The Effect is Distressing.
Lander, Wyoming. I am waiting for a Skype call from my assistant in Phnom Penh. Our letters have reached many news organizations. Voice of America called the village and spoke to many students and villagers. The effect is distressing, as evident in the school director’s most recent message.
“Nhim So Bun will be arriving in PP around 3 o’clock tomorrow. He will bring some current pictures to scan them for you because the villagers saw many activities of the perpetrators have been continuing to destroy the forests in Arual district more enormous than when you and Andre were staying there. They have moved forward in burning the forests at the Buddhism center and will soon cut down all the trees over there. The monks are concerned a lot about their future if forest is extinct.”
It is so frustrating to me that we have many local villagers who want to protect their environment, but they have no support. Even the environmental organizations seem to be giving up on the Aural Wildlife Sanctuary. What they need to do is support and empower the local people - the desire is already there. How do we get these people some help? Hopefully Voice of America will air the story Monday or Tuesday. That’s a start. I continue to pass the information to media sources and human rights groups, to make our students voices heard.
The simplest way to help is to buy the book, and spread the word.
