this is a global movement, and
we will not stop until the natural environment is secured for future generations once and for all.
$10 will provide hammocks, sleeping mats and pillows for the activists.
$25 will provide food for the road block for one week.
$50 will help keep up maintenance of the motorbikes and other forms of transportation, crucial to the continuation of the campaign.
$100 will contribute to a monk's living quarters and a quasi-temple to enable their long-term occupation of the area.
$200 will kick-start local, community-led scientific research to provide powerful material for the campaign.
$500 will buy solar panels to replace the petrol-generator currently powering the camp.
Please share this with your networks far and wide, and let us unite the environment and social justice movement world-over!
(Hanging out with some of the guys, June 2014)
You can find out more at Mother Nature Cambodia or in the comprehensive report on
my blog.
