An aerial view of Chamkar Doung III Beach in Koh Kapi village of Koh Kong district’s Chroy Pros commune in January. MOTHER NATURE CAMBODIA
The Mother Nature youth group is planning to hold an event called “Love for Koh Kong Krao” on February 14 to show youth their love for the island, with the Ministry of Environment telling the group to stop conducting political activity under the guise of environmentalism.
The programme is set to take place on Valentine’s Day in Phnom Penh and is intended to bring together environmental activists and any young people who love nature, especially Koh Kong Krao.
The group also requested that the ministry stop smearing the names of and accusing environmental and forest activists of engaging in politics when it’s the ministry that makes everything political.
Phuon Keoraksmey, an activist with the Mother Nature, said that the youth group wanted to remind Cambodians to love natural resources like forests and islands.
“The programme will also build relationships between youths who love the environment and activists and the Ministry of Environment, so that they know that our team has never wanted to win or lose.
“We do not brand the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism or other relevant partners protecting local natural resources as an enemy as a pretext for protecting national resources,” she continued.
She said that she expected the programme to go smoothly and that the local authorities and the environment ministry will have an understanding with the group.
She expected that the event will consist of encouragement and mutual assistance in the protection of natural resources as the common goal for Cambodia.
In particular, no environmental activists or ministry staff will be branded as enemies so that in the future they can work together to solve natural resource problems.
Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra asked the Mother Nature Youth Movement to learn to work honestly for the nation and sincerely love the nation.
“February 14 is Valentine’s day. I ask you, the Mother Nature youth group, to give up devious thinking, stop political activities under the guise of environmentalism, and do not be deceived by donors about political agendas.
“They must learn to work honestly for the nation and sincerely love the nation and do not engage in dishonesty on the orders of foreigners like [outspoken environmental activist] Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, who is an evil mastermind that opposes peace and development in Cambodia,” he stated.
He concluded that they should think about their futures and not become mired in the tricks of foreigners designed to destroy the nation and their lives.
